https://www.spreaker-beta.com/show/mike-hosking-breakfastenPoliticsCopyright Roccohttps://d1botjg6upurv.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker-beta.com/original/6beef3eb6a511742fb537ade0971b868.jpghttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/show/mike-hosking-breakfastMon, 10 Mar 2025 17:36:33 +0000RoccoRoccofeeds@spreaker.comListen to the latest interviews from the Mike Hosking Breakfast on Newstalk ZBfalseepisodichttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/admiral-jim-gilmour-nz-defence-force-plane-for-kabul-scheduled-to-leave-this-morning--1007814At 8am a C130 Hercules was scheduled to be deployed to bring back the interpreters and civilians who helped the New Zealand Defence Force.  
The person responsible for our deployed forces is Commander of Joint Forces NZ Rear Admiral Jim Gilmour who told Mike Hosking security is the region is still an issue. 
“Prior to heading into Afghanistan, we need to be assured the improving security situation at the Kabul airport continues.” 
LISTEN ABOVE ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/fxnp4veh/jim-gilmour-key-to-our-success.mp3Wed, 18 Aug 2021 20:52:59 +0000RoccoOur rescue mission to Afghanistan begins this morning.    At 8am a C130 Hercules was scheduled to be deployed to bring back the interpreters and civilians who helped the New Zealand Defence Force.   The person responsible for our deployed forces...At 8am a C130 Hercules was scheduled to be deployed to bring back the interpreters and civilians who helped the New Zealand Defence Force.  
The person responsible for our deployed forces is Commander of Joint Forces NZ Rear Admiral Jim Gilmour who told Mike Hosking security is the region is still an issue. 
“Prior to heading into Afghanistan, we need to be assured the improving security situation at the Kabul airport continues.” 
LISTEN ABOVE ]]>184falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-the-prime-minister-loses-most-by-not-fronting--1007815I am not sure it's worth getting annoyed about, because how else was this whole thing going to turn out? 
From the PM’s point of view, obviously it’s a serious mistake given there isn't a radio programme in this country that has an audience like ours.        
By not fronting here, she misses the chance to front hundreds of thousands of voters. The arrogance of that is something for the voter to work out for themselves.  
But the deal was, if you ever took the deal seriously, which I didn’t, that she, although no longer appearing on this programme regularly, would still front for matters of major importance. 
Level 4 probably falls into that category. 
So, by not fronting on Level 4, what we find out is what most of us suspected in the first place. 
The business earlier in the year about shuffling media commitments, about not being able to be everywhere all the time was of course a sham. 
They make this stuff up in the hope you will 1) fall for it and 2) then forget about it. 
It is without a shadow of a doubt now shown that she was scared of the accountability of this programme, she knew the level of detail she was expected to front with and wasn’t up for it. 
And she could easily find more friendly places with softer questions.  
I momentarily stated I didn’t want her back on the programme because more often than not, she was a verbal drain. 
But Barry, God bless him, quite rightly pointed out that I couldn't go round bagging the rest of the media for being asleep at the wheel and asking soft questions, if I wasn’t prepared to provide the alternative by having Ardern on here for a proper back and forth. 
I apologised to Barry and acquiesced but the rest, as they say, is history. 
She never intended to come back on again, she did what she does so often; dream up some flannel by way of an excuse, suffer a bit of headline argy bargy and move on to other matters and hope it all goes way. 
The slight dilemma for this programme is in the ensuing months we have added 10s of thousands of new listeners and have more people than we have ever had. 
We’ve never had a bigger audience and she is missing out on the biggest audience there is. 
So, who's the loser?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/cndbrcit/mh190821-01-ardernnoshowcomment.mp3Wed, 18 Aug 2021 13:44:43 +0000RoccoI would like to thank our Political Editor Barry Soper, who was on our behalf here at the Mike Hosking Breakfast, annoyed that the Prime Minister would not appear on the show yesterday.  I am not sure it's worth getting annoyed about, because how else...I am not sure it's worth getting annoyed about, because how else was this whole thing going to turn out? 
From the PM’s point of view, obviously it’s a serious mistake given there isn't a radio programme in this country that has an audience like ours.        
By not fronting here, she misses the chance to front hundreds of thousands of voters. The arrogance of that is something for the voter to work out for themselves.  
But the deal was, if you ever took the deal seriously, which I didn’t, that she, although no longer appearing on this programme regularly, would still front for matters of major importance. 
Level 4 probably falls into that category. 
So, by not fronting on Level 4, what we find out is what most of us suspected in the first place. 
The business earlier in the year about shuffling media commitments, about not being able to be everywhere all the time was of course a sham. 
They make this stuff up in the hope you will 1) fall for it and 2) then forget about it. 
It is without a shadow of a doubt now shown that she was scared of the accountability of this programme, she knew the level of detail she was expected to front with and wasn’t up for it. 
And she could easily find more friendly places with softer questions.  
I momentarily stated I didn’t want her back on the programme because more often than not, she was a verbal drain. 
But Barry, God bless him, quite rightly pointed out that I couldn't go round bagging the rest of the media for being asleep at the wheel and asking soft questions, if I wasn’t prepared to provide the alternative by having Ardern on here for a proper back and forth. 
I apologised to Barry and acquiesced but the rest, as they say, is history. 
She never intended to come back on again, she did what she does so often; dream up some flannel by way of an excuse, suffer a bit of headline argy bargy and move on to other matters and hope it all goes way. 
The slight dilemma for this programme is in the ensuing months we have added 10s of thousands of new listeners and have more people than we have ever had. 
We’ve never had a bigger audience and she is missing out on the biggest audience there is. 
So, who's the loser?]]>118falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/brendon-hartley-kiwi-motorsport-star-on-defending-his-le-mans-title--1007830LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/ukmf54jo/mh190821-17-brendonhartley-lemans.mp3Wed, 18 Aug 2021 09:57:44 +0000RoccoKiwi motorsport star Brendon Hartley joined Mike Hosking to discuss his season in endurance racing and his chances of defending his Le Mans 24 Hour title this weekend. LISTEN ABOVELISTEN ABOVE]]>672falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/adrian-orr-reserve-bank-governor-says-higher-interest-rates-in-future-make-sense--1007819The central bank opted to keep the OCR at 0.25 percent yesterday, because the country was already in alert level four. 
Governor Adrian Orr told Mike Hosking they'll be reassessing the OCR in light of things like inflation and maximum sustainable employment. 
He says higher interest rates in the future make sense. 
"We would need to see something pretty dramatic, ongoing, including internationally to deter us." 
LISTEN ABOVE ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/bkufrxgf/mh190821-14-adrianorr-ocr.mp3Wed, 18 Aug 2021 09:24:27 +0000RoccoThe Reserve Bank thinks the Official Cash Rate will go to two percent over the next 12 months or so.  The central bank opted to keep the OCR at 0.25 percent yesterday, because the country was already in alert level four.  Governor Adrian Orr told Mike...The central bank opted to keep the OCR at 0.25 percent yesterday, because the country was already in alert level four. 
Governor Adrian Orr told Mike Hosking they'll be reassessing the OCR in light of things like inflation and maximum sustainable employment. 
He says higher interest rates in the future make sense. 
"We would need to see something pretty dramatic, ongoing, including internationally to deter us." 
LISTEN ABOVE ]]>503falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/dr-chris-smith-virologist-says-the-delta-variant-of-covid-19-isn-t-more-deadly-but-is-harder-to-contain--1007837"The severity of cases that people are presenting with are not greater, on average, than with other strains or variants of the virus. But what it does do is to spread better." 
LISTEN ABOVE ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/zjznaylw/mh190821-05-drchrissmith-delta.mp3Wed, 18 Aug 2021 08:46:25 +0000RoccoNaked Scientist podcast host and virologist Chris Smith told Mike Hosking the Delta strain of Covid-19 isn't more deadly -- but it's far harder to contain  "The severity of cases that people are presenting with are not greater, on average, than with..."The severity of cases that people are presenting with are not greater, on average, than with other strains or variants of the virus. But what it does do is to spread better." 
LISTEN ABOVE ]]>459falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/dr-ashley-bloomfield-director-general-of-health-says-he-expects-more-cases--1007823Three more cases were confirmed late yesterday afternoon, including a 60-year-old woman with a link to the border. 
Officials are now trying to determine whether they're linked to the other seven cases. 
Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield told Mike Hosking he's expecting to be informed of further cases, later this morning. 
"We are expecting results for overnight from those household contacts, this Delta variant seems to be very infectious inside households, so I am expecting more cases from those households overnight." 
Almost 70 locations of interest have been identified -- including one going back to the start of the month. 
But Bloomfield says that doesn't mean the virus has been in the community that long. 
"None of our waste water testing suggested any infecton out there, at least until last Wednesday." 
LISTEN ABOVE 
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/cjldxusl/mh190821-10-ashleybloomfield-covid19update.mp3Wed, 18 Aug 2021 08:03:50 +0000RoccoNew Zealand has 10 confirmed cases of Covid-19 -- but that number is almost certain to rise.  Three more cases were confirmed late yesterday afternoon, including a 60-year-old woman with a link to the border.  Officials are now trying to determine...Three more cases were confirmed late yesterday afternoon, including a 60-year-old woman with a link to the border. 
Officials are now trying to determine whether they're linked to the other seven cases. 
Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield told Mike Hosking he's expecting to be informed of further cases, later this morning. 
"We are expecting results for overnight from those household contacts, this Delta variant seems to be very infectious inside households, so I am expecting more cases from those households overnight." 
Almost 70 locations of interest have been identified -- including one going back to the start of the month. 
But Bloomfield says that doesn't mean the virus has been in the community that long. 
"None of our waste water testing suggested any infecton out there, at least until last Wednesday." 
LISTEN ABOVE 
 ]]>545falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/grant-robertson-covid-19-wage-subsidy-scheme-available-nationally--1007822"The Wage Subsidy Scheme is available nationally when there's a regional or national move to Alert Levels 3 and 4 for a period of seven days and helps eligible businesses keep paying staff and protect jobs," Robertson said in a statement on Tuesday night. 
The statement added that the Wage Subsidy Scheme allows eligible employers anywhere in the country to apply for support if they expect a loss of 40 per cent of revenue as a result of the alert level increase announced today. 
"The WSS rates have been increased to reflect the increase in wage costs since the scheme was first used in March 2020. Businesses will be eligible for $600 per week per full-time equivalent employee, and $359 per week per part-time employee. 
"The Wage Subsidy will be paid as a two-week lump sum. Applications open on Friday August 20, with the first payments usually available after three days. 
"A Resurgence Support Payment is available if firms incur a loss of 30 per cent of revenue as a result of the alert level increase. The RSP is worth up to $1500 plus $400 per full-time equivalent employee, up to a maximum of 50 full-time employees (so up to a total of $21,500). 
"The Leave Support Scheme provides a two-week lump sum payment of either $585.80 per week for full-time workers, or $350 per week for part-time workers, who must self-isolate and cannot work from home. 
"The Short-Term Absence Payment (STAP) provides a one-off (once per 30 days) $350 payment for workers who must miss work due to a COVID-19 test and cannot work from home." 
More information can be found here. ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/ag1pdyt4/mh180821-10-grantrobertson-level4.mp3Tue, 17 Aug 2021 21:44:53 +0000RoccoThe Government's Covid-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme will be available for businesses across New Zealand impacted by the lockdown that took effect from midnight, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says.  "The Wage Subsidy Scheme is available nationally when..."The Wage Subsidy Scheme is available nationally when there's a regional or national move to Alert Levels 3 and 4 for a period of seven days and helps eligible businesses keep paying staff and protect jobs," Robertson said in a statement on Tuesday night. 
The statement added that the Wage Subsidy Scheme allows eligible employers anywhere in the country to apply for support if they expect a loss of 40 per cent of revenue as a result of the alert level increase announced today. 
"The WSS rates have been increased to reflect the increase in wage costs since the scheme was first used in March 2020. Businesses will be eligible for $600 per week per full-time equivalent employee, and $359 per week per part-time employee. 
"The Wage Subsidy will be paid as a two-week lump sum. Applications open on Friday August 20, with the first payments usually available after three days. 
"A Resurgence Support Payment is available if firms incur a loss of 30 per cent of revenue as a result of the alert level increase. The RSP is worth up to $1500 plus $400 per full-time equivalent employee, up to a maximum of 50 full-time employees (so up to a total of $21,500). 
"The Leave Support Scheme provides a two-week lump sum payment of either $585.80 per week for full-time workers, or $350 per week for part-time workers, who must self-isolate and cannot work from home. 
"The Short-Term Absence Payment (STAP) provides a one-off (once per 30 days) $350 payment for workers who must miss work due to a COVID-19 test and cannot work from home." 
More information can be found here. ]]>444falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/michael-plank-covid-19-level-4-lockdown-what-you-need-to-know--1007838Here is what you need to know, and what you need to know across schools, health, shopping, exercise and going out.
Level four - dubbed the "eliminate" phase - means people must stay at home in their bubbles - travelling out only for essential personal movement.
Essential reasons for leaving the home briefly include:• Physical exercise in your neighbourhood• Visiting the supermarket, dairy or pharmacy• Necessary medical care or getting a test
Level 4 measures

People are instructed to stay at home in their bubble other than for essential personal movement• Safe recreational activity is allowed in local area• Travel is severely limited• All gatherings are cancelled and all public venues are closed• Businesses are closed except for essential services, such as supermarkets, pharmacies, clinics, petrol stations and lifeline utilities• Educational facilities are closed• Rationing of supplies and requisitioning of facilities is possible• Reprioritisation of healthcare services

Education
All New Zealand primary and secondary schools are expected to close for on-site learning.
The Ministry of Education said in a memo to schools last night that school hostels and residential special schools should send students home during lockdown. However, an exception will be made for students who cannot safely return home, such as international students.
Auckland Primary Principals' Association president Stephen Lethbridge said last night schools in the region were very well prepared for the transition back to home learning.
"We've learned a lot from each subsequent lockdown, and each time we do it a little better," he said.
That being said, it was going to be difficult for everyone, parents included, to adjust to level 4, he added.
Healthcare professionals are now required to wear Personal Protective Equipment to prevent further spread during the lockdown. Photo / NZME
Health
New Zealanders won't be able to get a Covid jab for at least the next 48 hours while Government officials discuss how to ensure a safe process.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern last night said she wanted to ensure vaccinations could still take place in a safe environment.
"We will be considering whether drive-through vaccinations are the best options and looking at what other precautions could be put in place to ensure it was safe."
She said a further update on vaccinations could be expected in the next 24 hours.
Testing will be ramped up in a bid to detect any possible spread. Additional testing stations are being set up.
Meanwhile, healthcare professionals all have to wear Personal Protective Equipment to prevent any further spread.
Pregnant women can expect the same care from their midwives but non-critical appointments may be conducted via video.
Midwives union MERA's co-leader Caroline Canroy said midwives were "well seasoned" and "all geared up" to transition their work to alert level 4.
Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners medical director Bryan Betty said most general practices would move into a predominantly virtual consultation model.
"Patients would be required to ring up prior to coming to see their GP, very similar to what we saw during last year's lockdown. Those patients who need to be seen in person will be," he said.
Council facilities
Most Auckland Council facilities will be temporarily closed to the public for the next seven days. They include libraries, pools, leisure centres, early childcare centres, community venues and playgrounds. Some public toilets will remain open. Auckland Council's public Wi-Fi at council libraries will be switched off and drinking fountains will also be unavailable under alert level 4.
Ferry passengers disembark the ferry in Devonport, North Shore, Auckland, yesterday. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Public transport
The Government's advice under Alert Level 4 is to stay home and travel on...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/3naj2pbu/mh180821-05-michaelplank-modelling.mp3Tue, 17 Aug 2021 19:35:06 +0000RoccoNZ went into lockdown for three days from midnight last night, with Auckland and Coromandel expected to be in lockdown for seven days. Here is what you need to know, and what you need to know across schools, health, shopping, exercise and going out....Here is what you need to know, and what you need to know across schools, health, shopping, exercise and going out.
Level four - dubbed the "eliminate" phase - means people must stay at home in their bubbles - travelling out only for essential personal movement.
Essential reasons for leaving the home briefly include:• Physical exercise in your neighbourhood• Visiting the supermarket, dairy or pharmacy• Necessary medical care or getting a test
Level 4 measures

People are instructed to stay at home in their bubble other than for essential personal movement• Safe recreational activity is allowed in local area• Travel is severely limited• All gatherings are cancelled and all public venues are closed• Businesses are closed except for essential services, such as supermarkets, pharmacies, clinics, petrol stations and lifeline utilities• Educational facilities are closed• Rationing of supplies and requisitioning of facilities is possible• Reprioritisation of healthcare services

Education
All New Zealand primary and secondary schools are expected to close for on-site learning.
The Ministry of Education said in a memo to schools last night that school hostels and residential special schools should send students home during lockdown. However, an exception will be made for students who cannot safely return home, such as international students.
Auckland Primary Principals' Association president Stephen Lethbridge said last night schools in the region were very well prepared for the transition back to home learning.
"We've learned a lot from each subsequent lockdown, and each time we do it a little better," he said.
That being said, it was going to be difficult for everyone, parents included, to adjust to level 4, he added.
Healthcare professionals are now required to wear Personal Protective Equipment to prevent further spread during the lockdown. Photo / NZME
Health
New Zealanders won't be able to get a Covid jab for at least the next 48 hours while Government officials discuss how to ensure a safe process.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern last night said she wanted to ensure vaccinations could still take place in a safe environment.
"We will be considering whether drive-through vaccinations are the best options and looking at what other precautions could be put in place to ensure it was safe."
She said a further update on vaccinations could be expected in the next 24 hours.
Testing will be ramped up in a bid to detect any possible spread. Additional testing stations are being set up.
Meanwhile, healthcare professionals all have to wear Personal Protective Equipment to prevent any further spread.
Pregnant women can expect the same care from their midwives but non-critical appointments may be conducted via video.
Midwives union MERA's co-leader Caroline Canroy said midwives were "well seasoned" and "all geared up" to transition their work to alert level 4.
Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners medical director Bryan Betty said most general practices would move into a predominantly virtual consultation model.
"Patients would be required to ring up prior to coming to see their GP, very similar to what we saw during last year's lockdown. Those patients who need to be seen in person will be," he said.
Council facilities
Most Auckland Council facilities will be temporarily closed to the public for the next seven days. They include libraries, pools, leisure centres, early childcare centres, community venues and playgrounds. Some public toilets will remain open. Auckland Council's public Wi-Fi at council libraries will be switched off and drinking fountains will also be unavailable under alert level 4.
Ferry passengers disembark the ferry in Devonport, North...]]>194falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/richard-arnold-taliban-announces-amnesty-as-reports-emerge-of-beatings-home-invasions-in-afghanistan--1007832"The Islamic Emirate doesn't want women to be victims," Enamullah Samangani, a member of the Taliban's cultural commission, said today, using the militants' term for Afghanistan. "They should be in government structure according to Shariah law." 
He added: "The structure of government is not fully clear, but based on experience, there should be a fully Islamic leadership and all sides should join." 
Samangani's comments came as Nadia Momand, who works at Enikass Radio in Jalalabad, posted a tweet claiming the Taliban had raided the homes of two female journalists in Kabul today. 
While there were no major reports of abuses or fighting in Kabul, many residents have stayed home and remain fearful after the insurgents' takeover saw prisons emptied and armouries looted. 
Older generations remember their ultra-conservative Islamic views, which included stonings, amputations and public executions during their rule before the US-led invasion that followed the September 11, 2001, terror attacks. 

Hundreds of people gather near a US Air Force C-17 transport plane at the international airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on August 16. Photo / AP 
Under the Taliban, which ruled in accordance with a harsh interpretation of Islamic law, women were largely confined to their homes. The insurgents have sought to project greater moderation in recent years, but many Afghans remain sceptical. 
Meanwhile, Stefano Pontecorvo, Nato's senior civilian representative to Afghanistan, posted video online today showing the runway empty at Kabul's airport with American troops on the tarmac. 
What appeared to be a military cargo plane could be seen in the distance from behind a chain-link fence in the footage. 
The runway "is open", he wrote on Twitter. "I see airplanes landing and taking off." 
Overnight, flight-tracking data showed a US Marine Corps KC-130J Hercules plane at the airport and later taking off for Qatar, home to Al-Udeid Air Base and the US military Central Command's forward headquarters. 
There were no other immediate flights seen in Afghan airspace, which has been taken over by the American military as commercial flights have been halted in the country. 
On Monday, thousands of Afghans rushed into Kabul's main airport, some so desperate to escape the Taliban that they held on to a military jet as it took off and plunged to their deaths. At least seven people died in the chaos, US officials said. 
Across Afghanistan, the International Committee of the Red Cross said thousands had been wounded in the fighting. Security forces and politicians handed over their provinces and bases without a fight, likely believing the two-decade Western experiment to remake Afghanistan would not survive the resurgent Taliban. The last American troops had planned to withdraw at the end of the month. 
"The world is following events in Afghanistan with a heavy heart and deep disquiet about what lies ahead," United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said. 
A resolute US President Joe Biden on Monday said he stood "squarely behind" his decision to withdraw American forces and acknowledged the "gut-wrenching" images unfolding in Kabul. 
Biden said he faced a choice between honouring a previously negotiated withdrawal agreement or sending thousands more troops back to begin a third decade of war. 
"After 20 years, I've learned the hard way that there was never a good time to withdraw US forces," Biden said in a televised address from the White House. 

Taliban fighters at the presidential palace in Kabul on August 15. Photo / AP 
Talks appeared to be continuing between the Taliban and several Afghan government officials, including former president Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah, who once headed the country's negotiating council. 
President Ashraf Ghani earlier fled...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/qcunotek/mh180821-07-arnold-afghanistan.mp3Tue, 17 Aug 2021 10:01:14 +0000RoccoThe Taliban has declared an "amnesty" across Afghanistan and urged women to join its government - as reports emerge of Taliban fighters going door-to-door searching for female journalists.  "The Islamic Emirate doesn't want women to be..."The Islamic Emirate doesn't want women to be victims," Enamullah Samangani, a member of the Taliban's cultural commission, said today, using the militants' term for Afghanistan. "They should be in government structure according to Shariah law." 
He added: "The structure of government is not fully clear, but based on experience, there should be a fully Islamic leadership and all sides should join." 
Samangani's comments came as Nadia Momand, who works at Enikass Radio in Jalalabad, posted a tweet claiming the Taliban had raided the homes of two female journalists in Kabul today. 
While there were no major reports of abuses or fighting in Kabul, many residents have stayed home and remain fearful after the insurgents' takeover saw prisons emptied and armouries looted. 
Older generations remember their ultra-conservative Islamic views, which included stonings, amputations and public executions during their rule before the US-led invasion that followed the September 11, 2001, terror attacks. 

Hundreds of people gather near a US Air Force C-17 transport plane at the international airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on August 16. Photo / AP 
Under the Taliban, which ruled in accordance with a harsh interpretation of Islamic law, women were largely confined to their homes. The insurgents have sought to project greater moderation in recent years, but many Afghans remain sceptical. 
Meanwhile, Stefano Pontecorvo, Nato's senior civilian representative to Afghanistan, posted video online today showing the runway empty at Kabul's airport with American troops on the tarmac. 
What appeared to be a military cargo plane could be seen in the distance from behind a chain-link fence in the footage. 
The runway "is open", he wrote on Twitter. "I see airplanes landing and taking off." 
Overnight, flight-tracking data showed a US Marine Corps KC-130J Hercules plane at the airport and later taking off for Qatar, home to Al-Udeid Air Base and the US military Central Command's forward headquarters. 
There were no other immediate flights seen in Afghan airspace, which has been taken over by the American military as commercial flights have been halted in the country. 
On Monday, thousands of Afghans rushed into Kabul's main airport, some so desperate to escape the Taliban that they held on to a military jet as it took off and plunged to their deaths. At least seven people died in the chaos, US officials said. 
Across Afghanistan, the International Committee of the Red Cross said thousands had been wounded in the fighting. Security forces and politicians handed over their provinces and bases without a fight, likely believing the two-decade Western experiment to remake Afghanistan would not survive the resurgent Taliban. The last American troops had planned to withdraw at the end of the month. 
"The world is following events in Afghanistan with a heavy heart and deep disquiet about what lies ahead," United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said. 
A resolute US President Joe Biden on Monday said he stood "squarely behind" his decision to withdraw American forces and acknowledged the "gut-wrenching" images unfolding in Kabul. 
Biden said he faced a choice between honouring a previously negotiated withdrawal agreement or sending thousands more troops back to begin a third decade of war. 
"After 20 years, I've learned the hard way that there was never a good time to withdraw US forces," Biden said in a televised address from the White House. 

Taliban fighters at the presidential palace in Kabul on August 15. Photo / AP 
Talks appeared to be continuing between the Taliban and several Afghan government officials, including former president Hamid Karzai and...]]>255falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/vaughn-couillat-papatoetoe-high-principal-says-biggest-challenge-schools-face-is-technology--1007840Students at all levels are reverting back to remote learning for at least three days, and those within Auckland and the Coromandel peninsular for probably seven.
Mock exams are approaching for senior students. 
Papatoetoe High School Principal Vaughan Couillault told Mike Hosking the biggest challenge is technology. 
"What we haven't been able to do is get devices and hard packs out to students who don't have those sorts of things at home, but from a practical sense, teachers have been preparing for another lockdown all year really." 
LISTEN ABOVE ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/m1zfp02i/mh180821-17-vaughancouillault-onlinelearning.mp3Tue, 17 Aug 2021 09:11:09 +0000RoccoBack to the future for schools around the country.  Students at all levels are reverting back to remote learning for at least three days, and those within Auckland and the Coromandel peninsular for probably seven. Mock exams are approaching for senior...Students at all levels are reverting back to remote learning for at least three days, and those within Auckland and the Coromandel peninsular for probably seven.
Mock exams are approaching for senior students. 
Papatoetoe High School Principal Vaughan Couillault told Mike Hosking the biggest challenge is technology. 
"What we haven't been able to do is get devices and hard packs out to students who don't have those sorts of things at home, but from a practical sense, teachers have been preparing for another lockdown all year really." 
LISTEN ABOVE ]]>128falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/tony-alexander-economist-says-he-thinks-reserve-bank-should-pause-today-s-official-cash-rate-announcement--1007826The central bank is due to make that, and deliver its Monetary Policy Statement at 2pm. 
Independent economist Tony Alexander told Mike Hosking without this lockdown the OCR would've gone up by 50 basis points, because he says the Reserve Bank has overcooked the economy. 
Now he thinks the central bank should put today's announcement off. 
"Personally, I would say it's still fairly clear interest rates need to go up, but we're just going to delay things for maybe one or two weeks." 
LISTEN ABOVE ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/5fsbijua/mh180821-15-tonyalexander-level4andrbnz.mp3Tue, 17 Aug 2021 09:02:54 +0000RoccoAt least one economist thinks the Reserve Bank should delay its Official Cash Rate announcement.  The central bank is due to make that, and deliver its Monetary Policy Statement at 2pm.  Independent economist Tony Alexander told Mike Hosking without...The central bank is due to make that, and deliver its Monetary Policy Statement at 2pm. 
Independent economist Tony Alexander told Mike Hosking without this lockdown the OCR would've gone up by 50 basis points, because he says the Reserve Bank has overcooked the economy. 
Now he thinks the central bank should put today's announcement off. 
"Personally, I would say it's still fairly clear interest rates need to go up, but we're just going to delay things for maybe one or two weeks." 
LISTEN ABOVE ]]>207falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/chris-quin-foodstuffs-north-island-boss-says-people-should-shop-normally--1007839Last night's announcement of a move to Level Four saw supermarkets swamped and certain products cleared off shelves.  
Foodstuffs North Island boss Chris Quin told Mike Hosking people shouldn't do anything differently. 
"The message is exactly the same, which is that people shop normally for the things they need at the rate they need them. We'll be fine and we'll get through it together." 
Chris Quin says their supermarkets saw a 50 percent increase in demand after the announcement last night. 
LISTEN ABOVE ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/tbhfbk4n/mh180821-11-chrisquin-panicbuying.mp3Tue, 17 Aug 2021 08:55:39 +0000RoccoA plea for New Zealanders to avoid rushing to the supermarket.  Last night's announcement of a move to Level Four saw supermarkets swamped and certain products cleared off shelves.   Foodstuffs North Island boss Chris Quin told Mike Hosking people...Last night's announcement of a move to Level Four saw supermarkets swamped and certain products cleared off shelves.  
Foodstuffs North Island boss Chris Quin told Mike Hosking people shouldn't do anything differently. 
"The message is exactly the same, which is that people shop normally for the things they need at the rate they need them. We'll be fine and we'll get through it together." 
Chris Quin says their supermarkets saw a 50 percent increase in demand after the announcement last night. 
LISTEN ABOVE ]]>112falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/greg-foran-air-new-zealand-ceo-says-staff-are-well-rehearsed--1007817The Prime Minister announced a 48-hour grace period from 11.59 last night.   
Air New Zealand is continuing to operate its current schedule around the country.  
CEO Greg Foran told Mike Hosking this time, it's all played out quickly. 
"We've got about 800 flights to get done over the next 48 hours, about 50,00 passengers."
Foran says crew and staff are well-rehearsed and the airline has been shuffling planes and crew to enable the flights to continue. 
LISTEN ABOVE ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/qa2frxuo/mh180821-16-gregforan-airnz.mp3Tue, 17 Aug 2021 08:48:39 +0000RoccoPeople stuck in other parts of the country have another 40 hours as of 8am to fly home.  The Prime Minister announced a 48-hour grace period from 11.59 last night.    Air New Zealand is continuing to operate its current schedule around the country.  ...The Prime Minister announced a 48-hour grace period from 11.59 last night.   
Air New Zealand is continuing to operate its current schedule around the country.  
CEO Greg Foran told Mike Hosking this time, it's all played out quickly. 
"We've got about 800 flights to get done over the next 48 hours, about 50,00 passengers."
Foran says crew and staff are well-rehearsed and the airline has been shuffling planes and crew to enable the flights to continue. 
LISTEN ABOVE ]]>223falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/graeme-muller-nztech-chief-says-incompetence-has-led-to-low-tech-sector-critical-worker-application-approval--1007828Immigration NZ numbers show only about 40 per cent of tech workers applications are being granted, significantly less than for other sectors.
It's to the point where our largest gaming studio has stopped interviewing overseas candidates because they are embarrassed to not be able to get interviewees details about how they can get into the country.
Chief executive of NZTech Graeme Muller told Mike Hosking he feels that rather than his sector being singled out, the shortcomings are down to incompetence.
“I think it’s the assessors don’t actually understand enough about tech roles to make a proper decision.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/1nmhcm3v/mh170821-13-graememuller-techworkershortage.mp3Mon, 16 Aug 2021 20:20:26 +0000RoccoQuestions are being raised as to why the tech sector in this country having a harder time than any other sector getting approval for critical workers. Immigration NZ numbers show only about 40 per cent of tech workers applications are being granted,...Immigration NZ numbers show only about 40 per cent of tech workers applications are being granted, significantly less than for other sectors.
It's to the point where our largest gaming studio has stopped interviewing overseas candidates because they are embarrassed to not be able to get interviewees details about how they can get into the country.
Chief executive of NZTech Graeme Muller told Mike Hosking he feels that rather than his sector being singled out, the shortcomings are down to incompetence.
“I think it’s the assessors don’t actually understand enough about tech roles to make a proper decision.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>156falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/trending-now-with-mike-hosking--1007818LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/a3olpn45/mh170821-23-trendingnow2-janeyantivaxermessage.mp3Mon, 16 Aug 2021 14:53:28 +0000RoccoMike Hosking muses on anti-vaxxers and shares a hilarious clip from Scottish stand up comedian Janey Godley. LISTEN ABOVELISTEN ABOVE]]>85falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/helen-clark-former-prime-minister-predicts-there-could-eventually-be-a-civil-war-in-afghanistan--1007833Foreigners and those who helped international governments are desperately trying to get out of the Middle Eastern country, after the Taliban took over.
Former United Nations Development Programme boss, Helen Clark, told Mike Hosking there's a prospect of protracted civil war in Afghanistan.
She says there are militias led by war lords who've chosen not to fight but to bide their time for now.
“The thought that a medieval theocracy like the Taliban is going to be able unite Afghanistan, well, hasn’t happened before.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/ktvgcg42/mh170821-16-helenclark-afghanistanfail.mp3Mon, 16 Aug 2021 09:09:13 +0000RoccoThere's expected to eventually be a civil war in Afghanistan. Foreigners and those who helped international governments are desperately trying to get out of the Middle Eastern country, after the Taliban took over. Former United Nations Development...Foreigners and those who helped international governments are desperately trying to get out of the Middle Eastern country, after the Taliban took over.
Former United Nations Development Programme boss, Helen Clark, told Mike Hosking there's a prospect of protracted civil war in Afghanistan.
She says there are militias led by war lords who've chosen not to fight but to bide their time for now.
“The thought that a medieval theocracy like the Taliban is going to be able unite Afghanistan, well, hasn’t happened before.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>361falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/wadood-pedram-human-rights-advocate-fears-gains-made-for-women-in-afghanistan-will-be-reversed--1007844The Taliban's taken over the capital Kabul and foreigners and Afghans who helped international governments are fleeing the country in fear.
Wadood Pedram ran a high school in Kabul that was built and funded by the New Zealand-linked Lapis Lazuli charity and educated girls.
He's also a women's rights advocate, but told Mike Hosking darkness has descended since foreign governments pulled out.
“And at the moment, unfortunately, we’ve lost everything we have achieved in the past two decades.”
Wadood Pedram is holed up in Uzbekistan on a temporary visa.
He wants our Government to support women in Afghanistan and those who helped our country.
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/einht3qt/mh170821-05-wadoodpedram-afghanistan.mp3Mon, 16 Aug 2021 08:48:11 +0000RoccoThere's fear hard-fought gains for girls and women in Afghanistan will be reversed. The Taliban's taken over the capital Kabul and foreigners and Afghans who helped international governments are fleeing the country in fear. Wadood Pedram ran a high...The Taliban's taken over the capital Kabul and foreigners and Afghans who helped international governments are fleeing the country in fear.
Wadood Pedram ran a high school in Kabul that was built and funded by the New Zealand-linked Lapis Lazuli charity and educated girls.
He's also a women's rights advocate, but told Mike Hosking darkness has descended since foreign governments pulled out.
“And at the moment, unfortunately, we’ve lost everything we have achieved in the past two decades.”
Wadood Pedram is holed up in Uzbekistan on a temporary visa.
He wants our Government to support women in Afghanistan and those who helped our country.
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>247falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/dr-anna-martin-parenting-expert-on-how-young-is-too-young-to-get-your-kids-doing-chores--1007846A mum has sparked fury on TikTok where she revealed she makes her seven-year-old do adult chores and pay rent.
She pays her daughter seven dollars for things like cleaning the toilet, before she then takes back five dollars for rent, leaving her with two dollars.
As is understandable, no one is happy about a seven year old paying rent - but it's also brought up the conversation as to what jobs a kid should do around the house and at what age.
Parenting expert Dr Anna Martin told Mike Hosking there is a fine line between setting an example and being a parent.
“Is the mum a landlord or parenting attachment person?”
LISTEN ABOVE
 
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/y5lnxmfq/mh170821-19-annamartin-kidschorespayandrent.mp3Mon, 16 Aug 2021 08:47:10 +0000RoccoWhat age is too young to get your kids to start doing chores? A mum has sparked fury on TikTok where she revealed she makes her seven-year-old do adult chores and pay rent. She pays her daughter seven dollars for things like cleaning the toilet,...A mum has sparked fury on TikTok where she revealed she makes her seven-year-old do adult chores and pay rent.
She pays her daughter seven dollars for things like cleaning the toilet, before she then takes back five dollars for rent, leaving her with two dollars.
As is understandable, no one is happy about a seven year old paying rent - but it's also brought up the conversation as to what jobs a kid should do around the house and at what age.
Parenting expert Dr Anna Martin told Mike Hosking there is a fine line between setting an example and being a parent.
“Is the mum a landlord or parenting attachment person?”
LISTEN ABOVE
 
 ]]>191falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/lucy-elwood-cancer-society-ceo-says-patients-are-falling-through-the-cracks--1007831The society had criticised new government health outcome targets.
It wants targets for outcomes of people with cancer, and says it needs to be a top priority as it's our biggest killer.
CEO Lucy Elwood told Mike Hosking patients are falling through the cracks.
“The Southern DHB, they only achieved 64.9%, that means 35% of people weren’t getting treatment, and need to be seen within two weeks.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/poulps1u/mh170821-11-lucyelwood-cancercaretargets.mp3Mon, 16 Aug 2021 07:52:08 +0000RoccoThe Cancer Society is defending itself after Health Minister Andrew Little said it was "off the planet".  The society had criticised new government health outcome targets. It wants targets for outcomes of people with cancer, and says it needs to be a...The society had criticised new government health outcome targets.
It wants targets for outcomes of people with cancer, and says it needs to be a top priority as it's our biggest killer.
CEO Lucy Elwood told Mike Hosking patients are falling through the cracks.
“The Southern DHB, they only achieved 64.9%, that means 35% of people weren’t getting treatment, and need to be seen within two weeks.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>162falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/charlotte-bellis-kiwi-journalist-for-al-jazeera-on-the-horrors-she-witnessed-in-afghanistan--1007816The US Air Force remains in control of the heavily guarded airport, where it's had to suspend flights after a number of people have died, desperately trying to get on planes.
New Zealand journalist Charlotte Bellis has been reporting inside the airport for Al Jazeera.
She spoke to told Mike Hosking about seeing thousands of people getting through Taliban gunfire to run onto the airport tarmac.
“They chased after the plane, grabbed onto the wheels, jumped onto the wings and the plane actually took off and people fell from the plane to their deaths.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/c0ggjmbh/mh170821-10-charlottebellis-afghanistan.mp3Mon, 16 Aug 2021 07:50:39 +0000RoccoHorror in Afghanistan as thousands of people make desperate attempts to flee Taliban rule. The US Air Force remains in control of the heavily guarded airport, where it's had to suspend flights after a number of people have died, desperately trying to...The US Air Force remains in control of the heavily guarded airport, where it's had to suspend flights after a number of people have died, desperately trying to get on planes.
New Zealand journalist Charlotte Bellis has been reporting inside the airport for Al Jazeera.
She spoke to told Mike Hosking about seeing thousands of people getting through Taliban gunfire to run onto the airport tarmac.
“They chased after the plane, grabbed onto the wheels, jumped onto the wings and the plane actually took off and people fell from the plane to their deaths.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>264falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/commentary-box-a-lack-of-crowd-at-eden-park-and-warriors-playoff-hopes-still-alive--1007835Just over 25,000 rugby fans watched the All Blacks retain the Bledisloe Cup on Saturday, leaving many empty seats at New Zealand's national stadium.
It was the All Blacks' highest score posted against Australia, winning 57-22.
The Warriors' NRL playoff hopes are still alive.
They've cruised to a 24-10 victory over the Bulldogs on Sunday to win their third straight game for the first time since 2018.
Tries to locks Josh Curran, Jazz Tevaga and winger Edward Kosi saw the Warriors out to a 16-10 halftime advantage.
Eight points from fullback Reece Walsh in the second half consolidated their lead.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/ig0msrlh/mh160821-20-combox.mp3Sun, 15 Aug 2021 23:48:26 +0000RoccoA new record was set in the second Bledisloe Cup test at Eden Park - and it wasn't to do with the crowd. Just over 25,000 rugby fans watched the All Blacks retain the Bledisloe Cup on Saturday, leaving many empty seats at New Zealand's national...Just over 25,000 rugby fans watched the All Blacks retain the Bledisloe Cup on Saturday, leaving many empty seats at New Zealand's national stadium.
It was the All Blacks' highest score posted against Australia, winning 57-22.
The Warriors' NRL playoff hopes are still alive.
They've cruised to a 24-10 victory over the Bulldogs on Sunday to win their third straight game for the first time since 2018.
Tries to locks Josh Curran, Jazz Tevaga and winger Edward Kosi saw the Warriors out to a 16-10 halftime advantage.
Eight points from fullback Reece Walsh in the second half consolidated their lead.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>653falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/steve-price-all-of-new-south-wales-now-in-lockdown--1007820The state’s chief health officer, Dr Kerry Chant, fronted cameras on Sunday with a blunt message to residents, saying case numbers will rise if people don’t abide by the rules.
It comes as NSW records 415 new locally acquired cases of Covid-19 on Sunday.
Tragically, four people also died during the latest reporting period.
“These case numbers are too high. We need to see these case numbers go down and we all have a part to play,” Dr Chant said.
“I can’t stress enough the seriousness of the current situation and my grave concerns that these case numbers will continue to escalate.”
Multiple suburbs in western and southwestern Sydney are among the areas of “most concern” as NSW health authorities grapple with cases.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian revealed the suburbs of Blacktown, Mount Druitt, Marayong, Merrylands, Auburn and Guildford were showing a considerable growth in cases despite increasing rates of vaccination across other local government areas.
Cases in Dubbo and Walgett and sewage detections in Bourke have also sparked alarm.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian revealed the areas of concerns. Photo / News Corp Australia
Ms Berejiklian has urged people in those areas not to leave home “unless you absolutely have to”.
“Please know, if you are in these areas, you not only need to take extra precautions but make sure you come forward for testing,” she said.
“We can’t stress enough that we don’t want to go down the path of all these other places overseas where they have literally thousands and thousands and thousands of cases a day.

NSW recorded 415 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last nightOf these locally acquired cases 139 are linked to a known case or cluster 122 are household contacts and 17 are close contacts & the source of infection for 276 cases is under investigation pic.twitter.com/kU01v5Q9WN— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) August 15, 2021

“We are really begging people to take this seriously … to protect yourself and your loved ones and protect our freedom going forward.”
Dr Chant said coronavirus fragments were detected as sewage treatment plants at Lennox Head, Bourke, Parkes and Wallacia, which serves the areas of Warragamba, Mulgoa, Silverdale and Wallacia.

NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant. Photo / News Corp Australia
She said the public health unit was still concerned about the Maitland area.
“There were some cases investigated overnight,” Dr Chant said.
“If you are a resident in the Newcastle area, please be vigilant for those local concerns notices.”]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/nz3d4evf/mh160821-21-price-lockdowns.mp3Sun, 15 Aug 2021 23:24:18 +0000RoccoNSW residents have been sent an ominous warning as case numbers continue to soar in the state and areas of “most concern” are highlighted. The state’s chief health officer, Dr Kerry Chant, fronted cameras on Sunday with a blunt message to residents,...The state’s chief health officer, Dr Kerry Chant, fronted cameras on Sunday with a blunt message to residents, saying case numbers will rise if people don’t abide by the rules.
It comes as NSW records 415 new locally acquired cases of Covid-19 on Sunday.
Tragically, four people also died during the latest reporting period.
“These case numbers are too high. We need to see these case numbers go down and we all have a part to play,” Dr Chant said.
“I can’t stress enough the seriousness of the current situation and my grave concerns that these case numbers will continue to escalate.”
Multiple suburbs in western and southwestern Sydney are among the areas of “most concern” as NSW health authorities grapple with cases.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian revealed the suburbs of Blacktown, Mount Druitt, Marayong, Merrylands, Auburn and Guildford were showing a considerable growth in cases despite increasing rates of vaccination across other local government areas.
Cases in Dubbo and Walgett and sewage detections in Bourke have also sparked alarm.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian revealed the areas of concerns. Photo / News Corp Australia
Ms Berejiklian has urged people in those areas not to leave home “unless you absolutely have to”.
“Please know, if you are in these areas, you not only need to take extra precautions but make sure you come forward for testing,” she said.
“We can’t stress enough that we don’t want to go down the path of all these other places overseas where they have literally thousands and thousands and thousands of cases a day.

NSW recorded 415 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last nightOf these locally acquired cases 139 are linked to a known case or cluster 122 are household contacts and 17 are close contacts & the source of infection for 276 cases is under investigation pic.twitter.com/kU01v5Q9WN— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) August 15, 2021

“We are really begging people to take this seriously … to protect yourself and your loved ones and protect our freedom going forward.”
Dr Chant said coronavirus fragments were detected as sewage treatment plants at Lennox Head, Bourke, Parkes and Wallacia, which serves the areas of Warragamba, Mulgoa, Silverdale and Wallacia.

NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant. Photo / News Corp Australia
She said the public health unit was still concerned about the Maitland area.
“There were some cases investigated overnight,” Dr Chant said.
“If you are a resident in the Newcastle area, please be vigilant for those local concerns notices.”]]>370falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/buck-shelford-multiple-reasons-why-all-blacks-didn-t-fill-eden-park--1007841Saturday night's second Bledisloe test at Eden Park drew a crowd of just over 25,000 people, despite pulling more than 47,000 for the first Bledisloe match the week before.
Concerns are growing the aura of the All Blacks is fading.
However former All Black captain Sir Wayne "Buck" Shelford told Mike Hosking there's a combination of reasons, one being the games were back to back.
“They didn't turn up. The weather wasn't that great anyway, you know it was pretty poor. I think we're just playing too many games, but the way they play the game's to make the money.”
That was more than likely the All Blacks' last game in New Zealand this year.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/bwegmkp0/mh160821-16-buckshelford-abscrowd.mp3Sun, 15 Aug 2021 22:30:32 +0000RoccoThe All Blacks may need to play harder to get. Saturday night's second Bledisloe test at Eden Park drew a crowd of just over 25,000 people, despite pulling more than 47,000 for the first Bledisloe match the week before. Concerns are growing the aura...Saturday night's second Bledisloe test at Eden Park drew a crowd of just over 25,000 people, despite pulling more than 47,000 for the first Bledisloe match the week before.
Concerns are growing the aura of the All Blacks is fading.
However former All Black captain Sir Wayne "Buck" Shelford told Mike Hosking there's a combination of reasons, one being the games were back to back.
“They didn't turn up. The weather wasn't that great anyway, you know it was pretty poor. I think we're just playing too many games, but the way they play the game's to make the money.”
That was more than likely the All Blacks' last game in New Zealand this year.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>256falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/richard-jackson-it-ll-be-logisitically-difficult-to-evacuate-kiwis-in-afghanistan--1007843Cabinet will today discuss whether it can evacuate interpreters and the like who supported our military efforts.
Officials are also trying to contact tens of New Zealand citizens and family members to help them get out of the country.
All commercial flights have been suspended from Kabul Airport as Taliban forces sweep the capital.
Otago University's professor Richard Jackson told Mike Hosking things have moved quickly and we've been caught on the hop.
“The only was we could really do it is if the Americans and the Australians and the British sort of agree that they will take some of our people and put them on their flights that they're organising.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/ohtgu04d/mh160821-11-richardjackson-afghaninterpreters.mp3Sun, 15 Aug 2021 22:19:42 +0000RoccoA conflict expert says it'll be logistically difficult for our Government to try to evacuate people from Afghanistan now. Cabinet will today discuss whether it can evacuate interpreters and the like who supported our military efforts. Officials are...Cabinet will today discuss whether it can evacuate interpreters and the like who supported our military efforts.
Officials are also trying to contact tens of New Zealand citizens and family members to help them get out of the country.
All commercial flights have been suspended from Kabul Airport as Taliban forces sweep the capital.
Otago University's professor Richard Jackson told Mike Hosking things have moved quickly and we've been caught on the hop.
“The only was we could really do it is if the Americans and the Australians and the British sort of agree that they will take some of our people and put them on their flights that they're organising.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>125falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/charlotte-bellis-taliban-opponents-have-gone-to-ground--1007847Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has fled the country to prevent any potential bloodshed allowing Taliban fighters to take control of the Presidential Palace.
The Government's remaining security forces have also opted not to defend the city.
Al Jazeera's Charlotte Bellis, one of the few New Zealanders in Kabul, told Mike Hosking other opponents of the Taliban have also gone to ground.
"They were greeted, there was a lot of videos of people greeting them, happy scenes if you will. They raised their flag in some parts of Kabul."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/2nbdgo5r/mh160821-10-charlottebellis-afghanistan.mp3Sun, 15 Aug 2021 21:50:18 +0000RoccoThe Taliban is being met with almost no opposition as it takes control of the Afghanistan capital Kabul. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has fled the country to prevent any potential bloodshed allowing Taliban fighters to take control of the...Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has fled the country to prevent any potential bloodshed allowing Taliban fighters to take control of the Presidential Palace.
The Government's remaining security forces have also opted not to defend the city.
Al Jazeera's Charlotte Bellis, one of the few New Zealanders in Kabul, told Mike Hosking other opponents of the Taliban have also gone to ground.
"They were greeted, there was a lot of videos of people greeting them, happy scenes if you will. They raised their flag in some parts of Kabul."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>280falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/joanna-pidgeon-airbnb-apartment-owners-trying-to-put-rules-in-place--1007851Zion Purukamu died after a party at an Airbnb property in Christchurch on Friday.
The manager claims if she'd known the guests were local, she would have at least questioned their stay.
Airbnb states parties aren't to be held at accommodation offered through their site.
Director of Pidgeon Judd law Joanna Pidgeon told Mike Hosking people in apartment buildings are also trying to put rules in place.
“...to stop parties from happening and behaviour that they're unhappy about, but the Tenancy Tribunal at the moment is intrepreting the Act to prevent people from actually putting those rules in place.”
Pidgeon says there's a lack of verification of identity on Airbnb, but the platform could require people to disclose those details as part of their booking.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/qonpkmsb/mh160821-12-joannapidgeon-airbnbparties.mp3Sun, 15 Aug 2021 20:54:07 +0000RoccoThere are limitations on stopping out of control parties at Airbnb properties. Zion Purukamu died after a party at an Airbnb property in Christchurch on Friday. The manager claims if she'd known the guests were local, she would have at least...Zion Purukamu died after a party at an Airbnb property in Christchurch on Friday.
The manager claims if she'd known the guests were local, she would have at least questioned their stay.
Airbnb states parties aren't to be held at accommodation offered through their site.
Director of Pidgeon Judd law Joanna Pidgeon told Mike Hosking people in apartment buildings are also trying to put rules in place.
“...to stop parties from happening and behaviour that they're unhappy about, but the Tenancy Tribunal at the moment is intrepreting the Act to prevent people from actually putting those rules in place.”
Pidgeon says there's a lack of verification of identity on Airbnb, but the platform could require people to disclose those details as part of their booking.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>153falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/dean-brown-drugs-and-alcohol-scapegoats-for-first-responder-abuse--1007827More than 3000 ambulance staff reported being physically or verbally assaulted last year.
ACC is footing an increasing bill for violence - they've already paid out $13 million in assault-related claims this year.
Christchurch based intensive care paramedic Dean Brown told Mike Hosking drugs and alcohol are used as a scapegoat.
“People just think that's a good enough excuse that they're not responsible if they're under the influence of something and they can do what they like.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/vmwd5tr2/mh160821-05-deanbrown-ambulanceassaults.mp3Sun, 15 Aug 2021 09:47:58 +0000RoccoA paramedic says there's a lack of respect for first responders. More than 3000 ambulance staff reported being physically or verbally assaulted last year. ACC is footing an increasing bill for violence - they've already paid out $13 million in...More than 3000 ambulance staff reported being physically or verbally assaulted last year.
ACC is footing an increasing bill for violence - they've already paid out $13 million in assault-related claims this year.
Christchurch based intensive care paramedic Dean Brown told Mike Hosking drugs and alcohol are used as a scapegoat.
“People just think that's a good enough excuse that they're not responsible if they're under the influence of something and they can do what they like.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>227falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/richard-arnold-us-completes-evacuation-of-afghanistan-embassy--1007821The US scrambled to evacuate staff and top officials from its embassy in Afghanistan Sunday as Taliban fighters entered the city, Afghan government officials fled the country and gunfire was heard at Kabul airport, multiple sources told CNN.
Early Sunday, two sources familiar with the situation told CNN that the plan was to pull all US personnel from the embassy in Kabul over the next 72 hours. Hours later, most US embassy staff had been moved to Kabul airport for flights out of the country.
The rush to the exits marked an unsettling, tragic end to the US presence in Afghanistan as the Taliban retook control nearly 20 years after the US invaded to avenge the terror attacks of September 2001. After an investment of around $2 trillion, some 2,400 American lives lost and thousands more wounded, a nation-building project that spanned Republican and Democratic administrations devolved in just a few days into a complicated and nerve-wracking rescue mission.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told House lawmakers Sunday that the evacuation was a "highly dynamic and very risky operation," even as he and other senior US officials worked to project a sense of control.
"This is not Saigon," Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union," when asked about President Joe Biden's July assertion that under no circumstances would US personnel be airlifted out of Kabul in a replay of the US withdrawal from Vietnam in 1975.
'Deliberate, orderly'
Blinken said on ABC that instructions to diplomats to destroy documents, US flags or other items that could be used in Taliban propaganda are "standard operating procedure." Echoing Austin's talking points, Blinken added that the evacuation "is being done in a very deliberate way, orderly way. It's being done with American forces there to do it in a safe way."
At the same time, the US military is considering the possibility of sending additional US forces to Afghanistan, according to a defense official and US official familiar with the ongoing discussions. Both officials caution no decision has been made.
The defense official said the "current plan" is that as long as any US diplomats maintain a presence at the airport, there will be a contingent of US forces there to protect them. But the official acknowledged that if the Taliban are essentially in charge, the "reality" of keeping diplomats and troops at the airport may not hold.
Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of US Central Command, arrived in the Persian Gulf region Sunday to directly oversee the situation in Afghanistan, according to the defense official. The official declined to publicly name McKenzie's location, but said the general is not in Afghanistan.
A military team was expected to arrive and set up its own air traffic control system at the airport in Kabul in order to increase the number of evacuation flights out of the airfield. This type of capability is routinely maintained by the Air Force so it can operate at airfields in remote or war zone environments.
"We are going to ramp up flights," the defense official said.
This official added that "the current situation is going south pretty fast" and that from the outset, in the view of some, "there was no assessment pessimistic enough."
With Biden at Camp David, the administration's most senior national security officials -- including Blinken, Austin, CIA Director Bill Burns and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines -- shared their most recent assessments of the situation with the President by secure video teleconference.
Austin, Blinken and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley also spoke to House and Senate lawmakers, with Milley warning that the situation could create a greater counterterrorism threa...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/rdud254n/mh160821-07-arnold-afghanistan-haitiquake.mp3Sun, 15 Aug 2021 08:50:10 +0000RoccoThe American flag at the US embassy in Kabul was taken down Sunday, marking a final step in the evacuation of the diplomatic compound, days earlier than US officials initially projected, according to a source familiar with the situation. The US...The US scrambled to evacuate staff and top officials from its embassy in Afghanistan Sunday as Taliban fighters entered the city, Afghan government officials fled the country and gunfire was heard at Kabul airport, multiple sources told CNN.
Early Sunday, two sources familiar with the situation told CNN that the plan was to pull all US personnel from the embassy in Kabul over the next 72 hours. Hours later, most US embassy staff had been moved to Kabul airport for flights out of the country.
The rush to the exits marked an unsettling, tragic end to the US presence in Afghanistan as the Taliban retook control nearly 20 years after the US invaded to avenge the terror attacks of September 2001. After an investment of around $2 trillion, some 2,400 American lives lost and thousands more wounded, a nation-building project that spanned Republican and Democratic administrations devolved in just a few days into a complicated and nerve-wracking rescue mission.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told House lawmakers Sunday that the evacuation was a "highly dynamic and very risky operation," even as he and other senior US officials worked to project a sense of control.
"This is not Saigon," Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union," when asked about President Joe Biden's July assertion that under no circumstances would US personnel be airlifted out of Kabul in a replay of the US withdrawal from Vietnam in 1975.
'Deliberate, orderly'
Blinken said on ABC that instructions to diplomats to destroy documents, US flags or other items that could be used in Taliban propaganda are "standard operating procedure." Echoing Austin's talking points, Blinken added that the evacuation "is being done in a very deliberate way, orderly way. It's being done with American forces there to do it in a safe way."
At the same time, the US military is considering the possibility of sending additional US forces to Afghanistan, according to a defense official and US official familiar with the ongoing discussions. Both officials caution no decision has been made.
The defense official said the "current plan" is that as long as any US diplomats maintain a presence at the airport, there will be a contingent of US forces there to protect them. But the official acknowledged that if the Taliban are essentially in charge, the "reality" of keeping diplomats and troops at the airport may not hold.
Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of US Central Command, arrived in the Persian Gulf region Sunday to directly oversee the situation in Afghanistan, according to the defense official. The official declined to publicly name McKenzie's location, but said the general is not in Afghanistan.
A military team was expected to arrive and set up its own air traffic control system at the airport in Kabul in order to increase the number of evacuation flights out of the airfield. This type of capability is routinely maintained by the Air Force so it can operate at airfields in remote or war zone environments.
"We are going to ramp up flights," the defense official said.
This official added that "the current situation is going south pretty fast" and that from the outset, in the view of some, "there was no assessment pessimistic enough."
With Biden at Camp David, the administration's most senior national security officials -- including Blinken, Austin, CIA Director Bill Burns and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines -- shared their most recent assessments of the situation with the President by secure video teleconference.
Austin, Blinken and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley also spoke to House and Senate lawmakers, with Milley...]]>296falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-no-targets-no-goals-no-urgency--1007859 
The Plan out of Covid: 4/10
"Disappointing, but not surprising.
No targets, no goals, no urgency, just pleas for vaccines.
They are a lazy government. Feet up, why do today what you can muse about tomorrow?"
 
Singapore's Continued Approach to Covid: 8/10
"How to actually deal with the virus.
Jab, jab, and jab. Then open your country to the world and live with it.
By the way, they upped their economic forecast this week as well."
 
Job Ads: 8/10
"Yet more records. Downside? No people to fill them."
 
Marsden Point Closure: 3/10
"Big mistake.
A classic example of a monopoly operation being run by the bottom line, not the best interests of the country."
 
The Power Outage: 3/10
"Chief Engineer Megan Woods not having the best of weeks.
It was Genesis. Whoops, no it wasn’t."    
 
Ashley Bloomfield's Fiji Memory Lapse: 1/10
"A new low.
Biggest story in his area of the week and he can't remember whether he dealt with Foreign Affairs. Whoops, yes he can.
You regret buying the t-shirt of the guy?"
 
The Olympics: 9/1
"All in all, what a stunning effort given the circumstances.
It wasn’t the super-spreader the doom merchants feared, and we set records on medals."
 
Coke Zero's Recipe Being Changed: 4/10
"Proving some don’t learn from history.
Look it up from when they did it the first time. Still considered one of the greatest corporate cock ups of them all."
 
The Warriors: 7/10
"Two wins in a row. Too much to hope for three?"
 
The All Blacks: 7/10
"At least it was proper competition. Same place, same time again tomorrow."
 
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/y4uffcob/mh130821-12-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 12 Aug 2021 22:11:40 +0000RoccoAt 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 Plan out of Covid: 4/10 "Disappointing, but not surprising. No targets, no goals, no urgency, just pleas for vaccines. They... 
The Plan out of Covid: 4/10
"Disappointing, but not surprising.
No targets, no goals, no urgency, just pleas for vaccines.
They are a lazy government. Feet up, why do today what you can muse about tomorrow?"
 
Singapore's Continued Approach to Covid: 8/10
"How to actually deal with the virus.
Jab, jab, and jab. Then open your country to the world and live with it.
By the way, they upped their economic forecast this week as well."
 
Job Ads: 8/10
"Yet more records. Downside? No people to fill them."
 
Marsden Point Closure: 3/10
"Big mistake.
A classic example of a monopoly operation being run by the bottom line, not the best interests of the country."
 
The Power Outage: 3/10
"Chief Engineer Megan Woods not having the best of weeks.
It was Genesis. Whoops, no it wasn’t."    
 
Ashley Bloomfield's Fiji Memory Lapse: 1/10
"A new low.
Biggest story in his area of the week and he can't remember whether he dealt with Foreign Affairs. Whoops, yes he can.
You regret buying the t-shirt of the guy?"
 
The Olympics: 9/1
"All in all, what a stunning effort given the circumstances.
It wasn’t the super-spreader the doom merchants feared, and we set records on medals."
 
Coke Zero's Recipe Being Changed: 4/10
"Proving some don’t learn from history.
Look it up from when they did it the first time. Still considered one of the greatest corporate cock ups of them all."
 
The Warriors: 7/10
"Two wins in a row. Too much to hope for three?"
 
The All Blacks: 7/10
"At least it was proper competition. Same place, same time again tomorrow."
 
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>150falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/sharon-zollner-latest-numbers-show-fruit-and-vegetables-most-expensive-they-ve-been-in-ten-years--1007856Latest numbers from Stats NZ show fruit and vegetables are the most expensive they've been for 10 years while milk has never been more expensive.
We all know food costs increase in winter, but this is going beyond that, up 1.3 per cent in July compared to June.
A head of broccoli has never hit the pocket so hard.
And this is on top of rent prices, up 5 per cent in just the last year, up 10 per cent across the South Island outside of Canterbury.
Chief economist at ANZ Sharon Zollner told Mike Hosking the million dollar question is whether this is temporary or not.
“We’ve still got core inflation running at nearly 3 per cent and still rising.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/w50a5l5c/mh130821-11-sharonzollner-inflation.mp3Thu, 12 Aug 2021 21:18:44 +0000RoccoIt seems the cost of living only keeps going up for the most basic of needs. Latest numbers from Stats NZ show fruit and vegetables are the most expensive they've been for 10 years while milk has never been more expensive. We all know food costs...Latest numbers from Stats NZ show fruit and vegetables are the most expensive they've been for 10 years while milk has never been more expensive.
We all know food costs increase in winter, but this is going beyond that, up 1.3 per cent in July compared to June.
A head of broccoli has never hit the pocket so hard.
And this is on top of rent prices, up 5 per cent in just the last year, up 10 per cent across the South Island outside of Canterbury.
Chief economist at ANZ Sharon Zollner told Mike Hosking the million dollar question is whether this is temporary or not.
“We’ve still got core inflation running at nearly 3 per cent and still rising.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>193falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/peter-fitzsimons-australian-rugby-commentator-ahead-of-bledisloe-cup-number-two--1007860The Wallabies made a game of it last weekend in the last 20 minutes, so they'll be going into this one with their tails up.
The All Blacks have mostly stuck with tried and true for this test; numbers one through ten are the same, with Reiko Ioane in at centre for the injured Anton Lienert-Brown and Will Jordan back in the squad on the wing.
Australian commentator Peter Fitzsimons joined Mike Hosking to give his thoughts on the Wallabies' chances, as well as the suggestion of moving the NRL Grand Final to Eden Park.
LISTEN ABOVE
 
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/o0ydpu2v/mh130821-18-peterfitzsimmons-absvswallabies.mp3Thu, 12 Aug 2021 20:38:06 +0000RoccoBledisloe number two between the All Blacks and Wallabies tomorrow from Eden Park. The Wallabies made a game of it last weekend in the last 20 minutes, so they'll be going into this one with their tails up. The All Blacks have mostly stuck with tried...The Wallabies made a game of it last weekend in the last 20 minutes, so they'll be going into this one with their tails up.
The All Blacks have mostly stuck with tried and true for this test; numbers one through ten are the same, with Reiko Ioane in at centre for the injured Anton Lienert-Brown and Will Jordan back in the squad on the wing.
Australian commentator Peter Fitzsimons joined Mike Hosking to give his thoughts on the Wallabies' chances, as well as the suggestion of moving the NRL Grand Final to Eden Park.
LISTEN ABOVE
 
 ]]>259falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/chris-cahill-police-association-president-links-emergency-housing-to-rise-in-crime-in-auckland-s-cbd--1007845More than a thousand people have been assaulted in the city centre this year.
Statistics show a 63 per cent increase in violent crime for the first five months of this year, compared with the same period in 2019.
Police Association president Chris Cahill told Mike Hosking there's been a clear change in demographic.
“The students have gone, the backpackers from overseas have gone, and the city’s been filled with emergency housing and clearly that’s having a big impact on crime.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/1lblwfyy/mh130821-15-chriscahill-emergencyhousingcrime.mp3Thu, 12 Aug 2021 20:19:11 +0000RoccoOne reason is being pinpointed for a rise in crime in Auckland's CBD. More than a thousand people have been assaulted in the city centre this year. Statistics show a 63 per cent increase in violent crime for the first five months of this year,...More than a thousand people have been assaulted in the city centre this year.
Statistics show a 63 per cent increase in violent crime for the first five months of this year, compared with the same period in 2019.
Police Association president Chris Cahill told Mike Hosking there's been a clear change in demographic.
“The students have gone, the backpackers from overseas have gone, and the city’s been filled with emergency housing and clearly that’s having a big impact on crime.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>249falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/peter-jones-author-of-study-into-emergency-departments-says-there-is-variability-in-resourcing--1007834A study published in today's Medical Journal finds a mismatch in EDs' workload, structure and staffing numbers, with median wait times ranging from 13 minutes to more than an hour and a half.
Study author Peter Jones told Mike Hosking the survey shows there's variability in resourcing.
“Some departments are too small for their workload and some departments have less staff than others.”
Peter Jones says with the transformation happening in the health system, this is a good time to address some of these issues. 
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/zvpgzmxg/mh130821-05-peterjones-edpostcodes.mp3Thu, 12 Aug 2021 08:54:03 +0000RoccoDisparities in wait times at our Emergency Departments. A study published in today's Medical Journal finds a mismatch in EDs' workload, structure and staffing numbers, with median wait times ranging from 13 minutes to more than an hour and a half....A study published in today's Medical Journal finds a mismatch in EDs' workload, structure and staffing numbers, with median wait times ranging from 13 minutes to more than an hour and a half.
Study author Peter Jones told Mike Hosking the survey shows there's variability in resourcing.
“Some departments are too small for their workload and some departments have less staff than others.”
Peter Jones says with the transformation happening in the health system, this is a good time to address some of these issues. 
LISTEN ABOVE]]>180falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/grant-robertson-deputy-prime-minister-says-exact-vaccination-target-isn-t-the-way-to-go--1007854All New Zealanders aged 16 and over will be eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine from September 1.
And from early next year, our borders will slowly reopen to the rest of the world.
The National Party believes there's merit in setting a number on how many people need to be jabbed, before that happens.
But Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson told Mike Hosking a target won't give us what we want.
“We run a real risk of complacency if people think we’re just going to open up no matter how many people are vaccinated, we need as many people as possible to be vaccinated.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/qrifvny4/mh130821-10-grantrobertson-reopening.mp3Thu, 12 Aug 2021 07:52:40 +0000RoccoThe Government's hammering home the message that an exact vaccination target isn't the way to go. All New Zealanders aged 16 and over will be eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine from September 1. And from early next year, our borders will slowly reopen...All New Zealanders aged 16 and over will be eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine from September 1.
And from early next year, our borders will slowly reopen to the rest of the world.
The National Party believes there's merit in setting a number on how many people need to be jabbed, before that happens.
But Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson told Mike Hosking a target won't give us what we want.
“We run a real risk of complacency if people think we’re just going to open up no matter how many people are vaccinated, we need as many people as possible to be vaccinated.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>450falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/colin-mansbridge-crusaders-chief-says-he-just-wants-the-stadium-built--1007849The plan is back before the Christchurch City Council today.
There are calls for a U-turn on the decision several weeks ago to proceed with a 25-thousand seat stadium – rather than the initial concept of 30-thousand.
Crusaders Chief Executive Colin Mansbridge told Mike Hosking he just wants the stadium built.
“If it’s 25, let’s get on and build 25. If it’s 30, even better, let’s get on and build 30.”
If the stadium plan is restored to 30,000 seats $50 million would be added to the $473 million budget.
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/4ivfswlk/mh120821-16-colinmansbridge-chchstadium.mp3Wed, 11 Aug 2021 20:28:16 +0000RoccoThere are calls for Christchurch to get on and build the city's multi-use arena. The plan is back before the Christchurch City Council today. There are calls for a U-turn on the decision several weeks ago to proceed with a 25-thousand seat stadium –...The plan is back before the Christchurch City Council today.
There are calls for a U-turn on the decision several weeks ago to proceed with a 25-thousand seat stadium – rather than the initial concept of 30-thousand.
Crusaders Chief Executive Colin Mansbridge told Mike Hosking he just wants the stadium built.
“If it’s 25, let’s get on and build 25. If it’s 30, even better, let’s get on and build 30.”
If the stadium plan is restored to 30,000 seats $50 million would be added to the $473 million budget.
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>165falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/paul-myers-lionel-messi-signs-two-year-contract-with-paris-saint-germain--1007824PSG said in a statement that the 34-year-old Argentina star signed a two-year deal with the option for a third season.
"I am excited to begin a new chapter of my career at Paris Saint-Germain," Messi said. "Everything about the club matches my football ambitions. I know how talented the squad and the coaching staff are here. I am determined to help build something special for the club and the fans, and I am looking forward to stepping out onto the pitch at the Parc des Princes."
No salary details were given, but a person with knowledge of the negotiations earlier told The Associated Press that Messi is set to earn around 35 million euros ($41 million) net annually. The person said on condition of anonymity before the contract was signed.
"I am delighted that Lionel Messi has chosen to join Paris Saint-Germain and we are proud to welcome him and his family to Paris," PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi said. "He has made no secret of his desire to continue competing at the very highest level and winning trophies, and naturally our ambition as a club is to do the same."
Throngs of PSG fans gathered at Le Bourget Airport in Paris to welcome Messi, who was wearing a T-shirt featuring "Ici c'est Paris" — "This is Paris."
The words are a long-familiar refrain from a favored fan chant at Parc des Princes stadium, where Messi is to be presented to them before kickoff of Saturday night's game against Strasbourg.

A new 💎 in Paris!PSGxMESSI ❤️💙 pic.twitter.com/scrp1su9a6— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) August 10, 2021

Such was the fervor of his arrival that police had to push back to stop metal barriers from toppling over at the airport as fans surged forward to get a better view. He then traveled into Paris with a police escort that included several officers on motorbikes and clad in black at the back of it.
As disbelief at landing one of soccer's all-time greats turned to sheer enthusiasm, many gathered for a glimpse of Messi at the stadium. They got their wish as the smiling superstar briefly waved to them before he underwent a medical check.
Earlier, Messi's father and agent, Jorge, had also confirmed his son was moving to PSG in a brief exchange with reporters at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport before he took his flight in the early afternoon.
Messi arrived with his wife and three children and boarded a private jet.
"With it all, toward a new adventure. The five together," Antonela Roccuzzo said on Instagram alongside a photo with her husband on the plane.
PSG supporters have seen their club transformed over the last decade since the influx of Qatari sovereign wealth investment linked to the emir. Once Messi's Barcelona contract expired — and the Catalan club was unable to afford to keep him — PSG was one of the few clubs that could finance a deal to sign the six-time world player of the year.
Messi's arrival gives PSG formidable attacking options as he links up with France World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe and Brazil forward Neymar.
"Back together," Neymar posted on Instagram over a video of them hugging, playing for Barcelona.
While PSG had to pay 222 million euros (then $261 million) to sign Neymar from Barcelona in 2017, there was no transfer fee for Messi.
Messi became the most desired free agent in soccer history after his attempts to stay at Barcelona were rejected last week by the Spanish league because the salary would not comply with financial regulations, with the Catalan club burdened by debts of more than 1.2 billion euros ($1.4 billion).
PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino quickly made contact with his fellow Argentine after Barcelona announced last Thursday that Messi would be leaving the club he joined as a 13-year-old.
Messi won every major honor with Barcelona and was granted a tearful e...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/hrsf1ovf/mh120821-19-paulmyers-lionelmessiinparis.mp3Wed, 11 Aug 2021 20:18:37 +0000RoccoLionel Messi finally signed his eagerly anticipated Paris Saint-Germain contract today to complete the move that confirms the end of a career-long association with Barcelona and sends PSG into a new era. PSG said in a statement that the 34-year-old...PSG said in a statement that the 34-year-old Argentina star signed a two-year deal with the option for a third season.
"I am excited to begin a new chapter of my career at Paris Saint-Germain," Messi said. "Everything about the club matches my football ambitions. I know how talented the squad and the coaching staff are here. I am determined to help build something special for the club and the fans, and I am looking forward to stepping out onto the pitch at the Parc des Princes."
No salary details were given, but a person with knowledge of the negotiations earlier told The Associated Press that Messi is set to earn around 35 million euros ($41 million) net annually. The person said on condition of anonymity before the contract was signed.
"I am delighted that Lionel Messi has chosen to join Paris Saint-Germain and we are proud to welcome him and his family to Paris," PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi said. "He has made no secret of his desire to continue competing at the very highest level and winning trophies, and naturally our ambition as a club is to do the same."
Throngs of PSG fans gathered at Le Bourget Airport in Paris to welcome Messi, who was wearing a T-shirt featuring "Ici c'est Paris" — "This is Paris."
The words are a long-familiar refrain from a favored fan chant at Parc des Princes stadium, where Messi is to be presented to them before kickoff of Saturday night's game against Strasbourg.

A new 💎 in Paris!PSGxMESSI ❤️💙 pic.twitter.com/scrp1su9a6— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) August 10, 2021

Such was the fervor of his arrival that police had to push back to stop metal barriers from toppling over at the airport as fans surged forward to get a better view. He then traveled into Paris with a police escort that included several officers on motorbikes and clad in black at the back of it.
As disbelief at landing one of soccer's all-time greats turned to sheer enthusiasm, many gathered for a glimpse of Messi at the stadium. They got their wish as the smiling superstar briefly waved to them before he underwent a medical check.
Earlier, Messi's father and agent, Jorge, had also confirmed his son was moving to PSG in a brief exchange with reporters at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport before he took his flight in the early afternoon.
Messi arrived with his wife and three children and boarded a private jet.
"With it all, toward a new adventure. The five together," Antonela Roccuzzo said on Instagram alongside a photo with her husband on the plane.
PSG supporters have seen their club transformed over the last decade since the influx of Qatari sovereign wealth investment linked to the emir. Once Messi's Barcelona contract expired — and the Catalan club was unable to afford to keep him — PSG was one of the few clubs that could finance a deal to sign the six-time world player of the year.
Messi's arrival gives PSG formidable attacking options as he links up with France World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe and Brazil forward Neymar.
"Back together," Neymar posted on Instagram over a video of them hugging, playing for Barcelona.
While PSG had to pay 222 million euros (then $261 million) to sign Neymar from Barcelona in 2017, there was no transfer fee for Messi.
Messi became the most desired free agent in soccer history after his attempts to stay at Barcelona were rejected last week by the Spanish league because the salary would not comply with financial regulations, with the Catalan club burdened by debts of more than 1.2 billion euros ($1.4 billion).
PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino quickly made contact with his fellow Argentine after Barcelona announced last Thursday that Messi would be leaving the club he joined as...]]>210falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/sir-john-key-former-prime-minister-predicts-border-announcement-to-be-light-on-detail--1007865Jacinda Ardern is due to provide long-awaited further details this morning.Her announcement comes after a group of experts -- led by epidemiologist Sir David Skegg -- recommended border restrictions remain in place until most New Zealanders are vaccinated.The former prime minister told Mike Hosking  the current Prime Minister is likely to be light on detail.
“I reckon the level of ambition they’re going to set themselves today; a dash hound could stagger over it. Honestly, there’ll be no specifics and no particular real targets and no real commitments.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/s03h3o23/mh120821-10-sirjohnkey-reopening.mp3Wed, 11 Aug 2021 19:36:12 +0000RoccoSir John Key isn't expecting anything substantial from this morning's Government announcement about reopening our borders. Jacinda Ardern is due to provide long-awaited further details this morning.Her announcement comes after a group of experts --...Jacinda Ardern is due to provide long-awaited further details this morning.Her announcement comes after a group of experts -- led by epidemiologist Sir David Skegg -- recommended border restrictions remain in place until most New Zealanders are vaccinated.The former prime minister told Mike Hosking  the current Prime Minister is likely to be light on detail.
“I reckon the level of ambition they’re going to set themselves today; a dash hound could stagger over it. Honestly, there’ll be no specifics and no particular real targets and no real commitments.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>245falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/nobby-clark-invercargill-deputy-mayor-considering-taking-action-to-remove-sir-tim-shadbolt--1007876Shadbolt  told Local Democracy Reporting he's traumatised by daily workplace bullying, after a meeting yesterday about his storage of personal possessions at council-owned buildings.
His deputy Nobby Clark, says the mayor struggles to lead meetings and conceptualise debates, but people want to see him at ceremonial events.
Clark told Mike Hosking he has nothing to lose as he's not standing next term, so is thinking about obtaining an order from the district court to remove Shadbolt.
“I’m not sure yet, I’m struggling with it at the moment.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/dcbl0rg3/mh120821-12-nobbyclark-invercargillnoconfidence.mp3Wed, 11 Aug 2021 11:06:58 +0000RoccoThe Deputy Mayor of Invercargill is considering taking action to remove Sir Tim Shadbolt from the mayoralty. Shadbolt  told Local Democracy Reporting he's traumatised by daily workplace bullying, after a meeting yesterday about his storage of personal...Shadbolt  told Local Democracy Reporting he's traumatised by daily workplace bullying, after a meeting yesterday about his storage of personal possessions at council-owned buildings.
His deputy Nobby Clark, says the mayor struggles to lead meetings and conceptualise debates, but people want to see him at ceremonial events.
Clark told Mike Hosking he has nothing to lose as he's not standing next term, so is thinking about obtaining an order from the district court to remove Shadbolt.
“I’m not sure yet, I’m struggling with it at the moment.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>164falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/rod-liddle-germany-arrests-alleged-russian-spy-at-uk-embassy-in-berlin--1007857Federal prosecutors said in a statement that the man was detained on Tuesday in the city of Potsdam southwest of the capital based on cooperative investigations by German and British authorities. In keeping with German privacy laws, he was only identified as David S.
Prosecutors said he is suspected of having spied for the Russian intelligence service at least since November. Before his arrest, he worked as a local hire at the British Embassy in the German capital and allegedly passed on documents he received at work to the Russians, the prosecutors' statement said.
It's unlikely the suspect had diplomatic immunity because in such a case he would have normally been expelled from the country instead of being detained.
The federal prosecutor's office said later on Wednesday, when reached by phone, it could not give any further details on the case because of the ongoing investigation and the man's privacy rights.
Germany's foreign minister said the government is closely following the case.
"We take the information that the detained person's intelligence activity was carried out on behalf of a Russian intelligence agency extremely seriously," Heiko Maas told reporters in Berlin.
"Spying on a close ally on German soil is absolutely unacceptable and we are in full solidarity with our British friends," he said. "We will be following the federal prosecutors' further investigations very closely. And where that's desired, necessary and possible, we will also support them."
The Russian Embassy in Berlin declined to comment Wednesday on reports about the arrest, the Interfax news agency reported. The embassy "currently does not have any official information from the German side on this issue," Interfax quoted the embassy's spokespeople as saying.
The British government provided few details about the embassy worker, saying that "an individual who was contracted to work for the government was arrested yesterday by the German authorities."
"It would not be appropriate to comment further as there is an ongoing police investigation," the statement said.
Britain's Metropolitan Police said in a separate statement that "the man was arrested in the Berlin area on suspicion of committing offenses relating to being engaged in 'Intelligence Agent activity'."
"Primacy for the investigation remains with German authorities," the Met statement, while "officers from the Counter Terrorism Command continue to liaise with German counterparts as the investigation continues."
The Met's Counter Terrorism Command is responsible for investigating alleged breaches of the Official Secrets Act.
German prosecutors said the suspect received an unknown amount of cash in return for his alleged spying activities. Investigators have searched his home and office, the statement added.
A federal judge on Wednesday ordered the man to remain under arrest pending further investigation.
During the Cold War, Berlin was often dubbed as "the capital of spies" because the city was on the frontlines of the confrontation between the Soviets in the East and the Americans and their western allies in the West. Intelligence agents were active on both sides of the divided city and sometimes — after some espionage agents were caught — there were infamous cloak-and-dagger exchanges of captured spies on the Glienicker Bridge.
However, since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the unification of Germany a year later, and the end of the Cold War, espionage activities in Berlin have supposedly abated.
- By KIRSTEN GRIESHABER Associated Press]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/mn3nnhls/mh120821-22-rodliddle-climatepolicy-vaccinerollout.mp3Wed, 11 Aug 2021 10:49:35 +0000RoccoGermany has arrested a British citizen on suspicion of spying for Russia while working at the British Embassy in Berlin, officials said Wednesday. Federal prosecutors said in a statement that the man was detained on Tuesday in the city of Potsdam...Federal prosecutors said in a statement that the man was detained on Tuesday in the city of Potsdam southwest of the capital based on cooperative investigations by German and British authorities. In keeping with German privacy laws, he was only identified as David S.
Prosecutors said he is suspected of having spied for the Russian intelligence service at least since November. Before his arrest, he worked as a local hire at the British Embassy in the German capital and allegedly passed on documents he received at work to the Russians, the prosecutors' statement said.
It's unlikely the suspect had diplomatic immunity because in such a case he would have normally been expelled from the country instead of being detained.
The federal prosecutor's office said later on Wednesday, when reached by phone, it could not give any further details on the case because of the ongoing investigation and the man's privacy rights.
Germany's foreign minister said the government is closely following the case.
"We take the information that the detained person's intelligence activity was carried out on behalf of a Russian intelligence agency extremely seriously," Heiko Maas told reporters in Berlin.
"Spying on a close ally on German soil is absolutely unacceptable and we are in full solidarity with our British friends," he said. "We will be following the federal prosecutors' further investigations very closely. And where that's desired, necessary and possible, we will also support them."
The Russian Embassy in Berlin declined to comment Wednesday on reports about the arrest, the Interfax news agency reported. The embassy "currently does not have any official information from the German side on this issue," Interfax quoted the embassy's spokespeople as saying.
The British government provided few details about the embassy worker, saying that "an individual who was contracted to work for the government was arrested yesterday by the German authorities."
"It would not be appropriate to comment further as there is an ongoing police investigation," the statement said.
Britain's Metropolitan Police said in a separate statement that "the man was arrested in the Berlin area on suspicion of committing offenses relating to being engaged in 'Intelligence Agent activity'."
"Primacy for the investigation remains with German authorities," the Met statement, while "officers from the Counter Terrorism Command continue to liaise with German counterparts as the investigation continues."
The Met's Counter Terrorism Command is responsible for investigating alleged breaches of the Official Secrets Act.
German prosecutors said the suspect received an unknown amount of cash in return for his alleged spying activities. Investigators have searched his home and office, the statement added.
A federal judge on Wednesday ordered the man to remain under arrest pending further investigation.
During the Cold War, Berlin was often dubbed as "the capital of spies" because the city was on the frontlines of the confrontation between the Soviets in the East and the Americans and their western allies in the West. Intelligence agents were active on both sides of the divided city and sometimes — after some espionage agents were caught — there were infamous cloak-and-dagger exchanges of captured spies on the Glienicker Bridge.
However, since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the unification of Germany a year later, and the end of the Cold War, espionage activities in Berlin have supposedly abated.
- By KIRSTEN GRIESHABER Associated Press]]>351falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/marc-england-genesis-energy-chief-says-megan-woods-was-given-poor-advice--1007825Megan Woods claimed 'commercial decisions' were behind the debacle but Genesis hit back, saying it was being scapegoated.
Environment Minister David Parker now says Woods didn't mean to 'imply' anything.
Genesis chief executive, Marc England, told Mike Hosking Woods' comment was made in the heat of the moment on Tuesday morning.
“We had the crisis Monday night, with the really unfortunate power outages, and the Minister obviously had some poor advice, but I think that’s been corrected since.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/r4wlgutk/mh120821-11-marcengland-poweroutages.mp3Wed, 11 Aug 2021 08:08:37 +0000RoccoThe country's biggest electricity generator seems to have forgiven the Energy and Resources Minister for pointing the finger at it, after Monday night's power cuts. Megan Woods claimed 'commercial decisions' were behind the debacle but Genesis hit...Megan Woods claimed 'commercial decisions' were behind the debacle but Genesis hit back, saying it was being scapegoated.
Environment Minister David Parker now says Woods didn't mean to 'imply' anything.
Genesis chief executive, Marc England, told Mike Hosking Woods' comment was made in the heat of the moment on Tuesday morning.
“We had the crisis Monday night, with the really unfortunate power outages, and the Minister obviously had some poor advice, but I think that’s been corrected since.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>217falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/dr-bryan-betty-college-of-gps-say-there-is-miscommunication-around-how-much-gps-are-paid-for-vaccine-rollout--1007882It comes after reports a GP was told the Government would pay for costs such as training, booking and handling.
However, they were then later told the Government would only cover the jab itself.
Royal NZ College of GPs Medical Director Bryan Betty told Mike Hosking confusion around who's paying could be causing the issue.
“There’s a breakdown in communication, there’s miscommunication, as there often is in these situations, this is sort of the space we end up in.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/skbpanq5/mh120821-05-bryanbetty-rolloutcompoforgps.mp3Wed, 11 Aug 2021 07:45:13 +0000RoccoGPs across the country are raising the red flag about how they're paid for their part in the vaccine rollout. It comes after reports a GP was told the Government would pay for costs such as training, booking and handling. However, they were then later...It comes after reports a GP was told the Government would pay for costs such as training, booking and handling.
However, they were then later told the Government would only cover the jab itself.
Royal NZ College of GPs Medical Director Bryan Betty told Mike Hosking confusion around who's paying could be causing the issue.
“There’s a breakdown in communication, there’s miscommunication, as there often is in these situations, this is sort of the space we end up in.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>211falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-morrison-has-it-right-on-australia-s-climate-policy--1007836And on the day we were working out how come we didn’t have any power on a cold day.
Across the ditch, Scotty from Marketing was once again refusing to commit to zero carbon by 2050.
And in his stance is the Realist vs the Theorist.
We, of course, are part of the theorist cabal.
We’ve got the law, made the promise, so we will be part of the group that yet again fail to deliver.
And in that failure is part of the problem.
It’s not that we don’t recognise the issue or accept the issue, its just we don’t have the fortitude or the understanding on how to do something effective about it.
So we make weird promises, most of which don’t come to pass.
This is why we should admire Scott Morrison, because at least he’s honest about it.
He’s not, to quote him, writing a blank cheque for a plan with few details.
It’s not a bad point.
Having watched Kyoto fail, having watched Paris fail, why bother paddling with the idealists when the world actually has more pressing issues like Covid to deal with?
Also helping the Morrison cause, so much so in fact it won him the last election, is the cold hard truth that, rightly or wrongly, some of the stuff the scientists worry about is making Australia rich, or at least in the Covid era, preventing them going bust.
Iron ore has never been more expensive, and Australia has never sold more of it.
Coal remains huge and next cab off the rank, given the so called EV Era, will be lithium and rare earths, both of which Australia has.
Meantime back here, we’ve canned oil and gas exploration.
Our gas supply is tragic, we are importing coal and the lights go out on a cold night.
But isn’t it reassuring we are on the scientists’ side, even though ultimately, it will mean little, if anything.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/o3zpz0zr/mh110821-01-aussieclimatechangepolicycomment.mp3Tue, 10 Aug 2021 23:55:02 +0000RoccoOn a day when yet again we were digesting a report into how buggered the earth is, driven, they claim, by climate madness. And on the day we were working out how come we didn’t have any power on a cold day. Across the ditch, Scotty from Marketing was...And on the day we were working out how come we didn’t have any power on a cold day.
Across the ditch, Scotty from Marketing was once again refusing to commit to zero carbon by 2050.
And in his stance is the Realist vs the Theorist.
We, of course, are part of the theorist cabal.
We’ve got the law, made the promise, so we will be part of the group that yet again fail to deliver.
And in that failure is part of the problem.
It’s not that we don’t recognise the issue or accept the issue, its just we don’t have the fortitude or the understanding on how to do something effective about it.
So we make weird promises, most of which don’t come to pass.
This is why we should admire Scott Morrison, because at least he’s honest about it.
He’s not, to quote him, writing a blank cheque for a plan with few details.
It’s not a bad point.
Having watched Kyoto fail, having watched Paris fail, why bother paddling with the idealists when the world actually has more pressing issues like Covid to deal with?
Also helping the Morrison cause, so much so in fact it won him the last election, is the cold hard truth that, rightly or wrongly, some of the stuff the scientists worry about is making Australia rich, or at least in the Covid era, preventing them going bust.
Iron ore has never been more expensive, and Australia has never sold more of it.
Coal remains huge and next cab off the rank, given the so called EV Era, will be lithium and rare earths, both of which Australia has.
Meantime back here, we’ve canned oil and gas exploration.
Our gas supply is tragic, we are importing coal and the lights go out on a cold night.
But isn’t it reassuring we are on the scientists’ side, even though ultimately, it will mean little, if anything.]]>101falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/ciaran-hinds-famed-irish-actor-on-his-new-film--1007885He's been in the business since the 1970s - and has become a mainstay in British theatre, television and films.
Hinds has gone on to star in Steven Spielberg’s Munich, Harry Potter and the Game of Thrones franchise.
Now he's starring a new film - The Man in the Hat - and it's getting plenty of attention as it's essentially a dialogue-less film.
Ciarán Hinds joined Mike Hosking.
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/043h1kpx/mh120821-20-ciaranhinds-newmovie.mp3Tue, 10 Aug 2021 21:13:00 +0000RoccoCiarán Hinds is known as one of Ireland’s greatest acting exports. He's been in the business since the 1970s - and has become a mainstay in British theatre, television and films. Hinds has gone on to star in Steven Spielberg’s Munich, Harry Potter and...He's been in the business since the 1970s - and has become a mainstay in British theatre, television and films.
Hinds has gone on to star in Steven Spielberg’s Munich, Harry Potter and the Game of Thrones franchise.
Now he's starring a new film - The Man in the Hat - and it's getting plenty of attention as it's essentially a dialogue-less film.
Ciarán Hinds joined Mike Hosking.
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>623falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/sir-david-skegg-epidemiologist-says-new-zealand-s-covid-elimination-strategy-may-no-long-be-possible--1007842An independent panel, led by epidemiologist Sir David Skegg, has given advice to the Government about reopening New Zealand.
It says the borders shouldn't open until at least next year, and when a majority of Kiwis are vaccinated.
Skegg told Mike Hosking at this stage, we should still aim at keeping the country Covid-free.
“But it may be that during next year, we just find not possible to keep stamping out clusters of infection. But it gives us the best possible scenario.”
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will respond to the panel's advice tomorrow.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/dh4fpaeq/mh110821-10-sirdavidskegg-postcovidrecovery.mp3Tue, 10 Aug 2021 19:59:36 +0000RoccoTop health experts say we should give it our best shot at keeping Covid-19 eliminated. An independent panel, led by epidemiologist Sir David Skegg, has given advice to the Government about reopening New Zealand. It says the borders shouldn't open...An independent panel, led by epidemiologist Sir David Skegg, has given advice to the Government about reopening New Zealand.
It says the borders shouldn't open until at least next year, and when a majority of Kiwis are vaccinated.
Skegg told Mike Hosking at this stage, we should still aim at keeping the country Covid-free.
“But it may be that during next year, we just find not possible to keep stamping out clusters of infection. But it gives us the best possible scenario.”
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will respond to the panel's advice tomorrow.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>259falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-bennetts-savings-expected-to-be-passed-on-to-customers-as-new-pro-competition-fuel-laws-begin--1007853They include obligating fuel suppliers to publish a spot price and sell to any wholesale customers, even if they're competitors.
Restrictive terms in wholesale contracts will be limited, which will free up distributors and petrol stations to shop around for the best deal.
Z Energy Chief Executive Mike Bennetts told Mike Hosking the new contracts enable distributors to have up to 20 percent of their business with another supplier, rather than just one.
“Those agreements are now limited to a maximum of five years, so they will turn over more quickly, which should enable more competition for those agreements and those costs savings should be able to be passed on to customers.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/a5ahbifk/mh110821-11-mikebennetts-fuelcompetition.mp3Tue, 10 Aug 2021 19:38:54 +0000RoccoWholesale fuel prices are expected to drop from today, as new pro-competition rules begin, and it's hoped those savings will be passed on to motorists. They include obligating fuel suppliers to publish a spot price and sell to any wholesale customers,...They include obligating fuel suppliers to publish a spot price and sell to any wholesale customers, even if they're competitors.
Restrictive terms in wholesale contracts will be limited, which will free up distributors and petrol stations to shop around for the best deal.
Z Energy Chief Executive Mike Bennetts told Mike Hosking the new contracts enable distributors to have up to 20 percent of their business with another supplier, rather than just one.
“Those agreements are now limited to a maximum of five years, so they will turn over more quickly, which should enable more competition for those agreements and those costs savings should be able to be passed on to customers.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>145falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/pollies-skegg-report-ashley-bloomfield-and-skills-shortage--1007886Judith Collins has called Dr Ashely Bloomfield a 'one trick pony.'
Unemployment's dropped to 4 per cent and many commentators say we've reached, or are nearly at, full employment, yet we still have a skills shortage.
Mark Mitchell and Stuart Nash joined Mike Hosking to discuss this and the week's politics news.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/40dhchls/mh110821-19-pollies.mp3Tue, 10 Aug 2021 10:11:21 +0000RoccoAn independent panel, led by epidemiologist Sir David Skegg, has given advice to the Government about reopening New Zealand. Judith Collins has called Dr Ashely Bloomfield a 'one trick pony.' Unemployment's dropped to 4 per cent and many commentators...Judith Collins has called Dr Ashely Bloomfield a 'one trick pony.'
Unemployment's dropped to 4 per cent and many commentators say we've reached, or are nearly at, full employment, yet we still have a skills shortage.
Mark Mitchell and Stuart Nash joined Mike Hosking to discuss this and the week's politics news.]]>712falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/fuhana-ahmad-department-of-conservation-stops-people-from-pre-booking-huts-on-great-walks--1007862DoC is stopping people from pre-booking huts on great walks - The Heaphy, Paparoa and Rakiura tracks - a decision slammed as completely unreasonable.
It's something that has happened for the last five years - huts are pre-booked by operators so they can guarantee services like tours to potential customers. If the bookings aren't taken up through the company they are released.
One such operator who did this for five years to keep the business viable was Ruggedy Range Wilderness Experience and owner-operator Furhana Ahmad told Mike Hosking the huts are always in high demand, but it’s a first come, first served policy.
“Because people have complained to the Department of Conservation, they’ve decided to take action.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/23pbun2q/mh110821-18-fuhanaahmad-dochuts.mp3Tue, 10 Aug 2021 08:51:48 +0000RoccoStruggling tourism operators have taken another knock after a decision from DoC over a more than five year practice. DoC is stopping people from pre-booking huts on great walks - The Heaphy, Paparoa and Rakiura tracks - a decision slammed as...DoC is stopping people from pre-booking huts on great walks - The Heaphy, Paparoa and Rakiura tracks - a decision slammed as completely unreasonable.
It's something that has happened for the last five years - huts are pre-booked by operators so they can guarantee services like tours to potential customers. If the bookings aren't taken up through the company they are released.
One such operator who did this for five years to keep the business viable was Ruggedy Range Wilderness Experience and owner-operator Furhana Ahmad told Mike Hosking the huts are always in high demand, but it’s a first come, first served policy.
“Because people have complained to the Department of Conservation, they’ve decided to take action.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>145falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/richard-arnold-new-york-gov-andrew-cuomo-resigning-over-sexual-harassment--1007875By turns defiant and chastened, the 63-year-old Democrat emphatically denied intentionally mistreating women and called the pressure for his ouster politically motivated. But he said that fighting back in this "too hot" political climate would subject the state to months of turmoil.
"The best way I can help now is if I step aside and let government get back to governing," Cuomo said in a televised address.
The third-term governor's resignation, which will take effect in two weeks, was announced as momentum built in the Legislature to remove him by impeachment  and after nearly the entire Democratic establishment had turned against him, with President Joe Biden joining those calling on him to resign.
The decision came a week after New York's attorney general released the results of  an investigation that found Cuomo sexually harassed at least 11 women.
Investigators said he subjected women to unwanted kisses; groped their breasts or buttocks or otherwise touched them inappropriately; made insinuating remarks about their looks and their sex lives; and created a work environment "rife with fear and intimidation."
Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, a 62-year-old Democrat and former member of Congress from the Buffalo area, will become the state's 57th governor and the first woman to hold the post. She said Cuomo's resignation was "the right thing to do and in the best interest of New Yorkers."
The #MeToo-era scandal cut short not just a career but a dynasty: Cuomo's father, Mario Cuomo, was governor in the 1980s and '90s, and the younger Cuomo was often mentioned as a potential presidential candidate. Even as the scandal mushroomed, he was planning to run for reelection in 2022.
Republicans exulted in Cuomo's departure but still urged impeachment, which could prevent him from running for office again.
"This resignation is simply an attempt to avoid real accountability," state GOP chair Nick Langworthy said.
Cuomo prefaced his resignation with a 45-minute defense from his lawyer and his own insistence that his behavior — while sometimes insensitive, off-putting or "too familiar" — had been used against him as a weapon in a political environment where "rashness has replaced reasonableness."
"I am a fighter, and my instinct is to fight through this controversy because I truly believe it is politically motivated. I believe it is unfair and it is untruthful," he said, but added that he didn't want "distractions" to consume the state government as it grapples with the pandemic and other problems.
Cuomo still faces the possibility of criminal charges, with a number of prosecutors around the state continuing to investigate him. At least one of his accusers has filed a criminal complaint.
At the White House, Biden said: "I respect the governor's decision." At the same time, he said Cuomo had "done a helluva job" on infrastructure and voting rights, and "that's why it's so sad."
The string of accusations began in news reports last December and went on for months.
"From the beginning, I simply asked that the governor stop his abusive behavior," Lindsey Boylan, the first woman to accuse Cuomo publicly of harassment, tweeted Tuesday. "It became abundantly clear he was unable to do that, instead attacking and blaming victims until the end."
As the scandal grew, Cuomo called some of the allegations fabricated, forcefully denying he touched anyone inappropriately. But he acknowledged making some aides uncomfortable with comments he said he intended as playful, and he apologized for some of his behavior.
He portrayed some encounters as misunderstandings attributable to "generational or cultural" differences, invoking his upbringing in an affectionate Italian American family.
As Cuomo...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/peumzcrt/mh110821-07-arnold-cuomoresignation-floridacovid.mp3Tue, 10 Aug 2021 08:46:38 +0000RoccoGov. Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation Tuesday over a barrage of sexual harassment allegations in a fall from grace a year after he was widely hailed nationally for his detailed daily briefings and leadership during some of the darkest days of...By turns defiant and chastened, the 63-year-old Democrat emphatically denied intentionally mistreating women and called the pressure for his ouster politically motivated. But he said that fighting back in this "too hot" political climate would subject the state to months of turmoil.
"The best way I can help now is if I step aside and let government get back to governing," Cuomo said in a televised address.
The third-term governor's resignation, which will take effect in two weeks, was announced as momentum built in the Legislature to remove him by impeachment  and after nearly the entire Democratic establishment had turned against him, with President Joe Biden joining those calling on him to resign.
The decision came a week after New York's attorney general released the results of  an investigation that found Cuomo sexually harassed at least 11 women.
Investigators said he subjected women to unwanted kisses; groped their breasts or buttocks or otherwise touched them inappropriately; made insinuating remarks about their looks and their sex lives; and created a work environment "rife with fear and intimidation."
Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, a 62-year-old Democrat and former member of Congress from the Buffalo area, will become the state's 57th governor and the first woman to hold the post. She said Cuomo's resignation was "the right thing to do and in the best interest of New Yorkers."
The #MeToo-era scandal cut short not just a career but a dynasty: Cuomo's father, Mario Cuomo, was governor in the 1980s and '90s, and the younger Cuomo was often mentioned as a potential presidential candidate. Even as the scandal mushroomed, he was planning to run for reelection in 2022.
Republicans exulted in Cuomo's departure but still urged impeachment, which could prevent him from running for office again.
"This resignation is simply an attempt to avoid real accountability," state GOP chair Nick Langworthy said.
Cuomo prefaced his resignation with a 45-minute defense from his lawyer and his own insistence that his behavior — while sometimes insensitive, off-putting or "too familiar" — had been used against him as a weapon in a political environment where "rashness has replaced reasonableness."
"I am a fighter, and my instinct is to fight through this controversy because I truly believe it is politically motivated. I believe it is unfair and it is untruthful," he said, but added that he didn't want "distractions" to consume the state government as it grapples with the pandemic and other problems.
Cuomo still faces the possibility of criminal charges, with a number of prosecutors around the state continuing to investigate him. At least one of his accusers has filed a criminal complaint.
At the White House, Biden said: "I respect the governor's decision." At the same time, he said Cuomo had "done a helluva job" on infrastructure and voting rights, and "that's why it's so sad."
The string of accusations began in news reports last December and went on for months.
"From the beginning, I simply asked that the governor stop his abusive behavior," Lindsey Boylan, the first woman to accuse Cuomo publicly of harassment, tweeted Tuesday. "It became abundantly clear he was unable to do that, instead attacking and blaming victims until the end."
As the scandal grew, Cuomo called some of the allegations fabricated, forcefully denying he touched anyone inappropriately. But he acknowledged making some aides uncomfortable with comments he said he intended as playful, and he apologized for some of his behavior.
He portrayed some encounters as misunderstandings attributable to "generational or cultural"...]]>253falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/vaughan-couillault-schools-have-plans-in-place-to-hold-exams-in-level-3-conditions--1007861Almost 45 per cent of grades were at A+ or A level this year, an increase on 25 per cent in 2019.
The School Leaders Union says this isn't a case of devaluing grades, but you'll remember similar results for us here, as we reported at the start of the year, many schools had record results and increases on 2019.
Papatoetoe High School principal Vaughan Couillault told Mike Hosking his school has plans in place to be able to hold exams, even in lockdown conditions.
“We’ve got plans, a Plan B and all that sort of stuff to make sure they happen in a Level 3.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/fuab2rtw/mh110821-05-vaughancouillault-postcovidresults.mp3Tue, 10 Aug 2021 08:45:34 +0000RoccoThe UK's students have overnight claimed record results and part of their bid to get university placement. Almost 45 per cent of grades were at A+ or A level this year, an increase on 25 per cent in 2019. The School Leaders Union says this isn't a...Almost 45 per cent of grades were at A+ or A level this year, an increase on 25 per cent in 2019.
The School Leaders Union says this isn't a case of devaluing grades, but you'll remember similar results for us here, as we reported at the start of the year, many schools had record results and increases on 2019.
Papatoetoe High School principal Vaughan Couillault told Mike Hosking his school has plans in place to be able to hold exams, even in lockdown conditions.
“We’ve got plans, a Plan B and all that sort of stuff to make sure they happen in a Level 3.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>175falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/megan-woods-energy-minister-says-she-will-not-be-resigning--1007855National leader Judith Collins is calling for the Energy Minister to resign after 20,000 people in the North Island spent Monday evening in the cold and dark.
Woods told Mike Hosking she's going nowhere.
“One of the jobs of a minister is to ensure that when there are a problems, that they get fixed, and that’s exactly what I’m doing.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/bvse0okl/mh110821-16-meganwoods-blackouts.mp3Tue, 10 Aug 2021 08:20:47 +0000RoccoMegan Woods says she won't be throwing in the towel. National leader Judith Collins is calling for the Energy Minister to resign after 20,000 people in the North Island spent Monday evening in the cold and dark. Woods told Mike Hosking she's going...National leader Judith Collins is calling for the Energy Minister to resign after 20,000 people in the North Island spent Monday evening in the cold and dark.
Woods told Mike Hosking she's going nowhere.
“One of the jobs of a minister is to ensure that when there are a problems, that they get fixed, and that’s exactly what I’m doing.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>424falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/karen-nimmo-clinical-psychologist-says-something-needs-to-change-in-the-sports-sector--1007864Olympic cyclist Olivia Podmore died suddenly on Monday.
New Zealand Olympic athletes and other team members who knew the 24-year-old are dealing with her death in MIQ.
Clinical psychologist Karen Nimmo told Mike Hosking something needs to change in the sport sector.
“I think we’re pushing people too hard without the right support behind them. Now, I get it, because elite sport is about performance when it matters. But I think, why can’t wellbeing be just as important as winning.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/e1gdd3we/mh110821-13-karennimmo-athletementalhealth.mp3Tue, 10 Aug 2021 08:01:51 +0000RoccoQuestions are being raised around whether enough mental health support is being given to high profile athletes. Olympic cyclist Olivia Podmore died suddenly on Monday. New Zealand Olympic athletes and other team members who knew the 24-year-old are...Olympic cyclist Olivia Podmore died suddenly on Monday.
New Zealand Olympic athletes and other team members who knew the 24-year-old are dealing with her death in MIQ.
Clinical psychologist Karen Nimmo told Mike Hosking something needs to change in the sport sector.
“I think we’re pushing people too hard without the right support behind them. Now, I get it, because elite sport is about performance when it matters. But I think, why can’t wellbeing be just as important as winning.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>162falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/naomi-james-refining-nz-ceo-says-national-s-marsden-point-proposal-isn-t-realistic--1007863Shareholders have voted to drastically scale back operations at the Whangārei refinery - and switch to distributing pre-refined fuels.
Refining NZ Chief Executive Naomi James told Mike Hosking National's proposal isn't a realistic option so it's not something the company's exploring.
“You don’t just need the facilities in a state that can be restarted, which would be very costly to maintain, you also need a workforce.”
Naomi James says Refining NZ is looking at parts of the refinery that could be mothballed to reuse for bio-fuel manufacturing in the future.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/vpan1nzu/mh100821-11-naomijames-marsdentpoint.mp3Mon, 09 Aug 2021 21:16:30 +0000RoccoCold water's being poured on the National Party's idea to keep Marsden Point oil refinery in an operational state, in case it's needed in the future. Shareholders have voted to drastically scale back operations at the Whangārei refinery - and switch...Shareholders have voted to drastically scale back operations at the Whangārei refinery - and switch to distributing pre-refined fuels.
Refining NZ Chief Executive Naomi James told Mike Hosking National's proposal isn't a realistic option so it's not something the company's exploring.
“You don’t just need the facilities in a state that can be restarted, which would be very costly to maintain, you also need a workforce.”
Naomi James says Refining NZ is looking at parts of the refinery that could be mothballed to reuse for bio-fuel manufacturing in the future.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>114falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/catherine-field-french-minister-says-priest-killed-by-cathedral-fire-suspect--1007879Interior Minister Gerard Darmanin spoke after meeting with officials and religious leaders in Saint-Laurent-sur-Sevre in the Vendee region. He confirmed press reports that the suspect in the killing was a Rwandan man who allegedly set fire in July 2020 to the gothic cathedral where he worked as a volunteer. He had been refused political asylum in France after living in the country since 2012.
After the killing, the suspect "testified (to gendarmes) that he killed the priest." Darmanin said.
Catholic officials identified the slain priest as Olivier Maire, 61, head of the Community of Montfort, missionary order active in western France and numerous countries. The regional bishop, Francois Jacolin, called Maire a "man of the heart."
"He and his community were victims of their generosity," he said on French TV, standing in front of the old stone community home.
The prosecutor's office handling the case said the suspect, Emmanuel Abayisenga, handed over the keys to the community's car he drove and the keys to the room where he was staying. He said gendarmes should "put him in prison." Maire's body was then found in the room.
 The prosecutor's statement said the Montfort community home took in Abayisenga after judicial authorities investigating the fire allowed him to leave prison May 31 under judicial control. He was then hospitalized for psychiatric exams until July 29, when he returned to the order.
Right-wing politicans, including far-right leader Marine Le Pen, denounced the government for allowing a Rwandan man already under investigation in a dramatic church fire to be out of jail and still living in France despite expulsion orders.
Darmanin, who has a reputation as being tough on immigration, said critics' remarks were incorrect because the suspect was under a court order not to leave France.
"The charity, the spirit of welcome, that governed the (Catholic) church ... (but) ended in a drama is a point of honor that we must salute," he said.
The suspect had admitted that he had set three fires in the cathedral that he had been tasked with locking up.
The head of the religious community of Montfort, Santino Brambilla, speaking on BFMTV, said he was not angry at the suspect even after Maire was killed.
"This is a human drama, but the suffering is great," Brambilla said.
There was no immediate indication that the slaying was linked to terrorism, and the interior minister said the suspect was not on any watch list.
In 2016, the Rev. Jacques Hamel was slain as he said Mass in his church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, outside Rouen. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for that slaying.
Last October, a sacristan and two faithful were knifed to death inside the basilica in Nice, an attack attributed to an Islamist extremist.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/y3dfu5en/mh100821-07-field-vaccinepassport-olympics.mp3Mon, 09 Aug 2021 09:47:00 +0000RoccoA priest was killed Monday in a small town in western France allegedly by a Rwandan man he had housed who was already under investigation for setting a fire to the Cathedral of Nantes a year ago, France's interior minister said. Interior Minister...Interior Minister Gerard Darmanin spoke after meeting with officials and religious leaders in Saint-Laurent-sur-Sevre in the Vendee region. He confirmed press reports that the suspect in the killing was a Rwandan man who allegedly set fire in July 2020 to the gothic cathedral where he worked as a volunteer. He had been refused political asylum in France after living in the country since 2012.
After the killing, the suspect "testified (to gendarmes) that he killed the priest." Darmanin said.
Catholic officials identified the slain priest as Olivier Maire, 61, head of the Community of Montfort, missionary order active in western France and numerous countries. The regional bishop, Francois Jacolin, called Maire a "man of the heart."
"He and his community were victims of their generosity," he said on French TV, standing in front of the old stone community home.
The prosecutor's office handling the case said the suspect, Emmanuel Abayisenga, handed over the keys to the community's car he drove and the keys to the room where he was staying. He said gendarmes should "put him in prison." Maire's body was then found in the room.
 The prosecutor's statement said the Montfort community home took in Abayisenga after judicial authorities investigating the fire allowed him to leave prison May 31 under judicial control. He was then hospitalized for psychiatric exams until July 29, when he returned to the order.
Right-wing politicans, including far-right leader Marine Le Pen, denounced the government for allowing a Rwandan man already under investigation in a dramatic church fire to be out of jail and still living in France despite expulsion orders.
Darmanin, who has a reputation as being tough on immigration, said critics' remarks were incorrect because the suspect was under a court order not to leave France.
"The charity, the spirit of welcome, that governed the (Catholic) church ... (but) ended in a drama is a point of honor that we must salute," he said.
The suspect had admitted that he had set three fires in the cathedral that he had been tasked with locking up.
The head of the religious community of Montfort, Santino Brambilla, speaking on BFMTV, said he was not angry at the suspect even after Maire was killed.
"This is a human drama, but the suffering is great," Brambilla said.
There was no immediate indication that the slaying was linked to terrorism, and the interior minister said the suspect was not on any watch list.
In 2016, the Rev. Jacques Hamel was slain as he said Mass in his church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, outside Rouen. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for that slaying.
Last October, a sacristan and two faithful were knifed to death inside the basilica in Nice, an attack attributed to an Islamist extremist.]]>242falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/dame-noeline-taurua-silver-ferns-coach-on-whether-netball-should-be-at-brisbane-olympics-2032--1007896World Netball and Netball Australia are working together, along with the Australian Olympic Committee to try and get the sport into the games for Brisbane 2032.
Silver ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua joined Mike Hosking.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/nnvd32fi/mh100821-19-noelinetairua-olympicnetball.mp3Mon, 09 Aug 2021 09:10:30 +0000RoccoIs it time for netball to be in the Olympics? World Netball and Netball Australia are working together, along with the Australian Olympic Committee to try and get the sport into the games for Brisbane 2032. Silver ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua...World Netball and Netball Australia are working together, along with the Australian Olympic Committee to try and get the sport into the games for Brisbane 2032.
Silver ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua joined Mike Hosking.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>147falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/peter-landon-lane-new-business-called-venturefruit-looking-to-develop-new-varieties-of-berries--1007887T&G Global is launching a new business called VentureFruit which is looking to develop and commercialise new varieties of boysenberries, blackberries, blueberries and new hybrid berries.
They've also partnered up to test new varieties of apples which are bred right here in New Zealand.
Managing director of T&G's new business VentureFruit Peter Landon-Lane told Mike Hosking tinkering with genetics can mean we have fruit in season all year round.
“New genetics can make a difference, because you can select them to be early or, mid or late season.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/rrhjus2k/mh100821-12-peterlandonlane-newfruit.mp3Mon, 09 Aug 2021 09:03:15 +0000RoccoNew forms of fruit and berries could be on the horizon. T&G Global is launching a new business called VentureFruit which is looking to develop and commercialise new varieties of boysenberries, blackberries, blueberries and new hybrid berries. They've...T&G Global is launching a new business called VentureFruit which is looking to develop and commercialise new varieties of boysenberries, blackberries, blueberries and new hybrid berries.
They've also partnered up to test new varieties of apples which are bred right here in New Zealand.
Managing director of T&G's new business VentureFruit Peter Landon-Lane told Mike Hosking tinkering with genetics can mean we have fruit in season all year round.
“New genetics can make a difference, because you can select them to be early or, mid or late season.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>187falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/luke-blincoe-questions-raised-as-to-whether-power-outages-were-necessary--1007829The national grid operator claims there wasn't enough electricity being generated to keep up with record demand created by cold temperatures.
But Flick Electric and Energy Collective Chief Executive Luke Blincoe told Mike Hosking  it's unclear whether rolling black-outs were really needed, on one of the coldest nights of the year.
“It didn’t appear that generation was anywhere near capacity or wasn’t at capacity, we had a number of units not running through that period that weren’t listed for outage.”
Power was restored to most homes by 9pm.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/mlydt2sw/mh100821-16-murrayellis-electricityshortage.mp3Mon, 09 Aug 2021 08:49:14 +0000RoccoQuestions are being asked about whether last night's major power outages were really necessary.Thousands of homes across the North Island had their power cut off last night -- after Transpower told lines companies to urgently reduce load on their...The national grid operator claims there wasn't enough electricity being generated to keep up with record demand created by cold temperatures.
But Flick Electric and Energy Collective Chief Executive Luke Blincoe told Mike Hosking  it's unclear whether rolling black-outs were really needed, on one of the coldest nights of the year.
“It didn’t appear that generation was anywhere near capacity or wasn’t at capacity, we had a number of units not running through that period that weren’t listed for outage.”
Power was restored to most homes by 9pm.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>286falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/david-frame-climate-change-researcher-says-everyone-must-get-involved-to-fix-the-issue--1007866The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report authored by 200 scientists, has found that humans are now influencing weather and climate extremes across the globe.
It suggests this warming is happening at a frightening pace.
Victoria University Climate Change Research Institute Director Dave Frame told Mike Hosking to fix the issue everybody must get involved.
“It is a very hard problem to solve, because pretty much at any scale, people have incentives to leave all the hard work to other people, and it’s about overcoming those incentives.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/i5bocb50/mh100821-05-daveframe-ipccreport.mp3Mon, 09 Aug 2021 08:04:26 +0000RoccoScientists are calling for urgent action on climate change in the wake of a damming new assessment. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report authored by 200 scientists, has found that humans are now influencing weather and climate extremes...The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report authored by 200 scientists, has found that humans are now influencing weather and climate extremes across the globe.
It suggests this warming is happening at a frightening pace.
Victoria University Climate Change Research Institute Director Dave Frame told Mike Hosking to fix the issue everybody must get involved.
“It is a very hard problem to solve, because pretty much at any scale, people have incentives to leave all the hard work to other people, and it’s about overcoming those incentives.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>257falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/chris-hipkins-covid-19-response-minister-says-results-from-65-tauranga-port-workers-are-negative--1007867Ninety-four workers at Port of Tauranga have had to get tested and isolate, after coming into contact with a container ship were crew later tested positive.Test results from 65 of them have come back this morning.
Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins told Mike Hosking  they've all tested negative, including both pilots.
“The pilots are the people who are probably most at risk, the people who go onto the ship and bring the ship into port. So, very encouraging to have negative results for both of them.”
Only nine of the 94 workers have been fully immunised, since the vaccination of border workers began six months ago.
Hipkins says it was always going to be a difficult process.
“If you think about a port that might have two ships pilots, if one of them says ‘well, I’m not willing to be vaccinated’ and we say that’s it you’re out, that port is shut at that point because you can’t run a port with only one pilot.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/aqedu31w/mh100821-10-chrishipkins-border.mp3Mon, 09 Aug 2021 07:46:56 +0000RoccoTauranga may have become the latest city to dodge a bullet, of the Delta variant of Covid-19. Ninety-four workers at Port of Tauranga have had to get tested and isolate, after coming into contact with a container ship were crew later tested...Ninety-four workers at Port of Tauranga have had to get tested and isolate, after coming into contact with a container ship were crew later tested positive.Test results from 65 of them have come back this morning.
Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins told Mike Hosking  they've all tested negative, including both pilots.
“The pilots are the people who are probably most at risk, the people who go onto the ship and bring the ship into port. So, very encouraging to have negative results for both of them.”
Only nine of the 94 workers have been fully immunised, since the vaccination of border workers began six months ago.
Hipkins says it was always going to be a difficult process.
“If you think about a port that might have two ships pilots, if one of them says ‘well, I’m not willing to be vaccinated’ and we say that’s it you’re out, that port is shut at that point because you can’t run a port with only one pilot.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>310falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/nathan-wallis-teenagers-don-t-know-how-to-mitigate-risks--1007869Five boys aged 15 and 16 died after the overloaded car they were in lost control and smashed into a power pole in Timaru.
It's likely alcohol and speed were factors in the crash.
The 19-year-old driver suffered serious injuries and is in hospital.
Nathan Wallis told Mike Hosking parents can put boundaries and support around kids to try and avoid things like this.
"It's never an exact science. Kids go off the rails as teenagers and they do silly things. It's just this time it's ended in tragedy."
Wallis says that scaring teenagers by showing pictures of crash scenes doesn't work because they don't think it'll happen to them.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/psaaabme/mh090821-12-nathanwallis-timarucrash.mp3Mon, 09 Aug 2021 00:05:42 +0000RoccoA parenting expert says it's difficult to prevent teenage tragedies because they haven't learned how to mitigate risk. Five boys aged 15 and 16 died after the overloaded car they were in lost control and smashed into a power pole in Timaru. It's...Five boys aged 15 and 16 died after the overloaded car they were in lost control and smashed into a power pole in Timaru.
It's likely alcohol and speed were factors in the crash.
The 19-year-old driver suffered serious injuries and is in hospital.
Nathan Wallis told Mike Hosking parents can put boundaries and support around kids to try and avoid things like this.
"It's never an exact science. Kids go off the rails as teenagers and they do silly things. It's just this time it's ended in tragedy."
Wallis says that scaring teenagers by showing pictures of crash scenes doesn't work because they don't think it'll happen to them.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>126falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/rob-waddell-fears-of-covid-outbreak-in-olympics-came-to-nothing--1007848The Games officially ended overnight with Dame Valerie Adams carrying the New Zealand flag in the closing ceremony.
New Zealand comes home with 20 medals, making this our most successful Olympics ever.
About 430 officials and athletes accredited with the games have contracted Covid-19 during the event.
But New Zealand's Chef de Mission in Tokyo, Rob Waddell, told Mike Hosking fears of a larger outbreak have thankfully come to nothing.
"There's been a massive group of people, some 15,000 athletes, coaches, managers come together in a very small part of Tokyo and follow strict countermeasures that were put in place and, touch wood, I don't think there's been any community transmission."
Waddell said the Games went as well as they could have under the circumstances.
Jacinda Ardern says she'd be keen to see "some kind of celebration" for New Zealand's Olympians and Paralympians, when they are all back and out of MIQ in October.
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/yxemaixw/mh090821-15-robwaddell-tokyoolympics.mp3Sun, 08 Aug 2021 23:17:26 +0000RoccoTokyo has overcome the odds to safely host an Olympic Games during the midst of a pandemic. The Games officially ended overnight with Dame Valerie Adams carrying the New Zealand flag in the closing ceremony. New Zealand comes home with 20 medals,...The Games officially ended overnight with Dame Valerie Adams carrying the New Zealand flag in the closing ceremony.
New Zealand comes home with 20 medals, making this our most successful Olympics ever.
About 430 officials and athletes accredited with the games have contracted Covid-19 during the event.
But New Zealand's Chef de Mission in Tokyo, Rob Waddell, told Mike Hosking fears of a larger outbreak have thankfully come to nothing.
"There's been a massive group of people, some 15,000 athletes, coaches, managers come together in a very small part of Tokyo and follow strict countermeasures that were put in place and, touch wood, I don't think there's been any community transmission."
Waddell said the Games went as well as they could have under the circumstances.
Jacinda Ardern says she'd be keen to see "some kind of celebration" for New Zealand's Olympians and Paralympians, when they are all back and out of MIQ in October.
 ]]>291falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/judith-collins-no-substance-to-media-reports-of-leadership-in-doubt--1007880The party has taken another hit with former Speaker David Carter has resigned from the party's board following the re-election of Peter Goodfellow as president.
Party leader Judith Collins had to front up to members only days after ACT's David Seymour surged ahead of her in the preferred Prime Minister rankings.
Collins told Mike Hosking there's no substance to media reports her leadership is in doubt or that she was absent for much of the conference.
"I was there almost all of Friday afternoon and night, all of Saturday from 7 in the morning til 9 at night, and the same sort of thing yesterday until the end of the conference."
Collins says the speculation from the media claiming her days as National Party leader are numbered is never right.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/vqujdap0/mh090821-10-judithcollins-conference-boardmembers.mp3Sun, 08 Aug 2021 20:42:20 +0000RoccoJudith Collins is rejecting reports of trouble in the ranks after National's annual conference in Auckland. The party has taken another hit with former Speaker David Carter has resigned from the party's board following the re-election of Peter...The party has taken another hit with former Speaker David Carter has resigned from the party's board following the re-election of Peter Goodfellow as president.
Party leader Judith Collins had to front up to members only days after ACT's David Seymour surged ahead of her in the preferred Prime Minister rankings.
Collins told Mike Hosking there's no substance to media reports her leadership is in doubt or that she was absent for much of the conference.
"I was there almost all of Friday afternoon and night, all of Saturday from 7 in the morning til 9 at night, and the same sort of thing yesterday until the end of the conference."
Collins says the speculation from the media claiming her days as National Party leader are numbered is never right.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>270falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/comm-box-olympics-come-to-a-close-eden-park-to-potentially-host-nrl-grand-final--1007868A total of 20 medals have been amassed by the Kiwi athletes in Tokyo - their best haul at an Olympics, surpassing the sum of 18 in Rio five years ago.
Seven gold medals have been claimed - the second best for New Zealand, sitting behind the eight golds won in the 1984 Los Angeles Games.
However, Covid-19 wasn’t been the only challenge athletes have overcome at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Our athletes have performed under the constant threat of a Covid-19 outbreak.
1 News Games Reporter Guy Heveldt says they've also competed in the hottest Olympic temperatures ever.
“I did speak to a lot of the athletes obviously after they competed, and they said this is what they've trained for, and sometimes it wasn't actually as bad as what they were preparing for. That's maybe what separated the best from the rest.”
The All Blacks will be looking to fix their efforts on defensive lineouts this week ahead of the second Bledisloe Cup test.
Australia's first try came from a lineout move, which was thrown long and set up a backline play.
After seeing 47 thousand rugby fans fill the stands at Eden Park for first Bledisloe Cup test, the NRL will consider moving the Grand Final to New Zealand.
Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium is the preferred location, but an opportunity to play under an exemption in New Zealand in front of a full house is an option, if they can't play elsewhere in Australia.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/daahioak/mh090821-19-combox.mp3Sun, 08 Aug 2021 12:48:17 +0000RoccoNew Zealand's Tokyo Olympics campaign has drawn to a close, and it'll go down as our most successful yet. A total of 20 medals have been amassed by the Kiwi athletes in Tokyo - their best haul at an Olympics, surpassing the sum of 18 in Rio five years...A total of 20 medals have been amassed by the Kiwi athletes in Tokyo - their best haul at an Olympics, surpassing the sum of 18 in Rio five years ago.
Seven gold medals have been claimed - the second best for New Zealand, sitting behind the eight golds won in the 1984 Los Angeles Games.
However, Covid-19 wasn’t been the only challenge athletes have overcome at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Our athletes have performed under the constant threat of a Covid-19 outbreak.
1 News Games Reporter Guy Heveldt says they've also competed in the hottest Olympic temperatures ever.
“I did speak to a lot of the athletes obviously after they competed, and they said this is what they've trained for, and sometimes it wasn't actually as bad as what they were preparing for. That's maybe what separated the best from the rest.”
The All Blacks will be looking to fix their efforts on defensive lineouts this week ahead of the second Bledisloe Cup test.
Australia's first try came from a lineout move, which was thrown long and set up a backline play.
After seeing 47 thousand rugby fans fill the stands at Eden Park for first Bledisloe Cup test, the NRL will consider moving the Grand Final to New Zealand.
Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium is the preferred location, but an opportunity to play under an exemption in New Zealand in front of a full house is an option, if they can't play elsewhere in Australia.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>686falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/dayna-grant-surge-in-demand-for-stunt-people-for-films-shot-in-new-zealand--1007897With international crews setting up shop to film here, the industry is struggling to find performers.
Stuntwoman Dayna Grant told Mike Hosking it doesn't have to be a short-term gig.
"I've been doing it 25 years and there's a lot of us that will do it for life. It can be a life thing."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/g32jsngz/mh090821-18-daynagrant-stuntwork.mp3Sun, 08 Aug 2021 11:57:14 +0000RoccoIncreased interest in New Zealand as a filming location is creating a surge in demand for stunt people. With international crews setting up shop to film here, the industry is struggling to find performers. Stuntwoman Dayna Grant told Mike Hosking it...With international crews setting up shop to film here, the industry is struggling to find performers.
Stuntwoman Dayna Grant told Mike Hosking it doesn't have to be a short-term gig.
"I've been doing it 25 years and there's a lot of us that will do it for life. It can be a life thing."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>208falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/steve-price-cairns-goes-into-snap-three-day-lockdown--1007891The state recorded nine new locally acquired cases of Covid-19 on Sunday, with seven of those linked to the Indooroopilly cluster.
One case is under investigation on the Gold Coast while a Cairns taxi driver has authorities concerned. A number of the man’s household contacts are also unwell and the man worked in the community while infectious.
“Given that this gentleman has been in the community infectious for ten days and given that he’s had two positive tests, both with very low CT values, which means a lot of virus, I think the risk is reasonably high,” the state’s chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young said.
As a result, the far north city and Yarrabah local government areas were plunged into a three-day lockdown at 4pm, just as southeast Queensland emerged from its lockdown.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she was proud of Queenslanders for completing eight days of lockdown. Photo / News Corp Australia
In Cairns/Yarrabah, non-essential businesses are not allowed to operate, including gyms, and places of worship will close.
Childcare centres will remain open but only for children of essential workers.
Restaurants and cafes can provide take away or home delivery services.
Funerals and weddings will be limited to 20 people.
A face mask must be worn at all times outside the home, which can only be left for:

Obtaining essential goods or services within 10km, including healthcare
Exercising in the local area
Attending essential work or school and childcare for the children of essential workers or vulnerable children
Assisting vulnerable persons
Obtaining a Covid-19 test or vaccination


Health authorities say more people need to get vaccinated to minimise the risk of future lockdowns. Photo / News Corp Australia
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who came out of hotel quarantine on Sunday morning following her trip to the Tokyo Olympics, said Queenslanders had done a “mighty job” over eight days and thanked the 11,177 people in home quarantine.
But she warned “we are not out of the woods”.
“We need to make sure that we are making some extra precautions,” she said.
For the next two weeks in southeast Queensland:

Gatherings in homes are restricted to up to 10 people, including the people that live there
Up to 10 people can gather in public spaces such as parks and beaches
Businesses and venues that had been closed, such as hospitality, gyms and hairdressers, can now open with one person per four square metres or 50 per cent ticketed and seated.
Only 20 people can attend weddings and funeral, including those officiating
Schools will re-open but precautionary measures include students wearing masks at school and while travelling to and from school

Given Victoria had been plunged into its sixth lockdown a week after it was released from its fifth, the Premier said Queenslanders “should be under no illusion” that the next outbreak could happen at any time.
“We are seeing this Delta strain take hold in countries all around the world. We have to go on what the best advice is about going hard and going fast,” she said.
“It is absolutely imperative to wear your mask. If you’re sick, go and get tested. And when it’s your turn, go and get vaccinated.
“This is absolutely critical. Every single state and territory is on board with this strategy.”
Dr Young said it was absolutely critical the more than 11,000 people in home quarantine completed their 14 days.
Text by Ellen Ransley and Rebecca Le May, news.com.au]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/v5efs5pn/mh090821-21-price-covid19-polls-massvaccination.mp3Sun, 08 Aug 2021 10:24:41 +0000RoccoSoutheast Queensland has been released from lockdown but it has only just started for Cairns after a taxi driver was infectious in the community for 10 days. The state recorded nine new locally acquired cases of Covid-19 on Sunday, with seven of those...The state recorded nine new locally acquired cases of Covid-19 on Sunday, with seven of those linked to the Indooroopilly cluster.
One case is under investigation on the Gold Coast while a Cairns taxi driver has authorities concerned. A number of the man’s household contacts are also unwell and the man worked in the community while infectious.
“Given that this gentleman has been in the community infectious for ten days and given that he’s had two positive tests, both with very low CT values, which means a lot of virus, I think the risk is reasonably high,” the state’s chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young said.
As a result, the far north city and Yarrabah local government areas were plunged into a three-day lockdown at 4pm, just as southeast Queensland emerged from its lockdown.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she was proud of Queenslanders for completing eight days of lockdown. Photo / News Corp Australia
In Cairns/Yarrabah, non-essential businesses are not allowed to operate, including gyms, and places of worship will close.
Childcare centres will remain open but only for children of essential workers.
Restaurants and cafes can provide take away or home delivery services.
Funerals and weddings will be limited to 20 people.
A face mask must be worn at all times outside the home, which can only be left for:

Obtaining essential goods or services within 10km, including healthcare
Exercising in the local area
Attending essential work or school and childcare for the children of essential workers or vulnerable children
Assisting vulnerable persons
Obtaining a Covid-19 test or vaccination


Health authorities say more people need to get vaccinated to minimise the risk of future lockdowns. Photo / News Corp Australia
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who came out of hotel quarantine on Sunday morning following her trip to the Tokyo Olympics, said Queenslanders had done a “mighty job” over eight days and thanked the 11,177 people in home quarantine.
But she warned “we are not out of the woods”.
“We need to make sure that we are making some extra precautions,” she said.
For the next two weeks in southeast Queensland:

Gatherings in homes are restricted to up to 10 people, including the people that live there
Up to 10 people can gather in public spaces such as parks and beaches
Businesses and venues that had been closed, such as hospitality, gyms and hairdressers, can now open with one person per four square metres or 50 per cent ticketed and seated.
Only 20 people can attend weddings and funeral, including those officiating
Schools will re-open but precautionary measures include students wearing masks at school and while travelling to and from school

Given Victoria had been plunged into its sixth lockdown a week after it was released from its fifth, the Premier said Queenslanders “should be under no illusion” that the next outbreak could happen at any time.
“We are seeing this Delta strain take hold in countries all around the world. We have to go on what the best advice is about going hard and going fast,” she said.
“It is absolutely imperative to wear your mask. If you’re sick, go and get tested. And when it’s your turn, go and get vaccinated.
“This is absolutely critical. Every single state and territory is on board with this strategy.”
Dr Young said it was absolutely critical the more than 11,000 people in home quarantine completed their 14 days.
Text by Ellen Ransley and Rebecca Le May, news.com.au]]>365falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/richard-arnold-nbc-s-summer-olympics-ratings-are-in-free-fall--1007850NBC's TV audience for the summer Olympics is down a whopping 45% from the Rio games in 2016. Viewership in prime-time is even worse, down 51%.
The good news for NBC is that its prime-time coverage on TV is still averaging roughly 13.5 million viewers, bringing in a bigger audience than most of its rivals' broadcasts do right now. NBC's total audience delivery — which compiles viewership across broadcast TV, cable and streaming — gives that prime-time number a little boost, averaging 16.8 million viewers, according to the network.
The other bright spot for NBC is that the Tokyo Games have found an audience via digital platforms and streaming.
The network boasted that Peacock, its streaming service, has notched strong viewership for the games. On Tuesday, NBC said that viewers had streamed 3 billion minutes of Olympics coverage across NBCOlympics.com, the NBC Sports app and its Peacock streaming services. Moreover, NBC said that number is "pacing to surpass Rio Olympics total in next few days."
But why, in the traditional TV sense, are the ratings in free-fall? After all, this is the Olympics — historically one of the most-watched telecasts around the world. Its ability to bring together large swaths of viewers is one of the main reasons NBC is paying billions of dollars to televise the games over the next decade.
One major reason: The TV world is drastically different than it was five years ago. With the surge of social media and streaming, there's more for audiences to watch than ever, and that leads to more media fragmentation.
The pandemic may have also played a part in the viewership drop. Before the games even started, organizers faced debate over whether they should be held at all. From a TV standpoint, it didn't help that the global health crisis caused the games to go on without spectators — an element that makes watching sports more fun for viewers.
On top of that, finding competitions and games across different NBC platforms may have confused some viewers who were looking for a specific sport or athlete to watch, a complication further exacerbated by the 13-hour time difference between Tokyo and the US East Coast.
Whatever the reason, the TV numbers for the Olympics are down. And the games are running out of time to make up any lost ground for NBC and its advertisers.
Text by Frank Pallotta, CNN]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/vsibp4cq/mh090821-07-arnold-olympicspopularity-fires.mp3Sun, 08 Aug 2021 09:59:26 +0000RoccoAfter pandemic-fueled delays last year, the Tokyo Olympics have gotten a lot of attention around this summer. Unfortunately for NBC, that attention has not translated to viewership. NBC's TV audience for the summer Olympics is down a whopping 45% from...NBC's TV audience for the summer Olympics is down a whopping 45% from the Rio games in 2016. Viewership in prime-time is even worse, down 51%.
The good news for NBC is that its prime-time coverage on TV is still averaging roughly 13.5 million viewers, bringing in a bigger audience than most of its rivals' broadcasts do right now. NBC's total audience delivery — which compiles viewership across broadcast TV, cable and streaming — gives that prime-time number a little boost, averaging 16.8 million viewers, according to the network.
The other bright spot for NBC is that the Tokyo Games have found an audience via digital platforms and streaming.
The network boasted that Peacock, its streaming service, has notched strong viewership for the games. On Tuesday, NBC said that viewers had streamed 3 billion minutes of Olympics coverage across NBCOlympics.com, the NBC Sports app and its Peacock streaming services. Moreover, NBC said that number is "pacing to surpass Rio Olympics total in next few days."
But why, in the traditional TV sense, are the ratings in free-fall? After all, this is the Olympics — historically one of the most-watched telecasts around the world. Its ability to bring together large swaths of viewers is one of the main reasons NBC is paying billions of dollars to televise the games over the next decade.
One major reason: The TV world is drastically different than it was five years ago. With the surge of social media and streaming, there's more for audiences to watch than ever, and that leads to more media fragmentation.
The pandemic may have also played a part in the viewership drop. Before the games even started, organizers faced debate over whether they should be held at all. From a TV standpoint, it didn't help that the global health crisis caused the games to go on without spectators — an element that makes watching sports more fun for viewers.
On top of that, finding competitions and games across different NBC platforms may have confused some viewers who were looking for a specific sport or athlete to watch, a complication further exacerbated by the 13-hour time difference between Tokyo and the US East Coast.
Whatever the reason, the TV numbers for the Olympics are down. And the games are running out of time to make up any lost ground for NBC and its advertisers.
Text by Frank Pallotta, CNN]]>238falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/sandra-grey-students-faking-mental-health-problems-take-away-from-people-actually-suffering--1007872Wellington university students have been caught making posts on social media encouraging others to lie about mental health problems to get extensions on their assignments.
The union says it could lead to staff second-guessing students who have genuine issues.
National Secretary Sandra Grey told Mike Hosking students are dealing with a variety of problems including work stress, and struggles finding accommodation.
"We need to be better equipped to deal with that, and that means we need better resources in our universities and our polytechnics."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/ontch0xj/mh090821-05-sandragrey-fakingmentalhealthissues.mp3Sun, 08 Aug 2021 09:47:40 +0000RoccoThe Tertiary Education Union says students who fake mental health problems take away from people who are actually suffering. Wellington university students have been caught making posts on social media encouraging others to lie about mental health...Wellington university students have been caught making posts on social media encouraging others to lie about mental health problems to get extensions on their assignments.
The union says it could lead to staff second-guessing students who have genuine issues.
National Secretary Sandra Grey told Mike Hosking students are dealing with a variety of problems including work stress, and struggles finding accommodation.
"We need to be better equipped to deal with that, and that means we need better resources in our universities and our polytechnics."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>188falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/steve-cullen-criminal-lawyer-says-preventive-detention-sentencing-can-be-difficult--1007883A man called Maaka Tepania appeared in the High Court yesterday for sentencing on indecent assault charges.
The man has 16 different victims over a 30 year period, including an 11-year-old.
The crown was after a sentence of preventive detention.
He was sentenced to 12 months home detention instead.
The options were apparently prison for life, or a year home detention, with nothing in between.
Criminal lawyer Steve Cullen told Mike Hosking the sentence is somewhat unusual.
“There is a principle in the law that says one should prefer a finite sentence, if that would provide adequate protection for society.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/abph2e5t/mh060821-16-stevecullen-homedetention.mp3Thu, 05 Aug 2021 20:49:45 +0000RoccoQuestions are being raised around whether our sentencing laws need a rejig, based on a farce of a sentence. A man called Maaka Tepania appeared in the High Court yesterday for sentencing on indecent assault charges. The man has 16 different victims...A man called Maaka Tepania appeared in the High Court yesterday for sentencing on indecent assault charges.
The man has 16 different victims over a 30 year period, including an 11-year-old.
The crown was after a sentence of preventive detention.
He was sentenced to 12 months home detention instead.
The options were apparently prison for life, or a year home detention, with nothing in between.
Criminal lawyer Steve Cullen told Mike Hosking the sentence is somewhat unusual.
“There is a principle in the law that says one should prefer a finite sentence, if that would provide adequate protection for society.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>194falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/john-carnegie-marsden-point-shareholders-to-vote-on-future-of-refinery--1007874Northland's Marsden Point shareholders are voting on whether to turn the country's only oil refinery into a terminal that imports processed fuels.
The union representing workers estimates jobs could be slashed from about 300 to 60.
Energy Resources Aotearoa Chief Executive John Carnegie says told Mike Hosking he's unsure which way the vote will swing, but we have seen a pulp mill and steel mill reduce production recently.
“We do seem to be exporting jobs and emissions overseas, so we do wonder whether we witnessing the hollowing out of our regional, industrial heartland.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/yu0dkkyq/mh060821-05-johncarnegie-marsdenvote.mp3Thu, 05 Aug 2021 19:47:17 +0000RoccoA big day in New Zealand's industrial history. Northland's Marsden Point shareholders are voting on whether to turn the country's only oil refinery into a terminal that imports processed fuels. The union representing workers estimates jobs could be...Northland's Marsden Point shareholders are voting on whether to turn the country's only oil refinery into a terminal that imports processed fuels.
The union representing workers estimates jobs could be slashed from about 300 to 60.
Energy Resources Aotearoa Chief Executive John Carnegie says told Mike Hosking he's unsure which way the vote will swing, but we have seen a pulp mill and steel mill reduce production recently.
“We do seem to be exporting jobs and emissions overseas, so we do wonder whether we witnessing the hollowing out of our regional, industrial heartland.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>218falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-it-s-been-many-a-year-since-a-government-freaked-out-so-spectacularly--1007888 
Newshub Poll: 9/10
"Because it was worth its weight in gold, in terms of its reaction."
 
The Reaction to the Poll: 7/10
"Between the announcement of the plan out of Covid, the RSE expansion, and the cycle bridge back down, it's been many a year since a government freaked out so spectacularly to one set of numbers."
 
The Poll Numbers Themselves: 7/10
"The sub questions in the poll were the clue.
Even Labour and Green voters thought the cycle bridge was dumb and even the Labour and Green voters thought farmers and tradies not being carved out of the ute tax was dumb.
It was an astonishing insight into how out of touch Labour really are."
 
Te Huia: 1/10
"Give it up.
$26,000 a day to run, $2000 in income, so a loss of $24,000 a day. Not to mention carriages that fall off the train.
No one is on board, literally or figuratively."
 
The Reserve Bank: 2/10
Worst week in a while.
Another new policy to try and tie down the housing market having failed at every hurdle so far.
And the confession at Select Committee that they’ve got their house forecasts wrong for 10 years."
 
Waikato Expressway Speed Limit: 8/10
"110 kilometres an hour all the way, in a world where 110 is a rare old thing.
Well, legally anyway."
 
MacLean's College Being Reprimanded for Expelling a Student for Swearing: 3/10
"And you wonder why recruitment is an issue? When the respect is gone, why would you bother?
And in today's world, not just that, but you got to say sorry as well.
It's a lowest common denominator kind of world."
 
The Olympics: 9/10
"Because they pulled it off.
It wasn’t the super-spreader they said it would be.
You can run an event even in a mess of a country outside the bubble."
 
The First Bledisloe Test: 7/10
"Are we going to see a proper contest? Hope so."
 
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/fqseeaug/mh060821-14-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 05 Aug 2021 09:23:32 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all.   Newshub Poll: 9/10 "Because it was worth its weight in gold, in terms of its reaction."   The Reaction to the Poll: 7/10 "Between... 
Newshub Poll: 9/10
"Because it was worth its weight in gold, in terms of its reaction."
 
The Reaction to the Poll: 7/10
"Between the announcement of the plan out of Covid, the RSE expansion, and the cycle bridge back down, it's been many a year since a government freaked out so spectacularly to one set of numbers."
 
The Poll Numbers Themselves: 7/10
"The sub questions in the poll were the clue.
Even Labour and Green voters thought the cycle bridge was dumb and even the Labour and Green voters thought farmers and tradies not being carved out of the ute tax was dumb.
It was an astonishing insight into how out of touch Labour really are."
 
Te Huia: 1/10
"Give it up.
$26,000 a day to run, $2000 in income, so a loss of $24,000 a day. Not to mention carriages that fall off the train.
No one is on board, literally or figuratively."
 
The Reserve Bank: 2/10
Worst week in a while.
Another new policy to try and tie down the housing market having failed at every hurdle so far.
And the confession at Select Committee that they’ve got their house forecasts wrong for 10 years."
 
Waikato Expressway Speed Limit: 8/10
"110 kilometres an hour all the way, in a world where 110 is a rare old thing.
Well, legally anyway."
 
MacLean's College Being Reprimanded for Expelling a Student for Swearing: 3/10
"And you wonder why recruitment is an issue? When the respect is gone, why would you bother?
And in today's world, not just that, but you got to say sorry as well.
It's a lowest common denominator kind of world."
 
The Olympics: 9/10
"Because they pulled it off.
It wasn’t the super-spreader they said it would be.
You can run an event even in a mess of a country outside the bubble."
 
The First Bledisloe Test: 7/10
"Are we going to see a proper contest? Hope so."
 
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>147falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/ian-foster-all-blacks-coach-ahead-of-bledisloe-cup-test-at-eden-park--1007884They play the Wallabies at Eden Park tomorrow night in the first Bledisloe match.
The contentious spots up for grabs were at first five, second five and fullback - with Mo'unga beating out Beauden Barrett, David Havili lining up outside him and Damian McKenzie beating out Jordie Barrett respectively.
All Blacks coach Ian Foster joined Mike Hosking.
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/nbxkn4lz/mh060821-19-ianfoster-allblackstest.mp3Thu, 05 Aug 2021 08:50:35 +0000RoccoThe All Blacks are a day away from what will hopefully be their first real test of the season. They play the Wallabies at Eden Park tomorrow night in the first Bledisloe match. The contentious spots up for grabs were at first five, second five and...They play the Wallabies at Eden Park tomorrow night in the first Bledisloe match.
The contentious spots up for grabs were at first five, second five and fullback - with Mo'unga beating out Beauden Barrett, David Havili lining up outside him and Damian McKenzie beating out Jordie Barrett respectively.
All Blacks coach Ian Foster joined Mike Hosking.
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>239falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-stanley-new-zealand-olympic-committee-president-says-tokyo-2020-has-been-an-outstanding-success--1007911New Zealand athletes have collected one more medal than our record of 18 at the last games in Rio.
Lisa Carrington's led the way with her three gold medals, as the country reaches a total of 19, with more predicted to come.
Olympic Committee President Mike Stanley told Mike Hosking Tokyo has been an outstanding success.
“If we just look at New Zealand, how people have been glued to watching our athletes perform. How they’ve performed, not only in terms of their results, but also how they have represented us as a nation.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/ypgdyyfe/mh060821-10-mikestanley-nzmedalhaul.mp3Thu, 05 Aug 2021 08:50:05 +0000RoccoThe Tokyo Olympic Games have been our most successful yet. New Zealand athletes have collected one more medal than our record of 18 at the last games in Rio. Lisa Carrington's led the way with her three gold medals, as the country reaches a total of...New Zealand athletes have collected one more medal than our record of 18 at the last games in Rio.
Lisa Carrington's led the way with her three gold medals, as the country reaches a total of 19, with more predicted to come.
Olympic Committee President Mike Stanley told Mike Hosking Tokyo has been an outstanding success.
“If we just look at New Zealand, how people have been glued to watching our athletes perform. How they’ve performed, not only in terms of their results, but also how they have represented us as a nation.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>195falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/robin-gauld-budget-documents-reveal-government-rejected-treasury-advice-to-scrap-health-election-promises--1007898Newly released Budget documents show the Government rejected Treasury's advice to scrap its health election promises, and put more money into fixing the health system.
It instead,  opted to top up Pharmac's budget, double the availability of cochlear implants, and provide more funding for Pacific health.
Otago University health policy expert Robin Gauld told Mike Hosking  while health reform is needed, no Government can ignore the here and now.
“The people who are the recipients of the Pharmac investment will just be enormously relived; many people have to go private to access drugs.”
Andrew Little is expected to provide a further update on those health reforms, in a speech to GPs later this morning.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/jbdlh5ye/mh060821-13-robingauld-healthpolicy.mp3Thu, 05 Aug 2021 08:02:38 +0000RoccoTreasury may not have been right in urging the Government to focus healthcare spending on health reform. Newly released Budget documents show the Government rejected Treasury's advice to scrap its health election promises, and put more money into...Newly released Budget documents show the Government rejected Treasury's advice to scrap its health election promises, and put more money into fixing the health system.
It instead,  opted to top up Pharmac's budget, double the availability of cochlear implants, and provide more funding for Pacific health.
Otago University health policy expert Robin Gauld told Mike Hosking  while health reform is needed, no Government can ignore the here and now.
“The people who are the recipients of the Pharmac investment will just be enormously relived; many people have to go private to access drugs.”
Andrew Little is expected to provide a further update on those health reforms, in a speech to GPs later this morning.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>176falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/joe-burns-ministry-of-health-official-says-covid-19-vaccine-rollout-scale-up-is-happening--1007890Vaccine bookings are now open for New Zealanders aged 55 and up -- about five days earlier than expected.
It comes the same week the country administered its two-millionth jab.
Ministry of Health Primary Care Lead Joe Bourne told Mike Hosking we've seen a big increase in people getting their vaccine, over the past few weeks.
“If we look at where we were three weeks ago to where we are now, on Wednesday, we had our biggest day to date which was over 45,000 doses given within a day. So I think we’re seeing that scale up happening.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/1acfvcg4/mh060821-11-drjoebourne-vaccinerollout.mp3Thu, 05 Aug 2021 07:54:33 +0000RoccoHealth officials say the Covid-19 vaccine rollout is well and truly ramping up. Vaccine bookings are now open for New Zealanders aged 55 and up -- about five days earlier than expected. It comes the same week the country administered its two-millionth...Vaccine bookings are now open for New Zealanders aged 55 and up -- about five days earlier than expected.
It comes the same week the country administered its two-millionth jab.
Ministry of Health Primary Care Lead Joe Bourne told Mike Hosking we've seen a big increase in people getting their vaccine, over the past few weeks.
“If we look at where we were three weeks ago to where we are now, on Wednesday, we had our biggest day to date which was over 45,000 doses given within a day. So I think we’re seeing that scale up happening.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>217falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/red-bull-advisor-dr-helmut-marko-on-kiwi-driver-liam-lawson--1007905LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/pfiburwp/mh050821-18-drmarkohelmut-redbullracing.mp3Wed, 04 Aug 2021 21:31:23 +0000RoccoMike Hosking chats to former F1 driver and Red Bull Team Advisor Dr Helmut Marko about Mercedes and kiwi driver Liam Lawson. LISTEN ABOVELISTEN ABOVE]]>663falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/rohan-macmahon-new-zealand-s-first-dedicated-climate-change-venture-capital-fund-makes-first-investment--1007908The company creates shoebox sized composite blocks that can store renewable energy, which could potentially help avoid using coal to power the grid as much as we do when renewable energy power is low.
Partner with climate venture capital fund, Rohan MacMahon, spoke to Mike Hosking about this new venture.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/fpmcxraw/mh050821-16-rohanmacmahon-climatevcfund.mp3Wed, 04 Aug 2021 21:04:32 +0000RoccoNew Zealand’s first dedicated climate change venture capital fund has made its first investment, investing in Australian clean energy company MGA Thermal. The company creates shoebox sized composite blocks that can store renewable energy, which could...The company creates shoebox sized composite blocks that can store renewable energy, which could potentially help avoid using coal to power the grid as much as we do when renewable energy power is low.
Partner with climate venture capital fund, Rohan MacMahon, spoke to Mike Hosking about this new venture.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>242falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/charles-finny-many-port-workers-not-yet-eligible-for-covid-19-vaccine--1007920Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says he's concerned that 44% of port workers have yet to receive a single dose.
He says it's a worrying sign of vaccine hesitancy, caused by the spread of misinformation.
But the chairman of the Port Company CEO Group, Charles Finny, says most of those workers would be getting a jab, if they could.
He says only a small proportion of workers are eligible -- because they're deemed high risk, or deal directly with ships.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/h5njwshk/mh050821-11-charlesfinny-portworkervaccination.mp3Wed, 04 Aug 2021 19:56:26 +0000RoccoMany port workers aren't vaccinated for Covid-19, because they aren't yet eligible. Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says he's concerned that 44% of port workers have yet to receive a single dose. He says it's a worrying sign of vaccine...Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says he's concerned that 44% of port workers have yet to receive a single dose.
He says it's a worrying sign of vaccine hesitancy, caused by the spread of misinformation.
But the chairman of the Port Company CEO Group, Charles Finny, says most of those workers would be getting a jab, if they could.
He says only a small proportion of workers are eligible -- because they're deemed high risk, or deal directly with ships.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>167falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/grant-robertson-government-s-upskilling-and-is-bringing-more-workers-into-the-country--1007892Unemployment's dropped to 4% and many commentators say we've reached, or are nearly at, full employment.
Employers are screaming out for more workers.
The Finance Minister says the Government's upskilling people and is bringing more people into the country on critical and seasonal worker visas.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/r1qm5zwk/mh050821-10-grantrobertson-employment-ocr.mp3Wed, 04 Aug 2021 19:50:57 +0000RoccoGrant Robertson says there should be a balance between keeping New Zealanders safe from Covid-19, and filling skills shortages. Unemployment's dropped to 4% and many commentators say we've reached, or are nearly at, full employment. Employers are...Unemployment's dropped to 4% and many commentators say we've reached, or are nearly at, full employment.
Employers are screaming out for more workers.
The Finance Minister says the Government's upskilling people and is bringing more people into the country on critical and seasonal worker visas.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>441falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/sonya-williams-70-of-sharesies-customers-under-40--1007922Sharesies statistics show 70% of their customers are under 40, and there's a growing representation of women on the platform.
Co-founder Sonya Williams says it's exciting to see more people building their wealth.
She says it's a hugely positive demographic shift from what investing looked like five years ago.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/hhff515q/mh050821-05-sonyawilliams-onlineinvesting.mp3Wed, 04 Aug 2021 19:46:03 +0000RoccoAmid the growing age of social media, online investing platforms are transforming the attitudes of the young to start investing. Sharesies statistics show 70% of their customers are under 40, and there's a growing representation of women on the...Sharesies statistics show 70% of their customers are under 40, and there's a growing representation of women on the platform.
Co-founder Sonya Williams says it's exciting to see more people building their wealth.
She says it's a hugely positive demographic shift from what investing looked like five years ago.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>235falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/steve-price-australian-correspondent-on-vaccine-plan-passports--1007914LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/0b5jcklz/mh040821-20-price-vaccinerollout-nswlockdown-passports.mp3Tue, 03 Aug 2021 21:37:00 +0000RoccoSteve Price joined Mike Hosking to discuss this week's news from across the ditch. LISTEN ABOVELISTEN ABOVE]]>285falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/iain-saunders-police-will-not-appeal-high-court-ruling-on-formal-warning-policy--1007930They've decided not to appeal a decision, finding the way warnings are currently issued has no basis in law and is a breach of the Bill of Rights.
Warnings can have a range of unforeseen circumstances, including affecting employment prospects when they come up in police checks.
Superintendent Iain Saunders, the Director of Resolution Development at New Zealand Police, told Mike Hosking Police will review their policy, to ensure people understand what it means to accept a formal warning.
“We need to make sure that we acccept and agree the facts are exchanged with them and that any warning has that informed consent to the warning process and all it’s consequence.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/m0aln55e/mh040821-12-iainsaunders-policeformalwarnings.mp3Tue, 03 Aug 2021 20:01:08 +0000RoccoPolice are set to change the way they issue formal warnings following a damning judgement from the High Court. They've decided not to appeal a decision, finding the way warnings are currently issued has no basis in law and is a breach of the Bill of...They've decided not to appeal a decision, finding the way warnings are currently issued has no basis in law and is a breach of the Bill of Rights.
Warnings can have a range of unforeseen circumstances, including affecting employment prospects when they come up in police checks.
Superintendent Iain Saunders, the Director of Resolution Development at New Zealand Police, told Mike Hosking Police will review their policy, to ensure people understand what it means to accept a formal warning.
“We need to make sure that we acccept and agree the facts are exchanged with them and that any warning has that informed consent to the warning process and all it’s consequence.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>221falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/matthew-lesh-researcher-calls-for-nations-to-take-a-leaf-out-of-the-uk-s-covid-strategy--1007901As we know, the vaccine rollout in the UK has been a success and case numbers, hospitalisations and deaths are down, even after Freedom Day.
Now the call is for Australia to also live with Covid, as trying to eliminate the virus is no longer possible without devastating economic consequences, and epidemiologists in the UK are saying the vast majority of the global population is expected to get the virus multiple times over their life.
The call comes from Matthew Lesh, an Australian in the UK and the head of research in one of the world's leading think tanks, the Adam Smith Institute.
He told Mike Hosking the outbreaks we have seen in Australia are proof the virus will be very difficult to eliminate entirely.
“You’re not secure forever, there’s always a risk of Covid coming into the country. You don’t want to live under that risk, what you want to live under is a highly vaccinated population.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 
 
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/qwxbhryj/mh040821-16-matthewlesh-livingwithcovid.mp3Tue, 03 Aug 2021 09:47:26 +0000RoccoA call has come for Australia to heed what the UK is doing when it comes to Covid, a scenario that directly applies to New Zealand as well. As we know, the vaccine rollout in the UK has been a success and case numbers, hospitalisations and deaths are...As we know, the vaccine rollout in the UK has been a success and case numbers, hospitalisations and deaths are down, even after Freedom Day.
Now the call is for Australia to also live with Covid, as trying to eliminate the virus is no longer possible without devastating economic consequences, and epidemiologists in the UK are saying the vast majority of the global population is expected to get the virus multiple times over their life.
The call comes from Matthew Lesh, an Australian in the UK and the head of research in one of the world's leading think tanks, the Adam Smith Institute.
He told Mike Hosking the outbreaks we have seen in Australia are proof the virus will be very difficult to eliminate entirely.
“You’re not secure forever, there’s always a risk of Covid coming into the country. You don’t want to live under that risk, what you want to live under is a highly vaccinated population.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 
 
 ]]>388falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/simon-bridges-national-wants-amendments-made-to-conversion-therapy-bill--1007877National say they support the intent of the Bill, but want to see an amendment to rule out prosecutions for parents.
Justice spokesperson Simon Bridges told Mike Hosking National wants parents to be able to discuss these subjects with their children.
“Good parents will be criminalised; facing up to five year’s jail for being parents to kids under 18. Parents should be allowed to be parents; they should be allowed to explore sexuality and gender with their children.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/yybhaaph/mh040821-13-simonbridges-conversiontherapy.mp3Tue, 03 Aug 2021 09:16:13 +0000RoccoThe bill to ban conversion therapy is set to go to the amendment table if it wants the support of the National Party. National say they support the intent of the Bill, but want to see an amendment to rule out prosecutions for parents. Justice...National say they support the intent of the Bill, but want to see an amendment to rule out prosecutions for parents.
Justice spokesperson Simon Bridges told Mike Hosking National wants parents to be able to discuss these subjects with their children.
“Good parents will be criminalised; facing up to five year’s jail for being parents to kids under 18. Parents should be allowed to be parents; they should be allowed to explore sexuality and gender with their children.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 
 ]]>140falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/tony-alexander-economist-says-reserve-bank-crackdown-on-low-deposit-lending-not-very-worrying--1007932The bank wants to halve the number of people borrowing more than 80 percent of the property's value, by cutting the number to ten percent.
It could be in place from October.
Independent economist, Tony Alexander, told Mike Hosking he doesn't think the increase in low deposit lending is all that worrying.
“It was still only 9.6 percent of housing lending, so already below the 10 percent limit there. Maybe it’s just the trend that’s been going up, especially to first home buyers over the past three to four months.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/ypjpb33n/mh040821-10-tonyalexander-lendingrules.mp3Tue, 03 Aug 2021 08:25:40 +0000RoccoThere's surprise the Reserve Bank is looking to crack down on low deposit lending. The bank wants to halve the number of people borrowing more than 80 percent of the property's value, by cutting the number to ten percent. It could be in place from...The bank wants to halve the number of people borrowing more than 80 percent of the property's value, by cutting the number to ten percent.
It could be in place from October.
Independent economist, Tony Alexander, told Mike Hosking he doesn't think the increase in low deposit lending is all that worrying.
“It was still only 9.6 percent of housing lending, so already below the 10 percent limit there. Maybe it’s just the trend that’s been going up, especially to first home buyers over the past three to four months.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>196falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/tom-hartman-figures-show-average-new-zealand-personal-debt-at-23-thousand-dollars--1007852Canstar's latest figures show personal debt in New Zealand is high the average being $23,000.
Commission for Financial Capability personal finance lead Tom Hartman, told Mike Hosking it's the job of both the individual and the lender, to be wise.
“Obviously lenders have to be responsible and make sure that this doesn’t put somebody under water but we also need to make really sharp decisions for ourselves when taking on debt.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/kxykqr3y/mh040821-05-tomhartmann-personaldebt.mp3Tue, 03 Aug 2021 07:48:09 +0000RoccoA financial adviser suggests people shouldn't rely on lenders to keep them from accumulating debt. Canstar's latest figures show personal debt in New Zealand is high the average being $23,000. Commission for Financial Capability personal finance lead...Canstar's latest figures show personal debt in New Zealand is high the average being $23,000.
Commission for Financial Capability personal finance lead Tom Hartman, told Mike Hosking it's the job of both the individual and the lender, to be wise.
“Obviously lenders have to be responsible and make sure that this doesn’t put somebody under water but we also need to make really sharp decisions for ourselves when taking on debt.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>175falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/winston-peters-court-of-appeal-refuses-to-hear-further-evidence-in-superannuation-leak-case--1007921The Court of Appeal has refused to hear further evidence in the case taken against two public service chief executives.
The former Deputy Prime Minister's now been ordered to pay some of the court costs for one of the people involved. Winston Peters told Mike Hosking we're on the way to being a banana republic with this judgement of law.
“I’m gonna take my time and consider the further courses of action I’ve got. I know it’s expensive, but it always has been expensive.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/2dhnfsux/mh030821-15-winstonpeters-superprivacybreach.mp3Mon, 02 Aug 2021 20:49:05 +0000RoccoIt may not be the end of the road for Winston Peters, in trying to get justice for the pre-2017 election leak of his superannuation details. The Court of Appeal has refused to hear further evidence in the case taken against two public service chief...The Court of Appeal has refused to hear further evidence in the case taken against two public service chief executives.
The former Deputy Prime Minister's now been ordered to pay some of the court costs for one of the people involved. Winston Peters told Mike Hosking we're on the way to being a banana republic with this judgement of law.
“I’m gonna take my time and consider the further courses of action I’ve got. I know it’s expensive, but it always has been expensive.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>287falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/jim-green-district-health-boards-to-take-nurses-organisation-to-court-over-strike-staff-levels--1007858Nurses will strike for eight hours on Thursday the 19th of August.
MIQ and border workers will not strike and they say there will still be life preserving staff levels in all hospitals.
But the DHBs say that isn't good enough and the levels that are needed aren't being promised, so they are off to the employment court.
Spokesperson for the DHBs Jim Green told Mike Hosking say they want to be sure the staff level requirements are met.
“We think it really does need to be certain about this, it’s very important for the safety of the public, so that’s why we’re going to the court.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/zpiniipw/mh030821-05-jimgreen-dhbsvsnurses.mp3Mon, 02 Aug 2021 20:10:31 +0000RoccoThe Nurses Organisation is being taken to court over their latest announced strike action. Nurses will strike for eight hours on Thursday the 19th of August. MIQ and border workers will not strike and they say there will still be life preserving staff...Nurses will strike for eight hours on Thursday the 19th of August.
MIQ and border workers will not strike and they say there will still be life preserving staff levels in all hospitals.
But the DHBs say that isn't good enough and the levels that are needed aren't being promised, so they are off to the employment court.
Spokesperson for the DHBs Jim Green told Mike Hosking say they want to be sure the staff level requirements are met.
“We think it really does need to be certain about this, it’s very important for the safety of the public, so that’s why we’re going to the court.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>219falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/nigel-avery-former-weightlifter-has-mixed-feelings-around-laurel-hubbards-olympic-debut--1007878Hubbard has failed to register a single mark in the snatch section of her class, meaning she didn't move on to the second phase of clean and jerk.
The transgender athlete came close to putting down a score on the second lift, but it was red flagged by judges.
Former Com Games gold medallist Nigel Avery told Mike Hosking  he feels for Hubbard, but says there would have been a very negative reaction if she'd won a medal.
“It would have been interesting to see everyone come out of the woodwork, had she won a medal.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/kylbf2xv/mh030821-11-nigelavery-laurelhubbard.mp3Mon, 02 Aug 2021 19:58:46 +0000RoccoMixed feelings from a former weightlifter to Laurel Hubbard's highly contentious Olympic debut. Hubbard has failed to register a single mark in the snatch section of her class, meaning she didn't move on to the second phase of clean and jerk. The...Hubbard has failed to register a single mark in the snatch section of her class, meaning she didn't move on to the second phase of clean and jerk.
The transgender athlete came close to putting down a score on the second lift, but it was red flagged by judges.
Former Com Games gold medallist Nigel Avery told Mike Hosking  he feels for Hubbard, but says there would have been a very negative reaction if she'd won a medal.
“It would have been interesting to see everyone come out of the woodwork, had she won a medal.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>83falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-oecd-report-shows-grant-and-adrian-overreacted--1007909It is from the OECD, and it shows that housing has boomed just about everywhere, it has been driven by cheap money.
And what the Government has tried to do here to curb it is futile, was always futile, but because they insisted on interfering, all it did was lead to a series of unwelcome outcomes that those of us who have been watching housing for a while, predicted right from the get go.
So, the OECD includes 40 countries, only 3 experienced real term house price falls, and the rest?
Through the roof, the biggest and broadest increases since records began.
First quarter of this year across the group and we see an increase of 9.1 per cent.
Annualise that out and you soon realise that the hysteria some have saddled themselves with is far from uncommon.
And all you had to realise is the circumstances are far from uncommon.
And given the circumstances with time will ease, so will the increases.
It could be called a cycle, housing is about cycles.
Yes, the story varies from country to country, but what we know about our country is we go up and up and up, then we pause and pause, then off we go again.
Occasionally, the GFC was the last time, we get a dip, but the dip is nowhere near the previous rises, so if you see real estate over a longish term period as you should, you’re always winning.
From the UK to Turkey to South Korea to America to Australia, we’ve all been in the middle of the same thing.
Except our panic has led to what?
A promise to tilt the market to the first home buyer, a promise that was never going to be kept, and as of last week new data that showed rent was up almost 5 per cent; why?
Because they made being a landlord and investing in houses hard work and expensive, and that expense was merely passed onto the poor tenant, many of whom would have hoped to be a first home buyer.
The irony here, given this Labour Government, as the report points out, is those who had property got richer, and spent accordingly.
The renter, the non-home owner never had a chance.
This is one of the biggest booms since the 1900s.
The good news in the OECD report is that one; mortgage growth has been largely driven by people in good financial positions and two; post 2008, banks are extra vigilant, hence, they don’t lend to people who can’t afford it.
So in summary, the OECD report shows Grant and Adrian over reacted, what we’ve seen, everyone’s seen.
Except not everyone freaked out, and as a result, for some it was made far worse than it had to be.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/uspbaxqy/mh030821-01-oecdhousingnumberscomment.mp3Mon, 02 Aug 2021 11:49:43 +0000RoccoProbably the most useful piece of housing data has lobbed up on our desks. It is from the OECD, and it shows that housing has boomed just about everywhere, it has been driven by cheap money. And what the Government has tried to do here to curb it is...It is from the OECD, and it shows that housing has boomed just about everywhere, it has been driven by cheap money.
And what the Government has tried to do here to curb it is futile, was always futile, but because they insisted on interfering, all it did was lead to a series of unwelcome outcomes that those of us who have been watching housing for a while, predicted right from the get go.
So, the OECD includes 40 countries, only 3 experienced real term house price falls, and the rest?
Through the roof, the biggest and broadest increases since records began.
First quarter of this year across the group and we see an increase of 9.1 per cent.
Annualise that out and you soon realise that the hysteria some have saddled themselves with is far from uncommon.
And all you had to realise is the circumstances are far from uncommon.
And given the circumstances with time will ease, so will the increases.
It could be called a cycle, housing is about cycles.
Yes, the story varies from country to country, but what we know about our country is we go up and up and up, then we pause and pause, then off we go again.
Occasionally, the GFC was the last time, we get a dip, but the dip is nowhere near the previous rises, so if you see real estate over a longish term period as you should, you’re always winning.
From the UK to Turkey to South Korea to America to Australia, we’ve all been in the middle of the same thing.
Except our panic has led to what?
A promise to tilt the market to the first home buyer, a promise that was never going to be kept, and as of last week new data that showed rent was up almost 5 per cent; why?
Because they made being a landlord and investing in houses hard work and expensive, and that expense was merely passed onto the poor tenant, many of whom would have hoped to be a first home buyer.
The irony here, given this Labour Government, as the report points out, is those who had property got richer, and spent accordingly.
The renter, the non-home owner never had a chance.
This is one of the biggest booms since the 1900s.
The good news in the OECD report is that one; mortgage growth has been largely driven by people in good financial positions and two; post 2008, banks are extra vigilant, hence, they don’t lend to people who can’t afford it.
So in summary, the OECD report shows Grant and Adrian over reacted, what we’ve seen, everyone’s seen.
Except not everyone freaked out, and as a result, for some it was made far worse than it had to be.]]>169falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/wendy-thompson-social-media-marketing-ceo-says-influencers-could-be-used-to-combat-anti-vax-info-online--1007903The White House has bought an army of influencers on Twitch, YouTube, TikTok, as well as pop superstars, to promote the Covid vaccine to their fans.
It's because the 18-39 year-old bracket has the lowest vaccination rate in the states.
Founder and co-CEO of social media marketing company Socialites Wendy Thompson told Mike Hosking they’re called influencers for a reason.
“We actually saw the Government use influencers in the March 2020 lockdown, which is quite interesting, so I would not be surprised if we end up using them in New Zealand as well.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/1haj0j4a/mh030821-18-wendythompson-influencingantivaxers.mp3Mon, 02 Aug 2021 09:06:03 +0000RoccoQuestions are being raised as to whether New Zealand needs some combined influencer might to combat anti-vax and incorrect vaccine information online. The White House has bought an army of influencers on Twitch, YouTube, TikTok, as well as pop...The White House has bought an army of influencers on Twitch, YouTube, TikTok, as well as pop superstars, to promote the Covid vaccine to their fans.
It's because the 18-39 year-old bracket has the lowest vaccination rate in the states.
Founder and co-CEO of social media marketing company Socialites Wendy Thompson told Mike Hosking they’re called influencers for a reason.
“We actually saw the Government use influencers in the March 2020 lockdown, which is quite interesting, so I would not be surprised if we end up using them in New Zealand as well.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>283falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/kris-faafoi-14-000-seasonal-workers-from-samoa-tonga-vanuatu-allowed-into-nz-from-september--1007870This would be one-way corridor, entering New Zealand only, and they would not need to go through the standard two-week managed isolation.
Today's announcement has "really delighted" the fruit growing industry that was desperate for picking staff.
The move was aimed at addressing worker shortages in certain agricultural areas, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said at her weekly post-Cabinet press conference.
There are normally about 14,400 RSE workers a year, but the pandemic and border restrictions have cut that workforce in half.
This move would help manage the shortfall, Ardern said.
It was too early to say how many workers would enter the country from September.
Those Pacific island nations had not experienced community Covid outbreaks, and any cases they had recorded were managed at their borders, Ardern said.
Like the 2000 RSE workers brought in last year the same conditions - including paying at least the living wage and providing appropriate accommodation - would be enforced.
The option was only being made available to certain workers so it could be done in a safe way.
Apples and Pears CEO Alan Pollard said he was "really delighted" for the Pacific nations as they had "suffered terribly through the pandemic" and without the income RSE workers to New Zealand bring to their communities.
"Delighted that they're going to be able to have an opportunity participate back in the workforce here and return those much-needed funds back to their community."
The announcement also brings some certainty to growers for the coming season.
"It was a dreadful season for us, last season growers were stressed and distressed and were facing the uncertainty of what next season might look like.
"Opening up the one-way quarantine free travel from those three countries some time in September is a huge change."
Ardern said New Zealand was in a position to open up to RSE workers due to its Covid-19-free status, and that of the countries involved.
There would be measures including pre-departure and on-arrival testing, she said.
Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi said representatives from Sāmoa, Tonga and Vanuatu were very pleased with the arrangements.
There had been regular discussion with horticulture and viticulture industries and Faafoi said he was pleased to be able to announce these changes that would assist them.
Pressure has been mounting on the Government from employers in sectors reliant on overseas workers, after immigration was essentially shut down as part of the Covid-19 response.
The Government has been seeking to rebalance the workforce and reduce the reliance on migrant labour, encouraging employers to train up Kiwis and increase wages to attract more people.
More than 250,000 Covid-19 vaccinations were administered last week in New Zealand.
This included more than 15,000 at the Manukau mass vaccination event, which was "a success", though lessons would be learned, Ardern said.
On emergency managed isolation allocations and a New Zealander stuck in Singapore who travelled there for life-extending surgery, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said he would not publicly discuss an individual's case.
There were systems in place to review individual cases and 350 MIQ spaces set aside each fortnight for people in "genuine need".
Ardern said it was a demand issue. These issues were not arising when there was less pressure on MIQ facilities in previous months.
Housing crisis inquiry
On the Human Rights Commission's decision to investigate New Zealand's housing situation, Ardern said that was their independent decision.
"We have a housing crisis. All New Zealanders have a right to a warm, dry and affordable home."
Ardern said she believed "we have a housing crisis" and that was driving their work.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. (Photo / Mark Mitchell)
Ardern had signalled however in recent weeks more assistance would be coming for sect...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/5blpzkmm/mh030821-10-krisfaafoi-rseworkers.mp3Mon, 02 Aug 2021 07:49:46 +0000RoccoSeasonal workers from Sāmoa, Tonga and Vanuatu will be able to enter New Zealand from next month. This would be one-way corridor, entering New Zealand only, and they would not need to go through the standard two-week managed isolation. Today's...This would be one-way corridor, entering New Zealand only, and they would not need to go through the standard two-week managed isolation.
Today's announcement has "really delighted" the fruit growing industry that was desperate for picking staff.
The move was aimed at addressing worker shortages in certain agricultural areas, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said at her weekly post-Cabinet press conference.
There are normally about 14,400 RSE workers a year, but the pandemic and border restrictions have cut that workforce in half.
This move would help manage the shortfall, Ardern said.
It was too early to say how many workers would enter the country from September.
Those Pacific island nations had not experienced community Covid outbreaks, and any cases they had recorded were managed at their borders, Ardern said.
Like the 2000 RSE workers brought in last year the same conditions - including paying at least the living wage and providing appropriate accommodation - would be enforced.
The option was only being made available to certain workers so it could be done in a safe way.
Apples and Pears CEO Alan Pollard said he was "really delighted" for the Pacific nations as they had "suffered terribly through the pandemic" and without the income RSE workers to New Zealand bring to their communities.
"Delighted that they're going to be able to have an opportunity participate back in the workforce here and return those much-needed funds back to their community."
The announcement also brings some certainty to growers for the coming season.
"It was a dreadful season for us, last season growers were stressed and distressed and were facing the uncertainty of what next season might look like.
"Opening up the one-way quarantine free travel from those three countries some time in September is a huge change."
Ardern said New Zealand was in a position to open up to RSE workers due to its Covid-19-free status, and that of the countries involved.
There would be measures including pre-departure and on-arrival testing, she said.
Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi said representatives from Sāmoa, Tonga and Vanuatu were very pleased with the arrangements.
There had been regular discussion with horticulture and viticulture industries and Faafoi said he was pleased to be able to announce these changes that would assist them.
Pressure has been mounting on the Government from employers in sectors reliant on overseas workers, after immigration was essentially shut down as part of the Covid-19 response.
The Government has been seeking to rebalance the workforce and reduce the reliance on migrant labour, encouraging employers to train up Kiwis and increase wages to attract more people.
More than 250,000 Covid-19 vaccinations were administered last week in New Zealand.
This included more than 15,000 at the Manukau mass vaccination event, which was "a success", though lessons would be learned, Ardern said.
On emergency managed isolation allocations and a New Zealander stuck in Singapore who travelled there for life-extending surgery, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said he would not publicly discuss an individual's case.
There were systems in place to review individual cases and 350 MIQ spaces set aside each fortnight for people in "genuine need".
Ardern said it was a demand issue. These issues were not arising when there was less pressure on MIQ facilities in previous months.
Housing crisis inquiry
On the Human Rights Commission's decision to investigate New Zealand's housing situation, Ardern said that was their independent decision.
"We have a housing crisis. All New Zealanders have a right to a warm, dry and affordable home."
Ardern said she believed "we have a housing crisis" and that was driving their...]]>305falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/comm-box-olympics-not-yet-hampered-by-covid-despite-japan-having-record-cases--1007936The Japanese capital is dealing with record-high case numbers since the start of the Games, and they're now surging in other parts of Japan as well.
But there have only been about 250 cases among athletes and officials accredited with the Games.
Guy Heveldt – who is in Tokyo for the Olympics – said measures to protect the Games bubble seem to be working so far.
“There hasn't been an outbreak, so that has been deemed a success, and the sport has been as good as it's probably ever been. It's been phenomenal.”
The V8 Supercars event in Pukekohe was cancelled and the first Bledisloe Cup test between the All Blacks and Australia is set to take place this weekend.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/fztl4qll/mh020821-21-combox.mp3Sun, 01 Aug 2021 23:07:54 +0000RoccoThe threat of Covid-19 isn't hampering the excitement at the Tokyo Olympic Games. The Japanese capital is dealing with record-high case numbers since the start of the Games, and they're now surging in other parts of Japan as well. But there have only...The Japanese capital is dealing with record-high case numbers since the start of the Games, and they're now surging in other parts of Japan as well.
But there have only been about 250 cases among athletes and officials accredited with the Games.
Guy Heveldt – who is in Tokyo for the Olympics – said measures to protect the Games bubble seem to be working so far.
“There hasn't been an outbreak, so that has been deemed a success, and the sport has been as good as it's probably ever been. It's been phenomenal.”
The V8 Supercars event in Pukekohe was cancelled and the first Bledisloe Cup test between the All Blacks and Australia is set to take place this weekend.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>671falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/steve-price-queensland-faces-very-different-covid-19-outbreak--1007919Queensland recorded nine new Covid-19 infections on Sunday, making it the highest daily increase in local cases the state has seen in almost a year. There are now 53 active cases in the state.
Director of Infectious Diseases at Mater Health, Dr Paul Griffin, told Weekend Today that Queensland had been "lucky" to avoid widespread outbreaks of the Delta variant so far, but warned this situation could easily get out of control.
"This one is very different. This one really does have the makings of something significant," he said.
"There's a lot of concerning elements about this, including where these people have been, how many exposure sites there are, how many people are already infected as a result. So I do think we need a comprehensive and swift range of mitigation strategies which is what we've seen."
Queensland was sent into a snap three-day lockdown on Saturday afternoon in a bid to allow contact tracers to track down the rapidly growing cases.
Until 4pm on Tuesday residents in 11 impacted LGAs in southeast Queensland can only leave home for essential tasks including buying groceries, essential work if they can't work from home, exercise within 10km of home, and healthcare, including vaccinations and caregiving.
Dr Griffin said due to the already high rate of transmission, this outbreak "has the makings of a very significant event".
"I think we're in a very fortunate position that we already had a mask mandate, so that's going to reduce the number of cases at least by a proportion," he said.
"Certainly if (lockdown) doesn't all go according to plan, we certainly could have sustained community transmission arising from this event."
Text by Mitchell Van Homrigh, news.com.au]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/023pr1ci/mh020821-22-price-olympics-outbreak.mp3Sun, 01 Aug 2021 22:36:23 +0000RoccoAn Australian infectious disease expert has warned the Queensland outbreak has the makings of a "very significant event", similar to the situation being faced in Greater Sydney. Queensland recorded nine new Covid-19 infections on Sunday, making it the...Queensland recorded nine new Covid-19 infections on Sunday, making it the highest daily increase in local cases the state has seen in almost a year. There are now 53 active cases in the state.
Director of Infectious Diseases at Mater Health, Dr Paul Griffin, told Weekend Today that Queensland had been "lucky" to avoid widespread outbreaks of the Delta variant so far, but warned this situation could easily get out of control.
"This one is very different. This one really does have the makings of something significant," he said.
"There's a lot of concerning elements about this, including where these people have been, how many exposure sites there are, how many people are already infected as a result. So I do think we need a comprehensive and swift range of mitigation strategies which is what we've seen."
Queensland was sent into a snap three-day lockdown on Saturday afternoon in a bid to allow contact tracers to track down the rapidly growing cases.
Until 4pm on Tuesday residents in 11 impacted LGAs in southeast Queensland can only leave home for essential tasks including buying groceries, essential work if they can't work from home, exercise within 10km of home, and healthcare, including vaccinations and caregiving.
Dr Griffin said due to the already high rate of transmission, this outbreak "has the makings of a very significant event".
"I think we're in a very fortunate position that we already had a mask mandate, so that's going to reduce the number of cases at least by a proportion," he said.
"Certainly if (lockdown) doesn't all go according to plan, we certainly could have sustained community transmission arising from this event."
Text by Mitchell Van Homrigh, news.com.au]]>352falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/david-seymour-change-of-government-in-two-years-very-possible--1007881The Newshub-Reid research poll has Labour down nearly 10 points to 43 percent, and National sitting at 29.
Act is at a record 11 percent.
Seymour told Mike Hosking the two parties now have enough support to win 51 seats in Parliament.
"We've gone up eight seats and there's only another ten before together we've got a majority. So it shows a change of government two years out is very possible."
Seymour's also ahead of Judith Collins in the preferred Prime Minister rankings on 8.6 percent compared to 8.2.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/24nfmmut/mh020821-13-davidseymour-actpolling.mp3Sun, 01 Aug 2021 22:35:09 +0000RoccoDavid Seymour says a new political poll shows Act and National aren't competing for votes. The Newshub-Reid research poll has Labour down nearly 10 points to 43 percent, and National sitting at 29. Act is at a record 11 percent. Seymour told Mike...The Newshub-Reid research poll has Labour down nearly 10 points to 43 percent, and National sitting at 29.
Act is at a record 11 percent.
Seymour told Mike Hosking the two parties now have enough support to win 51 seats in Parliament.
"We've gone up eight seats and there's only another ten before together we've got a majority. So it shows a change of government two years out is very possible."
Seymour's also ahead of Judith Collins in the preferred Prime Minister rankings on 8.6 percent compared to 8.2.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>224falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/travis-tygart-russian-olympians-pushed-into-doping-storm-by-local-officials--1007889United States Anti-Doping Agency boss Travis Tygart questioned their involvement in the Olympics with Mike Hosking.
"There's no question about what has happened and there's very little evidence that any change has occured and that's what's so disappointing. And I don't think it's really fair to call into question individual athletes from Russia. Those athletes have been pushed out into the storm that the sport officials and government officials in Russia have made."
Tygart says their involvement deserves scrutiny.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/cmmh4xzg/mh020821-17-travistygart-doping.mp3Sun, 01 Aug 2021 22:01:14 +0000RoccoThe Russian Olympic Committee sit fifth with 12 golds and 44 medals in total, despite the country being supposedly banned for systemic doping. United States Anti-Doping Agency boss Travis Tygart questioned their involvement in the Olympics with Mike...United States Anti-Doping Agency boss Travis Tygart questioned their involvement in the Olympics with Mike Hosking.
"There's no question about what has happened and there's very little evidence that any change has occured and that's what's so disappointing. And I don't think it's really fair to call into question individual athletes from Russia. Those athletes have been pushed out into the storm that the sport officials and government officials in Russia have made."
Tygart says their involvement deserves scrutiny.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>260falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/richard-arnold-unvaccinated-covid-19-patients-are-filling-up-hospitals-in-us--1007938"None of these patients thought they would get the virus, but the Delta variant has proven to be so highly contagious that even the young and the healthy, including pregnant patients, are now starting to fill up our hospitals," said Dr. Neil Finkler, chief clinical officer for AdventHealth Central Florida.
More than 90% of the hospitalized Covid-19 patients are unvaccinated, he said.
In Austin, Texas, "Our ICU capacity is reaching a critical point where the level of risk to the entire community has significantly increased, and not just to those who are needing treatment for COVID," Austin-Travis County Health Authority Dr. Desmar Walkes said in a statement.
"If we fail to come together as a community now, we jeopardize the lives of loved ones who might need critical care."
In Mississippi, Covid-19 hospitalizations have increased significantly -- including among younger patients, State Health Officer Thomas Dobbs said. All 88 beds in the University of Mississippi Medical Center's intensive care unit had filled up by Friday, according to data from the state's health department.
And in Louisiana, "We're becoming victims of the unvaccinated," said Dr. Christopher Thomas, critical care physician at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge.
"We currently are overwhelming our bed capacity. We're creating burnout for our teams. And honestly, we're beginning to impact the rest of the health care for the community."
At the Louisiana hospital, 97% of Covid-19 patients in the ICU were unvaccinated, Thomas said. As of Friday, the average age of Covid-19 patients in the ICU was 48.
"That means there are children -- with parents -- who are now in the hospital," he said.
With only 49.6% of Americans fully vaccinated as of Sunday, more businesses and cities such as Birmingham, New Orleans and Louisville are issuing mask mandates to fight the Delta variant.
The Delta strain is several times more contagious than the original strain of novel coronavirus and appears to cause more severe disease, according to an internal presentation from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"Given higher transmissibility and current vaccine coverage, universal masking is essential to reduce transmission of the Delta variant," the internal CDC documents said.
Unvaccinated people are causing tougher mask guidance
Many of those who don't want to wear masks or get vaccinated are prolonging the pandemic, doctors say.
"We know that the vast majority of the spread is still by unvaccinated people. And I think that that is the part that's been lost in the messaging from the CDC," said Dr. Leana Wen, visiting professor at George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health.
"The problem is not with the vaccinated. The problem remains with the unvaccinated. And the way that we can get out of this pandemic is to increase vaccination rates," she said.
"So the CDC should actually be saying, 'Look, the reason we're doing indoor mandates is because the unvaccinated cannot be trusted to put on masks. That's why the vaccinated also have to be putting on masks.'"
Confusion about the new mask guidance, explained
Many Americans were surprised to hear the CDC's updated guidance saying everyone -- even fully vaccinated people -- should wear face masks in areas of high or substantial transmission.
To be clear: "It's mostly about protecting the unvaccinated. That's where the real serious risks of illness are," said Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health.
Those who are vaccinated are less likely to get infected, Collins said. When breakthrough infections do happen in vaccinated people, they usually lead to mild or no symptoms at all.
But vaccinated people who get breakthrough infections might be able to spread Co...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/zpakcfl5/mh020821-07-arnold-deltasurge-strandedorca.mp3Sun, 01 Aug 2021 21:10:40 +0000RoccoHospitals are surging with unvaccinated patients infected with the Delta variant -- which could affect car accident victims and other non-Covid-19 patients who need hospital care, doctors say. "None of these patients thought they would get the virus,..."None of these patients thought they would get the virus, but the Delta variant has proven to be so highly contagious that even the young and the healthy, including pregnant patients, are now starting to fill up our hospitals," said Dr. Neil Finkler, chief clinical officer for AdventHealth Central Florida.
More than 90% of the hospitalized Covid-19 patients are unvaccinated, he said.
In Austin, Texas, "Our ICU capacity is reaching a critical point where the level of risk to the entire community has significantly increased, and not just to those who are needing treatment for COVID," Austin-Travis County Health Authority Dr. Desmar Walkes said in a statement.
"If we fail to come together as a community now, we jeopardize the lives of loved ones who might need critical care."
In Mississippi, Covid-19 hospitalizations have increased significantly -- including among younger patients, State Health Officer Thomas Dobbs said. All 88 beds in the University of Mississippi Medical Center's intensive care unit had filled up by Friday, according to data from the state's health department.
And in Louisiana, "We're becoming victims of the unvaccinated," said Dr. Christopher Thomas, critical care physician at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge.
"We currently are overwhelming our bed capacity. We're creating burnout for our teams. And honestly, we're beginning to impact the rest of the health care for the community."
At the Louisiana hospital, 97% of Covid-19 patients in the ICU were unvaccinated, Thomas said. As of Friday, the average age of Covid-19 patients in the ICU was 48.
"That means there are children -- with parents -- who are now in the hospital," he said.
With only 49.6% of Americans fully vaccinated as of Sunday, more businesses and cities such as Birmingham, New Orleans and Louisville are issuing mask mandates to fight the Delta variant.
The Delta strain is several times more contagious than the original strain of novel coronavirus and appears to cause more severe disease, according to an internal presentation from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"Given higher transmissibility and current vaccine coverage, universal masking is essential to reduce transmission of the Delta variant," the internal CDC documents said.
Unvaccinated people are causing tougher mask guidance
Many of those who don't want to wear masks or get vaccinated are prolonging the pandemic, doctors say.
"We know that the vast majority of the spread is still by unvaccinated people. And I think that that is the part that's been lost in the messaging from the CDC," said Dr. Leana Wen, visiting professor at George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health.
"The problem is not with the vaccinated. The problem remains with the unvaccinated. And the way that we can get out of this pandemic is to increase vaccination rates," she said.
"So the CDC should actually be saying, 'Look, the reason we're doing indoor mandates is because the unvaccinated cannot be trusted to put on masks. That's why the vaccinated also have to be putting on masks.'"
Confusion about the new mask guidance, explained
Many Americans were surprised to hear the CDC's updated guidance saying everyone -- even fully vaccinated people -- should wear face masks in areas of high or substantial transmission.
To be clear: "It's mostly about protecting the unvaccinated. That's where the real serious risks of illness are," said Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health.
Those who are vaccinated are less likely to get infected, Collins said. When breakthrough infections do happen in vaccinated people, they usually lead to mild or...]]>192falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/john-bonning-hospital-treatment-wait-lists-could-continue-for-two-years--1007940Data from the Ministry of Health shows nearly 30,000 New Zealanders are currently facing hospital treatment delays.
Wait lists at some District Health Boards could continue for another two years.
Australasian College of Emergency Medicine President John Bonning told Mike Hosking Covid-19 was simply the straw that broke the camel's back.
"This has been coming down at us for the last ten years or so, and we've hit the ceiling that numbers do show people have missed out on care through the pandemic but we've kind of hit this capacity and it's probably been predictable."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/2zjd3azy/mh020821-10-johnbonning-postcovidhospitaldelays.mp3Sun, 01 Aug 2021 11:49:25 +0000RoccoA massive backlog in our healthcare system has been years in the making. Data from the Ministry of Health shows nearly 30,000 New Zealanders are currently facing hospital treatment delays. Wait lists at some District Health Boards could continue for...Data from the Ministry of Health shows nearly 30,000 New Zealanders are currently facing hospital treatment delays.
Wait lists at some District Health Boards could continue for another two years.
Australasian College of Emergency Medicine President John Bonning told Mike Hosking Covid-19 was simply the straw that broke the camel's back.
"This has been coming down at us for the last ten years or so, and we've hit the ceiling that numbers do show people have missed out on care through the pandemic but we've kind of hit this capacity and it's probably been predictable."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>194falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/alex-pimm-first-covid-mass-vaccinaton-event-exceeded-expectations--1007939More than 15,700 people had the jab over three days at South Auckland's Vodafone Event Centre beating the goal of vaccinating 15,000.
It got off to a shaky start on Friday morning, with long queues when people arrived early for their appointments.
Northern region mass vaccination lead Alex Pimm told Mike Hosking extra admin staff helped get people through faster.
“We had a brilliant weekend and the feedback from the public has been great so we're really happy with how that went.”
Pimm said that it could be possible to vaccinate more with a larger venue.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/02dltioc/mh020821-05-alexpimm-massvaccination.mp3Sun, 01 Aug 2021 10:56:53 +0000RoccoThe country's first mass vaccination event has exceeded expectations. More than 15,700 people had the jab over three days at South Auckland's Vodafone Event Centre beating the goal of vaccinating 15,000. It got off to a shaky start on Friday morning,...More than 15,700 people had the jab over three days at South Auckland's Vodafone Event Centre beating the goal of vaccinating 15,000.
It got off to a shaky start on Friday morning, with long queues when people arrived early for their appointments.
Northern region mass vaccination lead Alex Pimm told Mike Hosking extra admin staff helped get people through faster.
“We had a brilliant weekend and the feedback from the public has been great so we're really happy with how that went.”
Pimm said that it could be possible to vaccinate more with a larger venue.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>159falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-we-are-here-because-scott-morrison-is-smarter-than-jacinda-ardern--1007893 
Britain: 8/10
"Freedom Day looks like it might be leading to something significant.
The jury is still out but the Armageddon predicted by the doom merchants is nothing like what's actually happened these past 8 days.
Fortune favours the brave."
 
The Olympics: 7/10
"Same sort of story of boldness.
Japan is still a mess vaccine wise, but the Games are not going to be the super-spreader event the doom merchants predicted, or indeed anywhere close."
 
SMEs: 9/10
"Xero's numbers shows June was a boomer.
The tills are ringing."
 
But Job Numbers: 2/10
"The Auckland Chambers survey is frightening. We've never had such a shortage of labour.
And still they don’t let the skills in across the border, how can you function, far less grow, if you can't get hands on deck?"
 
Far North District Council: 8/10
"My heroes of the week for parking the SNA scandal
They're realising that piling onto private land to suit your own agenda is seriously dangerous behaviour and most of us don’t like it."
 
The Suhayra Aden Decision: 3/10
"We are here because Scott Morrison is smarter than Jacinda Ardern.
He changed his law, and we were asleep."
 
Coal Imports: 3/10
"Record levels of imports in a country that declared a climate emergency.
That’s Labour, isn't it? All announcement, no follow through."
 
Banks Credit Ratings: 7/10
 
"They've been put up.
Why? Because they're solid, profitable, and know what they're doing.
So why was it Adrian Orr wanted them to hold extra credit?
#nervousnelly"
 
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck: 8/10
"Didn't stay long enough.
But only because he's chasing a dream, so who can blame him?
What a treat he has been for the Warriors."
 
The Grand Tour Presents: Lochdown: 9/10
"Out on Amazon Prime Video today. I've seen it.
Richard Hammond, Jeremy Clarkson, and James May are a reminder that that sort of comradery and talent are in rare supply."
 
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/be3jdpih/mh300721-14-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 29 Jul 2021 22:59:10 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all.   Britain: 8/10 "Freedom Day looks like it might be leading to something significant. The jury is still out but the Armageddon... 
Britain: 8/10
"Freedom Day looks like it might be leading to something significant.
The jury is still out but the Armageddon predicted by the doom merchants is nothing like what's actually happened these past 8 days.
Fortune favours the brave."
 
The Olympics: 7/10
"Same sort of story of boldness.
Japan is still a mess vaccine wise, but the Games are not going to be the super-spreader event the doom merchants predicted, or indeed anywhere close."
 
SMEs: 9/10
"Xero's numbers shows June was a boomer.
The tills are ringing."
 
But Job Numbers: 2/10
"The Auckland Chambers survey is frightening. We've never had such a shortage of labour.
And still they don’t let the skills in across the border, how can you function, far less grow, if you can't get hands on deck?"
 
Far North District Council: 8/10
"My heroes of the week for parking the SNA scandal
They're realising that piling onto private land to suit your own agenda is seriously dangerous behaviour and most of us don’t like it."
 
The Suhayra Aden Decision: 3/10
"We are here because Scott Morrison is smarter than Jacinda Ardern.
He changed his law, and we were asleep."
 
Coal Imports: 3/10
"Record levels of imports in a country that declared a climate emergency.
That’s Labour, isn't it? All announcement, no follow through."
 
Banks Credit Ratings: 7/10
 
"They've been put up.
Why? Because they're solid, profitable, and know what they're doing.
So why was it Adrian Orr wanted them to hold extra credit?
#nervousnelly"
 
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck: 8/10
"Didn't stay long enough.
But only because he's chasing a dream, so who can blame him?
What a treat he has been for the Warriors."
 
The Grand Tour Presents: Lochdown: 9/10
"Out on Amazon Prime Video today. I've seen it.
Richard Hammond, Jeremy Clarkson, and James May are a reminder that that sort of comradery and talent are in rare supply."
 
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>183falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/sir-john-key-and-jim-bolger-former-prime-minister-reacts-to-tony-abbotts-comments-he-wouldn-t-sign-free-trade-agreement-with-china--1007953The questions come about from a talk that former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott gave in the UK.
Abbott, who famously signed Australia’s Free Trade Deal with China in 2014, says there is no way he would sign a deal with them today, based on their Government's actions of blocking exports to punish Australian policy decisions that they don't like.
Former Prime Ministers Sir John Key and Jim Bolger joined Mike Hosking
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/jwkjl2dv/mh300721-16-sirjohnkey-jimbolger-chinafta.mp3Thu, 29 Jul 2021 21:10:56 +0000RoccoA debate is raging as to whether the actions of the Chinese Government in recent years lead us to question our free trade agreement with them? The questions come about from a talk that former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott gave in the UK....The questions come about from a talk that former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott gave in the UK.
Abbott, who famously signed Australia’s Free Trade Deal with China in 2014, says there is no way he would sign a deal with them today, based on their Government's actions of blocking exports to punish Australian policy decisions that they don't like.
Former Prime Ministers Sir John Key and Jim Bolger joined Mike Hosking
LISTEN ABOVE]]>337falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/paul-goldsmith-national-education-spokesperson-says-matauranga-maori-shouldn-t-be-taught-at-the-expense-of-science--1007944In a letter to the Listener, a group of lecturers took issue with plans to elevate matauranga Māori - or Maori knowledge - to the level of science in the school curriculum.
It has since received a lot of backlash - but National's education spokesperson MP Paul Goldsmith backs the sentiment of the letter.
He told Mike Hosking New Zealand won't succeed globally if we're distracted by notions of what western science is.
“We should learn about Māori understandings of the world, but not at the expense of our expertise in what the rest of the world call science.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/5urnrdux/mh300721-05-paulgoldsmith-maoriknowledge.mp3Thu, 29 Jul 2021 20:00:45 +0000RoccoNational has joined the chorus upset at a recent NCEA report putting Māori knowledge on par with its western counterpart. In a letter to the Listener, a group of lecturers took issue with plans to elevate matauranga Māori - or Maori knowledge - to the...In a letter to the Listener, a group of lecturers took issue with plans to elevate matauranga Māori - or Maori knowledge - to the level of science in the school curriculum.
It has since received a lot of backlash - but National's education spokesperson MP Paul Goldsmith backs the sentiment of the letter.
He told Mike Hosking New Zealand won't succeed globally if we're distracted by notions of what western science is.
“We should learn about Māori understandings of the world, but not at the expense of our expertise in what the rest of the world call science.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>254falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/geof-nightingale-tax-law-expert-says-there-is-no-reason-for-inland-revenue-to-withhold-tax-law-quality-report--1007957Newstalk ZB has requested the report, which was first commissioned in 2019, but wasn't completed until last month.
But the IRD has rejected the request saying releasing the report would undermine the tax law system.
But PWC tax law expert Geof Nightingale told Mike Hosking there's no reason why it should be withholding the report.
“I suspect it says that the tax laws are too complex and very hard to follow but I just can’t understand why they need to keep that secret.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/i0obp4p5/mh300721-11-geofnightingale-taxlaws.mp3Thu, 29 Jul 2021 08:46:27 +0000RoccoInland Revenue is under fire, for refusing to release a report into the quality of its tax law. Newstalk ZB has requested the report, which was first commissioned in 2019, but wasn't completed until last month. But the IRD has rejected the request...Newstalk ZB has requested the report, which was first commissioned in 2019, but wasn't completed until last month.
But the IRD has rejected the request saying releasing the report would undermine the tax law system.
But PWC tax law expert Geof Nightingale told Mike Hosking there's no reason why it should be withholding the report.
“I suspect it says that the tax laws are too complex and very hard to follow but I just can’t understand why they need to keep that secret.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>144falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/eric-murray-a-golden-52-minutes-kiwi-olympic-team-s-three-big-hopes-today--1007924Here's all you need to know about today's action (Friday, 30 July).
Kiwis in action today
It's time for a strategic long lunch break - clear your schedule from 12.33pm to 1.25pm, as New Zealand have a chance to win three medals on the water, and, dare we say it, some of those medals could be gold.
Emma Twigg starts the proceedings in the single scull, looking to finally get on the podium on her fourth Olympic attempt, after two fourth-placed efforts in 2012 and 2016.
Her main rival for gold will be the Russian Olympic Committee's Hanna Prakatsen, a surprising late bloomer who changed allegiance from Belarus to Russia and suddenly became a world-class competitor, but while gold is a realistic aim, a medal of any colour is a strong possibility for Twigg if she performs near her best.
While favouritism for the single scull is debatable, the women's eight deserve their marker as the crew to beat, and will go for gold at 1.05pm. After their golden efforts yesterday in the pair, Kerri Gowler and Grace Prendergast can make it a historic double with victory in the women's eight as well, in what would be one of the marquee victories in New Zealand rowing history.
Also aiming for history are the men's eight, who have had to take the scenic route to the final, first having to advance through the final Olympic qualifier before then winning the repechage yesterday to qualify for the final.
Perhaps a touch slower than some of their rivals, the men's eight aren't the favourites like their female counterparts are, but are a chance for a medal in a field which is usually rather compact.
If that's not enough water-based sports for you, less than an hour after the men's eight comes Lewis Clareburt, who has produced some sensational swims to qualify for the final in his less-favoured 200m Individual Medley.
Much like the 400IM, he will probably have to go even better than his New Zealand record time in order to make the podium, so a medal is probably only an outside chance, but with not much separating the qualifiers, another historic swim could break New Zealand's swimming medal drought.
Other medal contenders in action today include the men's doubles tennis duo of Michael Venus and Marcus Daniell, who play for bronze against the United States, and should make more inroads than they did in the semifinal against the dominant Croatian team, while Rebecca Petch will aim to conclude a remarkable comeback after crashing in her first BMX heat when she returns today to compete in the semifinals, and, possibly, the final.
Finally, starting their campaigns today are two other New Zealand medal prospects, with Valerie Adams participating in the shot put qualifier at night, and the Kiwi equestrian team getting underway.
Check the "who's competing" interactive above to see the full list of Kiwis in action, and when they begin their events.
Sports in action today
Archery (Women's individual medal matches)Athletics (Qualifiers, Men's 10,000m final)Badminton (Knockouts)Baseball (Pool Play)Basketball (Women's Pool Play)Beach Volleyball (Pool Play)Boxing (Round of 16, quarter-finals)Canoe Slalom (Men's kayak final)Cycling BMX racing (Finals)Diving (Women's 3m Springboard Preliminary)Equestrian (Eventing Dressage)Fencing (Men's Epee Team finals)Football (Women's quarter-finals)Golf (Men's Round 2)Handball (Men's Pool Play)Hockey (Pool Play)Judo (Women's 78kg+ and Men's 100kg+ medal matches)Rowing (Four finals)Rugby Sevens (Women's Pool Play and quarter-finals)Sailing (Classification Races)Shooting (25m Women's Pistol Final)Swimming (Four finals)Table Tennis (Men's singles medal matches)Tennis (Singles semifinals, doubles finals)Trampoline Gymnastics (Women's final)Volleyball (Men's Pool play)Water Polo (Women's Pool play)]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/nqinqb10/mh300721-10-ericmurray-olympicrowingfinals.mp3Thu, 29 Jul 2021 07:51:10 +0000RoccoNew Zealand have a chance for a golden hour on the water in Tokyo today, with three rowing crews in finals, and all of them with a chance at standing on the top spot of the podium. Here's all you need to know about today's action (Friday, 30 July)....Here's all you need to know about today's action (Friday, 30 July).
Kiwis in action today
It's time for a strategic long lunch break - clear your schedule from 12.33pm to 1.25pm, as New Zealand have a chance to win three medals on the water, and, dare we say it, some of those medals could be gold.
Emma Twigg starts the proceedings in the single scull, looking to finally get on the podium on her fourth Olympic attempt, after two fourth-placed efforts in 2012 and 2016.
Her main rival for gold will be the Russian Olympic Committee's Hanna Prakatsen, a surprising late bloomer who changed allegiance from Belarus to Russia and suddenly became a world-class competitor, but while gold is a realistic aim, a medal of any colour is a strong possibility for Twigg if she performs near her best.
While favouritism for the single scull is debatable, the women's eight deserve their marker as the crew to beat, and will go for gold at 1.05pm. After their golden efforts yesterday in the pair, Kerri Gowler and Grace Prendergast can make it a historic double with victory in the women's eight as well, in what would be one of the marquee victories in New Zealand rowing history.
Also aiming for history are the men's eight, who have had to take the scenic route to the final, first having to advance through the final Olympic qualifier before then winning the repechage yesterday to qualify for the final.
Perhaps a touch slower than some of their rivals, the men's eight aren't the favourites like their female counterparts are, but are a chance for a medal in a field which is usually rather compact.
If that's not enough water-based sports for you, less than an hour after the men's eight comes Lewis Clareburt, who has produced some sensational swims to qualify for the final in his less-favoured 200m Individual Medley.
Much like the 400IM, he will probably have to go even better than his New Zealand record time in order to make the podium, so a medal is probably only an outside chance, but with not much separating the qualifiers, another historic swim could break New Zealand's swimming medal drought.
Other medal contenders in action today include the men's doubles tennis duo of Michael Venus and Marcus Daniell, who play for bronze against the United States, and should make more inroads than they did in the semifinal against the dominant Croatian team, while Rebecca Petch will aim to conclude a remarkable comeback after crashing in her first BMX heat when she returns today to compete in the semifinals, and, possibly, the final.
Finally, starting their campaigns today are two other New Zealand medal prospects, with Valerie Adams participating in the shot put qualifier at night, and the Kiwi equestrian team getting underway.
Check the "who's competing" interactive above to see the full list of Kiwis in action, and when they begin their events.
Sports in action today
Archery (Women's individual medal matches)Athletics (Qualifiers, Men's 10,000m final)Badminton (Knockouts)Baseball (Pool Play)Basketball (Women's Pool Play)Beach Volleyball (Pool Play)Boxing (Round of 16, quarter-finals)Canoe Slalom (Men's kayak final)Cycling BMX racing (Finals)Diving (Women's 3m Springboard Preliminary)Equestrian (Eventing Dressage)Fencing (Men's Epee Team finals)Football (Women's quarter-finals)Golf (Men's Round 2)Handball (Men's Pool Play)Hockey (Pool Play)Judo (Women's 78kg+ and Men's 100kg+ medal matches)Rowing (Four finals)Rugby Sevens (Women's Pool Play and quarter-finals)Sailing (Classification Races)Shooting (25m Women's Pistol Final)Swimming (Four finals)Table Tennis (Men's singles medal matches)Tennis (Singles semifinals, doubles finals)Trampoline Gymnastics (Women's final)Volleyball (Men's Pool play)Water Polo...]]>126falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/richard-hammond-the-grand-tour-presenter-on-his-clarkson-and-may-s-latest-venture--1007871Jeremy Clarkson's latest venture Clarkson's Farm, which saw the motoring host turn his hand to running a farm, saw massive success in NZ. And he's about to be back on our screens with a new series of The Grand Tour.
The Grand Tour Presents: Lochdown will portray motoring legends Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May stuck in the UK due to Covid-19 lockdowns.
Inspired by the great American cars from the 70s, they embark on an epic road trip across the moors of Scotland to find out just why these legendary vehicles never quite took off in the UK.
The Grand Tour Presents: Lochdown premieres on Amazon Prime July 30th. Richard Hammond joined Mike Hosking to give a sneak preview.
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/i4sj5tmp/mh290721-19-richardhammond-grandtourlochdown.mp3Wed, 28 Jul 2021 22:46:24 +0000RoccoThe three most iconic car presenters are hitting the road once again - and maybe even a loch or two as they cross borders into Scotland. Jeremy Clarkson's latest venture Clarkson's Farm, which saw the motoring host turn his hand to running a farm, saw...Jeremy Clarkson's latest venture Clarkson's Farm, which saw the motoring host turn his hand to running a farm, saw massive success in NZ. And he's about to be back on our screens with a new series of The Grand Tour.
The Grand Tour Presents: Lochdown will portray motoring legends Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May stuck in the UK due to Covid-19 lockdowns.
Inspired by the great American cars from the 70s, they embark on an epic road trip across the moors of Scotland to find out just why these legendary vehicles never quite took off in the UK.
The Grand Tour Presents: Lochdown premieres on Amazon Prime July 30th. Richard Hammond joined Mike Hosking to give a sneak preview.
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>629falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/dr-ashley-bloomfield-16-000-expected-to-turn-up-to-manukau-mass-vaccination-event--1007873The Government yesterday announced the first segment of people in Group Four were able to get their jab, alongside launching the online booking system.
GPs around the country say the Government's credibility is now on the line as to whether it ramps it, considering we are barely through Group Three.
Director General of Health Dr. Ashley Bloomfield told Mike Hosking he expects 16,000 to turn up to the Manukau mass vaccination event this weekend.
“Probably because it was the winter semester break, there wasn’t the take up we initially thought, so we extended the invitations more widely.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/gdnnfanp/mh290721-16-ashleybloomfield-vaccinerollout.mp3Wed, 28 Jul 2021 22:01:50 +0000RoccoWe are officially into the final and biggest stage of the Covid vaccine rollout. The Government yesterday announced the first segment of people in Group Four were able to get their jab, alongside launching the online booking system. GPs around the...The Government yesterday announced the first segment of people in Group Four were able to get their jab, alongside launching the online booking system.
GPs around the country say the Government's credibility is now on the line as to whether it ramps it, considering we are barely through Group Three.
Director General of Health Dr. Ashley Bloomfield told Mike Hosking he expects 16,000 to turn up to the Manukau mass vaccination event this weekend.
“Probably because it was the winter semester break, there wasn’t the take up we initially thought, so we extended the invitations more widely.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>484falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/dr-keith-turner-proposal-to-transport-tourists-to-milford-sound-on-electric-buses--1007895The Milford Opportunities Project proposes charging overseas visitors for access permits - but not New Zealanders - on the route between Te Anau and Milford Sound.
It also wants the local airport closed and restrictions on cruise ships.
Milford Opportunities Governance Group chairman Keith Turner told Mike Hosking visitors think the drive in,  is the most fantastic experience so there should be a park-and-ride at Te Anau.
“Zero carbon buses allows people to hop off, have as much time at the places along the road as they want.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/kmgb5yyj/mh290721-13-drkeithturner-milfordtourism.mp3Wed, 28 Jul 2021 20:55:25 +0000RoccoThere's a proposal to get tourists to Milford Sound on electric buses. The Milford Opportunities Project proposes charging overseas visitors for access permits - but not New Zealanders - on the route between Te Anau and Milford Sound. It also wants...The Milford Opportunities Project proposes charging overseas visitors for access permits - but not New Zealanders - on the route between Te Anau and Milford Sound.
It also wants the local airport closed and restrictions on cruise ships.
Milford Opportunities Governance Group chairman Keith Turner told Mike Hosking visitors think the drive in,  is the most fantastic experience so there should be a park-and-ride at Te Anau.
“Zero carbon buses allows people to hop off, have as much time at the places along the road as they want.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>157falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/chris-barry-police-urge-leaders-of-king-cobras-and-rebels-gangs-to-hold-peace-talks-and-end-tit-for-tat-turf-war-over-mangere-before-traged--1007904A turf war between the gangs has led to tit-for-tat violence where homes, cars and businesses have been targeted in drive-by shootings or firebombing with Molotov cocktails.
At least 12 attacks since the start of May have been confirmed as linked to the feud, say police, although the true figure may be higher as the criminal code of silence means no one from either side is talking.
Counties Manukau Detective Inspector Chris Barry says two squads of detectives are working full-time on the conflict, with numerous raids on the homes of patched members and associates of both gangs.
So far, Barry said one arrest has been made with a direct connection to the turf war.
A man appeared in the Manukau District Court last week charged with wilful damage to property with an explosive, in relation to the firebombing of a King Cobra's car in east Māngere on May 7 - the first known attack in the turf war.
He was also charged with possession of methamphetamine for supply and participating in an organised criminal group.
Although only one arrest has been made so far in direct connection to 12 attacks, Barry said a "large number" of gang members and associates from both sides had been arrested on drugs and firearms charges as a result of the police investigation.
Significant firepower had also been seized, including military-style semi-automatic rifles, although Barry said they had not been connected to any known shootings.
"We know that shotguns have been used, and rifles of various calibres," said Barry. "We're all aware that the gangs have access to a variety of unlawful firearms and that's something we are very keen to target them on."
Unlawful firearms were often kept at the properties of family and friends for safekeeping, said Barry, rather than at the homes of gang members, who knew they would be under scrutiny.
He encouraged anyone with information about the location of guns to come forward, even anonymously, and tell the police "before there is a tragedy".
Two King Cobras were treated for gunshot wounds in Middlemore Hospital on Tuesday. Despite neither man speaking with the police, Barry did not believe the shooting was part of the conflict with the Rebels.
"It's not always easy to establish [a connection]. Just because something happened at the address of the King Cobra member, we can't automatically say, 'Well, that was the Rebels'," said Barry.
"Personally, I don't think [the Tuesday shooting] fits within the conflict we are aware of."
Barry also urged senior leaders in the King Cobras and the Rebels to hold peace talks before the violence spirals out of control.
"Those conversations are happening. It's about getting the right people around the table who have the influence to put an end to the violence," said Barry.
"Members of these groups have friends and family in the community too, so hopefully they can influence them as well.
"This is about the safety of the community. There are so many good people, trying to do the best thing, and it's not easy out there at the moment. This is the last thing the community needs."
Barry said it was difficult to pinpoint the catalyst for the conflict, but the Herald understands tensions were inflamed by a social media post by a senior Rebel, which staked a claim to Māngere, a suburb the King Cobras consider to be their territory.
Around the same time, a King Cobra "patched over" - or switched allegiances - to the Rebels, which is a rare move considered highly insulting in the criminal underworld where loyalty is highly valued.
Founded in Ponsonby in the 1950s, the King Cobras is one of the oldest patched gangs in New Zealand.
The Rebels was the first Australian motorcycle gang to establish a presence in New Zealand, in late 2010, but in recent years has been bolstered by senior members deported from Australia.
It has been joined b...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/j4bfx2km/mh290721-10-chrisbarry-gangtrouble.mp3Wed, 28 Jul 2021 19:18:09 +0000RoccoPolice are urging senior leaders in the King Cobra and Rebels gangs to hold peace talks and end the conflict before someone gets seriously injured or killed. A turf war between the gangs has led to tit-for-tat violence where homes, cars and businesses...A turf war between the gangs has led to tit-for-tat violence where homes, cars and businesses have been targeted in drive-by shootings or firebombing with Molotov cocktails.
At least 12 attacks since the start of May have been confirmed as linked to the feud, say police, although the true figure may be higher as the criminal code of silence means no one from either side is talking.
Counties Manukau Detective Inspector Chris Barry says two squads of detectives are working full-time on the conflict, with numerous raids on the homes of patched members and associates of both gangs.
So far, Barry said one arrest has been made with a direct connection to the turf war.
A man appeared in the Manukau District Court last week charged with wilful damage to property with an explosive, in relation to the firebombing of a King Cobra's car in east Māngere on May 7 - the first known attack in the turf war.
He was also charged with possession of methamphetamine for supply and participating in an organised criminal group.
Although only one arrest has been made so far in direct connection to 12 attacks, Barry said a "large number" of gang members and associates from both sides had been arrested on drugs and firearms charges as a result of the police investigation.
Significant firepower had also been seized, including military-style semi-automatic rifles, although Barry said they had not been connected to any known shootings.
"We know that shotguns have been used, and rifles of various calibres," said Barry. "We're all aware that the gangs have access to a variety of unlawful firearms and that's something we are very keen to target them on."
Unlawful firearms were often kept at the properties of family and friends for safekeeping, said Barry, rather than at the homes of gang members, who knew they would be under scrutiny.
He encouraged anyone with information about the location of guns to come forward, even anonymously, and tell the police "before there is a tragedy".
Two King Cobras were treated for gunshot wounds in Middlemore Hospital on Tuesday. Despite neither man speaking with the police, Barry did not believe the shooting was part of the conflict with the Rebels.
"It's not always easy to establish [a connection]. Just because something happened at the address of the King Cobra member, we can't automatically say, 'Well, that was the Rebels'," said Barry.
"Personally, I don't think [the Tuesday shooting] fits within the conflict we are aware of."
Barry also urged senior leaders in the King Cobras and the Rebels to hold peace talks before the violence spirals out of control.
"Those conversations are happening. It's about getting the right people around the table who have the influence to put an end to the violence," said Barry.
"Members of these groups have friends and family in the community too, so hopefully they can influence them as well.
"This is about the safety of the community. There are so many good people, trying to do the best thing, and it's not easy out there at the moment. This is the last thing the community needs."
Barry said it was difficult to pinpoint the catalyst for the conflict, but the Herald understands tensions were inflamed by a social media post by a senior Rebel, which staked a claim to Māngere, a suburb the King Cobras consider to be their territory.
Around the same time, a King Cobra "patched over" - or switched allegiances - to the Rebels, which is a rare move considered highly insulting in the criminal underworld where loyalty is highly valued.
Founded in Ponsonby in the 1950s, the King Cobras is one of the oldest patched gangs in New Zealand.
The Rebels was the first Australian motorcycle gang to establish a presence in New Zealand, in late...]]>147falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/leanne-langridge-air-new-zealand-updates-domestic-in-flight-snack-options--1007962The new in-flight snacks follow a series of trials from the national airline, with the tests being carried out via trolley signage on Koru Hour flights, Grab & Go snack boxes in its lounges.
The trial sought the views of more than 700 customers.
The new treats will be rotated on a monthly basis, with Air New Zealand confirming its inflight cookie and lollies were here to stay.
Air New Zealand general manager customer Leeanne Langridge said the new inflight offering would give customers the variety they had been looking for.
"It was fantastic to see Aotearoa get behind the food trials and eagerly debate what they'd like to see onboard. We heard from passionate cookie and corn chip enthusiasts, along with others who believe variety is the spice of life.
"What we learnt throughout the trials was that our customers value variety and change throughout the day. Going forward, we're going to be more time specific with what's on offer – from danishes in the morning to antipasto in the evening – because we know a cookie at 6am isn't for everyone.
"Having options for different dietary requirements is also a big trend so we've added more gluten free options.
"On our shorter sectors, customers told us our food and beverage service felt rushed, so we've simplified our menu by removing tea and coffee on Koru Hour flights under 50 minutes."
For those who put their money on ice cream, champagne and croissants, customers should keep an eye out for frequent surprise and delight flights hitting the skies as the airline works with innovative New Zealand companies to showcase products.
"We're keen to showcase the best of what Aotearoa has to offer so we'll be inviting local producers to get in touch if they've got a product they think our customers will love."]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/ogofkyar/mh290721-23-leannelangridge-airnzsnacks.mp3Wed, 28 Jul 2021 09:46:15 +0000RoccoAir New Zealand passengers will soon be chowing down on a new variety of snacks while flying - including popcorn, crisps, muesli bars and chocolate. The new in-flight snacks follow a series of trials from the national airline, with the tests being...The new in-flight snacks follow a series of trials from the national airline, with the tests being carried out via trolley signage on Koru Hour flights, Grab & Go snack boxes in its lounges.
The trial sought the views of more than 700 customers.
The new treats will be rotated on a monthly basis, with Air New Zealand confirming its inflight cookie and lollies were here to stay.
Air New Zealand general manager customer Leeanne Langridge said the new inflight offering would give customers the variety they had been looking for.
"It was fantastic to see Aotearoa get behind the food trials and eagerly debate what they'd like to see onboard. We heard from passionate cookie and corn chip enthusiasts, along with others who believe variety is the spice of life.
"What we learnt throughout the trials was that our customers value variety and change throughout the day. Going forward, we're going to be more time specific with what's on offer – from danishes in the morning to antipasto in the evening – because we know a cookie at 6am isn't for everyone.
"Having options for different dietary requirements is also a big trend so we've added more gluten free options.
"On our shorter sectors, customers told us our food and beverage service felt rushed, so we've simplified our menu by removing tea and coffee on Koru Hour flights under 50 minutes."
For those who put their money on ice cream, champagne and croissants, customers should keep an eye out for frequent surprise and delight flights hitting the skies as the airline works with innovative New Zealand companies to showcase products.
"We're keen to showcase the best of what Aotearoa has to offer so we'll be inviting local producers to get in touch if they've got a product they think our customers will love."]]>286falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/sir-gordon-tietjens-no-one-deserves-sevens-gold-more-than-fiji--1007976Fiji has proven too good for New Zealand in the Olympic final in Tokyo last night, winning 27-12.
Captain Jerry Tuwai says while the gold medal can't make up for a single life lost to the pandemic, it's a particularly special time to win.
Former Sevens coach Sir Gordon Tietjens says told Mike Hosking  no one could have deserved the medal more.
“Time and time again, they’ve got more depth than any other country in the world. They love the game of Sevens, they’re so passionate and they’re always very difficult to beat.”
Almost 200 people have died in Fiji's current outbreak of Covid-19.
LISTEN ABOVE
 
 
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/ocznljxc/mh290721-11-sirgordontietjens-7ssilvermedal.mp3Wed, 28 Jul 2021 08:49:24 +0000RoccoA well-deserved Olympic Gold Medal for Covid-ravaged Fiji. Fiji has proven too good for New Zealand in the Olympic final in Tokyo last night, winning 27-12. Captain Jerry Tuwai says while the gold medal can't make up for a single life lost to the...Fiji has proven too good for New Zealand in the Olympic final in Tokyo last night, winning 27-12.
Captain Jerry Tuwai says while the gold medal can't make up for a single life lost to the pandemic, it's a particularly special time to win.
Former Sevens coach Sir Gordon Tietjens says told Mike Hosking  no one could have deserved the medal more.
“Time and time again, they’ve got more depth than any other country in the world. They love the game of Sevens, they’re so passionate and they’re always very difficult to beat.”
Almost 200 people have died in Fiji's current outbreak of Covid-19.
LISTEN ABOVE
 
 
 ]]>128falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/georgia-cervin-us-star-simone-biles-withdraws-from-individual-all-around-gymnastics-final--1007977USA Gymnastics posted a statement to Twitter saying: "After a further medical evaluation, Simone Biles has withdrawn from the final individual all-around competition at the Tokyo Olympic Games, in order to focus on her mental health.
"Simone will continue to be evaluated daily to determine whether or not to participate in next week's individual event finals.
"Jade Carey, who had the ninth-highest score in qualifications, will participate in her place in the all-around.
"We wholeheartedly support Simone's decision and applaud her bravery in prioritising her wellbeing. Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many."
The American superstar sparked concerns on Tuesday night when she pulled out just minutes into the women's team gymnastics final in Tokyo.
Biles is a star on the vault – the place Biles has gone where nobody ever has before with the incredible Yurchenko double pike – but the four-time gold medallist baulked on her first attempt.

Simone Biles competes on the balance beam during the women's US Olympic Gymnastics Trials earlier this week. (Photo / AP)
The bizarre incident meant she only completed 1.5 rotations instead of 2.5 and failed to stick the landing. Biles was clearly irked and grimaced on her way back, earning a 13.766 — the lowest score of all six American and ROC (Russian Olympic Committee) competitors.
USA Gymnastics later confirmed Biles would not play any further part in the final.
"Simone has withdrawn from the team final competition due to a medical issue," a statement said. "She will be assessed daily to determine medical clearance for future competitions.
"Thinking of you, Simone!"]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/alzb55zj/mh290721-18-georgiacervin-simonebileswithdrawal.mp3Wed, 28 Jul 2021 08:14:40 +0000RoccoUS gymnast Simone Biles has pulled out of the women's gymnastic all-around event. USA Gymnastics posted a statement to Twitter saying: "After a further medical evaluation, Simone Biles has withdrawn from the final individual all-around competition at...USA Gymnastics posted a statement to Twitter saying: "After a further medical evaluation, Simone Biles has withdrawn from the final individual all-around competition at the Tokyo Olympic Games, in order to focus on her mental health.
"Simone will continue to be evaluated daily to determine whether or not to participate in next week's individual event finals.
"Jade Carey, who had the ninth-highest score in qualifications, will participate in her place in the all-around.
"We wholeheartedly support Simone's decision and applaud her bravery in prioritising her wellbeing. Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many."
The American superstar sparked concerns on Tuesday night when she pulled out just minutes into the women's team gymnastics final in Tokyo.
Biles is a star on the vault – the place Biles has gone where nobody ever has before with the incredible Yurchenko double pike – but the four-time gold medallist baulked on her first attempt.

Simone Biles competes on the balance beam during the women's US Olympic Gymnastics Trials earlier this week. (Photo / AP)
The bizarre incident meant she only completed 1.5 rotations instead of 2.5 and failed to stick the landing. Biles was clearly irked and grimaced on her way back, earning a 13.766 — the lowest score of all six American and ROC (Russian Olympic Committee) competitors.
USA Gymnastics later confirmed Biles would not play any further part in the final.
"Simone has withdrawn from the team final competition due to a medical issue," a statement said. "She will be assessed daily to determine medical clearance for future competitions.
"Thinking of you, Simone!"]]>169falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/chris-bishop-38-million-in-unpaid-managed-isolation-fees-despite-government-calling-in-debt-collectors--1007902Newstalk ZB can reveal as of the start of this month, $38 million in MIQ fees remains unpaid - $8m of that is considered overdue.
That's close to 10 per cent of the total $100m so far charged to those arriving from overseas.
Covid Response Minister Chris Hipkins revealed in May that the Government was bringing in debt collectors to chase the overdue money.
But so far, just $50,000 has been reclaimed.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins during a Covid-19 and vaccine update at Parliament in Wellington. (Photo / Mark Mitchell)
National's Covid-19 spokesman Chris Bishop said the MIQ system has been in place since August last year and the Government has waited too long to try reclaim these overdue funds.
"We use debt collectors for student loans, for example, and at the end of the day this is money owed to taxpayers," he told ZB.
"I think the Government should have been using debt collectors far earlier than now."
Acting Joint Head of Managed Isolation Andrew Milne said he will be sending more invoices to the debt collectors at the end of this week.
From then, he says, he plans to continue sending "small batches out every week".
"All businesses and Government agencies deal with overdue debt – this is to be expected – and we're very focused on pursuing any overdue money."
In May, the Government confirmed it would take a harder line when it comes to money owed.

A security guard on duty outside the Grand Mercure hotel in Wellington, which is one of the managed isolation hotels for returning New Zealanders. (Photo / Mark Mitchell)
In early June, it sent 100 invoices to debt collectors to track down the overdue funds.
Those invoices, according to Milne, were worth $332,000.
But of those 100, just 28 responses have been received and $49,000 has been recovered.
A further $42,000 is "currently being disputed by customers".
That means $7.95m remains outstanding.
Despite this, Milne said the vast majority of those coming through MIQ understand the need for these fees and are paying their bills on time.
He said handing over invoices to an external debt collector was a serious step with potentially serious impacts on someone's credit rating.
"So we want to be completely sure the invoices we send for debt collection are genuine unpaid debt so we have taken [the] time to make sure we get this right."
Meanwhile, Newstalk ZB can also reveal there was a significant spike in the number of MIQ invoices issued in June.

National Party Covid-19 spokesman Chris Bishop speaking in Parliament. (Photo / Mark Mitchell)
There were more than 6000 invoices sent out that month – that's 30 per cent of the overall 23,000 issued to date.
Milne said the reason for the increase was a system overhaul, which helped automate the programme.
"The fees regime was set up at pace, and at a time when it was unclear how long it would be needed."
He said the system has been heavily reliant on manual processing of data coming from various agencies that weren't always accurate or complete.
New funding has meant a new "streamlined" system making it quicker and more precise.
But Bishop said the fact that this was only happening now was problematic as it could mean millions of dollars worth of fees could have been missed.
"We need to know how many people they haven't invoiced to find out how much money the poor, long-suffering taxpayer missed out on because the Government hasn't been issuing invoices properly."]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/upufqgp1/mh290721-05-chrisbishop-miqdebt.mp3Wed, 28 Jul 2021 07:42:45 +0000RoccoThe Government has barely made a dent in the money owed in overdue managed isolation fees despite bringing in debt collectors. Newstalk ZB can reveal as of the start of this month, $38 million in MIQ fees remains unpaid - $8m of that is considered...Newstalk ZB can reveal as of the start of this month, $38 million in MIQ fees remains unpaid - $8m of that is considered overdue.
That's close to 10 per cent of the total $100m so far charged to those arriving from overseas.
Covid Response Minister Chris Hipkins revealed in May that the Government was bringing in debt collectors to chase the overdue money.
But so far, just $50,000 has been reclaimed.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins during a Covid-19 and vaccine update at Parliament in Wellington. (Photo / Mark Mitchell)
National's Covid-19 spokesman Chris Bishop said the MIQ system has been in place since August last year and the Government has waited too long to try reclaim these overdue funds.
"We use debt collectors for student loans, for example, and at the end of the day this is money owed to taxpayers," he told ZB.
"I think the Government should have been using debt collectors far earlier than now."
Acting Joint Head of Managed Isolation Andrew Milne said he will be sending more invoices to the debt collectors at the end of this week.
From then, he says, he plans to continue sending "small batches out every week".
"All businesses and Government agencies deal with overdue debt – this is to be expected – and we're very focused on pursuing any overdue money."
In May, the Government confirmed it would take a harder line when it comes to money owed.

A security guard on duty outside the Grand Mercure hotel in Wellington, which is one of the managed isolation hotels for returning New Zealanders. (Photo / Mark Mitchell)
In early June, it sent 100 invoices to debt collectors to track down the overdue funds.
Those invoices, according to Milne, were worth $332,000.
But of those 100, just 28 responses have been received and $49,000 has been recovered.
A further $42,000 is "currently being disputed by customers".
That means $7.95m remains outstanding.
Despite this, Milne said the vast majority of those coming through MIQ understand the need for these fees and are paying their bills on time.
He said handing over invoices to an external debt collector was a serious step with potentially serious impacts on someone's credit rating.
"So we want to be completely sure the invoices we send for debt collection are genuine unpaid debt so we have taken [the] time to make sure we get this right."
Meanwhile, Newstalk ZB can also reveal there was a significant spike in the number of MIQ invoices issued in June.

National Party Covid-19 spokesman Chris Bishop speaking in Parliament. (Photo / Mark Mitchell)
There were more than 6000 invoices sent out that month – that's 30 per cent of the overall 23,000 issued to date.
Milne said the reason for the increase was a system overhaul, which helped automate the programme.
"The fees regime was set up at pace, and at a time when it was unclear how long it would be needed."
He said the system has been heavily reliant on manual processing of data coming from various agencies that weren't always accurate or complete.
New funding has meant a new "streamlined" system making it quicker and more precise.
But Bishop said the fact that this was only happening now was problematic as it could mean millions of dollars worth of fees could have been missed.
"We need to know how many people they haven't invoiced to find out how much money the poor, long-suffering taxpayer missed out on because the Government hasn't been issuing invoices properly."]]>275falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/richard-arnold-sad-reason-simone-biles-abruptly-walked-out-on-final-in-tokyo-olympics-2020--1007952The USA started on the vault – the place Biles has gone where nobody ever has before with the incredible Yurchenko double pike – but the four-time gold medallist baulked on her first attempt.
The bizarre incident meant she only completed 1.5 rotations instead of 2.5 and failed to stick the landing. Biles was clearly irked and grimaced on her way back, earning a 13.766 — the lowest score of all six American and ROC (Russian) competitors.
USA Gymnastics later confirmed Biles would not play any further part in the final.

Simone Biles, of the United States, watches gymnasts perform after pulling out of the Tokyo Olympics. (Photo / AP)
"Simone has withdrawn from the team final competition due to a medical issue," a statement said. "She will be assessed daily to determine medical clearance for future competitions.
"Thinking of you, Simone!"
America dealt with her exit admirably though. Jordan Chiles, Grace McCallum and Sunisa Lee fought through adversity to win a memorable silver medal, behind Russia and ahead of Great Britain.
In a team event, three members compete on each apparatus, and one is a reserve. That's why America was able to continue and secure second place despite being a woman down.
Speaking after the event, Biles said she did not know where she was in the air on her first vault and explained she had been "fighting all those demons" inside her head.
She pulled out because she did not want to jeopardise her team's chances of winning a medal.

Simone Biles, of the United States, walks after performing on the vault during the artistic gymnastics women's final at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. (Photo / AP)
"It's just me in my head," she said. "I have to focus on my mental health and not jeopardise my health and wellbeing.
"We have to protect our body and our mind.
"It's very unfortunate this has to happen at this stage ... it just sucks when you're fighting with your own head."
"Tonight they [her teammates] get a gold medal from me for fighting."
Speaking to NBC, Biles added: "Physically, I feel good, I'm in shape. Emotionally, that kind of varies on the time and moment.
"Coming here to the Olympics and being the head star isn't an easy feat, so we're just trying to take it one day at a time and we'll see."
Biles said she will wait and see before deciding whether she will compete in her individual event.
World in shock over Biles drama
Nobody could quite believe what they'd seen from the undisputed queen of gymnastics, who has done things in the sport nobody thought possible.
American Olympics reporter Callie Caplan said Biles "looked near tears as she walked off the podium" following her first vault.
"Simone Biles got lost in the air during her last warm-up vault and bailed out of the Amanar early. She just did the same during competition, completing 1.5 twists instead of 2.5," Caplan tweeted.

Simone Biles, of the United States, enters the court for the artistic gymnastics women's final at the 2020Tokyo Olympics. (Photo / AP)
Shelia O'Connor added: "Did … did Simone Biles just bail out of her vault?" with a shocked hands-on-face emoji.
US sports columnist Nancy Armour said: "OMG. Simone bailed out of the Amanar, does a 1.5. Nearly lands it on her knees. And looks as if she's about to cry as she comes off the podium, Cecile immediately goes and puts arm around her."
American TV presenter Hoda Kotb said "the place was just stunned" at the unexpected development.
The plot thickened when Biles soon walked off the competition floor with a team trainer, sparking speculation she'd suffered an injury.
Her teammates walked over to the uneven bars and were forced to compete without her. Chiles was supposed to sit out the bars portion of the night but had to scramble to take part because of Biles' absence.

Simone Biles, of the United St...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/tpxhrofl/mh280721-07-arnold-jan6inquiry-simonebiles.mp3Tue, 27 Jul 2021 21:05:23 +0000RoccoWe're used to perfection from Simone Biles but the American superstar sparked concerns on Tuesday night when she pulled out just minutes into the women's team gymnastics final in Tokyo. The USA started on the vault – the place Biles has gone where...The USA started on the vault – the place Biles has gone where nobody ever has before with the incredible Yurchenko double pike – but the four-time gold medallist baulked on her first attempt.
The bizarre incident meant she only completed 1.5 rotations instead of 2.5 and failed to stick the landing. Biles was clearly irked and grimaced on her way back, earning a 13.766 — the lowest score of all six American and ROC (Russian) competitors.
USA Gymnastics later confirmed Biles would not play any further part in the final.

Simone Biles, of the United States, watches gymnasts perform after pulling out of the Tokyo Olympics. (Photo / AP)
"Simone has withdrawn from the team final competition due to a medical issue," a statement said. "She will be assessed daily to determine medical clearance for future competitions.
"Thinking of you, Simone!"
America dealt with her exit admirably though. Jordan Chiles, Grace McCallum and Sunisa Lee fought through adversity to win a memorable silver medal, behind Russia and ahead of Great Britain.
In a team event, three members compete on each apparatus, and one is a reserve. That's why America was able to continue and secure second place despite being a woman down.
Speaking after the event, Biles said she did not know where she was in the air on her first vault and explained she had been "fighting all those demons" inside her head.
She pulled out because she did not want to jeopardise her team's chances of winning a medal.

Simone Biles, of the United States, walks after performing on the vault during the artistic gymnastics women's final at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. (Photo / AP)
"It's just me in my head," she said. "I have to focus on my mental health and not jeopardise my health and wellbeing.
"We have to protect our body and our mind.
"It's very unfortunate this has to happen at this stage ... it just sucks when you're fighting with your own head."
"Tonight they [her teammates] get a gold medal from me for fighting."
Speaking to NBC, Biles added: "Physically, I feel good, I'm in shape. Emotionally, that kind of varies on the time and moment.
"Coming here to the Olympics and being the head star isn't an easy feat, so we're just trying to take it one day at a time and we'll see."
Biles said she will wait and see before deciding whether she will compete in her individual event.
World in shock over Biles drama
Nobody could quite believe what they'd seen from the undisputed queen of gymnastics, who has done things in the sport nobody thought possible.
American Olympics reporter Callie Caplan said Biles "looked near tears as she walked off the podium" following her first vault.
"Simone Biles got lost in the air during her last warm-up vault and bailed out of the Amanar early. She just did the same during competition, completing 1.5 twists instead of 2.5," Caplan tweeted.

Simone Biles, of the United States, enters the court for the artistic gymnastics women's final at the 2020Tokyo Olympics. (Photo / AP)
Shelia O'Connor added: "Did … did Simone Biles just bail out of her vault?" with a shocked hands-on-face emoji.
US sports columnist Nancy Armour said: "OMG. Simone bailed out of the Amanar, does a 1.5. Nearly lands it on her knees. And looks as if she's about to cry as she comes off the podium, Cecile immediately goes and puts arm around her."
American TV presenter Hoda Kotb said "the place was just stunned" at the unexpected development.
The plot thickened when Biles soon walked off the competition floor with a team trainer, sparking speculation she'd suffered an injury.
Her teammates walked over to the uneven bars and were forced to compete without her. Chiles was...]]>267falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/david-murdoch-disease-expert-is-optimistic-for-group-4-covid-19-vaccine-rollout--1007925People aged 60 plus can now book an appointment to get jabbed, despite many in Group 3 who are yet to receive theirs.
Invitations open to those over 45 from mid to late August, and mid to late September for people 35 plus.
Otago University infectious diseases expert David Murdoch told Mike Hosking he's optimistic health officials will be able to rise to the task.
“This is always going to be a complex programme; there are always things that can be done better. The key thing is that we’re working on it.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/zvcj0l52/mh280721-11-davidmurdoch-vaccinebookingsystem.mp3Tue, 27 Jul 2021 20:48:36 +0000RoccoThere is confidence in the Group 4 vaccination rollout. People aged 60 plus can now book an appointment to get jabbed, despite many in Group 3 who are yet to receive theirs. Invitations open to those over 45 from mid to late August, and mid to late...People aged 60 plus can now book an appointment to get jabbed, despite many in Group 3 who are yet to receive theirs.
Invitations open to those over 45 from mid to late August, and mid to late September for people 35 plus.
Otago University infectious diseases expert David Murdoch told Mike Hosking he's optimistic health officials will be able to rise to the task.
“This is always going to be a complex programme; there are always things that can be done better. The key thing is that we’re working on it.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>179falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/chris-cahill-family-colleagues-of-slain-officer-matthew-hunt-speak-out-after-verdicts--1007912Eli Sauni Bob Epiha, 25, brutally gunned down two unarmed police officers during a routine West Auckland traffic stop in June last year.
He admitted murdering Constable Matthew Hunt and was yesterday found guilty of attempting to murder Hunt's partner, David Goldfinch, after a jury deliberated for 11-and-a-half hours, spanning two days.
The jury's decision adds to the defendant's convictions for Hunt's murder and the injury of a bystander — both charges Epiha pleaded guilty to days before his trial began.
Now Police Association president Chris Cahill is calling on the judge who oversaw the trial to order a sentence for Epiha that "reflects the condemnation" he said the nation has felt since 19 June, 2020, the day the officers were attacked.
"This verdict and future sentencing will not bring back Matt, it won't heal David's injuries, and it will not make their fellow officers any safer," Cahill said.
"What it will do, however, is send a very clear message to police officers who take enormous risks in their daily job, that they are valued."

Constable David Goldfinch. (Photo / Pool)
Jurors couldn't reach a unanimous decision for Epiha's attempted murder charge, and at one point sent a note stating they were too deadlocked even to reach an 11-1 verdict — putting the two weeks of testimony in jeopardy of being derailed by a mistrial.
But Justice Geoffrey Venning ordered them to keep trying, and two hours later their perseverance paid off.

Natalie Jane Bracken. (Photo / Brett Phibbs)
The same group was unanimous, however, in finding co-defendant Natalie Jane Bracken guilty of being an accessory after the fact to wounding Hunt with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
It was still a victory of sorts for the 31-year-old, who started the trial charged with accessory after the fact to murder. Her lawyers successfully argued to the judge after testimony concluded that Hunt hadn't been officially declared dead yet when she drove Epiha from the scene.
Justice Venning plans to sentence the pair, who claim not to have known each other prior to the shooting, on October 1.

Diane Hunt, mother of slain constable Matthew Hunt, speaks outside the Auckland High Court yesterday. (Photo / Craig Kapitan)
Hunt's family and supporters gathered outside the High Court at Auckland shortly after the verdict was read. Diane Hunt, his mother, kept her promise to sit through every minute of the trial. She admitted it wasn't easy.
"The past two-plus weeks have been harrowing for all of us," she said. "The loss of Matt has been made all the more traumatic by having to hear every possible detail that happened that day."
She thanked Goldfinch, who wasn't there as the verdict was read, for his "incredible courage" and thanked the public for the support shown to her family as they've mourned over the past year.

Constable Matthew Hunt. (Photo / Supplied)
"We miss him terribly," she said, adding that this week would have marked her son's 30th birthday. "We hope that no other police family will ever have to go through this."
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster also commended Constable Goldfinch's "incredible strength" through the trial, and acknowledged the "extremely painful and harrowing details of Matt's death" that his family endured.
"They have shown immense strength despite the fact they are still in the midst of their grief and mourning the loss of their much-loved son and brother," he said.
As for Hunt's and Goldfinch's police colleagues, the trial has been "a brutal reminder of the inherent risks and potential danger" they face daily, he said.
Coster described the guilty verdicts as a huge relief — a sentiment echoed by National MP Mark Mitchell, a friend of the Hunt family who attended most days of the trial in what he said was a behind-the-scenes support capacity.

Eli Bob Sauni Epiha....]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/s4wezkgy/mh280721-10-chriscahill-eliepiha.mp3Tue, 27 Jul 2021 20:02:43 +0000RoccoThe police union is calling on a judge to hand down a tough sentence to the man who shot dead a young constable reflecting the "condemnation New Zealanders expect". Eli Sauni Bob Epiha, 25, brutally gunned down two unarmed police officers during a...Eli Sauni Bob Epiha, 25, brutally gunned down two unarmed police officers during a routine West Auckland traffic stop in June last year.
He admitted murdering Constable Matthew Hunt and was yesterday found guilty of attempting to murder Hunt's partner, David Goldfinch, after a jury deliberated for 11-and-a-half hours, spanning two days.
The jury's decision adds to the defendant's convictions for Hunt's murder and the injury of a bystander — both charges Epiha pleaded guilty to days before his trial began.
Now Police Association president Chris Cahill is calling on the judge who oversaw the trial to order a sentence for Epiha that "reflects the condemnation" he said the nation has felt since 19 June, 2020, the day the officers were attacked.
"This verdict and future sentencing will not bring back Matt, it won't heal David's injuries, and it will not make their fellow officers any safer," Cahill said.
"What it will do, however, is send a very clear message to police officers who take enormous risks in their daily job, that they are valued."

Constable David Goldfinch. (Photo / Pool)
Jurors couldn't reach a unanimous decision for Epiha's attempted murder charge, and at one point sent a note stating they were too deadlocked even to reach an 11-1 verdict — putting the two weeks of testimony in jeopardy of being derailed by a mistrial.
But Justice Geoffrey Venning ordered them to keep trying, and two hours later their perseverance paid off.

Natalie Jane Bracken. (Photo / Brett Phibbs)
The same group was unanimous, however, in finding co-defendant Natalie Jane Bracken guilty of being an accessory after the fact to wounding Hunt with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
It was still a victory of sorts for the 31-year-old, who started the trial charged with accessory after the fact to murder. Her lawyers successfully argued to the judge after testimony concluded that Hunt hadn't been officially declared dead yet when she drove Epiha from the scene.
Justice Venning plans to sentence the pair, who claim not to have known each other prior to the shooting, on October 1.

Diane Hunt, mother of slain constable Matthew Hunt, speaks outside the Auckland High Court yesterday. (Photo / Craig Kapitan)
Hunt's family and supporters gathered outside the High Court at Auckland shortly after the verdict was read. Diane Hunt, his mother, kept her promise to sit through every minute of the trial. She admitted it wasn't easy.
"The past two-plus weeks have been harrowing for all of us," she said. "The loss of Matt has been made all the more traumatic by having to hear every possible detail that happened that day."
She thanked Goldfinch, who wasn't there as the verdict was read, for his "incredible courage" and thanked the public for the support shown to her family as they've mourned over the past year.

Constable Matthew Hunt. (Photo / Supplied)
"We miss him terribly," she said, adding that this week would have marked her son's 30th birthday. "We hope that no other police family will ever have to go through this."
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster also commended Constable Goldfinch's "incredible strength" through the trial, and acknowledged the "extremely painful and harrowing details of Matt's death" that his family endured.
"They have shown immense strength despite the fact they are still in the midst of their grief and mourning the loss of their much-loved son and brother," he said.
As for Hunt's and Goldfinch's police colleagues, the trial has been "a brutal reminder of the inherent risks and potential danger" they face daily, he said.
Coster described the guilty verdicts as a huge relief — a sentiment echoed by National MP Mark Mitchell, a friend of...]]>149falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/pollies-suhayra-aden-vaccine-rollout-and-crl-businesses--1007954A Māori health expert is calling on the Government to "taihoa" (wait) before beginning the general vaccination rollout, with just 10 per cent of vulnerable groups currently fully vaccinated.
The Auckland restaurateur who lost his business due to City Rail Link works has lashed out at Transport Minister Michael Wood.

Mark Mitchell and Stuart Nash joined Mike Hosking to discuss this and the week's politics news.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/33bnzzzx/mh280721-18-pollies.mp3Tue, 27 Jul 2021 11:02:06 +0000RoccoAn Isis "terrorist" bride and her two children will head to New Zealand from Turkey after the New Zealand Government agreed to their return. A Māori health expert is calling on the Government to "taihoa" (wait) before beginning the general vaccination...A Māori health expert is calling on the Government to "taihoa" (wait) before beginning the general vaccination rollout, with just 10 per cent of vulnerable groups currently fully vaccinated.
The Auckland restaurateur who lost his business due to City Rail Link works has lashed out at Transport Minister Michael Wood.

Mark Mitchell and Stuart Nash joined Mike Hosking to discuss this and the week's politics news.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>768falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/paul-wood-us-stepping-up-airstrikes-this-week-to-support-afghan-forces--1007915The strikes, following several conducted last week, indicate stepped up U.S. support after weeks of battlefield gains by the Taliban as U.S. troops complete their withdrawal. The aircraft are being flown from bases outside of Afghanistan because the U.S. military has pulled all of its combat planes out of the country.
"A number of strikes have occurred over the last several days from both manned and unmanned strike platforms," Maj. Robert Lodewick, a Pentagon spokesman, said. He did not provide further details.
Other officials had said last week's airstrikes targeted Taliban positions in combat as well as military equipment that had been captured by the Taliban.
Gen. Frank McKenzie, the head of U.S. Central Command, who is overseeing the U.S. military withdrawal and making decisions on air support for Afghan troops, said on Sunday that airstrikes had been increasing.
"We're prepared to continue this heightened level of support in the coming weeks if the Taliban continue their attacks," McKenzie said.
McKenzie also said the U.S. was providing "contract logistics support both here in Kabul and over-the-horizon in the region, funding for them, intelligence sharing, and advising and assisting through security consultations at the strategic level."
Central Command says the U.S. troop withdrawal is more than 95% complete. It is to be finished by Aug. 31. Whether the U.S. will continue to provide airstrikes in support of Afghan government forces after that date is yet to be determined.
-by ROBERT BURNS AP National Security Writer]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/dlfcc0z2/mh280721-15-paulwood-middleeastupdate.mp3Tue, 27 Jul 2021 09:46:04 +0000RoccoThe U.S. military this week has launched additional airstrikes in support of Afghan government forces in their fight against the Taliban, using both conventional warplanes and armed drones, the Pentagon said Tuesday. The strikes, following several...The strikes, following several conducted last week, indicate stepped up U.S. support after weeks of battlefield gains by the Taliban as U.S. troops complete their withdrawal. The aircraft are being flown from bases outside of Afghanistan because the U.S. military has pulled all of its combat planes out of the country.
"A number of strikes have occurred over the last several days from both manned and unmanned strike platforms," Maj. Robert Lodewick, a Pentagon spokesman, said. He did not provide further details.
Other officials had said last week's airstrikes targeted Taliban positions in combat as well as military equipment that had been captured by the Taliban.
Gen. Frank McKenzie, the head of U.S. Central Command, who is overseeing the U.S. military withdrawal and making decisions on air support for Afghan troops, said on Sunday that airstrikes had been increasing.
"We're prepared to continue this heightened level of support in the coming weeks if the Taliban continue their attacks," McKenzie said.
McKenzie also said the U.S. was providing "contract logistics support both here in Kabul and over-the-horizon in the region, funding for them, intelligence sharing, and advising and assisting through security consultations at the strategic level."
Central Command says the U.S. troop withdrawal is more than 95% complete. It is to be finished by Aug. 31. Whether the U.S. will continue to provide airstrikes in support of Afghan government forces after that date is yet to be determined.
-by ROBERT BURNS AP National Security Writer]]>388falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/tianze-sun-researchers-call-for-age-restrictions-on-tiktok-after-positive-portrayal-of-vaping-study--1007956The research coming out the University of Queensland found that there were over 800 vape videos viewed more than one point five billion times just in the month of November last year, and 63 percent of them were portraying it as something positive.
And one in four of the videos appeared to show someone under the age of 18 taking the vape.
Research author Tianze Sun told Mike Hosking they can see trends in other studies as well.
“We do know from previous literature that adolescents that are exposed to e cigarette related content, especially positive ones, are more likely to be reporting past, current or future use.
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/3u1mvhzq/mh280721-05-tianzesun-tiktokvaping.mp3Tue, 27 Jul 2021 08:46:13 +0000RoccoResearchers are calling for age restrictions on TikTok after a study showing positive portrayals of e-cigarettes and vaping. The research coming out the University of Queensland found that there were over 800 vape videos viewed more than one point...The research coming out the University of Queensland found that there were over 800 vape videos viewed more than one point five billion times just in the month of November last year, and 63 percent of them were portraying it as something positive.
And one in four of the videos appeared to show someone under the age of 18 taking the vape.
Research author Tianze Sun told Mike Hosking they can see trends in other studies as well.
“We do know from previous literature that adolescents that are exposed to e cigarette related content, especially positive ones, are more likely to be reporting past, current or future use.
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>218falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-let-s-stop-pretending-we-re-trying-to-save-the-world--10079061) Because no one else is doing their part. The IEA this week have already told us that in 2023 the planet will be producing record CO2 emissions, in other words doing exactly the opposite of what we are supposed to.
We shouldn’t feel too bad about it, because it was always going to be this way.
They foolishly got excited when the world locked down last year and emissions dropped, but, what else did they think would happen, when we all got jabbed and went back to work ?
2) We are simply making fools of our selves by declaring climate emergencies and then importing more coal than we ever have.
And not just any coal, dirty coal from Indonesia.
And we are doing that because the way we produce power doesn’t work.
Hydro is good when it rains and /or the holes in the ground are big enough, and when it doesn’t, our gas supply is up to it, which currently it isn’t.
When those things fail, which they have, we resort to importing coal.
It’s about as far away on climate as you could possibly want to be, and yet here we are.
The Govt will tell you not to worry because they have a plan, but the sad thing is their plan has already been studied and it doesn’t work because it costs too much.
Pumped hydro is their answer; it’s called Lake Dunstan. In dry years your massive bucket of water is on standby to stop the need to import coal.
They are currently spending $30 million on a report to tell them, I suspect, what they want to hear, because the other reports have concluded it’s not worth doing.
My guess is, they’ll be importing many more tonnes of coal while we wait for the report, far less any action that may eventuate from it.
The world, and no one has jump on its band wagon with more alacrity than this country, has got ahead of itself.
We live in an age where we want to feel good; we love a bandwagon, and an announcement based on “feels” suits our agenda.
We can kid ourselves, we are at least well meaning.
We call it our nuclear moment and liberal hand-wringers at places like time magazine write articles about us.
But basically, it’s a fraud and we are frauds, and the record amount of coal we are importing this year next year and in 2023 is proof.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/aayooalp/mh270721-01-emissionscomment.mp3Tue, 27 Jul 2021 02:57:37 +0000RoccoThere are two reasons why we should probably stop pretending we are looking to save the world through things like carbon emissions targets.   1) Because no one else is doing their part. The IEA this week have already told us that in 2023 the planet...1) Because no one else is doing their part. The IEA this week have already told us that in 2023 the planet will be producing record CO2 emissions, in other words doing exactly the opposite of what we are supposed to.
We shouldn’t feel too bad about it, because it was always going to be this way.
They foolishly got excited when the world locked down last year and emissions dropped, but, what else did they think would happen, when we all got jabbed and went back to work ?
2) We are simply making fools of our selves by declaring climate emergencies and then importing more coal than we ever have.
And not just any coal, dirty coal from Indonesia.
And we are doing that because the way we produce power doesn’t work.
Hydro is good when it rains and /or the holes in the ground are big enough, and when it doesn’t, our gas supply is up to it, which currently it isn’t.
When those things fail, which they have, we resort to importing coal.
It’s about as far away on climate as you could possibly want to be, and yet here we are.
The Govt will tell you not to worry because they have a plan, but the sad thing is their plan has already been studied and it doesn’t work because it costs too much.
Pumped hydro is their answer; it’s called Lake Dunstan. In dry years your massive bucket of water is on standby to stop the need to import coal.
They are currently spending $30 million on a report to tell them, I suspect, what they want to hear, because the other reports have concluded it’s not worth doing.
My guess is, they’ll be importing many more tonnes of coal while we wait for the report, far less any action that may eventuate from it.
The world, and no one has jump on its band wagon with more alacrity than this country, has got ahead of itself.
We live in an age where we want to feel good; we love a bandwagon, and an announcement based on “feels” suits our agenda.
We can kid ourselves, we are at least well meaning.
We call it our nuclear moment and liberal hand-wringers at places like time magazine write articles about us.
But basically, it’s a fraud and we are frauds, and the record amount of coal we are importing this year next year and in 2023 is proof.]]>118falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/dan-price-ceo-who-slashed-his-salary-by-1-million--1007927One man who's been leading the charge is CEO of the US company Gravity Payments, Dan Price.
He founded the credit card processing and payments technology company in 2004 and has been CEO since 2006.
Back in 2015, he caused a media storm after slashing his salary by a million dollars a year and bumping his employee's minimum salary to $70,000.
And Price claims it was a success, with the company's revenue tripling since then.
Dan Price joined Mike Hosking.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/4hrndvss/mh270721-21-danprice-payingemployeesfromownpay.mp3Mon, 26 Jul 2021 22:01:07 +0000RoccoSince the emergence of Covid there has been plenty of talk about the changing face of the workplace. One man who's been leading the charge is CEO of the US company Gravity Payments, Dan Price. He founded the credit card processing and payments...One man who's been leading the charge is CEO of the US company Gravity Payments, Dan Price.
He founded the credit card processing and payments technology company in 2004 and has been CEO since 2006.
Back in 2015, he caused a media storm after slashing his salary by a million dollars a year and bumping his employee's minimum salary to $70,000.
And Price claims it was a success, with the company's revenue tripling since then.
Dan Price joined Mike Hosking.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>622falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/hamish-wilde-brother-of-new-zealand-s-first-medallist-at-tokyo-2020-shares-his-reaction--1007894It was an emotional moment for the Whakatāne athlete, who dedicated the win to his late father.
His family were equally as happy, watching on from the Whakatāne Sportfishing Club, and Hayden’s brother Hamish told Mike Hosking he was always hopeful of a medal chance, but to see it happen was still a thrill.
“Thinking and knowing is too different things, you hope it's cause he's your brother but you don't expect it."
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/20nnn3i2/mh270721-20-hamishwilde-brotherofolympicbronzemedalist.mp3Mon, 26 Jul 2021 21:53:52 +0000RoccoNew Zealand’s first medal in the Tokyo Olympics has come courtesy of 23-year-old Hayden Wilde in the triathlon. It was an emotional moment for the Whakatāne athlete, who dedicated the win to his late father. His family were equally as happy, watching...It was an emotional moment for the Whakatāne athlete, who dedicated the win to his late father.
His family were equally as happy, watching on from the Whakatāne Sportfishing Club, and Hayden’s brother Hamish told Mike Hosking he was always hopeful of a medal chance, but to see it happen was still a thrill.
“Thinking and knowing is too different things, you hope it's cause he's your brother but you don't expect it."
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>140falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/leah-bain-child-poverty-report-co-author-says-political-decision-making-has-kept-welfare-below-the-poverty-line--1007958A new Child Poverty Action Group report estimates an extra 18,000 children have been pushed into poverty, since the first lockdown.
That's an increase of about ten per cent.
Report co-author Leah  Bain told Mike Hosking it's due to political decision-making that's kept welfare far below the poverty line.
“It still doesn’t ensure adequate housing, especially for those living in the city centres, for example, where housing increases have increased dramatically.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/4a2gbhlt/mh270721-17-leahbain-childpoverty.mp3Mon, 26 Jul 2021 21:40:51 +0000RoccoThere's belief the Government's unwillingness to pay more towards housing has put more children on the breadline. A new Child Poverty Action Group report estimates an extra 18,000 children have been pushed into poverty, since the first lockdown....A new Child Poverty Action Group report estimates an extra 18,000 children have been pushed into poverty, since the first lockdown.
That's an increase of about ten per cent.
Report co-author Leah  Bain told Mike Hosking it's due to political decision-making that's kept welfare far below the poverty line.
“It still doesn’t ensure adequate housing, especially for those living in the city centres, for example, where housing increases have increased dramatically.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>309falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/greg-barton-islamic-politics-professor-says-australia-did-the-wrong-thing-morally-on-suhayra-aden-situation--1007983The 26-year-old, who has links to ISIS, is being let back into the country with her two young children, after being held in a Turkish immigration detention centre
She had dual New Zealand/Australian citizenship, but Canberra tore up her passport last year, without telling our Government.
Deakin University chair of global Islamic politics, Greg Barton, told Mike Hosking Australia did the wrong thing morally, and New Zealand has been left to pick up the pieces.
“This idea that leaving people offshore makes Australia, or any country, safer is not just morally foolish, but actually works against national security.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/hwoc2l1k/mh270721-10-gregbarton-suhayraaden.mp3Mon, 26 Jul 2021 21:05:00 +0000RoccoThere are suggestions that New Zealand wouldn't necessarily be safer if Suhayra Aden was left overseas. The 26-year-old, who has links to ISIS, is being let back into the country with her two young children, after being held in a Turkish immigration...The 26-year-old, who has links to ISIS, is being let back into the country with her two young children, after being held in a Turkish immigration detention centre
She had dual New Zealand/Australian citizenship, but Canberra tore up her passport last year, without telling our Government.
Deakin University chair of global Islamic politics, Greg Barton, told Mike Hosking Australia did the wrong thing morally, and New Zealand has been left to pick up the pieces.
“This idea that leaving people offshore makes Australia, or any country, safer is not just morally foolish, but actually works against national security.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>179falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/nicola-willis-national-housing-spokesperson-says-labour-are-fudging-the-numbers-on-housing--1007899Data, provided through parliamentary questions, reveal that of the 7,934 public homes added by the Government, only 3,716 are new.
National housing spokeperson Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking Labour's being misleading.’
“The rest have been bought in or leased from the private market, so they’re fudging the numbers, and they’re not actually getting houses built.”
Figures from the office of Housing Minister Megan Woods,  show the number of houses bought from the private market has decreased over time, and since the last National Government.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/mtxg4wjs/mh270721-11-nicolawillis-statehousesboughtnotbuilt.mp3Mon, 26 Jul 2021 19:43:08 +0000RoccoThe National Party is calling on the Government to come clean on the number of state houses it's delivered. Data, provided through parliamentary questions, reveal that of the 7,934 public homes added by the Government, only 3,716 are new. National...Data, provided through parliamentary questions, reveal that of the 7,934 public homes added by the Government, only 3,716 are new.
National housing spokeperson Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking Labour's being misleading.’
“The rest have been bought in or leased from the private market, so they’re fudging the numbers, and they’re not actually getting houses built.”
Figures from the office of Housing Minister Megan Woods,  show the number of houses bought from the private market has decreased over time, and since the last National Government.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>144falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/catherine-fields-some-french-health-workers-resent-resist-mandatory-vaccines--1007941The French government, which has declared that the nation has officially entered its "fourth wave" of the pandemic, pushed the law mandating COVID-19 vaccines for health care workers, to protect hospitals and avoid a new lockdown. Government spokesman Gabriel Attal says the move isn't meant to stigmatize reluctant health care workers but to limit risks to the vulnerable people they care for.
The law, adopted by parliament early Monday, also sets up a "health pass" for everyone in order to access restaurants and other public venues. Both measures have prompted intense debate and two straight weekends of protests around France. Health care workers in white coats have been among the demonstrators.
Many cite incorrect information about the vaccines circulating on the internet, worry about their long-term effects or want more time to decide. Several health workers said they took issue with the mandate, not the vaccines themselves.
At one Paris protest, some carried signs reading "My body, my choice," and a health worker dressed as the Statue of Liberty called it an "act of violence" to force people to get vaccinated.
Céline Augen, a secretary at a doctor's office, knows she may lose her job if she refuses to get a shot but protested Saturday anyway.
"I'm here today in favor of the freedom to choose to get vaccinated or not," she said.
Solene Manable, a recent nursing school graduate who is working in a Lille hospital, said, "There are many health workers who don't want to get vaccinated because we don't know much about the vaccines."
Scientists say that is simply not true anymore. The vaccines used in France — Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson — were tested in tens of thousands of people around the world, and results of the studies have been shared with the public. More than 2 billion people worldwide have now received coronavirus vaccines, including most French adults, providing a broad overview of vaccines' impact on people's health.
Vaccine hesitancy among some health workers has been an issue in the U.S.  and elsewhere, too. But the French mandate is stirring up anger on the political fringes in a country long considered more vaccine-skeptic than its European neighbors.
France has faced medical scandals in recent decades involving vaccines, diet pills and breast implants that have seeded doubts about the medical establishment. Suspicion of big pharmaceutical companies is relatively common, and politicians on both the extreme right and the left are now fueling that skepticism for their own ends.
Retired doctor Bruno de Ligny, who volunteers in vaccination centers in Normandy, stressed that the technology behind the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines widely used in France, while new, has been under research for more than 20 years.  He also noted that French health workers must already be vaccinated against hepatitis B – a vaccine not compulsory for the rest of the population — but "no one claimed that was dictatorial when it was implemented."
"These health workers say they want the 'freedom' not to be vaccinated," he said. "They do not realize that what they are really asking for is the freedom to kill."
Patrick Pelloux, president of the Association of Emergency Physicians of France, lauded the French government for taking decisive action in the face of rising infections. The country is now seeing about 20,000 new infections a day, up from just a few thousand in early July, and has counted over 111,000 virus-related deaths in the pandemic.
Pelloux said workers in the lowest-skill health care jobs are among the most vaccine-wary, a symptom of what he called an overlooked "class struggle" in public hospitals, where there is little interaction between different levels of medical workers.
In June, Fran...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/cm4byvdz/mh270721-07-field-vaccinepassports-vaccineprotests.mp3Mon, 26 Jul 2021 12:00:26 +0000RoccoWhile most French health care workers are vaccinated against the coronavirus, a small but vocal minority is holding out. With infections exploding, a new law requiring them to get the shots is exposing the divide. The French government, which has...The French government, which has declared that the nation has officially entered its "fourth wave" of the pandemic, pushed the law mandating COVID-19 vaccines for health care workers, to protect hospitals and avoid a new lockdown. Government spokesman Gabriel Attal says the move isn't meant to stigmatize reluctant health care workers but to limit risks to the vulnerable people they care for.
The law, adopted by parliament early Monday, also sets up a "health pass" for everyone in order to access restaurants and other public venues. Both measures have prompted intense debate and two straight weekends of protests around France. Health care workers in white coats have been among the demonstrators.
Many cite incorrect information about the vaccines circulating on the internet, worry about their long-term effects or want more time to decide. Several health workers said they took issue with the mandate, not the vaccines themselves.
At one Paris protest, some carried signs reading "My body, my choice," and a health worker dressed as the Statue of Liberty called it an "act of violence" to force people to get vaccinated.
Céline Augen, a secretary at a doctor's office, knows she may lose her job if she refuses to get a shot but protested Saturday anyway.
"I'm here today in favor of the freedom to choose to get vaccinated or not," she said.
Solene Manable, a recent nursing school graduate who is working in a Lille hospital, said, "There are many health workers who don't want to get vaccinated because we don't know much about the vaccines."
Scientists say that is simply not true anymore. The vaccines used in France — Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson — were tested in tens of thousands of people around the world, and results of the studies have been shared with the public. More than 2 billion people worldwide have now received coronavirus vaccines, including most French adults, providing a broad overview of vaccines' impact on people's health.
Vaccine hesitancy among some health workers has been an issue in the U.S.  and elsewhere, too. But the French mandate is stirring up anger on the political fringes in a country long considered more vaccine-skeptic than its European neighbors.
France has faced medical scandals in recent decades involving vaccines, diet pills and breast implants that have seeded doubts about the medical establishment. Suspicion of big pharmaceutical companies is relatively common, and politicians on both the extreme right and the left are now fueling that skepticism for their own ends.
Retired doctor Bruno de Ligny, who volunteers in vaccination centers in Normandy, stressed that the technology behind the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines widely used in France, while new, has been under research for more than 20 years.  He also noted that French health workers must already be vaccinated against hepatitis B – a vaccine not compulsory for the rest of the population — but "no one claimed that was dictatorial when it was implemented."
"These health workers say they want the 'freedom' not to be vaccinated," he said. "They do not realize that what they are really asking for is the freedom to kill."
Patrick Pelloux, president of the Association of Emergency Physicians of France, lauded the French government for taking decisive action in the face of rising infections. The country is now seeing about 20,000 new infections a day, up from just a few thousand in early July, and has counted over 111,000 virus-related deaths in the pandemic.
Pelloux said workers in the lowest-skill health care jobs are among the most vaccine-wary, a symptom of what he called an overlooked "class struggle" in public hospitals, where there is little...]]>275falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/kevin-bowler-my-food-bag-ceo-reports-that-demand-remains-high-post-covid--1007987The company saw a real spike in demand when the country was in lockdown, as having food delivered was the preferred option than being around a whole lot of people in a supermarket.
And some of that demand has stuck post Covid.
My Food Bag CEO Kevin Bowler told Mike Hosking he thinks there is a trend in people wanting to cook healthy food for themselves.
“They really are spending more time in their homes; people are working from home more and they want to eat great meals at home.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/il4o1f0k/mh270721-05-kevinbowler-myfoodbagdemand.mp3Mon, 26 Jul 2021 09:08:19 +0000RoccoMy Food Bag may be able to thank Covid for its increased popularity, but it seems to be keeping that popularity based on the product itself. The company saw a real spike in demand when the country was in lockdown, as having food delivered was the...The company saw a real spike in demand when the country was in lockdown, as having food delivered was the preferred option than being around a whole lot of people in a supermarket.
And some of that demand has stuck post Covid.
My Food Bag CEO Kevin Bowler told Mike Hosking he thinks there is a trend in people wanting to cook healthy food for themselves.
“They really are spending more time in their homes; people are working from home more and they want to eat great meals at home.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>157falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/nick-draper-sport-and-exercise-nz-chairman-says-athletes-are-now-able-to-compete-younger-and-longer--1007928New Zealand's Erika Fairweather made it through to yesterday's women's 400 metre freestyle final at just 17 years old, coming up against a 14-year-old Canadian.
And a 13-year-old has beaten a 16-year-old and another 13-year-old to women's skateboarding gold.
Sport and Exercise Science New Zealand chairman Nick Draper told Mike Hosking  we're seeing those younger athletes competing at the top level for longer.
“The sport science and the physiotherapy and the care that is taken with athletes, is probably helping to enhance their active playing lives.”
Fairweather is back in the water today in the women's 200 metre freestyle semi-finals this afternoon.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/pscjyewt/mh270721-13-nickdraper-athletespeak.mp3Mon, 26 Jul 2021 08:45:32 +0000RoccoThe world's top athletes are starting younger and competing for longer. New Zealand's Erika Fairweather made it through to yesterday's women's 400 metre freestyle final at just 17 years old, coming up against a 14-year-old Canadian. And a 13-year-old...New Zealand's Erika Fairweather made it through to yesterday's women's 400 metre freestyle final at just 17 years old, coming up against a 14-year-old Canadian.
And a 13-year-old has beaten a 16-year-old and another 13-year-old to women's skateboarding gold.
Sport and Exercise Science New Zealand chairman Nick Draper told Mike Hosking  we're seeing those younger athletes competing at the top level for longer.
“The sport science and the physiotherapy and the care that is taken with athletes, is probably helping to enhance their active playing lives.”
Fairweather is back in the water today in the women's 200 metre freestyle semi-finals this afternoon.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>153falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/comm-box-olympics-kick-off-despite-covid-early-chances-for-medals--1007917Despite the odd cases, there hasn’t been a major concern in the Olympic Village.
Some of the sports may not have been missing that pre-Covid atmosphere either.
In the rowing, New Zealand is still in with a chance of the medals.
Skateboarding and surfing also had their first ever events in the Olympics.
In other sporting news, the Bledisloe Cup debate rages on as a result of the closure of the trans-Tasman bubble.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/0zpngiop/mhb26-07-21-comm-box.mp3Mon, 26 Jul 2021 01:30:07 +0000RoccoCovid nerves have been replaced with competition nerves at the Tokyo Olympic village. Despite the odd cases, there hasn’t been a major concern in the Olympic Village. Some of the sports may not have been missing that pre-Covid atmosphere either. In...Despite the odd cases, there hasn’t been a major concern in the Olympic Village.
Some of the sports may not have been missing that pre-Covid atmosphere either.
In the rowing, New Zealand is still in with a chance of the medals.
Skateboarding and surfing also had their first ever events in the Olympics.
In other sporting news, the Bledisloe Cup debate rages on as a result of the closure of the trans-Tasman bubble.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>782falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/gavin-faull-hotel-industry-could-pull-off-act-s-private-miq-proposal--1007988The proposal would allow vaccinated travellers to pay for private MIQ at mothballed hotels.
All staff would have to be vaccinated, and regular saliva testing would have to take place at any hotel that wanted to sign up for it.
Leader David Seymour says it would help struggling hotels and free up spaces in MIQ.
Swiss-Belhotel President Gavin Faull told Mike Hosking the industry could pull it off.
"Just needs communication, just needs working together in this new systems and the hotel industry knows systems and we know discipline."
Faull says the government needs to trust them so they can help out.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/dpgg12om/mhb26-07-21-gavin-faull.mp3Sun, 25 Jul 2021 23:50:19 +0000RoccoA struggling hotel owner says ACT's private MIQ policy would help out the industry. The proposal would allow vaccinated travellers to pay for private MIQ at mothballed hotels. All staff would have to be vaccinated, and regular saliva testing would...The proposal would allow vaccinated travellers to pay for private MIQ at mothballed hotels.
All staff would have to be vaccinated, and regular saliva testing would have to take place at any hotel that wanted to sign up for it.
Leader David Seymour says it would help struggling hotels and free up spaces in MIQ.
Swiss-Belhotel President Gavin Faull told Mike Hosking the industry could pull it off.
"Just needs communication, just needs working together in this new systems and the hotel industry knows systems and we know discipline."
Faull says the government needs to trust them so they can help out.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>148falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/steve-price-sydney-covid-death-had-no-underlying-health-issues--1007942Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the death on Sunday and extended her condolences to the woman's family.
"I want to extend my heartfelt condolences to those families, the loved ones who are grieving today," she said.
NSW's deputy chief health officer Jeremy McAnulty said the woman was in her late 30s and was from central Sydney.
She died at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney's inner west.
She was later identified as Adriana Midori Takara, an accounting student who spiralled quickly after contracting the virus, with shocked friends paying tribute.
Marlene Coimbra, who knew Takara, told The Daily Telegraph she was "mortified" by the news and her friend's condition deteriorated quickly.
"The virus debilitated her very, very quickly. It's shocking.
"She was healthy, happy, working, she had a boyfriend. It's shocking."
In another Facebook post, she was grieving "the loss of not a number but a sister and a friend".
"Adriana is a daughter, sister, aunty, niece and specially a friend. An amazing friend, not only my friend but friend of so many people," she said.
"Adriana is not a number, she is a woman with dreams and wishes.
"Tonight when you look at the sky, it will be brighter and the shiniest star will be my friend is peace away of all this madness (sic).
""I can't thank enough all the doctors for doing their best."
A migration agent who knew Takara told The Sydney Morning Herald "all goodbyes were said via Zoom to audiences in Australia and Brazil".
Another woman, aged in her 70s, also died from the coronavirus disease, the officials said.
The older woman was from south west Sydney and died at Campbelltown Hospital.
Berejiklian said the younger woman's death underscored that Covid-19 can be very dangerous even to young and healthy people.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Sunday in Sydney. Photo / Getty
"If anybody think this is a disease just affecting older people, please think again," she said.
Berejiklian said the younger woman's death underscored that Covid-19 can be very dangerous even to young and healthy people.
"If anybody think this is a disease just affecting older people, please think again," she said.
New South Wales experienced a record of more than 100,000 tests after registering two deaths and 141 new locally acquired cases of Covid-19.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/q1khgutx/mhb26-07-21-steve-price.mp3Sun, 25 Jul 2021 22:50:04 +0000RoccoA woman in her 30s who died of coronavirus in Sydney over the weekend has been identified as a 38-year-old Brazilian national with no pre-existing medical conditions. Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the death on Sunday and extended her...Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the death on Sunday and extended her condolences to the woman's family.
"I want to extend my heartfelt condolences to those families, the loved ones who are grieving today," she said.
NSW's deputy chief health officer Jeremy McAnulty said the woman was in her late 30s and was from central Sydney.
She died at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney's inner west.
She was later identified as Adriana Midori Takara, an accounting student who spiralled quickly after contracting the virus, with shocked friends paying tribute.
Marlene Coimbra, who knew Takara, told The Daily Telegraph she was "mortified" by the news and her friend's condition deteriorated quickly.
"The virus debilitated her very, very quickly. It's shocking.
"She was healthy, happy, working, she had a boyfriend. It's shocking."
In another Facebook post, she was grieving "the loss of not a number but a sister and a friend".
"Adriana is a daughter, sister, aunty, niece and specially a friend. An amazing friend, not only my friend but friend of so many people," she said.
"Adriana is not a number, she is a woman with dreams and wishes.
"Tonight when you look at the sky, it will be brighter and the shiniest star will be my friend is peace away of all this madness (sic).
""I can't thank enough all the doctors for doing their best."
A migration agent who knew Takara told The Sydney Morning Herald "all goodbyes were said via Zoom to audiences in Australia and Brazil".
Another woman, aged in her 70s, also died from the coronavirus disease, the officials said.
The older woman was from south west Sydney and died at Campbelltown Hospital.
Berejiklian said the younger woman's death underscored that Covid-19 can be very dangerous even to young and healthy people.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Sunday in Sydney. Photo / Getty
"If anybody think this is a disease just affecting older people, please think again," she said.
Berejiklian said the younger woman's death underscored that Covid-19 can be very dangerous even to young and healthy people.
"If anybody think this is a disease just affecting older people, please think again," she said.
New South Wales experienced a record of more than 100,000 tests after registering two deaths and 141 new locally acquired cases of Covid-19.]]>349falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/dr-michael-bonning-sydney-protests-adding-risk-and-uncertainty-to-lockdown--1007959The man has emerged as the "missing link" to a Qantas flight attendant who has tested positive to the Delta strain.
The Sydneysider flew to Queensland despite not being permitted to leave Sydney, and after being informed he was a close contact of a positive case, which meant he was required to isolate at home.
He later lied to authorities, telling them he was at home in Sydney despite already having made it to Queensland.

Queensland health authorities are racing to track the movements of an infected Sydney man who defied health orders and travelled to the Sunshine State. #9Today pic.twitter.com/F6BqV9KWB2— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) July 25, 2021

Protesters planned clash on social media
The shocking anti-lockdown protests which shocked Australia this weekend had been planned on social media for weeks in advance, it has been revealed.
According to the Australian, details of the rally had been shared online for some time on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and the encrypted messaging app Telegram.
A string of so-called "freedom rally" groups across Australia also began popping up on Telegram, attracting thousands who shared tips for evading police and planning protests.
Police are in the process of tracking down and charging those who attended the rallies in Sydney and Melbourne, with thousands of Australians already dobbing in attendees.
Gladys in crisis talks as cases grow
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is reportedly set to face a crisis cabinet meeting this morning as the state's Covid nightmare escalates.
According to the Daily Mail, sources claim a "significant extension" of Sydney's harsh lockdown could be announced within hours in a bid to contain the spread of the virus.
The publication claims the NSW Government has requested financial modelling to investigate the impact of extending the lockdown until September 17, indicating the state could be in for many more weeks of pain.
It comes after 141 new cases were announced yesterday, as well as two more Covid deaths, including a woman in her 30s with no underlying health conditions.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/jk4p5i12/mhb26-07-21-dr-micahel-bonnong.mp3Sun, 25 Jul 2021 22:38:17 +0000RoccoAuthorities are on high alert this morning after a Sydney man repeatedly broke NSW's tough Covid rules to fly to Queensland, putting the Sunshine State at risk. The man has emerged as the "missing link" to a Qantas flight attendant who has tested...The man has emerged as the "missing link" to a Qantas flight attendant who has tested positive to the Delta strain.
The Sydneysider flew to Queensland despite not being permitted to leave Sydney, and after being informed he was a close contact of a positive case, which meant he was required to isolate at home.
He later lied to authorities, telling them he was at home in Sydney despite already having made it to Queensland.

Queensland health authorities are racing to track the movements of an infected Sydney man who defied health orders and travelled to the Sunshine State. #9Today pic.twitter.com/F6BqV9KWB2— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) July 25, 2021

Protesters planned clash on social media
The shocking anti-lockdown protests which shocked Australia this weekend had been planned on social media for weeks in advance, it has been revealed.
According to the Australian, details of the rally had been shared online for some time on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and the encrypted messaging app Telegram.
A string of so-called "freedom rally" groups across Australia also began popping up on Telegram, attracting thousands who shared tips for evading police and planning protests.
Police are in the process of tracking down and charging those who attended the rallies in Sydney and Melbourne, with thousands of Australians already dobbing in attendees.
Gladys in crisis talks as cases grow
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is reportedly set to face a crisis cabinet meeting this morning as the state's Covid nightmare escalates.
According to the Daily Mail, sources claim a "significant extension" of Sydney's harsh lockdown could be announced within hours in a bid to contain the spread of the virus.
The publication claims the NSW Government has requested financial modelling to investigate the impact of extending the lockdown until September 17, indicating the state could be in for many more weeks of pain.
It comes after 141 new cases were announced yesterday, as well as two more Covid deaths, including a woman in her 30s with no underlying health conditions.]]>175falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/sunny-kaushal-businesses-affected-by-crl-feel-ignored--1007918The owner of Da Vinci's Italian Restuarant in Albert St says construction of the $4.4 billion rail project has been so disruptive, it's left him with no choice but to close.
Parliamentary questions also show Small Business Minister Stuart Nash, hasn't requested advice about the impact City Rail Link is having on local businesses.
Advocate for affected CRL Businesses Sunny Kaushal told Mike Hosking they feel ignored.
“The government and Auckland Council - they have blood on their hands. The businesses are shutting down and the offices are vanishing one after one each week.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/vudf0tuk/mhb26-07-21-sunny-kaushal.mp3Sun, 25 Jul 2021 21:07:38 +0000RoccoAnother business has fallen victim to Auckland's City Rail Link work. The owner of Da Vinci's Italian Restuarant in Albert St says construction of the $4.4 billion rail project has been so disruptive, it's left him with no choice but to close....The owner of Da Vinci's Italian Restuarant in Albert St says construction of the $4.4 billion rail project has been so disruptive, it's left him with no choice but to close.
Parliamentary questions also show Small Business Minister Stuart Nash, hasn't requested advice about the impact City Rail Link is having on local businesses.
Advocate for affected CRL Businesses Sunny Kaushal told Mike Hosking they feel ignored.
“The government and Auckland Council - they have blood on their hands. The businesses are shutting down and the offices are vanishing one after one each week.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>187falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/catherine-campbell-parents-shouldn-t-be-worried-about-kids-accents-changing-from-tv--1007998Some US parents believe due to an increased use of TV over the pandemic, they've been seeing a sudden rise in their kids replicating the accents of programmes they're watching.
New York University research has showed kids are developing British accents after a glut of Peppa Pig watching during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Some experts are sceptical of the theory.
Speech and language specialist Catherine Campbell told Mike Hosking accents are generally influenced by children's peer groups.
“They will assimilate with the local accent, then once you get to that age of about 18, your accent's barely set in concrete.”
Campbell says parents shouldn’t be worried, as TV shows are one of our many influences on speech.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/15zbwj33/mhb26-07-21-catherine-campbell.mp3Sun, 25 Jul 2021 13:04:16 +0000RoccoChildren's accents may be changing based on their favourite TV Show. Some US parents believe due to an increased use of TV over the pandemic, they've been seeing a sudden rise in their kids replicating the accents of programmes they're watching. New...Some US parents believe due to an increased use of TV over the pandemic, they've been seeing a sudden rise in their kids replicating the accents of programmes they're watching.
New York University research has showed kids are developing British accents after a glut of Peppa Pig watching during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Some experts are sceptical of the theory.
Speech and language specialist Catherine Campbell told Mike Hosking accents are generally influenced by children's peer groups.
“They will assimilate with the local accent, then once you get to that age of about 18, your accent's barely set in concrete.”
Campbell says parents shouldn’t be worried, as TV shows are one of our many influences on speech.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>175falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/dave-gerrard-world-has-a-lot-to-learn-from-how-covid-is-contained-at-olympics--1007951Strict measures are in place for all events.
That includes for the New Zealanders back in action today -- in the swimming, rowing, sailing, surfing, hockey, triathlon, shooting, rugby sevens, tennis and cycling.
Dave Gerrard, who's part of the International Swimming Federation medical team, told Mike Hosking the rules seem to be working with athletes of all cultures doing what they're told.
“This infection control in the face of a pandemic, such as we've never met before, demonstrates that we can get people in large numbers to observe restrictions.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/h1wpwjy5/mhb26-07-21-dave-gerrard.mp3Sun, 25 Jul 2021 12:43:22 +0000RoccoThe world could have lessons to learn from how Covid-19 is being contained at the Tokyo Olympic Games. Strict measures are in place for all events. That includes for the New Zealanders back in action today -- in the swimming, rowing, sailing, surfing,...Strict measures are in place for all events.
That includes for the New Zealanders back in action today -- in the swimming, rowing, sailing, surfing, hockey, triathlon, shooting, rugby sevens, tennis and cycling.
Dave Gerrard, who's part of the International Swimming Federation medical team, told Mike Hosking the rules seem to be working with athletes of all cultures doing what they're told.
“This infection control in the face of a pandemic, such as we've never met before, demonstrates that we can get people in large numbers to observe restrictions.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>214falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/leonie-freeman-continuing-success-of-housing-sector-is-vital-for-gdp--1007929A report commissioned by the Property Council reveals it makes up 15 percent of our total GDP, making it the country's biggest industry.
It also shows growth ballooned to $19.6 billion between 2009 and 2019.
Property Council Chief Executive Leonie Freeman told Mike Hosking the continuing success of the sector is vital.
"It is integral to everything that everybody does, so it's important that it remains strong."
Freeman says housing is a critical part of the economy and growth is important.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/esjbnax0/mhb26-07-21-leonie-freeman.mp3Sun, 25 Jul 2021 10:45:47 +0000RoccoThe housing sector's economic impact appears to be going from strength to strength. A report commissioned by the Property Council reveals it makes up 15 percent of our total GDP, making it the country's biggest industry. It also shows growth ballooned...A report commissioned by the Property Council reveals it makes up 15 percent of our total GDP, making it the country's biggest industry.
It also shows growth ballooned to $19.6 billion between 2009 and 2019.
Property Council Chief Executive Leonie Freeman told Mike Hosking the continuing success of the sector is vital.
"It is integral to everything that everybody does, so it's important that it remains strong."
Freeman says housing is a critical part of the economy and growth is important.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>187falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/sam-macdonald-christchurch-city-councillor-says-stadium-decision-once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity-missed--1007999A majority of councillors decided yesterday to lower the number of seats of a new multipurpose, covered stadium from 30-thousand to  25-thousand.
That's after they were advised the stadium was over budget by about 130-million dollars.
Christchurch City Councillor Sam MacDonald, who voted against the decision, told Mike Yardley it's very short sighted.
"We've missed a once in a lifetime opportunity, and unfortunately, it just shows a real lack of understanding about those long term needs for our city and also for the wider South Island."
LISTEN ABOVE
 
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/2aypz443/mhb23-07-21-sam-macdonald.mp3Thu, 22 Jul 2021 21:12:53 +0000RoccoThe decision to reduce capacity for a new stadium in Christchurch -- could result in a drop public confidence in the council. A majority of councillors decided yesterday to lower the number of seats of a new multipurpose, covered stadium from...A majority of councillors decided yesterday to lower the number of seats of a new multipurpose, covered stadium from 30-thousand to  25-thousand.
That's after they were advised the stadium was over budget by about 130-million dollars.
Christchurch City Councillor Sam MacDonald, who voted against the decision, told Mike Yardley it's very short sighted.
"We've missed a once in a lifetime opportunity, and unfortunately, it just shows a real lack of understanding about those long term needs for our city and also for the wider South Island."
LISTEN ABOVE
 
 ]]>271falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-jacinda-trusts-harry-tam-do-you--1007900You may well have seen the video that’s doing the rounds of Harry Tam.
Wearing his Mongrel Mob patch, revving up his fellow Mobsters to vote Labour in September.
There’s expletives and a Nazi victory salute thrown in for good measure. The suggestion is this video was shot in the lead up to last year’s election – although that’s not confirmed.
To be honest, Tam looks younger to me in the video.
But what is undeniable is that Tam loves Labour, hates the hell out of National and its quote” Mother F-er” leader.
Is this loose cannon and lifetime gang member, rallying his troops to vote Labour, really the kind of chap who should be bagging millions of your dollars, courtesy of Labour’s starry-eyed benevolence?
On the broader issue, you’ll be aware that I am perturbed by the dismal lack of transparency over the Health Ministry’s drug rehab funding decisions. $187 million is divvied out to forty six providers.
And the Ministry cannot provide me with any hard data, any statistics, any percentages of the effectiveness or success rates of these programmes they bankroll.
It’s actually quite staggering.
On Tam’s business website, Hard 2 Reach, there’s a reference to the Kahukura programme, run by his Chaindogs.
After the ten week pilot, all ten tane passed drug tests. Since completing the course, the police have commented there’s been a reduction in offending amongst the group.” And that’s it.
Call me old-school, but that’s a flimsy evaluation. Publicly funded drug rehab seems to specialise in the opaque.
But back to this video.
It vividly reinforces the disastrous optics encircling this entire fiasco. The gullibility and recklessness of Ardern’s decision, aided and abetted by a pack of do-gooders in high places, is gob-stopping.
She may be comfortable giving his business millions of dollars.
SHE may trust him – but after seeing this video, if you had any doubts, can you honestly say YOU would? And would you pass a sobriety test if required?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/1xxfaoag/mhb23-07-21-opening-editorial.mp3Thu, 22 Jul 2021 21:02:40 +0000RoccoWe seem to be ending the week much as it began, with Harry Tam. Jacinda seems to trust me. Why wouldn’t you? You may well have seen the video that’s doing the rounds of Harry Tam. Wearing his Mongrel Mob patch, revving up his fellow Mobsters to vote...You may well have seen the video that’s doing the rounds of Harry Tam.
Wearing his Mongrel Mob patch, revving up his fellow Mobsters to vote Labour in September.
There’s expletives and a Nazi victory salute thrown in for good measure. The suggestion is this video was shot in the lead up to last year’s election – although that’s not confirmed.
To be honest, Tam looks younger to me in the video.
But what is undeniable is that Tam loves Labour, hates the hell out of National and its quote” Mother F-er” leader.
Is this loose cannon and lifetime gang member, rallying his troops to vote Labour, really the kind of chap who should be bagging millions of your dollars, courtesy of Labour’s starry-eyed benevolence?
On the broader issue, you’ll be aware that I am perturbed by the dismal lack of transparency over the Health Ministry’s drug rehab funding decisions. $187 million is divvied out to forty six providers.
And the Ministry cannot provide me with any hard data, any statistics, any percentages of the effectiveness or success rates of these programmes they bankroll.
It’s actually quite staggering.
On Tam’s business website, Hard 2 Reach, there’s a reference to the Kahukura programme, run by his Chaindogs.
After the ten week pilot, all ten tane passed drug tests. Since completing the course, the police have commented there’s been a reduction in offending amongst the group.” And that’s it.
Call me old-school, but that’s a flimsy evaluation. Publicly funded drug rehab seems to specialise in the opaque.
But back to this video.
It vividly reinforces the disastrous optics encircling this entire fiasco. The gullibility and recklessness of Ardern’s decision, aided and abetted by a pack of do-gooders in high places, is gob-stopping.
She may be comfortable giving his business millions of dollars.
SHE may trust him – but after seeing this video, if you had any doubts, can you honestly say YOU would? And would you pass a sobriety test if required?]]>166falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/dick-pound-cancellation-of-games-extremely-unlikely--1007931The games' opening ceremony will be held tonight.
Among other competitors, New Zealand's men's and women's football teams have already begun competition, while our rowers will get their first go on the water later this morning.
IOC member Dick Pound told Mike Yardley stringent measures are in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19, and a cancellation of the games remains an extremely unlikely, last resort.
"We're in constant daily, if not hourly touch with the organisers and Japanese authorities and public health authorities, including the WHO."]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/rzvhgdvx/mhb23-07-21-v-dick-pound.mp3Thu, 22 Jul 2021 20:47:24 +0000RoccoThe International Olympic Committee says it will take an "Armageddon" to cancel the Tokyo Games. The games' opening ceremony will be held tonight. Among other competitors, New Zealand's men's and women's football teams have already begun competition,...The games' opening ceremony will be held tonight.
Among other competitors, New Zealand's men's and women's football teams have already begun competition, while our rowers will get their first go on the water later this morning.
IOC member Dick Pound told Mike Yardley stringent measures are in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19, and a cancellation of the games remains an extremely unlikely, last resort.
"We're in constant daily, if not hourly touch with the organisers and Japanese authorities and public health authorities, including the WHO."]]>341falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-vaccine-rollout-proof-our-dhb-system-is-a-dog--1008007There will be hell to pay if the government fails to hit those targets, given the dawdling progress to date, we’re a sitting duck.
Delta is doing its damndest to derail the world’s reopening. But the world’s best vaccines, led by Pfizer, are proving their worth. They’re undeniably critical to blitzing the paralysis and liberating our lives – even if that means future boosters.
The latest polling indicates only 14% of Kiwis are non-starters for the jab. I believe that figure will soon fall to single figures.
Because, if you are an anti-vaxxer, with no precluding medical conditions, you may well find yourself living in your own self-imposed hermit kingdom, before long.
You can kiss goodbye to exploring the world, beyond a few fragile bubbles in our neighbourhood.
If you want to narrow your horizons, go for your life.
That’s why I believe many currently aloof, bullet-proof millennials, for example, will soon wake up to the imperative to get jabbed, so they can travel and not infect granny.
An IATA or APEC Vaccine Passport is surely going to be a long-haul pre-requisite come next year.
Our health officials need to clean up their act and give us clear, consistent messaging.
So often, what the ministry says does not square with the on the ground reality, from one DHB district to the next.
My DHB, Canterbury, is saying that vaccinations for Group Four won’t start being administered until mid-September. The Ministry says bookings open on July twenty eight, for the first age band in Group 4, Over Sixties.
Dr Bloomfield says that everyone in Group Three, who hasn’t yet been contacted, will be in the next few days.
Only twenty per cent of Group 3 has received its first dose. Meanwhile, many Group Four people in their twenties, thirties, forties and fifties are receiving booking invitations.
It’s a buggars muddle, too many clipboard cooks in the kitchen.
Its proof positive why the DHB model and its mysterious disparities is a dog, which, thankfully, will soon be dumped.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/25kbvlxk/mhb23-07-21-7-20am-editorial.mp3Thu, 22 Jul 2021 12:49:33 +0000RoccoI’m next scheduled to share breakfast with you in mid-October, when Hosking’s on holiday. According to my abacus, at least fifty per cent of the population should be fully vaccinated by then. There will be hell to pay if the government fails to hit...There will be hell to pay if the government fails to hit those targets, given the dawdling progress to date, we’re a sitting duck.
Delta is doing its damndest to derail the world’s reopening. But the world’s best vaccines, led by Pfizer, are proving their worth. They’re undeniably critical to blitzing the paralysis and liberating our lives – even if that means future boosters.
The latest polling indicates only 14% of Kiwis are non-starters for the jab. I believe that figure will soon fall to single figures.
Because, if you are an anti-vaxxer, with no precluding medical conditions, you may well find yourself living in your own self-imposed hermit kingdom, before long.
You can kiss goodbye to exploring the world, beyond a few fragile bubbles in our neighbourhood.
If you want to narrow your horizons, go for your life.
That’s why I believe many currently aloof, bullet-proof millennials, for example, will soon wake up to the imperative to get jabbed, so they can travel and not infect granny.
An IATA or APEC Vaccine Passport is surely going to be a long-haul pre-requisite come next year.
Our health officials need to clean up their act and give us clear, consistent messaging.
So often, what the ministry says does not square with the on the ground reality, from one DHB district to the next.
My DHB, Canterbury, is saying that vaccinations for Group Four won’t start being administered until mid-September. The Ministry says bookings open on July twenty eight, for the first age band in Group 4, Over Sixties.
Dr Bloomfield says that everyone in Group Three, who hasn’t yet been contacted, will be in the next few days.
Only twenty per cent of Group 3 has received its first dose. Meanwhile, many Group Four people in their twenties, thirties, forties and fifties are receiving booking invitations.
It’s a buggars muddle, too many clipboard cooks in the kitchen.
Its proof positive why the DHB model and its mysterious disparities is a dog, which, thankfully, will soon be dumped.]]>166falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/luuka-jones-kiwi-k1-canoe-silver-winner-at-rio-talks-chances-at-tokyo-olympics-2020--1007926The 32-year-old's at her fourth Games, this time competing in both the C1 and K1 disciplines after taking silver in the latter at Rio.
Jones says that's been the key area of adaptability into a Japanese summer after a prior month spent in Europe.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/rrfjfzfu/mhb23-07-21-luuka-jones.mp3Thu, 22 Jul 2021 09:48:27 +0000RoccoA cool body will create a cooler head which will hopefully deliver the coolest of performances at the Tokyo Olympics for canoe slalomist Luuka Jones The 32-year-old's at her fourth Games, this time competing in both the C1 and K1 disciplines after...The 32-year-old's at her fourth Games, this time competing in both the C1 and K1 disciplines after taking silver in the latter at Rio.
Jones says that's been the key area of adaptability into a Japanese summer after a prior month spent in Europe.]]>193falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/shaun-hendy-automated-air-new-zealand-message-hints-at-trans-tasman-bubble-pause--1007935An automated message on Air New Zealand's general inquiry line says the government had announced an extended pause on quarantine-free travel from Australia.
Cabinet met yesterday afternoon to discuss the worsening situation in Australia and an announcement is expected today.
Auckland University Covid-19 modeller Shaun Hendy told Mike Yardley the risk of cases popping up in other states from the outbreak in New South Wales is still there.
"And I guess the Government's not wanting to leave New Zealanders in large numbers stuck in Australia, so this decision probably reflects that desire."
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/m0epzrqz/mhb23-07-21-sean-hendy.mp3Thu, 22 Jul 2021 08:21:53 +0000RoccoThere is a hint of a full pause of the Trans-Tasman bubble. An automated message on Air New Zealand's general inquiry line says the government had announced an extended pause on quarantine-free travel from Australia. Cabinet met yesterday afternoon to...An automated message on Air New Zealand's general inquiry line says the government had announced an extended pause on quarantine-free travel from Australia.
Cabinet met yesterday afternoon to discuss the worsening situation in Australia and an announcement is expected today.
Auckland University Covid-19 modeller Shaun Hendy told Mike Yardley the risk of cases popping up in other states from the outbreak in New South Wales is still there.
"And I guess the Government's not wanting to leave New Zealanders in large numbers stuck in Australia, so this decision probably reflects that desire."
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>217falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/deborah-manning-human-rights-lawyer-says-putting-asylum-seekers-in-mt-eden-prison-wholly-inappropriate--1007971An independent review has been commissioned by the Government to see if the practice of detaining asylum seekers in prison can be tidied up.
It follows an Amnesty International report which has revealed 86 people have been put in prison in the last five years.
Immigration and human rights lawyer Deborah Manning told Mike Yardley we need to explore other options.
"We've got a refugee hostel in Auckland and allowing that to be considered as a place of detention that people could go to, that would be a really great outcome."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/turpcis3/mhb23-07-21-deborah-manning.mp3Thu, 22 Jul 2021 08:10:23 +0000RoccoHuman rights advocates say throwing asylum seekers in Mount Eden prison is wholly inappropriate. An independent review has been commissioned by the Government to see if the practice of detaining asylum seekers in prison can be tidied up. It follows an...An independent review has been commissioned by the Government to see if the practice of detaining asylum seekers in prison can be tidied up.
It follows an Amnesty International report which has revealed 86 people have been put in prison in the last five years.
Immigration and human rights lawyer Deborah Manning told Mike Yardley we need to explore other options.
"We've got a refugee hostel in Auckland and allowing that to be considered as a place of detention that people could go to, that would be a really great outcome."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>313falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-christchurch-stadium-saga-is-amateur-hour--1007955Ten years on from the killer quake, it’s embarrassing that the Christchurch Council is still faffing around with the concept design, arguing the toss over the seating capacity.
Four hundred and seventy three million dollars is the capped budget for the new arena. It’s long been agreed it will be a thirty thousand seater venue, of which five thousand seats are movable and temporary. Roll them out, on demand.
And of course, just like Dunedin’s Forysth Barr, the Christchurch facility will be enclosed, a tub-thumping cauldron for live sport and entertainment.
But now it transpires, there’s been a last minute cost blow out. They’re blaming the rocketing costs on materials and shipping. And the budget will only stretch to twenty five thousand seats. So today, the council convenes to thrash it out.
They should not settle for a substandard seating capacity. It will jeopardise the chance of securing regular Tier 1 All Blacks Tests – without shovelling out monstrous incentive fees to the Rugby Union.
Who’s to blame for this shambles? Many of those city councillors should look in the mirror.
Many of them despise this stadium – and rugby. They’d far prefer to plough this cash into wider and longer cycleways. The tragedy is the capital costs for this project have continued to grow and fester, while the council dithered. Eight years ago, Lianne Dalziel and friends sabotaged the project by kicking it into touch for ten years. They could have got this anchor project built years ago, at half the cost.
This whole saga is amateur hour on a grand scale. Frankly, the surrounding district councils in greater Christchurch should now chip in to boost the capital budget.
This project’s integrity is on the line, without decent seating capacity. Don’t betray the hopes and dreams of Christchurch. Don’t downgrade the stadium.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/lcwdrdiz/mhb22-07-21-editorial-chch-stadium.mp3Thu, 22 Jul 2021 02:49:15 +0000RoccoIf I can be so immodest, New Zealand’s second largest city is the sporting powerhouse of the nation, and Christchurch is still bereft of a half-decent stadium. That godforsaken piecemeal set up in Addington, Orangetheory, is the stadium equivalent of...Ten years on from the killer quake, it’s embarrassing that the Christchurch Council is still faffing around with the concept design, arguing the toss over the seating capacity.
Four hundred and seventy three million dollars is the capped budget for the new arena. It’s long been agreed it will be a thirty thousand seater venue, of which five thousand seats are movable and temporary. Roll them out, on demand.
And of course, just like Dunedin’s Forysth Barr, the Christchurch facility will be enclosed, a tub-thumping cauldron for live sport and entertainment.
But now it transpires, there’s been a last minute cost blow out. They’re blaming the rocketing costs on materials and shipping. And the budget will only stretch to twenty five thousand seats. So today, the council convenes to thrash it out.
They should not settle for a substandard seating capacity. It will jeopardise the chance of securing regular Tier 1 All Blacks Tests – without shovelling out monstrous incentive fees to the Rugby Union.
Who’s to blame for this shambles? Many of those city councillors should look in the mirror.
Many of them despise this stadium – and rugby. They’d far prefer to plough this cash into wider and longer cycleways. The tragedy is the capital costs for this project have continued to grow and fester, while the council dithered. Eight years ago, Lianne Dalziel and friends sabotaged the project by kicking it into touch for ten years. They could have got this anchor project built years ago, at half the cost.
This whole saga is amateur hour on a grand scale. Frankly, the surrounding district councils in greater Christchurch should now chip in to boost the capital budget.
This project’s integrity is on the line, without decent seating capacity. Don’t betray the hopes and dreams of Christchurch. Don’t downgrade the stadium.]]>160falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-the-police-minister-is-drinking-the-kool-aid--1007974I really wanted to know why she was so dead against those Armed Response Teams. What had stiffened her spine. Let alone her never never opposition to the general arming of the police. No matter how many cops are attacked or shot.
I put it to Poto, that along with the Police Commissioner she was placing far too much stock on the woke radical pressure groups who purport to represent the public pulse on policing issues.
Just Speak. Action Station. And People Against Prisons Aotearoa. They’re a bit like the cycling lobby, highly organised, highly adept at capturing councils, flooding them with submissions and courting favour.
I’m adamant that these groups, who obsess about policing, are driving the anti-cop agenda, and fuelling the hostility to armed police.
The Police Minister duckshoved my suspicions by arguing that she was solely representing the concerns of Maori, Pacific and South Auckland communities, not the pressure groups.
Now the whole interview could have got sidetracked if I had got preoccupied over whom she says she’s representing. She’s the Maori and Pacific Minister of Police, apparently.
But I was happy for her to dig her own hole, on that score. Who am I to stop a politician from continuing hoisting themselves with their own petard, if they so choose?
She’s inadvertently blown a gaping hole in the Prime Minister’s oh so earnest pledge on election night. “We will govern for all New Zealanders.”
My greater concern about Poto’s rhetoric yesterday is just how disengaged she sounded about the ever present threats, that face our frontline cops. She was more concerned about the arrest rate of Maori and Pacific people. Clearly, she thinks they are picked on by the police, targeted and arrested unfairly.
And that talking point will have pleased those woke radical pressure groups no end. Poto the Parrot.
The Police Minister is drinking the Kool Aid.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/diqdpqlg/mhb22-07-21-editorial-poto.mp3Wed, 21 Jul 2021 22:09:06 +0000RoccoThere’s no question that the Police Minister’s appearance on the programme yesterday was an epic fail. And the fallout has been immense, with calls for the Minister to be sacked. I really wanted to know why she was so dead against those Armed Response...I really wanted to know why she was so dead against those Armed Response Teams. What had stiffened her spine. Let alone her never never opposition to the general arming of the police. No matter how many cops are attacked or shot.
I put it to Poto, that along with the Police Commissioner she was placing far too much stock on the woke radical pressure groups who purport to represent the public pulse on policing issues.
Just Speak. Action Station. And People Against Prisons Aotearoa. They’re a bit like the cycling lobby, highly organised, highly adept at capturing councils, flooding them with submissions and courting favour.
I’m adamant that these groups, who obsess about policing, are driving the anti-cop agenda, and fuelling the hostility to armed police.
The Police Minister duckshoved my suspicions by arguing that she was solely representing the concerns of Maori, Pacific and South Auckland communities, not the pressure groups.
Now the whole interview could have got sidetracked if I had got preoccupied over whom she says she’s representing. She’s the Maori and Pacific Minister of Police, apparently.
But I was happy for her to dig her own hole, on that score. Who am I to stop a politician from continuing hoisting themselves with their own petard, if they so choose?
She’s inadvertently blown a gaping hole in the Prime Minister’s oh so earnest pledge on election night. “We will govern for all New Zealanders.”
My greater concern about Poto’s rhetoric yesterday is just how disengaged she sounded about the ever present threats, that face our frontline cops. She was more concerned about the arrest rate of Maori and Pacific people. Clearly, she thinks they are picked on by the police, targeted and arrested unfairly.
And that talking point will have pleased those woke radical pressure groups no end. Poto the Parrot.
The Police Minister is drinking the Kool Aid.]]>169falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/bernie-smith-housing-trust-says-government-could-have-negotiated-better-in-rotorua-motel-purchase--1007967Kainga Ora's bought the Boulevard Motel on Fenton Street for more than eight million dollars, which it's going to turn into short-term housing for 80 people.
Some local real estate agents have told Newstalk ZB it's only worth about half of that.
Monte Cecelia Housing Trust chief executive, Bernie Smith, told Mike Yardley this is taxpayers' money.
“It’s being used by a government department that could have negotiated a heck of a lot better than they have in this instance.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/d4lpdjup/mhb22-07-21-bernie-smith.mp3Wed, 21 Jul 2021 19:46:17 +0000RoccoThere is a suggestion the Government has been ripped off in its purchase of a Rotorua motel. Kainga Ora's bought the Boulevard Motel on Fenton Street for more than eight million dollars, which it's going to turn into short-term housing for 80 people....Kainga Ora's bought the Boulevard Motel on Fenton Street for more than eight million dollars, which it's going to turn into short-term housing for 80 people.
Some local real estate agents have told Newstalk ZB it's only worth about half of that.
Monte Cecelia Housing Trust chief executive, Bernie Smith, told Mike Yardley this is taxpayers' money.
“It’s being used by a government department that could have negotiated a heck of a lot better than they have in this instance.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>177falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/andrew-penman-salmonella-dub-frontman-on-comeback-tour-and-ep--1007943Delivering what promises to be a phenomenal two-hour multimedia dance floor set of the Dub’s classics, alongside a bag of new tunes from their forthcoming album 'RETURN TO OUR KŌWHAI.'
Frontman Andrew Penman joined Mike Yardley.
TOUR DATES:
SATURDAY 18 SEPTEMBER – POWERSTATION – AUCKLAND: Sunshine Sound System * Rubi Du
FRIDAY 22 OCTOBER – BAYPARK ARENA – TAURANGA: Sunshine Sound System
SATURDAY 23 OCTOBER – ENERGY CENTRE – ROTORUA: Sunshine Sound System * Rubi Du
SATURDAY 13 NOVEMBER – TOWN HALL – CHRISTCHURCH: Sunshine Sound System * Rubi Du
SATURDAY 20 NOVEMBER – BUTLERS REEF – OAKURA: Sunshine Sound System * Rubi Du
SATURDAY 4 DECEMBER – BLACK BARN – NAPIER: Sunshine Sound System * Rubi Du
TICKETS ON-SALE FROM THURSDAY 1 JULY FROM: salmonelladub.com/dubstopstore
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/xgrpbsd1/mhb22-07-21-andrew-penman.mp3Wed, 21 Jul 2021 12:47:26 +0000RoccoAotearoa’s Dub & Bass heavy-weights, the space-weaving SALMONELLA DUB, are heading out on the road with a run of spring shows nationwide, across September, October, November and December this year. Delivering what promises to be a phenomenal two-hour...Delivering what promises to be a phenomenal two-hour multimedia dance floor set of the Dub’s classics, alongside a bag of new tunes from their forthcoming album 'RETURN TO OUR KŌWHAI.'
Frontman Andrew Penman joined Mike Yardley.
TOUR DATES:
SATURDAY 18 SEPTEMBER – POWERSTATION – AUCKLAND: Sunshine Sound System * Rubi Du
FRIDAY 22 OCTOBER – BAYPARK ARENA – TAURANGA: Sunshine Sound System
SATURDAY 23 OCTOBER – ENERGY CENTRE – ROTORUA: Sunshine Sound System * Rubi Du
SATURDAY 13 NOVEMBER – TOWN HALL – CHRISTCHURCH: Sunshine Sound System * Rubi Du
SATURDAY 20 NOVEMBER – BUTLERS REEF – OAKURA: Sunshine Sound System * Rubi Du
SATURDAY 4 DECEMBER – BLACK BARN – NAPIER: Sunshine Sound System * Rubi Du
TICKETS ON-SALE FROM THURSDAY 1 JULY FROM: salmonelladub.com/dubstopstore
LISTEN ABOVE]]>792falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/duane-mutu-netflix-is-tipping-its-toes-in-the-world-of-gaming--1007989The streaming giant has announced creating its own video games will be next on the agenda, and will be free as part of its subscription.
They'll primarily be meant to be played on mobile devices, and then eventually migrate to TVs.
Director of Let’s Play Live and NZ eSports Federation spokesperson Duane Mutu told Mike Yardley with 2.8 billion gamers worldwide, he is not surprised Netflix are making the move.
“If we look at the numbers, close to $56 billion in revenue out of the US last year versus movies and music at less than that so they absolutely have to be here, the real answer is going to be whether they can be successful in the gaming realm.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/pmhbq1v4/mhb22-07-21-duane-mutu.mp3Wed, 21 Jul 2021 10:01:21 +0000RoccoNetflix is dipping its toes in the world of gaming. The streaming giant has announced creating its own video games will be next on the agenda, and will be free as part of its subscription. They'll primarily be meant to be played on mobile devices, and...The streaming giant has announced creating its own video games will be next on the agenda, and will be free as part of its subscription.
They'll primarily be meant to be played on mobile devices, and then eventually migrate to TVs.
Director of Let’s Play Live and NZ eSports Federation spokesperson Duane Mutu told Mike Yardley with 2.8 billion gamers worldwide, he is not surprised Netflix are making the move.
“If we look at the numbers, close to $56 billion in revenue out of the US last year versus movies and music at less than that so they absolutely have to be here, the real answer is going to be whether they can be successful in the gaming realm.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>194falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/steve-o-connor-electricity-retailer-stops-taking-new-customers-until-government-regulates-the-market--1007992The independent retailer will continue to supply its existing 27-thousand power customers.
Chief executive Steve O'Connor told Mike Yardley they're being forced to stop growing because power is too expensive to buy in a wholesale market.
“This is about the electricity market in New Zealand and the fact that it’s not a level playing field, we’re calling on the Government to take action.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/2mkn4igh/mhb22-07-21-steve-oconnor.mp3Wed, 21 Jul 2021 09:45:51 +0000RoccoFlick Electric is pressing pause on taking on new customers over the state of the country's power market. The independent retailer will continue to supply its existing 27-thousand power customers. Chief executive Steve O'Connor told Mike Yardley...The independent retailer will continue to supply its existing 27-thousand power customers.
Chief executive Steve O'Connor told Mike Yardley they're being forced to stop growing because power is too expensive to buy in a wholesale market.
“This is about the electricity market in New Zealand and the fact that it’s not a level playing field, we’re calling on the Government to take action.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>219falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/danny-hay-underdog-oly-whites-quietly-confident-of-success-in-games-opener-against-south-korea--1007907New Zealand, the lowest-ranked country to qualify for the Olympics by a long way, gets its Games campaign underway on Thursday night against 2016 Rio bronze medallists and world No 39 South Korea. The challenge looks daunting on paper but talk within the squad instead conveys a feeling of growing belief.
"Korea were bronze medallists [at the] last Olympics for a reason," Hay told a media briefing on Tuesday.
"We've watched a lot of footage of them. They're a good side, they've got real strengths in a lot of areas. Counter-attack is one of them, they're a very, very capable team.
"You can see by their results leading into this tournament, really positive results against Argentina. [I] watched them play against France the other day, they played them off the park."
However, the time the Oly Whites have spent in Japan so far, including a win and defeat against Australia in two warm-up matches, has the players "fizzing" ahead of Thursday night.
"It's been such a long time since we've had these players as one, so the connections and the bond we've developed in this time is going to stand us in good stead as we lead in to a tough game against Korea," Hay said.
"I couldn't be happier with this group of players. The approach they've taken is doing New Zealand proud to this point."

Oly Whites coach Danny Hay congratulates his players after their warm-up victory over Australia. (Photo / Photosport)
English Premier League star Chris Wood echoed the sentiments of Hay, saying that while this squad may be unfamiliar with each other, it has incredible potential.
"There's some exciting young talent coming through and I think we're quietly confident that we can turn some heads," Wood said.
While Hay confirmed the squad in Japan is entirely injury-free, there is one key player yet to make his way to Japan that he hopes may still arrive to offer a timely boost.
Michael Boxall, currently playing for Minnesota United in the US, suffered a thigh injury at the beginning of the month that he's still battling to overcome. While Hay admitted he had the option of selecting someone in Boxall's place, he also said the wait would be worth it if he makes it to Japan.
"We're giving him as long as possible, and if that means we get him for the last group game then fantastic, it would be like bringing in a new signing," Hay said.
"He's a massive part of what we're trying to achieve. The leadership that he can show and bring towards a young group, I think is going to be vitally important.
"You look at the level he's playing at, he's in the MLS and he's considered one of the very best if not the best central defender in the league. He's a big-time player for us, hence why we're giving him as much time as we possibly can."

The young stars of the Oly Whites are set to shine in Japan. Photo / Photosport
Boxall is one of just three over-age players allowed to be selected in what is otherwise an under-24 squad. Captain Winston Reid and Chris Wood - who both compete at the highest levels in European football - are the other two veterans in the team, illustrating the level of belief Hay has in Boxall, as well as the trust he is placing in his young charges.
The Oly Whites take the field against South Korea at 8pm NZT on Thursday night.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/up0lo5x2/mhb22-07-21-danny-hay.mp3Wed, 21 Jul 2021 09:05:19 +0000RoccoEverything seems to be in place for the Oly Whites to make a splash at the Tokyo Olympics over the coming two weeks with coach Danny Hay saying the squad is well positioned to defy its rank-outsider status. New Zealand, the lowest-ranked country to...New Zealand, the lowest-ranked country to qualify for the Olympics by a long way, gets its Games campaign underway on Thursday night against 2016 Rio bronze medallists and world No 39 South Korea. The challenge looks daunting on paper but talk within the squad instead conveys a feeling of growing belief.
"Korea were bronze medallists [at the] last Olympics for a reason," Hay told a media briefing on Tuesday.
"We've watched a lot of footage of them. They're a good side, they've got real strengths in a lot of areas. Counter-attack is one of them, they're a very, very capable team.
"You can see by their results leading into this tournament, really positive results against Argentina. [I] watched them play against France the other day, they played them off the park."
However, the time the Oly Whites have spent in Japan so far, including a win and defeat against Australia in two warm-up matches, has the players "fizzing" ahead of Thursday night.
"It's been such a long time since we've had these players as one, so the connections and the bond we've developed in this time is going to stand us in good stead as we lead in to a tough game against Korea," Hay said.
"I couldn't be happier with this group of players. The approach they've taken is doing New Zealand proud to this point."

Oly Whites coach Danny Hay congratulates his players after their warm-up victory over Australia. (Photo / Photosport)
English Premier League star Chris Wood echoed the sentiments of Hay, saying that while this squad may be unfamiliar with each other, it has incredible potential.
"There's some exciting young talent coming through and I think we're quietly confident that we can turn some heads," Wood said.
While Hay confirmed the squad in Japan is entirely injury-free, there is one key player yet to make his way to Japan that he hopes may still arrive to offer a timely boost.
Michael Boxall, currently playing for Minnesota United in the US, suffered a thigh injury at the beginning of the month that he's still battling to overcome. While Hay admitted he had the option of selecting someone in Boxall's place, he also said the wait would be worth it if he makes it to Japan.
"We're giving him as long as possible, and if that means we get him for the last group game then fantastic, it would be like bringing in a new signing," Hay said.
"He's a massive part of what we're trying to achieve. The leadership that he can show and bring towards a young group, I think is going to be vitally important.
"You look at the level he's playing at, he's in the MLS and he's considered one of the very best if not the best central defender in the league. He's a big-time player for us, hence why we're giving him as much time as we possibly can."

The young stars of the Oly Whites are set to shine in Japan. Photo / Photosport
Boxall is one of just three over-age players allowed to be selected in what is otherwise an under-24 squad. Captain Winston Reid and Chris Wood - who both compete at the highest levels in European football - are the other two veterans in the team, illustrating the level of belief Hay has in Boxall, as well as the trust he is placing in his young charges.
The Oly Whites take the field against South Korea at 8pm NZT on Thursday night.]]>308falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/sir-don-mckinnon-new-zealand-wont-escape-consequences-of-accusing-china-over-cyber-attacks--1007945The Government has joined western allies in accusing the Chinese Government of funding contracted hackers to conduct a large international ransomware attack.
China's embassy has called our officials to a meeting, to express their concerns about the accusations.
New Zealand China Council chairman Sir Don McKinnon told Mike Yardley there will be consequences for the trading relationship, but the relationship can recover.
“When you consider it’s time to lift the ante, go public, you know it’s serious, you know there will be consequences, but these things do not last forever.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/oaocjign/mhb22-07-21-sir-don-mckinnon.mp3Wed, 21 Jul 2021 08:52:34 +0000RoccoA former Foreign Affairs Minister says New Zealand won't escape the consequences of accusing China of funding cyber hackers. The Government has joined western allies in accusing the Chinese Government of funding contracted hackers to conduct a large...The Government has joined western allies in accusing the Chinese Government of funding contracted hackers to conduct a large international ransomware attack.
China's embassy has called our officials to a meeting, to express their concerns about the accusations.
New Zealand China Council chairman Sir Don McKinnon told Mike Yardley there will be consequences for the trading relationship, but the relationship can recover.
“When you consider it’s time to lift the ante, go public, you know it’s serious, you know there will be consequences, but these things do not last forever.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>203falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/pooja-sundar-law-firm-seeking-review-of-suspension-of-visas-by-immigration-minister-kris-faafoi--1008023An Auckland law firm is seeking a judicial review of two recent decisions by Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi, over his suspension of applications and his instructions to lapse or refund offshore applications.
Lawyer Pooja Sundar says they're acting on behalf of an Auckland man, whose husband is stuck in China.
But she told Mike Yardley  the case will have implications for many couples and families, particularly those who haven't lived together before, but want to be reunited.
“You’ve got people from backgrounds of ethnic origin, you’ve got those who are of a different religion, of a different sexual orientation which means their societies may not allow them to actually live together before marriage, or live together at all.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/c5yhp0na/mhb22-07-21-pooja-sundar.mp3Wed, 21 Jul 2021 08:48:33 +0000RoccoTens of thousands of people could be affected by a fresh legal action against the suspension of offshore visa applications. An Auckland law firm is seeking a judicial review of two recent decisions by Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi, over his...An Auckland law firm is seeking a judicial review of two recent decisions by Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi, over his suspension of applications and his instructions to lapse or refund offshore applications.
Lawyer Pooja Sundar says they're acting on behalf of an Auckland man, whose husband is stuck in China.
But she told Mike Yardley  the case will have implications for many couples and families, particularly those who haven't lived together before, but want to be reunited.
“You’ve got people from backgrounds of ethnic origin, you’ve got those who are of a different religion, of a different sexual orientation which means their societies may not allow them to actually live together before marriage, or live together at all.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>211falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/poto-williams-public-and-cops-react-as-police-minister-says-she-is-not-in-favour-of-general-arming-of-police--1008031Her comments come during the trial of the man who admits murdering Constable Matthew Hunt during a routine traffic stop, but has denied the attempted murder of a second officer.
In another incident a Hamilton officer was injured by a firearm during a routine traffic check earlier this month.
There were also two dangerous incidents last week - one in Hamilton and one in Auckland - where police were confronted by armed offenders prompting calls from Police Association president Chris Cahill for more frontline police to be armed because of a growing number of criminals carrying guns.
Williams told Newstalk ZB's Mike Yardley this morning that she supported police officers being armed when they needed to be, but did not think it should extend to the permanent arming of the force.
This was because she had listened to overwhelming feedback from the Māori, Pacific Island and South Auckland communities who didn't want it.
The communities she represented - Māori and Pacific - who were telling her "loud and clear" that the general arming of police and the Armed Response Teams (ARTs) were a real concern to them and had been distressed to learn armed police were routinely patrolling their streets, she said.
Yardley said he had received hundreds of texts following the interview.
"I have never seen the text machine completely explode as it has in the last few minutes," said Yardley, referring to listener feedback. "'Mike, I am a serving police officer, I have started the day listening to your show feeling unbelievably disheartened.'; 'Mike, the crims are going to be lapping this up'; 'Is she representing the views, concerns of all New Zealanders?'," said Yardley, quoting some of the feedback.
Williams said statistics showed Māori and Pacific populations were stopped more, charged more, arrested more and for those communities having permanently armed police was a "real difficulty for them".
She also acknowledged the Māori and Pacific communities' interactions with police over the years "had not been that great".
It would also change the relationship between police and the communities they served.
"If we generally arm the police we change the relationship we have as a community with our police service," WIlliams said.
"I'm talking with frontline police officers and other officers everyday and there is a range of views that have, but one thing they are very clear of is having access to firearms when they need it and having confidence in dealing with scenarios are the things that keep them the safest."
Williams said she wanted police to return home safely to their families each night and was supporting them with this by ensuring they were well-trained and had access to firearms when they needed it.
"I won't support general arming because it will fundamentally change the nature of our relationship with our police."]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/c5mnn1a3/mhb21-07-21-poto-williams.mp3Tue, 20 Jul 2021 21:00:51 +0000RoccoPolice Minister Poto Williams will not be backing down on her strong stance not to support the general arming of police because the Māori and Pacific Island communities she represents do not want it. Her comments come during the trial of the man...Her comments come during the trial of the man who admits murdering Constable Matthew Hunt during a routine traffic stop, but has denied the attempted murder of a second officer.
In another incident a Hamilton officer was injured by a firearm during a routine traffic check earlier this month.
There were also two dangerous incidents last week - one in Hamilton and one in Auckland - where police were confronted by armed offenders prompting calls from Police Association president Chris Cahill for more frontline police to be armed because of a growing number of criminals carrying guns.
Williams told Newstalk ZB's Mike Yardley this morning that she supported police officers being armed when they needed to be, but did not think it should extend to the permanent arming of the force.
This was because she had listened to overwhelming feedback from the Māori, Pacific Island and South Auckland communities who didn't want it.
The communities she represented - Māori and Pacific - who were telling her "loud and clear" that the general arming of police and the Armed Response Teams (ARTs) were a real concern to them and had been distressed to learn armed police were routinely patrolling their streets, she said.
Yardley said he had received hundreds of texts following the interview.
"I have never seen the text machine completely explode as it has in the last few minutes," said Yardley, referring to listener feedback. "'Mike, I am a serving police officer, I have started the day listening to your show feeling unbelievably disheartened.'; 'Mike, the crims are going to be lapping this up'; 'Is she representing the views, concerns of all New Zealanders?'," said Yardley, quoting some of the feedback.
Williams said statistics showed Māori and Pacific populations were stopped more, charged more, arrested more and for those communities having permanently armed police was a "real difficulty for them".
She also acknowledged the Māori and Pacific communities' interactions with police over the years "had not been that great".
It would also change the relationship between police and the communities they served.
"If we generally arm the police we change the relationship we have as a community with our police service," WIlliams said.
"I'm talking with frontline police officers and other officers everyday and there is a range of views that have, but one thing they are very clear of is having access to firearms when they need it and having confidence in dealing with scenarios are the things that keep them the safest."
Williams said she wanted police to return home safely to their families each night and was supporting them with this by ensuring they were well-trained and had access to firearms when they needed it.
"I won't support general arming because it will fundamentally change the nature of our relationship with our police."]]>422falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/leah-abrams-each-injury-related-to-drink-driving-costs-taxpayers-117-thousand-dollars--1007993Each injury or death due to drink-driving is costing taxpayers more than $117,000.
The money goes towards things like compensating for loss of income, medical treatment, rehabilitation and funeral costs.
No One Ever Stands Alone charity founder, Leah Abrams, who's also a victim of drink-driving, told Mike Yardley the charity raises awareness against drunk and drugged driving.
“Not only the stronger policies that provide tougher penalties for people who are driving behind the wheel, both intoxicated and drugged up.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/xrbmabli/mhb21-07-21-leah-abrams.mp3Tue, 20 Jul 2021 20:45:04 +0000RoccoThere are calls for harsher punishments, not just for drunk drivers but also for those on drugs. Each injury or death due to drink-driving is costing taxpayers more than $117,000. The money goes towards things like compensating for loss of income,...Each injury or death due to drink-driving is costing taxpayers more than $117,000.
The money goes towards things like compensating for loss of income, medical treatment, rehabilitation and funeral costs.
No One Ever Stands Alone charity founder, Leah Abrams, who's also a victim of drink-driving, told Mike Yardley the charity raises awareness against drunk and drugged driving.
“Not only the stronger policies that provide tougher penalties for people who are driving behind the wheel, both intoxicated and drugged up.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>196falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/dr-joshua-colwell-best-day-ever-jeff-bezos-blasts-into-space--1007934The Amazon founder was accompanied by a hand-picked group: his brother, an 18-year-old from the Netherlands and an 82-year-old aviation pioneer from Texas — the youngest and oldest to ever fly in space.
"Best day ever!" Bezos said when the capsule touched down on the desert floor in remote West Texas after the 10-minute flight.
Named after America's first astronaut, Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket soared on the 52nd anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, a date chosen by Bezos for its historical significance. He held fast to it, even as Virgin Galactic's Richard Branson pushed up his own flight from New Mexico in the race for space tourist dollars and beat him to space by nine days.

Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon and space tourism company Blue Origin, exits the Blue Origin's New Shepard capsule after it parachuted safely down to the launch area. Photo / via AP
Unlike Branson's piloted rocket plane, Bezos' capsule was completely automated and required no official staff on board for the up-and-down flight.
Blue Origin reached an altitude of about 106 kilometres, more than 16km higher than Branson's July 11 ride. The 18m booster accelerated to Mach 3 or three times the speed of sound to get the capsule high enough, before separating and landing upright.
During their several minutes of weightlessness, video from inside the capsule showed the four floating, doing somersaults, tossing Skittles candies and throwing balls. Cheering, whooping and exclamations of "wow" could be heard. The capsule landed under parachutes, with Bezos and his guests briefly experiencing nearly six times the force of gravity, or 6 G's, on the way back.
Led by Bezos, they climbed out of the capsule after touchdown with wide grins, embracing parents, partners and children, then popped open bottles of sparkling wine, spraying one another.

Blue Origin's New Shepard crew Oliver Daemen, Mark Bezos, Jeff Bezos, and Wally Funk hold a press conference after flying into space. Photo / Getty
"My expectations were high and they were dramatically exceeded," Bezos said later.
Their flight lasted 10 minutes and 10 seconds — five minutes shy of Alan Shepard's Freedom 7 flight in 1961. Shepard's daughters, Laura and Julie, were introduced at a press conference a few hours later.
Sharing Bezos' dream-come-true adventure was Wally Funk, from the Dallas area, one of 13 female pilots who went through the same tests as Nasa's all-male astronaut corps in the early 1960s but never made it into space.

Members of the team celebrate with founder Jeff Bezos at the site of the New Shepard rocket booster landing in West Texas. Photo / AP
"I've been waiting a long time to finally get it up there," Funk said after the flight."I want to go again — fast," she added.
Joining them on the ultimate joyride was the company's first paying customer, Oliver Daemen, a last-minute fill-in for the mystery winner of a $28 million auction who opted for a later flight. The Dutch teen's father took part in the auction, and agreed on a lower undisclosed price last week when Blue Origin offered his son the vacated seat.

Blue Origin's New Shepard capsule parachutes safely down to the launch area after a brief trip to space Photo / AP
Among the items brought on the flight: A pair of aviator Amelia Earhart's goggles and a piece of fabric from the original Wright Flyer.
"I got goose bumps," said Angel Herrera of El Paso, who watched the launch from inside Van Horn High School, about 40km away. "The hair on the back of my neck stood up, just witnessing history."
Blue Origin — founded by Bezos in 2000 in Kent, Washington, near Amazon's Seattle headquarters — hasn't revealed its price for a ride to space. Two more passenger flights are planned by year's end, said Blue Origin CEO Bob Smith.

Touchdown! The crew capsule lands...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/d3hjgno0/mhb21-07-21-dr-joshua-colwell.mp3Tue, 20 Jul 2021 20:33:50 +0000RoccoJeff Bezos blasted into space Tuesday on his rocket company's first flight with people on board, becoming the second billionaire in just over a week to ride his own spacecraft. The Amazon founder was accompanied by a hand-picked group: his brother, an...The Amazon founder was accompanied by a hand-picked group: his brother, an 18-year-old from the Netherlands and an 82-year-old aviation pioneer from Texas — the youngest and oldest to ever fly in space.
"Best day ever!" Bezos said when the capsule touched down on the desert floor in remote West Texas after the 10-minute flight.
Named after America's first astronaut, Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket soared on the 52nd anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, a date chosen by Bezos for its historical significance. He held fast to it, even as Virgin Galactic's Richard Branson pushed up his own flight from New Mexico in the race for space tourist dollars and beat him to space by nine days.

Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon and space tourism company Blue Origin, exits the Blue Origin's New Shepard capsule after it parachuted safely down to the launch area. Photo / via AP
Unlike Branson's piloted rocket plane, Bezos' capsule was completely automated and required no official staff on board for the up-and-down flight.
Blue Origin reached an altitude of about 106 kilometres, more than 16km higher than Branson's July 11 ride. The 18m booster accelerated to Mach 3 or three times the speed of sound to get the capsule high enough, before separating and landing upright.
During their several minutes of weightlessness, video from inside the capsule showed the four floating, doing somersaults, tossing Skittles candies and throwing balls. Cheering, whooping and exclamations of "wow" could be heard. The capsule landed under parachutes, with Bezos and his guests briefly experiencing nearly six times the force of gravity, or 6 G's, on the way back.
Led by Bezos, they climbed out of the capsule after touchdown with wide grins, embracing parents, partners and children, then popped open bottles of sparkling wine, spraying one another.

Blue Origin's New Shepard crew Oliver Daemen, Mark Bezos, Jeff Bezos, and Wally Funk hold a press conference after flying into space. Photo / Getty
"My expectations were high and they were dramatically exceeded," Bezos said later.
Their flight lasted 10 minutes and 10 seconds — five minutes shy of Alan Shepard's Freedom 7 flight in 1961. Shepard's daughters, Laura and Julie, were introduced at a press conference a few hours later.
Sharing Bezos' dream-come-true adventure was Wally Funk, from the Dallas area, one of 13 female pilots who went through the same tests as Nasa's all-male astronaut corps in the early 1960s but never made it into space.

Members of the team celebrate with founder Jeff Bezos at the site of the New Shepard rocket booster landing in West Texas. Photo / AP
"I've been waiting a long time to finally get it up there," Funk said after the flight."I want to go again — fast," she added.
Joining them on the ultimate joyride was the company's first paying customer, Oliver Daemen, a last-minute fill-in for the mystery winner of a $28 million auction who opted for a later flight. The Dutch teen's father took part in the auction, and agreed on a lower undisclosed price last week when Blue Origin offered his son the vacated seat.

Blue Origin's New Shepard capsule parachutes safely down to the launch area after a brief trip to space Photo / AP
Among the items brought on the flight: A pair of aviator Amelia Earhart's goggles and a piece of fabric from the original Wright Flyer.
"I got goose bumps," said Angel Herrera of El Paso, who watched the launch from inside Van Horn High School, about 40km away. "The hair on the back of my neck stood up, just witnessing history."
Blue Origin — founded by Bezos in 2000 in Kent, Washington, near Amazon's Seattle headquarters — hasn't revealed its price for a ride to space. Two more...]]>160falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/nick-hill-auckland-unlimited-ceo-says-he-hopes-kiwis-can-see-how-pandemic-affected-america-s-cup--1007937Analysis has found financially, New Zealand was almost $293 million worse off, but when net benefits are considered, the loss shrinks to $156 million.
The impacts of the pandemic, having fewer challengers and high public investment contributed to significant deficits.
Auckland Unlimited chief executive Nick Hill told Mike Yardley the global pandemic changed the nature of the whole event.
“I think everybody understands that the pandemic has changed everything economically and it’s had a huge impact right across the economy and society.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/3j3i40yw/mhb21-07-21-nick-hill.mp3Tue, 20 Jul 2021 20:30:26 +0000RoccoThere are hopes New Zealanders can see just how much Covid-19 impacted the America's Cup. Analysis has found financially, New Zealand was almost $293 million worse off, but when net benefits are considered, the loss shrinks to $156 million. The...Analysis has found financially, New Zealand was almost $293 million worse off, but when net benefits are considered, the loss shrinks to $156 million.
The impacts of the pandemic, having fewer challengers and high public investment contributed to significant deficits.
Auckland Unlimited chief executive Nick Hill told Mike Yardley the global pandemic changed the nature of the whole event.
“I think everybody understands that the pandemic has changed everything economically and it’s had a huge impact right across the economy and society.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>154falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/janet-thompson-rehabilitation-programme-that-has-helped-over-800-people-cant-get-funding--1007982Yesterday, questions were asked to the Ministry of Health to which they responded by saying they give $187 million of taxpayer cash to 46 providers for services.
But they couldn't say how effective they were, or how often any lose funding for low performance.
Janet Thompson is chairperson of the Retreat NZ charity that offers 30 day rehabilitation programmes for people with alcohol or drug problems.
They've been doing it for eight years and have helped over 800 people.
They've just done a study and have a success rate better than the international average, but can't get any funding from the Ministry.
Janet Thompson told Mike Yardley their measure for success is quite clear.
“There’s a lot of different measures of success, but we judge success as clean and sober for 12 months or more."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/ixgpt1nh/mhb21-07-21-janet-thompson.mp3Tue, 20 Jul 2021 19:59:45 +0000RoccoIt is often difficult to to gauge how effective drug treatment programmes are that receive public funding. Yesterday, questions were asked to the Ministry of Health to which they responded by saying they give $187 million of taxpayer cash to 46...Yesterday, questions were asked to the Ministry of Health to which they responded by saying they give $187 million of taxpayer cash to 46 providers for services.
But they couldn't say how effective they were, or how often any lose funding for low performance.
Janet Thompson is chairperson of the Retreat NZ charity that offers 30 day rehabilitation programmes for people with alcohol or drug problems.
They've been doing it for eight years and have helped over 800 people.
They've just done a study and have a success rate better than the international average, but can't get any funding from the Ministry.
Janet Thompson told Mike Yardley their measure for success is quite clear.
“There’s a lot of different measures of success, but we judge success as clean and sober for 12 months or more."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>392falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-electronic-income-management-i-like-it--1007984Electronic Income Management, I like it.
If any parent on welfare is repeatedly failing to feed their kids, while frittering their benefit on vices, they should face the same restrictions.
No longer a cash payment in the bank, but a strictly controlled payment card, where buying booze, tobacco and gambling is blocked.
But this could go much further. This measure could actually make a huge difference to tackle the travesty of able-bodied, working age people becoming long-term beneficiaries on Jobseeker Support.
Curb their freedom to spend their benefit as they see fit, if they fail to honour their work test obligations, fail to attend job interviews or refuse to take up a suitable job offer.
Because the overall, trend lines are bleak, with dependence on the state continuing to bulge.
You will recall late last week, Carmel Sepuloni was celebrating the drop in beneficiary numbers.
Ten thousand fewer people are on Jobseeker Support, compared to three months ago. But as much as Carmel is crowing about that drop, which was welcome, it’s actually small beer in the bigger picture.
I’ve been crunching the numbers from the MSD data sets and here’s the full story.
Currently, one hundred and ninety thousand people are on Jobseeker Support and most are classified Work Ready. That’s six point one per cent of the working age population.
Four years ago, that figure was one hundred and twenty thousand people. Four point one per cent of the working age population.
So, the number of people parked up on the dole, under Labour, has mushroomed by over fifty per cent. They have supersized the state of dependence.
But this is where it gets worse.
They have nearly doubled the number of Jobseeker Support recipients, who’ve been idling on the dole for twelve months or longer. One hundred and eighteen thousand of them, despite the record job ads and monstrous labour shortages.
Electronic Income Management might be just the prod, just the wakeup call, the welfare state needs.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/kuapyycz/mhb21-07-21-opening-editorial.mp3Tue, 20 Jul 2021 10:03:09 +0000RoccoSo Act wants restrictions on what gang members with kids can spend their benefit on. Electronic Income Management, I like it. If any parent on welfare is repeatedly failing to feed their kids, while frittering their benefit on vices, they should face...Electronic Income Management, I like it.
If any parent on welfare is repeatedly failing to feed their kids, while frittering their benefit on vices, they should face the same restrictions.
No longer a cash payment in the bank, but a strictly controlled payment card, where buying booze, tobacco and gambling is blocked.
But this could go much further. This measure could actually make a huge difference to tackle the travesty of able-bodied, working age people becoming long-term beneficiaries on Jobseeker Support.
Curb their freedom to spend their benefit as they see fit, if they fail to honour their work test obligations, fail to attend job interviews or refuse to take up a suitable job offer.
Because the overall, trend lines are bleak, with dependence on the state continuing to bulge.
You will recall late last week, Carmel Sepuloni was celebrating the drop in beneficiary numbers.
Ten thousand fewer people are on Jobseeker Support, compared to three months ago. But as much as Carmel is crowing about that drop, which was welcome, it’s actually small beer in the bigger picture.
I’ve been crunching the numbers from the MSD data sets and here’s the full story.
Currently, one hundred and ninety thousand people are on Jobseeker Support and most are classified Work Ready. That’s six point one per cent of the working age population.
Four years ago, that figure was one hundred and twenty thousand people. Four point one per cent of the working age population.
So, the number of people parked up on the dole, under Labour, has mushroomed by over fifty per cent. They have supersized the state of dependence.
But this is where it gets worse.
They have nearly doubled the number of Jobseeker Support recipients, who’ve been idling on the dole for twelve months or longer. One hundred and eighteen thousand of them, despite the record job ads and monstrous labour shortages.
Electronic Income Management might be just the prod, just the wakeup call, the welfare state needs.]]>158falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-attacks-on-cops-wouldnt-happen-if-they-were-armed--1007986Would these reprobates have the same perverse bravado to have a crack at cops, if our police had guns on their hips? I don’t think so.
It’s just one reason why I’ve long supported the general arming of our frontline police. But that’s not going to happen under this Government.
I was struck with the Police Commissioner’s candid assessment yesterday.
Violent crime behaviour directed at police is ramping up like never before, says Andrew Coster, as is the surge in gun crime.
So why is the Commissioner and his Minister, Poto Williams, such walkovers for the woke fringe groups who suck up far too much media oxygen as they spew their anti-police bile?
Look at the groups who ponied up last year and went hell for leather to get those Armed Response Teams dumped.
Those mobile teams, ARTs, were designed to be able to rapidly respond to deadly serious incidents and deescalate them quick smart.
Unlike the Armed Offenders Unit, which isn’t tooled up fulltime, or on patrol, these ARTs were highly nimble and circulating.
But they were scrapped on the grounds they scared people and failed to secure community support. But who were the prime opponents?
Action Station, Just Speak, the Green Party and People Against Prisons Aotearoa. They raged against the ART trial and bombarded the police with thousands of complaints, to get the ARTs axed.
Do these agenda-driven agitators seriously embody the everyday voice of New Zealand? Of course not. So why does Andrew Coster give these outfits credence, by surrendering to their squeals, in the name of policing by consent?
I mentioned on Monday that the Armed Response Teams should absolutely be reinstated, without delay, given the surging gun violence. Yesterday, National joined that call, and good on them.
It is not acceptable for the Police Minister or Police Commissioner to allow themselves to be bullied into submission or overwhelmed by radical pressure groups.
Toughen Up.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/wstjiklj/mhb21-07-21-arming-police-editorial.mp3Tue, 20 Jul 2021 10:00:08 +0000RoccoI’m sure you were sickened and disgusted by the footage of that vile piece of scum punching an Auckland police officer eight times in the head and smashing him to the ground. Would these reprobates have the same perverse bravado to have a crack at...Would these reprobates have the same perverse bravado to have a crack at cops, if our police had guns on their hips? I don’t think so.
It’s just one reason why I’ve long supported the general arming of our frontline police. But that’s not going to happen under this Government.
I was struck with the Police Commissioner’s candid assessment yesterday.
Violent crime behaviour directed at police is ramping up like never before, says Andrew Coster, as is the surge in gun crime.
So why is the Commissioner and his Minister, Poto Williams, such walkovers for the woke fringe groups who suck up far too much media oxygen as they spew their anti-police bile?
Look at the groups who ponied up last year and went hell for leather to get those Armed Response Teams dumped.
Those mobile teams, ARTs, were designed to be able to rapidly respond to deadly serious incidents and deescalate them quick smart.
Unlike the Armed Offenders Unit, which isn’t tooled up fulltime, or on patrol, these ARTs were highly nimble and circulating.
But they were scrapped on the grounds they scared people and failed to secure community support. But who were the prime opponents?
Action Station, Just Speak, the Green Party and People Against Prisons Aotearoa. They raged against the ART trial and bombarded the police with thousands of complaints, to get the ARTs axed.
Do these agenda-driven agitators seriously embody the everyday voice of New Zealand? Of course not. So why does Andrew Coster give these outfits credence, by surrendering to their squeals, in the name of policing by consent?
I mentioned on Monday that the Armed Response Teams should absolutely be reinstated, without delay, given the surging gun violence. Yesterday, National joined that call, and good on them.
It is not acceptable for the Police Minister or Police Commissioner to allow themselves to be bullied into submission or overwhelmed by radical pressure groups.
Toughen Up.]]>172falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/steve-price-brisbane-gets-final-2032-olympics-approval-before-day-of-destiny--1007997The IOC’s 15-strong executive board approved the Queensland city as the single candidate for election.
The 102 IOC members will now vote on the proposal at the IOC session on July 21 in Tokyo ahead of this summer’s Olympic Games in the Japanese capital.
 “Now it’s in the hands of the IOC members to vote on this proposal on July 21 in Tokyo,” Bach said, refusing to speculate on a likely outcome of the vote.
“The unanimous decision by the IOC executive board is a credit to the years of work carried out by Brisbane 2032, the Australian Olympic Committee, and their partners, to test every aspect of the project,” the IOC added.
The IOC had said in February that Brisbane was the preferred candidate to host the Games, adding it would enter “targeted dialogue” with the Australian bid organisers.
The awarding of the 2032 Olympics is the first to take place with a new election method adopted in June 2019 in an attempt to counter application fees and a lack of serious bids.

Brisbane is going to be the focus of the world’s attention in 2032. (Photo / NCA)
For the 2024 Games, Bach bemoaned the process had “produced too many losers”, after Rome, Hamburg and Budapest all pulled out of the running.
In 2017, the IOC awarded the 2024 Games to Paris and the 2028 Olympics to Los Angeles.
The IOC has since set up its “future host” commission.
Qatar has reiterated its desire to host the 2032 Games despite the IOC handing the preferred tag to Brisbane.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/wvulgts2/mhb21-07-21-steve-price.mp3Tue, 20 Jul 2021 09:50:24 +0000RoccoOlympic chiefs have decided to propose the Australian city of Brisbane as host of the 2032 Summer Olympic Games at next month’s International Olympic Committee session, IOC president Thomas Bach announced Thursday. The IOC’s 15-strong executive board...The IOC’s 15-strong executive board approved the Queensland city as the single candidate for election.
The 102 IOC members will now vote on the proposal at the IOC session on July 21 in Tokyo ahead of this summer’s Olympic Games in the Japanese capital.
 “Now it’s in the hands of the IOC members to vote on this proposal on July 21 in Tokyo,” Bach said, refusing to speculate on a likely outcome of the vote.
“The unanimous decision by the IOC executive board is a credit to the years of work carried out by Brisbane 2032, the Australian Olympic Committee, and their partners, to test every aspect of the project,” the IOC added.
The IOC had said in February that Brisbane was the preferred candidate to host the Games, adding it would enter “targeted dialogue” with the Australian bid organisers.
The awarding of the 2032 Olympics is the first to take place with a new election method adopted in June 2019 in an attempt to counter application fees and a lack of serious bids.

Brisbane is going to be the focus of the world’s attention in 2032. (Photo / NCA)
For the 2024 Games, Bach bemoaned the process had “produced too many losers”, after Rome, Hamburg and Budapest all pulled out of the running.
In 2017, the IOC awarded the 2024 Games to Paris and the 2028 Olympics to Los Angeles.
The IOC has since set up its “future host” commission.
Qatar has reiterated its desire to host the 2032 Games despite the IOC handing the preferred tag to Brisbane.]]>362falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/pollies-america-s-cup-finances-covid-struck-vessels-and-arming-police--1008038More Covid-19 case numbers have emerged in numerous vessels off New Zealand's coast.
According to a recent Police Association survey, 69 per cent of New Zealand officers want to be armed regularly.
Mark Mitchell and Stuart Nash joined Mike Yardley to discuss this and the week's politics news.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/chnfbpnt/mhb21-07-21-pollies.mp3Tue, 20 Jul 2021 09:18:22 +0000RoccoThe New Zealand economy was left $293 million worse off from hosting the 36th America's Cup, an official cost-benefit report has revealed. More Covid-19 case numbers have emerged in numerous vessels off New Zealand's coast. According to a recent...More Covid-19 case numbers have emerged in numerous vessels off New Zealand's coast.
According to a recent Police Association survey, 69 per cent of New Zealand officers want to be armed regularly.
Mark Mitchell and Stuart Nash joined Mike Yardley to discuss this and the week's politics news.]]>770falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-david-seymour-has-struck-a-chord-again--1007947The Act Party leader has exposed a troubling decision by the state to lavish a hundred thousand dollars on Radio Bay of Plenty, Whakatupuria Te Moana A Toi.
The project funds will see this media outlet showcase the local Provincial Growth Fund projects. Two $200 million worth of PGF projects in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.
As Seymour puts it – We apparently need taxpayer funded media to check up on the use of taxpayer funds. It all looks a bit cushy, chummy and gratuitous.
Now this Bay of Plenty caper is just one funding release from the $55 million that the government has tipped into public interest journalism.
And it’s New Zealand on Air that plays the role of sugar-daddy with this stash of journalism funding.
If you’ve ever bothered to look at the application criteria wrapped around the Public Interest Journalism Fund, it has some clear pre-conditions. For example, content produced must adhere to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.
The Broadcasting Minister says the fund supports democracy with grass roots public interest journalism, noble words from Kris Faafoi.
But is there not an implicit agenda at play to be compliant? To row the boat, toe the line and conform to a certain way of thinking? A certain ideological outlook?
That’s what makes me very uneasy. The subtle understanding that successful applications might lend support to the government broad agenda, by shining a light and giving voice to its various works, in a favourable fashion.
Add to this $55 million, an extra $42 million, lavished on Māori media in this year’s Budget, which Willie Jackson is particularly proud about.
How can we be sure hosing all this cash on the fourth estate doesn’t defang them? They become dependent on the state, and grateful to the state.
Maybe I’m too much of a commercial animal, but all this funding bothers me.
The creeping potential danger is the message, and the messenger is being bought.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/asslsto1/mhb20-07-21-opening-editorial.mp3Tue, 20 Jul 2021 01:47:15 +0000RoccoDavid Seymour seems to have struck a chord yet again. The Act Party leader has exposed a troubling decision by the state to lavish a hundred thousand dollars on Radio Bay of Plenty, Whakatupuria Te Moana A Toi. The project funds will see this media...The Act Party leader has exposed a troubling decision by the state to lavish a hundred thousand dollars on Radio Bay of Plenty, Whakatupuria Te Moana A Toi.
The project funds will see this media outlet showcase the local Provincial Growth Fund projects. Two $200 million worth of PGF projects in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.
As Seymour puts it – We apparently need taxpayer funded media to check up on the use of taxpayer funds. It all looks a bit cushy, chummy and gratuitous.
Now this Bay of Plenty caper is just one funding release from the $55 million that the government has tipped into public interest journalism.
And it’s New Zealand on Air that plays the role of sugar-daddy with this stash of journalism funding.
If you’ve ever bothered to look at the application criteria wrapped around the Public Interest Journalism Fund, it has some clear pre-conditions. For example, content produced must adhere to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.
The Broadcasting Minister says the fund supports democracy with grass roots public interest journalism, noble words from Kris Faafoi.
But is there not an implicit agenda at play to be compliant? To row the boat, toe the line and conform to a certain way of thinking? A certain ideological outlook?
That’s what makes me very uneasy. The subtle understanding that successful applications might lend support to the government broad agenda, by shining a light and giving voice to its various works, in a favourable fashion.
Add to this $55 million, an extra $42 million, lavished on Māori media in this year’s Budget, which Willie Jackson is particularly proud about.
How can we be sure hosing all this cash on the fourth estate doesn’t defang them? They become dependent on the state, and grateful to the state.
Maybe I’m too much of a commercial animal, but all this funding bothers me.
The creeping potential danger is the message, and the messenger is being bought.]]>161falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/stephen-griffin-uk-virologist-says-decision-to-lift-restrictions-is-dangerous--1007946Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pushed ahead with plans to remove mask mandates and gathering restrictions.
Leeds University virologist Stephen Griffin told Mike Yardley it's a dangerous decision.
“I am completely against the idea of allowing transmissions to run free like this, we’re like to have some profound issues in a few weeks’ time. We already are having problems.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/r2ffw0c4/mhb20-07-21-dr-stephen-griffin.mp3Tue, 20 Jul 2021 00:19:46 +0000RoccoThere is division in England over the decision to lift Covid-19 restrictions across the country. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pushed ahead with plans to remove mask mandates and gathering restrictions. Leeds University virologist Stephen Griffin...Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pushed ahead with plans to remove mask mandates and gathering restrictions.
Leeds University virologist Stephen Griffin told Mike Yardley it's a dangerous decision.
“I am completely against the idea of allowing transmissions to run free like this, we’re like to have some profound issues in a few weeks’ time. We already are having problems.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>194falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/eric-murray-and-beatrice-faumuina-olympians-discuss-new-zealand-s-medal-chances-at-toyko-2020--1008044LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/mblcvflg/mhb20-07-21-eric-murray.mp3Mon, 19 Jul 2021 23:34:54 +0000RoccoKiwi Olympians Eric Murray and Beatrice Faumuina joined Mike Yardley to discuss New Zealand's medal chances in Rowing and Track and Field. LISTEN ABOVELISTEN ABOVE]]>494falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/david-seymour-act-party-wants-checks-on-gang-members-benefits--1008039Reviews of similar schemes in Australia and New Zealand - where it applies only to young people - are split on how effective they are.
The policy is part of a raft of proposals Act is releasing today in its law and order policy document.
A 2016 Ministry of Social Development report showed 92 per cent of 3960 known gang members received a benefit at some stage over a 22-year period until the end of 2014.
More than one in five (21 per cent) of gang members were recorded by Child, Youth and Family as being the alleged perpetrators of emotional abuse of children; 7 per cent were recorded as having allegedly neglected children.
Act's social development spokeswoman, Karen Chhour, said the policy was aimed at reducing this neglect, which would now affect far more children because the number of gang members has since doubled to about 8000.
"The children affected by gang criminality are not at fault and deserve support," Chhour said.
"Act will ensure the children of gang members are less likely to suffer neglect by requiring gang members who receive a benefit to undergo electronic income management."
Gang members would receive their benefit in the form of an electronic card that would restrict spending on alcohol, gambling and tobacco, she said.
"The money provided by taxpayers will need to go towards food and other essentials."

Act's social development spokeswoman, Karen Chhour.
Similar income management schemes have been used in Australia since 2007.
A scheme has also been used in New Zealand since 2012, where rent and utility bills are paid directly to the provider. It applies to 16- to 19-year-old parents who receive Young Parent Payment (YPP), and 16- and 17-year-olds who cannot live with their parents and receive a Youth Payment.
A 2020 comparative study - funded by the Australian Research Council - found that the policy was "making life harder for many Australian and New Zealand benefit recipients".
"Notwithstanding some individual success stories", the study found welfare recipients were excluded from participating in their communities "by reducing their accessible income and consumer choices, reinforcing damaging stereotypes that shape their social interactions, and corroding their mental health and emotion wellbeing".
A 2017 study by Orima Research into a trial of the policy in the Ceduna region, in South Australia, and the East Kimberley region, in Western Australia, found "considerable positive impact".
The trial "has been effective in reducing alcohol consumption and gambling in both trial sites and [is] also suggestive of a reduction in the use of illegal drugs".
It also found some evidence of a reduction in violence and harm related to alcohol consumption, illegal drug use and gambling.
A 2020 article in Australian Social Work found "no substantive impact" on gambling and intoxicant abuse levels.
It found an increased spend on healthy foods, but a bigger increase on less healthy foods.
"Impacts on crime and emergency department presentations were not substantively found. We conclude that targeting individual choices may not be as effective as policies targeting the historical social structures that serve as antecedents to such social pathologies."
Chhour said Act's policy was targeted to a high-risk group.
"It's based on a similar Australian policy which has seen reductions in the use of alcohol and drugs, less gambling, better child-care outcomes, better budgeting outcomes and reduction of harmful behaviour."]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/ecxh42kw/mhb20-07-21-david-seymour.mp3Mon, 19 Jul 2021 19:22:50 +0000RoccoThe Act party wants electronic income checks for gang members to prevent them from spending any welfare money on alcohol, gambling or tobacco. Reviews of similar schemes in Australia and New Zealand - where it applies only to young people - are split...Reviews of similar schemes in Australia and New Zealand - where it applies only to young people - are split on how effective they are.
The policy is part of a raft of proposals Act is releasing today in its law and order policy document.
A 2016 Ministry of Social Development report showed 92 per cent of 3960 known gang members received a benefit at some stage over a 22-year period until the end of 2014.
More than one in five (21 per cent) of gang members were recorded by Child, Youth and Family as being the alleged perpetrators of emotional abuse of children; 7 per cent were recorded as having allegedly neglected children.
Act's social development spokeswoman, Karen Chhour, said the policy was aimed at reducing this neglect, which would now affect far more children because the number of gang members has since doubled to about 8000.
"The children affected by gang criminality are not at fault and deserve support," Chhour said.
"Act will ensure the children of gang members are less likely to suffer neglect by requiring gang members who receive a benefit to undergo electronic income management."
Gang members would receive their benefit in the form of an electronic card that would restrict spending on alcohol, gambling and tobacco, she said.
"The money provided by taxpayers will need to go towards food and other essentials."

Act's social development spokeswoman, Karen Chhour.
Similar income management schemes have been used in Australia since 2007.
A scheme has also been used in New Zealand since 2012, where rent and utility bills are paid directly to the provider. It applies to 16- to 19-year-old parents who receive Young Parent Payment (YPP), and 16- and 17-year-olds who cannot live with their parents and receive a Youth Payment.
A 2020 comparative study - funded by the Australian Research Council - found that the policy was "making life harder for many Australian and New Zealand benefit recipients".
"Notwithstanding some individual success stories", the study found welfare recipients were excluded from participating in their communities "by reducing their accessible income and consumer choices, reinforcing damaging stereotypes that shape their social interactions, and corroding their mental health and emotion wellbeing".
A 2017 study by Orima Research into a trial of the policy in the Ceduna region, in South Australia, and the East Kimberley region, in Western Australia, found "considerable positive impact".
The trial "has been effective in reducing alcohol consumption and gambling in both trial sites and [is] also suggestive of a reduction in the use of illegal drugs".
It also found some evidence of a reduction in violence and harm related to alcohol consumption, illegal drug use and gambling.
A 2020 article in Australian Social Work found "no substantive impact" on gambling and intoxicant abuse levels.
It found an increased spend on healthy foods, but a bigger increase on less healthy foods.
"Impacts on crime and emergency department presentations were not substantively found. We conclude that targeting individual choices may not be as effective as policies targeting the historical social structures that serve as antecedents to such social pathologies."
Chhour said Act's policy was targeted to a high-risk group.
"It's based on a similar Australian policy which has seen reductions in the use of alcohol and drugs, less gambling, better child-care outcomes, better budgeting outcomes and reduction of harmful behaviour."]]>249falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/vicky-pond-education-director-says-its-not-just-girls-who-value-beauty-over-intelligence--1008050Auckland University research has found high achieving Year 13s at four Auckland high schools, value beauty over intelligence.
It's found social media put pressure on girls by creating high expectations.
Social group Enlighten Education runs workshops which help girls develop confidence.
Director Vicky Pond told Mike Yardley it's not just girls who hold these values.
"In our society, unfortunately, it's more bout looks than what's happening inside their brains."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/twqgmxl5/mhb20-07-21-vicky-pond.mp3Mon, 19 Jul 2021 10:04:49 +0000RoccoFears social media is promoting the wrong values in teenage girls. Auckland University research has found high achieving Year 13s at four Auckland high schools, value beauty over intelligence. It's found social media put pressure on girls by creating...Auckland University research has found high achieving Year 13s at four Auckland high schools, value beauty over intelligence.
It's found social media put pressure on girls by creating high expectations.
Social group Enlighten Education runs workshops which help girls develop confidence.
Director Vicky Pond told Mike Yardley it's not just girls who hold these values.
"In our society, unfortunately, it's more bout looks than what's happening inside their brains."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>151falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-uk-s-freedom-day-was-too-hasty--1008000Delta has derailed previous hopes that the passage out of Covid’s clutches would be smooth sailing. And its damn frustrating.
There’s much I admire about Boris Johnson. Yes, he’s got enough peccadillos to fill the British Museum. Put that to one side. He’s a trooper, he’s a true believer in brighter days and liberation. Brexit was no small achievement. He’s ebullient, bolshy and big picture.
But even Boris has reined in his exuberance over Freedom Day. He was planning a Churchillian speech to declare victory over the virus. The summer spike in cases has forced him to scupper those plans.
Delta has bitten Britannia’s butt – just as it did to the Dutch, who were too hasty to open up. They dropped their guard too fast and daily Covid case rates rocketed by five hundred per cent. The Dutch Prime Minister has apologised for poor judgement and a swag of health measures have been reinstated, to slow the spread.
With the removal of those remaining restrictions in England today, daily Covid cases are now on track to hit one hundred thousand in two weeks.
The good news is that vaccinations have clearly blunted the fatality and hospitalisation rates. Those key indicators are ticking up again, but not with the same ferocity. However, the dynamics in the UK vividly illustrate the dangers and the downsides to taking a big bang approach to reopening. Boris should have waited until Britain’s vaccination rate was well north of eighty per cent, not sixty five per cent. There’s every chance restrictions will soon be reimposed.
I’m so grateful to live in a country with a far lower population density. It’s been one of saving graces. But unlike the holus bolus approach Boris adopted, a more cautious, nuanced approach is surely what we need to do. I believe a step by step re-entry with the world, Singapore-style, is the way forward. Learning to live with Covid and steadily relegating its power – but we can only start down that track, when the nation is finally vaccinated.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/0pydkh0v/mhb20-07-21-freedom-day-editorial.mp3Mon, 19 Jul 2021 09:58:18 +0000RoccoThe sun is setting on England’s first Freedom Day, as the infection rate goes through the roof. Delta has derailed previous hopes that the passage out of Covid’s clutches would be smooth sailing. And its damn frustrating. There’s much I admire about...Delta has derailed previous hopes that the passage out of Covid’s clutches would be smooth sailing. And its damn frustrating.
There’s much I admire about Boris Johnson. Yes, he’s got enough peccadillos to fill the British Museum. Put that to one side. He’s a trooper, he’s a true believer in brighter days and liberation. Brexit was no small achievement. He’s ebullient, bolshy and big picture.
But even Boris has reined in his exuberance over Freedom Day. He was planning a Churchillian speech to declare victory over the virus. The summer spike in cases has forced him to scupper those plans.
Delta has bitten Britannia’s butt – just as it did to the Dutch, who were too hasty to open up. They dropped their guard too fast and daily Covid case rates rocketed by five hundred per cent. The Dutch Prime Minister has apologised for poor judgement and a swag of health measures have been reinstated, to slow the spread.
With the removal of those remaining restrictions in England today, daily Covid cases are now on track to hit one hundred thousand in two weeks.
The good news is that vaccinations have clearly blunted the fatality and hospitalisation rates. Those key indicators are ticking up again, but not with the same ferocity. However, the dynamics in the UK vividly illustrate the dangers and the downsides to taking a big bang approach to reopening. Boris should have waited until Britain’s vaccination rate was well north of eighty per cent, not sixty five per cent. There’s every chance restrictions will soon be reimposed.
I’m so grateful to live in a country with a far lower population density. It’s been one of saving graces. But unlike the holus bolus approach Boris adopted, a more cautious, nuanced approach is surely what we need to do. I believe a step by step re-entry with the world, Singapore-style, is the way forward. Learning to live with Covid and steadily relegating its power – but we can only start down that track, when the nation is finally vaccinated.]]>154falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/paul-wiggans-a-new-technology-aimed-at-protecting-against-viruses-is-coming-to-our-shores--1007978Active Pure, which was originally developed by NASA, is being launched in New Zealand by Big Blue water company.
It's a small box unit you set up in a room, and helps protect against germs and bacteria in the air, like Covid-19 and the cold and flu.
The New Zealand Olympic team is also currently testing it out in Tokyo.
Big Blue managing director Paul Wiggans told Mike Yardley the system provides more than other methods as it runs 24 hours a day.
“The key to it is that it’s active 24/7, rather than relying on more traditional point and time technologies such as air filtration.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/f5umfe3h/mhb20-07-21-paul-wiggans.mp3Mon, 19 Jul 2021 08:52:00 +0000RoccoA new technology aimed at protecting against viruses is coming to our shores. Active Pure, which was originally developed by NASA, is being launched in New Zealand by Big Blue water company. It's a small box unit you set up in a room, and helps...Active Pure, which was originally developed by NASA, is being launched in New Zealand by Big Blue water company.
It's a small box unit you set up in a room, and helps protect against germs and bacteria in the air, like Covid-19 and the cold and flu.
The New Zealand Olympic team is also currently testing it out in Tokyo.
Big Blue managing director Paul Wiggans told Mike Yardley the system provides more than other methods as it runs 24 hours a day.
“The key to it is that it’s active 24/7, rather than relying on more traditional point and time technologies such as air filtration.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>172falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/capitan-david-morgan-kiwi-fashion-designer-stashes-seven-kilograms-of-clothes-on-flight-from-germany-to-new-zealand--1008041Kiwi fashion designer Bruno Harding managed to stash seven kilograms of clothes in a specially designed coat on a flight from Germany to New Zealand.
Air New Zealand's chief safety officer David Morgan told Mike Yardley it's not safe.
"Quite a clever idea and very innovative, but not a good idea when it comes to aircraft performance I have to say."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/gtgdoav3/mhb20-07-21-captain-david-morgan.mp3Mon, 19 Jul 2021 08:18:15 +0000RoccoYou might like to think twice before you pile on all those clothes to avoid paying excess baggage charges. Kiwi fashion designer Bruno Harding managed to stash seven kilograms of clothes in a specially designed coat on a flight from Germany to New...Kiwi fashion designer Bruno Harding managed to stash seven kilograms of clothes in a specially designed coat on a flight from Germany to New Zealand.
Air New Zealand's chief safety officer David Morgan told Mike Yardley it's not safe.
"Quite a clever idea and very innovative, but not a good idea when it comes to aircraft performance I have to say."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>173falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/terry-baucher-tax-expert-proposes-fair-income-tax-to-fix-housing-crisis--1008046Tax expert Terry Baucher and retirement researcher Susan St John are proposing a new "fair economic return" tax across all residential property.
Money invested in property would be deemed to have provided a certain rate of return each year, regardless of whether that rate of return was actually realised or not.
Terry Baucher told Mike Yardley the current system isn't working and something needs to change.
“This housing crisis is eating our young, what we’ve been doing hasn’t been working, we need to try something else.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/nh4p1cki/mhb20-07-21-terry-baucher.mp3Mon, 19 Jul 2021 08:08:44 +0000RoccoResearchers are calling for a new tax to bridge the gap between those who own property, and those who don't. Tax expert Terry Baucher and retirement researcher Susan St John are proposing a new "fair economic return" tax across all residential...Tax expert Terry Baucher and retirement researcher Susan St John are proposing a new "fair economic return" tax across all residential property.
Money invested in property would be deemed to have provided a certain rate of return each year, regardless of whether that rate of return was actually realised or not.
Terry Baucher told Mike Yardley the current system isn't working and something needs to change.
“This housing crisis is eating our young, what we’ve been doing hasn’t been working, we need to try something else.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>231falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-why-is-nz-allowing-foreign-boats-into-our-ports--1008004Last week it was the Viking Bay berthing in Wellington, with fifteen Covid infected foreign crew. And yesterday, the Playa Zahara docked in Christchurch, with sixteen Covid cases. And like the Viking Bay crew, most of these Indonesian mariners are now being hosted by the taxpayer in MIQ, at the Sudima Hotel.
Has the cardigan crowd in Wellington lost their head? What the hell is going on?
Fishing industry group, Deepwater Blue is rightly hitting out at why New Zealand is allowing foreign fishing vessels entry to our ports when they are not fishing within our waters. Why are we allowing them to recrew in this country? They are not part of our supply chain. They are not cargo ships plying the Pacific.
So why is officialdom allowing these fishing vessels to use New Zealand. It’s inviting danger to our doorstep.
In the grips of a pandemic, how does any of this make sense?
We are raising the stakes on a Covid outbreak, for no economic benefit.
Meanwhile, many Kiwi returnees can’t get ready access to MIQ. Since when did we become the sick bay to the seafaring world?
I agree with Des Gorman who believes these crews should be forced to quarantine on their ships.
But to add insult to injury, not only have we opened our MIQ doors to them, but we’re footing the bill.
Chris Hipkins office says Section Four of the Health Act precludes these mariners from being billed for their MIQ stay. Excuse me? Why hasn’t a Health Order blowtorched that anomaly?
Hipkins office says they’ll talk to the shipping company about making a contribution towards the costs. Thank you for your kind donation.
But the bigger issue is why are we playing roulette? We only have to look to Australia to see how insidious the Delta variant is.
The strategy designed to keep the virus out the country is being undermined, in the spirit of being kind. New Zealand is being needlessly exposed to undue risk.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/gndhvbai/mp3_bc_-mp3_online_mhb19-07-21-720-editorial.mp3Mon, 19 Jul 2021 02:57:13 +0000RoccoSo yesterday a second foreign-flagged fishing vessel full of Covid, tied up at a New Zealand port. Last week it was the Viking Bay berthing in Wellington, with fifteen Covid infected foreign crew. And yesterday, the Playa Zahara docked in...Last week it was the Viking Bay berthing in Wellington, with fifteen Covid infected foreign crew. And yesterday, the Playa Zahara docked in Christchurch, with sixteen Covid cases. And like the Viking Bay crew, most of these Indonesian mariners are now being hosted by the taxpayer in MIQ, at the Sudima Hotel.
Has the cardigan crowd in Wellington lost their head? What the hell is going on?
Fishing industry group, Deepwater Blue is rightly hitting out at why New Zealand is allowing foreign fishing vessels entry to our ports when they are not fishing within our waters. Why are we allowing them to recrew in this country? They are not part of our supply chain. They are not cargo ships plying the Pacific.
So why is officialdom allowing these fishing vessels to use New Zealand. It’s inviting danger to our doorstep.
In the grips of a pandemic, how does any of this make sense?
We are raising the stakes on a Covid outbreak, for no economic benefit.
Meanwhile, many Kiwi returnees can’t get ready access to MIQ. Since when did we become the sick bay to the seafaring world?
I agree with Des Gorman who believes these crews should be forced to quarantine on their ships.
But to add insult to injury, not only have we opened our MIQ doors to them, but we’re footing the bill.
Chris Hipkins office says Section Four of the Health Act precludes these mariners from being billed for their MIQ stay. Excuse me? Why hasn’t a Health Order blowtorched that anomaly?
Hipkins office says they’ll talk to the shipping company about making a contribution towards the costs. Thank you for your kind donation.
But the bigger issue is why are we playing roulette? We only have to look to Australia to see how insidious the Delta variant is.
The strategy designed to keep the virus out the country is being undermined, in the spirit of being kind. New Zealand is being needlessly exposed to undue risk.]]>165falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-friday-s-magnificent-protest-and-why-i-stand-with-the-farmers--1008011The turnout was thunderous. Country came to town to express the cry of the heartland. Not just from a group of Pakeha farmers from down South, James Shaw.
Like me, townies by the tractor load stand shoulder to shoulder with their cause.
This was an uprising to the pile on, where farmers quite rightly feel they’ve been thrust into a perpetual state of punishment. They’re under the pump. The onslaught of regulations, restrictions and punitive reforms is insufferable.
The heavy hand of the state is suffocating the heartland. Regulation Strangulation.
The ute tax was a tipping point along with the SNAs, adding to an unseemly, unworkable and unaffordable mountain of red tape and eroded property rights.
It’s just too much. It's intolerable.
It's equally outrageous that many members of this government and their groupies are quite happy to cast farmers as natural-born environmental vandals. That kind of demonisation must stop.
From my experience, the overwhelming majority of farmers are inherently decent people. The most carbon-efficient farmers in the world. And by the large, the best conservationists of their land. If you molest with their property rights, where’s the incentive to be a conservationist?
Our primary sector is not averse to adaptation or change or innovation. They lead the world. But the sheer scale, volume and pace of Labour’s grand designs is just unwieldly.
Stop the strangle. Stop penalising and punishing farmers being so productive. Cut them some slack.
I believe the great outpouring on Friday marks a mood shift is underway. Public sentiment is swinging. And the support from our towns and cities to the heartland on Friday was unmistakable.
The government’s great juggernaut of reforms baring down on the farm is not realistic, it is rabid.
Their relationship with farmers needs a re-set. A relaxation.
If Labour chooses to thumb their nose at those drum beats from the land, they do at their peril.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/haefo1rt/mp3_bc_-mp3_online_mhb19-07-21-opening-editorial-1.mp3Mon, 19 Jul 2021 01:34:12 +0000RoccoIt would be remiss of me not to start today, without paying tribute to Friday’s magnificently staged protest. It’s rare for farmers to rise up en-masse, and they have a lot to be riled about. The turnout was thunderous. Country came to town to express...The turnout was thunderous. Country came to town to express the cry of the heartland. Not just from a group of Pakeha farmers from down South, James Shaw.
Like me, townies by the tractor load stand shoulder to shoulder with their cause.
This was an uprising to the pile on, where farmers quite rightly feel they’ve been thrust into a perpetual state of punishment. They’re under the pump. The onslaught of regulations, restrictions and punitive reforms is insufferable.
The heavy hand of the state is suffocating the heartland. Regulation Strangulation.
The ute tax was a tipping point along with the SNAs, adding to an unseemly, unworkable and unaffordable mountain of red tape and eroded property rights.
It’s just too much. It's intolerable.
It's equally outrageous that many members of this government and their groupies are quite happy to cast farmers as natural-born environmental vandals. That kind of demonisation must stop.
From my experience, the overwhelming majority of farmers are inherently decent people. The most carbon-efficient farmers in the world. And by the large, the best conservationists of their land. If you molest with their property rights, where’s the incentive to be a conservationist?
Our primary sector is not averse to adaptation or change or innovation. They lead the world. But the sheer scale, volume and pace of Labour’s grand designs is just unwieldly.
Stop the strangle. Stop penalising and punishing farmers being so productive. Cut them some slack.
I believe the great outpouring on Friday marks a mood shift is underway. Public sentiment is swinging. And the support from our towns and cities to the heartland on Friday was unmistakable.
The government’s great juggernaut of reforms baring down on the farm is not realistic, it is rabid.
Their relationship with farmers needs a re-set. A relaxation.
If Labour chooses to thumb their nose at those drum beats from the land, they do at their peril.]]>165falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/richard-arnold-shooting-at-baseball-game-puts-the-sport-under-fire--1007948A fan outside of the stadium was one of three people wounded, according to Ashan Benedict, executive assistant chief of police for DC's Metropolitan Police Department.
The fan who was shot, a woman, is expected to recover, Benedict said. Police initially said in statements posted on Twitter that four people were shot.
The two other people wounded in the shooting were associated with a recovered vehicle and are now in the hospital being questioned by police, according to Benedict. It's unclear what their exact involvement was in the incident. Benedict also said those individuals were known to law enforcement.
CNN journalists inside the stadium reported hearing multiple loud bangs during the bottom of the 6th inning in a game between the Washington Nationals and San Diego Padres.
Fans fled their seats and sought shelter after hearing the gunfire. Benedict said there ultimately was no threat to people inside the stadium.
"I just want to assure the public that at no time during this incident were individuals inside the stadium attending the game in any kind of danger. This was not an active shooter incident and it's not being investigated as such. Everything took place outside the stadium," he said.
Benedict told reporters that two vehicles were involved in a "shootout" on a street outside of the stadium during the game. Police recovered one of the vehicles but the other remains at-large.
On Sunday, the Metropolitan Police Department released images of the at-large vehicle, which they identified as a gray Toyota Corolla with a missing hubcap on the rear driver's side. Police said the car, seen in photos captured by surveillance cameras in the area, has dark-tinted windows and investigators believed it had a temporary Virginia tag.
Members of the public who can identify the vehicle are asked to notify police via their tip line.
The Washington Nationals had fans shelter-in-place inside the stadium during the immediate aftermath of the gunfire, according to Scott Fear, vice president for public safety and security for the Washington Nationals. A message on the scoreboard shortly after the shooting told fans to remain inside the baseball park, but it was later updated to say it was safe for fans to leave the stadium.
"We held shelter in place for approximately 10 to 15 minutes. At that time we said fans were allowed, not that they had to, but they were allowed to exit through Center Field Gates and Right Field Gates on the other side of the stadium, because MPD had let me know that it was safe enough that they could go outside, out of the gate that way," said Fear.
In a joint statement Sunday, Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser and Mark D. Lerner, managing principal owner of the baseball team, condemned the shooting, saying they "stand together against senseless acts of gun violence in the city we love."
"Gun violence -- no matter where it occurs in our city -- is unacceptable and will not be tolerated."
A police spokesperson said the Metropolitan Police Department had increased patrols in the area surrounding the park.
The remainder of the game was suspended until Sunday afternoon. Game 3 of the Nationals-Padres series, which was scheduled for Sunday afternoon, was played after the conclusion of the suspended game.
'It's happening everywhere'
Washington Nationals Manager Dave Martinez told reporters Sunday that when he heard the gunshots, he believed they were coming from above the the third base dugout.
"I didn't know what was going on, but I wanted to make sure that everybody was safe," he said at a news conference. "As things went on, fairly quickly I heard that it was outside the stadium. But like I said, everything happened so quickly, fans started getting a little bit frantic, which we don't blame."
"When a situation like that arises you try to follow...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22xl5a2u/mhb19-07-21-richard-arnold.mp3Mon, 19 Jul 2021 01:07:17 +0000RoccoThree people were injured in a shooting Saturday night outside Nationals Park in Washington, DC, sending baseball fans and players scrambling during a game, police said. A fan outside of the stadium was one of three people wounded, according to Ashan...A fan outside of the stadium was one of three people wounded, according to Ashan Benedict, executive assistant chief of police for DC's Metropolitan Police Department.
The fan who was shot, a woman, is expected to recover, Benedict said. Police initially said in statements posted on Twitter that four people were shot.
The two other people wounded in the shooting were associated with a recovered vehicle and are now in the hospital being questioned by police, according to Benedict. It's unclear what their exact involvement was in the incident. Benedict also said those individuals were known to law enforcement.
CNN journalists inside the stadium reported hearing multiple loud bangs during the bottom of the 6th inning in a game between the Washington Nationals and San Diego Padres.
Fans fled their seats and sought shelter after hearing the gunfire. Benedict said there ultimately was no threat to people inside the stadium.
"I just want to assure the public that at no time during this incident were individuals inside the stadium attending the game in any kind of danger. This was not an active shooter incident and it's not being investigated as such. Everything took place outside the stadium," he said.
Benedict told reporters that two vehicles were involved in a "shootout" on a street outside of the stadium during the game. Police recovered one of the vehicles but the other remains at-large.
On Sunday, the Metropolitan Police Department released images of the at-large vehicle, which they identified as a gray Toyota Corolla with a missing hubcap on the rear driver's side. Police said the car, seen in photos captured by surveillance cameras in the area, has dark-tinted windows and investigators believed it had a temporary Virginia tag.
Members of the public who can identify the vehicle are asked to notify police via their tip line.
The Washington Nationals had fans shelter-in-place inside the stadium during the immediate aftermath of the gunfire, according to Scott Fear, vice president for public safety and security for the Washington Nationals. A message on the scoreboard shortly after the shooting told fans to remain inside the baseball park, but it was later updated to say it was safe for fans to leave the stadium.
"We held shelter in place for approximately 10 to 15 minutes. At that time we said fans were allowed, not that they had to, but they were allowed to exit through Center Field Gates and Right Field Gates on the other side of the stadium, because MPD had let me know that it was safe enough that they could go outside, out of the gate that way," said Fear.
In a joint statement Sunday, Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser and Mark D. Lerner, managing principal owner of the baseball team, condemned the shooting, saying they "stand together against senseless acts of gun violence in the city we love."
"Gun violence -- no matter where it occurs in our city -- is unacceptable and will not be tolerated."
A police spokesperson said the Metropolitan Police Department had increased patrols in the area surrounding the park.
The remainder of the game was suspended until Sunday afternoon. Game 3 of the Nationals-Padres series, which was scheduled for Sunday afternoon, was played after the conclusion of the suspended game.
'It's happening everywhere'
Washington Nationals Manager Dave Martinez told reporters Sunday that when he heard the gunshots, he believed they were coming from above the the third base dugout.
"I didn't know what was going on, but I wanted to make sure that everybody was safe," he said at a news conference. "As things went on, fairly quickly I heard that it was outside the stadium. But like I said, everything happened so quickly, fans started getting a little bit...]]>205falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/claire-insley-first-ever-vegan-cheese-awards-begin-today--1008060New Zealand's first-ever vegan cheese awards begin in Auckland today.
Over 30 entries from makers across the country will be assessed by a panel of judges across several different categories.
"Some cheeses do try to emulate your traditional dairy cheese, like the cheddars for instance might try and be really melty for your pizza or toasted sandwich," Vegan Society spokesperson Claire Insley told Mike Yardley.
"[But] particularly the more artisan cheeses made from cultured cashew nuts, they are their own thing very much. They are so good though, just really incredibly delicious."
Much to Mike's pleasure, there are vegan fetas.
"There are fetas... some really nice salty, yummy, fatty-tasting cheeses and the really good thing about vegan cheeses is there is no cholesterol in them, so they're really good options for people with cardio vascular problems."]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/bwubkvsc/mp3_bc_-mp3_online_mhb19-07-21-claire-insley.mp3Mon, 19 Jul 2021 00:26:53 +0000RoccoWhat does it take for a vegan cheese to please the public and emerge as a supreme cheese? New Zealand's first-ever vegan cheese awards begin in Auckland today. Over 30 entries from makers across the country will be assessed by a panel of judges across...New Zealand's first-ever vegan cheese awards begin in Auckland today.
Over 30 entries from makers across the country will be assessed by a panel of judges across several different categories.
"Some cheeses do try to emulate your traditional dairy cheese, like the cheddars for instance might try and be really melty for your pizza or toasted sandwich," Vegan Society spokesperson Claire Insley told Mike Yardley.
"[But] particularly the more artisan cheeses made from cultured cashew nuts, they are their own thing very much. They are so good though, just really incredibly delicious."
Much to Mike's pleasure, there are vegan fetas.
"There are fetas... some really nice salty, yummy, fatty-tasting cheeses and the really good thing about vegan cheeses is there is no cholesterol in them, so they're really good options for people with cardio vascular problems."]]>175falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/peter-dunne-unlikely-auditor-general-gets-involved-in-political-areas--1008082The Opposition party is asking the Auditor-General to look into $2.75 million paid to a Mongrel Mob-led methamphetamine addiction programme.
The money came from the Proceeds of Crime Fund which was signed off by Labour Cabinet Ministers, including Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
Political commentator Peter Dunne told Mike Yardley the Auditor-General could initiate a probe, but it would be an unusual thing to do.
"These are intensely political areas, and the auditor general's role is not to make a judgement on politics, but to make a judgement on the validity and the legality of expenditures."
Dunne adds it is unlikely the auditor general will get in involved, and there must be an agreement of sorts between the provider and the Government over this.
"What the auditor general would want to look at if he was to take it on would be the extent to which the conditions of that have been met or breached."]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/mm1nabz5/mp3_bc_-mp3_online_mhb19-07-21-peter-dunne.mp3Sun, 18 Jul 2021 21:09:40 +0000RoccoNational is calling on the Government's spending watchdog to investigate what leader Judith Collins is describing as a taxpayer-funded emboldening of gangs. The Opposition party is asking the Auditor-General to look into $2.75 million paid to a...The Opposition party is asking the Auditor-General to look into $2.75 million paid to a Mongrel Mob-led methamphetamine addiction programme.
The money came from the Proceeds of Crime Fund which was signed off by Labour Cabinet Ministers, including Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
Political commentator Peter Dunne told Mike Yardley the Auditor-General could initiate a probe, but it would be an unusual thing to do.
"These are intensely political areas, and the auditor general's role is not to make a judgement on politics, but to make a judgement on the validity and the legality of expenditures."
Dunne adds it is unlikely the auditor general will get in involved, and there must be an agreement of sorts between the provider and the Government over this.
"What the auditor general would want to look at if he was to take it on would be the extent to which the conditions of that have been met or breached."]]>179falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/kris-faafoi-residents-in-weather-stricken-westport-could-be-out-of-their-homes-for-some-time--1008057Some there say their houses have "had it" and others don't know when they will get home to assess the damage.
Alongside the destruction of property - buildings, vehicles and treasured personal possessions - farmers at the heart of the Buller District have suffered stock losses.
One farmer lost around 700 animals after the Buller River rose to what some say were unprecedented levels.
The clean-up for the town with a population of just over 4600 will likely take months and it has been estimated "hundreds" of houses have been badly damaged.
The Buller and Marlborough regions were battered by heavy rain that caused flooding, slips, major road closures and left towns completely cut off.
The unforgiving weather forced evacuations on Friday night, leaving people trapped on the roofs of their cars and needing to be rescued.
Some have been able to return home but many will spend the next few days in evacuation centres as authorities get a better idea of the situation.

Whole blocks of houses remain under massive amounts of water in Westport. (Photo / George Heard)
The majority of them are in the hardest-hit area - Westport.
Yesterday the Government announced a $300,000 helping hand to Westport through a mayoral relief fund and a further $100,000 for the Blenheim-Marlborough region.
And a separate $200,000 has been committed for flood-affected farmers and growers across both areas.
'We're here to help' - Kris Faafoi
Acting Emergency Management Minister Kris Faafoi acknowledged the work that has already been done to help those on the ground and said the extent of the damage would be known over the next day or so.
Speaking to Newstalk ZB's Mike Yardley this morning, he said: "Today and the next couple of days, as the waters recede, we'll get a really good idea of just how much of a clean-up there is."
He said there is a "significant number" of people who will be out of their homes over the next few days as a result.
One challenge was making sure families whose homes have been flood-damaged had a place to stay while repairs were being carried out at their properties.
Officials are working closely with the Civil Defence, as well as the Defence Force, to ensure locals were taken care of in that regard, he said.
"We'll keep working with them to make sure they have everything they need."

Asked if he had a message for farmers, he said: "We're here to help."
He said the Government would be there to assist where possible.
Aerial views of Westport showed most houses in the central town area under water - many up to window-level with parked cars completely submerged.
Murky and stinking brown floodwater covered entire streets, and paddocks surrounding the town looked more like lakes.

The clean-up is expected to take months, with many residents still unable to return home to even assess the damage. (Photo / George Heard)
Wendy Bullard has lived in Westport for decades and has endured two previous floods - but nothing like what smashed through the town at the weekend.
The Herald was with her when she was allowed to go back to her property, the water still knee high.

Her tears flowed - a mixture of sadness, anger, frustration, hopelessness, exhaustion - as she surveyed the damage.
Photo albums with decades of family memories; sopping wet, destroyed.Her bathroom layered with foul smelling mud; her flooring, her furniture - everything soaked, splashed and ruined.

Westport resident Wendy Bullard cries as she returns to her home to survey the damage. (Photo / George Heard)
As her most personal and loved possessions floated around her in the filthy brown and cold water her voice broke.
"Everything ... my whole life up to this point, 58 years ... my daughters' things," she said.
"It's a living nightmare."
"I'm gutted, I'm in shock."First responders out helping the com...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/aain3ufu/mhb19-07-21-kris-faafoi.mp3Sun, 18 Jul 2021 20:45:58 +0000RoccoIt's going to be a long road back to normal for flood-stricken Westport, with 1000 people unable to go home, a shortage of rental housing and streets still filled with filthy water. Some there say their houses have "had it" and others don't know when...Some there say their houses have "had it" and others don't know when they will get home to assess the damage.
Alongside the destruction of property - buildings, vehicles and treasured personal possessions - farmers at the heart of the Buller District have suffered stock losses.
One farmer lost around 700 animals after the Buller River rose to what some say were unprecedented levels.
The clean-up for the town with a population of just over 4600 will likely take months and it has been estimated "hundreds" of houses have been badly damaged.
The Buller and Marlborough regions were battered by heavy rain that caused flooding, slips, major road closures and left towns completely cut off.
The unforgiving weather forced evacuations on Friday night, leaving people trapped on the roofs of their cars and needing to be rescued.
Some have been able to return home but many will spend the next few days in evacuation centres as authorities get a better idea of the situation.

Whole blocks of houses remain under massive amounts of water in Westport. (Photo / George Heard)
The majority of them are in the hardest-hit area - Westport.
Yesterday the Government announced a $300,000 helping hand to Westport through a mayoral relief fund and a further $100,000 for the Blenheim-Marlborough region.
And a separate $200,000 has been committed for flood-affected farmers and growers across both areas.
'We're here to help' - Kris Faafoi
Acting Emergency Management Minister Kris Faafoi acknowledged the work that has already been done to help those on the ground and said the extent of the damage would be known over the next day or so.
Speaking to Newstalk ZB's Mike Yardley this morning, he said: "Today and the next couple of days, as the waters recede, we'll get a really good idea of just how much of a clean-up there is."
He said there is a "significant number" of people who will be out of their homes over the next few days as a result.
One challenge was making sure families whose homes have been flood-damaged had a place to stay while repairs were being carried out at their properties.
Officials are working closely with the Civil Defence, as well as the Defence Force, to ensure locals were taken care of in that regard, he said.
"We'll keep working with them to make sure they have everything they need."

Asked if he had a message for farmers, he said: "We're here to help."
He said the Government would be there to assist where possible.
Aerial views of Westport showed most houses in the central town area under water - many up to window-level with parked cars completely submerged.
Murky and stinking brown floodwater covered entire streets, and paddocks surrounding the town looked more like lakes.

The clean-up is expected to take months, with many residents still unable to return home to even assess the damage. (Photo / George Heard)
Wendy Bullard has lived in Westport for decades and has endured two previous floods - but nothing like what smashed through the town at the weekend.
The Herald was with her when she was allowed to go back to her property, the water still knee high.

Her tears flowed - a mixture of sadness, anger, frustration, hopelessness, exhaustion - as she surveyed the damage.
Photo albums with decades of family memories; sopping wet, destroyed.Her bathroom layered with foul smelling mud; her flooring, her furniture - everything soaked, splashed and ruined.

Westport resident Wendy Bullard cries as she returns to her home to survey the damage. (Photo / George Heard)
As her most personal and loved possessions floated around her in the filthy brown and cold water her voice broke.
"Everything...]]>218falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/comm-box-olympic-concerns-all-blacks-selection-dilemma--1007979The Tokyo Olympics are four days away, yet Covid-19 is already making an impact on the event. As of July 1, 55 people linked to the Olympics have returned positive tests.
This accounting does include athletes or others who may have arrived for training camps but are not yet under the jurisdiction of the organising committee.
Heveldt - who is currently in Tokyo - expects the majority of supporters to put virus concerns to the side and enjoy the sporting spectacle.
"The sport will be fantastic, it always is and particularly if you're a sports fan, I think most people will try and park Covid for a little bit."
Heveldt says he does not feel unsafe in any way.
"Don't get me wrong there is huge pressure on the International Olympic Committee and massive questions as to why this is going ahead. But in saying that... there's no feeling of discomfort. I have spoken to a few New Zealand athletes who went into the village yesterday (Sunday), and they were just so excited to be in there.
"If it does start to get out of control then that will obviously change."
Saville believes once the Games get underway, people will watch keenly.
"Once it starts I think we'll all be watching, the only difference is quite often you watch for that colour... and without fans there it's not going to be there."
Saville is foreshadowing seven or eight gold medals for the New Zealand team.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/vj0kyuuj/mp3_bc_-mp3_online_mhb19-07-21-comm-box.mp3Sun, 18 Jul 2021 14:09:18 +0000RoccoAndrew Saville and Guy Heveldt join Mike Yardley on the Commentary Box, to talk all the big sports stories. The Tokyo Olympics are four days away, yet Covid-19 is already making an impact on the event. As of July 1, 55 people linked to the Olympics...The Tokyo Olympics are four days away, yet Covid-19 is already making an impact on the event. As of July 1, 55 people linked to the Olympics have returned positive tests.
This accounting does include athletes or others who may have arrived for training camps but are not yet under the jurisdiction of the organising committee.
Heveldt - who is currently in Tokyo - expects the majority of supporters to put virus concerns to the side and enjoy the sporting spectacle.
"The sport will be fantastic, it always is and particularly if you're a sports fan, I think most people will try and park Covid for a little bit."
Heveldt says he does not feel unsafe in any way.
"Don't get me wrong there is huge pressure on the International Olympic Committee and massive questions as to why this is going ahead. But in saying that... there's no feeling of discomfort. I have spoken to a few New Zealand athletes who went into the village yesterday (Sunday), and they were just so excited to be in there.
"If it does start to get out of control then that will obviously change."
Saville believes once the Games get underway, people will watch keenly.
"Once it starts I think we'll all be watching, the only difference is quite often you watch for that colour... and without fans there it's not going to be there."
Saville is foreshadowing seven or eight gold medals for the New Zealand team.]]>757falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/dr-rawiri-jansen-evidence-that-maori-families-experience-racism-from-plunket--1008009The move comes after a review found the barrier to immunisation is the inherently racist and culturally incompetent health system.
Counties Manukau DHB concluded that the year-long pilot - where families got the likes of nappies and grocery vouchers - didn't make a clear difference.
Instead, the Board is calling on health workers to be better trained to counter white privilege and stereotyping.
Dr Rawiri Jansen, the clinical director at The National Hauora Coalition, told Mike Yardley thousands of dollars have been wasted on these giveaways, but he is pleased by the report.
"They got a really hard-hitting report about it, they've looked into it. It's important that when money's spent they do an evaluation and find out if it worked and in this case, it clearly didn't work. They've done a good enough report to find why it didn't work.
"Plunket as an organisation, which historically founded by Truby King - a white supremacist, is still a racist organisation and Māori families experience that racism from the Plunket workers, giving me a $20 voucher doesn't make any difference if I've got a racist health worker."
When asked if it was fair to be labelling all Plunket workers as racists, Dr Jansen replied he is labelling the organisation as racist.
"We've got evidence that it still does this differential servicing of it clients, so that's problematic and I think we should be brave about it and say actually we can't stop Plunket being apt of our history, but it shouldn't be part of our future... there's no pale for it."]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/bltnnrzr/mp3_bc_-mp3_online_mhb19-07-21-rawiri-jansen.mp3Sun, 18 Jul 2021 11:46:26 +0000RoccoA scheme that gave incentives to Māori families to encourage them to get their children vaccinated has been canned. The move comes after a review found the barrier to immunisation is the inherently racist and culturally incompetent health system....The move comes after a review found the barrier to immunisation is the inherently racist and culturally incompetent health system.
Counties Manukau DHB concluded that the year-long pilot - where families got the likes of nappies and grocery vouchers - didn't make a clear difference.
Instead, the Board is calling on health workers to be better trained to counter white privilege and stereotyping.
Dr Rawiri Jansen, the clinical director at The National Hauora Coalition, told Mike Yardley thousands of dollars have been wasted on these giveaways, but he is pleased by the report.
"They got a really hard-hitting report about it, they've looked into it. It's important that when money's spent they do an evaluation and find out if it worked and in this case, it clearly didn't work. They've done a good enough report to find why it didn't work.
"Plunket as an organisation, which historically founded by Truby King - a white supremacist, is still a racist organisation and Māori families experience that racism from the Plunket workers, giving me a $20 voucher doesn't make any difference if I've got a racist health worker."
When asked if it was fair to be labelling all Plunket workers as racists, Dr Jansen replied he is labelling the organisation as racist.
"We've got evidence that it still does this differential servicing of it clients, so that's problematic and I think we should be brave about it and say actually we can't stop Plunket being apt of our history, but it shouldn't be part of our future... there's no pale for it."]]>276falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/rob-waddell-we-anticipated-covid-19-cases-at-olympics--1008083New Zealand is sending its biggest ever team with 211 athletes attending, but they enter a country struggling to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic.
On Sunday it was confirmed two athletes living in the Olympic Village had tested positive for the virus, the first to do so with the event opening on Friday.
Organisers confirmed the positive tests were listed as "non-Japanese".
New Zealand team chef de mission Rob Waddell - who also won gold in the rowing single sculls in 2000 - told Mike Yardley there is a level of concern from the latest cases in the Olympic village.
"[It's] interesting the range of reactions throughout some of the different nations, those that have probably got more used to this it's sort of no big deal really. We had anticipated that Covid might come into the village, we're certainly watching it very closely and we're mindful of the health and wellbeing of our team.
"It's a concern, but we're certainly sticking to our processes and making sure that our team is really safe and we'll keep sticking in the bubble.
Waddell says he's been impressed with the IOC and the organising committee, who have been open and transparent, and have worked hard to find solutions.
"We're hugely mindful of the Japanese public and the privilege we've got of coming to Japan when they do have this going on.
"Amongst all nations, you can sense there's appreciation there and a commitment to doing the very best thing, not only for performance but for the Japanese public as well."
Waddell adds they are taking the Covid situation very seriously.
"The performance implications are just so vast. If you do get Covid that is effectively the end of your games. So we think it's worth being pretty strong on that and going to one end of the spectrum to protect the team."
Organisers say since July 1, 55 people linked to the Olympics have reported positive tests.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/mrngn4lf/mhb19-07-21-rob-waddell.mp3Sun, 18 Jul 2021 10:43:52 +0000RoccoThe Tokyo Olympics is just four sleeps away, and it is set to be a Games like no other. New Zealand is sending its biggest ever team with 211 athletes attending, but they enter a country struggling to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic. On Sunday it was...New Zealand is sending its biggest ever team with 211 athletes attending, but they enter a country struggling to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic.
On Sunday it was confirmed two athletes living in the Olympic Village had tested positive for the virus, the first to do so with the event opening on Friday.
Organisers confirmed the positive tests were listed as "non-Japanese".
New Zealand team chef de mission Rob Waddell - who also won gold in the rowing single sculls in 2000 - told Mike Yardley there is a level of concern from the latest cases in the Olympic village.
"[It's] interesting the range of reactions throughout some of the different nations, those that have probably got more used to this it's sort of no big deal really. We had anticipated that Covid might come into the village, we're certainly watching it very closely and we're mindful of the health and wellbeing of our team.
"It's a concern, but we're certainly sticking to our processes and making sure that our team is really safe and we'll keep sticking in the bubble.
Waddell says he's been impressed with the IOC and the organising committee, who have been open and transparent, and have worked hard to find solutions.
"We're hugely mindful of the Japanese public and the privilege we've got of coming to Japan when they do have this going on.
"Amongst all nations, you can sense there's appreciation there and a commitment to doing the very best thing, not only for performance but for the Japanese public as well."
Waddell adds they are taking the Covid situation very seriously.
"The performance implications are just so vast. If you do get Covid that is effectively the end of your games. So we think it's worth being pretty strong on that and going to one end of the spectrum to protect the team."
Organisers say since July 1, 55 people linked to the Olympics have reported positive tests.]]>337falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/john-hawkesby-remembering-philip-sherry-a-gentle-giant-of-nz-screens--1007910Sherry had a lifetime of distinguished public service and news reading from the early 1960s, and career that spanned a number of broadcasters including NZBC, TV One, South Pacific Television, TV3 and Radio NZ.
Former news presenter John Hawkesby told Mike Yardley Sherry was a gentle giant of New Zealand's screens.
"I remember growing up going to school, my parents had a certain radio station on and Philip was reading the news, and that's the first time I ever heard him. Later we both worked at South Pacific Television on different news programs, but I remember him with great affection. He always had this calm reassurance, he was kind of... our Walter Cronkite - the famous US anchor," Hawkesby said.
"He was slightly old school, I would describe him now as an absolute classic broadcaster.
"I remember a famous quote he once made, somebody asked him 'what makes a great newsreader?' And he replied 'sobriety and a great set of eyebrows', and I always thought that was a killer line."
Sherry formed a familiar news tandem with Tom Bradley to a generation of TV news viewers at TV2 from the mid-1970s.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/yfgnn0zg/mhb19-07-21-john-hawkesby.mp3Sun, 18 Jul 2021 10:06:12 +0000RoccoPhilip Sherry - the former TV presenter and one of the most recognisable faces on New Zealand screens - has died aged 87. Sherry had a lifetime of distinguished public service and news reading from the early 1960s, and career that spanned a number of...Sherry had a lifetime of distinguished public service and news reading from the early 1960s, and career that spanned a number of broadcasters including NZBC, TV One, South Pacific Television, TV3 and Radio NZ.
Former news presenter John Hawkesby told Mike Yardley Sherry was a gentle giant of New Zealand's screens.
"I remember growing up going to school, my parents had a certain radio station on and Philip was reading the news, and that's the first time I ever heard him. Later we both worked at South Pacific Television on different news programs, but I remember him with great affection. He always had this calm reassurance, he was kind of... our Walter Cronkite - the famous US anchor," Hawkesby said.
"He was slightly old school, I would describe him now as an absolute classic broadcaster.
"I remember a famous quote he once made, somebody asked him 'what makes a great newsreader?' And he replied 'sobriety and a great set of eyebrows', and I always thought that was a killer line."
Sherry formed a familiar news tandem with Tom Bradley to a generation of TV news viewers at TV2 from the mid-1970s.]]>204falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-i-hope-the-govt-is-listening-to-the-farmers--1007949The protest is up and down the streets of this fine country by tractor and ute.
Basically, it's designed to send a message to Wellington that the rural dweller has had enough, and you can't simply ride rough shod over a significant proportion of the country without some blow back.
The Ute Tax has been the final straw, but it's been over three years coming. The Labour Party, sadly, is not a rural party and it shows.
Damien O'Connor aside, they are made up of people from unions, libraries, and tertiary study. The fact the Prime Minister talked so eloquently of the new electric ute exposed all you needed to see about a person who literally doesn’t have a clue.
A tax on a group of people who have no alternative for transport, I.E there are no EVs to do what they do for a living, is an astonishing insult. And Jacinda Ardern trying to explain how they looked for a carve out means nothing, given they didn’t get one.
They then got further insulted by people like Michael Wood and Julie Anne Genter, who said utes were to be found mainly in cities anyway and are really just ego extensions for blokes.
But overall, it's been a mess around freshwater, fencing, land use, nitrate, He Puapua, Significant Natural Areas, pugging, slopes, paperwork and irrigation.
It's been an avalanche of Wellington telling farming, basically, they're not liked, and they need to do things differently. Consultation has been minimal and things like He Puapua have had no consultation at all. Not now, and certainly not during the election.
The one fault rural New Zealand has made, given their anger, is too many voted for Labour last September. Southland, of all places, went red.
A lot of people have to own up to that. If you voted for Labour and yet hate them, you've got no one to blame but yourself; you have got what you voted for.
And to the Government's credit, some of that weird stuff around pugging, slopes, and rain at different times of the year has been stalled, because even they recognised what a shambles it was.
But overall, rural New Zealand has every right to be aggrieved, especially given the value they bring to all our lives, given what they grow and sell for this country.
Numbers count, I hope the turnout is massive. And, although I am not holding my breath, I hope the government see it, take it on board, and tidy their act up. Rural New Zealand deserves a hell of a lot better.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/0vrloay5/mh160721-01-groundswellprotestcomment.mp3Thu, 15 Jul 2021 22:03:31 +0000RoccoI hope today is a very big day for provincial and rural New Zealand. ‘Groundswell’ is what they are calling it. The protest is up and down the streets of this fine country by tractor and ute. Basically, it's designed to send a message to Wellington...The protest is up and down the streets of this fine country by tractor and ute.
Basically, it's designed to send a message to Wellington that the rural dweller has had enough, and you can't simply ride rough shod over a significant proportion of the country without some blow back.
The Ute Tax has been the final straw, but it's been over three years coming. The Labour Party, sadly, is not a rural party and it shows.
Damien O'Connor aside, they are made up of people from unions, libraries, and tertiary study. The fact the Prime Minister talked so eloquently of the new electric ute exposed all you needed to see about a person who literally doesn’t have a clue.
A tax on a group of people who have no alternative for transport, I.E there are no EVs to do what they do for a living, is an astonishing insult. And Jacinda Ardern trying to explain how they looked for a carve out means nothing, given they didn’t get one.
They then got further insulted by people like Michael Wood and Julie Anne Genter, who said utes were to be found mainly in cities anyway and are really just ego extensions for blokes.
But overall, it's been a mess around freshwater, fencing, land use, nitrate, He Puapua, Significant Natural Areas, pugging, slopes, paperwork and irrigation.
It's been an avalanche of Wellington telling farming, basically, they're not liked, and they need to do things differently. Consultation has been minimal and things like He Puapua have had no consultation at all. Not now, and certainly not during the election.
The one fault rural New Zealand has made, given their anger, is too many voted for Labour last September. Southland, of all places, went red.
A lot of people have to own up to that. If you voted for Labour and yet hate them, you've got no one to blame but yourself; you have got what you voted for.
And to the Government's credit, some of that weird stuff around pugging, slopes, and rain at different times of the year has been stalled, because even they recognised what a shambles it was.
But overall, rural New Zealand has every right to be aggrieved, especially given the value they bring to all our lives, given what they grow and sell for this country.
Numbers count, I hope the turnout is massive. And, although I am not holding my breath, I hope the government see it, take it on board, and tidy their act up. Rural New Zealand deserves a hell of a lot better.]]>126falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-hopefully-the-government-gets-a-wake-up-today--1008085Government Importing Dirty Cool from Indonesia: 7/10
"If for no other reason than to highlight the absurdity of a government that keeps insisting on making announcements on things like climate change, and then not actually doing anything about it."
 
Interest Rates: 3/10
"The end of the golden weather.
Unless, of course, you're a saver. Then a little light at the end of the tunnel."
 
Farmers' Groundswell Protest: 8/10
"Hopefully the government gets a wake up today as to just how hopelessly out of touch they are with vast swathes of this country."
 
Sydney and Melbourne Lockdowns: 2/10
"It is all the proof you need that a vaccine programme and a fast rollout have never been more vital.
All those who said we didn’t need to hurry because we don’t have Covid are idiots."
 
The Olympics: 4/10
"It's a mess.
The Brazilian’s hotel, the South African sevens team, a country whose people don't want them, and the absurd heat.
Not to mention a medal ceremony where you award yourself your medal in front of no one.
Come on."
 
Euro Final and Penalty Shootouts: 9/10
"The greatest invention in sport.
Do or die, man or mouse, win or go home, champion or loser.
There is no test like it."
 
Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Galactic: 7/10
"Because he made a dream real."
 
But Virgin Galactic Only Going to the Edge of Space: 4/10
"One hour, a quarter of a million bucks, and three minutes without a seatbelt.
Could be me, but that doesn’t strike me as a must do."
 
The All Blacks: 6/10
"Yes, it's nice to have a season.
But I'm kind of keen for them to play someone of their own calibre."
 
The Mike Hosking Breakfast: 9/10
"Ratings day yesterday and we have literally never had a bigger audience.
More people joined the fun, and we couldn’t be more grateful."
 
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/vgvlyzii/mh160721-14-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 15 Jul 2021 21:10:54 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. Government Importing Dirty Cool from Indonesia: 7/10 "If for no other reason than to highlight the absurdity of a government that...Government Importing Dirty Cool from Indonesia: 7/10
"If for no other reason than to highlight the absurdity of a government that keeps insisting on making announcements on things like climate change, and then not actually doing anything about it."
 
Interest Rates: 3/10
"The end of the golden weather.
Unless, of course, you're a saver. Then a little light at the end of the tunnel."
 
Farmers' Groundswell Protest: 8/10
"Hopefully the government gets a wake up today as to just how hopelessly out of touch they are with vast swathes of this country."
 
Sydney and Melbourne Lockdowns: 2/10
"It is all the proof you need that a vaccine programme and a fast rollout have never been more vital.
All those who said we didn’t need to hurry because we don’t have Covid are idiots."
 
The Olympics: 4/10
"It's a mess.
The Brazilian’s hotel, the South African sevens team, a country whose people don't want them, and the absurd heat.
Not to mention a medal ceremony where you award yourself your medal in front of no one.
Come on."
 
Euro Final and Penalty Shootouts: 9/10
"The greatest invention in sport.
Do or die, man or mouse, win or go home, champion or loser.
There is no test like it."
 
Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Galactic: 7/10
"Because he made a dream real."
 
But Virgin Galactic Only Going to the Edge of Space: 4/10
"One hour, a quarter of a million bucks, and three minutes without a seatbelt.
Could be me, but that doesn’t strike me as a must do."
 
The All Blacks: 6/10
"Yes, it's nice to have a season.
But I'm kind of keen for them to play someone of their own calibre."
 
The Mike Hosking Breakfast: 9/10
"Ratings day yesterday and we have literally never had a bigger audience.
More people joined the fun, and we couldn’t be more grateful."
 
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>166falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/damien-o-connor-agriculture-minister-admits-a-few-things-werent-right-when-government-rolled-out-farming-regulations--1008017The Howl of a Protest event, organised by Groundswell New Zealand, will see thousands of farm vehicles rumbling through cities in protest against what farmers say is increasing interference from the Government, unworkable regulations and unjustified costs.
Agriculture Minister, Damien O'Connor, told Mike Hosking a few things weren't quite right when the Government rolled them out.
But he says it's released discussion documents for freshwater farm plans and made adjustments to winter grazing.
“We don’t claim to be perfect, but the intent of what we’re doing here and the timelines I think are sound. It’s been a year of Covid, there’s a lot of pressure on our whole economy, on people.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/ufnosrjv/mh160721-11-damienoconnor-groundswellprotest.mp3Thu, 15 Jul 2021 20:59:58 +0000RoccoTrucks, utes and even dogs will descend on city centres around the country today, as farmers take part in a huge protest. The Howl of a Protest event, organised by Groundswell New Zealand, will see thousands of farm vehicles rumbling through cities in...The Howl of a Protest event, organised by Groundswell New Zealand, will see thousands of farm vehicles rumbling through cities in protest against what farmers say is increasing interference from the Government, unworkable regulations and unjustified costs.
Agriculture Minister, Damien O'Connor, told Mike Hosking a few things weren't quite right when the Government rolled them out.
But he says it's released discussion documents for freshwater farm plans and made adjustments to winter grazing.
“We don’t claim to be perfect, but the intent of what we’re doing here and the timelines I think are sound. It’s been a year of Covid, there’s a lot of pressure on our whole economy, on people.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>213falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/lance-burdett-warning-for-public-to-be-vigilant-as-criminals-increasingly-ready-to-pull-the-trigger--1008014And he says members of the public need be vigilant in case they find themselves caught in the middle of an armed situation.
"I can't say this is going to be a one-off because it's not. We've had three significant events in less than a week," he told the Herald.
His warnings came after a man crashed a stolen car into a motorist at another intersection before holding a gun to her head, then running over her foot as he drove off in her Suzuki vehicle.
He then crashed into a second motorist at an intersection in Penrose and pointed a gun at their head before being shot by police, which allowed the member of the public to escape.

The huge police presence on Great South Rd after the major shooting incident yesterday. (Photo / Supplied)
The incident happened less than 24 hours after a deadly firearms standoff in Hamilton, where up to 10 shots were fired by an armed man who was in a car. Police fired back and the man was shot and died soon after.
That came after another Hamilton-based officer was shot in the shoulder and arm by a passenger during a routine traffic stop on Saturday.
Cahill urged members of the public to get down and move as far away as possible if they found themselves caught up in an situation involving firearms.
"I'm not going to say this is something they won't come across because, unfortunately, more often than ever before, it is something that occurs."
He said one solution was training up more officers to attend firearms incidents "wherever possible".

Police Association president Chris Cahill. (Photo / Mark Mitchell)
"Currently we have an armed offenders' squad but they have to be called out to these events.
"We want to explore the ability to have highly trained officers available readily to respond to events as they occur."
Cahill said he supported more officers being armed.
The Herald revealed in December that more than 350 people had suffered firearms-related injuries in the last five years.
Figures released exclusively to the Herald by the city's three district health boards under the Official Information Act showed medical staff at Auckland's major hospitals treated 355 people for firearms injuries between January 2016 and December 2020.
More than half of the wounded were treated at Middlemore Hospital.

Emergency services officers treat a man shot by police in Penrose, Auckland, yesterday.
Meanwhile, frontline police staff reported becoming increasingly worried about their safety in the months following the fatal shooting of Constable Matthew Hunt in West Auckland last year.
Eli Epiha has admitted murdering Hunt but denies the attempted murder of his partner, Constable David Goldfinch, who was shot four times.
Epiha is standing trial at the High Court in Auckland this week alongside Natalie Bracken, who denies being an accessory after the fact of murder.

Eli Bob Sauni Epiha. (Photo / Brett Phibbs)
Figures obtained by the Herald showed there were 18 cases where a gun was fired, or pointed in the direction of, a police officer, police car or a police dog, in the 10 months following Hunt's death.
That didn't include other cases where firearms have been found at an incident but not used as weapons.
Frontline officers say those statistics are only the tip of the iceberg, as it's increasingly common to find guns in cars they pull over.
"I think the public would be shocked if they had a true grasp of how dangerous it is out there," said one officer who has previously been shot at while trying to stop a car that was believed to have been involved in a robbery.
"If I told any of my family about the jobs I attend now they wouldn't be impressed. I actually lie to my family now. You don't want them to worry."
Recent shooting incidents
July 15: Auckland
A man pulled a woman from her car and held her at gunpoint before fleeing in her car, then held...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/wlylgrro/mh160721-16-lanceburdett-shootings.mp3Thu, 15 Jul 2021 20:35:31 +0000RoccoA growing number of criminals are carrying firearms - and they are becoming increasingly ready to "pull the trigger", says Police Association president Chris Cahill. And he says members of the public need be vigilant in case they find themselves...And he says members of the public need be vigilant in case they find themselves caught in the middle of an armed situation.
"I can't say this is going to be a one-off because it's not. We've had three significant events in less than a week," he told the Herald.
His warnings came after a man crashed a stolen car into a motorist at another intersection before holding a gun to her head, then running over her foot as he drove off in her Suzuki vehicle.
He then crashed into a second motorist at an intersection in Penrose and pointed a gun at their head before being shot by police, which allowed the member of the public to escape.

The huge police presence on Great South Rd after the major shooting incident yesterday. (Photo / Supplied)
The incident happened less than 24 hours after a deadly firearms standoff in Hamilton, where up to 10 shots were fired by an armed man who was in a car. Police fired back and the man was shot and died soon after.
That came after another Hamilton-based officer was shot in the shoulder and arm by a passenger during a routine traffic stop on Saturday.
Cahill urged members of the public to get down and move as far away as possible if they found themselves caught up in an situation involving firearms.
"I'm not going to say this is something they won't come across because, unfortunately, more often than ever before, it is something that occurs."
He said one solution was training up more officers to attend firearms incidents "wherever possible".

Police Association president Chris Cahill. (Photo / Mark Mitchell)
"Currently we have an armed offenders' squad but they have to be called out to these events.
"We want to explore the ability to have highly trained officers available readily to respond to events as they occur."
Cahill said he supported more officers being armed.
The Herald revealed in December that more than 350 people had suffered firearms-related injuries in the last five years.
Figures released exclusively to the Herald by the city's three district health boards under the Official Information Act showed medical staff at Auckland's major hospitals treated 355 people for firearms injuries between January 2016 and December 2020.
More than half of the wounded were treated at Middlemore Hospital.

Emergency services officers treat a man shot by police in Penrose, Auckland, yesterday.
Meanwhile, frontline police staff reported becoming increasingly worried about their safety in the months following the fatal shooting of Constable Matthew Hunt in West Auckland last year.
Eli Epiha has admitted murdering Hunt but denies the attempted murder of his partner, Constable David Goldfinch, who was shot four times.
Epiha is standing trial at the High Court in Auckland this week alongside Natalie Bracken, who denies being an accessory after the fact of murder.

Eli Bob Sauni Epiha. (Photo / Brett Phibbs)
Figures obtained by the Herald showed there were 18 cases where a gun was fired, or pointed in the direction of, a police officer, police car or a police dog, in the 10 months following Hunt's death.
That didn't include other cases where firearms have been found at an incident but not used as weapons.
Frontline officers say those statistics are only the tip of the iceberg, as it's increasingly common to find guns in cars they pull over.
"I think the public would be shocked if they had a true grasp of how dangerous it is out there," said one officer who has previously been shot at while trying to stop a car that was believed to have been involved in a robbery.
"If I told any of my family about the jobs I attend now they wouldn't be impressed. I actually lie to my family now. You don't want them...]]>288falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/andrew-hoggard-federated-farmers-president-says-support-is-becoming-mainstream--1008018Thousands of farmers, hunters and growers will bring their utes, dogs and tractors into town at midday to protest against increasing government regulations.
They include so-called ute tax, the Emissions Trading Scheme, Three Waters, Significant Natural Areas and visas for overseas workers.
Federated Farmers president, Andrew Hoggard, told Mike Hosking he's been hearing from neighbours who are pretty mild-mannered and not into demonstrations, who are heading along.
“Most people thought it might just be a bunch of French people going along, now it seems pretty mainstream.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/w4pbd44w/mh160721-10-andrewhoggard-groundswellprotest.mp3Thu, 15 Jul 2021 19:47:41 +0000RoccoPeople from the rural community who wouldn't normally go on a protest are expected to be out in force today. Thousands of farmers, hunters and growers will bring their utes, dogs and tractors into town at midday to protest against increasing...Thousands of farmers, hunters and growers will bring their utes, dogs and tractors into town at midday to protest against increasing government regulations.
They include so-called ute tax, the Emissions Trading Scheme, Three Waters, Significant Natural Areas and visas for overseas workers.
Federated Farmers president, Andrew Hoggard, told Mike Hosking he's been hearing from neighbours who are pretty mild-mannered and not into demonstrations, who are heading along.
“Most people thought it might just be a bunch of French people going along, now it seems pretty mainstream.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>177falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/wrapping-the-week-relationships-queenstown-and-space-tourism--1007913A just-published study that's tracked more than 170 Kiwi couples over time has busted the myth that we gradually grow more alike to our partners – and instead suggests we simply change in our own way.
Kate gives her review of Queenstown in the school holidays.
And the group discuss the notion of paying significant amounts of money to sit next to Richard Branson on his rocket as you fire yourselves into the atmosphere.
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/go3h5q1v/mh160721-20-week.mp3Thu, 15 Jul 2021 10:25:31 +0000RoccoKate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson join Mike Hosking to wrap the week that was. A just-published study that's tracked more than 170 Kiwi couples over time has busted the myth that we gradually grow more alike to our partners – and instead suggests we simply...A just-published study that's tracked more than 170 Kiwi couples over time has busted the myth that we gradually grow more alike to our partners – and instead suggests we simply change in our own way.
Kate gives her review of Queenstown in the school holidays.
And the group discuss the notion of paying significant amounts of money to sit next to Richard Branson on his rocket as you fire yourselves into the atmosphere.
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>624falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-the-conflicting-conundrums-centred-around-miq--1008086We can’t get more staff according to the government because we don’t hire locals and we don’t pay them enough.
It seems odd the government has 200,000 people on their books without work but job ready, and yet they haven’t thought about paying those people enough to be security at MIQ
Meantime, we can’t get staff according to the rest of us because the borders are shut and the fear and isolation that has produced suits the government who love every minute of control, but its stopping labour arriving to solve the problem.
Add to that the study, possibly not as applicable given we have been able to work it through here for a while now, but the study that shows people who work from home will quit rather than return to the office.
The study conducted in America says a return for many will be a tipping point and they will walk.
Question: would you as employer, who can’t find staff, be keen to lose more staff by making a decision that you don’t have to make?
Next problem, mandated behaviour. In our case, jabs for workers at the border.
Is the fact so many workers aren’t jabbed yet as a result of government incompetence, or the fact they can’t afford to lose workers, therefore have stalled?
I suggest it’s a bit of both. Hence, even when they pretended to be all tough on Monday about new rules around vaccines, they said it would take till October. That would be well over a year and a half late.
The thinking being, if the border being closed is your trump card, you don’t want weakness around the border – sort of like we have had the entire time.
Next issue and we have barely thought about this because we don’t tend to think about stuff until after the problem arises: is mandating behaviour a legal mine field especially if you can’t get workers?
Is making people do stuff, either a jab or vaccine passport or any sort of mandated state control, one, legally enforceable in a practical and effective way, and two, not going to lead to lots of people creating a further headache by saying ‘stuff you, keep your job’?
The fact these questions are just being raised or still being sorted gives a good insight into the stark reality that this thing is not sorted this year, and quite possibly not next year either. Buckle in for the long haul.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/j0tkpjm3/mh150721-14-mandatorycovidconditionscomment.mp3Thu, 15 Jul 2021 09:10:46 +0000RoccoA conundrum for the age. We would have more MIQ space if we could get more staff. We can’t get more staff; no one can get more staff. We can’t get more staff according to the government because we don’t hire locals and we don’t pay them enough. It...We can’t get more staff according to the government because we don’t hire locals and we don’t pay them enough.
It seems odd the government has 200,000 people on their books without work but job ready, and yet they haven’t thought about paying those people enough to be security at MIQ
Meantime, we can’t get staff according to the rest of us because the borders are shut and the fear and isolation that has produced suits the government who love every minute of control, but its stopping labour arriving to solve the problem.
Add to that the study, possibly not as applicable given we have been able to work it through here for a while now, but the study that shows people who work from home will quit rather than return to the office.
The study conducted in America says a return for many will be a tipping point and they will walk.
Question: would you as employer, who can’t find staff, be keen to lose more staff by making a decision that you don’t have to make?
Next problem, mandated behaviour. In our case, jabs for workers at the border.
Is the fact so many workers aren’t jabbed yet as a result of government incompetence, or the fact they can’t afford to lose workers, therefore have stalled?
I suggest it’s a bit of both. Hence, even when they pretended to be all tough on Monday about new rules around vaccines, they said it would take till October. That would be well over a year and a half late.
The thinking being, if the border being closed is your trump card, you don’t want weakness around the border – sort of like we have had the entire time.
Next issue and we have barely thought about this because we don’t tend to think about stuff until after the problem arises: is mandating behaviour a legal mine field especially if you can’t get workers?
Is making people do stuff, either a jab or vaccine passport or any sort of mandated state control, one, legally enforceable in a practical and effective way, and two, not going to lead to lots of people creating a further headache by saying ‘stuff you, keep your job’?
The fact these questions are just being raised or still being sorted gives a good insight into the stark reality that this thing is not sorted this year, and quite possibly not next year either. Buckle in for the long haul.]]>123falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/rosie-bowie-do-kiwi-couples-think-more-alike-over-time--1007950A just-published study that's tracked more than 170 Kiwi couples over time has busted the myth that we gradually grow more alike to our partners – and instead suggests we simply change in our own way.
One of the biggest questions facing researchers in relationship science has been whether couples ultimately become similar to one another.
In a widely-publicised paper last year, for instance, researchers found no evidence to back a long-floated theory that couples came to physically resemble each other more over time – even though we might be initially drawn to people with similar-looking features.
A more plausible possibility was that we just ended up sharing world views more, or that our personal wellbeing, for better or worse, rubbed off on each other.
"For example, we know that couples tend to pick up diet and exercise habits from one another," Victoria University of Wellington senior lecturer Dr Matt Hammond explained.
"Some couples go to the gym together and perhaps then reward themselves with a fast-food meal together.
"Researchers know that peoples' traits, values, and beliefs change across time, but do they change in the same ways that their romantic partner is changing?"
Hammond said the psychological side to the question was particularly interesting, and carried implications for understanding the development of mental health.
"One theory suggests that depressive moods are socially 'contagious' because people pick up feelings of sadness, worthlessness and self-doubt from close others, but no research has tested whether this occurs over a longer time-span, such as changes in romantic couples' psychological wellbeing over years."
Fortunately, the longitudinal New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study (NZAVS), run out of the University of Auckland since 2009, offered Hammond and Professor Chris Sibley a way to see if these ideas indeed stacked up.
Over four years, 342 people in 171 couples, already taking part in the NZAVS completed questionnaires that asked them about their traits, beliefs and values. The questions traversed a range of aspects, such as life and body satisfaction, self-esteem, how liberal or conservative people were, and their attitudes toward climate change.
To tease out changes in the data accurately, the study team compared the growth-curve trajectories of both partners in a couple.
"Essentially, the test is: If we know that 'Partner A' increased across time, does that information make us more accurate at knowing how 'Partner B' changed across time," Hammond said.
Ultimately, they discovered that, while couples were generally similar when it came to their values and beliefs, there was evidence they were still different in personality traits, self-esteem, and body-satisfaction.
They also found that people's wellbeing and values could change – such as their acceptance of climate change – without that same shift necessarily being seen in their partner.
"People seemed to change in their own way, and didn't become any more similar to their partner across time - although equally, they didn't become the opposite of their partner either," Hammond said.
"In other words, if we know that 'Partner A' increased across time, that information does not help us know whether 'Partner B' increased, decreased, or stayed the same."
Hammond said these new insights proved a surprise, given that existing theories pointed to a clear trend to the contrary.
"We thought [people becoming more alike] would occur for people in long-term relationships and living together, since they share so much of their lives," he said.
"However, it may just be that people are romantically attracted to others who are already psychologically similar to themselves in the first place."
Whatever the case, he said more research was warranted.
"Because we were looking at people who were in long-term, established relati...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/n5zg3n4g/mh160721-19-rosiebowie-couplesdontthinkalike.mp3Thu, 15 Jul 2021 08:49:27 +0000RoccoIf you've ever overheard elderly couples bickering about politics, despite decades of marriage, new research might help explain why. A just-published study that's tracked more than 170 Kiwi couples over time has busted the myth that we gradually grow...A just-published study that's tracked more than 170 Kiwi couples over time has busted the myth that we gradually grow more alike to our partners – and instead suggests we simply change in our own way.
One of the biggest questions facing researchers in relationship science has been whether couples ultimately become similar to one another.
In a widely-publicised paper last year, for instance, researchers found no evidence to back a long-floated theory that couples came to physically resemble each other more over time – even though we might be initially drawn to people with similar-looking features.
A more plausible possibility was that we just ended up sharing world views more, or that our personal wellbeing, for better or worse, rubbed off on each other.
"For example, we know that couples tend to pick up diet and exercise habits from one another," Victoria University of Wellington senior lecturer Dr Matt Hammond explained.
"Some couples go to the gym together and perhaps then reward themselves with a fast-food meal together.
"Researchers know that peoples' traits, values, and beliefs change across time, but do they change in the same ways that their romantic partner is changing?"
Hammond said the psychological side to the question was particularly interesting, and carried implications for understanding the development of mental health.
"One theory suggests that depressive moods are socially 'contagious' because people pick up feelings of sadness, worthlessness and self-doubt from close others, but no research has tested whether this occurs over a longer time-span, such as changes in romantic couples' psychological wellbeing over years."
Fortunately, the longitudinal New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study (NZAVS), run out of the University of Auckland since 2009, offered Hammond and Professor Chris Sibley a way to see if these ideas indeed stacked up.
Over four years, 342 people in 171 couples, already taking part in the NZAVS completed questionnaires that asked them about their traits, beliefs and values. The questions traversed a range of aspects, such as life and body satisfaction, self-esteem, how liberal or conservative people were, and their attitudes toward climate change.
To tease out changes in the data accurately, the study team compared the growth-curve trajectories of both partners in a couple.
"Essentially, the test is: If we know that 'Partner A' increased across time, does that information make us more accurate at knowing how 'Partner B' changed across time," Hammond said.
Ultimately, they discovered that, while couples were generally similar when it came to their values and beliefs, there was evidence they were still different in personality traits, self-esteem, and body-satisfaction.
They also found that people's wellbeing and values could change – such as their acceptance of climate change – without that same shift necessarily being seen in their partner.
"People seemed to change in their own way, and didn't become any more similar to their partner across time - although equally, they didn't become the opposite of their partner either," Hammond said.
"In other words, if we know that 'Partner A' increased across time, that information does not help us know whether 'Partner B' increased, decreased, or stayed the same."
Hammond said these new insights proved a surprise, given that existing theories pointed to a clear trend to the contrary.
"We thought [people becoming more alike] would occur for people in long-term relationships and living together, since they share so much of their lives," he said.
"However, it may just be that people are romantically attracted to others who are already psychologically similar to themselves in the first place."
Whatever the case, he said more...]]>210falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/michael-rowland-anti-lockdown-protesters-storm-melbourne-hours-after-daniel-andrews-announcement--1007916Residents marched in the CBD calling for an end to restrictions just hours after premier Daniel Andrews announced the state will enter a five-day snap lockdown from midnight.
“We’ve got to do this, otherwise it will get away with us and we, as more than any other part of our nation know, we don’t want this getting away from us and being locked down for months,” Mr Andrews said.
“We want to deal with this with a short, sharp, lockdown, decisive action, not waiting, not dawdling, now is our time.”
Currently the state has 18 cases while at least 6500 residents have been forced into isolation as close contacts. The state’s Department of Health announced new exposure sites overnight as the protesters filled Melbourne’s CBD to oppose the new lockdown rules at around 7pm.
Signs read “I have a choice” and “lockdown kills”, with face masks missing among the crowd.
7 News reporter Estelle Griepink posted footage of protesters chanting “sack Dan Andrews” on the steps of Flinders Street Station while some commuters “walked past shaking their heads”.
They marched from Flinders Street Station to Parliament House chanting” freedom” accompanied by a large police presence.
“We’ve spoken to plenty of people today who say they are frustrated but understand these measures are necessary,” Griepink said.
Actress Nicola Charles, known her iconic role as Sarah Beaumont in soap opera Neighbours, also hailed the protests.
One protester on social media described lockdown as “human rights abuses” and called it a “great turnout”, bragging there are a “couple thousand people here”, claiming they are “just regular every day people who have had enough.
“I’ve got friends who that are really frustrated and on the verge of their businesses going a really bad way.
“As it stands at the moment so many people have lost their businesses, their homes, their families ripped apart.
“We pay the price.”
In more footage, one speaker yells: “Here we go again. Once again, Daniel Andrews has jumped at his own shadow and thrown millions of people’s lives into chaos because he has no faith in his own contact tracers and no faith in our healthcare system. That’s the only possible explanation.”
Victoria Police told news.com.au no arrests or fines were issued and they are “yet” to identify the person responsible for lighting a flare.
“There was a protest at Flinders Street about 7pm this evening,” a spokesperson said.
“Protesters gave speeches and marched to Parliament.
“A flare was lit while the group moved from Flinders Street to Parliament.
“Police are yet to identify who was responsible.
“There were no arrests.”

Anti lockdown protesters march to Parliament House in Melbourne accompanied by a large police presence. (Photo / NCA)

Anti lockdown protesters march from Flinders Street Station to Parliament House in Melbourne accompanied by a large police presence. (Photo / NCA)

(Photo / NCA)
Victorians will only be allowed to leave home for a few reasons, with Mr Andrews defending his decision to lock the state down, saying they must “go hard” in order to contain the highly infectious Delta variant.
“You only get one chance to go hard and go fast. If you wait, if you hesitate, if you doubt, then you will always be looking back wishing you had done more earlier,” he said.
“I am not prepared to avoid a five-day lockdown now only to find ourselves in a five-week or a five-month lockdown.
“That is why we are making this very difficult decision and why I know Victorians will, despite the pain and difficulty of this, know and understand there is no option.”
- Matt Young, news.com.au]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/psqnbxdr/mh160721-13-michaelrowland-melbournelockdown.mp3Thu, 15 Jul 2021 08:22:25 +0000RoccoMelbourne has seen “chaos” just hours before the state plunged into its fifth lockdown as hundreds of protesters took to the streets in anger. Residents marched in the CBD calling for an end to restrictions just hours after premier Daniel Andrews...Residents marched in the CBD calling for an end to restrictions just hours after premier Daniel Andrews announced the state will enter a five-day snap lockdown from midnight.
“We’ve got to do this, otherwise it will get away with us and we, as more than any other part of our nation know, we don’t want this getting away from us and being locked down for months,” Mr Andrews said.
“We want to deal with this with a short, sharp, lockdown, decisive action, not waiting, not dawdling, now is our time.”
Currently the state has 18 cases while at least 6500 residents have been forced into isolation as close contacts. The state’s Department of Health announced new exposure sites overnight as the protesters filled Melbourne’s CBD to oppose the new lockdown rules at around 7pm.
Signs read “I have a choice” and “lockdown kills”, with face masks missing among the crowd.
7 News reporter Estelle Griepink posted footage of protesters chanting “sack Dan Andrews” on the steps of Flinders Street Station while some commuters “walked past shaking their heads”.
They marched from Flinders Street Station to Parliament House chanting” freedom” accompanied by a large police presence.
“We’ve spoken to plenty of people today who say they are frustrated but understand these measures are necessary,” Griepink said.
Actress Nicola Charles, known her iconic role as Sarah Beaumont in soap opera Neighbours, also hailed the protests.
One protester on social media described lockdown as “human rights abuses” and called it a “great turnout”, bragging there are a “couple thousand people here”, claiming they are “just regular every day people who have had enough.
“I’ve got friends who that are really frustrated and on the verge of their businesses going a really bad way.
“As it stands at the moment so many people have lost their businesses, their homes, their families ripped apart.
“We pay the price.”
In more footage, one speaker yells: “Here we go again. Once again, Daniel Andrews has jumped at his own shadow and thrown millions of people’s lives into chaos because he has no faith in his own contact tracers and no faith in our healthcare system. That’s the only possible explanation.”
Victoria Police told news.com.au no arrests or fines were issued and they are “yet” to identify the person responsible for lighting a flare.
“There was a protest at Flinders Street about 7pm this evening,” a spokesperson said.
“Protesters gave speeches and marched to Parliament.
“A flare was lit while the group moved from Flinders Street to Parliament.
“Police are yet to identify who was responsible.
“There were no arrests.”

Anti lockdown protesters march to Parliament House in Melbourne accompanied by a large police presence. (Photo / NCA)

Anti lockdown protesters march from Flinders Street Station to Parliament House in Melbourne accompanied by a large police presence. (Photo / NCA)

(Photo / NCA)
Victorians will only be allowed to leave home for a few reasons, with Mr Andrews defending his decision to lock the state down, saying they must “go hard” in order to contain the highly infectious Delta variant.
“You only get one chance to go hard and go fast. If you wait, if you hesitate, if you doubt, then you will always be looking back wishing you had done more earlier,” he said.
“I am not prepared to avoid a five-day lockdown now only to find ourselves in a five-week or a five-month lockdown.
“That is why we are making this very difficult decision and why I know Victorians will, despite the pain and difficulty of this, know and understand there is no option.”
- Matt Young, news.com.au]]>131falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/sir-ian-taylor-formula-1-tv-pro-launches-in-nz-and-it-s-a-double-edged-sword-for-spark-sport--1008019F1 Pro TV offers frills including a multi-screen display and the ability to hop between different "channels" to see the view from one of 20 onboard cameras mounted on different cars for first-person view of what it's like to race at 320km/h.
There are two ways to get F1 Pro TV.
Those who subscribe to Spark Sport - which has been carrying coverage of F1 races since it launched in 2019 - will get F1 Pro TV thrown in for free (after activating their complementary sub by going to f1tv.formula1.com and clicking "Activate and Sync My Account"; Spark has also posted instructions at help.sparksport.co.nz.
Alternatively, Kiwis can sign up directly to F1 Pro TV via the streaming service's website, where New Zealanders can now get a monthly pass for $14.99 or an annual pass for $99.99.
A Spark Sport spokesman refused to say if the telco got any clip of the ticket when a Kiwi customer subscribed directly to F1 TV Pro, saying "That is commercially sensitive information."
The spokesman added that those who took the Spark Sport option would get access to the streaming service's full range of sport, including cricket and English Premier League football, while those who subscribed to F1 TV Pro directly would not get access to Formula 2 or Formula 3 - to which Spark Sport maintains exclusive rights.
F1 TV is owned by Liberty Media, the US conglomerate that also owns the F1 competition.
The services it offers vary by country. Kiwis get F1 TV Access and Race Replay (that is basic live and on-demand coverage of races, as Spark Sport has been carrying) plus F1 Pro TV).
Unlike Spark Sport, F1 TV Pro does not have any smart TV support. Neither does it have Apple TV support. Its app is supported by Chromecast, and recent Apple and Android phones and tablets (a full list is here).
The rise of direct-to-the-consumer streaming services is complicating life for local broadcasters, and local streaming services, worldwide.
On the entertainment side of things, Sky TV (and most of its peers around the world) lost its Disney channels as the Mouse House pulled back rights so its new Disney+ streaming service could be the exclusive home of most of its content.
Sky also lost exclusive rights to Discovery content, paving the way for the launch of Discovery+ in NZ.
And in sports, Sky's new deal with ESPN (majority-owned by Disney) also gives Sky subscribers access to content from the global sports giant via its ESPN+ app.
Meanwhile, Spark Sport will be keeping an eye on the English Premier League's putative plan - interrupted by the pandemic, for the meantime - to create a global "Netflix of football" in the manner already established by the major US sporting codes.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/jtho1ae3/mh160721-05-siriantaylor-f1tv.mp3Thu, 15 Jul 2021 08:01:09 +0000RoccoFrom today, Kiwis have access to F1 TV Pro, the official Formula 1 streaming service that's previously been geo-blocked to people in New Zealand. F1 Pro TV offers frills including a multi-screen display and the ability to hop between different...F1 Pro TV offers frills including a multi-screen display and the ability to hop between different "channels" to see the view from one of 20 onboard cameras mounted on different cars for first-person view of what it's like to race at 320km/h.
There are two ways to get F1 Pro TV.
Those who subscribe to Spark Sport - which has been carrying coverage of F1 races since it launched in 2019 - will get F1 Pro TV thrown in for free (after activating their complementary sub by going to f1tv.formula1.com and clicking "Activate and Sync My Account"; Spark has also posted instructions at help.sparksport.co.nz.
Alternatively, Kiwis can sign up directly to F1 Pro TV via the streaming service's website, where New Zealanders can now get a monthly pass for $14.99 or an annual pass for $99.99.
A Spark Sport spokesman refused to say if the telco got any clip of the ticket when a Kiwi customer subscribed directly to F1 TV Pro, saying "That is commercially sensitive information."
The spokesman added that those who took the Spark Sport option would get access to the streaming service's full range of sport, including cricket and English Premier League football, while those who subscribed to F1 TV Pro directly would not get access to Formula 2 or Formula 3 - to which Spark Sport maintains exclusive rights.
F1 TV is owned by Liberty Media, the US conglomerate that also owns the F1 competition.
The services it offers vary by country. Kiwis get F1 TV Access and Race Replay (that is basic live and on-demand coverage of races, as Spark Sport has been carrying) plus F1 Pro TV).
Unlike Spark Sport, F1 TV Pro does not have any smart TV support. Neither does it have Apple TV support. Its app is supported by Chromecast, and recent Apple and Android phones and tablets (a full list is here).
The rise of direct-to-the-consumer streaming services is complicating life for local broadcasters, and local streaming services, worldwide.
On the entertainment side of things, Sky TV (and most of its peers around the world) lost its Disney channels as the Mouse House pulled back rights so its new Disney+ streaming service could be the exclusive home of most of its content.
Sky also lost exclusive rights to Discovery content, paving the way for the launch of Discovery+ in NZ.
And in sports, Sky's new deal with ESPN (majority-owned by Disney) also gives Sky subscribers access to content from the global sports giant via its ESPN+ app.
Meanwhile, Spark Sport will be keeping an eye on the English Premier League's putative plan - interrupted by the pandemic, for the meantime - to create a global "Netflix of football" in the manner already established by the major US sporting codes.]]>258falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/fiona-morgan-sailgp-becomes-worlds-first-climate-positive-sport--1008021SailGP, the competition Peter Burling and Blair Tuke compete in, has become the first climate-positive sport by announcing the launch of their Impact League.
The league rewards teams competing based on how they try and reduce their carbon footprint and will mark them against ten sustainability measures.
It has created a second leaderboard and the winner of the impact league will be crowned alongside the season champions.
SailGP global director of Purpose and Impact Fiona Morgan told Mike Hosking the criteria athletes will be marked against can range from their travel arrangements to how their voice is used for good.
“There's a real range of criteria, it's all about simple changes that they can make."
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/f4cokmop/mh150721-18-fionamorgan-climatepositivesport.mp3Wed, 14 Jul 2021 21:25:02 +0000RoccoClimate change and sport are coming together for the first time. SailGP, the competition Peter Burling and Blair Tuke compete in, has become the first climate-positive sport by announcing the launch of their Impact League. The league rewards teams...SailGP, the competition Peter Burling and Blair Tuke compete in, has become the first climate-positive sport by announcing the launch of their Impact League.
The league rewards teams competing based on how they try and reduce their carbon footprint and will mark them against ten sustainability measures.
It has created a second leaderboard and the winner of the impact league will be crowned alongside the season champions.
SailGP global director of Purpose and Impact Fiona Morgan told Mike Hosking the criteria athletes will be marked against can range from their travel arrangements to how their voice is used for good.
“There's a real range of criteria, it's all about simple changes that they can make."
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>147falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/paul-paynter-fruit-company-manager-says-ministry-for-primary-industries-rebrand-funding-hurts--1008065Newstalk ZB has revealed the Ministry spent close to a million dollars on an internal re-brand in 2018 and 2019, but just $300,000 on Covid-hit fruit growers.
Yummy Fruit Company general manager Paul Paynter told Mike Hosking the website has improved a lot, but from a growers' perspective it hurts.
"It’s not a great look, but I have to say I’ve been onto their website and it was a rabbit warren and it’s improved a lot, but it certainly hurts from a grower perspective.”
But Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor is pushing back.
He cites a number of government initiatives, such as a co-investment fund, which supports many different projects aimed at helping growers.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/sdsbrnaa/mh150721-10-paulpaynter-mpirebrand.mp3Wed, 14 Jul 2021 20:30:34 +0000RoccoA leading apple producer says the Ministry for Primary Industries spent up on internal re-branding, but is leaving Covid-hit growers to struggle. Newstalk ZB has revealed the Ministry spent close to a million dollars on an internal re-brand in 2018...Newstalk ZB has revealed the Ministry spent close to a million dollars on an internal re-brand in 2018 and 2019, but just $300,000 on Covid-hit fruit growers.
Yummy Fruit Company general manager Paul Paynter told Mike Hosking the website has improved a lot, but from a growers' perspective it hurts.
"It’s not a great look, but I have to say I’ve been onto their website and it was a rabbit warren and it’s improved a lot, but it certainly hurts from a grower perspective.”
But Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor is pushing back.
He cites a number of government initiatives, such as a co-investment fund, which supports many different projects aimed at helping growers.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>165falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/chris-hipkins-covid-19-response-minister-says-kiwis-who-can-t-afford-to-be-stuck-in-australia-should-return-home--1007964Victoria is considering a snap three-day lockdown as it grapples with 11 community cases of Covid-19, with the MCG as a potential exposure site.
Western Australia stopped quarantine-free travel with Victoria overnight.
But Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins told Mike Hosking he doesn't have enough information yet to do the same.
“It’s possible that there won’t be a pause, but if you’re sitting there thinking ‘If a pause happens I can’t afford to be stuck away from New Zealand,’ then it would be prudent to make your way home.”
New Zealand's travel bubble with New South Wales remains on hold, with Greater Sydney remaining in lockdown for another two weeks.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/1lsdmwk1/mh150721-16-chrishipkins-vaccinesupply.mp3Wed, 14 Jul 2021 20:21:53 +0000RoccoNew Zealand remains open to Victoria, for now. Victoria is considering a snap three-day lockdown as it grapples with 11 community cases of Covid-19, with the MCG as a potential exposure site. Western Australia stopped quarantine-free travel with...Victoria is considering a snap three-day lockdown as it grapples with 11 community cases of Covid-19, with the MCG as a potential exposure site.
Western Australia stopped quarantine-free travel with Victoria overnight.
But Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins told Mike Hosking he doesn't have enough information yet to do the same.
“It’s possible that there won’t be a pause, but if you’re sitting there thinking ‘If a pause happens I can’t afford to be stuck away from New Zealand,’ then it would be prudent to make your way home.”
New Zealand's travel bubble with New South Wales remains on hold, with Greater Sydney remaining in lockdown for another two weeks.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>436falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/chris-money-ernst-and-young-report-reveals-new-zealand-economy-in-strongest-position-to-recover-from-covid-19--1008074The report says that our economy is apparently at the front of the pack, but that could quickly change because of our slow vaccine rollout and current lack of a plan to fill the gap that immigration has left.
Ernst and Young NZ partner Chris Money told Mike Hosking the study has shown that economic growth and recovery is now tightly linked to vaccination numbers.
“New Zealand is one of the slowest in the OECD, according to World Health data, and maintaining momentum of that now that it has started is going to be critical in leveraging our forwards economic growth programme.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/4jkpyssg/mh150721-05-chrismoney-nzcovidrecovery.mp3Wed, 14 Jul 2021 19:51:05 +0000RoccoA new global report from Ernst and Young says New Zealand’s economy is in the strongest position in the world to recover from the pandemic, for now. The report says that our economy is apparently at the front of the pack, but that could quickly change...The report says that our economy is apparently at the front of the pack, but that could quickly change because of our slow vaccine rollout and current lack of a plan to fill the gap that immigration has left.
Ernst and Young NZ partner Chris Money told Mike Hosking the study has shown that economic growth and recovery is now tightly linked to vaccination numbers.
“New Zealand is one of the slowest in the OECD, according to World Health data, and maintaining momentum of that now that it has started is going to be critical in leveraging our forwards economic growth programme.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>294falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/rod-liddle-london-to-retain-masks-on-public-transport--1007969Government figures showed another 42,302 infections across the U.K., the highest daily figure since Jan. 15 when the country was in the midst of a strict lockdown following a lethal second wave of the pandemic. Cases are expected to spike even higher, with the government warning that 100,000 daily infections may be possible this summer, a level not previously seen.
The sharp pick-up in cases in recent weeks as a result of the rapid spread of the more contagious delta variant has prompted concerns about the coming easing of restrictions in England, which will remove legal limits on social contact as well as on mask-wearing.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he is "not prepared" to put transport users "at risk" and asked the body that oversees transport in the capital to enforce the use of mask-wearing on the subway, buses and trams as a "condition of carriage" — basically contracts between passengers and Transport for London.
Under the new approach outlined by Khan, enforcement officers would be able to deny access or eject passengers not wearing a mask while using the subway, buses and trams. London's Metropolitan Police and British Transport Police won't be able to get involved, though, as mask-wearing will no longer be required by law.
Other transport bodies across England as well as healthcare providers, care homes and some retailers are also expected to maintain the requirement for people to wear masks. Bookseller Waterstones, for one, has already said it will encourage people to wear masks.
When confirming the lifting of restrictions earlier this week, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson reined in talk of so-called "Freedom Day" and urged people to remain vigilant and to exercise "personal responsibility."
That has prompted widespread accusations of mixed messaging from the government and not for the first time during the pandemic.
"What would have been far better is for the national rules to apply across the country, not just in London but across the country," Khan told the BBC. "That would have provided clarity in relation to what the rules are."
British Transport Secretary Grant Shapps denied that the government's message was unclear and said Khan's decision was "very much in line" with what the government wanted to happen.
"Whilst we are going from this being a legal requirement to guidelines, we do expect individual carriers to make sure they are putting in place whatever is appropriate for their network," Shapps told Sky News.
The British government believes that the vaccine rollout has mostly severed the link between infections and those needing hospitalization as the vast majority of people getting COVID-19 are in the less vulnerable younger age group, many of whom have yet to be vaccinated. Around 69% of the British population has received one dose of vaccine while about 52% had two.
Concerns though are rising that despite the rollout, the high case load will once again pressure the National Health Service — more cases will inevitably lead to more people requiring hospital attention.
The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 and subsequently dying have been edging higher in recent days, though not at the same rate as infections. On Wednesday, the U.K. recorded another 49 virus-related deaths, taking the death toll to over 128,500.
The final stage of easing England's lockdown means that all restrictions on social gatherings will be removed and social distancing measures will be scrapped. Nightclubs can reopen for the first time since March last year, and there will no longer be limits on people attending concerts, theatres, weddings or sports events.
Public health officials urged caution as July 19 approaches.
"The pandem...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/v2kfoo2i/mh150721-23-liddle-freedomday-footballracism.mp3Wed, 14 Jul 2021 11:18:24 +0000RoccoMask-wearing will be required on London's transport network even after the legal obligation to wear them in England is lifted on July 19, the city's mayor said Wednesday, as coronavirus cases across the whole of the U.K. rose above the 40,000 mark for...Government figures showed another 42,302 infections across the U.K., the highest daily figure since Jan. 15 when the country was in the midst of a strict lockdown following a lethal second wave of the pandemic. Cases are expected to spike even higher, with the government warning that 100,000 daily infections may be possible this summer, a level not previously seen.
The sharp pick-up in cases in recent weeks as a result of the rapid spread of the more contagious delta variant has prompted concerns about the coming easing of restrictions in England, which will remove legal limits on social contact as well as on mask-wearing.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he is "not prepared" to put transport users "at risk" and asked the body that oversees transport in the capital to enforce the use of mask-wearing on the subway, buses and trams as a "condition of carriage" — basically contracts between passengers and Transport for London.
Under the new approach outlined by Khan, enforcement officers would be able to deny access or eject passengers not wearing a mask while using the subway, buses and trams. London's Metropolitan Police and British Transport Police won't be able to get involved, though, as mask-wearing will no longer be required by law.
Other transport bodies across England as well as healthcare providers, care homes and some retailers are also expected to maintain the requirement for people to wear masks. Bookseller Waterstones, for one, has already said it will encourage people to wear masks.
When confirming the lifting of restrictions earlier this week, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson reined in talk of so-called "Freedom Day" and urged people to remain vigilant and to exercise "personal responsibility."
That has prompted widespread accusations of mixed messaging from the government and not for the first time during the pandemic.
"What would have been far better is for the national rules to apply across the country, not just in London but across the country," Khan told the BBC. "That would have provided clarity in relation to what the rules are."
British Transport Secretary Grant Shapps denied that the government's message was unclear and said Khan's decision was "very much in line" with what the government wanted to happen.
"Whilst we are going from this being a legal requirement to guidelines, we do expect individual carriers to make sure they are putting in place whatever is appropriate for their network," Shapps told Sky News.
The British government believes that the vaccine rollout has mostly severed the link between infections and those needing hospitalization as the vast majority of people getting COVID-19 are in the less vulnerable younger age group, many of whom have yet to be vaccinated. Around 69% of the British population has received one dose of vaccine while about 52% had two.
Concerns though are rising that despite the rollout, the high case load will once again pressure the National Health Service — more cases will inevitably lead to more people requiring hospital attention.
The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 and subsequently dying have been edging higher in recent days, though not at the same rate as infections. On Wednesday, the U.K. recorded another 49 virus-related deaths, taking the death toll to over 128,500.
The final stage of easing England's lockdown means that all restrictions on social gatherings will be removed and social distancing measures will be scrapped. Nightclubs can reopen for the first time since March last year, and there will no longer be limits on people attending concerts, theatres, weddings or sports events.216falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/owen-eastwood-england-football-performance-coach-on-heartbreaking-euro-2020-final-loss--1008093His focus is team culture and what it does to improve performance.
Now, he's working with the British Olympic team in preparation for Tokyo - and recently English football team in preparation for the Euros.
Owen told Mike Hosking while the loss itself was tough enough, seeing members of the team he cares about suffer abuse as a result was even harder.
"People I care about in the team obviously suffering, some of the players went through a bit of an ordeal. The coaches, Gareth Southgate, it's very hard to get so close to a trophy, the country is so desperate for one."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/1zzjhya5/mh150721-20-oweneastwood-englandeuroloss.mp3Wed, 14 Jul 2021 10:46:08 +0000RoccoPerformance coach Owen Eastwood has worked with the likes of the All Blacks, the All Whites and even NATO. His focus is team culture and what it does to improve performance. Now, he's working with the British Olympic team in preparation for Tokyo -...His focus is team culture and what it does to improve performance.
Now, he's working with the British Olympic team in preparation for Tokyo - and recently English football team in preparation for the Euros.
Owen told Mike Hosking while the loss itself was tough enough, seeing members of the team he cares about suffer abuse as a result was even harder.
"People I care about in the team obviously suffering, some of the players went through a bit of an ordeal. The coaches, Gareth Southgate, it's very hard to get so close to a trophy, the country is so desperate for one."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>582falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/cameron-bagrie-economist-says-long-unwind-from-central-bank-signalled-by-bond-buying-halt--1008015The central bank will halt its bond buying programme earlier than expected to reduce economic stimulus, and has kept the Official Cash Rate at 0.25 per cent.
Cameron Bagrie from Bagrie Economics told Mike Hosking it's the start of a long unwind by the central bank.
“Withdrawing from what can be described as some pretty extraordinary monetary policy stimulus, they are taking their foot off the accelerator but they’re not yet tapping on the brake, they’re a long way away from that.”
Cameron Bagrie says printing money is the first cab off the rank, cheap money for banks will be second and reducing the OCR will be the third.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/k54jvnuz/mh150721-13-cameronbagrie-interest-bonds.mp3Wed, 14 Jul 2021 10:15:21 +0000RoccoAn economist says the Reserve Bank's signalling an exit strategy from its reaction to Covid-19. The central bank will halt its bond buying programme earlier than expected to reduce economic stimulus, and has kept the Official Cash Rate at 0.25 per...The central bank will halt its bond buying programme earlier than expected to reduce economic stimulus, and has kept the Official Cash Rate at 0.25 per cent.
Cameron Bagrie from Bagrie Economics told Mike Hosking it's the start of a long unwind by the central bank.
“Withdrawing from what can be described as some pretty extraordinary monetary policy stimulus, they are taking their foot off the accelerator but they’re not yet tapping on the brake, they’re a long way away from that.”
Cameron Bagrie says printing money is the first cab off the rank, cheap money for banks will be second and reducing the OCR will be the third.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>182falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/gary-tong-southland-mayor-says-local-government-feel-left-in-the-dark-by-central-government--1008080A new Local Government New Zealand survey has found most mayors and council chairs consider government policies and funding to be two of the biggest challenges they face.
They'll present their concerns to the Government at the Local Government New Zealand conference in Blenheim today.
Southland Mayor Gary Tong says told Mike Hosking on issues like water reforms and significant natural areas, councils feel left in the dark.
“At the moment, there’s a lack of information around and you know, we look at the funding stuff as well.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/fw0ddxki/mh150721-11-garytong-lgnzsurvey.mp3Wed, 14 Jul 2021 08:50:02 +0000RoccoFrustration has come from councils about the Government preventing them from doing their job. A new Local Government New Zealand survey has found most mayors and council chairs consider government policies and funding to be two of the biggest...A new Local Government New Zealand survey has found most mayors and council chairs consider government policies and funding to be two of the biggest challenges they face.
They'll present their concerns to the Government at the Local Government New Zealand conference in Blenheim today.
Southland Mayor Gary Tong says told Mike Hosking on issues like water reforms and significant natural areas, councils feel left in the dark.
“At the moment, there’s a lack of information around and you know, we look at the funding stuff as well.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>130falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/pollies-treasury-mongrel-mob-rehab-and-border-workers--1008103Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is defending her decision to sign off on $2.75 million of funding for a Mongrel Mob-led drug rehabilitation programme in Central Hawke's Bay.
Getting vaccine doses into the arms of 1800-odd unvaccinated border workers is a top priority and should be done as quickly as possible, a leading public health expert says.
Mark Mitchell and Stuart Nash joined Mike Hosking to discuss this and the week's politics news.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/fhlfard4/mh140721-21-pollies.mp3Tue, 13 Jul 2021 23:52:52 +0000RoccoA dramatic halt in house-price growth predicted by Treasury, the Government's chief economic adviser, was based on "judgment" rather than a firm economic model, and was not subject to Treasury's quality control process. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern...Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is defending her decision to sign off on $2.75 million of funding for a Mongrel Mob-led drug rehabilitation programme in Central Hawke's Bay.
Getting vaccine doses into the arms of 1800-odd unvaccinated border workers is a top priority and should be done as quickly as possible, a leading public health expert says.
Mark Mitchell and Stuart Nash joined Mike Hosking to discuss this and the week's politics news.]]>687falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/family-s-desperate-plea-to-enter-new-zealand-after-son-critically-injured-in-alleged-bar-assault--1008084Josh Storer, 25, suffered serious injuries at North Shore's The Albany bar and restaurant on Friday night. He is now in intensive care after undergoing two brain surgeries.
Storer's UK-based family - father Ian, mum Dawn and sister Sian Storer - spoke to the Herald about their nightmare battle to see their son, which has left them unable to sleep and sick with worry.
"We're scared to death," Ian said.
"He's our son. He's on his own. It's killing us."
Dawn sobbed: "I can't begin to tell you how painful it is."
They are desperate to be at the hospital when their son wakes, but are not sure if or when they will be permitted to travel.
All three have had both vaccinations against Covid-19 - something they hoped would help their case to enter the country.

Ian, Dawn and Sian Storer are trying everything to be with Josh (second from left) (Photo / Supplied)
New Zealand's border restrictions are in place for all travellers, bar New Zealand citizens and permanent residents, those travelling from a quarantine-free location or people who had been granted a border exception.
Ian said they understood why New Zealand had strict border rules but hoped "something could give" so they could be with their boy.
They filled out an exemption form on Friday [UK time] and expected to wait at least five business days for a response - but Ian fears they have not completed the form correctly.
'You might lose him'
"It didn't give you a box to tick for the reason we want to come over, so we ticked humanitarian and explained what had happened. There's nothing that says my son has been involved in a critical accident.
"You're trying to deal with the fact that you might lose him and you might not be there and trying to get through all the red tape."
An Immigration New Zealand (INZ) spokesperson said it was sympathetic to the family's difficult situation - but when granting exemptions on humanitarian grounds, immigration officers had to consider a range of factors.
That included the applicant's connection to New Zealand, whether New Zealand was their primary place of residence, whether they had alternative options and the impact of not granting entry permission to the applicant.
"INZ has no ability to apply discretion when considering requests for border exceptions."

Josh has good friends in New Zealand who have been keeping the family in the UK updated on his condition. (Photo / Supplied)
The Derby residents say they will board the next flight if given the green light by the New Zealand Government.
"We've got bags ready, we're ready," Ian said.
The Albany bar where Josh was injured has created a Givealittle page for their "local customer and good friend" to help bring his family to New Zealand.
Every minute away from their son is precious.
If they are approved to enter New Zealand, Sian said it could take 24 days to get to her brother in hospital; taking into account the wait for negative Covid test results, the flight time and a fortnight in MIQ.
The family is hoping they can get an MIQ exemption to get to Josh sooner.
"We actually don't know how much time Josh has got," Sian said.

Josh's loved ones are doing everything they can to be reunited with him. Josh (left) pictured with sister Sian, and parents Ian and Dawn. (Photo / Supplied)
Ian said the New Zealand Police and hospital staff had been "absolutely fantastic".
They had a Zoom call with one of Storer's doctors who presented the family with the cruel but "blatantly honest" reality they face.
"He told us there were three scenarios," Ian said.
"One, he won't survive. Two, he could survive but with damage, and three, he could survive and almost return, maybe, to normal."
It was too early to tell what Storer's future would look like, as doctors have to wait for the swelling in his brain to go down.
Th...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/hfqbqd4k/mh140721-17-dawnstorer-nomiqforparents.mp3Tue, 13 Jul 2021 20:44:43 +0000RoccoThe parents of a man critically injured in an alleged bar assault are desperately trying to get past New Zealand's border restrictions to be with their son lying in a coma in an Auckland hospital. Josh Storer, 25, suffered serious injuries at North...Josh Storer, 25, suffered serious injuries at North Shore's The Albany bar and restaurant on Friday night. He is now in intensive care after undergoing two brain surgeries.
Storer's UK-based family - father Ian, mum Dawn and sister Sian Storer - spoke to the Herald about their nightmare battle to see their son, which has left them unable to sleep and sick with worry.
"We're scared to death," Ian said.
"He's our son. He's on his own. It's killing us."
Dawn sobbed: "I can't begin to tell you how painful it is."
They are desperate to be at the hospital when their son wakes, but are not sure if or when they will be permitted to travel.
All three have had both vaccinations against Covid-19 - something they hoped would help their case to enter the country.

Ian, Dawn and Sian Storer are trying everything to be with Josh (second from left) (Photo / Supplied)
New Zealand's border restrictions are in place for all travellers, bar New Zealand citizens and permanent residents, those travelling from a quarantine-free location or people who had been granted a border exception.
Ian said they understood why New Zealand had strict border rules but hoped "something could give" so they could be with their boy.
They filled out an exemption form on Friday [UK time] and expected to wait at least five business days for a response - but Ian fears they have not completed the form correctly.
'You might lose him'
"It didn't give you a box to tick for the reason we want to come over, so we ticked humanitarian and explained what had happened. There's nothing that says my son has been involved in a critical accident.
"You're trying to deal with the fact that you might lose him and you might not be there and trying to get through all the red tape."
An Immigration New Zealand (INZ) spokesperson said it was sympathetic to the family's difficult situation - but when granting exemptions on humanitarian grounds, immigration officers had to consider a range of factors.
That included the applicant's connection to New Zealand, whether New Zealand was their primary place of residence, whether they had alternative options and the impact of not granting entry permission to the applicant.
"INZ has no ability to apply discretion when considering requests for border exceptions."

Josh has good friends in New Zealand who have been keeping the family in the UK updated on his condition. (Photo / Supplied)
The Derby residents say they will board the next flight if given the green light by the New Zealand Government.
"We've got bags ready, we're ready," Ian said.
The Albany bar where Josh was injured has created a Givealittle page for their "local customer and good friend" to help bring his family to New Zealand.
Every minute away from their son is precious.
If they are approved to enter New Zealand, Sian said it could take 24 days to get to her brother in hospital; taking into account the wait for negative Covid test results, the flight time and a fortnight in MIQ.
The family is hoping they can get an MIQ exemption to get to Josh sooner.
"We actually don't know how much time Josh has got," Sian said.

Josh's loved ones are doing everything they can to be reunited with him. Josh (left) pictured with sister Sian, and parents Ian and Dawn. (Photo / Supplied)
Ian said the New Zealand Police and hospital staff had been "absolutely fantastic".
They had a Zoom call with one of Storer's doctors who presented the family with the cruel but "blatantly honest" reality they face.
"He told us there were three scenarios," Ian said.
"One, he won't survive. Two, he could survive but with damage, and three, he could survive and...]]>303falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/anita-rosentreter-first-union-coordinator-says-gig-economy-benefits-for-uber-drivers-dont-always-work--1008027First Union and E Tu are in the process of filing a case in the employment court on behalf of Uber drivers, following a high court ruling in the UK where drivers needed to be paid a minimum wage, holiday pay and pension plans.
It comes as a new gig economy report is released today by First Union which half of the respondents estimated their hourly income to be less than the minimum wage after expenses.
First Union Strategic Project co-ordinator Anita Rosentreter told Mike Hosking the perceived benefits of a gig economy are often not what they appear.
“The independence and flexibility that people associate with a gig economy is actually mostly an illusion, and what happens over time is people end up scheduling their lives around the peak times of that work, so it doesn't really work out the way they expect it to."
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/bk0jd4zh/mh140721-13-anitarosentreter-uberdrivers.mp3Tue, 13 Jul 2021 20:38:56 +0000RoccoNew Zealand could be heading the same way as the UK when it comes to whether Uber drivers are classified as workers rather than contractors. First Union and E Tu are in the process of filing a case in the employment court on behalf of Uber drivers,...First Union and E Tu are in the process of filing a case in the employment court on behalf of Uber drivers, following a high court ruling in the UK where drivers needed to be paid a minimum wage, holiday pay and pension plans.
It comes as a new gig economy report is released today by First Union which half of the respondents estimated their hourly income to be less than the minimum wage after expenses.
First Union Strategic Project co-ordinator Anita Rosentreter told Mike Hosking the perceived benefits of a gig economy are often not what they appear.
“The independence and flexibility that people associate with a gig economy is actually mostly an illusion, and what happens over time is people end up scheduling their lives around the peak times of that work, so it doesn't really work out the way they expect it to."
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>161falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/sharron-lloyd-business-group-says-better-to-hear-something-than-nothing-from-government-on-immigration-reset--1007980Finance Minister Grant Robertson has told members of the Trans-Tasman Business Circle that businesses need to reduce their reliance on low-skilled migrant workers.
But he's accepted there is a skills shortage, and has revealed the Government is working on a roadmap to ease border restrictions.
Business Circle General Manager Sharron Lloyd told Mike Hosking  while it wasn't what everyone wanted to hear, it was better to hear something than nothing.
“What was important is that he was there to have the conversation, he acknowledged that he hears us and he hears the uncertainty, and that uncertainty produces implications for business."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/figbir4t/mh140721-10-sharronlloyd-robertsonbusinesscomments.mp3Tue, 13 Jul 2021 20:16:37 +0000RoccoA business group is welcoming a reassurance from the Government, that its immigration reset won't be extreme. Finance Minister Grant Robertson has told members of the Trans-Tasman Business Circle that businesses need to reduce their reliance on...Finance Minister Grant Robertson has told members of the Trans-Tasman Business Circle that businesses need to reduce their reliance on low-skilled migrant workers.
But he's accepted there is a skills shortage, and has revealed the Government is working on a roadmap to ease border restrictions.
Business Circle General Manager Sharron Lloyd told Mike Hosking  while it wasn't what everyone wanted to hear, it was better to hear something than nothing.
“What was important is that he was there to have the conversation, he acknowledged that he hears us and he hears the uncertainty, and that uncertainty produces implications for business."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>187falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/duncan-webb-cryptocurrency-inquiry-mps-to-investigate-risks-and-benefits--1008020MPs will hold an inquiry into cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, looking into risks to users, the monetary system and the environment.
The Finance and Expenditure Committee, chaired by Labour's MP for Christchurch Duncan Webb, released the terms of reference for the inquiry this morning.
It will look at how such currencies are created and traded, their use and misuse, and implications they might have for the tax system and regulators.
The inquiry would also consider the environmental impact of mining cryptocurrencies, which had become an increasing concern for environmental advocates.
Implications for financial systems would also be looked at, including risks to financial stability, tax, use by criminal organisations.
MPs would also consider whether cryptocurrency regulation is possible for states, central banks or through multi-lateral co-operation.
The announcement follows the meteoric rise in the popularity of various cryptocurrencies over the past year, as some soared to record highs on the back of low interest rates, more institutional investment and greater regulatory attention.

The Finance and Expenditure Committee, chaired by Labour's MP for Christchurch Duncan Webb, released the terms of reference for the inquiry this morning. (Photo / Supplied)
This helped attract more women and older investors to the asset class, which had traditionally been the domain of young men.
Cryptocurrencies are a form of digital cash that is managed not by a central bank but instead ownership is verified by cryptographic equations. This usually means the regulation of those currencies is managed by those who own it, rather than by government manipulation.
In the case of Bitcoin, the verification process is performed by Bitcoin "miners" who provide proof of the transactions in return for some of the currency itself.
The total amount of Bitcoin that exists at a given time is also limited, however, and miners require huge amounts of computer power to be the first to complete the verification process which places pressure on power systems and leads more greenhouse gas emissions.
China accounts for more than 75 per cent of bitcoin mining around the world, according to recent research, and its carbon footprint is now as large as one of China's 10 largest cities.
That led Elon Musk to rule that Tesla would no longer accept Bitcoin for vehicle purchases.
Because the currencies are decentralised they are also difficult to trace, making them attractive for use by criminals. The hackers who demanded a ransom from Waikato DHB wanted to be paid in cryptocurrency.
The rise of cryptocurrencies had also given way to the emergence of various scams that use the asset to lure people into them.
Last year, the Commerce Commission issued a stop notice to a South Auckland woman who was promoting a suspected cryptocurrency pyramid scheme called Lion's Share.
No date was set for when the inquiry would be completed.
Webb said the committee would consult with some of the country's leading experts in the cryptocurrency field.
"This inquiry will give us a good opportunity to further our understanding of this increasingly important topic," he said.
As some cryptocurrencies grow in popularity and relative worth, more economies around the world are considering how to grapple with them and whether trading them or mining them should be legal.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/bhmholtl/mh140721-05-duncanwebb-cryptoinquiry.mp3Tue, 13 Jul 2021 20:05:33 +0000RoccoBy RNZ MPs will hold an inquiry into cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, looking into risks to users, the monetary system and the environment. The Finance and Expenditure Committee, chaired by Labour's MP for Christchurch Duncan Webb, released the terms of...MPs will hold an inquiry into cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, looking into risks to users, the monetary system and the environment.
The Finance and Expenditure Committee, chaired by Labour's MP for Christchurch Duncan Webb, released the terms of reference for the inquiry this morning.
It will look at how such currencies are created and traded, their use and misuse, and implications they might have for the tax system and regulators.
The inquiry would also consider the environmental impact of mining cryptocurrencies, which had become an increasing concern for environmental advocates.
Implications for financial systems would also be looked at, including risks to financial stability, tax, use by criminal organisations.
MPs would also consider whether cryptocurrency regulation is possible for states, central banks or through multi-lateral co-operation.
The announcement follows the meteoric rise in the popularity of various cryptocurrencies over the past year, as some soared to record highs on the back of low interest rates, more institutional investment and greater regulatory attention.

The Finance and Expenditure Committee, chaired by Labour's MP for Christchurch Duncan Webb, released the terms of reference for the inquiry this morning. (Photo / Supplied)
This helped attract more women and older investors to the asset class, which had traditionally been the domain of young men.
Cryptocurrencies are a form of digital cash that is managed not by a central bank but instead ownership is verified by cryptographic equations. This usually means the regulation of those currencies is managed by those who own it, rather than by government manipulation.
In the case of Bitcoin, the verification process is performed by Bitcoin "miners" who provide proof of the transactions in return for some of the currency itself.
The total amount of Bitcoin that exists at a given time is also limited, however, and miners require huge amounts of computer power to be the first to complete the verification process which places pressure on power systems and leads more greenhouse gas emissions.
China accounts for more than 75 per cent of bitcoin mining around the world, according to recent research, and its carbon footprint is now as large as one of China's 10 largest cities.
That led Elon Musk to rule that Tesla would no longer accept Bitcoin for vehicle purchases.
Because the currencies are decentralised they are also difficult to trace, making them attractive for use by criminals. The hackers who demanded a ransom from Waikato DHB wanted to be paid in cryptocurrency.
The rise of cryptocurrencies had also given way to the emergence of various scams that use the asset to lure people into them.
Last year, the Commerce Commission issued a stop notice to a South Auckland woman who was promoting a suspected cryptocurrency pyramid scheme called Lion's Share.
No date was set for when the inquiry would be completed.
Webb said the committee would consult with some of the country's leading experts in the cryptocurrency field.
"This inquiry will give us a good opportunity to further our understanding of this increasingly important topic," he said.
As some cryptocurrencies grow in popularity and relative worth, more economies around the world are considering how to grapple with them and whether trading them or mining them should be legal.]]>301falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/richard-arnold-biden-blasts-efforts-to-limit-voting-access-but-stops-short-of-calling-for-filibuster-reform--1008024But he stopped short of embracing changes to Senate procedure that might open the door to new laws protecting those rights, a step activists have said is essential as they urge the President to say and do more on an issue he's said is the most important of his presidency.
The President's speech in Philadelphia, the birthplace of American democracy, was meant as an opening salvo in what officials say will be an ongoing push against restrictive voting laws being passed around the nation.
In it, Biden took particular aim at his predecessor Donald Trump and other Republicans who have refused to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election, accusing them of fomenting a pattern of denial that is fracturing the country's foundations.
"In America, if you lose, you accept the results," Biden said inside the soaring atrium of the National Constitution Center. "You follow the Constitution, you try again. You don't call facts 'fake' and then try to bring down the American experiment just because you're unhappy. That's not statesmanship. That's selfishness."
It was the most forcefully Biden has inveighed against Trump since taking office. At one point, accusing Republicans of shirking truth and responsibility for upholding the Constitution, he bellowed: "Have you no shame?"
One of the fieriest speeches of Biden's presidency to date, Biden's remarks reflected the fury he and fellow Democrats have cultivated as Republicans follow Trump's lead in denying the election results. He predicted it is likely Republicans will use a similar strategy in the 2022 midterms, saying "we have to prepare now."
He called efforts to call the election in question "dark" and "sinister" on Tuesday, saying they reflected "human nature at its worst."
"Bullies and merchants of fear, peddlers of lies, are threatening the very foundation of our country," Biden said.
Still, his avoidance of the filibuster issue proved disappointing to some of the activists who want Biden to embrace changes that would allow new legislation in Congress.
"Supporters of democracy will continue to organize and advocate, but we cannot organize our way out of this threat. It is up to our elected officials to hear supporters and act to protect our democracy," said Wade Henderson, president of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, after Biden's speech.
Asked on his way out of the venue why he did not raise the filibuster, Biden told reporters only: "I'm not filibustering now."
He began his speech by recounting the stories of Americans who voted in the last election, lauding them for their efforts to cast their ballots amid the Covid-19 pandemic. He noted the 2020 contest had the most votes cast in any election in American history.
But he quickly turned his focus to the attacks on the 2020 election process, calling it the most scrutinized in American history. He alluded to Trump's complaints about the election results, saying those who would deny the election result are simply denying facts.
"The Big Lie is just that: A big lie," Biden said.
Since the November election, state lawmakers have enacted 28 laws in 17 states that restrict ballot access, according to a June tally by the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law.
Biden decried Republican obstruction to a sweeping election reform bill that Democrats argue is a necessary counter to state-level efforts to restrict voting access. The President stressed that he would work to pass that legislation, the For the People Act, as well as the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.
But he seemed to quietly acknowledge the low likelihood that either bill becomes law, saying instead he would "engage in an all-out effort" to educate Americans about laws limiti...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/m2slr3k4/mh140721-07-arnold-votingrules-cyberattacks.mp3Tue, 13 Jul 2021 11:57:27 +0000RoccoPresident Joe Biden issued a dire and angry warning Tuesday that the very underpinnings of American democracy were under threat, calling an ongoing assault on voting rights the gravest challenge to American democracy since the Civil War. But he...But he stopped short of embracing changes to Senate procedure that might open the door to new laws protecting those rights, a step activists have said is essential as they urge the President to say and do more on an issue he's said is the most important of his presidency.
The President's speech in Philadelphia, the birthplace of American democracy, was meant as an opening salvo in what officials say will be an ongoing push against restrictive voting laws being passed around the nation.
In it, Biden took particular aim at his predecessor Donald Trump and other Republicans who have refused to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election, accusing them of fomenting a pattern of denial that is fracturing the country's foundations.
"In America, if you lose, you accept the results," Biden said inside the soaring atrium of the National Constitution Center. "You follow the Constitution, you try again. You don't call facts 'fake' and then try to bring down the American experiment just because you're unhappy. That's not statesmanship. That's selfishness."
It was the most forcefully Biden has inveighed against Trump since taking office. At one point, accusing Republicans of shirking truth and responsibility for upholding the Constitution, he bellowed: "Have you no shame?"
One of the fieriest speeches of Biden's presidency to date, Biden's remarks reflected the fury he and fellow Democrats have cultivated as Republicans follow Trump's lead in denying the election results. He predicted it is likely Republicans will use a similar strategy in the 2022 midterms, saying "we have to prepare now."
He called efforts to call the election in question "dark" and "sinister" on Tuesday, saying they reflected "human nature at its worst."
"Bullies and merchants of fear, peddlers of lies, are threatening the very foundation of our country," Biden said.
Still, his avoidance of the filibuster issue proved disappointing to some of the activists who want Biden to embrace changes that would allow new legislation in Congress.
"Supporters of democracy will continue to organize and advocate, but we cannot organize our way out of this threat. It is up to our elected officials to hear supporters and act to protect our democracy," said Wade Henderson, president of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, after Biden's speech.
Asked on his way out of the venue why he did not raise the filibuster, Biden told reporters only: "I'm not filibustering now."
He began his speech by recounting the stories of Americans who voted in the last election, lauding them for their efforts to cast their ballots amid the Covid-19 pandemic. He noted the 2020 contest had the most votes cast in any election in American history.
But he quickly turned his focus to the attacks on the 2020 election process, calling it the most scrutinized in American history. He alluded to Trump's complaints about the election results, saying those who would deny the election result are simply denying facts.
"The Big Lie is just that: A big lie," Biden said.
Since the November election, state lawmakers have enacted 28 laws in 17 states that restrict ballot access, according to a June tally by the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law.
Biden decried Republican obstruction to a sweeping election reform bill that Democrats argue is a necessary counter to state-level efforts to restrict voting access. The President stressed that he would work to pass that legislation, the For the People Act, as well as the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.
But he seemed to quietly acknowledge the low likelihood that either bill becomes law, saying...]]>246falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/steve-price-nsw-premier-gladys-berejiklian-hints-at-lengthy-lockdown-extension--1008026The state posted 89 new infections on Tuesday and a second death – with at least 21 of those cases infectious in the community.
During a joint press conference on Tuesday afternoon with Prime Minister Scott Morrison to announce a Covid-19 Disaster Payment, Gladys Berejiklian made a grim suggestion that there was currently no end in sight for Sydney’s restrictions.
“The New South Wales Government was very pleased to be able to extend with our part of the payments to all of New South Wales so that no matter where you live, if you‘re suffering because of the stay at home provisions, you are able to make sure that you and your loved ones don’t go through that stress – no matter how long the lockdown lasts,” she told reporters.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned there was little chance of the lockdown being lifted this week. (Photo / NCA)
Ms Berejiklian went on to say it was the government’s intention to “have this lockdown not go longer than it needs to”, but the disaster payments would provide relief during that period of uncertainty.
“Whether you‘re someone who runs a business or someone who’s an employee, you’ll be able to respect the rules we put in place and also have peace of mind,” she said.
NSW businesses who suffered at least a 30 per cent drop in revenue due to the lockdown will be paid up to $10,000 a week to cover costs provided they keep their workers, under the new changes.
“It’s really having peace of mind and also the ability to follow the health advice because they’re the two things that will help us get through this lockdown,” Ms Berejiklian said.
The Covid-19 Disaster Payment would increase from $500 to $600 each week if a person lost 20 hours or more of work a week – or $325 to $375 each week if a person lost between eight and 20 hours of work.

Sydneysiders rush to get tested after the state posted 89 new cases on Tuesday. (Photo / NCA)
Sydney’s total Covid-19 outbreak has now grown to 767 since June 16 when the first case was reported.
The Premier is expected to make an important announcement on Wednesday morning, regarding the end of Sydney’s lockdown, which has already been extended once.
Following 112 local cases on Monday and 89 on Tuesday Ms Berejiklian warned there was little chance the restrictions would be repealed.
“One day is not a trend,” she said of the case numbers on Tuesday. “The numbers will keep bouncing around and we have to say that.
“But I do want everyone to know that our efforts will make a difference (and) allow us to leave the lockdown in a timely way.”]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/qdbkrziy/mh140721-22-price-sydney-wagepackage-rollout.mp3Tue, 13 Jul 2021 09:56:40 +0000RoccoThe NSW Premier has hinted at a lengthy winter lockdown just hours out from an expected extension of tough Covid-19 shutdown measures. The state posted 89 new infections on Tuesday and a second death – with at least 21 of those cases infectious in the...The state posted 89 new infections on Tuesday and a second death – with at least 21 of those cases infectious in the community.
During a joint press conference on Tuesday afternoon with Prime Minister Scott Morrison to announce a Covid-19 Disaster Payment, Gladys Berejiklian made a grim suggestion that there was currently no end in sight for Sydney’s restrictions.
“The New South Wales Government was very pleased to be able to extend with our part of the payments to all of New South Wales so that no matter where you live, if you‘re suffering because of the stay at home provisions, you are able to make sure that you and your loved ones don’t go through that stress – no matter how long the lockdown lasts,” she told reporters.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned there was little chance of the lockdown being lifted this week. (Photo / NCA)
Ms Berejiklian went on to say it was the government’s intention to “have this lockdown not go longer than it needs to”, but the disaster payments would provide relief during that period of uncertainty.
“Whether you‘re someone who runs a business or someone who’s an employee, you’ll be able to respect the rules we put in place and also have peace of mind,” she said.
NSW businesses who suffered at least a 30 per cent drop in revenue due to the lockdown will be paid up to $10,000 a week to cover costs provided they keep their workers, under the new changes.
“It’s really having peace of mind and also the ability to follow the health advice because they’re the two things that will help us get through this lockdown,” Ms Berejiklian said.
The Covid-19 Disaster Payment would increase from $500 to $600 each week if a person lost 20 hours or more of work a week – or $325 to $375 each week if a person lost between eight and 20 hours of work.

Sydneysiders rush to get tested after the state posted 89 new cases on Tuesday. (Photo / NCA)
Sydney’s total Covid-19 outbreak has now grown to 767 since June 16 when the first case was reported.
The Premier is expected to make an important announcement on Wednesday morning, regarding the end of Sydney’s lockdown, which has already been extended once.
Following 112 local cases on Monday and 89 on Tuesday Ms Berejiklian warned there was little chance the restrictions would be repealed.
“One day is not a trend,” she said of the case numbers on Tuesday. “The numbers will keep bouncing around and we have to say that.
“But I do want everyone to know that our efforts will make a difference (and) allow us to leave the lockdown in a timely way.”]]>376falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-big-day-out-for-adrian-and-his-reserve-bank-mates--1008089The big deal is not what will happen, because nothing will happen.
But if it is going to, when?
The, ‘when’ is the exciting bit.
As dry as Reserve Bank stuff might appear to some, it affects every one of us, the state of the economy is the state of our lives
It is who we are as a country and where we are going and whether we are going in the right direction or not.
The sense of it is, we are doing well enough to warrant some sort of indication as to when interest rates might go up.
The fragility of what they’re trying to deal with has never been better displayed than with the rapid change of commentary we have seen in just the 6 months of this year.
We once were expecting interest rates to be low for years to come, maybe 2024?
Then suddenly it was 2023, then next year, now many seem to think we’ll see movement in November and the suggestion is today is the day that map gets laid out a little.
We are spending like drunks, shelves are empty because ships are a shambles and containers are hard to come by.
We aren’t letting anyone into the country, so every man and his dog is looking for workers.
This puts a strain on things, and by the time you take the empty shelves, the lack of workers and the rest of us lining up to buy stuff, prices rise and that leads to inflation and inflation is contained by raising interest rates.
There is also the matter of Adrian’s printer and his flooding the economy with cash.
And that’s the part we need to watch the most closely.
How much of this so-called economic recovery  is debt, whether Adrian’s or our own, and if it’s too much.
And if Adrian pulls the plug out of the wall and the printer stops, do we implode in panic?
And/or if mortgages start to rise, do we also panic about all the money we’ve borrowed and now have to pay back at a greater rate?
And if the rates are rising, how far and how fast?
You see this is all about confidence, and confidence is hard won but easily shattered.
So it’s a tight rope.
I still maintain it would be a remarkable thing for a country like ours to lead the world in interest rate rises.
Remember no one else is doing it; no one else is really suggesting money printing needs to stop either.
So, are we really that robust?
Today will at least give us some good clues.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/5ihlddgm/mh140721-01-rbnzcomment.mp3Tue, 13 Jul 2021 09:51:25 +0000RoccoBig day out for Adrian and his reserve bank mates. The big deal is not what will happen, because nothing will happen. But if it is going to, when? The, ‘when’ is the exciting bit. As dry as Reserve Bank stuff might appear to some, it affects every one...The big deal is not what will happen, because nothing will happen.
But if it is going to, when?
The, ‘when’ is the exciting bit.
As dry as Reserve Bank stuff might appear to some, it affects every one of us, the state of the economy is the state of our lives
It is who we are as a country and where we are going and whether we are going in the right direction or not.
The sense of it is, we are doing well enough to warrant some sort of indication as to when interest rates might go up.
The fragility of what they’re trying to deal with has never been better displayed than with the rapid change of commentary we have seen in just the 6 months of this year.
We once were expecting interest rates to be low for years to come, maybe 2024?
Then suddenly it was 2023, then next year, now many seem to think we’ll see movement in November and the suggestion is today is the day that map gets laid out a little.
We are spending like drunks, shelves are empty because ships are a shambles and containers are hard to come by.
We aren’t letting anyone into the country, so every man and his dog is looking for workers.
This puts a strain on things, and by the time you take the empty shelves, the lack of workers and the rest of us lining up to buy stuff, prices rise and that leads to inflation and inflation is contained by raising interest rates.
There is also the matter of Adrian’s printer and his flooding the economy with cash.
And that’s the part we need to watch the most closely.
How much of this so-called economic recovery  is debt, whether Adrian’s or our own, and if it’s too much.
And if Adrian pulls the plug out of the wall and the printer stops, do we implode in panic?
And/or if mortgages start to rise, do we also panic about all the money we’ve borrowed and now have to pay back at a greater rate?
And if the rates are rising, how far and how fast?
You see this is all about confidence, and confidence is hard won but easily shattered.
So it’s a tight rope.
I still maintain it would be a remarkable thing for a country like ours to lead the world in interest rate rises.
Remember no one else is doing it; no one else is really suggesting money printing needs to stop either.
So, are we really that robust?
Today will at least give us some good clues.]]>120falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/alwyn-poole-education-consultant-says-teacher-aides-help-classes-not-just-individual-children--1008056The Auckland mum's been told she can't keep paying 10-thousand dollars a year for help for her eight-year-old son.
It followed her email to Education Minister Chris Hipkins, arguing there's not enough support for all learners at existing state schools, and suggesting the ministry pay for the help.
Head of Innovative Education Consultants Alwyn Poole says told Mike Hosking the mother's paying a general donation to the school for the teacher aide to help the class, not just her son.
“If you’re a teacher and you’ve got a child with autism or an ADHD and you’ve got 31 other kids in your class, you simply can’t pay the other 31 kids the attention that they need.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/xwzdelvk/mh140721-11-alwynpoole-teacheraidefunding.mp3Tue, 13 Jul 2021 08:45:52 +0000RoccoA claim the whole class of an autistic boy, whose mother paid for a teacher aide, would have benefited from the help. The Auckland mum's been told she can't keep paying 10-thousand dollars a year for help for her eight-year-old son. It followed her...The Auckland mum's been told she can't keep paying 10-thousand dollars a year for help for her eight-year-old son.
It followed her email to Education Minister Chris Hipkins, arguing there's not enough support for all learners at existing state schools, and suggesting the ministry pay for the help.
Head of Innovative Education Consultants Alwyn Poole says told Mike Hosking the mother's paying a general donation to the school for the teacher aide to help the class, not just her son.
“If you’re a teacher and you’ve got a child with autism or an ADHD and you’ve got 31 other kids in your class, you simply can’t pay the other 31 kids the attention that they need.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>187falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-why-do-we-care-about-england-s-football-team--1008114How else do you explain the very odd business of us becoming POMs when it came to the Euros?
For a country that purports to be multi-cultural, I didn’t see any one supporting Italy or Germany or France, unless of course they had direct connections to the country.
We all for the past couple of weeks have decided we are Brits. Which is good for monarchy, given it shows a very strong attachment to a country allegedly lots of people want to drop to chart our own course as a republic.
If the evidence though of the past few games is anything to go by, we would have to have a better football team because very large numbers of us seemed happy to adopt England’s.
Why is it we love the England football team? We don’t love the England rugby team, we don’t really care if Andy Murray wins Wimbledon, why do we get so gripped by the football?
Is it because our team barely go to the World Cup and when they do they’re never going to win?
Is it because football here is a large participant sport and we all as parents have stood on side-lines cheering our kids, but none of them go on to higher levels of the game , hence its peters out at international level? 
But here is an irony: no, we don’t often get to the world cup, but although the England team do, they are never going to win it either.
We sort of join that strange mass belief that because something magical happened in 1966 it can happen again.
But, this wasn’t even the World Cup, this was the Euros and we are not remotely European.
Why are we interested in a tournament that has literally nothing to do with us?
By the way, is or is not the penalty shootout the greatest invention in sport
Play your regulation time, play your extra time, but at the end of it, if you are not separated, it’s the gladiatorial session of kill or be killed.
There is little in sport more exhilarating, more definitive, more revealing of the human spirit than a penalty shootout.
And England bottled it – again. Which is yet another irony: why were we backing such a bunch of losers?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/p2fdni0a/mh130721-01-eurofinalcomment.mp3Tue, 13 Jul 2021 05:23:46 +0000RoccoWhat a conservative old Anglo-Saxon country we turn out to be, eh? How else do you explain the very odd business of us becoming POMs when it came to the Euros? For a country that purports to be multi-cultural, I didn’t see any one supporting Italy or...How else do you explain the very odd business of us becoming POMs when it came to the Euros?
For a country that purports to be multi-cultural, I didn’t see any one supporting Italy or Germany or France, unless of course they had direct connections to the country.
We all for the past couple of weeks have decided we are Brits. Which is good for monarchy, given it shows a very strong attachment to a country allegedly lots of people want to drop to chart our own course as a republic.
If the evidence though of the past few games is anything to go by, we would have to have a better football team because very large numbers of us seemed happy to adopt England’s.
Why is it we love the England football team? We don’t love the England rugby team, we don’t really care if Andy Murray wins Wimbledon, why do we get so gripped by the football?
Is it because our team barely go to the World Cup and when they do they’re never going to win?
Is it because football here is a large participant sport and we all as parents have stood on side-lines cheering our kids, but none of them go on to higher levels of the game , hence its peters out at international level? 
But here is an irony: no, we don’t often get to the world cup, but although the England team do, they are never going to win it either.
We sort of join that strange mass belief that because something magical happened in 1966 it can happen again.
But, this wasn’t even the World Cup, this was the Euros and we are not remotely European.
Why are we interested in a tournament that has literally nothing to do with us?
By the way, is or is not the penalty shootout the greatest invention in sport
Play your regulation time, play your extra time, but at the end of it, if you are not separated, it’s the gladiatorial session of kill or be killed.
There is little in sport more exhilarating, more definitive, more revealing of the human spirit than a penalty shootout.
And England bottled it – again. Which is yet another irony: why were we backing such a bunch of losers?]]>111falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/scott-mclaughlin-kiwi-motorsport-star-on-the-midway-point-through-his-first-season-away-from-supercars--1007981The New Zealand race car driver is competing alongside fellow Kiwi Scott Dixon in the IndyCar series in the United States.
The rookie was already turning heads two months ago when he made his first podium in Texas.  
McLaughlin joined Mike Hosking to discuss how his first season has gone – in what he described to have been a “character building year”.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/1isdfres/mh130721-21-scottmclaughlin-indcarseason.mp3Tue, 13 Jul 2021 01:02:22 +0000RoccoThree-time Repco Supercars Champion turned IndyCar driver Scott McLaughlin is relishing in his move to a single-seater. The New Zealand race car driver is competing alongside fellow Kiwi Scott Dixon in the IndyCar series in the United States. The...The New Zealand race car driver is competing alongside fellow Kiwi Scott Dixon in the IndyCar series in the United States.
The rookie was already turning heads two months ago when he made his first podium in Texas.  
McLaughlin joined Mike Hosking to discuss how his first season has gone – in what he described to have been a “character building year”.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>523falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/chris-wilkinson-retail-expert-says-we-should-be-prepared-for-c-commerce--100809480 percent of what we do on our mobile phones is on chat apps, so businesses are increasingly targeting these apps, getting direct messages to the recipient to buy products via chat.
It's a common form of shopping for China on WeChat, their Facebook equivalent, but proponents say this C-commerce could pass E-commerce in a decade or two.
First Retail Group managing director Chris Wilkinson told Mike Hosking for generations these days, convenience is the name of the game.
“This is the next one we need to be very much prepared for in terms of our retailers and our hospitality operators.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/wnlbmpnd/mh130721-20-chriswilkinson-conversationcommerce.mp3Mon, 12 Jul 2021 21:35:08 +0000RoccoThere are predictions that the future of online shopping is in Conversational commerce. 80 percent of what we do on our mobile phones is on chat apps, so businesses are increasingly targeting these apps, getting direct messages to the recipient to buy...80 percent of what we do on our mobile phones is on chat apps, so businesses are increasingly targeting these apps, getting direct messages to the recipient to buy products via chat.
It's a common form of shopping for China on WeChat, their Facebook equivalent, but proponents say this C-commerce could pass E-commerce in a decade or two.
First Retail Group managing director Chris Wilkinson told Mike Hosking for generations these days, convenience is the name of the game.
“This is the next one we need to be very much prepared for in terms of our retailers and our hospitality operators.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>219falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/pete-morrison-councillor-challenges-ministry-of-business-innovation-and-employment-shutdown-of-gold-venture--1008030Peter Morrison, who owns farms in Canterbury and on the West Coast, has invested about $2 million over the past year, looking for gold - and finding it - on a 500ha block he owns near Inangahua Junction.
Morrison was working under an exploration permit, employing three skilled operators and local contractors on the 1ha site to evaluate the potential for a full-scale alluvial mine.
"We applied a year ago for a mining permit but we're still waiting ... in the meantime we've been doing the feasibility work ... trying to work out if it would be economic to go all in."But after being told by MBIE he was breaching the exploration permit and threatened with massive fines, Morrison has been forced to pull the plug.
"This has been going on for months … I've had my lawyer look at it and he can't see what this alleged breach is -- all they say is that the hole's too big," Morrison said.
The Buller District Council and West Coast Regional Council both said there were no issues with the land use and resource consents they issued for the site, and Morrison had paid the required surety bond.
But after more pressure from officials two weeks ago Morrison reluctantly laid off his three staff.
"I'm sorry to lose them, they were a very skilled team. I doubt I'll get them back. And those were $100,000 a year jobs."
Four MBIE officials had turned up twice in one week and been "very aggressive", he said.
"They walked around looking grim and grilling my staff and saying it was pretty big for an exploration. But it's just a tiny fraction of the 500ha permit," Morrison said.
"You have to excavate a decent area to work out what's going on with new alluvial sites, and see if mining is feasible," Morrison said.
His crew of three, plus contractors, had excavated a deep pit to explore the structure of the site, assess the volumes that would need to be stripped and had been testing different types of equipment.
In the process they had extracted about 100 ounces of gold, over the year.
"We've kept all the records, we've complied with all our resource consents -- and we've been harassed out of business.
"They just keep saying it's too big ... the biggest exploration site ever seen in New Zealand. But the exploration permit doesn't set any size or volume limit. And if they want me to have a mining permit, well they've had a year to process the application and so far -- nothing."
An MBIE spokesman said Morrison's application for a mining permit was being evaluated but there was a backlog of applications.
"There was a sizeable increase in the number of applications for all permit types last year, especially in the wake of the lifting of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. Applications for gold-related permits really took off, largely driven by a high gold price."
The permit queue had grown rapidly in the last few months of 2020, and officials were trying to deal with it as quickly as possible, the spokesman said.
The ministry did not explain precisely how Morrison had broken the rules, but said exploration permits allowed data gathering over small, specific areas to test if the resource was commercially viable.
"Exploration activities can include aerial or seismic surveys, intensive surface-sampling and drilling core samples, trenching, bulk sampling and economic and mining feasibility studies could be undertaken."
Inangahua Community Board chairman John Bougen is calling on the ministry to explain exactly why it shut down the venture.
It was deeply disappointing to have a potentially productive private enterprise closed by officials from afar, in a community that badly needed industry and employment, the Reefton businessman said.
"These were high-paying jobs for skilled workers, and MBIE has just pulled about half...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/ofqj0ypf/mh130721-17-petemorrison-goldexploration.mp3Mon, 12 Jul 2021 20:41:32 +0000RoccoThe Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has shut down a West Coast goldmining exploration venture that was injecting $500,000 a year into the local economy and according to the miner had the potential to create 12 well-paid jobs....Peter Morrison, who owns farms in Canterbury and on the West Coast, has invested about $2 million over the past year, looking for gold - and finding it - on a 500ha block he owns near Inangahua Junction.
Morrison was working under an exploration permit, employing three skilled operators and local contractors on the 1ha site to evaluate the potential for a full-scale alluvial mine.
"We applied a year ago for a mining permit but we're still waiting ... in the meantime we've been doing the feasibility work ... trying to work out if it would be economic to go all in."But after being told by MBIE he was breaching the exploration permit and threatened with massive fines, Morrison has been forced to pull the plug.
"This has been going on for months … I've had my lawyer look at it and he can't see what this alleged breach is -- all they say is that the hole's too big," Morrison said.
The Buller District Council and West Coast Regional Council both said there were no issues with the land use and resource consents they issued for the site, and Morrison had paid the required surety bond.
But after more pressure from officials two weeks ago Morrison reluctantly laid off his three staff.
"I'm sorry to lose them, they were a very skilled team. I doubt I'll get them back. And those were $100,000 a year jobs."
Four MBIE officials had turned up twice in one week and been "very aggressive", he said.
"They walked around looking grim and grilling my staff and saying it was pretty big for an exploration. But it's just a tiny fraction of the 500ha permit," Morrison said.
"You have to excavate a decent area to work out what's going on with new alluvial sites, and see if mining is feasible," Morrison said.
His crew of three, plus contractors, had excavated a deep pit to explore the structure of the site, assess the volumes that would need to be stripped and had been testing different types of equipment.
In the process they had extracted about 100 ounces of gold, over the year.
"We've kept all the records, we've complied with all our resource consents -- and we've been harassed out of business.
"They just keep saying it's too big ... the biggest exploration site ever seen in New Zealand. But the exploration permit doesn't set any size or volume limit. And if they want me to have a mining permit, well they've had a year to process the application and so far -- nothing."
An MBIE spokesman said Morrison's application for a mining permit was being evaluated but there was a backlog of applications.
"There was a sizeable increase in the number of applications for all permit types last year, especially in the wake of the lifting of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. Applications for gold-related permits really took off, largely driven by a high gold price."
The permit queue had grown rapidly in the last few months of 2020, and officials were trying to deal with it as quickly as possible, the spokesman said.
The ministry did not explain precisely how Morrison had broken the rules, but said exploration permits allowed data gathering over small, specific areas to test if the resource was commercially viable.
"Exploration activities can include aerial or seismic surveys, intensive surface-sampling and drilling core samples, trenching, bulk sampling and economic and mining feasibility studies could be undertaken."
Inangahua Community Board chairman John Bougen is calling on the ministry to explain exactly why it shut down the venture.
It was deeply disappointing to have a potentially productive private enterprise closed by officials from afar, in a community that badly needed industry and employment, the Reefton...]]>234falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/jason-mckenzie-three-person-psychology-team-set-to-play-a-more-important-role-than-ever-at-tokyo-olympics--1008062221 athletes have been chosen to represent us in Tokyo, our largest ever Olympic team.
But what about some key players behind the scenes?
There is a three-person psychology team travelling to the Games, a more important role than at any other Olympic games for obvious reasons.
One of those three is counsellor Jason McKenzie who told Mike Hosking the athletes all have different reasons for using the support his team offers.
“It’s like anything in this world; some of the young ones have grown up and are much better reaching out and doing that, but a lot of the more experienced athletes are looking for that performance edge.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/u1spjqod/mh130721-13-jasonmckenzie-olympicpsychology.mp3Mon, 12 Jul 2021 20:03:45 +0000RoccoNew Zealand’s team for the Olympics has been finalised. 221 athletes have been chosen to represent us in Tokyo, our largest ever Olympic team. But what about some key players behind the scenes? There is a three-person psychology team travelling to the...221 athletes have been chosen to represent us in Tokyo, our largest ever Olympic team.
But what about some key players behind the scenes?
There is a three-person psychology team travelling to the Games, a more important role than at any other Olympic games for obvious reasons.
One of those three is counsellor Jason McKenzie who told Mike Hosking the athletes all have different reasons for using the support his team offers.
“It’s like anything in this world; some of the young ones have grown up and are much better reaching out and doing that, but a lot of the more experienced athletes are looking for that performance edge.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>146falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/des-gorman-professor-of-medicine-describes-our-management-of-the-pandemic-as-amateurish--1008037The Government's expanding the mandatory vaccination rule at ports and airports -- meaning roughly 18 hundred people will need to get the jab to keep their jobs.
Only 54 per cent of active port workers are fully vaccinated.
Auckland University Professor of Medicine Des Gorman told Mike Hosking our management of the pandemic has been amateurish.
“We have a country, like Australia, who does so well at protecting our forests and our farms and our orchards and our vineyards from pests, our biosecurity arrangements are fantastic. But we can’t protect ourselves.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/iu1njtnk/mh130721-11-desgorman-mandatoryvaccination.mp3Mon, 12 Jul 2021 19:49:30 +0000RoccoConfusion as to why it's taking so long to plug holes at the border. The Government's expanding the mandatory vaccination rule at ports and airports -- meaning roughly 18 hundred people will need to get the jab to keep their jobs. Only 54 per cent of...The Government's expanding the mandatory vaccination rule at ports and airports -- meaning roughly 18 hundred people will need to get the jab to keep their jobs.
Only 54 per cent of active port workers are fully vaccinated.
Auckland University Professor of Medicine Des Gorman told Mike Hosking our management of the pandemic has been amateurish.
“We have a country, like Australia, who does so well at protecting our forests and our farms and our orchards and our vineyards from pests, our biosecurity arrangements are fantastic. But we can’t protect ourselves.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>177falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/andrew-little-health-minister-says-none-of-the-money-he-signed-off-on-is-going-to-a-gang--1008095$2.75 million is being poured into a live-in programme on a marae in Hawke's Bay.
Little told Mike Hosking the funding is going to an organisation called Hard2Reach, which has a programme targeting gang members.
He says it's run by Harry Tam, who Little describes as a former gang member.
“Because he specialises in programmes at people who don’t queue up at MSD or who are otherwise hard to get onto programmes.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/boqnk3ja/mh130721-10-andrewlittle-gangrehabprogramme.mp3Mon, 12 Jul 2021 19:38:50 +0000RoccoAndrew Little says none of the money the government signed off on for a drug rehab programme while Justice Minister, is going to a gang. $2.75 million is being poured into a live-in programme on a marae in Hawke's Bay. Little told Mike Hosking the...$2.75 million is being poured into a live-in programme on a marae in Hawke's Bay.
Little told Mike Hosking the funding is going to an organisation called Hard2Reach, which has a programme targeting gang members.
He says it's run by Harry Tam, who Little describes as a former gang member.
“Because he specialises in programmes at people who don’t queue up at MSD or who are otherwise hard to get onto programmes.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>201falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/rod-liddle-euro-2020-created-strong-reputation-despite-many-challenges--1008096An event planned within strict health rules, that survived a near-tragedy involving a hugely popular player, Denmark's Christian Eriksen, on just the second day, and ended with fan violence at the final, has been hailed a success.
The quality of play and emotional power of football to create shared experiences between fans and nations should ensure Euro 2020 is an enduring positive memory.
The vision sold by UEFA leaders in 2012 was a celebration of European football with fans criss-crossing 13 host countries on low-cost flights to watch games in packed stadiums.
The reality was 24 national teams emerging from their (mostly) biosecure bubbles to play in 11 cities for routinely fewer than 12,000 fans, and few if any of those able to travel internationally.
Yet, this was a victory in a pandemic that trashed the plans of sports organizers worldwide.
"I will remember it as the beginning of normality and the return of fans," UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin told British broadcaster BBC last week.
Fans did indeed return, and to a degree that frightened some observing the Italy-England final on Sunday in London.
The official attendance of 67,173 was likely not the true total at 90,000-capacity Wembley Stadium.
Hundreds of ticketless England fans broke through security barriers — and were fought by other English fans — to see their team's first tournament final for 55 years.
Virus-respecting protocols also were widely ignored at the stadium and in heavy-drinking gatherings in the city.
"Devastating," wrote World Health Organization epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove on her Twitter account. "Am I supposed to be enjoying watching transmission happening in front of my eyes?"
The tournament released emotions pent up during months of lockdowns and restrictions on normal life from COVID-19.
And when Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma saved teenager Bukayo Saka's penalty to decide the shootout late on Sunday night, it marked when European football’s calendar cleared the congestion created by those three months lost last year.
It also ensured UEFA's commercial revenues for the tournament, expected to be around 2 billion euros ($2.4 billion), that helps fund developing football at all levels across 55 member countries.
Here's a look back at an unusual tournament:
TACKLING THE VIRUS
A serious virus outbreak in any team was UEFA's biggest concern. A special rule let games be postponed up to 48 hours if replacements were needed for infected or quarantined players.
Strict protocols helped limit positive cases to a few scattered across several teams early in the tournament.
Spain's key midfielder, Sergio Busquets, missed its first two drawn games, then improved with him to reach the semifinals.
Sweden thrived until winger Dejan Kulusevski was ready, though Scotland suffered losing Billy Gilmour for a decisive game against Croatia.
MAGIC MONDAY
The date June 28, 2021 was an instant tournament classic.
Back-to-back round of 16 games delivered a slew of goals, wild shifts in momentum, and late two-goal comebacks by the underdogs to set up extra time poised at 3-3.
Spain's  5-3 win over Croatia was settled amid frenzied attacking in both directions, then Switzerland stunned world champion France in a shootout ended when Kylian Mbappé's kick was saved by Yann Sommer.
VAR REVIVED
The video review system is far from loved in Europe's top leagues. Marginal offside calls and penalties awarded after lengthy delays infuriated as many as those who welcomed the technology.
UEFA's team of Euro 2020 officials excelled with clearer and faster decisions. It should lead to a reset next season of inconsistent interpretations of football laws, especially for handball.
The most controversial decision was giving England a penalty for Raheem Sterling's fall that was decisive t...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/q40bqxje/mh130721-23-rodliddle-freedomday-eurofinal.mp3Mon, 12 Jul 2021 10:02:29 +0000RoccoDelayed one year by the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2020 European Championship is in the history and financial books after being among the most difficult football tournaments ever organized. An event planned within strict health rules, that survived a...An event planned within strict health rules, that survived a near-tragedy involving a hugely popular player, Denmark's Christian Eriksen, on just the second day, and ended with fan violence at the final, has been hailed a success.
The quality of play and emotional power of football to create shared experiences between fans and nations should ensure Euro 2020 is an enduring positive memory.
The vision sold by UEFA leaders in 2012 was a celebration of European football with fans criss-crossing 13 host countries on low-cost flights to watch games in packed stadiums.
The reality was 24 national teams emerging from their (mostly) biosecure bubbles to play in 11 cities for routinely fewer than 12,000 fans, and few if any of those able to travel internationally.
Yet, this was a victory in a pandemic that trashed the plans of sports organizers worldwide.
"I will remember it as the beginning of normality and the return of fans," UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin told British broadcaster BBC last week.
Fans did indeed return, and to a degree that frightened some observing the Italy-England final on Sunday in London.
The official attendance of 67,173 was likely not the true total at 90,000-capacity Wembley Stadium.
Hundreds of ticketless England fans broke through security barriers — and were fought by other English fans — to see their team's first tournament final for 55 years.
Virus-respecting protocols also were widely ignored at the stadium and in heavy-drinking gatherings in the city.
"Devastating," wrote World Health Organization epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove on her Twitter account. "Am I supposed to be enjoying watching transmission happening in front of my eyes?"
The tournament released emotions pent up during months of lockdowns and restrictions on normal life from COVID-19.
And when Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma saved teenager Bukayo Saka's penalty to decide the shootout late on Sunday night, it marked when European football’s calendar cleared the congestion created by those three months lost last year.
It also ensured UEFA's commercial revenues for the tournament, expected to be around 2 billion euros ($2.4 billion), that helps fund developing football at all levels across 55 member countries.
Here's a look back at an unusual tournament:
TACKLING THE VIRUS
A serious virus outbreak in any team was UEFA's biggest concern. A special rule let games be postponed up to 48 hours if replacements were needed for infected or quarantined players.
Strict protocols helped limit positive cases to a few scattered across several teams early in the tournament.
Spain's key midfielder, Sergio Busquets, missed its first two drawn games, then improved with him to reach the semifinals.
Sweden thrived until winger Dejan Kulusevski was ready, though Scotland suffered losing Billy Gilmour for a decisive game against Croatia.
MAGIC MONDAY
The date June 28, 2021 was an instant tournament classic.
Back-to-back round of 16 games delivered a slew of goals, wild shifts in momentum, and late two-goal comebacks by the underdogs to set up extra time poised at 3-3.
Spain's  5-3 win over Croatia was settled amid frenzied attacking in both directions, then Switzerland stunned world champion France in a shootout ended when Kylian Mbappé's kick was saved by Yann Sommer.
VAR REVIVED
The video review system is far from loved in Europe's top leagues. Marginal offside calls and penalties awarded after lengthy delays infuriated as many as those who welcomed the technology.
UEFA's team of Euro 2020 officials excelled with clearer and faster decisions. It should lead to a reset next season of inconsistent interpretations of football laws,...]]>322falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/catherine-field-france-s-macron-orders-all-health-workers-to-get-vaccinated--1008115In a televised address, Macron also mandated special COVID-19 passes for anyone who wants to go to a restaurant, shopping mall or hospital or get on a train or plane. To get a pass, people must have proof they're fully vaccinated, or recently recovered from the virus, or have taken a fresh negative virus test.
The delta variant is driving France's virus infections back up again, just as the country kicked off summer vacation season  after a long-awaited reopening. Some 40% of France's population is fully inoculated.
"Get vaccinated!" was the president's overall message. He even tweeted a GIF of himself repeating the phrase.
"The country is facing a strong resumption of the epidemic touching all our territory," Macron said, speaking against the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower. Warning of a new wave of potential hospitalizations in August, he said, "The equation is simple. The more we vaccinate, the less space we leave this virus to circulate."
But he stopped short of any new lockdown measures, saying "We have to learn to live with the virus."
Macron said the government would declare a medical state of emergency again starting Tuesday, which allows authorities more freedom to impose virus restrictions.
Most European governments have shied away from mandating vaccinations. But after tens of thousands of people with the virus died in French nursing home s, Macron said vaccination is essential for all workers in health care facilities or nursing homes, and all workers or volunteers who care for the elderly or ailing at home. Those who don't get vaccinated by Sept. 15 will face potential sanctions or fines, he said.
Greece announced Monday that health care workers will be suspended if they refuse to get vaccinated. Italy made the coronavirus vaccination obligatory for health care workers and pharmacists, and those who opt out risk suspension from their jobs or a salary cut.
In Denmark, restaurants and public events require a digital pass showing you've been fully vaccinated or have a recent negative test. Some German states require the same for restaurants, though suggestions of making vaccines obligatory have prompted widespread unease.
In France, vaccines are widely available for anyone 12 and over. But interest has ebbed in recent weeks because of vaccine hesitancy, a sense that the virus is no longer a threat, and because some people put off their shots until after their summer vacation. Demand started rising again over the weekend as people braced for Macron's announcements.
Macron also declared Monday that France will start charging money for some virus tests, which up to now have all been free for anyone on French territory.
Meanwhile, French restaurants and bars are thriving again, the Tour de France cycling race is drawing tightly packed crowds across the country, and Hollywood stars are posing arm-in-arm and mask-free on the red carpet  at the Cannes Film Festival. Cheek kisses are making a comeback.
After staying shuttered for nine months since the pandemic began, Paris restaurant owners expressed worry about the challenges of enforcing the new requirements.
"Our job used to be to make sure that our guests had a great time while they were with us. Now, we spend our time reprimanding them. We weren't trained for this," said the manager of the Parisian restaurant Bancs Public, Louis le Mahieu. He said he would observe any new health rules, but warned the new measures would likely incur new costs and lower returns.
For Gauthier Max, whose bar Mama Kin was slapped with a nine-day closure for violating COVID-19 measures, restaurants and bars are no longer places of leisure but have become spaces of constraints and restrictions.
"We've effectively bec...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/n41jkabt/mh130721-07-field-newcovidmeasures.mp3Mon, 12 Jul 2021 09:22:11 +0000RoccoFrench President Emmanuel Macron on Monday ordered all French health care workers to get virus vaccine shots by Sept. 15 and urged all of his compatriots to get vaccinated as soon as possible, to fight resurgent infections that are threatening the...In a televised address, Macron also mandated special COVID-19 passes for anyone who wants to go to a restaurant, shopping mall or hospital or get on a train or plane. To get a pass, people must have proof they're fully vaccinated, or recently recovered from the virus, or have taken a fresh negative virus test.
The delta variant is driving France's virus infections back up again, just as the country kicked off summer vacation season  after a long-awaited reopening. Some 40% of France's population is fully inoculated.
"Get vaccinated!" was the president's overall message. He even tweeted a GIF of himself repeating the phrase.
"The country is facing a strong resumption of the epidemic touching all our territory," Macron said, speaking against the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower. Warning of a new wave of potential hospitalizations in August, he said, "The equation is simple. The more we vaccinate, the less space we leave this virus to circulate."
But he stopped short of any new lockdown measures, saying "We have to learn to live with the virus."
Macron said the government would declare a medical state of emergency again starting Tuesday, which allows authorities more freedom to impose virus restrictions.
Most European governments have shied away from mandating vaccinations. But after tens of thousands of people with the virus died in French nursing home s, Macron said vaccination is essential for all workers in health care facilities or nursing homes, and all workers or volunteers who care for the elderly or ailing at home. Those who don't get vaccinated by Sept. 15 will face potential sanctions or fines, he said.
Greece announced Monday that health care workers will be suspended if they refuse to get vaccinated. Italy made the coronavirus vaccination obligatory for health care workers and pharmacists, and those who opt out risk suspension from their jobs or a salary cut.
In Denmark, restaurants and public events require a digital pass showing you've been fully vaccinated or have a recent negative test. Some German states require the same for restaurants, though suggestions of making vaccines obligatory have prompted widespread unease.
In France, vaccines are widely available for anyone 12 and over. But interest has ebbed in recent weeks because of vaccine hesitancy, a sense that the virus is no longer a threat, and because some people put off their shots until after their summer vacation. Demand started rising again over the weekend as people braced for Macron's announcements.
Macron also declared Monday that France will start charging money for some virus tests, which up to now have all been free for anyone on French territory.
Meanwhile, French restaurants and bars are thriving again, the Tour de France cycling race is drawing tightly packed crowds across the country, and Hollywood stars are posing arm-in-arm and mask-free on the red carpet  at the Cannes Film Festival. Cheek kisses are making a comeback.
After staying shuttered for nine months since the pandemic began, Paris restaurant owners expressed worry about the challenges of enforcing the new requirements.
"Our job used to be to make sure that our guests had a great time while they were with us. Now, we spend our time reprimanding them. We weren't trained for this," said the manager of the Parisian restaurant Bancs Public, Louis le Mahieu. He said he would observe any new health rules, but warned the new measures would likely incur new costs and lower returns.
For Gauthier Max, whose bar Mama Kin was slapped with a nine-day closure for violating COVID-19 measures, restaurants and bars are no longer places of leisure but...]]>278falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/chris-edwards-freight-federation-president-says-we-are-being-left-behind-australia--1008040Empty shipping containers are piling up at ports around the country, and shipping companies are starting to hike up fees for returning them.
Custom Brokers and Freight Forwarders Federation president, Chris Edwards, told Mike Hosking we're being left behind Australia, which has freight rates about half of what we pay.
He says big companies like Fonterra need international ships to come directly here, but most don't.
“I wonder if it’s time to think that Australia becomes a hub, we become a spoke, and we send a whole lot of small feeder vessels back and forth across the Tasman.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/oi4nmnki/mh130721-05-chrisedwards-shipping.mp3Mon, 12 Jul 2021 09:03:24 +0000RoccoA call for a redesign of supply chains to this country. Empty shipping containers are piling up at ports around the country, and shipping companies are starting to hike up fees for returning them. Custom Brokers and Freight Forwarders Federation...Empty shipping containers are piling up at ports around the country, and shipping companies are starting to hike up fees for returning them.
Custom Brokers and Freight Forwarders Federation president, Chris Edwards, told Mike Hosking we're being left behind Australia, which has freight rates about half of what we pay.
He says big companies like Fonterra need international ships to come directly here, but most don't.
“I wonder if it’s time to think that Australia becomes a hub, we become a spoke, and we send a whole lot of small feeder vessels back and forth across the Tasman.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>284falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/tony-blakely-sydney-lockdown-rules-aren-t-strict-enough--1008119“Tomorrow and the few days afterwards will be worse, much worse than we’ve seen today,” she told reporters on Sunday as the state recorded its first death of the outbreak.
Experts say that without a serious change to the rules to reflect what Melbourne did during its second wave, “worse” is an understatement.
The current rules for Sydneysiders mean a person can only leave home for four reasons — to get food and essential items once a day, for work, for exercise or to seek medical care or a vaccination.
Shopping can be carried out by only one person per household and a 10km travel limit has been imposed for exercise and outdoor recreation.
Exercise was initially allowed with up to 10 people outdoors but that number has been slashed to two.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian speaks to the media during a COVID-19 press conference in Sydney. Photo / News Corp Australia
Reasonable excuses to be out of the home include accessing childcare, donating blood, moving house, attending a funeral, providing care, accessing social services, undertaking legal obligations and to escape risk of harm.
Face masks are mandatory in all indoor settings including public transport and funerals have been capped at 10 people.
Under the current rules, pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes are open for takeaway, but places of worship, hairdressers, auction houses, betting agencies, markets, massage parlours, nightclubs and swimming pools are all closed with no exceptions.
All schools have been closed to face-to-face learning.
Adjunct Professor at UNSW and health policy consultant Bill Bowtell is among experts calling for tighter restrictions.
He told ABC News Breakfast the current rules are “not enough, they are not like the stage four restrictions in the gold standard state for these things, which is Victoria, and until they are we will be running behind to try to stop the spread of the Delta variant in Sydney”.
He said the “big retailers that are not providing essential goods and services should not be open”.
“The police have a lot more to do than stand outside essential retailers. Let’s get real. We got into this problem because there’s too much politics, too much influence by big business. What’s going to get us out of it is following the science.”

Many thanks to @johanna_nic @BreakfastNews for interview on Sydney lockdown and what's required to end it asap. The interview is in 4 parts. pic.twitter.com/6xxW64Lqjw— Bill Bowtell AO (@billbowtell) July 11, 2021

Professor of Epidemiology at the University of South Australia, Adrian Esterman, told news.com.au more of the same will result in cases continuing to climb.
“Einstein once said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result,” he said.
“I can’t see why (numbers) will go down with a further week of lockdown, unless there is further intervention. This means imposing even tighter restrictions, including tightening the definition of an essential worker or introducing a curfew, and somehow getting better compliance with the regulations.”
ABC Radio Melbourne host Raf Epstein tweeted Sydney is “like watching a replay of a football game”.
“You already know your team is going to lose and you know all the mistakes they made …
and you’re still shouting at the screen,” he wrote.
The comments come after a woman in her 90s died on Saturday, hours after testing positive for Covid-19.
Hers was the first death in a locally-acquired infection in Australia this year.
Lockdown rules were tightened Friday and Ms Berejiklian warned that stay-at-home orders were expected to remain in place unless there was a dramatic turnaround.
“Given where we’re at and given the lockdown was supposed to be lifted on Friday, everybody can tell it’s highly unlikely at this stage, given wher...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/fljll0qc/mh120721-10-tonyblakely-sydneyoutbreak.mp3Mon, 12 Jul 2021 00:48:46 +0000RoccoNSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is under pressure to introduce tighter rules after 77 new locally transmitted coronavirus cases were recorded on Sunday and more than 100 are expected on Monday. “Tomorrow and the few days afterwards will be worse, much...“Tomorrow and the few days afterwards will be worse, much worse than we’ve seen today,” she told reporters on Sunday as the state recorded its first death of the outbreak.
Experts say that without a serious change to the rules to reflect what Melbourne did during its second wave, “worse” is an understatement.
The current rules for Sydneysiders mean a person can only leave home for four reasons — to get food and essential items once a day, for work, for exercise or to seek medical care or a vaccination.
Shopping can be carried out by only one person per household and a 10km travel limit has been imposed for exercise and outdoor recreation.
Exercise was initially allowed with up to 10 people outdoors but that number has been slashed to two.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian speaks to the media during a COVID-19 press conference in Sydney. Photo / News Corp Australia
Reasonable excuses to be out of the home include accessing childcare, donating blood, moving house, attending a funeral, providing care, accessing social services, undertaking legal obligations and to escape risk of harm.
Face masks are mandatory in all indoor settings including public transport and funerals have been capped at 10 people.
Under the current rules, pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes are open for takeaway, but places of worship, hairdressers, auction houses, betting agencies, markets, massage parlours, nightclubs and swimming pools are all closed with no exceptions.
All schools have been closed to face-to-face learning.
Adjunct Professor at UNSW and health policy consultant Bill Bowtell is among experts calling for tighter restrictions.
He told ABC News Breakfast the current rules are “not enough, they are not like the stage four restrictions in the gold standard state for these things, which is Victoria, and until they are we will be running behind to try to stop the spread of the Delta variant in Sydney”.
He said the “big retailers that are not providing essential goods and services should not be open”.
“The police have a lot more to do than stand outside essential retailers. Let’s get real. We got into this problem because there’s too much politics, too much influence by big business. What’s going to get us out of it is following the science.”

Many thanks to @johanna_nic @BreakfastNews for interview on Sydney lockdown and what's required to end it asap. The interview is in 4 parts. pic.twitter.com/6xxW64Lqjw— Bill Bowtell AO (@billbowtell) July 11, 2021

Professor of Epidemiology at the University of South Australia, Adrian Esterman, told news.com.au more of the same will result in cases continuing to climb.
“Einstein once said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result,” he said.
“I can’t see why (numbers) will go down with a further week of lockdown, unless there is further intervention. This means imposing even tighter restrictions, including tightening the definition of an essential worker or introducing a curfew, and somehow getting better compliance with the regulations.”
ABC Radio Melbourne host Raf Epstein tweeted Sydney is “like watching a replay of a football game”.
“You already know your team is going to lose and you know all the mistakes they made …
and you’re still shouting at the screen,” he wrote.
The comments come after a woman in her 90s died on Saturday, hours after testing positive for Covid-19.
Hers was the first death in a locally-acquired infection in Australia this year.
Lockdown rules were tightened Friday and Ms Berejiklian warned that stay-at-home orders were expected to remain in place unless there was a dramatic turnaround.
“Given where we’re...]]>174falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/steve-price-sydney-covid-case-numbers-quite-remarkable--1007985NSW recorded another 77 cases on Sunday, including 33 who were in the community while infectious, and its first death from Covid-19 in months.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian was initially resistant to imposing a lockdown, but the state has entered its third week of harsh restrictions as it failed to bring the outbreak under control.
The extended lockdown was slated to expire on Friday night, but Ms Berejiklian poured cold water on the prospect of it ending on time.
“Everybody can tell it’s highly unlikely at this stage, given where the numbers are,” she said on Sunday.
“We’ve always been upfront about that. I’ve always said we need that exposure number in the community … to be as close to zero as possible, so we’re confident that we haven’t missed any chains of transmission.”
Ms Berejiklian conceded the numbers “aren’t going in the right direction” and was particularly concerned about the high number of positive cases who had been out in the community.
NSW Police issued 106 infringement notices in the past 24 hours, and Ms Berejiklian conceded authorities were “not confident” of a lockdown end date as people continued to flout stay-at-home orders.
“The quicker we continue to do the right thing, the quicker we can get out of this lockdown … That’s the strongest advice we have,” she said.
Sunday’s figure was NSW’s largest single-day case increase since mid-2020, and Ms Berejiklian warned “that trend will continue”.
“Given the number of people exposed in the community overnight, I’m anticipating the numbers in NSW will be greater than a hundred tomorrow,” she said.
“That’s what I’m anticipating. I’ll be shocked if it’s less than (that).”
“I fear that tomorrow and a few days afterwards will be worse, much worse than what we’ve seen today but what we need to be assured of is that the tide will turn once the impact of the changes we’ve made come to fruition.”
NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant said authorities could not afford to put out “spot fires” created by people interacting unnecessarily, and said the lockdown was designed to minimise mobility.
“You should have basically hardly been out of the house, hardly been in contact with anyone else, and therefore we (can) have confidence that the chain of transmission is really broken,” she said.
by Finn McHugh, news.com.au]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/0vwn44m4/mh120721-22-price-sydneylockdown-ads-poll.mp3Sun, 11 Jul 2021 22:23:12 +0000RoccoGladys Berejiklian has warned NSW’s Covid-19 lockdown is “highly unlikely” to end on Friday as the state plunged further into crisis. NSW recorded another 77 cases on Sunday, including 33 who were in the community while infectious, and its first death...NSW recorded another 77 cases on Sunday, including 33 who were in the community while infectious, and its first death from Covid-19 in months.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian was initially resistant to imposing a lockdown, but the state has entered its third week of harsh restrictions as it failed to bring the outbreak under control.
The extended lockdown was slated to expire on Friday night, but Ms Berejiklian poured cold water on the prospect of it ending on time.
“Everybody can tell it’s highly unlikely at this stage, given where the numbers are,” she said on Sunday.
“We’ve always been upfront about that. I’ve always said we need that exposure number in the community … to be as close to zero as possible, so we’re confident that we haven’t missed any chains of transmission.”
Ms Berejiklian conceded the numbers “aren’t going in the right direction” and was particularly concerned about the high number of positive cases who had been out in the community.
NSW Police issued 106 infringement notices in the past 24 hours, and Ms Berejiklian conceded authorities were “not confident” of a lockdown end date as people continued to flout stay-at-home orders.
“The quicker we continue to do the right thing, the quicker we can get out of this lockdown … That’s the strongest advice we have,” she said.
Sunday’s figure was NSW’s largest single-day case increase since mid-2020, and Ms Berejiklian warned “that trend will continue”.
“Given the number of people exposed in the community overnight, I’m anticipating the numbers in NSW will be greater than a hundred tomorrow,” she said.
“That’s what I’m anticipating. I’ll be shocked if it’s less than (that).”
“I fear that tomorrow and a few days afterwards will be worse, much worse than what we’ve seen today but what we need to be assured of is that the tide will turn once the impact of the changes we’ve made come to fruition.”
NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant said authorities could not afford to put out “spot fires” created by people interacting unnecessarily, and said the lockdown was designed to minimise mobility.
“You should have basically hardly been out of the house, hardly been in contact with anyone else, and therefore we (can) have confidence that the chain of transmission is really broken,” she said.
by Finn McHugh, news.com.au]]>380falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/john-kelleher-exciting-to-take-part-in-bocuse-d-or--1008124"We have to use tomatoes," says John Kelleher, Bocuse d'Or New Zealand president. "And it's not tomato season here!"
Bocuse d'Or, held every second year in Lyon, France, has been dubbed the Formula One of the food world. Kelleher says it's the culinary equivalent to the Rugby World Cup. Just 24 countries are selected for the final and the first-ever Kiwi presence - courtesy of a wildcard entry - is a big deal.
"We can't afford to go, but we can't afford not to go because of the experience and the exposure ... we'll be showcasing our culinary arts, our produce, our chefs, our country, our tourism. It has big flow-on effects."
The competition team comprises senior chef Andrew Ballard (Hamilton-born and Melbourne-based) and Quillan Gutberlet who grew up in Kumara, on the South Island's West Coast. Both chefs have previously competed at regional Asia-Pacific Bocuse d'Or competitions. Meanwhile, Kelleher will take on an extra role in France, as one of the two-day tasting judges for the world finals.
Bocuse d'Or, in which teams of two prepare dishes live in front of an audience, began in 1987 and is named for legendary French chef Paul Bocuse. This year, competitors are tasked with cooking and presenting a blade cut of Charolais beef with two vegetable accompaniments and a ragout. They must also prepare a three-course take-out meal featuring cherry tomatoes in every dish, that can be packed into plant-based containers the teams must also create.
Kelleher says the latter - featuring a unique Aotearoa design - is likely to be 3D printed from corn starch. Meanwhile, he's not too concerned about the chefs' abilities to turn tomatoes into pudding.
"It seems odd, but when you break it down, there are similar applications to strawberries for example, and some stonefruit methods we could apply. And tomatoes are sweet, they're not always acidic."
Kelleher, Culinary Arts programme leader at AUT University, says "to the best we can" local ingredients will feature in the recipes being developed.
"We can't take a leg of lamb over there, or a piece of fish, so we're restricted to dry ingredients. We need to show off our identity, and that's going to come through in some of the flavours . . . certainly kawakawa and horopito and perhaps New Zealand-grown quinoa."
He says competition is tough.
"It took the USA 30 years to win. Australia have been doing it since 1987 and the best they've got is eighth ... of course we want to do our best."
The team is anxiously waiting confirmation of managed isolation quarantine beds for its return.
"I just sent off an email to France to see if they could assist us with accommodation if we get stuck," says Kelleher. "Our travel agent says he's got it on his fingertips to press 'reserve' but there's no certainty ... it's not reassuring and it's hard to plan."
The competition takes place on September 26-27 but the New Zealand squad will leave on September 9, to allow time to practice with the competition's compulsory French elements, including Charolais beef. Kelleher says he's found some farms here, but many of the animals are cross-bred.
And, while some European teams have competing budgets of $1 million, the New Zealanders "will be comfortable" with $50,000, says Kelleher.
A major fundraising dinner, at Auckland's AUT University, is planned for August 7.
Tomorrow, team members will partner with AUT students and Pacific Food Lab-Aotearoa to plan and prepare 350 meals for food charity Everybody Eats. Documentation of that work will support a bid to win this year's Bocuse d'Or Social Commitment Award which carries a $13,000 prize.
Text by Kim Knight]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/htnm4s50/mh120721-19-johnkelleher-bocusedor.mp3Sun, 11 Jul 2021 21:41:28 +0000RoccoThey can't book quarantine beds and they need to raise $50,000 fast, but that's not the biggest problem facing the first New Zealanders competing at a prestigious world chef championship. "We have to use tomatoes," says John Kelleher, Bocuse d'Or New..."We have to use tomatoes," says John Kelleher, Bocuse d'Or New Zealand president. "And it's not tomato season here!"
Bocuse d'Or, held every second year in Lyon, France, has been dubbed the Formula One of the food world. Kelleher says it's the culinary equivalent to the Rugby World Cup. Just 24 countries are selected for the final and the first-ever Kiwi presence - courtesy of a wildcard entry - is a big deal.
"We can't afford to go, but we can't afford not to go because of the experience and the exposure ... we'll be showcasing our culinary arts, our produce, our chefs, our country, our tourism. It has big flow-on effects."
The competition team comprises senior chef Andrew Ballard (Hamilton-born and Melbourne-based) and Quillan Gutberlet who grew up in Kumara, on the South Island's West Coast. Both chefs have previously competed at regional Asia-Pacific Bocuse d'Or competitions. Meanwhile, Kelleher will take on an extra role in France, as one of the two-day tasting judges for the world finals.
Bocuse d'Or, in which teams of two prepare dishes live in front of an audience, began in 1987 and is named for legendary French chef Paul Bocuse. This year, competitors are tasked with cooking and presenting a blade cut of Charolais beef with two vegetable accompaniments and a ragout. They must also prepare a three-course take-out meal featuring cherry tomatoes in every dish, that can be packed into plant-based containers the teams must also create.
Kelleher says the latter - featuring a unique Aotearoa design - is likely to be 3D printed from corn starch. Meanwhile, he's not too concerned about the chefs' abilities to turn tomatoes into pudding.
"It seems odd, but when you break it down, there are similar applications to strawberries for example, and some stonefruit methods we could apply. And tomatoes are sweet, they're not always acidic."
Kelleher, Culinary Arts programme leader at AUT University, says "to the best we can" local ingredients will feature in the recipes being developed.
"We can't take a leg of lamb over there, or a piece of fish, so we're restricted to dry ingredients. We need to show off our identity, and that's going to come through in some of the flavours . . . certainly kawakawa and horopito and perhaps New Zealand-grown quinoa."
He says competition is tough.
"It took the USA 30 years to win. Australia have been doing it since 1987 and the best they've got is eighth ... of course we want to do our best."
The team is anxiously waiting confirmation of managed isolation quarantine beds for its return.
"I just sent off an email to France to see if they could assist us with accommodation if we get stuck," says Kelleher. "Our travel agent says he's got it on his fingertips to press 'reserve' but there's no certainty ... it's not reassuring and it's hard to plan."
The competition takes place on September 26-27 but the New Zealand squad will leave on September 9, to allow time to practice with the competition's compulsory French elements, including Charolais beef. Kelleher says he's found some farms here, but many of the animals are cross-bred.
And, while some European teams have competing budgets of $1 million, the New Zealanders "will be comfortable" with $50,000, says Kelleher.
A major fundraising dinner, at Auckland's AUT University, is planned for August 7.
Tomorrow, team members will partner with AUT students and Pacific Food Lab-Aotearoa to plan and prepare 350 meals for food charity Everybody Eats. Documentation of that work will support a bid to win this year's Bocuse d'Or Social Commitment Award which carries a $13,000 prize.
Text by Kim Knight]]>183falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-new-south-wales-is-handling-lockdown-with-more-maturity--1008126The alarmists are arguing the lockdown - and that’s an interesting word in and of itself – could last until the end of August that would appear more alarmist than real.
But I was trying to work out just what the so called lockdown meant.
Remember in the early days of last year when we were in Level 4? Essentially that’s the lockdown we know and reference.
You couldn’t go anywhere short of a walk or run in a local area and supermarkets and chemists were open. We scrapped over butchers and green grocers and rang talkback with absurd examples of what may or may not be local.
Latterly I think we came to regret some of the things we locked up that could have in fact stayed open that ultimately damaged our economy.
Australia, for example, kept construction open, and why not? Construction is out doors and distanced, our freak out response appeared to make no sense, and in the ensuing quarters it proved to be a massive cost we didn’t actually need to incur.
Australia has continued to outgrow us and recover faster because they hobbled less of the economy.
So I texted my mate and asked what’s locked down. The phone rang two minutes later: he was in his car on his way to JB Hi-Fi.
Everything bar large hospitality outlets that can’t or won’t do take out are open. You wear a mask, QR code, socially distance, don’t browse and hang around, but New South Wales is open.  
Work and workers are essential, as opposed to our heavily restricted list of who could or couldn’t go to work.
They’ve started handing out $1000 instant fines for idiots who flout mask rules, and they sack league players who have BBQs.
But essentially, my mate’s assessment is they are taking a grown up approach to this. He said the fear he saw in this country before he left last year isn’t part of Sydney life.
Yes, it’s not where they want to be, and yes, it’s not normal, but it’s a completely different way of handling the same problem.
There doing it with more maturity, more common sense, less fear, more doors open and less economic damage.
So next time you see an alarmist headline out of Australia, remember that even in the middle of a so called lock down, you can still get a cable from JB Hi Fi.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/fscj2mth/mh120721-01-sydneylockdowncomment.mp3Sun, 11 Jul 2021 17:00:33 +0000RoccoI was watching Gladys Berejiklian over the weekend saying it will get worse before it gets better. The alarmists are arguing the lockdown - and that’s an interesting word in and of itself – could last until the end of August that would appear more...The alarmists are arguing the lockdown - and that’s an interesting word in and of itself – could last until the end of August that would appear more alarmist than real.
But I was trying to work out just what the so called lockdown meant.
Remember in the early days of last year when we were in Level 4? Essentially that’s the lockdown we know and reference.
You couldn’t go anywhere short of a walk or run in a local area and supermarkets and chemists were open. We scrapped over butchers and green grocers and rang talkback with absurd examples of what may or may not be local.
Latterly I think we came to regret some of the things we locked up that could have in fact stayed open that ultimately damaged our economy.
Australia, for example, kept construction open, and why not? Construction is out doors and distanced, our freak out response appeared to make no sense, and in the ensuing quarters it proved to be a massive cost we didn’t actually need to incur.
Australia has continued to outgrow us and recover faster because they hobbled less of the economy.
So I texted my mate and asked what’s locked down. The phone rang two minutes later: he was in his car on his way to JB Hi-Fi.
Everything bar large hospitality outlets that can’t or won’t do take out are open. You wear a mask, QR code, socially distance, don’t browse and hang around, but New South Wales is open.  
Work and workers are essential, as opposed to our heavily restricted list of who could or couldn’t go to work.
They’ve started handing out $1000 instant fines for idiots who flout mask rules, and they sack league players who have BBQs.
But essentially, my mate’s assessment is they are taking a grown up approach to this. He said the fear he saw in this country before he left last year isn’t part of Sydney life.
Yes, it’s not where they want to be, and yes, it’s not normal, but it’s a completely different way of handling the same problem.
There doing it with more maturity, more common sense, less fear, more doors open and less economic damage.
So next time you see an alarmist headline out of Australia, remember that even in the middle of a so called lock down, you can still get a cable from JB Hi Fi.]]>129falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/glenda-alexander-miq-needs-more-nurses-but-nzno-says-they-are-needed-elsewhere--1008066Government briefings, released under the Official Information Act, show officials have considered barrack-style accommodation, campervans and bespoke apartments as MIQ centres.
But they found New Zealand didn't have the workers to staff them.
Nurses Organisation Industrial Services Manager Glenda Alexander told Mike Hosking there's already a shortage of nurses in hospitals.
"Distracting more nurses into other care is going to be a challenge, that's for sure."
She says there needs to be solutions to fix the nurses shortage.
"There could also be a recruitment campaign to loom at the particular skills needed in MIQs and decided whether or not there are some people better suited to that work."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/vwdnz2tp/mh120721-11-glendaalexander-healthcaremiq.mp3Sun, 11 Jul 2021 13:48:09 +0000RoccoA shortage of healthcare workers and security staff could be a major hurdle to establishing long-term MIQ facilities. Government briefings, released under the Official Information Act, show officials have considered barrack-style accommodation,...Government briefings, released under the Official Information Act, show officials have considered barrack-style accommodation, campervans and bespoke apartments as MIQ centres.
But they found New Zealand didn't have the workers to staff them.
Nurses Organisation Industrial Services Manager Glenda Alexander told Mike Hosking there's already a shortage of nurses in hospitals.
"Distracting more nurses into other care is going to be a challenge, that's for sure."
She says there needs to be solutions to fix the nurses shortage.
"There could also be a recruitment campaign to loom at the particular skills needed in MIQs and decided whether or not there are some people better suited to that work."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>144falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/novak-djokovic-wins-wimbledon-to-tie-roger-federer-rafael-nadal-with-20-slams--1008045The No. 1 -ranked Djokovic earned a third consecutive championship at the All England Club and sixth overall.
He adds that to nine titles at the Australian Open, three at the U.S. Open and two at the French Open to equal his two rivals for the most majors won by a man in tennis history.
The 34-year-old from Serbia is now the only man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win the first three major tournaments in a season. He can aim for a calendar-year Grand Slam — something last accomplished by a man when Laver did it 52 years ago — at the U.S. Open, which starts Aug. 30.
This was Djokovic's 30th major final — among men, only Federer has played more, 31 — and the first for Berrettini, a 25-year-old from Italy who was seeded No. 7.
It was a big sporting day in London for Italians: Their national soccer team faced England at Wembley Stadium in the European Championship final at night.
With Marija Cicak officiating, the first female chair umpire for a men's final at a tournament that began in 1877, play began at Centre Court as the sun made a rare appearance during the fortnight, the sky visible in between the clouds.
The opening game featured signs of edginess from both, but especially Djokovic, whose pair of double-faults contributed to the half-dozen combined unforced errors, compared with zero winners for either. He faced a break point but steadied himself and held there and, as was the case with every set, it was Djokovic who took the lead by getting through on Berrettini's speedy serve.
Berrettini came in with a tournament-high 101 aces and that's where his game is built: free points off the serve and quick-strike forehands that earned him the nickname "Hammer."
Those powerful strokes sent line judges contorting to get their head out of harm's way. Djokovic occasionally took cover himself, crouching and raising his racket as if it were a shield to block back serves aimed at his body.
Not many opponents return serves at 137 mph and end up winning the point, but Djokovic did that at least twice. And the big groundstrokes that the 6-foot-5, barrel-chested Berrettini can drive past most other players kept coming back off Djokovic's racket.
That's what Djokovic does: He just forces foes to work so hard to win every point, let alone a game, a set, a match.
Indeed, this one could have been over much sooner: Djokovic took leads of 4-1 in the first set, 4-0 in the second and 3-1 in the third. But in the first, especially, he faltered in ways he rarely does, wasting a set point and getting broken when he served for it at 5-3.
In the ensuing tiebreaker, they were tied at 3-all, but Berrettini won three of the next four points with forehands, and closed it out with a 138 mph ace.
He strutted to the changeover and many in the full house of nearly 15,000 rose to celebrate along with him.
But Djokovic is nothing if not a fighter — he turned things around from two sets down in the French Open final last month — and he worked his way back into this one, which ended with Djokovic on his back on the court, basking in the crowd's cheers.
Djokovic grand slam titles
2008 Australian Open2011 Australian Open2011 Wimbledon2011 US Open2012 Australian Open2013 Australian Open2014 Wimbledon2015 Australian Open2015 Wimbledon2015 US Open2016 Australian Open2016 French Open2018 Wimbledon2019 US Open2019 Australian Open2019 Wimbledon2020 Australian Open2021 Australian Open2021 French Open2021 Wimbledon
- AP]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/ae5c03wh/mh120721-21-combox.mp3Sun, 11 Jul 2021 12:13:19 +0000RoccoNovak Djokovic tied Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal by claiming his 20th Grand Slam title today, coming back to beat Matteo Berrettini 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 in the Wimbledon final. The No. 1 -ranked Djokovic earned a third consecutive championship at...The No. 1 -ranked Djokovic earned a third consecutive championship at the All England Club and sixth overall.
He adds that to nine titles at the Australian Open, three at the U.S. Open and two at the French Open to equal his two rivals for the most majors won by a man in tennis history.
The 34-year-old from Serbia is now the only man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win the first three major tournaments in a season. He can aim for a calendar-year Grand Slam — something last accomplished by a man when Laver did it 52 years ago — at the U.S. Open, which starts Aug. 30.
This was Djokovic's 30th major final — among men, only Federer has played more, 31 — and the first for Berrettini, a 25-year-old from Italy who was seeded No. 7.
It was a big sporting day in London for Italians: Their national soccer team faced England at Wembley Stadium in the European Championship final at night.
With Marija Cicak officiating, the first female chair umpire for a men's final at a tournament that began in 1877, play began at Centre Court as the sun made a rare appearance during the fortnight, the sky visible in between the clouds.
The opening game featured signs of edginess from both, but especially Djokovic, whose pair of double-faults contributed to the half-dozen combined unforced errors, compared with zero winners for either. He faced a break point but steadied himself and held there and, as was the case with every set, it was Djokovic who took the lead by getting through on Berrettini's speedy serve.
Berrettini came in with a tournament-high 101 aces and that's where his game is built: free points off the serve and quick-strike forehands that earned him the nickname "Hammer."
Those powerful strokes sent line judges contorting to get their head out of harm's way. Djokovic occasionally took cover himself, crouching and raising his racket as if it were a shield to block back serves aimed at his body.
Not many opponents return serves at 137 mph and end up winning the point, but Djokovic did that at least twice. And the big groundstrokes that the 6-foot-5, barrel-chested Berrettini can drive past most other players kept coming back off Djokovic's racket.
That's what Djokovic does: He just forces foes to work so hard to win every point, let alone a game, a set, a match.
Indeed, this one could have been over much sooner: Djokovic took leads of 4-1 in the first set, 4-0 in the second and 3-1 in the third. But in the first, especially, he faltered in ways he rarely does, wasting a set point and getting broken when he served for it at 5-3.
In the ensuing tiebreaker, they were tied at 3-all, but Berrettini won three of the next four points with forehands, and closed it out with a 138 mph ace.
He strutted to the changeover and many in the full house of nearly 15,000 rose to celebrate along with him.
But Djokovic is nothing if not a fighter — he turned things around from two sets down in the French Open final last month — and he worked his way back into this one, which ended with Djokovic on his back on the court, basking in the crowd's cheers.
Djokovic grand slam titles
2008 Australian Open2011 Australian Open2011 Wimbledon2011 US Open2012 Australian Open2013 Australian Open2014 Wimbledon2015 Australian Open2015 Wimbledon2015 US Open2016 Australian Open2016 French Open2018 Wimbledon2019 US Open2019 Australian Open2019 Wimbledon2020 Australian Open2021 Australian Open2021 French Open2021 Wimbledon
- AP]]>684falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/anjum-rahman-they-are-us-producers-not-considering-impact-on-victims--1008067Newshub has obtained a leaked draft of the script, which describes the attack in graphic detail.
The Islamic Women's Council says the focus of the film should be on the victims rather than sensationalised drama.
Spokeswoman Anjum Rahman told Mike Hosking the producers don't seem to be considering the impact their film could have.
"What is the message that they're trying to send? For me, the danger is that it's going to inspire a lot more copycats. There's four internationally that I'm aware of."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/2s3kxxil/mh120721-16-anjumrahman-theyareusmovie.mp3Sun, 11 Jul 2021 10:50:12 +0000RoccoThe producers of a controversial film about the Christchurch mosque attacks is being warned to think long and hard about the consequences of going ahead with it. Newshub has obtained a leaked draft of the script, which describes the attack in graphic...Newshub has obtained a leaked draft of the script, which describes the attack in graphic detail.
The Islamic Women's Council says the focus of the film should be on the victims rather than sensationalised drama.
Spokeswoman Anjum Rahman told Mike Hosking the producers don't seem to be considering the impact their film could have.
"What is the message that they're trying to send? For me, the danger is that it's going to inspire a lot more copycats. There's four internationally that I'm aware of."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>206falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/david-seymour-councils-shouldn-t-be-looking-for-reasons-to-reject-building-consent--1008051The policy, released to Newstalk ZB, would see GST revenue from new builds split 50/50 between central government and local authorities.
The revenue would help councils pay for related infrastructure, like water and roads.
ACT leader David Seymour told Mike Hosking under the current system, councils have an incentive to reject consents rather than accept them, and that needs to change.
"When someone goes for a resource consent, the council is actually asking how it can say yes instead of constantly asking how it can say no."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/bxldvwgg/mh120721-05-davidseymour-resourceconsents.mp3Sun, 11 Jul 2021 08:11:46 +0000RoccoACT is proposing a new scheme to speed up building consents and pump about a billion dollars into local infrastructure every year. The policy, released to Newstalk ZB, would see GST revenue from new builds split 50/50 between central government and...The policy, released to Newstalk ZB, would see GST revenue from new builds split 50/50 between central government and local authorities.
The revenue would help councils pay for related infrastructure, like water and roads.
ACT leader David Seymour told Mike Hosking under the current system, councils have an incentive to reject consents rather than accept them, and that needs to change.
"When someone goes for a resource consent, the council is actually asking how it can say yes instead of constantly asking how it can say no."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>245falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/alex-sims-blockchain-expert-says-most-cryptocurrency-isn-t-illegal-but-there-are-some-who-take-advantage--1008108Newstalk ZB can reveal it's made roughly 30-million from selling what's been confiscated in busts.
The vast majority of crypto was seized in the 2019/2020 years.
Auckland University blockchain expert Alex Sims told Mike Hosking the problem is if the currency has been acquired through illegal gain.
“So if someone in New Zealand got it from selling copyright infringing material or some ransomware.”
Once the cryptocurrency's been sold, the cash goes to a fund - which allocates money to crime prevention programmes.
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/xqalr3yt/mh090721-10-alexsims-cryptoseizures.mp3Thu, 08 Jul 2021 20:21:37 +0000RoccoTens of millions of dollars of cryptocurrency is being seized from criminals and then being sold on by the Government. Newstalk ZB can reveal it's made roughly 30-million from selling what's been confiscated in busts. The vast majority of crypto was...Newstalk ZB can reveal it's made roughly 30-million from selling what's been confiscated in busts.
The vast majority of crypto was seized in the 2019/2020 years.
Auckland University blockchain expert Alex Sims told Mike Hosking the problem is if the currency has been acquired through illegal gain.
“So if someone in New Zealand got it from selling copyright infringing material or some ransomware.”
Once the cryptocurrency's been sold, the cash goes to a fund - which allocates money to crime prevention programmes.
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>185falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/louisa-wall-national-gives-labour-mp-speaking-slot-after-denied-call-in-debate-over-suicide-report--1007923National's mental health spokesman Matt Doocey said Wall was "blocked" from speaking, which he said was "absolutely disgusting".
Wall was a founding member of the cross-party mental health group who recently published a report on suicide, which was the subject of debate in the House.
Labour whip Kieran McAnulty said the party was glad Wall was able to speak, and said their speaking slots were allocated to "the most relevant Ministers" instead.
Wall made headlines this week after speaking out in her capacity on the International Parliamentary Alliance on China, accusing China of harvesting organs from political prisoners and calling on her own Government to do more to combat slavery.
Last year she was seen to be pushed out as the Labour candidate for her long-held seat of Manurewa.
"What I think is absolutely disgusting is Labour blocked Louisa Wall from taking a call in this debate.
"Louisa Wall is a founding member of the cross-party mental health group. She championed this report and worked hard on it.
"She has been blocked from taking a call on this debate, so National has given Louisa one of their calls - one of our calls - because it's important that Louisa has a call in this debate."
Doocey told the Herald Wall was a "powerful advocate for suicide prevention, particularly in Māori and rainbow communities".
McAnulty said the Government decided it was important to allocate slots to the "most relevant Ministers, including the Health and Youth Ministers who are doing work in this area".
"We also included the Health select committee chair and people representing communities such as Māori and rural New Zealanders.
"This was a powerful and important debate, and we acknowledge the work the cross-party group did in bringing it together."
The debate on the Report of Zero Suicide Aotearoa included a range of emotional speeches from MPs across the House.
Act's Mark Cameron, a dairy farmer from Northland, had tears in his eyes and was audibly emotional when he discussed his experience with suicide.
Cameron acknowledged the 685 people who took their lives in 2019, and the many more who have contemplated it.
"I was one of them. I was medicated for three years because of it.
"Thankfully as a young man when I was really struggling I had the support of family and friends to cope when so many didn't.
"I was that guy in my 30s, the guy troubled, terribly.
"The harder I worked the less in control I felt.
"I was the normal guy who would do 110 hours a week just to get something done, something significant, so I was still the farmer."
Cameron, a dairy farmer from Northland, said mental illness was an "absolute scourge in rural communities".
He said in 32 years he had "seen it all".
"I have seen drug use run amok, depression, I have also buried four of my farming colleagues."]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/eeqlfytt/mh090721-11-louisawall-suicidedebate.mp3Thu, 08 Jul 2021 20:02:05 +0000RoccoLabour MP Louisa Wall has been gifted a speaking slot in a debate on suicide by National - after her own party denied her one. National's mental health spokesman Matt Doocey said Wall was "blocked" from speaking, which he said was "absolutely...National's mental health spokesman Matt Doocey said Wall was "blocked" from speaking, which he said was "absolutely disgusting".
Wall was a founding member of the cross-party mental health group who recently published a report on suicide, which was the subject of debate in the House.
Labour whip Kieran McAnulty said the party was glad Wall was able to speak, and said their speaking slots were allocated to "the most relevant Ministers" instead.
Wall made headlines this week after speaking out in her capacity on the International Parliamentary Alliance on China, accusing China of harvesting organs from political prisoners and calling on her own Government to do more to combat slavery.
Last year she was seen to be pushed out as the Labour candidate for her long-held seat of Manurewa.
"What I think is absolutely disgusting is Labour blocked Louisa Wall from taking a call in this debate.
"Louisa Wall is a founding member of the cross-party mental health group. She championed this report and worked hard on it.
"She has been blocked from taking a call on this debate, so National has given Louisa one of their calls - one of our calls - because it's important that Louisa has a call in this debate."
Doocey told the Herald Wall was a "powerful advocate for suicide prevention, particularly in Māori and rainbow communities".
McAnulty said the Government decided it was important to allocate slots to the "most relevant Ministers, including the Health and Youth Ministers who are doing work in this area".
"We also included the Health select committee chair and people representing communities such as Māori and rural New Zealanders.
"This was a powerful and important debate, and we acknowledge the work the cross-party group did in bringing it together."
The debate on the Report of Zero Suicide Aotearoa included a range of emotional speeches from MPs across the House.
Act's Mark Cameron, a dairy farmer from Northland, had tears in his eyes and was audibly emotional when he discussed his experience with suicide.
Cameron acknowledged the 685 people who took their lives in 2019, and the many more who have contemplated it.
"I was one of them. I was medicated for three years because of it.
"Thankfully as a young man when I was really struggling I had the support of family and friends to cope when so many didn't.
"I was that guy in my 30s, the guy troubled, terribly.
"The harder I worked the less in control I felt.
"I was the normal guy who would do 110 hours a week just to get something done, something significant, so I was still the farmer."
Cameron, a dairy farmer from Northland, said mental illness was an "absolute scourge in rural communities".
He said in 32 years he had "seen it all".
"I have seen drug use run amok, depression, I have also buried four of my farming colleagues."]]>224falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/wrapping-the-week-roundabouts-japanese-toilets-and-vaccines--1008111Napier City Council is about to remove a notorious set of stop signs that more than 90 percent of drivers were ignoring, they're trialling a roundabout instead.
Professor of public health at University of Otago Nick Wilson has been surveying public toilets, and found 15 percent of toilets had no soap, and some even had no water.
And the three discuss whether those unconcerned about being vaccinated only do so because they don't need to head overseas.
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/rv0ofeaj/mh090721-20-week.mp3Thu, 08 Jul 2021 14:50:53 +0000RoccoKate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson join Mike Hosking to wrap the week that was. Napier City Council is about to remove a notorious set of stop signs that more than 90 percent of drivers were ignoring, they're trialling a roundabout instead. Professor of...Napier City Council is about to remove a notorious set of stop signs that more than 90 percent of drivers were ignoring, they're trialling a roundabout instead.
Professor of public health at University of Otago Nick Wilson has been surveying public toilets, and found 15 percent of toilets had no soap, and some even had no water.
And the three discuss whether those unconcerned about being vaccinated only do so because they don't need to head overseas.
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>671falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/murray-olds-nsw-considers-letting-covid-19-delta-variant-circulate-in-sydney-community--1008112The Sydney Morning Herald reports today that senior ministers have acknowledged the state has reached a "fork in the road".
"What has become clear is we have reached a fork in the road," one unnamed minister told the newspaper.
"We have to decide whether we accept a lockdown so that we get cases down to zero or whether we do what no other state has done and accept the virus will circulate in the community."
Another minister told the newspaper that one concern was that people were not as diligent about staying home this time around because they "look to overseas, and they don't see people in body bags like they did last year".
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Thursday that vaccination was the key to beating Delta, which she described as a "game changer".

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian. (Photo / Getty)
Australian Medical Association boss Omar Khorshid warned there was "no alternative to elimination for NSW", and that "nowhere in the world has any community been able to live with Delta without very significant levels of vaccination".
The news comes as southwest Sydney faces a massive Covid-19 crackdown, with more than 100 extra police hitting the streets this morning, after the highest daily case numbers in the outbreak so far sparked grim warnings.
Berejiklian on Thursday said the 38 new cases of community transmission were "too high", as she blamed people visiting extended family for spreading the virus in household settings – and would not guarantee the lockdown would end next Friday.
Khorshid said NSW may have to implement harsher restrictions, warning there is "no such thing as living with Delta" and that the state's goal must be "elimination" of the variant.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/yjpp33hy/mh090721-22-olds-lockdown-rollout-howardcomments.mp3Thu, 08 Jul 2021 11:45:44 +0000RoccoThe New South Wales Government is considering whether it has to abandon its "zero Covid" goal and accept that the Delta strain will circulate in the community. The Sydney Morning Herald reports today that senior ministers have acknowledged the state...The Sydney Morning Herald reports today that senior ministers have acknowledged the state has reached a "fork in the road".
"What has become clear is we have reached a fork in the road," one unnamed minister told the newspaper.
"We have to decide whether we accept a lockdown so that we get cases down to zero or whether we do what no other state has done and accept the virus will circulate in the community."
Another minister told the newspaper that one concern was that people were not as diligent about staying home this time around because they "look to overseas, and they don't see people in body bags like they did last year".
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Thursday that vaccination was the key to beating Delta, which she described as a "game changer".

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian. (Photo / Getty)
Australian Medical Association boss Omar Khorshid warned there was "no alternative to elimination for NSW", and that "nowhere in the world has any community been able to live with Delta without very significant levels of vaccination".
The news comes as southwest Sydney faces a massive Covid-19 crackdown, with more than 100 extra police hitting the streets this morning, after the highest daily case numbers in the outbreak so far sparked grim warnings.
Berejiklian on Thursday said the 38 new cases of community transmission were "too high", as she blamed people visiting extended family for spreading the virus in household settings – and would not guarantee the lockdown would end next Friday.
Khorshid said NSW may have to implement harsher restrictions, warning there is "no such thing as living with Delta" and that the state's goal must be "elimination" of the variant.]]>449falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-the-human-rights-commissioner-should-have-resigned-four-days-ago--1008113Peeni Henare: 2/10
Not one of your more high profile operators, and yet this week we are eight months on with Ihumātao. Any progress Peeni? None. No steering committee. Nothing.
And then you get to the Defence Force and the essay. The day the minister phones a department over a prize-winning because she doesn't like the tone is the day we should all be living in Moscow or Havanna.
 
Tony Alexander: 7/10
More excellent insight into the market is this week's revelation. And the effect of the Government policy on investors? None
 
Jobs: 8/10
Record numbers advertised. We are a jobs Nirvana.
 
Lights Out: 3/10
The down side of being a job Nirvana. The other part of the equation is you need people to actually fill the jobs.
 
Koha: 1/10
The Human Rights Commissioner should have resigned four days ago.
 
Israel Folau: 6/10
Lobs up in Japan. I wish him nothing but the best - it's a very high price to have paid for an opinion.
 
Richard Branson: 8/10
The world needs dreamers and big picture thinkers.
 
The Immigration Scam: 2/10
Laid bare this week. A queue a mile long, 50,000 applications cancelled, families separated and stranded and nothing newer than October of 2019 looked at.
And you thought North Korea had entry problems.
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/cdvfdtt5/mh090721-14-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 08 Jul 2021 11:24:43 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. Peeni Henare: 2/10 Not one of your more high profile operators, and yet this week we are eight months on with Ihumātao. Any...Peeni Henare: 2/10
Not one of your more high profile operators, and yet this week we are eight months on with Ihumātao. Any progress Peeni? None. No steering committee. Nothing.
And then you get to the Defence Force and the essay. The day the minister phones a department over a prize-winning because she doesn't like the tone is the day we should all be living in Moscow or Havanna.
 
Tony Alexander: 7/10
More excellent insight into the market is this week's revelation. And the effect of the Government policy on investors? None
 
Jobs: 8/10
Record numbers advertised. We are a jobs Nirvana.
 
Lights Out: 3/10
The down side of being a job Nirvana. The other part of the equation is you need people to actually fill the jobs.
 
Koha: 1/10
The Human Rights Commissioner should have resigned four days ago.
 
Israel Folau: 6/10
Lobs up in Japan. I wish him nothing but the best - it's a very high price to have paid for an opinion.
 
Richard Branson: 8/10
The world needs dreamers and big picture thinkers.
 
The Immigration Scam: 2/10
Laid bare this week. A queue a mile long, 50,000 applications cancelled, families separated and stranded and nothing newer than October of 2019 looked at.
And you thought North Korea had entry problems.
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>172falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/richard-arnold-biden-has-just-a-few-weeks-left-to-make-key-decisions-that-will-shape-the-future-of-afghanistan--1008052How will it safely evacuate thousands of Afghan interpreters and their families? What policy will it implement on drone strikes? How will it secure the largest civilian airport in Kabul? And, perhaps most importantly, what will it do with the hundreds of American contractors in the country who service and maintain complex, expensive military equipment the Afghans need to fight the Taliban?
The answers to those questions will essentially determine the kind of relationship the US has with Afghanistan, and by extension the likely fate of the country for the foreseeable future.
President Joe Biden didn't want to address any of these questions last Friday, growing visibly frustrated when asked by reporters. But after meeting with his national security team Thursday, Biden defended his decision to end the war and pledged to evacuate Afghan interpreters who have worked with US troops, along with their families.
"Our message to those men and women is clear: There is a home for you in the United States, if you so choose, and we will stand with you, as you stood with us," the President said in remarks from the White House, noting that his administration has "dramatically accelerated" the procedure time for these Afghans to secure visas and that relocation flights would begin this month to US facilities overseas and third countries as their visa applications are processed. Biden added that the operation has "identified facilities outside the US as well as in third countries to host our Afghan allies, if they choose."
However, his remarks Thursday did not fill out any more details surrounding the US withdrawal.
"The war appears to be forcing the administration to make some quick decisions," said Seth Jones, director of the International Threat Program at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies and author of In the Graveyard of Empires: America's War in Afghanistan.
Although the Biden administration has stressed that it will maintain its commitment to Afghanistan through diplomatic, economic, and humanitarian support, Jones said, "The Afghans haven't gotten the message. They see essentially abandonment. That has a lot of consequences if we see fragmentation [of Afghan security forces]."
"If we see that fracturing, they're not going to care about US financial assistance. They're not going to care about over-the-horizon support," he added, using the military's term for support from outside the country.
Disjointed messaging
The orange-red radar dish near Bagram Air Base's two-mile runway was still spinning four days after the final US flight took off in the early morning light last Friday, one of the few signs of activity at the sprawling complex that was the heart of the American military presence in Afghanistan for two decades. Empty white pickup trucks sat next to abandoned white buses, a ghost fleet to match this newly deserted ghost town.
The speed of the US withdrawal from Bagram caught many by surprise, including even the Afghan military. One senior Afghan officer told CNN that he was given less than 24 hours to secure the perimeter of the massive compound before the last Americans left.
The Biden administration said last week it would take up to two additional months to withdraw the last few remaining troops from Afghanistan. Pentagon officials denied there was any slowdown, but multiple officials told CNN the complete drawdown had been expected to be completed by mid-July, a faster timetable than what now seems planned.
This week, Gen. Scott Miller visited Brussels to update NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on the withdrawal of US forces. But several US officials have indicated their frustration to CNN with Miller in the final steps of the dra...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/jxabalz4/mh090721-07-arnold-afghanistanwithdrawal-vaccinerollout.mp3Thu, 08 Jul 2021 09:47:10 +0000RoccoWith the Taliban advancing across rural parts of Afghanistan, and criticism mounting over what some view as an overly hasty departure, the Biden administration is staring down a few short weeks to make a handful of critical decisions it's put off...How will it safely evacuate thousands of Afghan interpreters and their families? What policy will it implement on drone strikes? How will it secure the largest civilian airport in Kabul? And, perhaps most importantly, what will it do with the hundreds of American contractors in the country who service and maintain complex, expensive military equipment the Afghans need to fight the Taliban?
The answers to those questions will essentially determine the kind of relationship the US has with Afghanistan, and by extension the likely fate of the country for the foreseeable future.
President Joe Biden didn't want to address any of these questions last Friday, growing visibly frustrated when asked by reporters. But after meeting with his national security team Thursday, Biden defended his decision to end the war and pledged to evacuate Afghan interpreters who have worked with US troops, along with their families.
"Our message to those men and women is clear: There is a home for you in the United States, if you so choose, and we will stand with you, as you stood with us," the President said in remarks from the White House, noting that his administration has "dramatically accelerated" the procedure time for these Afghans to secure visas and that relocation flights would begin this month to US facilities overseas and third countries as their visa applications are processed. Biden added that the operation has "identified facilities outside the US as well as in third countries to host our Afghan allies, if they choose."
However, his remarks Thursday did not fill out any more details surrounding the US withdrawal.
"The war appears to be forcing the administration to make some quick decisions," said Seth Jones, director of the International Threat Program at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies and author of In the Graveyard of Empires: America's War in Afghanistan.
Although the Biden administration has stressed that it will maintain its commitment to Afghanistan through diplomatic, economic, and humanitarian support, Jones said, "The Afghans haven't gotten the message. They see essentially abandonment. That has a lot of consequences if we see fragmentation [of Afghan security forces]."
"If we see that fracturing, they're not going to care about US financial assistance. They're not going to care about over-the-horizon support," he added, using the military's term for support from outside the country.
Disjointed messaging
The orange-red radar dish near Bagram Air Base's two-mile runway was still spinning four days after the final US flight took off in the early morning light last Friday, one of the few signs of activity at the sprawling complex that was the heart of the American military presence in Afghanistan for two decades. Empty white pickup trucks sat next to abandoned white buses, a ghost fleet to match this newly deserted ghost town.
The speed of the US withdrawal from Bagram caught many by surprise, including even the Afghan military. One senior Afghan officer told CNN that he was given less than 24 hours to secure the perimeter of the massive compound before the last Americans left.
The Biden administration said last week it would take up to two additional months to withdraw the last few remaining troops from Afghanistan. Pentagon officials denied there was any slowdown, but multiple officials told CNN the complete drawdown had been expected to be completed by mid-July, a faster timetable than what now seems planned.
This week, Gen. Scott Miller visited Brussels to update NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on the withdrawal of US forces. But several US officials have indicated their...]]>300falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/shaun-derry-former-premier-league-player-says-past-failures-are-making-englands-journey-that-much-sweeter--1008072This is after they overcame Denmark 2-1 in an extra-time semi-final yesterday morning.
Monday morning's match against Italy will be the first time England has made the Euro final, and the nation’s first major final since winning the 1966 World Cup.
Shaun Derry is an English former Premier League footballer and current academy manager of Crystal Palace.
He told Mike Hosking past failures coupled with England's emergence from Covid have led to a swelling of support nationwide 
“We've had this high expectation, and now of course we've got this tournament, on the back of what s been an absolute disaster around the world with Covid, it's just given the whole nation a huge lift,"
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/y10pn2ck/mh090721-19-shaunderry-eurofinal.mp3Thu, 08 Jul 2021 09:42:39 +0000RoccoEnglish football fans have a nerve-wracking weekend ahead waiting to see if their team can take out the European Championship final for the first time. This is after they overcame Denmark 2-1 in an extra-time semi-final yesterday morning. Monday...This is after they overcame Denmark 2-1 in an extra-time semi-final yesterday morning.
Monday morning's match against Italy will be the first time England has made the Euro final, and the nation’s first major final since winning the 1966 World Cup.
Shaun Derry is an English former Premier League footballer and current academy manager of Crystal Palace.
He told Mike Hosking past failures coupled with England's emergence from Covid have led to a swelling of support nationwide 
“We've had this high expectation, and now of course we've got this tournament, on the back of what s been an absolute disaster around the world with Covid, it's just given the whole nation a huge lift,"
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>155falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/barney-irvine-napier-city-council-removing-stop-signs-that-90-percent-of-drivers-ignored--1008054They're trialling a roundabout instead.
Traffic management experts say that's an approach that should be considered for more tricky intersections.
Transport consultant Barney Irvine told Mike Hosking the uncertainty of roundabouts actually makes them safer than other intersections.
“Roundabouts are the safest form of intersection; because everybody has to slow down to enter them.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/z5qbt0g0/mh090721-16-barneyirvine-roundaboutsforstopsigns.mp3Thu, 08 Jul 2021 09:07:09 +0000RoccoNapier City Council is about to remove a notorious set of stop signs that more than 90 percent of drivers were ignoring. They're trialling a roundabout instead. Traffic management experts say that's an approach that should be considered for more...They're trialling a roundabout instead.
Traffic management experts say that's an approach that should be considered for more tricky intersections.
Transport consultant Barney Irvine told Mike Hosking the uncertainty of roundabouts actually makes them safer than other intersections.
“Roundabouts are the safest form of intersection; because everybody has to slow down to enter them.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>226falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/nick-wilson-survey-reveals-15-percent-of-public-toilets-are-lacking-soap-3-percent-lack-water--1008120But researchers have found that's not always that easy, with public toilets lacking when it comes to the correct facilities.
Professor of public health at University of Otago Nick Wilson has been surveying public toilets, and found 15 percent of toilets had no soap, and some even had no water.
Nick Wilson told Mike Hosking council and government need to address the issue.
“It’s a council responsibility, but the central Government could actually set minimal standards and ensure better funding as well.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/xikas1h3/mh090721-13-nickwilson-publictoilethygiene.mp3Thu, 08 Jul 2021 08:21:07 +0000RoccoOne of the easiest ways we can stop the spread of infections, including Covid-19, is washing our hands. But researchers have found that's not always that easy, with public toilets lacking when it comes to the correct facilities. Professor of public...But researchers have found that's not always that easy, with public toilets lacking when it comes to the correct facilities.
Professor of public health at University of Otago Nick Wilson has been surveying public toilets, and found 15 percent of toilets had no soap, and some even had no water.
Nick Wilson told Mike Hosking council and government need to address the issue.
“It’s a council responsibility, but the central Government could actually set minimal standards and ensure better funding as well.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>140falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/sharon-zollner-economist-says-there-is-good-reason-for-reserve-bank-to-act-promptly-on-ocr--1007990Most economists are forecasting an OCR rise in November, but ANZ is suggesting it could happen as soon as next month.
Chief economist Sharon Zollner told Mike Hosking there is good reason to be proactive.
“The Reserve Bank doesn’t need to panic, but there’s good reason to act promptly so you don’t end up in a scramble later.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/shknoktl/mh090721-05-sharonzollner-interestrates.mp3Thu, 08 Jul 2021 08:01:06 +0000RoccoWith central banks around the world still dropping interest rates, there is some who thought New Zealand banks could buck the trend next month. Most economists are forecasting an OCR rise in November, but ANZ is suggesting it could happen as soon as...Most economists are forecasting an OCR rise in November, but ANZ is suggesting it could happen as soon as next month.
Chief economist Sharon Zollner told Mike Hosking there is good reason to be proactive.
“The Reserve Bank doesn’t need to panic, but there’s good reason to act promptly so you don’t end up in a scramble later.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>336falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/russ-rimmington-waikato-council-chair-says-given-time-te-huia-will-be-chocka--1008075Newstalk ZB has revealed an average of just 34 people ride on Te Huia during the week, with room for 150.
Council chair Russ Rimmington told Mike Hosking numbers are growing by one percent a week, or four percent per month.
He says in five years the train will be full.
“When we get into the inter city, that’s what we’re planning, to Ponui and the Strand. We'll also get interpeak, during the day you'll find this train will be chocka."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/k21p5dzt/mh080721-15-russrimmington-tehuiatrain.mp3Wed, 07 Jul 2021 21:25:46 +0000RoccoWaikato Regional Council says the number of people taking the train between Hamilton and Auckland is growing. Newstalk ZB has revealed an average of just 34 people ride on Te Huia during the week, with room for 150. Council chair Russ Rimmington told...Newstalk ZB has revealed an average of just 34 people ride on Te Huia during the week, with room for 150.
Council chair Russ Rimmington told Mike Hosking numbers are growing by one percent a week, or four percent per month.
He says in five years the train will be full.
“When we get into the inter city, that’s what we’re planning, to Ponui and the Strand. We'll also get interpeak, during the day you'll find this train will be chocka."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>256falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/rachel-lerman-trump-is-suing-mark-zuckerberg-and-jack-dorsey-here-s-why-they-shouldn-t-worry--1008058The announcement about the lawsuits comes after the companies removed Trump's access to their platforms in the aftermath of the January 6 riot on Capitol Hill. Twitter banned Trump altogether, and he is currently suspended from Facebook for at least two years. YouTube also suspended Trump in January, but it said in March that his account would be reinstated when the company is confident that the risk of violence has receded.
Twitter, Facebook and Google, which owns YouTube, declined to comment.
Tech companies have consistently rejected claims that their platforms discriminate based on partisan ideology. Independent studies have not corroborated such accusations, and several have found that partisan voices, particularly on the right, are among the most engaged-with on the platforms.
Trump's suits continue a trend that began during his presidency: Throwing the book against companies he perceives to be a threat to his political brand. Last spring, while he was still in office, Trump signed an executive order aimed at "preventing online censorship" and seeking to expand legal liability for tech companies.
But the tech companies are legally permitted to run their platforms as they see fit, and courts have dismissed a string of similar lawsuits. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube all cited the potential for future incitement of violence or risks to public safety following the Capitol riot in announcing their decisions to remove Trump's accounts.
Trump announced the suits during a press conference Wednesday, saying that he is asking a court in Florida "to order an immediate halt to social media companies' illegal, shameful censorship of the American people."
"We're going to hold big tech very accountable," he said. During the nearly hour-long event, Trump and others involved in the effort made grandiose claims about the potential for the lawsuits that are likely at odds with the suits' actual potential for success.
Less than an hour after the event, Trump's team began sending out fundraising appeals related to the lawsuits. The website recruiting participants for the proposed class action suits also featured a link to donate, and the Republican National Committee sent out a fundraising appeal invoking the suit as well.
The complaints against Twitter, Facebook and YouTube claim that the platforms' removals of Trump amount to censorship and allege that the decisions violate his First Amendment right to free speech. Such actions by the companies have previously been protected under Section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934, a federal law that provides legal immunity to websites that moderate user-generated content, and has been used by tech platforms to nip many lawsuits in the bud.
"Plaintiff respectfully asks this Court ... to prohibit Defendants from exercising censorship, editorial control, or prior restraint in its many forms over the posts of President Trump and Putative Class Members," the Twitter complaint states. (A court still must certify that each of the lawsuits can proceed as a class action.)
The complaints also take issue with the way that the platforms attempted to address the spread of misinformation about the Covid-19 pandemic, including their leaning on the CDC -— which Trump clashed with as president and which the suit falsely claims has a "highly questionable reputation" — to help determine what information about the virus and treatments for it was true and what was false and dangerous.
Among the relief requested by the suits is an order that the social media companies immediately reinstate the accounts of Trump and other member...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/dmhlfh1e/mh080721-18-rachellerman-trumpsuesbigtech.mp3Wed, 07 Jul 2021 21:20:01 +0000RoccoFormer President Donald Trump on Wednesday filed proposed class-action lawsuits targeting Facebook and its CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter and its CEO Jack Dorsey, as well as YouTube and its parent company's CEO Sundar Pichai, in a Hail Mary move...The announcement about the lawsuits comes after the companies removed Trump's access to their platforms in the aftermath of the January 6 riot on Capitol Hill. Twitter banned Trump altogether, and he is currently suspended from Facebook for at least two years. YouTube also suspended Trump in January, but it said in March that his account would be reinstated when the company is confident that the risk of violence has receded.
Twitter, Facebook and Google, which owns YouTube, declined to comment.
Tech companies have consistently rejected claims that their platforms discriminate based on partisan ideology. Independent studies have not corroborated such accusations, and several have found that partisan voices, particularly on the right, are among the most engaged-with on the platforms.
Trump's suits continue a trend that began during his presidency: Throwing the book against companies he perceives to be a threat to his political brand. Last spring, while he was still in office, Trump signed an executive order aimed at "preventing online censorship" and seeking to expand legal liability for tech companies.
But the tech companies are legally permitted to run their platforms as they see fit, and courts have dismissed a string of similar lawsuits. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube all cited the potential for future incitement of violence or risks to public safety following the Capitol riot in announcing their decisions to remove Trump's accounts.
Trump announced the suits during a press conference Wednesday, saying that he is asking a court in Florida "to order an immediate halt to social media companies' illegal, shameful censorship of the American people."
"We're going to hold big tech very accountable," he said. During the nearly hour-long event, Trump and others involved in the effort made grandiose claims about the potential for the lawsuits that are likely at odds with the suits' actual potential for success.
Less than an hour after the event, Trump's team began sending out fundraising appeals related to the lawsuits. The website recruiting participants for the proposed class action suits also featured a link to donate, and the Republican National Committee sent out a fundraising appeal invoking the suit as well.
The complaints against Twitter, Facebook and YouTube claim that the platforms' removals of Trump amount to censorship and allege that the decisions violate his First Amendment right to free speech. Such actions by the companies have previously been protected under Section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934, a federal law that provides legal immunity to websites that moderate user-generated content, and has been used by tech platforms to nip many lawsuits in the bud.
"Plaintiff respectfully asks this Court ... to prohibit Defendants from exercising censorship, editorial control, or prior restraint in its many forms over the posts of President Trump and Putative Class Members," the Twitter complaint states. (A court still must certify that each of the lawsuits can proceed as a class action.)
The complaints also take issue with the way that the platforms attempted to address the spread of misinformation about the Covid-19 pandemic, including their leaning on the CDC -— which Trump clashed with as president and which the suit falsely claims has a "highly questionable reputation" — to help determine what information about the virus and treatments for it was true and what was false and dangerous.
Among the relief requested by the suits is an order that the social media companies...]]>175falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/gareth-thomas-former-goodshirt-member-on-new-single-and-third-solo-album--1008079It was set up by Gareth Thomas, and of course the band went on to have hits like Sophie, Fiji Baby, and Buck It Up.
Since then, he's gone out on his own and he has a new single Words That Don’t Come Back.
And his third solo album is due out later this year.
Gareth Thomas joined Mike Hosking.
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/ipjlytve/gareth-thomas-part-i.mp3Wed, 07 Jul 2021 20:49:36 +0000RoccoThe band Goodshirt is synonymous with classic early 2000s Kiwi music. It was set up by Gareth Thomas, and of course the band went on to have hits like Sophie, Fiji Baby, and Buck It Up. Since then, he's gone out on his own and he has a new single...It was set up by Gareth Thomas, and of course the band went on to have hits like Sophie, Fiji Baby, and Buck It Up.
Since then, he's gone out on his own and he has a new single Words That Don’t Come Back.
And his third solo album is due out later this year.
Gareth Thomas joined Mike Hosking.
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>439falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/chloe-swarbrick-treasury-should-front-committee-on-judgement-housing-forecast--1007933Green MP Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick said Treasury's explanation of its modelling was "blatantly opaque, offering no meaningful information and insight". She wants officials hauled before the committee in person to explain how it works.
National's housing spokeswoman Nicola Willis has joined forces with Swarbrick in calling for an in-person explanation, saying Treasury's answers to written questions on how it calculates house price increases "create more questions than they answer".
Treasury informed MPs on Parliament's Finance and Expenditure Committee this week that its house price forecasts were based on "a degree of judgment", rather than a stand-alone economic model.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/0tolthe0/mh080721-05-chloeswarbrick-houseprices.mp3Wed, 07 Jul 2021 19:59:31 +0000RoccoA dramatic halt in house-price growth forecast by Treasury, the Government's chief economic adviser, was based on "judgment" rather than a firm economic model, and was not subject to Treasury's quality control process. Green MP Green MP Chlöe...Green MP Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick said Treasury's explanation of its modelling was "blatantly opaque, offering no meaningful information and insight". She wants officials hauled before the committee in person to explain how it works.
National's housing spokeswoman Nicola Willis has joined forces with Swarbrick in calling for an in-person explanation, saying Treasury's answers to written questions on how it calculates house price increases "create more questions than they answer".
Treasury informed MPs on Parliament's Finance and Expenditure Committee this week that its house price forecasts were based on "a degree of judgment", rather than a stand-alone economic model.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>223falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-space-tourism-is-still-just-a-dream--1007960Virgin Galactic takes off. They were taking off in 2009, but like a lot of these sorts of things, what they say will happen and what actually happen are two very different prospects.
And that is why you’d be right to be sceptical about general claims that are almost always wrong.
Things from climate change – we have until 2000 to save the planet – to Uber saying it will be delivering pizza by drone.
In fact, the Hilton in 1966 at a major space conference had a model drawn up of their hotel they were opening in space.
Note the date: in 1966, we hadn’t even gone to the moon and already the hotel was open.
I suppose the claim will be with the Virgin Galactic take off that we are one step closer to space being just another destination – or are we?
The company was formed in 2004, so it’s taken 17 years to get to the point we are today, which when you think about it, is really just a plane that goes a bit higher than a regular  plane.
We are going to space, but really just the edge of space. No one is getting off, no one is staying anywhere. They are barely into orbit, before they are headed back to Earth.
It’s a telling reminder of just what we are capable of, but also just how hard it is to make stuff happen despite all our so called advancement.
What you can see happening is the cost will come down as the frequency increases.
Is there a demand? Who would know, that may well be a hurdle
How far down does the price of three minutes of weightlessness have to drop before it becomes something most of us would actually consider?
But even if it got cheapish, then what? Extended trips? What about the moon, what about docking and getting off or out?
Would people fly from all parts of the world to then launch from the single spot launches launch from?
The boom in regular travel, of course, is its accessibility. Airports and planes everywhere, is there room for Bezos and Branson or just one of them or myriads of them?
It seems to me that as awesome as this is, you can quickly conclude that, if it takes 20 years to just get off the ground and into orbit, all the stuff we keep talking about – the space tourism, the hotels on the moon – are fanciful.
Nothing wrong with dreams, but in this life time, that’s all they are or will ever be.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/3c3dj2fm/mh080721-01-virgingalacticcomment.mp3Wed, 07 Jul 2021 15:00:42 +0000RoccoJuly 11 is not far away. It’s the culmination of sorts, of a dream. Virgin Galactic takes off. They were taking off in 2009, but like a lot of these sorts of things, what they say will happen and what actually happen are two very different prospects....Virgin Galactic takes off. They were taking off in 2009, but like a lot of these sorts of things, what they say will happen and what actually happen are two very different prospects.
And that is why you’d be right to be sceptical about general claims that are almost always wrong.
Things from climate change – we have until 2000 to save the planet – to Uber saying it will be delivering pizza by drone.
In fact, the Hilton in 1966 at a major space conference had a model drawn up of their hotel they were opening in space.
Note the date: in 1966, we hadn’t even gone to the moon and already the hotel was open.
I suppose the claim will be with the Virgin Galactic take off that we are one step closer to space being just another destination – or are we?
The company was formed in 2004, so it’s taken 17 years to get to the point we are today, which when you think about it, is really just a plane that goes a bit higher than a regular  plane.
We are going to space, but really just the edge of space. No one is getting off, no one is staying anywhere. They are barely into orbit, before they are headed back to Earth.
It’s a telling reminder of just what we are capable of, but also just how hard it is to make stuff happen despite all our so called advancement.
What you can see happening is the cost will come down as the frequency increases.
Is there a demand? Who would know, that may well be a hurdle
How far down does the price of three minutes of weightlessness have to drop before it becomes something most of us would actually consider?
But even if it got cheapish, then what? Extended trips? What about the moon, what about docking and getting off or out?
Would people fly from all parts of the world to then launch from the single spot launches launch from?
The boom in regular travel, of course, is its accessibility. Airports and planes everywhere, is there room for Bezos and Branson or just one of them or myriads of them?
It seems to me that as awesome as this is, you can quickly conclude that, if it takes 20 years to just get off the ground and into orbit, all the stuff we keep talking about – the space tourism, the hotels on the moon – are fanciful.
Nothing wrong with dreams, but in this life time, that’s all they are or will ever be.]]>123falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/lyall-thurston-40-year-folic-acid-campaigner-says-he-is-thrilled-with-the-announcement--1008127The B vitamin will be compulsory in non-organic wheat flour from mid to late 2023, and is expected to prevent up to 240 birth defects over 30 years.
Flour millers will receive about 1.6 million dollars to buy and install the necessary equipment.
Lyall Thurston has been campaigning for folic acid in bread for 40 years, and told Mike Hosking he's absolutely thrilled.
“It’s a great day for babies yet to be born, but in particular it’s a major public health initiative, well done everyone.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/vydm2ppv/mh080721-10-lyallthurston-folicacid.mp3Wed, 07 Jul 2021 08:18:34 +0000RoccoJubilation has come for people who've been campaigning for years for folic acid to be added to food. The B vitamin will be compulsory in non-organic wheat flour from mid to late 2023, and is expected to prevent up to 240 birth defects over 30 years....The B vitamin will be compulsory in non-organic wheat flour from mid to late 2023, and is expected to prevent up to 240 birth defects over 30 years.
Flour millers will receive about 1.6 million dollars to buy and install the necessary equipment.
Lyall Thurston has been campaigning for folic acid in bread for 40 years, and told Mike Hosking he's absolutely thrilled.
“It’s a great day for babies yet to be born, but in particular it’s a major public health initiative, well done everyone.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>104falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/nikki-turner-vaccine-expert-says-janssen-may-never-form-part-of-our-rollout--1008130MedSafe has provisionally approved the company's Covid-19 vaccine for use in New Zealand.
It could also approve the AstraZeneca vaccine next week.
Immunisation Advisory Centre Director Nikki Turner told Mike Hosking  it's clearly safe to use, but it may never be needed, or available.
“We have purchased and appear to be access more than enough Pfizer vaccine over the next few months, and there is a world shortage of Janssen, so we’re not likely to get it quickly.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/ev2pbtc5/mh080721-13-drnikkiturner-janssenvaccine.mp3Wed, 07 Jul 2021 07:56:49 +0000RoccoA vaccine expert says the Janssen vaccine could be a useful back-up option, but may never form part of our vaccine roll-out. MedSafe has provisionally approved the company's Covid-19 vaccine for use in New Zealand. It could also approve the...MedSafe has provisionally approved the company's Covid-19 vaccine for use in New Zealand.
It could also approve the AstraZeneca vaccine next week.
Immunisation Advisory Centre Director Nikki Turner told Mike Hosking  it's clearly safe to use, but it may never be needed, or available.
“We have purchased and appear to be access more than enough Pfizer vaccine over the next few months, and there is a world shortage of Janssen, so we’re not likely to get it quickly.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>158falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/alistair-mcclymont-immigration-lawyer-says-50-thousand-cancelled-visa-applications-a-cataclysmic-mess--1007994Immigration New Zealand says it's legally unable to process about 50-thousand applications from mainly overseas visitors, students and workers.
They've been sitting in the system for a year and will now be refunded.
Immigration lawyer Alistair McClymont told Mike Hosking it's a shambles.
“Well a cataclysmic mess would be very generous to this government, it’s a lot worse than this and it’s going to have some very adverse consequences down the line, particularly for employers.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/m3bftk3y/mh080721-11-alistairmcclymont-visaapplications.mp3Wed, 07 Jul 2021 07:49:47 +0000RoccoA warning that employers will feel the pain of thousands of visa applications being cancelled. Immigration New Zealand says it's legally unable to process about 50-thousand applications from mainly overseas visitors, students and workers. They've been...Immigration New Zealand says it's legally unable to process about 50-thousand applications from mainly overseas visitors, students and workers.
They've been sitting in the system for a year and will now be refunded.
Immigration lawyer Alistair McClymont told Mike Hosking it's a shambles.
“Well a cataclysmic mess would be very generous to this government, it’s a lot worse than this and it’s going to have some very adverse consequences down the line, particularly for employers.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>160falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/steve-price-cancellation-of-australian-f1-grand-prix-is-highly-disappointing-says-f1-race-director--1008133The event was slated to take place in Melbourne in November but was cancelled as a Covid-19 precautionary measure.
“On the weekend in Austria we’ve now completed 26 races in 52 weeks if we go back 12 months, which is a sign of the strength of what Formula One and the FIA together have developed,” Mr Masi told Sky News host Andrew Bolt.
“As an Australian it’s highly disappointing not being able to get there in November.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/ecvpbhv1/mh070721-21-price-postcovidtravel-cancelledevents.mp3Tue, 06 Jul 2021 21:08:27 +0000RoccoFIA Formula 1 Race Director Michael Masi says the cancellation of Australia’s Grand Prix is “highly disappointing”. The event was slated to take place in Melbourne in November but was cancelled as a Covid-19 precautionary measure. “On the weekend in...The event was slated to take place in Melbourne in November but was cancelled as a Covid-19 precautionary measure.
“On the weekend in Austria we’ve now completed 26 races in 52 weeks if we go back 12 months, which is a sign of the strength of what Formula One and the FIA together have developed,” Mr Masi told Sky News host Andrew Bolt.
“As an Australian it’s highly disappointing not being able to get there in November.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>359falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-sporting-cancellations-another-sign-we-are-wasting-our-covid-advantage--1008081There was a time and it’s wasn’t that long ago when Australia made much of getting events - getting events was a thing.
And not just Australia but Melbourne in particular. Melbourne positioned itself as the events capital of Australia. They rested the F1 off Adelaide to much hoopla.
The F1 will roll on no problems at all; they raced this past weekend at the red bull ring in Austria. They’re heading now to Silverstone in Britain in a week and a half’s time.
There have been other cancellations on the calendar but not many. They, by and large, having got through a reduced season last year, will complete a full one this year.
Except Australia won’t be part of it again. Why?
The vaccine and complacency, the abject failure to do their job.
Kevin Rudd is right in calling for Greg Hunt’s resignation. The roll out and the lockdowns have been an abomination and you can seemingly write the rest of the year off.
We have cancelled the ASB Classic here as well for a second year in a row, the irony bring it’s not even on till next year.
The MIQ places aren’t there. Well, they are, but such is the dysfunction of our system and the diabolical attitude to progress that doing most things is too hard these days.
Hell, opening restaurant doors to getting too hard far less holding a tennis tournament.
Reputations are built in times of crisis, and what has been so heart breaking in this part of the world has been the smug complacency with which we lauded ourselves having done nothing more than closing a border.
Yes, it kept a virus out, but then what? The 'then what' still hasn’t been formulated.
At least Australia last week articulated a rough plan. We haven’t even done that. We are still splashing headlines over the thrill of getting 150,000 jabs arrive two days early, that’s how tragic it’s all become.
Events, whether sports or conferences, cruises or travel, is worth billions. Reputations are worth billions
What was once the great advantage of being at the bottom of the world is now daily being ravaged by our inability to take the next step.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/xssonqhc/mh070721-01-eventcancellationscomment.mp3Tue, 06 Jul 2021 21:02:39 +0000RoccoThe F1 race in Melbourne is set to be called off for the second year in a row. There was a time and it’s wasn’t that long ago when Australia made much of getting events - getting events was a thing. And not just Australia but Melbourne in particular....There was a time and it’s wasn’t that long ago when Australia made much of getting events - getting events was a thing.
And not just Australia but Melbourne in particular. Melbourne positioned itself as the events capital of Australia. They rested the F1 off Adelaide to much hoopla.
The F1 will roll on no problems at all; they raced this past weekend at the red bull ring in Austria. They’re heading now to Silverstone in Britain in a week and a half’s time.
There have been other cancellations on the calendar but not many. They, by and large, having got through a reduced season last year, will complete a full one this year.
Except Australia won’t be part of it again. Why?
The vaccine and complacency, the abject failure to do their job.
Kevin Rudd is right in calling for Greg Hunt’s resignation. The roll out and the lockdowns have been an abomination and you can seemingly write the rest of the year off.
We have cancelled the ASB Classic here as well for a second year in a row, the irony bring it’s not even on till next year.
The MIQ places aren’t there. Well, they are, but such is the dysfunction of our system and the diabolical attitude to progress that doing most things is too hard these days.
Hell, opening restaurant doors to getting too hard far less holding a tennis tournament.
Reputations are built in times of crisis, and what has been so heart breaking in this part of the world has been the smug complacency with which we lauded ourselves having done nothing more than closing a border.
Yes, it kept a virus out, but then what? The 'then what' still hasn’t been formulated.
At least Australia last week articulated a rough plan. We haven’t even done that. We are still splashing headlines over the thrill of getting 150,000 jabs arrive two days early, that’s how tragic it’s all become.
Events, whether sports or conferences, cruises or travel, is worth billions. Reputations are worth billions
What was once the great advantage of being at the bottom of the world is now daily being ravaged by our inability to take the next step.]]>115falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/steve-greally-exclusive-figures-from-police-say-fines-for-not-wearing-seatbelts-have-halved-deaths-and-injuries-increased--1007995Stats released to Newstalk ZB show in the past decade, the number of fines handed out to motorists for failing to wear a seatbelt has almost halved.
During that same period, the number of deaths, serious injuries and crashes where a driver or passenger was not wearing a seatbelt has either stayed stable or increased.
National road policing manager Superintendent Steve Greally told Mike Hosking they have to do better in this space.
“The trick is, how do we get the message across to people to convince them of the importance of wearing a seatbelt. There’s so many reasons people don’t wear them, it’s amazing.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/gcannmyk/mh070721-11-stevegreally-seatbelts.mp3Tue, 06 Jul 2021 19:47:12 +0000RoccoPolice say they have a lot of work to do to ensure people make it click. Stats released to Newstalk ZB show in the past decade, the number of fines handed out to motorists for failing to wear a seatbelt has almost halved. During that same period, the...Stats released to Newstalk ZB show in the past decade, the number of fines handed out to motorists for failing to wear a seatbelt has almost halved.
During that same period, the number of deaths, serious injuries and crashes where a driver or passenger was not wearing a seatbelt has either stayed stable or increased.
National road policing manager Superintendent Steve Greally told Mike Hosking they have to do better in this space.
“The trick is, how do we get the message across to people to convince them of the importance of wearing a seatbelt. There’s so many reasons people don’t wear them, it’s amazing.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>154falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/pollies-miq-facilities-elimination-strategy-and-is-mark-mitchell-running-for-mayor--1008006But it is not being drawn on its further plans for after the vaccine roll-out and whether it would continue pursuing an elimination strategy or living with the virus, as seen recently in Australia and the United Kingdom.
Mark Mitchell and Kris Faafoi joined Mike Hosking to discuss this, the week's politics news and whether Mark has put his hat in the ring for the Auckland Mayoralty.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/x4ldegkb/mh070721-20-pollies.mp3Tue, 06 Jul 2021 10:46:54 +0000RoccoThe Government is looking into longer-term options for managed isolation and quarantine, including purpose-built facilities. But it is not being drawn on its further plans for after the vaccine roll-out and whether it would continue pursuing an...But it is not being drawn on its further plans for after the vaccine roll-out and whether it would continue pursuing an elimination strategy or living with the virus, as seen recently in Australia and the United Kingdom.
Mark Mitchell and Kris Faafoi joined Mike Hosking to discuss this, the week's politics news and whether Mark has put his hat in the ring for the Auckland Mayoralty.]]>732falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/richard-arnold-president-joe-biden-predicts-us-to-reach-160-million-fully-vaccinated-americans-by-the-end-of-this-week--1008149Just over 67% of American adults have had at least one Covid-19 vaccine and more than 157 million Americans are fully vaccinated as of Tuesday morning, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Biden's goal was to have 70% of Americans with at least one shot and 160 million Americans fully vaccinated by July Fourth.
During remarks at the White House on Tuesday afternoon, the President reiterated his plea for Americans to get vaccinated.
"The best thing you can do to protect yourself and your family and the people you care about the most is get vaccinated," Biden said. "The best things a community can do to protect themselves is to increase vaccination rates. You can do this."
Biden outlined five key areas his administration is focused on as it works to get more Americans vaccinated and protect the population against the highly transmissible Delta variant.
The President addressed his administration's targeted outreach to provide information about the safety and efficacy of the vaccines, getting vaccines to more primary care doctors and other health care providers, and stepping up efforts to get vaccines to pediatricians and other providers who serve younger people so that adolescents ages 12 to 18 can get vaccinated as they go for check ups ahead of returning to school.
Biden discussed expanding mobile clinic efforts and making Covid-19 vaccines more accessible by setting up vaccination clinics at workplaces and helping to secure paid time off for employees to get vaccinated.
Biden also stressed that the administration will continue to work with governors and local leaders and across the public and private sectors to get more Americans vaccinated.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said earlier Tuesday that the administration would continue building on efforts in which it has seen the most success.
"You don't just give up just because you haven't reached every single person," Psaki told reporters at a White House briefing. "We're going to continue to apply where we, what we've seen have been the best practices over the past several months."
White House Covid-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients told reporters last week that the US has more work to do to get younger Americans -- particularly 18- to 26-year-olds -- vaccinated. Zients told CNN on Sunday that the federal government would continue to make it easier for for the public to be vaccinated and the nation to increase the vaccination rate.
Despite falling just short of his holiday goals, the President spent the weekend touting the progress the nation has made in its fight against the pandemic. He and first lady Jill Biden hosted their biggest party yet at the White House and welcomed 1,000 essential workers and military personnel on the South Lawn to mark Independence Day.
But the celebration came at a time when federal officials are warning about the Delta variant and doubling down on getting the rest of the US population vaccinated and protected.
In a sign of the heightened concern about the Delta variant, the White House recently announced it would be deploying response teams made up of officials from the CDC, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency across the US to areas with a high spread of the virus because of the Delta variant and low vaccination rates. The teams will conduct surge testing, provide therapeutics like monoclonal antibodies and deploy federal personnel to areas that need support staff for vaccinations.
In another sign the pandemic is far from over, officials said the administration plans to extend the public health emergency declaration for the pandemic that then-...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/hpxla1lg/mh070721-07-arnold-ransomwareattack-vaccinerollout.mp3Tue, 06 Jul 2021 10:02:54 +0000RoccoPresident Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that the United States is projected to reach the mark of 160 million fully vaccinated Americans by the end of this week and that his administration will engage in targeted outreach to get more people...Just over 67% of American adults have had at least one Covid-19 vaccine and more than 157 million Americans are fully vaccinated as of Tuesday morning, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Biden's goal was to have 70% of Americans with at least one shot and 160 million Americans fully vaccinated by July Fourth.
During remarks at the White House on Tuesday afternoon, the President reiterated his plea for Americans to get vaccinated.
"The best thing you can do to protect yourself and your family and the people you care about the most is get vaccinated," Biden said. "The best things a community can do to protect themselves is to increase vaccination rates. You can do this."
Biden outlined five key areas his administration is focused on as it works to get more Americans vaccinated and protect the population against the highly transmissible Delta variant.
The President addressed his administration's targeted outreach to provide information about the safety and efficacy of the vaccines, getting vaccines to more primary care doctors and other health care providers, and stepping up efforts to get vaccines to pediatricians and other providers who serve younger people so that adolescents ages 12 to 18 can get vaccinated as they go for check ups ahead of returning to school.
Biden discussed expanding mobile clinic efforts and making Covid-19 vaccines more accessible by setting up vaccination clinics at workplaces and helping to secure paid time off for employees to get vaccinated.
Biden also stressed that the administration will continue to work with governors and local leaders and across the public and private sectors to get more Americans vaccinated.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said earlier Tuesday that the administration would continue building on efforts in which it has seen the most success.
"You don't just give up just because you haven't reached every single person," Psaki told reporters at a White House briefing. "We're going to continue to apply where we, what we've seen have been the best practices over the past several months."
White House Covid-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients told reporters last week that the US has more work to do to get younger Americans -- particularly 18- to 26-year-olds -- vaccinated. Zients told CNN on Sunday that the federal government would continue to make it easier for for the public to be vaccinated and the nation to increase the vaccination rate.
Despite falling just short of his holiday goals, the President spent the weekend touting the progress the nation has made in its fight against the pandemic. He and first lady Jill Biden hosted their biggest party yet at the White House and welcomed 1,000 essential workers and military personnel on the South Lawn to mark Independence Day.
But the celebration came at a time when federal officials are warning about the Delta variant and doubling down on getting the rest of the US population vaccinated and protected.
In a sign of the heightened concern about the Delta variant, the White House recently announced it would be deploying response teams made up of officials from the CDC, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency across the US to areas with a high spread of the virus because of the Delta variant and low vaccination rates. The teams will conduct surge testing, provide therapeutics like monoclonal antibodies and deploy federal personnel to areas that need support staff for vaccinations.
In another sign the pandemic is far from over, officials said the administration plans to extend...]]>250falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/tim-southee-blackcaps-to-take-world-test-championship-mace-on-nationwide-tour--1008150The Blackcaps have this morning announced the week long trophy tour which will begin on July 26.
They weren't initially going to have one, but persistence from fans has changed their tune so the mace and various Blackcaps will go around Auckland, Tauranga, Hamilton, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill.
But it will start on July 26 in Whāngarei, in Tim Southee's home town and the Blackcaps' seamer joined Mike Hosking.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/0rsd3ny0/mh070721-19-timsouthee-twcmace.mp3Tue, 06 Jul 2021 08:59:45 +0000RoccoMichael Mason, AKA the World Test Championship mace trophy, is going on a nationwide tour. The Blackcaps have this morning announced the week long trophy tour which will begin on July 26. They weren't initially going to have one, but persistence from...The Blackcaps have this morning announced the week long trophy tour which will begin on July 26.
They weren't initially going to have one, but persistence from fans has changed their tune so the mace and various Blackcaps will go around Auckland, Tauranga, Hamilton, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill.
But it will start on July 26 in Whāngarei, in Tim Southee's home town and the Blackcaps' seamer joined Mike Hosking.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>177falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/lance-jennings-virologist-says-rsv-re-emergence-could-be-down-to-trans-tasman-bubble--1008090Five hundred people around the country - many of them children - have RSV and hospitals are postponing operations to free up beds.
Otago University virologist, Lance Jennings, told Mike Hosking RSV generally causes outbreaks during winter in New Zealand every year and overseas.
He says what's unusual about this year is the virus didn't circulate at all last year.
“Probably a result of a lockdown last year and travellers coming from overseas having to be in isolation for fourteen days before interacting with people in our community.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/5k3daeb2/mh070721-16-lancejennings-rsv.mp3Tue, 06 Jul 2021 08:46:49 +0000RoccoThe trans-Tasman bubble is thought to be responsible for the re-emergence of the nasty flu-like virus, RSV. Five hundred people around the country - many of them children - have RSV and hospitals are postponing operations to free up beds. Otago...Five hundred people around the country - many of them children - have RSV and hospitals are postponing operations to free up beds.
Otago University virologist, Lance Jennings, told Mike Hosking RSV generally causes outbreaks during winter in New Zealand every year and overseas.
He says what's unusual about this year is the virus didn't circulate at all last year.
“Probably a result of a lockdown last year and travellers coming from overseas having to be in isolation for fourteen days before interacting with people in our community.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>145falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/andrew-little-health-minister-admits-that-nurses-have-been-underpaid-and-discriminated--1008097Thirty thousand Nurses Organisation members will walk off the job three more times this year, in July, August and September.
They want safe staffing and pay-rises of 10 to 20 percent.
Andrew Little told Mike Hosking he's not sure exactly what the pay equity claim and pay-rises will cost the Government.
“But it is hundreds of millions of dollars extra, but this is a part workforce that has been underpaid because of discrimination for so long.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/hepbq5i3/mh070721-10-andrewlittle-nursesstrike.mp3Tue, 06 Jul 2021 08:23:14 +0000RoccoAn admission has come from the Health Minister that nurses have been underpaid for a long time. Thirty thousand Nurses Organisation members will walk off the job three more times this year, in July, August and September. They want safe staffing and...Thirty thousand Nurses Organisation members will walk off the job three more times this year, in July, August and September.
They want safe staffing and pay-rises of 10 to 20 percent.
Andrew Little told Mike Hosking he's not sure exactly what the pay equity claim and pay-rises will cost the Government.
“But it is hundreds of millions of dollars extra, but this is a part workforce that has been underpaid because of discrimination for so long.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>204falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/jack-kellam-shorter-working-week-trials-an-overwhelming-success-in-iceland--1008013Public sector employees taking part in two large trials between 2015 and 2019 worked 35-36 hours per week, with no reduction in pay. Many participants had previously worked 40 hours a week.
The trials run by Reykjavík City Council and the national government saw worker wellbeing "dramatically" increase across a range of indicators, from perceived stress and burnout, to health and work-life balance, according to researchers from think tank Autonomy and research organization the Association for Sustainable Democracy (Alda).
The trials involved 2,500 people — more than 1% of Iceland's working population — and were aimed at maintaining or increasing productivity while improving work-life balance. Researchers found that productivity and services stayed the same or improved across the majority of workplaces.
Autonomy and Alba, which advocate for a shorter working week, analyzed the data from the trials.
Following the trials, Icelandic trade unions negotiated reductions in working hours for tens of thousands of their members across the country.
Some 86% of Iceland's entire working population is now working shorter hours, or have gained the right to shorten their working hours, according to Autonomy and Alda.
Will Stronge, director of research at Autonomy, said the public sector trial "was by all measures an overwhelming success."
"It shows that the public sector is ripe for being a pioneer of shorter working weeks — and lessons can be learned for other governments," he said.
Daiga Kamerade, associate professor of work and wellbeing at the UK's University of Salford, told CNN Business that while the trial was encouraging, studying public sector organizations that may have better working conditions than the private sector could have affected the results.
"Reducing the working week from 40 to 35-36 hours is a first step towards a shorter working week, we need similar large-scale trials that push this reduction further — for example, looking at a true four days working week of 32 hours or less," she said.
CNN Business has reached out to the Icelandic government and Reykjavík City Council for further comment.
Kamerade said that in her own research, her team explored the motivations of working reduced hours, and found that working less is perceived as having more control and freedom in one's life, which can then increase wellbeing.
A growing number of small companies have already adopted a shorter working week — and now, bigger corporations are investigating the potential benefits of the change.
Unilever New Zealand announced in December that it would trial a four-day workweek at full pay, following a change in working habits caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Microsoft trialed a four-day workweek in Japan in 2019, and said productivity, measured by sales per employee, went up by almost 40% compared to the same period the previous year.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/wpffjiw0/mh070721-05-jackkellam-fourdayweek.mp3Tue, 06 Jul 2021 08:17:17 +0000RoccoTrials of a shorter working week in Iceland have been hailed as an "overwhelming success" by researchers. Public sector employees taking part in two large trials between 2015 and 2019 worked 35-36 hours per week, with no reduction in pay. Many...Public sector employees taking part in two large trials between 2015 and 2019 worked 35-36 hours per week, with no reduction in pay. Many participants had previously worked 40 hours a week.
The trials run by Reykjavík City Council and the national government saw worker wellbeing "dramatically" increase across a range of indicators, from perceived stress and burnout, to health and work-life balance, according to researchers from think tank Autonomy and research organization the Association for Sustainable Democracy (Alda).
The trials involved 2,500 people — more than 1% of Iceland's working population — and were aimed at maintaining or increasing productivity while improving work-life balance. Researchers found that productivity and services stayed the same or improved across the majority of workplaces.
Autonomy and Alba, which advocate for a shorter working week, analyzed the data from the trials.
Following the trials, Icelandic trade unions negotiated reductions in working hours for tens of thousands of their members across the country.
Some 86% of Iceland's entire working population is now working shorter hours, or have gained the right to shorten their working hours, according to Autonomy and Alda.
Will Stronge, director of research at Autonomy, said the public sector trial "was by all measures an overwhelming success."
"It shows that the public sector is ripe for being a pioneer of shorter working weeks — and lessons can be learned for other governments," he said.
Daiga Kamerade, associate professor of work and wellbeing at the UK's University of Salford, told CNN Business that while the trial was encouraging, studying public sector organizations that may have better working conditions than the private sector could have affected the results.
"Reducing the working week from 40 to 35-36 hours is a first step towards a shorter working week, we need similar large-scale trials that push this reduction further — for example, looking at a true four days working week of 32 hours or less," she said.
CNN Business has reached out to the Icelandic government and Reykjavík City Council for further comment.
Kamerade said that in her own research, her team explored the motivations of working reduced hours, and found that working less is perceived as having more control and freedom in one's life, which can then increase wellbeing.
A growing number of small companies have already adopted a shorter working week — and now, bigger corporations are investigating the potential benefits of the change.
Unilever New Zealand announced in December that it would trial a four-day workweek at full pay, following a change in working habits caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Microsoft trialed a four-day workweek in Japan in 2019, and said productivity, measured by sales per employee, went up by almost 40% compared to the same period the previous year.]]>215falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/nick-smith-mpi-study-shows-vegetarianism-isn-t-the-answer-to-preventing-climate-change--1007961The research was led by MPI and concludes that if you adopted a meat-free diet at 25, you'd reduce your lifetime global warming contribution by just 2 to 4 percent.
It would lessen your impact more significantly to begin with, because of the reduction in methane.
But the study argues that methane degrades after about 10 years unlike carbon dioxide which accumulates in the atmosphere long-term, so the impact isn't as big over a lifetime.
Nick Smith is a researcher at Massey University's Riddet Institute and he told Mike Hosking dietary changes should always be made with the nutritional effects in mind.
“If you’re thinking about shifting your diet… it’s important to know what the nutritional changes are going to be and to have the context of what level of impact you’re actually going to be having.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/g3vf5pmc/mh070721-13-nicksmith-vegetarianimandclimatechange.mp3Tue, 06 Jul 2021 08:11:16 +0000RoccoA group of scientists have found going vegetarian isn't the answer to preventing climate change. The research was led by MPI and concludes that if you adopted a meat-free diet at 25, you'd reduce your lifetime global warming contribution by just 2 to...The research was led by MPI and concludes that if you adopted a meat-free diet at 25, you'd reduce your lifetime global warming contribution by just 2 to 4 percent.
It would lessen your impact more significantly to begin with, because of the reduction in methane.
But the study argues that methane degrades after about 10 years unlike carbon dioxide which accumulates in the atmosphere long-term, so the impact isn't as big over a lifetime.
Nick Smith is a researcher at Massey University's Riddet Institute and he told Mike Hosking dietary changes should always be made with the nutritional effects in mind.
“If you’re thinking about shifting your diet… it’s important to know what the nutritional changes are going to be and to have the context of what level of impact you’re actually going to be having.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>145falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-as-america-abandons-afghanistan-have-they-learnt-anything--1008104The international troops are set to go, if not gone
Bagram airbase got quietly handed back over the weekend, and as that happened, yes, you guessed it, and the Taliban have entered two provincial capitals in the north.
The trouble with that is those left behind, i.e. the Afghan troops, no longer have the combat support to do much about it.
So the question is: how long before the Taliban take over?
It’s a weird old thing American foreign policy. They never seem to learn and they never seem to understand.
Bush went in of course all guns blazing, but got distracted by Iraq and got stretched a bit thin.
If you want to go back further, it was of course the Americans that handed the Taliban the weaponry in the first place to deal to the Russians.
But the important point is that it was always going to end up this way, because the Taliban, like so many localised groups in various global trouble spots, take a completely different view to conflict and invasion than Americans or western countries do.
Americans like to invade on Sunday and have it wrapped up by Wednesday, but the Taliban are in it for the long haul.
Americans, one way or another, one presidency or another, were always going to run out of puff.
Obama saw too many body bags; Trump wasn’t into other people’s problems.
And so it was over. Biden didn’t want to answer questions on it; he only wanted to talk about, quote unquote, happy things.
We got dragged in as well, such are the perils and pitfalls of alliances, so it’s a fair question to ask as to whether our presence there did anything at all or we just wasted a lot of time and money on a fruitless cause.
The counter argument will be democracy has arrived, but that’s a version of democracy is not sure any of us really wants or would recognise, and despite the fact the locals are supposed to have been trained up to support themselves, no one ever really believed that. Didn’t believe it in Iraq, don’t believe it here.
So a couple of northern capitals this week, and the Taliban once again are on the move. 20 years for what? Who saw that coming apart from everyone except, yet again, the Americans?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/haroqoj4/mh060721-01-afghanistancomment.mp3Mon, 05 Jul 2021 20:45:36 +0000RoccoYou’ll never guess what’s happening in Afghanistan. The international troops are set to go, if not gone Bagram airbase got quietly handed back over the weekend, and as that happened, yes, you guessed it, and the Taliban have entered two provincial...The international troops are set to go, if not gone
Bagram airbase got quietly handed back over the weekend, and as that happened, yes, you guessed it, and the Taliban have entered two provincial capitals in the north.
The trouble with that is those left behind, i.e. the Afghan troops, no longer have the combat support to do much about it.
So the question is: how long before the Taliban take over?
It’s a weird old thing American foreign policy. They never seem to learn and they never seem to understand.
Bush went in of course all guns blazing, but got distracted by Iraq and got stretched a bit thin.
If you want to go back further, it was of course the Americans that handed the Taliban the weaponry in the first place to deal to the Russians.
But the important point is that it was always going to end up this way, because the Taliban, like so many localised groups in various global trouble spots, take a completely different view to conflict and invasion than Americans or western countries do.
Americans like to invade on Sunday and have it wrapped up by Wednesday, but the Taliban are in it for the long haul.
Americans, one way or another, one presidency or another, were always going to run out of puff.
Obama saw too many body bags; Trump wasn’t into other people’s problems.
And so it was over. Biden didn’t want to answer questions on it; he only wanted to talk about, quote unquote, happy things.
We got dragged in as well, such are the perils and pitfalls of alliances, so it’s a fair question to ask as to whether our presence there did anything at all or we just wasted a lot of time and money on a fruitless cause.
The counter argument will be democracy has arrived, but that’s a version of democracy is not sure any of us really wants or would recognise, and despite the fact the locals are supposed to have been trained up to support themselves, no one ever really believed that. Didn’t believe it in Iraq, don’t believe it here.
So a couple of northern capitals this week, and the Taliban once again are on the move. 20 years for what? Who saw that coming apart from everyone except, yet again, the Americans?]]>107falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/chand-sahrawat-auckland-restaurants-cassia-sidart-french-cafe-forced-to-close-for-two-weeks--1008125Restaurateurs Sid and Chand Sahrawat, who own Cassia, Sidart and the French Cafe, said the closures would cost them about $300,000 in takings, but they didn't have a choice.
"We just don't have the people, and our staff have been working one-and-a-half times just to keep the business going and they are physically and mentally drained," Chand Sahrawat said.

The Restaurant Association says restaurants across NZ are facing staff shortages that are beyond critical. (Photo / Dean Purcell)
She said the businesses required about 65 staff to run, but was now down to about 50 because of the border closures and immigration rules that made it difficult for people to renew their work visas.
"Business has definitely improved, but we are now faced with the new predicament of not having people to meet the demand," she said.
Sahrawat said it has been impossible to find replacements, and chefs at her restaurants were doing the jobs of two chefs and also washing dishes.
Some of the staff the business had lost were those on working holiday visas, who had returned to Europe after they couldn't get confirmation from Immigration NZ about extensions.
She said locals were not responding to job advertisements, or did not show up for interviews and even agencies had no candidates to offer.
"No one is available to fill the roles, even on a short-term basis."

Chand, left, and Sid Sahrawat at the French Cafe will switch off their lights for two minutes at 7pm to draw attention to staffing difficulties. (Photo / Jason Oxenham)
Sahrawat wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern about her plight in May, but did not get a response.
In the letter she said the Government was "cutting off our lifeblood".
The couple and their businesses will today be joining about 2000 restaurants across the country in switching off their lights for two minutes in protest to bring attention to the industry's staffing crisis.
The action is part of a two-month "Reset campaign" led by the Restaurant Association that started with a petition last month calling for further Government consultation on its immigration policy.
"The situation is beyond critical and is seriously impacting our businesses from keeping their doors open," said association chief executive Marisa Bidois.
"With 20,000 workers needed over the next five years in the sector, this is a real issue for our industry and we want to work with Government to find workable solutions that keep businesses operational."

Restaurant Association chief executive Marisa Bidois says staffing shortages faced by the industry is beyond critical. (Photo / Supplied)
Pre-Covid, New Zealand's hospitality industry was made up of between 25-30 per cent of migrant workers.
Now, this sits around 15 per cent and the industry is facing nationwide shortages of chefs, bartenders, waiters, kitchen hands and maitres de maison - and large chains are not immune from the shortages.
Bidois said the lights out action - at 11.30am or 7pm depending on opening hours - was designed to give the dining public an idea of what our cities will look like with hospitality establishments closed for business.
Sahrawat said she was taking part in lights out because half of her staff were on some type of visa who "deserved some reassurance" about their future in NZ.
"We want the Government to open up constructive dialogue with us about the future of the industry and how it can best work for Kiwis and migrants," she said.

Restaurant Association president Mike Egan wants the Government to open up a constructive dialogue with the industry. (Photo / Mark Mitchell)
The campaign called on the Government to provide urgent additional visa extension for work visa holders currently in NZ, and allow border exceptions for critical workers in the hospitality industry where there is a proven need.
It...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/z52liunz/mh060721-13-chandsahrawat-hospitalitystaffshortage.mp3Mon, 05 Jul 2021 19:52:52 +0000RoccoThe owners of three top Auckland restaurants will be closing their businesses for two weeks because they don't have staff to keep going through the school holidays. Restaurateurs Sid and Chand Sahrawat, who own Cassia, Sidart and the French Cafe, said...Restaurateurs Sid and Chand Sahrawat, who own Cassia, Sidart and the French Cafe, said the closures would cost them about $300,000 in takings, but they didn't have a choice.
"We just don't have the people, and our staff have been working one-and-a-half times just to keep the business going and they are physically and mentally drained," Chand Sahrawat said.

The Restaurant Association says restaurants across NZ are facing staff shortages that are beyond critical. (Photo / Dean Purcell)
She said the businesses required about 65 staff to run, but was now down to about 50 because of the border closures and immigration rules that made it difficult for people to renew their work visas.
"Business has definitely improved, but we are now faced with the new predicament of not having people to meet the demand," she said.
Sahrawat said it has been impossible to find replacements, and chefs at her restaurants were doing the jobs of two chefs and also washing dishes.
Some of the staff the business had lost were those on working holiday visas, who had returned to Europe after they couldn't get confirmation from Immigration NZ about extensions.
She said locals were not responding to job advertisements, or did not show up for interviews and even agencies had no candidates to offer.
"No one is available to fill the roles, even on a short-term basis."

Chand, left, and Sid Sahrawat at the French Cafe will switch off their lights for two minutes at 7pm to draw attention to staffing difficulties. (Photo / Jason Oxenham)
Sahrawat wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern about her plight in May, but did not get a response.
In the letter she said the Government was "cutting off our lifeblood".
The couple and their businesses will today be joining about 2000 restaurants across the country in switching off their lights for two minutes in protest to bring attention to the industry's staffing crisis.
The action is part of a two-month "Reset campaign" led by the Restaurant Association that started with a petition last month calling for further Government consultation on its immigration policy.
"The situation is beyond critical and is seriously impacting our businesses from keeping their doors open," said association chief executive Marisa Bidois.
"With 20,000 workers needed over the next five years in the sector, this is a real issue for our industry and we want to work with Government to find workable solutions that keep businesses operational."

Restaurant Association chief executive Marisa Bidois says staffing shortages faced by the industry is beyond critical. (Photo / Supplied)
Pre-Covid, New Zealand's hospitality industry was made up of between 25-30 per cent of migrant workers.
Now, this sits around 15 per cent and the industry is facing nationwide shortages of chefs, bartenders, waiters, kitchen hands and maitres de maison - and large chains are not immune from the shortages.
Bidois said the lights out action - at 11.30am or 7pm depending on opening hours - was designed to give the dining public an idea of what our cities will look like with hospitality establishments closed for business.
Sahrawat said she was taking part in lights out because half of her staff were on some type of visa who "deserved some reassurance" about their future in NZ.
"We want the Government to open up constructive dialogue with us about the future of the industry and how it can best work for Kiwis and migrants," she said.

Restaurant Association president Mike Egan wants the Government to open up a constructive dialogue with the industry. (Photo / Mark Mitchell)
The campaign called on the Government to provide urgent additional visa extension for work...]]>174falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/treasury-warns-govt-of-unsustainable-debt-by-2061-if-ageing-population-not-brought-under-control--1008022That's according to Treasury's most recent analysis of the Government's long-term finances, a draft of which has been put out for consultation. The document looks at the state of the Government's finances over the long term and questions whether they are sustainable.
The cost increases will be driven by the cost of healthcare and superannuation, which will both increase under the weight of an ageing population.
The cost of healthcare will rise from 6.9 per cent of GDP this year to 10.5 per cent in 2061 and the cost of superannuation will rise from 5 per cent of GDP now to 7.6 per cent of GDP in 2061.The size of government spending will swell to 43.4 per cent of the economy, up from 33.1 per cent currently. Tax revenue won't keep up, meaning that by 2061 the Government will spend vastly more money than it raises, leading to a deficit of 11.7 per cent of GDP.
Even the cost of servicing that debt will increase. Currently, the Government spends just 0.6 per cent of GDP on debt servicing each year. This will increase to 7.6 per cent by 2061.
That will end up as Government debt worth 177.3 per cent of the economy, up from 34 per cent today - about $2,517 billion. Treasury thinks the economy as a whole will be worth $1481b in 2061.
Debt would be five times larger as a share of the economy than it is today. Our debt levels would be roughly comparable to those of Greece, whose debt-to-GDP ratio was 177 per cent during the debt crisis of 2015.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the Government was mindful of the long-term state of the Government's books.
"You will have seen in the last budget, we were very careful to make the decisions that in our view would help support the recovery, whilst being very mindful about our long term debt and our debt trajectory," Ardern said.
This isn't the first time Treasury has published gloomy forecasts. In 2016, the last time it published its long-term fiscal report, it had net debt hitting 174.1 per cent of GDP.
However, this time around Treasury offered the Government alternative policy options to stop Crown finances from spiralling out of control.
One option looked at keeping superannuation expenses roughly where they are today. This could be done by increasing the superannuation age of eligibility and indexing payment in line with inflation rather than wages.
Both "options would generate substantial long-term savings and could have economic benefits," Treasury said.
Another option would be to increase tax revenue by not adjusting tax brackets as incomes increased or by adding new taxes like a capital gains tax. This would let the Government's revenue catch up with spending.
text by Thomas Coughlan, NZ Herald]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/aniftcdb/mh060721-05-michaelreddell-debt.mp3Mon, 05 Jul 2021 19:12:52 +0000RoccoThe Government faces an interminable cycle of debt and deficits, which would see New Zealand's debt levels rise to more than two trillion dollars in 40 years if it doesn't get the costs of an ageing population under control. That's according to...That's according to Treasury's most recent analysis of the Government's long-term finances, a draft of which has been put out for consultation. The document looks at the state of the Government's finances over the long term and questions whether they are sustainable.
The cost increases will be driven by the cost of healthcare and superannuation, which will both increase under the weight of an ageing population.
The cost of healthcare will rise from 6.9 per cent of GDP this year to 10.5 per cent in 2061 and the cost of superannuation will rise from 5 per cent of GDP now to 7.6 per cent of GDP in 2061.The size of government spending will swell to 43.4 per cent of the economy, up from 33.1 per cent currently. Tax revenue won't keep up, meaning that by 2061 the Government will spend vastly more money than it raises, leading to a deficit of 11.7 per cent of GDP.
Even the cost of servicing that debt will increase. Currently, the Government spends just 0.6 per cent of GDP on debt servicing each year. This will increase to 7.6 per cent by 2061.
That will end up as Government debt worth 177.3 per cent of the economy, up from 34 per cent today - about $2,517 billion. Treasury thinks the economy as a whole will be worth $1481b in 2061.
Debt would be five times larger as a share of the economy than it is today. Our debt levels would be roughly comparable to those of Greece, whose debt-to-GDP ratio was 177 per cent during the debt crisis of 2015.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the Government was mindful of the long-term state of the Government's books.
"You will have seen in the last budget, we were very careful to make the decisions that in our view would help support the recovery, whilst being very mindful about our long term debt and our debt trajectory," Ardern said.
This isn't the first time Treasury has published gloomy forecasts. In 2016, the last time it published its long-term fiscal report, it had net debt hitting 174.1 per cent of GDP.
However, this time around Treasury offered the Government alternative policy options to stop Crown finances from spiralling out of control.
One option looked at keeping superannuation expenses roughly where they are today. This could be done by increasing the superannuation age of eligibility and indexing payment in line with inflation rather than wages.
Both "options would generate substantial long-term savings and could have economic benefits," Treasury said.
Another option would be to increase tax revenue by not adjusting tax brackets as incomes increased or by adding new taxes like a capital gains tax. This would let the Government's revenue catch up with spending.
text by Thomas Coughlan, NZ Herald]]>291falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/catherine-fields-bubbly-supply-halted-after-moscow-says-champagne-is-russian--1008071The law has sparked controversy and the renowned winemaker Moet-Hennessy said Monday it was suspending champagne shipments to Russia. The law that was adopted on Friday allows the term to used only for "Russian champagne."
Since Soviet times, champagne — "shampanskoye" in Russian — has been used as a generic term for a wide range of sparling wines, some of which contradict champagne's luxury image by selling for as little as 150 rubles ($2) a bottle.
 "These provisions lead to a temporary suspension of deliveries of products to assess the impact of this new law," Moet-Hennessy spokeswoman Anne Catherine Grimal said, according to state news agency RIA-Novosti.
 Even the head of one of Russia's major winemakers thinks the law goes too far.
"For me, there is no doubt that real champagne comes from the Champagne region in France," Pavel Titov, president of Abrau-Dyurso, told RIA-Novosti. "It is very important to protect Russian wines in our market and provide them with comprehensive patronage. But the legislative measures taken must be reasonable and not contradict common sense."]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/qoyoda2u/mh060721-07-field-sales-lepenne-champagne.mp3Mon, 05 Jul 2021 11:08:44 +0000RoccoFor most aficionados, a sparkling wine can be called champagne only if it comes from the region of France with that name and is made under certain regulations. A new Russian law makes the counter-claim that the word can be used only for Russian wine....The law has sparked controversy and the renowned winemaker Moet-Hennessy said Monday it was suspending champagne shipments to Russia. The law that was adopted on Friday allows the term to used only for "Russian champagne."
Since Soviet times, champagne — "shampanskoye" in Russian — has been used as a generic term for a wide range of sparling wines, some of which contradict champagne's luxury image by selling for as little as 150 rubles ($2) a bottle.
 "These provisions lead to a temporary suspension of deliveries of products to assess the impact of this new law," Moet-Hennessy spokeswoman Anne Catherine Grimal said, according to state news agency RIA-Novosti.
 Even the head of one of Russia's major winemakers thinks the law goes too far.
"For me, there is no doubt that real champagne comes from the Champagne region in France," Pavel Titov, president of Abrau-Dyurso, told RIA-Novosti. "It is very important to protect Russian wines in our market and provide them with comprehensive patronage. But the legislative measures taken must be reasonable and not contradict common sense."]]>271falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/rod-liddle-johnson-says-restrictions-to-ease-uk-must-live-with-virus--1008132Johnson said legal controls will be replaced by "personal responsibility" when the country moves to the final stage of its lockdown-lifting roadmap. That's scheduled to happen on July 19, though Johnson said a final decision would come on July 12.
The change will mean people can throw away masks after months of enforced face-covering, though they will still be recommended in some enclosed spaces such as public transport.
The removal of social distancing rules will allow nightclubs to reopen for the first time in 16 months, and people to once again order drinks at the bar in a pub. No longer will customers have to scan a phone app to provide their contact details when entering a venue.
The government will also stop instructing people to work from home if they can, leaving employers free to bring staff back to offices.
Britain has recorded more than 128,000 coronavirus deaths, the second-highest toll in Europe after Russia, and infections are rising due to the highly transmissible delta variant, which was first found in India. Confirmed cases have shot up from about 2,000 a day earlier this year to 25,000 a day in the past week. But the number of deaths is broadly stable, at fewer than 20 a day.
Public health officials say Britain's vaccination program has weakened the link between infections and deaths, though not severed it. So far, 86% of U.K. adults have received at least one vaccine dose and 64% are fully vaccinated. The government aims to give everyone over 18 both shots by mid-September.
Johnson said Britain would have to "learn to live with this virus" — a major shift in tone from a leader who has previously painted COVID-19 as an enemy to be vanquished.
"I want to stress from the outset that this pandemic is far from over," he said Monday, predicting that cases could hit 50,000 a day by July 19. "We must reconcile ourselves, sadly, to more deaths from COVID."
But, he said, "if we can't reopen our society in the next few weeks, when we will be helped by the arrival of summer and by the school holidays, then we must ask ourselves 'when will we be able to return to normal?'"
That message was welcomed by lockdown-skeptic lawmakers in Johnson's governing Conservative Party, who say the economic and social damage of such long-lasting virus restrictions outweighs the public health benefits, and Britain's populist press, which have dubbed July 19 "freedom day."
Performing arts and hospitality businesses also welcomed the announcement. Mark Davyd, chief executive of the Music Venue Trust, tweeted: "I feel oddly numb, like I almost can't believe it. Lots of work to do, but we might actually have made it through."
But public health officials and scientists urged caution, saying ditching masks and social distancing altogether could be dangerous. Psychologist Stephen Reicher, a member of the government's scientific advisory committee, said "proportionate mitigations" against the spread of the virus, such as masks in crowded places, should stay in place.
Johnson said he would "obviously wear a mask in crowded places … simply as a matter of personal courtesy."
The British government, which enforced one of the longest lockdowns in the world, has lifted restrictions for England in a series of steps that began with reopening schools in March. The fourth and final stage was delayed last month to provide time for more people to be vaccinated amid the rapid spread of the delta variant.
The changes announced by Johnson apply in England. Other parts of the U.K. — Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — are following their own, broadly similar, roadmaps out of lockdown.
Keir Starmer, leader of the opposition Labour Party, said the government was being "reckless."
"A balanced approach, a proper plan, would...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/b1fksayy/mh060721-22-liddle-freedomday-euro.mp3Mon, 05 Jul 2021 10:55:57 +0000RoccoBritain plans to scrap laws requiring face masks and social distancing later this month, Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed Monday, even as he acknowledged that lifting the restrictions will drive surging coronavirus cases higher. Johnson said...Johnson said legal controls will be replaced by "personal responsibility" when the country moves to the final stage of its lockdown-lifting roadmap. That's scheduled to happen on July 19, though Johnson said a final decision would come on July 12.
The change will mean people can throw away masks after months of enforced face-covering, though they will still be recommended in some enclosed spaces such as public transport.
The removal of social distancing rules will allow nightclubs to reopen for the first time in 16 months, and people to once again order drinks at the bar in a pub. No longer will customers have to scan a phone app to provide their contact details when entering a venue.
The government will also stop instructing people to work from home if they can, leaving employers free to bring staff back to offices.
Britain has recorded more than 128,000 coronavirus deaths, the second-highest toll in Europe after Russia, and infections are rising due to the highly transmissible delta variant, which was first found in India. Confirmed cases have shot up from about 2,000 a day earlier this year to 25,000 a day in the past week. But the number of deaths is broadly stable, at fewer than 20 a day.
Public health officials say Britain's vaccination program has weakened the link between infections and deaths, though not severed it. So far, 86% of U.K. adults have received at least one vaccine dose and 64% are fully vaccinated. The government aims to give everyone over 18 both shots by mid-September.
Johnson said Britain would have to "learn to live with this virus" — a major shift in tone from a leader who has previously painted COVID-19 as an enemy to be vanquished.
"I want to stress from the outset that this pandemic is far from over," he said Monday, predicting that cases could hit 50,000 a day by July 19. "We must reconcile ourselves, sadly, to more deaths from COVID."
But, he said, "if we can't reopen our society in the next few weeks, when we will be helped by the arrival of summer and by the school holidays, then we must ask ourselves 'when will we be able to return to normal?'"
That message was welcomed by lockdown-skeptic lawmakers in Johnson's governing Conservative Party, who say the economic and social damage of such long-lasting virus restrictions outweighs the public health benefits, and Britain's populist press, which have dubbed July 19 "freedom day."
Performing arts and hospitality businesses also welcomed the announcement. Mark Davyd, chief executive of the Music Venue Trust, tweeted: "I feel oddly numb, like I almost can't believe it. Lots of work to do, but we might actually have made it through."
But public health officials and scientists urged caution, saying ditching masks and social distancing altogether could be dangerous. Psychologist Stephen Reicher, a member of the government's scientific advisory committee, said "proportionate mitigations" against the spread of the virus, such as masks in crowded places, should stay in place.
Johnson said he would "obviously wear a mask in crowded places … simply as a matter of personal courtesy."
The British government, which enforced one of the longest lockdowns in the world, has lifted restrictions for England in a series of steps that began with reopening schools in March. The fourth and final stage was delayed last month to provide time for more people to be vaccinated amid the rapid spread of the delta variant.
The changes announced by Johnson apply in England. Other parts of the U.K. — Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — are following their own, broadly similar, roadmaps out of lockdown.
Keir Starmer, leader of the opposition Labour Party, said the...]]>345falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/paige-tapara-breakout-kiwi-artist-on-new-single-debut-headline-tour--1008141Paige Tapara released her first EP, ‘Always Growing’, last year and it got plenty of attention.
In fact, she was nominated for the breakthrough artist of the year at the Aotearoa Music Awards.
Now, she's has a new single out and a debut headline tour.
PAIGE IS GOING ON TOUR THIS MONTH - AND IS HEADING TO:
JULY 15 – AUCKLAND, TUNING FORK
JULY 16 – TAURANGA, TOTARA STREET
JULY 23 – CHRISTCHURCH, BLUE SMOKE
AUGUST 6 – WELLINGTON, MEOW
TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE FROM PAIGES.SPACE
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/551kqily/mh060721-21-paige-newep.mp3Mon, 05 Jul 2021 10:09:26 +0000RoccoTime to meet another Kiwi artist who is starting to make waves. Paige Tapara released her first EP, ‘Always Growing’, last year and it got plenty of attention. In fact, she was nominated for the breakthrough artist of the year at the Aotearoa Music...Paige Tapara released her first EP, ‘Always Growing’, last year and it got plenty of attention.
In fact, she was nominated for the breakthrough artist of the year at the Aotearoa Music Awards.
Now, she's has a new single out and a debut headline tour.
PAIGE IS GOING ON TOUR THIS MONTH - AND IS HEADING TO:
JULY 15 – AUCKLAND, TUNING FORK
JULY 16 – TAURANGA, TOTARA STREET
JULY 23 – CHRISTCHURCH, BLUE SMOKE
AUGUST 6 – WELLINGTON, MEOW
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 ]]>640falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/peter-thompson-june-figures-buck-the-winter-house-price-trend--1008073Sale prices by Barfoot and Thompson for June were up 2.6% on May, an average of one point one four million, while the median price was also up 3.4%.
Actual house sales were up 3.8% on May and their total listings were the lowest at a month's end for five years, they are flying out the door.
Bear in mind there is usually a dip as we come in winter but not this year, bucking the trend.
Barfoot and Thompson managing director Peter Thompson told Mike Hosking there are a couple of factors that are contributing to the increases.
“There are a lot more people looking to buy at the moment because they have cash in their hand, or low interest rates.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/2t0ddiqb/mh060721-17-peterthompson-houseprices.mp3Mon, 05 Jul 2021 09:21:09 +0000RoccoNot only has the Govt’s crackdown not evened out the housing prices, we are actually seeing new figures for June that bucks the winter trend. Sale prices by Barfoot and Thompson for June were up 2.6% on May, an average of one point one four million,...Sale prices by Barfoot and Thompson for June were up 2.6% on May, an average of one point one four million, while the median price was also up 3.4%.
Actual house sales were up 3.8% on May and their total listings were the lowest at a month's end for five years, they are flying out the door.
Bear in mind there is usually a dip as we come in winter but not this year, bucking the trend.
Barfoot and Thompson managing director Peter Thompson told Mike Hosking there are a couple of factors that are contributing to the increases.
“There are a lot more people looking to buy at the moment because they have cash in their hand, or low interest rates.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>241falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/anton-zajac-bmw-powered-flying-car-completes-100km-flight-between-cities--1007965Slovakia’s Klein Vision has tested its flying car between two cities for the first time, making a 35 minute air journey from Nitra to Bratislava, about 100 kilometres that normally takes one hour by road.

The AirCar prototype then folded its wings for a drive home by road.
Powered by a BMW-sourced petrol engine mated to a simple propeller, the machine is capable of flying at 190km/h at an altitude of 8220 feet.
Professor Stefan Klein says his creation can halve travel time.
“This flight starts a new era of dual transportation vehicles,” he says.
“It opens a new category of transportation and returns the freedom originally attributed to cars back to the individual.”
Dozens of companies are working on flying car alternatives.
Some, such as the Klein Vision AirCar are capable of driving on the road.
But increasingly strict crash safety and pollution laws make it are pushing rivals toward small personal aircraft that can be operated without runways, and possibly flown without a pilot’s licence.

Australia’s Alauda Airspeeder has made headlines around the world with its vision for a flying alternative to Formula 1.
Its low-altitude Airspeeders that look like a cross between vintage grand prix machines and Star Wars pod racers.
A successful test of a smaller unmanned prototype in South Australia last month suggests the series could take off in the near future.
Automotive brands such as Hyundai and Aston Martin have expressed interest in flying cars and Mercedes has backed the Volocopter, a small aircraft that flies with the help of 18 electrically powered rotors.
Tech giants such as Uber have also investing in pilotless helicopter-like pods capable of shifting a small number of passengers from point to point.
- News.com.au]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/rugf3444/mh060721-20-antonzajac-flyingcar.mp3Mon, 05 Jul 2021 08:49:49 +0000RoccoThe successful test-flight of a flying car has put the spotlight on transport in the future. Slovakia’s Klein Vision has tested its flying car between two cities for the first time, making a 35 minute air journey from Nitra to Bratislava, about 100...Slovakia’s Klein Vision has tested its flying car between two cities for the first time, making a 35 minute air journey from Nitra to Bratislava, about 100 kilometres that normally takes one hour by road.

The AirCar prototype then folded its wings for a drive home by road.
Powered by a BMW-sourced petrol engine mated to a simple propeller, the machine is capable of flying at 190km/h at an altitude of 8220 feet.
Professor Stefan Klein says his creation can halve travel time.
“This flight starts a new era of dual transportation vehicles,” he says.
“It opens a new category of transportation and returns the freedom originally attributed to cars back to the individual.”
Dozens of companies are working on flying car alternatives.
Some, such as the Klein Vision AirCar are capable of driving on the road.
But increasingly strict crash safety and pollution laws make it are pushing rivals toward small personal aircraft that can be operated without runways, and possibly flown without a pilot’s licence.

Australia’s Alauda Airspeeder has made headlines around the world with its vision for a flying alternative to Formula 1.
Its low-altitude Airspeeders that look like a cross between vintage grand prix machines and Star Wars pod racers.
A successful test of a smaller unmanned prototype in South Australia last month suggests the series could take off in the near future.
Automotive brands such as Hyundai and Aston Martin have expressed interest in flying cars and Mercedes has backed the Volocopter, a small aircraft that flies with the help of 18 electrically powered rotors.
Tech giants such as Uber have also investing in pilotless helicopter-like pods capable of shifting a small number of passengers from point to point.
- News.com.au]]>202falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/matthew-tukaki-oranga-tamariki-advisor-rejects-latest-calls-for-outside-investigation--1008029Te Oranga was shut down soon after footage emerged of a teen being tackled, put in a headlock, and thrown to the ground.
Now a whistleblower says senior managers allowed the behaviour.
Ministerial Advisory Group chairman Matthew Tukaki told Mike Hosking he's getting frustrated by more and more demands for inquiries.
“We’re going through a process, and we’re working overtime to try get to the bottom of not only this, but the future of the childcare and protection system in this country.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/33zgals5/mh060721-11-matthewtutaki-orangatamariki.mp3Mon, 05 Jul 2021 08:12:21 +0000RoccoAn Oranga Tamariki advisor is rejecting calls for an outside investigation into excessive force being used at a facility in Christchurch. Te Oranga was shut down soon after footage emerged of a teen being tackled, put in a headlock, and thrown to the...Te Oranga was shut down soon after footage emerged of a teen being tackled, put in a headlock, and thrown to the ground.
Now a whistleblower says senior managers allowed the behaviour.
Ministerial Advisory Group chairman Matthew Tukaki told Mike Hosking he's getting frustrated by more and more demands for inquiries.
“We’re going through a process, and we’re working overtime to try get to the bottom of not only this, but the future of the childcare and protection system in this country.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>217falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/craig-pomare-up-to-107-000-motorists-to-be-stung-with-new-tax-under-clean-car-feebate-scheme--1008156The Clean Car Discount, or "feebate" scheme, charges fees on imported cars of up to $5175 which are then used to subsidise discounts of up to $8625 for people buying EVs, hybrids and other low-pollution cars.
New figures have revealed the Government's own modelling expects between 74,600 and 107,400 cars to be hit with "fees" under the feebate scheme in 2022.
Officials don't yet know how many cars will be hit with fees beyond next year, because the rates of fee and subsidy and the sort of vehicles they apply to haven't been set yet.
The figures were obtained by the Act Party from Transport Minister Michael Wood - and Act says they raise the prospect it will end up being a "tax grab" by the Government.
Wood downplayed the numbers, saying the policy would only apply to imported vehicles and not the larger second-hand market for vehicles.
Wood said as many as 105,000 cars will be eligible for a discount next year, and argued the policy will help decarbonise the transport sector, which makes up 47 per cent of New Zealand's total greenhouse gas emissions.
A further 77,100 vehicles would be unaffected by the policy because their emissions were low enough to avoid the fee.
"It's also important to note that NZ's second-hand market is much bigger, with around 575,000 sold in 2020 and we know that lower-income households tend to buy from the local second-hand market, which is unaffected by the policy," Wood said.
Act's transport spokesman Simon Court said the numbers showed the Government could end up pocketing more money from the scheme than it paid out in discounts.
He estimated that if the average fee attracted under the scheme was $3,000, and it hit 91,000 motorists, the Government would collect fees worth $273m.
Court said the Government would need to offer $6,000 rebates on 45,500 EVs for the scheme to even out, despite only 1600 EVs being sold in New Zealand last year.
"Under any plausible scenario, this policy will be a tax grab, taking hundreds of millions more than it pays out," Court said.

Transport Minister Michael Wood announces the new clean car discount scheme. (Photo / Dean Purcell)
The Government has committed to not pocketing any revenue raised from the scheme.
Officials will review the scheme regularly and if money raised from fees on cars exceeds money paid out in subsidies, the fees would be adjusted to ensure all revenue raised gets recycled into subsidies over the 10-year period the scheme is in operation.
Court said many of the vehicles hit with a fee under the scheme would be work vehicles, or cars needed by large families.
"Tradies and farmers need these vehicles, they can't move hay bales with a Nissan Leaf. We're taxing tradies to subsidise Teslas," Court said.
Court said the scheme's fees constitute a broken election promise from Labour, which promised not to implement taxes it hadn't included in its manifesto.
Labour "didn't campaign on this policy and now it has blindsided a group of New Zealanders who won't be able to avoid this tax," Court said.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/dvoki4ws/mh060721-10-craigpomare-evfeebate.mp3Mon, 05 Jul 2021 07:49:34 +0000RoccoAs many as 107,400 motorists will be hit with charges of up to $5175 next year under the Government's scheme to encourage drivers to switch to electric vehicles and hybrids. The Clean Car Discount, or "feebate" scheme, charges fees on imported cars of...The Clean Car Discount, or "feebate" scheme, charges fees on imported cars of up to $5175 which are then used to subsidise discounts of up to $8625 for people buying EVs, hybrids and other low-pollution cars.
New figures have revealed the Government's own modelling expects between 74,600 and 107,400 cars to be hit with "fees" under the feebate scheme in 2022.
Officials don't yet know how many cars will be hit with fees beyond next year, because the rates of fee and subsidy and the sort of vehicles they apply to haven't been set yet.
The figures were obtained by the Act Party from Transport Minister Michael Wood - and Act says they raise the prospect it will end up being a "tax grab" by the Government.
Wood downplayed the numbers, saying the policy would only apply to imported vehicles and not the larger second-hand market for vehicles.
Wood said as many as 105,000 cars will be eligible for a discount next year, and argued the policy will help decarbonise the transport sector, which makes up 47 per cent of New Zealand's total greenhouse gas emissions.
A further 77,100 vehicles would be unaffected by the policy because their emissions were low enough to avoid the fee.
"It's also important to note that NZ's second-hand market is much bigger, with around 575,000 sold in 2020 and we know that lower-income households tend to buy from the local second-hand market, which is unaffected by the policy," Wood said.
Act's transport spokesman Simon Court said the numbers showed the Government could end up pocketing more money from the scheme than it paid out in discounts.
He estimated that if the average fee attracted under the scheme was $3,000, and it hit 91,000 motorists, the Government would collect fees worth $273m.
Court said the Government would need to offer $6,000 rebates on 45,500 EVs for the scheme to even out, despite only 1600 EVs being sold in New Zealand last year.
"Under any plausible scenario, this policy will be a tax grab, taking hundreds of millions more than it pays out," Court said.

Transport Minister Michael Wood announces the new clean car discount scheme. (Photo / Dean Purcell)
The Government has committed to not pocketing any revenue raised from the scheme.
Officials will review the scheme regularly and if money raised from fees on cars exceeds money paid out in subsidies, the fees would be adjusted to ensure all revenue raised gets recycled into subsidies over the 10-year period the scheme is in operation.
Court said many of the vehicles hit with a fee under the scheme would be work vehicles, or cars needed by large families.
"Tradies and farmers need these vehicles, they can't move hay bales with a Nissan Leaf. We're taxing tradies to subsidise Teslas," Court said.
Court said the scheme's fees constitute a broken election promise from Labour, which promised not to implement taxes it hadn't included in its manifesto.
Labour "didn't campaign on this policy and now it has blindsided a group of New Zealanders who won't be able to avoid this tax," Court said.]]>192falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-the-warriors-latest-stuff-up-reflects-our-covid-response--1008143The fact Chad Townsend didn’t know the score, tried for a field goal, which let’s be honest has never been a Warriors strong point, is not something that can be easily forgiven.
Field and game awareness I would have thought is a given at that level.
Anyway, what of course stood out apart from the fact they took a win and blew it, was the fact we were reliving the dark old days of early Covid – no crowds.
And why was that? Because Australia, like us and indeed the Warriors, have taken an advantage and blown it.
Australia’s story is slightly different if they hadn’t panicked about AstraZeneca, they would be out the other side now given their CSL business in Melbourne would have produced millions of doses.
Morrison finally worked that out last week when he lined up young people and told them to ring their doctor and get on with it, and they did.
But like the Warriors, New Zealand and Australia opened well, locked the border, but instead of going on with it, got complacent and lazy, forgot the score, forgot the big picture, lost urgency and here we are in July treading water.
The sport I watch these days has crowds: F1, Wimbledon, the NBA playoffs, the Stanley Cup, the Tour de France, the golf, the euros. Sport globally is back in front of crowds.
The exceptions are the Olympics – why? Because Japan has failed, like us, to roll out vaccines.
What was once a massive advantage - i.e. we didn’t get over whelmed by cases - is now slipping away in front of our eyes  as every man and his dog has taken the obvious steps around vaccination and got on with it.
We want to get on with it, don’t we? But because of a combination of complacency ineptitude and ideology, we have blown it.
Never forget it was us who used to smugly run headlines about having the biggest crowds in the world. Well look at us now: empty stadia, lockdowns, level adjustments.
Is it July 2021 or July 2020? How far have we really come when a year on? We have gone next to nowhere, and the world is looking in their rear view mirror at us    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/etynisdo/mh050721-01-postcovdrecoverycomment.mp3Mon, 05 Jul 2021 05:49:46 +0000RoccoThe Warriors’ abysmal decision making wasn’t the only cock up on display Friday night. The fact Chad Townsend didn’t know the score, tried for a field goal, which let’s be honest has never been a Warriors strong point, is not something that can be...The fact Chad Townsend didn’t know the score, tried for a field goal, which let’s be honest has never been a Warriors strong point, is not something that can be easily forgiven.
Field and game awareness I would have thought is a given at that level.
Anyway, what of course stood out apart from the fact they took a win and blew it, was the fact we were reliving the dark old days of early Covid – no crowds.
And why was that? Because Australia, like us and indeed the Warriors, have taken an advantage and blown it.
Australia’s story is slightly different if they hadn’t panicked about AstraZeneca, they would be out the other side now given their CSL business in Melbourne would have produced millions of doses.
Morrison finally worked that out last week when he lined up young people and told them to ring their doctor and get on with it, and they did.
But like the Warriors, New Zealand and Australia opened well, locked the border, but instead of going on with it, got complacent and lazy, forgot the score, forgot the big picture, lost urgency and here we are in July treading water.
The sport I watch these days has crowds: F1, Wimbledon, the NBA playoffs, the Stanley Cup, the Tour de France, the golf, the euros. Sport globally is back in front of crowds.
The exceptions are the Olympics – why? Because Japan has failed, like us, to roll out vaccines.
What was once a massive advantage - i.e. we didn’t get over whelmed by cases - is now slipping away in front of our eyes  as every man and his dog has taken the obvious steps around vaccination and got on with it.
We want to get on with it, don’t we? But because of a combination of complacency ineptitude and ideology, we have blown it.
Never forget it was us who used to smugly run headlines about having the biggest crowds in the world. Well look at us now: empty stadia, lockdowns, level adjustments.
Is it July 2021 or July 2020? How far have we really come when a year on? We have gone next to nowhere, and the world is looking in their rear view mirror at us    ]]>120falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/allan-harvey-do-we-need-paid-parental-leave-rules-for-men--1008076It's been revealed only one percent of fathers take parental leave, which means the maternity leave has been transferred by the mother.
This month marks two decades since paid parental leave was introduced and yet fathers still only get two weeks unpaid leave - and New Zealand is one of only four OECD countries that offer no parental leave specifically for men.
Field worker with Kidz Need Dadz Allan Harvey told Mike Hosking that both parents can share the parental leave, but it can be a "hassle" with the paperwork. 
"Most families, Mum takes it, and that's the easy way with the paperwork, as that's what's assumed by default." 
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/xvoli3t4/mh050721-15-allanharvey-menpaidparentalleave.mp3Mon, 05 Jul 2021 02:21:23 +0000RoccoIs it time we look at paid parental leave rules for men? It's been revealed only one percent of fathers take parental leave, which means the maternity leave has been transferred by the mother. This month marks two decades since paid parental leave was...It's been revealed only one percent of fathers take parental leave, which means the maternity leave has been transferred by the mother.
This month marks two decades since paid parental leave was introduced and yet fathers still only get two weeks unpaid leave - and New Zealand is one of only four OECD countries that offer no parental leave specifically for men.
Field worker with Kidz Need Dadz Allan Harvey told Mike Hosking that both parents can share the parental leave, but it can be a "hassle" with the paperwork. 
"Most families, Mum takes it, and that's the easy way with the paperwork, as that's what's assumed by default." 
LISTEN ABOVE]]>186falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/monday-morning-commentary-box-guy-heveldt-wins-wager-against-hosk--1008105Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking and Guy Heveldt had a bet on whether the Tokyo Olympics would go ahead. 
Hosking was convinced they would be cancelled but Heveldt wasn't so sure. And the bet was some homemade cooking. 
And even though it looks like Hosking is going to lose the bet, Heveldt decided to surprise the ZB host with a lovingly homemade Bacon and Leek Tart. 
So what did Hosking make of it? 
WATCH THE FULL VIDEO ABOVE
And here's the recipe for the Bacon and Leek Tart:
1 cup flour
¼ cup water
60g butter
1x leek sliced
5x rashes bacon chopped
2x eggs
½ cup milk
½ cup cottage cheese
Rub butter and flour together until it starts to become crumbly. Slowly add water, keep rubbing until it’s a ball of dough (you don’t want it too wet, so you might not need all the water) 
Put the dough in a flat, pizza base type dish/ tart pan and spread the dough out so it evenly covers the dish.
Saute bacon and boil the leek. Pour both evenly across the uncooked crust.
Beat egg and milk together and pour over the bacon and leek in the dish. Sprinkle the cottage cheese on top. 
Bake at 200 degrees for 20 minutes or until set.
Recipe (credit: Anne Wanden)]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/p2lf5uo0/mh050721-19-combox.mp3Sun, 04 Jul 2021 22:45:33 +0000RoccoMonday morning's Commentary Box was a little different this morning.  Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking and Guy Heveldt had a bet on whether the Tokyo Olympics would go ahead.  Hosking was convinced they would be cancelled but Heveldt wasn't so sure. And the...Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking and Guy Heveldt had a bet on whether the Tokyo Olympics would go ahead. 
Hosking was convinced they would be cancelled but Heveldt wasn't so sure. And the bet was some homemade cooking. 
And even though it looks like Hosking is going to lose the bet, Heveldt decided to surprise the ZB host with a lovingly homemade Bacon and Leek Tart. 
So what did Hosking make of it? 
WATCH THE FULL VIDEO ABOVE
And here's the recipe for the Bacon and Leek Tart:
1 cup flour
¼ cup water
60g butter
1x leek sliced
5x rashes bacon chopped
2x eggs
½ cup milk
½ cup cottage cheese
Rub butter and flour together until it starts to become crumbly. Slowly add water, keep rubbing until it’s a ball of dough (you don’t want it too wet, so you might not need all the water) 
Put the dough in a flat, pizza base type dish/ tart pan and spread the dough out so it evenly covers the dish.
Saute bacon and boil the leek. Pour both evenly across the uncooked crust.
Beat egg and milk together and pour over the bacon and leek in the dish. Sprinkle the cottage cheese on top. 
Bake at 200 degrees for 20 minutes or until set.
Recipe (credit: Anne Wanden)]]>758falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/helen-davidson-empty-miq-rooms-disappointing-given-construction-sector-s-skills-shortage--1008148Almost 2000 rooms are empty each day, because 900 are kept aside for "contingency plans".
A further 1100 are either unavailable because of maintenance, or the facility has changed to a group intake system.
Association of Consulting Engineers Chief Executive Helen Davidson told Mike Hosking it's disappointing to see, given the construction sector's experiencing a skills shortage.
“We're asking the government for targeted skills-based approach to immigration and MIQ for the construction sector.”
Davidson says there's concerms over the ability to deliver projects in a timely manner because of a lack of skilled personnel.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/a1tbjljp/mh050721-11-helendavidson-engineershortage.mp3Sun, 04 Jul 2021 22:09:37 +0000RoccoA suggestion empty MIQ rooms could be put to better use. Almost 2000 rooms are empty each day, because 900 are kept aside for "contingency plans". A further 1100 are either unavailable because of maintenance, or the facility has changed to a group...Almost 2000 rooms are empty each day, because 900 are kept aside for "contingency plans".
A further 1100 are either unavailable because of maintenance, or the facility has changed to a group intake system.
Association of Consulting Engineers Chief Executive Helen Davidson told Mike Hosking it's disappointing to see, given the construction sector's experiencing a skills shortage.
“We're asking the government for targeted skills-based approach to immigration and MIQ for the construction sector.”
Davidson says there's concerms over the ability to deliver projects in a timely manner because of a lack of skilled personnel.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>197falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/richard-arnold-miami-tower-has-been-swaying-rest-of-tower-could-collapse-entirely--1008161Search and rescue operations at the site of a partial building collapse in Surfside, Florida, remained paused Sunday as authorities prepare for the likely demolition of what's left of the Champlain Towers South condo building.
"As soon as the preparation is ready, the site is secured and the team is ready to go, we will begin the demolition," Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said in a news conference Sunday morning. She said the "top priority is that the building come down as soon as possible ... and as safely as possible."
Search efforts paused Saturday around 4 p.m. so engineers could secure the site and prepare for the demolition, which officials have said is crucial to allowing authorities to continue to look for survivors safely, eliminating the threat posed by the part of the structure that's still standing.
The demolition team continued preparations Sunday morning, racing against Tropical Storm Elsa, which is tracking toward South Florida with heavy rain and sustained winds of 60 mph.
Officials did not provide a timeline for the demolition in a news conference Sunday morning -- the 11th day since approximately 55 of the building's 136 units collapsed early June 24, killing at least 24 people. As of Sunday, 121 people were still unaccounted for.
Those who died include 4- and 10-year-old sisters, an elderly couple and the daughter of a firefighter.
Nicole Mejias told CNN on Saturday that five of her family members were in the Champlain Towers South building when it collapsed, including 7-year-old Stella Cattarossi, the daughter of the Miami firefighter. Cattarossi's body was found Thursday night.
"We just miss them so much already, we wish this tragedy didn't happen, and will always remember them," Mejias said.
Appearing on Sunday's "Face the Nation" on CBS, Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett underscored that authorities are still working with the mindset that this remains a rescue effort.
"It is absolutely not a recovery effort," Burkett said, later adding, "There is nobody in charge really talking about stopping this rescue effort. And this rescue effort, as far as I'm concerned, will go on until everybody is pulled out of that debris."
Demolition plans and a race against the storm
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 15 counties Saturday -- including Miami-Dade County -- because of Tropical Storm Elsa.
"We're preparing for the risk of isolated tornadoes, storm surge, heavy rainfall and flash flooding," DeSantis said, adding the state has "begun executing contingency plans for the Tropical Storm Elsa and Surfside co-response."
A tropical storm warning has been issued for the Florida Keys and a tropical storm watch is in effect for parts of southwest Florida.
Elsa was a Category 1 hurricane Friday and early Saturday, but weakened to a tropical storm as it took aim at the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Forecasters say the storm's center will not directly impact Surfside, though the city could be affected by its outer bands, with wind gusts and rain starting in the area as early as Monday morning.
The potential for weather-related issues at the collapse site is influencing authorities' decisions on the ground. "We're still very hopeful that we can do the demolition before the storm," Levine Cava said Saturday night. "We are proceeding as quickly as we possibly can."
Plans to demolish the remaining portion of the building were announced late in the week as rescuers continued to scour the debris for victims.
Search and rescue operations were briefly suspended Thursday after engineers noted shifting on the debris pile that posed a danger to the rescue crews, officials said. After operations resumed later that day, authorities confirmed a demolition would likely be necessary to keep rescue crews and the collapse site safe for further searches.
Sunday, the condominium board for Champlain Towers East, a sister building of Champlain To...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/swmbnksn/mh050721-07-arnold-miamibuilding-july4.mp3Sun, 04 Jul 2021 21:38:09 +0000RoccoText by Hollie Silverman, Melissa Alonso and Dakin Andone Search and rescue operations at the site of a partial building collapse in Surfside, Florida, remained paused Sunday as authorities prepare for the likely demolition of what's left of the...Search and rescue operations at the site of a partial building collapse in Surfside, Florida, remained paused Sunday as authorities prepare for the likely demolition of what's left of the Champlain Towers South condo building.
"As soon as the preparation is ready, the site is secured and the team is ready to go, we will begin the demolition," Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said in a news conference Sunday morning. She said the "top priority is that the building come down as soon as possible ... and as safely as possible."
Search efforts paused Saturday around 4 p.m. so engineers could secure the site and prepare for the demolition, which officials have said is crucial to allowing authorities to continue to look for survivors safely, eliminating the threat posed by the part of the structure that's still standing.
The demolition team continued preparations Sunday morning, racing against Tropical Storm Elsa, which is tracking toward South Florida with heavy rain and sustained winds of 60 mph.
Officials did not provide a timeline for the demolition in a news conference Sunday morning -- the 11th day since approximately 55 of the building's 136 units collapsed early June 24, killing at least 24 people. As of Sunday, 121 people were still unaccounted for.
Those who died include 4- and 10-year-old sisters, an elderly couple and the daughter of a firefighter.
Nicole Mejias told CNN on Saturday that five of her family members were in the Champlain Towers South building when it collapsed, including 7-year-old Stella Cattarossi, the daughter of the Miami firefighter. Cattarossi's body was found Thursday night.
"We just miss them so much already, we wish this tragedy didn't happen, and will always remember them," Mejias said.
Appearing on Sunday's "Face the Nation" on CBS, Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett underscored that authorities are still working with the mindset that this remains a rescue effort.
"It is absolutely not a recovery effort," Burkett said, later adding, "There is nobody in charge really talking about stopping this rescue effort. And this rescue effort, as far as I'm concerned, will go on until everybody is pulled out of that debris."
Demolition plans and a race against the storm
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 15 counties Saturday -- including Miami-Dade County -- because of Tropical Storm Elsa.
"We're preparing for the risk of isolated tornadoes, storm surge, heavy rainfall and flash flooding," DeSantis said, adding the state has "begun executing contingency plans for the Tropical Storm Elsa and Surfside co-response."
A tropical storm warning has been issued for the Florida Keys and a tropical storm watch is in effect for parts of southwest Florida.
Elsa was a Category 1 hurricane Friday and early Saturday, but weakened to a tropical storm as it took aim at the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Forecasters say the storm's center will not directly impact Surfside, though the city could be affected by its outer bands, with wind gusts and rain starting in the area as early as Monday morning.
The potential for weather-related issues at the collapse site is influencing authorities' decisions on the ground. "We're still very hopeful that we can do the demolition before the storm," Levine Cava said Saturday night. "We are proceeding as quickly as we possibly can."
Plans to demolish the remaining portion of the building were announced late in the week as rescuers continued to scour the debris for victims.
Search and rescue operations were briefly suspended Thursday after engineers noted shifting on the debris pile that posed a danger to the rescue crews, officials said. After operations resumed later that day, authorities confirmed a demolition would likely be necessary to keep rescue crews and the collapse site safe for further searches.240falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/buck-shelford-former-all-blacks-captain-backs-return-of-series-against-the-maori-all-blacks--1007966The question comes after the All Blacks thrashed Tonga 102-0 over the weekend, but as a curtain raiser the Māori All Blacks played Samoa, beating them in a tougher contest. 
Former All Blacks captain Buck Shelford told Mike Hosking that he would happily see the series - which hasn't been seen for decades - return. 
One concern that could prevent it's return is the possibility that the Māori side might win. 
"It's a bit of a slap in the face if they did lose. Some of the Māori All Blacks are actually All Blacks as well."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/bf0pgzvh/mh050721-13-wayneshelford-absvsmabs.mp3Sun, 04 Jul 2021 13:46:51 +0000RoccoShould we see a return of the All Blacks vs Māori All Blacks tour? The question comes after the All Blacks thrashed Tonga 102-0 over the weekend, but as a curtain raiser the Māori All Blacks played Samoa, beating them in a tougher contest.  Former All...The question comes after the All Blacks thrashed Tonga 102-0 over the weekend, but as a curtain raiser the Māori All Blacks played Samoa, beating them in a tougher contest. 
Former All Blacks captain Buck Shelford told Mike Hosking that he would happily see the series - which hasn't been seen for decades - return. 
One concern that could prevent it's return is the possibility that the Māori side might win. 
"It's a bit of a slap in the face if they did lose. Some of the Māori All Blacks are actually All Blacks as well."
LISTEN ABOVE]]>169falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/steve-price-incredible-to-think-australia-is-going-to-have-a-clear-path-to-2022--1008034Barnaby Joyce has claimed that the PM’s “four-phase” plan to end lockdowns, which did not include any thresholds or targets, actually does have a key number.
The Deputy Prime Minister appeared on Seven’s Sunrise on Monday morning to defend Scott Morrison’s plan announced on Friday, which drew criticism for lacking concrete metrics 18 months into the pandemic, and failing to set out clear timelines on when the country’s international borders can reopen.
The plan notably failed to address Australia’s vaccine shortage, despite wide-scale vaccination a requirement to move past “phase one”.
“It’s not much of a plan, is it?” Labor backbencher Joel Fitzgibbon told the program.
“You don’t get steps two, three and four before you have completed step one. You can’t return to any form of normality, we can’t get over these ridiculous lockdowns, can’t get the economy pumping again, until you get broad-scale vaccination.”
Sunrise host Natalie Barr asked Mr Joyce why there were “no numbers, no dates” in the plan.
“The numbers are there in what we’re doing,” the Deputy PM replied.
“The numbers are in excess of eight million … by the end of this week we will be well over nine million, and that is the metric you work for,” he continued, referring to the number of vaccine doses administered.
Mr Joyce said the vaccine rollout was accelerating with the AstraZeneca shot now being offered to younger Australians as well, despite concerns over rare blood clots.
“More and more people have had one shot and are heading towards getting the second shot,” he said.
“You see it in your own community and your workplace, so many people had a shot now, it is rolling out.”
Mr Joyce said the issue was there was “not enough” Pfizer to go around.
“We’re not the only country in the world having to deal with this, other countries such as Canada and Mexico are having to draw on the Pfizer vaccine as well, so this idea that the Pfizer vaccine issue is a unique problem is not correct,” he said.
“There is supply of AstraZeneca vaccine, as I said, we’re trying to grab Pfizer just like Canada and Mexico.”

Rushcutters Bay Park on Sunday during lockdown. Photo / Getty Images
Pressed on why the government had not included targets in the four-phase plan, the Deputy PM said he “can’t speak into the mind of other people as to why”.
“But I would suggest I wouldn’t do it because what you want to make sure is you work to a plan that says we are going to have to live with this virus, we are not going to be getting rid of it,” he said.
“Even if everybody is vaccinated or you get 90 per cent vaccination, you will still have the virus in the community. So you have got to make sure that you condition people to the idea that our job is to keep you alive, and to stop you from getting sick, we’re not going to be able to eradicate Covid-19, it’s just not going to happen.”
Mr Joyce said Australia had to learn to live with the virus like the flu or measles and mumps.
“We don’t want them but we don’t close down the economy because of them,” he said.
“And that’s precisely what we’re doing and I think the states are now coming on board with that idea. That sets the nation up in a much stronger place.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/rpfj0pwr/mh050721-20-price-reopeningplan-dragonsbreakiso.mp3Sun, 04 Jul 2021 12:41:48 +0000RoccoText by Frank Chung Barnaby Joyce has claimed that the PM’s “four-phase” plan to end lockdowns, which did not include any thresholds or targets, actually does have a key number. The Deputy Prime Minister appeared on Seven’s Sunrise on Monday morning...Barnaby Joyce has claimed that the PM’s “four-phase” plan to end lockdowns, which did not include any thresholds or targets, actually does have a key number.
The Deputy Prime Minister appeared on Seven’s Sunrise on Monday morning to defend Scott Morrison’s plan announced on Friday, which drew criticism for lacking concrete metrics 18 months into the pandemic, and failing to set out clear timelines on when the country’s international borders can reopen.
The plan notably failed to address Australia’s vaccine shortage, despite wide-scale vaccination a requirement to move past “phase one”.
“It’s not much of a plan, is it?” Labor backbencher Joel Fitzgibbon told the program.
“You don’t get steps two, three and four before you have completed step one. You can’t return to any form of normality, we can’t get over these ridiculous lockdowns, can’t get the economy pumping again, until you get broad-scale vaccination.”
Sunrise host Natalie Barr asked Mr Joyce why there were “no numbers, no dates” in the plan.
“The numbers are there in what we’re doing,” the Deputy PM replied.
“The numbers are in excess of eight million … by the end of this week we will be well over nine million, and that is the metric you work for,” he continued, referring to the number of vaccine doses administered.
Mr Joyce said the vaccine rollout was accelerating with the AstraZeneca shot now being offered to younger Australians as well, despite concerns over rare blood clots.
“More and more people have had one shot and are heading towards getting the second shot,” he said.
“You see it in your own community and your workplace, so many people had a shot now, it is rolling out.”
Mr Joyce said the issue was there was “not enough” Pfizer to go around.
“We’re not the only country in the world having to deal with this, other countries such as Canada and Mexico are having to draw on the Pfizer vaccine as well, so this idea that the Pfizer vaccine issue is a unique problem is not correct,” he said.
“There is supply of AstraZeneca vaccine, as I said, we’re trying to grab Pfizer just like Canada and Mexico.”

Rushcutters Bay Park on Sunday during lockdown. Photo / Getty Images
Pressed on why the government had not included targets in the four-phase plan, the Deputy PM said he “can’t speak into the mind of other people as to why”.
“But I would suggest I wouldn’t do it because what you want to make sure is you work to a plan that says we are going to have to live with this virus, we are not going to be getting rid of it,” he said.
“Even if everybody is vaccinated or you get 90 per cent vaccination, you will still have the virus in the community. So you have got to make sure that you condition people to the idea that our job is to keep you alive, and to stop you from getting sick, we’re not going to be able to eradicate Covid-19, it’s just not going to happen.”
Mr Joyce said Australia had to learn to live with the virus like the flu or measles and mumps.
“We don’t want them but we don’t close down the economy because of them,” he said.
“And that’s precisely what we’re doing and I think the states are now coming on board with that idea. That sets the nation up in a much stronger place.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>404falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/blair-macdonald-communities-that-are-taking-the-most-meth-are-often-struggling--1008170The Herald has obtained two years of wastewater results police have used to monitor consumption of illegal drugs, since late 2018.
The results show smaller towns such as Kaitaia, Opotiki and Wairoa are consuming sometimes up to four times the national average of methamphetamine.
Detective Inspector Blair MacDonald told Mike Hosking the communities showing the highest readings are often struggling with a number of things.
"Whether it be food depravation, lack of employment opportunities, and of course if you can't feed your tamariki, and there's not a lot going on in your life, a hit of methamphetamine is going to make that go away for a moment."
MacDonald says police are taking a strong prevention apporach and work with a range of agencies to help people kick their addictions.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/ve5hcsu2/mh050721-10-blairmacdonald-ruralmeth.mp3Sun, 04 Jul 2021 09:14:51 +0000RoccoProvincial New Zealand has a big problem on its hands. The Herald has obtained two years of wastewater results police have used to monitor consumption of illegal drugs, since late 2018. The results show smaller towns such as Kaitaia, Opotiki and...The Herald has obtained two years of wastewater results police have used to monitor consumption of illegal drugs, since late 2018.
The results show smaller towns such as Kaitaia, Opotiki and Wairoa are consuming sometimes up to four times the national average of methamphetamine.
Detective Inspector Blair MacDonald told Mike Hosking the communities showing the highest readings are often struggling with a number of things.
"Whether it be food depravation, lack of employment opportunities, and of course if you can't feed your tamariki, and there's not a lot going on in your life, a hit of methamphetamine is going to make that go away for a moment."
MacDonald says police are taking a strong prevention apporach and work with a range of agencies to help people kick their addictions.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>197falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/daniel-ayers-full-extent-of-cyber-attack-damage-still-being-realised--1008106Hackers recently targeted Florida IT company Kaseya triggering a supply chain attack, meaning any companies using their software, are also targeted.
St Peter's School in Cambridge has confirmed its network has been exposed, while the Ministry of Education says 11 schools may have been affected.
IT security expert Daniel Ayers told Mike Hosking the full extent of the damage is still being realised.
"What we don't know is whether there are infections beyond those schools and that's something that we will be looking for over the next day or so."
Globally, Ayers said about 30 managed service providers and over 1000 end customers have been compromised.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/ilvn5mly/mh050721-05-danielayers-ransomwareattack.mp3Sun, 04 Jul 2021 08:05:03 +0000RoccoIt's still not clear just how much of an impact an international cyber attack has had on New Zealand. Hackers recently targeted Florida IT company Kaseya triggering a supply chain attack, meaning any companies using their software, are also targeted....Hackers recently targeted Florida IT company Kaseya triggering a supply chain attack, meaning any companies using their software, are also targeted.
St Peter's School in Cambridge has confirmed its network has been exposed, while the Ministry of Education says 11 schools may have been affected.
IT security expert Daniel Ayers told Mike Hosking the full extent of the damage is still being realised.
"What we don't know is whether there are infections beyond those schools and that's something that we will be looking for over the next day or so."
Globally, Ayers said about 30 managed service providers and over 1000 end customers have been compromised.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>278falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-another-reminder-that-being-a-hermit-kingdom-comes-at-a-very-high-price--1008091 
Singapore's Approach to Covid: 8/10
"Living with Covid, no quarantine, no daily numbers, they can tame it, and not eliminate it.
They say it's sort of like flu.
Welcome to the real world."
 
Britain's Approach to Covid: 7/10
"As July 19 gets closer, no compulsory QR scanning and no isolation if you’ve been jabbed.
Welcome to the real world."
 
New Zealand's Approach to Covid: 3/10
"Looking at compulsory QR scanning, no changes for the vaccinated, no vaccine, and still 122nd in the world."
 
The 2022 ASB Classic Cancelled: 2/10
"Another reminder that being a hermit kingdom comes at a very high price.
As Wimbledon begins in front of crowds, we cancel our event for the second year in a row."
 
Chris Finlayson's Criticism of National: 6/10
"A bit off-piste bagging your old workplace.
But he did have a point."
 
The Wellington Kayakers: 8/10
"God bless the adventurer.
And long may they blow wind up the skirts of the scared and frightened."
 
Matt Hancock's Affair and Resignation: 0/10
"Dick of the week."
 
All Blacks: 7/10
"First game of the season.
Not exactly a blockbuster opener, but local, and with the promise of an almost normal season."
 
Clarkson's Farm: 9/10
"A highlight of the week,
An ode and love letter to the farmer told, as always, brilliantly.
In a world of scant good telly, watch it. It's uplifting."
 
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/dgcf442t/mh020721-14-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 01 Jul 2021 21:11:23 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all.   Singapore's Approach to Covid: 8/10 "Living with Covid, no quarantine, no daily numbers, they can tame it, and not eliminate it.... 
Singapore's Approach to Covid: 8/10
"Living with Covid, no quarantine, no daily numbers, they can tame it, and not eliminate it.
They say it's sort of like flu.
Welcome to the real world."
 
Britain's Approach to Covid: 7/10
"As July 19 gets closer, no compulsory QR scanning and no isolation if you’ve been jabbed.
Welcome to the real world."
 
New Zealand's Approach to Covid: 3/10
"Looking at compulsory QR scanning, no changes for the vaccinated, no vaccine, and still 122nd in the world."
 
The 2022 ASB Classic Cancelled: 2/10
"Another reminder that being a hermit kingdom comes at a very high price.
As Wimbledon begins in front of crowds, we cancel our event for the second year in a row."
 
Chris Finlayson's Criticism of National: 6/10
"A bit off-piste bagging your old workplace.
But he did have a point."
 
The Wellington Kayakers: 8/10
"God bless the adventurer.
And long may they blow wind up the skirts of the scared and frightened."
 
Matt Hancock's Affair and Resignation: 0/10
"Dick of the week."
 
All Blacks: 7/10
"First game of the season.
Not exactly a blockbuster opener, but local, and with the promise of an almost normal season."
 
Clarkson's Farm: 9/10
"A highlight of the week,
An ode and love letter to the farmer told, as always, brilliantly.
In a world of scant good telly, watch it. It's uplifting."
 
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>154falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/phil-dampier-mixed-opinions-on-princess-diana-memorial-statue--1008092The brothers put on a united front to reveal the statue in Kensington Palace's Sunken Garden on what would have been their mother's 60th birthday.
She's depicted with three children, to reflect the work she did with young people.
Royal commentator Phil Dampier told Mike Hosking some people have likened the statue to former Prime Minister Theresa May.
“Some people have been a little less complimentary; others are saying it’s great. As with all works of art, it tends to divide opinion.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/qcqj1u1f/mh020721-13-phildampier-dianamemorial.mp3Thu, 01 Jul 2021 09:18:32 +0000RoccoMixed opinions on the statue of Princess Diana unveiled by Princes William and Harry. The brothers put on a united front to reveal the statue in Kensington Palace's Sunken Garden on what would have been their mother's 60th birthday. She's depicted...The brothers put on a united front to reveal the statue in Kensington Palace's Sunken Garden on what would have been their mother's 60th birthday.
She's depicted with three children, to reflect the work she did with young people.
Royal commentator Phil Dampier told Mike Hosking some people have likened the statue to former Prime Minister Theresa May.
“Some people have been a little less complimentary; others are saying it’s great. As with all works of art, it tends to divide opinion.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>148falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/ethan-blackadder-all-blacks-new-cap-talks-being-named-on-the-bench-for-season-opener-against-tonga--1008179They take on Tonga at Mt Smart Stadium, part of a double header that will see the Māori All Blacks take on Samoa as the curtain raiser.
Ian Foster has named four new caps for his first team of the year, one of whom is Ethan Blackadder who joined Mike Hosking.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/xjbpwzcb/mh020721-19-ethanblackadder-absdebut.mp3Thu, 01 Jul 2021 09:07:01 +0000RoccoThe All Black season officially kicks off tomorrow. They take on Tonga at Mt Smart Stadium, part of a double header that will see the Māori All Blacks take on Samoa as the curtain raiser. Ian Foster has named four new caps for his first team of the...They take on Tonga at Mt Smart Stadium, part of a double header that will see the Māori All Blacks take on Samoa as the curtain raiser.
Ian Foster has named four new caps for his first team of the year, one of whom is Ethan Blackadder who joined Mike Hosking.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>168falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/kevin-o-sullivan-discussions-underway-to-allow-international-cruise-ships-back-to-our-shores--1008180The industry's engaging with Tourism Minister Stuart Nash about developing a plan to bring back the large passenger vessels.
The sector expects to be operating by the end of next year.
Cruise Association Chief Executive Kevin O'Sullivan told Mike Hosking the discussion with Nash has been constructive.
“He’s also undertaken to do pretty much what we requested, which was to talk to his ministerial colleagues with our aim which is to convene a task force of various agencies including health.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/cfdfg0pa/mh020721-11-kevinosullivan-cruising.mp3Thu, 01 Jul 2021 08:49:15 +0000RoccoDiscussions are underway to allow international cruise ships back to our shores. The industry's engaging with Tourism Minister Stuart Nash about developing a plan to bring back the large passenger vessels. The sector expects to be operating by the end...The industry's engaging with Tourism Minister Stuart Nash about developing a plan to bring back the large passenger vessels.
The sector expects to be operating by the end of next year.
Cruise Association Chief Executive Kevin O'Sullivan told Mike Hosking the discussion with Nash has been constructive.
“He’s also undertaken to do pretty much what we requested, which was to talk to his ministerial colleagues with our aim which is to convene a task force of various agencies including health.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>132falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/midge-holding-makeup-company-told-they-have-to-prove-they-are-maori-owned-or-risk-losing-business-from-defence-force--1007968Midge Holding is the co-owner of the small makeup company Minifies in Christchurch.
Since she took over the business in 2009, she has been supplying fake blood and other special effects to the New Zealand Defence Force.
Now, under the new procurement policy, mandated agencies have to award at least five percent of their yearly contracts to Māori businesses.
Midge then received a letter from the Defence Force asking her to provide proof if Minifies is a Māori owned business, which it isn't.
Midge Holding told Mike Hosking her company has been supplying the Defence Force for 12 years and there has been no issue up until this point.
“They’ve got no reason to go elsewhere, but they may because we aren’t a Māori business.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/513fc0w2/mh020721-16-midgeholding-maoriownedprocurement.mp3Thu, 01 Jul 2021 08:44:15 +0000RoccoThere are concerns the government's new procurement rules could be taking legitimate business away from those who aren't Māori. Midge Holding is the co-owner of the small makeup company Minifies in Christchurch. Since she took over the business in...Midge Holding is the co-owner of the small makeup company Minifies in Christchurch.
Since she took over the business in 2009, she has been supplying fake blood and other special effects to the New Zealand Defence Force.
Now, under the new procurement policy, mandated agencies have to award at least five percent of their yearly contracts to Māori businesses.
Midge then received a letter from the Defence Force asking her to provide proof if Minifies is a Māori owned business, which it isn't.
Midge Holding told Mike Hosking her company has been supplying the Defence Force for 12 years and there has been no issue up until this point.
“They’ve got no reason to go elsewhere, but they may because we aren’t a Māori business.”
LISTEN ABOVE
 ]]>226falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/maureen-pugh-mp-s-bill-to-bring-freedom-campers-closer-to-toilets-to-be-debated-after-drawn-from-ballot--1008116The proposed law change was designed to make it easier to crack down on some of the poor behaviour from freedom campers and make the rules more consistent.
West Coast-based National Party list MP Maureen Pugh's Freedom Camping (Infringement Offences and Other Matters) Amendment Bill was one of four Members' Bills pulled from the ballot on Thursday.
Pugh said the bill was in light of New Zealand's "unprecedented tourism boom" pre-Covid -19, which she expected to pick up again once borders were fully reopened.
"Restrictions would include confining freedom camping which isn't self-contained to within 200m of toilet facilities, empowering more Government organisations to limit freedom camping on land they control and provide stronger enforcement of fines for rule-breakers.
"New Zealand is primarily a touring destination, and freedom camping is one of the many ways that people choose to experience our country. But there are a lot more people freedom camping than there used to be and this has created some issues."

West Coast-based National Party MP Maureen Pugh's Freedom Camping (Infringement Offences and Other Matters) Amendment Bill was pulled from the ballot on Thursday. (Photo / Supplied)
National's Foreign Affairs spokesman Gerry Brownlee also had his Autonomous Sanctions Bill drawn, which would allow a New Zealand government to impose sanctions on foreign individuals, entities or regimes responsible for situations of international concern.
"This is a revival of a Government Bill introduced by the National government in 2017, left on the Order Paper by Labour for three years before being dropped in 2020," Brownlee said.
"Legislation of this kind, also known as Magnitsky-style regimes, exist in Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union, and were used in a co-ordinated effort earlier this year to sanction those involved in the Uyghur abuses.
"New Zealand was unable to join this effort, as we do not have the same legal mechanisms, which are also expected to come before the Australian Parliament this year.
"New Zealand has always had a strong independent foreign policy outside of forums like the United Nations, which will always be subject to veto powers.
"We should have the ability to stand with like-minded nations and impose sanctions on actors involved in situations contrary to international law and our values."
Labour Party MP Tangi Utikere's Local Government (Pecuniary Interests Register) Amendment Bill was also pulled from the ballot.
It would require local authorities to maintain and publish "a register of pecuniary and other specified interests for members of local authorities, such as directorships, business interests, employment, or property".
It would also require members of local authorities to disclose gifts and payments they receive. Such declarations were currently inconsistent across local authorities.
It is designed to "improve transparency and strengthen public trust and confidence in decision-making of local authorities".
Given Labour's parliamentary majority and that the party's members' bills need to be approved by caucus before they are submitted, the bill is likely to pass.
Act's Rural Affairs spokesman Mark Cameron had his Resource Management (Regional Responsibility for Certain Agricultural Matters) Amendment Bill drawn, which would allow regional councils to set environmental standards in each region rather than the Government.
"In recent years farmers have been hammered by regulations put in place by Government that don't take into account the diverse landscapes across the country," he said.
"Regional councils are best positioned to understand local conditions, this will allow direct relationship with stakeholders farmers and industry and their regulators."]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/jztnj5gg/mh020721-05-maureenpugh-freedomcampingbill.mp3Thu, 01 Jul 2021 08:03:14 +0000RoccoFreedom campers will only be allowed within 200 metres of toilets if a member's bill drawn in Parliament today passes. The proposed law change was designed to make it easier to crack down on some of the poor behaviour from freedom campers and make the...The proposed law change was designed to make it easier to crack down on some of the poor behaviour from freedom campers and make the rules more consistent.
West Coast-based National Party list MP Maureen Pugh's Freedom Camping (Infringement Offences and Other Matters) Amendment Bill was one of four Members' Bills pulled from the ballot on Thursday.
Pugh said the bill was in light of New Zealand's "unprecedented tourism boom" pre-Covid -19, which she expected to pick up again once borders were fully reopened.
"Restrictions would include confining freedom camping which isn't self-contained to within 200m of toilet facilities, empowering more Government organisations to limit freedom camping on land they control and provide stronger enforcement of fines for rule-breakers.
"New Zealand is primarily a touring destination, and freedom camping is one of the many ways that people choose to experience our country. But there are a lot more people freedom camping than there used to be and this has created some issues."

West Coast-based National Party MP Maureen Pugh's Freedom Camping (Infringement Offences and Other Matters) Amendment Bill was pulled from the ballot on Thursday. (Photo / Supplied)
National's Foreign Affairs spokesman Gerry Brownlee also had his Autonomous Sanctions Bill drawn, which would allow a New Zealand government to impose sanctions on foreign individuals, entities or regimes responsible for situations of international concern.
"This is a revival of a Government Bill introduced by the National government in 2017, left on the Order Paper by Labour for three years before being dropped in 2020," Brownlee said.
"Legislation of this kind, also known as Magnitsky-style regimes, exist in Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union, and were used in a co-ordinated effort earlier this year to sanction those involved in the Uyghur abuses.
"New Zealand was unable to join this effort, as we do not have the same legal mechanisms, which are also expected to come before the Australian Parliament this year.
"New Zealand has always had a strong independent foreign policy outside of forums like the United Nations, which will always be subject to veto powers.
"We should have the ability to stand with like-minded nations and impose sanctions on actors involved in situations contrary to international law and our values."
Labour Party MP Tangi Utikere's Local Government (Pecuniary Interests Register) Amendment Bill was also pulled from the ballot.
It would require local authorities to maintain and publish "a register of pecuniary and other specified interests for members of local authorities, such as directorships, business interests, employment, or property".
It would also require members of local authorities to disclose gifts and payments they receive. Such declarations were currently inconsistent across local authorities.
It is designed to "improve transparency and strengthen public trust and confidence in decision-making of local authorities".
Given Labour's parliamentary majority and that the party's members' bills need to be approved by caucus before they are submitted, the bill is likely to pass.
Act's Rural Affairs spokesman Mark Cameron had his Resource Management (Regional Responsibility for Certain Agricultural Matters) Amendment Bill drawn, which would allow regional councils to set environmental standards in each region rather than the Government.
"In recent years farmers have been hammered by regulations put in place by Government that don't take into account the diverse landscapes across the country," he said.
"Regional councils are best positioned to understand local conditions, this will allow direct relationship with stakeholders farmers and industry and their regulators."]]>197falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/julia-slark-auckland-university-nursing-school-hopes-tide-is-turning-on-enrolment-numbers--1008158Infometric analysis shows that the number of people predominantly studying nursing have moved only slightly over the last decade. 
Last year, around 15 thousand people picked up a textbook, the lowest intake since 2011.
But Associate Professor Julia Slark told Mike Hosking she is positive things are changing, including current work on a pre-registration pipeline into the industry.
“And we’re looking at the supply and demand model, so we now know what we’re offering, but it’s a case of finding out what do we really need for nursing across the country.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/k3fm2b3g/mh020721-10-juliaslark-nursingshortage.mp3Thu, 01 Jul 2021 08:00:29 +0000RoccoThe head of Auckland University's nursing school hopes the tide is turning on enrolment numbers. Infometric analysis shows that the number of people predominantly studying nursing have moved only slightly over the last decade.  Last year, around 15...Infometric analysis shows that the number of people predominantly studying nursing have moved only slightly over the last decade. 
Last year, around 15 thousand people picked up a textbook, the lowest intake since 2011.
But Associate Professor Julia Slark told Mike Hosking she is positive things are changing, including current work on a pre-registration pipeline into the industry.
“And we’re looking at the supply and demand model, so we now know what we’re offering, but it’s a case of finding out what do we really need for nursing across the country.”
LISTEN ABOVE]]>170falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-forecasters-don-t-understand-our-housing-market-is-based-on-heart--1008099First cab off the rank is ASB. It is home loan interest rate “slap you in the face with new reality” time.
They say a one percent increase in your mortgage rate sucks $3 billion out of the economy and into mortgage repayments.
This is of course why the Reserve Bank has been so nervous.
You see, your story is not everyone’s story, and it’s the culmination of everyone’s story they worry about.
If it’s two percent, then people start to spend vast swathes of their income on – i.e. 50 percent – on repayments.
But here is the good news. The ASB say most people will be fine, which brings us back to what we have said all along:
People aren’t idiots, and banks aren’t in the business of, one, lending to people who can’t afford it, and two, sending customers broke, hence all the noise from Adrian and his capital based worry warts has yet again been in vein.
What none of the international forecasters, the latest of which have been Standard and Poors, have ever really understood is that our housing market isn’t based on norms or charts or graphs or arrows or numbers, it’s based on heart.
We have, rightly or wrongly, an overtly passionate relationship with the idea of our own home, of owning our own place, it’s a rite of passage.
That’s why it’s become so political. When more and more got locked out, the anger grew along with the expectation that someone, i.e. the government, would do something about it.
These have been the best of days for borrowing. You would hope we never see them again. The carnage caused this past year has been unparalleled. The debt our nation is running up is shocking and we’ll be paying it off for generations. We will run deficits for years.
And the interest rate rises, which are getting forecast to arrive at an ever faster pace, will affect the country as well as us personally.
That’s a good thing. This mad ‘print the money, throw cash at everything that moves’ might have helped cushion reality, but the scars are decades deep.
But unlike so many forecasts of the last year that have been based on nothing but guess work and mostly been wildly wrong, I think the fact that interest rates may rise and a tightening of the market will occur, the suggestion from the bank that we will be fine is, in fact, spot on.
Because that’s the way it’s always been. Through good times and bad, we want a house, we love a house, and the world and its worries isn’t getting in the way of that.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/n3cegbda/mh010721-12-housepriceforecastscomment.mp3Wed, 30 Jun 2021 20:56:16 +0000RoccoHere they come – the warnings. First cab off the rank is ASB. It is home loan interest rate “slap you in the face with new reality” time. They say a one percent increase in your mortgage rate sucks $3 billion out of the economy and into mortgage...First cab off the rank is ASB. It is home loan interest rate “slap you in the face with new reality” time.
They say a one percent increase in your mortgage rate sucks $3 billion out of the economy and into mortgage repayments.
This is of course why the Reserve Bank has been so nervous.
You see, your story is not everyone’s story, and it’s the culmination of everyone’s story they worry about.
If it’s two percent, then people start to spend vast swathes of their income on – i.e. 50 percent – on repayments.
But here is the good news. The ASB say most people will be fine, which brings us back to what we have said all along:
People aren’t idiots, and banks aren’t in the business of, one, lending to people who can’t afford it, and two, sending customers broke, hence all the noise from Adrian and his capital based worry warts has yet again been in vein.
What none of the international forecasters, the latest of which have been Standard and Poors, have ever really understood is that our housing market isn’t based on norms or charts or graphs or arrows or numbers, it’s based on heart.
We have, rightly or wrongly, an overtly passionate relationship with the idea of our own home, of owning our own place, it’s a rite of passage.
That’s why it’s become so political. When more and more got locked out, the anger grew along with the expectation that someone, i.e. the government, would do something about it.
These have been the best of days for borrowing. You would hope we never see them again. The carnage caused this past year has been unparalleled. The debt our nation is running up is shocking and we’ll be paying it off for generations. We will run deficits for years.
And the interest rate rises, which are getting forecast to arrive at an ever faster pace, will affect the country as well as us personally.
That’s a good thing. This mad ‘print the money, throw cash at everything that moves’ might have helped cushion reality, but the scars are decades deep.
But unlike so many forecasts of the last year that have been based on nothing but guess work and mostly been wildly wrong, I think the fact that interest rates may rise and a tightening of the market will occur, the suggestion from the bank that we will be fine is, in fact, spot on.
Because that’s the way it’s always been. Through good times and bad, we want a house, we love a house, and the world and its worries isn’t getting in the way of that.]]>66falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-why-can-t-we-be-more-like-singapore-on-covid--1008102That question, by the way, is applicable to many facets of Singaporean life, but in this case let’s stick with Covid.
For a start, like us, Singapore has done a good job early. Like us, it’s a small island nation. Borders are comparatively simple although Malaysia to the north has been a bit of an issue.
But overall, along with places like Vietnam, Cambodia, Australia, and us, locking up has been effective. They sit at 35 deaths for a population of about 5 million.
The difference here, and this is where the learnings are if we are smart, is they have been proactive.
They haven’t sat on their laurels, they haven’t been complacent, they’ve planned for the future.
Last week they called on our government to get some detail sorted around a bubble. Our government won’t, of course, but that didn’t stop Singapore asking.
They also said talks with Australia are about as dead in the water as you can get, which is disappointing because for all that Australia has done right, when it comes to the border and travel they have been woefully conservative. They beat us on the Tasman, but that’s not saying a lot.
So we could, if we were agile and positive about it, steal a march with Singapore.
Either way, Singapore has worked out their future, and their future is to live with Covid.
Most countries have come to the same conclusion, but not a lot of those countries managed to lock it out from the start. That’s why Singapore is vaccinating.
Which leads to the question: why is it Singapore has a programme that will have two thirds of its people with one jab within weeks and two thirds fully jabbed by august?
Think about it: same population size, same level of cases and deaths, and yet a vaccine programme a world apart. Why?
There will be no goals for zero transmission, quarantine will be dumped, and no daily case numbers will be announced.
It will be like the flu. The flu they say is part of life and so is Covid: people get it, most people don’t need a hospital far less die, it will be the new normal.
It can be tamed, not vanquished, and because most cases would be less serious, the need for contact tracing would be low.
They see the future, they have a plan, they are proactive about it, and they are getting on with it.
What part of that have they got wrong? And why oh why can’t we see it - and more importantly, why oh why aren’t we doing it? ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/3t3hjz02/mh290621-01-singaporecomment.mp3Tue, 29 Jun 2021 05:36:46 +0000RoccoWhy on earth aren’t we like Singapore? That question, by the way, is applicable to many facets of Singaporean life, but in this case let’s stick with Covid. For a start, like us, Singapore has done a good job early. Like us, it’s a small island...That question, by the way, is applicable to many facets of Singaporean life, but in this case let’s stick with Covid.
For a start, like us, Singapore has done a good job early. Like us, it’s a small island nation. Borders are comparatively simple although Malaysia to the north has been a bit of an issue.
But overall, along with places like Vietnam, Cambodia, Australia, and us, locking up has been effective. They sit at 35 deaths for a population of about 5 million.
The difference here, and this is where the learnings are if we are smart, is they have been proactive.
They haven’t sat on their laurels, they haven’t been complacent, they’ve planned for the future.
Last week they called on our government to get some detail sorted around a bubble. Our government won’t, of course, but that didn’t stop Singapore asking.
They also said talks with Australia are about as dead in the water as you can get, which is disappointing because for all that Australia has done right, when it comes to the border and travel they have been woefully conservative. They beat us on the Tasman, but that’s not saying a lot.
So we could, if we were agile and positive about it, steal a march with Singapore.
Either way, Singapore has worked out their future, and their future is to live with Covid.
Most countries have come to the same conclusion, but not a lot of those countries managed to lock it out from the start. That’s why Singapore is vaccinating.
Which leads to the question: why is it Singapore has a programme that will have two thirds of its people with one jab within weeks and two thirds fully jabbed by august?
Think about it: same population size, same level of cases and deaths, and yet a vaccine programme a world apart. Why?
There will be no goals for zero transmission, quarantine will be dumped, and no daily case numbers will be announced.
It will be like the flu. The flu they say is part of life and so is Covid: people get it, most people don’t need a hospital far less die, it will be the new normal.
It can be tamed, not vanquished, and because most cases would be less serious, the need for contact tracing would be low.
They see the future, they have a plan, they are proactive about it, and they are getting on with it.
What part of that have they got wrong? And why oh why can’t we see it - and more importantly, why oh why aren’t we doing it? ]]>123falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-shaun-johnson-signing-is-a-step-backwards-for-the-warriors--1008181One, they said they wouldn’t which was the right decision. Two, he’s not good enough and he walked.
Now the trouble with one is in changing your mind, you look like you make things up on the spot; you don’t look like you have got a plan.
The reason they said they didn’t want to sign him is we have all seen that what Shaun might once have been, he isn’t anymore.
Even when he left, it wasn’t like we were losing one of the greats. A headline, yes, impactful on a good day, yes, but a Jones or Wiki or Price?  No.
The trouble with Shaun, and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has shown it, is he was wildly inconsistent.
Tuivasa-Sheck turns up every week, week in, week out. Johnson turns up every 3rd week and in between he’s inexplicably absent.
My long running theory, and as time has passed, I am more and more convinced its correct, is that when Johnson got badly injured years back, he was out for a such a period of time he became afraid at the risk of re-injury, and when he got reinjured that only exacerbated the demons in his head.
His once legendary ability to attack the line was gone, he hesitated. His defence is non-existent.
The Sharks found the same thing; hence he’s not with them anymore. He signed with hoopla and headlines and never quite turned out to be what they thought he was.
Now this isn’t anti-Shaun Johnson – I have nothing against him – but we moved on. He chose to leave, and that’s how businesses and the business of sport works
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak is moving forward, Walsh and Fonua-Blake is moving forward.
Johnson is from days gone by and he doesn’t bring with him a sense of what is possible, because we already have his record.
This is already a season under a serious question mark. We have a side that is out of its league when it comes to contests with teams like Melbourne, and we have losses to sides like the Dragons that should not be happening.
Nothing we have seen or currently see in Johnson addresses any of that.
Sometimes, yes, you need to go backwards to go forwards, but this isn’t one of them.
I am more than happy to be shown to be wrong, but call me if that ever happens.
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/cpxhnw5p/mh280621-01-shaunjohnsoncomment.mp3Sun, 27 Jun 2021 16:43:45 +0000RoccoHere is the problem with signing Shaun Johnson for the Warriors. One, they said they wouldn’t which was the right decision. Two, he’s not good enough and he walked. Now the trouble with one is in changing your mind, you look like you make things up on...One, they said they wouldn’t which was the right decision. Two, he’s not good enough and he walked.
Now the trouble with one is in changing your mind, you look like you make things up on the spot; you don’t look like you have got a plan.
The reason they said they didn’t want to sign him is we have all seen that what Shaun might once have been, he isn’t anymore.
Even when he left, it wasn’t like we were losing one of the greats. A headline, yes, impactful on a good day, yes, but a Jones or Wiki or Price?  No.
The trouble with Shaun, and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has shown it, is he was wildly inconsistent.
Tuivasa-Sheck turns up every week, week in, week out. Johnson turns up every 3rd week and in between he’s inexplicably absent.
My long running theory, and as time has passed, I am more and more convinced its correct, is that when Johnson got badly injured years back, he was out for a such a period of time he became afraid at the risk of re-injury, and when he got reinjured that only exacerbated the demons in his head.
His once legendary ability to attack the line was gone, he hesitated. His defence is non-existent.
The Sharks found the same thing; hence he’s not with them anymore. He signed with hoopla and headlines and never quite turned out to be what they thought he was.
Now this isn’t anti-Shaun Johnson – I have nothing against him – but we moved on. He chose to leave, and that’s how businesses and the business of sport works
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak is moving forward, Walsh and Fonua-Blake is moving forward.
Johnson is from days gone by and he doesn’t bring with him a sense of what is possible, because we already have his record.
This is already a season under a serious question mark. We have a side that is out of its league when it comes to contests with teams like Melbourne, and we have losses to sides like the Dragons that should not be happening.
Nothing we have seen or currently see in Johnson addresses any of that.
Sometimes, yes, you need to go backwards to go forwards, but this isn’t one of them.
I am more than happy to be shown to be wrong, but call me if that ever happens.
 ]]>104falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-councils-are-going-out-of-their-way-to-make-their-cbds-inhospitable--1008109The vacancy rates in our metro CBDs I would have thought confirm what most of us see and what most of us know: down town New Zealand is struggling. Auckland and Wellington’s vacancy rate is up to seven percent empty.
Yes, Covid is a part, but not as much as they wouldn’t want you to believe. The real nail being driven into the growth and success is the attitude and policy.
Christchurch has the advantage of the earthquake in the sense that there are still too many places that haven’t been sorted, so what’s left are big squares of shingle that Wilsons have commandeered and turned into car parks.
But on a recent Saturday, when we visited there was parking all over the place. Cars were a part of down town and down town was pumping.
The message and therefore the lesson could not be clearer or simpler: make the place accessible, make it welcoming make it easy, and they will come.
Contrast that with Wellington and the council’s decision to clear cars out of the so called golden mile, and do what, create a ghost town?
How are people getting to town: on the buses that get cancelled and the trains that don’t work?
Same story in Auckland: you have never seen a council go more out of its way to make the place seem more inhospitable.
All driven by the delusion, despite all evidence to the contrary, that we can’t wait to be on a bus.
They honestly think, if they’ve thought this far ahead at all, that there is nothing more fun that being dumped in town via public transport so we can cover kilometre after kilometre on foot dragging shopping bags along the way.
I note Napier are considering doing a Wellington and closing the main street. If there is any upside to that it’s that provincial New Zealand doesn’t have as big an area when it comes to ‘downtown’, but they also don’t have the public transport infrastructure either.
The reality is, the proof is there now. The theory of bike lanes and bus lanes and the European utopia has been shown to be flawed, wrong, and now fiscally damaging - mainly because, one, we aren’t European, and two, the planning has been a shambles.
But like all mistakes the trick is to pull the pin before it gets worse.
You reckon they’re going to?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/jdnjznzu/mh230621-01-cbdscomment.mp3Wed, 23 Jun 2021 04:18:50 +0000RoccoIt’s a funny thing that even when the evidence mounts, those driven by ideology still will not see. The vacancy rates in our metro CBDs I would have thought confirm what most of us see and what most of us know: down town New Zealand is struggling....The vacancy rates in our metro CBDs I would have thought confirm what most of us see and what most of us know: down town New Zealand is struggling. Auckland and Wellington’s vacancy rate is up to seven percent empty.
Yes, Covid is a part, but not as much as they wouldn’t want you to believe. The real nail being driven into the growth and success is the attitude and policy.
Christchurch has the advantage of the earthquake in the sense that there are still too many places that haven’t been sorted, so what’s left are big squares of shingle that Wilsons have commandeered and turned into car parks.
But on a recent Saturday, when we visited there was parking all over the place. Cars were a part of down town and down town was pumping.
The message and therefore the lesson could not be clearer or simpler: make the place accessible, make it welcoming make it easy, and they will come.
Contrast that with Wellington and the council’s decision to clear cars out of the so called golden mile, and do what, create a ghost town?
How are people getting to town: on the buses that get cancelled and the trains that don’t work?
Same story in Auckland: you have never seen a council go more out of its way to make the place seem more inhospitable.
All driven by the delusion, despite all evidence to the contrary, that we can’t wait to be on a bus.
They honestly think, if they’ve thought this far ahead at all, that there is nothing more fun that being dumped in town via public transport so we can cover kilometre after kilometre on foot dragging shopping bags along the way.
I note Napier are considering doing a Wellington and closing the main street. If there is any upside to that it’s that provincial New Zealand doesn’t have as big an area when it comes to ‘downtown’, but they also don’t have the public transport infrastructure either.
The reality is, the proof is there now. The theory of bike lanes and bus lanes and the European utopia has been shown to be flawed, wrong, and now fiscally damaging - mainly because, one, we aren’t European, and two, the planning has been a shambles.
But like all mistakes the trick is to pull the pin before it gets worse.
You reckon they’re going to?]]>116falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-winston-peters-he-puapua-claim-highlights-the-government-s-scant-regard-for-the-truth--1007972He knew nothing. It was kept from him despite the fact he was Deputy PM and running the country.
That’s pretty damning for a discussion document.
It’s pretty revealing for something the pm has admitted they were worried about releasing because of the backlash.
That’s pretty embarrassing given the Labour Party have fallen over themselves trying to play it down post the release.
Not very open honest and transparent, is it?
So what started out as suspicious just got a whole pile of petrol tossed on top.
You’ll note the He Puapua story is like a lot of stories these days: it gets some traction, a few questions are asked, and it then fizzles.
And that’s how governments survive, given the news cycle these days. You know that, one, it’ll vanish eventually, and two, if it does look like it will, you do something to distract people.
The media and this is another area where Winston was right, respond to shiny things. An announcement here, an update there: this past week we’ve had stories about the PM’s jab, the vaccine roll out update, Neve’ s cake - bits and pieces that turn your head.
Media is also very weary of boring people. Too much of the same thing, no matter how important or scandalous, is to be avoided.
So He Puapua never really got sorted or settled. Willie Jackson was dispatched to call those of us who questioned it racists and it sort of died away.
But, and here is the critical point given the stuff that happens to be in it that has also gone on to be enacted, like the local body Māori ward scandal: letting this go merely gives them licence to carry on/
Bruce Cotterill was right in the Weekend Herald – read it if you missed it – truth is the first casualty in politics, and this government is setting new records in treating it with scant regard.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/heydh2y2/mh220621-01-racebasedpolicycomment.mp3Tue, 22 Jun 2021 08:30:29 +0000RoccoOf all the things Winston said Sunday, the most intriguing was about He Puapua, the little discussion document that could. He knew nothing. It was kept from him despite the fact he was Deputy PM and running the country. That’s pretty damning for a...He knew nothing. It was kept from him despite the fact he was Deputy PM and running the country.
That’s pretty damning for a discussion document.
It’s pretty revealing for something the pm has admitted they were worried about releasing because of the backlash.
That’s pretty embarrassing given the Labour Party have fallen over themselves trying to play it down post the release.
Not very open honest and transparent, is it?
So what started out as suspicious just got a whole pile of petrol tossed on top.
You’ll note the He Puapua story is like a lot of stories these days: it gets some traction, a few questions are asked, and it then fizzles.
And that’s how governments survive, given the news cycle these days. You know that, one, it’ll vanish eventually, and two, if it does look like it will, you do something to distract people.
The media and this is another area where Winston was right, respond to shiny things. An announcement here, an update there: this past week we’ve had stories about the PM’s jab, the vaccine roll out update, Neve’ s cake - bits and pieces that turn your head.
Media is also very weary of boring people. Too much of the same thing, no matter how important or scandalous, is to be avoided.
So He Puapua never really got sorted or settled. Willie Jackson was dispatched to call those of us who questioned it racists and it sort of died away.
But, and here is the critical point given the stuff that happens to be in it that has also gone on to be enacted, like the local body Māori ward scandal: letting this go merely gives them licence to carry on/
Bruce Cotterill was right in the Weekend Herald – read it if you missed it – truth is the first casualty in politics, and this government is setting new records in treating it with scant regard.]]>104falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/karyn-rachtman-one-of-hollywood-s-top-music-supervisors-bringing-her-back-catalogue-to-the-civic--1008036She's one of the movie industry’s top music supervisors, working  on classic movies like Pulp Fiction, Clueless, Boogie Nights, Reservoir Dogs and Moulin Rouge.
In fact, she's supervised or produced albums that have sold more than 75 million copies worldwide.
Now a concert of the songs from Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs is coming to the civic next month.
Rachtman joined Mike Hosking in studio to discuss her stellar career.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/fc0bvyfs/mh220621-21-karynrachtman-moviemusic.mp3Mon, 21 Jun 2021 13:41:38 +0000RoccoKaryn Rachtman is a name you may not know - but she is one the most influential people in Hollywood. She's one of the movie industry’s top music supervisors, working  on classic movies like Pulp Fiction, Clueless, Boogie Nights, Reservoir Dogs and...She's one of the movie industry’s top music supervisors, working  on classic movies like Pulp Fiction, Clueless, Boogie Nights, Reservoir Dogs and Moulin Rouge.
In fact, she's supervised or produced albums that have sold more than 75 million copies worldwide.
Now a concert of the songs from Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs is coming to the civic next month.
Rachtman joined Mike Hosking in studio to discuss her stellar career.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>661falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-we-still-haven-t-learned-our-lessons-about-kiwisaver--1008159KiwiSaver, in some respects, has been a godsend for this country that never quite had the knack of saving money.  
Generations of New Zealanders got to retirement and needed the state to help with superannuation because they never quite had the idea that one day the wages would stop and they’d need something in the bank.
The trouble with KiwiSaver still persists though.
There is a growing pressure to be able to dip in and dabble, to take money out for an increasing variety of reasons each of the protagonists would argue is important.
This is the first lesson not learned. Retirement savings are for retirement, not spending along the way.
Money accumulates through compound interest over a long period of time. Mess with that, you mess with the whole equation.
Secondly, there are too many default funds and people in default funds. This is your money: know about it, read what you can do about it, learn about it. Default simply means you couldn’t be bothered and you have thrown caution to the wind: why on earth would you do that?
And then thirdly: along came Covid and it turns out we panicked.
The Financial Markets Authority give us the sad truth that a lot of young people freaked out in the early days of Covid and swapped out their savings to conservative funds - $.2 billion got shifted.
Trouble is, if you haven’t followed the market, its gone gang busters. The $1.2 billion that got shifted never got shifted back – 10 percent – or $121 million – got moved.
90 percent failed to take advantage of what we are currently seeing by way of gains and growth.
Of all the lessons around long term savings, the golden one is don’t panic.
There will be good days and bad, ups and downs, shocks and drops, but stay the course. Hold tight and stay the course.
Over a billion dollars from young people didn’t.
So the good news is at least there were a lot of young people actually saving.  But the numbers don’t lie: we still have a long way to go in terms of understanding the value of savings, of patience, of knowledge, and of life’s trials and tribulations.
The more you know the better equipped you are to deal with it all. Lack of knowledge should never be an excuse.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/j3cbcfdv/mh210621-12-kiwisavercomment.mp3Mon, 21 Jun 2021 09:04:11 +0000RoccoThe lesson about lessons is that they're only ever any good if you learn them. KiwiSaver, in some respects, has been a godsend for this country that never quite had the knack of saving money.   Generations of New Zealanders got to retirement and...KiwiSaver, in some respects, has been a godsend for this country that never quite had the knack of saving money.  
Generations of New Zealanders got to retirement and needed the state to help with superannuation because they never quite had the idea that one day the wages would stop and they’d need something in the bank.
The trouble with KiwiSaver still persists though.
There is a growing pressure to be able to dip in and dabble, to take money out for an increasing variety of reasons each of the protagonists would argue is important.
This is the first lesson not learned. Retirement savings are for retirement, not spending along the way.
Money accumulates through compound interest over a long period of time. Mess with that, you mess with the whole equation.
Secondly, there are too many default funds and people in default funds. This is your money: know about it, read what you can do about it, learn about it. Default simply means you couldn’t be bothered and you have thrown caution to the wind: why on earth would you do that?
And then thirdly: along came Covid and it turns out we panicked.
The Financial Markets Authority give us the sad truth that a lot of young people freaked out in the early days of Covid and swapped out their savings to conservative funds - $.2 billion got shifted.
Trouble is, if you haven’t followed the market, its gone gang busters. The $1.2 billion that got shifted never got shifted back – 10 percent – or $121 million – got moved.
90 percent failed to take advantage of what we are currently seeing by way of gains and growth.
Of all the lessons around long term savings, the golden one is don’t panic.
There will be good days and bad, ups and downs, shocks and drops, but stay the course. Hold tight and stay the course.
Over a billion dollars from young people didn’t.
So the good news is at least there were a lot of young people actually saving.  But the numbers don’t lie: we still have a long way to go in terms of understanding the value of savings, of patience, of knowledge, and of life’s trials and tribulations.
The more you know the better equipped you are to deal with it all. Lack of knowledge should never be an excuse.]]>122falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-what-s-our-plan-if-people-won-t-get-vaccinated--1008042The WHO still has to work out what we required by way of numbers for herd immunity, but they say its north of 80 percent.
A poll out this week in Australia has hesitancy at 26 percent - That’s people that most likely won’t get a jab. That number is down, but not much.
We are learning several things about being jabbed, not least of which appears to be the fact it doesn’t get you anything.
Obviously, if you’re frail and/or old it stops you dying or ending up in hospital, but for many people that isn’t and has never been the issue.
So you can’t travel, but you still need to quarantine.
There appear no particular rules around what you can and can’t do
Off shore, there are workplaces asking you for verification, but they don’t seem to be able to take it any further than that. In other words, they can’t make you get vaccinated.
So the big question around this both here and indeed everywhere is what is the end goal? What is the plan? What needs to be achieved before we are back to normal?
For this country, obviously it’s the borders. When do the borders re open? When can we travel with no MIQ, when can someone arrive with no MIQ?
How long do those rules last, what’s the vaccination rate, what happens if we need booster shots?
What is being handed out by way of proof that you have been jabbed?
And here’s the big one: if herd immunity is at 80 percent plus and countries can’t get beyond 75, then what? What’s the answer, what are we doing about it?
Even the countries with good roll outs like the US and Britain aren’t at 80 percent - what if they never get there?
What if they open with less than 80 percent, where does that leave us?
Needless to say, there appear no answers because, needless to say, it doesn’t appear anyone has really thought about it, or at least if they have, there don’t appear to be any answers.
What you might not have noticed, because time is like that, is that this thing has now gone well past a year, and we are half way through 2021 and we have already written off this year for borders.
Australia is talking well into 2022. What’s the bet, at the rate we are going, we will be here same time next year, asking the same questions?        ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/a1amlf3i/mh170621-01-vaccinehesitancycomment.mp3Wed, 16 Jun 2021 20:47:05 +0000RoccoSo here is one of many major questions around the vaccine roll out The WHO still has to work out what we required by way of numbers for herd immunity, but they say its north of 80 percent. A poll out this week in Australia has hesitancy at 26 percent...The WHO still has to work out what we required by way of numbers for herd immunity, but they say its north of 80 percent.
A poll out this week in Australia has hesitancy at 26 percent - That’s people that most likely won’t get a jab. That number is down, but not much.
We are learning several things about being jabbed, not least of which appears to be the fact it doesn’t get you anything.
Obviously, if you’re frail and/or old it stops you dying or ending up in hospital, but for many people that isn’t and has never been the issue.
So you can’t travel, but you still need to quarantine.
There appear no particular rules around what you can and can’t do
Off shore, there are workplaces asking you for verification, but they don’t seem to be able to take it any further than that. In other words, they can’t make you get vaccinated.
So the big question around this both here and indeed everywhere is what is the end goal? What is the plan? What needs to be achieved before we are back to normal?
For this country, obviously it’s the borders. When do the borders re open? When can we travel with no MIQ, when can someone arrive with no MIQ?
How long do those rules last, what’s the vaccination rate, what happens if we need booster shots?
What is being handed out by way of proof that you have been jabbed?
And here’s the big one: if herd immunity is at 80 percent plus and countries can’t get beyond 75, then what? What’s the answer, what are we doing about it?
Even the countries with good roll outs like the US and Britain aren’t at 80 percent - what if they never get there?
What if they open with less than 80 percent, where does that leave us?
Needless to say, there appear no answers because, needless to say, it doesn’t appear anyone has really thought about it, or at least if they have, there don’t appear to be any answers.
What you might not have noticed, because time is like that, is that this thing has now gone well past a year, and we are half way through 2021 and we have already written off this year for borders.
Australia is talking well into 2022. What’s the bet, at the rate we are going, we will be here same time next year, asking the same questions?        ]]>117falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-gdp-figure-will-expose-our-stagnant-economy--1008123One, its absurd we are waiting till now to get details about the economy from January, February, and March. The irony being we are about to end the second quarter of the year and we haven’t even got the statistics for the first.
Two, just what is it going to be? The thing almost everyone is agreed upon is it’s not going to be very good. It’ll either be a bit above zero or a bit below it.
If it’s below it, that’s a recession, given the last quarter of last year was below zero as well. If that’s the case, the government should be hanging their heads in shame.
But instead, they’ll say something like its historical detail we’ve moved on and our economy is off and running – which it isn’t – but they’ll worry about coming up with an excuse for that another day.
If it’s above zero, they will talk about growth and freedoms and a bright and prosperous tomorrow.
What allows them to get away with all this flannel is sadly too many people don’t know nor care about things like GDP. 
A lot of people's economic outlook, more is the pity, is limited to their own personal circumstances.
If you have a job, if you pay the mortgage, if you have a holiday, you’re OK, therefore the economy is fine.
If you work at Marsden Point or the Kawerau Mill, not so much.
If you’re running a café or restaurant and you’re shrinking your hours because you can’t get the people you need, not so much.
If you’re selling a car or a jet ski or clothes, you’re economy has never been better.
But that’s GDP; it’s the culmination of everything. It’s everyone’s good news story and their bad news story and every story in between, and in that is your number. It’s the complete picture.
And the complete picture, whether it’s a bit above zero or a bit below zero is hopeless
For want of a better word, it’s stagnant. That’s our economy: stagnant, going nowhere. All that Covid freedom and for what?
Stagnancy and debt. That’s what’s preventing it being truly awful: $100 billion of debt, the false inflator, the fiscal opiate.
So have a look at the GDP figure when it comes out, and then have a look at the number for other countries that we do business with, and you will note theirs tends to be bigger. In say Australia’s case it was 3.1, so a lot bigger.
Ask yourself why. Economic credibility is the answer: they have it, we don’t. As always, numbers don’t lie.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/20wcimxm/mh160621-01-gdpcomment.mp3Wed, 16 Jun 2021 04:52:40 +0000RoccoSeveral things about our GDP number this week. One, its absurd we are waiting till now to get details about the economy from January, February, and March. The irony being we are about to end the second quarter of the year and we haven’t even got the...One, its absurd we are waiting till now to get details about the economy from January, February, and March. The irony being we are about to end the second quarter of the year and we haven’t even got the statistics for the first.
Two, just what is it going to be? The thing almost everyone is agreed upon is it’s not going to be very good. It’ll either be a bit above zero or a bit below it.
If it’s below it, that’s a recession, given the last quarter of last year was below zero as well. If that’s the case, the government should be hanging their heads in shame.
But instead, they’ll say something like its historical detail we’ve moved on and our economy is off and running – which it isn’t – but they’ll worry about coming up with an excuse for that another day.
If it’s above zero, they will talk about growth and freedoms and a bright and prosperous tomorrow.
What allows them to get away with all this flannel is sadly too many people don’t know nor care about things like GDP. 
A lot of people's economic outlook, more is the pity, is limited to their own personal circumstances.
If you have a job, if you pay the mortgage, if you have a holiday, you’re OK, therefore the economy is fine.
If you work at Marsden Point or the Kawerau Mill, not so much.
If you’re running a café or restaurant and you’re shrinking your hours because you can’t get the people you need, not so much.
If you’re selling a car or a jet ski or clothes, you’re economy has never been better.
But that’s GDP; it’s the culmination of everything. It’s everyone’s good news story and their bad news story and every story in between, and in that is your number. It’s the complete picture.
And the complete picture, whether it’s a bit above zero or a bit below zero is hopeless
For want of a better word, it’s stagnant. That’s our economy: stagnant, going nowhere. All that Covid freedom and for what?
Stagnancy and debt. That’s what’s preventing it being truly awful: $100 billion of debt, the false inflator, the fiscal opiate.
So have a look at the GDP figure when it comes out, and then have a look at the number for other countries that we do business with, and you will note theirs tends to be bigger. In say Australia’s case it was 3.1, so a lot bigger.
Ask yourself why. Economic credibility is the answer: they have it, we don’t. As always, numbers don’t lie.  ]]>125falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-where-s-the-g7-s-urgency-and-accountability-over-finding-covid-s-origins--10081651 billion vaccines is tangible, but is yet again the result of exactly what we said would happen six months ago.
People with money and influence get better deals no matter what you’re dealing with and a vaccine was never going to be any different.
But on Covid, the pledge to have a look at the origin needs a few follow up questions.
One would be when and by whom?
We have a fairly serious build-up of concern now from the States at the very highest levels through to Europe and Britain and various intelligence agencies as well.
It was a missed opportunity at the outset when Australia first asked the question.
To think WHO, a UN agency, was ever going to find anything was farcical and fanciful, and the very fact that here we are all these months later and we are only just now thinking about a proper look tells you how asleep at the wheel we have been.
The WHO has again said a couple of things. One, they have ruled nothing out by way of cause, and two, they want China to cough all the details.
Well, you can forget the last part. So that means someone is going to have to go in and get unfettered access now given that isn’t going to happen either.
The big question is, then what?
The obvious answer is the usual series of summits involving claim, counter-claim and finger-pointing, but once you’ve got through those niceties, the real business needs to begin.
And as far as I can work out, the most effective mechanism available globally is sanctions.
So who leads the sanction charge and to what extent? Who actually makes sure China either answers some questions or pays the price for not doing so?
There are six countries in the whole world that have turned their economies around and bounced back above and beyond the Covid damage. China is not only one of them, but it’s the most successful one.
No one to this point has benefited and rebuilt better than China.
It’s been well in excess of a year since the world haemorrhaged with this, and its struck me as astonishing there hasn’t been a greater urgency around accountability.
You can only hope that the G7 was the start of something a bit more concrete than what we have seen so far.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/4bya3isr/mh150621-01-g7comment.mp3Mon, 14 Jun 2021 15:52:55 +0000RoccoAlthough you don’t expect a lot out of things like the G7, a couple of observations can be made. 1 billion vaccines is tangible, but is yet again the result of exactly what we said would happen six months ago. People with money and influence get...1 billion vaccines is tangible, but is yet again the result of exactly what we said would happen six months ago.
People with money and influence get better deals no matter what you’re dealing with and a vaccine was never going to be any different.
But on Covid, the pledge to have a look at the origin needs a few follow up questions.
One would be when and by whom?
We have a fairly serious build-up of concern now from the States at the very highest levels through to Europe and Britain and various intelligence agencies as well.
It was a missed opportunity at the outset when Australia first asked the question.
To think WHO, a UN agency, was ever going to find anything was farcical and fanciful, and the very fact that here we are all these months later and we are only just now thinking about a proper look tells you how asleep at the wheel we have been.
The WHO has again said a couple of things. One, they have ruled nothing out by way of cause, and two, they want China to cough all the details.
Well, you can forget the last part. So that means someone is going to have to go in and get unfettered access now given that isn’t going to happen either.
The big question is, then what?
The obvious answer is the usual series of summits involving claim, counter-claim and finger-pointing, but once you’ve got through those niceties, the real business needs to begin.
And as far as I can work out, the most effective mechanism available globally is sanctions.
So who leads the sanction charge and to what extent? Who actually makes sure China either answers some questions or pays the price for not doing so?
There are six countries in the whole world that have turned their economies around and bounced back above and beyond the Covid damage. China is not only one of them, but it’s the most successful one.
No one to this point has benefited and rebuilt better than China.
It’s been well in excess of a year since the world haemorrhaged with this, and its struck me as astonishing there hasn’t been a greater urgency around accountability.
You can only hope that the G7 was the start of something a bit more concrete than what we have seen so far.]]>116falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-auckland-s-public-transport-plans-an-astonishing-bill-for-not-a-lot--1008167The City Rail Link in Auckland ,the gargantuan mess that is ruining businesses, behind time and over budget, will in fact, it is reported, need billions and billions more to achieve what they said it would.
It’s at $4.4 billion currently - and just think about that number.
The CRL is 3.5kms long – that’s well in excess of $1 billion a kilometre.
It will need another $6+ billion to carry the number of passengers they say it will.
And here is the con. They claim it will carry 54,000 an hour, but that’s not 54,000 an hour at $4.4 billion: that’s 54,000 at the extra $6 billion, and yet they don’t tell you that.
And that’s before you get to the bit where just because something can do that doesn’t mean it will.
You’ll need 54,000 wanting to get on a train and history already proves that public transport doesn’t work, isn’t liked and isn't used. Post-Covid lockdown, train usage isn’t back to normal or anywhere close, nor is bus use nor is ferry use. The only thing that is is the roads.
All up, this CRL dream is a $12 billion project - now where have you heard the $12 billion figure recently?
That’s right, the $12 billon they had set aside for shovel ready projects and the infrastructural revolution about to explode across New Zealand.
Except, as we found out the other week, that has been cancelled and reworked because guess what? What they said they could do for the money, they can’t.
So roading projects are off and cycle bridges are in.
The tragedy of this is that despite us all agreeing infrastructure is badly needed, we don’t know how to do it properly, and even the projects we do start, they will never achieve what we ultimately want them to.
The cycle lane at almost $1 billion won’t be a billion, the same way the CRL isn’t $4.4 billion – which of course didn’t start out at $4.4billion, it started out way, way less.
So for $13 billion, we will have a cycle lane and a 3.5 k train loop all in Auckland all not being used, all not solving the issues they were allegedly set out to solve.
This is a lesson and the danger of ideology run rampant and power freaks using other people’s money.
It’s an astonishing bill for not a lot.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/2gpnzghn/mh140621-13-crlcomment.mp3Sun, 13 Jun 2021 16:12:11 +0000RoccoIt was labelled a shock, but is it really?  The City Rail Link in Auckland ,the gargantuan mess that is ruining businesses, behind time and over budget, will in fact, it is reported, need billions and billions more to achieve what they said it would....The City Rail Link in Auckland ,the gargantuan mess that is ruining businesses, behind time and over budget, will in fact, it is reported, need billions and billions more to achieve what they said it would.
It’s at $4.4 billion currently - and just think about that number.
The CRL is 3.5kms long – that’s well in excess of $1 billion a kilometre.
It will need another $6+ billion to carry the number of passengers they say it will.
And here is the con. They claim it will carry 54,000 an hour, but that’s not 54,000 an hour at $4.4 billion: that’s 54,000 at the extra $6 billion, and yet they don’t tell you that.
And that’s before you get to the bit where just because something can do that doesn’t mean it will.
You’ll need 54,000 wanting to get on a train and history already proves that public transport doesn’t work, isn’t liked and isn't used. Post-Covid lockdown, train usage isn’t back to normal or anywhere close, nor is bus use nor is ferry use. The only thing that is is the roads.
All up, this CRL dream is a $12 billion project - now where have you heard the $12 billion figure recently?
That’s right, the $12 billon they had set aside for shovel ready projects and the infrastructural revolution about to explode across New Zealand.
Except, as we found out the other week, that has been cancelled and reworked because guess what? What they said they could do for the money, they can’t.
So roading projects are off and cycle bridges are in.
The tragedy of this is that despite us all agreeing infrastructure is badly needed, we don’t know how to do it properly, and even the projects we do start, they will never achieve what we ultimately want them to.
The cycle lane at almost $1 billion won’t be a billion, the same way the CRL isn’t $4.4 billion – which of course didn’t start out at $4.4billion, it started out way, way less.
So for $13 billion, we will have a cycle lane and a 3.5 k train loop all in Auckland all not being used, all not solving the issues they were allegedly set out to solve.
This is a lesson and the danger of ideology run rampant and power freaks using other people’s money.
It’s an astonishing bill for not a lot.]]>133falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-the-facts-don-t-lie-government-has-got-it-wrong-on-housing--1008169Both TradeMe and QV figures yesterday give no suggestion that the housing market is taking any direction at all.
At best, the QV number shows a slight, and I mean slight, decrease in the increases we have seen – 0.1 of 1 percent, to be precise.
That could easily be winter, or if it was government policy, hardly worth the drama around it.
So not only are the figures showing no progress, there are a slew of market indicators  that suggest the changes are being counter acted on an ongoing basis.
Labour is an issue and shows no signs of changing. Supplies are an issue in a twofold way: one, they are costing more and two, you can’t get them anyway and as a result current builds are being delayed.
Money is still cheap, one product in the market has money at below two percent, and another announced over the weekend a new low for the particular bank at very close to two percent.  
Supply is still a problem, and that’s not just from housing not being built as fast as they thought, it’s the number of houses for sale. People won’t sell if there is nothing to buy, it’s a self-fulfilling issue, and hence people are looking at fewer options, therefore paying higher prices
This, we remind you again, is happening from the Gold Coast, to the Gulf Coast, to the Cornish coast: places where prices are at record levels despite a slew of tax and regulatory regimes already in place that look remarkably similar to the new ones we just put on thinking they’ll make a difference.
There is the anecdotal talk of fewer investors inquiring, fewer first home buyers taking the leap.
The irony of the latter part of course is these very measures introduced were specifically designed to quote unquote tilt the housing market towards the first home buyer.
The reality is this: the market and its increases will slow a bit for the rest of the year because they simply can’t keep going the way they have been.
But it is not the new rules that will do it, because it never was going to be, but then we told you that.
If interest rates rise, that’ll put a brake on. But as long as money is cheap, people feel business is going ok, as long as we can’t travel, housing will be what it will be.
And as we have seen this week with two more sets of numbers: the facts don’t lie.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/nxxf4i5g/mh100621-01-housepriceinterventioncomment.mp3Thu, 10 Jun 2021 02:53:24 +0000RoccoThe evidence is mounting, if not now irrefutable, that what the government and the Reserve Bank have done in concert with each other is not having the desired effect they wanted housing. Both TradeMe and QV figures yesterday give no suggestion that...Both TradeMe and QV figures yesterday give no suggestion that the housing market is taking any direction at all.
At best, the QV number shows a slight, and I mean slight, decrease in the increases we have seen – 0.1 of 1 percent, to be precise.
That could easily be winter, or if it was government policy, hardly worth the drama around it.
So not only are the figures showing no progress, there are a slew of market indicators  that suggest the changes are being counter acted on an ongoing basis.
Labour is an issue and shows no signs of changing. Supplies are an issue in a twofold way: one, they are costing more and two, you can’t get them anyway and as a result current builds are being delayed.
Money is still cheap, one product in the market has money at below two percent, and another announced over the weekend a new low for the particular bank at very close to two percent.  
Supply is still a problem, and that’s not just from housing not being built as fast as they thought, it’s the number of houses for sale. People won’t sell if there is nothing to buy, it’s a self-fulfilling issue, and hence people are looking at fewer options, therefore paying higher prices
This, we remind you again, is happening from the Gold Coast, to the Gulf Coast, to the Cornish coast: places where prices are at record levels despite a slew of tax and regulatory regimes already in place that look remarkably similar to the new ones we just put on thinking they’ll make a difference.
There is the anecdotal talk of fewer investors inquiring, fewer first home buyers taking the leap.
The irony of the latter part of course is these very measures introduced were specifically designed to quote unquote tilt the housing market towards the first home buyer.
The reality is this: the market and its increases will slow a bit for the rest of the year because they simply can’t keep going the way they have been.
But it is not the new rules that will do it, because it never was going to be, but then we told you that.
If interest rates rise, that’ll put a brake on. But as long as money is cheap, people feel business is going ok, as long as we can’t travel, housing will be what it will be.
And as we have seen this week with two more sets of numbers: the facts don’t lie.]]>126falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-ollie-robinson-sacking-shows-the-crazies-are-winning--1008184They’re silly; they’re the sort of dumb musings of a bored show-offy sort of teenager.
Having not followed any of this until the poor bloke was dropped; I had wondered why I hadn’t heard of the outcry all those years ago.
I had assumed there had been one, but upon seeing the tweets I can see why: there clearly hadn’t been.
They are barely registerable in the grand scheme of outlandish things said on line on any given day anywhere in the world
He says his ashamed. Maybe I haven’t seen the worst of them. I saw four that were reported as widely being spread about the place in their re-incarnation these past few weeks.
Maybe the captain Joe Root has seen other far worse ones, because he says they were unacceptable, which of course they are.
Let me give you one:  ‘Females who play video games actually tend to have more sex and be happier with their relationships than girls who don’t’.
Is that a sackable offence? This is a decade ago. The kid was at school.
‘Not going to lie…. A lot of girls need to learn the art of class’.
‘My new Muslim friend is the bomb’.
Sexist, yes. Racist, yes. Worst thing you’ve ever heard? No. Set new standards in depraved behaviour on line, no.
The idiocy of a school boy? There but for the grace of god.
It’s hard to know what the worse crime: the sacking from the squad or those who support it.
If he’d done this last week you would say it’s the inexplicable work of a moron, but even then I’d hope there was some debate about whether it was a sackable offence
But the fact they are from 2013, and a school kid brought back to haunt someone and as a result potentially ruin a career is still, despite the age we live in, beyond any level of normal comprehension.
The reason Boris is as popular as he is is because his gets it and his stood up and said something.
The reason the UK Labour Party are the in dire straits they are is because they support the sacking.
One poll shows 16 percent think he should have been dropped, so 84 percent are on the right side of this.
The cancel culture and ugliness that comes with it is killing us.  The woke nonsense that passes for widely held belief is an endangerment to democracy and free speech.
Piers Morgan is right, it has to end, but it won’t end unless enough say enough.
But as long as decade old plonker behaviour is a crime, the crazies are winning.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/w2ona0pm/mh090621-01-ollyrobinsoncomment.mp3Tue, 08 Jun 2021 17:57:36 +0000RoccoI got around to reading the Ollie Robinson tweets yesterday. They’re silly; they’re the sort of dumb musings of a bored show-offy sort of teenager. Having not followed any of this until the poor bloke was dropped; I had wondered why I hadn’t heard of...They’re silly; they’re the sort of dumb musings of a bored show-offy sort of teenager.
Having not followed any of this until the poor bloke was dropped; I had wondered why I hadn’t heard of the outcry all those years ago.
I had assumed there had been one, but upon seeing the tweets I can see why: there clearly hadn’t been.
They are barely registerable in the grand scheme of outlandish things said on line on any given day anywhere in the world
He says his ashamed. Maybe I haven’t seen the worst of them. I saw four that were reported as widely being spread about the place in their re-incarnation these past few weeks.
Maybe the captain Joe Root has seen other far worse ones, because he says they were unacceptable, which of course they are.
Let me give you one:  ‘Females who play video games actually tend to have more sex and be happier with their relationships than girls who don’t’.
Is that a sackable offence? This is a decade ago. The kid was at school.
‘Not going to lie…. A lot of girls need to learn the art of class’.
‘My new Muslim friend is the bomb’.
Sexist, yes. Racist, yes. Worst thing you’ve ever heard? No. Set new standards in depraved behaviour on line, no.
The idiocy of a school boy? There but for the grace of god.
It’s hard to know what the worse crime: the sacking from the squad or those who support it.
If he’d done this last week you would say it’s the inexplicable work of a moron, but even then I’d hope there was some debate about whether it was a sackable offence
But the fact they are from 2013, and a school kid brought back to haunt someone and as a result potentially ruin a career is still, despite the age we live in, beyond any level of normal comprehension.
The reason Boris is as popular as he is is because his gets it and his stood up and said something.
The reason the UK Labour Party are the in dire straits they are is because they support the sacking.
One poll shows 16 percent think he should have been dropped, so 84 percent are on the right side of this.
The cancel culture and ugliness that comes with it is killing us.  The woke nonsense that passes for widely held belief is an endangerment to democracy and free speech.
Piers Morgan is right, it has to end, but it won’t end unless enough say enough.
But as long as decade old plonker behaviour is a crime, the crazies are winning.]]>140falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-common-sense-is-out-the-door-dollar-signs-are-in-the-eyes--1008121It’s not just AMC, it’s all sorts of stocks and they’re being driven by greed and stupidity, not necessarily in that order.
AMC is the world’s largest movie operator.
They started out as the Dubinsky brothers in 1920 in Kansas.
They eventually became American Royal Cinemas and then American Multi Cinemas, or AMC.
They have almost 1000 theatres and 11000 screens; they bring in over half a billion in revenue a year, well that was until Covid.
Of late, they have been caught up in the mad frenzy of social media hype, tweeting, shorting and general mayhem around the value of their stock.
Now (as was explained by Andrew Friday), none of the old fashioned stuff around the state of their business has anything to do with this trading.
The fact they haven’t been open, the fact they didn’t really know who would come back to the movies post-Covid.
The fact Hollywood wasn’t making a lot of content to show, even if they were open, wasn’t a part of the trading equation.
And this, in a way, is why the world gets itself in the mess it does financially.
And its why, no matter what happens, when they say that’s a lesson learned, or that will never happen again, it’s simply not true.
I suppose the upside of what we have seen is it isn’t illegal, just insane.
The movie when they make it, and they will, will not be like ‘The Big Short’ but it’s the same ingredients; greed, greed and greed.
They’ve managed to go out into the world and say to various lenders ‘Hey look at our stock, look at our value’ and based on that they’ve raised hundreds of millions of dollars.
The lesson here, I think, is no matter what is happening in the world, people are desperate for a punt, for wealth, for risk.
Common sense is out the door, dollar signs are in the eyes.
It’s why we love lotto, no one wants to do the homework, or be knowledgeable, it’s why Vegas is popular.
They like a bandwagon, they like a thrill and they’re happy to toss money at it.
Crypto is the same, what might have been once an alternative is now just a feeding frenzy driven by Elon Musk tweets.
He’s the snake oil salesman of the 21st century. Do what Elon says, even though Elon is nuts.
The human condition is an amazing thing, the more we are supposed to know, the less we learn.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/q0eja2g4/mh080621-01-amccomment.mp3Mon, 07 Jun 2021 23:46:35 +0000RoccoAs mentioned Friday, I have been following the AMC saga. It’s not just AMC, it’s all sorts of stocks and they’re being driven by greed and stupidity, not necessarily in that order. AMC is the world’s largest movie operator. They started out as the...It’s not just AMC, it’s all sorts of stocks and they’re being driven by greed and stupidity, not necessarily in that order.
AMC is the world’s largest movie operator.
They started out as the Dubinsky brothers in 1920 in Kansas.
They eventually became American Royal Cinemas and then American Multi Cinemas, or AMC.
They have almost 1000 theatres and 11000 screens; they bring in over half a billion in revenue a year, well that was until Covid.
Of late, they have been caught up in the mad frenzy of social media hype, tweeting, shorting and general mayhem around the value of their stock.
Now (as was explained by Andrew Friday), none of the old fashioned stuff around the state of their business has anything to do with this trading.
The fact they haven’t been open, the fact they didn’t really know who would come back to the movies post-Covid.
The fact Hollywood wasn’t making a lot of content to show, even if they were open, wasn’t a part of the trading equation.
And this, in a way, is why the world gets itself in the mess it does financially.
And its why, no matter what happens, when they say that’s a lesson learned, or that will never happen again, it’s simply not true.
I suppose the upside of what we have seen is it isn’t illegal, just insane.
The movie when they make it, and they will, will not be like ‘The Big Short’ but it’s the same ingredients; greed, greed and greed.
They’ve managed to go out into the world and say to various lenders ‘Hey look at our stock, look at our value’ and based on that they’ve raised hundreds of millions of dollars.
The lesson here, I think, is no matter what is happening in the world, people are desperate for a punt, for wealth, for risk.
Common sense is out the door, dollar signs are in the eyes.
It’s why we love lotto, no one wants to do the homework, or be knowledgeable, it’s why Vegas is popular.
They like a bandwagon, they like a thrill and they’re happy to toss money at it.
Crypto is the same, what might have been once an alternative is now just a feeding frenzy driven by Elon Musk tweets.
He’s the snake oil salesman of the 21st century. Do what Elon says, even though Elon is nuts.
The human condition is an amazing thing, the more we are supposed to know, the less we learn.]]>127falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-self-responsibility-easier-than-finger-pointing-or-laying-blame--1008128Of course it is, they make the decision to make it.
They somehow have ended up facing international headlines this week over the amount of unhealthy food, and as the age dictates they have vowed to do something about it.
And like many stories of the age, when you look at the facts, they don’t turn out to be as bad as you might have first been led to believe.
When you take Nestle's entire food portfolio – and remember, it’s a big one – the number claimed isn’t the number in reality, its way smaller.
The original number is only applicable when you take a smaller chunk of their portfolio, but never let the fact get in the way of a good woke, alarmist headline.
But my guess is they make this stuff, whether fat filled, sugar filled or not, for a good reason: people buy it.
I’d be astonished if they made product to sit on the shelf and pass it’s used by date.
So who really, if you’re looking to lay blame in this blame filled age, is at fault here?
Us for loving bad food and buying it, or Nestle for making what we want to buy?
Equally to blame apparently is Aaron Smith for running around with Speights on his top: by watching Aaron, you’ll get thirsty or maybe aspirational to be like him.
And you will assume he runs this fast because he drinks lots of beer and you will go out and buy more of it or if you are young you’ll start drinking and that is not good
So someone must pay a price and the price is Speights, who make the beer and should not, according to Alcohol Watch, be allowed to advertise or promote or spend money or do anything I assume but hide  in the shadows where they pedal their hard liquor.
Of course, everyone is trouble if you look hard enough. Fat, salt sugar, alcohol, slave labour, deforestation for product, market manipulation, anti-competitive behaviour: they’re all at it, we are all victims and we all need someone to blame.
And like Alcohol Watch and who ever pinged Nestle, there is a growth industry of do-gooders, who at some level actually do do good, but at another fill their days justifying their ideology and making enough noise to keep their shackle up and the door open.
Self-responsibility would save us a lot of time and energy. Instead of finger pointing, if we owned a lot of our own actions and ideas, it would be a lot simpler.
I make my own choices on beer; I make my own choices on food.
I don’t need a watchdog, I don’t need more taxes, I don’t want to blame others for my actions. Let’s hope the idea spreads.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/vkkepcb0/mh030621-01-nestlecomment.mp3Thu, 03 Jun 2021 04:16:47 +0000RoccoIs it Nestle's fault they make a lot of food that isn’t all that healthy? Of course it is, they make the decision to make it. They somehow have ended up facing international headlines this week over the amount of unhealthy food, and as the age...Of course it is, they make the decision to make it.
They somehow have ended up facing international headlines this week over the amount of unhealthy food, and as the age dictates they have vowed to do something about it.
And like many stories of the age, when you look at the facts, they don’t turn out to be as bad as you might have first been led to believe.
When you take Nestle's entire food portfolio – and remember, it’s a big one – the number claimed isn’t the number in reality, its way smaller.
The original number is only applicable when you take a smaller chunk of their portfolio, but never let the fact get in the way of a good woke, alarmist headline.
But my guess is they make this stuff, whether fat filled, sugar filled or not, for a good reason: people buy it.
I’d be astonished if they made product to sit on the shelf and pass it’s used by date.
So who really, if you’re looking to lay blame in this blame filled age, is at fault here?
Us for loving bad food and buying it, or Nestle for making what we want to buy?
Equally to blame apparently is Aaron Smith for running around with Speights on his top: by watching Aaron, you’ll get thirsty or maybe aspirational to be like him.
And you will assume he runs this fast because he drinks lots of beer and you will go out and buy more of it or if you are young you’ll start drinking and that is not good
So someone must pay a price and the price is Speights, who make the beer and should not, according to Alcohol Watch, be allowed to advertise or promote or spend money or do anything I assume but hide  in the shadows where they pedal their hard liquor.
Of course, everyone is trouble if you look hard enough. Fat, salt sugar, alcohol, slave labour, deforestation for product, market manipulation, anti-competitive behaviour: they’re all at it, we are all victims and we all need someone to blame.
And like Alcohol Watch and who ever pinged Nestle, there is a growth industry of do-gooders, who at some level actually do do good, but at another fill their days justifying their ideology and making enough noise to keep their shackle up and the door open.
Self-responsibility would save us a lot of time and energy. Instead of finger pointing, if we owned a lot of our own actions and ideas, it would be a lot simpler.
I make my own choices on beer; I make my own choices on food.
I don’t need a watchdog, I don’t need more taxes, I don’t want to blame others for my actions. Let’s hope the idea spreads.]]>130falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-naomi-osaka-shows-woke-age-pity-parties-have-no-place-in-sport--1008122Her mental health cannot have been impacted in any sort of positive way by unilaterally announcing she was no longer dealing with the press. Did she honestly think we all think it was a good idea?
The good thing about the reaction to her announcement was it came from what some of us see as a world in which boundaries are still adhered to, expectations must still be met, and certain toughness is required. It was the world of professional sport.
To succeed you must have certain qualities and those qualities are constantly on display: the thrill of triumph, the agony of disappointment. That’s why sport is a stage and we love to watch.
It’s an exaggerated version of our existence, with better, fitter people chasing bigger, more dramatic dreams.
And part of the deal on that stage is you don’t whine, you can melt down or explode and say sorry later.
But you get the sense that what most likely would have been tolerated in many a modern work place, i.e. I’m fragile, I’m shy, I’m tired, I’m over it, I don’t want to deal with the rules any more, Was never going to be tolerated at ATP level.
That’s because they have not entered the woke age of handing out free passes to everything and everyone who plays the mental health card.
Part of me thinks it was little more than attention seeking, given her excuses simply didn’t add up.
In her statement, she didn’t actually seem to have a problem with the press at all, she sighted the fact she wore head phones as an indication of escapism.
Well, hello, have a look pre -ame at any Super Rugby match, any NBA game, any NFL game, any professional sport of any sort.
Jonah Lomu used to stand out a bit when he did it, but that was decades back: these days, it’s the uniform, or a lot of escapism.
And then you get the fact Osaka has been hitting a ball since she was three. She was moved to Florida. It’s all very Andre Agassi: the machine produced by the parent, with the grand plan of global dominance.
Her aversion to the rules didn’t likely start this past week. She didn’t suddenly have to do something she had never done before. She had been doing it her entire life.
It’s possible she’s over it: when you start at three, retirement most likely creeps up at a younger age, and there is nothing wrong with that.
But none of it made sense. What did she think would happen? And what does she do now, given she knows the system doesn’t acquiesce, and what right did she have to distract an entire Grand Slam so we could all focus on her fragilities?
If you do not love it, don’t do it. If it’s too hard, don’t do it. But don’t dress it up as a 'woe is me' pity party with special rules just for you.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/2zaoigev/mh020621-01-naomiosakacomment.mp3Tue, 01 Jun 2021 15:43:08 +0000RoccoNaomi Osaka’s withdrawal from the French Open is a lesson I think in many things - not least of which is to think before you act. Her mental health cannot have been impacted in any sort of positive way by unilaterally announcing she was no longer...Her mental health cannot have been impacted in any sort of positive way by unilaterally announcing she was no longer dealing with the press. Did she honestly think we all think it was a good idea?
The good thing about the reaction to her announcement was it came from what some of us see as a world in which boundaries are still adhered to, expectations must still be met, and certain toughness is required. It was the world of professional sport.
To succeed you must have certain qualities and those qualities are constantly on display: the thrill of triumph, the agony of disappointment. That’s why sport is a stage and we love to watch.
It’s an exaggerated version of our existence, with better, fitter people chasing bigger, more dramatic dreams.
And part of the deal on that stage is you don’t whine, you can melt down or explode and say sorry later.
But you get the sense that what most likely would have been tolerated in many a modern work place, i.e. I’m fragile, I’m shy, I’m tired, I’m over it, I don’t want to deal with the rules any more, Was never going to be tolerated at ATP level.
That’s because they have not entered the woke age of handing out free passes to everything and everyone who plays the mental health card.
Part of me thinks it was little more than attention seeking, given her excuses simply didn’t add up.
In her statement, she didn’t actually seem to have a problem with the press at all, she sighted the fact she wore head phones as an indication of escapism.
Well, hello, have a look pre -ame at any Super Rugby match, any NBA game, any NFL game, any professional sport of any sort.
Jonah Lomu used to stand out a bit when he did it, but that was decades back: these days, it’s the uniform, or a lot of escapism.
And then you get the fact Osaka has been hitting a ball since she was three. She was moved to Florida. It’s all very Andre Agassi: the machine produced by the parent, with the grand plan of global dominance.
Her aversion to the rules didn’t likely start this past week. She didn’t suddenly have to do something she had never done before. She had been doing it her entire life.
It’s possible she’s over it: when you start at three, retirement most likely creeps up at a younger age, and there is nothing wrong with that.
But none of it made sense. What did she think would happen? And what does she do now, given she knows the system doesn’t acquiesce, and what right did she have to distract an entire Grand Slam so we could all focus on her fragilities?
If you do not love it, don’t do it. If it’s too hard, don’t do it. But don’t dress it up as a 'woe is me' pity party with special rules just for you.]]>142falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-it-is-a-crime-to-pay-someone-to-do-nothing--1008136The stats last week were shocking: 115,000 on the dole for longer than 12 months. That doesn’t count the many tens of thousands more on the dole at all.
Fortunately, many move in and out of welfare and for them the system works largely as planned.
But all over the world we are seeing an increasing gap between the number of jobs that are available and the number of people who can’t seem to find one.
I gave you the numbers yesterday: 188,000 vacancies in hospo alone in Britain, 289,000 in Australia. According to Seek, we have more job ads here than we ever had.
Stateside, the hiring game has become a nightmare all over the economy. In every sector, shortages reign supreme.
They’re offering hundreds of thousands of dollars by way of a salary for truck drivers.  36 states so far have cancelled boosted federal welfare because last time the stats came out they had 8 million jobs, but only filled 366 000 of them.
Part of the issue is location - are the jobs where the people are – but also skills and, of course, attitude.
What is also being done increasingly stateside is the insistence that if you want welfare, you have to prove you’re working hard to find a job.
We should go further here. We either accept that there are tens of thousands of hopeless cases and let them rot and fill the gaps with migration settings, or we actually do something about it: it is a crime to pay someone to do nothing.
The cold hard truth is you shouldn’t be allowed to live somewhere with no work. You shouldn’t be allowed to be on welfare with no skills, or skills where there is no longer work available.
The same way kids can’t leave school and get welfare for nothing, why does the same rule not apply to everyone?
You’re either being educated, or trained, or both. You’re either in a job scheme or an apprenticeship.
Isn’t it a social contract with those of us who work to pay these bills? You need help? No problem: what are you doing to help yourself.
Clearly given the international story, we aren’t alone, but it doesn’t mean we have to accept it and pretend that doing nothing other than forking out free money is some sort of way forward.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/hyqf5vyx/mh010621-01-jobsvsunemployedcomment.mp3Mon, 31 May 2021 16:05:46 +0000RoccoIf you subscribe to the “numbers don’t lie” scenario, then we have to do something about those who don’t have work. The stats last week were shocking: 115,000 on the dole for longer than 12 months. That doesn’t count the many tens of thousands more on...The stats last week were shocking: 115,000 on the dole for longer than 12 months. That doesn’t count the many tens of thousands more on the dole at all.
Fortunately, many move in and out of welfare and for them the system works largely as planned.
But all over the world we are seeing an increasing gap between the number of jobs that are available and the number of people who can’t seem to find one.
I gave you the numbers yesterday: 188,000 vacancies in hospo alone in Britain, 289,000 in Australia. According to Seek, we have more job ads here than we ever had.
Stateside, the hiring game has become a nightmare all over the economy. In every sector, shortages reign supreme.
They’re offering hundreds of thousands of dollars by way of a salary for truck drivers.  36 states so far have cancelled boosted federal welfare because last time the stats came out they had 8 million jobs, but only filled 366 000 of them.
Part of the issue is location - are the jobs where the people are – but also skills and, of course, attitude.
What is also being done increasingly stateside is the insistence that if you want welfare, you have to prove you’re working hard to find a job.
We should go further here. We either accept that there are tens of thousands of hopeless cases and let them rot and fill the gaps with migration settings, or we actually do something about it: it is a crime to pay someone to do nothing.
The cold hard truth is you shouldn’t be allowed to live somewhere with no work. You shouldn’t be allowed to be on welfare with no skills, or skills where there is no longer work available.
The same way kids can’t leave school and get welfare for nothing, why does the same rule not apply to everyone?
You’re either being educated, or trained, or both. You’re either in a job scheme or an apprenticeship.
Isn’t it a social contract with those of us who work to pay these bills? You need help? No problem: what are you doing to help yourself.
Clearly given the international story, we aren’t alone, but it doesn’t mean we have to accept it and pretend that doing nothing other than forking out free money is some sort of way forward.]]>117falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-government-has-got-it-hopelessly-wrong-on-housing--1008172Firstly, the good news. Tony Alexander the economist polls his people regularly and in the past three months he has broadly concluded that it’s slightly harder for an investor to get money from a bank and it’s slightly easier for a first timer to get a yes.
He also confirms what virtually everyone seems to have observed: investors have pulled back a bit and auctions are a bit slower.
But also that first home buyers are spooked.
First home buyers might well have been under the impression that prices were going to fall, so they are waiting, waiting, perhaps not understanding that prices aren’t falling and were never going to.
At best, the price increases will most likely slow a bit.
The great debate right now is whether the government and the Reserve Bank’s claim that price increases will be limited to 0.9 percent as of next year and barely a couple of percent going forward. Whether that’s remotely true or, as Simon bridges puts it, UFO stuff.
Either way what is true and has been for ages is, one, its winter and the market slows anyway - it always  has; two, supply is still a real issue; and three, from NZ to Australia to the UK and America, everyone is seeing the same issues.
Building supply prices are rising, labour is tight, money is cheap and house prices are going gang busters.
All of them, to one degree or another, have the taxes restraints and rules in place that we do, the same rules that magically will solve the so called housing crisis, and yet, perhaps not surprisingly, none of them are doing to the prices what they allegedly are supposed to be doing.
The Reserve Bank in perhaps the ultimate irony has written to the government seeking permission for a loan to debt mechanism, in other words a restraint on banks on lending  you too much money beyond the LVR.  
In other words, even if you drum up the deposit, you still can’t borrow more than say four or five times your income, thus making the first home dream not just hard but impossible, and thus meaning the so called tilt to the first home buyer turns out to be a complete bust.
So the big question: if they’ve got this hopelessly wrong, at what point do they get called out on it, or better, but unlikely, at what point do they admit they are out of their depth, there is way too much theory and not enough real world, and that the market is not something people who have read books can adjust fix or manipulate?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/ujfm0dvr/mh310521-01-firsthomebuyerscomment.mp3Sun, 30 May 2021 18:08:42 +0000RoccoSo what have we got so far by way of proof that the whole “lets tilt the housing market the first homer buyers way” isn’t really working the way the government might have hoped? Firstly, the good news. Tony Alexander the economist polls his people...Firstly, the good news. Tony Alexander the economist polls his people regularly and in the past three months he has broadly concluded that it’s slightly harder for an investor to get money from a bank and it’s slightly easier for a first timer to get a yes.
He also confirms what virtually everyone seems to have observed: investors have pulled back a bit and auctions are a bit slower.
But also that first home buyers are spooked.
First home buyers might well have been under the impression that prices were going to fall, so they are waiting, waiting, perhaps not understanding that prices aren’t falling and were never going to.
At best, the price increases will most likely slow a bit.
The great debate right now is whether the government and the Reserve Bank’s claim that price increases will be limited to 0.9 percent as of next year and barely a couple of percent going forward. Whether that’s remotely true or, as Simon bridges puts it, UFO stuff.
Either way what is true and has been for ages is, one, its winter and the market slows anyway - it always  has; two, supply is still a real issue; and three, from NZ to Australia to the UK and America, everyone is seeing the same issues.
Building supply prices are rising, labour is tight, money is cheap and house prices are going gang busters.
All of them, to one degree or another, have the taxes restraints and rules in place that we do, the same rules that magically will solve the so called housing crisis, and yet, perhaps not surprisingly, none of them are doing to the prices what they allegedly are supposed to be doing.
The Reserve Bank in perhaps the ultimate irony has written to the government seeking permission for a loan to debt mechanism, in other words a restraint on banks on lending  you too much money beyond the LVR.  
In other words, even if you drum up the deposit, you still can’t borrow more than say four or five times your income, thus making the first home dream not just hard but impossible, and thus meaning the so called tilt to the first home buyer turns out to be a complete bust.
So the big question: if they’ve got this hopelessly wrong, at what point do they get called out on it, or better, but unlikely, at what point do they admit they are out of their depth, there is way too much theory and not enough real world, and that the market is not something people who have read books can adjust fix or manipulate?]]>128falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-why-is-there-no-outrage-about-our-inept-bumbling-covid-19-response--100804313 MIQ operations here in February and March had snap inspections.
The fact we have snap inspections should be of some relief, but what they found shouldn’t.
Would it surprise you to learn a lot of faults were found, a lot was below par, a lot was less than what it should be or desirable?
Staff shortages, PPE supply problems, and a lot of mingling in hotel lobbies by returnees, no masks or eye protection for bus drivers, who either weren’t wearing them or refused to wear them.
Out of the report, the now famed Ministry of Incompetence formerly known as Health has released just the 100 recommendations.
And here’s the kicker: those 100 came on top of the praise offered for the improvements made in the snap audits in December and January.
So if February and March had 100, god knows how many December and January had.
Simple question: how is it possible after a year of this, they are still so useless?
How is it that all the promises that have been made around compliance and safety and supplies are yet again found to be BS?
How come if I had Hipkins and/or Bloomfield on, they would be saying things are fine?
How is it that people still support a department that is inept, a Director-General of Health that is dishonest and also inept, and a Minister who oversees this level of non-compliance, lack of performance, waste of resource and astonishing level of risk?
Why is there no outrage?
Why do we put up with this? How can a government this woefully inadequate month in month out still be allowed to spin the sort of nonsense they do around the border?
A year in it should be rock solid, military, bullet proof and professional, and yet it isn’t even clos.
How many people have said our so called success has basically been luck and who now, with these reports, can possibly argue?
What would help is a vaccine roll out, but that’s as badly handled as MIQ: 112th in the world and as we see in Melbourne, just one more bumbling misstep away from level 3 and more economic carnage?
For the so called 52 percent in that Newshub poll who support this crap, just tell me, honestly: are you thick, don’t you care, or are you just asleep?  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/uaybhmwv/mh270521-12-miqcomment.mp3Thu, 27 May 2021 08:52:14 +0000RoccoAs we watch Melbourne yet again on a knife edge, we are in our own complacent smug way watching a train wreck in front of our own eyes and not realising it. 13 MIQ operations here in February and March had snap inspections. The fact we have snap...13 MIQ operations here in February and March had snap inspections.
The fact we have snap inspections should be of some relief, but what they found shouldn’t.
Would it surprise you to learn a lot of faults were found, a lot was below par, a lot was less than what it should be or desirable?
Staff shortages, PPE supply problems, and a lot of mingling in hotel lobbies by returnees, no masks or eye protection for bus drivers, who either weren’t wearing them or refused to wear them.
Out of the report, the now famed Ministry of Incompetence formerly known as Health has released just the 100 recommendations.
And here’s the kicker: those 100 came on top of the praise offered for the improvements made in the snap audits in December and January.
So if February and March had 100, god knows how many December and January had.
Simple question: how is it possible after a year of this, they are still so useless?
How is it that all the promises that have been made around compliance and safety and supplies are yet again found to be BS?
How come if I had Hipkins and/or Bloomfield on, they would be saying things are fine?
How is it that people still support a department that is inept, a Director-General of Health that is dishonest and also inept, and a Minister who oversees this level of non-compliance, lack of performance, waste of resource and astonishing level of risk?
Why is there no outrage?
Why do we put up with this? How can a government this woefully inadequate month in month out still be allowed to spin the sort of nonsense they do around the border?
A year in it should be rock solid, military, bullet proof and professional, and yet it isn’t even clos.
How many people have said our so called success has basically been luck and who now, with these reports, can possibly argue?
What would help is a vaccine roll out, but that’s as badly handled as MIQ: 112th in the world and as we see in Melbourne, just one more bumbling misstep away from level 3 and more economic carnage?
For the so called 52 percent in that Newshub poll who support this crap, just tell me, honestly: are you thick, don’t you care, or are you just asleep?  ]]>154falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-trump-may-have-been-right-about-wuhan-all-along--1008137The trouble with Trump suggesting Covid came from the lab is it was Trump.
It’s one thing to say something but it depends who said it.
Now there are increasing reports and with them come increasing questions around China and its role in the virus.
Lab workers in Wuhan were hospitalised way earlier than originally declared, according to US intelligence just this week.
Dr Fauci, it is reported this week, is asking serious questions around the origin. He doesn’t know, he doesn’t rule out the lab, and he is happy with any investigation that chases answers.
An irony of this story is he said this weeks back, but it wasn’t widely reported.
I suspect once again it’s because Trump is gone and the conspiratorial reaction you got to anything he said is gone with him, and we’ve gone to sleep on the issue.
It wasn’t just Trump of course but anyone who said anything similar was Trump-esque and set to be cancelled.
Australia, of course, asked for an inquiry and is still paying the price to this day for doing so.
$20 billion and counting and a relationship with china that has never been worse
The mistake Australia made was to ask and get the WHO who, lets be frank, given what they came up with, which was essentially what you and I could have written without leaving the house, said everything and nothing.
And in saying that, further damaged their already damaged reputation as being an organisation that is way too political and quite possibly way too in the pocket of the Chinese.
And with the new news around Wuhan and hospitals and Fauci and intelligence, their report looks more and more either pathetic or jacked up.
Either way, the Chinese haven’t covered themselves in glory with their obfuscation when it came to access and their general denial of everything.
It looks increasingly likely that the questions around Wuhan, the lab, the Chinese, honesty, timings of answers, are genuine, were always genuine and today need responses and disclosure  as much as they ever did.
The fact it hasn’t been treated more urgently given the havoc is a crime in and of itself.
Imagine how much humble pie might need to get swallowed if Trump was onto it all along, and we weren’t interested just because we didn’t like the messenger.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/hhyhmt05/mh260521-01-wuhanlabtheorycomment.mp3Tue, 25 May 2021 20:59:06 +0000RoccoThe trouble with Trump calling it ‘the China Virus is that it was Trump. The trouble with Trump suggesting Covid came from the lab is it was Trump. It’s one thing to say something but it depends who said it. Now there are increasing reports and with...The trouble with Trump suggesting Covid came from the lab is it was Trump.
It’s one thing to say something but it depends who said it.
Now there are increasing reports and with them come increasing questions around China and its role in the virus.
Lab workers in Wuhan were hospitalised way earlier than originally declared, according to US intelligence just this week.
Dr Fauci, it is reported this week, is asking serious questions around the origin. He doesn’t know, he doesn’t rule out the lab, and he is happy with any investigation that chases answers.
An irony of this story is he said this weeks back, but it wasn’t widely reported.
I suspect once again it’s because Trump is gone and the conspiratorial reaction you got to anything he said is gone with him, and we’ve gone to sleep on the issue.
It wasn’t just Trump of course but anyone who said anything similar was Trump-esque and set to be cancelled.
Australia, of course, asked for an inquiry and is still paying the price to this day for doing so.
$20 billion and counting and a relationship with china that has never been worse
The mistake Australia made was to ask and get the WHO who, lets be frank, given what they came up with, which was essentially what you and I could have written without leaving the house, said everything and nothing.
And in saying that, further damaged their already damaged reputation as being an organisation that is way too political and quite possibly way too in the pocket of the Chinese.
And with the new news around Wuhan and hospitals and Fauci and intelligence, their report looks more and more either pathetic or jacked up.
Either way, the Chinese haven’t covered themselves in glory with their obfuscation when it came to access and their general denial of everything.
It looks increasingly likely that the questions around Wuhan, the lab, the Chinese, honesty, timings of answers, are genuine, were always genuine and today need responses and disclosure  as much as they ever did.
The fact it hasn’t been treated more urgently given the havoc is a crime in and of itself.
Imagine how much humble pie might need to get swallowed if Trump was onto it all along, and we weren’t interested just because we didn’t like the messenger.]]>115falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-phil-mickelson-s-win-one-of-sport-s-great-moments--1008134Watching Phil Mickelson win Monday’s major was as much joy as I have had from sport for a year.
It reminded you of what great moments are, and why sport is such a critical part of our lives.
It’s odd that he broke the record for the oldest ever winner of a major at 50, especially in a world where age is less and less relevant.
But in that was part of the reason he won. Diet, fitness, and equipment they put it down to, you can do more for longer these days.
The other oldest winner of the modern era was Jack Nicklaus and he was 46, so in a way winning at the highest level has been a young man’s game for quite some time, which made Monday even better.
And it’s the mystery of sport. Alongside him for the final round brooks Koepka, 31, one of the hot guns of the new era. And yet it was Koepka who fell apart: not badly, but enough to never really be in contention.
So the question is why is 50 a real “thing” when it comes to winning in a sport like golf?  Surely at that level it’s mental and surely, given Mickelson has so much experience, he’d be the favourite.
Maybe it was a post Covid sort of thing. We were desperate for something memorable after a year of all those empty courses stadia and piped in crowd noise.
By the time Mickelson got to the final hole the crowds had gone nuts, security had lost control and Mickelson could barely get to the green.
Of course, the fact he was American helped, and it was being played in South Carolina. Americans love winners, we all love winners, and we all love a fairy tale.
Mickelson’s great burden, if you want to call it that, was he was around for a lot of the Woods era, and Woods won a lot more than Mickelson did.
Which makes you wonder if Woods hadn’t have turned up, we would we see Mickelson in a different light.  He lived in the Tiger shadow.
Which is another irony Woods won’t be back, and yet Mickelson has carried on in a sort of seen them come, seen them go kind of way.
Anyway, it was a thrill. The day started out with history to made, but a lot more start out that way than finish, which is another of sports great attractions.
You just never know, so when it plays out as though the script writer had a movie in mind, you don’t and you won’t forget it easily.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/eqsglfvu/mh250521-01-mickelsoncomment.mp3Tue, 25 May 2021 07:57:00 +0000RoccoIt is true sports needs heroes and in this current age sport needs crowds. Watching Phil Mickelson win Monday’s major was as much joy as I have had from sport for a year. It reminded you of what great moments are, and why sport is such a critical part...Watching Phil Mickelson win Monday’s major was as much joy as I have had from sport for a year.
It reminded you of what great moments are, and why sport is such a critical part of our lives.
It’s odd that he broke the record for the oldest ever winner of a major at 50, especially in a world where age is less and less relevant.
But in that was part of the reason he won. Diet, fitness, and equipment they put it down to, you can do more for longer these days.
The other oldest winner of the modern era was Jack Nicklaus and he was 46, so in a way winning at the highest level has been a young man’s game for quite some time, which made Monday even better.
And it’s the mystery of sport. Alongside him for the final round brooks Koepka, 31, one of the hot guns of the new era. And yet it was Koepka who fell apart: not badly, but enough to never really be in contention.
So the question is why is 50 a real “thing” when it comes to winning in a sport like golf?  Surely at that level it’s mental and surely, given Mickelson has so much experience, he’d be the favourite.
Maybe it was a post Covid sort of thing. We were desperate for something memorable after a year of all those empty courses stadia and piped in crowd noise.
By the time Mickelson got to the final hole the crowds had gone nuts, security had lost control and Mickelson could barely get to the green.
Of course, the fact he was American helped, and it was being played in South Carolina. Americans love winners, we all love winners, and we all love a fairy tale.
Mickelson’s great burden, if you want to call it that, was he was around for a lot of the Woods era, and Woods won a lot more than Mickelson did.
Which makes you wonder if Woods hadn’t have turned up, we would we see Mickelson in a different light.  He lived in the Tiger shadow.
Which is another irony Woods won’t be back, and yet Mickelson has carried on in a sort of seen them come, seen them go kind of way.
Anyway, it was a thrill. The day started out with history to made, but a lot more start out that way than finish, which is another of sports great attractions.
You just never know, so when it plays out as though the script writer had a movie in mind, you don’t and you won’t forget it easily.]]>121falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-welfare-can-t-be-a-lifestyle--1008173But if there is one thing that was missed as the two camps reacted to the handouts for benefits and beneficiaries, it's that the point was completely missed. We are talking about it all wrong.
Camp one, it wasn’t enough, and it wasn’t transformational. Camp two, the gap between welfare and work is too little and therefore you're going to have massive labour issues on top of the labour issues we already have.
But surely the point is the context. I wouldn't mind if welfare was more generous, if it was used the way welfare is supposed to be used.
If welfare was a genuine emergency, a genuine stop-gap, entered into with a belief that there is no way you want to be on it and you're doing all you can to get off it, within weeks if not a month or two max, then why not make it generous? Why not soften the blow of a lost job?
But that’s not the way it's seen anymore, if in fact, it was ever seen that way at all. The reason the money handed out last Thursday is not "transformational" is because too many receiving it aren't on it temporarily. They are on it long-term, if not permanently.
I watched those the news services had lined up saying it would help. It will buy some lunch for the kids, someone was buying a car to drive their kids to school, and someone else was hopping on the bus to go somewhere nice with the kids for the weekend.
In other words, they had seen it as a pay rise.
No one said, "it's been hard for the past 6 weeks but fortunately my new job starts Monday, so any raise will simply help cover the gap and pay the bills that have piled up a bit since I got laid off."
You never heard that because for far too many it isn't like that.
The reason it isn't like that is a multi-faceted social mess that many a government has tried to untangle but failed. What we have ended up with is a welfare state that is growing and an expectation that is shrinking.
Socialism is dangerous in this area. Ask the 36-plus states that are dropping Joe Biden's enhanced welfare because they can't get people into work the states that are re-engaging their demands that if you're on welfare, you look for work and prove it, or else your benefit is cut.
The simple truth in this country is there are record levels of job ads and yet thousands on long-term welfare.
Make welfare a genuine stop-gap and make it generous. But as long as it's a lifestyle for too many, we will reap what we socially sow.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/f4zauuyg/mh240521-13-socialwelfarecomment.mp3Sun, 23 May 2021 09:55:48 +0000RoccoI don’t want to dwell on the Budget. But if there is one thing that was missed as the two camps reacted to the handouts for benefits and beneficiaries, it's that the point was completely missed. We are talking about it all wrong. Camp one, it wasn’t...But if there is one thing that was missed as the two camps reacted to the handouts for benefits and beneficiaries, it's that the point was completely missed. We are talking about it all wrong.
Camp one, it wasn’t enough, and it wasn’t transformational. Camp two, the gap between welfare and work is too little and therefore you're going to have massive labour issues on top of the labour issues we already have.
But surely the point is the context. I wouldn't mind if welfare was more generous, if it was used the way welfare is supposed to be used.
If welfare was a genuine emergency, a genuine stop-gap, entered into with a belief that there is no way you want to be on it and you're doing all you can to get off it, within weeks if not a month or two max, then why not make it generous? Why not soften the blow of a lost job?
But that’s not the way it's seen anymore, if in fact, it was ever seen that way at all. The reason the money handed out last Thursday is not "transformational" is because too many receiving it aren't on it temporarily. They are on it long-term, if not permanently.
I watched those the news services had lined up saying it would help. It will buy some lunch for the kids, someone was buying a car to drive their kids to school, and someone else was hopping on the bus to go somewhere nice with the kids for the weekend.
In other words, they had seen it as a pay rise.
No one said, "it's been hard for the past 6 weeks but fortunately my new job starts Monday, so any raise will simply help cover the gap and pay the bills that have piled up a bit since I got laid off."
You never heard that because for far too many it isn't like that.
The reason it isn't like that is a multi-faceted social mess that many a government has tried to untangle but failed. What we have ended up with is a welfare state that is growing and an expectation that is shrinking.
Socialism is dangerous in this area. Ask the 36-plus states that are dropping Joe Biden's enhanced welfare because they can't get people into work the states that are re-engaging their demands that if you're on welfare, you look for work and prove it, or else your benefit is cut.
The simple truth in this country is there are record levels of job ads and yet thousands on long-term welfare.
Make welfare a genuine stop-gap and make it generous. But as long as it's a lifestyle for too many, we will reap what we socially sow.]]>130falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-did-you-expect-anything-different-from-a-labour-majority--1008188For that you can't blame them.
You blame them for wasting our money. The figures this week on MIQ bills owed is a scandal. It's millions of our dollars. Dollars we didn’t even have in the first place and not being collected because they ran another of their dazzlingly incompetent high trust models.
That’s Labour. Hopelessly disconnected from the real world. But the recent announcements over fair pay deals are right up their alley and, more importantly, things they said they would do.
The fact they struggle to deliver is an issue that will be debated in 2023 towards the election. That will be part of a two-bit debate.
First part, the delivery or its lack of. And the second part, the ideological battle that will have opened up. It's between the classic redistribution agenda and what presumably National and ACT put up. A classic centre-right series of polices, involving working harder, being more responsible for your own actions, and being rewarded for doing well.
For an observer, this is classic politics. And in a way, we are lucky to be a part of it. For the past 20 years or more this country has had two parties scrapping for the centre.
From Jenny Shipley to Jim Bolger, and Helen Clark the middle was gold. It's still gold. Tony Blair, Bob Hawke, or Paul Keating will tell you that. But Labour here struggled to defeat National for three terms because National had the centre ground.
But this government is doing what classic left-leaners do. In the second term, you go for broke, driven by an ideology that won't be shaken. It's ultimately fatal. That's why Labour governments never last.
But they have a majority the likes of which they will never see again. So, they will not die wondering, they will lose wondering. At least they will be able to assuage themselves in the knowledge that they had their day, they gave it a crack, and sort of did what they said they would.
The gap between this Labour version and National hasn’t been wider for years. It's a clean, clear choice, the field isn't muddled, and the policies don’t overlap. You either like what's going on or you don’t. You're either loving this and want more, or you don’t.
Most, of course, don’t know right now and we won't be really debating it for 24 months. But most will, come September-ish 2023.
You will need to have been around a while to remember a vote that’s as clear cut as this next one will be.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/5lnjyjpk/mh210521-01-budgetcomment.mp3Thu, 20 May 2021 21:45:33 +0000RoccoWhat we have seen from the government this week, both in terms of the immigration reset and the Budget, is classic Labour. For that you can't blame them. You blame them for wasting our money. The figures this week on MIQ bills owed is a scandal. It's...For that you can't blame them.
You blame them for wasting our money. The figures this week on MIQ bills owed is a scandal. It's millions of our dollars. Dollars we didn’t even have in the first place and not being collected because they ran another of their dazzlingly incompetent high trust models.
That’s Labour. Hopelessly disconnected from the real world. But the recent announcements over fair pay deals are right up their alley and, more importantly, things they said they would do.
The fact they struggle to deliver is an issue that will be debated in 2023 towards the election. That will be part of a two-bit debate.
First part, the delivery or its lack of. And the second part, the ideological battle that will have opened up. It's between the classic redistribution agenda and what presumably National and ACT put up. A classic centre-right series of polices, involving working harder, being more responsible for your own actions, and being rewarded for doing well.
For an observer, this is classic politics. And in a way, we are lucky to be a part of it. For the past 20 years or more this country has had two parties scrapping for the centre.
From Jenny Shipley to Jim Bolger, and Helen Clark the middle was gold. It's still gold. Tony Blair, Bob Hawke, or Paul Keating will tell you that. But Labour here struggled to defeat National for three terms because National had the centre ground.
But this government is doing what classic left-leaners do. In the second term, you go for broke, driven by an ideology that won't be shaken. It's ultimately fatal. That's why Labour governments never last.
But they have a majority the likes of which they will never see again. So, they will not die wondering, they will lose wondering. At least they will be able to assuage themselves in the knowledge that they had their day, they gave it a crack, and sort of did what they said they would.
The gap between this Labour version and National hasn’t been wider for years. It's a clean, clear choice, the field isn't muddled, and the policies don’t overlap. You either like what's going on or you don’t. You're either loving this and want more, or you don’t.
Most, of course, don’t know right now and we won't be really debating it for 24 months. But most will, come September-ish 2023.
You will need to have been around a while to remember a vote that’s as clear cut as this next one will be.]]>129falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-why-do-people-think-working-less-is-the-answer--1008176We have entered an era in which we seem determined to convince ourselves that doing less is good.
Four days weeks, people who say ‘thank god it’s Friday’.
Go back to when they opened up retail hours and days, the unions said firstly Saturday was the end of the world and family life, and then when it wasn’t, they said the same thing when we opened up retail on Sunday.
This week’s survey around hours and heart disease is not about hours, it’s about choices. We choose how we live.
There is nothing wrong with working less or part time or indeed not at all if you can afford to, but the danger of the conversation is that work and contribution is now set in a negative light.
It’s not to say we can’t learn and maybe we are, maybe we will settle on some sort of middle ground.
The same way we have learned in this past year that working from home is, one, a hit with many, and, more importantly, you are actually, it seems from studies, more productive.
Going in we thought home was an invitation for slacking, so we learn as we go.
What hopefully we also might learn is that an obsession with hours doesn’t lead you anywhere, because hours and work are not the issue.
Love and work is. Love what you do, the hours are irrelevant.
If the challenge is there, if the progress is there, hours don’t count.
It’s why the entrepreneur works for themselves: not because it’s not a risk, not because it isn’t hard, because it’s yours and it’s a dream, and that’s what drives us and inspires us, and as far as I can work out, it’s what keeps us alive.
We all need a series of multiple purposes: someone to love, someone to love us, family, community and work, some sort of tangible challenging contribution to make.
Too many make the mistake and see work as a means to an end, as money to pay the bills. See if that way, then the hours kill you, because your attitude is all wrong.
Measure joy and fun, and challenge and results, instead of hours, you’ll get a way better insight into the future of work.
And if the work isn’t fun, don’t do it, it’ll kill you, one way or another.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/ozqb4gj5/mh200521-01-workinghourscomment.mp3Wed, 19 May 2021 16:45:53 +0000RoccoLong working hours don’t kill you. Misery does, laziness does, bad attitude do, resentment does. We have entered an era in which we seem determined to convince ourselves that doing less is good. Four days weeks, people who say ‘thank god it’s Friday’....We have entered an era in which we seem determined to convince ourselves that doing less is good.
Four days weeks, people who say ‘thank god it’s Friday’.
Go back to when they opened up retail hours and days, the unions said firstly Saturday was the end of the world and family life, and then when it wasn’t, they said the same thing when we opened up retail on Sunday.
This week’s survey around hours and heart disease is not about hours, it’s about choices. We choose how we live.
There is nothing wrong with working less or part time or indeed not at all if you can afford to, but the danger of the conversation is that work and contribution is now set in a negative light.
It’s not to say we can’t learn and maybe we are, maybe we will settle on some sort of middle ground.
The same way we have learned in this past year that working from home is, one, a hit with many, and, more importantly, you are actually, it seems from studies, more productive.
Going in we thought home was an invitation for slacking, so we learn as we go.
What hopefully we also might learn is that an obsession with hours doesn’t lead you anywhere, because hours and work are not the issue.
Love and work is. Love what you do, the hours are irrelevant.
If the challenge is there, if the progress is there, hours don’t count.
It’s why the entrepreneur works for themselves: not because it’s not a risk, not because it isn’t hard, because it’s yours and it’s a dream, and that’s what drives us and inspires us, and as far as I can work out, it’s what keeps us alive.
We all need a series of multiple purposes: someone to love, someone to love us, family, community and work, some sort of tangible challenging contribution to make.
Too many make the mistake and see work as a means to an end, as money to pay the bills. See if that way, then the hours kill you, because your attitude is all wrong.
Measure joy and fun, and challenge and results, instead of hours, you’ll get a way better insight into the future of work.
And if the work isn’t fun, don’t do it, it’ll kill you, one way or another.]]>116falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-patriotism-can-t-get-in-the-way-of-rugby-s-silver-lake-deal--1008186That’s not said in a negative way, but I got an insight into what is driving, at least his view, of where rugby goes in this country.
It's about patriotism.
He didn’t seem to have any issues with the cultural side of the game, the issues around the haka and so on, that have been raised as potential stumbling blocks. He said everyone is attuned to where we are at. And he seemed confident that no matter how this plays out, that side of the equation would be fine.
But he made a comment as an individual, which of course he can't really make, given he is an ex All Black and at the very firm who dreamed up the IPO idea. But his issue is, he's miffed we haven't done this ourselves. Why are we relying on foreign venture capital to do what we should be doing ourselves?
He thinks we have the DNA to solve our own problems, and it's awfully tempting to get on board with that because who wants to admit he is wrong. Of course we can, we can do anything, we are the little country who could, and we are the number eight wire geniuses.
As uplifting, aspirational, and patriotic as that may be, my first question to him is, if we can, why haven't we? Why is it that we have a national sport that doesn’t make money? Why have we watched for years our national sport that we are so good at, scrape by? Why does it take a Silver Lake to see what we should have?
Could it be we were complacent? And could it also be that we don't actually have the skills and the reach to do what a Silver Lake can?
The other part is the stake versus hire. Kirk wants to hire help. But anyone who has ever owned anything knows full well, working for the man isn't the same as being the man.  When the skin is in the game, a lot more gets done and the desire for success is stronger.
Do they take a risk that Silver Lake gets bored and bails? Yes. But in the same way anyone who ever invested in anything took that risk.
Overall the impression I got from Kirk is he's nervous, and it's nerves based on love. He loves the game, it's served him well.
And he seems fearful that foreigners with only money and a bottom line can't love it the way he does. And if they don’t, they might treat it badly. I get that.
But short of a deeply compelling alternative which he doesn’t have, rugby needs help. And it's bottom line that needs help, not a lot of well-intentioned people who adore the game but until now have watched it from the sidelines haemorrhage.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/q5qp514b/mh190521-12-silverlakecomment.mp3Tue, 18 May 2021 10:06:34 +0000RoccoI think I have got to the nub of the Silver Lake issue. David Kirk gave himself away yesterday. That’s not said in a negative way, but I got an insight into what is driving, at least his view, of where rugby goes in this country. It's about...That’s not said in a negative way, but I got an insight into what is driving, at least his view, of where rugby goes in this country.
It's about patriotism.
He didn’t seem to have any issues with the cultural side of the game, the issues around the haka and so on, that have been raised as potential stumbling blocks. He said everyone is attuned to where we are at. And he seemed confident that no matter how this plays out, that side of the equation would be fine.
But he made a comment as an individual, which of course he can't really make, given he is an ex All Black and at the very firm who dreamed up the IPO idea. But his issue is, he's miffed we haven't done this ourselves. Why are we relying on foreign venture capital to do what we should be doing ourselves?
He thinks we have the DNA to solve our own problems, and it's awfully tempting to get on board with that because who wants to admit he is wrong. Of course we can, we can do anything, we are the little country who could, and we are the number eight wire geniuses.
As uplifting, aspirational, and patriotic as that may be, my first question to him is, if we can, why haven't we? Why is it that we have a national sport that doesn’t make money? Why have we watched for years our national sport that we are so good at, scrape by? Why does it take a Silver Lake to see what we should have?
Could it be we were complacent? And could it also be that we don't actually have the skills and the reach to do what a Silver Lake can?
The other part is the stake versus hire. Kirk wants to hire help. But anyone who has ever owned anything knows full well, working for the man isn't the same as being the man.  When the skin is in the game, a lot more gets done and the desire for success is stronger.
Do they take a risk that Silver Lake gets bored and bails? Yes. But in the same way anyone who ever invested in anything took that risk.
Overall the impression I got from Kirk is he's nervous, and it's nerves based on love. He loves the game, it's served him well.
And he seems fearful that foreigners with only money and a bottom line can't love it the way he does. And if they don’t, they might treat it badly. I get that.
But short of a deeply compelling alternative which he doesn’t have, rugby needs help. And it's bottom line that needs help, not a lot of well-intentioned people who adore the game but until now have watched it from the sidelines haemorrhage.]]>141falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-no-end-in-sight-to-israel-palestine-conflict--1008195And is now back front and centre with its usual pro-ish Palestinian coverage.
Personally, I go back to the Camp David accords of over 40 years ago. Began, Sadat, Carter led to the Oslo accords of the 90s that, very broadly speaking, set up a frame work for peace for the whole Middle East region.
It’s one of the ironies of United States presidential history: Carter may have only been one term but surely you can argue he did a lot in his one term, and its quality not quantity that history judges.
But even his break through after months upon months of negotiations was never going to sort a region that in too many parts doesn’t want sorting.
I suppose it’s your obligation if you are at the United Nations to go through this repetitive procedure they’re currently going through of meeting, declaring the violence unacceptable, make the usual noises about peace or negotiations or a cease fire.
Biden being US president will at some point have to get involved. How involved of course is highly politically charged in and of itself.
Netanyahu had a fine old time at the Trump White House, but the red carpet might be a while coming under Biden.  
But America of course has a deep and enduring fascination and level of support for Israel, so Biden’s path is a trickier one to walk than Trumps.
But the dysfunction, the anger, the background, surely would tell any casual observer this thing will go long past our time, unless of course one side ends up getting what they want, and given that isn’t happening, because it hasn’t happened, then this is just another sad and sorry chapter that looks startlingly like every other sad and sorry chapter of the past decades.
The media favour the Palestinians overall or at least give them more compassionate coverage, because as far as I can work out they are the under dogs. They have smaller bombs, therefore looked a bit more picked on.
The fact Hamas is a terror group seems secondary in terms of factors that might be taken into account.
But in that I would have thought, if you were remotely pragmatic, is the clue.
War is about victory, and victory is about strength. This is not a right or wrong thing by the way, this is a “this is what it is” sort of thing.
And Israel have more weapons more money more resource than the people of Gaza. Always have, always will and Qatar and Iran can throw money and rockets Hamas s way but it’s not tipping the balance.
And given it isn’t tipping the balance, just how big a mess do you want made of your territory before you give up in exhaustion or indeed death?
Israel, rightly or wrongly doesn’t really seem to care what the world thinks. They believe they are right and that is that.
And so it will continue. A ceasefire, which will come, will not be the end. It never has been, not 40 years ago, not now.
It will be a pause before the next chapter. The length of the pause is any ones guess, but we will be here again, no further down the track to resolution.
It’s depressing even talking about it.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/zqjgkyzs/mh180521-14-gazacomment.mp3Tue, 18 May 2021 04:54:00 +0000RoccoIs there a more depressing inter territorial scrap on the planet than that of the Israeli Palestinian feud that never seems to end? And is now back front and centre with its usual pro-ish Palestinian coverage. Personally, I go back to the Camp...And is now back front and centre with its usual pro-ish Palestinian coverage.
Personally, I go back to the Camp David accords of over 40 years ago. Began, Sadat, Carter led to the Oslo accords of the 90s that, very broadly speaking, set up a frame work for peace for the whole Middle East region.
It’s one of the ironies of United States presidential history: Carter may have only been one term but surely you can argue he did a lot in his one term, and its quality not quantity that history judges.
But even his break through after months upon months of negotiations was never going to sort a region that in too many parts doesn’t want sorting.
I suppose it’s your obligation if you are at the United Nations to go through this repetitive procedure they’re currently going through of meeting, declaring the violence unacceptable, make the usual noises about peace or negotiations or a cease fire.
Biden being US president will at some point have to get involved. How involved of course is highly politically charged in and of itself.
Netanyahu had a fine old time at the Trump White House, but the red carpet might be a while coming under Biden.  
But America of course has a deep and enduring fascination and level of support for Israel, so Biden’s path is a trickier one to walk than Trumps.
But the dysfunction, the anger, the background, surely would tell any casual observer this thing will go long past our time, unless of course one side ends up getting what they want, and given that isn’t happening, because it hasn’t happened, then this is just another sad and sorry chapter that looks startlingly like every other sad and sorry chapter of the past decades.
The media favour the Palestinians overall or at least give them more compassionate coverage, because as far as I can work out they are the under dogs. They have smaller bombs, therefore looked a bit more picked on.
The fact Hamas is a terror group seems secondary in terms of factors that might be taken into account.
But in that I would have thought, if you were remotely pragmatic, is the clue.
War is about victory, and victory is about strength. This is not a right or wrong thing by the way, this is a “this is what it is” sort of thing.
And Israel have more weapons more money more resource than the people of Gaza. Always have, always will and Qatar and Iran can throw money and rockets Hamas s way but it’s not tipping the balance.
And given it isn’t tipping the balance, just how big a mess do you want made of your territory before you give up in exhaustion or indeed death?
Israel, rightly or wrongly doesn’t really seem to care what the world thinks. They believe they are right and that is that.
And so it will continue. A ceasefire, which will come, will not be the end. It never has been, not 40 years ago, not now.
It will be a pause before the next chapter. The length of the pause is any ones guess, but we will be here again, no further down the track to resolution.
It’s depressing even talking about it.]]>150falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-there-is-danger-in-government-s-immigration-reset--1008140Whether New Zealand comes out of Covid in as powerful a position as it had going in is yet to be seen.
We are a mile behind on vaccination. Sir Peter Gluckman last week warned our attraction is wearing thin. There is no shortage of the business community agreeing with him and worrying about the government's lack of plan.
So that’s the first and obvious bit of last night's migration policy setting from the government. Get the rich here, and stat.
The other bit is the bit to worry about. They don't want numbers the way they were. That's despite the fact that last time migration was rolling we were the "rock star" economy.
Migration drives growth because as Covid has shown we can't as a nation of 5 million drive it ourselves.
The government, despite the fact their ideology failed to materialise in the fields and paddocks of the country, is pushing forward with their delusion that locals can do the unskilled or semi-skilled stuff. And all we need is several hundred Bill Gates to roll on in with a chequebook and do the rest.
There is a semblance of common sense in their work visa ideas. Too many students, for example, came here from offshore, paid the fees, and got a visa of dubious quality as a result.
But what you can't hide from is, this past season in kiwifruit, grapes, and apples despite the government's insistence around pay, the locals didn’t turn up. They don't want to work in the numbers required.
They paid plenty of good money and the locals still didn’t come. The experiment failed.
This is the great danger of this government. Given virtually none of them have ever run anything, they get their policy out of books. And even when the theory fails, they still push forward with the madness.
Even if this country didn’t need the migration numbers of the pre-Covid era, it needs a lot more than we are now aiming for.
Boosting productivity, which is what they are looking to do, is not about simply upping wages. It's not about banning labour and thinking locals will fill it. We know that doesn’t work.
By the time this policy fails to pan out, the brain drain builds, and there's a head of steam towards Australia and beyond, this emperor will be shown to be desperately lacking in clothes.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/okdafuek/mh180521-01-richinvestorscomment.mp3Mon, 17 May 2021 10:55:12 +0000RoccoThere is nothing wrong with targeting high net wealth individuals for migration purposes. In fact, you'd be an idiot if you didn't. Whether New Zealand comes out of Covid in as powerful a position as it had going in is yet to be seen. We are a mile...Whether New Zealand comes out of Covid in as powerful a position as it had going in is yet to be seen.
We are a mile behind on vaccination. Sir Peter Gluckman last week warned our attraction is wearing thin. There is no shortage of the business community agreeing with him and worrying about the government's lack of plan.
So that’s the first and obvious bit of last night's migration policy setting from the government. Get the rich here, and stat.
The other bit is the bit to worry about. They don't want numbers the way they were. That's despite the fact that last time migration was rolling we were the "rock star" economy.
Migration drives growth because as Covid has shown we can't as a nation of 5 million drive it ourselves.
The government, despite the fact their ideology failed to materialise in the fields and paddocks of the country, is pushing forward with their delusion that locals can do the unskilled or semi-skilled stuff. And all we need is several hundred Bill Gates to roll on in with a chequebook and do the rest.
There is a semblance of common sense in their work visa ideas. Too many students, for example, came here from offshore, paid the fees, and got a visa of dubious quality as a result.
But what you can't hide from is, this past season in kiwifruit, grapes, and apples despite the government's insistence around pay, the locals didn’t turn up. They don't want to work in the numbers required.
They paid plenty of good money and the locals still didn’t come. The experiment failed.
This is the great danger of this government. Given virtually none of them have ever run anything, they get their policy out of books. And even when the theory fails, they still push forward with the madness.
Even if this country didn’t need the migration numbers of the pre-Covid era, it needs a lot more than we are now aiming for.
Boosting productivity, which is what they are looking to do, is not about simply upping wages. It's not about banning labour and thinking locals will fill it. We know that doesn’t work.
By the time this policy fails to pan out, the brain drain builds, and there's a head of steam towards Australia and beyond, this emperor will be shown to be desperately lacking in clothes.]]>111falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-a-share-offering-will-not-help-nz-rugby-survive--1008048I'm not beholden to the Silver Lake deal. I have no vested interest in rugby other that I worry that our most successful sport and national game doesn’t make any money.
The Players' Association is right, most of us would snap up some shares in New Zealand Rugby. But that doesn’t solve the issue.
The issue is not as much lack of money, as it is lack of expertise in a specific area. That area being getting the All Blacks to the world in a way that fills the cash register. Silver Lake is an expert at doing what we need doing. Look at Manchester City, look at the UFC. New Zealand Rugby doesn’t have the expertise and experience to do what Silver Lake does.
Silver Lake want a stake. They bring their bag of tricks to town, they take the All Blacks to the world, clip the ticket, help the game, and make us all money.
A share float raises money, but then what? I give them $1000, I get some shares, and then what? Part of a float is about growth, it's about increased returns, it's about you watching the share price rise, and the dividends flowing.
But for the dividends to flow you need New Zealand Rugby to be transformed in a way that increases returns. How are they doing that, with nothing more than the money you gave them for a slice of the company?
Raising money normally means you're doing something productive with it. Buying another factory to make more stuff, entering a new market to increase your customer base, or branching into a new but related area of your core business.
None of the Forsyth Barr plan seems to envisage any of this.
That’s before you get to the most uncomfortable connection between the company and David Kirk. They say he recused himself. Even if he did, if this was such an obvious answer, why haven't the various investment houses outside the one Kirk happens to work for drummed up the same idea?
This is why this thing is such a mess. The ideas the Players Association have come up with, a float and more borrowing, don't make sense.
If there was an idea that made sense, they'd have a case.
Given they don’t, you have to conclude that Silver Lake, with the support of the New Zealand Rugby Board and every single union around the country, is your obvious way forward.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/zh2dbmi2/mh170521-14-nzrinvestmentcomment.mp3Sun, 16 May 2021 23:03:18 +0000RoccoThe bit about the Silver Lake scrap that troubles me is just why the Players' Association and Forsyth Barr thinks their IPO offer makes any sense. I'm not beholden to the Silver Lake deal. I have no vested interest in rugby other that I worry that our...I'm not beholden to the Silver Lake deal. I have no vested interest in rugby other that I worry that our most successful sport and national game doesn’t make any money.
The Players' Association is right, most of us would snap up some shares in New Zealand Rugby. But that doesn’t solve the issue.
The issue is not as much lack of money, as it is lack of expertise in a specific area. That area being getting the All Blacks to the world in a way that fills the cash register. Silver Lake is an expert at doing what we need doing. Look at Manchester City, look at the UFC. New Zealand Rugby doesn’t have the expertise and experience to do what Silver Lake does.
Silver Lake want a stake. They bring their bag of tricks to town, they take the All Blacks to the world, clip the ticket, help the game, and make us all money.
A share float raises money, but then what? I give them $1000, I get some shares, and then what? Part of a float is about growth, it's about increased returns, it's about you watching the share price rise, and the dividends flowing.
But for the dividends to flow you need New Zealand Rugby to be transformed in a way that increases returns. How are they doing that, with nothing more than the money you gave them for a slice of the company?
Raising money normally means you're doing something productive with it. Buying another factory to make more stuff, entering a new market to increase your customer base, or branching into a new but related area of your core business.
None of the Forsyth Barr plan seems to envisage any of this.
That’s before you get to the most uncomfortable connection between the company and David Kirk. They say he recused himself. Even if he did, if this was such an obvious answer, why haven't the various investment houses outside the one Kirk happens to work for drummed up the same idea?
This is why this thing is such a mess. The ideas the Players Association have come up with, a float and more borrowing, don't make sense.
If there was an idea that made sense, they'd have a case.
Given they don’t, you have to conclude that Silver Lake, with the support of the New Zealand Rugby Board and every single union around the country, is your obvious way forward.]]>128falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-going-ahead-with-the-tokyo-olympics-is-literal-insanity--1008196What is it about their plight that has the Japanese organisers failing to see the glaringly obvious?
The polls of their own people that have anywhere between 70 to 80 percent of them not wanting the games held in their own country.
The fact the host city is not just under a Covid emergency but an emergency that has been extended.
The fact the IOC president cancelled his visit because getting in and around is neigh on impossible.
The fact the torch relay has been pulled, a torch relay that was already a shadow and sham of what it has been or should be.
The fact that an increasingly large number of athletes are openly questioning whether it’s worth the effort or risk in turning up, with Naomi Osaka and Rafael  Nadal  leading this week’s selection of those wondering out loud
The fact the IPl, an already established and not to mention a much smaller event, was well underway, complete with well implemented bubbles, couldn’t be finished.
The fact the so called test days the Japanese have hosted involved a couple of hundred people in empty stadia, not the thousands upon thousands they will actually need to host.
There is not seemingly a single example of upbeat assessment that has this thing looking like any sort of success.
And yet still they carry on in complete denial.
Now I personally don’t mind whether it goes ahead or not. I have no vested interest, and maybe that’s my advantage. 
I am not an athlete that’s trained for years and this is my moment and I will not be denied. And I am not an IOC member that has billions at stake. And I am not Japanese with one cancellation under my belt and therefore desperation to bull doze ahead.
Maybe that’s the real reason this thing is such an obvious bit of carnage.  When you’re invested to the extent they are, you can’t see the wood for the trees.
And I get their desperation. Cancel this and you may as well wait until 2024: you can’t hold an Olympics two years in a row. Or can you? Maybe that mad trick is yet to be played.
But if you view this from any sort of dispassionate distance, you cannot fail to see that holding an event of the Olympics size in a country with the Covid mess the way it is literal insanity.
It shocking timing, given large swathes of the world are seeing some real light and real freedoms.
But run before you can walk. Go to the pub before you hold the rock concert. Show a bit of common sense.
If someone doesn’t stand up and pull the pin, the regret, embarrassment fall out and anger that will flow will be Covid’s most obvious and avoidable disaster yet.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/ugppbc0v/mh170521-01-olympicscomment.mp3Sun, 16 May 2021 15:45:37 +0000RoccoIt really is like an unfolding train wreck. What is it about their plight that has the Japanese organisers failing to see the glaringly obvious? The polls of their own people that have anywhere between 70 to 80 percent of them not wanting the games...What is it about their plight that has the Japanese organisers failing to see the glaringly obvious?
The polls of their own people that have anywhere between 70 to 80 percent of them not wanting the games held in their own country.
The fact the host city is not just under a Covid emergency but an emergency that has been extended.
The fact the IOC president cancelled his visit because getting in and around is neigh on impossible.
The fact the torch relay has been pulled, a torch relay that was already a shadow and sham of what it has been or should be.
The fact that an increasingly large number of athletes are openly questioning whether it’s worth the effort or risk in turning up, with Naomi Osaka and Rafael  Nadal  leading this week’s selection of those wondering out loud
The fact the IPl, an already established and not to mention a much smaller event, was well underway, complete with well implemented bubbles, couldn’t be finished.
The fact the so called test days the Japanese have hosted involved a couple of hundred people in empty stadia, not the thousands upon thousands they will actually need to host.
There is not seemingly a single example of upbeat assessment that has this thing looking like any sort of success.
And yet still they carry on in complete denial.
Now I personally don’t mind whether it goes ahead or not. I have no vested interest, and maybe that’s my advantage. 
I am not an athlete that’s trained for years and this is my moment and I will not be denied. And I am not an IOC member that has billions at stake. And I am not Japanese with one cancellation under my belt and therefore desperation to bull doze ahead.
Maybe that’s the real reason this thing is such an obvious bit of carnage.  When you’re invested to the extent they are, you can’t see the wood for the trees.
And I get their desperation. Cancel this and you may as well wait until 2024: you can’t hold an Olympics two years in a row. Or can you? Maybe that mad trick is yet to be played.
But if you view this from any sort of dispassionate distance, you cannot fail to see that holding an event of the Olympics size in a country with the Covid mess the way it is literal insanity.
It shocking timing, given large swathes of the world are seeing some real light and real freedoms.
But run before you can walk. Go to the pub before you hold the rock concert. Show a bit of common sense.
If someone doesn’t stand up and pull the pin, the regret, embarrassment fall out and anger that will flow will be Covid’s most obvious and avoidable disaster yet.]]>124falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-more-proof-the-government-has-got-it-wrong-on-housing--1008202Commentary seems to suggest investors are stepping back with a wait and see attitude.
But sadly, also the first home buyer is disappearing as well.
The stats don’t back it up yet: records are still being shattered all over the place.
And here’s the real warning: places like Britain and Australia, who have the various taxes and so called constraints that Grant thinks will work, are booming ahead anyway.
Thus indicating, as we have said all along, governments don’t regulate the housing market; the housing market regulates the housing market.
The Reserve Bank weighed in last week with another of their monetary policy statements, they still think things are too frothy and issued the warning that more restrictions could well be on their way.
There are a couple of things to come out of all this:
One, the fact first timers are out is a classic example of why the government doesn’t get it.
The reason they were “in” was FOMO - fear of missing out.
Now, all that’s happened is they’ve been spooked by the changes. Some will be under the delusion that prices are dropping, which they won’t be.
What they do run the risk of is tighter regulation from Adrian at the bank, and before they know it, they are never going to have the deposit or the wages to support a tilt at a house.
Two, you might have noticed a number of banks last week reported their results, and although we are not out of the woods, the profitability is back.
And yet again, the banks are proving, despite Adrian’s tut tutting, that they actually know what they are doing, and therefore should be left alone to lend to whoever they see fit to borrow some money and launch into the housing market.
The real danger here is you have a couple of power-mad sticky beaks.
Grant, who can’t get his hands on the controls fast enough, and Adrian who loves to tell fellow bankers what to do and when to do it.
Between the two of them, they’re helping next to no one.
There is no point in ridding the market of investors, because people need rentals; always have, always will.
And there is no point in freaking out first timers because by the time they’ve worked out Grant and Adrian are control freaks, it’ll be too late.
Overall, my guess is the increases we’ve seen will cool, but you’ll still be seeing price growth, why? Because money is dirt cheap.
We love houses, we love to spend, and the new builds aren’t being built fast enough to meet demand.
None of this is complex; it’s just that some may well miss out because of a couple of blokes in Wellington never quite got their heads around the difference between theory and reality.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/pdyn25bl/mh130521-14-housingcomment.mp3Thu, 13 May 2021 02:44:28 +0000RoccoI think we are getting a fair old consensus around housing and what might be happening post the Grant Robertson revolution of early 2021. Commentary seems to suggest investors are stepping back with a wait and see attitude. But sadly, also the first...Commentary seems to suggest investors are stepping back with a wait and see attitude.
But sadly, also the first home buyer is disappearing as well.
The stats don’t back it up yet: records are still being shattered all over the place.
And here’s the real warning: places like Britain and Australia, who have the various taxes and so called constraints that Grant thinks will work, are booming ahead anyway.
Thus indicating, as we have said all along, governments don’t regulate the housing market; the housing market regulates the housing market.
The Reserve Bank weighed in last week with another of their monetary policy statements, they still think things are too frothy and issued the warning that more restrictions could well be on their way.
There are a couple of things to come out of all this:
One, the fact first timers are out is a classic example of why the government doesn’t get it.
The reason they were “in” was FOMO - fear of missing out.
Now, all that’s happened is they’ve been spooked by the changes. Some will be under the delusion that prices are dropping, which they won’t be.
What they do run the risk of is tighter regulation from Adrian at the bank, and before they know it, they are never going to have the deposit or the wages to support a tilt at a house.
Two, you might have noticed a number of banks last week reported their results, and although we are not out of the woods, the profitability is back.
And yet again, the banks are proving, despite Adrian’s tut tutting, that they actually know what they are doing, and therefore should be left alone to lend to whoever they see fit to borrow some money and launch into the housing market.
The real danger here is you have a couple of power-mad sticky beaks.
Grant, who can’t get his hands on the controls fast enough, and Adrian who loves to tell fellow bankers what to do and when to do it.
Between the two of them, they’re helping next to no one.
There is no point in ridding the market of investors, because people need rentals; always have, always will.
And there is no point in freaking out first timers because by the time they’ve worked out Grant and Adrian are control freaks, it’ll be too late.
Overall, my guess is the increases we’ve seen will cool, but you’ll still be seeing price growth, why? Because money is dirt cheap.
We love houses, we love to spend, and the new builds aren’t being built fast enough to meet demand.
None of this is complex; it’s just that some may well miss out because of a couple of blokes in Wellington never quite got their heads around the difference between theory and reality.]]>121falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-australia-s-budget-shows-how-we-should-be-handling-our-border--1008142The government fears that growth cannot be sustained if travellers are kept away and citizens kept at home. Not hard to get your head around, eh?
Josh Frydenberg, the Australian Treasurer, wants to restore migration levels to pre pandemic levels as soon as it is safe to do so.
Do we have such a plan? Of course not.
And not just that, last time Kris Faafoi, Minister for Immigration, spoke on the subject he said migration would not be returning to what it was.
Surely of all the things we have learned in the past Covid year, the most obvious and indisputable is that migration is invaluable it drives growth and the economy.
There are fields all over this country strew with rotten fruit that wasn’t picked because the borders were shut.
No one argues tourists from off shore aren’t the difference between us paying our way or not. Students bring billions to the country every year.
The simple truth is we need the world. If Australia needs the world and they are five times bigger than us, then we need it even more.
And the fact that we have no plan around the border is a crime mixed with astonishing ineptitude, and the fact we don’t see migration returning to what it was is a direct pathway to economic trouble we don’t need.
The stats don’t lie. Australia has better growth than us, while we are going backwards.
The Macquarie Bank said last week Australia’s response leads the world. Part of it, a big part of it, is attitude.
Frydenberg and co gets what works: travel works, migration works, students work, and in May he’s got a plan.
In May here, we don’t even talk about it.
The irony is this was our lot just a year ago. It’s not like it’s some mad experiment. Migration a year ago was paying the bills. Students were a $5 billion industry. Fruit actually got picked. It’s like Covid gave us amnesia.
Obviously, the brain drain is a growing threat if Australia keeps down the path they are.
But you've got to wonder how long it is before our government is simply embarrassed and humiliated into action, and how long those who support their catatonic state snap out of it?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/ozdaxwj4/mh120521-14-aussievsnzborderscomment.mp3Wed, 12 May 2021 08:49:03 +0000RoccoListen to how simple this sounds and actually is: Australia will open its borders next year in a budget plan to bring back migrants and speed up the economic recovery. The government fears that growth cannot be sustained if travellers are kept away...The government fears that growth cannot be sustained if travellers are kept away and citizens kept at home. Not hard to get your head around, eh?
Josh Frydenberg, the Australian Treasurer, wants to restore migration levels to pre pandemic levels as soon as it is safe to do so.
Do we have such a plan? Of course not.
And not just that, last time Kris Faafoi, Minister for Immigration, spoke on the subject he said migration would not be returning to what it was.
Surely of all the things we have learned in the past Covid year, the most obvious and indisputable is that migration is invaluable it drives growth and the economy.
There are fields all over this country strew with rotten fruit that wasn’t picked because the borders were shut.
No one argues tourists from off shore aren’t the difference between us paying our way or not. Students bring billions to the country every year.
The simple truth is we need the world. If Australia needs the world and they are five times bigger than us, then we need it even more.
And the fact that we have no plan around the border is a crime mixed with astonishing ineptitude, and the fact we don’t see migration returning to what it was is a direct pathway to economic trouble we don’t need.
The stats don’t lie. Australia has better growth than us, while we are going backwards.
The Macquarie Bank said last week Australia’s response leads the world. Part of it, a big part of it, is attitude.
Frydenberg and co gets what works: travel works, migration works, students work, and in May he’s got a plan.
In May here, we don’t even talk about it.
The irony is this was our lot just a year ago. It’s not like it’s some mad experiment. Migration a year ago was paying the bills. Students were a $5 billion industry. Fruit actually got picked. It’s like Covid gave us amnesia.
Obviously, the brain drain is a growing threat if Australia keeps down the path they are.
But you've got to wonder how long it is before our government is simply embarrassed and humiliated into action, and how long those who support their catatonic state snap out of it?]]>122falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-when-do-we-start-demanding-better-over-covid--1008151Britain’s green light is on and the travel list is out. We are part of that group of countries where we can roll into London MIQ free. They can’t come here, of course, on the same deal.
Vaccinated travellers all over the world are now starting to get on planes and fly and we as of now are missing out
Singapore is on that list so Brits will be arriving there and spending their money and spreading the word.
Singapore has a containment strategy, not an elimination strategy like us, and they are now ranked as the best in the world at dealing with Covid.
Our issue, according to our esteemed leader who told us a few weeks ago when we asked when the borders would be opening to vaccinated travellers, said that was an open question, which is code for she hasn’t thought about it.
But here is what we know. A vaccine prevents you from dying and even getting really sick. It doesn’t always stop you completely from transmission, it might but it’s not full proof.
Now, that isn’t changing any time soon so obviously there is an element of risk involved.
Covid is like flu. It’s a virus you probably need a jab for on an ongoing basis.
So if that’s your scenario, what’s your call? When do we join the rest of the world or are we going to let the world carry on without us?
At some point a level of normality will have returned and places like Britain and the states are seeing their vaccination programmes as being comprehensive enough to be able to do that
Is it really possible the fear instilled in us by a government bereft of a plan beyond a closed border is really going to let the world get back to life and keep us locked up?
The Australian Trade Minister, for example, has been in London tying up their free trade deal. Has our trade minister left the country? No.  
As each day passes it becomes clearer where this story is heading. Vaccines work, the quicker you complete your programme, the more normal you can become, the world is clearly more than happy to drop restrictions lower borders and get life on a new track.
We sit here unvaccinated, borders closed, and no decision around what is next how and when.
It seems odd and increasingly criminal we can be recognised for a solid Covid response but because of our own fear and lack of planning cut ourselves out of the joining the rest of the world.
When do we start demanding better?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/0vvdxmf0/mh110521-01-travelcomment.mp3Tue, 11 May 2021 04:43:36 +0000RoccoWe need to be asking ourselves some big picture questions. Britain’s green light is on and the travel list is out. We are part of that group of countries where we can roll into London MIQ free. They can’t come here, of course, on the same deal....Britain’s green light is on and the travel list is out. We are part of that group of countries where we can roll into London MIQ free. They can’t come here, of course, on the same deal.
Vaccinated travellers all over the world are now starting to get on planes and fly and we as of now are missing out
Singapore is on that list so Brits will be arriving there and spending their money and spreading the word.
Singapore has a containment strategy, not an elimination strategy like us, and they are now ranked as the best in the world at dealing with Covid.
Our issue, according to our esteemed leader who told us a few weeks ago when we asked when the borders would be opening to vaccinated travellers, said that was an open question, which is code for she hasn’t thought about it.
But here is what we know. A vaccine prevents you from dying and even getting really sick. It doesn’t always stop you completely from transmission, it might but it’s not full proof.
Now, that isn’t changing any time soon so obviously there is an element of risk involved.
Covid is like flu. It’s a virus you probably need a jab for on an ongoing basis.
So if that’s your scenario, what’s your call? When do we join the rest of the world or are we going to let the world carry on without us?
At some point a level of normality will have returned and places like Britain and the states are seeing their vaccination programmes as being comprehensive enough to be able to do that
Is it really possible the fear instilled in us by a government bereft of a plan beyond a closed border is really going to let the world get back to life and keep us locked up?
The Australian Trade Minister, for example, has been in London tying up their free trade deal. Has our trade minister left the country? No.  
As each day passes it becomes clearer where this story is heading. Vaccines work, the quicker you complete your programme, the more normal you can become, the world is clearly more than happy to drop restrictions lower borders and get life on a new track.
We sit here unvaccinated, borders closed, and no decision around what is next how and when.
It seems odd and increasingly criminal we can be recognised for a solid Covid response but because of our own fear and lack of planning cut ourselves out of the joining the rest of the world.
When do we start demanding better?]]>123falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-why-won-t-business-leaders-speak-their-minds--1007973Campbell is a unionist from decades back who these days sits around board tables. We had him on the programme a few weeks back as a representative of a group of businesses that had written an open letter to the government asking for greater transparency around Covid.
Basically, they asked what the hell is going on? And what the hell is the plan?
What struck me at the time, and I should have asked, was that there weren't all that many signatures. I should've asked, why not?
But now we have the answer. Balls, or lack of them.
We found this out at a speech last week in which Campbell, in front of the Institute of Directors Leadership Conference revealed that various Chairs and Directors had refused to sign the letter.
Why? Because they were, "protecting their own arses." In doing that they were doing "a major disservice to the community."
There were people who were Directors and Chairs of companies who didn’t have the balls to sign the letter. They were worried about reaction, being penalised, and being scapegoated.
What a tragic indictment. Although I must say somewhat of a relief, given I have had many a conversation with people who tell me how grateful they are that this is one of the few outlets that holds the government to account.
When they say that, I think, "I haven't heard or seen your name or company about the place doing the same thing."
And many a time I have had people on the show, who broadly are critical, have questions, or want changes or improvements, and yet express it in the most vanilla of ways. In other words, they're wasting their time, so why bother?
The bigger picture for me, is what is it these people are doing if they're scared to say anything? What's the point in being meek?
If you're in business, especially at a high and influential level, why wouldn’t you want to be effective? Why wouldn’t you want to see your vision for your business and country enacted? When you see waster, poor decisions, or inept leadership, why wouldn't you be speaking out?
Why are you scared? What does that say about you? About your leadership? About your morals? About your gonads?
A poor government and a spineless group of business leaders who are hiding in their boardrooms.
Who aspires to be ordinary? The tragedy is being ordinary seems to be in vogue.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/znjfuam4/mh110521-12-businessadvicecomment.mp3Mon, 10 May 2021 11:35:52 +0000RoccoI cheered Rob Campbell the other day. Reportage had him, thank God, telling it like it is. Campbell is a unionist from decades back who these days sits around board tables. We had him on the programme a few weeks back as a representative of a group of...Campbell is a unionist from decades back who these days sits around board tables. We had him on the programme a few weeks back as a representative of a group of businesses that had written an open letter to the government asking for greater transparency around Covid.
Basically, they asked what the hell is going on? And what the hell is the plan?
What struck me at the time, and I should have asked, was that there weren't all that many signatures. I should've asked, why not?
But now we have the answer. Balls, or lack of them.
We found this out at a speech last week in which Campbell, in front of the Institute of Directors Leadership Conference revealed that various Chairs and Directors had refused to sign the letter.
Why? Because they were, "protecting their own arses." In doing that they were doing "a major disservice to the community."
There were people who were Directors and Chairs of companies who didn’t have the balls to sign the letter. They were worried about reaction, being penalised, and being scapegoated.
What a tragic indictment. Although I must say somewhat of a relief, given I have had many a conversation with people who tell me how grateful they are that this is one of the few outlets that holds the government to account.
When they say that, I think, "I haven't heard or seen your name or company about the place doing the same thing."
And many a time I have had people on the show, who broadly are critical, have questions, or want changes or improvements, and yet express it in the most vanilla of ways. In other words, they're wasting their time, so why bother?
The bigger picture for me, is what is it these people are doing if they're scared to say anything? What's the point in being meek?
If you're in business, especially at a high and influential level, why wouldn’t you want to be effective? Why wouldn’t you want to see your vision for your business and country enacted? When you see waster, poor decisions, or inept leadership, why wouldn't you be speaking out?
Why are you scared? What does that say about you? About your leadership? About your morals? About your gonads?
A poor government and a spineless group of business leaders who are hiding in their boardrooms.
Who aspires to be ordinary? The tragedy is being ordinary seems to be in vogue.]]>120falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-jacinda-ardern-could-learn-a-lot-from-aspirational-gladys-berejiklian--1008135I asked Ashley Bloomfield on Friday of course if he was a bit trigger happy and even he said it was a line call.
But no one is more conservative than Ashley, hence we are so backward on things like borders and vaccines and PPE and testing and border security.
Berejiklian is Australia’s most successful premier. Her state is the best economic performer, she is popular, and she has led far and away Australia’s most successful Covid response.
The Ardern like control freaks in places like Queensland, Victoria, and Western Australia have been caught out the same way we have.
Locking things up isn’t hard, but it’s been Victoria and WA that have had the most problems.
New South Wales have had very few. The Northern Beaches outbreak was handled well, and this current outbreak is hardly the pending disaster a bubble pause would indicate it is.
Like so much of this stuff, there is too much politics at play.
The government will never admit it, but they’re not keen on the bubble. That’s why they dragged their heels.
That’s why Australia opened to us last year and we took till a month or so ago to respond.
Any chance to say I told you so, inconvenience some people and kill the buzz they’re all over.
The end of Covid is in many respects the end of this government. They’ve succeeded through fear. When the fear goes the borders open and we turn our attention back to the shambles their governance has produced, they’re done for.
This is why Gladys shines. She’s aspirational, she doesn’t panic, New South Wales doesn’t lockdown at the drop of a hat or a single case.
They can and do track and trace, their record is not just the best but they’re proud of it.
There is no reason to freak out our side of the Tasman if they’re not freaking out on theirs.
She is right, it was an overreaction, because she is a better leader, and handles these things with more aplomb.
As we have said before, between the lax vaccine roll out, the pay freeze, the Australian economy quote unquote from Macquarie "leading the world", and a little aspiration from Berejiklian, the big red land to the left is increasingly a temptation.
When the migration numbers start backing that view up, don’t say all the warning signs weren’t there.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22983205/mh100521-01-transtasmanbubblecomment.mp3Mon, 10 May 2021 03:42:28 +0000RoccoI wasn’t remotely surprised to see Gladys Berejiklian describe our bubble reaction to NSW as an overreaction. I asked Ashley Bloomfield on Friday of course if he was a bit trigger happy and even he said it was a line call. But no one is more...I asked Ashley Bloomfield on Friday of course if he was a bit trigger happy and even he said it was a line call.
But no one is more conservative than Ashley, hence we are so backward on things like borders and vaccines and PPE and testing and border security.
Berejiklian is Australia’s most successful premier. Her state is the best economic performer, she is popular, and she has led far and away Australia’s most successful Covid response.
The Ardern like control freaks in places like Queensland, Victoria, and Western Australia have been caught out the same way we have.
Locking things up isn’t hard, but it’s been Victoria and WA that have had the most problems.
New South Wales have had very few. The Northern Beaches outbreak was handled well, and this current outbreak is hardly the pending disaster a bubble pause would indicate it is.
Like so much of this stuff, there is too much politics at play.
The government will never admit it, but they’re not keen on the bubble. That’s why they dragged their heels.
That’s why Australia opened to us last year and we took till a month or so ago to respond.
Any chance to say I told you so, inconvenience some people and kill the buzz they’re all over.
The end of Covid is in many respects the end of this government. They’ve succeeded through fear. When the fear goes the borders open and we turn our attention back to the shambles their governance has produced, they’re done for.
This is why Gladys shines. She’s aspirational, she doesn’t panic, New South Wales doesn’t lockdown at the drop of a hat or a single case.
They can and do track and trace, their record is not just the best but they’re proud of it.
There is no reason to freak out our side of the Tasman if they’re not freaking out on theirs.
She is right, it was an overreaction, because she is a better leader, and handles these things with more aplomb.
As we have said before, between the lax vaccine roll out, the pay freeze, the Australian economy quote unquote from Macquarie "leading the world", and a little aspiration from Berejiklian, the big red land to the left is increasingly a temptation.
When the migration numbers start backing that view up, don’t say all the warning signs weren’t there.]]>114falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-fair-pay-agreements-not-only-radical-but-dangerous--1008212From the comfort of retirement and a Prime Minister's pension, he oversaw the review into labour laws that finally got rolled out Friday.
Even some of the more woke members of the media managed to call it radical.
Bolger, if you remember before the last election, defended it, but the fact 1 in 10 in any given workforce can trigger what is laughably called a fair pay deal is an outrage. 1 in 10 is not a majority, or even close.
The fact you can dismiss the will of 90 percent of your workforce's view for the rambling views of one is a scandal. But that’s what we are headed for.
So contentious was the idea that is why the Labour Party didn’t roll it out last term. It's why the Prime Minister was at pains in several speeches to business to say the fair pay deal would be exceedingly limited that term. Little did business know what these socialists had in mind for the second term.
But wait, there is more.
Cross company deals, in other words industry wide arrangements, where the ability and individual circumstances of employers to pay or agree are cast aside, and that power is handed to the unions.
This is the 70s all over again. We are rolling back the years.
The tragedy is this is a country that periodically tries to address our woeful productivity rating. If you think having vast swathes of employees permanently on strike, or threatening industrial action, is a way to better productivity you’ve got rocks in your head, or you're a communist.
To be fair to Labour, this is who they are and what better time to go for broke than in a second term. And it's not like they didn't say they wouldn't do it.
That, of course, is why we have elections. It's the contest of ideas.
History will show the 2020 vote was dangerously skewed by fear of Covid and a lot of people that were nothing more than glad to be alive. These people having been scared to death by the Ardern-Bloomfield propaganda machine, will be waking up these next two years and allowing themselves to take in slightly more than one topic.
They will realise their country is being stolen in front of their eyes.
These reforms are radical, but even more importantly they are dangerous.
Only upside is it’s a gift to the Opposition. Undoing this is a vote getter, and if I were them, I'd be licking my lips.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22983180/mh100521-13-fairpaydealcomment.mp3Sun, 09 May 2021 23:06:01 +0000RoccoThere is no shortage of irony that it's Jim Bolger, a conservative, that has committed one of the greater social crimes on this country. From the comfort of retirement and a Prime Minister's pension, he oversaw the review into labour laws that finally...From the comfort of retirement and a Prime Minister's pension, he oversaw the review into labour laws that finally got rolled out Friday.
Even some of the more woke members of the media managed to call it radical.
Bolger, if you remember before the last election, defended it, but the fact 1 in 10 in any given workforce can trigger what is laughably called a fair pay deal is an outrage. 1 in 10 is not a majority, or even close.
The fact you can dismiss the will of 90 percent of your workforce's view for the rambling views of one is a scandal. But that’s what we are headed for.
So contentious was the idea that is why the Labour Party didn’t roll it out last term. It's why the Prime Minister was at pains in several speeches to business to say the fair pay deal would be exceedingly limited that term. Little did business know what these socialists had in mind for the second term.
But wait, there is more.
Cross company deals, in other words industry wide arrangements, where the ability and individual circumstances of employers to pay or agree are cast aside, and that power is handed to the unions.
This is the 70s all over again. We are rolling back the years.
The tragedy is this is a country that periodically tries to address our woeful productivity rating. If you think having vast swathes of employees permanently on strike, or threatening industrial action, is a way to better productivity you’ve got rocks in your head, or you're a communist.
To be fair to Labour, this is who they are and what better time to go for broke than in a second term. And it's not like they didn't say they wouldn't do it.
That, of course, is why we have elections. It's the contest of ideas.
History will show the 2020 vote was dangerously skewed by fear of Covid and a lot of people that were nothing more than glad to be alive. These people having been scared to death by the Ardern-Bloomfield propaganda machine, will be waking up these next two years and allowing themselves to take in slightly more than one topic.
They will realise their country is being stolen in front of their eyes.
These reforms are radical, but even more importantly they are dangerous.
Only upside is it’s a gift to the Opposition. Undoing this is a vote getter, and if I were them, I'd be licking my lips.  ]]>132falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-media-have-brought-distrust-on-themselves-but-there-is-hope--1008063The headline was that we don’t trust our media as much as we did. The research is from the AUT Research Centre for Journalism Media and Democracy, and it found all news brands in the country have been hit in the trust department.
So on the surface you’re supposed to go ‘oooh, that’s a bit of a worry’,
But here’s the thing: when you ask broad questions, you get broad answers.
Asking do you trust the media is like asking do you trust the power industry, do you trust the government, do you trust the police. You can’t answer it properly.
As it stands, I don’t trust the media and I’m in it, but I trust bits and in that is the key.
Trust requires work. The media as a whole in this country is in a parlous and decaying state. Journalism sadly is frequented by too many inexperienced people, naïve people, thick people, and people on band wagons.
Not that that hasn’t always been the case. But the not surprising bit is, like so many industries, media has been hit hard in recent years.
Journalism isn’t what it was, it’s not valued as it has been, it’s not all that well paid, and as a result you end up with a fairly ordinary collective.
But if you want to, there is still plenty of gold left. There is plenty of brain power, experience, insight and cleverness.
You just have to be interested enough to dig for it.
The biggest scam in modern media and this is why the figures have fallen also, is too many still claim to be neutral, still claim that time honoured stance of no fear no favour, when I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt as a 40 year veteran of this game that they’re lying to you.
The last election campaign exposed some shocking bias, dressed up as neutrality.  So in a lot of respects they have no one to blame but themselves
But there is light and hope. New Zealand’s number is 48 – as in 52 percent don’t trust the media. In Australia its 38, in the UK its 28, so it could be a lot worse, and given that, there is hope.
Hope for a few people who need to tidy their act up and turn the tide.
 
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22982940/mh060521-01-trustingthemediacomment.mp3Thu, 06 May 2021 05:17:17 +0000RoccoA lesson in why it’s wise to see surveys essentially for what they are. The headline was that we don’t trust our media as much as we did. The research is from the AUT Research Centre for Journalism Media and Democracy, and it found all news brands in...The headline was that we don’t trust our media as much as we did. The research is from the AUT Research Centre for Journalism Media and Democracy, and it found all news brands in the country have been hit in the trust department.
So on the surface you’re supposed to go ‘oooh, that’s a bit of a worry’,
But here’s the thing: when you ask broad questions, you get broad answers.
Asking do you trust the media is like asking do you trust the power industry, do you trust the government, do you trust the police. You can’t answer it properly.
As it stands, I don’t trust the media and I’m in it, but I trust bits and in that is the key.
Trust requires work. The media as a whole in this country is in a parlous and decaying state. Journalism sadly is frequented by too many inexperienced people, naïve people, thick people, and people on band wagons.
Not that that hasn’t always been the case. But the not surprising bit is, like so many industries, media has been hit hard in recent years.
Journalism isn’t what it was, it’s not valued as it has been, it’s not all that well paid, and as a result you end up with a fairly ordinary collective.
But if you want to, there is still plenty of gold left. There is plenty of brain power, experience, insight and cleverness.
You just have to be interested enough to dig for it.
The biggest scam in modern media and this is why the figures have fallen also, is too many still claim to be neutral, still claim that time honoured stance of no fear no favour, when I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt as a 40 year veteran of this game that they’re lying to you.
The last election campaign exposed some shocking bias, dressed up as neutrality.  So in a lot of respects they have no one to blame but themselves
But there is light and hope. New Zealand’s number is 48 – as in 52 percent don’t trust the media. In Australia its 38, in the UK its 28, so it could be a lot worse, and given that, there is hope.
Hope for a few people who need to tidy their act up and turn the tide.
 
 ]]>100falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/john-butler-on-returning-to-live-concerts-and-gives-exclusive-performance--1008171John Butler had humble beginnings as a busker, and ended up setting up his own record label back in 2002.
He, of course, is the front man for the John Butler Trio, and has become Australia’s most successful independent artist of all time.
Now, he's coming to our shores for a couple of shows, and will be the first international act to cross the border without quarantine.
John Butler joined Mike Hosking from Perth and gave an exclusive performance.
“Taking a little step back wasn’t necessarily hugely frustrating; I think if I wasn’t able to play music at all that would have been absolutely torturous.”
WATCH ABOVE
John Butler is here for two solo shows:
Saturday 15 May - Isaac Theatre Royal in Christchurch
Sunday 16 May - Powerstation in Auckland
Tickets available from johnbutlertrio.com]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22982942/mh060521-19-johnbutler-tour.mp3Wed, 05 May 2021 22:28:30 +0000RoccoIt’s time to catch up with one of Aussie's favourite artists. John Butler had humble beginnings as a busker, and ended up setting up his own record label back in 2002. He, of course, is the front man for the John Butler Trio, and has become...John Butler had humble beginnings as a busker, and ended up setting up his own record label back in 2002.
He, of course, is the front man for the John Butler Trio, and has become Australia’s most successful independent artist of all time.
Now, he's coming to our shores for a couple of shows, and will be the first international act to cross the border without quarantine.
John Butler joined Mike Hosking from Perth and gave an exclusive performance.
“Taking a little step back wasn’t necessarily hugely frustrating; I think if I wasn’t able to play music at all that would have been absolutely torturous.”
WATCH ABOVE
John Butler is here for two solo shows:
Saturday 15 May - Isaac Theatre Royal in Christchurch
Sunday 16 May - Powerstation in Auckland
Tickets available from johnbutlertrio.com]]>722falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/greg-johnson-new-zealand-artist-returning-home-for-nationwide-tour--1007991After being holed up in Los Angeles for endless Covid lockdowns, Greg Johnson is heading back to New Zealand for a nationwide tour.
This is his first tour since 2019 - but he's promising to make these shows "real, interactive, and cozy."
And this all ties in with his latest album, Tilt Your Interior, which came out at the end of last year.
Johnson joined Mike Hosking over Zoom from LA to chat about his tour and to perform his song Save Yourself.
WATCH ABOVE
 
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22982732/mh040521-20-gregjohnson-albumandtour.mp3Mon, 03 May 2021 23:00:40 +0000RoccoOne of New Zealand’s favourite homegrown artists is coming home. After being holed up in Los Angeles for endless Covid lockdowns, Greg Johnson is heading back to New Zealand for a nationwide tour. This is his first tour since 2019 - but he's promising...After being holed up in Los Angeles for endless Covid lockdowns, Greg Johnson is heading back to New Zealand for a nationwide tour.
This is his first tour since 2019 - but he's promising to make these shows "real, interactive, and cozy."
And this all ties in with his latest album, Tilt Your Interior, which came out at the end of last year.
Johnson joined Mike Hosking over Zoom from LA to chat about his tour and to perform his song Save Yourself.
WATCH ABOVE
 
 ]]>691falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-we-have-to-tread-carefully-with-china-rhetoric--1008175"There will be things that we disagree on."
That's the line you use when you're a tiny country of 5 million and you have 10s of billions worth of business flowing both ways, they're you're biggest trading partner, they're growing, you need them, and you'd be sunk without them.
And let's be honest, if we didn’t set trade aside as an individual part of a relationship, we wouldn’t do business with anyone. Even Australia has issues around race with its indigenous people, it's not exactly all over climate change, and that's the sort of thing we like to get a bit exercised about.
Individual counties have a legitimate right to do their own thing their way, I would have thought our biggest beef with China was that no one gets a vote.
So probably too much is being made of China's current bullish expansionist view of the world. But that doesn't mean aren't meat in the sandwich, because we are.
The reason Joe Biden said what he said last week to Congress, the reason he wants all that money, is to show China that America isn't finished as a superpower. He's trying to say that whatever China can do, they can do better, and they can do it through democracy not autocracy.
It would be nice to think we could get along well with both of them, but as tensions ratchet up, we have trouble. That's why Nanaia Mahuta's speech got a shed load of attention. That's why the Brits, the Tories in particular, didn’t like it.
They see sides and you can't be on both sides. Well, you can, and most countries are. And we do at times, do weird things we don’t want to, because of alliances.
Do you really think we wanted to be in Afghanistan for 20 years to achieve basically nothing? Or Iraq? Of course not. But America called and we jumped, that’s how this stuff works.
There is a good piece on CNBC at the moment about how China is stepping up its diplomatic bravado, testing how hard Biden will push back.
But when it all gets laid on the table, in all its complexity, here's the simple truth, China basically owns us, we can't afford not to have them, and that predicament is only going to get worse.
The bottom line, especially a $20 to $30 billion bottom line, wins every time.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22982727/mh040521-14-chinacomment.mp3Mon, 03 May 2021 22:22:31 +0000RoccoThe old favourite line about China got rolled out at the big trade summit yesterday. "There will be things that we disagree on." That's the line you use when you're a tiny country of 5 million and you have 10s of billions worth of business flowing..."There will be things that we disagree on."
That's the line you use when you're a tiny country of 5 million and you have 10s of billions worth of business flowing both ways, they're you're biggest trading partner, they're growing, you need them, and you'd be sunk without them.
And let's be honest, if we didn’t set trade aside as an individual part of a relationship, we wouldn’t do business with anyone. Even Australia has issues around race with its indigenous people, it's not exactly all over climate change, and that's the sort of thing we like to get a bit exercised about.
Individual counties have a legitimate right to do their own thing their way, I would have thought our biggest beef with China was that no one gets a vote.
So probably too much is being made of China's current bullish expansionist view of the world. But that doesn't mean aren't meat in the sandwich, because we are.
The reason Joe Biden said what he said last week to Congress, the reason he wants all that money, is to show China that America isn't finished as a superpower. He's trying to say that whatever China can do, they can do better, and they can do it through democracy not autocracy.
It would be nice to think we could get along well with both of them, but as tensions ratchet up, we have trouble. That's why Nanaia Mahuta's speech got a shed load of attention. That's why the Brits, the Tories in particular, didn’t like it.
They see sides and you can't be on both sides. Well, you can, and most countries are. And we do at times, do weird things we don’t want to, because of alliances.
Do you really think we wanted to be in Afghanistan for 20 years to achieve basically nothing? Or Iraq? Of course not. But America called and we jumped, that’s how this stuff works.
There is a good piece on CNBC at the moment about how China is stepping up its diplomatic bravado, testing how hard Biden will push back.
But when it all gets laid on the table, in all its complexity, here's the simple truth, China basically owns us, we can't afford not to have them, and that predicament is only going to get worse.
The bottom line, especially a $20 to $30 billion bottom line, wins every time.]]>114falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-the-warriors-latest-win-shows-this-is-our-year--1008178The game was not what it should have been. The Cowboys are a solid side. We entered the match on the same points.
But first half looked a league above them - 24-6 at half time.
Completed our sets. Reece Walsh looks the find of the season. We were slick, there were few if any mistakes, and although you never get ahead of yourself, the game was over.
And yet, it wasn’t.
Second half, we were ordinary, and ordinary is a compliment.
To be fair, the North Queensland Cowboys got their act together, and given we were of equal points status going in, they should never have been dismissed.
But all the stuff like completed sets and lack of errors that made us look good in the first half made us look hopeless  in the second.
I don’t know if it was complacency or bad luck or a bit of both, but we scored nothing in the second half – nothing! We didn’t even get close to the line.
Most of the half was in our territory, we looked to survive, and at 24-20, obviously we did.
But a win is a win, and here’s where we sit.
We lost last week to Melbourne and you can be forgiven for that given, one, Melbourne are good, and two, we had injuries galore.
The week before, we beat the Dragons and that’s the win to focus on. We can beat the best.
Our first half yesterday as Greg Alexander said was our best all season, so between the Dragons win and the first half yesterday, not to mention the actual win, if we get it together we are right there, as good as any, and able to beat the any side any day and never forget the prospect of the team.
Coming home and playing at Mt Smart, that’s a bonus, but also the reality check: that all this success, so far, is being done away from home.
Nathan Brown might be the difference. Reece Walsh, if he can stop falling over, is a brilliant talent. The injuries are coming right. And we are in the top 8!
Come on, what more do you need to start the week on a high note? This is our year.
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22982650/mh030521-01-warriorscomment.mp3Sun, 02 May 2021 23:00:29 +0000RoccoHere is all you need to know: The Warriors are 7th, in the top 8. From 12th to 7th. This is our year! The game was not what it should have been. The Cowboys are a solid side. We entered the match on the same points. But first half looked a league...The game was not what it should have been. The Cowboys are a solid side. We entered the match on the same points.
But first half looked a league above them - 24-6 at half time.
Completed our sets. Reece Walsh looks the find of the season. We were slick, there were few if any mistakes, and although you never get ahead of yourself, the game was over.
And yet, it wasn’t.
Second half, we were ordinary, and ordinary is a compliment.
To be fair, the North Queensland Cowboys got their act together, and given we were of equal points status going in, they should never have been dismissed.
But all the stuff like completed sets and lack of errors that made us look good in the first half made us look hopeless  in the second.
I don’t know if it was complacency or bad luck or a bit of both, but we scored nothing in the second half – nothing! We didn’t even get close to the line.
Most of the half was in our territory, we looked to survive, and at 24-20, obviously we did.
But a win is a win, and here’s where we sit.
We lost last week to Melbourne and you can be forgiven for that given, one, Melbourne are good, and two, we had injuries galore.
The week before, we beat the Dragons and that’s the win to focus on. We can beat the best.
Our first half yesterday as Greg Alexander said was our best all season, so between the Dragons win and the first half yesterday, not to mention the actual win, if we get it together we are right there, as good as any, and able to beat the any side any day and never forget the prospect of the team.
Coming home and playing at Mt Smart, that’s a bonus, but also the reality check: that all this success, so far, is being done away from home.
Nathan Brown might be the difference. Reece Walsh, if he can stop falling over, is a brilliant talent. The injuries are coming right. And we are in the top 8!
Come on, what more do you need to start the week on a high note? This is our year.
 ]]>113falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-are-we-really-okay-with-the-slow-vaccine-rollout--1008199He claims, and this is the danger, that we “understand” why we had to take a back seat when it has come to the vaccine rollout.
Because we took a “different” approach, we don’t need to hurry through the jab process unlike other countries. Sorry, Grant, we don't understand.
Obviously, some do and some, maybe many, agree, but a lot don’t.
By taking the approach we have, elimination, we have managed to do better than a lot of countries. But, yet again, let us not forget our geographic advantage is not to be underestimated. We closed a door, not hard, most countries don’t have the same luxury.
But that approach has also come at a cost. We've locked down unnecessarily because we panicked everytime we had a case or a handful of cases, we didn’t track and trace properly, and we have been and still are sloppy around the border.
The answer here, as it is in all countries, is the vaccine. It's the key to normality. Our desire and need for that normalcy is as strong as anywhere else.
So no, we don’t all understand at all.
It's not dissimilar to the fraud that was the team of five million. There was never such a team, not all are, or ever were, on board at all. And as time has passed it's become more and more evident the size of the team is shrinking rapidly.
It's also becoming clearer that either the government got stiffed on the vaccine deal, or they deliberately set out to be slow, or maybe a combination of the two. We've never seen the deal we struck, and probably for good reason.
We were told, of course, we were at the head of the queue, clearly not true. Then we were told there was no rush, not true. Now it appears through Robertson's explanation, they never really had any intention of pushing hard on our behalf to get on with it.
Other countries, Israel being a very solid example. They had no great need to hurry, but they did, indeed, hurry. And as the headline said last week, they're partying like it's 2019. Singapore, a country who took a risk minimisation approach as opposed to our elimination approach, is now globally recognised as the best at handling Covid.
We are, sadly, now at the stage where the initial gains from closing our border are shrinking. Our economy is stagnant, if not retreating. There is no real vaccine rollout. The world is now, or on the verge of, moving, travelling, holidaying, spending, and opening. But none of its happening here.
And yet according to Robertson, we understand.
Bollocks.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22982643/mh030521-14-vaccinedealcomment.mp3Sun, 02 May 2021 22:14:58 +0000RoccoThe risks of the government speaking on your or our behalf was on display last week when Grant Robertson featured in a global webinar hosted by the ratings agency Fitch. He claims, and this is the danger, that we “understand” why we had to take a back...He claims, and this is the danger, that we “understand” why we had to take a back seat when it has come to the vaccine rollout.
Because we took a “different” approach, we don’t need to hurry through the jab process unlike other countries. Sorry, Grant, we don't understand.
Obviously, some do and some, maybe many, agree, but a lot don’t.
By taking the approach we have, elimination, we have managed to do better than a lot of countries. But, yet again, let us not forget our geographic advantage is not to be underestimated. We closed a door, not hard, most countries don’t have the same luxury.
But that approach has also come at a cost. We've locked down unnecessarily because we panicked everytime we had a case or a handful of cases, we didn’t track and trace properly, and we have been and still are sloppy around the border.
The answer here, as it is in all countries, is the vaccine. It's the key to normality. Our desire and need for that normalcy is as strong as anywhere else.
So no, we don’t all understand at all.
It's not dissimilar to the fraud that was the team of five million. There was never such a team, not all are, or ever were, on board at all. And as time has passed it's become more and more evident the size of the team is shrinking rapidly.
It's also becoming clearer that either the government got stiffed on the vaccine deal, or they deliberately set out to be slow, or maybe a combination of the two. We've never seen the deal we struck, and probably for good reason.
We were told, of course, we were at the head of the queue, clearly not true. Then we were told there was no rush, not true. Now it appears through Robertson's explanation, they never really had any intention of pushing hard on our behalf to get on with it.
Other countries, Israel being a very solid example. They had no great need to hurry, but they did, indeed, hurry. And as the headline said last week, they're partying like it's 2019. Singapore, a country who took a risk minimisation approach as opposed to our elimination approach, is now globally recognised as the best at handling Covid.
We are, sadly, now at the stage where the initial gains from closing our border are shrinking. Our economy is stagnant, if not retreating. There is no real vaccine rollout. The world is now, or on the verge of, moving, travelling, holidaying, spending, and opening. But none of its happening here.
And yet according to Robertson, we understand.
Bollocks.  ]]>144falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-time-for-climate-realism--1008201A local site I will not name, but a site with a predilection for climate change coverage, had the headline "2021 is a make-or-break year; UN warns dramatic climate change action needed."
My first thought was just how many times has that warning been issued? And how many times does it get issued before it’s a cry wolf special and people roll their eyes? Or have they already cried wolf and we already are rolling our eyes?
That's before we get to that mad march last week as angsty teenagers yet again hit the streets to proclaim we are already at the exit, the last offramp, and it's already too late.
At this point I looked up a few alarmist headlines to check dates. I was sure they used to tell us we only had until the end of the century, as in 2000, before it was too late.
First thing that popped up, "the hellish monotony of 25 years of IPCC climate change warnings.” Believe me; once you start looking, it’s a rabbit hole.
This story was published March of 2014. It starts "island nations rendered uninhabitable, millions of people to be displaced by floods, uncertainties over global food supplies, and severe impacts on human health across the world."
It went on, "changes in the availability of food, fuel, medicine, construction materials, and income are possible as these ecosystems are changed."
The day this story was published, 2014, was the day of the latest block buster IPCC report. But the aforementioned alarmism wasn’t actually from that report.
It was taken from the one in 1988, 26 years earlier, and first published in 1990, 24 years previous, or 30 years as of now.
So, for over a generation, the alarm bells have been ringing. This isn't to say there isn't an issue, and let's not get into whose fault it may or may not be.
But what is unavoidable is that most of what they said would happen, hasn’t.
The calamity has not come to pass. We still have our medicines, we still build our houses, and really, most of the efforts we have made towards addressing these crimes have come to little. If anything, more than a few documents cobbled together out of international gabfests concluded with the obligatory communique that in the following years gets largely ignored.
To get a message across you need credibility. Thinking of the worst thing that can happen, whether it will happen or not, and yelling it loudly has no credibility.
The fact we are still doing this 30 years after our so-called destruction, demise, and ruin, lays that truth out pretty clearly.
Perhaps it's time the zealots checked themselves and tried something a little less alarmist, and a little more realistic.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22982452/mh300421-01-climatechangecomment.mp3Thu, 29 Apr 2021 23:13:56 +0000RoccoA headline caught my eye the other day. A local site I will not name, but a site with a predilection for climate change coverage, had the headline "2021 is a make-or-break year; UN warns dramatic climate change action needed." My first thought was...A local site I will not name, but a site with a predilection for climate change coverage, had the headline "2021 is a make-or-break year; UN warns dramatic climate change action needed."
My first thought was just how many times has that warning been issued? And how many times does it get issued before it’s a cry wolf special and people roll their eyes? Or have they already cried wolf and we already are rolling our eyes?
That's before we get to that mad march last week as angsty teenagers yet again hit the streets to proclaim we are already at the exit, the last offramp, and it's already too late.
At this point I looked up a few alarmist headlines to check dates. I was sure they used to tell us we only had until the end of the century, as in 2000, before it was too late.
First thing that popped up, "the hellish monotony of 25 years of IPCC climate change warnings.” Believe me; once you start looking, it’s a rabbit hole.
This story was published March of 2014. It starts "island nations rendered uninhabitable, millions of people to be displaced by floods, uncertainties over global food supplies, and severe impacts on human health across the world."
It went on, "changes in the availability of food, fuel, medicine, construction materials, and income are possible as these ecosystems are changed."
The day this story was published, 2014, was the day of the latest block buster IPCC report. But the aforementioned alarmism wasn’t actually from that report.
It was taken from the one in 1988, 26 years earlier, and first published in 1990, 24 years previous, or 30 years as of now.
So, for over a generation, the alarm bells have been ringing. This isn't to say there isn't an issue, and let's not get into whose fault it may or may not be.
But what is unavoidable is that most of what they said would happen, hasn’t.
The calamity has not come to pass. We still have our medicines, we still build our houses, and really, most of the efforts we have made towards addressing these crimes have come to little. If anything, more than a few documents cobbled together out of international gabfests concluded with the obligatory communique that in the following years gets largely ignored.
To get a message across you need credibility. Thinking of the worst thing that can happen, whether it will happen or not, and yelling it loudly has no credibility.
The fact we are still doing this 30 years after our so-called destruction, demise, and ruin, lays that truth out pretty clearly.
Perhaps it's time the zealots checked themselves and tried something a little less alarmist, and a little more realistic.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>149falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-unlawful-ihumatao-deal-stunk-from-the-start--1007996It doesn’t get a lot clearer than an Auditor-General telling you your Ihumātao deal is unlawful.
Something is either lawful or it isn’t. Turns out Ihumātao wasn’t, but that didn’t stop the government pretending illegality wasn’t really a big deal.
It was a technicality. Of course it was, easily solved. Sort of like taking something from a shop without paying isn’t theft, it’s a technicality.
When you’re caught you go back put the item back, apologise, offer to pay for it, say you’ll never do it again – see, easy, a technicality.
They figured that the money taken from housing was sort of going to housing anyway, so if a house got built, did it really matter where it was?
The fact they had no idea whether any houses would be built shouldn’t diminish from the simple misunderstanding between a technicality and illegality: after all, both words end in “y”.
You knew this stunk right from the start. You knew something was up from the very day the poor old PM who couldn’t help herself waded in and told Fletchers to stop building until something got sorted.
That something took an age as it was always going to, because the Ardern  wade in was in fact an over reach, and once she had spouted off, everyone else had to scramble to try and work out what the hell to do without turning it into an almighty Treaty free-for-all.
That’s why they slipped it out just before Christmas. We’d all gone on holiday and we’d forget about it by February.
Except, of course, until it turned out to be a stitch up, and the Auditor-General ran the ruler over it.
The weird thing for me was they knew it was a mess from day one and yet, knowing that, clearly not once did anyone go and get some legal advice.
No one even clearly thought about asking the question: why not?
You’re either startlingly arrogant or thick or quite possibly in this case both, that you can stitch up something as shonky as this, not ask a single legal mind a single question, slip it out at Christmas, and then assume nothing is going to come back to bite you.
Add it to the list of stuff they’ve cocked up and we’ve paid for. If National and ACT are taking notes, they’re going to have an astonishing list set to go by 2023.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22982248/mh270421-14-ihumataocomment.mp3Tue, 27 Apr 2021 07:41:01 +0000RoccoThe talent I admire among many a politician, but particularly this current lot, is the ability to spout complete crap and do it with a straight face. It doesn’t get a lot clearer than an Auditor-General telling you your Ihumātao deal is unlawful....It doesn’t get a lot clearer than an Auditor-General telling you your Ihumātao deal is unlawful.
Something is either lawful or it isn’t. Turns out Ihumātao wasn’t, but that didn’t stop the government pretending illegality wasn’t really a big deal.
It was a technicality. Of course it was, easily solved. Sort of like taking something from a shop without paying isn’t theft, it’s a technicality.
When you’re caught you go back put the item back, apologise, offer to pay for it, say you’ll never do it again – see, easy, a technicality.
They figured that the money taken from housing was sort of going to housing anyway, so if a house got built, did it really matter where it was?
The fact they had no idea whether any houses would be built shouldn’t diminish from the simple misunderstanding between a technicality and illegality: after all, both words end in “y”.
You knew this stunk right from the start. You knew something was up from the very day the poor old PM who couldn’t help herself waded in and told Fletchers to stop building until something got sorted.
That something took an age as it was always going to, because the Ardern  wade in was in fact an over reach, and once she had spouted off, everyone else had to scramble to try and work out what the hell to do without turning it into an almighty Treaty free-for-all.
That’s why they slipped it out just before Christmas. We’d all gone on holiday and we’d forget about it by February.
Except, of course, until it turned out to be a stitch up, and the Auditor-General ran the ruler over it.
The weird thing for me was they knew it was a mess from day one and yet, knowing that, clearly not once did anyone go and get some legal advice.
No one even clearly thought about asking the question: why not?
You’re either startlingly arrogant or thick or quite possibly in this case both, that you can stitch up something as shonky as this, not ask a single legal mind a single question, slip it out at Christmas, and then assume nothing is going to come back to bite you.
Add it to the list of stuff they’ve cocked up and we’ve paid for. If National and ACT are taking notes, they’re going to have an astonishing list set to go by 2023.]]>123falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-working-away-from-the-office-is-here-to-stay--1008001The report uncovers key office workplace trends as we settle into a new era of work, beyond the heights of the Covid panic.
Here are the big takeaways.
Sixty one per cent of workers in New Zealand think that their employer cares about their work-life balance. That’s pretty good.
Flexible work is here to stay: 71 per cent of workers in New Zealand surveyed want flexible remote work options to continue, alongside having some in-person time with their teams. We like the blend.
Talent is everywhere in a hybrid work world: Fifty six per cent of Kiwi workers surveyed are planning to move to a new location this year because of remote work options. That seems a strikingly high figure to me, but make of it what you want.
When I’m not keeping shop for Mike Hosking, I generally work from home or remote - wherever I am in the world. Dodging the peak-hour commuter ordeal, is undeniably one of its great rewards.
Business leaders know that the hybrid work world is here to stay. 69 per cent of New Zealand employers are recognising the office workplace evolution and are more likely planning to redesign office space for hybrid work, or downsize their office footprint.
Now, obviously the biggest casualties from the hybrid work world could well be the demand for commercial building office work space in the CBD.  I know several building owners currently repurposing office space for residential use.
But working remote and working from home is a potent player in busting peak-hour road congestion. In my city, Christchurch, the commute figures breakdown like this. 76% get to work by car. 4% by bus. 4% on foot. 6% by bike. And ten per cent, work from home. We’re spending mega bucks on mode-shift transport projects, for little gain. The hybrid work world holds far greater potential in shifting the needle on combating congestion.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22982043/mh230421-01-worktrendscomment.mp3Fri, 23 Apr 2021 02:27:24 +0000RoccoI was intrigued to read through Microsoft’s annual Work Trend Index.  The report uncovers key office workplace trends as we settle into a new era of work, beyond the heights of the Covid panic. Here are the big takeaways. Sixty one per cent of...The report uncovers key office workplace trends as we settle into a new era of work, beyond the heights of the Covid panic.
Here are the big takeaways.
Sixty one per cent of workers in New Zealand think that their employer cares about their work-life balance. That’s pretty good.
Flexible work is here to stay: 71 per cent of workers in New Zealand surveyed want flexible remote work options to continue, alongside having some in-person time with their teams. We like the blend.
Talent is everywhere in a hybrid work world: Fifty six per cent of Kiwi workers surveyed are planning to move to a new location this year because of remote work options. That seems a strikingly high figure to me, but make of it what you want.
When I’m not keeping shop for Mike Hosking, I generally work from home or remote - wherever I am in the world. Dodging the peak-hour commuter ordeal, is undeniably one of its great rewards.
Business leaders know that the hybrid work world is here to stay. 69 per cent of New Zealand employers are recognising the office workplace evolution and are more likely planning to redesign office space for hybrid work, or downsize their office footprint.
Now, obviously the biggest casualties from the hybrid work world could well be the demand for commercial building office work space in the CBD.  I know several building owners currently repurposing office space for residential use.
But working remote and working from home is a potent player in busting peak-hour road congestion. In my city, Christchurch, the commute figures breakdown like this. 76% get to work by car. 4% by bus. 4% on foot. 6% by bike. And ten per cent, work from home. We’re spending mega bucks on mode-shift transport projects, for little gain. The hybrid work world holds far greater potential in shifting the needle on combating congestion.]]>160falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-we-are-being-swamped-in-local-government-bureaucracy--1008002And as I’ve banged on about this week, democratic representation around these health boards is just feel-good window dressing. It’s tinsel for the masses.
Just imagine if we wrapped every police district with a publicly elected board of ernest amateurs and turned them into silos. How pointless would that be.
But the biggest cesspit of duplicated waste would have to be local government. Does New Zealand really need to be governed by eleven regional councils, fifty three district councils and thirteen city councils? Seventy seven in total.
We don’t eagerly engage with them. We hardly vote in council elections with any greater enthusiasm, than we do for health boards. And beyond that, we try and ignore them. My council has just closed submissions on its Budget, the Annual Plan. Zero point six per cent of the population felt there was any point having a say.
Increasingly, all of these councils are dependent on taxpayer handouts. Look at water infrastructure. Roading. Feel-good spend ups on public transport and cycleways. The state coffers are shelling out a shedload to these local authorities, who can’t clean their own face, despite the obscene scale of their rates rises. I actually think rates should be axed and local government should be bulk-funded via general taxation. It would curb the vanity projects. But that’s an issue, for another day.
Now the notion of amalgamation arouses mixed feelings. I get that. Rodney Hide talked a big game on Auckland as a Super City - and what a cluster that council is. But I don’t disagree with the Waikato Chamber of Commerce. It is ludicrous that the four hundred thousand people of the Waikato are governed by twelve councils and one hundred and thirty six councillors.
Could there be a more glaring example of over-governed inefficiency.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22982019/mh230421-13-councilscomment.mp3Thu, 22 Apr 2021 23:45:12 +0000RoccoThe looming dissolution of our twenty DHBs is a striking reminder of how over-burdened we are by bureaucracy-building. Layer upon layer of governance structures. Armies upon armies of administrators, replicating the same role and needlessly costing us...And as I’ve banged on about this week, democratic representation around these health boards is just feel-good window dressing. It’s tinsel for the masses.
Just imagine if we wrapped every police district with a publicly elected board of ernest amateurs and turned them into silos. How pointless would that be.
But the biggest cesspit of duplicated waste would have to be local government. Does New Zealand really need to be governed by eleven regional councils, fifty three district councils and thirteen city councils? Seventy seven in total.
We don’t eagerly engage with them. We hardly vote in council elections with any greater enthusiasm, than we do for health boards. And beyond that, we try and ignore them. My council has just closed submissions on its Budget, the Annual Plan. Zero point six per cent of the population felt there was any point having a say.
Increasingly, all of these councils are dependent on taxpayer handouts. Look at water infrastructure. Roading. Feel-good spend ups on public transport and cycleways. The state coffers are shelling out a shedload to these local authorities, who can’t clean their own face, despite the obscene scale of their rates rises. I actually think rates should be axed and local government should be bulk-funded via general taxation. It would curb the vanity projects. But that’s an issue, for another day.
Now the notion of amalgamation arouses mixed feelings. I get that. Rodney Hide talked a big game on Auckland as a Super City - and what a cluster that council is. But I don’t disagree with the Waikato Chamber of Commerce. It is ludicrous that the four hundred thousand people of the Waikato are governed by twelve councils and one hundred and thirty six councillors.
Could there be a more glaring example of over-governed inefficiency.]]>143falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-derek-chauvin-verdict-exposes-the-political-left-s-hypocrisy--1008214I love America. I love America immensely, even though their mad rush to hyperbole is never far from the boil. Over-inflamed passions and a lack of context characterise their discourse. Police brutality is your classic. If a cop goes rogue they should be rooted out of the force. That’s a given. But the fact that a few bad eggs has given rise to the rudderless cause celebrate, Defund the Police, is beyond barking. And the fact that a hundred cops have died in the line of duty so far this year, barely gets a mention.
The rhetoric of fringe anarchists, the mob, has been legitimised by the political left and their media friends as mild mainstream opinion. And they’re hypocrites about defunding the police.  Look at mad old Maxine Waters. Before she went to Minnesota to rev up the prospective rioters, what did she do? She arranged a police escort to keep her safe.
Then there’s the corporate cling ons, seeking social cred in the great awokening, like Ben and Jerry’s. When the tragic Daunte Wright story broke, they tweeted out this. The system can’t be reformed. It must be dismantled. Hashtag Defund the Police.
They gob-off a few slogans, while giving up nothing, for some cheap kudos. Corporate giants like Ben and Jerry’s have mastered the art of the drive-by virtue signal.
It’s so cynical. But these brave gelato-toting activists are actually out of step with majority public opinion on law enforcement. Yes, the latest Gallup survey shows black Americans want better policing. But eighty one per cent of them also want the police to spend the same amount of time or more time, policing their neighbourhood. Defund the Police? Give me a break. Those who advocate this nonsense have little respect for the rule of law.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22981925/mh220421-01-chauvinverdictcomment.mp3Wed, 21 Apr 2021 21:43:25 +0000RoccoAmericans slept well last night. Minneapolis, Minnesota and the wider nation did not burn. The spectre of mindless looting, rage and destruction was averted. Lady Justice saved the day. Justice was delivered. And the jury got it right on Chauvin. I...I love America. I love America immensely, even though their mad rush to hyperbole is never far from the boil. Over-inflamed passions and a lack of context characterise their discourse. Police brutality is your classic. If a cop goes rogue they should be rooted out of the force. That’s a given. But the fact that a few bad eggs has given rise to the rudderless cause celebrate, Defund the Police, is beyond barking. And the fact that a hundred cops have died in the line of duty so far this year, barely gets a mention.
The rhetoric of fringe anarchists, the mob, has been legitimised by the political left and their media friends as mild mainstream opinion. And they’re hypocrites about defunding the police.  Look at mad old Maxine Waters. Before she went to Minnesota to rev up the prospective rioters, what did she do? She arranged a police escort to keep her safe.
Then there’s the corporate cling ons, seeking social cred in the great awokening, like Ben and Jerry’s. When the tragic Daunte Wright story broke, they tweeted out this. The system can’t be reformed. It must be dismantled. Hashtag Defund the Police.
They gob-off a few slogans, while giving up nothing, for some cheap kudos. Corporate giants like Ben and Jerry’s have mastered the art of the drive-by virtue signal.
It’s so cynical. But these brave gelato-toting activists are actually out of step with majority public opinion on law enforcement. Yes, the latest Gallup survey shows black Americans want better policing. But eighty one per cent of them also want the police to spend the same amount of time or more time, policing their neighbourhood. Defund the Police? Give me a break. Those who advocate this nonsense have little respect for the rule of law.]]>158falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-more-bureaucracy-won-t-help-maori-quit-smoking--1008003The agitators for it say it’s a must, because our current healthcare system is racist and produces deep inequity.
But its politically convenient to blame all Maori health indicators on the system. On systemic racism and unconscious bias. I don’t swallow it as a catch-all way to explain the disparities.
Let me give you a very topical example.
Maori smoking rates. They remain stubbornly high, as Ayesha Verrall pointed out last week.
Among all New Zealand women, eleven per cent smoke. Yet a third of Maori women smoke.
What about the blokes. Among all men, the figure is 12%. For Maori men, 25%.
Now we all have access to the same help to quit smoking. Whether it’s taxpayer-funded patches or gum, therapy and counselling through the likes of Quitline.  Similarly, we all have access to cost-effective alternatives, like switching to vaping. You may recall, it was absolutely the circuit breaker for me.
So how does a new bureaucracy, a stand alone agency charged with overseeing Maori health make a jot of difference to the number of Maori who stubbornly remain shackled to smoking? How does that in itself, magically turn the dial and transform behaviour?
Surely, it comes down to the individual. Self-will. Personal responsibility. The determination to take charge of your own lifestyle. You make the change. You shape the outcome.  Ultimately, it’s up to you to quit smoking.
So how does this multi-billion dollar political trophy, waiting in the wings this morning, make a skerrick of difference to that brute reality? How is a shiny new Maori health authority in itself, a solution?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22981845/mh210421-14-healthsystemwishlistcomment.mp3Tue, 20 Apr 2021 22:05:56 +0000RoccoI’m not convinced a brand new standalone Maori health authority, with a budget in the billions, is necessary. Nor prudent. Nor a game changer for Maori health outcomes. The agitators for it say it’s a must, because our current healthcare system is...The agitators for it say it’s a must, because our current healthcare system is racist and produces deep inequity.
But its politically convenient to blame all Maori health indicators on the system. On systemic racism and unconscious bias. I don’t swallow it as a catch-all way to explain the disparities.
Let me give you a very topical example.
Maori smoking rates. They remain stubbornly high, as Ayesha Verrall pointed out last week.
Among all New Zealand women, eleven per cent smoke. Yet a third of Maori women smoke.
What about the blokes. Among all men, the figure is 12%. For Maori men, 25%.
Now we all have access to the same help to quit smoking. Whether it’s taxpayer-funded patches or gum, therapy and counselling through the likes of Quitline.  Similarly, we all have access to cost-effective alternatives, like switching to vaping. You may recall, it was absolutely the circuit breaker for me.
So how does a new bureaucracy, a stand alone agency charged with overseeing Maori health make a jot of difference to the number of Maori who stubbornly remain shackled to smoking? How does that in itself, magically turn the dial and transform behaviour?
Surely, it comes down to the individual. Self-will. Personal responsibility. The determination to take charge of your own lifestyle. You make the change. You shape the outcome.  Ultimately, it’s up to you to quit smoking.
So how does this multi-billion dollar political trophy, waiting in the wings this morning, make a skerrick of difference to that brute reality? How is a shiny new Maori health authority in itself, a solution?]]>159falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-government-s-hate-speech-proposal-could-open-a-can-of-worms--1008005The Cabinet paper suggests hate speech as a criminal offence would be defined like this. The incitement of disharmony, based on an intent to stir up, maintain or normalise hatred, through threatening, abusive or insulting communications.
It’s a mouthful. And I am sorry, but that definition is opaque and ill-defined. Incredibly subjective and emotionally charged.
Simon Bridges points out that his reading of the Cabinet paper suggests that its not just race, gender identity and religious expression that will be subject to the hate speech criminal reforms, but political beliefs. 
Now there’s a can of worms. Insulting political beliefs that someone construes as stirring up hatred could land you in the can.
And are we going to ignore Britain’s hard lessons? They removed the term insulting from their Public Order Act, given the hornet’s nest it created.
The robust cut and thrust of free and diverse expression should not be sacrificed.
Violent hate speech is never acceptable. But are these hate speech laws really necessary? We already have long-standing catch-all offences on our statute books, that are perfectly suited to nailing hate-mongering hot heads. Threatening to kill. Threatening to injure. Inciting others to commit an offence.
Surely that covers all bases. So what is the problem?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22981812/mh200421-01-hatespeechcomment-edited.mp3Tue, 20 Apr 2021 04:45:38 +0000RoccoI’m sure the Act Party couldn’t believe their luck. Just as they launched their Free Speech Tour, Newsroom on Friday got their hands on a Cabinet paper, that outlines the proposed reforms to our Hate Speech Laws. This will see Hate Speech codified in...The Cabinet paper suggests hate speech as a criminal offence would be defined like this. The incitement of disharmony, based on an intent to stir up, maintain or normalise hatred, through threatening, abusive or insulting communications.
It’s a mouthful. And I am sorry, but that definition is opaque and ill-defined. Incredibly subjective and emotionally charged.
Simon Bridges points out that his reading of the Cabinet paper suggests that its not just race, gender identity and religious expression that will be subject to the hate speech criminal reforms, but political beliefs. 
Now there’s a can of worms. Insulting political beliefs that someone construes as stirring up hatred could land you in the can.
And are we going to ignore Britain’s hard lessons? They removed the term insulting from their Public Order Act, given the hornet’s nest it created.
The robust cut and thrust of free and diverse expression should not be sacrificed.
Violent hate speech is never acceptable. But are these hate speech laws really necessary? We already have long-standing catch-all offences on our statute books, that are perfectly suited to nailing hate-mongering hot heads. Threatening to kill. Threatening to injure. Inciting others to commit an offence.
Surely that covers all bases. So what is the problem?]]>133falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-are-restorative-justice-programmes-letting-cop-bashers-escape-charges--1008008For the past few years, the government has invested big bucks in Te Pae Oranga, iwi community panels. This Maori-led restorative justice programme has been rolled out across the country as an alternative resolution scheme. Its designed to divert offenders from being clobbered with criminal convictions. It aims to keep the low-levellers out of the court and prison system.
And the whole panel process is geared at encouraging the participating offenders to face up to the underlying factors behind their offending.
But yesterday’s revelations are simply grist for the mill, reaffirming the raging perception that Labour is slobbery big softie when it comes to crime. 
In the past nine months, a dozen people who assaulted police officers dodged criminal charges in favour of having a come together at an iwi community panel. Assaulting a cop. Excuse me?
And if that’s not alarming enough, 18 reprobates collared for firearms offences  were also given the community panel treatment. Those offences ranged from possessing guns illegally, discharging firearms in a house and wielding a firearm at another person. Now, apparently some of those offences related to airguns, but certainly not all.
Interestingly, the Police Minister reassured the public as recently as March that firearms offences weren’t a runner at these panels. They weren’t deemed low-level offending. Nor should they be. The police guidelines for community panel appearances take the same stance.
So why aren’t those policy settings being kept to?
It is gross in the extreme to suggest firing a gun in a house or bashing a cop is a trifling matter, a low-level offence.
The Police Minister claims the iwi community panels have seen the harm caused by re-offending drop by twenty two per cent, whatever that means. But allowing firearms offenders and thugs who assault cops to dodge criminal charges is a glaring case of project creep.   ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22981761/mh200421-13-restorativejusticecomment.mp3Mon, 19 Apr 2021 22:44:38 +0000RoccoHow do you feel about restorative justice programmes?  Should they be reserved for first-time offenders? Low-level offenders? May even low-level recidivist slow-learning offenders? Or are you okay with the net being cast much wider? For the past few...For the past few years, the government has invested big bucks in Te Pae Oranga, iwi community panels. This Maori-led restorative justice programme has been rolled out across the country as an alternative resolution scheme. Its designed to divert offenders from being clobbered with criminal convictions. It aims to keep the low-levellers out of the court and prison system.
And the whole panel process is geared at encouraging the participating offenders to face up to the underlying factors behind their offending.
But yesterday’s revelations are simply grist for the mill, reaffirming the raging perception that Labour is slobbery big softie when it comes to crime. 
In the past nine months, a dozen people who assaulted police officers dodged criminal charges in favour of having a come together at an iwi community panel. Assaulting a cop. Excuse me?
And if that’s not alarming enough, 18 reprobates collared for firearms offences  were also given the community panel treatment. Those offences ranged from possessing guns illegally, discharging firearms in a house and wielding a firearm at another person. Now, apparently some of those offences related to airguns, but certainly not all.
Interestingly, the Police Minister reassured the public as recently as March that firearms offences weren’t a runner at these panels. They weren’t deemed low-level offending. Nor should they be. The police guidelines for community panel appearances take the same stance.
So why aren’t those policy settings being kept to?
It is gross in the extreme to suggest firing a gun in a house or bashing a cop is a trifling matter, a low-level offence.
The Police Minister claims the iwi community panels have seen the harm caused by re-offending drop by twenty two per cent, whatever that means. But allowing firearms offenders and thugs who assault cops to dodge criminal charges is a glaring case of project creep.   ]]>146falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-prince-philip-s-funeral-had-power-in-its-intimacy--1008183Despite his funeral plans having to be pared back to comply with the Covid constraints, Windsor Castle still turned on a wondrous, dignified pageant.
The fact that the entire affair could be staged with such flair, within the confines of the castle walls added to the occasion.
Frankly, streets lined with waving and wailing crowds, as we have seen in past royal funerals, is all about mawkish. Holding it in-house packed a more solemn but graceful punch. There was power in its intimacy.
I’ve been reading a few witterings from the army of body language experts who have been pouring over the body dynamics of the mourners, like a crass mass-autopsy. They’re just trafficking in guess-work of course.
But I suspect we were all struck how overcome with grief, how anguished Prince Charles appeared to be.
The chit-chat between Harry and William is being hailed as a turning point in the great rift. Perhaps Kate Middleton should be nominated for the Nobel Prize. The apparent peacemaker in chief.
No one was the poorer for pregnant Meghan’s non-attendance. Yesterday’s stately and dutiful show of respect at Windsor, merely underscores what a tacky, venal and self-indulgent disaster it was for H and M to spill their guts to Oprah. The nicknames Preach and Leach will stick for some time.
But back to yesterday. It was the spectacle of a socially distanced Queen, stoic and solitary in her wood-carved stall, head bowed and grieving - that is the searing memory. Our Head of State laying her husband to rest. An historic day, discharged with restraint and dignity.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22981722/mh190421-01-royalfuneralcomment.mp3Mon, 19 Apr 2021 03:58:20 +0000RoccoThe starring role at yesterday’s royal funeral was that bespoke Landrover Defender, sporting a fresh coat of military green paint, custom built as a hearse. Prince Philip tinkered and toiled on this secret project for 16 years, knowing he would never...Despite his funeral plans having to be pared back to comply with the Covid constraints, Windsor Castle still turned on a wondrous, dignified pageant.
The fact that the entire affair could be staged with such flair, within the confines of the castle walls added to the occasion.
Frankly, streets lined with waving and wailing crowds, as we have seen in past royal funerals, is all about mawkish. Holding it in-house packed a more solemn but graceful punch. There was power in its intimacy.
I’ve been reading a few witterings from the army of body language experts who have been pouring over the body dynamics of the mourners, like a crass mass-autopsy. They’re just trafficking in guess-work of course.
But I suspect we were all struck how overcome with grief, how anguished Prince Charles appeared to be.
The chit-chat between Harry and William is being hailed as a turning point in the great rift. Perhaps Kate Middleton should be nominated for the Nobel Prize. The apparent peacemaker in chief.
No one was the poorer for pregnant Meghan’s non-attendance. Yesterday’s stately and dutiful show of respect at Windsor, merely underscores what a tacky, venal and self-indulgent disaster it was for H and M to spill their guts to Oprah. The nicknames Preach and Leach will stick for some time.
But back to yesterday. It was the spectacle of a socially distanced Queen, stoic and solitary in her wood-carved stall, head bowed and grieving - that is the searing memory. Our Head of State laying her husband to rest. An historic day, discharged with restraint and dignity.]]>143falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-the-trans-tasman-bubble-is-open-now-it-s-time-to-look-to-the-pacific--1008138If you are one of the thousands of travellers winging your way to Australia today, go well. Enjoy yourself, whether you are reuniting, business tripping or holidaying.
I’m very heartened to see that the reported bookings data from Air New Zealand and Qantas actually indicates stronger demand on the inbound flights from Australia. More passengers are beginning their journeys on eastbound flights, than westbound. In other words, more Aussies are booking a flight over here, than Kiwis are heading to Oz.  That will music to the ears of New Zealand tourism operators.
But beyond the Green Zone across the Tasman, where is this government’s ambition and drive to go further. They were dragged kicking and screaming to make today a reality.
But what about a Trans-Tasman cruise bubble? The Maritime Border Order remains fully in force, and the cruise industry is rightly seeking some answers.  The next summer cruise season is just six months away and there is a total information void. The Beehive won’t budge. How can the industry plan?
But beyond the Tasman, why are they letting the Covid-free South Pacific economically rot? There is no clear plan, no time frame, no specific dates on opening the border to them. The lack of vision and drive is shameful.
We still have no clear opening date for the Cooks. Nor Nuie. What about Tonga. Samoa. Vanawatu. Or Fiji.
The Bula Bubble has been bobbing on the ocean like a mirage for months.
It is not Fortress New Zealand’s role to be endlessly mumsy and patronising with our Pacific neighbours. They are screaming out for a Pacific Bubble. The least we can do is unlock the door to let them revive their economic fortunes, before the loan sharks from China start circling. ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22981693/mh190421-13-bubblecomment.mp3Sun, 18 Apr 2021 22:37:57 +0000RoccoApril 19 has dawned and I’m feeling bubblelicious this Monday morning. Relieved, actually, and still staggered that it’s taken this long to get Green Zone flights across the Tasman cleared for takeoff. If you are one of the thousands of travellers...If you are one of the thousands of travellers winging your way to Australia today, go well. Enjoy yourself, whether you are reuniting, business tripping or holidaying.
I’m very heartened to see that the reported bookings data from Air New Zealand and Qantas actually indicates stronger demand on the inbound flights from Australia. More passengers are beginning their journeys on eastbound flights, than westbound. In other words, more Aussies are booking a flight over here, than Kiwis are heading to Oz.  That will music to the ears of New Zealand tourism operators.
But beyond the Green Zone across the Tasman, where is this government’s ambition and drive to go further. They were dragged kicking and screaming to make today a reality.
But what about a Trans-Tasman cruise bubble? The Maritime Border Order remains fully in force, and the cruise industry is rightly seeking some answers.  The next summer cruise season is just six months away and there is a total information void. The Beehive won’t budge. How can the industry plan?
But beyond the Tasman, why are they letting the Covid-free South Pacific economically rot? There is no clear plan, no time frame, no specific dates on opening the border to them. The lack of vision and drive is shameful.
We still have no clear opening date for the Cooks. Nor Nuie. What about Tonga. Samoa. Vanawatu. Or Fiji.
The Bula Bubble has been bobbing on the ocean like a mirage for months.
It is not Fortress New Zealand’s role to be endlessly mumsy and patronising with our Pacific neighbours. They are screaming out for a Pacific Bubble. The least we can do is unlock the door to let them revive their economic fortunes, before the loan sharks from China start circling. ]]>145falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-the-worst-government-on-delivery-in-modern-political-history--1008217Live cows on ships
4/10
"I know some city-slickers get queasy, but this is an agricultural country and cows pay bills, and killing industries is not good for business or Chinese relations."
Super Rugby
7/10
"Two more teams is good, expansion is good, fingers crossed on quality and the business case though."
Patrick Reynolds
6/10
"Started well by offering his opinion on the choo-choo train, failed by apologising for what really was just an opinion."
Brian Roche
4/10
"Waka Kotahi handed out millions for the choo-choo train... we know it’s a bust... Patrick merely said what is true. It's a sad world when you get upset when people speak their mind. God forbid we have free speech and opinions."
The Government's week on Covid
0/10
"It really has reached the point of despair. So much ineptitude, so many lies, so much arse-covering.
These guys are shaping up as the worst government on delivery in modern political history."
Chris Bishop
8/10
"Pollie of the week and a tangible example of the simple truth that this Government is offering up plenty for the Opposition if you just want to grab it and run with it."
Rumours
3/10
"Aren't we bored to death by the “How Long Does Judith Have” circus. We've only just got out the other side of the last election. If the Nats really are panicking and plotting this early they deserve to stay in opposition."
NZIER
6/10
"They think we've dodged a recession in the March quarter. I hope they're right."
Jobs
8/10
"Job ads... both sides of the Tasman they are booming. Virtually every region and every state is growing. Talent and skills are in hot demand."
Skinny jeans
6/10
"You have to have the leg for them... but even a slightly chunky thigh surely beats a flare."
Golden point
7/10
"Both Super games last weekend ended with it and I like it. A tangible improvement and you can't always say that when it comes to rule changes."
Scrabble and cricket
3/10
"Both fell into the woke trap this week, changing names and removing words. One day we will realise what a bunch of flighty band-wagoners we were."
Grant's letter to Air New Zealand
1/10
"This is one of the more dangerous aspects of New Zealand right now and I fear not enough people get it... along with Grant's letter to the Reserve Bank on housing. Independence is to be treasured and governments don't know everything - especially this Government."
Christina Holgate
8/10
"The Oz Post boss booted because of the watches .. she let loose this week and hasn’t stopped. What do they say about a woman scorned..."
Knitting
7/10
"Revelation of the week - 30% of the ACT Party caucus knit. And for the record, I'm glad Stuart apologised."
Air New Zealand's military review
7/10
"Process, not staff, is to blame... but paled into insignificance in the end now we know of the astonishing hypocrisy of the Government. It bagged the the airline... only to find out now the biggest dealer in military matters with foreign governments... is them. Now it couldn't approve enough of the stuff and still defending it. Pot. Kettle...."]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22981522/mh160421-14-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 15 Apr 2021 23:04:53 +0000RoccoThe little piece of news and current events that as popular as a security guard at a vaccine centre. Live cows on ships 4/10 "I know some city-slickers get queasy, but this is an agricultural country and cows pay bills, and killing industries is not...Live cows on ships
4/10
"I know some city-slickers get queasy, but this is an agricultural country and cows pay bills, and killing industries is not good for business or Chinese relations."
Super Rugby
7/10
"Two more teams is good, expansion is good, fingers crossed on quality and the business case though."
Patrick Reynolds
6/10
"Started well by offering his opinion on the choo-choo train, failed by apologising for what really was just an opinion."
Brian Roche
4/10
"Waka Kotahi handed out millions for the choo-choo train... we know it’s a bust... Patrick merely said what is true. It's a sad world when you get upset when people speak their mind. God forbid we have free speech and opinions."
The Government's week on Covid
0/10
"It really has reached the point of despair. So much ineptitude, so many lies, so much arse-covering.
These guys are shaping up as the worst government on delivery in modern political history."
Chris Bishop
8/10
"Pollie of the week and a tangible example of the simple truth that this Government is offering up plenty for the Opposition if you just want to grab it and run with it."
Rumours
3/10
"Aren't we bored to death by the “How Long Does Judith Have” circus. We've only just got out the other side of the last election. If the Nats really are panicking and plotting this early they deserve to stay in opposition."
NZIER
6/10
"They think we've dodged a recession in the March quarter. I hope they're right."
Jobs
8/10
"Job ads... both sides of the Tasman they are booming. Virtually every region and every state is growing. Talent and skills are in hot demand."
Skinny jeans
6/10
"You have to have the leg for them... but even a slightly chunky thigh surely beats a flare."
Golden point
7/10
"Both Super games last weekend ended with it and I like it. A tangible improvement and you can't always say that when it comes to rule changes."
Scrabble and cricket
3/10
"Both fell into the woke trap this week, changing names and removing words. One day we will realise what a bunch of flighty band-wagoners we were."
Grant's letter to Air New Zealand
1/10
"This is one of the more dangerous aspects of New Zealand right now and I fear not enough people get it... along with Grant's letter to the Reserve Bank on housing. Independence is to be treasured and governments don't know everything - especially this Government."
Christina Holgate
8/10
"The Oz Post boss booted because of the watches .. she let loose this week and hasn’t stopped. What do they say about a woman scorned..."
Knitting
7/10
"Revelation of the week - 30% of the ACT Party caucus knit. And for the record, I'm glad Stuart apologised."
Air New Zealand's military review
7/10
"Process, not staff, is to blame... but paled into insignificance in the end now we know of the astonishing hypocrisy of the Government. It bagged the the airline... only to find out now the biggest dealer in military matters with foreign governments... is them. Now it couldn't approve enough of the stuff and still defending it. Pot. Kettle...."]]>182falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-it-s-official-the-hamilton-to-auckland-train-is-a-disaster--1008139Turns out we were all right.
Turns out yet again the theorists have been caught tripped and trapped up in their spin and ideology.
The choo-choo train from Hamilton to Almost Auckland before you get on another train to actually get to Auckland is numerically a bust.
Week One, the numbers are a disaster, but then weren't they always going to be.
Patrick saw it, we knew it, the ideologues had their fingers in their ears going la la la.
The train seats up to 147 and the stats are out.
The second day, 21 were onboard the first of the day... 40 on the second.
This Tuesday, it was down to 28 then 25. One of the days back home to the Tron, it took 12 people.
You think its making money on those numbers ? No it isn't.
And when it doesn’t make money who pays? Those of us who don’t take the train, that’s who.
Russ Rimmington from the Regional Council, who for lord knows what reason, has decided to align himself with this mess is still defending it.
He's the bloke who stood with Michael Wood and Jacinda Ardern on the platform on Day One, telling us not to worry about people turning up because they'll "give away tickets if they have to"
Well, Russ... get your ticket book ready because if the inaugural week with all the hoopla associated is any sign, it'll be a ghost train within a month.
As I have said many times, the idea isn't bad at all. But it's like so many things this Government does around delivery, they can't do a proper job.
Executing an idea you know isn't going to work is actually worse than bailing early, and pulling the pin and saving us all a fortune.
It’s the most extraordinary thing we've seen this week.
The excuses from Rimmington  and Reynolds were rolled out almost before the train left the station.
It's a start-up project, it'll take time, it needs to go faster, it needs to stop more places,  it needs to not be two trains, it needs to arrive in actual Auckland, not south Auckland. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes.
But they knew that, we all knew that. Yet they still piled on in, wasting our money and their time on a service that Week One turned out to be exactly the fiscal hole in the ground any five year old could see it was going to be.
There is a massive leadership vacuum in this country. No one wants to own anything, call anything, wake up to mistakes, admit mistakes, prevent mistakes, stop the ideologues, or call the ideologues out.
And as a result we can't build houses, cant do light rail, can't do shovel-ready, can't roll out anything to do with Covid.
And the one thing that got rolled out is a sad train with no one on it, losing money from Day One.
Can someone who knows what they're doing please stand up.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22981519/mh160421-01-tehuiacomment.mp3Thu, 15 Apr 2021 21:18:27 +0000RoccoTurns out Patrick Reynolds of Waka Kotahi was right. Turns out we were all right. Turns out yet again the theorists have been caught tripped and trapped up in their spin and ideology. The choo-choo train from Hamilton to Almost Auckland before you get...Turns out we were all right.
Turns out yet again the theorists have been caught tripped and trapped up in their spin and ideology.
The choo-choo train from Hamilton to Almost Auckland before you get on another train to actually get to Auckland is numerically a bust.
Week One, the numbers are a disaster, but then weren't they always going to be.
Patrick saw it, we knew it, the ideologues had their fingers in their ears going la la la.
The train seats up to 147 and the stats are out.
The second day, 21 were onboard the first of the day... 40 on the second.
This Tuesday, it was down to 28 then 25. One of the days back home to the Tron, it took 12 people.
You think its making money on those numbers ? No it isn't.
And when it doesn’t make money who pays? Those of us who don’t take the train, that’s who.
Russ Rimmington from the Regional Council, who for lord knows what reason, has decided to align himself with this mess is still defending it.
He's the bloke who stood with Michael Wood and Jacinda Ardern on the platform on Day One, telling us not to worry about people turning up because they'll "give away tickets if they have to"
Well, Russ... get your ticket book ready because if the inaugural week with all the hoopla associated is any sign, it'll be a ghost train within a month.
As I have said many times, the idea isn't bad at all. But it's like so many things this Government does around delivery, they can't do a proper job.
Executing an idea you know isn't going to work is actually worse than bailing early, and pulling the pin and saving us all a fortune.
It’s the most extraordinary thing we've seen this week.
The excuses from Rimmington  and Reynolds were rolled out almost before the train left the station.
It's a start-up project, it'll take time, it needs to go faster, it needs to stop more places,  it needs to not be two trains, it needs to arrive in actual Auckland, not south Auckland. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes.
But they knew that, we all knew that. Yet they still piled on in, wasting our money and their time on a service that Week One turned out to be exactly the fiscal hole in the ground any five year old could see it was going to be.
There is a massive leadership vacuum in this country. No one wants to own anything, call anything, wake up to mistakes, admit mistakes, prevent mistakes, stop the ideologues, or call the ideologues out.
And as a result we can't build houses, cant do light rail, can't do shovel-ready, can't roll out anything to do with Covid.
And the one thing that got rolled out is a sad train with no one on it, losing money from Day One.
Can someone who knows what they're doing please stand up.  ]]>137falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-how-are-officials-this-useless-and-still-in-work--1008010It's good to know the Government and Health Ministry can still surprise us, even as a growing number of us thought the levels of ineptitude couldn't possibly get any worse.
Remember last year and the outrage over the port workers who weren't getting tested?
Remember the woman at the centre of the last lockdown, the border worker at Sky Chefs, who had missed her test?
Remember all the promises made about tightening things up - or as Bloomfield and Hipkins were so often heard to say - this is the system learning?
Learning what? How to out-do yourself in terms of incompetency?
They don’t know how many workers they’ve got, they don't know who's jabbed, who's tested, who isn't, why they haven't been, or when they will be.
These, let us not forget, were the very same people who were all getting sacked because the Government were going to employ them on a living wage. That's clearly gone stonkingly, hasn’t it?
Read the Australian media. They're worried about this outbreak which is the ultimate irony given it was us that held the bubble up. There we were, holier than thou, looking down our nose at the Australians. And yet, the first cab off the “cock up” ramp, post the bubble - which irony-upon-ironies isn't even actually going yet - is us.
Two things. That's all this lot have done in over a year. Two things. One - close the border. Two - Set up MIQ.
The latter has been a shambles. Time and time again, breach after breach, and excuse after excuse. Whoever it was that was first to say the biggest contributor to our so-called success in Covid was luck - they were right.
This is just sheer dumb luck that you can mess it up, know as little as they do, refuse to improve the way they have, and still be moderately unscathed. It's little short of a miracle.
My ongoing question for all the apparatchiks who voted for this lot, who defend Bloomfield and his circus, honestly, you have got to be second-guessing your support.
Surely in your quiet moments, you have to be wondering to yourself just how it is they can be this useless and still be in work.
They literally can't deliver a thing. Not a house, not light rail, not a shovel-ready project, not a mental health programme, not a flu jab rollout, not a PPE rollout, not a Covid vaccine rollout, not a comprehensive secure border rollout.
Surely Judith Collins isn't the only one lost for words.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22981479/mh150421-01-covidcockupscomment.mp3Thu, 15 Apr 2021 04:00:32 +0000RoccoSo the border worker didn’t get a jab despite missing two appointments – and now the border worker hadn't even been tested since last year. It's good to know the Government and Health Ministry can still surprise us, even as a growing number of us...It's good to know the Government and Health Ministry can still surprise us, even as a growing number of us thought the levels of ineptitude couldn't possibly get any worse.
Remember last year and the outrage over the port workers who weren't getting tested?
Remember the woman at the centre of the last lockdown, the border worker at Sky Chefs, who had missed her test?
Remember all the promises made about tightening things up - or as Bloomfield and Hipkins were so often heard to say - this is the system learning?
Learning what? How to out-do yourself in terms of incompetency?
They don’t know how many workers they’ve got, they don't know who's jabbed, who's tested, who isn't, why they haven't been, or when they will be.
These, let us not forget, were the very same people who were all getting sacked because the Government were going to employ them on a living wage. That's clearly gone stonkingly, hasn’t it?
Read the Australian media. They're worried about this outbreak which is the ultimate irony given it was us that held the bubble up. There we were, holier than thou, looking down our nose at the Australians. And yet, the first cab off the “cock up” ramp, post the bubble - which irony-upon-ironies isn't even actually going yet - is us.
Two things. That's all this lot have done in over a year. Two things. One - close the border. Two - Set up MIQ.
The latter has been a shambles. Time and time again, breach after breach, and excuse after excuse. Whoever it was that was first to say the biggest contributor to our so-called success in Covid was luck - they were right.
This is just sheer dumb luck that you can mess it up, know as little as they do, refuse to improve the way they have, and still be moderately unscathed. It's little short of a miracle.
My ongoing question for all the apparatchiks who voted for this lot, who defend Bloomfield and his circus, honestly, you have got to be second-guessing your support.
Surely in your quiet moments, you have to be wondering to yourself just how it is they can be this useless and still be in work.
They literally can't deliver a thing. Not a house, not light rail, not a shovel-ready project, not a mental health programme, not a flu jab rollout, not a PPE rollout, not a Covid vaccine rollout, not a comprehensive secure border rollout.
Surely Judith Collins isn't the only one lost for words.]]>128falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/jay-ryan-talks-his-new-show-creamerie--1008209It tells the story of a virus that kills 99 percent of men, leaving women on their own. However, three kiwi woman discover a man after eight years of abstinence.
That man is Jay Ryan - the Kiwi star who first broke out on Neighbours and Sea Patrol, before starring in Go Girls and heading to Hollywood for shows like Beauty and the Beast. 
He stars alongside Ally Xue, JJ Fong and Perlina Lau, Creamerie's writers and creators best known for the hit web-series Flat 3. 
Ryan joined Mike Hosking to discuss filming a show about a pandemic during a pandemic, and his time in Hollywood.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22981447/mh150421-19-jayryan-newtvshow.mp3Thu, 15 Apr 2021 02:36:47 +0000RoccoTVNZ's latest pandemic-themed show Creamerie may hit home for a number of viewers.  It tells the story of a virus that kills 99 percent of men, leaving women on their own. However, three kiwi woman discover a man after eight years of abstinence. That...It tells the story of a virus that kills 99 percent of men, leaving women on their own. However, three kiwi woman discover a man after eight years of abstinence.
That man is Jay Ryan - the Kiwi star who first broke out on Neighbours and Sea Patrol, before starring in Go Girls and heading to Hollywood for shows like Beauty and the Beast. 
He stars alongside Ally Xue, JJ Fong and Perlina Lau, Creamerie's writers and creators best known for the hit web-series Flat 3. 
Ryan joined Mike Hosking to discuss filming a show about a pandemic during a pandemic, and his time in Hollywood.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>762falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-live-export-ban-wrecks-a-growing-industry--1008218Live animal exports are done.
While telling us it wouldn't hurt our GDP, and despite admitting it's worth hundreds of millions of dollars - he did concede there had been a bit of a "gold rush" of late.
That’s spin for "the industry is growing". There is increasing demand for it, and in general I thought gold rushes were good.
His argument around GDP appeared to be based on the idea that although we'd lose hundreds of millions of dollars, we would more than make up for it with our shiny new reputation.
He didn’t of course have any figures around that, because 1) There aren't any 2) He made it up.
Stuart Nash, by the way, also made up his stat on the programme yesterday, saying we were the only country in the whole world exporting live animals. We are, in fact, one of many.
So the question is, how many industries does this lot want to lay waste to before enough New Zealanders vote them out?
The oil and gas business got done over, with no consultation and a promise that the end to exploration was years and years away. Which, of course, was not remotely true either.
The oil and gas industry is about the future. It's about intent. It's about the mood of the landscape.
The mood had decidedly changed under Labour so licences were handed back and people went home.
The jobs promised - the clean energy jobs promised -  have amounted to nothing. That is, apart from a clean energy think-tank in the Naki that had $25 million tossed at it.
The cold hard truth around cows on ships is this: This country has an agricultural base and animals is what we do. Food in general, is what we do.
Our biggest trading partner is China. China is one of the few countries in the world actually growing right now, and when times get better they’ll grow even more.
And that’s the advantage of this country. Through thick and thin, good times and bad, the world always has and always will need feeding. And the wealthier the world gets, the better the quality of the product they want - led by food.
This Government has already made life for farmers hard enough, but wrecking multi-hundred-million-dollar industries takes it next level.
National are smart to promise to reverse it.
Let's hope in the ensuing period that the Chinese, who we are now hopelessly beholden to, don't take umbrage and don't see us like Australia.
Australia has already lost $20 billion in income in their scrap.
This Government are wreckers. They're banners, they're cancellers. They stop, they rub out and nothing ever replaces it. It's hot air and ideology.
The SPCA might feel good about this, but the SPCA don’t pay the country's bills. The farmers do.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22981439/mh150421-13-liveexportbancomment.mp3Wed, 14 Apr 2021 21:46:29 +0000RoccoDamien O'Connor has added another industry this Government has destroyed to its growing list. Live animal exports are done. While telling us it wouldn't hurt our GDP, and despite admitting it's worth hundreds of millions of dollars - he did concede...Live animal exports are done.
While telling us it wouldn't hurt our GDP, and despite admitting it's worth hundreds of millions of dollars - he did concede there had been a bit of a "gold rush" of late.
That’s spin for "the industry is growing". There is increasing demand for it, and in general I thought gold rushes were good.
His argument around GDP appeared to be based on the idea that although we'd lose hundreds of millions of dollars, we would more than make up for it with our shiny new reputation.
He didn’t of course have any figures around that, because 1) There aren't any 2) He made it up.
Stuart Nash, by the way, also made up his stat on the programme yesterday, saying we were the only country in the whole world exporting live animals. We are, in fact, one of many.
So the question is, how many industries does this lot want to lay waste to before enough New Zealanders vote them out?
The oil and gas business got done over, with no consultation and a promise that the end to exploration was years and years away. Which, of course, was not remotely true either.
The oil and gas industry is about the future. It's about intent. It's about the mood of the landscape.
The mood had decidedly changed under Labour so licences were handed back and people went home.
The jobs promised - the clean energy jobs promised -  have amounted to nothing. That is, apart from a clean energy think-tank in the Naki that had $25 million tossed at it.
The cold hard truth around cows on ships is this: This country has an agricultural base and animals is what we do. Food in general, is what we do.
Our biggest trading partner is China. China is one of the few countries in the world actually growing right now, and when times get better they’ll grow even more.
And that’s the advantage of this country. Through thick and thin, good times and bad, the world always has and always will need feeding. And the wealthier the world gets, the better the quality of the product they want - led by food.
This Government has already made life for farmers hard enough, but wrecking multi-hundred-million-dollar industries takes it next level.
National are smart to promise to reverse it.
Let's hope in the ensuing period that the Chinese, who we are now hopelessly beholden to, don't take umbrage and don't see us like Australia.
Australia has already lost $20 billion in income in their scrap.
This Government are wreckers. They're banners, they're cancellers. They stop, they rub out and nothing ever replaces it. It's hot air and ideology.
The SPCA might feel good about this, but the SPCA don’t pay the country's bills. The farmers do.]]>134falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-who-wins-when-sexual-harassment-investigations-don-t-find-anything--1008144MediaWorks have been investigating sexual misconduct at one of their radio stations. It was announced yesterday they have found none.
Cue the outrage. But what else were they expecting?
Scott Morrison must be feeling the same way. In his case, there was seemingly an illegal act involving Brittany Higgins. But what came out of that was a volcano of fury over other behaviours. Not behaviours of any illegality necessarily, but behaviour that some found beyond the pale, and as such the Prime Minister was somehow expected to sort it.
He's changing some rules. It probably won't work and when it doesn’t I'm not sure what his next trick is.
But in the MediaWorks scenario, for whatever reason nothing has been found. So those who were demanding answer - retribution, a hanging - get nothing. So they are furious.
And those who were put through a very public investigation, get nothing either.
That’s a lot of suspicion and finger-pointing for nothing.
Which leads you to ask the question - was an investigation ever really necessary? On what grounds was it launched, were they secure enough grounds to believe something would be found? Or was it a fishing expedition to adhere to the age, and the mood of the age.
Does it not leave questions around the quality of the investigation? Those who wanted scalps are asking what sort of investigation was it, and was it a white wash?
Not forgetting, of course, that the investigation was at the behest of a CEO who had arrived at the company five minutes before.
There is still an outside investigation going on, so more to come. And we have had at least one resignation and a person vanish from the billboards before it even started.
But what a dangerous time we live in, eh?
If everyone is to be treated fairly and the same, an investigation where suspicion runs rampant - only to come up with zero - is the worst possible outcome, surely. The outcome where everyone feels either cheated or done-over, or the participant in an exercise started for potentially the wrong reasons.
Who is the winner here - and exactly what got resolved?  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22981406/mh140421-01-mediaworksscandalcomment.mp3Wed, 14 Apr 2021 04:45:45 +0000RoccoThis is the danger of the modern workforce. It’s the danger of a mood, it’s the danger of an age and it's the danger of letting feelings dictate fact and emotion override common sense. MediaWorks have been investigating sexual misconduct at one of...MediaWorks have been investigating sexual misconduct at one of their radio stations. It was announced yesterday they have found none.
Cue the outrage. But what else were they expecting?
Scott Morrison must be feeling the same way. In his case, there was seemingly an illegal act involving Brittany Higgins. But what came out of that was a volcano of fury over other behaviours. Not behaviours of any illegality necessarily, but behaviour that some found beyond the pale, and as such the Prime Minister was somehow expected to sort it.
He's changing some rules. It probably won't work and when it doesn’t I'm not sure what his next trick is.
But in the MediaWorks scenario, for whatever reason nothing has been found. So those who were demanding answer - retribution, a hanging - get nothing. So they are furious.
And those who were put through a very public investigation, get nothing either.
That’s a lot of suspicion and finger-pointing for nothing.
Which leads you to ask the question - was an investigation ever really necessary? On what grounds was it launched, were they secure enough grounds to believe something would be found? Or was it a fishing expedition to adhere to the age, and the mood of the age.
Does it not leave questions around the quality of the investigation? Those who wanted scalps are asking what sort of investigation was it, and was it a white wash?
Not forgetting, of course, that the investigation was at the behest of a CEO who had arrived at the company five minutes before.
There is still an outside investigation going on, so more to come. And we have had at least one resignation and a person vanish from the billboards before it even started.
But what a dangerous time we live in, eh?
If everyone is to be treated fairly and the same, an investigation where suspicion runs rampant - only to come up with zero - is the worst possible outcome, surely. The outcome where everyone feels either cheated or done-over, or the participant in an exercise started for potentially the wrong reasons.
Who is the winner here - and exactly what got resolved?  ]]>113falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-the-reason-the-orc-won-t-rise-is-simple-we-are-in-a-recession--1008146Adrian Orr will roll out a few thoughts on the size of the mess we are in and whether his ink and printing machine are doing the job he thinks they should be. There is a level of commentary about the place, given his promise not to bump the cash rate beyond its 0.25 for a year has expired.
I think most agree the chances of him dropping it are slim to none, although last time he was still not ruling that out. While he might not rule it out, given the mess we are in - and make no mistake, it is a mess of real proportions - sadly too many have fallen for the Government line that things are better than we thought. Hence you see various bits and pieces about the place talking of an interest rate increase. How this can even be suggested, far less put down on paper with a name next to it, is beyond me.
The suggestion is often linked to housing, but Adrian's job is way more complex than that - especially now that the Finance Minister has lobbed a whole lot of directives at the Reserve Bank. Orr now has inflation, employment and housing to deal with, and he has those because the Government is bereft of sensible ideas to be found inside their ideological thought-space so have looked to shovel the problem the Reserve Bank's way.
The reason the cash rate won't rise is simple - we are in a recession. A double-dip recession. The second recession will not be officially confirmed until next month when the GDP figures for the first quarter of this year come out, but the last quarter of last year was -1% and the first quarter (with its lockdowns) won't be any better - a recession. What you want in a recession is spending. Investment and confidence, you partially get that with cheap money. We have cheap money and we are still in recession... so maybe you want cheaper money.
But what we also have - and this is why this is such a mess - is inflation. Costs are rising, but not because of growth. It's because of government policy - stuck ships a mess with containers - all of which lead to increases in prices.
Traditionally, when the bank sees inflation it raises interest rates. They can't do that this time.. this is called stagflation.  It's exactly the opposite of what you want to be happening to your economy. It's what happens when a Government who doesn’t know what it's doing gets let loose, and doesn’t adjust their settings to suit the conditions they can't control. Minimum wage, more public holidays, increases in welfare, leave entitlements... all stuff for the good days, not the days of recession - and certainly always paid for out of growth,  not debt.
So Adrian is between a rock and a hard place and this country is in real trouble. So interest rates going up? Don't make me laugh.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22981361/mh140421-14-monetarypolicycomment.mp3Tue, 13 Apr 2021 21:45:23 +0000RoccoSo it's Monetary Policy day today. Adrian Orr will roll out a few thoughts on the size of the mess we are in and whether his ink and printing machine are doing the job he thinks they should be. There is a level of commentary about the place, given his...Adrian Orr will roll out a few thoughts on the size of the mess we are in and whether his ink and printing machine are doing the job he thinks they should be. There is a level of commentary about the place, given his promise not to bump the cash rate beyond its 0.25 for a year has expired.
I think most agree the chances of him dropping it are slim to none, although last time he was still not ruling that out. While he might not rule it out, given the mess we are in - and make no mistake, it is a mess of real proportions - sadly too many have fallen for the Government line that things are better than we thought. Hence you see various bits and pieces about the place talking of an interest rate increase. How this can even be suggested, far less put down on paper with a name next to it, is beyond me.
The suggestion is often linked to housing, but Adrian's job is way more complex than that - especially now that the Finance Minister has lobbed a whole lot of directives at the Reserve Bank. Orr now has inflation, employment and housing to deal with, and he has those because the Government is bereft of sensible ideas to be found inside their ideological thought-space so have looked to shovel the problem the Reserve Bank's way.
The reason the cash rate won't rise is simple - we are in a recession. A double-dip recession. The second recession will not be officially confirmed until next month when the GDP figures for the first quarter of this year come out, but the last quarter of last year was -1% and the first quarter (with its lockdowns) won't be any better - a recession. What you want in a recession is spending. Investment and confidence, you partially get that with cheap money. We have cheap money and we are still in recession... so maybe you want cheaper money.
But what we also have - and this is why this is such a mess - is inflation. Costs are rising, but not because of growth. It's because of government policy - stuck ships a mess with containers - all of which lead to increases in prices.
Traditionally, when the bank sees inflation it raises interest rates. They can't do that this time.. this is called stagflation.  It's exactly the opposite of what you want to be happening to your economy. It's what happens when a Government who doesn’t know what it's doing gets let loose, and doesn’t adjust their settings to suit the conditions they can't control. Minimum wage, more public holidays, increases in welfare, leave entitlements... all stuff for the good days, not the days of recession - and certainly always paid for out of growth,  not debt.
So Adrian is between a rock and a hard place and this country is in real trouble. So interest rates going up? Don't make me laugh.]]>144falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-national-need-to-cool-their-jets-when-it-comes-to-the-leadership--1008194Already National are dealing with yet another round of whispers and it's only early 2021 - the election is late 2023.
If the rumours are real and the plotting is thick, and if they can't work out that a few months after an election is not a time to panic and roll people, then they have no hope.
Added to that, is the highly-likely outcome that Labour are going to implode on themselves once we stop focusing on Covid and start dealing with the recession and other ineptitudes they’ve foisted upon us. So in other words – patience, my friends.
Then you get to the very real issue of whether reheating a bloke who apparently no-one liked last time can bring anything other than despair and ridicule. Mind you, Simon Bridges has John Howard to learn from - so anything is possible.
But then this Chris Luxon idea. Think about it. One, is he any good, and two, what's the point of having Luxon sitting as deputy when you know full well all he wants is the top job?
Even if any of this comes to anything, Simon would literally spend every waking moment dealing with the sort of crap Judith is dealing with right now - leaks, back-stabbing, self-interest whispers and scandal. What you want as Deputy is a Don McKinnon - a good pair of experienced hands and absolutely no desire to be boss.
But back to Luxon and the noise that surrounds him. Who would put him in now? He doesn’t value the job he would take on, doesn't value the office. Luxon might be a genius - but we don't know that, because he has barely unpacked his lunch box.
We can't - or at least shouldn’t - be handing out top work for the latest cab off the rank. That’s not how the big jobs get sorted. You have to earn them, you have to look like you belong - that an elevation to the position makes perfect sense. Why we've decided the job can go to any old hack who lobs up, I don't know.
Labour got exceedingly lucky with Jacinda Ardern because Ardern got exceedingly lucky with Covid. Luxon is only a player because Key made being an outside business success the link to leadership. It might be a link, but there is no shortage of people who lead one business who couldn't lead another, far less tossing in the nuances and complexities of politics.
Just turning up isn't a qualification. If the Nats have decided it is, then they deserve everything that’s coming to them. The best thing they could do for the rest of the year, given there is plenty of time and no need to freak out - is cool their jets.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22981311/mh130421-01-nationalleadershipcomment.mp3Tue, 13 Apr 2021 04:10:08 +0000RoccoIt's such a crap job isn't it? Who on earth would want to be Leader of the Opposition? Already National are dealing with yet another round of whispers and it's only early 2021 - the election is late 2023. If the rumours are real and the plotting is...Already National are dealing with yet another round of whispers and it's only early 2021 - the election is late 2023.
If the rumours are real and the plotting is thick, and if they can't work out that a few months after an election is not a time to panic and roll people, then they have no hope.
Added to that, is the highly-likely outcome that Labour are going to implode on themselves once we stop focusing on Covid and start dealing with the recession and other ineptitudes they’ve foisted upon us. So in other words – patience, my friends.
Then you get to the very real issue of whether reheating a bloke who apparently no-one liked last time can bring anything other than despair and ridicule. Mind you, Simon Bridges has John Howard to learn from - so anything is possible.
But then this Chris Luxon idea. Think about it. One, is he any good, and two, what's the point of having Luxon sitting as deputy when you know full well all he wants is the top job?
Even if any of this comes to anything, Simon would literally spend every waking moment dealing with the sort of crap Judith is dealing with right now - leaks, back-stabbing, self-interest whispers and scandal. What you want as Deputy is a Don McKinnon - a good pair of experienced hands and absolutely no desire to be boss.
But back to Luxon and the noise that surrounds him. Who would put him in now? He doesn’t value the job he would take on, doesn't value the office. Luxon might be a genius - but we don't know that, because he has barely unpacked his lunch box.
We can't - or at least shouldn’t - be handing out top work for the latest cab off the rank. That’s not how the big jobs get sorted. You have to earn them, you have to look like you belong - that an elevation to the position makes perfect sense. Why we've decided the job can go to any old hack who lobs up, I don't know.
Labour got exceedingly lucky with Jacinda Ardern because Ardern got exceedingly lucky with Covid. Luxon is only a player because Key made being an outside business success the link to leadership. It might be a link, but there is no shortage of people who lead one business who couldn't lead another, far less tossing in the nuances and complexities of politics.
Just turning up isn't a qualification. If the Nats have decided it is, then they deserve everything that’s coming to them. The best thing they could do for the rest of the year, given there is plenty of time and no need to freak out - is cool their jets.]]>134falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-greenies-can-t-have-it-both-ways-with-evs--1008229The battery is up to 40% of a car's cost. From day one, the battery starts to die - meaning in years to come, we're going to have a tremendous number of dead batteries. Further, making the batteries requires a lot of materials that are currently mined in places like the Democratic Republic of Congo -  things like cobalt, nickel, copper and manganese. Rare earths are involved, and they're currently tied up fairly tightly by the Chinese - hence, the market is skewed.
The new development in the debate is that a lot of this stuff can be found on the seabed in the Pacific. Brilliant - let's go get it.
Whoops. Forgot about the greenies. The greenies are aghast at the environmental impacts of mining in the waters off the Cook Islands. Indeed the United Nations, no less, is currently looking at regulating mining. BMW, Google and Samsung have said they will not use any metal sourced from the deep ocean, which is laudable. But it does leave the question... if not the ocean...where? That bastion of unionised and technologically advanced engineering and extraction, the Congo?
And this is the pinch point. You can't have it both ways. You can't extol the virtues of a new form of transportation if you're not prepared to be honest about how it's built. Like so much  in life, it's not black and white. Diesel and petrol still drive engines for very good reasons.
No, an EV doesn’t put carbon out a tail pipe, but a hell of a lot of the earth got attacked to drag the stuff up and out, that made the battery - and you can't hide from that. Or, at least if you try to - it makes you an ideological hypocrite. In the same way, EVs should sell because they're good and desired - not because they're subsidised.
The so-called switch should be made because the switch makes sense, and not because the environmentalists were good with the green wash.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22981271/mh130421-13-evmythsbustedcomment.mp3Mon, 12 Apr 2021 22:01:02 +0000RoccoIt’s a funny old thing to watch at the moment. It's starting to dawn on the greenies that the 'magic' of the electric car might not be as magical as they thought. Like so many who hop on bandwagons, they don’t do the homework. They essentially pedal...The battery is up to 40% of a car's cost. From day one, the battery starts to die - meaning in years to come, we're going to have a tremendous number of dead batteries. Further, making the batteries requires a lot of materials that are currently mined in places like the Democratic Republic of Congo -  things like cobalt, nickel, copper and manganese. Rare earths are involved, and they're currently tied up fairly tightly by the Chinese - hence, the market is skewed.
The new development in the debate is that a lot of this stuff can be found on the seabed in the Pacific. Brilliant - let's go get it.
Whoops. Forgot about the greenies. The greenies are aghast at the environmental impacts of mining in the waters off the Cook Islands. Indeed the United Nations, no less, is currently looking at regulating mining. BMW, Google and Samsung have said they will not use any metal sourced from the deep ocean, which is laudable. But it does leave the question... if not the ocean...where? That bastion of unionised and technologically advanced engineering and extraction, the Congo?
And this is the pinch point. You can't have it both ways. You can't extol the virtues of a new form of transportation if you're not prepared to be honest about how it's built. Like so much  in life, it's not black and white. Diesel and petrol still drive engines for very good reasons.
No, an EV doesn’t put carbon out a tail pipe, but a hell of a lot of the earth got attacked to drag the stuff up and out, that made the battery - and you can't hide from that. Or, at least if you try to - it makes you an ideological hypocrite. In the same way, EVs should sell because they're good and desired - not because they're subsidised.
The so-called switch should be made because the switch makes sense, and not because the environmentalists were good with the green wash.]]>132falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-when-it-comes-to-the-economy-none-of-this-ends-well--1008205Kiwibank tell us the sugar-rush of spending is over. That mad dash we made post-lockdown last year to buy anything and everything is now finished. The household spending tracker was down nine percent in the March quarter - that is a massive fall.
The March quarter, by the way, is January, February and March. When the GDP numbers come out for that quarter next month, it will almost certainly show we went backwards, which then means we were officially in recession. A double-dip recession. They’ve done it not once, but twice.
The economy has tanked. The government keep saying the economy is doing better than thought - but that’s only because they thought it would be torched. It wasn’t torched - just burnt to a crisp.
So don’t fall for that. It is yet more of their spin and BS.
The thing to worry about here is we are in recession. And at a time when money is virtually free money, is being printed like no tomorrow, and the government are handing it out with alacrity and yet with all that stimulus we are still going backwards.
Now the upside, the agricultural and horticultural sectors are saving us and the bubble - if it's worth a billion - won't hurt either. But we can't escape the fact that the borders are closed for the year and it's only April.
And then we get that horrific housing figure. Four billion a year on the housing gap  - Grant's emergency housing - four billion.
And in that, is the key to our troubles. Firstly, it's money we don’t have. Secondly, and more importantly, it's money being handed out to the non-productive sector.
And that is where this government is blowing it. You put the money where there is a return, where it turns into something more than it started out as - and motels ain't it.
And this is the quintessential problem with socialist governments - they're about redistribution, not growth. They tax the landlord, the high earner and instead of doing something productive - they give it to people who need help. Nice gesture, nice in theory, just no good for the economy.
Welfare should be paid for out of growth - not debt, or robbing people's pockets. The real fear we have, and this will unfold for the rest of the year and into next, is we owe over $100 billion now.
What happens when interest rates rise? We are not growing as an economy, other economies are outperforming us, and we remain locked-off from the world. We are not growing our way out of trouble, we are printing our way out, and even that isn't working.
You don’t need to know much about economics to know none of this ends well.        
 
 
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22981239/mh120421-12-recessioncomment.mp3Mon, 12 Apr 2021 03:46:10 +0000RoccoThe government is lucky, as it turns out, that Covid is still front-and-centre because if it wasn’t - and it won't always be - a great deal more time would be currently spent on the economy. Kiwibank tell us the sugar-rush of spending is over. That...Kiwibank tell us the sugar-rush of spending is over. That mad dash we made post-lockdown last year to buy anything and everything is now finished. The household spending tracker was down nine percent in the March quarter - that is a massive fall.
The March quarter, by the way, is January, February and March. When the GDP numbers come out for that quarter next month, it will almost certainly show we went backwards, which then means we were officially in recession. A double-dip recession. They’ve done it not once, but twice.
The economy has tanked. The government keep saying the economy is doing better than thought - but that’s only because they thought it would be torched. It wasn’t torched - just burnt to a crisp.
So don’t fall for that. It is yet more of their spin and BS.
The thing to worry about here is we are in recession. And at a time when money is virtually free money, is being printed like no tomorrow, and the government are handing it out with alacrity and yet with all that stimulus we are still going backwards.
Now the upside, the agricultural and horticultural sectors are saving us and the bubble - if it's worth a billion - won't hurt either. But we can't escape the fact that the borders are closed for the year and it's only April.
And then we get that horrific housing figure. Four billion a year on the housing gap  - Grant's emergency housing - four billion.
And in that, is the key to our troubles. Firstly, it's money we don’t have. Secondly, and more importantly, it's money being handed out to the non-productive sector.
And that is where this government is blowing it. You put the money where there is a return, where it turns into something more than it started out as - and motels ain't it.
And this is the quintessential problem with socialist governments - they're about redistribution, not growth. They tax the landlord, the high earner and instead of doing something productive - they give it to people who need help. Nice gesture, nice in theory, just no good for the economy.
Welfare should be paid for out of growth - not debt, or robbing people's pockets. The real fear we have, and this will unfold for the rest of the year and into next, is we owe over $100 billion now.
What happens when interest rates rise? We are not growing as an economy, other economies are outperforming us, and we remain locked-off from the world. We are not growing our way out of trouble, we are printing our way out, and even that isn't working.
You don’t need to know much about economics to know none of this ends well.        
 
 
 ]]>136falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-government-s-socialist-ideology-threatens-air-new-zealand-s-success--1008064Anyway - red flag time. The socialist agenda of this government was on display Friday with the news that they had lent Air New Zealand another $600 million. This is on top of the $900 million already offered up and being burnt through as we speak.
Now, for many this would have meant nothing. The financials of an airline - even if it's our own airline - are not the hot chat for many. But there is an insidious game at play nevertheless.
Air New Zealand are in trouble as are most airlines. They burn cash and until the borders open, they're sinking in debt. It won’t last - borders will open, there is pent-up demand and places like the States are seeing bookings rise and pilots being hired.
The bubble here will help, but Air New Zealand was most profitable when it was ferrying New Zealanders to London, Los Angeles and Beijing - and bringing foreign holiday-makers back.
So in the meantime, what to do. Well, what they were going to do was a capital-raise. In other words, go to the market, offer up a chunk of the company in return for money.
A lot of people have done it. In fact it's been a feature of Covid. The number of people who have asked for cash and not just that - got it - and then some. The world is awash with people with money looking for a place to park it.
Air New Zealand was going to do this by June. Now they're not. They may do it by September. Meantime, our government hands them another $600 million.
Ask yourself why? The $900m was at 8 to 9 % interest - daylight robbery. The $600m is at 5+ % - also daylight robbery.
Why? The government wants to own the airline, the government wants to control how the airline is run.
Why is that dangerous? Because the government can't build a house, it can't deliver light rail and it's run the economy into recession. This government can't run a bath, far less an airline. And when the New Zealand government last ran the national carrier, it went bust.
But that’s not stopping them having another crack. Air New Zealand is now hopelessly beholden to Grant Robertson. They’ll never say it - because they can't - and that’s part of the danger.
The lesson of the modern age of business is that companies operate best, on average, when they're run by experts with no government interference.
That model which has seen Air New Zealand spectacularly profitable these past years is now getting tipped on its head by a government driven by socialist ideology, and a staggeringly-arrogant belief that it actually knows what it's doing.
It won't automatically end in tears but it’s a hell of a lot more likely to, now that Grant used our money to buy a level of influence I would be deeply wary of.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22981215/mh120421-01-airnzcomment.mp3Sun, 11 Apr 2021 22:03:54 +0000RoccoI'd love to be able to start the week on the Warriors, but to do that they have to win and when you lose to a useless side there isn't a lot you can say. So maybe next Monday, eh. Anyway - red flag time. The socialist agenda of this government was on...Anyway - red flag time. The socialist agenda of this government was on display Friday with the news that they had lent Air New Zealand another $600 million. This is on top of the $900 million already offered up and being burnt through as we speak.
Now, for many this would have meant nothing. The financials of an airline - even if it's our own airline - are not the hot chat for many. But there is an insidious game at play nevertheless.
Air New Zealand are in trouble as are most airlines. They burn cash and until the borders open, they're sinking in debt. It won’t last - borders will open, there is pent-up demand and places like the States are seeing bookings rise and pilots being hired.
The bubble here will help, but Air New Zealand was most profitable when it was ferrying New Zealanders to London, Los Angeles and Beijing - and bringing foreign holiday-makers back.
So in the meantime, what to do. Well, what they were going to do was a capital-raise. In other words, go to the market, offer up a chunk of the company in return for money.
A lot of people have done it. In fact it's been a feature of Covid. The number of people who have asked for cash and not just that - got it - and then some. The world is awash with people with money looking for a place to park it.
Air New Zealand was going to do this by June. Now they're not. They may do it by September. Meantime, our government hands them another $600 million.
Ask yourself why? The $900m was at 8 to 9 % interest - daylight robbery. The $600m is at 5+ % - also daylight robbery.
Why? The government wants to own the airline, the government wants to control how the airline is run.
Why is that dangerous? Because the government can't build a house, it can't deliver light rail and it's run the economy into recession. This government can't run a bath, far less an airline. And when the New Zealand government last ran the national carrier, it went bust.
But that’s not stopping them having another crack. Air New Zealand is now hopelessly beholden to Grant Robertson. They’ll never say it - because they can't - and that’s part of the danger.
The lesson of the modern age of business is that companies operate best, on average, when they're run by experts with no government interference.
That model which has seen Air New Zealand spectacularly profitable these past years is now getting tipped on its head by a government driven by socialist ideology, and a staggeringly-arrogant belief that it actually knows what it's doing.
It won't automatically end in tears but it’s a hell of a lot more likely to, now that Grant used our money to buy a level of influence I would be deeply wary of.]]>134falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-miq-and-rotting-apples-scandals-of-the-week--1008221The Trans-Tasman Bubble.
8/10.
"Too late, too long, and too delayed.
But we got there at last, and it's good for a lot of reasons."
Air New Zealand.
8/10.
"Record day for Trans-Tasman sales.
It proves we aren't all afraid of life and that’s wonderfully reassuring.
And no, one day's bookings does not make a resurgence, but I have a good feeling about it."
The Decommissioning of MIQ facilities.
2/10.
"The untold story of the week really.
It’s a scandal.
The bubble should have opened up way more rooms and way more space for all those we desperately need to get in here.
And yet it did the opposite. It is such a cock up and a miss."
Apples Rotting on the Ground.
2/10.
"That's your real scandal.
Millions of dollars of fruit on the ground because the government insisted that hiring locals was the answer.
Well, it wasn’t."
The Choo Choo Train from Hamilton.
4/10.
"The tragedy here is it's actually a good idea, if only they did it properly.
Like point to point and a train that is actually faster than a car."
Cars.
9/10.
"Our greatest statistics ever for March. More new cars than any March ever.
We love cars."
Public Transport.
3/10.
"In the main centres roads are back to normal.
But ferries aren't, buses aren't, and trains certainly aren't. Auckland Transport is going to lose $90 million.
How much evidence do you want that theory doesn’t get you to work or school?"
The Movies.
7/10.
"137,000 went the other weekend.
A post-Covid high and hopefully proof that the industry isn't dead after all."
Easter.
6/10.
"Mainly because the weather was good. But what about those rules?
And what about those unions whinging about the Wanaka supermarket? A town wacked by Covid, but no let's all stay home.
What a bunch of half wits."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22981058/mh090421-12-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 08 Apr 2021 22:47:26 +0000RoccoAt 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 Trans-Tasman Bubble. 8/10. "Too late, too long, and too delayed. But we got there at last, and it's good for a lot of reasons."...The Trans-Tasman Bubble.
8/10.
"Too late, too long, and too delayed.
But we got there at last, and it's good for a lot of reasons."
Air New Zealand.
8/10.
"Record day for Trans-Tasman sales.
It proves we aren't all afraid of life and that’s wonderfully reassuring.
And no, one day's bookings does not make a resurgence, but I have a good feeling about it."
The Decommissioning of MIQ facilities.
2/10.
"The untold story of the week really.
It’s a scandal.
The bubble should have opened up way more rooms and way more space for all those we desperately need to get in here.
And yet it did the opposite. It is such a cock up and a miss."
Apples Rotting on the Ground.
2/10.
"That's your real scandal.
Millions of dollars of fruit on the ground because the government insisted that hiring locals was the answer.
Well, it wasn’t."
The Choo Choo Train from Hamilton.
4/10.
"The tragedy here is it's actually a good idea, if only they did it properly.
Like point to point and a train that is actually faster than a car."
Cars.
9/10.
"Our greatest statistics ever for March. More new cars than any March ever.
We love cars."
Public Transport.
3/10.
"In the main centres roads are back to normal.
But ferries aren't, buses aren't, and trains certainly aren't. Auckland Transport is going to lose $90 million.
How much evidence do you want that theory doesn’t get you to work or school?"
The Movies.
7/10.
"137,000 went the other weekend.
A post-Covid high and hopefully proof that the industry isn't dead after all."
Easter.
6/10.
"Mainly because the weather was good. But what about those rules?
And what about those unions whinging about the Wanaka supermarket? A town wacked by Covid, but no let's all stay home.
What a bunch of half wits."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>168falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-is-ashley-bloomfield-up-to-the-job--1008069We end the week understanding that the vaccine roll out is not going to plan, but then part of the lesson is that it was never going to.
The leaked paper showed us we are hundreds of thousands of jabs short of where we should have been. We also now know there are 300,000 doses waiting to be used, and under half the vaccinators are actually vaccinating. This too should not be a surprise, doesn’t make it right, but it shouldn’t be a surprise.
This is merely an extension of what has already played out over the last year.
To put it into a simple sentence, if it’s the Ministry of Health in charge of it, it'll be cocked up. From the very beginning of Covid, they have been found wanting.
From the PPE, to the flu jab last season, to the testing kits that weren't there, to the Measles export to the Islands and the ensuing fury, to the MIQ leaks, the appalling track and tracing that had us in lockdown, and not tracking and tracing as we should.
Sir Brian Roche and Heather Simpson spelt it out in their report released on the eve of Christmas so we wouldn’t notice. The review done just a week or so back into one of the last major lockdowns spelt it out. All the processes that weren't followed, the advice that wasn’t sought, it’s the same story every time.
And now the vaccine.
Here's the real problem, Ashley Bloomfield.
Because the Prime Minister didn’t have a clue what she was doing at the start of all this, she hooked into Bloomfield. It's what Labour governments do. Because they don’t come from business, the real world, or have any experience outside university or unions they rely heavily on wonks.
Bloomfield was Ardern's wonk.
Trouble was once we fell in love with Bloomfield, she couldn’t ditch him, she couldn't do what she really needed to do. Also, because she has no backbone and has never sacked a person.
So, the bumbling and stumbling began and hasn’t let up for over a year.
Bloomfield got beatified. He became the media influencer, the star of dance videos, friend of Jimmy Neesham, and charity rugby player. He made himself indispensable, at least politically.
So, the fact we sit here in April of 2021 unable to jab people, actually started as a problem in March of 2020.
By making the critical error to anoint a bloke who isn't up to much, nice and personable, but not up to much, we sunk ourselves.
Ardern having made the error is now trapped, so she's spent the year defending the indefensible.
It would have helped if Bloomfield was a David Clark type figure. Bit removed, bit arrogant, and not really liked. But he wasn’t, he turned out to be a good bloke.
But he's still hopeless. That is why we are where we are, it's why it won't change, and it’s the quintessential example of this simple truism.
If you cock it up on day one, and refuse to acknowledge the mistake, you never really recover.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22981046/mh090421-01-vaccinerolloutcomment.mp3Thu, 08 Apr 2021 21:39:47 +0000RoccoHere is how we end up in a mess. This is a case study. We end the week understanding that the vaccine roll out is not going to plan, but then part of the lesson is that it was never going to. The leaked paper showed us we are hundreds of thousands of...We end the week understanding that the vaccine roll out is not going to plan, but then part of the lesson is that it was never going to.
The leaked paper showed us we are hundreds of thousands of jabs short of where we should have been. We also now know there are 300,000 doses waiting to be used, and under half the vaccinators are actually vaccinating. This too should not be a surprise, doesn’t make it right, but it shouldn’t be a surprise.
This is merely an extension of what has already played out over the last year.
To put it into a simple sentence, if it’s the Ministry of Health in charge of it, it'll be cocked up. From the very beginning of Covid, they have been found wanting.
From the PPE, to the flu jab last season, to the testing kits that weren't there, to the Measles export to the Islands and the ensuing fury, to the MIQ leaks, the appalling track and tracing that had us in lockdown, and not tracking and tracing as we should.
Sir Brian Roche and Heather Simpson spelt it out in their report released on the eve of Christmas so we wouldn’t notice. The review done just a week or so back into one of the last major lockdowns spelt it out. All the processes that weren't followed, the advice that wasn’t sought, it’s the same story every time.
And now the vaccine.
Here's the real problem, Ashley Bloomfield.
Because the Prime Minister didn’t have a clue what she was doing at the start of all this, she hooked into Bloomfield. It's what Labour governments do. Because they don’t come from business, the real world, or have any experience outside university or unions they rely heavily on wonks.
Bloomfield was Ardern's wonk.
Trouble was once we fell in love with Bloomfield, she couldn’t ditch him, she couldn't do what she really needed to do. Also, because she has no backbone and has never sacked a person.
So, the bumbling and stumbling began and hasn’t let up for over a year.
Bloomfield got beatified. He became the media influencer, the star of dance videos, friend of Jimmy Neesham, and charity rugby player. He made himself indispensable, at least politically.
So, the fact we sit here in April of 2021 unable to jab people, actually started as a problem in March of 2020.
By making the critical error to anoint a bloke who isn't up to much, nice and personable, but not up to much, we sunk ourselves.
Ardern having made the error is now trapped, so she's spent the year defending the indefensible.
It would have helped if Bloomfield was a David Clark type figure. Bit removed, bit arrogant, and not really liked. But he wasn’t, he turned out to be a good bloke.
But he's still hopeless. That is why we are where we are, it's why it won't change, and it’s the quintessential example of this simple truism.
If you cock it up on day one, and refuse to acknowledge the mistake, you never really recover.]]>139falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-barry-soper-is-right-i-can-t-ban-the-prime-minister--1008070Barry ruined my day yesterday. There I was, sitting down to a small plate of my favourite artichoke dip, some French stick, and an espresso when his voice penetrates the kitchen conversation with the mention of my name.
He was addressing the interview with the Prime Minister, but also comments I had made earlier on the programme about the media and MIQ and the shrinking of the spaces available.
I argue that part of the story was a bigger deal than the bubble itself, given the bubble was about as sign posted and telegraphed as you could ever possibly have wanted. The bubble wasn't new, we just got a date.
What we didn’t know, was that the 40 percent of rooms the Australian connection took up, would probably not be freed up to bring in all those that had been locked out.
Everyone from ex-pats stuck, RSE workers we so desperately need, the relatives of those already here working to help our economy and yet prevented from bringing in their wives, husbands and kids. That was the big deal about the bubble, all this MIQ space that would solve so many problems.
But low and behold nothing of the sort was going to come to pass.
I asked why the media was asleep. Why, when the story was fed to them, did they miss it? Why are so many in the media asleep at the wheel? People like Barry don't take kindly to stuff like that.
But he did say, and this is why he deserves the apology, you can't be someone like me, banging on about the media not doing their job, then interview the Prime Minister but not want her back on your programme because she doesn’t answer the questions. You can't have it both ways.
Barry, of course, is right. I can't ban Ardern, leave her to others, and then complain others aren't doing their job. If I have the opportunity, the least I can do is my part, and have that part open to scrutiny.
You can't criticise from the sidelines, you've got to be in the scrum with everyone else.
The life lesson here is the best argument of all is the argument of logic and Barry wins this one on logic.
So Barry, I am sorry. You are right it behoves me to participate as much as anyone else.
Ironically what he was doing in calling me out was exactly what I was doing to others. What is good for the goose, as they say.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22980982/mh080421-01-mediaapologycomment.mp3Thu, 08 Apr 2021 01:26:08 +0000RoccoTurns out we need to offer an apology to Barry Soper. Barry ruined my day yesterday. There I was, sitting down to a small plate of my favourite artichoke dip, some French stick, and an espresso when his voice penetrates the kitchen conversation with...Barry ruined my day yesterday. There I was, sitting down to a small plate of my favourite artichoke dip, some French stick, and an espresso when his voice penetrates the kitchen conversation with the mention of my name.
He was addressing the interview with the Prime Minister, but also comments I had made earlier on the programme about the media and MIQ and the shrinking of the spaces available.
I argue that part of the story was a bigger deal than the bubble itself, given the bubble was about as sign posted and telegraphed as you could ever possibly have wanted. The bubble wasn't new, we just got a date.
What we didn’t know, was that the 40 percent of rooms the Australian connection took up, would probably not be freed up to bring in all those that had been locked out.
Everyone from ex-pats stuck, RSE workers we so desperately need, the relatives of those already here working to help our economy and yet prevented from bringing in their wives, husbands and kids. That was the big deal about the bubble, all this MIQ space that would solve so many problems.
But low and behold nothing of the sort was going to come to pass.
I asked why the media was asleep. Why, when the story was fed to them, did they miss it? Why are so many in the media asleep at the wheel? People like Barry don't take kindly to stuff like that.
But he did say, and this is why he deserves the apology, you can't be someone like me, banging on about the media not doing their job, then interview the Prime Minister but not want her back on your programme because she doesn’t answer the questions. You can't have it both ways.
Barry, of course, is right. I can't ban Ardern, leave her to others, and then complain others aren't doing their job. If I have the opportunity, the least I can do is my part, and have that part open to scrutiny.
You can't criticise from the sidelines, you've got to be in the scrum with everyone else.
The life lesson here is the best argument of all is the argument of logic and Barry wins this one on logic.
So Barry, I am sorry. You are right it behoves me to participate as much as anyone else.
Ironically what he was doing in calling me out was exactly what I was doing to others. What is good for the goose, as they say.]]>114falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-government-must-wake-up-on-vaccine-passports--1008078You can't have a passport without a vaccine, we don’t have vaccine, we don't know when, short of the vaguest half yearly sort of guess, when we will have a vaccine.
The droplets of vaccine we have had hasn’t been rolled out at the rate they said it would, so god knows what sort of mess it'll be by November or December.
But the point is this, as of next month, Singapore is accepting vaccine passports. In other words, you’ve had your jab, you've got your app, and you're off.
This is the world reopening.
The two questions for the government that they haven't got around to dealing with yet is once I am offshore upon my return why am I still in MIQ if i have been vaccinated? And why, when the world is going to be offering more and more opportunities to do business, are we still defending the idea that we were never in any rush to vaccinate?
We are in a part of the world , Asia-Pacific, that by in large is proactive in these matters. Singapore, Taiwan, Vietnam, and China are all countries that are moving forward and fast.
It's the sort of reaction you would have expected.
Australia is leaving us behind. The thought of us being in lockstep with them as Chris Hipkins so often stated is now laid bare as the joke and lie it always was.
This, by the way, isn't about holidays, it's about business. The business of tourism, markets, growth, and returning to some sort of normality. The CDC over the weekend said all Americans vaccinated can now travel freely domestically and internationally.
Are they coming here? Of course not, why would they? They'll go to Singapore who have their act together and their doors open. Of course, the vaccine isn't the magic elixir some might want it to be, but it is the biggest step forward so far and by some margin.
With it comes a global acceptance of one of the most important things we do in the 21st century, travel and freedom of movement. Singapore in May, Americans by the end of May, and Brits on holiday in June to August. The world is opening up.
Vaccines are the key, and we still sit here at the bottom of the world, more reliant on travel than most, kidding ourselves that there is no rush, we don’t need the world, travel isn't important, and none of this matters.
Some have been sucked in by the government and some just live their lives in fear.
But we are getting left behind. We have dropped the ball, we lack a plan, we lack a date, and we lack leadership.
We had a year to get this sorted and we've wasted it.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22980887/mh070421-11-vaccinepassportcomment.mp3Tue, 06 Apr 2021 22:14:16 +0000RoccoThere is a simple advantage of a vaccine passport, and this is why our tragically slow roll out of the vaccine is little short of a scandal. You can't have a passport without a vaccine, we don’t have vaccine, we don't know when, short of the vaguest...You can't have a passport without a vaccine, we don’t have vaccine, we don't know when, short of the vaguest half yearly sort of guess, when we will have a vaccine.
The droplets of vaccine we have had hasn’t been rolled out at the rate they said it would, so god knows what sort of mess it'll be by November or December.
But the point is this, as of next month, Singapore is accepting vaccine passports. In other words, you’ve had your jab, you've got your app, and you're off.
This is the world reopening.
The two questions for the government that they haven't got around to dealing with yet is once I am offshore upon my return why am I still in MIQ if i have been vaccinated? And why, when the world is going to be offering more and more opportunities to do business, are we still defending the idea that we were never in any rush to vaccinate?
We are in a part of the world , Asia-Pacific, that by in large is proactive in these matters. Singapore, Taiwan, Vietnam, and China are all countries that are moving forward and fast.
It's the sort of reaction you would have expected.
Australia is leaving us behind. The thought of us being in lockstep with them as Chris Hipkins so often stated is now laid bare as the joke and lie it always was.
This, by the way, isn't about holidays, it's about business. The business of tourism, markets, growth, and returning to some sort of normality. The CDC over the weekend said all Americans vaccinated can now travel freely domestically and internationally.
Are they coming here? Of course not, why would they? They'll go to Singapore who have their act together and their doors open. Of course, the vaccine isn't the magic elixir some might want it to be, but it is the biggest step forward so far and by some margin.
With it comes a global acceptance of one of the most important things we do in the 21st century, travel and freedom of movement. Singapore in May, Americans by the end of May, and Brits on holiday in June to August. The world is opening up.
Vaccines are the key, and we still sit here at the bottom of the world, more reliant on travel than most, kidding ourselves that there is no rush, we don’t need the world, travel isn't important, and none of this matters.
Some have been sucked in by the government and some just live their lives in fear.
But we are getting left behind. We have dropped the ball, we lack a plan, we lack a date, and we lack leadership.
We had a year to get this sorted and we've wasted it.]]>138falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-let-s-get-on-with-fixing-easter-trading-rules--1008012Led, as it always is, by the unions who every time they open their mouths around Easter, remind us why they are in the perilous state they are.
This year's poster child was a Wanaka supermarket who had the temerity to open on Good Friday. That was against the rules. The rules which we've fiddled with and argued over for decades now. Rules we've tinkered with and messed with to leave us with the mess we have.
In breaking the rules, they will most likely incur a fine. A full $1000. Thus, reminding us what a farce all this is.
Interesting statistic that came out of the weekend's debate, two thirds of us don’t work standard hours. In other words, the majority of us don't work the standard hours. Those are the hours which the Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Christmas Day, ANZAC Day morning nonsense is all based on.
People, quite rightly, raised the issue of days in lieu and time and a half for those who don’t work the Monday-ised holidays therefore get nothing. There are anomalies all over the place. Wanaka is an anomaly, some towns get tourist exemptions, Wanaka doesn’t. Why not?
Because the rules are farcical. The laws don’t relate to the real world and haven't for years, if not decades.
The unions whined, as they always do about people wanting to spend time with their families, as though that’s not possible outside of Good Friday or Easter Sunday, and if Easter is really a big deal to you, take a day or two off.
Unions are an anathema to the modern world. Their view is of the 1970s, if not earlier. The gig economy, part time work, and flexible hours are all completely out of step with their mindset.
That’s before we get to the new Covid world of zoom and working from home.
Wanaka has been whacked by Covid. So, on an Easter weekend when the town swells with visitors, to still sit their arguing we all need to be closed, is an affront and an insult to a region that is on its knees through border closures.
Not all of us hate work, not all of us want maximum return for minimum effort. Some of us like what we do, like working hard, and like getting ahead.
For a lot of us Easter isn't a big deal, nor is Labour Day or Queen's birthday. If it is for you, celebrate it, recognise it, and take a day off for it.
But if it isn't, life goes on.
I hope the Wanaka supermarket, all Wanaka businesses, and all those who opened had the tills ringing.
Sometimes the law is an ass.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22980798/mhb06-04-21-editorial-easter-trading.mp3Mon, 05 Apr 2021 22:04:17 +0000RoccoI listened in despair as, yet again, we waded our way through the Easter trading rules. We're a small village run by idiots stuck in a time warp refusing to deal with the modern world. Led, as it always is, by the unions who every time they open their...Led, as it always is, by the unions who every time they open their mouths around Easter, remind us why they are in the perilous state they are.
This year's poster child was a Wanaka supermarket who had the temerity to open on Good Friday. That was against the rules. The rules which we've fiddled with and argued over for decades now. Rules we've tinkered with and messed with to leave us with the mess we have.
In breaking the rules, they will most likely incur a fine. A full $1000. Thus, reminding us what a farce all this is.
Interesting statistic that came out of the weekend's debate, two thirds of us don’t work standard hours. In other words, the majority of us don't work the standard hours. Those are the hours which the Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Christmas Day, ANZAC Day morning nonsense is all based on.
People, quite rightly, raised the issue of days in lieu and time and a half for those who don’t work the Monday-ised holidays therefore get nothing. There are anomalies all over the place. Wanaka is an anomaly, some towns get tourist exemptions, Wanaka doesn’t. Why not?
Because the rules are farcical. The laws don’t relate to the real world and haven't for years, if not decades.
The unions whined, as they always do about people wanting to spend time with their families, as though that’s not possible outside of Good Friday or Easter Sunday, and if Easter is really a big deal to you, take a day or two off.
Unions are an anathema to the modern world. Their view is of the 1970s, if not earlier. The gig economy, part time work, and flexible hours are all completely out of step with their mindset.
That’s before we get to the new Covid world of zoom and working from home.
Wanaka has been whacked by Covid. So, on an Easter weekend when the town swells with visitors, to still sit their arguing we all need to be closed, is an affront and an insult to a region that is on its knees through border closures.
Not all of us hate work, not all of us want maximum return for minimum effort. Some of us like what we do, like working hard, and like getting ahead.
For a lot of us Easter isn't a big deal, nor is Labour Day or Queen's birthday. If it is for you, celebrate it, recognise it, and take a day off for it.
But if it isn't, life goes on.
I hope the Wanaka supermarket, all Wanaka businesses, and all those who opened had the tills ringing.
Sometimes the law is an ass.]]>132falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-government-has-no-choice-but-to-announce-trans-tasman-bubble-date-opening--1008223Firstly, they don’t reneg the date is a proper date, as in this week or next week, not November.
And the most important question that sadly, even if it does get asked, won't get properly answered, is what literally has changed in the past few weeks that makes today so magically special, that the bubble could not have been reciprocated ages ago?
Just what is different ?
What is it we can do today, that we couldn’t do yesterday, last Tuesday or the Tuesday before that?
The answer of course is nothing.
Airports and airlines, as they reiterated over the weekend, have been ready for months.
Australia with its opening of the deal last year has been ready for months.
Scott Morrison busted this Govt wide open a few weeks back when he wondered aloud why all his citizens weren't in Queenstown on holiday.
So let's assume some sort of normality resumes today, and the poor old tourist industry cut adrift so callously by a Govt hopelessly out of its depth and devoid of any sort of foresight and courage, finally gets dragged kicking and screaming to the start line.
I think we can all be grateful that Queensland didn’t extend their lockdown last week, given that most likely would have been the excuse the Aderns and Hipkins would have been desperate for.
But here is the reality, small out breaks will happen, that’s life.
And if we had a system we trusted, we wouldn’t still be dabbling in lockdowns and their ensuing economic damage.
But as we have found out twice so far this year here and once last week in Queensland, a community out break of a handful of cases needs to be seen as a small hiccup to take care of, not a disaster unfolding and to be panicked about.
So today, a day of relief, it's about time.
Will it be good to get on a plane? Yes indeed. Will it be good to have Australian arrivals? Yes it will.
But like so much of this mess, it's been shockingly handled and its appallingly late.
But for today, let's say its better late than never.      ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22980797/newstalk-zb-christchurch-2021_04_06-06-07-40.mp3Mon, 05 Apr 2021 21:33:57 +0000RoccoSo a couple of assumptions about today's travel bubble announcement. Firstly, they don’t reneg the date is a proper date, as in this week or next week, not November. And the most important question that sadly, even if it does get asked, won't get...Firstly, they don’t reneg the date is a proper date, as in this week or next week, not November.
And the most important question that sadly, even if it does get asked, won't get properly answered, is what literally has changed in the past few weeks that makes today so magically special, that the bubble could not have been reciprocated ages ago?
Just what is different ?
What is it we can do today, that we couldn’t do yesterday, last Tuesday or the Tuesday before that?
The answer of course is nothing.
Airports and airlines, as they reiterated over the weekend, have been ready for months.
Australia with its opening of the deal last year has been ready for months.
Scott Morrison busted this Govt wide open a few weeks back when he wondered aloud why all his citizens weren't in Queenstown on holiday.
So let's assume some sort of normality resumes today, and the poor old tourist industry cut adrift so callously by a Govt hopelessly out of its depth and devoid of any sort of foresight and courage, finally gets dragged kicking and screaming to the start line.
I think we can all be grateful that Queensland didn’t extend their lockdown last week, given that most likely would have been the excuse the Aderns and Hipkins would have been desperate for.
But here is the reality, small out breaks will happen, that’s life.
And if we had a system we trusted, we wouldn’t still be dabbling in lockdowns and their ensuing economic damage.
But as we have found out twice so far this year here and once last week in Queensland, a community out break of a handful of cases needs to be seen as a small hiccup to take care of, not a disaster unfolding and to be panicked about.
So today, a day of relief, it's about time.
Will it be good to get on a plane? Yes indeed. Will it be good to have Australian arrivals? Yes it will.
But like so much of this mess, it's been shockingly handled and its appallingly late.
But for today, let's say its better late than never.      ]]>104falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-who-really-pays-for-the-minimum-wage-increase--1008227Minimum Wage Increase.
6/10.
"Obviously good for those who get it.
But who really pays for it? Can they afford it? And if they can't, how many jobs go by the wayside?"
Top Income Tax Rate Lift.
3/10.
"Successful economies aim to tax less, not more."
Light Rail.
2/10.
"Of all the things this government has failed to deliver, I pray this is another.
It's stupid, wasteful, and as likely to revolutionise travel as their equally mad train from Hamilton, isn't."
Pike River.
6/10.
It cost more, it took more time, and for what?
Closure? Hopefully.
But what else? Was it always a forlorn hope and an empty political promise?"
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.
9/10.
"The final seconds against Canberra showed he's as good as you get.
And the Warriors with a win to remember are the real deal."
Liam Lawson.
8/10.
"A dream start in Formula 2.
And Formula 1 an increasingly real prospect."
Scott Robertson.
7/10.
"Wouldn’t you hire him if you were England?"
Opposition to New Zealand Rugby's Silver Lake Deal.
4/10.
"Are we looking a gift horse in the mouth?
Half a billion in a sport desperate for money, the ability to revolutionise the game and income streams, and allegedly the Players Association hold the cards.
What's wrong with this picture?"
Short Working Weeks.
 
7/10.
 
"Widely considered a success, aren't they?"
 
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22980610/mh010421-13-marktheweek.mp3Wed, 31 Mar 2021 22:54:54 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. Minimum Wage Increase. 6/10. "Obviously good for those who get it. But who really pays for it? Can they afford it? And if they...Minimum Wage Increase.
6/10.
"Obviously good for those who get it.
But who really pays for it? Can they afford it? And if they can't, how many jobs go by the wayside?"
Top Income Tax Rate Lift.
3/10.
"Successful economies aim to tax less, not more."
Light Rail.
2/10.
"Of all the things this government has failed to deliver, I pray this is another.
It's stupid, wasteful, and as likely to revolutionise travel as their equally mad train from Hamilton, isn't."
Pike River.
6/10.
It cost more, it took more time, and for what?
Closure? Hopefully.
But what else? Was it always a forlorn hope and an empty political promise?"
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.
9/10.
"The final seconds against Canberra showed he's as good as you get.
And the Warriors with a win to remember are the real deal."
Liam Lawson.
8/10.
"A dream start in Formula 2.
And Formula 1 an increasingly real prospect."
Scott Robertson.
7/10.
"Wouldn’t you hire him if you were England?"
Opposition to New Zealand Rugby's Silver Lake Deal.
4/10.
"Are we looking a gift horse in the mouth?
Half a billion in a sport desperate for money, the ability to revolutionise the game and income streams, and allegedly the Players Association hold the cards.
What's wrong with this picture?"
Short Working Weeks.
 
7/10.
 
"Widely considered a success, aren't they?"
 
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW
 ]]>151falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-the-wiggles-scandal-deepens--1008016You can't read a lot of those out, because it's not true, and you could argue it's a bit mean spirited. Turns out we should have read the lot.
If you're not up with it, official papers show The Wiggles got into the country amazingly once the Prime Minister took an interest and asked for a “practical solution."
The Wiggles had tickets sold, visas booked, but no MIQ places. The Ministry quite rightly told them space was full, keep refreshing the page, and join the queue like everyone else.
The Prime Minister was being lobbied by the promoter, who spun the most extraordinary amount of BS around jobs created, saved, promoted, money generated, equipment hired. Look up the story, it's full of gripping detail of how thick they laid it on.
Anyway, Ardern wants a practical solution, Chris Hipkins gets involved, and wouldn’t you know it, The Wiggles get the space they need. The system full to overflowing, amazingly found them, within a 24-hour period, some room. Who would have thought?
Once again, I ask the very simple question I have been asking for about a year. All those who think this government doesn’t operate on spin, BS, pressure and headlines, surely at some point have to wake up to the fact they are being played like fiddles.
Yet again those who wanted to visit dying relatives, had urgent business or appointments, ex pats keen to get home, and all those sitting waiting in the line, again got shafted. Because the Prime Minister is about image.
The Prime Minister is about spin. The Prime Minister is about what looks good for the Prime Minister. The Wiggles looked good.
If only we could all write to the Prime Minister and get a MIQ place, eh? If only we could all get the Hipkins tap on the shoulder within 24 hours and get some MIQ space?
Is having groups come in and perform good? Of course. Should MIQ be more expansive than it is? Of course.
But it isn't. And The Wiggles didn’t do their due diligence. They blew it, then panicked.  Their "out" was a Prime Minster obsessed with image, end of story.
The only thing I am surprised about is, given they must have known this was going to be part of an OIA request and eventually the whole story would be told, are they really that thick? Or that arrogant? Are they so out of touch they think this won't damage them?
They're Teflon. New Zealanders are so grateful to be alive and saved from Covid that a Wiggles show, arranged Putin style, would be seen as good news.
Are we honestly still that gullible? And if we are, for god's sake, wake up.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22980598/mh010421-01-wigglesexemptioncomment.mp3Wed, 31 Mar 2021 21:19:26 +0000RoccoThe joke on the text machine over The Wiggles coming here, magically having got their MIQ places, was that Jacinda Ardern had wanted Neve to see the show. You can't read a lot of those out, because it's not true, and you could argue it's a bit mean...You can't read a lot of those out, because it's not true, and you could argue it's a bit mean spirited. Turns out we should have read the lot.
If you're not up with it, official papers show The Wiggles got into the country amazingly once the Prime Minister took an interest and asked for a “practical solution."
The Wiggles had tickets sold, visas booked, but no MIQ places. The Ministry quite rightly told them space was full, keep refreshing the page, and join the queue like everyone else.
The Prime Minister was being lobbied by the promoter, who spun the most extraordinary amount of BS around jobs created, saved, promoted, money generated, equipment hired. Look up the story, it's full of gripping detail of how thick they laid it on.
Anyway, Ardern wants a practical solution, Chris Hipkins gets involved, and wouldn’t you know it, The Wiggles get the space they need. The system full to overflowing, amazingly found them, within a 24-hour period, some room. Who would have thought?
Once again, I ask the very simple question I have been asking for about a year. All those who think this government doesn’t operate on spin, BS, pressure and headlines, surely at some point have to wake up to the fact they are being played like fiddles.
Yet again those who wanted to visit dying relatives, had urgent business or appointments, ex pats keen to get home, and all those sitting waiting in the line, again got shafted. Because the Prime Minister is about image.
The Prime Minister is about spin. The Prime Minister is about what looks good for the Prime Minister. The Wiggles looked good.
If only we could all write to the Prime Minister and get a MIQ place, eh? If only we could all get the Hipkins tap on the shoulder within 24 hours and get some MIQ space?
Is having groups come in and perform good? Of course. Should MIQ be more expansive than it is? Of course.
But it isn't. And The Wiggles didn’t do their due diligence. They blew it, then panicked.  Their "out" was a Prime Minster obsessed with image, end of story.
The only thing I am surprised about is, given they must have known this was going to be part of an OIA request and eventually the whole story would be told, are they really that thick? Or that arrogant? Are they so out of touch they think this won't damage them?
They're Teflon. New Zealanders are so grateful to be alive and saved from Covid that a Wiggles show, arranged Putin style, would be seen as good news.
Are we honestly still that gullible? And if we are, for god's sake, wake up.]]>147falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-brisbane-covid-outbreak-no-excuse-not-to-get-on-with-life--1008228Under their bubble scenario, you’ve arrived this week in Queensland, you've taken time off work, and you thought you'd treat yourself to a long Easter weekend.
But whoops, it's locked down – well, some of it until tomorrow. Whether in reality it would lock you down I guess is now open to debate. For example, if you were in Brisbane, wouldn't you have scarpered to the Gold Coast or Mooloolaba?
Anyway, I am assuming under the reciprocation of the bubble, our border might be shut. And according to chief fear monger, Chris Hipkins, you would be on your own. No government help would be available.
Why he thought it necessary to say that a couple of weeks back in the latest round of their excuse making, I've got no idea. As a general rule when you go overseas, you don’t spend a lot of time on the phone to the government.
But this is a good, practical example of the sort of thing the government are talking about. Just what would you do if you were in Queensland? Would it put you off travelling? If you want to extend it out a bit and head towards the government's end of conservatism, is this a good enough reason not to have a two-way bubble at all?
It’s a crap shoot, isn't it? You could just as easily have chosen Sydney, Adelaide, Hobart, Melbourne, Cairns, or Perth, and your holiday would remain untouched.
Does the fact you're in Queensland and in a lockdown make you have regrets? Can you adjust your time off to suit?
Obviously if you're one of those sitting there going , "oh thank God we don’t have a bubble, and this is exactly why I wouldn’t go, even if we did have one," that's fine. Live your own life and make your own choices.
But the reality is this sort of thing, whether it's in Brisbane, Melbourne, or Auckland, is going to happen for the foreseeable future. It is not a reason not to get on with life.
It's certainly not an excuse, which is what the government is desperate to find. Any reason not to move forward. The Cook Islands announcement of an announcement Friday is all you need to know what a jack up this really is.
In life, it's all about attitude. Anything is an issue if you want it to be.
If I was stuck in Queensland right now, there would be no regrets, and no phone calls to Hipkins. It's life and we need to get on with it.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22980538/mh310321-14-transtasmanbubblecomment.mp3Tue, 30 Mar 2021 22:01:52 +0000RoccoIs the government quietly saying "I told you so”? Under their bubble scenario, you’ve arrived this week in Queensland, you've taken time off work, and you thought you'd treat yourself to a long Easter weekend. But whoops, it's locked down – well, some...Under their bubble scenario, you’ve arrived this week in Queensland, you've taken time off work, and you thought you'd treat yourself to a long Easter weekend.
But whoops, it's locked down – well, some of it until tomorrow. Whether in reality it would lock you down I guess is now open to debate. For example, if you were in Brisbane, wouldn't you have scarpered to the Gold Coast or Mooloolaba?
Anyway, I am assuming under the reciprocation of the bubble, our border might be shut. And according to chief fear monger, Chris Hipkins, you would be on your own. No government help would be available.
Why he thought it necessary to say that a couple of weeks back in the latest round of their excuse making, I've got no idea. As a general rule when you go overseas, you don’t spend a lot of time on the phone to the government.
But this is a good, practical example of the sort of thing the government are talking about. Just what would you do if you were in Queensland? Would it put you off travelling? If you want to extend it out a bit and head towards the government's end of conservatism, is this a good enough reason not to have a two-way bubble at all?
It’s a crap shoot, isn't it? You could just as easily have chosen Sydney, Adelaide, Hobart, Melbourne, Cairns, or Perth, and your holiday would remain untouched.
Does the fact you're in Queensland and in a lockdown make you have regrets? Can you adjust your time off to suit?
Obviously if you're one of those sitting there going , "oh thank God we don’t have a bubble, and this is exactly why I wouldn’t go, even if we did have one," that's fine. Live your own life and make your own choices.
But the reality is this sort of thing, whether it's in Brisbane, Melbourne, or Auckland, is going to happen for the foreseeable future. It is not a reason not to get on with life.
It's certainly not an excuse, which is what the government is desperate to find. Any reason not to move forward. The Cook Islands announcement of an announcement Friday is all you need to know what a jack up this really is.
In life, it's all about attitude. Anything is an issue if you want it to be.
If I was stuck in Queensland right now, there would be no regrets, and no phone calls to Hipkins. It's life and we need to get on with it.]]>119falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-helen-clark-has-traversed-into-the-world-of-bored-retiree-with-waihi-beach-stance--1008087She’s active currently on the drug front trying to drum up support for the failed attempt on cannabis last year.
She’s just off the Eden park campaign which she also lost, and now it’s onto to Waihi Beach, where some developers want to build some apartments, and I’m sure I don’t need to tell you she’s against it.
I like Helen, mainly because she’s worldly, she’s well studied, argues her case well, and is a very good example of even though you might not agree with a lot of her thinking, you can’t take way her zest, her vigour and the fact she fronts, argues her case, and was indeed one of our more successful Prime Ministers.
But she appears to have traversed into the world of the bored retiree. As a person unable to stop and smell the roses, a person desperate for work, which is no bad thing - what you love and doing keeps you young, but picking your cause is a talent.
Surely she can see the irony of her nimbyism. She’s happy to have the Waihi connection, but unfortunately for the rest of us, we can’t have access to it.
Surely she’s aware of the house debate in this country and its dramatic supply issues and yet she’s happy to put up a fight to stop the sale of new homes.
I am sure she’s got a decent argument: community, history, architecture. Everyone ever who had something built near them they didn’t like, they always have a decent argument.
But given that, if all the arguments counted for something, nothing would ever get built.
Its why, in many respects, councils and their land attitude have made the housing mess what it is.
And the RMA with its myriad of clauses and sub clauses has allowed virtually anyone to tie up any form of new building or progress in a series of court cases forever.
None of it solves any problems. All of it revolves around the selfishness of ‘I like where I am and I don’t want anything to change’.
In this new zoom world where the meetings and work places are in provincial New Zealand, where the ex-pats wants a slice of fresh air and rural countryside, this is the future.
Waihi needs houses the same way Ōpōtiki, or Kaikōura, and every other small seaside settlement does.
Up where we live in the country, its boom time. Future Residential, they call it. Its gang busters.
People need places to live, and if you’ve bought into the zeitgeist, they need affordable places to live.
And we need to spread the population: Waihi and towns like it have to be part of the big picture.
Surely a former PM that’s dealt with all these sort of issues at the highest level before can see that?    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22980481/mh300321-01-clarkwaihibeachcomment.mp3Tue, 30 Mar 2021 04:47:54 +0000RoccoHelen Clark is back for another crack. She’s active currently on the drug front trying to drum up support for the failed attempt on cannabis last year. She’s just off the Eden park campaign which she also lost, and now it’s onto to Waihi Beach, where...She’s active currently on the drug front trying to drum up support for the failed attempt on cannabis last year.
She’s just off the Eden park campaign which she also lost, and now it’s onto to Waihi Beach, where some developers want to build some apartments, and I’m sure I don’t need to tell you she’s against it.
I like Helen, mainly because she’s worldly, she’s well studied, argues her case well, and is a very good example of even though you might not agree with a lot of her thinking, you can’t take way her zest, her vigour and the fact she fronts, argues her case, and was indeed one of our more successful Prime Ministers.
But she appears to have traversed into the world of the bored retiree. As a person unable to stop and smell the roses, a person desperate for work, which is no bad thing - what you love and doing keeps you young, but picking your cause is a talent.
Surely she can see the irony of her nimbyism. She’s happy to have the Waihi connection, but unfortunately for the rest of us, we can’t have access to it.
Surely she’s aware of the house debate in this country and its dramatic supply issues and yet she’s happy to put up a fight to stop the sale of new homes.
I am sure she’s got a decent argument: community, history, architecture. Everyone ever who had something built near them they didn’t like, they always have a decent argument.
But given that, if all the arguments counted for something, nothing would ever get built.
Its why, in many respects, councils and their land attitude have made the housing mess what it is.
And the RMA with its myriad of clauses and sub clauses has allowed virtually anyone to tie up any form of new building or progress in a series of court cases forever.
None of it solves any problems. All of it revolves around the selfishness of ‘I like where I am and I don’t want anything to change’.
In this new zoom world where the meetings and work places are in provincial New Zealand, where the ex-pats wants a slice of fresh air and rural countryside, this is the future.
Waihi needs houses the same way Ōpōtiki, or Kaikōura, and every other small seaside settlement does.
Up where we live in the country, its boom time. Future Residential, they call it. Its gang busters.
People need places to live, and if you’ve bought into the zeitgeist, they need affordable places to live.
And we need to spread the population: Waihi and towns like it have to be part of the big picture.
Surely a former PM that’s dealt with all these sort of issues at the highest level before can see that?    ]]>130falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-do-we-actually-have-a-vaccine-rollout-plan--1008208They exported measles to the Pacific Islands. And last year's flu jab rollout, a rollout they do every year was a mess.
And a lot of correspondence, by the way, from people being told by their doctors there is no roll out for flu so far this year, because Covid has basically taken all the time and all the equipment.
Add to that that last week's Christchurch DHB mess over access to private details, and you can see the chances of us making this happen at pace are virtually zero.
In their defence, a lot of vaccine rollouts have had trouble internationally. It seems to be some sort of pattern, that you start slow, make some mistakes, and then once its oiled, you're off and running.
But the fact the world is well under way, and we have barely scratched the surface should be of concern to every one of us.
But is it? I get the increasing impression a lot of New Zealanders are in a go nowhere kind of fog these days. And the government, no matter how inept, isn't going to rile them out of their introspective slumber.
The closest thing we have to a vaccine target is an A4 piece of Ministry of Health paper with the broadest of timelines, which hasn’t really been challenged by anyone other than the opposition.
There is the bit we are just wrapping up, border workers and health workers. The irony of that is we haven't even done that properly, given last week it was at 93 percent, not the 100 % they said it would be. And that deals with a handful of people.
We have half a million older folks with health issues coming next over the next three months, and then the vast majority of us by the end of the year, starting in July, all things going to plan.
In that is the danger, what plan? Surely there is more than the A4 piece of paper.
Mind you, if you’ve seen how the Ministry has done PPE, flu jabs, MIQ, contact tracing, and border testing, we are probably lucky it got as detailed as a single piece of paper.
I assume those who still think this is world class and the best health response on the planet, might wake up in the coming months when entire countries finish their programme and hundreds of thousands start jumping on planes as borders come down, and ours don't.
All anyone has asked for during all of this, is a plan. What's the plan? In this case, as part of the plan, what's the date?
As National say it's not rocket science. Yet this seems to be a Ministry and government that take the smallest of things and make rocket science seem simple.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22980435/mh300321-13-vaccinerolloutcomment.mp3Mon, 29 Mar 2021 22:07:04 +0000RoccoYou know why National want a vaccination target? Because they know full well this government can't run a bath, far less a vaccine rollout. They exported measles to the Pacific Islands. And last year's flu jab rollout, a rollout they do every year was...They exported measles to the Pacific Islands. And last year's flu jab rollout, a rollout they do every year was a mess.
And a lot of correspondence, by the way, from people being told by their doctors there is no roll out for flu so far this year, because Covid has basically taken all the time and all the equipment.
Add to that that last week's Christchurch DHB mess over access to private details, and you can see the chances of us making this happen at pace are virtually zero.
In their defence, a lot of vaccine rollouts have had trouble internationally. It seems to be some sort of pattern, that you start slow, make some mistakes, and then once its oiled, you're off and running.
But the fact the world is well under way, and we have barely scratched the surface should be of concern to every one of us.
But is it? I get the increasing impression a lot of New Zealanders are in a go nowhere kind of fog these days. And the government, no matter how inept, isn't going to rile them out of their introspective slumber.
The closest thing we have to a vaccine target is an A4 piece of Ministry of Health paper with the broadest of timelines, which hasn’t really been challenged by anyone other than the opposition.
There is the bit we are just wrapping up, border workers and health workers. The irony of that is we haven't even done that properly, given last week it was at 93 percent, not the 100 % they said it would be. And that deals with a handful of people.
We have half a million older folks with health issues coming next over the next three months, and then the vast majority of us by the end of the year, starting in July, all things going to plan.
In that is the danger, what plan? Surely there is more than the A4 piece of paper.
Mind you, if you’ve seen how the Ministry has done PPE, flu jabs, MIQ, contact tracing, and border testing, we are probably lucky it got as detailed as a single piece of paper.
I assume those who still think this is world class and the best health response on the planet, might wake up in the coming months when entire countries finish their programme and hundreds of thousands start jumping on planes as borders come down, and ours don't.
All anyone has asked for during all of this, is a plan. What's the plan? In this case, as part of the plan, what's the date?
As National say it's not rocket science. Yet this seems to be a Ministry and government that take the smallest of things and make rocket science seem simple.]]>135falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-massive-win-for-the-warriors-suggests-this-is-our-year--1008147If you are just a sports fan who loves drama, look at the Warriors Saturday night.
If you thought Tuivasa-Sheck might check out having signed for union next year, have a look at Saturday night.
I you want to see records broken, have a look at Saturday night.
They had never been down by as much as they were and come back to win. That in itself is probably an issue going forward given.
The match against Canberra started well. We not only scored first, but it was a great try, it looked like the try of a side that is class and knows what it is doing.
Notable aspects of this side if you haven’t followed them closely so far this season: they are fitter and faster and can off load in a way wave not seen before. Previously they can look good and flashy but it’s never been consistent.
This game they were superb. Let us not forget the value of this win is Canberra is a top side. They are the sort of side you need to be beat if you’re serious
So to win, and come back in the way they did, is one we will talk about for the rest of the season.
Ricky Stuart, expressive at the best of times, was lucky not to have a heart attack.
But the simple truth was this wasn’t a fluke, this wasn’t luck, and this wasn’t toss of the coin.
It was two top sides playing exceptional football and the best side won.
If you want highlights, look at Tuivasa-Sheck, and if I was a league owner or agent I’d write a cheque any size you wanted to keep him.
The new recruits yet again turned up, reassuring us that we’ve bought well.
We should never have ended the first half the way we did. But as they say, it’s not how you start, its how you end. And we ended as well and brilliantly as we ever have.
If we play like this for the rest of the season, there is absolutely no question, no doubt, this is our year.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22980406/mh290321-01-warriorscomment.mp3Mon, 29 Mar 2021 03:45:46 +0000RoccoIf you want to see a side that can win the NRL, then look at the Warriors Saturday night. If you are just a sports fan who loves drama, look at the Warriors Saturday night. If you thought Tuivasa-Sheck might check out having signed for union next...If you are just a sports fan who loves drama, look at the Warriors Saturday night.
If you thought Tuivasa-Sheck might check out having signed for union next year, have a look at Saturday night.
I you want to see records broken, have a look at Saturday night.
They had never been down by as much as they were and come back to win. That in itself is probably an issue going forward given.
The match against Canberra started well. We not only scored first, but it was a great try, it looked like the try of a side that is class and knows what it is doing.
Notable aspects of this side if you haven’t followed them closely so far this season: they are fitter and faster and can off load in a way wave not seen before. Previously they can look good and flashy but it’s never been consistent.
This game they were superb. Let us not forget the value of this win is Canberra is a top side. They are the sort of side you need to be beat if you’re serious
So to win, and come back in the way they did, is one we will talk about for the rest of the season.
Ricky Stuart, expressive at the best of times, was lucky not to have a heart attack.
But the simple truth was this wasn’t a fluke, this wasn’t luck, and this wasn’t toss of the coin.
It was two top sides playing exceptional football and the best side won.
If you want highlights, look at Tuivasa-Sheck, and if I was a league owner or agent I’d write a cheque any size you wanted to keep him.
The new recruits yet again turned up, reassuring us that we’ve bought well.
We should never have ended the first half the way we did. But as they say, it’s not how you start, its how you end. And we ended as well and brilliantly as we ever have.
If we play like this for the rest of the season, there is absolutely no question, no doubt, this is our year.]]>96falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-we-can-t-learn-even-the-simplest-lessons-around-covid--1008219But surely the question to ask after 12 full months of lockdown and the MIQ system is why is it the learning is so slow? Why is the obvious, the bit that is staring right smack bang in between their eyes, not addressed at first sight? Why aren't the red flags spotted until they're too late?
In other words, just how thick are these people?
The bus trips full of potential Covid cases are off. They have been cancelled.  Herding MIQers into a bus so they can go walk or jog are done because, after a full year, they’ve worked out what a mad risk they are.
Surely, it's not unfair to ask, just why it's taken this long? The same way we've asked all year, why they insist on running a programme where you leave your room anyway.
We all know the border is the weak link. We all know that even with the so-called unknown community cases, it always leads back to the border, or its weaknesses. MIQ, ports, airports, border services - it's always the same.
The testing at the border has been a mess, the security at MIQ has been a mess, the whole approach and looseness at MIQ has been a mess.
Through all of that, all the positives, all the alerts, all the track and tracing, all the lockdowns that resulted, all the constraints on our lives and ability to make as living, and they carried on loading up buses to wander off for walks and sunshine.
It's 14 days we are talking about for God's sake. It's not 14 months, or 14 weeks. For many it’s a pain. Yes, a bit of fresh air is no bad thing, but at what cost? And why does it always take an issue, mistake, or a cock up for the pin to be pulled?
Is this, as they would say in business, best practice? Is this gold standard?
Is literally asking for trouble, or running the gauntlet, really what we want from a government department that keeps insisting it knows what it's doing?
For a government with a hair trigger mentality on lockdowns, it is astonishing they keep giving us reasons to keep doubting they have the slightest clue what they're doing.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22980376/mh290321-14-miqcomment.mp3Sun, 28 Mar 2021 22:38:33 +0000RoccoThey'll say it's the system learning, of course. But surely the question to ask after 12 full months of lockdown and the MIQ system is why is it the learning is so slow? Why is the obvious, the bit that is staring right smack bang in between their...But surely the question to ask after 12 full months of lockdown and the MIQ system is why is it the learning is so slow? Why is the obvious, the bit that is staring right smack bang in between their eyes, not addressed at first sight? Why aren't the red flags spotted until they're too late?
In other words, just how thick are these people?
The bus trips full of potential Covid cases are off. They have been cancelled.  Herding MIQers into a bus so they can go walk or jog are done because, after a full year, they’ve worked out what a mad risk they are.
Surely, it's not unfair to ask, just why it's taken this long? The same way we've asked all year, why they insist on running a programme where you leave your room anyway.
We all know the border is the weak link. We all know that even with the so-called unknown community cases, it always leads back to the border, or its weaknesses. MIQ, ports, airports, border services - it's always the same.
The testing at the border has been a mess, the security at MIQ has been a mess, the whole approach and looseness at MIQ has been a mess.
Through all of that, all the positives, all the alerts, all the track and tracing, all the lockdowns that resulted, all the constraints on our lives and ability to make as living, and they carried on loading up buses to wander off for walks and sunshine.
It's 14 days we are talking about for God's sake. It's not 14 months, or 14 weeks. For many it’s a pain. Yes, a bit of fresh air is no bad thing, but at what cost? And why does it always take an issue, mistake, or a cock up for the pin to be pulled?
Is this, as they would say in business, best practice? Is this gold standard?
Is literally asking for trouble, or running the gauntlet, really what we want from a government department that keeps insisting it knows what it's doing?
For a government with a hair trigger mentality on lockdowns, it is astonishing they keep giving us reasons to keep doubting they have the slightest clue what they're doing.]]>112falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-could-this-be-the-worst-week-for-the-government--1008235Was the tantalising prospect of a travel bubble with Australia, shattered by yet another vacuous, hyperbole filled sermon from the pulpit of bollocks and BS the biggest let down? Or was it the lie about the brightline test? Or was it the lie about the lie about the brightline test? Or was the government's insistence that Trevor Mallard is a good bloke they like to defend and the fact he's a bully isn't really an issue?
The fact all this unfolded in the one-year anniversary of level 4, just reminded us what a shambolic, disorganised, unprofessionally, ill planned for year this has been.
The upside is the bubble will come. It's close. It's late. Appallingly, economically ruinously late, but at least we'll have an actual real date soon.
I am convinced we are only here because of another lie. The one they told about Australia holding us up on reciprocation. It was busted by Scott Morrison the other week, thus sending our lot off on a mad scramble to try and save face and look like it wasn’t them all along holding us up.
That would have been bad enough, but then came the brightline and its adjustment. The next lie was laid bare, and you had to remind yourself it was only Tuesday.
Given Grant Robertson was caught on tape saying what he said, that was bad enough. But for the Prime Minister to then lie about the lie and say they stayed silent on the issue defied belief. And then Robertson tried to squirm his way out of a lie by saying it was simply being too definitive. I mean, honestly, did they workshop that bollocks without going beetroot red?
This all makes Mallard sadly less of a story than it deserves to be. Pre-Covid, we would have been aghast. Not just at Mallard obviously, but the fact his party can continue to support a bloke so lacking in morale fortitude.
He knew he'd done wrong, but doubled down on it publicly, hired lawyers at our expense, still didn't back down, only to settle having wrecked some man's reputation. And then it was exposed that you threatened him in the process, at a point where you knew you were wrong.
After all that to refuse to walk and have your party mates run defence for you, exposes not just Mallard as the morally vacuous dead weight he is, but also the Labour Party. Headed by the Prime Minister acting more like a mafia enforcer than a woman whose forged support based on the facade of kindness.
What a week. What do they say about fish rotting from the head?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22980206/mh260321-01-governmentliescomment.mp3Thu, 25 Mar 2021 22:43:24 +0000RoccoIt's hard, as we sit here at the end of a draining week, to work out what was worse. Was the tantalising prospect of a travel bubble with Australia, shattered by yet another vacuous, hyperbole filled sermon from the pulpit of bollocks and BS the...Was the tantalising prospect of a travel bubble with Australia, shattered by yet another vacuous, hyperbole filled sermon from the pulpit of bollocks and BS the biggest let down? Or was it the lie about the brightline test? Or was it the lie about the lie about the brightline test? Or was the government's insistence that Trevor Mallard is a good bloke they like to defend and the fact he's a bully isn't really an issue?
The fact all this unfolded in the one-year anniversary of level 4, just reminded us what a shambolic, disorganised, unprofessionally, ill planned for year this has been.
The upside is the bubble will come. It's close. It's late. Appallingly, economically ruinously late, but at least we'll have an actual real date soon.
I am convinced we are only here because of another lie. The one they told about Australia holding us up on reciprocation. It was busted by Scott Morrison the other week, thus sending our lot off on a mad scramble to try and save face and look like it wasn’t them all along holding us up.
That would have been bad enough, but then came the brightline and its adjustment. The next lie was laid bare, and you had to remind yourself it was only Tuesday.
Given Grant Robertson was caught on tape saying what he said, that was bad enough. But for the Prime Minister to then lie about the lie and say they stayed silent on the issue defied belief. And then Robertson tried to squirm his way out of a lie by saying it was simply being too definitive. I mean, honestly, did they workshop that bollocks without going beetroot red?
This all makes Mallard sadly less of a story than it deserves to be. Pre-Covid, we would have been aghast. Not just at Mallard obviously, but the fact his party can continue to support a bloke so lacking in morale fortitude.
He knew he'd done wrong, but doubled down on it publicly, hired lawyers at our expense, still didn't back down, only to settle having wrecked some man's reputation. And then it was exposed that you threatened him in the process, at a point where you knew you were wrong.
After all that to refuse to walk and have your party mates run defence for you, exposes not just Mallard as the morally vacuous dead weight he is, but also the Labour Party. Headed by the Prime Minister acting more like a mafia enforcer than a woman whose forged support based on the facade of kindness.
What a week. What do they say about fish rotting from the head?]]>125falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-more-broken-promises-and-lies-from-this-government--1008230The Bubble.
1/10.
"The announcement of an announcement is now so overworked and so rung out.
It's become farcical."
Perry's Berrys Stopping Growing Operations.
3/10.
"The cold hard face of a recession, a lack of desire to import labour, and address and fix problems.
The tragedy is they weren't the only ones closing this week."  
Grant Robertson's Housing Lie.
0/10.
"They weren't going to touch the brightline, until they touched the brightline.
And when they broke that promise it wasn’t a lie, it was just being too "definitive.""
The Overall Housing Package.
6/10.
"The jury is out, but there didn’t seem too many fans.
But you'd have to think the tax adjustment would see, at least, some investors bail.
And you can't criticise the $3.8 billion in lights and pipes."
Debate over Police Ten 7.
2/10.
"Dopey argument of the week.
And broadly speaking thank the good Lord seen by most of us for what it was."
Meng Foon.
2/10.
"For telling us the police are racist, which in an odd way is racist in and of itself.
Proof that being a popular Mayor doesn’t make you competent in other fields.
Finally, yesterday, he got around to apologising."
Andrew Little.
8/10.
"My political hero of the week.
He's said no more to the inevitable calls for more on Pike River.
Backbones are in rare supply these days."
One Year Since Lockdown.
6/10.
"Because it could have been a lot worse.
But for the aspirational, couldn’t it have been so much better?"
Shane Van Gisbergen.
9/10.
"Go back to last weekend race one in the Supercars.
Broken collar bone, qualified 17th, and look what he did.
There is none better."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22980218/mh260321-13-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 25 Mar 2021 22:24:10 +0000RoccoAt 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 Bubble. 1/10. "The announcement of an announcement is now so overworked and so rung out. It's become farcical." Perry's Berrys...The Bubble.
1/10.
"The announcement of an announcement is now so overworked and so rung out.
It's become farcical."
Perry's Berrys Stopping Growing Operations.
3/10.
"The cold hard face of a recession, a lack of desire to import labour, and address and fix problems.
The tragedy is they weren't the only ones closing this week."  
Grant Robertson's Housing Lie.
0/10.
"They weren't going to touch the brightline, until they touched the brightline.
And when they broke that promise it wasn’t a lie, it was just being too "definitive.""
The Overall Housing Package.
6/10.
"The jury is out, but there didn’t seem too many fans.
But you'd have to think the tax adjustment would see, at least, some investors bail.
And you can't criticise the $3.8 billion in lights and pipes."
Debate over Police Ten 7.
2/10.
"Dopey argument of the week.
And broadly speaking thank the good Lord seen by most of us for what it was."
Meng Foon.
2/10.
"For telling us the police are racist, which in an odd way is racist in and of itself.
Proof that being a popular Mayor doesn’t make you competent in other fields.
Finally, yesterday, he got around to apologising."
Andrew Little.
8/10.
"My political hero of the week.
He's said no more to the inevitable calls for more on Pike River.
Backbones are in rare supply these days."
One Year Since Lockdown.
6/10.
"Because it could have been a lot worse.
But for the aspirational, couldn’t it have been so much better?"
Shane Van Gisbergen.
9/10.
"Go back to last weekend race one in the Supercars.
Broken collar bone, qualified 17th, and look what he did.
There is none better."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>152falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-us-border-drama-shows-trump-may-have-had-a-point--1008152They’ve tossed $86 million at the problem in the last couple of days - that’s for the motel bills to house the illegal crossers.
This followed the roll out for what passes as border policy: please don’t come. That was it. Biden appealing to people not to come, don’t bring your kids, don’t sneak in.
Now there is no shortage of coverage of this after all you can’t ignore a que of thousands.
But what there isn’t is outrage or at least no coverage of it.
The republicans in places like Texas are trying their best at an “I told you so" argument. But the broader media is amazingly, or perhaps not so amazingly compliant, when it comes to what is a disaster.
Say what you want about Trump, but his wall and its mass mocking was in fact acting in the way it was supposed to.
People weren’t queuing the way they are now. And why are they flooding across? Because they now they can.
Because they know that when a President asks you not to come, that means they don’t have a plan or any means to stop it and so the mess will only get worse.
This mess was of course the mess they had four years ago under Obama.  The mess Trump at least in part addressed with his famed wall.
‘The wall’ never got completed and no what bits did get built weren’t paid for by Mexico and that was always the trouble with Trump. He had the knack of taking a seed of an idea and pimping it up to the point of absurdity, thus leaving him open to ridicule.
But what you can’t argue against is ‘the wall’ or what bits they built along with a bolstered border force actually had an effect. And the basic premise Trump sold it on - that a country must have borders or else it isn’t a country – is in fact sound.
So $86 million and counting and the lies have already started.
Nancy Pelosi says things are under control. Pictures would tell you otherwise, as would the $86 million.
It’s this delusion that gives rise to the likes of Trump and builds their support. It’s this approach that allows the opposition to form.
You would have thought the Democrats might have developed some sort of plan in the four years they spent bagging the previous president.
Barely two months in, it’s like the last four years never happened
 
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22980184/mh250321-01-borderwallcomment.mp3Thu, 25 Mar 2021 04:48:16 +0000RoccoSo what would you rather have: a wall, or the mess they’ve currently got on the border in America? They’ve tossed $86 million at the problem in the last couple of days - that’s for the motel bills to house the illegal crossers. This followed the roll...They’ve tossed $86 million at the problem in the last couple of days - that’s for the motel bills to house the illegal crossers.
This followed the roll out for what passes as border policy: please don’t come. That was it. Biden appealing to people not to come, don’t bring your kids, don’t sneak in.
Now there is no shortage of coverage of this after all you can’t ignore a que of thousands.
But what there isn’t is outrage or at least no coverage of it.
The republicans in places like Texas are trying their best at an “I told you so" argument. But the broader media is amazingly, or perhaps not so amazingly compliant, when it comes to what is a disaster.
Say what you want about Trump, but his wall and its mass mocking was in fact acting in the way it was supposed to.
People weren’t queuing the way they are now. And why are they flooding across? Because they now they can.
Because they know that when a President asks you not to come, that means they don’t have a plan or any means to stop it and so the mess will only get worse.
This mess was of course the mess they had four years ago under Obama.  The mess Trump at least in part addressed with his famed wall.
‘The wall’ never got completed and no what bits did get built weren’t paid for by Mexico and that was always the trouble with Trump. He had the knack of taking a seed of an idea and pimping it up to the point of absurdity, thus leaving him open to ridicule.
But what you can’t argue against is ‘the wall’ or what bits they built along with a bolstered border force actually had an effect. And the basic premise Trump sold it on - that a country must have borders or else it isn’t a country – is in fact sound.
So $86 million and counting and the lies have already started.
Nancy Pelosi says things are under control. Pictures would tell you otherwise, as would the $86 million.
It’s this delusion that gives rise to the likes of Trump and builds their support. It’s this approach that allows the opposition to form.
You would have thought the Democrats might have developed some sort of plan in the four years they spent bagging the previous president.
Barely two months in, it’s like the last four years never happened
 
 ]]>115falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/ryan-fox-kiwi-golfer-on-competing-in-a-covid-disrupted-european-tour--1008088NZ golf player Ryan Fox's 2020 was obviously heavily disrupted, with many European Tour events, which he is on, cancelled.
But he got back out to the world in the latter half of the year - and ended up playing in 11 events.
So how did he cope? And what does 2021 have in store?
Ryan Fox joins Mike Hosking live in studio.
WATCH ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22980172/mh250321-22-ryanfox-progolftouring.mp3Thu, 25 Mar 2021 03:10:57 +0000RoccoSo what's it like for an international sportsperson in this Covid world? NZ golf player Ryan Fox's 2020 was obviously heavily disrupted, with many European Tour events, which he is on, cancelled. But he got back out to the world in the latter half of...NZ golf player Ryan Fox's 2020 was obviously heavily disrupted, with many European Tour events, which he is on, cancelled.
But he got back out to the world in the latter half of the year - and ended up playing in 11 events.
So how did he cope? And what does 2021 have in store?
Ryan Fox joins Mike Hosking live in studio.
WATCH ABOVE]]>742falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-a-year-since-lockdown-what-have-we-learned--1008220Level 4. We'd never heard of level 4. And in the ensuing days talkback was littered with people who displayed one of the, if not the, most annoying habits of the past 12 months. The inability to use common sense and think for yourself.
Remember it? We were told to stay local, but local was a movable concept, apparently.
"I normally drive 12 kilometres for a walk, am I still local?"
We also got the email to dob people in who weren't following orders. Yes, we became a nation of narks. A trait reprised recently in the South Auckland lockdown when the Prime Minister was exposed for having overreacted to a so-called super spreader risk. She decided to blame the poor family and told us to dob in those who weren't doing as they were told.
We shared the global trait of panic shopping. Those of us deemed essential workers loved the quiet streets. But little did we know so many would never return, and this new working from home lark would become a “thing” and CBDs would be in real trouble.
We were, lest we forget, only here this day a year ago because the screaming got so loud over locking the border the government finally caved. But little did we know once they shut it, what a control exercise they would turn it into.
The MIQ system was finally set up. That was only after they thought their self-isolation, their “high trust model” would be a hit, but it wasn't. The MIQ system they set up, turned out to be the ongoing weak link. Although never proven the Americold lockdown and the Sky Chefs lockdown were border issues.
The MIQ facilities themselves, with their hopelessly lax testing, caused more issues.
Essentially in a year, a full 12 months, we've gone nowhere. We've locked the border, set up a half-baked hotel system that leaks, and that’s that. PPE and flu jabs were a shambles.
This new Ashley Bloomfield bloke we quite liked, until he turned out to be in charge of a useless department that was constantly caught out. Even a report commissioned by his government, penned by Sir Brian Roche and Heather Simpson told us just how hopeless they were.
Yes, we sort of held the virus at bay. But the word elimination became a joke. We were told a year ago the value of level 4 was we wouldn't have to yo-yo in and out of lockdown. Whoops.
Yes, we have done better than many, but not as well as Vietnam, Taiwan, or Australia. And our economy is paying a horrific price.
The one o'clock lectures have become a source of real anger, especially given they claimed they were delivered at the pulpit of truth. We still don’t have a vaccine rollout to talk much of, despite so many millions of jabs already dispensed globally.
We have lived, rested, and even got smug on our laurels. Our one trick a year ago has been worked, reworked, sold, and resold for 12 long months now. More people every day see it for what it is.
The bubble has become a farce. The catch phrases seem tired.
If shutting the door to re-group and hunker for a short period was the thinking, we did well, and better than most.
If it was supposed to buy us time for a plan, an aspirational opportunity to be grabbed to propel us into the new world more invigorated and opportunistic than ever, we have failed abysmally.
Overall, I wanted better for us. I still want better for us. We can do more and be more.
But between a combination of fear, ineptitude, arrogance, and dishonesty, the government aren't up for it, a lot of New Zealanders aren't up for it.
So, 12 months in, we are at a crossroads.
This has been a 5/10 experience at best. I pray the next 12 are way better than our last.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22980136/mh250321-14-levelfouranniversarycomment.mp3Wed, 24 Mar 2021 21:40:33 +0000RoccoIt was a year ago today we locked down. Level 4. We'd never heard of level 4. And in the ensuing days talkback was littered with people who displayed one of the, if not the, most annoying habits of the past 12 months. The inability to use common sense...Level 4. We'd never heard of level 4. And in the ensuing days talkback was littered with people who displayed one of the, if not the, most annoying habits of the past 12 months. The inability to use common sense and think for yourself.
Remember it? We were told to stay local, but local was a movable concept, apparently.
"I normally drive 12 kilometres for a walk, am I still local?"
We also got the email to dob people in who weren't following orders. Yes, we became a nation of narks. A trait reprised recently in the South Auckland lockdown when the Prime Minister was exposed for having overreacted to a so-called super spreader risk. She decided to blame the poor family and told us to dob in those who weren't doing as they were told.
We shared the global trait of panic shopping. Those of us deemed essential workers loved the quiet streets. But little did we know so many would never return, and this new working from home lark would become a “thing” and CBDs would be in real trouble.
We were, lest we forget, only here this day a year ago because the screaming got so loud over locking the border the government finally caved. But little did we know once they shut it, what a control exercise they would turn it into.
The MIQ system was finally set up. That was only after they thought their self-isolation, their “high trust model” would be a hit, but it wasn't. The MIQ system they set up, turned out to be the ongoing weak link. Although never proven the Americold lockdown and the Sky Chefs lockdown were border issues.
The MIQ facilities themselves, with their hopelessly lax testing, caused more issues.
Essentially in a year, a full 12 months, we've gone nowhere. We've locked the border, set up a half-baked hotel system that leaks, and that’s that. PPE and flu jabs were a shambles.
This new Ashley Bloomfield bloke we quite liked, until he turned out to be in charge of a useless department that was constantly caught out. Even a report commissioned by his government, penned by Sir Brian Roche and Heather Simpson told us just how hopeless they were.
Yes, we sort of held the virus at bay. But the word elimination became a joke. We were told a year ago the value of level 4 was we wouldn't have to yo-yo in and out of lockdown. Whoops.
Yes, we have done better than many, but not as well as Vietnam, Taiwan, or Australia. And our economy is paying a horrific price.
The one o'clock lectures have become a source of real anger, especially given they claimed they were delivered at the pulpit of truth. We still don’t have a vaccine rollout to talk much of, despite so many millions of jabs already dispensed globally.
We have lived, rested, and even got smug on our laurels. Our one trick a year ago has been worked, reworked, sold, and resold for 12 long months now. More people every day see it for what it is.
The bubble has become a farce. The catch phrases seem tired.
If shutting the door to re-group and hunker for a short period was the thinking, we did well, and better than most.
If it was supposed to buy us time for a plan, an aspirational opportunity to be grabbed to propel us into the new world more invigorated and opportunistic than ever, we have failed abysmally.
Overall, I wanted better for us. I still want better for us. We can do more and be more.
But between a combination of fear, ineptitude, arrogance, and dishonesty, the government aren't up for it, a lot of New Zealanders aren't up for it.
So, 12 months in, we are at a crossroads.
This has been a 5/10 experience at best. I pray the next 12 are way better than our last.]]>210falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-fluoride-the-latest-example-of-local-government-weakness--1008224The Whangārei mayor is against fluoridation of water. Is the Whangārei mayor a medical professional? Looking her up, she appears not to be.
I’m not even sure she represents the view of the people who elected her.
But that’s democracy isn’t it? We appoint or anoint people with experience and skill in little if anything and expect them to run important stuff.
What makes her fluoridation objection so ironic is the fact she’s from Northland and it is Northland that would appear to have the disproportionate amount of trouble in the social areas - one of them being dental health.
Not sure how many stories we’ve seen over the years of exasperated dentists with young kids from the area having their teeth extracted due to lack of care.
And yet when presented with an answer - not the whole solution or answer, but a very decent step in the right direction – they don’t appear to want it.
And they don’t appear to want it based on, what? What they call mass medication – very emotive term that – generally used by the anti-fluoride brigade.
Science as it stands and very clearly pointed out on this programme just last week by professor Sir Peter Gluckman, the former chief science advisor to John Key, told us the science supports fluoride when it comes to dental health.
And the simplest form of fluoride is fluoride in the water; otherwise you’re reliant on people doing it themselves. And as we have already seen when we leave it to people, the old doing it for you model doesn’t work.
You either want solutions or you don’t, and in fluoride we have a fairly easy and simple one.
And in the call to centralise decision making we have corrected an anomaly that never should have existed.
In a tiny country like this, a lot of the stuff we need is universal. We are not divergent communities with special needs, certainly not in health, in general or fluoride specifically.
Our kids will be better off because of this, so what value does a non-expert local politician add? The answer: none.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22980094/mh240321-12-fluoridecomment.mp3Wed, 24 Mar 2021 04:19:31 +0000RoccoAnother example for you this morning on the weaknesses of democracy especially at local body level. The Whangārei mayor is against fluoridation of water. Is the Whangārei mayor a medical professional? Looking her up, she appears not to be. I’m not...The Whangārei mayor is against fluoridation of water. Is the Whangārei mayor a medical professional? Looking her up, she appears not to be.
I’m not even sure she represents the view of the people who elected her.
But that’s democracy isn’t it? We appoint or anoint people with experience and skill in little if anything and expect them to run important stuff.
What makes her fluoridation objection so ironic is the fact she’s from Northland and it is Northland that would appear to have the disproportionate amount of trouble in the social areas - one of them being dental health.
Not sure how many stories we’ve seen over the years of exasperated dentists with young kids from the area having their teeth extracted due to lack of care.
And yet when presented with an answer - not the whole solution or answer, but a very decent step in the right direction – they don’t appear to want it.
And they don’t appear to want it based on, what? What they call mass medication – very emotive term that – generally used by the anti-fluoride brigade.
Science as it stands and very clearly pointed out on this programme just last week by professor Sir Peter Gluckman, the former chief science advisor to John Key, told us the science supports fluoride when it comes to dental health.
And the simplest form of fluoride is fluoride in the water; otherwise you’re reliant on people doing it themselves. And as we have already seen when we leave it to people, the old doing it for you model doesn’t work.
You either want solutions or you don’t, and in fluoride we have a fairly easy and simple one.
And in the call to centralise decision making we have corrected an anomaly that never should have existed.
In a tiny country like this, a lot of the stuff we need is universal. We are not divergent communities with special needs, certainly not in health, in general or fluoride specifically.
Our kids will be better off because of this, so what value does a non-expert local politician add? The answer: none.]]>108falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-will-the-government-s-housing-policy-work--1008153Part one, the lying. If there was anyone left who still genuinely had fallen for the most open, honest and transparent government bollocks, yesterday sorted that once and for all.
Not only did they say they wouldn't touch the bright-line test, which they did. And the Prime Minister, yet again asleep at the wheel, stood there and lied by saying they were silent on the issue when clearly, they weren't.
You can dance on the head of a pin if you want around whether a brightline adjustment is a Capital Gains Tax, which it is. But what is as clear as day is that Grant Robertson said no brightline adjustment, and they adjusted the brightline.
Most governments lie but lying this blatantly and then pretending you didn't lie, makes the lie even worse. And the lie is on about the biggest issue you can lie on, housing. One way or another it affects every single one of us.
And then part two, will it work. Well, yes and no.
The tax deductibility on expenses simply means one of two, or two of two things. One, the increased costs of being a landlord will be passed onto the tenant, rents are already rising. Or landlords will bail, rentals will become harder to get, and rents will rise.
Either way rents will rise, on top of an already rising market. This is a simple economic truth, the same way you can't touch one part of an economy without affecting another.
The development money for pipes, lights, and roads is sound. The adjustment for HomeStart is fiddling. The adjustment for low deposits isn't enough, given the deposit is the key to first home buyers, not the mortgage, given money is so cheap.
Westpac may or may not be right about the wider economy. If the investor bails, that affects the wider economy. The wider economy can't afford to be affected because it's currently going backwards. We are in a recession, actually a double dip recession.
Housing, like it or not, drives economic activity, and if Westpac are right, Robertson and his obsession around this so-called crisis, will have blown it. Of course, like GDP, the good thing about all this is, the price rises will either slow, or they won't. Therefore, showing this move either worked or it didn't.
House prices are slowing already, proving we yet again got freaked out by something that has happened before and will happen again.
If the government understood that yesterday, the dramas and dishonesty wouldn't have been required.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22980053/mh240321-01-housingannouncementcomment.mp3Tue, 23 Mar 2021 22:13:54 +0000RoccoSo, two parts to the housing announcement. Part one, the lying. If there was anyone left who still genuinely had fallen for the most open, honest and transparent government bollocks, yesterday sorted that once and for all. Not only did they say they...Part one, the lying. If there was anyone left who still genuinely had fallen for the most open, honest and transparent government bollocks, yesterday sorted that once and for all.
Not only did they say they wouldn't touch the bright-line test, which they did. And the Prime Minister, yet again asleep at the wheel, stood there and lied by saying they were silent on the issue when clearly, they weren't.
You can dance on the head of a pin if you want around whether a brightline adjustment is a Capital Gains Tax, which it is. But what is as clear as day is that Grant Robertson said no brightline adjustment, and they adjusted the brightline.
Most governments lie but lying this blatantly and then pretending you didn't lie, makes the lie even worse. And the lie is on about the biggest issue you can lie on, housing. One way or another it affects every single one of us.
And then part two, will it work. Well, yes and no.
The tax deductibility on expenses simply means one of two, or two of two things. One, the increased costs of being a landlord will be passed onto the tenant, rents are already rising. Or landlords will bail, rentals will become harder to get, and rents will rise.
Either way rents will rise, on top of an already rising market. This is a simple economic truth, the same way you can't touch one part of an economy without affecting another.
The development money for pipes, lights, and roads is sound. The adjustment for HomeStart is fiddling. The adjustment for low deposits isn't enough, given the deposit is the key to first home buyers, not the mortgage, given money is so cheap.
Westpac may or may not be right about the wider economy. If the investor bails, that affects the wider economy. The wider economy can't afford to be affected because it's currently going backwards. We are in a recession, actually a double dip recession.
Housing, like it or not, drives economic activity, and if Westpac are right, Robertson and his obsession around this so-called crisis, will have blown it. Of course, like GDP, the good thing about all this is, the price rises will either slow, or they won't. Therefore, showing this move either worked or it didn't.
House prices are slowing already, proving we yet again got freaked out by something that has happened before and will happen again.
If the government understood that yesterday, the dramas and dishonesty wouldn't have been required.]]>127falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-delaying-the-travel-bubble-is-a-control-exercise-pure-and-simple--1008234My wife spent yesterday on her show and indeed throughout the day telling me the bubble wasn’t coming.
I had got way too carried away in thinking this lot could actually make a decision about anything.
Her call – and she was right – was an announcement about an announcement.
Honestly, how they can do this with a straight face I have no idea.
So April 6 it is. That’s the date for the announcement - the announcement of the date, not the date that the bubble is opening.
If you want to stick with Kate’s predictions, she’s calling the bubble will be open by school holidays. I say that would make it too tight. If on the 6th the PM says on the 17th we are off, that’s a lot of tickets to buy and hotels to book in a very short space of time for most of us to get across the Tasman.
But maybe that’s her plan: make it so hard the local economy gets one more local burst.
Anyway, given Kate is 1-nil up on me in the guessathon, who am I to argue?
But as for Ardern and yesterday’s embarrassment – she says the bubble is hard, but is it? Or is this lot just useless and/or desperate not to see the end of control?
There is simply too much evidence now to show them up to be fundamentally dishonest. From Scott Morrison and his bewilderment, the pending Australia-Singapore deal, the numerous airports telling us they’ve been set since October, all the tourist operators pulling their hair out and going broke - none of it adds up any more.
This is a control exercise pure and simple.
We have no Covid, Australia has no Covid, and the Pacific has no Covid. The exercise of fear has to end.
But as we have said all along, still playing to the government’s partial advantage is that the fear instilled in so many is still prevalent.
Not all of us live our lives in fear, but many still do. Some still sit here being grateful no one can go anywhere.
It’s sad, it’s dangerous, it’s backward, it’s economically ruinous and it’s politically inexcusable. Even I honestly thought they couldn’t drag this nonsense out any longer.  
Yesterday I said it would be 182 days overdue, let’s make that 197.
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22980001/mh230321-01-bubbleannouncementannouncementcomment.mp3Tue, 23 Mar 2021 03:56:29 +0000RoccoMy daughter in Melbourne, until recently a massive Jacinda fan, appears well and truly over her. My wife spent yesterday on her show and indeed throughout the day telling me the bubble wasn’t coming. I had got way too carried away in thinking this lot...My wife spent yesterday on her show and indeed throughout the day telling me the bubble wasn’t coming.
I had got way too carried away in thinking this lot could actually make a decision about anything.
Her call – and she was right – was an announcement about an announcement.
Honestly, how they can do this with a straight face I have no idea.
So April 6 it is. That’s the date for the announcement - the announcement of the date, not the date that the bubble is opening.
If you want to stick with Kate’s predictions, she’s calling the bubble will be open by school holidays. I say that would make it too tight. If on the 6th the PM says on the 17th we are off, that’s a lot of tickets to buy and hotels to book in a very short space of time for most of us to get across the Tasman.
But maybe that’s her plan: make it so hard the local economy gets one more local burst.
Anyway, given Kate is 1-nil up on me in the guessathon, who am I to argue?
But as for Ardern and yesterday’s embarrassment – she says the bubble is hard, but is it? Or is this lot just useless and/or desperate not to see the end of control?
There is simply too much evidence now to show them up to be fundamentally dishonest. From Scott Morrison and his bewilderment, the pending Australia-Singapore deal, the numerous airports telling us they’ve been set since October, all the tourist operators pulling their hair out and going broke - none of it adds up any more.
This is a control exercise pure and simple.
We have no Covid, Australia has no Covid, and the Pacific has no Covid. The exercise of fear has to end.
But as we have said all along, still playing to the government’s partial advantage is that the fear instilled in so many is still prevalent.
Not all of us live our lives in fear, but many still do. Some still sit here being grateful no one can go anywhere.
It’s sad, it’s dangerous, it’s backward, it’s economically ruinous and it’s politically inexcusable. Even I honestly thought they couldn’t drag this nonsense out any longer.  
Yesterday I said it would be 182 days overdue, let’s make that 197.
 ]]>117falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-government-still-clueless-over-housing--1008160It started last year when Grant Robertson wrote to Adrian Orr and said, "Adrian these houses, man alive can you believe what's going on?"
Orr put the letter in the bin, but it did allow Robertson to tell us all that he was onto this mess and he had written to the Reserve Bank Governor. Based on the Labour Party philosophy that talking is doing, he was doing.
Then sort of nothing happened until Robertson said he would have more to say on housing. Also, Jacinda Ardern chimed in and said, quite perceptively I think, that prices can't keep going up the way they are.
Interestingly last week Stuff had a chart that showed, unfortunately for Ardern since she said prices can't keep going up the way they are, those naughty prices clearly had not listened and followed the Ardern instructions. Prices kept on going up.
So back to Robertson who had written yet another letter to Orr, this time telling him to take house prices into account when setting the Official Cash Rate. This now meant Orr had to take jobs, inflation, and housing into account. That makes him more a magician than Governor.
But also, Robertson was going to help with a big suite of real estate magic that was going to sort this mess out once and for all.
Unfortunately, I think due to lockdown or some meetings that couldn’t take place, presumably because they don't know how to use Zoom, that announcement was delayed
But today is the day. So, what to expect? Well, the Brightline, obviously. That won't make any difference. The number of investor flippers isn't high and therefore doesn’t affect the market unduly.
The main reason, of course, first timers are getting squeezed is not just because of price, but also the deposit. 20 percent is too much, but that won't get touched today. I hope I am wrong.
HomeStart numbers might get shifted a bit, allowing more people to access it.
But fundamentally, what we already know, especially those of us who have been in housing for decades and seen all this a number of times before, governments don’t shift markets. Short of Robertson personally paying your mortgage, there are no magic bullets.
So, today's great risk is, yet again, they’ve over sold this thing. In opposition, they lampooned the then government over prices, and yet look at their record after four years.
If today fundamentally changes anything, I'll eat my indoor-outdoor flow.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22979958/mh230321-13-housepricescomment.mp3Mon, 22 Mar 2021 22:02:11 +0000RoccoI assume you're fizzing as much as me, for today is let's fix the housing crisis day. It started last year when Grant Robertson wrote to Adrian Orr and said, "Adrian these houses, man alive can you believe what's going on?" Orr put the letter in the...It started last year when Grant Robertson wrote to Adrian Orr and said, "Adrian these houses, man alive can you believe what's going on?"
Orr put the letter in the bin, but it did allow Robertson to tell us all that he was onto this mess and he had written to the Reserve Bank Governor. Based on the Labour Party philosophy that talking is doing, he was doing.
Then sort of nothing happened until Robertson said he would have more to say on housing. Also, Jacinda Ardern chimed in and said, quite perceptively I think, that prices can't keep going up the way they are.
Interestingly last week Stuff had a chart that showed, unfortunately for Ardern since she said prices can't keep going up the way they are, those naughty prices clearly had not listened and followed the Ardern instructions. Prices kept on going up.
So back to Robertson who had written yet another letter to Orr, this time telling him to take house prices into account when setting the Official Cash Rate. This now meant Orr had to take jobs, inflation, and housing into account. That makes him more a magician than Governor.
But also, Robertson was going to help with a big suite of real estate magic that was going to sort this mess out once and for all.
Unfortunately, I think due to lockdown or some meetings that couldn’t take place, presumably because they don't know how to use Zoom, that announcement was delayed
But today is the day. So, what to expect? Well, the Brightline, obviously. That won't make any difference. The number of investor flippers isn't high and therefore doesn’t affect the market unduly.
The main reason, of course, first timers are getting squeezed is not just because of price, but also the deposit. 20 percent is too much, but that won't get touched today. I hope I am wrong.
HomeStart numbers might get shifted a bit, allowing more people to access it.
But fundamentally, what we already know, especially those of us who have been in housing for decades and seen all this a number of times before, governments don’t shift markets. Short of Robertson personally paying your mortgage, there are no magic bullets.
So, today's great risk is, yet again, they’ve over sold this thing. In opposition, they lampooned the then government over prices, and yet look at their record after four years.
If today fundamentally changes anything, I'll eat my indoor-outdoor flow.]]>129falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-what-s-happening-in-our-social-housing-is-the-real-issue--1008164In many respects, where social housing is doesn’t matter. It’s what happens in the social housing.
The fact you need so much social housing is the great question.
Why? If the answer is hard times through no fault of your own, you’re dealing with the traditional social welfare type issue. A hand up, not a hand out.
But why is social housing now out of control? Why is the queue at record levels and growing? Why are the houses being built nowhere near the level they need to be.
Why are we paying millions in motel bills, and more importantly, why are those motel bills so high, and are motels charging a premium to be in the social housing game?
The clue came last week in a police raid of a Wellington social house – ironically, the day after Willis spoke out.
The Police found meth and cannabis. Why was meth and cannabis at a social housing unit? Because too many people in these units aren’t in hard times because of bad luck, they are there because of their actions, their attitude, and a government’s lack of desire to hold any one to account.
The violence issue Willis talks of is not the result of poor unemployed people down on their luck. It’s the result of drug addicts, of gang members, of peddlers of illegal activity, basically being bad buggers who know they can get away with it.
The reason the rooms in motels are charged out at the rate they are because there is a premium to deal with the violence and recalcitrance that’s comes with too many of the people in involved.
Not everyone obviously, but too many.
Too many of us have now seen it with our own eyes. Too many shopping precincts are sick of it, too many retailers don’t know what to do about it.
This tragically for too many is a crime issue, not a social issue. Too many of these people are not interested in being better or working harder.
They’re in crime and thuggery and intimidation and they couldn’t care less and they have no intention of changing.
We pay the bill while the government pretends it’s not happening and looks the other way.
When do you think reality strikes, or are we so far down the socialist path now that it is never any ones fault, no one can possibly take responsibility, and the best we can do is keep shelling it the money we don’t have.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22979935/mh220321-01-socialhousingcomment.mp3Mon, 22 Mar 2021 04:28:46 +0000RoccoThe critical part that was missed last week when Nicola Willis so correctly spoke out about the safety or not of Wellington was not the bit about social housing and where it’s located. In many respects, where social housing is doesn’t matter. It’s...In many respects, where social housing is doesn’t matter. It’s what happens in the social housing.
The fact you need so much social housing is the great question.
Why? If the answer is hard times through no fault of your own, you’re dealing with the traditional social welfare type issue. A hand up, not a hand out.
But why is social housing now out of control? Why is the queue at record levels and growing? Why are the houses being built nowhere near the level they need to be.
Why are we paying millions in motel bills, and more importantly, why are those motel bills so high, and are motels charging a premium to be in the social housing game?
The clue came last week in a police raid of a Wellington social house – ironically, the day after Willis spoke out.
The Police found meth and cannabis. Why was meth and cannabis at a social housing unit? Because too many people in these units aren’t in hard times because of bad luck, they are there because of their actions, their attitude, and a government’s lack of desire to hold any one to account.
The violence issue Willis talks of is not the result of poor unemployed people down on their luck. It’s the result of drug addicts, of gang members, of peddlers of illegal activity, basically being bad buggers who know they can get away with it.
The reason the rooms in motels are charged out at the rate they are because there is a premium to deal with the violence and recalcitrance that’s comes with too many of the people in involved.
Not everyone obviously, but too many.
Too many of us have now seen it with our own eyes. Too many shopping precincts are sick of it, too many retailers don’t know what to do about it.
This tragically for too many is a crime issue, not a social issue. Too many of these people are not interested in being better or working harder.
They’re in crime and thuggery and intimidation and they couldn’t care less and they have no intention of changing.
We pay the bill while the government pretends it’s not happening and looks the other way.
When do you think reality strikes, or are we so far down the socialist path now that it is never any ones fault, no one can possibly take responsibility, and the best we can do is keep shelling it the money we don’t have.]]>117falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-government-bowing-to-travel-bubble-pressure--1008258Last Wednesday I predicted that the pressure for a bubble reciprocation was so great they were about to fold. I said by the end of the last week, or this week, we would finally get what so many had been calling for, for so long.
At that point I knew nothing, but this lot are easy to predict. By Friday it seemed inevitable. There were enough comments, enough leaks, and too few rejections. The build-up was on.
So, what you get with this government is pushback, BS, spin, and hot air as to why they won't be doing whatever it is they're not doing.
But the pressure gets too great. In this case it was Scott Morrison busting their lie, airports lining up saying they had been ready since October, a region like Central Otago crying out in pain, and a general sense from the rest of us this was stupid. At that point a momentum starts, and the government looks like they're buckling.
Thursday nailed it with the GDP, which was a disaster. So, they need a distraction, and today that distraction will be unveiled.
When it's announced, please don’t forget this. This isn't the thrill it will be painted out to be, we are not lucky to be in this position, this isn't a world first, we are not charting new territory, rewriting history, or any of the other crap the Prime Minster will ladle on for the first 15 minutes of spin from the pulpit of truth.
They didn’t move any mountains, they didn’t shift Australia three inches closer to us, and they didn’t invent planes. It was never that hard, all they have done is get dragged kicking and screaming to a line they should have been at in the middle of last year.
You have never seen a government less interested in making decisions, getting on with it, and being positive.
Stuart Nash last Wednesday warned us all that this is not the silver bullet. Australians come here, but we go there. Almost as though he'd forgotten what two-way travel is. Hipkins got rolled out to tell us if we get stranded, it's on us not the government. Almost as though none of us have ever had a holiday in a foreign land and not rung him for help.
Ardern gave us the big lecture about the risk of outbreaks, closed borders, and locusts in Western Australia.
The subtext of all that is, this simply is a government that hates losing control. They see the end is in sight and they're crapping themselves. Their golden goose, the Covid freak you out show is coming to a conclusion.
So, remember that today, this is nothing more than we should have had last year. It's nothing that Australia didn’t offer up last year. It's nothing the airlines and the airports weren't ready for last year.
The only hold up and hold out has been the control freaks with the keys to freedom. They've looked for every excuse to do nothing, but at least they've folded.
Yes, today will be a great day because it’s a day towards a return to normality and economic growth. But it's at best, about 182 days late.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22979898/mh220321-14-travelbubblecomment.mp3Sun, 21 Mar 2021 21:55:12 +0000RoccoHere's a quick 101 on how to read this government. Last Wednesday I predicted that the pressure for a bubble reciprocation was so great they were about to fold. I said by the end of the last week, or this week, we would finally get what so many had...Last Wednesday I predicted that the pressure for a bubble reciprocation was so great they were about to fold. I said by the end of the last week, or this week, we would finally get what so many had been calling for, for so long.
At that point I knew nothing, but this lot are easy to predict. By Friday it seemed inevitable. There were enough comments, enough leaks, and too few rejections. The build-up was on.
So, what you get with this government is pushback, BS, spin, and hot air as to why they won't be doing whatever it is they're not doing.
But the pressure gets too great. In this case it was Scott Morrison busting their lie, airports lining up saying they had been ready since October, a region like Central Otago crying out in pain, and a general sense from the rest of us this was stupid. At that point a momentum starts, and the government looks like they're buckling.
Thursday nailed it with the GDP, which was a disaster. So, they need a distraction, and today that distraction will be unveiled.
When it's announced, please don’t forget this. This isn't the thrill it will be painted out to be, we are not lucky to be in this position, this isn't a world first, we are not charting new territory, rewriting history, or any of the other crap the Prime Minster will ladle on for the first 15 minutes of spin from the pulpit of truth.
They didn’t move any mountains, they didn’t shift Australia three inches closer to us, and they didn’t invent planes. It was never that hard, all they have done is get dragged kicking and screaming to a line they should have been at in the middle of last year.
You have never seen a government less interested in making decisions, getting on with it, and being positive.
Stuart Nash last Wednesday warned us all that this is not the silver bullet. Australians come here, but we go there. Almost as though he'd forgotten what two-way travel is. Hipkins got rolled out to tell us if we get stranded, it's on us not the government. Almost as though none of us have ever had a holiday in a foreign land and not rung him for help.
Ardern gave us the big lecture about the risk of outbreaks, closed borders, and locusts in Western Australia.
The subtext of all that is, this simply is a government that hates losing control. They see the end is in sight and they're crapping themselves. Their golden goose, the Covid freak you out show is coming to a conclusion.
So, remember that today, this is nothing more than we should have had last year. It's nothing that Australia didn’t offer up last year. It's nothing the airlines and the airports weren't ready for last year.
The only hold up and hold out has been the control freaks with the keys to freedom. They've looked for every excuse to do nothing, but at least they've folded.
Yes, today will be a great day because it’s a day towards a return to normality and economic growth. But it's at best, about 182 days late.]]>159falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-america-s-cup-showcases-the-best-of-our-country--1008236The America's Cup.
9/10.
"Yet again a spectacle, yet again a victory, yet again New Zealand on the map to the world.
Not just for sport, but for the tech, design, imagination, and determination."
The Trans-Tasman Bubble.
6/10.
"Only because it's finally coming.
Not for the palaver we've seen leading up to it."
Nicola Willis.
7/10.
"Spoke for many when she talked of Wellington and safety. It's more than women being unsafe and it's more than Wellington.
The pressure needs to be put on to do something about it."
GDP Number.
2/10.
"Not only was it bad, it was worse than anyone saw coming.
The government are being shockingly exposed for their economic management, or lack of it."
Treasury Advice over Ihumatao Deal.
1/10.
"It was a scam, it was a work around, it was money from houses for a political cock up of the Prime Minister's making.
And with significant Treaty implications despite what they will try and spin."
Queenstown.
8/10.
"I'd like to think most of us support them, like them, want them to do well, and the stories this week of hate came from the same usual handful of losers."
Bottomless Brunches.
3/10.
"Call me old fashioned but wanting to get pissed before lunch is low rent."
The Warriors.
8/10.
"One from one, you cannot get a better start. Every try had a conversion and we beat a side that was backed as being good.
This is our year.
Zoi Sadowski Synnott.
8/10.
"A stunning week at the Snowboard World Championships and a reminder that not all great sport has grass or water."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22979749/mh190321-13-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 18 Mar 2021 23:23:37 +0000RoccoAt 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 America's Cup. 9/10. "Yet again a spectacle, yet again a victory, yet again New Zealand on the map to the world. Not just for...The America's Cup.
9/10.
"Yet again a spectacle, yet again a victory, yet again New Zealand on the map to the world.
Not just for sport, but for the tech, design, imagination, and determination."
The Trans-Tasman Bubble.
6/10.
"Only because it's finally coming.
Not for the palaver we've seen leading up to it."
Nicola Willis.
7/10.
"Spoke for many when she talked of Wellington and safety. It's more than women being unsafe and it's more than Wellington.
The pressure needs to be put on to do something about it."
GDP Number.
2/10.
"Not only was it bad, it was worse than anyone saw coming.
The government are being shockingly exposed for their economic management, or lack of it."
Treasury Advice over Ihumatao Deal.
1/10.
"It was a scam, it was a work around, it was money from houses for a political cock up of the Prime Minister's making.
And with significant Treaty implications despite what they will try and spin."
Queenstown.
8/10.
"I'd like to think most of us support them, like them, want them to do well, and the stories this week of hate came from the same usual handful of losers."
Bottomless Brunches.
3/10.
"Call me old fashioned but wanting to get pissed before lunch is low rent."
The Warriors.
8/10.
"One from one, you cannot get a better start. Every try had a conversion and we beat a side that was backed as being good.
This is our year.
Zoi Sadowski Synnott.
8/10.
"A stunning week at the Snowboard World Championships and a reminder that not all great sport has grass or water."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>147falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-gdp-figures-show-how-much-trouble-we-re-in--1008260This government responds to pressure. And the pressure now has become embarrassing. It's come from Scott Morrison, to the airports, to business, to National and their petition,  all of whom are either perplexed or over waiting for this thing to be real.
This government also hates bad press. A GDP at minus 1 percent for the December quarter is not only worse than all the forecasters predicted, it's an economic disaster. A bubble is a solid way to get some positive headlines and tackle a seriously damaged economy.
The beauty of the GDP is you can't argue with it. This is government's economic report card. The health side of Covid is, at least, partly emotive. What might have happened, the ICUs that could have been flooded, the deaths that may have unfolded. This is what they have played on, and now sadly for all of us it's coming home to roost in the bottom line.
Australia, dare we compare, for we must, because they are our closest friends, competitors, and allies, got a GDP figure for the same period of plus 3.1 percent. It's a startling and embarrassing gap, actually gulf would be more accurate.
But closing your economy down less, by not letting fear overwhelm you, they struck a better balance. By taking the singular approach ideological approach we did, obsessing about handfuls of cases, we panicked, and this is the price you pay.
Here's what's worse, a lot of us have been saying this for a year. This was entirely predictable, and it never had to be this way or this bad.
The spin you hear from this government about us being the best, wasn’t, and now is proven simply not to be true.
The end of last year, which included Christmas, was bad. And take the first quarter of this year, which we are just concluding, the quarter with the lockdowns in the biggest city. So, as sure as night follows day, this quarter will be as bad, if not worse than the one we've just got.
And that is a recession.
Westpac were forecasting a recession out of quarters one and two this year. We haven't even got to two yet. The hope, the upside, is one can but pray that reality smacks the government in the face, they finally realise the damage they're doing and address it.
The bubble would be a decent first step, cynical political move, or not.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22979736/mh190321-01-gdpcomment.mp3Thu, 18 Mar 2021 21:23:38 +0000RoccoWell, if you thought there might be a bit of doubt around the bubble, that got put to bed with the GDP figure. This government responds to pressure. And the pressure now has become embarrassing. It's come from Scott Morrison, to the airports, to...This government responds to pressure. And the pressure now has become embarrassing. It's come from Scott Morrison, to the airports, to business, to National and their petition,  all of whom are either perplexed or over waiting for this thing to be real.
This government also hates bad press. A GDP at minus 1 percent for the December quarter is not only worse than all the forecasters predicted, it's an economic disaster. A bubble is a solid way to get some positive headlines and tackle a seriously damaged economy.
The beauty of the GDP is you can't argue with it. This is government's economic report card. The health side of Covid is, at least, partly emotive. What might have happened, the ICUs that could have been flooded, the deaths that may have unfolded. This is what they have played on, and now sadly for all of us it's coming home to roost in the bottom line.
Australia, dare we compare, for we must, because they are our closest friends, competitors, and allies, got a GDP figure for the same period of plus 3.1 percent. It's a startling and embarrassing gap, actually gulf would be more accurate.
But closing your economy down less, by not letting fear overwhelm you, they struck a better balance. By taking the singular approach ideological approach we did, obsessing about handfuls of cases, we panicked, and this is the price you pay.
Here's what's worse, a lot of us have been saying this for a year. This was entirely predictable, and it never had to be this way or this bad.
The spin you hear from this government about us being the best, wasn’t, and now is proven simply not to be true.
The end of last year, which included Christmas, was bad. And take the first quarter of this year, which we are just concluding, the quarter with the lockdowns in the biggest city. So, as sure as night follows day, this quarter will be as bad, if not worse than the one we've just got.
And that is a recession.
Westpac were forecasting a recession out of quarters one and two this year. We haven't even got to two yet. The hope, the upside, is one can but pray that reality smacks the government in the face, they finally realise the damage they're doing and address it.
The bubble would be a decent first step, cynical political move, or not.]]>121falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-govt-s-incompetence-wrecking-ball-not-creative-destruction-ruining-businesses--1008261Conway, speaking to the NZ Herald, used an economist’s term: creative destruction. While you’re there look up the story of the brewery owner on the West Coast who has to sell after his quote-unquote “year of hell” due to the closed borders.
And in the two stories is the collision of theory vs reality.
Conway is right on several fronts: it’s always darkest before the dawn. And this country is in real trouble right now and too many don’t see it yet because of the Ardern fawning that’s gone on due to the singular trick that was pulled off a year back of locking the country up.
By the time they did that and then instilled enough fear in enough people, some tragically genuinely believed the fact they weren’t dead is the entire prize they needed.
The fact that tens of thousands were having their lives tipped upside down was secondary to the fear ridden pedalling the mantra that lives were saved.
The cost of the health obsession is now being played out economically, and this crunch time that Conway talks of will be seen in the GDP figures in at least two quarters to come.
We are stuck; we are treading water at best, slowly sinking more likely. It’s quite possibly a recession.
But - big but - the creative destruction Conway talks of is not shabby businesses that never really should have existed, it’s not fringe traders barely getting by.
Its guys like the brewery owner that - here’s the key - through no fault of their own got destroyed. Borders aren’t their fault; their predicament has been foisted upon them.
These weren’t all touch and go operations; these were viable successful growing businesses with bright futures. There is never any good reason to see good businesses go down.
There is nothing creative about their destruction in this case, especially as time goes on and things like bubbles don’t get under way, and we are still yo-yoing in and out of lockdown having not changed our Covid procedures one jot.
You could argue it political mismanagement; it’s an incompetence wrecking ball that’s doing them in.
The grit of structural change, as Conway puts it, is way worse because of the people who made the decisions were not being up for it, and as a result, some poor bloke on the West Coast is done for and he is part of a very long and growing line. ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22979707/mh180321-01-covidrecoverycomment.mp3Thu, 18 Mar 2021 04:11:56 +0000RoccoPaul Conway, the BNZ’s new chief economist, he reminds me of the Australian Reserve Bank’s deputy governor a number of years back who famously said, upon the country entering a recession, that recessions can be good because it shakes out the shonky...Conway, speaking to the NZ Herald, used an economist’s term: creative destruction. While you’re there look up the story of the brewery owner on the West Coast who has to sell after his quote-unquote “year of hell” due to the closed borders.
And in the two stories is the collision of theory vs reality.
Conway is right on several fronts: it’s always darkest before the dawn. And this country is in real trouble right now and too many don’t see it yet because of the Ardern fawning that’s gone on due to the singular trick that was pulled off a year back of locking the country up.
By the time they did that and then instilled enough fear in enough people, some tragically genuinely believed the fact they weren’t dead is the entire prize they needed.
The fact that tens of thousands were having their lives tipped upside down was secondary to the fear ridden pedalling the mantra that lives were saved.
The cost of the health obsession is now being played out economically, and this crunch time that Conway talks of will be seen in the GDP figures in at least two quarters to come.
We are stuck; we are treading water at best, slowly sinking more likely. It’s quite possibly a recession.
But - big but - the creative destruction Conway talks of is not shabby businesses that never really should have existed, it’s not fringe traders barely getting by.
Its guys like the brewery owner that - here’s the key - through no fault of their own got destroyed. Borders aren’t their fault; their predicament has been foisted upon them.
These weren’t all touch and go operations; these were viable successful growing businesses with bright futures. There is never any good reason to see good businesses go down.
There is nothing creative about their destruction in this case, especially as time goes on and things like bubbles don’t get under way, and we are still yo-yoing in and out of lockdown having not changed our Covid procedures one jot.
You could argue it political mismanagement; it’s an incompetence wrecking ball that’s doing them in.
The grit of structural change, as Conway puts it, is way worse because of the people who made the decisions were not being up for it, and as a result, some poor bloke on the West Coast is done for and he is part of a very long and growing line. ]]>139falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-america-s-cup-glory-showcases-best-of-new-zealand--1008168Yes, it’s a contest, a competition, and someone wins.
But what made the America's Cup such a gripping prospect for me all those years ago in Fremantle, when I first got gripped, was the big picture.
I'm not a yachtie, I'm not even a big fan of the water, but what the America's Cup has always been about, especially for a country like ours, is what we can do with it, how we leverage it, and what we make of it.
Through all the dramas, tantrums, and egos over the years ultimately, it's about technology. It's about aspiration. It's about dreaming. It's about wanting to be bigger and the best. The fact it's got yachts involved is secondary to the real story.
Auckland and its viaduct were packed yesterday as it has been a number of times over the years. And it looks the way it does because of the America's Cup. A city's waterfront was transformed because of the dream.
The industry that’s grown as a result of it. Our heritage and passion for the water has made this country billions in design and technology and super yacht refits.
Every single day, bar one, in this regatta the sky was blue. And the pictures sent to the world were greater than any marketing campaign Tourism New Zealand ever came up with. This country, visually, is a showstopper.  
We're the little guy battling the super heavyweights. INEOS Team UK, look them up, study who they are, look at their size. They had Mercedes on board, and they had Airbus on board. Luna Rossa had Pirelli. Say whatever you like about Italy, but the industrial capacity of the Italians is never to be underestimated.
We face and beat industrial giants with pocketbooks we can only dream off. We did it this time, and we've done it before. We e have changed the face of the sport. We have made boats fly. We have made foiling the norm, and the future.
Every time this happens, I hope that just a few more of the doubters finally get it. How many wins and success before the doubters close up shop and go home convinced?
Another great day for Team New Zealand, another great day for this country, another reminder that in an age and time of hardship, uncertainty, and some angst, great minds, big dreams, and ambition when executed well beat everything.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22979654/mh180321-14-americascupcomment.mp3Wed, 17 Mar 2021 21:38:09 +0000RoccoThere are so many facets to the Team New Zealand's America's Cup success. Yes, it’s a contest, a competition, and someone wins. But what made the America's Cup such a gripping prospect for me all those years ago in Fremantle, when I first got gripped,...Yes, it’s a contest, a competition, and someone wins.
But what made the America's Cup such a gripping prospect for me all those years ago in Fremantle, when I first got gripped, was the big picture.
I'm not a yachtie, I'm not even a big fan of the water, but what the America's Cup has always been about, especially for a country like ours, is what we can do with it, how we leverage it, and what we make of it.
Through all the dramas, tantrums, and egos over the years ultimately, it's about technology. It's about aspiration. It's about dreaming. It's about wanting to be bigger and the best. The fact it's got yachts involved is secondary to the real story.
Auckland and its viaduct were packed yesterday as it has been a number of times over the years. And it looks the way it does because of the America's Cup. A city's waterfront was transformed because of the dream.
The industry that’s grown as a result of it. Our heritage and passion for the water has made this country billions in design and technology and super yacht refits.
Every single day, bar one, in this regatta the sky was blue. And the pictures sent to the world were greater than any marketing campaign Tourism New Zealand ever came up with. This country, visually, is a showstopper.  
We're the little guy battling the super heavyweights. INEOS Team UK, look them up, study who they are, look at their size. They had Mercedes on board, and they had Airbus on board. Luna Rossa had Pirelli. Say whatever you like about Italy, but the industrial capacity of the Italians is never to be underestimated.
We face and beat industrial giants with pocketbooks we can only dream off. We did it this time, and we've done it before. We e have changed the face of the sport. We have made boats fly. We have made foiling the norm, and the future.
Every time this happens, I hope that just a few more of the doubters finally get it. How many wins and success before the doubters close up shop and go home convinced?
Another great day for Team New Zealand, another great day for this country, another reminder that in an age and time of hardship, uncertainty, and some angst, great minds, big dreams, and ambition when executed well beat everything.]]>132falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-issues-other-than-covid-will-start-to-haunt-the-government--1008025I mean it was a surprise to her, given no one told her, but the fact no one told her is the clue. Once Covid-19 fades from its omnipresence in our lives that is when it gets really interesting.
Nanaia Mahuta was told weeks ago, so why didn’t she tell anyone else? Because she has no political radar.
The no surprises policy is a good policy because when enacted properly it saves the Prime Minister looking hopelessly out of touch. The fact Mahuta didn’t say anything is an example of this government's performance.
Before Covid, and doesn’t that seem a long time ago, this government was famous for being largely useless. The economy ending 2019 and into 2020 was grinding to a halt, the year of delivery had turned into a joke for the ages, and generally they were heading into election year in trouble.
Covid saved them the way it's saved, or helped, many a government and politician all over the world in the past 12 months, who happen to have had a vote scheduled in the middle of a pandemic.
But Covid should be largely done by the end of this year as the sole focus of our attention. That means governments can be judged on their multi-faceted merits and this is where our one is in serious trouble. 
The poll this week is a snapshot of why they are still safe, and whether Mahuta is hopeless or not isn't really a story, or whether they ignored Treasury advice on Ihumatao isn't really the scandal it might otherwise be.
33 percent didn’t know or wouldn’t answer on their preferred Prime Minister. That's actually higher than National's support.
Don't know or won't answer are, in fact, the opposition. It is the way of the year after election, a decent chunk of voters aren't engaged enough to care and a government can use that to their advantage.
But not for too long. By the middle of next year, the focus is back, the attention is peaked, and decisions are starting to be formed.
If you take out Covid, this lot are unchanged. With the exception of the Prime Minister whose halo, as the poll shows, is already in serious trouble. Decent Prime Ministers ride in the polls at well into the 50s and 60s. Having already dropped 15 points into the 40s, that's a red flag, and people are onto her.
They’ll be onto the rest of them soon enough, unless they get their act together. Unlike last time, there is no coalition. They make up all the government, there is no one to blame but them.
Mahuta and her lack of radar is but one of a large selection of problematic operators that will eventually haunt them.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22979577/mh170321-14-underagedeporteecomment.mp3Tue, 16 Mar 2021 21:24:43 +0000RoccoSo, the 15-year-old deported from Australia wasn't quite the surprise the Prime Minister made it out to be. I mean it was a surprise to her, given no one told her, but the fact no one told her is the clue. Once Covid-19 fades from its omnipresence in...I mean it was a surprise to her, given no one told her, but the fact no one told her is the clue. Once Covid-19 fades from its omnipresence in our lives that is when it gets really interesting.
Nanaia Mahuta was told weeks ago, so why didn’t she tell anyone else? Because she has no political radar.
The no surprises policy is a good policy because when enacted properly it saves the Prime Minister looking hopelessly out of touch. The fact Mahuta didn’t say anything is an example of this government's performance.
Before Covid, and doesn’t that seem a long time ago, this government was famous for being largely useless. The economy ending 2019 and into 2020 was grinding to a halt, the year of delivery had turned into a joke for the ages, and generally they were heading into election year in trouble.
Covid saved them the way it's saved, or helped, many a government and politician all over the world in the past 12 months, who happen to have had a vote scheduled in the middle of a pandemic.
But Covid should be largely done by the end of this year as the sole focus of our attention. That means governments can be judged on their multi-faceted merits and this is where our one is in serious trouble. 
The poll this week is a snapshot of why they are still safe, and whether Mahuta is hopeless or not isn't really a story, or whether they ignored Treasury advice on Ihumatao isn't really the scandal it might otherwise be.
33 percent didn’t know or wouldn’t answer on their preferred Prime Minister. That's actually higher than National's support.
Don't know or won't answer are, in fact, the opposition. It is the way of the year after election, a decent chunk of voters aren't engaged enough to care and a government can use that to their advantage.
But not for too long. By the middle of next year, the focus is back, the attention is peaked, and decisions are starting to be formed.
If you take out Covid, this lot are unchanged. With the exception of the Prime Minister whose halo, as the poll shows, is already in serious trouble. Decent Prime Ministers ride in the polls at well into the 50s and 60s. Having already dropped 15 points into the 40s, that's a red flag, and people are onto her.
They’ll be onto the rest of them soon enough, unless they get their act together. Unlike last time, there is no coalition. They make up all the government, there is no one to blame but them.
Mahuta and her lack of radar is but one of a large selection of problematic operators that will eventually haunt them.  ]]>135falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-it-s-time-we-merge-our-local-councils--1008244He’s the former mayor of Tauranga. Having moved back to the region, he won the election only to find small town New Zealand at times, especially at council level, can be introspective and spiteful. He ended up quitting and such was the mess around the chamber, commissioners have been put in.
Looking on from the side-lines but still clearly passionate about his region, he  has made the appeal for those commissioners to consider merging local councils so they can then actually get on with running the place.
In the Powell plea is the plight of local body politics: we are hopelessly over governed.
Think about the Western Bay of Plenty: it’s not big, it’s a small region in a small country, and yet it has three councils. Tauranga City, Western Bay District, and Bay of Plenty Regional.
There are only 300,000 people in the whole region, 130,000 in Tauranga, which means two councils cover the other 170,000.
There are over 70 councils for the whole country. Numerically it’s absurd and goes along long way to explaining why so many communities have so many problems: you’ve stretched the talent pool to ridiculous proportions, you’ve got hobbyists running the place.
My great hope is that the commissioners do a sensational job and show that expertise actually beats democracy.
The trick to progress is realising what doesn’t work. Democracy is a wonderful thing, especially when you don’t have it, but like most things you can have too much, and that’s our plight.
Having a say is good in theory but the cold hard truth is it depends who is having that say.
We don’t run own lives on democratic principles. We don’t raise our kids that way. We hire experts for tax and building and legals and fixing our cars and educating ourselves and patching ourselves up medically - and yet we hand over our country and cities to whoever puts their hand up.
Run the list, north to south, east to west, towns and cities all over this country are buggered because of do-gooders out of their depth. Auckland to Invercargill, Wellington to Christchurch: acrimony, delays, cost blowouts, and stagnation.
Tenby is right: Merge, merge, and merge some more, and get some adults in charge.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22979542/mh160321-14-taurangacomment.mp3Tue, 16 Mar 2021 04:46:30 +0000RoccoTenby Powell is keeping up the good fight. He’s the former mayor of Tauranga. Having moved back to the region, he won the election only to find small town New Zealand at times, especially at council level, can be introspective and spiteful. He ended...He’s the former mayor of Tauranga. Having moved back to the region, he won the election only to find small town New Zealand at times, especially at council level, can be introspective and spiteful. He ended up quitting and such was the mess around the chamber, commissioners have been put in.
Looking on from the side-lines but still clearly passionate about his region, he  has made the appeal for those commissioners to consider merging local councils so they can then actually get on with running the place.
In the Powell plea is the plight of local body politics: we are hopelessly over governed.
Think about the Western Bay of Plenty: it’s not big, it’s a small region in a small country, and yet it has three councils. Tauranga City, Western Bay District, and Bay of Plenty Regional.
There are only 300,000 people in the whole region, 130,000 in Tauranga, which means two councils cover the other 170,000.
There are over 70 councils for the whole country. Numerically it’s absurd and goes along long way to explaining why so many communities have so many problems: you’ve stretched the talent pool to ridiculous proportions, you’ve got hobbyists running the place.
My great hope is that the commissioners do a sensational job and show that expertise actually beats democracy.
The trick to progress is realising what doesn’t work. Democracy is a wonderful thing, especially when you don’t have it, but like most things you can have too much, and that’s our plight.
Having a say is good in theory but the cold hard truth is it depends who is having that say.
We don’t run own lives on democratic principles. We don’t raise our kids that way. We hire experts for tax and building and legals and fixing our cars and educating ourselves and patching ourselves up medically - and yet we hand over our country and cities to whoever puts their hand up.
Run the list, north to south, east to west, towns and cities all over this country are buggered because of do-gooders out of their depth. Auckland to Invercargill, Wellington to Christchurch: acrimony, delays, cost blowouts, and stagnation.
Tenby is right: Merge, merge, and merge some more, and get some adults in charge.]]>116falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-the-world-is-moving-on-and-we-re-at-risk-of-being-left-behind--1008266Qantas has started their digital app travel passport trial, and British Airways is calling for unfettered travel for vaccinated punters.
President Joe Biden has every adult offered a jab by May and life back to close to normal by July, Britain is well into their vaccination campaign, and everyone from Spain, Greece, to Portugal are falling over themselves to open the borders to vaccinated travellers.
Australia is looking to open a bubble with Singapore in July, and we haven't even got to the Chinese, the Israelis, or anyone else advancing down the path to normality.
All of those preclude us from taking part. July is when we think we still start our vaccine programme for the bulk of the population. July. And that doesn’t take into account delays in supply, and delays in rollout.
The argument has been, we don’t have Covid, so we didn’t need to hurry. Will they still be able to roll that argument out in September when Brits are back from their summer holidays and none of them came here? Or the Americans or the Australians?
The moment people can travel, they will. This is the critical bit for this country and its recovery, we need them here.
This is what we did as a country before we locked the place up. We grow stuff to feed people and invite people to stay and spend money. The latter and lack of it is now crippling us. And it's crippling specific areas like Central Otago, and it's crippling our balance sheet.
The GDP figures out this week will confirm what a miserable quarter the last part of last year was, and this year so far won't be any better. Most likely it will be worse, and it will be worse because of what Andrew Kelleher has quite rightly called the "lost summer of tourism."
Guess what? There are most lost seasons coming. At some point being locked away will dawn people as dangerous.
It's already dawned on the events industry, the tourist industry, and the business industry as they opened, then shut, then opened, then shut, or shut permanently or mothballed.
The calls for clarity on a timeline have resulted in nothing. But we have done it against a world struggling, and we've been able to feel proud if not a little bit smug.
But that’s ending, and it's ending in front of our eyes. Too many people all over the world are a combination of desperate and aspirational, and they're moving forward and on, whether we are with them or not.
Is it honestly still the best response? Especially when the bubbles are up, the planes are flying, the holidays are being had, the jabs are in arms, and we in May, June, and July and August are still waiting.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22979499/mh160321-01-vaccinerolloutcomment.mp3Mon, 15 Mar 2021 21:59:25 +0000RoccoSurely, even most conservative can see what the world is going to be doing in a few short months. Qantas has started their digital app travel passport trial, and British Airways is calling for unfettered travel for vaccinated punters. President Joe...Qantas has started their digital app travel passport trial, and British Airways is calling for unfettered travel for vaccinated punters.
President Joe Biden has every adult offered a jab by May and life back to close to normal by July, Britain is well into their vaccination campaign, and everyone from Spain, Greece, to Portugal are falling over themselves to open the borders to vaccinated travellers.
Australia is looking to open a bubble with Singapore in July, and we haven't even got to the Chinese, the Israelis, or anyone else advancing down the path to normality.
All of those preclude us from taking part. July is when we think we still start our vaccine programme for the bulk of the population. July. And that doesn’t take into account delays in supply, and delays in rollout.
The argument has been, we don’t have Covid, so we didn’t need to hurry. Will they still be able to roll that argument out in September when Brits are back from their summer holidays and none of them came here? Or the Americans or the Australians?
The moment people can travel, they will. This is the critical bit for this country and its recovery, we need them here.
This is what we did as a country before we locked the place up. We grow stuff to feed people and invite people to stay and spend money. The latter and lack of it is now crippling us. And it's crippling specific areas like Central Otago, and it's crippling our balance sheet.
The GDP figures out this week will confirm what a miserable quarter the last part of last year was, and this year so far won't be any better. Most likely it will be worse, and it will be worse because of what Andrew Kelleher has quite rightly called the "lost summer of tourism."
Guess what? There are most lost seasons coming. At some point being locked away will dawn people as dangerous.
It's already dawned on the events industry, the tourist industry, and the business industry as they opened, then shut, then opened, then shut, or shut permanently or mothballed.
The calls for clarity on a timeline have resulted in nothing. But we have done it against a world struggling, and we've been able to feel proud if not a little bit smug.
But that’s ending, and it's ending in front of our eyes. Too many people all over the world are a combination of desperate and aspirational, and they're moving forward and on, whether we are with them or not.
Is it honestly still the best response? Especially when the bubbles are up, the planes are flying, the holidays are being had, the jabs are in arms, and we in May, June, and July and August are still waiting.]]>135falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-this-weekend-has-shown-what-a-joy-sport-can-be--1008107Sport over the weekend once again reminded us of its value and place in our lives.
Not everyone is as obsessed with the Warriors as I am, but most of us have our passions.
That flotilla on the water, for example. Think about the pictures going out to the world: Thousands on the New Zealand waters, blues skies; you can’t buy that sort of publicity and branding.
Extraordinary technology, a contest for the ages, and yet again need I say it, but when the America’s Cup actually starts, all the misery and woe from the bitter and twisteds who call it a millionaires folly fade away and are replaced by the vast majority of us who see this for what it is.
A show case of sport, of technology, of perseverance, of dreams and aspirations.
In other sports, the Crusaders did what the Crusaders do, and whether you support them or not, Super Rugby is still to my eye as exciting as it was last year: every contest is a headliner given the quality and depth available to us in this country.
But back to the Warriors. Their sacrifice yet again cannot be overstated.
If we had a government of aspiration, there would be a two-way bubble – just ask Scott Morrison.
But we don’t, and they’re stuck there, which makes what they’re doing even more admirable and remarkable.
The Titans had a good chunk of the ball but didn’t do enough with it. When we got it, we looked sharp, we looked fit and fast, and we looked like the winners we turned out to be.
The recruits looked like good buys and repaid the faith. Three tries, three conversions, a drop goal on full time, some new rules that may or may not help the game.
But a win - you can’t start a season any better than being 1 and zip.
Sport, it’s amazing. Yachting, rugby, golf, league, motor racing, pick your favourite, but what a joy a weekend and sport is.
As for the Warriors? This is our year.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22979483/mh150321-01-weekendofsportcomment.mp3Mon, 15 Mar 2021 05:42:07 +0000RoccoWe start as we mean to go on – 1-nil, 19-6 – Warriors, this is our year! Sport over the weekend once again reminded us of its value and place in our lives. Not everyone is as obsessed with the Warriors as I am, but most of us have our passions. That...Sport over the weekend once again reminded us of its value and place in our lives.
Not everyone is as obsessed with the Warriors as I am, but most of us have our passions.
That flotilla on the water, for example. Think about the pictures going out to the world: Thousands on the New Zealand waters, blues skies; you can’t buy that sort of publicity and branding.
Extraordinary technology, a contest for the ages, and yet again need I say it, but when the America’s Cup actually starts, all the misery and woe from the bitter and twisteds who call it a millionaires folly fade away and are replaced by the vast majority of us who see this for what it is.
A show case of sport, of technology, of perseverance, of dreams and aspirations.
In other sports, the Crusaders did what the Crusaders do, and whether you support them or not, Super Rugby is still to my eye as exciting as it was last year: every contest is a headliner given the quality and depth available to us in this country.
But back to the Warriors. Their sacrifice yet again cannot be overstated.
If we had a government of aspiration, there would be a two-way bubble – just ask Scott Morrison.
But we don’t, and they’re stuck there, which makes what they’re doing even more admirable and remarkable.
The Titans had a good chunk of the ball but didn’t do enough with it. When we got it, we looked sharp, we looked fit and fast, and we looked like the winners we turned out to be.
The recruits looked like good buys and repaid the faith. Three tries, three conversions, a drop goal on full time, some new rules that may or may not help the game.
But a win - you can’t start a season any better than being 1 and zip.
Sport, it’s amazing. Yachting, rugby, golf, league, motor racing, pick your favourite, but what a joy a weekend and sport is.
As for the Warriors? This is our year.]]>103falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-how-is-the-world-going-this-mad--1008245Rational thought, freedom of speech, calm reason has been largely suspended in too many circles and replaced by insanity.
It's a minefield, depending, of course, on who you are. Woke? Handwringer? Say whatever you like, if you're not, you need to be cancelled.
Baroness Jenny Jones, a member of the House of Lords suggested men need a curfew. It came after a murder in Britain. In that comment is the microcosm of all that’s wrong.
Once, a murder was something of horror, upset, and sadness. And it came, at times, with a debate as to whether there were issues to be addressed. Things like police investigations, whether clues were missed, whether the person known to the police, whether justice was served, what sort of sentence was dished out, and if sentences were hard enough.
But that has been replaced by Ms Jones, whose suggestion is that men need a curfew, men not allowed out at night. Now, even in a mad world, this sets new standards for idiocy. And yet within 24 hours the headline was to be found in a local outlet here, "Why a man’s curfew isn't such a bad idea."
And so it goes.
If you're on the right side of the PC ledger you can literally say anything and get away with it.
I also saw over the weekend stories about the Oprah memes, post the interview. I haven't seen the memes, given I'm not on social media, but there are, I am told, lots of them and they sort of make fun of Oprah, her gasping, and facial expressions over the so-called royal bombshells that were dropped on that California patio past week.
Sadly, if you were part of that, and you aren't black, you are a racist. It was deemed so, by some tragic social media warrior that you could only post those memes if you're black. Because if you're not, it's the equivalent of digital black face.
The bigger picture is this. Are we eating ourselves?
My wife asked me if the 1960s were like this. That obviously is ageist, and she needs to be cancelled. I wasn't around in the 60s - well, I was, but I was three years old.
Anyway, the question was asked by way of comparison. Was the bra burning, the rampaging, the sit ins, and the riots just their version of the cancel culture now pervading the 21st century? And if it is, how long before we wake up, grow up, and get back to some semblance of normality?
There is no doubt these are sad and pathetic times. And I'm in no doubt it’s a phase.
But until Ms Jones and the Oprah meme nonsense came along last week, I sadly would have guessed we were at peak stupidity.
But more fool me.   ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22979451/mh150321-14-mencancelledcomment.mp3Sun, 14 Mar 2021 22:46:01 +0000RoccoI suspect most of us would agree that too much of the world is a strange, sad, and, at times, dangerous sort of place at the moment. Rational thought, freedom of speech, calm reason has been largely suspended in too many circles and replaced by...Rational thought, freedom of speech, calm reason has been largely suspended in too many circles and replaced by insanity.
It's a minefield, depending, of course, on who you are. Woke? Handwringer? Say whatever you like, if you're not, you need to be cancelled.
Baroness Jenny Jones, a member of the House of Lords suggested men need a curfew. It came after a murder in Britain. In that comment is the microcosm of all that’s wrong.
Once, a murder was something of horror, upset, and sadness. And it came, at times, with a debate as to whether there were issues to be addressed. Things like police investigations, whether clues were missed, whether the person known to the police, whether justice was served, what sort of sentence was dished out, and if sentences were hard enough.
But that has been replaced by Ms Jones, whose suggestion is that men need a curfew, men not allowed out at night. Now, even in a mad world, this sets new standards for idiocy. And yet within 24 hours the headline was to be found in a local outlet here, "Why a man’s curfew isn't such a bad idea."
And so it goes.
If you're on the right side of the PC ledger you can literally say anything and get away with it.
I also saw over the weekend stories about the Oprah memes, post the interview. I haven't seen the memes, given I'm not on social media, but there are, I am told, lots of them and they sort of make fun of Oprah, her gasping, and facial expressions over the so-called royal bombshells that were dropped on that California patio past week.
Sadly, if you were part of that, and you aren't black, you are a racist. It was deemed so, by some tragic social media warrior that you could only post those memes if you're black. Because if you're not, it's the equivalent of digital black face.
The bigger picture is this. Are we eating ourselves?
My wife asked me if the 1960s were like this. That obviously is ageist, and she needs to be cancelled. I wasn't around in the 60s - well, I was, but I was three years old.
Anyway, the question was asked by way of comparison. Was the bra burning, the rampaging, the sit ins, and the riots just their version of the cancel culture now pervading the 21st century? And if it is, how long before we wake up, grow up, and get back to some semblance of normality?
There is no doubt these are sad and pathetic times. And I'm in no doubt it’s a phase.
But until Ms Jones and the Oprah meme nonsense came along last week, I sadly would have guessed we were at peak stupidity.
But more fool me.   ]]>159falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-scott-morrison-has-busted-our-dishonest-government--1008174The America's Cup.
9/10.
"It could not be a better contest.
And it has the magic ingredient of sport, you just don’t know how it's going to play out."
Scott Morrison.
8/10.
"Did us all a favour by exposing the lie around the Trans-Tasman bubble.
The govt is busted with their BS.
If the Prime Minister of Australia has no idea why his people aren't shopping in Queenstown, no one does.
We've been had."
Ashley Bloomfield and the Cricket.
3/10.
"Went to the cricket in a private capacity, you know the way just any old Joe from the Hutt can?
You can turn up at the cricket, wander into the changing rooms, and have a selfie with Jimmy Neesham.
What do you mean you haven't done it?"
Athletes Getting an Early Jab.
7/10.
"Yes, why not?
Let someone get on with their lives, and it's not like there are hundreds of thousands of them."
Harry and Meghan.
2/10.
"Self serving, indulgent, and dishonest.
The contrast between their world view and that of his grandmother could not be greater."
The Vaccine Rollout.
6/10.
"Was it a rollout?
Or was it a vague precis of what may, or may not, happen if a whole lot of other stuff comes to pass?"
National's Election Review.
4/10.
"Apparently it's in a hidden chamber, behind six doors, 17 locks, and an AI face recognition system."
Joe Biden.
6/10.
"Mixed week. He got the $2 trillion worth of slush money through.
But his dogs were appalling..."
Piers Morgan.
9/10.
"Yes, he's over the top. Yes, he was probably a bit obsessed with Meghan.
But he is hot talent, and in a media world of blamage, he saved a show, and freedom of speech is under real fire.
So all power to him."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22979311/mh120321-14-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 11 Mar 2021 22:11:26 +0000RoccoAt 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 America's Cup. 9/10. "It could not be a better contest. And it has the magic ingredient of sport, you just don’t know how it's...The America's Cup.
9/10.
"It could not be a better contest.
And it has the magic ingredient of sport, you just don’t know how it's going to play out."
Scott Morrison.
8/10.
"Did us all a favour by exposing the lie around the Trans-Tasman bubble.
The govt is busted with their BS.
If the Prime Minister of Australia has no idea why his people aren't shopping in Queenstown, no one does.
We've been had."
Ashley Bloomfield and the Cricket.
3/10.
"Went to the cricket in a private capacity, you know the way just any old Joe from the Hutt can?
You can turn up at the cricket, wander into the changing rooms, and have a selfie with Jimmy Neesham.
What do you mean you haven't done it?"
Athletes Getting an Early Jab.
7/10.
"Yes, why not?
Let someone get on with their lives, and it's not like there are hundreds of thousands of them."
Harry and Meghan.
2/10.
"Self serving, indulgent, and dishonest.
The contrast between their world view and that of his grandmother could not be greater."
The Vaccine Rollout.
6/10.
"Was it a rollout?
Or was it a vague precis of what may, or may not, happen if a whole lot of other stuff comes to pass?"
National's Election Review.
4/10.
"Apparently it's in a hidden chamber, behind six doors, 17 locks, and an AI face recognition system."
Joe Biden.
6/10.
"Mixed week. He got the $2 trillion worth of slush money through.
But his dogs were appalling..."
Piers Morgan.
9/10.
"Yes, he's over the top. Yes, he was probably a bit obsessed with Meghan.
But he is hot talent, and in a media world of blamage, he saved a show, and freedom of speech is under real fire.
So all power to him."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>179falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-stop-treating-ashley-bloomfield-like-a-celebrity--1008225As they announced yet another embarrassing zero yesterday taking it to 11 days with no cases, the Cabinet meet to decide what? How big a bunch of buffoons they are?
And then having met and, hopefully, decided to drop Auckland to level one, won't make that announcement until today. It's another overt display of over-arching power from a government now drunk on it.
Don’t worry about the America's Cup, home shows, or any of the other myriad of events that have been cancelled these past two weeks. Forget the hundreds of millions in damage done to any number of businesses. You just take your sweet old time to add up all the zero case days and tell us when you're good and ready.
You might have noticed the ever-compliant media after last week stopped making any noise about all those zeros. The irony being as each day passed it got more embarrassing, and it became more evident the government had pulled the lockdown trigger for no good reason. In other words, the story got more and more relevant given the lockdown did more and more damage.
And yet, where were the headlines? Where were the stories of incredulity and outrage?
Back to Bloomfield, true to form when busted by the photo with Jimmy Neesham, the usual flannel was rolled out. He ”broke no rules," he ”was there in a private capacity.” Classic Labour Party spin. Spoon a bit of BS, see if it's swallowed. When it isn't, step up the response, and it culminated yesterday in an acceptance he should never have taken the tickets.
Correct, Sherlock, and why would that be? Because he's a civil servant in charge of a government department in charge of a pandemic response, not a spice girl.
In that is the problem, he thinks he's a spice girl, and we've turned him into a spice girl. It's the cult of Saint Ashley. Grey, no name bureaucrats don't get tickets to the cricket and selfies with Black Caps.
Why? Because they're not rock stars and they're not celebrities. Celebrities play charity rugby and sell off lunches with themselves to raise money for worthy causes.
That’s what he's become. That is the danger, is he a medical professional with our lives in his hands? Or is he an Instagram influencer?
The fact he didn't get it and had to be cajoled into an apology, tells you how out to lunch this lot have become. They're drunk on their own notoriety and power.
And it's our health, country, and future they're ignoring when they're busy grinning for the camera having grabbed the freebies.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22979302/mh120321-01-bloomfieldcricketticketscomment.mp3Thu, 11 Mar 2021 21:26:10 +0000RoccoThe Ashley Bloomfield ticket mea-culpa is, in its own, small specific way, everything that is wrong with this country and its Covid response. As they announced yet another embarrassing zero yesterday taking it to 11 days with no cases, the Cabinet...As they announced yet another embarrassing zero yesterday taking it to 11 days with no cases, the Cabinet meet to decide what? How big a bunch of buffoons they are?
And then having met and, hopefully, decided to drop Auckland to level one, won't make that announcement until today. It's another overt display of over-arching power from a government now drunk on it.
Don’t worry about the America's Cup, home shows, or any of the other myriad of events that have been cancelled these past two weeks. Forget the hundreds of millions in damage done to any number of businesses. You just take your sweet old time to add up all the zero case days and tell us when you're good and ready.
You might have noticed the ever-compliant media after last week stopped making any noise about all those zeros. The irony being as each day passed it got more embarrassing, and it became more evident the government had pulled the lockdown trigger for no good reason. In other words, the story got more and more relevant given the lockdown did more and more damage.
And yet, where were the headlines? Where were the stories of incredulity and outrage?
Back to Bloomfield, true to form when busted by the photo with Jimmy Neesham, the usual flannel was rolled out. He ”broke no rules," he ”was there in a private capacity.” Classic Labour Party spin. Spoon a bit of BS, see if it's swallowed. When it isn't, step up the response, and it culminated yesterday in an acceptance he should never have taken the tickets.
Correct, Sherlock, and why would that be? Because he's a civil servant in charge of a government department in charge of a pandemic response, not a spice girl.
In that is the problem, he thinks he's a spice girl, and we've turned him into a spice girl. It's the cult of Saint Ashley. Grey, no name bureaucrats don't get tickets to the cricket and selfies with Black Caps.
Why? Because they're not rock stars and they're not celebrities. Celebrities play charity rugby and sell off lunches with themselves to raise money for worthy causes.
That’s what he's become. That is the danger, is he a medical professional with our lives in his hands? Or is he an Instagram influencer?
The fact he didn't get it and had to be cajoled into an apology, tells you how out to lunch this lot have become. They're drunk on their own notoriety and power.
And it's our health, country, and future they're ignoring when they're busy grinning for the camera having grabbed the freebies.  ]]>128falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-why-don-t-we-have-a-trans-tasman-bubble--1008231Scott Morrison was asked about National's position raised on the show yesterday with Judith Collins who told us the bubble needed to be up and running now. 72-hour negative test, jump on a plane, land here, and get on with your holiday.
Morrison said the only reason Australians weren't on holiday right here, right now was on our government. As we suspected.
The early BS from the government about talks, talks, more talks and logistics had an element of sense about them. No, you don’t just throw open the borders.
But as the border, one way, did open, and we jumped on planes, and went to stay in Sydney or Melbourne, it became increasingly evident there was really only one side holding this whole thing up.
It was and is us.
How many New Zealanders using the bubble have gone to Australia and infected Australians with Covid? None.
This is just the latest in the slow but sure unravelling of this government's Covid handling. The single act one year ago, the act of closing the border, was their party piece. They've dined out on it ever since, got re-elected on it, and us bankrupt on it.
But now, as the world moves on, as the vaccinations get sorted, we are left bereft at the bottom of the world, with a vaccine programme that still isn't rolled out, and won't be until the latter part of this year. At best, starting for most of us in July, four long months away.
You can do a lot in four months. In that time, Britain has injected 22 million. Israel has jabbed five million. We are still making announcements. The government has said it's not when you start, it's when you finish. Correct, and we will be finishing way too late.
The bubble was a scam. With the mindset we have it was never opening.  
Last week Scott Morrison expanded a migrant worker programme to help their labour shortage, he expanded MIQ to get more Aussies home, he's producing a million doses a week of AstraZeneca vaccine.
They're a mile ahead of us, not remotely in lockstep. They opened their end of the bubble deal last October. They are putting us to shame, and the endless excuses rolled out by this government are each and every day being exposed for the duplicitous crap they always were.
Each owner, operator, worker, or former worker in our tourism industry is in a level of pain they don’t need to be, because Australians should be here. The only reason they're not, according to Morrison, is because our government can't get out of its own way.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22979236/mh110321-13-travelbubblecomment.mp3Wed, 10 Mar 2021 22:45:11 +0000RoccoWas Stuart Nash misleading us yesterday when he said the reason we don’t have a two-way bubble with Australia is because of the Australian government? Scott Morrison was asked about National's position raised on the show yesterday with Judith Collins...Scott Morrison was asked about National's position raised on the show yesterday with Judith Collins who told us the bubble needed to be up and running now. 72-hour negative test, jump on a plane, land here, and get on with your holiday.
Morrison said the only reason Australians weren't on holiday right here, right now was on our government. As we suspected.
The early BS from the government about talks, talks, more talks and logistics had an element of sense about them. No, you don’t just throw open the borders.
But as the border, one way, did open, and we jumped on planes, and went to stay in Sydney or Melbourne, it became increasingly evident there was really only one side holding this whole thing up.
It was and is us.
How many New Zealanders using the bubble have gone to Australia and infected Australians with Covid? None.
This is just the latest in the slow but sure unravelling of this government's Covid handling. The single act one year ago, the act of closing the border, was their party piece. They've dined out on it ever since, got re-elected on it, and us bankrupt on it.
But now, as the world moves on, as the vaccinations get sorted, we are left bereft at the bottom of the world, with a vaccine programme that still isn't rolled out, and won't be until the latter part of this year. At best, starting for most of us in July, four long months away.
You can do a lot in four months. In that time, Britain has injected 22 million. Israel has jabbed five million. We are still making announcements. The government has said it's not when you start, it's when you finish. Correct, and we will be finishing way too late.
The bubble was a scam. With the mindset we have it was never opening.  
Last week Scott Morrison expanded a migrant worker programme to help their labour shortage, he expanded MIQ to get more Aussies home, he's producing a million doses a week of AstraZeneca vaccine.
They're a mile ahead of us, not remotely in lockstep. They opened their end of the bubble deal last October. They are putting us to shame, and the endless excuses rolled out by this government are each and every day being exposed for the duplicitous crap they always were.
Each owner, operator, worker, or former worker in our tourism industry is in a level of pain they don’t need to be, because Australians should be here. The only reason they're not, according to Morrison, is because our government can't get out of its own way.  ]]>136falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-our-tourism-sector-deserves-help--1008028They have launched the Cairns Holiday Dollars Programme. You apply and you get vouchers for specific attractions in the far north of Queensland. It's an area that hasn’t bounced back, or got the benefit of interstate travellers, the way areas like the Gold and Sunshine Coasts have.
You get a 50 percent discount, you have to commit to a certain spend, vouchers can only be used once, and cannot be split. But the point is, it’s a specifically targeted programme designed to help a specific part of the country.
Why wouldn’t we look at something similar here?
The government looked at, and rejected, the British "Eat Out to Help Out" campaign. Figures show it boosted eating out by six percent, which given the cost, is hardly bang for pound. And it only boosted it on the days the vouchers were applicable. So, value is critical.
The days are fast ending of open cheque books. QE programmes have written trillions.
Our own STAPP programme for tourism was a disaster and is now being investigated by the Auditor General. But that doesn't mean there isn't pain, and it certainly shouldn’t mean that help isn't available, if a smart plan can be enacted.
What we have seen domestically is that certain regions have seen more locals than ever before. Places like Whanganui, that have never really been part of the international tourist map, have had a real windfall. More people than ever have seen the region.
But we know that a domestic tourist isn't as valuable as an international one, and not all regions have benefited when we have hit the road on the school or Christmas holidays.
So why not have a look at the north Queensland model? Why not look to the possibility of actually putting a bit of spade work in? After all, I think most of us would agree that the business that simply hasn’t been allowed to operate because of government orders is owed some help.
This plan gets around Grant Robertson's issue of what's a tourist business is and what isn't. You target them.
No, we can't help everyone and save every job. But there is no shortage of businesses that were helped with things like the wage subsidy and went on to do very nicely.
Let's level that playing field with good ideas.      ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22979149/mh100321-01-tourismvoucherscomment.mp3Tue, 09 Mar 2021 21:47:02 +0000RoccoIs there the seed of an idea for places like Glacier Country that comes to us out of Queensland? They have launched the Cairns Holiday Dollars Programme. You apply and you get vouchers for specific attractions in the far north of Queensland. It's an...They have launched the Cairns Holiday Dollars Programme. You apply and you get vouchers for specific attractions in the far north of Queensland. It's an area that hasn’t bounced back, or got the benefit of interstate travellers, the way areas like the Gold and Sunshine Coasts have.
You get a 50 percent discount, you have to commit to a certain spend, vouchers can only be used once, and cannot be split. But the point is, it’s a specifically targeted programme designed to help a specific part of the country.
Why wouldn’t we look at something similar here?
The government looked at, and rejected, the British "Eat Out to Help Out" campaign. Figures show it boosted eating out by six percent, which given the cost, is hardly bang for pound. And it only boosted it on the days the vouchers were applicable. So, value is critical.
The days are fast ending of open cheque books. QE programmes have written trillions.
Our own STAPP programme for tourism was a disaster and is now being investigated by the Auditor General. But that doesn't mean there isn't pain, and it certainly shouldn’t mean that help isn't available, if a smart plan can be enacted.
What we have seen domestically is that certain regions have seen more locals than ever before. Places like Whanganui, that have never really been part of the international tourist map, have had a real windfall. More people than ever have seen the region.
But we know that a domestic tourist isn't as valuable as an international one, and not all regions have benefited when we have hit the road on the school or Christmas holidays.
So why not have a look at the north Queensland model? Why not look to the possibility of actually putting a bit of spade work in? After all, I think most of us would agree that the business that simply hasn’t been allowed to operate because of government orders is owed some help.
This plan gets around Grant Robertson's issue of what's a tourist business is and what isn't. You target them.
No, we can't help everyone and save every job. But there is no shortage of businesses that were helped with things like the wage subsidy and went on to do very nicely.
Let's level that playing field with good ideas.      ]]>112falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-history-unlikely-to-remember-harry-and-meghan-s-interview--1008267I have seen and heard all I need of the Harry and Meghan business. I watched and read because that’s what I do, not because I wanted to.
The reality of news is a lot of news is not the stuff you’re actually interested in. But to dismiss the interview is to pretend something big didn’t happen because essentially you’re a snob and you find it beneath you.
The numbers will tell the story. CBS was claiming it will be bigger than the Super Bowl and that’s as big as it gets – well, for sport anyway.
Not that this was sport, or was it?
Meghan was suicidal at one point of her pregnancy, that can’t be dismissed. The fact Harry didn’t really know what to do can’t be dismissed either.
And the fact ‘The Firm’, the family, didn’t seem to know what to do comes I am sure as no real surprise, sadly.
The Queen is spoken of highly at all points. It appears the queen is amazing, but the rest of them not quite so much.
Charles not taking Harry’s calls is super uncool. I can say without a shadow of a doubt as a dad that you never stop talking to your kids.
But having flown with Charles once for 11 hours from London to Singapore, he's weird when you see him in the flesh. He’s surrounded by weird people so in a sense that doesn’t surprise me either.
We got into the tragic: ‘Kate made me cry or I made Kate cry and someone sent flowers’ - are you serious?
There was the bit where she didn’t have a clue what she was getting into with the Royal Family. That’s on her and her husband, given he might have been able to give her a bit of a heads up.
The claim 'The Firm' were worried about Archie’s skin colour is about as disturbing as you get, but once again, I’m not in shock.
The unfairness of all this is what ever was said the royal family can’t fight back. Perhaps more importantly, nor should they or, nor would they want to.
This has been a tragic and undignified spectacle by a couple who, for whatever reason, felt shunned or alone or bewildered or lost, and basically gave up and ran away.
And if giving up and running away brings you happiness, then all power to you.
The thing about the monarchy is it’s been around 1000 years. The Queen’s been the head of it for 70 years. They’ve have seen it all, and a lot worse than this.
This will not even register in the annals of history, no matter how many people sat down to drool over it.
Harry and Meghan have got their day in the sun. I lost about two hours I can’t get back, but by next week we won’t even remember what was said.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22979114/mh090321-01-harrymeghaninterviewcomment.mp3Tue, 09 Mar 2021 05:51:04 +0000RoccoIt was a roller coaster, wasn’t it? I have seen and heard all I need of the Harry and Meghan business. I watched and read because that’s what I do, not because I wanted to. The reality of news is a lot of news is not the stuff you’re actually...I have seen and heard all I need of the Harry and Meghan business. I watched and read because that’s what I do, not because I wanted to.
The reality of news is a lot of news is not the stuff you’re actually interested in. But to dismiss the interview is to pretend something big didn’t happen because essentially you’re a snob and you find it beneath you.
The numbers will tell the story. CBS was claiming it will be bigger than the Super Bowl and that’s as big as it gets – well, for sport anyway.
Not that this was sport, or was it?
Meghan was suicidal at one point of her pregnancy, that can’t be dismissed. The fact Harry didn’t really know what to do can’t be dismissed either.
And the fact ‘The Firm’, the family, didn’t seem to know what to do comes I am sure as no real surprise, sadly.
The Queen is spoken of highly at all points. It appears the queen is amazing, but the rest of them not quite so much.
Charles not taking Harry’s calls is super uncool. I can say without a shadow of a doubt as a dad that you never stop talking to your kids.
But having flown with Charles once for 11 hours from London to Singapore, he's weird when you see him in the flesh. He’s surrounded by weird people so in a sense that doesn’t surprise me either.
We got into the tragic: ‘Kate made me cry or I made Kate cry and someone sent flowers’ - are you serious?
There was the bit where she didn’t have a clue what she was getting into with the Royal Family. That’s on her and her husband, given he might have been able to give her a bit of a heads up.
The claim 'The Firm' were worried about Archie’s skin colour is about as disturbing as you get, but once again, I’m not in shock.
The unfairness of all this is what ever was said the royal family can’t fight back. Perhaps more importantly, nor should they or, nor would they want to.
This has been a tragic and undignified spectacle by a couple who, for whatever reason, felt shunned or alone or bewildered or lost, and basically gave up and ran away.
And if giving up and running away brings you happiness, then all power to you.
The thing about the monarchy is it’s been around 1000 years. The Queen’s been the head of it for 70 years. They’ve have seen it all, and a lot worse than this.
This will not even register in the annals of history, no matter how many people sat down to drool over it.
Harry and Meghan have got their day in the sun. I lost about two hours I can’t get back, but by next week we won’t even remember what was said.]]>125falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-jacinda-ardern-can-t-stand-up-to-scrutiny--1008117When asked at her post Cabinet conference yesterday she uttered something about not being able to do everything. No one ever asked her to do such a thing, just what each Prime Minister had managed to do for the past 30 odd years.
She clearly isn't up to that standard.
She also uttered something about reaching an audience. This is the biggest audience going. The simple truth is, as I said yesterday, she's running for the hills because she's scared, she hates a hard question, she hates fact, she hates accountability, and she hates not being fawned over.
I ran past the dairy yesterday and saw the magazine cover she currently graces. That's her. In magazines you get to dictate the copy and approve the photo. That’s her. Complete control, air brush away the reality and fact.
What wasn’t reported yesterday because sadly this show got the headlines, is the fact that Morning Report, the breakfast show of the state-run radio station, has apparently agreed to re-arrange the Prime Ministerial schedule to allow the Prime Minster to come on the day of her choosing, on the topic of her choosing.
If true, and God I hope I am wrong, the fact they have allowed this is little short of a scandal. I note by the way, in all the coverage yesterday of the Hosking-Ardern fall out, Radio NZ didn’t touch the story. Why not? It was, without question, a legitimate story and covered by the majority of the rest of the media.
Dare I ask, ahead of time, whether the taxpayer funded in-house naval gaze they call Mediawatch, will be examining the issue this week? Or will they like, the embarrassing expose of the media's bias around the cannabis referendum, particularly their own, conveniently ignore it?
Anyway, on the state-funded radio station the Prime Minister now apparently dictates what day she appears, and on what topics.
Hello? Anyone at home? You and I pay for this place. The government runs it and at no point the Prime Minister dictating terms to what I thought was still claiming to be an independent operator draws attention? Are the media literally asleep? Or just so compliant, and apologetic to Labour, that this is their dream scenario?
On balance, the Prime Minister lost yesterday. There was enough reaction both from you and the commentators, that showed the Prime Minister has been exposed for what she is.
Enough of you saw this as a reaction to accountability. And thank God enough of you, still hold accountability as a critical part of leadership.
Like her or don’t like her, like me or don't like me. That’s not the point. The point is to be Prime Minister, you have to be up for it. You have to be willing to be up for it. You have to defend your corner. You have to argue your corner. You have to know your facts. You have to deal with people like me.
You have to be better than what Ardern is. 30 years of Prime Ministers have shown it.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22979058/mh090321-14-ardernnoshowcomment.mp3Mon, 08 Mar 2021 22:00:27 +0000RoccoDare I bore you with the fallout to yesterday's decision from the Prime Minister to no longer appear on this show each Monday morning? When asked at her post Cabinet conference yesterday she uttered something about not being able to do everything. No...When asked at her post Cabinet conference yesterday she uttered something about not being able to do everything. No one ever asked her to do such a thing, just what each Prime Minister had managed to do for the past 30 odd years.
She clearly isn't up to that standard.
She also uttered something about reaching an audience. This is the biggest audience going. The simple truth is, as I said yesterday, she's running for the hills because she's scared, she hates a hard question, she hates fact, she hates accountability, and she hates not being fawned over.
I ran past the dairy yesterday and saw the magazine cover she currently graces. That's her. In magazines you get to dictate the copy and approve the photo. That’s her. Complete control, air brush away the reality and fact.
What wasn’t reported yesterday because sadly this show got the headlines, is the fact that Morning Report, the breakfast show of the state-run radio station, has apparently agreed to re-arrange the Prime Ministerial schedule to allow the Prime Minster to come on the day of her choosing, on the topic of her choosing.
If true, and God I hope I am wrong, the fact they have allowed this is little short of a scandal. I note by the way, in all the coverage yesterday of the Hosking-Ardern fall out, Radio NZ didn’t touch the story. Why not? It was, without question, a legitimate story and covered by the majority of the rest of the media.
Dare I ask, ahead of time, whether the taxpayer funded in-house naval gaze they call Mediawatch, will be examining the issue this week? Or will they like, the embarrassing expose of the media's bias around the cannabis referendum, particularly their own, conveniently ignore it?
Anyway, on the state-funded radio station the Prime Minister now apparently dictates what day she appears, and on what topics.
Hello? Anyone at home? You and I pay for this place. The government runs it and at no point the Prime Minister dictating terms to what I thought was still claiming to be an independent operator draws attention? Are the media literally asleep? Or just so compliant, and apologetic to Labour, that this is their dream scenario?
On balance, the Prime Minister lost yesterday. There was enough reaction both from you and the commentators, that showed the Prime Minister has been exposed for what she is.
Enough of you saw this as a reaction to accountability. And thank God enough of you, still hold accountability as a critical part of leadership.
Like her or don’t like her, like me or don't like me. That’s not the point. The point is to be Prime Minister, you have to be up for it. You have to be willing to be up for it. You have to defend your corner. You have to argue your corner. You have to know your facts. You have to deal with people like me.
You have to be better than what Ardern is. 30 years of Prime Ministers have shown it.]]>151falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-on-handling-covid-scott-morrison-wins-again--1008237At 4PM our Prime Minister announces we still have restrictions in Auckland. Level two, not level three, but ask an event organiser how that feels. The rest of the country is back to level one.
No one disagrees this is the messiest of the lockdowns. There has been acrimony, complaints, narking, and general frustration that a year on we are still doing this. But the Prime Minister does not back down, does not apologise, and in fact, with a grand total of no cases, announces she'd do it all again exactly the same way.
An hour earlier, 3PM, Scott Morrison leaves his National Cabinet meeting and announces a migrant worker hub so they can bring more labour into the country. He announces the significant expansion of an MIQ facility so they can bring more Australians home. He praises the medics who, that morning, started rolling out the AstraZeneca jab in South Australia.  And then announces that the CSL, the government owned medical facility, will in have produce 1 million doses vaccine per week.
He also talked of the economic news of the week and generally spoke of Australia being the best performer in the world. The last part is, of course, what you would expect him to say, but the earlier bits are fact. You can't argue with them.
So the tale of two Prime Ministers, one is expanding migrant worker numbers, we aren't. One is expanding MIQ, we aren't. One has has started their AstraZeneca programme, we haven't. In fact, we haven't even cleared it, far less got any.
One is producing a million doses, we aren't. So, what that shows is, we are not at the front of the queue, and indeed never were. Much more importantly we most certainly are not in lock step with Australia as so frequently claimed.
Eventually the frustration we have seen this last week over lockdown will pervade the overall performance debate. As the contrasts grows greater, as the vaccination passports get handed out in Australia, more here will ask why we haven't even started our vaccine campaign to the wider public.
The excuse we've used that we don’t need to because we haven't had Covid will be exposed for the lie it is. The same sort of lie about being in lockstep, or at the head of the queue.
Australia has always been our greatest friend, ally, and unfortunately repository for talent and labour. The latter because they're aspirational and appealing.
If our Prime Minister thinks her approach, a year old and increasingly fragmented, creaky, and disliked is the way forward, the numbers both economically and through migration will, in time, expose that thanking for the dishonest, superficial nonsense that it is.  
And in two hours on Friday, you saw the stark contrast of what we are versus what we could be.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22979012/mh080321-01-covidresponsecomparisoncomment.mp3Mon, 08 Mar 2021 02:00:33 +0000RoccoFriday afternoon, the tale of two Prime Ministers. At 4PM our Prime Minister announces we still have restrictions in Auckland. Level two, not level three, but ask an event organiser how that feels. The rest of the country is back to level one. No one...At 4PM our Prime Minister announces we still have restrictions in Auckland. Level two, not level three, but ask an event organiser how that feels. The rest of the country is back to level one.
No one disagrees this is the messiest of the lockdowns. There has been acrimony, complaints, narking, and general frustration that a year on we are still doing this. But the Prime Minister does not back down, does not apologise, and in fact, with a grand total of no cases, announces she'd do it all again exactly the same way.
An hour earlier, 3PM, Scott Morrison leaves his National Cabinet meeting and announces a migrant worker hub so they can bring more labour into the country. He announces the significant expansion of an MIQ facility so they can bring more Australians home. He praises the medics who, that morning, started rolling out the AstraZeneca jab in South Australia.  And then announces that the CSL, the government owned medical facility, will in have produce 1 million doses vaccine per week.
He also talked of the economic news of the week and generally spoke of Australia being the best performer in the world. The last part is, of course, what you would expect him to say, but the earlier bits are fact. You can't argue with them.
So the tale of two Prime Ministers, one is expanding migrant worker numbers, we aren't. One is expanding MIQ, we aren't. One has has started their AstraZeneca programme, we haven't. In fact, we haven't even cleared it, far less got any.
One is producing a million doses, we aren't. So, what that shows is, we are not at the front of the queue, and indeed never were. Much more importantly we most certainly are not in lock step with Australia as so frequently claimed.
Eventually the frustration we have seen this last week over lockdown will pervade the overall performance debate. As the contrasts grows greater, as the vaccination passports get handed out in Australia, more here will ask why we haven't even started our vaccine campaign to the wider public.
The excuse we've used that we don’t need to because we haven't had Covid will be exposed for the lie it is. The same sort of lie about being in lockstep, or at the head of the queue.
Australia has always been our greatest friend, ally, and unfortunately repository for talent and labour. The latter because they're aspirational and appealing.
If our Prime Minister thinks her approach, a year old and increasingly fragmented, creaky, and disliked is the way forward, the numbers both economically and through migration will, in time, expose that thanking for the dishonest, superficial nonsense that it is.  
And in two hours on Friday, you saw the stark contrast of what we are versus what we could be.]]>137falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-jacinda-ardern-ditching-the-weekly-interview-speaks-to-a-lack-of-backbone--1008272She is running for the hills.
She no longer wants to be on this programme each week. The somewhat tragic conclusion that is drawn is the questions she gets, the demand for a level of accountability, is a little bit tough.
Officially, her office will tell you they are re-arranging the media schedule this year and are maintaining the same number of interviews. This appears not to be true.
By way of background, this has been coming for most of the year. They rang us and told us this a month ago. But various developments, mainly Covid related, made an appearance here a necessity.
At the time we got the call, and the line about re-arranging, we obviously asked who was replacing us. We are still waiting for a reply despite asking, re-asking, and re-asking again. The reason we're still waiting is no one is replacing us. They know it, we know it, they are just over being held to account.
Without being too unkind to some of the other players in this market, the reality is the Prime Minister enjoys a more cordial and compliant relationship. The questions are more softball. She favours a more benign pitch, where the delivery can be dispatched to the boundary more readily without the chance of an appeal.
To be honest, I'm pleased. The management here, not quite as much. They argue accountability is important, and they're right. But what I argue is the Prime Minister is a lightweight at answering tough questions. The number of times she's fronted on this programme with no knowledge around the questions I'm asking is frightening.
Reports I read, she hadn't. The time I asked whether they're replacing the Tauranga City Council, she replied they didn't do such things. Clearly, not having the slightest clue, in a month or so, they were going to do exactly that.
Those occasions are too many to be comfortable.
And then, your reaction. The two most often used lines post interview are "what was the point of that?" And "I don't know why you bother."
The reality is, too often it's just noise. It's waffle. It's stalling. It's filling. It's obfuscation.
It's a tricky scenario, she should be up for it. Any Prime Minister should be up for it. As a publicly elected official you are asked to be held to account. So, it stands to reason you, at least, put yourself up, even if you don't enjoy it or at times struggle with the complexity or detail of the question line.
It speaks to a lack of backbone that she would want to bail and run. It also speaks to an increasingly apparent trait; they don't handle pressure well. Last week was a very good display of that.
They say she's willing to front on an issue-by-issue basis, so she isn't gone forever.
As for the weekly bit, I lose no sleep. I'm just a bit disappointed she isn't a more robust operator, or keener to defend her corner.
After all, it's our country she's running.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22978998/mh080321-14-ardernnoshowcomment.mp3Sun, 07 Mar 2021 22:43:23 +0000RoccoThe Prime Minister has not been on the programme this morning, and there is a reason for that. She is running for the hills. She no longer wants to be on this programme each week. The somewhat tragic conclusion that is drawn is the questions she gets,...She is running for the hills.
She no longer wants to be on this programme each week. The somewhat tragic conclusion that is drawn is the questions she gets, the demand for a level of accountability, is a little bit tough.
Officially, her office will tell you they are re-arranging the media schedule this year and are maintaining the same number of interviews. This appears not to be true.
By way of background, this has been coming for most of the year. They rang us and told us this a month ago. But various developments, mainly Covid related, made an appearance here a necessity.
At the time we got the call, and the line about re-arranging, we obviously asked who was replacing us. We are still waiting for a reply despite asking, re-asking, and re-asking again. The reason we're still waiting is no one is replacing us. They know it, we know it, they are just over being held to account.
Without being too unkind to some of the other players in this market, the reality is the Prime Minister enjoys a more cordial and compliant relationship. The questions are more softball. She favours a more benign pitch, where the delivery can be dispatched to the boundary more readily without the chance of an appeal.
To be honest, I'm pleased. The management here, not quite as much. They argue accountability is important, and they're right. But what I argue is the Prime Minister is a lightweight at answering tough questions. The number of times she's fronted on this programme with no knowledge around the questions I'm asking is frightening.
Reports I read, she hadn't. The time I asked whether they're replacing the Tauranga City Council, she replied they didn't do such things. Clearly, not having the slightest clue, in a month or so, they were going to do exactly that.
Those occasions are too many to be comfortable.
And then, your reaction. The two most often used lines post interview are "what was the point of that?" And "I don't know why you bother."
The reality is, too often it's just noise. It's waffle. It's stalling. It's filling. It's obfuscation.
It's a tricky scenario, she should be up for it. Any Prime Minister should be up for it. As a publicly elected official you are asked to be held to account. So, it stands to reason you, at least, put yourself up, even if you don't enjoy it or at times struggle with the complexity or detail of the question line.
It speaks to a lack of backbone that she would want to bail and run. It also speaks to an increasingly apparent trait; they don't handle pressure well. Last week was a very good display of that.
They say she's willing to front on an issue-by-issue basis, so she isn't gone forever.
As for the weekly bit, I lose no sleep. I'm just a bit disappointed she isn't a more robust operator, or keener to defend her corner.
After all, it's our country she's running.]]>159falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-lockdown-was-a-fear-driven-cock-up-from-a-trigger-happy-government--1008185The Lockdown.
2/10.
"Short of a surge today in cases, we can quite rightly ask whether this has been a fear driven cock-up from a trigger happy government advised by bewildered modellers who's record seems to be reduced to saying over and over, "man, this is a tricky virus."
The Narking.
0/10.
"What a dreadful mistake from the Prime Minister.
And an awful week for the country as we yet again returned to that time-dishonoured practice of the original level four where everyone was a Karen."
Gisborne.
8/10.
"Housing record after record.
Of the top 10 suburbs in terms of price increase in past year, Gizzie has nine of them."
Stuart Nash's Trip to the West Coast.
4/10.
"You just can't be in government and let regions die. You can't roll into Hokitika and say your pockets are empty. 
I hope he's good to his word from Wednesday and there is a package coming."
Our Dairy Sector.
10/10.
"A week to remember.
The auction rise is worth billions, and the world still loves what we sell.
God bless the farmer, the cow, and all who sail in them."
The Queen.
9/10.
"Think of others and the jab didn’t hurt a bit. That's what she said to medicos via another of her charming zoom calls.
Selfless, dedicated, and professional to the end.
And her husband is crook in hospital but she carries on, she is a study of so much that has been lost in so many others."
Harry, Meghan and Oprah.
1/10.
"In stark contrast to her majesty, this lot have spent the week sprooking a whinge fest designed to do nothing more than boost their value in the commercial market."
Dr. Seuss Being Cancelled.
2/10.
"All that is wrong with the world.
If we think we can ban our way to improvement, we are doomed."
Johnny Briggs.
7/10.
"Certainly one of the best characters of Coronation Street, ever.
And would be my pick for best ever male character, either him or Stan Ogden."
Stilettos.
8/10.
"I read this week the stiletto is back.
If that’s true and it replaces the wedge, the world is a better place."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22978848/mh050321-13-marktheweek-1.mp3Fri, 05 Mar 2021 02:06:52 +0000RoccoAt 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 Lockdown. 2/10. "Short of a surge today in cases, we can quite rightly ask whether this has been a fear driven cock-up from a...The Lockdown.
2/10.
"Short of a surge today in cases, we can quite rightly ask whether this has been a fear driven cock-up from a trigger happy government advised by bewildered modellers who's record seems to be reduced to saying over and over, "man, this is a tricky virus."
The Narking.
0/10.
"What a dreadful mistake from the Prime Minister.
And an awful week for the country as we yet again returned to that time-dishonoured practice of the original level four where everyone was a Karen."
Gisborne.
8/10.
"Housing record after record.
Of the top 10 suburbs in terms of price increase in past year, Gizzie has nine of them."
Stuart Nash's Trip to the West Coast.
4/10.
"You just can't be in government and let regions die. You can't roll into Hokitika and say your pockets are empty. 
I hope he's good to his word from Wednesday and there is a package coming."
Our Dairy Sector.
10/10.
"A week to remember.
The auction rise is worth billions, and the world still loves what we sell.
God bless the farmer, the cow, and all who sail in them."
The Queen.
9/10.
"Think of others and the jab didn’t hurt a bit. That's what she said to medicos via another of her charming zoom calls.
Selfless, dedicated, and professional to the end.
And her husband is crook in hospital but she carries on, she is a study of so much that has been lost in so many others."
Harry, Meghan and Oprah.
1/10.
"In stark contrast to her majesty, this lot have spent the week sprooking a whinge fest designed to do nothing more than boost their value in the commercial market."
Dr. Seuss Being Cancelled.
2/10.
"All that is wrong with the world.
If we think we can ban our way to improvement, we are doomed."
Johnny Briggs.
7/10.
"Certainly one of the best characters of Coronation Street, ever.
And would be my pick for best ever male character, either him or Stan Ogden."
Stilettos.
8/10.
"I read this week the stiletto is back.
If that’s true and it replaces the wedge, the world is a better place."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>188falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-lockdown-leads-a-disappointing-week--1008259We have been in some sort of lockdown, level three or two, for not one single case this week. It's cost us a quarter of a billion dollars.
We have had the stories of the businesses this time that simply won't make it through, we have had another letter from businesses leaders to the government begging for some sort of clarity and plan going forward, we have had the heartbreak in glacier country where by Stuart Nash rolled in said there was nothing and left, he told us Wednesday he is working on help, God I hope that’s true.
We had the stats of all the businesses that had closed in the latter part of last year, we have had yet more stories of the fruit that isn't getting picked despite what to be frank are now ridiculous wages to do so, and worst of all we have had a government that because of the embarassment of their performance tried to turn us on each other, and singled out a couple of South Auckland families and a religious headliner for a good verbal bashing.
Telling us to nark is a sign of failure. A year in, we have learned nothing, and have improved not one jot. A year ago in level four, we were told to do the same, and every busy body and tittle-tattle went to town. 12 months on, same thing.
The Prime Minister, famous for kindness or at least pretending to be, turns out to be nothing of the sort. Picking fights and using the power of the government machine to do so is bullying. If a Tory had done it there would have been hell to pay.
So down in the dirt we got. How many texts? How many phone calls? Who said what and when? A school caught in the middle getting hate rained on them for doing nothing other than being a school. We wasted a day on a ridiculous debate about how many languages information is translated into, and whether young people get it.
Papers were sent videos from Karens who thought they'd spotted serial group coffee drinkers. It has been pathetic.
We are better than this, at least we were once better than this. We were aspirational, bold, and successful. A year into Covid, we've been reduced to angry, spiteful, side taking, finger pointing, tittle-tattling busy bodies.
The tragedy is the instruction came from the top.
I hope today there are no new cases. I hope if there aren't, the government can swallow their pride, admit their wrongs, god forbid apologise for them, and set us free as of this evening.
Any one holding their breath?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22978829/mh050321-01-levelthreecomment.mp3Thu, 04 Mar 2021 22:57:01 +0000RoccoI can't help but feel deflated by this week. We have been in some sort of lockdown, level three or two, for not one single case this week. It's cost us a quarter of a billion dollars. We have had the stories of the businesses this time that simply...We have been in some sort of lockdown, level three or two, for not one single case this week. It's cost us a quarter of a billion dollars.
We have had the stories of the businesses this time that simply won't make it through, we have had another letter from businesses leaders to the government begging for some sort of clarity and plan going forward, we have had the heartbreak in glacier country where by Stuart Nash rolled in said there was nothing and left, he told us Wednesday he is working on help, God I hope that’s true.
We had the stats of all the businesses that had closed in the latter part of last year, we have had yet more stories of the fruit that isn't getting picked despite what to be frank are now ridiculous wages to do so, and worst of all we have had a government that because of the embarassment of their performance tried to turn us on each other, and singled out a couple of South Auckland families and a religious headliner for a good verbal bashing.
Telling us to nark is a sign of failure. A year in, we have learned nothing, and have improved not one jot. A year ago in level four, we were told to do the same, and every busy body and tittle-tattle went to town. 12 months on, same thing.
The Prime Minister, famous for kindness or at least pretending to be, turns out to be nothing of the sort. Picking fights and using the power of the government machine to do so is bullying. If a Tory had done it there would have been hell to pay.
So down in the dirt we got. How many texts? How many phone calls? Who said what and when? A school caught in the middle getting hate rained on them for doing nothing other than being a school. We wasted a day on a ridiculous debate about how many languages information is translated into, and whether young people get it.
Papers were sent videos from Karens who thought they'd spotted serial group coffee drinkers. It has been pathetic.
We are better than this, at least we were once better than this. We were aspirational, bold, and successful. A year into Covid, we've been reduced to angry, spiteful, side taking, finger pointing, tittle-tattling busy bodies.
The tragedy is the instruction came from the top.
I hope today there are no new cases. I hope if there aren't, the government can swallow their pride, admit their wrongs, god forbid apologise for them, and set us free as of this evening.
Any one holding their breath?]]>131falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-government-s-move-to-limit-immigration-a-mistake--1008145Maybe it was deliberate on Kris Faafoi’s part: set the tone, avoid the numbers
He has said when the borders open - wouldn’t that be a dream come true - immigration is not going back to what it was.
This mainly is a mistake.
Not completely. Some immigration was a shade ropey, there were a few visas about the place where you wondered how much of it was legit for genuinely skilled migrants offering us much needed talent vs what it looked like dog-cheap labour.
But here is what we have learned because of Covid, and this is why I am so surprised that Faafoi hasn’t seen it.
There are a couple of sorts of immigration: seriously skilled, genuinely skilled, and grafters.
The skilled side of it has held us back. The specialist machine operators we can’t get and yet are crying out for, which has led to the absurd battle between projects and a bidding war for talent.
The skills brought in for things like film work and its connection to much needed foreign capital and income.
The construction sector that is constrained because of lack of labour and no amount of the government claiming apprentices will fill the gap will fix it
And then there is the fieldwork: the fruit the veggies, the stuff that rightly or wrongly not enough new Zealanders will front up and tackle.
Not to mention the value of the money earned by RSE workers and sent back to pacific island families.
There was a reason so many arrived pre Covid. One, it’s a great place to live, two, we are genuinely short of skills, and three, there is work we can’t be bothered doing.
We haven’t got to the education sector either, a multibillion-dollar industry hammered but when open attached to some study and work visas.
The fear here is the combination of ideological blindness from the government, despite all the evidence they still think locals can cover all gaps, and xenophobia. Sadly, there are New Zealanders who like borders closed and those nasty foreigners locked out: they blame migrants for every social and economic ill.
So, let’s see the actual numbers, but Faafoi’s world view is too small, too introspective, ironically too Donald Trump.
It is the last thing this country needs when we come out the other side of this mess and look to gear up, grow, and get on with it - or have we changed our mind on that as well?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22978789/mh040321-01-immigrationnumberscomment.mp3Thu, 04 Mar 2021 05:00:49 +0000RoccoThe problem with no numbers is you don’t know what you’re dealing with, especially when it comes to immigration. Maybe it was deliberate on Kris Faafoi’s part: set the tone, avoid the numbers He has said when the borders open - wouldn’t that be a...Maybe it was deliberate on Kris Faafoi’s part: set the tone, avoid the numbers
He has said when the borders open - wouldn’t that be a dream come true - immigration is not going back to what it was.
This mainly is a mistake.
Not completely. Some immigration was a shade ropey, there were a few visas about the place where you wondered how much of it was legit for genuinely skilled migrants offering us much needed talent vs what it looked like dog-cheap labour.
But here is what we have learned because of Covid, and this is why I am so surprised that Faafoi hasn’t seen it.
There are a couple of sorts of immigration: seriously skilled, genuinely skilled, and grafters.
The skilled side of it has held us back. The specialist machine operators we can’t get and yet are crying out for, which has led to the absurd battle between projects and a bidding war for talent.
The skills brought in for things like film work and its connection to much needed foreign capital and income.
The construction sector that is constrained because of lack of labour and no amount of the government claiming apprentices will fill the gap will fix it
And then there is the fieldwork: the fruit the veggies, the stuff that rightly or wrongly not enough new Zealanders will front up and tackle.
Not to mention the value of the money earned by RSE workers and sent back to pacific island families.
There was a reason so many arrived pre Covid. One, it’s a great place to live, two, we are genuinely short of skills, and three, there is work we can’t be bothered doing.
We haven’t got to the education sector either, a multibillion-dollar industry hammered but when open attached to some study and work visas.
The fear here is the combination of ideological blindness from the government, despite all the evidence they still think locals can cover all gaps, and xenophobia. Sadly, there are New Zealanders who like borders closed and those nasty foreigners locked out: they blame migrants for every social and economic ill.
So, let’s see the actual numbers, but Faafoi’s world view is too small, too introspective, ironically too Donald Trump.
It is the last thing this country needs when we come out the other side of this mess and look to gear up, grow, and get on with it - or have we changed our mind on that as well?]]>123falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-cancel-culture-s-arrogance-is-out-of-control--1008189Limited edition and some original work was on show, and some for sale. We decided to buy some. It wasn’t cheap, but it wasn't Warhol. Besides, we didn’t buy it for return.
It's the thing I've found over the years when it comes to putting your money into stuff. Put your money where you don't care about the investment and don't become attached to it.
I've ended up with wine worth a fortune, but I wouldn’t dare sell it. I love it too much. Art is the same, it's too beautiful, and mostly it's got a time and place connection.
Anyway, we have three Dr. Seuss'. A couple have a before and after part, the before is the original drawing, and the after is a print of what it turned out like in the book.
Turns out, sadly, as of this week we'll need to be taking them off the wall and burning them because Dr. Seuss has been cancelled by the hand-wringers. He was targeted in American Book Week, schools wouldn’t touch him, and as of yesterday six of his actual books will no longer be published.
He is accused of the usual sort of nonsense, characterising people and race in a way we no longer find acceptable. Dr. Seuss is just this week's fascination, this has been going on for over a year now.
Some of the statue destroyers in Britain were in court this week. And I note the British Cultural Secretary, Oliver Dowden is having to hand out warnings to British museums not to allow themselves to be pushed around by the zeitgeist of the day.
My fear is some of those inside the museums are part of the zeitgeist. They can't stick enough stuff away in a cupboard to appease their fellow luvvies.
This really is an historically dangerous time. Evolving belief is one thing, but you don't learn by banning. You don’t empower yourself by cancelling. It assumes that today's conclusion is the only conclusion one can come to. And it assumes that today is the day we collectively decided we are 100 percent right. What an arrogant way of viewing the world that is.
Everyone in any age thinks they're right, until they're not. What saddens and worries me most is right now, we most obviously are not right. What this most obviously is, is a bandwagon leapt on by naval gazers, the insecure, the easily led, and the intellectually fragile.
In the coming years, today's cancel culture will be a period of embarrassment. It's just the “here today, gone tomorrow" brigade who can't, or won't, think past a latest fad.
It's social media thinking, it's bright and shiny, and it's why our Dr. Seuss paintings will be going nowhere.    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22978754/mh040321-14-seusscancelledcomment.mp3Wed, 03 Mar 2021 22:49:52 +0000RoccoA bunch of years ago we were in Melbourne and the Dr. Seuss exhibition was on. It's run by the family. Limited edition and some original work was on show, and some for sale. We decided to buy some. It wasn’t cheap, but it wasn't Warhol. Besides, we...Limited edition and some original work was on show, and some for sale. We decided to buy some. It wasn’t cheap, but it wasn't Warhol. Besides, we didn’t buy it for return.
It's the thing I've found over the years when it comes to putting your money into stuff. Put your money where you don't care about the investment and don't become attached to it.
I've ended up with wine worth a fortune, but I wouldn’t dare sell it. I love it too much. Art is the same, it's too beautiful, and mostly it's got a time and place connection.
Anyway, we have three Dr. Seuss'. A couple have a before and after part, the before is the original drawing, and the after is a print of what it turned out like in the book.
Turns out, sadly, as of this week we'll need to be taking them off the wall and burning them because Dr. Seuss has been cancelled by the hand-wringers. He was targeted in American Book Week, schools wouldn’t touch him, and as of yesterday six of his actual books will no longer be published.
He is accused of the usual sort of nonsense, characterising people and race in a way we no longer find acceptable. Dr. Seuss is just this week's fascination, this has been going on for over a year now.
Some of the statue destroyers in Britain were in court this week. And I note the British Cultural Secretary, Oliver Dowden is having to hand out warnings to British museums not to allow themselves to be pushed around by the zeitgeist of the day.
My fear is some of those inside the museums are part of the zeitgeist. They can't stick enough stuff away in a cupboard to appease their fellow luvvies.
This really is an historically dangerous time. Evolving belief is one thing, but you don't learn by banning. You don’t empower yourself by cancelling. It assumes that today's conclusion is the only conclusion one can come to. And it assumes that today is the day we collectively decided we are 100 percent right. What an arrogant way of viewing the world that is.
Everyone in any age thinks they're right, until they're not. What saddens and worries me most is right now, we most obviously are not right. What this most obviously is, is a bandwagon leapt on by naval gazers, the insecure, the easily led, and the intellectually fragile.
In the coming years, today's cancel culture will be a period of embarrassment. It's just the “here today, gone tomorrow" brigade who can't, or won't, think past a latest fad.
It's social media thinking, it's bright and shiny, and it's why our Dr. Seuss paintings will be going nowhere.    ]]>144falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-treasury-has-it-wrong-on-film-subsidies--1008190Treasury warned about the wage subsidy and company profits and wastage, they were right.
Treasury warned about printing money and seeing interest rates plummet and the effect that would have on housing prices. Remarkably, it is suggested the Finance Minister was sceptical, which is shocking given how obvious it is.
Now Treasury’s latest warning is over film subsidies. They project we are handing out over a billion dollars’ worth in the next five years.
Their concern is it's unlimited. In other words, there are no specific criteria other than you turn up and start making movies, and when you do, you get large tax breaks.
This was dreamed up for Peter Jackson, who in the early days of Lord of the Rings told the government he could shoot anywhere and plenty of places were going to make it worth his while.
So, a conservative government, National, caved to the subsidy industry, and not just that, revisited the criteria several years on and sweetened the deal.
And that led to the debate over the race to the bottom. In other words, how much of a deal do you want to offer? At what point does it become farcical?
Places like India, Ireland, and Canada have long been in the business and the simple truth is this: as wonderous as the South Island scenery maybe as a backdrop, if the dollars don’t make sense, they’ll do it elsewhere.
And like most things, once you’ve bitten the bullet, who has got the gonads to bring it to a grinding halt?
Do we like having a film industry? Yes, we do.
Have we benefitted in a myriad of ways that may or may not be measurable by dollars? Yes, we have.
Does it bring jobs and income outside the subsidies? Yes, it does.
So, with hindsight, I think we can say we did the right thing. But, if that’s true, why don’t we do it for other industries?
Tech and space and cars and manufacturing - what’s so special about film, it needs a deal all of its own?
The answer is glamour. We are star-struck. Never underestimate the pride factor: Middle Earth, Taika, Sam Neill, anyone that flys our flag in a high-profile way gets a freer ride than say the bloke who invented a machine in the back shed that none of us are quite sure what it actually does.
And never forget our current predicament: given our debt, our closed borders, and destruction of tourism, $1 billion over five years to keep people in work and the world knocking at our door with their cameras seems a fairly decent sort of deal.
Treasury, I think, might be wrong on this one.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22978712/mh030321-15-moviesubsidiescomment.mp3Wed, 03 Mar 2021 04:13:01 +0000RoccoIt must be hard working in Treasury. When you’re wrong everyone thinks you’re a doofus, but when you’re right, you must get frustrated that no one listened to you. Treasury warned about the wage subsidy and company profits and wastage, they were...Treasury warned about the wage subsidy and company profits and wastage, they were right.
Treasury warned about printing money and seeing interest rates plummet and the effect that would have on housing prices. Remarkably, it is suggested the Finance Minister was sceptical, which is shocking given how obvious it is.
Now Treasury’s latest warning is over film subsidies. They project we are handing out over a billion dollars’ worth in the next five years.
Their concern is it's unlimited. In other words, there are no specific criteria other than you turn up and start making movies, and when you do, you get large tax breaks.
This was dreamed up for Peter Jackson, who in the early days of Lord of the Rings told the government he could shoot anywhere and plenty of places were going to make it worth his while.
So, a conservative government, National, caved to the subsidy industry, and not just that, revisited the criteria several years on and sweetened the deal.
And that led to the debate over the race to the bottom. In other words, how much of a deal do you want to offer? At what point does it become farcical?
Places like India, Ireland, and Canada have long been in the business and the simple truth is this: as wonderous as the South Island scenery maybe as a backdrop, if the dollars don’t make sense, they’ll do it elsewhere.
And like most things, once you’ve bitten the bullet, who has got the gonads to bring it to a grinding halt?
Do we like having a film industry? Yes, we do.
Have we benefitted in a myriad of ways that may or may not be measurable by dollars? Yes, we have.
Does it bring jobs and income outside the subsidies? Yes, it does.
So, with hindsight, I think we can say we did the right thing. But, if that’s true, why don’t we do it for other industries?
Tech and space and cars and manufacturing - what’s so special about film, it needs a deal all of its own?
The answer is glamour. We are star-struck. Never underestimate the pride factor: Middle Earth, Taika, Sam Neill, anyone that flys our flag in a high-profile way gets a freer ride than say the bloke who invented a machine in the back shed that none of us are quite sure what it actually does.
And never forget our current predicament: given our debt, our closed borders, and destruction of tourism, $1 billion over five years to keep people in work and the world knocking at our door with their cameras seems a fairly decent sort of deal.
Treasury, I think, might be wrong on this one.]]>76falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-are-we-being-kind-or-not--1008154For a Prime Minister who has become world famous, at least among liberal media outlets, for her be kind message, we now see the real operator with the almost uncontained frustration, if not anger, over the mess in South Auckland.
Not only are we dobbing each other in now, yesterday we got the details of the 15 times the government tried to contact case L. This is the KFC worker, the sister of the Papatoetoe High School student, and the one that wasn’t isolating.
Here is the trouble with all this, I get Ardern's upset, I would be upset. But then I haven't made my name huffing, puffing, and wringing my hands saying nothing apart from be kind.
That is her problem. To be successful you must be authentic, and Ardern isn't.
Despite what Stuff tried desperately to spin this week in what must be one of the wettest, most subservient pieces of puffery I have read in a long time. They managed to drum up a couple of department heads from the cloistered world of academia who seem to think Ardern was a good communicator because she is genuine. This just proves you can fool, at least, some of the people some of the time.
The trouble Ardern is in, is that you're either soft and fluffy, or you're not. You're either the cheerleader for the team of five million, or you're not. And the game she is now playing involves her dividing and conquering. She's pitting the South Auckland families against the rest of us, figuring we'll side with her because we are all over being locked down. And instead of border ineptness or lack of testing, we have a family to blame.
Not forgetting, of course, the start of all this most likely involved a mum at a border job that wasn’t tested because she wasn’t at work the day the once in 14-day tests were done. That still squarely sits with the government.
David Seymour is right. If you are going to play this dumb game, all records need to be released. Otherwise, we have a petty tit-for-tat spat going nowhere. The records won't be released. Why? Because the Ministry of Health has a record of ineptitude. Ask Sir Brian Roche or Heather Simpson.
That’s before you get to the one sidedness of this fight. The Prime Minister and the government machine against a couple of families who, although clearly at fault, probably don’t know what's hit them.
Ardern runs the risk now of looking like a bully. So, which is it? Are we being kind? Or are we picking fights?
Would the real Ardern please step forward? Or is the truth here, the real Ardern is whatever version that best suits the spin of the day. In other words, she's not authentic at all, she's Machiavellian.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22978660/mh030321-13-adernimagecomment.mp3Tue, 02 Mar 2021 21:39:32 +0000RoccoWhat a difference a week and a political mess with the tide going out makes. For a Prime Minister who has become world famous, at least among liberal media outlets, for her be kind message, we now see the real operator with the almost uncontained...For a Prime Minister who has become world famous, at least among liberal media outlets, for her be kind message, we now see the real operator with the almost uncontained frustration, if not anger, over the mess in South Auckland.
Not only are we dobbing each other in now, yesterday we got the details of the 15 times the government tried to contact case L. This is the KFC worker, the sister of the Papatoetoe High School student, and the one that wasn’t isolating.
Here is the trouble with all this, I get Ardern's upset, I would be upset. But then I haven't made my name huffing, puffing, and wringing my hands saying nothing apart from be kind.
That is her problem. To be successful you must be authentic, and Ardern isn't.
Despite what Stuff tried desperately to spin this week in what must be one of the wettest, most subservient pieces of puffery I have read in a long time. They managed to drum up a couple of department heads from the cloistered world of academia who seem to think Ardern was a good communicator because she is genuine. This just proves you can fool, at least, some of the people some of the time.
The trouble Ardern is in, is that you're either soft and fluffy, or you're not. You're either the cheerleader for the team of five million, or you're not. And the game she is now playing involves her dividing and conquering. She's pitting the South Auckland families against the rest of us, figuring we'll side with her because we are all over being locked down. And instead of border ineptness or lack of testing, we have a family to blame.
Not forgetting, of course, the start of all this most likely involved a mum at a border job that wasn’t tested because she wasn’t at work the day the once in 14-day tests were done. That still squarely sits with the government.
David Seymour is right. If you are going to play this dumb game, all records need to be released. Otherwise, we have a petty tit-for-tat spat going nowhere. The records won't be released. Why? Because the Ministry of Health has a record of ineptitude. Ask Sir Brian Roche or Heather Simpson.
That’s before you get to the one sidedness of this fight. The Prime Minister and the government machine against a couple of families who, although clearly at fault, probably don’t know what's hit them.
Ardern runs the risk now of looking like a bully. So, which is it? Are we being kind? Or are we picking fights?
Would the real Ardern please step forward? Or is the truth here, the real Ardern is whatever version that best suits the spin of the day. In other words, she's not authentic at all, she's Machiavellian.]]>132falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-time-to-change-our-housing-mindset--1008032I'm joking.
There are more coming in May, all part of the mad scramble to somehow do what no one else has managed, gerrymander a market that, by in large, sorts itself out.
If you want to seriously affect prices, you open land up. They haven't, and they won't.
And the reality is most investors who seem to be the major target of the opprobrium are in fact just mums and dads with one house. That statistics last week showed us this, only six percent of players appear to have a handful of properties. So target investors all you want, boost LVRs, extend the bright-line test, but it will have a marginal affect at most.
We can build more houses. The New Zealand Initiative say we need about another 30,000 on top of the 40,000 we are already building. And in that latter number is the clue, we are building flat out, we don’t have the labour to build more, we don’t have the supplies, and that’s before you get to costs which are rising.
Westpac suggest house price rises this year of 17 percent. They're right. Whether it's 16, 17, 14 or 19 percent, prices are only going one way.
What will slow things is when money gets harder to afford, and/or prices get to a level of insanity. At that point the market will stall, in some areas possibly fall a bit.
But history is all you need to be able to see and tell this story. We have been here before, we have been here before a number of times. This current burst is a big one, but it's not unprecedented. Even though the times that drive it are.
The ones I feel most sorry for are the first timers. The deposit required now is absurd, but there in lies the trouble.
Our fear.
Because we don’t learn from history, because we are driven by this mad conviction that a bursting bubble is but days away, we don’t let first timers in the way we should.  Given the money is at two percent, it's the deposit that kills you, not the mortgage.
Make the mortgage smaller, make it five percent. Make it like Britain, Britain gets it. They’ve got the same issues we do, Australia has the same issues we do, the States has the same issues we do, property all over the closed world is in demand.
But five percent, beats 20 percent. Why don’t we get that? Because we are paranoid. Jaw boning the market and targeting the wrong people will get us where it got us previously, nowhere.
It's only doom and gloom if you’ve got the wrong mindset, and think failed polices are the answer.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22978581/mh020321-13-housingbubblecomment.mp3Mon, 01 Mar 2021 23:21:07 +0000RoccoWe haven't seen the property market correct itself yet, so the LVRs that came into place this week are yet to kick in obviously. I'm joking. There are more coming in May, all part of the mad scramble to somehow do what no one else has managed,...I'm joking.
There are more coming in May, all part of the mad scramble to somehow do what no one else has managed, gerrymander a market that, by in large, sorts itself out.
If you want to seriously affect prices, you open land up. They haven't, and they won't.
And the reality is most investors who seem to be the major target of the opprobrium are in fact just mums and dads with one house. That statistics last week showed us this, only six percent of players appear to have a handful of properties. So target investors all you want, boost LVRs, extend the bright-line test, but it will have a marginal affect at most.
We can build more houses. The New Zealand Initiative say we need about another 30,000 on top of the 40,000 we are already building. And in that latter number is the clue, we are building flat out, we don’t have the labour to build more, we don’t have the supplies, and that’s before you get to costs which are rising.
Westpac suggest house price rises this year of 17 percent. They're right. Whether it's 16, 17, 14 or 19 percent, prices are only going one way.
What will slow things is when money gets harder to afford, and/or prices get to a level of insanity. At that point the market will stall, in some areas possibly fall a bit.
But history is all you need to be able to see and tell this story. We have been here before, we have been here before a number of times. This current burst is a big one, but it's not unprecedented. Even though the times that drive it are.
The ones I feel most sorry for are the first timers. The deposit required now is absurd, but there in lies the trouble.
Our fear.
Because we don’t learn from history, because we are driven by this mad conviction that a bursting bubble is but days away, we don’t let first timers in the way we should.  Given the money is at two percent, it's the deposit that kills you, not the mortgage.
Make the mortgage smaller, make it five percent. Make it like Britain, Britain gets it. They’ve got the same issues we do, Australia has the same issues we do, the States has the same issues we do, property all over the closed world is in demand.
But five percent, beats 20 percent. Why don’t we get that? Because we are paranoid. Jaw boning the market and targeting the wrong people will get us where it got us previously, nowhere.
It's only doom and gloom if you’ve got the wrong mindset, and think failed polices are the answer.]]>133falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-queen-showed-leadership-by-urging-people-to-get-the-vaccine--1008238Queen Elizabeth II is encouraging people to be vaccinated against COVID-19, saying the shot is quick, harmless and will help protect others against the disease.
In a video call with the officials responsible for rolling out the vaccine, the 94-year-old monarch compared the effort that's gone into Britain's national vaccination campaign to the way people worked together during World War II.
"Well, once you've had the vaccine you have a feeling of, you know, you're protected, which is, I think, very important," the queen said on a tape of the call broadcast Friday. "And as far as I can make out it was quite harmless, very quick. And I've had lots of letters from people who've been very surprised by how easy it was to get the vaccine."
The queen also highlighted the fact that being vaccinated helps protect everyone, not just the person who gets the shot.
"It is obviously difficult for people, if they've never had a vaccine, because they ought to think about other people rather than themselves," she said.
Though the queen had made her vaccination known earlier, her comments during a video call with health leaders recorded Tuesday will get the word to more people who might be hesitating, and could possibly prove persuasive given Elizabeth's huge name recognition.
The queen and her husband, Prince Philip, 99, received their first dose of the vaccine last month. In an unusual move, the palace made the information known to prevent speculation about their health.
The call with health officials this week showed the queen continuing with her duties even as Philip rests at King Edward VII's Hospital in what royal officials called a precautionary measure. Buckingham Palace said Tuesday that he was being treated for an infection.
During the conversation, the queen described COVID-19 as a "plague" that has swept across the globe. She urged the vaccination drive leaders to "keep up the good work."'
She likened the community spirit to get vaccinations done to the experience of the country during World War II.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22978546/mh010321-21-goodonthequeencomment.mp3Mon, 01 Mar 2021 04:47:36 +0000RoccoListen above to Mike's thoughts on The Queen's rare move discussing her private experiences  Queen Elizabeth II is encouraging people to be vaccinated against COVID-19, saying the shot is quick, harmless and will help protect others against the...Queen Elizabeth II is encouraging people to be vaccinated against COVID-19, saying the shot is quick, harmless and will help protect others against the disease.
In a video call with the officials responsible for rolling out the vaccine, the 94-year-old monarch compared the effort that's gone into Britain's national vaccination campaign to the way people worked together during World War II.
"Well, once you've had the vaccine you have a feeling of, you know, you're protected, which is, I think, very important," the queen said on a tape of the call broadcast Friday. "And as far as I can make out it was quite harmless, very quick. And I've had lots of letters from people who've been very surprised by how easy it was to get the vaccine."
The queen also highlighted the fact that being vaccinated helps protect everyone, not just the person who gets the shot.
"It is obviously difficult for people, if they've never had a vaccine, because they ought to think about other people rather than themselves," she said.
Though the queen had made her vaccination known earlier, her comments during a video call with health leaders recorded Tuesday will get the word to more people who might be hesitating, and could possibly prove persuasive given Elizabeth's huge name recognition.
The queen and her husband, Prince Philip, 99, received their first dose of the vaccine last month. In an unusual move, the palace made the information known to prevent speculation about their health.
The call with health officials this week showed the queen continuing with her duties even as Philip rests at King Edward VII's Hospital in what royal officials called a precautionary measure. Buckingham Palace said Tuesday that he was being treated for an infection.
During the conversation, the queen described COVID-19 as a "plague" that has swept across the globe. She urged the vaccination drive leaders to "keep up the good work."'
She likened the community spirit to get vaccinations done to the experience of the country during World War II.]]>52falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-complacent-government-asleep-at-the-wheel-over-covid-19--1008033The usual puffery from the Prime Minister. Yesterday's sermon was about death, there was a reference to America. What a country of 350 million with a federal system, and a slightly insane former president, has to do with our circumstances I have no idea. But she'll leave no stone unturned to instil fear in the wider community susceptible to such mind control.
Ashley Bloomfield yet again corrected some dates and times that were given out wrongly on Saturday night. His excuse was they were moving at pace. God forbid they adapt that as a go-to modus operandi, instead of the asleep at the wheel position they currently favour.
We got the news that there were no new cases, and that the cases were all linked. Thus, leading to about 5 million people to ask why 1.5 million are locked down, and the rest are hopelessly inconvenienced yet again because of something that would appear to be contained. Nothing was to be found in the waste-water.
Before the 1pm, by the way, I was reading yet again the global headlines of how a major city gets locked down for one case. The astonishment from around the world continues.
And then to add insult to injury Bloomfield has the temerity to ask us to think about what we can do to stop the spread and the damage. Stay home, work from home, don't line up for a test if there is nothing wrong with you, don’t ring Healthline if all you need is the lotto numbers.
But here's the question for Bloomfield and his trigger-happy Prime Minister, how about you think of the things you can do to avoid the damage? How about you pull your fingers out, stop making phone calls that aren't returned, start knocking on some doors, start using the health act to make people do what they should be doing, and stop apologising for recalcitrants?
How about start putting the majority of New Zealand, New Zealanders, their businesses, and their welfare ahead of a bunch of no-hopers in South Auckland that clearly couldn't give a monkeys about the rest of us?
Two months in, third breach. Second lockdown in February. We don’t have this, it's not eliminated.
Our response isn't good, the attitude is all wrong.
This is a lazy, complacent government, whose major energy expenditure involves defending their ineptitude and trying to explain why things keep going wrong. ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22978511/mh010321-12-repeatedlockdownscomment.mp3Sun, 28 Feb 2021 21:47:36 +0000RoccoI watched that farce they call a Covid update at 1pm yesterday. The usual puffery from the Prime Minister. Yesterday's sermon was about death, there was a reference to America. What a country of 350 million with a federal system, and a slightly insane...The usual puffery from the Prime Minister. Yesterday's sermon was about death, there was a reference to America. What a country of 350 million with a federal system, and a slightly insane former president, has to do with our circumstances I have no idea. But she'll leave no stone unturned to instil fear in the wider community susceptible to such mind control.
Ashley Bloomfield yet again corrected some dates and times that were given out wrongly on Saturday night. His excuse was they were moving at pace. God forbid they adapt that as a go-to modus operandi, instead of the asleep at the wheel position they currently favour.
We got the news that there were no new cases, and that the cases were all linked. Thus, leading to about 5 million people to ask why 1.5 million are locked down, and the rest are hopelessly inconvenienced yet again because of something that would appear to be contained. Nothing was to be found in the waste-water.
Before the 1pm, by the way, I was reading yet again the global headlines of how a major city gets locked down for one case. The astonishment from around the world continues.
And then to add insult to injury Bloomfield has the temerity to ask us to think about what we can do to stop the spread and the damage. Stay home, work from home, don't line up for a test if there is nothing wrong with you, don’t ring Healthline if all you need is the lotto numbers.
But here's the question for Bloomfield and his trigger-happy Prime Minister, how about you think of the things you can do to avoid the damage? How about you pull your fingers out, stop making phone calls that aren't returned, start knocking on some doors, start using the health act to make people do what they should be doing, and stop apologising for recalcitrants?
How about start putting the majority of New Zealand, New Zealanders, their businesses, and their welfare ahead of a bunch of no-hopers in South Auckland that clearly couldn't give a monkeys about the rest of us?
Two months in, third breach. Second lockdown in February. We don’t have this, it's not eliminated.
Our response isn't good, the attitude is all wrong.
This is a lazy, complacent government, whose major energy expenditure involves defending their ineptitude and trying to explain why things keep going wrong. ]]>118falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-government-s-refusal-to-allow-australia-travel-bubble-looks-like-a-control-exercise--1008035Covid-19 Vaccine Rollout.
9/10.
"First for the country this week.
Is it light at the end of the tunnel? Or maybe the start of the end?"
Britain and Israel's Rollout.
8/10.
"They are the guiding lights.
If you want to see where we could be, sadly if only we were faster, then they are your vaccination yard sticks."
10 Year Christchurch Earthquake Commemorations.
7/10.
"A good balanced sort of message, I thought, this week.
Never forget, of course.
But also a realisation that there is much more to be done, and a pick up in pace and determination would be no bad thing."
Wellington City Council.
0/10.
"Give it up.
Between the pipes, the sludge, the poo, the cycleways, the blowouts, the hate, vitriol, and venom.
Just bring in the Commissioners."
Progressive Housing Scheme.
1/10.
"Here we go again.
Eight months, 12 families moved in.
Labour and housing, eh?"
Facebook and Australian News.
1/10.
"Found out for who they really are."
Australia's Win over Facebook.
9/10.
"A globally significant win, and a steely set of balls to be admired."
Gladys Berejiklian.
7/10.
"Calling out our government over the lack of two-way in the bubble.
The excuses are lame and getting lamer.
This looks more and more like a control exercise."
Super Cars.
9/10.
"Back this weekend, can't wait."
Sky TV (who has the Super Cars).  
7/10.
A good week.
And a seven to all the businesses who had a good week in reporting season.
Whether you survived, bounced back, grew, or broke records, it seemed overall there were plenty of good stories to be told."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22978347/mh260221-13-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 25 Feb 2021 22:30:54 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. Covid-19 Vaccine Rollout. 9/10. "First for the country this week. Is it light at the end of the tunnel? Or maybe the start of the...Covid-19 Vaccine Rollout.
9/10.
"First for the country this week.
Is it light at the end of the tunnel? Or maybe the start of the end?"
Britain and Israel's Rollout.
8/10.
"They are the guiding lights.
If you want to see where we could be, sadly if only we were faster, then they are your vaccination yard sticks."
10 Year Christchurch Earthquake Commemorations.
7/10.
"A good balanced sort of message, I thought, this week.
Never forget, of course.
But also a realisation that there is much more to be done, and a pick up in pace and determination would be no bad thing."
Wellington City Council.
0/10.
"Give it up.
Between the pipes, the sludge, the poo, the cycleways, the blowouts, the hate, vitriol, and venom.
Just bring in the Commissioners."
Progressive Housing Scheme.
1/10.
"Here we go again.
Eight months, 12 families moved in.
Labour and housing, eh?"
Facebook and Australian News.
1/10.
"Found out for who they really are."
Australia's Win over Facebook.
9/10.
"A globally significant win, and a steely set of balls to be admired."
Gladys Berejiklian.
7/10.
"Calling out our government over the lack of two-way in the bubble.
The excuses are lame and getting lamer.
This looks more and more like a control exercise."
Super Cars.
9/10.
"Back this weekend, can't wait."
Sky TV (who has the Super Cars).  
7/10.
A good week.
And a seven to all the businesses who had a good week in reporting season.
Whether you survived, bounced back, grew, or broke records, it seemed overall there were plenty of good stories to be told."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>174falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-is-grant-robertson-just-out-of-ideas--1008268The latest "Robertson to Orr" letter asks the Reserve Bank to take housing into account when they make their various statements and announcements. That on top of inflation and employment.
The Reserve Bank used to have a sweet job. The cash rate. What is the cash rate? What will the cash rate be? Is it going up? Is it going down? And they decided that on all the stuff that was going on in the economy around them, none of which they had any control over.
To be fair, a lot of people quite correctly thought it was slightly unfair that the Reserve Bank had such authority with so few tools. That's why they called the cash rate such a blunt instrument. And it's why, of late, you've heard the phrase "tools in the tool kit” a lot more.
We have seen movement from the bank no one has seen before. The talk of negative rates, printing money eloquently dressed up under the term QE, and LVRs coming and going.
The Reserve Bank has never been more vital and more involved, but then never it has been asked to do more by a politician clearly out of ideas. Especially on housing.
You'll remember Robertson was due to give us his magic bag full of tricks on tilting the housing market towards the first home buyer. That announcement was due by now. It's been delayed, I suspect because Robertson made the announcement with no idea of what the actual action entailed. Where have we seen that trick before?
Robertson has already written to Orr before about this, and Orr put the letter in the bin, so to speak. So now the instruction, solve employment, fix inflation, and tell us how housing works.
As Cameron Bagrie, quite rightly, says this goes too far. Unless, of course, you want to draft Orr into cabinet, flag the Reserve Bank's independence and just return to the days of Rob Muldoon.
The rotten thing here.is not the abdication of responsibility from the government by palming off yet another of their worries, it's the fact they’ve done so because they won't admit they're stuck. They’ve over-promised and they're stuck.
Progressive housing this week, Kiwibuild last term. Housing and labour, water and oil, they don’t know how to make it work.
But you don’t make it work by making it someone else's problem. That's not what you go into government to do, passing the buck should not be government policy.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22978339/mh260221-01-grantrobertsoncomment.mp3Thu, 25 Feb 2021 21:45:14 +0000RoccoQuick suggestion, why don’t we just ask Adrian Orr to be the Finance Minister? Grant Robertson seems to have given up. The latest "Robertson to Orr" letter asks the Reserve Bank to take housing into account when they make their various statements and...The latest "Robertson to Orr" letter asks the Reserve Bank to take housing into account when they make their various statements and announcements. That on top of inflation and employment.
The Reserve Bank used to have a sweet job. The cash rate. What is the cash rate? What will the cash rate be? Is it going up? Is it going down? And they decided that on all the stuff that was going on in the economy around them, none of which they had any control over.
To be fair, a lot of people quite correctly thought it was slightly unfair that the Reserve Bank had such authority with so few tools. That's why they called the cash rate such a blunt instrument. And it's why, of late, you've heard the phrase "tools in the tool kit” a lot more.
We have seen movement from the bank no one has seen before. The talk of negative rates, printing money eloquently dressed up under the term QE, and LVRs coming and going.
The Reserve Bank has never been more vital and more involved, but then never it has been asked to do more by a politician clearly out of ideas. Especially on housing.
You'll remember Robertson was due to give us his magic bag full of tricks on tilting the housing market towards the first home buyer. That announcement was due by now. It's been delayed, I suspect because Robertson made the announcement with no idea of what the actual action entailed. Where have we seen that trick before?
Robertson has already written to Orr before about this, and Orr put the letter in the bin, so to speak. So now the instruction, solve employment, fix inflation, and tell us how housing works.
As Cameron Bagrie, quite rightly, says this goes too far. Unless, of course, you want to draft Orr into cabinet, flag the Reserve Bank's independence and just return to the days of Rob Muldoon.
The rotten thing here.is not the abdication of responsibility from the government by palming off yet another of their worries, it's the fact they’ve done so because they won't admit they're stuck. They’ve over-promised and they're stuck.
Progressive housing this week, Kiwibuild last term. Housing and labour, water and oil, they don’t know how to make it work.
But you don’t make it work by making it someone else's problem. That's not what you go into government to do, passing the buck should not be government policy.]]>115falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-it-s-never-been-a-better-time-to-be-the-opposition--1008157I hope it’s not true, because what this country needs - all countries need - is strong opposition.
Not opposition for opposition’s sake, but well thought through critique.
The trick to good opposition is not just that the government are wrong, it’s why they are wrong and what is the alternative.  You have to give people an “out” or an “idea”.
Collins herself did well over this nutty person refusing a Covid test in MIQ, calling to deport them. It’s something the government hasn’t done and it’s a good idea,
Simon Bridges on Coster, there is no question gangs are a major issue and a concern to many new Zealanders, and there is little if any doubt that once Coster appeared to support Māori-led road blocks that kind of thinking at the top might just be a problem.
National have been suggesting MIQ out of down town Auckland, a purpose built facility. It’s a logical sensible eminently doable idea, and that is what opposition is about, the contest of ideas.
ACT too has carried on where they left off pre-election. Their revelation that Matariki is a $400 million proposition not $200m as stated is the sort of information the government were never going to tell you, if left to their own devices.
Opposition is hard. It is well known that most of the time the wider public are not hyper tuned to the minutiae of political life.
It’s been made even harder these past few years with the increasingly partisan role of the media who refuse to look for balance or anything that isn’t officially headlined as a press release by the government  
But let us never forget, that half the country didn’t vote for the incumbents.  The concept that labour romped to victory is an out working of the electoral system.
the same way it was from 2017 to last year - cobble together three parties or one party gets all the spoils - the fact remains only half want the outcome, the other half don’t.
Both halves though deserve service and good service at that.
This is a weak and lazy government that is being found out daily on its Covid response.  They refuse to change, they refuse to listen, they refuse to be pro-active and, most sadly, they refuse to want better for us all.
That’s fertile ground for those charged with looking out for the interests of half the country. It’s never been a better time to be the Opposition. More please.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22978327/mh250221-13-oppositioncomment.mp3Thu, 25 Feb 2021 08:46:27 +0000RoccoI was slightly disturbed at reportage that Judith Collins was trying to bring Simon bridges into line over his Coster ‘wokester’ comments I hope it’s not true, because what this country needs - all countries need - is strong opposition. Not opposition...I hope it’s not true, because what this country needs - all countries need - is strong opposition.
Not opposition for opposition’s sake, but well thought through critique.
The trick to good opposition is not just that the government are wrong, it’s why they are wrong and what is the alternative.  You have to give people an “out” or an “idea”.
Collins herself did well over this nutty person refusing a Covid test in MIQ, calling to deport them. It’s something the government hasn’t done and it’s a good idea,
Simon Bridges on Coster, there is no question gangs are a major issue and a concern to many new Zealanders, and there is little if any doubt that once Coster appeared to support Māori-led road blocks that kind of thinking at the top might just be a problem.
National have been suggesting MIQ out of down town Auckland, a purpose built facility. It’s a logical sensible eminently doable idea, and that is what opposition is about, the contest of ideas.
ACT too has carried on where they left off pre-election. Their revelation that Matariki is a $400 million proposition not $200m as stated is the sort of information the government were never going to tell you, if left to their own devices.
Opposition is hard. It is well known that most of the time the wider public are not hyper tuned to the minutiae of political life.
It’s been made even harder these past few years with the increasingly partisan role of the media who refuse to look for balance or anything that isn’t officially headlined as a press release by the government  
But let us never forget, that half the country didn’t vote for the incumbents.  The concept that labour romped to victory is an out working of the electoral system.
the same way it was from 2017 to last year - cobble together three parties or one party gets all the spoils - the fact remains only half want the outcome, the other half don’t.
Both halves though deserve service and good service at that.
This is a weak and lazy government that is being found out daily on its Covid response.  They refuse to change, they refuse to listen, they refuse to be pro-active and, most sadly, they refuse to want better for us all.
That’s fertile ground for those charged with looking out for the interests of half the country. It’s never been a better time to be the Opposition. More please.]]>132falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/ido-drent-discusses-second-season-of-crime-hit-the-gulf--1008278Local crime drama The Gulf – focusing on a series of crimes taking place on Auckland’s Waiheke Island – is back for a second season on Three from Monday March 1st.
The show was a success in New Zealand, but thanks to production input from Germany, the show has become a global hit, being featured on international streaming services such as Amazon Prime and Acorn TV.
Drent joined Mike Hosking in studio to discuss filming the show, it's international success, and what's different about working on a show with international input.
LISTEN ABOVE
 
 
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22978283/mh250221-19-idodrent-thegulf.mp3Thu, 25 Feb 2021 03:04:32 +0000RoccoActor Ido Drent may have perfected his craft on Shortland Street, and garnered attention in Aussie series Offspring, but his latest show has seen him go global. Local crime drama The Gulf – focusing on a series of crimes taking place on Auckland’s...Local crime drama The Gulf – focusing on a series of crimes taking place on Auckland’s Waiheke Island – is back for a second season on Three from Monday March 1st.
The show was a success in New Zealand, but thanks to production input from Germany, the show has become a global hit, being featured on international streaming services such as Amazon Prime and Acorn TV.
Drent joined Mike Hosking in studio to discuss filming the show, it's international success, and what's different about working on a show with international input.
LISTEN ABOVE
 
 
 ]]>682falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-government-remains-clueless-over-housing--1008251So far this year, and it's only February, the Prime Minister promised to fix the housing crisis. Fix it, just like that. Grant Robertson then said he had tools he'd be announcing this month that would tilt the market in favour of the first home buyer.
The day after he announced his announcement, the Reserve Bank announced the return of steeper LVRs for first timers, thus making it harder not easier. So, yes, the market was tilted, but not their way.
Robertson then announced, although not loudly, that the announcement was indeed delayed. I suspect because, as we have said many a time, there are no magic bullets for housing.
And then this week we get the details around the government's progressive home ownership scheme. This is a $400 million plan, and it was part of Kiwibuild. That's the first, and of course, ultimate clue as to the simple truth this lot wouldn’t know houses, even if they were standing outside one with Mike Pero.
Progressive housing is about people being paired with community housing providers and they cut an arrangement. It could be leasing, rent to buy leasehold, or some sort of arrangement whereby they end up owning their own home.
So eight months on in this $400 million programme launched last year as part of the government's “blow Kiwibuild up and start again” announcement,  they have 12 families sorted.
That's one and a half families a month. The programme's target is 1500 to 4000, so quite a wide range in and of itself, almost as though it’s a guess.
At the rate of 1.5 a month, it will take 1000 months to hit their bottom target. That’s 83 years. If they're going for the top end that would be about 2600 months, or 216 years. One assumes the uptake might speed up a bit given we're all dead if it doesn’t. But you get the idea that yet again the promise is going to outperform the delivery.
Meantime the waitlist for social housing, an area where some progress is actually being made, is out to 22,000. But once again reality bites.
Are they building houses? Yes, a bit under 4000, but the queue is 22,000. Even their ultimate promise of 18,000 by 2024, if you believe that, is still short of the current list, which will have grown even further by then.
In other words, even by their own measures, they fail, they know they're going to fail, and yet they keep saying they are going to fix it.
The trouble with facts is they beat hot air. On housing this lot have broken records with hot air, but hot air doesn’t put a roof over your head.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22978255/mh250221-01-housingcomment.mp3Wed, 24 Feb 2021 21:56:00 +0000RoccoI think we can draw a fairly easy conclusion that when it comes to housing this government are hopeless. So far this year, and it's only February, the Prime Minister promised to fix the housing crisis. Fix it, just like that. Grant Robertson then said...So far this year, and it's only February, the Prime Minister promised to fix the housing crisis. Fix it, just like that. Grant Robertson then said he had tools he'd be announcing this month that would tilt the market in favour of the first home buyer.
The day after he announced his announcement, the Reserve Bank announced the return of steeper LVRs for first timers, thus making it harder not easier. So, yes, the market was tilted, but not their way.
Robertson then announced, although not loudly, that the announcement was indeed delayed. I suspect because, as we have said many a time, there are no magic bullets for housing.
And then this week we get the details around the government's progressive home ownership scheme. This is a $400 million plan, and it was part of Kiwibuild. That's the first, and of course, ultimate clue as to the simple truth this lot wouldn’t know houses, even if they were standing outside one with Mike Pero.
Progressive housing is about people being paired with community housing providers and they cut an arrangement. It could be leasing, rent to buy leasehold, or some sort of arrangement whereby they end up owning their own home.
So eight months on in this $400 million programme launched last year as part of the government's “blow Kiwibuild up and start again” announcement,  they have 12 families sorted.
That's one and a half families a month. The programme's target is 1500 to 4000, so quite a wide range in and of itself, almost as though it’s a guess.
At the rate of 1.5 a month, it will take 1000 months to hit their bottom target. That’s 83 years. If they're going for the top end that would be about 2600 months, or 216 years. One assumes the uptake might speed up a bit given we're all dead if it doesn’t. But you get the idea that yet again the promise is going to outperform the delivery.
Meantime the waitlist for social housing, an area where some progress is actually being made, is out to 22,000. But once again reality bites.
Are they building houses? Yes, a bit under 4000, but the queue is 22,000. Even their ultimate promise of 18,000 by 2024, if you believe that, is still short of the current list, which will have grown even further by then.
In other words, even by their own measures, they fail, they know they're going to fail, and yet they keep saying they are going to fix it.
The trouble with facts is they beat hot air. On housing this lot have broken records with hot air, but hot air doesn’t put a roof over your head.  ]]>134falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-labour-s-push-to-protect-maori-wards-political-dishonesty--1008256I am “for” the change only on the basis that it’s an anomaly. It’s the only thing a council does that you can rummage up some signatures by way of a petition and force a vote on their decision. The fact you have been able to, as it turns out, is very valuable - back to that in a moment.
But, given its unique, it’s therefore to some degree unfair, and that is the government’s argument for changing it.
It’s a dishonest argument of course even though it’s technically correct. It’s an argument of convenience.
They are really doing it because they want more Māori around council tables and democracy hasn’t worked, so they are gerrymandering the system to suit their cause.
The really egregious part of the move is that the Labour Party didn’t talk about it in the election, and there is a reason for that: they knew full well what sort of reaction they would get.
So that is a case of fundamental political dishonesty for the most open honest and transparent government. It’s yet another example of what a joke that line really always was.
But back to the value of referenda. What we have been able to glean from those votes is almost universally people don’t want specific Māori wards.
Nothing to do with racism, because the beauty of democracy - free and open democracy - is anyone can stand for a seat, a ward, a council, a committee, a board.
Race is not an impediment to electoral success or voter support. Statement of fact. You want to stand, stand, nothing is stopping you.
The fact Māori don’t or haven’t is not the voters problem. The fact they’re not always elected because they don’t stand in large swathes is not the voter’s problem either.
The voter votes for the people with their hand up.
So by promoting Māori wards, councils, we know from the ensuing referenda, are acting against the will of the community.
And in then voting to not have a vote on the matter, which many a council has done, they are further acting against the will of the local community, and that has been the value of the law to this point.
You have tangible examples of what the council do vs what the people think. But you can forget all that, because central government, driven by colonial guilt and politically correct ideology, is putting all that to an end.
And they’re doing it as fast as they can have not whispered a word about it. Classy.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22978216/mh240221-01-urgencycomment.mp3Wed, 24 Feb 2021 04:22:56 +0000RoccoA good piece on Newsroom - What’s the rush? Lawmaking in a hurry - deals with the governments use of urgency and specifically around the change to Māori wards for councils. I am “for” the change only on the basis that it’s an anomaly. It’s the only...I am “for” the change only on the basis that it’s an anomaly. It’s the only thing a council does that you can rummage up some signatures by way of a petition and force a vote on their decision. The fact you have been able to, as it turns out, is very valuable - back to that in a moment.
But, given its unique, it’s therefore to some degree unfair, and that is the government’s argument for changing it.
It’s a dishonest argument of course even though it’s technically correct. It’s an argument of convenience.
They are really doing it because they want more Māori around council tables and democracy hasn’t worked, so they are gerrymandering the system to suit their cause.
The really egregious part of the move is that the Labour Party didn’t talk about it in the election, and there is a reason for that: they knew full well what sort of reaction they would get.
So that is a case of fundamental political dishonesty for the most open honest and transparent government. It’s yet another example of what a joke that line really always was.
But back to the value of referenda. What we have been able to glean from those votes is almost universally people don’t want specific Māori wards.
Nothing to do with racism, because the beauty of democracy - free and open democracy - is anyone can stand for a seat, a ward, a council, a committee, a board.
Race is not an impediment to electoral success or voter support. Statement of fact. You want to stand, stand, nothing is stopping you.
The fact Māori don’t or haven’t is not the voters problem. The fact they’re not always elected because they don’t stand in large swathes is not the voter’s problem either.
The voter votes for the people with their hand up.
So by promoting Māori wards, councils, we know from the ensuing referenda, are acting against the will of the community.
And in then voting to not have a vote on the matter, which many a council has done, they are further acting against the will of the local community, and that has been the value of the law to this point.
You have tangible examples of what the council do vs what the people think. But you can forget all that, because central government, driven by colonial guilt and politically correct ideology, is putting all that to an end.
And they’re doing it as fast as they can have not whispered a word about it. Classy.]]>132falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-are-the-child-poverty-figures-really-a-win-for-the-government--1008282The poverty measure we use is all wrong. That's because wrong because it doesn’t include the initial Covid period, therefore is pointless. And it looks at poverty from a very crude pre-determined set of statistics and is predicated on the simple idea that if the government tosses money at something, it can change it.
We have got extra excited about it this year because the government, mainly through the Prime Minister made such a big deal of doing something about it, and up till today has failed spectacularly.
So, to this year's lotto draw of numbers, is it better? Well, who would know? In some senses, yes.
For example, 14.6 percent of kids lived in households with income less than 50 percent of the median wage before housing costs. That was down from 16.5 percent in 2018, so a win.
But it was up on last year when it was 13.5 percent, so it’s a loss.
So, the obvious question is, is the government winning? No. There are more kids than last year doing it hard.
Look at it another way, and this is yet another reason why this thing is a complete mess, too many measurements that make little, if any sense. Kids in households with income less than 50 percent of the median income after household costs for the 2017/18 base financial year, that number is 18.2 percent. That’s down from 2018's 22.8 percent but only just lower than 2019's 18.3 percent. In all reality, it's gone nowhere.
So, so far of two measurements, we've gone backwards and barely moved. Is that a success?
Material hardship got a good going over at the election. That's shoes, doctors, power bills etc. That’s sitting at 11 percent, down from 13.3 percent in 2018 and 13.2 percent in 2019.
So, a win for the government. Or is it? Even that last number, from 13 to 11, we feel good about that, do we? Is that the sort of progress this government really wanted? Are these numbers to crow about?
And I haven't even got to the Pacific Island and Maori part of the statistics. They're the mess you'd expect. They're hopelessly over-represented in everything bad.
What solves poverty is growth. Jobs, skills, attitude, desire, hard work, progress, innovation, and productivity. The list is long, detailed, and, sadly, not featured in our report.
What the report reflects is the government throw money at stuff. They threw billions, and what did the billions get us? At best a tiny improvement in material hardship, essentially nothing elsewhere.
People's lives, outlooks, hopes, and dreams are reduced to statistics poured over by wonks with magnifying glasses. And like all statistics there will be something for a government spin doctor to stick a headline to.
But if this is what we get on the issues the government is most passionate about, and most free with the money on, we are buggered.
Transformational? What a joke.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22978170/mh240221-13-childpovertycomment.mp3Tue, 23 Feb 2021 22:05:44 +0000RoccoWhat is it they say about statistics and damn lies? The poverty measure we use is all wrong. That's because wrong because it doesn’t include the initial Covid period, therefore is pointless. And it looks at poverty from a very crude pre-determined set...The poverty measure we use is all wrong. That's because wrong because it doesn’t include the initial Covid period, therefore is pointless. And it looks at poverty from a very crude pre-determined set of statistics and is predicated on the simple idea that if the government tosses money at something, it can change it.
We have got extra excited about it this year because the government, mainly through the Prime Minister made such a big deal of doing something about it, and up till today has failed spectacularly.
So, to this year's lotto draw of numbers, is it better? Well, who would know? In some senses, yes.
For example, 14.6 percent of kids lived in households with income less than 50 percent of the median wage before housing costs. That was down from 16.5 percent in 2018, so a win.
But it was up on last year when it was 13.5 percent, so it’s a loss.
So, the obvious question is, is the government winning? No. There are more kids than last year doing it hard.
Look at it another way, and this is yet another reason why this thing is a complete mess, too many measurements that make little, if any sense. Kids in households with income less than 50 percent of the median income after household costs for the 2017/18 base financial year, that number is 18.2 percent. That’s down from 2018's 22.8 percent but only just lower than 2019's 18.3 percent. In all reality, it's gone nowhere.
So, so far of two measurements, we've gone backwards and barely moved. Is that a success?
Material hardship got a good going over at the election. That's shoes, doctors, power bills etc. That’s sitting at 11 percent, down from 13.3 percent in 2018 and 13.2 percent in 2019.
So, a win for the government. Or is it? Even that last number, from 13 to 11, we feel good about that, do we? Is that the sort of progress this government really wanted? Are these numbers to crow about?
And I haven't even got to the Pacific Island and Maori part of the statistics. They're the mess you'd expect. They're hopelessly over-represented in everything bad.
What solves poverty is growth. Jobs, skills, attitude, desire, hard work, progress, innovation, and productivity. The list is long, detailed, and, sadly, not featured in our report.
What the report reflects is the government throw money at stuff. They threw billions, and what did the billions get us? At best a tiny improvement in material hardship, essentially nothing elsewhere.
People's lives, outlooks, hopes, and dreams are reduced to statistics poured over by wonks with magnifying glasses. And like all statistics there will be something for a government spin doctor to stick a headline to.
But if this is what we get on the issues the government is most passionate about, and most free with the money on, we are buggered.
Transformational? What a joke.  ]]>153falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-ev-advocates-know-they-ve-lost-their-argument--1008193He’s an American car industry commentator and was on the television last weekend on Q+A.
It was an interview about electric cars. it’s an excellent insight into the delusion and mind-set that has captured so many when it comes to future uptake of a product that under any normal circumstances would be seen as a commercial failure - and if it wasn’t so heavily linked to governments, and climate change obsession would have been binned by now.
The stats are stark. We are a country of cars; we love cars - more cars per head of population than just about anywhere outside the states.
There are 4 million cars. 24000 of those 4 million are EVs.
Stats don’t lie. The uptake is abysmal, has been abysmal and will remain abysmal and the disciples know it
And this is where Bradsher comes in.
He says – and he’s right – the market doesn’t lend itself well to EV ownership here. What he means by that, is the market hasn’t been specifically tilted enough the EVs way for the sales to take off.
And by tilt he means tax. We do not have, he says, especially high taxes for which it can then exempt electric cars.
Now this of course is to be celebrated.  We don’t have especially high taxes on goods and services for trade either. In trade they’re called tariffs.
We used to and it almost ruined us. When we took the tariffs off and traded with the world based on merit, we went gang busters and still do. We are the pioneers of free trade.
In a free market where EVs area readily available, we choose not to buy them. The Bradshers of this world don’t like that, so the campaign begins to artificially stack the deck.
It’s the car version of social engineering: entice people using someone else’s money, take a failed product and make it so cheap people go ‘why wouldn’t I’.
The point is these guys know they’ve lost their argument. Their original pitch was it saves the world, they’re quiet, they’re cool, they’re cheaper to run. All good arguments but the consumer who is always right didn’t take the bait.
And so we are left with the default position of bribery via the tax payer. Scott Morrison rejected it last week as part of his countries emission reduction plans because they weren’t an effective use of taxpayer’s money. He’s right, but that didn’t stop the EV lobby blowing their stack.
Our government aren’t as bright so the Bradshers of this world may get luckier here. If so, every EV you see will in part be yours, because even though you’re not behind the wheel, you paid for it.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22978151/mh230221-01-evscomment.mp3Tue, 23 Feb 2021 09:25:04 +0000RoccoHave a look at an interview with a bloke called Keith Bradsher. He’s an American car industry commentator and was on the television last weekend on Q+A. It was an interview about electric cars. it’s an excellent insight into the delusion and mind-set...He’s an American car industry commentator and was on the television last weekend on Q+A.
It was an interview about electric cars. it’s an excellent insight into the delusion and mind-set that has captured so many when it comes to future uptake of a product that under any normal circumstances would be seen as a commercial failure - and if it wasn’t so heavily linked to governments, and climate change obsession would have been binned by now.
The stats are stark. We are a country of cars; we love cars - more cars per head of population than just about anywhere outside the states.
There are 4 million cars. 24000 of those 4 million are EVs.
Stats don’t lie. The uptake is abysmal, has been abysmal and will remain abysmal and the disciples know it
And this is where Bradsher comes in.
He says – and he’s right – the market doesn’t lend itself well to EV ownership here. What he means by that, is the market hasn’t been specifically tilted enough the EVs way for the sales to take off.
And by tilt he means tax. We do not have, he says, especially high taxes for which it can then exempt electric cars.
Now this of course is to be celebrated.  We don’t have especially high taxes on goods and services for trade either. In trade they’re called tariffs.
We used to and it almost ruined us. When we took the tariffs off and traded with the world based on merit, we went gang busters and still do. We are the pioneers of free trade.
In a free market where EVs area readily available, we choose not to buy them. The Bradshers of this world don’t like that, so the campaign begins to artificially stack the deck.
It’s the car version of social engineering: entice people using someone else’s money, take a failed product and make it so cheap people go ‘why wouldn’t I’.
The point is these guys know they’ve lost their argument. Their original pitch was it saves the world, they’re quiet, they’re cool, they’re cheaper to run. All good arguments but the consumer who is always right didn’t take the bait.
And so we are left with the default position of bribery via the tax payer. Scott Morrison rejected it last week as part of his countries emission reduction plans because they weren’t an effective use of taxpayer’s money. He’s right, but that didn’t stop the EV lobby blowing their stack.
Our government aren’t as bright so the Bradshers of this world may get luckier here. If so, every EV you see will in part be yours, because even though you’re not behind the wheel, you paid for it.]]>133falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-we-need-a-better-answer-than-lockdowns--1008203Events like the National Rowing Champs stalled as they stared out at the water wondering what level of inconvenience could be imposed upon them if this thing didn’t get sorted.
As we predicted, it's Americold all over again. The source is unknown, and we'll never know. We have hundreds of millions in lost business and productivity. One hotel last week had three events canned and half a million dollars lost.
As level one is reinstated for Auckland, is it not time for some proper planning? Is the now well-touted idea of MIQ facilities outside of Auckland not actually worth acting on? Just how many more times is this nonsense going to be tolerated?
A government driven by fear is never going to make any other decision than the most conservative one. This cluster's lessons are the same lessons as Americold. The border leaks, testing needs to be more intense, and they need to do better.
But will they?
And in that is the predicament we face. The government don't appear to want to do better,
This, as far as I can work out, is the price they think we should pay to be so called Covid free, which of course is the irony, we aren't. But locking down is part of the deal, doing it over and over is just an inconvenience, not something that needs improving, or avoiding.
The idea that we can be better, or we can do things differently, is not part of how they think. All the ideas from the experts, one of the key ones being you don’t put MIQ facilities in the biggest cities seems to be an argument going nowhere.
There is little, if any, doubt in my mind now given we've been through this too many times. This is a control exercise.
They've worked out too many of us live in fear. Fear brings support. Those one o'clock sessions, even for the slavishly enthusiastic Labour Party supporter surely now can be seen for what it really is.
A platform for politicking. Telling you the level and timeframe of the level is a two or three sentence exercise, not half an hour of propaganda.
They have seized, very successfully, on the idea that locking us down is annoying, but that annoyance is forgotten once they start teasing the chance of freedom. The cleverness of the trick is that half the people falling for it don’t even realise they're being manipulated.
It's a hard truth to stomach. A government not up to much, a system not looking to be improved, a growing level of frustration amongst those awake enough to know when they're being played.
Enjoy level one. History shows it doesn’t last.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22978087/mh230221-13-levelonecomment.mp3Mon, 22 Feb 2021 21:51:04 +0000RoccoSeven cases and the country's biggest city, yet again, is locked down. Parts of New Zealand so far away from the seven cases being in level two seemed absurd. Events like the National Rowing Champs stalled as they stared out at the water wondering...Events like the National Rowing Champs stalled as they stared out at the water wondering what level of inconvenience could be imposed upon them if this thing didn’t get sorted.
As we predicted, it's Americold all over again. The source is unknown, and we'll never know. We have hundreds of millions in lost business and productivity. One hotel last week had three events canned and half a million dollars lost.
As level one is reinstated for Auckland, is it not time for some proper planning? Is the now well-touted idea of MIQ facilities outside of Auckland not actually worth acting on? Just how many more times is this nonsense going to be tolerated?
A government driven by fear is never going to make any other decision than the most conservative one. This cluster's lessons are the same lessons as Americold. The border leaks, testing needs to be more intense, and they need to do better.
But will they?
And in that is the predicament we face. The government don't appear to want to do better,
This, as far as I can work out, is the price they think we should pay to be so called Covid free, which of course is the irony, we aren't. But locking down is part of the deal, doing it over and over is just an inconvenience, not something that needs improving, or avoiding.
The idea that we can be better, or we can do things differently, is not part of how they think. All the ideas from the experts, one of the key ones being you don’t put MIQ facilities in the biggest cities seems to be an argument going nowhere.
There is little, if any, doubt in my mind now given we've been through this too many times. This is a control exercise.
They've worked out too many of us live in fear. Fear brings support. Those one o'clock sessions, even for the slavishly enthusiastic Labour Party supporter surely now can be seen for what it really is.
A platform for politicking. Telling you the level and timeframe of the level is a two or three sentence exercise, not half an hour of propaganda.
They have seized, very successfully, on the idea that locking us down is annoying, but that annoyance is forgotten once they start teasing the chance of freedom. The cleverness of the trick is that half the people falling for it don’t even realise they're being manipulated.
It's a hard truth to stomach. A government not up to much, a system not looking to be improved, a growing level of frustration amongst those awake enough to know when they're being played.
Enjoy level one. History shows it doesn’t last.]]>145falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-10-years-on-christchurch-deserves-better-from-its-rebuild--100820712.51pm, phones went off. The attention of the room was diverted, the event was off, and we all had to be elsewhere.
The Christchurch quake had happened.
10 years ago today, we remember.
I've always thought it was an odd business remembering things at certain stages. 10 is a big deal for no other reason than it’s a round number. It's not more or less important than four or eight, except for the fact we've decided it is.
We went to Christchurch, broadcast this show from a motel room where the walls had been covered in mattresses to sort the sound out. It was emotional for me given Christchurch is my hometown, and the part I had spent a decent chunk of my childhood, the east, was the bit that got hit the worst.
It wasn’t obviously as bad as living through it, but your hometown is your hometown and there is nothing like an earthquake to remind you of the fragility of infrastructure, far less life.
My sister-in-law had literally just moved south, bought a couple of business bought a house, all of it was gone.
For me anyway that's a marker in time, I remember her shock, I see her now.
Does 10 years seem like a long time ago? Well yes, and no. She, for example, has recovered completely. They’ve moved on they're doing brilliantly. So, in that sense it seems a lifetime ago. A mate of mind owned a café. It was totalled, he's moved on. New career, new life.
But then I went to Christchurch over Christmas, and what hadn't been done in a decade shocked me.
Yes, the market in Cashel Mall is great, the precincts like justice, the library, and the law courts, it's everything you'd expect in a city, given the chance to rebuild.
But my God the fact the cathedral is still in the state it's in, is little short of a crime.
I was shocked that every pile of rubble downtown had been commandeered by Wilsons and turned into a carpark. Pop out the other side of the square heading towards Linwood and it's like no one has visited the place in years. Big bits of barren land. House, gap, house, gap.  
There is so much more to do.
Some of it you'd expect. Infrastructure is big, long, and expensive. But some of it should have been done. There has been too much procrastinating. The stadium is another classic example, it's not ready for years, that's unforgivable.
As much as today will be about remembering, let some of it be about looking forward, let some of it be about hope, progress, determination, getting those gaps filled, decisions made, and the future built.
Let Christchurch be all it can, should, and deserves to be.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22978023/mh220221-12-chchquakeanniversarycomment.mp3Sun, 21 Feb 2021 22:19:53 +0000RoccoI was in a hotel in Auckland, I had given an address at a conference. 12.51pm, phones went off. The attention of the room was diverted, the event was off, and we all had to be elsewhere. The Christchurch quake had happened. 10 years ago today, we...12.51pm, phones went off. The attention of the room was diverted, the event was off, and we all had to be elsewhere.
The Christchurch quake had happened.
10 years ago today, we remember.
I've always thought it was an odd business remembering things at certain stages. 10 is a big deal for no other reason than it’s a round number. It's not more or less important than four or eight, except for the fact we've decided it is.
We went to Christchurch, broadcast this show from a motel room where the walls had been covered in mattresses to sort the sound out. It was emotional for me given Christchurch is my hometown, and the part I had spent a decent chunk of my childhood, the east, was the bit that got hit the worst.
It wasn’t obviously as bad as living through it, but your hometown is your hometown and there is nothing like an earthquake to remind you of the fragility of infrastructure, far less life.
My sister-in-law had literally just moved south, bought a couple of business bought a house, all of it was gone.
For me anyway that's a marker in time, I remember her shock, I see her now.
Does 10 years seem like a long time ago? Well yes, and no. She, for example, has recovered completely. They’ve moved on they're doing brilliantly. So, in that sense it seems a lifetime ago. A mate of mind owned a café. It was totalled, he's moved on. New career, new life.
But then I went to Christchurch over Christmas, and what hadn't been done in a decade shocked me.
Yes, the market in Cashel Mall is great, the precincts like justice, the library, and the law courts, it's everything you'd expect in a city, given the chance to rebuild.
But my God the fact the cathedral is still in the state it's in, is little short of a crime.
I was shocked that every pile of rubble downtown had been commandeered by Wilsons and turned into a carpark. Pop out the other side of the square heading towards Linwood and it's like no one has visited the place in years. Big bits of barren land. House, gap, house, gap.  
There is so much more to do.
Some of it you'd expect. Infrastructure is big, long, and expensive. But some of it should have been done. There has been too much procrastinating. The stadium is another classic example, it's not ready for years, that's unforgivable.
As much as today will be about remembering, let some of it be about looking forward, let some of it be about hope, progress, determination, getting those gaps filled, decisions made, and the future built.
Let Christchurch be all it can, should, and deserves to be.]]>154falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/wrapping-the-week-facebook-s-aussie-move-birth-rates-valentine-s-day-and-lent--1008286However, Mike Hosking and Kate Hawkesby managed to make the most of their day - until, as Kate revealed on Wrapping the Week this morning, Mike broke their rules around buying presents. 
"How did you celebrate a celebration of love? You fought with each other. This is so you guys!" fellow panellist Tim Wilson added. 
The panel also got stuck into Facebook and social media in the wake of Australian news ban, the shocking decline in the birth rate, and what Tim's son thinks Mike should give up for Lent.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22977873/mh190221-22-week.mp3Fri, 19 Feb 2021 04:14:29 +0000RoccoValentine's Day 2021 in New Zealand was not an occasion of love - rather, the announcement of new community cases and a return to lockdown turned it into a relatively sombre evening. However, Mike Hosking and Kate Hawkesby managed to make the most of...However, Mike Hosking and Kate Hawkesby managed to make the most of their day - until, as Kate revealed on Wrapping the Week this morning, Mike broke their rules around buying presents. 
"How did you celebrate a celebration of love? You fought with each other. This is so you guys!" fellow panellist Tim Wilson added. 
The panel also got stuck into Facebook and social media in the wake of Australian news ban, the shocking decline in the birth rate, and what Tim's son thinks Mike should give up for Lent.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>591falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-we-should-have-never-locked-down-for-three-cases--1008213This Week's Lockdown: 2/10
"Should we be locking down for three cases?  Not if we had a proper track and trace system. 
"And will we ever know the source? No. 
"Given that makes it Americold 2.0, how do we know what to tighten up?" 
What to Tighten Up: 7/10
"More good ideas this week. 
"Bio bubbles for border workers, more testing for border workers, tighter rules when border workers don’t turn up to work on testing day, MIQ facilities not in the downtown area of the biggest city. 
"None of this is revolutionary nor hard, it just needs adults in charge with an actual plan." 
Vaccine Rollout: 7/10
"We are underway. It was an over-deliver for the government. 
"And as Britain and Israel have shown, vaccines aren't the magic bullet, but they're a hell of a help." 
Jacinda Ardern v Scott Morrison over Suhayra Aden: 7/10
"Well, for Morrison. 
"The citizenship law was there, why? Because they'd thought about it, had a plan, and Morrison puts his country first." 
Google: 8/10
"Well, in Australia anyway. Paying media for content is on the right side of history. 
'It's another Morrison victory and, at least, the new deals make up for the dummy spit when they threatened to pack up and go home." 
Facebook: 2/10
"The exact opposite of Google in Australia. 
"Good news, and I can tell you from personal experience, is there are a heap of places to get your news that don’t involve Facebook." 
Wellington's Island Bay Cycleway: 0/10
"Five years on, $2 million to build, and $14 million to fix. 
"You can't beat Wellington a good day..." 
The Rain: 9/10
"A lot of the country got big rain this week, some of it really needed it.
#droughtisntastorythisyear." 
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22977863/mh190221-14-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:47:31 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. This Week's Lockdown: 2/10 "Should we be locking down for three cases?  Not if we had a proper track and trace system.  "And will...This Week's Lockdown: 2/10
"Should we be locking down for three cases?  Not if we had a proper track and trace system. 
"And will we ever know the source? No. 
"Given that makes it Americold 2.0, how do we know what to tighten up?" 
What to Tighten Up: 7/10
"More good ideas this week. 
"Bio bubbles for border workers, more testing for border workers, tighter rules when border workers don’t turn up to work on testing day, MIQ facilities not in the downtown area of the biggest city. 
"None of this is revolutionary nor hard, it just needs adults in charge with an actual plan." 
Vaccine Rollout: 7/10
"We are underway. It was an over-deliver for the government. 
"And as Britain and Israel have shown, vaccines aren't the magic bullet, but they're a hell of a help." 
Jacinda Ardern v Scott Morrison over Suhayra Aden: 7/10
"Well, for Morrison. 
"The citizenship law was there, why? Because they'd thought about it, had a plan, and Morrison puts his country first." 
Google: 8/10
"Well, in Australia anyway. Paying media for content is on the right side of history. 
'It's another Morrison victory and, at least, the new deals make up for the dummy spit when they threatened to pack up and go home." 
Facebook: 2/10
"The exact opposite of Google in Australia. 
"Good news, and I can tell you from personal experience, is there are a heap of places to get your news that don’t involve Facebook." 
Wellington's Island Bay Cycleway: 0/10
"Five years on, $2 million to build, and $14 million to fix. 
"You can't beat Wellington a good day..." 
The Rain: 9/10
"A lot of the country got big rain this week, some of it really needed it.
#droughtisntastorythisyear." 
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>202falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-is-covid-s-economic-carnage-still-to-come--1008284As much as we have enjoyed the so-called bounce-back, it was never real, and it was never going to last. The economy got crushed in level four. The fall was gargantuan, but the upside is once we got out, we went nuts, and certain businesses reaped huge rewards.
If you sold cushions, paint, cars, art, or electronics you were quids in. The company results that have flowed through all tell the story.
But an economy is a complex thing, and as much as we enjoyed watching the dairy prices rise, and the farmers do well, you can't hide from the fact that this country does a couple of major things: farming and tourism.
The latter got smashed. No matter how many times we went to the Bay of Islands, the Bay of Plenty, or Central Otago. We never were going to fill the Chinese, American, and Australian gap. Either in numbers, or in dollars.
That is why reality is about to hit.
The clues were there last month. January was far from flash.
The last GDP number we got was for the third quarter of last year. It was stonking, it was peak shopping, and we went crazy. The fourth quarter will be interesting, that's October, November and December. It's out next month and should have some life left in it. But it will be nothing like Q3.
This is where Westpac come in. January, February and March, this year's first quarter is trouble. It's the lost summer of tourism. They then claim April, May, and June this year will be bad as well.
We will go backwards for two quarters, a recession. We had a recession last year, but that was obvious as the country was closed for a good chunk of it.
It was a mess. But is it still a mess? Do we think it's a mess now? Are we in the middle of a mess? What happened to all the good news headlines and we are the envy of the world?
The reality is this is the result of your health only approach. If health is all you're interested in, you pay the price elsewhere. We will be paying the price in the economy, again.
A double dip recession is a failure. It’s a failure of balance. Good governance is about balance, we have failed to juggle more than one ball.
Remember part of what has made the so-called economic damage palatable is debt. The government has filled the gap by borrowing, but that money needs paying back.
It's normally paid back by growth. In a recession there is no growth, there is less than no growth, so you borrow again. You see the pattern.
Forecasts, of course, have been wrong before. Wildly wrong. Given what these latest ones are saying, the tragedy, and the only hope is that they're wrong again, otherwise we are in a world of pain.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22977854/mh190221-01-postcovideconomycomment.mp3Thu, 18 Feb 2021 22:46:12 +0000RoccoIf Westpac are right, the economic carnage that so many have been predicting is on its way. As much as we have enjoyed the so-called bounce-back, it was never real, and it was never going to last. The economy got crushed in level four. The fall was...As much as we have enjoyed the so-called bounce-back, it was never real, and it was never going to last. The economy got crushed in level four. The fall was gargantuan, but the upside is once we got out, we went nuts, and certain businesses reaped huge rewards.
If you sold cushions, paint, cars, art, or electronics you were quids in. The company results that have flowed through all tell the story.
But an economy is a complex thing, and as much as we enjoyed watching the dairy prices rise, and the farmers do well, you can't hide from the fact that this country does a couple of major things: farming and tourism.
The latter got smashed. No matter how many times we went to the Bay of Islands, the Bay of Plenty, or Central Otago. We never were going to fill the Chinese, American, and Australian gap. Either in numbers, or in dollars.
That is why reality is about to hit.
The clues were there last month. January was far from flash.
The last GDP number we got was for the third quarter of last year. It was stonking, it was peak shopping, and we went crazy. The fourth quarter will be interesting, that's October, November and December. It's out next month and should have some life left in it. But it will be nothing like Q3.
This is where Westpac come in. January, February and March, this year's first quarter is trouble. It's the lost summer of tourism. They then claim April, May, and June this year will be bad as well.
We will go backwards for two quarters, a recession. We had a recession last year, but that was obvious as the country was closed for a good chunk of it.
It was a mess. But is it still a mess? Do we think it's a mess now? Are we in the middle of a mess? What happened to all the good news headlines and we are the envy of the world?
The reality is this is the result of your health only approach. If health is all you're interested in, you pay the price elsewhere. We will be paying the price in the economy, again.
A double dip recession is a failure. It’s a failure of balance. Good governance is about balance, we have failed to juggle more than one ball.
Remember part of what has made the so-called economic damage palatable is debt. The government has filled the gap by borrowing, but that money needs paying back.
It's normally paid back by growth. In a recession there is no growth, there is less than no growth, so you borrow again. You see the pattern.
Forecasts, of course, have been wrong before. Wildly wrong. Given what these latest ones are saying, the tragedy, and the only hope is that they're wrong again, otherwise we are in a world of pain.]]>136falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-afghanistan-war-was-far-from-a-success--1008287The reference, given it’s the New York Times, is more based around what the new US President does.
Say all you want about Donald Trump but he was hardly a war monger. He is right in saying he never started any wars – well, maybe within his own party, but certainly never a military one.
And he was more in favour of leaving the world to its worries and focusing on domestic matters under his broad based America first idealism.
So what does Biden do? Afghanistan is America’s longest war; they posted hundreds of thousands of troops and lost thousands in the process.
In many respects it is yet another example of the futility and shallowness of American foreign policy. Bowl on in, ask questions later.
The premise was sound. America had been attacked on its own soil, George W Bush was after blood and culprits, and so the invasion began.
Like a lot of those sorts of attacks, there aren’t many militaries that can meet American fire power in terms of resistance.
But that part of the world is about the long game. America’s model is “arrive Monday, blow it up, change the government, go home Friday”.
So although the Taliban were expelled, they were never gone, and over the past 20 years, about 40 nations in one way or another, including ours, were roped in to make some sort of contribution.
There wasn’t much we could do about that. Although futile, we could hardly have said no.
We are part of Five Eyes, we are an American ally, we would need them in dark days and because of that, that is the price you pay to belong to the club. When they ask, the answer is always yes.
They say we did some good work in terms of restoration. The fire fights that saw the inquiry back here into so called war crimes was a needless and costly distraction that comes with the complexities and ugliness of war.
They did of course change the government, but could you really call that a success?  Was free and fair democracy really restored? Was the new government clean and above board?
Overall, has it been worth it? 20 years and counting, and after 20, as the times reports, the Taliban are back, they’re surging, and Afghanistan is on the brink.
That would make the answer fairly obvious, wouldn’t it? ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22977814/mh180221-01-afghanistancomment.mp3Thu, 18 Feb 2021 07:15:16 +0000RoccoOh the irony: as the announcement of the withdrawal of the last of our people from Afghanistan was made this week, the New York Times writes of the Taliban resurgence and how Afghanistan is once again on the brink. The reference, given it’s the New...The reference, given it’s the New York Times, is more based around what the new US President does.
Say all you want about Donald Trump but he was hardly a war monger. He is right in saying he never started any wars – well, maybe within his own party, but certainly never a military one.
And he was more in favour of leaving the world to its worries and focusing on domestic matters under his broad based America first idealism.
So what does Biden do? Afghanistan is America’s longest war; they posted hundreds of thousands of troops and lost thousands in the process.
In many respects it is yet another example of the futility and shallowness of American foreign policy. Bowl on in, ask questions later.
The premise was sound. America had been attacked on its own soil, George W Bush was after blood and culprits, and so the invasion began.
Like a lot of those sorts of attacks, there aren’t many militaries that can meet American fire power in terms of resistance.
But that part of the world is about the long game. America’s model is “arrive Monday, blow it up, change the government, go home Friday”.
So although the Taliban were expelled, they were never gone, and over the past 20 years, about 40 nations in one way or another, including ours, were roped in to make some sort of contribution.
There wasn’t much we could do about that. Although futile, we could hardly have said no.
We are part of Five Eyes, we are an American ally, we would need them in dark days and because of that, that is the price you pay to belong to the club. When they ask, the answer is always yes.
They say we did some good work in terms of restoration. The fire fights that saw the inquiry back here into so called war crimes was a needless and costly distraction that comes with the complexities and ugliness of war.
They did of course change the government, but could you really call that a success?  Was free and fair democracy really restored? Was the new government clean and above board?
Overall, has it been worth it? 20 years and counting, and after 20, as the times reports, the Taliban are back, they’re surging, and Afghanistan is on the brink.
That would make the answer fairly obvious, wouldn’t it? ]]>126falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-time-to-seriously-think-about-our-useless-councils--1008295Obviously, the question is, why on earth would you want to saddle yourself with such a burden? It's beyond me.
But the good news is he won by a comparative landslide. The truth, sadly, is that the turnout was atrocious.
The field was large, so the potential was there for whoever won, to win with little more than three percent of the total number of votes.
13,991 could be bothered. Marcus 7003 of them, so half the turnout ain't bad in a field of nine.
Another truth I think, and this takes nothing away from Marcus, his determination, and passion for his community, not to mention whatever plans he may have, but name recognition in local body politics is the advantage you can't ignore.
Marcus got national coverage for his run, not because he's a local body genius but because he's got a show on Newstalk ZB. Councils up and down the country are littered, and have been for years, with broadcasting names that got there because of recognition, not platform.
But the really important thing here is, what on earth are we going to do about democracy? The reason Invercargill had a by-election is because of a resignation, and the resignation came as a result of dysfunction.
Dysfunction isn't solved by complacency, which is what voters have shown. Complacency, disdain, or both. You get the representation you deserve. You deserve nothing, if you can't be bothered participating.
This is the malaise up and down the country. The infrastructural and political mess can be found north, south, and west. We are over-counciled, and as a result the talent pool is stretched. Too much is at stake for well-meaning amateurs to “have a crack."
Not only doesn’t it work well in most places, we don’t even care. The system is broken, no one wants to tackle it because it's democracy. But look where democracy has got us.
The seed of discontent came of course in Invercargill because of Sir Tim Shadbolt. A classic example of name recognition providing a job for life.
In business when it doesn’t work, we blow it up, and start again or at the very least restructure it. Why not the same, at local body level?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22977752/mh180221-05-rushlimbaughcomment.mp3Wed, 17 Feb 2021 22:08:50 +0000RoccoSo, first things first, congratulations to our mate Marcus Lush, who has won himself a seat on the Invercargill City Council. Obviously, the question is, why on earth would you want to saddle yourself with such a burden? It's beyond me. But the good...Obviously, the question is, why on earth would you want to saddle yourself with such a burden? It's beyond me.
But the good news is he won by a comparative landslide. The truth, sadly, is that the turnout was atrocious.
The field was large, so the potential was there for whoever won, to win with little more than three percent of the total number of votes.
13,991 could be bothered. Marcus 7003 of them, so half the turnout ain't bad in a field of nine.
Another truth I think, and this takes nothing away from Marcus, his determination, and passion for his community, not to mention whatever plans he may have, but name recognition in local body politics is the advantage you can't ignore.
Marcus got national coverage for his run, not because he's a local body genius but because he's got a show on Newstalk ZB. Councils up and down the country are littered, and have been for years, with broadcasting names that got there because of recognition, not platform.
But the really important thing here is, what on earth are we going to do about democracy? The reason Invercargill had a by-election is because of a resignation, and the resignation came as a result of dysfunction.
Dysfunction isn't solved by complacency, which is what voters have shown. Complacency, disdain, or both. You get the representation you deserve. You deserve nothing, if you can't be bothered participating.
This is the malaise up and down the country. The infrastructural and political mess can be found north, south, and west. We are over-counciled, and as a result the talent pool is stretched. Too much is at stake for well-meaning amateurs to “have a crack."
Not only doesn’t it work well in most places, we don’t even care. The system is broken, no one wants to tackle it because it's democracy. But look where democracy has got us.
The seed of discontent came of course in Invercargill because of Sir Tim Shadbolt. A classic example of name recognition providing a job for life.
In business when it doesn’t work, we blow it up, and start again or at the very least restructure it. Why not the same, at local body level?]]>52falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-latest-lockdown-is-more-than-just-three-days-for-businesses--1008047They sadly - tragically in some cases - are the forgotten story of this latest level adjustment, for it is the same businesses getting smacked each time.
I still don’t think it’s enough support. The government has dropped the criteria or loosened the criteria to a 30 percent hit over seven days as opposed to 14.
What they might have worked out - remembering of course these are not business people , virtually none of them have ever owned  a restaurant or a café or a nail bar or a hair dressers - is that it’s not “just” three days.
Its three days on top of all the other three days that they have had to endure.  This is now cumulative; it’s a constant catch up.
its opening up after last time ,its working hard to make up for lost ground, its selling and promoting and borrowing and hoping hard out, and then bang - another level change.
Even at level 2 the carnage is huge. Level 2 deals to anyone wanting to make a living from crowds, anyone who wants to organise events where the bills get paid by people coming through the gates.
They are not just “one offs” and “oh well never minds”: they’re livelihoods and hopes and aspirations. They’re the culmination of planning and drafting and applications for licences, hireage of product and equipment.
This is how economies run. They’re made up of hundreds of thousands of small parts, all operating with and alongside other parts. Hit one, you hit dozens. Its trickle down, its flow on.
Economies aren’t taps, they’re not turned on or off at will or overnight without damage. And you keep doing it, the damage is worse each time.
Part of the equation is confidence which isn’t really measured in dollars and cents until it becomes so bad there is nothing left to measure because the door never got reopened at all.
The government has a bigger role to play here for those businesses that get hurt through no fault of their own.
It’s more than a number a calculation on paper its livelihoods and the life blood of the economy. This is a nation of small business enterprise.
If you’re seeing this as “just three days”, you don’t get it. I’m not sure the government has ever got it given their lack of experience in the area but the payment adjustment is at least a start.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22977733/mh170221-01-businesssupportcomment.mp3Wed, 17 Feb 2021 07:54:51 +0000RoccoThe government has done the right thing in adjusting support for business yet again forced to close through no fault of their own. They sadly - tragically in some cases - are the forgotten story of this latest level adjustment, for it is the same...They sadly - tragically in some cases - are the forgotten story of this latest level adjustment, for it is the same businesses getting smacked each time.
I still don’t think it’s enough support. The government has dropped the criteria or loosened the criteria to a 30 percent hit over seven days as opposed to 14.
What they might have worked out - remembering of course these are not business people , virtually none of them have ever owned  a restaurant or a café or a nail bar or a hair dressers - is that it’s not “just” three days.
Its three days on top of all the other three days that they have had to endure.  This is now cumulative; it’s a constant catch up.
its opening up after last time ,its working hard to make up for lost ground, its selling and promoting and borrowing and hoping hard out, and then bang - another level change.
Even at level 2 the carnage is huge. Level 2 deals to anyone wanting to make a living from crowds, anyone who wants to organise events where the bills get paid by people coming through the gates.
They are not just “one offs” and “oh well never minds”: they’re livelihoods and hopes and aspirations. They’re the culmination of planning and drafting and applications for licences, hireage of product and equipment.
This is how economies run. They’re made up of hundreds of thousands of small parts, all operating with and alongside other parts. Hit one, you hit dozens. Its trickle down, its flow on.
Economies aren’t taps, they’re not turned on or off at will or overnight without damage. And you keep doing it, the damage is worse each time.
Part of the equation is confidence which isn’t really measured in dollars and cents until it becomes so bad there is nothing left to measure because the door never got reopened at all.
The government has a bigger role to play here for those businesses that get hurt through no fault of their own.
It’s more than a number a calculation on paper its livelihoods and the life blood of the economy. This is a nation of small business enterprise.
If you’re seeing this as “just three days”, you don’t get it. I’m not sure the government has ever got it given their lack of experience in the area but the payment adjustment is at least a start.]]>114falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-local-government-ineptitude-has-left-the-country-broken--1008226A six and a half billion dollar dream that is in tatters, confirmed by the obligatory review that tells us such, as a result of the report out Friday everyone is now freaking out.
How is it this country, through local government ineptitude, has become so broken?
I note the Auckland Council has voted unanimously to remain a climate change group. And that’s councils, isn’t it, in a nutshell? If it involves symbolistic nonsense that actually goes nowhere and achieves nothing, they’re in like robbers dogs.
When it comes to hard graft, real world decisions, inevitably when they’re made, they’re a mess.
The irony of the climate change vote in Auckland is I would have thought emissions are way down given so many have given up on the city.
People are moving out. Those that live here don’t go downtown. Employment drags the rest of the country down, growth is troubled compared to the rest of the nation, navigating the place is a nightmare and the stuff they’re trying to do - the CRL, the Watercare projects - don’t have the staff, so they’re poaching each other, are over budget and behind schedule.
Meantime in Dunedin, the water freaks the bejesus out of people, Tauranga has the commissioners, and poor old Wellington has water sludge and muck running through the streets a massive rate rise coming.
And now a report that shows that a gargantuan utopian dream based largely on theory not reality is a complete and utter bust
A series of ideas that the real world doesn’t want, won’t use and therefore the inevitable outcome emerges when the reports are conducted
Have a look at the Herald a week or so back they did a piece of downtown Auckland and what’s gone wrong, the things that might have been, that never were and most likely never will be - Wellington is the same.
That’s the countries two biggest cities. The economic engine room and the capital, both broken, both off track, both behind, both broke.
Now many reports like the LGWM one do we need before someone introduces a bit of reality to our future? Surely even the biggest apologist for this nonsense must now realise the price has been too high to achieve so little.
 
 
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22977630/mh160221-01-wellingtoninfrastructurecomment.mp3Tue, 16 Feb 2021 04:48:04 +0000RoccoLet’s Get Wellington Moving might be the biggest oxymoron of the recent age. A six and a half billion dollar dream that is in tatters, confirmed by the obligatory review that tells us such, as a result of the report out Friday everyone is now freaking...A six and a half billion dollar dream that is in tatters, confirmed by the obligatory review that tells us such, as a result of the report out Friday everyone is now freaking out.
How is it this country, through local government ineptitude, has become so broken?
I note the Auckland Council has voted unanimously to remain a climate change group. And that’s councils, isn’t it, in a nutshell? If it involves symbolistic nonsense that actually goes nowhere and achieves nothing, they’re in like robbers dogs.
When it comes to hard graft, real world decisions, inevitably when they’re made, they’re a mess.
The irony of the climate change vote in Auckland is I would have thought emissions are way down given so many have given up on the city.
People are moving out. Those that live here don’t go downtown. Employment drags the rest of the country down, growth is troubled compared to the rest of the nation, navigating the place is a nightmare and the stuff they’re trying to do - the CRL, the Watercare projects - don’t have the staff, so they’re poaching each other, are over budget and behind schedule.
Meantime in Dunedin, the water freaks the bejesus out of people, Tauranga has the commissioners, and poor old Wellington has water sludge and muck running through the streets a massive rate rise coming.
And now a report that shows that a gargantuan utopian dream based largely on theory not reality is a complete and utter bust
A series of ideas that the real world doesn’t want, won’t use and therefore the inevitable outcome emerges when the reports are conducted
Have a look at the Herald a week or so back they did a piece of downtown Auckland and what’s gone wrong, the things that might have been, that never were and most likely never will be - Wellington is the same.
That’s the countries two biggest cities. The economic engine room and the capital, both broken, both off track, both behind, both broke.
Now many reports like the LGWM one do we need before someone introduces a bit of reality to our future? Surely even the biggest apologist for this nonsense must now realise the price has been too high to achieve so little.
 
 
 ]]>124falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-new-lockdown-shows-we-ve-not-progressed-at-all-in-12-months--1008049I was talking to my daughter on Friday in Melbourne and ask her what time she thinks she’s heading into lockdown. She asks what I am talking about
I tell her the 13 cases at the time is too many and Dan Andrews is a control freak and I am reading reports that federal politicians have been told to get to Canberra and the state cabinet is meeting in 15 minutes. This was at 11:45 Melbourne time.
She seems aghast. Her disadvantage is she’s 19, I’ve been around following control freaks like Andrews longer than she has.
By the time the announcement is made, she texts and tells me this lockdown completely blindsided me.
Fast forward to last night and it’s my turn to gobsmacked. My wife, a veteran of news and current affairs of many years standing, announces there will be no lockdown.
I have no words. The PM has flown to Wellington, they have no idea where the cases have come from, its Americold all over again and there is a New Plymouth connection. The whole cabinet is meeting, what part of that doesn’t she get?
We have a bet. The treat of our choice, we shake on it. She says I’m out of touch. I can’t believe she’s forgotten how this works
It’s an insight into how complacent we have become. Ardern is Andrews, Andrews is Ardern; they’re afraid, they are governed by fear and caution, they are control freaks
I texted several people in the news industry and ask them to call it. They call it wrong. They too are asleep having taken the complacency pill.
But here is the important thing: vaccine or no vaccine, we are stuck with this.
The reality is a handful of cases locks a place down. We have not progressed one step in 12 months. Tracking tracing promises and hype mean nothing. Three cases does it, three cases and we panic.
Here we go again. Forget your bubble, forget the borders, this is our reality. We aren’t on top of it, never have been.
Melbourne its 14. Auckland its three. Same story same result.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22977564/mh150221-01-newlockdowncomment.mp3Mon, 15 Feb 2021 03:57:55 +0000RoccoIt was a funny old weekend of lockdown chat. I was talking to my daughter on Friday in Melbourne and ask her what time she thinks she’s heading into lockdown. She asks what I am talking about I tell her the 13 cases at the time is too many and Dan...I was talking to my daughter on Friday in Melbourne and ask her what time she thinks she’s heading into lockdown. She asks what I am talking about
I tell her the 13 cases at the time is too many and Dan Andrews is a control freak and I am reading reports that federal politicians have been told to get to Canberra and the state cabinet is meeting in 15 minutes. This was at 11:45 Melbourne time.
She seems aghast. Her disadvantage is she’s 19, I’ve been around following control freaks like Andrews longer than she has.
By the time the announcement is made, she texts and tells me this lockdown completely blindsided me.
Fast forward to last night and it’s my turn to gobsmacked. My wife, a veteran of news and current affairs of many years standing, announces there will be no lockdown.
I have no words. The PM has flown to Wellington, they have no idea where the cases have come from, its Americold all over again and there is a New Plymouth connection. The whole cabinet is meeting, what part of that doesn’t she get?
We have a bet. The treat of our choice, we shake on it. She says I’m out of touch. I can’t believe she’s forgotten how this works
It’s an insight into how complacent we have become. Ardern is Andrews, Andrews is Ardern; they’re afraid, they are governed by fear and caution, they are control freaks
I texted several people in the news industry and ask them to call it. They call it wrong. They too are asleep having taken the complacency pill.
But here is the important thing: vaccine or no vaccine, we are stuck with this.
The reality is a handful of cases locks a place down. We have not progressed one step in 12 months. Tracking tracing promises and hype mean nothing. Three cases does it, three cases and we panic.
Here we go again. Forget your bubble, forget the borders, this is our reality. We aren’t on top of it, never have been.
Melbourne its 14. Auckland its three. Same story same result.]]>117falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-what-if-the-covid-19-vaccine-isn-t-the-finish-line-for-the-pandemic--1008053"By the end of the quarter,” they said vaguely. Suddenly, bang, we're on as of this weekend.
The big question now for them, indeed all governments, is what does the vaccine now actually mean? Most of us, did we not, started thinking that a jab was the answer? A jab was the finish line?
It appears now it is nothing of the sort.
Certainly, what we know currently is that those jabs cleared are effective in doing the extreme work. In other words, the old and the frail, are protected to a large degree from serious symptoms and death.
The broad idea that the ICUs of the world are not overwhelmed appears to be a realistic goal, and potential outcome of the vaccine rollout.
But as millions of Brits discovered last week, and we got informed as of Friday's announcement here, a vaccine appears to have little, if anything, to do with a border, travel, or anything much different from what we are currently experiencing.
A series of medical experts from Fauci, to the Moderna boss, to the W.H.O are now saying we are going to have to live with this. The Head of Johnson and Johnson says we'll need to be jabbed annually for years.
None of that is the end of the world, but it does make it very much a flu type virus, as opposed to a disease we wipe out. There seems, for now, no end.
So surely, the question is this, what's the plan? How do we live it? What are the boundaries?  What's the future of the border? The border with who? What are the rules? What is the timeline? How do we handle MIQ? How do we handle MIQ mistakes? Do we change our stance to lockdown?
What do we do with long term industries, like tourism, if borders are longer terms issues?
It's not hard to line up several hundred questions over a variety of industries, groups, and people, and all of which will need to be answered.
As a country isolated from the world, with the theory being a vaccine would fix stuff, welcome to an unwelcome, new reality.
It ain't happening the way we thought it would. So, what now?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22977539/mh150221-12-vaccinerolloutcomment.mp3Sun, 14 Feb 2021 22:48:03 +0000RoccoI think it's fair to suggest that for a government that has built a fairly serious reputation of talking a big game, and not delivering on it, the vaccine news is a major kudos win. "By the end of the quarter,” they said vaguely. Suddenly, bang, we're..."By the end of the quarter,” they said vaguely. Suddenly, bang, we're on as of this weekend.
The big question now for them, indeed all governments, is what does the vaccine now actually mean? Most of us, did we not, started thinking that a jab was the answer? A jab was the finish line?
It appears now it is nothing of the sort.
Certainly, what we know currently is that those jabs cleared are effective in doing the extreme work. In other words, the old and the frail, are protected to a large degree from serious symptoms and death.
The broad idea that the ICUs of the world are not overwhelmed appears to be a realistic goal, and potential outcome of the vaccine rollout.
But as millions of Brits discovered last week, and we got informed as of Friday's announcement here, a vaccine appears to have little, if anything, to do with a border, travel, or anything much different from what we are currently experiencing.
A series of medical experts from Fauci, to the Moderna boss, to the W.H.O are now saying we are going to have to live with this. The Head of Johnson and Johnson says we'll need to be jabbed annually for years.
None of that is the end of the world, but it does make it very much a flu type virus, as opposed to a disease we wipe out. There seems, for now, no end.
So surely, the question is this, what's the plan? How do we live it? What are the boundaries?  What's the future of the border? The border with who? What are the rules? What is the timeline? How do we handle MIQ? How do we handle MIQ mistakes? Do we change our stance to lockdown?
What do we do with long term industries, like tourism, if borders are longer terms issues?
It's not hard to line up several hundred questions over a variety of industries, groups, and people, and all of which will need to be answered.
As a country isolated from the world, with the theory being a vaccine would fix stuff, welcome to an unwelcome, new reality.
It ain't happening the way we thought it would. So, what now?]]>124falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-labour-s-defence-of-trevor-mallard-is-inexcusable--1008290Ties in Parliament.
3/10.
"Just the sort of time-wasting nonsense we need, not."
Trevor Mallard.
0/10.
"Yes, he apologised. But not when he knew, and not when he should have.
He is fatally tainted in terms of character, demeanor, and therefore as a Speaker who oversees rules and behaviour."
Labour's Defence of Mallard.
1/10.
"Because it shows them to be who they really are.
They are not about honesty or decency, they're about themselves and protecting their own."
National on Mallard.
7/10.
"They didn’t ever have the numbers, but they had the public, and they were on the right side of this.
That's what oppositions should be about."
Air New Zealand's Saudi Scandal.
3/10.
"What a hypocritical pile of tosh.
We have over a $1 billion worth of two-way business and we get all teary eyed over a couple of engines, and $3 million.
It looks like a hit job on Christopher Luxon."
Grant Robertson and Adrian Orr on Housing.
3/10.
"Grant says one thing, Adrian does another.
#nofaithinthematall."
New Super Rugby Rules.
6/10.
"The Captain's Call is good, the Golden point is good, and the goal line drop out is okay.
Overall, the game will be better for it, and it's not every rugby rule you can say that about."
Karl Budge.
8/10.
"Plenty of justified plaudits this week as he decided to move on.
They are huge loafers to fill."
Eden Park.
7/10.
"Got there in the end.
A place that holds 50,000... can host concerts.
That's a novel idea."
Our Vineyards.
8/10.
"Elephant Hill are harvesting their grapes in February.
That's the earliest ever.
Expect a bumper vintage this year."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22977370/mh120221-14-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 11 Feb 2021 22:10:58 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. Ties in Parliament. 3/10. "Just the sort of time-wasting nonsense we need, not." Trevor Mallard. 0/10. "Yes, he apologised. But not...Ties in Parliament.
3/10.
"Just the sort of time-wasting nonsense we need, not."
Trevor Mallard.
0/10.
"Yes, he apologised. But not when he knew, and not when he should have.
He is fatally tainted in terms of character, demeanor, and therefore as a Speaker who oversees rules and behaviour."
Labour's Defence of Mallard.
1/10.
"Because it shows them to be who they really are.
They are not about honesty or decency, they're about themselves and protecting their own."
National on Mallard.
7/10.
"They didn’t ever have the numbers, but they had the public, and they were on the right side of this.
That's what oppositions should be about."
Air New Zealand's Saudi Scandal.
3/10.
"What a hypocritical pile of tosh.
We have over a $1 billion worth of two-way business and we get all teary eyed over a couple of engines, and $3 million.
It looks like a hit job on Christopher Luxon."
Grant Robertson and Adrian Orr on Housing.
3/10.
"Grant says one thing, Adrian does another.
#nofaithinthematall."
New Super Rugby Rules.
6/10.
"The Captain's Call is good, the Golden point is good, and the goal line drop out is okay.
Overall, the game will be better for it, and it's not every rugby rule you can say that about."
Karl Budge.
8/10.
"Plenty of justified plaudits this week as he decided to move on.
They are huge loafers to fill."
Eden Park.
7/10.
"Got there in the end.
A place that holds 50,000... can host concerts.
That's a novel idea."
Our Vineyards.
8/10.
"Elephant Hill are harvesting their grapes in February.
That's the earliest ever.
Expect a bumper vintage this year."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>162falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-cancel-culture-is-out-of-control--1008055Rugby, short of Silver Lake, being a silver lining is not exactly flush these days with dosh. For a game we have dominated globally for years, it is a remarkable thing we still manage to, given the state of the books.
And for anyone who is in any sport or industry where money is tight and bottom lines are hard to keep black, sponsorship is a time honoured and successful way of paying the bills and promoting a brand.
They will be called the Speights Highlanders. This is a first, but the wowsers are out . They argue Speights and its name has no place in sport. Despite the fact they’ve been associated with rugby in their part of the world for 40 years.
In that aspect alone I admire them. Longevity, consistency, and loyalty are in rare supply these days. Such is the nature of things, the here today, gone tomorrow type existence we live. To have a partnership that stands the test of time is increasingly rare, more is the pity.
I look at Emirates Team New Zealand. Not just the airline but companies like Toyota who through good and bad, brilliant and bleak, have stayed the course, written the cheques, and I assume enjoyed the ride.
Speights makes beer, yes. But beer is not the devil, the devil is the abuser of the beer, and the pisshead isn't sponsoring the team. The same way the crook driving the car is the criminal, not the manufacturer who made it.
Social issues are of our own creation but given our inability to face them and deal to them, due to a lack of self-responsibility, we look to find fault elsewhere. And the manufacturer, producer, supplier, or seller is the easy target.
Fast food, sugar, fat, speed, booze, lotto. They're all the devil, they must be banned, and blamed before they're banned. They must certainly not, participate in any activity, we deem incompatible.
Speights make a popular, legal product. It's a product that has every right to be promoted and advertised.
Rugby is a popular, legal sport that has every right to pay its way and meet its bills.
Connect the synergies and you’ve got a deal. That is the real world and I hope it’s a good four years for both of them.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22977363/mh120221-01-speightssponsorshipcomment.mp3Thu, 11 Feb 2021 21:37:22 +0000RoccoIn this cancel culture, this viper's nest of misery and woe, driven by groupthink, and a seemingly unquenchable desire to be furious about something, I note poor old Speights are in the gun for having the temerity to sponsor the Highlanders rugby...Rugby, short of Silver Lake, being a silver lining is not exactly flush these days with dosh. For a game we have dominated globally for years, it is a remarkable thing we still manage to, given the state of the books.
And for anyone who is in any sport or industry where money is tight and bottom lines are hard to keep black, sponsorship is a time honoured and successful way of paying the bills and promoting a brand.
They will be called the Speights Highlanders. This is a first, but the wowsers are out . They argue Speights and its name has no place in sport. Despite the fact they’ve been associated with rugby in their part of the world for 40 years.
In that aspect alone I admire them. Longevity, consistency, and loyalty are in rare supply these days. Such is the nature of things, the here today, gone tomorrow type existence we live. To have a partnership that stands the test of time is increasingly rare, more is the pity.
I look at Emirates Team New Zealand. Not just the airline but companies like Toyota who through good and bad, brilliant and bleak, have stayed the course, written the cheques, and I assume enjoyed the ride.
Speights makes beer, yes. But beer is not the devil, the devil is the abuser of the beer, and the pisshead isn't sponsoring the team. The same way the crook driving the car is the criminal, not the manufacturer who made it.
Social issues are of our own creation but given our inability to face them and deal to them, due to a lack of self-responsibility, we look to find fault elsewhere. And the manufacturer, producer, supplier, or seller is the easy target.
Fast food, sugar, fat, speed, booze, lotto. They're all the devil, they must be banned, and blamed before they're banned. They must certainly not, participate in any activity, we deem incompatible.
Speights make a popular, legal product. It's a product that has every right to be promoted and advertised.
Rugby is a popular, legal sport that has every right to pay its way and meet its bills.
Connect the synergies and you’ve got a deal. That is the real world and I hope it’s a good four years for both of them.]]>120falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/sol3-mio-perform-live-in-studio-ahead-of-nationwide-tour--1008294Sol3 Mio have wowed us for years, with three number albums and sold out nationwide tours.
Well, they're getting back on the road with a whole of New Zealand tour starting next week.
Moses Mackay, Pene Pati and Amitai Pati joined Mike Hosking live in studio.
Click here for tour dates and tickets
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22977319/mh110221-20-sol3mio-tour.mp3Thu, 11 Feb 2021 02:31:27 +0000RoccoIt's time to catch up with one of New Zealand's favourite musical acts. Sol3 Mio have wowed us for years, with three number albums and sold out nationwide tours. Well, they're getting back on the road with a whole of New Zealand tour starting next...Sol3 Mio have wowed us for years, with three number albums and sold out nationwide tours.
Well, they're getting back on the road with a whole of New Zealand tour starting next week.
Moses Mackay, Pene Pati and Amitai Pati joined Mike Hosking live in studio.
Click here for tour dates and tickets
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE]]>674falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-air-nz-saudi-issue-is-selective-outrage--1008059This was a $3 million contract. A contract so small the CEO didn’t even know about it.
And yet the yapping was yet again a display of how a small introspective country like ours gets so easily side-tracked on issues of little importance, and certainly no consistency.
This went all the way to the Prime Minister who said it failed the sniff test. Her sniff credentials, sadly, have been shot to pieces this week on Trevor Mallard. If anything fails the sniff test, it's him. So that makes her an opportunist at best, more realistically a hypocrite.
As for Golriz Ghahraman, who screeched war crimes, ask her sometime how Mr Bikindi is, or Mr Karadzic. Happy to be ropeable at an airline, perhaps not so critical of her own actions, another hypocrite.
I must say Air New Zealand's back-down was a sign, sadly of the age. Not just an investigation, which is fair enough given the new CEO knew nothing of this work, but a cancellation of the contract, and a bag of bits from the remaining unworked engine bundled into a bubble bag and sent back to the Saudis.
Be as exercised as you want about the work, but a deal is a deal. A simpering cancellation is a breach, it's bad faith, and bad business. Don't take any more work if that’s the way you want to play it, but finish what you said you would.
Back to the numbers, $753,256,176. That’s what we sell the Saudis every year. Where is the outrage? Where are the cancellations? The boycotts? The barricades?
$406,066,414, that's what we buy off them each and every year. So, in other words, well over $1 billion in two-way business every year, with the very same people that caused so many to be gobsmacked, outraged, and apoplectic over a $3 million deal.
Which is it? Are we dealing with them or not? Do we cancel everything with everyone who does stuff we don’t favour of? Or do we just do it with people who we barely deal with anyway? Like Myanmar.
Why, when the Chinese do a series of things we can barely stomach, do we march forward with $20 billion worth of free trade? Not just that, but we just finished upgrading our FTA a week or so back. We love the Chinese, or do we?
If we did $20 billion worth of business with Myanmar, would we still be cancelling contact? Of course not.
The hypocrisy is outrageous. The shock and horror over Air New Zealand is pathetic. The world at times, and in places, is ugly. But we still have to be in it, work with it, and make our way.
Foe upset is for the deluded hand wringer who wants to pretend they're above the rest of us.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22977279/mh110221-14-sauditradecomment.mp3Wed, 10 Feb 2021 21:46:12 +0000RoccoIf you want to deal in fact, as in real numbers, the hypocrisy of the Air New Zealand Saudi scandal is laid bare. This was a $3 million contract. A contract so small the CEO didn’t even know about it. And yet the yapping was yet again a display of how...This was a $3 million contract. A contract so small the CEO didn’t even know about it.
And yet the yapping was yet again a display of how a small introspective country like ours gets so easily side-tracked on issues of little importance, and certainly no consistency.
This went all the way to the Prime Minister who said it failed the sniff test. Her sniff credentials, sadly, have been shot to pieces this week on Trevor Mallard. If anything fails the sniff test, it's him. So that makes her an opportunist at best, more realistically a hypocrite.
As for Golriz Ghahraman, who screeched war crimes, ask her sometime how Mr Bikindi is, or Mr Karadzic. Happy to be ropeable at an airline, perhaps not so critical of her own actions, another hypocrite.
I must say Air New Zealand's back-down was a sign, sadly of the age. Not just an investigation, which is fair enough given the new CEO knew nothing of this work, but a cancellation of the contract, and a bag of bits from the remaining unworked engine bundled into a bubble bag and sent back to the Saudis.
Be as exercised as you want about the work, but a deal is a deal. A simpering cancellation is a breach, it's bad faith, and bad business. Don't take any more work if that’s the way you want to play it, but finish what you said you would.
Back to the numbers, $753,256,176. That’s what we sell the Saudis every year. Where is the outrage? Where are the cancellations? The boycotts? The barricades?
$406,066,414, that's what we buy off them each and every year. So, in other words, well over $1 billion in two-way business every year, with the very same people that caused so many to be gobsmacked, outraged, and apoplectic over a $3 million deal.
Which is it? Are we dealing with them or not? Do we cancel everything with everyone who does stuff we don’t favour of? Or do we just do it with people who we barely deal with anyway? Like Myanmar.
Why, when the Chinese do a series of things we can barely stomach, do we march forward with $20 billion worth of free trade? Not just that, but we just finished upgrading our FTA a week or so back. We love the Chinese, or do we?
If we did $20 billion worth of business with Myanmar, would we still be cancelling contact? Of course not.
The hypocrisy is outrageous. The shock and horror over Air New Zealand is pathetic. The world at times, and in places, is ugly. But we still have to be in it, work with it, and make our way.
Foe upset is for the deluded hand wringer who wants to pretend they're above the rest of us.]]>154falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-scott-morrison-sees-what-we-can-t-about-ev-subsidies--10080611: They’re holding a short sharp snap inquiry into their immigration settings so they can get the economy moving.
They recognise unlike our government that letting people in to do the jobs we can’t and won’t is the best way to fire up an economy
We cancel cruise ships and seasons, they’re looking at how they get them and other industries back up and running
2: They’re building a private large scale purpose built MIQ facility so they can bring more Australians back home.
We are emptying hotels because unlike Australia we let people wander round spreading virus thus leading to our facilities being booked out until June. Australia looks at ways of expanding.
3: As of Friday, the Australian government has ruled out subsidies for EVs as part of their transmission to a low emissions economy.
Our government, having rejected it too last term, is now sadly making noises that look like tax payer subsides are on the way.
Australia says subsides would not represent value for money: why can’t we see what they do?
Answer: because our government is driven by blind ideology. Australia is practical. If it works, do it, if it makes sense, do it. If it’s a waste, flag it. Good ideas stand on their own.  
The EV has never taken off for varied but obvious reasons, it they have in latter years garnered a religious like fervour among a few who have swallowed far too much Kool-Aid.
As I have said a million times, if you like them, buy them ,but don’t expect the rest of us to partially foot the bill, and that’s what governments are looking to do.
Ask yourself why they don’t stand on their own two feet. If they saved the world to such an extent, if they played such a critical role in climate change and emissions standards, if they were so much better than petrol or diesel, why hasn’t the stampede ever started?
EVs are the carbon credits of motoring: don’t actually cut your own emissions, pay someone else to do it.
Plant pine trees to collect the tax break, it’s all window dressing. Make a pledge at a conference that will never actually be enacted and just for super ironic measure take a plane or two to do it.
There is too much spin PR and green washing in the industry. Morrison sees it: I wish Ardern would too.
  
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22977243/mh100221-01-climatechangcomment.mp3Wed, 10 Feb 2021 04:15:38 +0000RoccoThere are some more things we can learn from Australia. 1: They’re holding a short sharp snap inquiry into their immigration settings so they can get the economy moving. They recognise unlike our government that letting people in to do the jobs we...1: They’re holding a short sharp snap inquiry into their immigration settings so they can get the economy moving.
They recognise unlike our government that letting people in to do the jobs we can’t and won’t is the best way to fire up an economy
We cancel cruise ships and seasons, they’re looking at how they get them and other industries back up and running
2: They’re building a private large scale purpose built MIQ facility so they can bring more Australians back home.
We are emptying hotels because unlike Australia we let people wander round spreading virus thus leading to our facilities being booked out until June. Australia looks at ways of expanding.
3: As of Friday, the Australian government has ruled out subsidies for EVs as part of their transmission to a low emissions economy.
Our government, having rejected it too last term, is now sadly making noises that look like tax payer subsides are on the way.
Australia says subsides would not represent value for money: why can’t we see what they do?
Answer: because our government is driven by blind ideology. Australia is practical. If it works, do it, if it makes sense, do it. If it’s a waste, flag it. Good ideas stand on their own.  
The EV has never taken off for varied but obvious reasons, it they have in latter years garnered a religious like fervour among a few who have swallowed far too much Kool-Aid.
As I have said a million times, if you like them, buy them ,but don’t expect the rest of us to partially foot the bill, and that’s what governments are looking to do.
Ask yourself why they don’t stand on their own two feet. If they saved the world to such an extent, if they played such a critical role in climate change and emissions standards, if they were so much better than petrol or diesel, why hasn’t the stampede ever started?
EVs are the carbon credits of motoring: don’t actually cut your own emissions, pay someone else to do it.
Plant pine trees to collect the tax break, it’s all window dressing. Make a pledge at a conference that will never actually be enacted and just for super ironic measure take a plane or two to do it.
There is too much spin PR and green washing in the industry. Morrison sees it: I wish Ardern would too.
  
 ]]>116falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-trevor-mallard-scandal-isn-t-and-shouldn-t-be-over--1008232Like most things in life, it didn’t need to be this way.
Trevor Mallard destroyed a reputation, if not a life. The poor man's lawyer the other day suggested in court the man still feels like a leper.
Mallard doesn’t talk about any of this. For a while last year when the full detail of the mess he created became public, not to mention the bill that we are picking up, the press gallery chased him about the place for a while. But he hid, ducked, and said nothing.
The big question as to just what he thought he knew, to be able to say the things he did, remains largely a mystery.
But here's the thing, everyone makes mistakes. If he'd gotten a grip on himself early, fallen on his sword, apologised profusely, offered amends, asked for forgiveness, and generally behaved like a human being, at least some of the carnage could have been mitigated.
He didn’t, and we are where we are.
The winner is National, because this is exactly the sort of thing an effective opposition should be doing.
They should not just be on the side of right, they should be representative of, what I suspect is the majority view of the country, when the government because of petty party politics isn't doing their job.
Matters of justice, decency, and morals should be the domain of a good opposition. Even as they can't win a vote of no confidence, given they don’t have the numbers, they win a moral victory and hang a few reputations out to dry.
Which brings us to the losers. Obviously, Mallard who if he had any shred of decency would have, along with the aforementioned apologies, have quit as Speaker. You can't oversee rule, demeanour, and behaviour when your record is as stained as his.
And the Labour Party who, by defending him, protecting him, sticking their fingers in their ears, and pretending it'll all go away, align themselves with him and his character.
By protecting him, they protect the indefensible as though its acceptable. That speaks to their character as much as Mallard's.
Yes, with time this will be just another mess swept under a carpet, politics is like that.
Lives and reputations tossed asunder, only drawing attention until the next news cycle, press release, or headline.
But doing the right thing is still important. National, by not letting Christmas get in the way the way Labour had hoped, are indisputably doing the right thing.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22977200/mh100221-14-mallardcomment.mp3Tue, 09 Feb 2021 21:44:44 +0000RoccoThere are two losers and a winner out of the Trevor Mallard no confidence vote, come scandal. Like most things in life, it didn’t need to be this way. Trevor Mallard destroyed a reputation, if not a life. The poor man's lawyer the other day suggested...Like most things in life, it didn’t need to be this way.
Trevor Mallard destroyed a reputation, if not a life. The poor man's lawyer the other day suggested in court the man still feels like a leper.
Mallard doesn’t talk about any of this. For a while last year when the full detail of the mess he created became public, not to mention the bill that we are picking up, the press gallery chased him about the place for a while. But he hid, ducked, and said nothing.
The big question as to just what he thought he knew, to be able to say the things he did, remains largely a mystery.
But here's the thing, everyone makes mistakes. If he'd gotten a grip on himself early, fallen on his sword, apologised profusely, offered amends, asked for forgiveness, and generally behaved like a human being, at least some of the carnage could have been mitigated.
He didn’t, and we are where we are.
The winner is National, because this is exactly the sort of thing an effective opposition should be doing.
They should not just be on the side of right, they should be representative of, what I suspect is the majority view of the country, when the government because of petty party politics isn't doing their job.
Matters of justice, decency, and morals should be the domain of a good opposition. Even as they can't win a vote of no confidence, given they don’t have the numbers, they win a moral victory and hang a few reputations out to dry.
Which brings us to the losers. Obviously, Mallard who if he had any shred of decency would have, along with the aforementioned apologies, have quit as Speaker. You can't oversee rule, demeanour, and behaviour when your record is as stained as his.
And the Labour Party who, by defending him, protecting him, sticking their fingers in their ears, and pretending it'll all go away, align themselves with him and his character.
By protecting him, they protect the indefensible as though its acceptable. That speaks to their character as much as Mallard's.
Yes, with time this will be just another mess swept under a carpet, politics is like that.
Lives and reputations tossed asunder, only drawing attention until the next news cycle, press release, or headline.
But doing the right thing is still important. National, by not letting Christmas get in the way the way Labour had hoped, are indisputably doing the right thing.]]>128falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-gamestop-stock-market-drama-was-doomed-to-fail--1008301It’s a bunch of investors who thought by buying GameStop, a failing video company in the US, and pumping it up, they’d teach the heavy weights of Wall Street a lesson by squeezing their short.
I hope you’ve read up on this. This is a moment in time that yet again shows that too many who want to make a noise, make their noise with no forethought, far less expertise.
Having bought in, having made their point and presumably having cost a few hedge funds a fortune, people then bailed as people normally do when they see a stock rocket for no good solid economic reason.
They take their profits and run. Some ran to silver, some probably went back to the dark rooms from where they came.
But what they did by running was leave the bewildered and stupid holding stock that was bought at a price far higher than it was when the line 'Stop F***ing sell GME' started trending, a price that will never been seen again.
One analyst summed it up well. There were a variety of reasons why this happened, why it ended the way it did, and why it was always going to end the way it did.
The whole thing was leaderless. And that is social media to a T: it’s a pile on, it’s one idiot after another reading something, deciding it cool and before you know it, it’s a ‘thing’.
And when there is no leader, there is no coordination, and when there is no coordination, it’s every person for themselves.
And given ultimately, whether they want to admit it, it was driven by greed. The moment the penny drops and you work out you’ve made some free coin, you’re gone, leaving the dopier ones holding the losses and wondering where their movement vanished to.
I note with interest the IRD here is looking for profits from the scheme so it was truly global.
But what is it they say about a fool and his money?
You’d like to think this would be the beginning middle and end of it, but that would be to deny human nature and the way it is.
So the only question is how long before you think we are back here saying the same thing again?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22977161/mh090221-01-redditinvestorscomment.mp3Tue, 09 Feb 2021 04:08:47 +0000Rocco'Stop F***ing sell GME': that was the title of a thread on social media on Friday. It’s a bunch of investors who thought by buying GameStop, a failing video company in the US, and pumping it up, they’d teach the heavy weights of Wall Street a lesson...It’s a bunch of investors who thought by buying GameStop, a failing video company in the US, and pumping it up, they’d teach the heavy weights of Wall Street a lesson by squeezing their short.
I hope you’ve read up on this. This is a moment in time that yet again shows that too many who want to make a noise, make their noise with no forethought, far less expertise.
Having bought in, having made their point and presumably having cost a few hedge funds a fortune, people then bailed as people normally do when they see a stock rocket for no good solid economic reason.
They take their profits and run. Some ran to silver, some probably went back to the dark rooms from where they came.
But what they did by running was leave the bewildered and stupid holding stock that was bought at a price far higher than it was when the line 'Stop F***ing sell GME' started trending, a price that will never been seen again.
One analyst summed it up well. There were a variety of reasons why this happened, why it ended the way it did, and why it was always going to end the way it did.
The whole thing was leaderless. And that is social media to a T: it’s a pile on, it’s one idiot after another reading something, deciding it cool and before you know it, it’s a ‘thing’.
And when there is no leader, there is no coordination, and when there is no coordination, it’s every person for themselves.
And given ultimately, whether they want to admit it, it was driven by greed. The moment the penny drops and you work out you’ve made some free coin, you’re gone, leaving the dopier ones holding the losses and wondering where their movement vanished to.
I note with interest the IRD here is looking for profits from the scheme so it was truly global.
But what is it they say about a fool and his money?
You’d like to think this would be the beginning middle and end of it, but that would be to deny human nature and the way it is.
So the only question is how long before you think we are back here saying the same thing again?]]>103falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-yet-another-government-covid-programme-found-wanting--1008242This government doesn’t do detail, it doesn't think things through.
The wage subsidy has run into months of trouble as it became abundantly clear that many of those that got support to stay open and save jobs, not only stayed open and saved jobs, but as it turned out, made a profit. And in some cases, boomed, and then in some other cases paid investors a dividend.
Many asked, if you're so profitable why is the taxpayer funding this?
I defended it. Based on the simple premise that the government wanted money out the door fast, and as such simply said, if you're income is hit by 30 percent or more, you meet the criteria. The rest is a moral scrap that still unfolds to this day.
But the STAPP programme seemed even less thought out. It was designed to help tourism operators survive until the borders opened and a special part of that programme was for integral companies who attracted tourists and supported regions.
Trouble is some got a fortune, some got nothing, and not a lot of it made any sense.
The Auditor General has now launched an investigation. It got so bad at one point, MBIE said pull the pin, it's a mess.
The most famous case was, of course, the Hackett bungy operation. They got $5 million cash and a $5 million credit line. Some businesses didn't think they even qualified, so didn’t apply, only to see a similar business get support.
As the borders remain shut, and those who missed the boat, hang on by a thread, or indeed have folded, the anger not surprisingly has grown. The government, yet again, are caught not acting, not knowing what to do, and certainly not reassuring anyone.
Big question is, what will an inquiry do? It will unquestionably find the scheme wanting, it was a shambles. But then what? And even bigger question, do the government learn? Or do they just do what they always do? Release it on a Friday, or before Christmas, and pretend there is nothing to see here.
By the time you deal with Ihumatao, Trevor Mallard, the Simpson-Roche report, the flu vaccine, the PPE, the measles, MIQ, the wage subsidy, the SME loan scheme, the PGF, KiwiBuild, Iain Less-Galloway, Clare Curran, Meka Whaitiri, and Phil Twyford, they're racking up quite the record.
The sad reality is the Auditor General's STAPP report will simply get added to the pile.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22977121/mh090221-14-covidsupportcomment.mp3Mon, 08 Feb 2021 21:31:54 +0000RoccoA little bit of vindication for those of us that have seen the mess part of the government's so-called Covid Support Scheme has produced. This government doesn’t do detail, it doesn't think things through. The wage subsidy has run into months of...This government doesn’t do detail, it doesn't think things through.
The wage subsidy has run into months of trouble as it became abundantly clear that many of those that got support to stay open and save jobs, not only stayed open and saved jobs, but as it turned out, made a profit. And in some cases, boomed, and then in some other cases paid investors a dividend.
Many asked, if you're so profitable why is the taxpayer funding this?
I defended it. Based on the simple premise that the government wanted money out the door fast, and as such simply said, if you're income is hit by 30 percent or more, you meet the criteria. The rest is a moral scrap that still unfolds to this day.
But the STAPP programme seemed even less thought out. It was designed to help tourism operators survive until the borders opened and a special part of that programme was for integral companies who attracted tourists and supported regions.
Trouble is some got a fortune, some got nothing, and not a lot of it made any sense.
The Auditor General has now launched an investigation. It got so bad at one point, MBIE said pull the pin, it's a mess.
The most famous case was, of course, the Hackett bungy operation. They got $5 million cash and a $5 million credit line. Some businesses didn't think they even qualified, so didn’t apply, only to see a similar business get support.
As the borders remain shut, and those who missed the boat, hang on by a thread, or indeed have folded, the anger not surprisingly has grown. The government, yet again, are caught not acting, not knowing what to do, and certainly not reassuring anyone.
Big question is, what will an inquiry do? It will unquestionably find the scheme wanting, it was a shambles. But then what? And even bigger question, do the government learn? Or do they just do what they always do? Release it on a Friday, or before Christmas, and pretend there is nothing to see here.
By the time you deal with Ihumatao, Trevor Mallard, the Simpson-Roche report, the flu vaccine, the PPE, the measles, MIQ, the wage subsidy, the SME loan scheme, the PGF, KiwiBuild, Iain Less-Galloway, Clare Curran, Meka Whaitiri, and Phil Twyford, they're racking up quite the record.
The sad reality is the Auditor General's STAPP report will simply get added to the pile.]]>130falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-the-economy-is-looking-healthy--1008303New Zealand.
7/10.
"It's been a week of very solid numbers.
Job listings, confidence statistics, unemployment figures, milk price upgrades, and house price records.
There is a lot that’s going on that’s on the right side of the ledger."
$100 Billion of Debt.
5/10.
"That’s the bill for looking like we are doing well.
And as we said some bits are, but one day the payments are going to have to start and that is a generations long road to travel."
The Vaccine Rollout.
4/10.
"We got clearance for one, at last.
We still don't have an actual date, and you get the growing sense that a lot of countries are way more urgent about it than we are."  
Falling Maths Grades.
4/10.
"This has been building for years.
It's complex, but I can't help but feel if we spent more time in the classroom it couldn't hurt."
The Climate Change Commission Report.
6/10.
"A mixture of practicality and dreaming.
More of the latter if the BBQ is a goner, but at least they see the renewable power goal for what it is."
Media's Treatment of Tom Abercrombie.
2/10.
"He and his family treated abysmally this week by a media whose obsession with a click far outweighs its desire for fact and detail.
Sick Leave.
3/10.
"What an unholy scrap this week over access to the new doubling of the entitlement.
Can we get it from day one? Who gets it when? Whatever happened to being proud to go to work and not taking a day off?"
Matariki.
7/10.
"Let's be honest most of us like another day off."
Captain Sir Tom Moore.
9/10.
"Lifting spirits is never to be underestimated.
And Sir Tom is a reminder of a generation where selflessness and service were part of who you were."
The Blackcaps.
8/10.
"A World Test Championship final at Lords.
For a country that has always struggled a bit at the long form, these are the glory days."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22976915/mh050221-14-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 04 Feb 2021 22:24:45 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. New Zealand. 7/10. "It's been a week of very solid numbers. Job listings, confidence statistics, unemployment figures, milk price...New Zealand.
7/10.
"It's been a week of very solid numbers.
Job listings, confidence statistics, unemployment figures, milk price upgrades, and house price records.
There is a lot that’s going on that’s on the right side of the ledger."
$100 Billion of Debt.
5/10.
"That’s the bill for looking like we are doing well.
And as we said some bits are, but one day the payments are going to have to start and that is a generations long road to travel."
The Vaccine Rollout.
4/10.
"We got clearance for one, at last.
We still don't have an actual date, and you get the growing sense that a lot of countries are way more urgent about it than we are."  
Falling Maths Grades.
4/10.
"This has been building for years.
It's complex, but I can't help but feel if we spent more time in the classroom it couldn't hurt."
The Climate Change Commission Report.
6/10.
"A mixture of practicality and dreaming.
More of the latter if the BBQ is a goner, but at least they see the renewable power goal for what it is."
Media's Treatment of Tom Abercrombie.
2/10.
"He and his family treated abysmally this week by a media whose obsession with a click far outweighs its desire for fact and detail.
Sick Leave.
3/10.
"What an unholy scrap this week over access to the new doubling of the entitlement.
Can we get it from day one? Who gets it when? Whatever happened to being proud to go to work and not taking a day off?"
Matariki.
7/10.
"Let's be honest most of us like another day off."
Captain Sir Tom Moore.
9/10.
"Lifting spirits is never to be underestimated.
And Sir Tom is a reminder of a generation where selflessness and service were part of who you were."
The Blackcaps.
8/10.
"A World Test Championship final at Lords.
For a country that has always struggled a bit at the long form, these are the glory days."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>166falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-will-the-government-pursue-climate-ideology--1008313What's held us back is, we don’t have it. We have lots of hot air support, lots of nodding heads, not a lot of genuine, tangible results.
The Climate Commission's report into what we need to do involves a lot of stuff that will never see the light of day.
But if there is a lesson in there for the government, it's that if they are to get anywhere with their "nuclear moment," they need to stop being driven by ideology and get real.
Even the Commission in their report points out the government's aspiration to be 100 percent renewable, in terms of power supply, is fanciful.
You might remember the target for 100 percent renewable energy was 2035, and in the election campaign to much fanfare, they brought that date forward to 2030.
It's not going to happen. As we pointed out numerous times, this is not new, it's been researched. It's been research by the power industry, the Productivity Commission, and the NZ Initiative. They all came to the same conclusion; it isn't worth it.
We are already blessed with a lot of renewables, and we can get to about 95 percent renewable fairly easily. Beyond that it's too expensive, it becomes a pointless exercise, unless you're driven by ideology.
And given this government is, they grandly announced that, despite all the evidence, they needed to throw another $30 million at yet another report into looking into the wonders of a $4 billion bucket of water called pumped hydro at Lake Dunstan.  
Simple question would be, just how many people need to look at an idea and dismiss it before you wake up to the fact they might be right? And if you're still more interested in bulldozing ahead with widely accepted dead-end ideas and spending millions of other people's money doing it, how can you possibly realistically expect the rest of us to get on board?
Especially those of us that need convincing a lot of this hasn’t been well thought through, won't automatically give the returns promised, and will most likely will damage the economy along the way.
For a government that loves a working party and a report, the least we could hope for is they actually read them.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22976909/mh050221-01-climatechangecomment.mp3Thu, 04 Feb 2021 21:52:47 +0000RoccoAs we mentioned on Wednesday, when it comes to big picture items like climate change, what you need is buy in. What's held us back is, we don’t have it. We have lots of hot air support, lots of nodding heads, not a lot of genuine, tangible results....What's held us back is, we don’t have it. We have lots of hot air support, lots of nodding heads, not a lot of genuine, tangible results.
The Climate Commission's report into what we need to do involves a lot of stuff that will never see the light of day.
But if there is a lesson in there for the government, it's that if they are to get anywhere with their "nuclear moment," they need to stop being driven by ideology and get real.
Even the Commission in their report points out the government's aspiration to be 100 percent renewable, in terms of power supply, is fanciful.
You might remember the target for 100 percent renewable energy was 2035, and in the election campaign to much fanfare, they brought that date forward to 2030.
It's not going to happen. As we pointed out numerous times, this is not new, it's been researched. It's been research by the power industry, the Productivity Commission, and the NZ Initiative. They all came to the same conclusion; it isn't worth it.
We are already blessed with a lot of renewables, and we can get to about 95 percent renewable fairly easily. Beyond that it's too expensive, it becomes a pointless exercise, unless you're driven by ideology.
And given this government is, they grandly announced that, despite all the evidence, they needed to throw another $30 million at yet another report into looking into the wonders of a $4 billion bucket of water called pumped hydro at Lake Dunstan.  
Simple question would be, just how many people need to look at an idea and dismiss it before you wake up to the fact they might be right? And if you're still more interested in bulldozing ahead with widely accepted dead-end ideas and spending millions of other people's money doing it, how can you possibly realistically expect the rest of us to get on board?
Especially those of us that need convincing a lot of this hasn’t been well thought through, won't automatically give the returns promised, and will most likely will damage the economy along the way.
For a government that loves a working party and a report, the least we could hope for is they actually read them.  ]]>105falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-good-economic-news-is-masking-a-mountain-of-debt--1008297Well. that’s because it’s partly true - not totally - but partly.
But one of the biggest reasons is because the bill is not being talked about.
The government debt is now $100 billion -that’s the bill for this. That was at the end of November last year, so it’ll be higher now.
Net core crown debt, which started at 19 percent, was over 27 percent by last June and is now over 31 percent and climbing.
We owe a fortune and too many people seem to have forgotten that.
In the simplest of terms, we still have huge gaps in our economy.
The job numbers out, although good yesterday, are not what they were.
 They’re partly being masked by the claim that “things aren’t as bad as they could have been”, but the forecasts that predicted things to be as bad as they could be were guesses, and like most guesses they were spectacularly wrong.
So no, the house didn’t burn down, but a lot of it on fire.
And the government has been borrowing like never before to cushion the blow.
Not that that’s what they should be doing, because governments need to do that in a crisis.
But the impression we are getting is  shops are open we are spending, everyone has a new car and a jet ski, if not a camper van, houses are being  flipped, jobs advertised and we are all wandering around saying Covid - what Covid?
The gap in tourism alone between what it was and what it is is at least $6 billion.
An economy our size cant suck that up without tangible fall out. The fall out is being paid for by the government, or more realistically you and me, because someone is paying it back sooner or later, most likely our kids and grand kids .
The reserve banks QE programme although working is still buying 10 of millions of dollars in debt a week.
See, anyone can paint the house, hold a house warming party, show off the new curtains and renovated kitchen. It all looks flash nut that’s the window dressing
Who paid for it? If it was you, you’re quids in. If it was the bank, you’re in debt. This country is the latter.
The good thing about debt is it can mask a lot of stuff and buy you time. But it never stops being debt and it never stops needing to be paid back. And $100 billion and counting is a lot to pay back.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22976870/mh040221-13-debtcomment.mp3Thu, 04 Feb 2021 05:03:42 +0000RoccoYou know how there is a lot of good news about? You know how there is no shortage of stories about our economic bounce back? Well. that’s because it’s partly true - not totally - but partly. But one of the biggest reasons is because the bill is not...Well. that’s because it’s partly true - not totally - but partly.
But one of the biggest reasons is because the bill is not being talked about.
The government debt is now $100 billion -that’s the bill for this. That was at the end of November last year, so it’ll be higher now.
Net core crown debt, which started at 19 percent, was over 27 percent by last June and is now over 31 percent and climbing.
We owe a fortune and too many people seem to have forgotten that.
In the simplest of terms, we still have huge gaps in our economy.
The job numbers out, although good yesterday, are not what they were.
 They’re partly being masked by the claim that “things aren’t as bad as they could have been”, but the forecasts that predicted things to be as bad as they could be were guesses, and like most guesses they were spectacularly wrong.
So no, the house didn’t burn down, but a lot of it on fire.
And the government has been borrowing like never before to cushion the blow.
Not that that’s what they should be doing, because governments need to do that in a crisis.
But the impression we are getting is  shops are open we are spending, everyone has a new car and a jet ski, if not a camper van, houses are being  flipped, jobs advertised and we are all wandering around saying Covid - what Covid?
The gap in tourism alone between what it was and what it is is at least $6 billion.
An economy our size cant suck that up without tangible fall out. The fall out is being paid for by the government, or more realistically you and me, because someone is paying it back sooner or later, most likely our kids and grand kids .
The reserve banks QE programme although working is still buying 10 of millions of dollars in debt a week.
See, anyone can paint the house, hold a house warming party, show off the new curtains and renovated kitchen. It all looks flash nut that’s the window dressing
Who paid for it? If it was you, you’re quids in. If it was the bank, you’re in debt. This country is the latter.
The good thing about debt is it can mask a lot of stuff and buy you time. But it never stops being debt and it never stops needing to be paid back. And $100 billion and counting is a lot to pay back.]]>127falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-we-re-letting-laziness-take-over--1008257Can you get it from day one? Can you get it after six months?
We are also, of course, upping the minimum wage a number of times, and the call for a so-called living wage is never ending. All that money is not for more work, or more productivity, but just for turning up. Hell, even turning up has become a thing.
Amazing to believe in the middle of a pandemic and tens of thousands of people losing work we have still been immersed in this dreadful business of a labour shortage. Business after business, industry after industry not able to find enough people to do the work required.
There is a theme, a commonality to all of this.
Laziness.
What's free? What can you get for nothing? How can you get more by doing less?
The agenda is all wrong. It's cart before the horse, and the entitlement is shocking.
Why are we so focused on sick leave? Why is sick leave a thing? It's a thing because people abuse it. It’s a thing because unions have made it a thing.
About 3 years ago I got what i assume was flu. I was crook for days having got back from London where I was also crook, but kept working. I don’t know how many days I took off, because it didn’t matter because I couldn’t stand up. That's sick leave.
But modern sick leave is a sniffle, a hangover, or a bad attitude. Sick leave astonishingly in some jobs can be carried over, why?
If you're sick, and you can't work, that’s life. But that's not what it's turned into. It's now a needless entitlement that’s scrapped over. And while all the scrapping is going on, our eye is off the ball, and the work isn't getting done.
The message being sent is that sick leave, or not working, is more important than anything else.
What happened to grafting? What happened to just getting on with it? What happened to doing a good job, wanting to do a good job, and taking pride in your work? How come we've ended up with not working being the news?
We have gone soft, and not just that, we seem to be proud of it.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22976823/mh040221-01-sickleavecomment.mp3Wed, 03 Feb 2021 22:01:17 +0000RoccoNot only are we doubling sick leave, we are now arguing over just how quickly you can access it. Can you get it from day one? Can you get it after six months? We are also, of course, upping the minimum wage a number of times, and the call for a...Can you get it from day one? Can you get it after six months?
We are also, of course, upping the minimum wage a number of times, and the call for a so-called living wage is never ending. All that money is not for more work, or more productivity, but just for turning up. Hell, even turning up has become a thing.
Amazing to believe in the middle of a pandemic and tens of thousands of people losing work we have still been immersed in this dreadful business of a labour shortage. Business after business, industry after industry not able to find enough people to do the work required.
There is a theme, a commonality to all of this.
Laziness.
What's free? What can you get for nothing? How can you get more by doing less?
The agenda is all wrong. It's cart before the horse, and the entitlement is shocking.
Why are we so focused on sick leave? Why is sick leave a thing? It's a thing because people abuse it. It’s a thing because unions have made it a thing.
About 3 years ago I got what i assume was flu. I was crook for days having got back from London where I was also crook, but kept working. I don’t know how many days I took off, because it didn’t matter because I couldn’t stand up. That's sick leave.
But modern sick leave is a sniffle, a hangover, or a bad attitude. Sick leave astonishingly in some jobs can be carried over, why?
If you're sick, and you can't work, that’s life. But that's not what it's turned into. It's now a needless entitlement that’s scrapped over. And while all the scrapping is going on, our eye is off the ball, and the work isn't getting done.
The message being sent is that sick leave, or not working, is more important than anything else.
What happened to grafting? What happened to just getting on with it? What happened to doing a good job, wanting to do a good job, and taking pride in your work? How come we've ended up with not working being the news?
We have gone soft, and not just that, we seem to be proud of it.  ]]>104falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/jimmy-spithill-sticking-with-team-new-zealand-as-the-team-to-beat-in-the-america-s-cup--1008262However, he believes that may not be the case for Team New Zealand. 
As the defender of the Auld Mug, Team New Zealand do not get the luxury of competitive sailing during the Prada Cup. Their experience with competing against another syndicate is instead limited to just a handful of races contested in the America's Cup World Series and Christmas Cup.
Speaking to Mike Hosking, Spithill said even without the extra racing, Team New Zealand deserve to have the title of being the team to beat. 
"As the defender, that's probably one of the toughest things," Spithill said. "OK, you're guaranteed a spot in the main event, but you're sitting there watching the challengers go head-to-head, you know they're learning; it's a tough one. 
"But from what I saw in the Christmas racing, the Kiwis are the team to beat. There's no doubt in my mind. They've produced a very, very good package, and it's not a surprise. They've always been very innovative, very logical, and always pushed it. They're going to be a handful. Whoever goes through between us and Ineos [Team UK], it will be a very tough ask against the Kiwis."
Luna Rossa have had the most races of any team remaining in the hunt for the America's Cup, with 16, with Ineos Team UK having competed in 12 and Team New Zealand in just six. Luna Rossa and Ineos Team UK could add as many as 13 races during the best-of-seven Prada Cup final series. 
Spithill said he was glad to have gone through the Prada Cup semifinal stage against American Magic rather than qualify straight through to the final as Team UK did, and said while Team New Zealand are the team to beat, for now, his crew could not let themselves think that far ahead. 
"It's great for the team where we are. I'm happy we went through the semifinals; I'm happy we had to go through that repechage because it just meant we got more battle-hard training preparing us for this final," Spithill said.
"We can't think too much about the end result of the America's Cup. What we need to focus on now, 100 per cent of our time and energy, is getting through this final series and beating Ineos. We just can't think too much about the Kiwis now, because we've got to get past this next stage."
The Prada Cup final series begins on February 13.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22976812/jimmy-spithill-full-interview.mp3Wed, 03 Feb 2021 20:20:05 +0000RoccoLuna Rossa helmsman Jimmy Spithill has often mentioned the importance of race time for this America's Cup campaign - in terms of progress and development of their vessel, and how to sail it.  However, he believes that may not be the case for Team New...However, he believes that may not be the case for Team New Zealand. 
As the defender of the Auld Mug, Team New Zealand do not get the luxury of competitive sailing during the Prada Cup. Their experience with competing against another syndicate is instead limited to just a handful of races contested in the America's Cup World Series and Christmas Cup.
Speaking to Mike Hosking, Spithill said even without the extra racing, Team New Zealand deserve to have the title of being the team to beat. 
"As the defender, that's probably one of the toughest things," Spithill said. "OK, you're guaranteed a spot in the main event, but you're sitting there watching the challengers go head-to-head, you know they're learning; it's a tough one. 
"But from what I saw in the Christmas racing, the Kiwis are the team to beat. There's no doubt in my mind. They've produced a very, very good package, and it's not a surprise. They've always been very innovative, very logical, and always pushed it. They're going to be a handful. Whoever goes through between us and Ineos [Team UK], it will be a very tough ask against the Kiwis."
Luna Rossa have had the most races of any team remaining in the hunt for the America's Cup, with 16, with Ineos Team UK having competed in 12 and Team New Zealand in just six. Luna Rossa and Ineos Team UK could add as many as 13 races during the best-of-seven Prada Cup final series. 
Spithill said he was glad to have gone through the Prada Cup semifinal stage against American Magic rather than qualify straight through to the final as Team UK did, and said while Team New Zealand are the team to beat, for now, his crew could not let themselves think that far ahead. 
"It's great for the team where we are. I'm happy we went through the semifinals; I'm happy we had to go through that repechage because it just meant we got more battle-hard training preparing us for this final," Spithill said.
"We can't think too much about the end result of the America's Cup. What we need to focus on now, 100 per cent of our time and energy, is getting through this final series and beating Ineos. We just can't think too much about the Kiwis now, because we've got to get past this next stage."
The Prada Cup final series begins on February 13.]]>761falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-climate-commission-s-recommendations-is-just-another-report--1008298There has been quite a lot of coverage on the Climate Commission’s interim report on what it is we need to do to get our climate act together.
I mean, it’s not like we haven’t had reports before, and lots of them. And it’s not like we haven’t signed deals before making a lot of promises that were never going to come true.
That’s the great failing of big issues like climate change: we are fully on board with the furrowed brow and deep concern, just not so much when it comes to the doing.
It’s why Kyoto got replaced by Paris and all the stuff we signed up to in Paris isn’t going to happen.
Hence we need a special climate committee to write more reports and admonish us.
It also suits people like the Prime Minister, whose great gift is talking a lot and doing not much.
Her line was “we are not going to hold back”, which sounds important but says nothing.
Once again, farmers are fearful as to what all this means for them, and we should be equally fearful of what it means to farmers given we only do a couple of large scale things in this country: tourism and farming.
And given we are one of the cleanest lowest emitters in the world when it comes to cows and land, one can only conclude if we were to follow up on any of these recommendations, it would mean fewer cows.
And that means less income. That is where traditionally the rubber has hit the climate change road.
All for doing stuff, just not at a price we can’t afford.
A headline grabber from this report seems to be around gas cookers. And that really is the ultimate issue, isn’t it? Rightly or wrongly, at the nutty end of the climate change spectrum there is always a certain amount of thinking from outside the norm, or indeed this world.
To make change, you need buy in. To get buy in in this country, you don’t mess with farming, and you don’t talk about banning gas cookers because it’s stupid.
They also might like to put a number on it, a bill for all this upending and reform. The nearest we’ve got is somewhere between $2 and $11 billion or even more. No one does business on ropey numbers like that. No one takes a guess seriously.
So a couple of predictions: combustion engines aren’t getting banned and your BBQ is safe for a myriad of summers to come. You can relax, it’s just another report.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22976785/mh030221-01-gasbancomment.mp3Wed, 03 Feb 2021 04:20:21 +0000RoccoThe good news is you’re not losing your BBQ. There has been quite a lot of coverage on the Climate Commission’s interim report on what it is we need to do to get our climate act together. I mean, it’s not like we haven’t had reports before, and lots...There has been quite a lot of coverage on the Climate Commission’s interim report on what it is we need to do to get our climate act together.
I mean, it’s not like we haven’t had reports before, and lots of them. And it’s not like we haven’t signed deals before making a lot of promises that were never going to come true.
That’s the great failing of big issues like climate change: we are fully on board with the furrowed brow and deep concern, just not so much when it comes to the doing.
It’s why Kyoto got replaced by Paris and all the stuff we signed up to in Paris isn’t going to happen.
Hence we need a special climate committee to write more reports and admonish us.
It also suits people like the Prime Minister, whose great gift is talking a lot and doing not much.
Her line was “we are not going to hold back”, which sounds important but says nothing.
Once again, farmers are fearful as to what all this means for them, and we should be equally fearful of what it means to farmers given we only do a couple of large scale things in this country: tourism and farming.
And given we are one of the cleanest lowest emitters in the world when it comes to cows and land, one can only conclude if we were to follow up on any of these recommendations, it would mean fewer cows.
And that means less income. That is where traditionally the rubber has hit the climate change road.
All for doing stuff, just not at a price we can’t afford.
A headline grabber from this report seems to be around gas cookers. And that really is the ultimate issue, isn’t it? Rightly or wrongly, at the nutty end of the climate change spectrum there is always a certain amount of thinking from outside the norm, or indeed this world.
To make change, you need buy in. To get buy in in this country, you don’t mess with farming, and you don’t talk about banning gas cookers because it’s stupid.
They also might like to put a number on it, a bill for all this upending and reform. The nearest we’ve got is somewhere between $2 and $11 billion or even more. No one does business on ropey numbers like that. No one takes a guess seriously.
So a couple of predictions: combustion engines aren’t getting banned and your BBQ is safe for a myriad of summers to come. You can relax, it’s just another report.]]>122falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-media-hits-new-low-with-tom-abercrombie-story--1008319To read the headline you would have thought Mrs Abercrombie moaned about being in MIQ, and as a result was granted a very rare exemption to finish isolation at her home.
But that’s not the clickbait part. The clickbait part is that - the story started as a well-known sporting star, and their home was worth three million dollars. And their three-million-dollar home was in North Shore's most exclusive areas.
So, was the story about an exemption? Or about property? What it was really about, tragically yet again, was clicks.
Happy to be corrected, but my reading of events was that Stuff started it, the Herald ran with it, and Newshub picked it up.
The heart of the story is that the Abercrombie family deal with kids with autism. They were stuck in a place, a MIQ facility that couldn’t, nor should it, be expected to deal with such circumstances. There was a safety issue at play.
It was a medical exemption, it made sense it was granted.
By the time it reached TV last night, Tom had spoken. He spoke eloquently of what happened, why it happened, and why it had nothing to do with privilege, wealth, fame, or the size of your house. It was medical, his kids need help, and the government saw fit to assist.
Beginning, middle, and end.
At some point, and I am hoping, that this story just might be it. Certain parts of the media, namely the digital media who spend their days so obsessed with headlines, attention seeking nonsense, and hyperbole might just realise that they are doing themselves a massive disservice.
This cheap, superficial, and in this case, nasty attempt to draw readership comes at the expense of a family's predicament that, need I even begin to suggest, we would not wish on anyone.
Their house, its size, its value, or its location is of no consequence. The fact they got an exemption should be praised, not relegated to yet another tawdry headline grab for attention
It's petty, cheap, and salacious rubbish.
Is being obtuse really worth readership? Is insulting, attacking, and insinuating inflammatory detail really worth a headline? Is this as good as we can be?
If the answer to any of those questions is yes, I give up, we're buggered.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22976734/mh030221-13-abercrombiecomment.mp3Tue, 02 Feb 2021 21:52:12 +0000RoccoI felt desperately sorry for the Abercrombie family yesterday. They were victims of yet another one of this country's shabby clickbait obsessions. To read the headline you would have thought Mrs Abercrombie moaned about being in MIQ, and as a result...To read the headline you would have thought Mrs Abercrombie moaned about being in MIQ, and as a result was granted a very rare exemption to finish isolation at her home.
But that’s not the clickbait part. The clickbait part is that - the story started as a well-known sporting star, and their home was worth three million dollars. And their three-million-dollar home was in North Shore's most exclusive areas.
So, was the story about an exemption? Or about property? What it was really about, tragically yet again, was clicks.
Happy to be corrected, but my reading of events was that Stuff started it, the Herald ran with it, and Newshub picked it up.
The heart of the story is that the Abercrombie family deal with kids with autism. They were stuck in a place, a MIQ facility that couldn’t, nor should it, be expected to deal with such circumstances. There was a safety issue at play.
It was a medical exemption, it made sense it was granted.
By the time it reached TV last night, Tom had spoken. He spoke eloquently of what happened, why it happened, and why it had nothing to do with privilege, wealth, fame, or the size of your house. It was medical, his kids need help, and the government saw fit to assist.
Beginning, middle, and end.
At some point, and I am hoping, that this story just might be it. Certain parts of the media, namely the digital media who spend their days so obsessed with headlines, attention seeking nonsense, and hyperbole might just realise that they are doing themselves a massive disservice.
This cheap, superficial, and in this case, nasty attempt to draw readership comes at the expense of a family's predicament that, need I even begin to suggest, we would not wish on anyone.
Their house, its size, its value, or its location is of no consequence. The fact they got an exemption should be praised, not relegated to yet another tawdry headline grab for attention
It's petty, cheap, and salacious rubbish.
Is being obtuse really worth readership? Is insulting, attacking, and insinuating inflammatory detail really worth a headline? Is this as good as we can be?
If the answer to any of those questions is yes, I give up, we're buggered.]]>153falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-why-scrapping-maori-ward-referendums-actually-makes-sense--1008325When put to a vote previously neither does the majority of New Zealanders.
Councils sadly are increasingly ignoring the people who put them in work by, one, voting for Māori seats, and two, and then voting again to not have a referendum on that decision.
Under current law, if five percent local electors get together in petition form, they can force another vote, and it’s when those votes are held that the council decision is invariably overturned.
Enjoy that privilege while it lasts, because the government is going to change the law so you can’t do it any more
So in other words, if a council votes for a Māori ward or seat, that’s that.
And the interesting thing about the government’s move is, I agree with it.
Why? Because that’s the only thing a council does you can vote on.
We don’t get to vote on rate rises, or rubbish cut backs, or water shortages, or any other council business. We get to make a submission but that’s that.
Māori wards or seats are the only thing we get to challenge through a vote, so in that sense it’s an outlier. It’s an anachronism, and as such, you really can’t blame the government for wanting to get rid of it.
The democratic process is simple, which ironically is why we don’t want or need Māori seats. You stand – anyone can. You have a platform – anyone can. A series of ideas or polices - anyone can.
If they attract enough votes, you get elected.
Making it more complex of course is the fact the majority of us don’t vote, meaning essentially the big winner is complacency.
And as such, councils do what they want knowing they won’t get punished because no one cares.
But that’s on the voter, not the council.
In theory, what should happen is if a council makes a major decision or decisions that don’t reflect the view and will of the community, every three years is the chance to make them accountable and pay.
Make no mistake, the government is scrapping the Māori seat law because it suits their agenda, no one’s being fooled by this, but dove tailing in with that is the simple truth that it actually makes sense given its actually been unfair.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22976687/mh020221-13-maoriwardscomment.mp3Tue, 02 Feb 2021 03:46:18 +0000RoccoThis morning, I spoke about Don Brash’s speech against Māori Wards at a local council level - he doesn’t believe Māori seats are good for democracy or the country When put to a vote previously neither does the majority of New Zealanders. Councils...When put to a vote previously neither does the majority of New Zealanders.
Councils sadly are increasingly ignoring the people who put them in work by, one, voting for Māori seats, and two, and then voting again to not have a referendum on that decision.
Under current law, if five percent local electors get together in petition form, they can force another vote, and it’s when those votes are held that the council decision is invariably overturned.
Enjoy that privilege while it lasts, because the government is going to change the law so you can’t do it any more
So in other words, if a council votes for a Māori ward or seat, that’s that.
And the interesting thing about the government’s move is, I agree with it.
Why? Because that’s the only thing a council does you can vote on.
We don’t get to vote on rate rises, or rubbish cut backs, or water shortages, or any other council business. We get to make a submission but that’s that.
Māori wards or seats are the only thing we get to challenge through a vote, so in that sense it’s an outlier. It’s an anachronism, and as such, you really can’t blame the government for wanting to get rid of it.
The democratic process is simple, which ironically is why we don’t want or need Māori seats. You stand – anyone can. You have a platform – anyone can. A series of ideas or polices - anyone can.
If they attract enough votes, you get elected.
Making it more complex of course is the fact the majority of us don’t vote, meaning essentially the big winner is complacency.
And as such, councils do what they want knowing they won’t get punished because no one cares.
But that’s on the voter, not the council.
In theory, what should happen is if a council makes a major decision or decisions that don’t reflect the view and will of the community, every three years is the chance to make them accountable and pay.
Make no mistake, the government is scrapping the Māori seat law because it suits their agenda, no one’s being fooled by this, but dove tailing in with that is the simple truth that it actually makes sense given its actually been unfair.]]>121falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-the-case-against-maori-wards--1008068There was the usual bickering, a bit of singing by way of protest at the back of the room, and I strongly suspect no one changed their mind.
To be fair to Brash he is consistent in his message. And I am pleased there are people like him who are prepared in this woke, old day and age full of angst and cancel culture to still speak their mind.
Rupert Murdoch was right last week when he talked of the dangers of this current society. And our seeming inability anymore to be allowed to express a view without the group think brigade launching a campaign to cancel you, fire you, rubbish you, or dismiss you.
Jerry Seinfeld, by the way, is worth looking up. He's done a couple of podcasts recently. One of them with Kevin Hart where he talks of the need to ignore this current fashion for stamping out anyone not woke. He talks of society, culture, and the current culture is dangerous. But it will pass because culture is fluid.
Keep working, keep believing, and keep turning up is his message, and he's right.
Meantime, Don Brash flies the flag for increasingly rare amounts of common sense.
Increasing numbers of councils are voting for Maori Wards and increasing numbers of councils are then voting to not have a referendum on those wards thus, until the government changes the law, forcing the community to raise signature by way of petition, to force a vote.
Tauranga got their required five percent and will now have the community decide. And like previous votes around the country, the majority will vote no. That will leave the council out of step with the people who elected them.
This country, especially given its freedom and open democracy, does not move forward by being increasingly separatist. Anyone can stand for council, a board, a seat, a party, a government. There are no barriers.
And in such a system to slice off a chunk of access for race, or indeed for age, gender, or any other particular fascination you may have, is artificial, needless, divisive, and counter-productive.
Right here, right now that view is losing the battle. But as Jerry Seinfeld says culture is fluid, and we will eventually see sense.
And Don Brash will have been shown to be right all along.      ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22976630/mh020221-01-maoriwardscomment.mp3Mon, 01 Feb 2021 21:55:49 +0000RoccoYou might have seen Don Brash wandered into Tauranga on Friday, aka "the lions' den" and have a word about Maori Wards at local council level. There was the usual bickering, a bit of singing by way of protest at the back of the room, and I strongly...There was the usual bickering, a bit of singing by way of protest at the back of the room, and I strongly suspect no one changed their mind.
To be fair to Brash he is consistent in his message. And I am pleased there are people like him who are prepared in this woke, old day and age full of angst and cancel culture to still speak their mind.
Rupert Murdoch was right last week when he talked of the dangers of this current society. And our seeming inability anymore to be allowed to express a view without the group think brigade launching a campaign to cancel you, fire you, rubbish you, or dismiss you.
Jerry Seinfeld, by the way, is worth looking up. He's done a couple of podcasts recently. One of them with Kevin Hart where he talks of the need to ignore this current fashion for stamping out anyone not woke. He talks of society, culture, and the current culture is dangerous. But it will pass because culture is fluid.
Keep working, keep believing, and keep turning up is his message, and he's right.
Meantime, Don Brash flies the flag for increasingly rare amounts of common sense.
Increasing numbers of councils are voting for Maori Wards and increasing numbers of councils are then voting to not have a referendum on those wards thus, until the government changes the law, forcing the community to raise signature by way of petition, to force a vote.
Tauranga got their required five percent and will now have the community decide. And like previous votes around the country, the majority will vote no. That will leave the council out of step with the people who elected them.
This country, especially given its freedom and open democracy, does not move forward by being increasingly separatist. Anyone can stand for council, a board, a seat, a party, a government. There are no barriers.
And in such a system to slice off a chunk of access for race, or indeed for age, gender, or any other particular fascination you may have, is artificial, needless, divisive, and counter-productive.
Right here, right now that view is losing the battle. But as Jerry Seinfeld says culture is fluid, and we will eventually see sense.
And Don Brash will have been shown to be right all along.      ]]>121falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-auckland-transport-needs-to-give-queen-street-a-break--1008077For Aucklanders, AT has injected themselves into your anniversary weekend with quite the gift-wrapped lemon.
AT’s latest gift to Auckland is their plan to kick cars off Queen Street. The transport agency has grand designs to radically rehash the city’s signature street into a sanctuary for buses and pedestrians.
Just how much of Queen Street will be declared a no-car zone remains to be seen. But AT is gagging to axe through traffic within six months. A pocket park will rise up from Fort Street and fence road traffic off.
There will be no end to end drive throughs on the city centre’s last remaining two way north south thoroughfare. Bus only sections look set to rule the roost.
To me, Queen Street is to Auckland what Fifth Avenue is to New York. It’s Sydney’s George Street or Melbourne’s Collins Street. And cars currently drive through all of these retail golden miles.
But ever since lockdown, Queen Street has been molested by AT’s pedestrianisation pilot. The vast and cluttered pollution of plastic pylons and concrete blocks, hijacking the street’s kerbside lanes for walkers. Let’s be honest – it’s a dishevelled farcical mess.  
AT’s mangling of Queen Street is representative of their wider impact on the city’s roading network. AT is turning Auckland roads into an ever-growing and never-ending construction site. The city is the obstacle course from hell.
And isn’t that the problem? Why can’t AT finish a project, get the job done before they unleash fresh and far-reaching upheaval somewhere else, even right next door?
There’s already a colossal cluster looming for Queen Street traffic very shortly, with the closure of Victoria Street for the CRL.
Surely AT can hold its horses, and stop messing around with Queen Street anymore, until some of their other major disruptive works have actually been completed. Commuters, retailers, shoppers and businesses are under the pump, constantly wrestling with road closures, diversions and AT-inflicted gridlock. 
Give the city a break.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22976606/mh010221-01-carlessqueenstreetcomment.mp3Mon, 01 Feb 2021 04:13:30 +0000RoccoIf you happen to be in a part of New Zealand enjoying a regional holiday, Happy Anniversary Day. For Aucklanders, AT has injected themselves into your anniversary weekend with quite the gift-wrapped lemon. AT’s latest gift to Auckland is their plan to...For Aucklanders, AT has injected themselves into your anniversary weekend with quite the gift-wrapped lemon.
AT’s latest gift to Auckland is their plan to kick cars off Queen Street. The transport agency has grand designs to radically rehash the city’s signature street into a sanctuary for buses and pedestrians.
Just how much of Queen Street will be declared a no-car zone remains to be seen. But AT is gagging to axe through traffic within six months. A pocket park will rise up from Fort Street and fence road traffic off.
There will be no end to end drive throughs on the city centre’s last remaining two way north south thoroughfare. Bus only sections look set to rule the roost.
To me, Queen Street is to Auckland what Fifth Avenue is to New York. It’s Sydney’s George Street or Melbourne’s Collins Street. And cars currently drive through all of these retail golden miles.
But ever since lockdown, Queen Street has been molested by AT’s pedestrianisation pilot. The vast and cluttered pollution of plastic pylons and concrete blocks, hijacking the street’s kerbside lanes for walkers. Let’s be honest – it’s a dishevelled farcical mess.  
AT’s mangling of Queen Street is representative of their wider impact on the city’s roading network. AT is turning Auckland roads into an ever-growing and never-ending construction site. The city is the obstacle course from hell.
And isn’t that the problem? Why can’t AT finish a project, get the job done before they unleash fresh and far-reaching upheaval somewhere else, even right next door?
There’s already a colossal cluster looming for Queen Street traffic very shortly, with the closure of Victoria Street for the CRL.
Surely AT can hold its horses, and stop messing around with Queen Street anymore, until some of their other major disruptive works have actually been completed. Commuters, retailers, shoppers and businesses are under the pump, constantly wrestling with road closures, diversions and AT-inflicted gridlock. 
Give the city a break.]]>157falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-bureaucrats-power-tripping-for-the-sake-of-it-over-cruise-ship--1008098It raises renewed concerns about how hostile our vast layers of bureaucracy can be, when ideally, they should be enablers – not obstructers to enterprising endeavours.
The Immigration Minister’s performance on Heather’s show on Friday was a shocker. He was headstrong, immovable and pre-programmed, belting out his talking points like a robotic broken record. The usually likeable Chris Faafoi morphed into a human billboard for “Computer says no.”
I think Immigration New Zealand has fundamentally failed to appreciate the complexities of fully-crewing this boutique cruise ship on a brief chartered visit to New Zealand.
Every crew member, including the onboard hotel and hospitality staff, must be conversant and trained in maritime safety.  This ship was only coming here for a couple of months. And the entire overseas crew and staff seeking visa approval were maritime trained and fully acquainted with the ship. They knew it inside out.
Immigration’s demand that the ship simply recruits a local bunch of idle cooks, housekeepers and waiting staff, and plonk them onboard for a few weeks work, was ludicrous.
So millions of dollars of domestic tourism revenue has been shredded by the heavy hand of bureaucracy. And you’ve got to feel sorry for the Kiwi who chartered the fully-crewed vessel from Ponant. Aaron Russ is no slouch. He’s also involved in his family company, Heritage Expeditions.
And this highly acclaimed company ran aground with the regulators just a few weeks ago. They had planned two Antarctica cruises for Kiwis over summer. After months of planning, they got approval from Immigration, Customs and Maritime New Zealand. But then, at the eleventh hour, the Ministry of Health torpedoed their plans.
Yes, these are unusual times and unchartered waters. But is bureaucracy really doing its best to be business-friendly, pragmatic and solution focused? Or would they rather pick holes and create a problem. Power-tripping for the sake of it is not serving New Zealand’s interest. ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22976577/mh010221-13-cruiseshipcomment.mp3Sun, 31 Jan 2021 22:53:51 +0000RoccoFriday’s fiasco over the chartered cruise ship, Le Laperouse, has caused a hell of a stink. And another bodyblow for the travel industry. It raises renewed concerns about how hostile our vast layers of bureaucracy can be, when ideally, they should be...It raises renewed concerns about how hostile our vast layers of bureaucracy can be, when ideally, they should be enablers – not obstructers to enterprising endeavours.
The Immigration Minister’s performance on Heather’s show on Friday was a shocker. He was headstrong, immovable and pre-programmed, belting out his talking points like a robotic broken record. The usually likeable Chris Faafoi morphed into a human billboard for “Computer says no.”
I think Immigration New Zealand has fundamentally failed to appreciate the complexities of fully-crewing this boutique cruise ship on a brief chartered visit to New Zealand.
Every crew member, including the onboard hotel and hospitality staff, must be conversant and trained in maritime safety.  This ship was only coming here for a couple of months. And the entire overseas crew and staff seeking visa approval were maritime trained and fully acquainted with the ship. They knew it inside out.
Immigration’s demand that the ship simply recruits a local bunch of idle cooks, housekeepers and waiting staff, and plonk them onboard for a few weeks work, was ludicrous.
So millions of dollars of domestic tourism revenue has been shredded by the heavy hand of bureaucracy. And you’ve got to feel sorry for the Kiwi who chartered the fully-crewed vessel from Ponant. Aaron Russ is no slouch. He’s also involved in his family company, Heritage Expeditions.
And this highly acclaimed company ran aground with the regulators just a few weeks ago. They had planned two Antarctica cruises for Kiwis over summer. After months of planning, they got approval from Immigration, Customs and Maritime New Zealand. But then, at the eleventh hour, the Ministry of Health torpedoed their plans.
Yes, these are unusual times and unchartered waters. But is bureaucracy really doing its best to be business-friendly, pragmatic and solution focused? Or would they rather pick holes and create a problem. Power-tripping for the sake of it is not serving New Zealand’s interest. ]]>155falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-government-s-unprofessional-and-lazy-start-to-2021--1008100The Government's MIQ programme.
3/10.
"From catching the disease in the facility, to the testing debacle, to the ongoing refusal to deal to the most obvious of issues, and the ignoring of the experts.
What a hopeless, unprofessional, lazy, and disrespectful way to start the year."
The Vaccine Roll-Out.
4/10.
"Pretty much going exactly as we predicted.
The poor get shafted, and the rich bitch with each other as to who got in first."
Mortgage Holidays.
8/10.
"There isn't any, statistics this week show.
The deferrals and the holidays are a fraction of what they once were."
Jobs.
8/10.
"Xero's numbers on small business, hospitality aside, everyone is growing.
And not just growing, but at a point that is better than pre Covid.
The bounce-back has been exceptional."
Our Dairy Industry.
8/10.
"As far as countries that do a lot of stuff with cows and worry about their emissions go, no one is cleaner and better than we are."
Rupert Murdoch.
7/10.
"Another voice of concern over the growing age of THE woke, in which individualism and opinion are not wanted unless you're part of the group thinking. 
"A wave of censorship that seeks to silence conversation, to stifle debate and ultimately stop individuals and societies from realising their potential."
Well said, and spot on."
The Prada Cup.
9/10.
"More this weekend.
The Americans are back and another chance to flash our country to the world and watch what sheer geniuses can do on foils."
Tom Brady.
9/10.
"43, and already the greatest of all time.
But just for fun, turn an average team around and get to play the Superbowl at your home stadium for the first time ever."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22976396/mh290121-14-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 28 Jan 2021 22:24:27 +0000RoccoAt 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 Government's MIQ programme. 3/10. "From catching the disease in the facility, to the testing debacle, to the ongoing refusal to...The Government's MIQ programme.
3/10.
"From catching the disease in the facility, to the testing debacle, to the ongoing refusal to deal to the most obvious of issues, and the ignoring of the experts.
What a hopeless, unprofessional, lazy, and disrespectful way to start the year."
The Vaccine Roll-Out.
4/10.
"Pretty much going exactly as we predicted.
The poor get shafted, and the rich bitch with each other as to who got in first."
Mortgage Holidays.
8/10.
"There isn't any, statistics this week show.
The deferrals and the holidays are a fraction of what they once were."
Jobs.
8/10.
"Xero's numbers on small business, hospitality aside, everyone is growing.
And not just growing, but at a point that is better than pre Covid.
The bounce-back has been exceptional."
Our Dairy Industry.
8/10.
"As far as countries that do a lot of stuff with cows and worry about their emissions go, no one is cleaner and better than we are."
Rupert Murdoch.
7/10.
"Another voice of concern over the growing age of THE woke, in which individualism and opinion are not wanted unless you're part of the group thinking. 
"A wave of censorship that seeks to silence conversation, to stifle debate and ultimately stop individuals and societies from realising their potential."
Well said, and spot on."
The Prada Cup.
9/10.
"More this weekend.
The Americans are back and another chance to flash our country to the world and watch what sheer geniuses can do on foils."
Tom Brady.
9/10.
"43, and already the greatest of all time.
But just for fun, turn an average team around and get to play the Superbowl at your home stadium for the first time ever."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>170falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-government-s-covid-spin-is-out-of-control--1008243Having on Wednesday promised us that the testing debacle we saw in Northland wouldn't happen again because they learn from their mistakes, we end up on Thursday with Auckland Mayor Phil Goff asking the hell was going on when a testing site wasn't open, the nurses hadn't turned up, and the queues were long.
At the start of the week, we saw the usual scramble involving not a lot of actual fact, and an awful lot of spin. The air conditioning was this particular cock up's scapegoat. Like Americold, where they blamed the meat, not the border.
They fly a kite, under the auspices of “leaving no stone unturned.” Then having flown the kite, the next day they say it's unlikely. And as long as people keep asking, they keep saying it's increasingly unlikely until people stop asking. They then breathe a sigh of relief.
They look at CCTV footage, and they do that forever until you forget to ask what it found, which is inevitably nothing.
The Northland woman, remember her at the start of the week? They were scouring footage, did they tell you what they found? Of course not.
And while the queues grow, the anxiety grows, yet again.
The questions get asked as to why the government keep ignoring the experts on MIQ. Stay in rooms, isolate before getting on a plane, isolate after MIQ, no mixing day four with day one, or day 12, no flights from Britain or the States. In response they stall, obfuscate, slip, and slide.
And then after the first case, and then the next two, by the end of the week, guess who turns up? Our absent Prime Minister who yet again has hung poor old Chris Hipkins out to dry. At which point she ponders out loud whether or not we shouldn't be tightening things up a bit.
Surely, by now a year into this Covid mess, even the most ardent Labour Party apologist must be starting to wonder if this lot is actually up to anything at all.
By the way, read the Simpson-Roche report into the Ministry of Health they slipped under the radar before Christmas. There are good clues in there as to why you have a fatal combination of a useless Ministry, a lazy government and why shutting the border of a tiny island nation with a multi-thousand-mile moat was really the only reason we've come out of this ok.
If it had been any more complex than being at the bottom of the world, we'd be stuffed by now.
The upside is the government's weak point is pressure. They buckle to it. Their view on Monday is not their view on Friday, because they essentially make it up as they go along.
If this is them for 2021, god help the vaccine rollout.    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22976390/mh290121-01-mohmesscomment.mp3Thu, 28 Jan 2021 21:53:34 +0000RoccoAs we end the week mired in a entirely avoidable Covid mess, yet again, we are seeing, yet again the architecture of the government and the way they operate. Having on Wednesday promised us that the testing debacle we saw in Northland wouldn't happen...Having on Wednesday promised us that the testing debacle we saw in Northland wouldn't happen again because they learn from their mistakes, we end up on Thursday with Auckland Mayor Phil Goff asking the hell was going on when a testing site wasn't open, the nurses hadn't turned up, and the queues were long.
At the start of the week, we saw the usual scramble involving not a lot of actual fact, and an awful lot of spin. The air conditioning was this particular cock up's scapegoat. Like Americold, where they blamed the meat, not the border.
They fly a kite, under the auspices of “leaving no stone unturned.” Then having flown the kite, the next day they say it's unlikely. And as long as people keep asking, they keep saying it's increasingly unlikely until people stop asking. They then breathe a sigh of relief.
They look at CCTV footage, and they do that forever until you forget to ask what it found, which is inevitably nothing.
The Northland woman, remember her at the start of the week? They were scouring footage, did they tell you what they found? Of course not.
And while the queues grow, the anxiety grows, yet again.
The questions get asked as to why the government keep ignoring the experts on MIQ. Stay in rooms, isolate before getting on a plane, isolate after MIQ, no mixing day four with day one, or day 12, no flights from Britain or the States. In response they stall, obfuscate, slip, and slide.
And then after the first case, and then the next two, by the end of the week, guess who turns up? Our absent Prime Minister who yet again has hung poor old Chris Hipkins out to dry. At which point she ponders out loud whether or not we shouldn't be tightening things up a bit.
Surely, by now a year into this Covid mess, even the most ardent Labour Party apologist must be starting to wonder if this lot is actually up to anything at all.
By the way, read the Simpson-Roche report into the Ministry of Health they slipped under the radar before Christmas. There are good clues in there as to why you have a fatal combination of a useless Ministry, a lazy government and why shutting the border of a tiny island nation with a multi-thousand-mile moat was really the only reason we've come out of this ok.
If it had been any more complex than being at the bottom of the world, we'd be stuffed by now.
The upside is the government's weak point is pressure. They buckle to it. Their view on Monday is not their view on Friday, because they essentially make it up as they go along.
If this is them for 2021, god help the vaccine rollout.    ]]>135falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-holland-a-sign-covid-complacency-is-running-out--1008322The Dutch are into their third day of rioting in protest over lockdown. Their Prime Minister says if it’s not contained the place is headed for civil war.
Italy is watching their Prime Minister quit because one of the coalition partners is fed up with the countries handling of Covid.
Mix this in. The head of Moderna last week said we’ll be living with Covid forever, thus indicating it’s a flu like virus, and we will need a jab a year –which is fine, but you don’t lock populations down and restrict their movement for flu, so why Covid?
And if Covid is flu like, who makes the call and when that the approach until now can’t last?
And that’s before you get to the many protests we’ve seen already all over the world from people who never really brought into the approach at all in the first place.
And that’s before you get to the federalism issues in places like Australia, the states and to a lesser extent Britain, where state or local authorities can run their own programme and make their own decisions, thus leaving the population to a crap shoot set of rules depending on where you live..
And then you mix in time and the seasons.  I am sure at least part of what we’re watching in Holland this week is driven by a dark wet miserable winter: the human spirit can only take so much for so long.
Hell, our government defends wandering around for exercise in MIQ over a 14 day period. Try being locked down for Christmas, trying having kids at home from school for months, trying seeing your pub closed till July.
There is a lot at play here and obviously it will vary population to population. We, for example are as compliant as any in the world. Probably too much so, hence our government has turned being asleep at the wheel into an art form.
But millions are getting closer to being over it, and Holland might just be the current example of how dangerous and explosive this could get.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22976365/mh280121-01-internationalcovid19trendscomment.mp3Thu, 28 Jan 2021 06:44:35 +0000RoccoA question worth pondering is how long do people put up with their lot as a result of Covid before things get ugly. The Dutch are into their third day of rioting in protest over lockdown. Their Prime Minister says if it’s not contained the place is...The Dutch are into their third day of rioting in protest over lockdown. Their Prime Minister says if it’s not contained the place is headed for civil war.
Italy is watching their Prime Minister quit because one of the coalition partners is fed up with the countries handling of Covid.
Mix this in. The head of Moderna last week said we’ll be living with Covid forever, thus indicating it’s a flu like virus, and we will need a jab a year –which is fine, but you don’t lock populations down and restrict their movement for flu, so why Covid?
And if Covid is flu like, who makes the call and when that the approach until now can’t last?
And that’s before you get to the many protests we’ve seen already all over the world from people who never really brought into the approach at all in the first place.
And that’s before you get to the federalism issues in places like Australia, the states and to a lesser extent Britain, where state or local authorities can run their own programme and make their own decisions, thus leaving the population to a crap shoot set of rules depending on where you live..
And then you mix in time and the seasons.  I am sure at least part of what we’re watching in Holland this week is driven by a dark wet miserable winter: the human spirit can only take so much for so long.
Hell, our government defends wandering around for exercise in MIQ over a 14 day period. Try being locked down for Christmas, trying having kids at home from school for months, trying seeing your pub closed till July.
There is a lot at play here and obviously it will vary population to population. We, for example are as compliant as any in the world. Probably too much so, hence our government has turned being asleep at the wheel into an art form.
But millions are getting closer to being over it, and Holland might just be the current example of how dangerous and explosive this could get.]]>92falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-so-the-borders-are-closed-for-2021-now-what--1008253Isn't that what we got this week with the announcement that the borders will be closed for the year?
It follows Brendan Murphy's assessment in Australia last week he doesn’t think they're going anywhere this year either.
So, the Chief Australian Medical Officer and our Prime Minister have decreed travel is off. This is a shame because it yet again shows a lack of willingness to keep trying, to keep pushing, and to keep exploring possibilities.
But, more importantly, the questions that didn’t come were, if the border is closed what happens to the hotels and the businesses that support international travel? What happens to the travel agents? The airlines?
And given the questions weren't asked, there certainly weren't any answers.
It has been shown here after pretty much a full year of tourism devastation that there is a gap of somewhere between $4 and $6 billion between the domestic boost we have given the industry, and the sort of money that flows when Americans and the Chinese roll into town.
There was a mismanaged fund for companies last year in which some got millions, others got nothing despite them seemingly doing pretty much the same thing. There was the wage support. And Air New Zealand got to tap into a mafiaesque type loan facility that runs at a rate of nine percent.
As we know, thank god, the better part of the economy has bounced back. Jobs are recovering slowly, spending is solid although not well spread.
The QE programme is working. Money is cheap, there is less pessimism around business, hiring, and investing.
But, one of the key components of our economy, tourism is as troubled now as it was last year. In fact, it might be a bit worse given last year no one had a clue. Whereas now, we do. You can write the year off.
So, what to do? Where's the help? What sort of help is it?
Can you honestly expect our national airline to borrow $900 million at nine percent? And then what? Does the government take a bigger stake?
How much of the tourism industry do you mothball? Given the original thinking was we need to support it for the bounce-back. Is that still the thinking? Or has it changed? Is there a bounce back? Do really hard calls need to be made to say, some businesses aren't coming back, and the tap needs to be turned off? Where do the banks and their lending facilities fit into this?
Where, once again we ask, is the plan?
 
Telling us borders are closed is easy, the follow up is the bit we, yet again, are waiting for.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22976312/mh280121-12-borderscomment.mp3Wed, 27 Jan 2021 21:30:05 +0000RoccoA headline with no follow up questions, and certainly no answers. Isn't that what we got this week with the announcement that the borders will be closed for the year? It follows Brendan Murphy's assessment in Australia last week he doesn’t think...Isn't that what we got this week with the announcement that the borders will be closed for the year?
It follows Brendan Murphy's assessment in Australia last week he doesn’t think they're going anywhere this year either.
So, the Chief Australian Medical Officer and our Prime Minister have decreed travel is off. This is a shame because it yet again shows a lack of willingness to keep trying, to keep pushing, and to keep exploring possibilities.
But, more importantly, the questions that didn’t come were, if the border is closed what happens to the hotels and the businesses that support international travel? What happens to the travel agents? The airlines?
And given the questions weren't asked, there certainly weren't any answers.
It has been shown here after pretty much a full year of tourism devastation that there is a gap of somewhere between $4 and $6 billion between the domestic boost we have given the industry, and the sort of money that flows when Americans and the Chinese roll into town.
There was a mismanaged fund for companies last year in which some got millions, others got nothing despite them seemingly doing pretty much the same thing. There was the wage support. And Air New Zealand got to tap into a mafiaesque type loan facility that runs at a rate of nine percent.
As we know, thank god, the better part of the economy has bounced back. Jobs are recovering slowly, spending is solid although not well spread.
The QE programme is working. Money is cheap, there is less pessimism around business, hiring, and investing.
But, one of the key components of our economy, tourism is as troubled now as it was last year. In fact, it might be a bit worse given last year no one had a clue. Whereas now, we do. You can write the year off.
So, what to do? Where's the help? What sort of help is it?
Can you honestly expect our national airline to borrow $900 million at nine percent? And then what? Does the government take a bigger stake?
How much of the tourism industry do you mothball? Given the original thinking was we need to support it for the bounce-back. Is that still the thinking? Or has it changed? Is there a bounce back? Do really hard calls need to be made to say, some businesses aren't coming back, and the tap needs to be turned off? Where do the banks and their lending facilities fit into this?
Where, once again we ask, is the plan?
 
Telling us borders are closed is easy, the follow up is the bit we, yet again, are waiting for.  ]]>137falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-my-ideas-for-improving-our-badly-run-managed-isolation-system--1008342It’s run with fear as a driving force and fear limits your ability to think, excel and expand.
Firstly, the experts the Bakers and the Gormans are right. The fact they are virtually all in major centres is insanity, especially with the new strains.
More of New Zealand needs to be used. More military facilities need to be used
Flights from certain countries for now need to be stopped. Tests on day 0, 3 and 12 work well, but isolation post-MIQ is now necessary.
Everyone is in the room and stays in the room for 14 days, full stop - Australia has it right.
I would carve out sections for business. I would allow a small number or perhaps a group of businesses to provide private facilities overseen by the government. This would allow workers and students to re-enter the country into isolation without the numbers jam we currently have
I would allow an exemption system for private isolation. It would cost and the fines would be gargantuan, Australia has it and it works. It allows people with jobs opportunities and money to come and go.
Yes, there is an egalitarian backlash, but this is about moving forward, not being bogged down with whinging.
The bubble with Australia would be up and running and running. The key here is MIQ: if MIQ worked and was run properly, we wouldn’t have the leaks.
If we didn’t have the leaks we wouldn’t be constantly chasing our tail running nine hour queues for testing and generally having fear run rampant in various communities.
And when MIQ works, you can travel with confidence. You’ve been able to travel with confidence to Australia for months now, it’s just our fear that’s held us back.
And in traveling freely to Australia, you’ve just freed up a significant portion of MIQ spaces, thus allowing yet more new Zealanders to return home.
None of this is rocket science. None of its new, it’s all been suggested, a lot of its been done elsewhere
But what we have is a half-baked, fairly poorly delivered model that is ripe for the polishing.
If we wanted more, if we were more aspirational, this is all more than doable. Vision and determination are all that’s lacking at leadership level, and the rewards would be instant and tangible
Attitude is everything. Ask why shouldn’t we instead of why should. Ask it that way, and we are off.
   
  
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22976260/mh270121-12-miqsuggestionscomment.mp3Wed, 27 Jan 2021 04:03:07 +0000RoccoA few ideas on how MIQ should be working. Currently, not only is it run badly, it’s not run to its full potential. It’s run with fear as a driving force and fear limits your ability to think, excel and expand. Firstly, the experts the Bakers and the...It’s run with fear as a driving force and fear limits your ability to think, excel and expand.
Firstly, the experts the Bakers and the Gormans are right. The fact they are virtually all in major centres is insanity, especially with the new strains.
More of New Zealand needs to be used. More military facilities need to be used
Flights from certain countries for now need to be stopped. Tests on day 0, 3 and 12 work well, but isolation post-MIQ is now necessary.
Everyone is in the room and stays in the room for 14 days, full stop - Australia has it right.
I would carve out sections for business. I would allow a small number or perhaps a group of businesses to provide private facilities overseen by the government. This would allow workers and students to re-enter the country into isolation without the numbers jam we currently have
I would allow an exemption system for private isolation. It would cost and the fines would be gargantuan, Australia has it and it works. It allows people with jobs opportunities and money to come and go.
Yes, there is an egalitarian backlash, but this is about moving forward, not being bogged down with whinging.
The bubble with Australia would be up and running and running. The key here is MIQ: if MIQ worked and was run properly, we wouldn’t have the leaks.
If we didn’t have the leaks we wouldn’t be constantly chasing our tail running nine hour queues for testing and generally having fear run rampant in various communities.
And when MIQ works, you can travel with confidence. You’ve been able to travel with confidence to Australia for months now, it’s just our fear that’s held us back.
And in traveling freely to Australia, you’ve just freed up a significant portion of MIQ spaces, thus allowing yet more new Zealanders to return home.
None of this is rocket science. None of its new, it’s all been suggested, a lot of its been done elsewhere
But what we have is a half-baked, fairly poorly delivered model that is ripe for the polishing.
If we wanted more, if we were more aspirational, this is all more than doable. Vision and determination are all that’s lacking at leadership level, and the rewards would be instant and tangible
Attitude is everything. Ask why shouldn’t we instead of why should. Ask it that way, and we are off.
   
  
 ]]>125falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-government-continuing-to-spin-over-covid-vaccine--1008163First, the old trick of making an announcement that says nothing. Medsafe "may" clear the Pfizer vaccine next week for use here. May? What's that mean?
That was the announcement, someone might do something. The media asleep yet again, announces "vaccine roll out details have been revealed" when no such thing has happened.  
"May" is not a thing. And even if they do clear it, it was then reported the vaccine would be rolled out after that. After what? When? You'll not there was no date.
Why was there no date? Because they don't know.
The whole non-announcement was a result of Australia and their authority clearing the vaccine on Monday. And having said we are in lockstep with Australia that made us look foolish, if not plain dishonest.
The same sort of dishonesty when Chris Hipkins told us we were first in line for the vaccine, when clearly, as Judith Collins quite rightly pointed out yesterday, we can't even see the line.
Speaking of Hipkins, he told us last week that the travel bubble with Australia by March was looking ropey, and yet the Prime Minister said yesterday that it's still being pursued. So, which is it? And why is it so hard to get a story straight?
But then, the ultimate humiliation as Ardern, as she so often does, tries desperately to regain the narrative by giving Scott Morrison a bit of a serve over the border.
We can't, she proclaimed, have borders shut on a whim. In that she's right, but she failed to mention, for it is far too embarrassing to do so, why Australia did what they did.
Because for the past half dozen months we have refused to come to the party over the bubble. There has been no sensible reason for this other than fear, based on their own ineptitude. They've blamed various states, the same way they currently still blame the Cook Islands for preventing us travelling to the island quarantine free.
The truth has been laid bare this week with Northland. MIQ isn't up to it, we run a slack system full of holes, and we refuse to address it.
Morrison was merely reminding us that the slip ups are as much ours as theirs and being driven by fear is no way to run a country.
Morrison's point, two can play this dumb game.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22976223/mh270121-01-vaccinerolloutcomment.mp3Tue, 26 Jan 2021 22:28:02 +0000RoccoWhat an embarrassing business for the Prime Minister yesterday. First, the old trick of making an announcement that says nothing. Medsafe "may" clear the Pfizer vaccine next week for use here. May? What's that mean? That was the announcement, someone...First, the old trick of making an announcement that says nothing. Medsafe "may" clear the Pfizer vaccine next week for use here. May? What's that mean?
That was the announcement, someone might do something. The media asleep yet again, announces "vaccine roll out details have been revealed" when no such thing has happened.  
"May" is not a thing. And even if they do clear it, it was then reported the vaccine would be rolled out after that. After what? When? You'll not there was no date.
Why was there no date? Because they don't know.
The whole non-announcement was a result of Australia and their authority clearing the vaccine on Monday. And having said we are in lockstep with Australia that made us look foolish, if not plain dishonest.
The same sort of dishonesty when Chris Hipkins told us we were first in line for the vaccine, when clearly, as Judith Collins quite rightly pointed out yesterday, we can't even see the line.
Speaking of Hipkins, he told us last week that the travel bubble with Australia by March was looking ropey, and yet the Prime Minister said yesterday that it's still being pursued. So, which is it? And why is it so hard to get a story straight?
But then, the ultimate humiliation as Ardern, as she so often does, tries desperately to regain the narrative by giving Scott Morrison a bit of a serve over the border.
We can't, she proclaimed, have borders shut on a whim. In that she's right, but she failed to mention, for it is far too embarrassing to do so, why Australia did what they did.
Because for the past half dozen months we have refused to come to the party over the bubble. There has been no sensible reason for this other than fear, based on their own ineptitude. They've blamed various states, the same way they currently still blame the Cook Islands for preventing us travelling to the island quarantine free.
The truth has been laid bare this week with Northland. MIQ isn't up to it, we run a slack system full of holes, and we refuse to address it.
Morrison was merely reminding us that the slip ups are as much ours as theirs and being driven by fear is no way to run a country.
Morrison's point, two can play this dumb game.]]>115falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-trump-s-maga-party-plans-will-come-to-nothing--1008191It’s just a hint at the moment, a taster, a little something to run up the flag poll to see how it flies
He has form on this of course. He dabbled with the idea of a presidential run for decades: each four years you’d hear the name, the whisper, the possibility, it always came to nothing of course until 2016.
And it’s that very scenario that will give hope to supporters. What he did in 2015 when he announced was little short of remarkable; forget how it ended, how it started is the real story.
A crowded field of well-established and in a number of cases well experienced operators, any one of them would have made a viable candidate for their party.
But he had spotted what most missed. A large swathe of America was fed up with Washington. Trump rode that all the way to victory.
That’s the story that will be told if the MAGA Party is launched.
But, as they will find out, it ain't as easy as that.
There is a good reason you only, with a very rare exception, ever see two people contest the presidential race. And that’s because third players can’t win - and Trump will be no exception.
Yes, Trump won, but he won on the back of the Republican Party.
Yes, Trump got 74 million votes but most of those were Republican votes - he personally will have got only a fraction of that.
The concept of Making America Great Again isn’t unique to Trump, and Trump isn’t all that removed on most messaging from the Republican Party.
So what he’d be looking to achieve under the Electoral College system is to go into each state, and decimate the Republican vote to such an extent that it simply doesn’t split the vote between him and his former party and allow the Democrats an easy victory.
Which is why it won’t work. American voters aren’t about independents.
You can see the lesson in this country. Once we dropped First Past the Post, we got more parties more choice more opportunity.
But look what’s happened: 20 years in the vast majority of us vote exactly the way we always have. Labour or National, Republican or Democrat.
Parties are built on beliefs and ideals. Trump is built on Trump, and people don’t vote for personality cults.
He worked that out in ’16, that’s why he became a Republican.
So not only won't he win, my guess is once he’s crunched the numbers and got over himself, he won’t even run.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22976182/mh260121-01-trumpfuturecomment.mp3Tue, 26 Jan 2021 06:00:42 +0000RoccoYou got to give him marks for pace and progress. He only left Washington last Thursday and by Monday we got the first signs of Donald Trump’s next move: the MAGA Party. It’s just a hint at the moment, a taster, a little something to run up the flag...It’s just a hint at the moment, a taster, a little something to run up the flag poll to see how it flies
He has form on this of course. He dabbled with the idea of a presidential run for decades: each four years you’d hear the name, the whisper, the possibility, it always came to nothing of course until 2016.
And it’s that very scenario that will give hope to supporters. What he did in 2015 when he announced was little short of remarkable; forget how it ended, how it started is the real story.
A crowded field of well-established and in a number of cases well experienced operators, any one of them would have made a viable candidate for their party.
But he had spotted what most missed. A large swathe of America was fed up with Washington. Trump rode that all the way to victory.
That’s the story that will be told if the MAGA Party is launched.
But, as they will find out, it ain't as easy as that.
There is a good reason you only, with a very rare exception, ever see two people contest the presidential race. And that’s because third players can’t win - and Trump will be no exception.
Yes, Trump won, but he won on the back of the Republican Party.
Yes, Trump got 74 million votes but most of those were Republican votes - he personally will have got only a fraction of that.
The concept of Making America Great Again isn’t unique to Trump, and Trump isn’t all that removed on most messaging from the Republican Party.
So what he’d be looking to achieve under the Electoral College system is to go into each state, and decimate the Republican vote to such an extent that it simply doesn’t split the vote between him and his former party and allow the Democrats an easy victory.
Which is why it won’t work. American voters aren’t about independents.
You can see the lesson in this country. Once we dropped First Past the Post, we got more parties more choice more opportunity.
But look what’s happened: 20 years in the vast majority of us vote exactly the way we always have. Labour or National, Republican or Democrat.
Parties are built on beliefs and ideals. Trump is built on Trump, and people don’t vote for personality cults.
He worked that out in ’16, that’s why he became a Republican.
So not only won't he win, my guess is once he’s crunched the numbers and got over himself, he won’t even run.]]>129falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/elemeno-p-nz-rock-band-on-their-nationwide-tour-perform-live-in-studio--1008328Elemeno P had massive albums in the early 2000s, with their debut album going 3 times platinum.
And now they're getting back on the road, with a 14 date nationwide tour over the next couple of months.
Frontman Dave Gibson joins Mike Hosking for a chat, along with a live performance of their song 'Fast Times in Tahoe'.
Click here for the full list of NZ tour dates
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE
 
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22976145/mh260121-19-elemenop-tour.mp3Tue, 26 Jan 2021 01:23:07 +0000RoccoOne of this country's great rock bands is getting back on the road. Elemeno P had massive albums in the early 2000s, with their debut album going 3 times platinum. And now they're getting back on the road, with a 14 date nationwide tour over the next...Elemeno P had massive albums in the early 2000s, with their debut album going 3 times platinum.
And now they're getting back on the road, with a 14 date nationwide tour over the next couple of months.
Frontman Dave Gibson joins Mike Hosking for a chat, along with a live performance of their song 'Fast Times in Tahoe'.
Click here for the full list of NZ tour dates
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE
 
 ]]>606falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-government-is-full-of-hot-air-over-covid-19-vaccine--1008264The Therapeutic Goods Administration has approved the Pfizer vaccine for use.
Now, according to Chris Hipkins and Ashley Bloomfield, we are in lockstep with Australia. We don't have a vaccine at all yet because we are waiting for Medsafe, our authority, to clear it here.
They are doing this under their usual procedure, although we are assured at a cracking sort of pace.
The countries that are jabbing, and have been since before Christmas, cleared the vaccines under an emergency regime.
We apparently don’t need to do that, which of course is rubbish. But that’s the line the government are running, and a lot of us are seemingly prepared to swallow it.
This is the bit I struggle with.
The government, once again, are full of it. We are not in lock step with Australia. Why? Because their jabbing starts before ours. Their first vaccinations will take place next month, will ours?
No. So, we aren't in lockstep, are we? And the TGA has done what Medsafe haven't.  So, are we in lockstep? No. So why are they saying we are?
Given we aren't, and even if Medsafe clear the vaccine this morning, where is the vaccine? Not here.
So, were we really waiting for Medsafe? No, we weren't. Was there really ever any chance that Medsafe would be the only medical authority in the whole world so far to go, "hold on, we aren't clearing this, this doesn’t look safe"?
No, there wasn't. So, why the spin? Why the endless, made up excuses?
It's already Groundhog Day this week. Yet more queues for testing, yet more fear in a community as they wait for test results, yet another slip up at the border. And despite all that, no recognition that MIQ is slack, that MIQ needs tightening, still no listening to the experts saying stop the flights, or to have isolation post MIQ, no desire for urgency, no desire to fix obvious and ongoing weaknesses.
It's just the same old crap, covering the same old butts, and making the same old mistakes.
Our complacency will be the undoing of us. Even though the government are hopeless, why are we even more hopeless by not demanding better?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22976124/mh260121-13-miqandtracingcomment.mp3Mon, 25 Jan 2021 21:57:52 +0000RoccoIt honestly is of ongoing fascination to me just how our government is able to literally make it up as they go along, get caught out, spin the same BS, and not enough people seem to care. The Therapeutic Goods Administration has approved the Pfizer...The Therapeutic Goods Administration has approved the Pfizer vaccine for use.
Now, according to Chris Hipkins and Ashley Bloomfield, we are in lockstep with Australia. We don't have a vaccine at all yet because we are waiting for Medsafe, our authority, to clear it here.
They are doing this under their usual procedure, although we are assured at a cracking sort of pace.
The countries that are jabbing, and have been since before Christmas, cleared the vaccines under an emergency regime.
We apparently don’t need to do that, which of course is rubbish. But that’s the line the government are running, and a lot of us are seemingly prepared to swallow it.
This is the bit I struggle with.
The government, once again, are full of it. We are not in lock step with Australia. Why? Because their jabbing starts before ours. Their first vaccinations will take place next month, will ours?
No. So, we aren't in lockstep, are we? And the TGA has done what Medsafe haven't.  So, are we in lockstep? No. So why are they saying we are?
Given we aren't, and even if Medsafe clear the vaccine this morning, where is the vaccine? Not here.
So, were we really waiting for Medsafe? No, we weren't. Was there really ever any chance that Medsafe would be the only medical authority in the whole world so far to go, "hold on, we aren't clearing this, this doesn’t look safe"?
No, there wasn't. So, why the spin? Why the endless, made up excuses?
It's already Groundhog Day this week. Yet more queues for testing, yet more fear in a community as they wait for test results, yet another slip up at the border. And despite all that, no recognition that MIQ is slack, that MIQ needs tightening, still no listening to the experts saying stop the flights, or to have isolation post MIQ, no desire for urgency, no desire to fix obvious and ongoing weaknesses.
It's just the same old crap, covering the same old butts, and making the same old mistakes.
Our complacency will be the undoing of us. Even though the government are hopeless, why are we even more hopeless by not demanding better?]]>128falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-rio-tinto-s-relationship-with-govt-that-of-a-hostage-negotiation--1008331Tiwai is a lesson in why this country in parts needs to get its act together.
The clue here is the balance of power - no pun intended.
Does Tiwai need Southland or New Zealand? No. Does Southland and/or New Zealand need Tiwai? Yes.
And in that is the clue as to why they’re not going anywhere.
The old “we are off unless you cut us a deal” game has been played before. Last time the National government of the day wrote them a cheque for $30 million and said “that’s that - don’t come back”.
They did come back, of course, last year, at which point the government, at least in part, to their credit, told them there was no more money
Or was there? In the ensuing months, through the usual nashing of teeth and headline concern around jobs and economic impact on a small region in election year. We finally wound our way to a deal.
The deal was with Meridian, their energy supplier. Meridian had, of course, already offered them a deal that was turned down. So obviously the deal that got cut was an improvement on the original offers.
Some market analysts suggest its 36 per cent. Imagine if you could trim 36 per cent off your power bill.
Meridian, it’s important to note, is government owned. They too can’t afford for Tiwai to bail because what would they do with all that excess power.
Power that, by the way, they don’t have the infrastructure to simply fling up country to other punters
So yet again, we’ve been found wanting. A region that like all regions should be more than just a place beholden to a large company. A power company that’s beholden to its biggest client. A government that can ill afford the joblessness mess of a major regional bail out.
Rio Tinto came to the gun fight with guns - we came again with bows and arrows.
Good relationships are symbiotic; they have give and take, they have balance, they have mutual standing.
They are not, as we have seen yet again, a hostage negotiation.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22976097/mh250121-01-tiwaicomment.mp3Mon, 25 Jan 2021 03:48:57 +0000RoccoI think we can all agree that Tiwai going nowhere is a good thing. But that’s not the real story - or at least it shouldn’t be. Tiwai is a lesson in why this country in parts needs to get its act together. The clue here is the balance of power - no...Tiwai is a lesson in why this country in parts needs to get its act together.
The clue here is the balance of power - no pun intended.
Does Tiwai need Southland or New Zealand? No. Does Southland and/or New Zealand need Tiwai? Yes.
And in that is the clue as to why they’re not going anywhere.
The old “we are off unless you cut us a deal” game has been played before. Last time the National government of the day wrote them a cheque for $30 million and said “that’s that - don’t come back”.
They did come back, of course, last year, at which point the government, at least in part, to their credit, told them there was no more money
Or was there? In the ensuing months, through the usual nashing of teeth and headline concern around jobs and economic impact on a small region in election year. We finally wound our way to a deal.
The deal was with Meridian, their energy supplier. Meridian had, of course, already offered them a deal that was turned down. So obviously the deal that got cut was an improvement on the original offers.
Some market analysts suggest its 36 per cent. Imagine if you could trim 36 per cent off your power bill.
Meridian, it’s important to note, is government owned. They too can’t afford for Tiwai to bail because what would they do with all that excess power.
Power that, by the way, they don’t have the infrastructure to simply fling up country to other punters
So yet again, we’ve been found wanting. A region that like all regions should be more than just a place beholden to a large company. A power company that’s beholden to its biggest client. A government that can ill afford the joblessness mess of a major regional bail out.
Rio Tinto came to the gun fight with guns - we came again with bows and arrows.
Good relationships are symbiotic; they have give and take, they have balance, they have mutual standing.
They are not, as we have seen yet again, a hostage negotiation.]]>108falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-are-the-tenancy-law-changes-going-too-far--1008338The hype is flying. The biggest reforms in 35 years, claim headlines. Houses to be emptied as landlords bail, suggest others.
Here's what I know: the harder you make it to do something, the less likely people are to do it. There is no question that being a landlord under the new rules about to come into to force will be harder, or at least more expensive.
We know this. We put air in over summer to a house. I say air, the government couches it as heat. Places have to be heated, the inference is that poor renters freeze to death among the mould, leaky walls, and windows.
In places like Auckland heat isn't really an issue, cool air is.
Anyway, there is a system in place whereby installers have been bundled together, they offer deals, and it's not a bad system.
But they all seem to agree that the government don’t have a clue about the real world. And what you're expected to do is way over the top, and as a result more expensive than it needs to be.
The air we put into a rental is bigger and more expensive than the air we put into our own home, and our own home is a much larger space. The air we put into our own home is what we needed, and not what the government told us to put in. It works, because the decision was driven by practicality, not government edict.
We also met, over the break, a couple who turned out to be landlords for 30 years. They own four properties, but they're selling. They're over it, they have seen a lot of change in three decades, but this stuff, they’ve decided, is over the top, draconian, and it simply isn't worth their while.
Now, that’s anecdotal and for now the whole "it’s the end of the world" line is nothing more than that. It may well be landlords by in large suck it up, and nothing changes. It may well be the return on property beyond rent is too good to ignore. No, you don't have tenants and air conditioning in the share market, but in housing, you don’t run the risk of a bubble bursting and a crash.
So, let's see.
But I can't help but think that most landlords are decent people, as are most tenants. And all the noise around rents and renting, as is so often the case, is driven by the exception, not the rule.    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22976064/mh250121-13-rentrulescomment.mp3Sun, 24 Jan 2021 22:54:01 +0000RoccoFebruary 11th is a big day, with big change coming if you are a landlord. The hype is flying. The biggest reforms in 35 years, claim headlines. Houses to be emptied as landlords bail, suggest others. Here's what I know: the harder you make it to do...The hype is flying. The biggest reforms in 35 years, claim headlines. Houses to be emptied as landlords bail, suggest others.
Here's what I know: the harder you make it to do something, the less likely people are to do it. There is no question that being a landlord under the new rules about to come into to force will be harder, or at least more expensive.
We know this. We put air in over summer to a house. I say air, the government couches it as heat. Places have to be heated, the inference is that poor renters freeze to death among the mould, leaky walls, and windows.
In places like Auckland heat isn't really an issue, cool air is.
Anyway, there is a system in place whereby installers have been bundled together, they offer deals, and it's not a bad system.
But they all seem to agree that the government don’t have a clue about the real world. And what you're expected to do is way over the top, and as a result more expensive than it needs to be.
The air we put into a rental is bigger and more expensive than the air we put into our own home, and our own home is a much larger space. The air we put into our own home is what we needed, and not what the government told us to put in. It works, because the decision was driven by practicality, not government edict.
We also met, over the break, a couple who turned out to be landlords for 30 years. They own four properties, but they're selling. They're over it, they have seen a lot of change in three decades, but this stuff, they’ve decided, is over the top, draconian, and it simply isn't worth their while.
Now, that’s anecdotal and for now the whole "it’s the end of the world" line is nothing more than that. It may well be landlords by in large suck it up, and nothing changes. It may well be the return on property beyond rent is too good to ignore. No, you don't have tenants and air conditioning in the share market, but in housing, you don’t run the risk of a bubble bursting and a crash.
So, let's see.
But I can't help but think that most landlords are decent people, as are most tenants. And all the noise around rents and renting, as is so often the case, is driven by the exception, not the rule.    ]]>130falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-media-s-shocking-bias-over-cannabis-vote--1008192Joe Biden.
8/10.
"A level of normality has been restored.
No, he's not the best the Democrats can produce, far less America, but he's more normal, less angry, and a damn sight more honest."
Donald Trump.
4/10.
"A sad, pathetic sort of end.
A self-absorbed, introspective exit that doesn’t serve him well."
NZ's Covid Vaccine Rollout.
2/10.
"This has the potential to be the government's Achilles heel, if not undoing.
We are not front of the line. Medsafe is an excuse for our non-delivery.
We are not in lockstep with Australia. They are making this up."
Helen Clark.
7/10.
"Good on her for telling it like it is with China and the W.H.O.
Both have a lot to answer for, let's hope someone is asking the questions and holding them to account."
The Australian Open Covid Dramas.
4/10.
"Melbourne did the right thing by fighting to hold it.
A handful of players didn’t help with their Trumpesque fit of pique. Hopefully it's smoother sailing from here."
The Media.
2/10.
"The research this week exposing the shocking bias on the cannabis vote, despite their ongoing dishonesty around their claims of being fair and balanced, is a wake up call to us all.
Nothing wrong with an agenda or opinion, just be open and honest about it."
New Childcare Centre Lunch Rules.
1/10.
"In its own specific way, it's a reflection of all that’s wrong with the world in 2021.
Common sense be gone, we've let the madness overtake us."
The Prada Cup.
9/10.
"Highlight of the summer.
Pictures of New Zealand to the world, technology to boggle your mind, a genuine contest, and American Magic reminding us why we love this sort of sport. You never know when it can all come disastrously unstuck.
It has been absolutely brilliant."
Bridgerton.
3/10.
"Really? I didn’t get to the end of episode one."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22975903/mh220121-14-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 21 Jan 2021 22:24:49 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. Joe Biden. 8/10. "A level of normality has been restored. No, he's not the best the Democrats can produce, far less America, but...Joe Biden.
8/10.
"A level of normality has been restored.
No, he's not the best the Democrats can produce, far less America, but he's more normal, less angry, and a damn sight more honest."
Donald Trump.
4/10.
"A sad, pathetic sort of end.
A self-absorbed, introspective exit that doesn’t serve him well."
NZ's Covid Vaccine Rollout.
2/10.
"This has the potential to be the government's Achilles heel, if not undoing.
We are not front of the line. Medsafe is an excuse for our non-delivery.
We are not in lockstep with Australia. They are making this up."
Helen Clark.
7/10.
"Good on her for telling it like it is with China and the W.H.O.
Both have a lot to answer for, let's hope someone is asking the questions and holding them to account."
The Australian Open Covid Dramas.
4/10.
"Melbourne did the right thing by fighting to hold it.
A handful of players didn’t help with their Trumpesque fit of pique. Hopefully it's smoother sailing from here."
The Media.
2/10.
"The research this week exposing the shocking bias on the cannabis vote, despite their ongoing dishonesty around their claims of being fair and balanced, is a wake up call to us all.
Nothing wrong with an agenda or opinion, just be open and honest about it."
New Childcare Centre Lunch Rules.
1/10.
"In its own specific way, it's a reflection of all that’s wrong with the world in 2021.
Common sense be gone, we've let the madness overtake us."
The Prada Cup.
9/10.
"Highlight of the summer.
Pictures of New Zealand to the world, technology to boggle your mind, a genuine contest, and American Magic reminding us why we love this sort of sport. You never know when it can all come disastrously unstuck.
It has been absolutely brilliant."
Bridgerton.
3/10.
"Really? I didn’t get to the end of episode one."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>146falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-jacinda-ardern-s-housing-pledge-means-nothing--1008263"I will fix the housing crisis."
Are you kidding me? You will do what? No one else has fixed it, because they can't. This is the year of delivery, not, 2.0.
She comes to the “I will fix the housing crisis” headline with what? Kiwibuild?
The government's credentials on housing are abysmal. The social housing programme they tout as a success, doesn’t even begin to cover the increases in the lines of people queuing up for a roof.
It's up 1000 in the last two months. 22,409 in line now. Record broken, after record broken, and their work so far is 8000 houses. And when I say 8000, that’s a promise not actual houses.
By 2024, as in beyond the next election, the promise is 18,000 houses. That doesn’t even cover those here right now, far less the many thousands more than will join between now and then. And that’s just social housing.
The major mistake she makes around a so-called crisis, is the same mistake others have made before her.
She thinks governments affect prices. They don't. You know why they don’t? Because if they did, they would have done it by now.
Then ask yourself the simplest of questions, what does “fix” mean? When is it fixed? Answer, there is no answer.
The same way there isn't a crisis, unless you want there to be one.
The same way a 10 percent drop in value might be a crash, or a correction, or an adjustment depending on who you are, and what your agenda is.
Here's our status, here's what she lines her mad promise up against, we can't get access to builders, we are already building flat out, materials are hard to come by because of shipping, prices are rising, money is cheap, and demand is through the roof.
And she is going to do what?
The last smokescreen they ran before Christmas was the Robertson letter to Adrian Orr, which essentially got put in the bin.
Governments don't control the housing market, and promising stuff that makes it sound like they do is a mad combination of ignorance, arrogance, and a con.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22975902/mp3_bc_-mp3_online_mh220121-01-housingpolicycomment.mp3Thu, 21 Jan 2021 21:52:04 +0000RoccoAn astonishing opening play from the Prime Minister upon her return from holiday. "I will fix the housing crisis." Are you kidding me? You will do what? No one else has fixed it, because they can't. This is the year of delivery, not, 2.0. She comes to..."I will fix the housing crisis."
Are you kidding me? You will do what? No one else has fixed it, because they can't. This is the year of delivery, not, 2.0.
She comes to the “I will fix the housing crisis” headline with what? Kiwibuild?
The government's credentials on housing are abysmal. The social housing programme they tout as a success, doesn’t even begin to cover the increases in the lines of people queuing up for a roof.
It's up 1000 in the last two months. 22,409 in line now. Record broken, after record broken, and their work so far is 8000 houses. And when I say 8000, that’s a promise not actual houses.
By 2024, as in beyond the next election, the promise is 18,000 houses. That doesn’t even cover those here right now, far less the many thousands more than will join between now and then. And that’s just social housing.
The major mistake she makes around a so-called crisis, is the same mistake others have made before her.
She thinks governments affect prices. They don't. You know why they don’t? Because if they did, they would have done it by now.
Then ask yourself the simplest of questions, what does “fix” mean? When is it fixed? Answer, there is no answer.
The same way there isn't a crisis, unless you want there to be one.
The same way a 10 percent drop in value might be a crash, or a correction, or an adjustment depending on who you are, and what your agenda is.
Here's our status, here's what she lines her mad promise up against, we can't get access to builders, we are already building flat out, materials are hard to come by because of shipping, prices are rising, money is cheap, and demand is through the roof.
And she is going to do what?
The last smokescreen they ran before Christmas was the Robertson letter to Adrian Orr, which essentially got put in the bin.
Governments don't control the housing market, and promising stuff that makes it sound like they do is a mad combination of ignorance, arrogance, and a con.]]>112falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-donald-trump-leaves-behind-a-tarnished-legacy--1008275Civility counts as much as policy, and this is where Donald Trump's reputation has been torn to shreds.
He left Washington DC today refusing to meet the incoming leader, his wife refusing to meet the new First Lady, and refusing the Bidens a government jet to arrive in DC, that’s the stuff that stains your name and reputation.
Be as aggrieved as you want about your loss. I am sure Hillary Clinton couldn’t believe what happened to her, I am sure Barack Obama was stunned at the result, but they still showed up, they were still courteous, they still behaved in a dignified way.
They have all behaved in a dignified way over the years because that’s what you do, and that’s what's expected in respecting the office, not your own personal circumstances.
I watched a video of Trump talking to a reporter four years ago upon receiving the traditional letter on the desk of the Oval Office. He seemed genuinely moved by Obama's words and hopes for the next four years. In that moment, short of being a very good actor, he, at that time anyway, actually seemed to get it.
And yet look at how he's behaved this week. Great leaders are the whole package. Even if you bought into his ideas, policy is only part of the deal, the rest is who you are.
It's what makes Obama still current for millions. As an effectual President he didn't actually do much, post 2010 his numbers were gone, and the last four years he was lame duck.
But he represented his country internationally well. In fact, he was probably more popular globally than domestically.
Yes, Trump got 74 million votes and that can't be dismissed, and yes, he's onto to something, philosophically speaking, for many Americans.
But he's a thug, he is a classless buffoon, he's the spoilt brat who doesn’t have any manners, he is profoundly dishonest, and he leaves the job a miserable self-interested loser.
And if you could never understand why his wife was with him, we now have a clue. She's as bad as he is, she just pretended harder in public.
The whole thing is a shame. He was never going to be great. But he did have the seed of an idea, and there were bits especially economically that showed real potential, until Covid undid him.  
But ultimately, it's four years wasted, four years you wouldn’t repeat, and four years you won't miss.
By the end, the truth was out. The emperor had no clothes, he was stripped of any actual ongoing success and achievement. We saw him for what he was, a shark from New York devoid of class, ludicrous of look, and an interloper in the leadership stakes deposited in Washington DC by some Americans who fell for the same spin he used to sell condos.       
Joe Biden in many respects, whether you back him or not, will, at least, in terms of leadership and civility be a massive relief.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22975836/mh210121-12-trumplegacycomment.mp3Wed, 20 Jan 2021 21:53:18 +0000RoccoA major part of being the President of the United States is the image you project, not just to your country, but to the world. Civility counts as much as policy, and this is where Donald Trump's reputation has been torn to shreds. He left Washington...Civility counts as much as policy, and this is where Donald Trump's reputation has been torn to shreds.
He left Washington DC today refusing to meet the incoming leader, his wife refusing to meet the new First Lady, and refusing the Bidens a government jet to arrive in DC, that’s the stuff that stains your name and reputation.
Be as aggrieved as you want about your loss. I am sure Hillary Clinton couldn’t believe what happened to her, I am sure Barack Obama was stunned at the result, but they still showed up, they were still courteous, they still behaved in a dignified way.
They have all behaved in a dignified way over the years because that’s what you do, and that’s what's expected in respecting the office, not your own personal circumstances.
I watched a video of Trump talking to a reporter four years ago upon receiving the traditional letter on the desk of the Oval Office. He seemed genuinely moved by Obama's words and hopes for the next four years. In that moment, short of being a very good actor, he, at that time anyway, actually seemed to get it.
And yet look at how he's behaved this week. Great leaders are the whole package. Even if you bought into his ideas, policy is only part of the deal, the rest is who you are.
It's what makes Obama still current for millions. As an effectual President he didn't actually do much, post 2010 his numbers were gone, and the last four years he was lame duck.
But he represented his country internationally well. In fact, he was probably more popular globally than domestically.
Yes, Trump got 74 million votes and that can't be dismissed, and yes, he's onto to something, philosophically speaking, for many Americans.
But he's a thug, he is a classless buffoon, he's the spoilt brat who doesn’t have any manners, he is profoundly dishonest, and he leaves the job a miserable self-interested loser.
And if you could never understand why his wife was with him, we now have a clue. She's as bad as he is, she just pretended harder in public.
The whole thing is a shame. He was never going to be great. But he did have the seed of an idea, and there were bits especially economically that showed real potential, until Covid undid him.  
But ultimately, it's four years wasted, four years you wouldn’t repeat, and four years you won't miss.
By the end, the truth was out. The emperor had no clothes, he was stripped of any actual ongoing success and achievement. We saw him for what he was, a shark from New York devoid of class, ludicrous of look, and an interloper in the leadership stakes deposited in Washington DC by some Americans who fell for the same spin he used to sell condos.       
Joe Biden in many respects, whether you back him or not, will, at least, in terms of leadership and civility be a massive relief.  ]]>154falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-assange-getting-off-would-set-a-dangerous-precedent--1008347The appeal is on, so it’s far from over, but it would seem if you can convince a judge in Britain that you’ll take your life should you be sent to America, that’s enough to keep you from going to America  and facing justice.
The extradition attempt by the Americans was turned down on health grounds. The judge was not convinced that the system and procedures as offered by the Americans would prevent Assange from committing suicide.
On the legal aspects, he actually lost: the judge went through his teams various arguments against extradition ranging from politics to time limits and rejected them all.
As indeed she should have, based, as far as I can work out, on the fact that there seems no disputing the fact that Assange handled stolen goods and passed them onto others.
And, as such the people, whose property was nicked, i.e. the Americans, want a word, and I would imagine a fairly lengthy term of confinement should the trial go their way.
What has been lost, deliberately, over the years, is that part of the argument from the Assange camp appears to be about press freedom and how it trumps criminal activity. In other words, if your legal material is good enough, laws don’t count.
They are wrong of course and they know it. Hence instead of defending his position and offering himself up to the feds, he went and hid in the embassy until everyone got fully sick of him and the poms dragged him out to Belmarsh.
Which is where he remains, given the second part of proceedings involved him applying for bail and it not being granted. And nor should it. The court not surprisingly saw him as a flight risk
So how is any of this fair on the Americans? All they want is a thief back. And to press some charges for that theft.
The evidence will either convict him or not, but in not giving them the chance is this not justice denied. And denied on an idea, the idea that you can be convincing enough to have a judge believe you’re a risk to your own life.
There is no proof of that, it’s not evidence based. It’s just a thought, a prediction driven by fear, a seed of doubt cast.
Is that justice? I wouldn’t have thought so.
And if he gets away with it if he never returns to the states, how dangerous is the precedent set? Fear beats fact.
As long as you’re allegedly suicidal over your actions, your actions don’t matter.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22975807/mh200121-01-assangecomment.mp3Wed, 20 Jan 2021 09:20:45 +0000RoccoA lot of us sadly would have missed the Julian Assange decision over the holidays – when he won and lost. The appeal is on, so it’s far from over, but it would seem if you can convince a judge in Britain that you’ll take your life should you be sent...The appeal is on, so it’s far from over, but it would seem if you can convince a judge in Britain that you’ll take your life should you be sent to America, that’s enough to keep you from going to America  and facing justice.
The extradition attempt by the Americans was turned down on health grounds. The judge was not convinced that the system and procedures as offered by the Americans would prevent Assange from committing suicide.
On the legal aspects, he actually lost: the judge went through his teams various arguments against extradition ranging from politics to time limits and rejected them all.
As indeed she should have, based, as far as I can work out, on the fact that there seems no disputing the fact that Assange handled stolen goods and passed them onto others.
And, as such the people, whose property was nicked, i.e. the Americans, want a word, and I would imagine a fairly lengthy term of confinement should the trial go their way.
What has been lost, deliberately, over the years, is that part of the argument from the Assange camp appears to be about press freedom and how it trumps criminal activity. In other words, if your legal material is good enough, laws don’t count.
They are wrong of course and they know it. Hence instead of defending his position and offering himself up to the feds, he went and hid in the embassy until everyone got fully sick of him and the poms dragged him out to Belmarsh.
Which is where he remains, given the second part of proceedings involved him applying for bail and it not being granted. And nor should it. The court not surprisingly saw him as a flight risk
So how is any of this fair on the Americans? All they want is a thief back. And to press some charges for that theft.
The evidence will either convict him or not, but in not giving them the chance is this not justice denied. And denied on an idea, the idea that you can be convincing enough to have a judge believe you’re a risk to your own life.
There is no proof of that, it’s not evidence based. It’s just a thought, a prediction driven by fear, a seed of doubt cast.
Is that justice? I wouldn’t have thought so.
And if he gets away with it if he never returns to the states, how dangerous is the precedent set? Fear beats fact.
As long as you’re allegedly suicidal over your actions, your actions don’t matter.]]>132falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-media-bias-exposed-in-cannabis-referendum-coverage--1008353Extensive work has been done around coverage of the euthanasia and cannabis referenda. Euthanasia wasn't so bad, but as for the cannabis coverage, it was embarrassing.
A lot of us already knew this to be the case, of course.
If you read a lot like I do, it became fairly evident, fairly fast, that most of the people who frequent newsrooms in this country aren't up to much when it comes to balance.
You could, and I would, argue you see it every day in coverage of the current government. There is plenty of material from offshore observers who were gobsmacked in election year, at just how subservient too much of our media is to the Labour Party and the Prime Minister in particular.
But the beauty of the cannabis vote work is that it's easy to prove. We were simply voting, and the media were simply covering two things, yes or no.
36 percent of all headlines promoted yes, 18 percent were for no. In other words, twice as much of what you saw was for one camp.
When it came to quotes from advocates, the yes position was quoted twice as often as no. There were 67 articles with 100 percent bias towards yes, and only towards no. Of the articles that covered both sides 66 percent of them favoured yes, 34 percent no.
The worst offenders were The Spinoff, Stuff, Newshub, the Herald, TVNZ, and Radio New Zealand.  The Spinoff had 72% of their coverage for yes, as did Stuff.
Newshub has 69 percent, the Herald 68 percent, TVNZ 62 percent and RNZ 59 percent. The last two are particularly interesting as I thought they had a statutory obligation to be fair and balanced.
As we have said many, many times, if these people had been honest and run some editorials and told us they were biased, then we would have no problem.
If they'd said "we have decided as a paper, blog, or TV station that we support the yes vote and we want you to as well," then at least you knew where you are at.
But they didn't do that, did they? Which makes their bias dangerous.  It's brain washing. It's pretending to be fair, open, and honest and all the other strap line hot air they pedal. But the simple truth is they had an agenda, but they just didn't want to tell you about it.
We deserve better, we should have better, and we should demand better.
The work of Family First in exposing this proves it.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22975736/mh200121-12-biasedmediacomment.mp3Tue, 19 Jan 2021 22:13:56 +0000RoccoWell, it's all been laid a bit bare for large swathes of our local media. They are biased. Extensive work has been done around coverage of the euthanasia and cannabis referenda. Euthanasia wasn't so bad, but as for the cannabis coverage, it was...Extensive work has been done around coverage of the euthanasia and cannabis referenda. Euthanasia wasn't so bad, but as for the cannabis coverage, it was embarrassing.
A lot of us already knew this to be the case, of course.
If you read a lot like I do, it became fairly evident, fairly fast, that most of the people who frequent newsrooms in this country aren't up to much when it comes to balance.
You could, and I would, argue you see it every day in coverage of the current government. There is plenty of material from offshore observers who were gobsmacked in election year, at just how subservient too much of our media is to the Labour Party and the Prime Minister in particular.
But the beauty of the cannabis vote work is that it's easy to prove. We were simply voting, and the media were simply covering two things, yes or no.
36 percent of all headlines promoted yes, 18 percent were for no. In other words, twice as much of what you saw was for one camp.
When it came to quotes from advocates, the yes position was quoted twice as often as no. There were 67 articles with 100 percent bias towards yes, and only towards no. Of the articles that covered both sides 66 percent of them favoured yes, 34 percent no.
The worst offenders were The Spinoff, Stuff, Newshub, the Herald, TVNZ, and Radio New Zealand.  The Spinoff had 72% of their coverage for yes, as did Stuff.
Newshub has 69 percent, the Herald 68 percent, TVNZ 62 percent and RNZ 59 percent. The last two are particularly interesting as I thought they had a statutory obligation to be fair and balanced.
As we have said many, many times, if these people had been honest and run some editorials and told us they were biased, then we would have no problem.
If they'd said "we have decided as a paper, blog, or TV station that we support the yes vote and we want you to as well," then at least you knew where you are at.
But they didn't do that, did they? Which makes their bias dangerous.  It's brain washing. It's pretending to be fair, open, and honest and all the other strap line hot air they pedal. But the simple truth is they had an agenda, but they just didn't want to tell you about it.
We deserve better, we should have better, and we should demand better.
The work of Family First in exposing this proves it.]]>155falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-government-can-t-and-won-t-do-anything-about-the-housing-market--1008361The politicians got embarrassed over the fact they'd banged on endlessly about affordable housing while in opposition, but in government and had done nothing about it apart from watch the prices go up, and up, and up.
So as a pre-Christmas distraction Grant Robertson wrote to the Reserve Bank Governor and made some noise about prices, in the vein hope that we'd all think that actually meant something.
It meant nothing, of course. In fact, it meant so little Robertson, just as we headed off on holiday went to the extent of telling us they'd be doing something about house prices but not until next year, which is now this year.
Meantime Adrian Orr got hacked. On a side note, and to his credit, he did what all good leaders should do and owned it, apologised unreservedly, and said this was on him. So, refreshing was the approach, one, a lot of people could look and learn. And two, I'm almost of a mind to forgive him for showing such rare honesty and integrity.
Back to the houses, new numbers last week for December. Records, records, records. A lot of record prices, record sales, and record increases.
Only 27 days to sell a house on average, that’s another record. There's no stock, that's another record. One of the banks is offering money at barely over two percent, that's another record.
In other words, housing is doing what housing always does, getting on with it. While the noise makers do what the noise makers do, little if anything.
If the government were honest like Adrian Orr, they'd say "look there's not a lot we can do, short of forcing councils to free up more land. Consents are right up there so there's no shortage of building. We're building social houses, but that doesn't really address regular pricing so, that's about it."
That, at least, is the truth.
And never, ever forget a lot of this debate is predicated on the idea that rising house prices are bad, which, of course, they are not. We love housing. Always have, always will.
No, it can't continue the way it is, and it won't. But if you honestly thought Grant Robertson was going to do anything tangible more fool you.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22975697/mh190121-01-housepricescomment.mp3Tue, 19 Jan 2021 04:03:22 +0000RoccoYou might have noted over the holiday period one of the flags we raised before Christmas was not to get sucked in by the government who were, once again, playing us for fools when the heat in the housing market spilled over to the political world. The...The politicians got embarrassed over the fact they'd banged on endlessly about affordable housing while in opposition, but in government and had done nothing about it apart from watch the prices go up, and up, and up.
So as a pre-Christmas distraction Grant Robertson wrote to the Reserve Bank Governor and made some noise about prices, in the vein hope that we'd all think that actually meant something.
It meant nothing, of course. In fact, it meant so little Robertson, just as we headed off on holiday went to the extent of telling us they'd be doing something about house prices but not until next year, which is now this year.
Meantime Adrian Orr got hacked. On a side note, and to his credit, he did what all good leaders should do and owned it, apologised unreservedly, and said this was on him. So, refreshing was the approach, one, a lot of people could look and learn. And two, I'm almost of a mind to forgive him for showing such rare honesty and integrity.
Back to the houses, new numbers last week for December. Records, records, records. A lot of record prices, record sales, and record increases.
Only 27 days to sell a house on average, that’s another record. There's no stock, that's another record. One of the banks is offering money at barely over two percent, that's another record.
In other words, housing is doing what housing always does, getting on with it. While the noise makers do what the noise makers do, little if anything.
If the government were honest like Adrian Orr, they'd say "look there's not a lot we can do, short of forcing councils to free up more land. Consents are right up there so there's no shortage of building. We're building social houses, but that doesn't really address regular pricing so, that's about it."
That, at least, is the truth.
And never, ever forget a lot of this debate is predicated on the idea that rising house prices are bad, which, of course, they are not. We love housing. Always have, always will.
No, it can't continue the way it is, and it won't. But if you honestly thought Grant Robertson was going to do anything tangible more fool you.]]>117falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-banning-trump-a-symptom-of-something-worse--1008206The trouble with such pronouncements these days is nuance and subtlety have been lost.
On one hand he's right, the media has a lot to answer for. Not just around Trump but around honesty, integrity, balance ,experience, and professionalism. On the other hand, he's late to the party with the “come to Damascus” moment. It's not like he's an intern, and hasn’t been donkey deep for years.
Of course, given it’s a Murdoch, it's leapt on because Murdoch is Fox. And Fox, if you're woke, is the devil. Choosing to forget that places like CNN benefited from Trump as much as Fox over did.
Last year, CNN's audience in election year was up significantly, more than Fox. Fox remains number one by a reasonable margin, but the idea Trump is Fox and Fox is the only beneficiary is not only wrong, it's not even mentioned because mentioning it undermines the luvvies agenda.
Thus, reminding us of the original Murdoch complaint around the media, too much of it is fundamentally dishonest.
The other problem is it's all focused around Trump. He is the problem, the cause, and the result of everything apparently. Almost as though life didn’t start till 2016.
An article the other day asked whether Fox can survive when Trump goes. "Where now for Fox?", screamed the headline.  
Fox was here before Trump, as was CNN, jet aircraft, and electricity. The Trump years', lest we forget have actually only been four of them, not 50. Fox will be fine.
But the madness we currently see, whether it’s the banning of voices, groups, or activity online, the cancelling of certain people if they don’t meet greet and spout your world view, is exceedingly dangerous, for much broader reasons than Trump.
It's just Trump is being used as the excuse. Those who worked for Trump will never get work again. Any company associated with Trump loses business. Trump's businesses lose business.
The message is you say and do what we say and like, or you say nothing at all.
Does that not ring exceedingly large alarm bells?
And in part, the window into this world is the media. We see the world through the media. We hear the voices, the calls, and the ideas.
But if Trump is to blame for everything and Fox therefore is to blame too, and Facebook and Twitter ban the ones they don’t like, and certain sections of the media acquiesce if not embrace all this, where do we hear the voices as opposed to the voice?
And where in history have we seen all this before? And given that why aren't we deeply worried?  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22975648/mh190121-14-mediabiascomment.mp3Mon, 18 Jan 2021 22:08:24 +0000RoccoJames Murdoch, son of Rupert, has decided he is on a slightly more woke pathway than his Dad, and has spat the dummy to the Financial Times about the media and its role in the Trump years. The trouble with such pronouncements these days is nuance and...The trouble with such pronouncements these days is nuance and subtlety have been lost.
On one hand he's right, the media has a lot to answer for. Not just around Trump but around honesty, integrity, balance ,experience, and professionalism. On the other hand, he's late to the party with the “come to Damascus” moment. It's not like he's an intern, and hasn’t been donkey deep for years.
Of course, given it’s a Murdoch, it's leapt on because Murdoch is Fox. And Fox, if you're woke, is the devil. Choosing to forget that places like CNN benefited from Trump as much as Fox over did.
Last year, CNN's audience in election year was up significantly, more than Fox. Fox remains number one by a reasonable margin, but the idea Trump is Fox and Fox is the only beneficiary is not only wrong, it's not even mentioned because mentioning it undermines the luvvies agenda.
Thus, reminding us of the original Murdoch complaint around the media, too much of it is fundamentally dishonest.
The other problem is it's all focused around Trump. He is the problem, the cause, and the result of everything apparently. Almost as though life didn’t start till 2016.
An article the other day asked whether Fox can survive when Trump goes. "Where now for Fox?", screamed the headline.  
Fox was here before Trump, as was CNN, jet aircraft, and electricity. The Trump years', lest we forget have actually only been four of them, not 50. Fox will be fine.
But the madness we currently see, whether it’s the banning of voices, groups, or activity online, the cancelling of certain people if they don’t meet greet and spout your world view, is exceedingly dangerous, for much broader reasons than Trump.
It's just Trump is being used as the excuse. Those who worked for Trump will never get work again. Any company associated with Trump loses business. Trump's businesses lose business.
The message is you say and do what we say and like, or you say nothing at all.
Does that not ring exceedingly large alarm bells?
And in part, the window into this world is the media. We see the world through the media. We hear the voices, the calls, and the ideas.
But if Trump is to blame for everything and Fox therefore is to blame too, and Facebook and Twitter ban the ones they don’t like, and certain sections of the media acquiesce if not embrace all this, where do we hear the voices as opposed to the voice?
And where in history have we seen all this before? And given that why aren't we deeply worried?  ]]>150falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-resting-on-our-laurels-over-covid-19-will-damage-us-long-term--1008360We are too lax at the border, I’ve said this a million times. Michael Baker is right when he said: “There have been too many breaches and mistakes and the next one, given the new strains may well mean a lock down the likes of which we have dreaded”.
Given we now know this, why are people still allowed to come into the country from places like Britain?
A negative test is better than what we had, but not nearly as good as what we want. Why aren’t we more proactive?
I asked that question about 100 times last year, why are we so complacent?
It would seem obvious that we can at least write a decent chunk of this year off given we don’t have the vaccine, and won’t get it until the second half of this year.
Another question around complacency: how come we were told we were the first in line, when clearly we aren’t?
Even by April when the front liners get a jab here, places like the US, Israel Britain, will have been months down the track ahead of us, if not achieving herd immunity.
If the vaccine is going to save us all, it’ll take time, and 2021 is going to look a lot like 2020.
And that’s before you get to the bloke from Moderna last week who said we’ll be living with Covid-19 forever.
And if that’s the case, and Covid is mutating, doesn’t that essentially make it a flu type virus, and if it’s flu like virus, are we living behind closed borders for how long?
So more attention is needed at the border.
But, in a sign that all is not lost, kudos for the entry of 1000 students. Thank god they’ve finally acquiesced to an industry worth $5 billion a year.
The irony being Australia is letting in more players and officials for the Australian Open than we are for an entire sector, but at least it’s a start.
What we need though, and want most of all this year, is aspiration.
Grant Robertson wrote a simpering piece over the holidays about the value of moderation. In drinking, yes. In running a country? No thanks?
I want aspiration, I want desire, I want energy, I want determination.
Resting on our laurels, waiting for a vaccine behind everyone else stalling the travel bubble, essentially going nowhere fast while the world is more determined to move on will damage us long term.
We need to be more urgent. We need to want to be better, and better faster. Let’s not waste the year.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22975633/mh180121-12-covidconcernscomment.mp3Mon, 18 Jan 2021 05:04:14 +0000RoccoHere’s where I am at, with where we are at as a country - at least as far as Covid goes. We are too lax at the border, I’ve said this a million times. Michael Baker is right when he said: “There have been too many breaches and mistakes and the next...We are too lax at the border, I’ve said this a million times. Michael Baker is right when he said: “There have been too many breaches and mistakes and the next one, given the new strains may well mean a lock down the likes of which we have dreaded”.
Given we now know this, why are people still allowed to come into the country from places like Britain?
A negative test is better than what we had, but not nearly as good as what we want. Why aren’t we more proactive?
I asked that question about 100 times last year, why are we so complacent?
It would seem obvious that we can at least write a decent chunk of this year off given we don’t have the vaccine, and won’t get it until the second half of this year.
Another question around complacency: how come we were told we were the first in line, when clearly we aren’t?
Even by April when the front liners get a jab here, places like the US, Israel Britain, will have been months down the track ahead of us, if not achieving herd immunity.
If the vaccine is going to save us all, it’ll take time, and 2021 is going to look a lot like 2020.
And that’s before you get to the bloke from Moderna last week who said we’ll be living with Covid-19 forever.
And if that’s the case, and Covid is mutating, doesn’t that essentially make it a flu type virus, and if it’s flu like virus, are we living behind closed borders for how long?
So more attention is needed at the border.
But, in a sign that all is not lost, kudos for the entry of 1000 students. Thank god they’ve finally acquiesced to an industry worth $5 billion a year.
The irony being Australia is letting in more players and officials for the Australian Open than we are for an entire sector, but at least it’s a start.
What we need though, and want most of all this year, is aspiration.
Grant Robertson wrote a simpering piece over the holidays about the value of moderation. In drinking, yes. In running a country? No thanks?
I want aspiration, I want desire, I want energy, I want determination.
Resting on our laurels, waiting for a vaccine behind everyone else stalling the travel bubble, essentially going nowhere fast while the world is more determined to move on will damage us long term.
We need to be more urgent. We need to want to be better, and better faster. Let’s not waste the year.]]>143falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-could-the-prada-cup-get-any-more-exciting--1008265We wish the Americans no ill-will obviously, but what Barker did yesterday was all the evidence you ever needed that these things sail on the edgiest of edges.
And that is, ultimately, what great sport is all about. Pushing boundaries, enthralling us, not knowing who wins, how they win, and whether they can win.
The great question I have still not seen properly asked, far less answered, is just how is it that the Brits with that much money, and that much experience, can show up before Christmas that hopelessly prepared?
I'm not surprised they got it together. The aforementioned money and talent can generally fix most wrongs, but how they got it so wrong to start with was astonishing.
We, of course, look good. I would have said, until this weekend, probably favourites.
But that's what is making this so gripping. Such is the speed and distance covered, a half kilometre lead is nothing.  You can do 40 knots on one bit of a course, and six on another.
The real magic for me with these boats is they are a dead set leap on the catamarans. They have an agility the cats never had. I've seen tacking duels I never thought I'd see again.
Just the sight of these boats is enough. One foil, .a comparatively tiny piece of whatever it is, defying gravity to slide through the water at speeds we could once only have guessed at.
And as always in the America's Cup, it's the big picture. What do you reckon those images of this country are worth? The bright blue skies, the flotilla of fans, and the crowds on shore. Yes, there is a lot of sport being played these days, but little of it looks as good as this.
In an event that has been transformed over the years, with its colour, drama, and characters, this latest chapter of one of sports great contests is a continuation and evolution of what dreamers, geniuses, and the crazy can do if you let them.
This has been and is a real thrill.
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22975605/mh180121-01-amcupcomment.mp3Sun, 17 Jan 2021 22:08:50 +0000RoccoI'll tell you something for nothing, even if yesterday hadn't happened, the yachting - the Prada Cup, the Christmas Cup, the America's Cup, whatever you want to call it - it has been mesmerising. We wish the Americans no ill-will obviously, but what...We wish the Americans no ill-will obviously, but what Barker did yesterday was all the evidence you ever needed that these things sail on the edgiest of edges.
And that is, ultimately, what great sport is all about. Pushing boundaries, enthralling us, not knowing who wins, how they win, and whether they can win.
The great question I have still not seen properly asked, far less answered, is just how is it that the Brits with that much money, and that much experience, can show up before Christmas that hopelessly prepared?
I'm not surprised they got it together. The aforementioned money and talent can generally fix most wrongs, but how they got it so wrong to start with was astonishing.
We, of course, look good. I would have said, until this weekend, probably favourites.
But that's what is making this so gripping. Such is the speed and distance covered, a half kilometre lead is nothing.  You can do 40 knots on one bit of a course, and six on another.
The real magic for me with these boats is they are a dead set leap on the catamarans. They have an agility the cats never had. I've seen tacking duels I never thought I'd see again.
Just the sight of these boats is enough. One foil, .a comparatively tiny piece of whatever it is, defying gravity to slide through the water at speeds we could once only have guessed at.
And as always in the America's Cup, it's the big picture. What do you reckon those images of this country are worth? The bright blue skies, the flotilla of fans, and the crowds on shore. Yes, there is a lot of sport being played these days, but little of it looks as good as this.
In an event that has been transformed over the years, with its colour, drama, and characters, this latest chapter of one of sports great contests is a continuation and evolution of what dreamers, geniuses, and the crazy can do if you let them.
This has been and is a real thrill.
 ]]>116falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-we-got-through-2020-we-need-to-start-living-again-in-2021--1008216Where’s my Mummy? Is my Mummy alright?
It’s a stark reminder that the raw edge of human tragedy certainly dominates our news diet. If you’re grieving this Christmas, my thoughts are with you.
Unlike last year, we haven’t been monstered by the worst of mass-catastrophes this year. Although those mosque attacks and a violent volcano still command headlines. Nothing has clouded out 2020 quite like Covid. A cloud of chaos, confusion and fear. But we’ve made it through, on our motu, in remarkably reasonable shape and the envy of the world.
I respected many prongs to the Trump Republican agenda. The job growth, the refusal to be intimidated by China, the economic expansion. But Donald’s complete blind spot on Covid cost him his job. I just hope Georgia voters don’t hand the Dems full control of the Senate. AOC and friends off the leash is not worth thinking about. Biden needs to be forced to govern from the centre.  
Back home, for better or worse, Jacinda Ardern profited handsomely with her unswerving Safety First agenda. Bridges was Covid’s biggest political casualty as National wrestled with its soul, wracked with instability. May they listen to Sir John Key’s sage advice. And learn. Judith Collins made the best of a hopeless situation. There should be no rush to roll her.
There is no doubt our geographical reality and our big blue moat has been our saviour.  Thank God for our farmers and producers for saving our economy while our draw bridge has been up.
But may 2021 see us reach back out to the world, with an early re-connection with our neighbours. Our tourism industry has suffered enough.  
With vaccines on the way, the fortress mentality is getting very stale, very fast. So are the government’s next steps. It’s their latest favourite phrase, and they’re always vague in detail. Stop it. Brave clear steps is what we need.  
Let’s start dreaming again. Let’s start living again. Let’s turn it up. Let’s go – in 2021]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22974617/mh181220-11-2020comment.mp3Fri, 18 Dec 2020 03:45:19 +0000RoccoWhat a haunting, heart-breaking headline in the Herald this week, following the chopper crash in Kaikoura? Where’s my Mummy? Is my Mummy alright? It’s a stark reminder that the raw edge of human tragedy certainly dominates our news diet. If you’re...Where’s my Mummy? Is my Mummy alright?
It’s a stark reminder that the raw edge of human tragedy certainly dominates our news diet. If you’re grieving this Christmas, my thoughts are with you.
Unlike last year, we haven’t been monstered by the worst of mass-catastrophes this year. Although those mosque attacks and a violent volcano still command headlines. Nothing has clouded out 2020 quite like Covid. A cloud of chaos, confusion and fear. But we’ve made it through, on our motu, in remarkably reasonable shape and the envy of the world.
I respected many prongs to the Trump Republican agenda. The job growth, the refusal to be intimidated by China, the economic expansion. But Donald’s complete blind spot on Covid cost him his job. I just hope Georgia voters don’t hand the Dems full control of the Senate. AOC and friends off the leash is not worth thinking about. Biden needs to be forced to govern from the centre.  
Back home, for better or worse, Jacinda Ardern profited handsomely with her unswerving Safety First agenda. Bridges was Covid’s biggest political casualty as National wrestled with its soul, wracked with instability. May they listen to Sir John Key’s sage advice. And learn. Judith Collins made the best of a hopeless situation. There should be no rush to roll her.
There is no doubt our geographical reality and our big blue moat has been our saviour.  Thank God for our farmers and producers for saving our economy while our draw bridge has been up.
But may 2021 see us reach back out to the world, with an early re-connection with our neighbours. Our tourism industry has suffered enough.  
With vaccines on the way, the fortress mentality is getting very stale, very fast. So are the government’s next steps. It’s their latest favourite phrase, and they’re always vague in detail. Stop it. Brave clear steps is what we need.  
Let’s start dreaming again. Let’s start living again. Let’s turn it up. Let’s go – in 2021]]>138falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-government-gifts-taxpayers-an-ihumatao-shaped-present-they-didn-t-want--1008330What a dud Christmas present to dump on the nation’s doorsteps. A purchase the nation didn’t want, and a big fat bill that we certainly don’t deserve to be lumbered with.
The $30 million purchase of Fletcher’s land at Ihumātao is a shameful outcome to a shoddy fit of interference by the Prime Minister.
And isn’t it typical, that after she dabbled in these waters, she’s nowhere to be seen when this deal is finally revealed. Grant Robertson is left to do the heavy-lifting.
It was quite obvious this week that this wretched intervention was imminent. If you were listening to Politics Wednesday, Stuart Nash said that Jacinda Ardern would ensure that the deal would be of benefit to all New Zealanders. Well, what a crock of nonsense that’s turned out to be.
This deal should scare the bejesus out of most Kiwis. This will empower a whole new arm of the grievance industry to mobilise. Occupiers are us. Taking aim at privately-owned land that they actually think should be returned for iwi, and land that they will say should never have fallen into private hands.
Hello Kapiti Airport. And what Shelly Bay?  Will the Beehive now poke their nose into that?  How much taxpayer money is going to be hurled at that stand-off to calm the farm?
But as I said on Tuesday, if the iwi really want Ihumātao back so badly, for its cultural heritage, why don’t they open their chequebook?  Why haven’t the Kingitanga and the Waikato-Tainui had the good grace to offer a fair market price to Fletcher’s to purchase it. Why should we be the mugs that end up footing the bill?
For a government that repeatedly bleats about the housing crisis, it is ludicrous that not only have the destroyed Fletcher’s plans to build 480 homes, but under this divisive deal, there’s no guarantee that we will see even 10 houses built there anytime soon.
What a sell-out. And what a recipe for trouble. They have paid off protesters. The precedent stinks.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22974578/mh181220-01-ihumataocomment.mp3Thu, 17 Dec 2020 23:24:14 +0000RoccoWell, ka-thud. I’m sure that’s the sound that ricocheted across New Zealand at midday yesterday as news broke about Ihumātao. What a dud Christmas present to dump on the nation’s doorsteps. A purchase the nation didn’t want, and a big fat bill that we...What a dud Christmas present to dump on the nation’s doorsteps. A purchase the nation didn’t want, and a big fat bill that we certainly don’t deserve to be lumbered with.
The $30 million purchase of Fletcher’s land at Ihumātao is a shameful outcome to a shoddy fit of interference by the Prime Minister.
And isn’t it typical, that after she dabbled in these waters, she’s nowhere to be seen when this deal is finally revealed. Grant Robertson is left to do the heavy-lifting.
It was quite obvious this week that this wretched intervention was imminent. If you were listening to Politics Wednesday, Stuart Nash said that Jacinda Ardern would ensure that the deal would be of benefit to all New Zealanders. Well, what a crock of nonsense that’s turned out to be.
This deal should scare the bejesus out of most Kiwis. This will empower a whole new arm of the grievance industry to mobilise. Occupiers are us. Taking aim at privately-owned land that they actually think should be returned for iwi, and land that they will say should never have fallen into private hands.
Hello Kapiti Airport. And what Shelly Bay?  Will the Beehive now poke their nose into that?  How much taxpayer money is going to be hurled at that stand-off to calm the farm?
But as I said on Tuesday, if the iwi really want Ihumātao back so badly, for its cultural heritage, why don’t they open their chequebook?  Why haven’t the Kingitanga and the Waikato-Tainui had the good grace to offer a fair market price to Fletcher’s to purchase it. Why should we be the mugs that end up footing the bill?
For a government that repeatedly bleats about the housing crisis, it is ludicrous that not only have the destroyed Fletcher’s plans to build 480 homes, but under this divisive deal, there’s no guarantee that we will see even 10 houses built there anytime soon.
What a sell-out. And what a recipe for trouble. They have paid off protesters. The precedent stinks.]]>134falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-christchurch-finally-gets-it-s-last-new-road-of-national-significance--1008222To put this in an Auckland context, this magnificent new ribbon of motorway is a bit like adding another harbour crossing.
The recently completed Western Corridor and the expanded Southern Motorway - two other Roads of National Significance - have dramatically enhanced journey times, particularly for commuters and cargo.
What I love about the CNC is that it disperses traffic across a variety of purpose-built routes, whether you’re hauling freight to Lyttleton, or you’re a North Canterbury commuter, bound for the city via Cranford St. That’s its beauty; a stress-busting circuit breaker, blitzing the reliance on the Main North Road and Marshland Road to service spewing traffic demand.
Commuters now have a sexy new route option. And as much as I am car-centric, the corridor is flanked by a massive shared walking and cycling path. The NZTA seems to think a lot of people might walk from Rangiora to Christchurch - bless them.
The only bum note ahead of today’s opening is the city council’s eleventh-hour sabotage.  As part of the corridor construction, Cranford Street has been dramatically widened. But because the council is infested with so many anti-car fascists, they have banned motorists from using all four lanes on Cranford Street, which feeds onto the corridor.
A key chunk of the street has had those lanes reserved exclusively for buses.  They weren’t even prepared to make them T2 lanes, because of their loathing of cars. I watched this council meeting, and it was like Meet the Glums.
Councillors bemoaned how the CNC would unleash a car invasion on the city. But despite their best efforts to ankle-tap, swift, efficient traffic flow, the CNC love affair will be instant. I’m just sad that it’s the last Road of National Significance we’re likely to see built in the Mainland for a very long time. And that's very sad news. ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22974525/mh171220-12-motorwayscomment.mp3Thu, 17 Dec 2020 04:24:56 +0000RoccoIt’s been long time coming, but Greater Christchurch takes full possession of a very welcome Christmas present this morning. Yes, the Christchurch Northern Corridor, the CNC, is finally and fully open. Am I excited or what?  To put this in an Auckland...To put this in an Auckland context, this magnificent new ribbon of motorway is a bit like adding another harbour crossing.
The recently completed Western Corridor and the expanded Southern Motorway - two other Roads of National Significance - have dramatically enhanced journey times, particularly for commuters and cargo.
What I love about the CNC is that it disperses traffic across a variety of purpose-built routes, whether you’re hauling freight to Lyttleton, or you’re a North Canterbury commuter, bound for the city via Cranford St. That’s its beauty; a stress-busting circuit breaker, blitzing the reliance on the Main North Road and Marshland Road to service spewing traffic demand.
Commuters now have a sexy new route option. And as much as I am car-centric, the corridor is flanked by a massive shared walking and cycling path. The NZTA seems to think a lot of people might walk from Rangiora to Christchurch - bless them.
The only bum note ahead of today’s opening is the city council’s eleventh-hour sabotage.  As part of the corridor construction, Cranford Street has been dramatically widened. But because the council is infested with so many anti-car fascists, they have banned motorists from using all four lanes on Cranford Street, which feeds onto the corridor.
A key chunk of the street has had those lanes reserved exclusively for buses.  They weren’t even prepared to make them T2 lanes, because of their loathing of cars. I watched this council meeting, and it was like Meet the Glums.
Councillors bemoaned how the CNC would unleash a car invasion on the city. But despite their best efforts to ankle-tap, swift, efficient traffic flow, the CNC love affair will be instant. I’m just sad that it’s the last Road of National Significance we’re likely to see built in the Mainland for a very long time. And that's very sad news. ]]>131falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-rapid-roadside-drug-testing-can-t-come-soon-enough--1008367The coroner is warning of the menace of drug-impaired driving, after finding cannabis was implicated in six of the nine fatalities, he was required to examine.
Six in nine.
You only have to look at the fatal crash stats in Colorado to see the perverse surge in cannabis-related road deaths, after that state legalised recreational use.
Thank God the Chloe Swarbrick’s of this world were defeated and stopped at making our current plight, even worse.
The Coroner’s insights are further proof why rapid roadside drug-testing is so badly needed. It’s shameful that it has taken so long. When National was last in government, Stuart Nash hounded them to roll it out. And yet now, Nash’s crew are into their second term in power, and the wait goes on.
The public desire for real road enforcement against drug-driving is huge. Even Julie Anne Genter was recently forced to admit, that the drug factor in our road toll is horrendous. In July, she confirmed that over a hundred people died in crashes last year where the driver had drugs in their system. That drug factor in dead drivers, by the way, amounted to just under a third of all road fatalities last year.
And the AA has produced fatal crash data to indicate that drug-driving is an equal menace if not a bigger menace now, than drink-driving.
Finally, we have legislation before the house that will implement rapid roadside drug-testing, next year. We are light years behind the UK, the US, Canada and Australia in taking the fight to this scourge. Under our roll-out, it will be a two-step regime. There will be fines for drivers who test positive for the presence of drugs. And harsher criminal penalties if you breach the specified impairment levels. Roll on 2021. It cannot come soon enough.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22974481/mh171220-01-cannabisdrivingcomment.mp3Wed, 16 Dec 2020 21:57:47 +0000RoccoCoroner David Robinson’s chilling findings about dopes on dope, behind the wheel, are stark. His review of nine fatal vehicle crashes is a wake up call to the aloof, who still think cannabis is harmless. The coroner is warning of the menace of...The coroner is warning of the menace of drug-impaired driving, after finding cannabis was implicated in six of the nine fatalities, he was required to examine.
Six in nine.
You only have to look at the fatal crash stats in Colorado to see the perverse surge in cannabis-related road deaths, after that state legalised recreational use.
Thank God the Chloe Swarbrick’s of this world were defeated and stopped at making our current plight, even worse.
The Coroner’s insights are further proof why rapid roadside drug-testing is so badly needed. It’s shameful that it has taken so long. When National was last in government, Stuart Nash hounded them to roll it out. And yet now, Nash’s crew are into their second term in power, and the wait goes on.
The public desire for real road enforcement against drug-driving is huge. Even Julie Anne Genter was recently forced to admit, that the drug factor in our road toll is horrendous. In July, she confirmed that over a hundred people died in crashes last year where the driver had drugs in their system. That drug factor in dead drivers, by the way, amounted to just under a third of all road fatalities last year.
And the AA has produced fatal crash data to indicate that drug-driving is an equal menace if not a bigger menace now, than drink-driving.
Finally, we have legislation before the house that will implement rapid roadside drug-testing, next year. We are light years behind the UK, the US, Canada and Australia in taking the fight to this scourge. Under our roll-out, it will be a two-step regime. There will be fines for drivers who test positive for the presence of drugs. And harsher criminal penalties if you breach the specified impairment levels. Roll on 2021. It cannot come soon enough.]]>143falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-we-should-embrace-anz-s-move-on-property-investors--1008240Residential property investors previously needed to have thirty per cent. And ANZ is now demanding you produce fourty per cent equity. Fair enough, too.
They are New Zealander’s biggest home lender. Rehashing the LVR on residential investor lending is a prudent measure and a timely show of leadership.
It will help re-calibrate the forces at play in the residential property market.
No one in their right mind, bar the financially illiterate, wants to see housing prices crash. No reasonable person wishes for a thumping correction, given the tsunami of downstream wreckage that would do to people’s livelihoods.
But equally, the pace of property value increases is too fast and too furious.
It is entirely responsible for ANZ to play their role in taming the excesses of rampant price growth. An eighteen per cent year on year hike to median house prices is way too hot.
And I have absolutely no problem with the divergence in terms, whereby first home buyers do not have to endure the same hefty deposit requirements now being applied to the monopoly board pros.
As ANZ point out, in the past two months, there has been record property lending with investors outstripping first home buyers by nearly two to one.
There is no silver bullet to bend the arc on the rocketing sale prices of real estate. But if this helps play a part in putting housing price growth on a more moderate track, a more palatable footing for the many, that should be welcomed and embraced.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22974436/mh161220-01-lvrscomment.mp3Wed, 16 Dec 2020 03:57:53 +0000RoccoIt certainly won’t please everyone, but on balance, I back the ANZ’s move to ramp up deposit requirements. Residential property investors previously needed to have thirty per cent. And ANZ is now demanding you produce fourty per cent equity. Fair...Residential property investors previously needed to have thirty per cent. And ANZ is now demanding you produce fourty per cent equity. Fair enough, too.
They are New Zealander’s biggest home lender. Rehashing the LVR on residential investor lending is a prudent measure and a timely show of leadership.
It will help re-calibrate the forces at play in the residential property market.
No one in their right mind, bar the financially illiterate, wants to see housing prices crash. No reasonable person wishes for a thumping correction, given the tsunami of downstream wreckage that would do to people’s livelihoods.
But equally, the pace of property value increases is too fast and too furious.
It is entirely responsible for ANZ to play their role in taming the excesses of rampant price growth. An eighteen per cent year on year hike to median house prices is way too hot.
And I have absolutely no problem with the divergence in terms, whereby first home buyers do not have to endure the same hefty deposit requirements now being applied to the monopoly board pros.
As ANZ point out, in the past two months, there has been record property lending with investors outstripping first home buyers by nearly two to one.
There is no silver bullet to bend the arc on the rocketing sale prices of real estate. But if this helps play a part in putting housing price growth on a more moderate track, a more palatable footing for the many, that should be welcomed and embraced.]]>122falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-trevor-mallard-s-credibility-as-speaker-remains-terminal--1008101One strand to this scandal is likely to be seized on by Trevor Mallard. That being that the former Deputy Speaker, Anne Tolley, signed off on the legal financial support and the fiscal envelope to settle this defamation action. She received plenty of official advice, including from Crown Law, who don’t appear to have considered Mallard’s outrageous claims on state-radio as wreckless.
But Tolley’s role is actually a side show, a potential distraction. Fully expect the Labour members of this select committee to try and run plenty of interference.
The question remains – should Trevor Mallard resign as Speaker? And the answer is YES.
It’s completely disingenuous for the Prime Minister to opine that the Opposition’s loss in confidence is regular behaviour. Or that votes of no confidence in the Speaker routinely happen. Rubbish.
This is a man who has repeatedly acted appallingly. And egregiously.
He refused to accept fault for over 18 months. He has failed to explain himself to the House. He timed his written apology for the Royal Commission release. He has cost us a bomb. And he’s has compounded his perception as a hot-head, devoid of the dignity the Speaker’s chair demands. He also serves at the government’s will. God didn’t appoint him.
Jacinda Ardern says he made a mistake. No Prime Minister, he’s made a mockery of the Office of the Speaker. And contrition hasn’t come easily.
Maybe Mallard will turn on the taps, the tears, the humility and the remorse today. Maybe he will try to. But I think its more likely he will go off-piste, lose his rag, lash out and poison his well even further.
He’s a bully who has destroyed a man’s life. His lingering presence reflects on Labour’s character.
Trevor’s credibility as Speaker remains terminal.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22974397/mh161220-12-mallardcomment.mp3Tue, 15 Dec 2020 22:54:12 +0000RoccoSo the embattled Speaker of the House faces a grilling today as he fronts to Parliament’s governance and administration select committee. The Wellington inquisition. Whether it turns out to be just a dog and pony show remains to be seen, but I suspect...One strand to this scandal is likely to be seized on by Trevor Mallard. That being that the former Deputy Speaker, Anne Tolley, signed off on the legal financial support and the fiscal envelope to settle this defamation action. She received plenty of official advice, including from Crown Law, who don’t appear to have considered Mallard’s outrageous claims on state-radio as wreckless.
But Tolley’s role is actually a side show, a potential distraction. Fully expect the Labour members of this select committee to try and run plenty of interference.
The question remains – should Trevor Mallard resign as Speaker? And the answer is YES.
It’s completely disingenuous for the Prime Minister to opine that the Opposition’s loss in confidence is regular behaviour. Or that votes of no confidence in the Speaker routinely happen. Rubbish.
This is a man who has repeatedly acted appallingly. And egregiously.
He refused to accept fault for over 18 months. He has failed to explain himself to the House. He timed his written apology for the Royal Commission release. He has cost us a bomb. And he’s has compounded his perception as a hot-head, devoid of the dignity the Speaker’s chair demands. He also serves at the government’s will. God didn’t appoint him.
Jacinda Ardern says he made a mistake. No Prime Minister, he’s made a mockery of the Office of the Speaker. And contrition hasn’t come easily.
Maybe Mallard will turn on the taps, the tears, the humility and the remorse today. Maybe he will try to. But I think its more likely he will go off-piste, lose his rag, lash out and poison his well even further.
He’s a bully who has destroyed a man’s life. His lingering presence reflects on Labour’s character.
Trevor’s credibility as Speaker remains terminal.]]>142falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-government-has-rewarded-the-lazy-and-idle-with-power-price-changes--1008241 Apparently the average annual bill is a smidge over $2,100. And the Electricity Retailers association claims the downward pressure on bills can be sheeted homes to competition and massive improvements in insulation.
But when it comes to competition, are the best of times now being blunted by a sticky-beaked government?
I’m a switch-flicking recidivist when it comes to shopping around for the sharpest deals. In the past 10 years, I have switched suppliers eight times, including some boomerang returns to the existing supplier on the swift seduction of a win-back deal.
When I adjust my power bill for inflation, I am paying less for power now than I was 10 years ago. I wish I could say the same about my council rates bill, which has shot up 86 six per cent since 2010.
But if you’re a proactive power consumer like me, you will have noticed that the spirit of retail competition has been molested by the government this year. Many of the sweeteners previously deployed to win you over are being steadily wiped out.
Earlier this year, I was miffed to discover my “valued customer bonus”, which sliced a further 10% off my monthly bill in addition to the 10 per cent prompt payment discount, had been suddenly wiped from my account. The power retailer was acceding to the wishes of Wellington. Those discounts and bonuses are now toast.
This is all the result of the Electricity Price Review. The Energy Minister, Megan Woods, has eagerly actioned the changes. They include banning prompt payment discounts, win-back deals and a multitude of other competitive tactics.
 And she has warned that if power suppliers don’t voluntarily wipe them out, she will regulate them out of existence.
A few months ago, Minister Woods claimed that the state of the retail market “isn’t fair on power users who don’t shop around or don’t have internet access.” How’s that for a chilling effect on competition – clobber the proactive and molly-coddle the idle. Reward the lazy with state controls, and to hell with the impact on the pro-active consumer.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22974336/mh151220-01-powerpricecomment.mp3Tue, 15 Dec 2020 03:41:58 +0000RoccoI don’t know if you’ve come across this, but MBIE claims the average residential power bill in New Zealand has now reached a 10 year low.  Apparently the average annual bill is a smidge over $2,100. And the Electricity Retailers association claims the... Apparently the average annual bill is a smidge over $2,100. And the Electricity Retailers association claims the downward pressure on bills can be sheeted homes to competition and massive improvements in insulation.
But when it comes to competition, are the best of times now being blunted by a sticky-beaked government?
I’m a switch-flicking recidivist when it comes to shopping around for the sharpest deals. In the past 10 years, I have switched suppliers eight times, including some boomerang returns to the existing supplier on the swift seduction of a win-back deal.
When I adjust my power bill for inflation, I am paying less for power now than I was 10 years ago. I wish I could say the same about my council rates bill, which has shot up 86 six per cent since 2010.
But if you’re a proactive power consumer like me, you will have noticed that the spirit of retail competition has been molested by the government this year. Many of the sweeteners previously deployed to win you over are being steadily wiped out.
Earlier this year, I was miffed to discover my “valued customer bonus”, which sliced a further 10% off my monthly bill in addition to the 10 per cent prompt payment discount, had been suddenly wiped from my account. The power retailer was acceding to the wishes of Wellington. Those discounts and bonuses are now toast.
This is all the result of the Electricity Price Review. The Energy Minister, Megan Woods, has eagerly actioned the changes. They include banning prompt payment discounts, win-back deals and a multitude of other competitive tactics.
 And she has warned that if power suppliers don’t voluntarily wipe them out, she will regulate them out of existence.
A few months ago, Minister Woods claimed that the state of the retail market “isn’t fair on power users who don’t shop around or don’t have internet access.” How’s that for a chilling effect on competition – clobber the proactive and molly-coddle the idle. Reward the lazy with state controls, and to hell with the impact on the pro-active consumer.]]>162falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-jacinda-ardern-is-playing-a-very-dangerous-game-with-ihumatao-dispute--1008271What a travesty.
And why are we being deliberately left in the dark, with the Prime Minister refusing to even confirm whether the matter was on Cabinet’s agenda yesterday – let alone one of their favourite phrases, next steps. The furtiveness fuels the dismay.
Fletchers acted in good faith when they this bought this private land for housing. Over four hundred houses. The council and government of the day fully supported designating it a Special Housing Area. A deal’s a deal.
And now we have a weak-kneed government subjugating themselves to a disgruntled bunch of protestors. Some of them have been occupying this land for four years. This is not the rule of law in action.
And by acceding to their demands, on private land, what wayward, divisive and revisionist forces is this gross capitulation going to usher in?
Is any and all private land potentially now at risk, at the whim of militant occupiers who decide they want it back and will squat on it until the Crown blinks first and squanders your money on a buy-up.
How does any of this respect the integrity and the parameters of the legally binding Treaty Settlement process?
Caving in on Ihumatao raises the stakes of unleashing a whole new arm of the grievance industry – private land. And the undermining of private property rights. This is a breach of public faith.
What a hornet’s nest the benevolent one could be unleashing with this intervention. This meddling.
If I was a squatter, digging in for the long-haul at Shelley Bay, I would be feeling very emboldened.
But back to Ihumatao. If the iwi really want this land back so badly, the Kingitanga and the Waikato-Tainui should have the good grace to offer a fair market price to purchase it. Why should we be the mugs that have to end up carrying the can?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22974302/mh151220-13-ihumataocomment.mp3Mon, 14 Dec 2020 22:35:00 +0000RoccoWell another veil of secrecy shrouds the government’s intentions on Ihumatao. But it increasingly looks like a sure bet, the Crown cheque book has been opened, to buy the land off Fletchers. What a travesty. And why are we being deliberately left in...What a travesty.
And why are we being deliberately left in the dark, with the Prime Minister refusing to even confirm whether the matter was on Cabinet’s agenda yesterday – let alone one of their favourite phrases, next steps. The furtiveness fuels the dismay.
Fletchers acted in good faith when they this bought this private land for housing. Over four hundred houses. The council and government of the day fully supported designating it a Special Housing Area. A deal’s a deal.
And now we have a weak-kneed government subjugating themselves to a disgruntled bunch of protestors. Some of them have been occupying this land for four years. This is not the rule of law in action.
And by acceding to their demands, on private land, what wayward, divisive and revisionist forces is this gross capitulation going to usher in?
Is any and all private land potentially now at risk, at the whim of militant occupiers who decide they want it back and will squat on it until the Crown blinks first and squanders your money on a buy-up.
How does any of this respect the integrity and the parameters of the legally binding Treaty Settlement process?
Caving in on Ihumatao raises the stakes of unleashing a whole new arm of the grievance industry – private land. And the undermining of private property rights. This is a breach of public faith.
What a hornet’s nest the benevolent one could be unleashing with this intervention. This meddling.
If I was a squatter, digging in for the long-haul at Shelley Bay, I would be feeling very emboldened.
But back to Ihumatao. If the iwi really want this land back so badly, the Kingitanga and the Waikato-Tainui should have the good grace to offer a fair market price to purchase it. Why should we be the mugs that have to end up carrying the can?]]>138falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-trevor-mallard-has-no-choice-he-must-resign-now--1008350I would hope that our embattled Speaker of the House has been doing exactly that. Sniffing the breeze.
I have been and despite chatting to numerous people, of all political stripes, the sentiment was unanimous. It’s terminal for Trevor Mallard. The Speaker has to go.
Arrogance during the height of a scandal is one thing. But arrogance in the wake of being found at fault, is the worst possible impulse.
If I went public and wrongly labelled a work colleague or underling as a rapist, it would be rightly adjudged as serious misconduct. I’d be sacked. And you can add to that the legal fallout of the defamation costs. No employer would give an employee going so rogue, a second chance.
And of course this is just the start of Mallard’s multiple misdeeds, with respect to his mangling of this matter, including hiding under the skirts of a Royal Commission release.  
Which is why Trevor Mallard’s credible grip on the Office of Speaker is toast. It’s shot. His hubris, unrepentance and unaccountability is gobsmacking. I’ve never rated this individual in the Speaker’s chair. He’s far too partisan, a life-long hack. He’s barely any better than Labour’s last pick, the cranky, cantankerous, humourless Margaret Wilson. Compare Mallard to the man who set the gold standard, the marvellous Lockwood Smith and his quiz show smile.
The Speaker’s role demands mana, dignity and gravitas. And impartiality. Mallard has never risen to the occasion – and after this debacle, never will. After costing us a packet, I wish he would have the good grace to relinquish the role. Thirty six years on the taxpayer’s tab is a good run. But there’s nothing to suggest he will.   If it takes a vote of no confidence in February, so be it. Surely the Prime Minister is aware how corrosive this circus is to her brand and her party’s reputation. She should be having a quiet word with him. Parliament deserves better. We all do. If he won’t go willingly, he must be pushed.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22974237/mh141220-01-mallardcomment.mp3Sun, 13 Dec 2020 21:10:43 +0000RoccoI do a love weekend for the chance to take stock. I would hope that our embattled Speaker of the House has been doing exactly that. Sniffing the breeze. I have been and despite chatting to numerous people, of all political stripes, the sentiment was...I would hope that our embattled Speaker of the House has been doing exactly that. Sniffing the breeze.
I have been and despite chatting to numerous people, of all political stripes, the sentiment was unanimous. It’s terminal for Trevor Mallard. The Speaker has to go.
Arrogance during the height of a scandal is one thing. But arrogance in the wake of being found at fault, is the worst possible impulse.
If I went public and wrongly labelled a work colleague or underling as a rapist, it would be rightly adjudged as serious misconduct. I’d be sacked. And you can add to that the legal fallout of the defamation costs. No employer would give an employee going so rogue, a second chance.
And of course this is just the start of Mallard’s multiple misdeeds, with respect to his mangling of this matter, including hiding under the skirts of a Royal Commission release.  
Which is why Trevor Mallard’s credible grip on the Office of Speaker is toast. It’s shot. His hubris, unrepentance and unaccountability is gobsmacking. I’ve never rated this individual in the Speaker’s chair. He’s far too partisan, a life-long hack. He’s barely any better than Labour’s last pick, the cranky, cantankerous, humourless Margaret Wilson. Compare Mallard to the man who set the gold standard, the marvellous Lockwood Smith and his quiz show smile.
The Speaker’s role demands mana, dignity and gravitas. And impartiality. Mallard has never risen to the occasion – and after this debacle, never will. After costing us a packet, I wish he would have the good grace to relinquish the role. Thirty six years on the taxpayer’s tab is a good run. But there’s nothing to suggest he will.   If it takes a vote of no confidence in February, so be it. Surely the Prime Minister is aware how corrosive this circus is to her brand and her party’s reputation. She should be having a quiet word with him. Parliament deserves better. We all do. If he won’t go willingly, he must be pushed.]]>157falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-cook-islands-bubble-delay-is-a-disgrace--1008377Is the government good to go? No
Do we have a launch date for the Cooks? No
Should we already have quarantine-free travel with the Cooks? Absolutely. Months ago.
It’s a disgrace that friends and family between the Cooks and New Zealand cannot see each other for Christmas.
It’s also an affront to the Cooks economy, that Wellington drags the chain on what should have been an early win. 85% of the Cooks GDP is generated from tourism. 85%. Pre-Covid, in New Zealand, the direct and indirect impact of tourism amounted to 10% of our GDP. 
There’s actually little geographical difference between travel to the Cooks, with travel to our outer islands.  Whether you’re an Aucklander heading to Stewart Island, or tripping from Christchurch to Chathams, what really makes Rarotonga so hard? Is there really a big bad world of difference?
All we know from this joint statement is that we’re now shooting for a start to quarantine-free travel by the end of March next year. And it’s sounds like their next steps will actually be a two-step process. For starters, quarantine-free travel will only apply to Cook Islanders wanting to visit New Zealand. Two way quarantine-free travel will follow at some point after that.
This joint statement is as clear as mud. Its Labour’s preferred approach to bubble updates. Keep it opaque, imprecise and ambiguous. The prospect of quarantine-free travel with Australia remains even foggier. A pea-souper.
Where is the verve? Where is the resolve? Where is the impetus to actually get moving on reconnecting with our Covid-free neighbours? Where are the clear dates so that people can actually plan their lives and make arrangements? When can we start dreaming again?
This joint statement about the Cooks might strike you as being hopeful, but it’s hardly helpful.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22974235/mh141220-13-travelbubblescomment.mp3Sun, 13 Dec 2020 21:06:46 +0000RoccoI don’t mean to sound like a Grinch, but the weekend’s Cook Islands travel bubble announcement was hollow hot air. It was an announcement when you are not having an announcement. An empty gesture that gets us no further ahead. Is the government good...Is the government good to go? No
Do we have a launch date for the Cooks? No
Should we already have quarantine-free travel with the Cooks? Absolutely. Months ago.
It’s a disgrace that friends and family between the Cooks and New Zealand cannot see each other for Christmas.
It’s also an affront to the Cooks economy, that Wellington drags the chain on what should have been an early win. 85% of the Cooks GDP is generated from tourism. 85%. Pre-Covid, in New Zealand, the direct and indirect impact of tourism amounted to 10% of our GDP. 
There’s actually little geographical difference between travel to the Cooks, with travel to our outer islands.  Whether you’re an Aucklander heading to Stewart Island, or tripping from Christchurch to Chathams, what really makes Rarotonga so hard? Is there really a big bad world of difference?
All we know from this joint statement is that we’re now shooting for a start to quarantine-free travel by the end of March next year. And it’s sounds like their next steps will actually be a two-step process. For starters, quarantine-free travel will only apply to Cook Islanders wanting to visit New Zealand. Two way quarantine-free travel will follow at some point after that.
This joint statement is as clear as mud. Its Labour’s preferred approach to bubble updates. Keep it opaque, imprecise and ambiguous. The prospect of quarantine-free travel with Australia remains even foggier. A pea-souper.
Where is the verve? Where is the resolve? Where is the impetus to actually get moving on reconnecting with our Covid-free neighbours? Where are the clear dates so that people can actually plan their lives and make arrangements? When can we start dreaming again?
This joint statement about the Cooks might strike you as being hopeful, but it’s hardly helpful.]]>149falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-delusional-climate-doom-merchants-are-damaging-our-tourism-industry--1008274This week, Schools Strike for Climate laid it on the line at the Central Otago District Council. Councillors were warned, that to support this airport project would be quite “an act of evil.” One snotty student barked, “It has been left to my generation to lecture people in power on their foolish and selfish plans.“
Last week, it was Extinction Rebellion’s turn. They staged a mass die-in on the debating chamber floor of the Christchurch Council, collapsing and writhing on the floor, like they did a few weeks earlier, dressed up as bumble bees choking on gly-pho-sate. Grown adults, turning council meetings into kindergarten floor shows. Now this crowd of doom merchants is demanding the end of global air travel. And they are delusional.
International tourism, in time, will resume, rebound and remain a major foreign-exchange earner for New Zealand. And Stuart Nash is right our brand should be pitched at the high-value visitor. But Queenstown Airport’s future doesn’t look bright. The capacity constraints cannot be solved on the land that the airport sits on. They’ve tried three times. It’s hemmed in. And the airport is sitting on a real estate goldmine for the Queenstown council coffers. The value of that land would generate revenue far beyond the return they pocket from their airport company shareholding.
Which is why I’m on board the vision for Tarras Airport, not just to service Queenstown, but Wanaka, Cromwell and beyond. It’s a regional solution through a national lens. Investing in the future for the lower South Island. A purpose-built international airport for the 2030s, when new aircraft and new fuels will play a key role in powering a more sustainable aviation future. Queenstown Airport is safe for now. Probably a decade, at least.  No on is expecting action anytime soon across those quiet Tarras fields. But this long-term vision is a sound one. To demonise it as an act of evil is the typical melodramatic end-of-days drivel Greta inspires.
 
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22974072/mh111220-01-tarrasairportcomment.mp3Thu, 10 Dec 2020 21:59:19 +0000RoccoYou may have noticed that Greta’s New Zealand brethren are taking aim at Tarras Airport. This is the long-range proposal to solve the inevitable capacity problems servicing Central Otago’s air traffic needs. This week, Schools Strike for Climate laid...This week, Schools Strike for Climate laid it on the line at the Central Otago District Council. Councillors were warned, that to support this airport project would be quite “an act of evil.” One snotty student barked, “It has been left to my generation to lecture people in power on their foolish and selfish plans.“
Last week, it was Extinction Rebellion’s turn. They staged a mass die-in on the debating chamber floor of the Christchurch Council, collapsing and writhing on the floor, like they did a few weeks earlier, dressed up as bumble bees choking on gly-pho-sate. Grown adults, turning council meetings into kindergarten floor shows. Now this crowd of doom merchants is demanding the end of global air travel. And they are delusional.
International tourism, in time, will resume, rebound and remain a major foreign-exchange earner for New Zealand. And Stuart Nash is right our brand should be pitched at the high-value visitor. But Queenstown Airport’s future doesn’t look bright. The capacity constraints cannot be solved on the land that the airport sits on. They’ve tried three times. It’s hemmed in. And the airport is sitting on a real estate goldmine for the Queenstown council coffers. The value of that land would generate revenue far beyond the return they pocket from their airport company shareholding.
Which is why I’m on board the vision for Tarras Airport, not just to service Queenstown, but Wanaka, Cromwell and beyond. It’s a regional solution through a national lens. Investing in the future for the lower South Island. A purpose-built international airport for the 2030s, when new aircraft and new fuels will play a key role in powering a more sustainable aviation future. Queenstown Airport is safe for now. Probably a decade, at least.  No on is expecting action anytime soon across those quiet Tarras fields. But this long-term vision is a sound one. To demonise it as an act of evil is the typical melodramatic end-of-days drivel Greta inspires.
 
 ]]>149falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-will-politicians-walk-the-talk-on-the-importance-of-academic-achievement--1008391You may recall the OECD’s last assessment programme, PISA, had our 15 year olds recording their lowest scores ever. Maths, reading and science.
And now that’s been backed up by another sobering global assessment, the Trends in International Maths and Science Study. This performance ranks nine year olds and 13 year olds across 64 countries.  And New Zealand has just recorded our worst ever results, particularly with our Year 9s. 
The Education Ministry’s Chief Science Adviser is expressing surprise and is calling for more specialist teaching at the primary level.
We have bombed big time in biology, statistics, algebra and chemistry. But the primary school indicators are a huge concern too. Our Year 5s are ranked 40th in the world in maths and 32nd in science.  At the Year 9 level, it’s the magnitude of our plunge down the performance rankings that should be alarming educators.
Meanwhile, Singapore swept the pool, across all subjects and age groups.
Just as a point of comparison, as to how far we have dropped off the pace, here’s one example.
In science, only eight percent of our Year 9 students reached the advanced benchmark. In Singapore, 48 percent of students cracked that benchmark of excellence.
But this international test has also exposed some obvious home truths. Yes, a child’s family environment had the biggest impact on achievement across all countries.
But Kiwi students who attended schools that emphasised academic success over the vast array of feel good follies performed considerably better. 
Please tell me that no one is genuinely surprised by that?
Our sub-standard rankings are clearly not helped by the ongoing supply shortage of specialist maths and science teachers. Learning online is absolutely no replacement for in-person learning.
But is there the political will to walk the talk on the importance of academic achievement? 
For all the talk about educational well-being, academic achievement is the only real measure that really counts. That’s if we want to stop hobbling our pursuit of higher living standards.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22974033/mh101220-01-nzstudentfailscomment.mp3Thu, 10 Dec 2020 03:54:15 +0000RoccoThere is more startling proof that Kiwi students are not keeping pace with the world on core education achievement. You may recall the OECD’s last assessment programme, PISA, had our 15 year olds recording their lowest scores ever. Maths, reading and...You may recall the OECD’s last assessment programme, PISA, had our 15 year olds recording their lowest scores ever. Maths, reading and science.
And now that’s been backed up by another sobering global assessment, the Trends in International Maths and Science Study. This performance ranks nine year olds and 13 year olds across 64 countries.  And New Zealand has just recorded our worst ever results, particularly with our Year 9s. 
The Education Ministry’s Chief Science Adviser is expressing surprise and is calling for more specialist teaching at the primary level.
We have bombed big time in biology, statistics, algebra and chemistry. But the primary school indicators are a huge concern too. Our Year 5s are ranked 40th in the world in maths and 32nd in science.  At the Year 9 level, it’s the magnitude of our plunge down the performance rankings that should be alarming educators.
Meanwhile, Singapore swept the pool, across all subjects and age groups.
Just as a point of comparison, as to how far we have dropped off the pace, here’s one example.
In science, only eight percent of our Year 9 students reached the advanced benchmark. In Singapore, 48 percent of students cracked that benchmark of excellence.
But this international test has also exposed some obvious home truths. Yes, a child’s family environment had the biggest impact on achievement across all countries.
But Kiwi students who attended schools that emphasised academic success over the vast array of feel good follies performed considerably better. 
Please tell me that no one is genuinely surprised by that?
Our sub-standard rankings are clearly not helped by the ongoing supply shortage of specialist maths and science teachers. Learning online is absolutely no replacement for in-person learning.
But is there the political will to walk the talk on the importance of academic achievement? 
For all the talk about educational well-being, academic achievement is the only real measure that really counts. That’s if we want to stop hobbling our pursuit of higher living standards.]]>150falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-apartment-residents-shouldn-t-have-to-sacrifice-their-car-parks--1008246Now this dynamic of a multi-level residential development triggering such a crunch on nearby car parks is morphing, far beyond the CBDs of our biggest cities.
Pre-election, Phil Twyford issued a National Policy Statement. And in all urban areas with more than ten thousand people, the planning rules have been defanged. Minimum car park requirements which councils would typically insist upon, are being abolished. No minimum provisions at all. 
In my hometown, the council has already surrendered to this expedience. In the CBD, on the city centre fringe and now across suburbia, it’s game on. Vast residential developments are being rolled out with zero car parks. And they monster the surrounding on-street parks.
Now I fully appreciate, wiping the on-site car park provisions is slashing thousands of dollars, tens of thousands of dollars off the cost of these units. It’s the wider neighbourhood that cops the price. Double parking, cars parked on the berm, on the footpath, straddling the road and the footpath, you name it.
It’s all very well for the developer to be able to sharpen the price, but to hell with the neighbours and the surrounding streets who ultimately have to sacrifice their car parks.  Call me old-school if you like, but there’s nothing sustainable about this nasty neighbourhood takeover.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22973987/mh101220-13-carparklessdevelopmentscomment.mp3Wed, 09 Dec 2020 21:52:03 +0000RoccoGrafton’s Daisy Apartment block has triggered a timely debate about the downstream impacts of multi-level developments not including on-site car parks. No provision at all. Now this building of several dozen apartments was built a couple of years ago...Now this dynamic of a multi-level residential development triggering such a crunch on nearby car parks is morphing, far beyond the CBDs of our biggest cities.
Pre-election, Phil Twyford issued a National Policy Statement. And in all urban areas with more than ten thousand people, the planning rules have been defanged. Minimum car park requirements which councils would typically insist upon, are being abolished. No minimum provisions at all. 
In my hometown, the council has already surrendered to this expedience. In the CBD, on the city centre fringe and now across suburbia, it’s game on. Vast residential developments are being rolled out with zero car parks. And they monster the surrounding on-street parks.
Now I fully appreciate, wiping the on-site car park provisions is slashing thousands of dollars, tens of thousands of dollars off the cost of these units. It’s the wider neighbourhood that cops the price. Double parking, cars parked on the berm, on the footpath, straddling the road and the footpath, you name it.
It’s all very well for the developer to be able to sharpen the price, but to hell with the neighbours and the surrounding streets who ultimately have to sacrifice their car parks.  Call me old-school if you like, but there’s nothing sustainable about this nasty neighbourhood takeover.]]>123falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-government-s-smokefree-goal-has-run-out-of-puff--1008248In May 2018, Salesa said she was developing a new action plan. 10 months later, she advised Cabinet it would be locked and loaded by October 2019. However, 14 months on from that deadline, there’s still no plan. Not even a draft.
Diplomatically, Ayesha Verrall says she’s not quite sure why her predecessor never managed to get there.
The problem the government faces is that this 2025 goal has run out of puff. Despite the stonking hikes to tobacco excise, the smoking rate is only ebbing down, year on year, ever so slightly. 13 per cent of Kiwis are still tobacco smokers.  And based on the current trajectory, non-Maori won’t be smokefree until 2038, while Maori will be still smoking until 2061.
The 2025 target is in tatters. So now the government is promising a bold new action plan to accelerate progress, early next year.
I don’t want to sound like a nauseating reformed smoker, but there’s a clear alternative that is far less hazardous to your health – and your wallet.
Vaping. You can still get your nicotine hit, but you won’t be ingesting the tar and cocktail of toxins cigarettes contain.  It’s an easy switch to vaping. No excuses.
I actually would be open to parliament eventually prohibiting the legal sale of tobacco products, given the compelling alternative that vaping provides.
But my growing suspicion is that this government may talk a big game on public health and going smokefree, but they secretly covet the money, a little bit too much. They can’t tear themselves away from it. Last year, they raked in $2.1 billion dollars in tobacco excise and GST alone.
Now maybe they were hoping by legalising cannabis, they’d find a replacement income stream. New Zealand had better ideas. We said no. So what is the government to do, to address this future fiscal hole? Will vapers be in the firing line for a mist emission tax?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22973864/mh081220-01-smokefreecomment.mp3Tue, 08 Dec 2020 04:44:56 +0000RoccoYou can see why Jenny Salesa was unceremoniously dislodged as Associate Health Minister.  She simply wasn’t up to snuff. Part of her portfolio was to oversee the mission of driving New Zealand to being Smokefree in 2025. In May 2018, Salesa said she...In May 2018, Salesa said she was developing a new action plan. 10 months later, she advised Cabinet it would be locked and loaded by October 2019. However, 14 months on from that deadline, there’s still no plan. Not even a draft.
Diplomatically, Ayesha Verrall says she’s not quite sure why her predecessor never managed to get there.
The problem the government faces is that this 2025 goal has run out of puff. Despite the stonking hikes to tobacco excise, the smoking rate is only ebbing down, year on year, ever so slightly. 13 per cent of Kiwis are still tobacco smokers.  And based on the current trajectory, non-Maori won’t be smokefree until 2038, while Maori will be still smoking until 2061.
The 2025 target is in tatters. So now the government is promising a bold new action plan to accelerate progress, early next year.
I don’t want to sound like a nauseating reformed smoker, but there’s a clear alternative that is far less hazardous to your health – and your wallet.
Vaping. You can still get your nicotine hit, but you won’t be ingesting the tar and cocktail of toxins cigarettes contain.  It’s an easy switch to vaping. No excuses.
I actually would be open to parliament eventually prohibiting the legal sale of tobacco products, given the compelling alternative that vaping provides.
But my growing suspicion is that this government may talk a big game on public health and going smokefree, but they secretly covet the money, a little bit too much. They can’t tear themselves away from it. Last year, they raked in $2.1 billion dollars in tobacco excise and GST alone.
Now maybe they were hoping by legalising cannabis, they’d find a replacement income stream. New Zealand had better ideas. We said no. So what is the government to do, to address this future fiscal hole? Will vapers be in the firing line for a mist emission tax?]]>165falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-christchurch-terror-attack-report-shouldn-t-sacrifice-our-free-speech--1008281So today we hear from the Royal Commission. It’s a sure bet a plethora of agencies will be on the mat. Customs for not noticing his peculiar travels. The police over their alleged mishandling of his gun licence application. And the failure of our spooks to detect or act on his brand of violent extremist tendencies.
Post 9/11, the proliferation of radical Islamic terrorism warranted enormous scrutiny. But our security services must not soft-peddle on other twisted ideologies. Violent White supremacism.
The likes of Phillip Arps, an unrepentant hate-mongerer, can no longer be considered just a wayward, harmless rooster. The net must be cast wide.
But similarly, in the great rush to respond and act on the Royal Commission’s findings, let’s not lose our heads or sacrifice our principles, in the great stampede to be seen to be doing something. Exhibit A, Free speech.
Let’s not conflate edgy, sharp or obnoxious opinions with hateful abuse that incites violence. Widening the definition of hate speech and codifying such speech as a hate crime is a recipe for over-reach. The Crimes Act is already well-equipped to deal to the freaks and fire-breathers who foment or threaten violence.
But we gear up for a period of national reflection and self-flagellation, one fundamental truth stands out.  March fifteen was not a case of homegrown terror. Brendon Tarrant wasn’t one of us. We were all invaded, in a bid to rip our cohesive society apart.
He demonstrably failed. Al-Salam Alaikum.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22973819/mh081220-12-mosqueattackcomment.mp3Mon, 07 Dec 2020 21:27:34 +0000RoccoWhen I chose to leave full-time radio a year after the Christchurch quakes, I never imagined I’d be back on-air as a hometown terror attack horrifically unfolded. I was filling in on the Drive Show, on that fateful March Day.  And when I reflect on...So today we hear from the Royal Commission. It’s a sure bet a plethora of agencies will be on the mat. Customs for not noticing his peculiar travels. The police over their alleged mishandling of his gun licence application. And the failure of our spooks to detect or act on his brand of violent extremist tendencies.
Post 9/11, the proliferation of radical Islamic terrorism warranted enormous scrutiny. But our security services must not soft-peddle on other twisted ideologies. Violent White supremacism.
The likes of Phillip Arps, an unrepentant hate-mongerer, can no longer be considered just a wayward, harmless rooster. The net must be cast wide.
But similarly, in the great rush to respond and act on the Royal Commission’s findings, let’s not lose our heads or sacrifice our principles, in the great stampede to be seen to be doing something. Exhibit A, Free speech.
Let’s not conflate edgy, sharp or obnoxious opinions with hateful abuse that incites violence. Widening the definition of hate speech and codifying such speech as a hate crime is a recipe for over-reach. The Crimes Act is already well-equipped to deal to the freaks and fire-breathers who foment or threaten violence.
But we gear up for a period of national reflection and self-flagellation, one fundamental truth stands out.  March fifteen was not a case of homegrown terror. Brendon Tarrant wasn’t one of us. We were all invaded, in a bid to rip our cohesive society apart.
He demonstrably failed. Al-Salam Alaikum.]]>173falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-what-a-year-2020-has-been--1008374I say this because this is it for the year for us, it is time for a break.
I end the year with mixed feelings. I'm grateful that we are getting out the other side of this. There's a long to go and many, and I think quite rightly, think 2021, in some respects, is going to be tougher year than 2020. But with the vaccine, the end is closer than it was.
I'm also grateful also that we have done a lot better than most. Our size and isolation afforded us an outcome to this point, that has been a lot simpler than many have faced. or continue to face. We should be grateful to be “out” and not “in." So free, and not restricted.
Things aren't as bad as they thought, but then that’s part of my mixed sense of things.
No, they're not as bad. But that’s only because we had no idea of what was going to unfold. We made it up and catastrophised the lot, so when the calamity didn’t eventuate, we breathed a sigh of relief.
This has been, and still is, a massive mess. There are 150,000 New Zealanders who have lost their livelihoods this year. That, sadly, appears to have been too often forgotten. As we've bought houses, cars, art, and god knows what else, a lot of people have had their year wrecked, their lives tipped upside down, and their futures made most uncertain.
But I'm grateful that unlike so much change that’s talked about, I think we might have found a few permanent things, like moving to the regions and working from home. These are things that will stick. If you've reset your life, priorities, and that change is for the better, then there is good out of bad.
I have mixed feelings around our compliance. Too many of us turned out to be sheep, happy to be locked up, told what to do, what to think, and how to act. And we are still a little hypnotised. Not enough pressure and questioning of the government's lack of action around borders, vaccines, workers, and the various and pressing issues we face.
As a nation our ambition and aspiration seems to have been sapped.
From a personal point of view one of the ironies of this year is our audience has gone through the roof. People wanted to know what was going on, and if you delivered news you were in clover.
I guess ultimately that’s the story for many, isn't it? For some it actually turned out way better than you might have imagined, literally and figuratively. If that’s you, I'm thrilled for you.
But didn’t this year put a lot of stuff in perspective? Didn't we work out what was really important? And what was just noise?
There will be more of it next year, but with less of the uncertainty. So, a year then to look forward. After all, mostly, life is what you make it.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22973589/mh041220-01-2020comment.mp3Thu, 03 Dec 2020 22:11:39 +0000RoccoSo, a year of learnings then, to use the business vernacular. Or a year like no other, if you want to use a cliché. I say this because this is it for the year for us, it is time for a break. I end the year with mixed feelings. I'm grateful that we are...I say this because this is it for the year for us, it is time for a break.
I end the year with mixed feelings. I'm grateful that we are getting out the other side of this. There's a long to go and many, and I think quite rightly, think 2021, in some respects, is going to be tougher year than 2020. But with the vaccine, the end is closer than it was.
I'm also grateful also that we have done a lot better than most. Our size and isolation afforded us an outcome to this point, that has been a lot simpler than many have faced. or continue to face. We should be grateful to be “out” and not “in." So free, and not restricted.
Things aren't as bad as they thought, but then that’s part of my mixed sense of things.
No, they're not as bad. But that’s only because we had no idea of what was going to unfold. We made it up and catastrophised the lot, so when the calamity didn’t eventuate, we breathed a sigh of relief.
This has been, and still is, a massive mess. There are 150,000 New Zealanders who have lost their livelihoods this year. That, sadly, appears to have been too often forgotten. As we've bought houses, cars, art, and god knows what else, a lot of people have had their year wrecked, their lives tipped upside down, and their futures made most uncertain.
But I'm grateful that unlike so much change that’s talked about, I think we might have found a few permanent things, like moving to the regions and working from home. These are things that will stick. If you've reset your life, priorities, and that change is for the better, then there is good out of bad.
I have mixed feelings around our compliance. Too many of us turned out to be sheep, happy to be locked up, told what to do, what to think, and how to act. And we are still a little hypnotised. Not enough pressure and questioning of the government's lack of action around borders, vaccines, workers, and the various and pressing issues we face.
As a nation our ambition and aspiration seems to have been sapped.
From a personal point of view one of the ironies of this year is our audience has gone through the roof. People wanted to know what was going on, and if you delivered news you were in clover.
I guess ultimately that’s the story for many, isn't it? For some it actually turned out way better than you might have imagined, literally and figuratively. If that’s you, I'm thrilled for you.
But didn’t this year put a lot of stuff in perspective? Didn't we work out what was really important? And what was just noise?
There will be more of it next year, but with less of the uncertainty. So, a year then to look forward. After all, mostly, life is what you make it.  ]]>140falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-some-good-news-to-end-the-year--1008370The Economy.
7/10.
"From the ASB forecast, to the government's books, and the price of a house.
The year is ending a lot better than many might have thought."
Britain Approving the Pfizer Vaccine.
8/10.
"To be the first in the west to tick the vaccine box is a massive triumph.
What must it feel like to be in London the middle of winter with a five-day Christmas window, but then some real jab in the arm hope."
Extending Sick Leave.
4/10.
"The issue that wasn’t an issue unless you're ideologically blind, and beholden to the unions."
Climate Emergency.
2/10.
"A waste of time at the best of times, but these aren't the best of times.
They're bloody hard times and this government is not representing the aspirations of a country that needs a lot more done than is being done in areas that don't involve a climate emergency.
In other words, focus on the stuff that matters."
China.
3/10.
"Nothing wrong with political, business, or trade differences. But China went in a dangerous direction this week.
Australia doesn’t dump wine, and they didn’t deserve that crap on social media.
If China wants to immerse themselves with the wider world, this week they had a mare."
Winston Peters.
6/10.
"They gave him a farewell. It sort of ended a bit tragically, really.
He lost, he vanished, he turned up for a drink, and vanished again."
Wine.
8/10.
"This week we cracked $2 billion in exports.
Here's the freaky irony they predicted they would do this in 2020, 10 years ago."
Air New Zealand.
6/10.
"I note the whinging started this week over fares and prices.
A quick lesson here, demand sets price.
You want a ticket tomorrow at the time of your choice? It'll cost more than when you book three weeks in advance, and they set the time.
And might we remember the company is on its knees, and the less we moan, the better?"
The All Blacks.
8/10.
"That sort of fixes that.
Yes, it didn’t have to be this hard, but class is permanent.
Form is clearly a bit ropey, but it's how you end, not how you start, that counts."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22973595/mh041220-14-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 03 Dec 2020 22:10:11 +0000RoccoAt 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 Economy. 7/10. "From the ASB forecast, to the government's books, and the price of a house. The year is ending a lot better...The Economy.
7/10.
"From the ASB forecast, to the government's books, and the price of a house.
The year is ending a lot better than many might have thought."
Britain Approving the Pfizer Vaccine.
8/10.
"To be the first in the west to tick the vaccine box is a massive triumph.
What must it feel like to be in London the middle of winter with a five-day Christmas window, but then some real jab in the arm hope."
Extending Sick Leave.
4/10.
"The issue that wasn’t an issue unless you're ideologically blind, and beholden to the unions."
Climate Emergency.
2/10.
"A waste of time at the best of times, but these aren't the best of times.
They're bloody hard times and this government is not representing the aspirations of a country that needs a lot more done than is being done in areas that don't involve a climate emergency.
In other words, focus on the stuff that matters."
China.
3/10.
"Nothing wrong with political, business, or trade differences. But China went in a dangerous direction this week.
Australia doesn’t dump wine, and they didn’t deserve that crap on social media.
If China wants to immerse themselves with the wider world, this week they had a mare."
Winston Peters.
6/10.
"They gave him a farewell. It sort of ended a bit tragically, really.
He lost, he vanished, he turned up for a drink, and vanished again."
Wine.
8/10.
"This week we cracked $2 billion in exports.
Here's the freaky irony they predicted they would do this in 2020, 10 years ago."
Air New Zealand.
6/10.
"I note the whinging started this week over fares and prices.
A quick lesson here, demand sets price.
You want a ticket tomorrow at the time of your choice? It'll cost more than when you book three weeks in advance, and they set the time.
And might we remember the company is on its knees, and the less we moan, the better?"
The All Blacks.
8/10.
"That sort of fixes that.
Yes, it didn’t have to be this hard, but class is permanent.
Form is clearly a bit ropey, but it's how you end, not how you start, that counts."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>158falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-china-has-us-by-the-gonads-and-there-s-little-we-can-do--1008289There is not one shadow of a doubt in pretty much anyone’s mind that Australia is not dumping wine. Why would they, for what purpose?
And there is not one shadow of a doubt in pretty much anyone’s mind that what the Chinese stuck on social media with the soldier the knife and the child is not diplomacy of any acceptable kind.
What we have seen from China these past few weeks is in direct contrast to the China I think they want the world to see, which is a nation that has worked out that dealing with the world is better than not dealing with it.
The nations that don’t deal with the world don’t do well. Russia might be a good example.
So yes they’re communist, which doesn’t dove tail with a lot of the world, but they’re big, they want to be bigger, they want to engage.
And by in large the world has bought into this and most of us have had a good time as a result.
Our free trade deal is worth a fortune. Many billions of dollars more than even the most optimistic of forecasts predicted all those years ago.
But with the success has come the problem: we’re stuck. Certainly Australia is stuck.
The cold hard truth is the world is beholden to China, individually country by country they’ve stitched us up.
Belt and Road and providing funding and infrastructure in places, especially places like Africa that could never have afforded it.
Zambia is in the middle of defaulting. The first Covid default; who do they owe a fortune to? China. What do you reckon China wants for the default? You watch.
The pacific has been the recipient of many billions, which is ironic. I thought the PM this week thanked Winston at that farewell for the pacific reset.
The reset was a half decent idea, but to think we can buy influence from small island nations over China is delusional.
America can stand up to China and has, but to no real avail it’s a tit for tat shambles.
A country the size of Australia needs the world on its side over their current predicament, but I think what they’ll find out, is there will be plenty of supportive words, but not a lot of follow through. Why? Self-interest.
China are so big, we are so reliant, I suspect no matter what you say, what you’d like to happen, the horse has bolted.
They got us by the gonads and they know it. The question is was that the plan all along and we got suckered by it.    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22973557/mh031220-01-chinacomment.mp3Thu, 03 Dec 2020 04:25:30 +0000RoccoAre we starting to see the real China, or are we still working out who the real China is? There is not one shadow of a doubt in pretty much anyone’s mind that Australia is not dumping wine. Why would they, for what purpose? And there is not one shadow...There is not one shadow of a doubt in pretty much anyone’s mind that Australia is not dumping wine. Why would they, for what purpose?
And there is not one shadow of a doubt in pretty much anyone’s mind that what the Chinese stuck on social media with the soldier the knife and the child is not diplomacy of any acceptable kind.
What we have seen from China these past few weeks is in direct contrast to the China I think they want the world to see, which is a nation that has worked out that dealing with the world is better than not dealing with it.
The nations that don’t deal with the world don’t do well. Russia might be a good example.
So yes they’re communist, which doesn’t dove tail with a lot of the world, but they’re big, they want to be bigger, they want to engage.
And by in large the world has bought into this and most of us have had a good time as a result.
Our free trade deal is worth a fortune. Many billions of dollars more than even the most optimistic of forecasts predicted all those years ago.
But with the success has come the problem: we’re stuck. Certainly Australia is stuck.
The cold hard truth is the world is beholden to China, individually country by country they’ve stitched us up.
Belt and Road and providing funding and infrastructure in places, especially places like Africa that could never have afforded it.
Zambia is in the middle of defaulting. The first Covid default; who do they owe a fortune to? China. What do you reckon China wants for the default? You watch.
The pacific has been the recipient of many billions, which is ironic. I thought the PM this week thanked Winston at that farewell for the pacific reset.
The reset was a half decent idea, but to think we can buy influence from small island nations over China is delusional.
America can stand up to China and has, but to no real avail it’s a tit for tat shambles.
A country the size of Australia needs the world on its side over their current predicament, but I think what they’ll find out, is there will be plenty of supportive words, but not a lot of follow through. Why? Self-interest.
China are so big, we are so reliant, I suspect no matter what you say, what you’d like to happen, the horse has bolted.
They got us by the gonads and they know it. The question is was that the plan all along and we got suckered by it.    ]]>121falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-climate-alarmism-gets-us-nowhere--1008292And as part of the chat, they talked a bit about the environmental credentials of the Royal family. William is the son of an astonishingly devout and consistent environmentalist in Prince Charles, who even if you're the staunchest republican, you'd be churlish not to recognise his unwavering dedication.
And Charles is the son of Prince Phillip, who was preaching the message dating back to the 1950s and 60s. The clip they showed of Phillip had him uttering that oft used line in environmentalism, "we must act now before it's too late."
Ah, before it's too late. Just when is that?
Well, for insurance purposes in this country it appears to be in 15 years. At least for a few thousand homes who sit in this fantastically unscientific 1 in 100-year flood zone they’ve invented. There places will not be able to get cover, we won't have acted before it's too late.
But the problem with this mad chicken and egg game we are playing is what if, yet again, they're wrong? What about all that stuff that was supposed to happen by 2020 and didn’t?
Y2K in 2000. In fact, the environmental movement warned us endlessly in the 80s and 90s we only had a decade left before it was too late. The cliff was the year 200, and we were going over it.
They spouted the same sort of bollocks when they signed the Kyoto climate deal. That same deal that was usurped by the Paris deal when Kyoto wasn’t going to get met.
This is not to say we shouldn’t be concerned about climate, the environment, or any of that because we should. But we have to stop being alarmist, because alarmism puts people off. The same way deadlines that come and go put people off.
To get buy-in you must have credibility. Every time you say the world is ending and it doesn’t, you’ve shot yourself in the foot, and it's harder to pedal the cause next time.
Since calamity was going to envelope us in 2000, more time has passed, 20 years, than the time that is due to pass before our homes are no longer insurable, 15 years.
In other words time passes quickly, a lot quicker than calamities arrives it would seem.
The proof the message is not sinking in is the price you pay for a house by the water, it's not going down.
Why do you reckon that would be?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22973530/mh031220-14-climateemergencyinsurancecomment.mp3Wed, 02 Dec 2020 22:46:46 +0000RoccoPrince William, earlier this year, was speaking to Sir David Attenborough when they launched their Earthshot prize. And as part of the chat, they talked a bit about the environmental credentials of the Royal family. William is the son of an...And as part of the chat, they talked a bit about the environmental credentials of the Royal family. William is the son of an astonishingly devout and consistent environmentalist in Prince Charles, who even if you're the staunchest republican, you'd be churlish not to recognise his unwavering dedication.
And Charles is the son of Prince Phillip, who was preaching the message dating back to the 1950s and 60s. The clip they showed of Phillip had him uttering that oft used line in environmentalism, "we must act now before it's too late."
Ah, before it's too late. Just when is that?
Well, for insurance purposes in this country it appears to be in 15 years. At least for a few thousand homes who sit in this fantastically unscientific 1 in 100-year flood zone they’ve invented. There places will not be able to get cover, we won't have acted before it's too late.
But the problem with this mad chicken and egg game we are playing is what if, yet again, they're wrong? What about all that stuff that was supposed to happen by 2020 and didn’t?
Y2K in 2000. In fact, the environmental movement warned us endlessly in the 80s and 90s we only had a decade left before it was too late. The cliff was the year 200, and we were going over it.
They spouted the same sort of bollocks when they signed the Kyoto climate deal. That same deal that was usurped by the Paris deal when Kyoto wasn’t going to get met.
This is not to say we shouldn’t be concerned about climate, the environment, or any of that because we should. But we have to stop being alarmist, because alarmism puts people off. The same way deadlines that come and go put people off.
To get buy-in you must have credibility. Every time you say the world is ending and it doesn’t, you’ve shot yourself in the foot, and it's harder to pedal the cause next time.
Since calamity was going to envelope us in 2000, more time has passed, 20 years, than the time that is due to pass before our homes are no longer insurable, 15 years.
In other words time passes quickly, a lot quicker than calamities arrives it would seem.
The proof the message is not sinking in is the price you pay for a house by the water, it's not going down.
Why do you reckon that would be?]]>131falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-we-re-dawdling-while-australia-s-open-for-business--100840475 percent of us also love wearing masks, which does seem the oddest thing in an already odd year, given we don’t have Covid.
It’s literally got so batty and bad I bet many of those mask wearers would say something like ‘better safe than sorry’ even though there is no Covid.
It’s sort of like not crossing the road, because you just never know, even though actually you do.
Of course like most polls it depends a lot on how you ask the question. The border isn’t actually closed - that’s why we have MIQ. And the question wasn’t nuanced enough to garner whether we would be open to the idea of a little entrepreneurial thought around it.
For example, should certain industries like education or big business be able to run their own facilities to boost the number of students and workers allowed in the country?
Should the government look to expand their capability to achieve the same sort of result?
Should the government look to try a bit harder to actually fill the gaps they’ve got in MIQ to try and get as many people here as is possible?
Because here’s what’s happening.
Australia already has RSE workers arriving and picking crops, so they’re beating us to market.
Australia now has its first foreign students on the ground and in quarantine. They are beating us to the rebuild of an industry: here it’s worth $5 billion, there its worth over $30 billion.
The internal borders of the entire eastern seaboard are now open. Even Western Australia, almost as arcane and conservative as us, is opening to the rest of Australia later this month.
Australia is open for business.
Even a bunch of medicos in Melbourne stand aghast currently wondering why our side of the trans-tasman bubble hasn’t been enacted.
To the winners goes the spoils, or in this case, the produce to market, the students to unis, the tourists to Queensland.
The vaccine will only accelerate this. Some in this world are not cowered by Covid. Some are aspirational, and energetic for re-emergence. Australia is a good example of this by doing the spade work now.
They will see a better and more prosperous 2021, while we dawdle at our peril.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22973480/mh021220-01-covidcomplacencycomment.mp3Wed, 02 Dec 2020 05:50:52 +0000RoccoI could well be preaching to the deaf here, especially given the Ipsos poll out this week that claims 75 percent of us love the border being shut. 75 percent of us also love wearing masks, which does seem the oddest thing in an already odd year, given...75 percent of us also love wearing masks, which does seem the oddest thing in an already odd year, given we don’t have Covid.
It’s literally got so batty and bad I bet many of those mask wearers would say something like ‘better safe than sorry’ even though there is no Covid.
It’s sort of like not crossing the road, because you just never know, even though actually you do.
Of course like most polls it depends a lot on how you ask the question. The border isn’t actually closed - that’s why we have MIQ. And the question wasn’t nuanced enough to garner whether we would be open to the idea of a little entrepreneurial thought around it.
For example, should certain industries like education or big business be able to run their own facilities to boost the number of students and workers allowed in the country?
Should the government look to expand their capability to achieve the same sort of result?
Should the government look to try a bit harder to actually fill the gaps they’ve got in MIQ to try and get as many people here as is possible?
Because here’s what’s happening.
Australia already has RSE workers arriving and picking crops, so they’re beating us to market.
Australia now has its first foreign students on the ground and in quarantine. They are beating us to the rebuild of an industry: here it’s worth $5 billion, there its worth over $30 billion.
The internal borders of the entire eastern seaboard are now open. Even Western Australia, almost as arcane and conservative as us, is opening to the rest of Australia later this month.
Australia is open for business.
Even a bunch of medicos in Melbourne stand aghast currently wondering why our side of the trans-tasman bubble hasn’t been enacted.
To the winners goes the spoils, or in this case, the produce to market, the students to unis, the tourists to Queensland.
The vaccine will only accelerate this. Some in this world are not cowered by Covid. Some are aspirational, and energetic for re-emergence. Australia is a good example of this by doing the spade work now.
They will see a better and more prosperous 2021, while we dawdle at our peril.  ]]>116falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-ihumatao-still-haunting-the-government--1008351Well worth turning out on that middle Saturday of October to give the Labour Party three more glorious years to micro-manage their way out of this global pandemic. So happy were we with the crash and burn, lock the door, throw away the key approach they had adopted up until that point.  
And yet coming up two months post the vote, what do we have? A climate emergency, doubling of sick leave, and now the revelation that one of their finer cock ups in their first term, Ihumatao, is proving astonishingly expensive, as well as inept.
They have forked out, so far, $150,000 of our money, money we don’t have, on that well known Wellington political accoutrement, the consultant. They have come in at a tasty $325 an hour for all that sage advice.
I will forgive at least some of the bill, if one or more of the consultants, for $325 an hour, told the government they were off their head ever getting involved in this in the first place. And that's been a monumental waste of time, energy, and other people's money to appease a bunch of disaffected whiners. Many of whom, let it not be forgotten, were associated with the original larger group that sold the land in the first place.
If a consultant had the balls to say that, I'll personally pay their bill.
By the way, Shelly Bay has the same stench about it. And the problem with Ihumatao is precedent. When they settle this with more of our money, and they will, they will have gone down a very dangerous rabbit hole.
And they will give the green light to all and sundry to go park themselves on a chunk of land they fancy, make a few bizarre claims, and stand by for the state to roll in with a cheque book.
The overarching tragedy of all this, is the fact if it wasn’t for Jacinda Ardern and her pre Kiribati, or whatever pacific sojourn burst of emotive clap trap she let rip with before she naffed off for a week, this would never have happened.
And because it happened, not only are we paying for it, for people like Fletcher's they’ve been the meat in the whole hopeless Sandwich, waiting for the political wheels to turn as the government looks to extract itself out of a fight, they never needed to be a part of.
The precedent will be a disaster. The money will be ours, the reputation of the government will be battered, and not a house will be built.
The only winners will be the stirrers, and some clipboarders who charge too much by the hour. Brilliant.
And watch then roll this out as close to Christmas possible. So, by January, post BBQ, all will be forgotten.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22973420/mh021220-14-unwantedpolicycomment.mp3Tue, 01 Dec 2020 23:27:42 +0000RoccoIt really is a stellar array of festive treats, isn't it? Well worth turning out on that middle Saturday of October to give the Labour Party three more glorious years to micro-manage their way out of this global pandemic. So happy were we with the...Well worth turning out on that middle Saturday of October to give the Labour Party three more glorious years to micro-manage their way out of this global pandemic. So happy were we with the crash and burn, lock the door, throw away the key approach they had adopted up until that point.  
And yet coming up two months post the vote, what do we have? A climate emergency, doubling of sick leave, and now the revelation that one of their finer cock ups in their first term, Ihumatao, is proving astonishingly expensive, as well as inept.
They have forked out, so far, $150,000 of our money, money we don’t have, on that well known Wellington political accoutrement, the consultant. They have come in at a tasty $325 an hour for all that sage advice.
I will forgive at least some of the bill, if one or more of the consultants, for $325 an hour, told the government they were off their head ever getting involved in this in the first place. And that's been a monumental waste of time, energy, and other people's money to appease a bunch of disaffected whiners. Many of whom, let it not be forgotten, were associated with the original larger group that sold the land in the first place.
If a consultant had the balls to say that, I'll personally pay their bill.
By the way, Shelly Bay has the same stench about it. And the problem with Ihumatao is precedent. When they settle this with more of our money, and they will, they will have gone down a very dangerous rabbit hole.
And they will give the green light to all and sundry to go park themselves on a chunk of land they fancy, make a few bizarre claims, and stand by for the state to roll in with a cheque book.
The overarching tragedy of all this, is the fact if it wasn’t for Jacinda Ardern and her pre Kiribati, or whatever pacific sojourn burst of emotive clap trap she let rip with before she naffed off for a week, this would never have happened.
And because it happened, not only are we paying for it, for people like Fletcher's they’ve been the meat in the whole hopeless Sandwich, waiting for the political wheels to turn as the government looks to extract itself out of a fight, they never needed to be a part of.
The precedent will be a disaster. The money will be ours, the reputation of the government will be battered, and not a house will be built.
The only winners will be the stirrers, and some clipboarders who charge too much by the hour. Brilliant.
And watch then roll this out as close to Christmas possible. So, by January, post BBQ, all will be forgotten.]]>131falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-ev-fee-bate-is-being-proposed-again-but-it-s-still-a-dumb-idea--1008249The feebaters are back. The people who want you to pay for their cars.
Julie Anne Genter, back when she was in charge of stuff - mainly nutty ideas – thought this one was spectacular.
The fee bate would mean that the electric car would be discounted because the petrol car would have a tax on it.
She claimed, incorrectly and completely dishonestly, that the scheme would be self-funding.
Despite the fact that for it to be self-funding the right number of petrol cars with the right amount of tax had to be sold to cover off the cost of the right amount of subsidy on the EV, and given the scheme wasn’t up and therefore no cars had been sold under it.
She wouldn’t have the slightest idea as to what the consumer behaviour towards more expensive petrol car vs a cheaper EV might be.
That government and her ministership came and went, and thank god thanks to NZ First – remember them? – the scheme never saw the light of day and most of us with a loose connection to the real world breathed a sigh of relief.
And this is where my rule would come in. Having floated the fee bate scheme and it being rejected, we would never hear about it again. Which sadly we are, given my rule is not real.
So back they have come this week. The headline read “Government urged to introduce fee bate scheme for EVs”. So often these stories are written from press releases, and the press releases are written in a way that wacky ideas have never before been put forward and this is a bright new shiny thing that we all have to consider with urgency.
So once again, if the Motor Industry Association gets their way, we will be back down the rabbit hole of subsidisation, funded as it always is by some poor sap that doesn’t get consulted.
As I have said forever, you want an EV, go get one, go get four.  For the woke handwringers who are in charge of companies councils or government, go buy a fleet.
But buy them for the right reasons, not for virtue signalling brownie points. And most importantly don’t buy them using other people money.
Here is the test of a good product: do people want it? Will they use their own money to buy it? Will having bought one they buy another one?
For whatever reasons EVs, haven’t taken off. I could give you a bunch of reasons but we don’t have time. And what we also don’t have time for is yet another round of subsidy merry go round.
The fee bate was a dumb idea last year, the year before, and the year before that: its status as a dumb idea remains unchanged.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22973380/mh011220-01-evfeebatecomment.mp3Tue, 01 Dec 2020 04:25:01 +0000RoccoThere should be a rule: you get to ask for something once, but then that’s it. The feebaters are back. The people who want you to pay for their cars. Julie Anne Genter, back when she was in charge of stuff - mainly nutty ideas – thought this one was...The feebaters are back. The people who want you to pay for their cars.
Julie Anne Genter, back when she was in charge of stuff - mainly nutty ideas – thought this one was spectacular.
The fee bate would mean that the electric car would be discounted because the petrol car would have a tax on it.
She claimed, incorrectly and completely dishonestly, that the scheme would be self-funding.
Despite the fact that for it to be self-funding the right number of petrol cars with the right amount of tax had to be sold to cover off the cost of the right amount of subsidy on the EV, and given the scheme wasn’t up and therefore no cars had been sold under it.
She wouldn’t have the slightest idea as to what the consumer behaviour towards more expensive petrol car vs a cheaper EV might be.
That government and her ministership came and went, and thank god thanks to NZ First – remember them? – the scheme never saw the light of day and most of us with a loose connection to the real world breathed a sigh of relief.
And this is where my rule would come in. Having floated the fee bate scheme and it being rejected, we would never hear about it again. Which sadly we are, given my rule is not real.
So back they have come this week. The headline read “Government urged to introduce fee bate scheme for EVs”. So often these stories are written from press releases, and the press releases are written in a way that wacky ideas have never before been put forward and this is a bright new shiny thing that we all have to consider with urgency.
So once again, if the Motor Industry Association gets their way, we will be back down the rabbit hole of subsidisation, funded as it always is by some poor sap that doesn’t get consulted.
As I have said forever, you want an EV, go get one, go get four.  For the woke handwringers who are in charge of companies councils or government, go buy a fleet.
But buy them for the right reasons, not for virtue signalling brownie points. And most importantly don’t buy them using other people money.
Here is the test of a good product: do people want it? Will they use their own money to buy it? Will having bought one they buy another one?
For whatever reasons EVs, haven’t taken off. I could give you a bunch of reasons but we don’t have time. And what we also don’t have time for is yet another round of subsidy merry go round.
The fee bate was a dumb idea last year, the year before, and the year before that: its status as a dumb idea remains unchanged.]]>137falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/dick-frizzell-on-his-new-book-about-the-history-of-western-art--1008407His works have been showcased in galleries around the world.
Now, he's got his latest book out, which takes on this history of Western art by repainting it.
It's titled Me, According to the History of Art.
Dick Frizzell joined Mike Hosking in studio to talk about his new book.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22973343/mh011220-23-dickfrizzell-historyofart.mp3Mon, 30 Nov 2020 23:53:19 +0000RoccoIf there was a rockstar of the art world in New Zealand, Dick Frizzell would be it. His works have been showcased in galleries around the world. Now, he's got his latest book out, which takes on this history of Western art by repainting it. It's...His works have been showcased in galleries around the world.
Now, he's got his latest book out, which takes on this history of Western art by repainting it.
It's titled Me, According to the History of Art.
Dick Frizzell joined Mike Hosking in studio to talk about his new book.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE]]>692falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-we-must-re-think-our-immigration-strategy--1008110One of the more interesting reports has arrived this week. It's done by NZIER for the Productivity Commission. It's looked into our policies around attracting highly productive and top shelf migrants. The highly skilled, and the very entrepreneurial.
It's widely accepted that our productivity rate has been hopeless. We don't work smarter, we just make more stuff, using more money.
The call last week from the Helen Clark Foundation was a classic example. It muddled the idea of paying people to do more via a boosted minimum wage, thus improving our productivity. Productivity is not automatically the result of more grunt.
Robots are an example of more productivity. They're better at some stuff than humans. You produce the same thing, just more effectively.
When it comes to migration, we've failed, according to this report, abysmally.
We've brought people in, we all know that. In fact, for some it's been an issue. "They've come in and stolen our jobs, they’ve bought all the houses. These damn foreigners."
Now that they're not here, all of a sudden, the corn doesn’t get picked in the field, and there is an almighty scrap on between the farmers and the government over how to resolve this.
But what that scrap and those numbers actually show, is the picture of our immigration story is we import labour, not brains.
The ones we wanted never arrived. Why? They didn’t want to. So, the idea in our heads that we are the greatest place on Earth, sadly, isn't true. They didn’t want to come, because it's too far away from basically everything.
Our Global Impact Visas created just 114 jobs over 3 years. Just 16 of the recipients raised capital. Two of them more than $5 million, five of them under $10,000.
We have three main sources of low paid labour. Holiday makers, students, and RSE workers. Hardly a stellar programme, is it?
Clearly a complete reset is required. We have deluded ourselves that we are a magnet, a Silicon Valley of the south. We are no such thing, the world isn't gripped by us, and when the truly clever can choose where they want to go, they don’t come here.
It's a tough reality to swallow, but swallow it we must, and reset.
The trick to success is learning from your mistakes. One our bigger ones is thinking we were more than we actually are.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22973337/mh011220-16-migrantworkforcecomment.mp3Mon, 30 Nov 2020 23:25:02 +0000RoccoCould it just be we are a bit of a myth? Or our sense of our place in the world is a bit invented? One of the more interesting reports has arrived this week. It's done by NZIER for the Productivity Commission. It's looked into our policies around...One of the more interesting reports has arrived this week. It's done by NZIER for the Productivity Commission. It's looked into our policies around attracting highly productive and top shelf migrants. The highly skilled, and the very entrepreneurial.
It's widely accepted that our productivity rate has been hopeless. We don't work smarter, we just make more stuff, using more money.
The call last week from the Helen Clark Foundation was a classic example. It muddled the idea of paying people to do more via a boosted minimum wage, thus improving our productivity. Productivity is not automatically the result of more grunt.
Robots are an example of more productivity. They're better at some stuff than humans. You produce the same thing, just more effectively.
When it comes to migration, we've failed, according to this report, abysmally.
We've brought people in, we all know that. In fact, for some it's been an issue. "They've come in and stolen our jobs, they’ve bought all the houses. These damn foreigners."
Now that they're not here, all of a sudden, the corn doesn’t get picked in the field, and there is an almighty scrap on between the farmers and the government over how to resolve this.
But what that scrap and those numbers actually show, is the picture of our immigration story is we import labour, not brains.
The ones we wanted never arrived. Why? They didn’t want to. So, the idea in our heads that we are the greatest place on Earth, sadly, isn't true. They didn’t want to come, because it's too far away from basically everything.
Our Global Impact Visas created just 114 jobs over 3 years. Just 16 of the recipients raised capital. Two of them more than $5 million, five of them under $10,000.
We have three main sources of low paid labour. Holiday makers, students, and RSE workers. Hardly a stellar programme, is it?
Clearly a complete reset is required. We have deluded ourselves that we are a magnet, a Silicon Valley of the south. We are no such thing, the world isn't gripped by us, and when the truly clever can choose where they want to go, they don’t come here.
It's a tough reality to swallow, but swallow it we must, and reset.
The trick to success is learning from your mistakes. One our bigger ones is thinking we were more than we actually are.]]>133falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-it-s-a-crime-the-government-will-let-so-much-produce-rot--1008252The manipulation I would like to think hasn’t passed most of us by.
The shabby and shoddy way these farmers are being treated is really an outrage dressed up as a solution.
They all said basically what they had to say when you’re dealing with the government and afraid to say what you really think for fear of your livelihood being stuffed completely.
The 2,000 workers is a good start, they said. What they really mean is at 2,000, we are at least 11,000 short and you’re delusional view that thousands of unemployed New Zealanders are falling over themselves to climb a ladder and pick apples merely shows what a bunch of ideologically driven unionised sheltered idiots you are.
To be fair to the government, the accommodation incentives are not bad ideas. Even the idea of tossing a grand at a local who hangs in there for six weeks I can probably live with.
But as I tried to explain through stats and facts last week, the simple reality is we require rightly or wrongly large swathes of foreign labour, not just in the fields of this country but in the kitchens, on trucks and tractors, in labs and offices.
Over 660 different job types are on the skills shortage list.
What the government are doing is playing a dangerous game using Covid as an excuse.
We can’t bring in anymore because there isn’t space, they say.
Crap! The miniscule space we’ve set aside and refused to grow isn’t full at the best of times, and they refuse to grow it at all
The industry, in fact, a number of industry’s are falling over themselves, pleading to be allowed to offer their own isolation facilities  to expand capacity,  and the government keeps saying no. And they say no because it suits their agenda.
They have a gun to the heads of various industries: pay more or you get nothing. They’re trying to reinvent the makeup of the work force and it won’t work because it’s never worked and a pandemic driven smoke screen isn’t changing that.
It’s a crime that a government in an agricultural country is prepared to watch hundreds of millions of dollars of produce potentially rot and waste just to gerrymander their agenda by holding the farmers of this country to ransom.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22973296/mh301120-01-seasonalworkerscomment.mp3Mon, 30 Nov 2020 03:48:26 +0000RoccoWhat a deflating experience it was Friday reading watching listening to all those in the horticulture industry responding to the government’s 2,000 Recognised Seasonal worker decision. The manipulation I would like to think hasn’t passed most of us...The manipulation I would like to think hasn’t passed most of us by.
The shabby and shoddy way these farmers are being treated is really an outrage dressed up as a solution.
They all said basically what they had to say when you’re dealing with the government and afraid to say what you really think for fear of your livelihood being stuffed completely.
The 2,000 workers is a good start, they said. What they really mean is at 2,000, we are at least 11,000 short and you’re delusional view that thousands of unemployed New Zealanders are falling over themselves to climb a ladder and pick apples merely shows what a bunch of ideologically driven unionised sheltered idiots you are.
To be fair to the government, the accommodation incentives are not bad ideas. Even the idea of tossing a grand at a local who hangs in there for six weeks I can probably live with.
But as I tried to explain through stats and facts last week, the simple reality is we require rightly or wrongly large swathes of foreign labour, not just in the fields of this country but in the kitchens, on trucks and tractors, in labs and offices.
Over 660 different job types are on the skills shortage list.
What the government are doing is playing a dangerous game using Covid as an excuse.
We can’t bring in anymore because there isn’t space, they say.
Crap! The miniscule space we’ve set aside and refused to grow isn’t full at the best of times, and they refuse to grow it at all
The industry, in fact, a number of industry’s are falling over themselves, pleading to be allowed to offer their own isolation facilities  to expand capacity,  and the government keeps saying no. And they say no because it suits their agenda.
They have a gun to the heads of various industries: pay more or you get nothing. They’re trying to reinvent the makeup of the work force and it won’t work because it’s never worked and a pandemic driven smoke screen isn’t changing that.
It’s a crime that a government in an agricultural country is prepared to watch hundreds of millions of dollars of produce potentially rot and waste just to gerrymander their agenda by holding the farmers of this country to ransom.]]>117falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-christchurch-shooting-royal-commission-must-give-answers--1008354The worrying thing is a lot of it will be suppressed for 30 years. Some of it because it makes sense to, but surely questions are going to be raised if we don’t get the answers we want.
The most important thing is for answers and understanding as to why it happened, whether it happened due to fault or not, and who's fault that is.
I think we can fairly safely conclude already that mistakes were made. As we outlined last week, the fact a single bloke without obvious means can wander to the parts of the world he did without a single security agency asking questions is ripe for exploration.
There are questions around his firearms licence. There seems confirmation that a gaming friend and the friend's parent were the references, when references have to be from family. This would appear to expose the police and the system badly.
Now, those people's names are suppressed, the police names are suppressed, and you can understand why. Classified material is suppressed for fairly obvious reasons as well.
But if blame is apportioned, is it going to be dressed up as systemic failure?
Is a gun licence failing, the failing of the individuals? Or the force in general?
And if it's individuals, will we ever know if those individuals are held to any sort of account?
And if it’s the force at fault, same question applies, does the buck stop at the top? Or do we just reassure everyone that although mistakes were made, reviews have been held, routine has been tightened up, with the vague promise that something like this can never happen again?
I look at Pike River. A decade on, a Royal Commission later, the questions still aren't answered. The claims still get laid, and mistakes are still outlined. Just last week the Peter Whittall offer of payment was still being admonished. The grief is still very real.
Is this report going to be another decade plus of angst, upset, unresolved questions, and lack of answers? Do the redactions lead to suspicion, and a lack of closure for those who deserve it most?
You get the sense that already with these suppressions recommendations that we are being lined up for a watered down, duck for cover sort of document that has been driven by the desire to be seen to be doing the right thing, as opposed to actually doing the right thing.
For the victims' sake, I hope I am wrong.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22973268/mh301120-13-mosqueinquirycomment.mp3Sun, 29 Nov 2020 22:24:22 +0000RoccoThe good news on the Royal Commission's report into the Christchurch shootings is that we get to see the detail in a bit over a week. The worrying thing is a lot of it will be suppressed for 30 years. Some of it because it makes sense to, but surely...The worrying thing is a lot of it will be suppressed for 30 years. Some of it because it makes sense to, but surely questions are going to be raised if we don’t get the answers we want.
The most important thing is for answers and understanding as to why it happened, whether it happened due to fault or not, and who's fault that is.
I think we can fairly safely conclude already that mistakes were made. As we outlined last week, the fact a single bloke without obvious means can wander to the parts of the world he did without a single security agency asking questions is ripe for exploration.
There are questions around his firearms licence. There seems confirmation that a gaming friend and the friend's parent were the references, when references have to be from family. This would appear to expose the police and the system badly.
Now, those people's names are suppressed, the police names are suppressed, and you can understand why. Classified material is suppressed for fairly obvious reasons as well.
But if blame is apportioned, is it going to be dressed up as systemic failure?
Is a gun licence failing, the failing of the individuals? Or the force in general?
And if it's individuals, will we ever know if those individuals are held to any sort of account?
And if it’s the force at fault, same question applies, does the buck stop at the top? Or do we just reassure everyone that although mistakes were made, reviews have been held, routine has been tightened up, with the vague promise that something like this can never happen again?
I look at Pike River. A decade on, a Royal Commission later, the questions still aren't answered. The claims still get laid, and mistakes are still outlined. Just last week the Peter Whittall offer of payment was still being admonished. The grief is still very real.
Is this report going to be another decade plus of angst, upset, unresolved questions, and lack of answers? Do the redactions lead to suspicion, and a lack of closure for those who deserve it most?
You get the sense that already with these suppressions recommendations that we are being lined up for a watered down, duck for cover sort of document that has been driven by the desire to be seen to be doing the right thing, as opposed to actually doing the right thing.
For the victims' sake, I hope I am wrong.]]>123falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-local-councils-are-no-longer-sustainable--1008118Housing.
8/10.
"On fire for another week.
Profits on sale, prices asked, auctions attended, scraps with politicians, and angst for first timers. This is the soap opera that just won't quit."
Grant Robertson's Letter to Adrian Orr over Housing.
5/10.
"It's smoke and mirrors and we are being played."
Adrian Orr's Response.
5/10.
"Like he didn’t already take housing into account, like he didn’t know his FLP money is going out the door to houses.
Come on, are we thick? No, we are not."
Capital Gains Tax "by Stealth."
3/10.
"I wouldn’t rule it out.
They won't call it that, they’ll spin a bright-line extension like they’ve never spun a bright-line, but it's essentially the same thing."
Helen Clark Foundation's Call for a Higher Minimum Wage.
3/10.
"Those who ask the loudest are never the ones paying.
And they're almost always devoid of economic knowledge and reality."
Third Quarter Spending.
9/10.
"We went nuts.
We bought everything in sight, several of them in fact, and the stats back it up."
Local Councils.
3/10.
"Surely this is not a model that is sustainable?
There are real issues in Invercargill, Tauranga, Northland, Taupo, Wellington, Christchurch, and Auckland.
We can't be bothered voting, they're changing the laws on Maori Wards, half those running the places hate each other, and the other half are useless.
How is that serving us well?"
Canada.
7/10.
"A major survey found of all the places people wanted to live, if they could leave their own country, Canada was the top pick."
New Zealand.
8/10.
"Of all the places who tackled Covid, we were the best."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22973084/mh271120-16-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 26 Nov 2020 22:42:01 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. Housing. 8/10. "On fire for another week. Profits on sale, prices asked, auctions attended, scraps with politicians, and angst for...Housing.
8/10.
"On fire for another week.
Profits on sale, prices asked, auctions attended, scraps with politicians, and angst for first timers. This is the soap opera that just won't quit."
Grant Robertson's Letter to Adrian Orr over Housing.
5/10.
"It's smoke and mirrors and we are being played."
Adrian Orr's Response.
5/10.
"Like he didn’t already take housing into account, like he didn’t know his FLP money is going out the door to houses.
Come on, are we thick? No, we are not."
Capital Gains Tax "by Stealth."
3/10.
"I wouldn’t rule it out.
They won't call it that, they’ll spin a bright-line extension like they’ve never spun a bright-line, but it's essentially the same thing."
Helen Clark Foundation's Call for a Higher Minimum Wage.
3/10.
"Those who ask the loudest are never the ones paying.
And they're almost always devoid of economic knowledge and reality."
Third Quarter Spending.
9/10.
"We went nuts.
We bought everything in sight, several of them in fact, and the stats back it up."
Local Councils.
3/10.
"Surely this is not a model that is sustainable?
There are real issues in Invercargill, Tauranga, Northland, Taupo, Wellington, Christchurch, and Auckland.
We can't be bothered voting, they're changing the laws on Maori Wards, half those running the places hate each other, and the other half are useless.
How is that serving us well?"
Canada.
7/10.
"A major survey found of all the places people wanted to live, if they could leave their own country, Canada was the top pick."
New Zealand.
8/10.
"Of all the places who tackled Covid, we were the best."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>177falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-what-will-the-royal-commission-into-the-mosque-shootings-say--1008129First question is, when do we get to see it? The law says it should be put into the house as soon as practicable, whatever that means.
But it is potentially the most critical part of the whole tragic event. Tarrant has been sentenced. So, justice, such as is possible in a case like this, has been done.
The gun buyback, which was the government's knee jerk reaction to a tragedy, has been carried out with the predictable outcome. A lot of rabbit shooters handed over their weapons, we paid millions for them and put them in the bin, in the vein hope that next time a nutter rolls into town they find it hard to get a weapon of some sort of mass destruction.
This is why the Royal Commission Report is so important. Because the ideal scenario was, of course, was the attack never happened in the first place. And the way that would have happened, is that Tarrant was picked up before he ever acted.
So, the critical part of this report is, was our security found wanting? And if so, how badly? My bet, sadly, is the answer is yes.
The sense at the time, if you remember, was that the authorities had spent too much energy on groups like ISIS. International terror groups were a reflection of where the world was at post 9/11. The white supremacist had managed to operate a bit under the radar. Whether that is true, will hopefully be fleshed out in this report.
But I ask the question again, that I asked at the time, and that is what I base my fears on, how is it that a person of no obvious means, no employment, is able to wander the world the way he did, and no flag went up anywhere.
This is a bloke that travelled to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia, Montenegro, France, Spain, Portugal, Croatia, and North Korea.
Now, some of those places don’t ring alarm bells, but come on. North Korea, Pakistan and Afghanistan? There's a theme here, and it's not sunshine and lounge chairs. Even if it was, checks would have been able to verify it.
The travel record alone and its lack of attention for a single man sitting in Dunedin, warranted a lot of questions, I would have thought.
What I fear is that, yet again, government departments will be found badly wanting. And when they are, the apologies will flow, lessons will be learned, and promises will be made.
But, of course, it will, like all reports that find blame fault, ineptitude, unprofessionalism, and incompetence, be too late.
Let's hope I am wrong. It won't change the outcome, but it will be less salt in the wound.    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22973074/mh271120-01-mosqueinquirycomment.mp3Thu, 26 Nov 2020 21:50:24 +0000RoccoThe Royal Commission's findings into the Christchurch shooting are with the appropriate Minister. First question is, when do we get to see it? The law says it should be put into the house as soon as practicable, whatever that means. But it is...First question is, when do we get to see it? The law says it should be put into the house as soon as practicable, whatever that means.
But it is potentially the most critical part of the whole tragic event. Tarrant has been sentenced. So, justice, such as is possible in a case like this, has been done.
The gun buyback, which was the government's knee jerk reaction to a tragedy, has been carried out with the predictable outcome. A lot of rabbit shooters handed over their weapons, we paid millions for them and put them in the bin, in the vein hope that next time a nutter rolls into town they find it hard to get a weapon of some sort of mass destruction.
This is why the Royal Commission Report is so important. Because the ideal scenario was, of course, was the attack never happened in the first place. And the way that would have happened, is that Tarrant was picked up before he ever acted.
So, the critical part of this report is, was our security found wanting? And if so, how badly? My bet, sadly, is the answer is yes.
The sense at the time, if you remember, was that the authorities had spent too much energy on groups like ISIS. International terror groups were a reflection of where the world was at post 9/11. The white supremacist had managed to operate a bit under the radar. Whether that is true, will hopefully be fleshed out in this report.
But I ask the question again, that I asked at the time, and that is what I base my fears on, how is it that a person of no obvious means, no employment, is able to wander the world the way he did, and no flag went up anywhere.
This is a bloke that travelled to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia, Montenegro, France, Spain, Portugal, Croatia, and North Korea.
Now, some of those places don’t ring alarm bells, but come on. North Korea, Pakistan and Afghanistan? There's a theme here, and it's not sunshine and lounge chairs. Even if it was, checks would have been able to verify it.
The travel record alone and its lack of attention for a single man sitting in Dunedin, warranted a lot of questions, I would have thought.
What I fear is that, yet again, government departments will be found badly wanting. And when they are, the apologies will flow, lessons will be learned, and promises will be made.
But, of course, it will, like all reports that find blame fault, ineptitude, unprofessionalism, and incompetence, be too late.
Let's hope I am wrong. It won't change the outcome, but it will be less salt in the wound.    ]]>133falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-if-government-wants-to-fix-the-skills-shortage-they-need-to-let-people-in--1008276In other words, within a margin, if you needed people in from off shore you could get them, and we did.
Stats out this week show 18000 more work visa applications under the essential skills category. Only 1500 had been turned down.
The essential skills category is the list the government has decided we need help on that there is a genuine shortage locally.
Or is there?
Here’s the simple truth: shortage or not, an employer should be able to hire who they want.
Hospitality especially is a good example. French chefs or Mexican or Chinese, people with skills we would be unlikely to replicate.
But the stats tell us there were in fact 660 different job types that we could not fill. Accommodation and hospitality managers, consultants, engineers, scientists, technicians, machine operators and drivers, mechanics: the list goes on and on and on.
Now, do you honestly believe that in every single one of those categories, there isn’t a New Zealander about the place that could do it?
If the answer is yes, what a monumental enlightenment on our education system.  
If the answer is no, we clearly have a booming economy where everyone is gainfully busy.
And yet of course we don’t, and we know we don’t.
So the government’s new answer is to take those out of work and give them these jobs. Classic theory from a group who have never employed anyone in their lives.
And, as we are seeing by the ongoing cries for help, this plan is hopelessly unrealistic.
You either want stuff done or you don’t, machines driven or not, fruit picked or not, the job actually filled or not.
The government argue it’s about money. It isn’t. For cherry or apple picking it could be, but even there I am doubtful.
The truth is, we lack skills, we sometimes lack desire, but that doesn’t change reality, and the reality is an economy needs workers to fill jobs and we have a mismatch.
The solution is to get these people in here and fix the problem. There are spaces in quarantine, but the government is reluctant because they’re hung up on ideology to fill them.
The only tangible sensible and realistic solution is for them to wake up, change their minds and get back to doing what we were previously, which, although not perfect, was a hell of a lot more productivity that what’s going on now.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22973055/mh261120-01-skillsshortagecomment.mp3Thu, 26 Nov 2020 06:08:04 +0000RoccoThe reason, at least in part, we are back into this time consuming, tedious and ultimately fruitless scrap between business and the government over jobs and how we can’t find any locals to fill them, is because up until the government decided to...In other words, within a margin, if you needed people in from off shore you could get them, and we did.
Stats out this week show 18000 more work visa applications under the essential skills category. Only 1500 had been turned down.
The essential skills category is the list the government has decided we need help on that there is a genuine shortage locally.
Or is there?
Here’s the simple truth: shortage or not, an employer should be able to hire who they want.
Hospitality especially is a good example. French chefs or Mexican or Chinese, people with skills we would be unlikely to replicate.
But the stats tell us there were in fact 660 different job types that we could not fill. Accommodation and hospitality managers, consultants, engineers, scientists, technicians, machine operators and drivers, mechanics: the list goes on and on and on.
Now, do you honestly believe that in every single one of those categories, there isn’t a New Zealander about the place that could do it?
If the answer is yes, what a monumental enlightenment on our education system.  
If the answer is no, we clearly have a booming economy where everyone is gainfully busy.
And yet of course we don’t, and we know we don’t.
So the government’s new answer is to take those out of work and give them these jobs. Classic theory from a group who have never employed anyone in their lives.
And, as we are seeing by the ongoing cries for help, this plan is hopelessly unrealistic.
You either want stuff done or you don’t, machines driven or not, fruit picked or not, the job actually filled or not.
The government argue it’s about money. It isn’t. For cherry or apple picking it could be, but even there I am doubtful.
The truth is, we lack skills, we sometimes lack desire, but that doesn’t change reality, and the reality is an economy needs workers to fill jobs and we have a mismatch.
The solution is to get these people in here and fix the problem. There are spaces in quarantine, but the government is reluctant because they’re hung up on ideology to fill them.
The only tangible sensible and realistic solution is for them to wake up, change their minds and get back to doing what we were previously, which, although not perfect, was a hell of a lot more productivity that what’s going on now.]]>136falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/six60-band-members-on-their-new-documentary-and-helen-clark-s-stance-on-eden-park--1008254The band, who made history as the first local band to sell out Western Springs are eyeing being able to play a show at Eden Park, but are subject to staunch opposition from local residents - including Clark.
Clark has been vocal about not being in favour of concerts at the stadium, and told a planning hearing for the gigs in November that concerts would "represent a home invasion of noise".
"She has done so much for the arts, and in my opinion, if I could say this to her - if she's listening - is that you're the reason we're here and as a New Zealand band even able to play Eden Park. So it makes no sense that now you'd go against everything you stood up for," Matiu Walters told Newstalk ZB breakfast host Mike Hosking.
The band's bassist Chris Mac added: "I've got a lot of respect for Helen Clark, I think we all do. But I do wonder if she's proud of the success in the New Zealand music industry that she helped create. I wonder if she's proud of us and our success, and why she would want to get in the way of helping us succeed more."
Newstalk ZB has approached Clark for comment.
Walters confirmed to the Herald in an October interview that after playing to two sold-out audiences at Western Springs, they had then hoped to play at Eden Park, but have been held back by red tape they would have to get through to be able to perform at the venue.
No concert has been hosted at the ground in its 120-year history.
Under Auckland Council's Unitary Plan, Eden Park is allowed to host six music events a year, contingent on the venue and respective promoters gaining resource consent.
The process is so costly that to date Eden Park hasn't lodged an application; any bids are set to be hotly contested by the Eden Park Neighbours' Association (EPNA). The group opposes additional night time and noisy events at the ground dubbed New Zealand's "National Stadium".]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22973000/mh261120-19-six60-newmovie.mp3Wed, 25 Nov 2020 22:21:52 +0000RoccoSix60 have called for former Prime Minister and Arts Minister Helen Clark to support their bid to play Eden Park. The band, who made history as the first local band to sell out Western Springs are eyeing being able to play a show at Eden Park, but are...The band, who made history as the first local band to sell out Western Springs are eyeing being able to play a show at Eden Park, but are subject to staunch opposition from local residents - including Clark.
Clark has been vocal about not being in favour of concerts at the stadium, and told a planning hearing for the gigs in November that concerts would "represent a home invasion of noise".
"She has done so much for the arts, and in my opinion, if I could say this to her - if she's listening - is that you're the reason we're here and as a New Zealand band even able to play Eden Park. So it makes no sense that now you'd go against everything you stood up for," Matiu Walters told Newstalk ZB breakfast host Mike Hosking.
The band's bassist Chris Mac added: "I've got a lot of respect for Helen Clark, I think we all do. But I do wonder if she's proud of the success in the New Zealand music industry that she helped create. I wonder if she's proud of us and our success, and why she would want to get in the way of helping us succeed more."
Newstalk ZB has approached Clark for comment.
Walters confirmed to the Herald in an October interview that after playing to two sold-out audiences at Western Springs, they had then hoped to play at Eden Park, but have been held back by red tape they would have to get through to be able to perform at the venue.
No concert has been hosted at the ground in its 120-year history.
Under Auckland Council's Unitary Plan, Eden Park is allowed to host six music events a year, contingent on the venue and respective promoters gaining resource consent.
The process is so costly that to date Eden Park hasn't lodged an application; any bids are set to be hotly contested by the Eden Park Neighbours' Association (EPNA). The group opposes additional night time and noisy events at the ground dubbed New Zealand's "National Stadium".]]>700falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-government-must-crack-on-with-covid-vaccine-delivery--1008131You could conclude it's part of the malaise that’s swept the country this year. You could conclude that the media, or at least too much of it, has either fallen asleep along with the rest of the population, or as is more likely the case, it doesn’t suit their agenda to hold the government to any sort of account.
But if you're at all interested in what going on in the world, much of it has dates and times and expectations for a vaccine, and we astonishingly don’t.
The University of Texas is preparing as we speak to receive doses, as if the order was arriving this week. The FDA meets December 10 and it could ship the next day. By this Saturday week, needles could be in American arms. Same story in Britain, they know what they’ve bought, when it's being rolled out, who is top of the priority list, and how those initial jabs will be well and truly in British arms by Christmas.
Even Australia, who have bought more vaccines than us, are manufacturing at least one of them themselves, and have a march date to start their programme.
Our plan is still, according to Jacinda Ardern and Chris Hipkins being worked through. Why? We don't have a date for arrival. Why? We don't therefore have a start date. Why? We have no idea what sort of level of herd immunity we should expect before borders are opened. Why?
Just what is it they have been doing by way of planning?
Did we, or did we not, know that a vaccine, given our strategy of elimination was the sole answer to re-joining the world? And given it was, what the hell have we been doing for the past nine months?
Vaccine wise, to this point, we've bought some of Pfizer's. That turns out to be some of the most expensive, not to mention hard to store. We don’t have the hardware to store it, that’s on order.
It's almost as though we don’t care, that there is no hurry here, the border is not a big deal, and at some point, after the Christmas break, we may have a look and see if anything has arrived in the mail.
Meantime at the W.H.O, we have hooked in with their Covax plan. We will stand dutifully in line while they roll out their highly political, poor countries first programme.
For those desperate to get this nation off its knees and back to work, the likes of the pilots, the hoteliers, the moteliers, the exporters, and businesses that need the world up and running, am I the only one looking at Ardern and Hipkins aghast at their lack of planning urgency, and dare I suggest, delivery?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22972995/mh261120-13-vaccinedeliverycomment.mp3Wed, 25 Nov 2020 21:47:18 +0000RoccoIt seems, to me anyway, a remarkable thing the government doesn’t have more heat on it than it does over our lack of Covid vaccine. You could conclude it's part of the malaise that’s swept the country this year. You could conclude that the media, or...You could conclude it's part of the malaise that’s swept the country this year. You could conclude that the media, or at least too much of it, has either fallen asleep along with the rest of the population, or as is more likely the case, it doesn’t suit their agenda to hold the government to any sort of account.
But if you're at all interested in what going on in the world, much of it has dates and times and expectations for a vaccine, and we astonishingly don’t.
The University of Texas is preparing as we speak to receive doses, as if the order was arriving this week. The FDA meets December 10 and it could ship the next day. By this Saturday week, needles could be in American arms. Same story in Britain, they know what they’ve bought, when it's being rolled out, who is top of the priority list, and how those initial jabs will be well and truly in British arms by Christmas.
Even Australia, who have bought more vaccines than us, are manufacturing at least one of them themselves, and have a march date to start their programme.
Our plan is still, according to Jacinda Ardern and Chris Hipkins being worked through. Why? We don't have a date for arrival. Why? We don't therefore have a start date. Why? We have no idea what sort of level of herd immunity we should expect before borders are opened. Why?
Just what is it they have been doing by way of planning?
Did we, or did we not, know that a vaccine, given our strategy of elimination was the sole answer to re-joining the world? And given it was, what the hell have we been doing for the past nine months?
Vaccine wise, to this point, we've bought some of Pfizer's. That turns out to be some of the most expensive, not to mention hard to store. We don’t have the hardware to store it, that’s on order.
It's almost as though we don’t care, that there is no hurry here, the border is not a big deal, and at some point, after the Christmas break, we may have a look and see if anything has arrived in the mail.
Meantime at the W.H.O, we have hooked in with their Covax plan. We will stand dutifully in line while they roll out their highly political, poor countries first programme.
For those desperate to get this nation off its knees and back to work, the likes of the pilots, the hoteliers, the moteliers, the exporters, and businesses that need the world up and running, am I the only one looking at Ardern and Hipkins aghast at their lack of planning urgency, and dare I suggest, delivery?]]>137falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-push-for-maori-wards-on-councils-is-racist-and-undemocratic--1008280What she is doing in trying to change the law and prevent a democratic action in terms of Māori wards and the ability to have any sort of public say is racist.
She, along with the rest of the apologists on various councils around the country who favour separatist Māori wards, know is that the bulk of the constituency don’t want them.
We know this because when we get the chance to directly vote on them, the no’s win and win by large margins.
Under current law, if a ward is voted for by council, that is the council going beyond their mandate because they know full well it’s not supported by the majority of people who elected them.
So by way of a safe guard, they can choose to put those sorts of decisions to a vote: when they have, they lose.
So now, they not only vote for separate race based wards, they then also vote not to have a vote.
Fortunately, the law allows the public, i.e. the people the council are supposed to be serving, to drum up a petition involving five percent of the local constituency at which point a referendum is forced.
This is where Mahuta comes in. She’s changing that law. She is taking away a democratic right, in order to propel a racist agenda.
They know that what they are doing is not publicly supported, so they’re taking the public out of the equation.
We should of course be outraged, but this is where they have the aforementioned advantage.
We don’t care.
We can barely turn up each three years for local body elections, so pathetic has it become it ranges from a third to a half of turnout.
It’s a chicken and egg situation. Has the representation become so tragic; i.e. Invercargill, Tauranga, Northland, Wellington, Canterbury, Auckland, pick your recent headline and shambles, so we’ve given up?
Or did because we gave up, it becomes the mess it has, i.e. any doofus can get elected and know they’re good for life because no one is going to do anything about it, hence the disintegration. 
Either way, here are some simple facts; if Māori are underrepresented, then stand. Nothing stopping you.
If you want more Māori on council, vote for them. Nothing’s stopping you, the mechanisms are all there.
In a democracy, everyone gets a free shot. What Mahuta and her lot are looking to do is not democracy, its artificial, its racist, its stacking the deck, its making up the rules to suit your agenda.
They are shameless, overt and dangerous, so what now? That ball is in the court of those who currently by in large can’t be bothered, so guess who’s got the upper hand?   ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22972959/mh251120-12-maoriwardscomment.mp3Wed, 25 Nov 2020 04:49:52 +0000RoccoHere is the great advantage Nanaia Mahuta has over most of the rest of us: we don’t care. What she is doing in trying to change the law and prevent a democratic action in terms of Māori wards and the ability to have any sort of public say is racist....What she is doing in trying to change the law and prevent a democratic action in terms of Māori wards and the ability to have any sort of public say is racist.
She, along with the rest of the apologists on various councils around the country who favour separatist Māori wards, know is that the bulk of the constituency don’t want them.
We know this because when we get the chance to directly vote on them, the no’s win and win by large margins.
Under current law, if a ward is voted for by council, that is the council going beyond their mandate because they know full well it’s not supported by the majority of people who elected them.
So by way of a safe guard, they can choose to put those sorts of decisions to a vote: when they have, they lose.
So now, they not only vote for separate race based wards, they then also vote not to have a vote.
Fortunately, the law allows the public, i.e. the people the council are supposed to be serving, to drum up a petition involving five percent of the local constituency at which point a referendum is forced.
This is where Mahuta comes in. She’s changing that law. She is taking away a democratic right, in order to propel a racist agenda.
They know that what they are doing is not publicly supported, so they’re taking the public out of the equation.
We should of course be outraged, but this is where they have the aforementioned advantage.
We don’t care.
We can barely turn up each three years for local body elections, so pathetic has it become it ranges from a third to a half of turnout.
It’s a chicken and egg situation. Has the representation become so tragic; i.e. Invercargill, Tauranga, Northland, Wellington, Canterbury, Auckland, pick your recent headline and shambles, so we’ve given up?
Or did because we gave up, it becomes the mess it has, i.e. any doofus can get elected and know they’re good for life because no one is going to do anything about it, hence the disintegration. 
Either way, here are some simple facts; if Māori are underrepresented, then stand. Nothing stopping you.
If you want more Māori on council, vote for them. Nothing’s stopping you, the mechanisms are all there.
In a democracy, everyone gets a free shot. What Mahuta and her lot are looking to do is not democracy, its artificial, its racist, its stacking the deck, its making up the rules to suit your agenda.
They are shameless, overt and dangerous, so what now? That ball is in the court of those who currently by in large can’t be bothered, so guess who’s got the upper hand?   ]]>134falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-government-is-in-full-panic-mode-over-housing--1008378"Dear Adrian, have you seen the price of a house? My god, it's through the roof. What can we do, Adrian? We've banged on and on and on about prices being out of control, in opposition we bagged the government mercilessly, we promised to do something about it, but that blew up in our face. Who knew Phil Twyford was so useless? Anyway Adrian, it seems I'm now stuck, given I am in charge of all the money and the prices are still going up.
It was suggested to me that your monetary policy might be to blame, so given that suits my political agenda, I am writing to you today to blame you. Adrian, it's not good enough and you must do something about it. Don't ask me what, but please, please, please can you make the price of a house go down.
But, and this a big but Adrian, while you're at it can you not sink the economy? The economy is already in trouble and let's not mention how much of that money you’ve printed for me. And I know I added employment to the list of stuff you had to take care of with the OCR, as well as inflation of course, but Adrian have you seen the price of a house!"
So, in essence what Robertson is doing, is dropping Orr in it for political purposes. They have flooded the economy with money, they want people to borrow, but given they haven't created an environment of confidence business isn't borrowing. The only ones who are, are those who want a house.
Go figure, who saw that coming? Apart from about everyone who has ever bought a house.
Orr as much as he is taking heat, can only do so much. He's not in control of everything.
The man who has more control than Orr is Robertson. And he's panicking because he made a promise on housing he couldn’t keep, and he's been caught with his pants down.
The lesson here, as we have said, god knows, how many times, is politicians don't control housing. Never have, never will.  
Stop getting sucked in. And if you insist on getting sucked in, stop blaming others for your inability to understand the market.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22972915/mh251120-01-robertsonlettercomment.mp3Tue, 24 Nov 2020 21:56:45 +0000RoccoAs much as I like Grant Robertson, and I do, if you ever had any doubt that this government is hopelessly out of its depth economically, Robertson's letter to Adrian Orr should confirm it. "Dear Adrian, have you seen the price of a house? My god, it's..."Dear Adrian, have you seen the price of a house? My god, it's through the roof. What can we do, Adrian? We've banged on and on and on about prices being out of control, in opposition we bagged the government mercilessly, we promised to do something about it, but that blew up in our face. Who knew Phil Twyford was so useless? Anyway Adrian, it seems I'm now stuck, given I am in charge of all the money and the prices are still going up.
It was suggested to me that your monetary policy might be to blame, so given that suits my political agenda, I am writing to you today to blame you. Adrian, it's not good enough and you must do something about it. Don't ask me what, but please, please, please can you make the price of a house go down.
But, and this a big but Adrian, while you're at it can you not sink the economy? The economy is already in trouble and let's not mention how much of that money you’ve printed for me. And I know I added employment to the list of stuff you had to take care of with the OCR, as well as inflation of course, but Adrian have you seen the price of a house!"
So, in essence what Robertson is doing, is dropping Orr in it for political purposes. They have flooded the economy with money, they want people to borrow, but given they haven't created an environment of confidence business isn't borrowing. The only ones who are, are those who want a house.
Go figure, who saw that coming? Apart from about everyone who has ever bought a house.
Orr as much as he is taking heat, can only do so much. He's not in control of everything.
The man who has more control than Orr is Robertson. And he's panicking because he made a promise on housing he couldn’t keep, and he's been caught with his pants down.
The lesson here, as we have said, god knows, how many times, is politicians don't control housing. Never have, never will.  
Stop getting sucked in. And if you insist on getting sucked in, stop blaming others for your inability to understand the market.]]>105falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-stuart-nash-is-right-on-the-need-for-better-tourists--1008255But what an astonishing, ongoing, ‘can we get over it and move on’ kind of reaction we have continued to have.  
You do realise he isn’t banning people, don’t you? All he said is we want to target the wealthy, we don’t want people crapping in our water ways and all that got banned were vans with no toilets.
to judge by the headlines, op-eds ,whinging, hand wringing and yelping ,you’d think he had gone to Auckland  airport and set up a kiosk that, when borders open again, would be staffed by people shaking down arriving tourists and anyone caught with less than $20,000 would be frog marched back into the plane.
It’s yet another sign that you can’t have an idea in this country. an eminently sensible idea, without the usual array of doom merchants lining up to tell you where you’ve gone wrong and how anything to do with money and success is bad news and we want none of it.
Before Covid, when we had an international tourist industry, there was general if not universal agreement that we had far too many people coming to this country for little net gain.
Small towns were inundated with no facilities from car parks to toilets to cope. There were fly in fly out bus tours, draining resource for no great return.
We had already decided quality not quantity was the way forward.
All Stuart did was articulate that and ban some cheap vans. He’s not banning back packers, he’s not closing youth hostels, and he’s not shuttering any hotels that aren’t five stars. He’s simply wanting to do what we had already decided was a good idea and it is.
When you’re the cream of the crop, and we are, you can be selective. You can set the agenda, and why, given our beauty international reputation and demand, wouldn’t we?
Why wouldn’t we charge through the nose for the experience? Do you want 10 at $100 or one at a $1000? Do we do mass or select? Are we economy or business? Are we Motel 6 or the Ritz Carlton?
The answer is simple. We just hadn’t got past the point of talking and onto the doing. The hope comes in the form of a new minister who gets it
Tourism is the golden goose, or a golden goose. It is a business, not a charity. So let’s get on with it.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22972854/mh241120-01-freedomcamperscomment.mp3Tue, 24 Nov 2020 03:47:25 +0000RoccoI sort of let Stuart Nash’s first foray into tourism slide, because we have him on the show each week and we kind of covered it off at the time. But what an astonishing, ongoing, ‘can we get over it and move on’ kind of reaction we have continued to...But what an astonishing, ongoing, ‘can we get over it and move on’ kind of reaction we have continued to have.  
You do realise he isn’t banning people, don’t you? All he said is we want to target the wealthy, we don’t want people crapping in our water ways and all that got banned were vans with no toilets.
to judge by the headlines, op-eds ,whinging, hand wringing and yelping ,you’d think he had gone to Auckland  airport and set up a kiosk that, when borders open again, would be staffed by people shaking down arriving tourists and anyone caught with less than $20,000 would be frog marched back into the plane.
It’s yet another sign that you can’t have an idea in this country. an eminently sensible idea, without the usual array of doom merchants lining up to tell you where you’ve gone wrong and how anything to do with money and success is bad news and we want none of it.
Before Covid, when we had an international tourist industry, there was general if not universal agreement that we had far too many people coming to this country for little net gain.
Small towns were inundated with no facilities from car parks to toilets to cope. There were fly in fly out bus tours, draining resource for no great return.
We had already decided quality not quantity was the way forward.
All Stuart did was articulate that and ban some cheap vans. He’s not banning back packers, he’s not closing youth hostels, and he’s not shuttering any hotels that aren’t five stars. He’s simply wanting to do what we had already decided was a good idea and it is.
When you’re the cream of the crop, and we are, you can be selective. You can set the agenda, and why, given our beauty international reputation and demand, wouldn’t we?
Why wouldn’t we charge through the nose for the experience? Do you want 10 at $100 or one at a $1000? Do we do mass or select? Are we economy or business? Are we Motel 6 or the Ritz Carlton?
The answer is simple. We just hadn’t got past the point of talking and onto the doing. The hope comes in the form of a new minister who gets it
Tourism is the golden goose, or a golden goose. It is a business, not a charity. So let’s get on with it.]]>114falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-how-are-so-many-kids-leaving-school-with-no-qualifications--1008304Last year, the number of kids who left school with no qualifications went up, again. 12 per cent of those who left school, left with nothing, no NCEA. The year before it was 11 per cent. So not only is it up, the fact it was 11 per cent in 2018, I would have thought, is a crime in and of itself.
For a start, NCEA is not hard to get. It's not hard because of the number of subjects you can choose, the ease of the pathway that is offered, and a general sense that testing, if that’s what you still call it, is spread so far and wide these days with assessments and mock tests, it seems almost impossible to fail.
So the first question is, surely, what the hell is going wrong? Is it the teaching? Is it the kids? Is it the home environment? Is it the methodology? Is it the subjects and their material? Or is it a combination?
It's one thing to go part of the way. Two of ours did. Got level one and two, decided school wasn’t for them, there was a big world out there, and they wanted a part of it.
So they left, ditched level three, got jobs, and are loving life and building their own path. That's what I did, I never looked back, and never regretted a minute.
There is an emphasis on school that has been overplayed these past few decades. School isn't everything, NCEA isn't a magic ticket, but no qualifications at all gets you nowhere.
Is there enough evidence now that the way we are teaching damages a lot of kids? Is there enough concern that the business of schooling is clearly failing too many? Are there too many basket case homes where school isn't a priority?
So in totality, has this problem been going on for far too many years, us knowing about it, and yet not been addressed?
It's proof, I suspect, of the gap we so often hear about. Some people simply can't get a job despite industry after industry screaming out for labour. The welfare bill grows to support those who cannot contribute and most likely never will.
And here's the thing, I have trouble getting my head around, why would you want that for yourself? Why in a life where all is possible would you have given up before you’ve even got started?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22972809/mh241120-13-unqualifiedschoolleaverscomment.mp3Mon, 23 Nov 2020 21:48:18 +0000RoccoIt seems a remarkable number, so remarkable you wonder how it's possible. Last year, the number of kids who left school with no qualifications went up, again. 12 per cent of those who left school, left with nothing, no NCEA. The year before it was 11...Last year, the number of kids who left school with no qualifications went up, again. 12 per cent of those who left school, left with nothing, no NCEA. The year before it was 11 per cent. So not only is it up, the fact it was 11 per cent in 2018, I would have thought, is a crime in and of itself.
For a start, NCEA is not hard to get. It's not hard because of the number of subjects you can choose, the ease of the pathway that is offered, and a general sense that testing, if that’s what you still call it, is spread so far and wide these days with assessments and mock tests, it seems almost impossible to fail.
So the first question is, surely, what the hell is going wrong? Is it the teaching? Is it the kids? Is it the home environment? Is it the methodology? Is it the subjects and their material? Or is it a combination?
It's one thing to go part of the way. Two of ours did. Got level one and two, decided school wasn’t for them, there was a big world out there, and they wanted a part of it.
So they left, ditched level three, got jobs, and are loving life and building their own path. That's what I did, I never looked back, and never regretted a minute.
There is an emphasis on school that has been overplayed these past few decades. School isn't everything, NCEA isn't a magic ticket, but no qualifications at all gets you nowhere.
Is there enough evidence now that the way we are teaching damages a lot of kids? Is there enough concern that the business of schooling is clearly failing too many? Are there too many basket case homes where school isn't a priority?
So in totality, has this problem been going on for far too many years, us knowing about it, and yet not been addressed?
It's proof, I suspect, of the gap we so often hear about. Some people simply can't get a job despite industry after industry screaming out for labour. The welfare bill grows to support those who cannot contribute and most likely never will.
And here's the thing, I have trouble getting my head around, why would you want that for yourself? Why in a life where all is possible would you have given up before you’ve even got started?]]>117falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-it-s-awesome-to-watch-the-housing-market-in-action--1008426Stuart Nash's Tourism Plan: 8/10
"I know he's on the programme every Wednesday.
“But I like the directness, I like the plan, so let's get on with the delivery."
Reaction to All Blacks' Loss: 2/10
"We honestly have to get a grip.
“Nothing wrong with disappointment, nothing wrong with expectation of success.
“But being able to deal with both is a skill, and a part of life, but, man, have we made dicks of ourselves this week."
Sam Cane: 6/10
"I like people who speak their mind.
"It's unusual for an All Black captain to take the bait, but the bait this week has been particularly lame and needlessly aggressive."
Moderna's Vaccine News: 6/10
"Part of the brilliance that is science.
“And science will save us all."
The Tech Sector: 9/10
"Results this week show it's grown yet again.
“And here's the issue too much under the radar, this is a boom area. This is a $12 billion industry we have not woken up to enough." 
Housing Market: 8/10
"Another stonking week of prices, sales, headlines, records, panic, consternation, finger pointing, blame, and questions.
“God, it's awesome to watch."
RCEP Trade Deal: 6/10
"Because all free trade deals are good.
“But this got over-hyped given we already have deals with the people involved, deals on deals don’t automatically make better deals.
“What we wanted was India and they're not playing."
Happiness: 7/10
"Wellbeing numbers show we are happy, but not as happy as we could be.
“That’s up to us. You want to be happy? You will. You want to succeed? You will? If you tell yourself you will, you will.
“Message for life, grasshopper."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22972595/mh201120-13-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 19 Nov 2020 22:50:13 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. Stuart Nash's Tourism Plan: 8/10 "I know he's on the programme every Wednesday. “But I like the directness, I like the plan, so...Stuart Nash's Tourism Plan: 8/10
"I know he's on the programme every Wednesday.
“But I like the directness, I like the plan, so let's get on with the delivery."
Reaction to All Blacks' Loss: 2/10
"We honestly have to get a grip.
“Nothing wrong with disappointment, nothing wrong with expectation of success.
“But being able to deal with both is a skill, and a part of life, but, man, have we made dicks of ourselves this week."
Sam Cane: 6/10
"I like people who speak their mind.
"It's unusual for an All Black captain to take the bait, but the bait this week has been particularly lame and needlessly aggressive."
Moderna's Vaccine News: 6/10
"Part of the brilliance that is science.
“And science will save us all."
The Tech Sector: 9/10
"Results this week show it's grown yet again.
“And here's the issue too much under the radar, this is a boom area. This is a $12 billion industry we have not woken up to enough." 
Housing Market: 8/10
"Another stonking week of prices, sales, headlines, records, panic, consternation, finger pointing, blame, and questions.
“God, it's awesome to watch."
RCEP Trade Deal: 6/10
"Because all free trade deals are good.
“But this got over-hyped given we already have deals with the people involved, deals on deals don’t automatically make better deals.
“What we wanted was India and they're not playing."
Happiness: 7/10
"Wellbeing numbers show we are happy, but not as happy as we could be.
“That’s up to us. You want to be happy? You will. You want to succeed? You will? If you tell yourself you will, you will.
“Message for life, grasshopper."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>155falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-it-s-time-to-aspire-for-a-better-future--1008155My major frustration this year has not been our Covid approach, but the fact we seem to have given up.
We handled the outbreak reasonably well. We could have isolated earlier, we could have closed the border earlier, we could have done quarantine earlier, but once we got there, it worked, and outbreaks aside, it's gone pretty well.
But that’s where it appeared to end, that's where we seem to have rested on our laurels, we've just spent the rest of the year going “look at us, we are the envy of the world.”
And when any one questions whether we might want to actually do a bit more, they sight Britain or America as reasons why we don’t want to. There are, of course, parts of the world, namely Asia, you don’t hear so much about. That's because the mainstream media is lazy, mainly because it doesn’t suit our cause.
And that cause should be to out shine everyone, to take a great start, and build on it. Sort of like Australia is. Yes, Victoria made a hash of it, but that wasn’t Canberra's fault, it was Melbourne's. Adelaide may be the same, we'll see.
But their Prime Minister is in Japan doing business. Why? Because he's a go getter. Their government job website, as we now know, is enticing workers from here to there. Why? Because they're go getters. Instead of sitting around having meetings, which we are, as to why people can't get workers, they're actually hiring them. They've actually got a bubble going, we aren't reciprocating.
What I want for us is desire. A desire to do better, be better, and to be proactive. If we don’t, we will be left behind. Australia is our greatest destination for talent. The brain drain goes one way and we are in danger of watching it get fired up.
They have tax cuts, less economic damage from lockdown , and a job market with incentives. Just how much more of this do we want to watch and not respond to before we start having the usual panicked conversation about why everyone has moved west?
Our fear, conservatism, and lack of drive will kill us. Yes, we did well, but then we stopped.
Australia didn’t. Scott Morrison said this week never let the fear of going back stop you going forward.
He's living that, and we're paralysed watching.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22972585/mh201120-01-covidnonrecoverycomment.mp3Thu, 19 Nov 2020 22:22:50 +0000RoccoIf Australia hadn't had a federalist model, I hate to think how far ahead of us they would be. My major frustration this year has not been our Covid approach, but the fact we seem to have given up. We handled the outbreak reasonably well. We could...My major frustration this year has not been our Covid approach, but the fact we seem to have given up.
We handled the outbreak reasonably well. We could have isolated earlier, we could have closed the border earlier, we could have done quarantine earlier, but once we got there, it worked, and outbreaks aside, it's gone pretty well.
But that’s where it appeared to end, that's where we seem to have rested on our laurels, we've just spent the rest of the year going “look at us, we are the envy of the world.”
And when any one questions whether we might want to actually do a bit more, they sight Britain or America as reasons why we don’t want to. There are, of course, parts of the world, namely Asia, you don’t hear so much about. That's because the mainstream media is lazy, mainly because it doesn’t suit our cause.
And that cause should be to out shine everyone, to take a great start, and build on it. Sort of like Australia is. Yes, Victoria made a hash of it, but that wasn’t Canberra's fault, it was Melbourne's. Adelaide may be the same, we'll see.
But their Prime Minister is in Japan doing business. Why? Because he's a go getter. Their government job website, as we now know, is enticing workers from here to there. Why? Because they're go getters. Instead of sitting around having meetings, which we are, as to why people can't get workers, they're actually hiring them. They've actually got a bubble going, we aren't reciprocating.
What I want for us is desire. A desire to do better, be better, and to be proactive. If we don’t, we will be left behind. Australia is our greatest destination for talent. The brain drain goes one way and we are in danger of watching it get fired up.
They have tax cuts, less economic damage from lockdown , and a job market with incentives. Just how much more of this do we want to watch and not respond to before we start having the usual panicked conversation about why everyone has moved west?
Our fear, conservatism, and lack of drive will kill us. Yes, we did well, but then we stopped.
Australia didn’t. Scott Morrison said this week never let the fear of going back stop you going forward.
He's living that, and we're paralysed watching.]]>121falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-james-shaw-is-trolling-us-with-his-car-ban-plan--1008430Tuesday, he was still banging on about that damn wealth tax despite the fact it, one, is not happening, and two, even if it was, it wasn’t solving the problem he was claiming it would solve, i.e. the price of houses and first home buyers trying to get into the market
Now its cars. Combustion engines to be precise, he wants them banned.
He’s not the first of course. Announcements have been made internationally, not least of which is in Britain where they are banning their import from 2030.
Why Boris Johnson do that given all he’s got on his plate I have no idea.
But James sees trouble in the fact that if we don’t ban them as well, they’ll dump their product on our market and to quote him, we’ll be stuffed.
Will we? Japan has dumped their product on our market for years and we love it. In fact, it’s not really been dumping we've gone out and made an industry of it.
James may not know this but if you wander the second hand yards of this country, they are full of imports from Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Britain and South Africa and a few specialist products via America.
And guess what? We buy them; buy them willingly and with a certain passion.
Why? Because one, they’ve brought the price of cars down, and two, they offer a range of vehicles that might otherwise be unavailable to us.
What James fails to get is largely we are driven by price. The average car in this country is well over a decade old, and one must also never forget the car fleet is owned by some of the most passionate motorists anywhere in the world.
We love cars: old, new, fast, noisy, and rare, more cars per head than anywhere outside America.
No one wants James' world of cycles and buses and EVs. Obviously some do, but not many or else we would be on to it already and we are not.
A cheap new EV is $70,000, and the bus doesn’t come past your door at the time you need it.
Banning stuff is the policy of defeat, used by megalomaniacs who failed to take the people with them.
Come back to me in 2030 in nine years’ time and let’s see who’s right, shall we?
 
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22972525/mh191120-01-carsalescomment.mp3Thu, 19 Nov 2020 03:54:05 +0000RoccoIs James Shaw trolling me? It’s Thursday and he’s onto his second wacky idea for the week. Tuesday, he was still banging on about that damn wealth tax despite the fact it, one, is not happening, and two, even if it was, it wasn’t solving the problem...Tuesday, he was still banging on about that damn wealth tax despite the fact it, one, is not happening, and two, even if it was, it wasn’t solving the problem he was claiming it would solve, i.e. the price of houses and first home buyers trying to get into the market
Now its cars. Combustion engines to be precise, he wants them banned.
He’s not the first of course. Announcements have been made internationally, not least of which is in Britain where they are banning their import from 2030.
Why Boris Johnson do that given all he’s got on his plate I have no idea.
But James sees trouble in the fact that if we don’t ban them as well, they’ll dump their product on our market and to quote him, we’ll be stuffed.
Will we? Japan has dumped their product on our market for years and we love it. In fact, it’s not really been dumping we've gone out and made an industry of it.
James may not know this but if you wander the second hand yards of this country, they are full of imports from Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Britain and South Africa and a few specialist products via America.
And guess what? We buy them; buy them willingly and with a certain passion.
Why? Because one, they’ve brought the price of cars down, and two, they offer a range of vehicles that might otherwise be unavailable to us.
What James fails to get is largely we are driven by price. The average car in this country is well over a decade old, and one must also never forget the car fleet is owned by some of the most passionate motorists anywhere in the world.
We love cars: old, new, fast, noisy, and rare, more cars per head than anywhere outside America.
No one wants James' world of cycles and buses and EVs. Obviously some do, but not many or else we would be on to it already and we are not.
A cheap new EV is $70,000, and the bus doesn’t come past your door at the time you need it.
Banning stuff is the policy of defeat, used by megalomaniacs who failed to take the people with them.
Come back to me in 2030 in nine years’ time and let’s see who’s right, shall we?
 
 ]]>106falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-the-all-blacks-deserve-our-loyalty--1008306This is a country with a nasty underbelly.
It is true that fans of most sports globally are fairly short on loyalty and calling for sackings is a sport in and of itself, and it's true to say that what the All Blacks have been up to these past two weeks has been less than fantastic.
But faith is for the long haul. Loyalty is about the good days, as well as the bad. And what we have seen this week is pretty low rent.
Sam Cane had a crack at some of the critics. Personally, I wouldn't have, but I don’t blame him. Having spent my career in the public eye you are, of course, open to an ever-increasing series of experts offering you their wisdom and help.
Most of them are dickheads who have aspired to little, achieved even less, so the trick is to see them for what they are, and let it slide.
Maybe that’s where Sam Cane came a bit unstuck? He's new to the captaincy and let it get to him. The older heads in the organisation should have got to him and advised differently, but it is what it is.
The All Blacks are public property and want support, so there is a relationship to balance. Part of that is a required, or expected, dose of success. And when it doesn’t come, the heat will follow.
But like so much these days, nuance, subtlety and perspective are of a bygone era.
So out came the clickbait headlines this week. "It's time for Foster to go" screamed one particularly superficial example. Are you serious? He only arrived last week, as did this year's All Blacks.
Man, we are short sighted. We long for international rugby all year, we pray for the break that will allow them to travel, to compete, to play in front of a crowd, and the first thing we do is start calling for sackings.
Can we hear ourselves? What the hell has happened to us? God forbid we judge ourselves by the same standards we judge others.
Yes, the All Blacks need to pull their finger out and get their act together. But here's the good news, they will.
And while they're doing it a bit, of patriotism and loyalty might not go amiss.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22972491/mh191120-13-allblackscomment.mp3Wed, 18 Nov 2020 23:26:06 +0000RoccoTell you what, what an unimpressive week it's been for the All Blacks, the fans, and the whole All Blacks experience. This is a country with a nasty underbelly. It is true that fans of most sports globally are fairly short on loyalty and calling for...This is a country with a nasty underbelly.
It is true that fans of most sports globally are fairly short on loyalty and calling for sackings is a sport in and of itself, and it's true to say that what the All Blacks have been up to these past two weeks has been less than fantastic.
But faith is for the long haul. Loyalty is about the good days, as well as the bad. And what we have seen this week is pretty low rent.
Sam Cane had a crack at some of the critics. Personally, I wouldn't have, but I don’t blame him. Having spent my career in the public eye you are, of course, open to an ever-increasing series of experts offering you their wisdom and help.
Most of them are dickheads who have aspired to little, achieved even less, so the trick is to see them for what they are, and let it slide.
Maybe that’s where Sam Cane came a bit unstuck? He's new to the captaincy and let it get to him. The older heads in the organisation should have got to him and advised differently, but it is what it is.
The All Blacks are public property and want support, so there is a relationship to balance. Part of that is a required, or expected, dose of success. And when it doesn’t come, the heat will follow.
But like so much these days, nuance, subtlety and perspective are of a bygone era.
So out came the clickbait headlines this week. "It's time for Foster to go" screamed one particularly superficial example. Are you serious? He only arrived last week, as did this year's All Blacks.
Man, we are short sighted. We long for international rugby all year, we pray for the break that will allow them to travel, to compete, to play in front of a crowd, and the first thing we do is start calling for sackings.
Can we hear ourselves? What the hell has happened to us? God forbid we judge ourselves by the same standards we judge others.
Yes, the All Blacks need to pull their finger out and get their act together. But here's the good news, they will.
And while they're doing it a bit, of patriotism and loyalty might not go amiss.]]>105falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-supermarket-study-to-drum-up-trouble-where-there-isn-t-any--1008269They didn’t, of course. Well apart from add to it, if you’re in Auckland.
So in the end we got an opaque sort of document that seemed  to suggest some sort of loosening of the whole sale market might help, and if petrol stations could stick some signs on the footpath advertising the different prices for different petrol, that would balance things up a bit.
The head of Gull, I think it was, said there already advertised -it’s on the pump.
There are also apps, and if you want to take any level of self-responsibility, you can work all this out for yourself. But we appear to be in an age where self-responsibility is a rarity and governments wiping our bums are in favour.
And so, we head now to the supermarket, where the Commerce Commission will try and do the same trick again without anyone noticing they’ll come up with the same result as petrol: nothing.
Oh, they’ll spot something: distribution, whole sale problems, some towns with not enough shops, too many Cameo Cremes in small markets. There has to be something otherwise it would look like they are wasting their time, which, of course, they are.
Like petrol stations, supermarkets are a multifaceted, highly complex series of operations that vary on a daily basis across so many aspects it makes your head spin.
The size of the town city or neighbourhood you’re in. the number of specials.  The lost leaders, the promotions ,the time of year; by the time you take all the products and all the deals and all the shops and mix it all up, it’s going to take a magician who can factually claim that fundamentally the industry is wanting and we are being fleeced.
Mixed in there is emotion - do you think things could be cheaper, well, what else are you going to say?
Is there enough competition, can you buy pineapple for less down the road, were chips a better deal last time you were on the gold coast?
We all think things are too expensive, but doesn’t mean they are. We are a small country with limited capacity, small towns have fewer players, and all the usual issues apply.
But the government promised we could save 30 cents a litre on petrol. Are we? No. Is it going to be any different with groceries? No.
Always remember: at all times, you are in charge. You choose to buy or not.  You choose to browse or not, you make comparisons or not.
Is it perfect? Of course, not anything is, but are supermarkets the scam of the age? Or is the age one of omnipresent authority looking to drum up trouble where there is little if any to be found?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22972444/mhb18-11-20-opening-comcom.mp3Wed, 18 Nov 2020 04:13:11 +0000RoccoThe over whelming feedback I got on the commerce commissions petrol industry inquiry was the hypocrisy of the government. Who, if they genuinely wanted to make a difference to the price of fuel, would have a look at their tax regime? They didn’t, of...They didn’t, of course. Well apart from add to it, if you’re in Auckland.
So in the end we got an opaque sort of document that seemed  to suggest some sort of loosening of the whole sale market might help, and if petrol stations could stick some signs on the footpath advertising the different prices for different petrol, that would balance things up a bit.
The head of Gull, I think it was, said there already advertised -it’s on the pump.
There are also apps, and if you want to take any level of self-responsibility, you can work all this out for yourself. But we appear to be in an age where self-responsibility is a rarity and governments wiping our bums are in favour.
And so, we head now to the supermarket, where the Commerce Commission will try and do the same trick again without anyone noticing they’ll come up with the same result as petrol: nothing.
Oh, they’ll spot something: distribution, whole sale problems, some towns with not enough shops, too many Cameo Cremes in small markets. There has to be something otherwise it would look like they are wasting their time, which, of course, they are.
Like petrol stations, supermarkets are a multifaceted, highly complex series of operations that vary on a daily basis across so many aspects it makes your head spin.
The size of the town city or neighbourhood you’re in. the number of specials.  The lost leaders, the promotions ,the time of year; by the time you take all the products and all the deals and all the shops and mix it all up, it’s going to take a magician who can factually claim that fundamentally the industry is wanting and we are being fleeced.
Mixed in there is emotion - do you think things could be cheaper, well, what else are you going to say?
Is there enough competition, can you buy pineapple for less down the road, were chips a better deal last time you were on the gold coast?
We all think things are too expensive, but doesn’t mean they are. We are a small country with limited capacity, small towns have fewer players, and all the usual issues apply.
But the government promised we could save 30 cents a litre on petrol. Are we? No. Is it going to be any different with groceries? No.
Always remember: at all times, you are in charge. You choose to buy or not.  You choose to browse or not, you make comparisons or not.
Is it perfect? Of course, not anything is, but are supermarkets the scam of the age? Or is the age one of omnipresent authority looking to drum up trouble where there is little if any to be found?]]>130falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-is-there-really-angst-in-the-housing-market--1008396Chief Economist at Westpac Dominick Stephens is suggesting some sort of wealth tax is coming. By mid-decade, maybe 2024 or so, a tax of some description is on its way he reckons, and it's coming because of the anger.
And that is anger from the disparity of the haves and the have nots. The have nots, according to Stephens, are going to be so outraged no government will ignore them, and some sort of redistribution mechanism is on to quell the fury.
It's an alarming statement in an otherwise upbeat-ish sort of report. He, like all the other economists and banks, are concluding that the Covid recession or depression is not as bad as first feared and that the bounce back is on. As in the third quarter number will be solid, it won't cancel out what we lost, but by next year we could be in roses.
How he works that out, how any of them work it out, I have no idea. Given next year tourists still won't be back, and given, along with farming, they are our two biggest foreign income earners.
Where the 6.2 percent growth is, I'm not sure. I hope he is right, but given we went backwards a bit over 4 percent this year, and we still don’t collect from tourists next year to get 6 percent, someone somewhere is rolling in it.
Well, they better not be rolling in it too much, because I assume that will merely add to the anger and fury he talks of and the need for new taxes.
It's all predicated on housing, of course, and this general acceptance that the government support helped by the Reserve Bank's money machine is driving what they call an asset bubble. So if you have assets, like a house or houses, you are getting richer, while those who don’t have one, don’t.
What we appear to be forgetting, as is so often the case in failing to learn from history, is that it's not like housing hasn’t got hot before. And given it has, many times, what happened to the anger then? Why not a wealth tax then? And why a desperate need for one now? And given the rise and rise and rise of the first home buyer in the market, are people really missing out?
Or is this just a continuation of the age-old story? For some housing has always been a bridge too far, and a tax won't change that.
Anyway, my gut says we are not quite as jazzed up about this as Stephens thinks. There's a reason people like Jacinda Ardern, especially, backed off on a capital gains tax, and why she put her foot down on a wealth tax, she can read the room.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22972399/mhb18-11-20-comment-on-westpac-banks.mp3Tue, 17 Nov 2020 21:45:25 +0000RoccoWell, well, well, high drama and tension at the banks, one bank anyway. Chief Economist at Westpac Dominick Stephens is suggesting some sort of wealth tax is coming. By mid-decade, maybe 2024 or so, a tax of some description is on its way he reckons,...Chief Economist at Westpac Dominick Stephens is suggesting some sort of wealth tax is coming. By mid-decade, maybe 2024 or so, a tax of some description is on its way he reckons, and it's coming because of the anger.
And that is anger from the disparity of the haves and the have nots. The have nots, according to Stephens, are going to be so outraged no government will ignore them, and some sort of redistribution mechanism is on to quell the fury.
It's an alarming statement in an otherwise upbeat-ish sort of report. He, like all the other economists and banks, are concluding that the Covid recession or depression is not as bad as first feared and that the bounce back is on. As in the third quarter number will be solid, it won't cancel out what we lost, but by next year we could be in roses.
How he works that out, how any of them work it out, I have no idea. Given next year tourists still won't be back, and given, along with farming, they are our two biggest foreign income earners.
Where the 6.2 percent growth is, I'm not sure. I hope he is right, but given we went backwards a bit over 4 percent this year, and we still don’t collect from tourists next year to get 6 percent, someone somewhere is rolling in it.
Well, they better not be rolling in it too much, because I assume that will merely add to the anger and fury he talks of and the need for new taxes.
It's all predicated on housing, of course, and this general acceptance that the government support helped by the Reserve Bank's money machine is driving what they call an asset bubble. So if you have assets, like a house or houses, you are getting richer, while those who don’t have one, don’t.
What we appear to be forgetting, as is so often the case in failing to learn from history, is that it's not like housing hasn’t got hot before. And given it has, many times, what happened to the anger then? Why not a wealth tax then? And why a desperate need for one now? And given the rise and rise and rise of the first home buyer in the market, are people really missing out?
Or is this just a continuation of the age-old story? For some housing has always been a bridge too far, and a tax won't change that.
Anyway, my gut says we are not quite as jazzed up about this as Stephens thinks. There's a reason people like Jacinda Ardern, especially, backed off on a capital gains tax, and why she put her foot down on a wealth tax, she can read the room.]]>146falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-prince-charles-pricey-fashion-line-deserves-praise-not-criticism--1008273One of his jackets costs about two and a half grand, while a jersey costs 900 pounds.  
Which is a lot, but it’s not worth ridiculing a person for.
What’s driving it is what drives most of his business operations and that is sustainability and history.
I am a massive fan of the prince, largely because I’ve read a lot about him and watched a lot of what he’s doing, and what he’s doing is worth knowing about and not superficially judging.
He might well be the most productive royal, not just of the modern age, but ever. The Duchy of Cornwall goes back to the 1300s, and until Charles came along it never made a profit, now it does.
He has helped and supported thousands of jobs over the years trying to preserve time honoured skills and traditions.
He’s produced an astonishing housing development called Poundberry, that people que to pay above the odds to live in.
And all of it has been driven by a rare consistency over his passion for the planet that he has been warning us about for 50 years. He was green before anyone knew climate change would be a thing.
The warnings were out when we still thought coal was the only game in town. And he’s advocated for things like wool, when the world went cheap and synthetic, he argued for wools natural qualities and longevity.
For a while he might have looked old fashioned; now he looks a visionary.
Ask Cavalier Carpets here, who this year announced they were ditching man made for entirely wool. It’ll hit their bottom line for a while, but they are seeing the big picture, which is what Charles has seen for decades.
So yes, his jacket is two and a half grand, but its quality. Its handmade, it’s used skills, its created sustainable jobs, it’s designed to last a lifetime so that the throw away fashion industry stops producing cheap crap that falls apart on the first wash and is binned seasonally.
A big chunk of the fashion industry is waking up to this, from Giorgio Armani to Maggie Marilyn here
No a $900 jersey isn’t for everyone, but quality and longevity have always had their place, now so more than ever. And in a world where talking about stuff is easy, the doing is harder.
The Prince is actually doing, which is worth support not a negative headline. Even if you never buy a jersey of his read up about his work, and tell me you’re not impressed.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22972351/mh171120-01-cancellingcharlescomment.mp3Tue, 17 Nov 2020 03:25:29 +0000RoccoPrince Charles has launched a capsule collection of clothing. Sadly, given we live in the age of misery, he is being chastised for being out of touch. One of his jackets costs about two and a half grand, while a jersey costs 900 pounds.   Which is a...One of his jackets costs about two and a half grand, while a jersey costs 900 pounds.  
Which is a lot, but it’s not worth ridiculing a person for.
What’s driving it is what drives most of his business operations and that is sustainability and history.
I am a massive fan of the prince, largely because I’ve read a lot about him and watched a lot of what he’s doing, and what he’s doing is worth knowing about and not superficially judging.
He might well be the most productive royal, not just of the modern age, but ever. The Duchy of Cornwall goes back to the 1300s, and until Charles came along it never made a profit, now it does.
He has helped and supported thousands of jobs over the years trying to preserve time honoured skills and traditions.
He’s produced an astonishing housing development called Poundberry, that people que to pay above the odds to live in.
And all of it has been driven by a rare consistency over his passion for the planet that he has been warning us about for 50 years. He was green before anyone knew climate change would be a thing.
The warnings were out when we still thought coal was the only game in town. And he’s advocated for things like wool, when the world went cheap and synthetic, he argued for wools natural qualities and longevity.
For a while he might have looked old fashioned; now he looks a visionary.
Ask Cavalier Carpets here, who this year announced they were ditching man made for entirely wool. It’ll hit their bottom line for a while, but they are seeing the big picture, which is what Charles has seen for decades.
So yes, his jacket is two and a half grand, but its quality. Its handmade, it’s used skills, its created sustainable jobs, it’s designed to last a lifetime so that the throw away fashion industry stops producing cheap crap that falls apart on the first wash and is binned seasonally.
A big chunk of the fashion industry is waking up to this, from Giorgio Armani to Maggie Marilyn here
No a $900 jersey isn’t for everyone, but quality and longevity have always had their place, now so more than ever. And in a world where talking about stuff is easy, the doing is harder.
The Prince is actually doing, which is worth support not a negative headline. Even if you never buy a jersey of his read up about his work, and tell me you’re not impressed.]]>127falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-good-to-see-the-greens-have-less-power--1008162Jan Logie wants Labour to double sick leave before Christmas. It's not happening. I talked to the Prime Minister off air yesterday, they want it to go through the select committee process.
There are bits and pieces around part timers, casual workers, and the sort of detail you might not think of if you were in a rush to pass law. It's clearly the sort of rush Logie is in, and yet another reminder of why earnest amateurs do not serve this country well at the highest level.
Besides, doubling sick leave is a cost many employers need like a hole in the head.
Which, beyond the Greens, is a reminder that although they aren't in government, the fact Labour is shows that they are no real friends of business either. The minimum wage increases along with the sick leave are proof of that.
Also, the Greens through James Shaw, have had a good crack at Labour over the price of houses and the lack of a wealth tax. The point Shaw makes, which is fair, is that Labour made much in opposition of the cost of a house, how unfair it all was, how they would do something about it, but they've watched them skyrocket further.
But where Shaw misses the point, either deliberately or through lack of knowledge, is that the most active people in the market right now are first home buyers. That is good and regular folks who are trading up, down, moving town, or just generally taking advantage of cheap money and purchasing an everyday home to live in.
None of this attracts a wealth tax, even if we had one. Remember you need to have a million bucks above and beyond your home and debts.
Shaw makes the mistake of many a politician, the belief that they can control everything. The housing market has become an obsession for no good reason, it's sucked politicians in year after year, and made fools of them. Governments can't change markets. If they could, they would have, but they haven't.
Banks have more influence than governments, wider economic circumstances beyond our control have more influence than governments, and we have more influence than governments.
Why they haven't learned that, I don’t know because who needs the headache? But we can be grateful for the fact some of that Green's nuttiness is no longer round the table the way it used to be.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22972317/mh171120-13-greenscomment.mp3Mon, 16 Nov 2020 22:14:00 +0000RoccoAren't you pleased the Greens aren't in government anymore? I mean they are, but not in a way that's going to bother us at all. Jan Logie wants Labour to double sick leave before Christmas. It's not happening. I talked to the Prime Minister off air...Jan Logie wants Labour to double sick leave before Christmas. It's not happening. I talked to the Prime Minister off air yesterday, they want it to go through the select committee process.
There are bits and pieces around part timers, casual workers, and the sort of detail you might not think of if you were in a rush to pass law. It's clearly the sort of rush Logie is in, and yet another reminder of why earnest amateurs do not serve this country well at the highest level.
Besides, doubling sick leave is a cost many employers need like a hole in the head.
Which, beyond the Greens, is a reminder that although they aren't in government, the fact Labour is shows that they are no real friends of business either. The minimum wage increases along with the sick leave are proof of that.
Also, the Greens through James Shaw, have had a good crack at Labour over the price of houses and the lack of a wealth tax. The point Shaw makes, which is fair, is that Labour made much in opposition of the cost of a house, how unfair it all was, how they would do something about it, but they've watched them skyrocket further.
But where Shaw misses the point, either deliberately or through lack of knowledge, is that the most active people in the market right now are first home buyers. That is good and regular folks who are trading up, down, moving town, or just generally taking advantage of cheap money and purchasing an everyday home to live in.
None of this attracts a wealth tax, even if we had one. Remember you need to have a million bucks above and beyond your home and debts.
Shaw makes the mistake of many a politician, the belief that they can control everything. The housing market has become an obsession for no good reason, it's sucked politicians in year after year, and made fools of them. Governments can't change markets. If they could, they would have, but they haven't.
Banks have more influence than governments, wider economic circumstances beyond our control have more influence than governments, and we have more influence than governments.
Why they haven't learned that, I don’t know because who needs the headache? But we can be grateful for the fact some of that Green's nuttiness is no longer round the table the way it used to be.]]>121falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/dolly-parton-on-her-first-christmas-album-in-30-years-and-new-book--1008283The country legend joined Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking to talk about her new Christmas album, A Holly Dolly Christmas. It's the star's first Christmas album in over 30 years, following her last festive record with Kenny Rogers released in 1984. 2020's offering, A Holly Dolly Christmas, features her goddaughter Miley Cyrus, plus Billy Ray Cyrus, Michael Buble, and Jimmy Fallon to name a few.
"I'm so proud of the Kenny/Dolly album, I don't think we'll ever top that, nor would we ever need to, but that was 30 years ago. So I figured it was about time for me to do something a little different," she says.
The 74-year-old is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon - she is also promoting her book Songteller: My Life in Lyrics, out this week. She picked 175 songs that had the best stories and tells readers the stories behind the lyrics.
"I love to work, and I love to stay busy. I think energy begets energy, and I like to feel like I'm putting something in the world every day."
Songteller saw Parton select just a fraction of the songs she has written over her career, and she explains to Hosking her priority wasn't picking the tracks that were the most well known, but the songs that had the most interesting stories behind them.
"I chose a lot of my favourite songs that are not that well known," Parton explains.
"I just actually thought about the songs that had a pretty good story, that I thought would hold people's interest."
Hosking asks her what the pandemic has been like. Parton says although the coronavirus pandemic has affected everyone in different ways, her already small circle means she hasn't had to make too many changes to how she makes music.
"I've actually been able to do everything within a little circle, and we've done it very safely, we get tested all the time ... we manage to make it all work."
Parton's music and charm has inspired generations of fans, and the singer is grateful for the longevity of her career
"I'm hoping that I have something to say to every generation because songs are always the same feelings. We cry the same tears, you know, at different times," she says.
"I've been around so long that people kinda think of me as a family member, like a sister or a favourite aunt, someone they've always known."
She credits her upbringing for helping her remain grounded.
"I do think there's a lot to be said about being brought up poor with humble beginnings. I never take for granted anything that I have, I'm grateful for everything," she says.
"You do always appreciate the value of a dollar when you've been brought up poor, but you also appreciate the success. I've always said there's a difference between being successful and being a success.
"You're only a true success when you can enjoy being successful, knowing what you've got and appreciating it, and counting your blessings more often than you count your money."
Parton has also released a new book called Songteller: My Life in Lyrics. It tells the stories of some of her most famous songs, how they came about, and why they mean so much to her.
A Holly Dolly Christmas is out now, and Songteller: My Life In Lyrics is out tomorrow.
• Watch the full interview with Mike Hosking above. ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22972315/mh171120-21-dollyparton-book.mp3Mon, 16 Nov 2020 21:31:48 +0000RoccoLeave it to music legend Dolly Parton to bring some Christmas cheer to 2020. The country legend joined Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking to talk about her new Christmas album, A Holly Dolly Christmas. It's the star's first Christmas album in over 30 years,...The country legend joined Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking to talk about her new Christmas album, A Holly Dolly Christmas. It's the star's first Christmas album in over 30 years, following her last festive record with Kenny Rogers released in 1984. 2020's offering, A Holly Dolly Christmas, features her goddaughter Miley Cyrus, plus Billy Ray Cyrus, Michael Buble, and Jimmy Fallon to name a few.
"I'm so proud of the Kenny/Dolly album, I don't think we'll ever top that, nor would we ever need to, but that was 30 years ago. So I figured it was about time for me to do something a little different," she says.
The 74-year-old is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon - she is also promoting her book Songteller: My Life in Lyrics, out this week. She picked 175 songs that had the best stories and tells readers the stories behind the lyrics.
"I love to work, and I love to stay busy. I think energy begets energy, and I like to feel like I'm putting something in the world every day."
Songteller saw Parton select just a fraction of the songs she has written over her career, and she explains to Hosking her priority wasn't picking the tracks that were the most well known, but the songs that had the most interesting stories behind them.
"I chose a lot of my favourite songs that are not that well known," Parton explains.
"I just actually thought about the songs that had a pretty good story, that I thought would hold people's interest."
Hosking asks her what the pandemic has been like. Parton says although the coronavirus pandemic has affected everyone in different ways, her already small circle means she hasn't had to make too many changes to how she makes music.
"I've actually been able to do everything within a little circle, and we've done it very safely, we get tested all the time ... we manage to make it all work."
Parton's music and charm has inspired generations of fans, and the singer is grateful for the longevity of her career
"I'm hoping that I have something to say to every generation because songs are always the same feelings. We cry the same tears, you know, at different times," she says.
"I've been around so long that people kinda think of me as a family member, like a sister or a favourite aunt, someone they've always known."
She credits her upbringing for helping her remain grounded.
"I do think there's a lot to be said about being brought up poor with humble beginnings. I never take for granted anything that I have, I'm grateful for everything," she says.
"You do always appreciate the value of a dollar when you've been brought up poor, but you also appreciate the success. I've always said there's a difference between being successful and being a success.
"You're only a true success when you can enjoy being successful, knowing what you've got and appreciating it, and counting your blessings more often than you count your money."
Parton has also released a new book called Songteller: My Life in Lyrics. It tells the stories of some of her most famous songs, how they came about, and why they mean so much to her.
A Holly Dolly Christmas is out now, and Songteller: My Life In Lyrics is out tomorrow.
• Watch the full interview with Mike Hosking above. ]]>740falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-government-s-covid-response-a-shambles--1008285Yet again last week they overreacted, yet again they cost business millions, and yet again we find out that what they said was happening and what was actually happening are two completely different things.
Having closed downtown Auckland, it became fairly obvious at seven o'clock Friday morning when we talked to Chris Hipkins that the shutting down of the economic engine of the country was not required, and that the poor girl at the centre of this maelstrom was indeed connected to an established cluster.
By the end of the weekend, you had threats against the owner of the business, you had Auckland's Mayor laying into them for what they may or may not have done, you had lawyers claiming what the Ministry had said wasn’t entirely accurate, you had the Ministry defending themselves, and you had claim and counterclaim.
You had, in a nutshell, a shambles.
Meantime, back at the Vincent Apartments, the ones Hipkins told us were locked down with everyone in their room, it's turned into a comedy. The lobby looks decidedly like Waterloo Station at rush hour. No one is in their room.
In fact, the crime was we told Hipkins all this at seven o'clock Friday morning, at which point he clearly got on the phone only to find out none of what he said was happening, was.
The camera followed one resident walking out, through the lobby, walking down the street the wrong way to the wrong van, only to walk back up the street to the right van. If it was a comedy, no one would think it was real.
What haunts me about all this is clearly nothing has changed. All the border breaches, all the mistakes, all the misinformation, all the stuff they say is happening but isn't, is Deja Vu.
The index cases never tracked, the answers never found, the whole regime that’s never really quite up to scratch, and look at the price we are paying for this.
Events cancelled, millions of dollars lost, acrimony between lawyers, businesses and the Ministry, a Minister who clearly isn't joining dots, and all for what? One case.
This is the government nearly 50 percent of this country voted for. The government that failed on delivery for three years, and fresh out of the starting blocks of term two, hasn't changed a thing.
Is it too much to ask that, at some point, they might actually learn to do their job properly?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22972267/mh161120-12-fridayaucklandcbdshutdowncomment.mp3Sun, 15 Nov 2020 21:42:53 +0000RoccoTurns out the Covid cluster we really need to be worried about is called the government cluster. Yet again last week they overreacted, yet again they cost business millions, and yet again we find out that what they said was happening and what was...Yet again last week they overreacted, yet again they cost business millions, and yet again we find out that what they said was happening and what was actually happening are two completely different things.
Having closed downtown Auckland, it became fairly obvious at seven o'clock Friday morning when we talked to Chris Hipkins that the shutting down of the economic engine of the country was not required, and that the poor girl at the centre of this maelstrom was indeed connected to an established cluster.
By the end of the weekend, you had threats against the owner of the business, you had Auckland's Mayor laying into them for what they may or may not have done, you had lawyers claiming what the Ministry had said wasn’t entirely accurate, you had the Ministry defending themselves, and you had claim and counterclaim.
You had, in a nutshell, a shambles.
Meantime, back at the Vincent Apartments, the ones Hipkins told us were locked down with everyone in their room, it's turned into a comedy. The lobby looks decidedly like Waterloo Station at rush hour. No one is in their room.
In fact, the crime was we told Hipkins all this at seven o'clock Friday morning, at which point he clearly got on the phone only to find out none of what he said was happening, was.
The camera followed one resident walking out, through the lobby, walking down the street the wrong way to the wrong van, only to walk back up the street to the right van. If it was a comedy, no one would think it was real.
What haunts me about all this is clearly nothing has changed. All the border breaches, all the mistakes, all the misinformation, all the stuff they say is happening but isn't, is Deja Vu.
The index cases never tracked, the answers never found, the whole regime that’s never really quite up to scratch, and look at the price we are paying for this.
Events cancelled, millions of dollars lost, acrimony between lawyers, businesses and the Ministry, a Minister who clearly isn't joining dots, and all for what? One case.
This is the government nearly 50 percent of this country voted for. The government that failed on delivery for three years, and fresh out of the starting blocks of term two, hasn't changed a thing.
Is it too much to ask that, at some point, they might actually learn to do their job properly?]]>117falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/jacinda-ardern-mandatory-mask-order-for-auckland-transport-and-flights-in-place-for-foreseeable-future--1008410Cabinet meets today to discuss making masks mandatory on planes and Auckland public transport in a bid to prevent further community transmission of Covid-19.
The new rules could be in force as early as Thursday, though some experts say the public health order should be broadened to give more protection against the deadly virus.
It follows a community infection scare last week after an AUT student tested positive for the virus after going to work and visiting various other business in the central city while potentially infectious.
Ardern said today while wearing maks on public transport would immediately impact Auckland commuters, the extent it would impact the rest of the country was under discussion. She said cabinet would be taking a "proportionate" approach.
"No one wants Covid to be with us but for long as it is these precautions are necessary for the foreseeable - we're not talking about short term here."
The Prime Minister this morning told Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking while mask-wearing on public transport would immediately impact Auckland commuters, the extent it would impact the rest of the country was under discussion.
She said the cabinet would be taking a proportionate approach.
Ardern today defended the move to request Auckland's CBD workers to stay home Friday saying it was a necessary move which took into account the various risks.
She said it allowed for 24 hours of caution to establish the link with the existing cases.
It enabled time to get the genome sequencing ahead of taking more drastic action.
"Had that case come back and not been linked with the one we had in the inner city then that would indicate a much bigger problem," she said.
The alternative was to not do anything, cross your fingers and then see unchecked community spread.
"I don't want that," she said.
Cabinet would be discussing the mandatory use of masks today, Ardern confirmed.
If adopted mask use would be required for the "foreseeable future".
"We're thinking about places that it's hard to trace people," she said, referring to buses.
Yesterday a neighbour of the AUT student was confirmed as a positive case following further investigations.
There were also two new cases; both are returnees in managed isolation.
The new case connected to the Defence Force cluster was confirmed after returning a "weak positive" result on Saturday.
The person's initial test was negative but a further test picked up the weak positive result which officials investigated further.
The Ministry of Health said the test results indicated a "very recent infection".
The neighbour was classed as a close contact of the AUT student - also known as Case D - who lives in the Vincent Residences and attended work last week at A-Z Collection on High St despite being unwell.
The neighbour has been in the Auckland quarantine facility since November 12.
The Auckland Regional Public Health Unit has also identified seven close contacts and three casual contacts. All have been contacted and testing arranged.
Testing for all 10 contacts was expected to be completed by last night.
There are no places of interest identified to date for this latest case.
The other two cases in managed isolation are returnees from the UK and Dubai. Both have been transferred to the Auckland quarantine facility.
The number of active cases is 58 and the total number of confirmed cases is now 1645.
The Ministry of Health said increased demand for community testing continued over the weekend across Auckland's testing network.
More than 10,500 tests were processed on Saturday, bringing the total completed to date to 1.17 million tests.
Saturday was the highest number of tests processed in one day at a weekend since August 16.
Almost 70 per cent of the testing was in the Auckland region and 10 per cent in the Wellington region.
The ministry was continuing to ask people who w...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22972265/mh161120-10-jacindaardern-monday.mp3Sun, 15 Nov 2020 21:20:43 +0000RoccoThe Prime Minister has indicated masks will be made compulsory on Auckland public transport and flights for the "foreseeable future". Cabinet meets today to discuss making masks mandatory on planes and Auckland public transport in a bid to prevent...Cabinet meets today to discuss making masks mandatory on planes and Auckland public transport in a bid to prevent further community transmission of Covid-19.
The new rules could be in force as early as Thursday, though some experts say the public health order should be broadened to give more protection against the deadly virus.
It follows a community infection scare last week after an AUT student tested positive for the virus after going to work and visiting various other business in the central city while potentially infectious.
Ardern said today while wearing maks on public transport would immediately impact Auckland commuters, the extent it would impact the rest of the country was under discussion. She said cabinet would be taking a "proportionate" approach.
"No one wants Covid to be with us but for long as it is these precautions are necessary for the foreseeable - we're not talking about short term here."
The Prime Minister this morning told Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking while mask-wearing on public transport would immediately impact Auckland commuters, the extent it would impact the rest of the country was under discussion.
She said the cabinet would be taking a proportionate approach.
Ardern today defended the move to request Auckland's CBD workers to stay home Friday saying it was a necessary move which took into account the various risks.
She said it allowed for 24 hours of caution to establish the link with the existing cases.
It enabled time to get the genome sequencing ahead of taking more drastic action.
"Had that case come back and not been linked with the one we had in the inner city then that would indicate a much bigger problem," she said.
The alternative was to not do anything, cross your fingers and then see unchecked community spread.
"I don't want that," she said.
Cabinet would be discussing the mandatory use of masks today, Ardern confirmed.
If adopted mask use would be required for the "foreseeable future".
"We're thinking about places that it's hard to trace people," she said, referring to buses.
Yesterday a neighbour of the AUT student was confirmed as a positive case following further investigations.
There were also two new cases; both are returnees in managed isolation.
The new case connected to the Defence Force cluster was confirmed after returning a "weak positive" result on Saturday.
The person's initial test was negative but a further test picked up the weak positive result which officials investigated further.
The Ministry of Health said the test results indicated a "very recent infection".
The neighbour was classed as a close contact of the AUT student - also known as Case D - who lives in the Vincent Residences and attended work last week at A-Z Collection on High St despite being unwell.
The neighbour has been in the Auckland quarantine facility since November 12.
The Auckland Regional Public Health Unit has also identified seven close contacts and three casual contacts. All have been contacted and testing arranged.
Testing for all 10 contacts was expected to be completed by last night.
There are no places of interest identified to date for this latest case.
The other two cases in managed isolation are returnees from the UK and Dubai. Both have been transferred to the Auckland quarantine facility.
The number of active cases is 58 and the total number of confirmed cases is now 1645.
The Ministry of Health said increased demand for community testing continued over the weekend across Auckland's testing network.
More than 10,500 tests were processed on Saturday, bringing the total completed to date to 1.17 million tests.
Saturday was the highest number of tests processed in one day at a weekend since August...]]>567falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-our-quarantine-system-is-a-shambles--1008308Joe Biden.
8/10.
"He's across the line, the speech is given, and the transition is on."
Donald Trump.
2/10.
"He's on the golf course, miserable, washed up, and looking exceedingly unpresidential."
MIQ Facilities and the Voucher System.
4/10.
"I get that it's hard when a lot of people want to come home and you don’t have the room.
But the mish mash, Mickey Mouse sort of calamity that seems to be operating as our quarantine service smacks, yet again, of a lack of organisation and precision."
West Indies Cricket Team Breaking Quarantine Rules.
1/10.
"Idiots."
The Economy.
7/10.
"Overall, we still aren't where we were. But a lot are, and doing better than we thought.
All good news is welcome."
The Reserve Bank.
6/10.
"Overall, they're shovelling well but the LVR call is an overreaction.
We'll see housing go nuts between now and March."
Growing Up in NZ Longitudinal Study.
8/10.
"The media, who can't get enough of a good whinge, picked the bullying stats out of this survey.
But what was also in there, if you cared to look, was the fact that if you're eight, growing up in this country is, was, and will most likely always be, pretty damn good."
Fruit and Vege Picker Shortage.
4/10.
"It's not just courgettes, it's all fruit and field work. This is another battle that seems harder than it needs to be.  
Why can't we get workers? Why does the problem not get resolved? How much energy is lost dragging this out, instead of fixing it?"
NZ Post.
4/10.
"They announce the start of the festive delivery season and so far at our house, they’ve lost two bags of tea and a dumbbell. Don’t ask.
Point is, I have little faith in a lot of stuff getting anywhere close to where it needs to be."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22972111/mh131120-14-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 12 Nov 2020 22:50:54 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. Joe Biden. 8/10. "He's across the line, the speech is given, and the transition is on." Donald Trump. 2/10. "He's on the golf...Joe Biden.
8/10.
"He's across the line, the speech is given, and the transition is on."
Donald Trump.
2/10.
"He's on the golf course, miserable, washed up, and looking exceedingly unpresidential."
MIQ Facilities and the Voucher System.
4/10.
"I get that it's hard when a lot of people want to come home and you don’t have the room.
But the mish mash, Mickey Mouse sort of calamity that seems to be operating as our quarantine service smacks, yet again, of a lack of organisation and precision."
West Indies Cricket Team Breaking Quarantine Rules.
1/10.
"Idiots."
The Economy.
7/10.
"Overall, we still aren't where we were. But a lot are, and doing better than we thought.
All good news is welcome."
The Reserve Bank.
6/10.
"Overall, they're shovelling well but the LVR call is an overreaction.
We'll see housing go nuts between now and March."
Growing Up in NZ Longitudinal Study.
8/10.
"The media, who can't get enough of a good whinge, picked the bullying stats out of this survey.
But what was also in there, if you cared to look, was the fact that if you're eight, growing up in this country is, was, and will most likely always be, pretty damn good."
Fruit and Vege Picker Shortage.
4/10.
"It's not just courgettes, it's all fruit and field work. This is another battle that seems harder than it needs to be.  
Why can't we get workers? Why does the problem not get resolved? How much energy is lost dragging this out, instead of fixing it?"
NZ Post.
4/10.
"They announce the start of the festive delivery season and so far at our house, they’ve lost two bags of tea and a dumbbell. Don’t ask.
Point is, I have little faith in a lot of stuff getting anywhere close to where it needs to be."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>152falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-donald-trump-won-t-be-back-in-2024--1008356There are still a decent number of people here, certainly in the States, and I am guessing around the world that believe Donald Trump got robbed. The fact we are having increasing numbers of court cases tossed out, I assume, whittles the numbers.
The fact the poll yesterday had 80 percent of Americans believing Joe Biden was the winner moves the needle as well. But there are those who are convinced, and social media and YouTube haven't helped, that there is scandal to be had, and it needs outing. The fact the result now isn't actually even that close makes it even weirder.
It's not like this was a majority vote and in a count of 150 million votes Biden won by 212, or Biden won by a single electoral vote in one state and we want a recount, he's actually won by quite a lot. The result isn't going to get changed.
The even odder thing, is the people who refuse to see reality are, of course, influenced by the bloke who still doesn’t see it himself.
As each day passes, it's going to get more humiliating. Literally, how long do you dig in for before at some point you're going to actually have to pack a bag and naff off? And you might actually have to say something publicly.
The Republicans aren't helping by standing alongside Trump in his lawful right to check proceedings. They're legit, but they're confusing a constitutional right with a belligerent President who somehow thinks if he hangs out in court long enough things are going to go his way.
Having predicted his loss, let me make another prediction.
He won't be back.
The idea that 70 million plus voted for you is real, it's not to be underestimated, but this theory he will run in 2024 is not real. Increasingly, Trump is a time and place anathema. His broad belief about America will still be the belief of many, but he was a lightning rod, not a figure of historic change.
Guys like him come and go, you seize the moment, and he did. But when the moment passes, which it has, you can't reheat it.
He already looks stale, and it's barely two weeks since the vote.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22972104/mh131120-01-trumpindenialcomment.mp3Thu, 12 Nov 2020 21:49:02 +0000RoccoThis week has been another good insight or lesson into the mindset of some, who even when faced with overwhelming evidence, do not want to see what's there. There are still a decent number of people here, certainly in the States, and I am guessing...There are still a decent number of people here, certainly in the States, and I am guessing around the world that believe Donald Trump got robbed. The fact we are having increasing numbers of court cases tossed out, I assume, whittles the numbers.
The fact the poll yesterday had 80 percent of Americans believing Joe Biden was the winner moves the needle as well. But there are those who are convinced, and social media and YouTube haven't helped, that there is scandal to be had, and it needs outing. The fact the result now isn't actually even that close makes it even weirder.
It's not like this was a majority vote and in a count of 150 million votes Biden won by 212, or Biden won by a single electoral vote in one state and we want a recount, he's actually won by quite a lot. The result isn't going to get changed.
The even odder thing, is the people who refuse to see reality are, of course, influenced by the bloke who still doesn’t see it himself.
As each day passes, it's going to get more humiliating. Literally, how long do you dig in for before at some point you're going to actually have to pack a bag and naff off? And you might actually have to say something publicly.
The Republicans aren't helping by standing alongside Trump in his lawful right to check proceedings. They're legit, but they're confusing a constitutional right with a belligerent President who somehow thinks if he hangs out in court long enough things are going to go his way.
Having predicted his loss, let me make another prediction.
He won't be back.
The idea that 70 million plus voted for you is real, it's not to be underestimated, but this theory he will run in 2024 is not real. Increasingly, Trump is a time and place anathema. His broad belief about America will still be the belief of many, but he was a lightning rod, not a figure of historic change.
Guys like him come and go, you seize the moment, and he did. But when the moment passes, which it has, you can't reheat it.
He already looks stale, and it's barely two weeks since the vote.]]>113falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-labour-s-punitive-tax-plan-proves-what-a-poorly-paid-country-we-are--1008279Top earners, earners over $180 000, are facing a large tax increase probably in law by the end of the year. 33 to 39 cents in every dollar they earn.
The warning is be careful when you start to reorganise your finances to avoid it, and make no mistake plenty of people will.
And in that is the age old mistake so many governments have made over the years when it comes to taxation.
Having a top rate different to the business rate simply means many people will turn themselves into a business and if the difference is 39 vs 28, why wouldn’t you?
Also trust tax rates are low 30s, so the temptation is there as well for a bit of shuffling.
This of course contrasts with Australia’s moves. As of next week their tax thresholds are changing and people actually get to keep their money and more of it.
And that’s before you get to the bit where they also have the first $18,000 or so tax free, so by the time you add it all up, it’s a better deal across the ditch, which is why in part, along with the generally higher wages we have got to be very, very wary of another brain drain at a time when we can least afford to lose anyone, far less the highly skilled.
Anyway, back to tax, the new top rate is justified because it only applies to two percent of earners and in that is another irony if not sadness.
The fact only two percent earn more than $180,000, merely proves what a poorly paid and generally poor country we are and that is nothing to be proud of.
One of the American  states was looking to up their top tax rate above $250,000, and that would capture the top three percent, not two.
And further, not only doesn’t it capture many people it doesn’t therefore capture much money.
The Government claims  $500 million. It will of course be nothing of the sort by the time the trusts and the companies have been set up, it’ll be well short, which then begs the question, why bother?
And the answer is, one, window dressing to make it look like they did something around tax to make them look transformative, the way they promised they would be.
And two, elitism, to make it in classic Labour style look like the so called worker is front and centre and those rich pricks can pick up the bill.
What this country so desperately needs is more success stories, more go getters, more highly paid, highly skilled winners, and less punitive thinking.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22972077/mh121120-21-newtaxescomment.mp3Thu, 12 Nov 2020 05:56:22 +0000RoccoIn a night follows day kind of way, I note the warnings are already out there over the governments new tax regime. Top earners, earners over $180 000, are facing a large tax increase probably in law by the end of the year. 33 to 39 cents in every...Top earners, earners over $180 000, are facing a large tax increase probably in law by the end of the year. 33 to 39 cents in every dollar they earn.
The warning is be careful when you start to reorganise your finances to avoid it, and make no mistake plenty of people will.
And in that is the age old mistake so many governments have made over the years when it comes to taxation.
Having a top rate different to the business rate simply means many people will turn themselves into a business and if the difference is 39 vs 28, why wouldn’t you?
Also trust tax rates are low 30s, so the temptation is there as well for a bit of shuffling.
This of course contrasts with Australia’s moves. As of next week their tax thresholds are changing and people actually get to keep their money and more of it.
And that’s before you get to the bit where they also have the first $18,000 or so tax free, so by the time you add it all up, it’s a better deal across the ditch, which is why in part, along with the generally higher wages we have got to be very, very wary of another brain drain at a time when we can least afford to lose anyone, far less the highly skilled.
Anyway, back to tax, the new top rate is justified because it only applies to two percent of earners and in that is another irony if not sadness.
The fact only two percent earn more than $180,000, merely proves what a poorly paid and generally poor country we are and that is nothing to be proud of.
One of the American  states was looking to up their top tax rate above $250,000, and that would capture the top three percent, not two.
And further, not only doesn’t it capture many people it doesn’t therefore capture much money.
The Government claims  $500 million. It will of course be nothing of the sort by the time the trusts and the companies have been set up, it’ll be well short, which then begs the question, why bother?
And the answer is, one, window dressing to make it look like they did something around tax to make them look transformative, the way they promised they would be.
And two, elitism, to make it in classic Labour style look like the so called worker is front and centre and those rich pricks can pick up the bill.
What this country so desperately needs is more success stories, more go getters, more highly paid, highly skilled winners, and less punitive thinking.]]>82falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-is-adrian-orr-making-the-right-moves--1008296Before he even gave his Monetary Policy Statement yesterday, Adrian Orr of the Reserve Bank appeared to be looking to backtrack on LVRs.
The deal was they would be taken off lending until May next year. Now he's looking at bringing them back in March. That’s a broken deal, that goes against your word, and leads to the question as to just what your word is worth.
That’s important because similar things have been said around the cash rate and how long it will stay where it is. People, especially banks, make major decisions over a longish period of time based on what the Reserve Bank says. So, if you're moveable on one thing, why not everything?
The banks aren't happy, and neither will first home buyers. I think, to be fair, there was an expectation given where the housing market is at, that investors might be looking for a change of setting as regards LVRs. But one of the bright spots in the market was that first home buyers were in with alacrity, proving yet again that the biggest hurdle for most first timers is not the mortgage, it's the deposit
And if you're looking at a $750,000 dollar house, the difference between a deposit of $75,000 or $150,000 is the difference between you being an owner or a renter.
The Orr view is based on his obvious fear that things are out of control, which they are not. Always remember the commercial banks in this country know what they're doing. They don't lend to people who can't pay, they're not nuts, and they're not in the business of having a pile of bad debt on their books.
Equally most people aren't stupid either. You know what you earn, you know what you can afford, and you know what you are prepared to pay.
Housing is hot right now, but it's been hot before, and it will be hot again. But it's not a bubble, it's never been a bubble, so let's cool our jets.
The Reserve Bank's role has never been more important. But it's important because it can print money, buy bonds, and use tools for lending we've never seen.
It can dig with a shovel the size no one else has. So, let's focus on that and keep the old sticky beak out of some poor 25-year olds life whose big dream is a step on the ladder, and Orr's attitude is the difference been it being realised or shattered.      ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22972034/mh121120-14-rbnzcomment.mp3Wed, 11 Nov 2020 21:58:06 +0000RoccoOld Scrooge McOrr is running the risk of ruining Christmas and getting off side with a lot of people. Before he even gave his Monetary Policy Statement yesterday, Adrian Orr of the Reserve Bank appeared to be looking to backtrack on LVRs. The deal was...Before he even gave his Monetary Policy Statement yesterday, Adrian Orr of the Reserve Bank appeared to be looking to backtrack on LVRs.
The deal was they would be taken off lending until May next year. Now he's looking at bringing them back in March. That’s a broken deal, that goes against your word, and leads to the question as to just what your word is worth.
That’s important because similar things have been said around the cash rate and how long it will stay where it is. People, especially banks, make major decisions over a longish period of time based on what the Reserve Bank says. So, if you're moveable on one thing, why not everything?
The banks aren't happy, and neither will first home buyers. I think, to be fair, there was an expectation given where the housing market is at, that investors might be looking for a change of setting as regards LVRs. But one of the bright spots in the market was that first home buyers were in with alacrity, proving yet again that the biggest hurdle for most first timers is not the mortgage, it's the deposit
And if you're looking at a $750,000 dollar house, the difference between a deposit of $75,000 or $150,000 is the difference between you being an owner or a renter.
The Orr view is based on his obvious fear that things are out of control, which they are not. Always remember the commercial banks in this country know what they're doing. They don't lend to people who can't pay, they're not nuts, and they're not in the business of having a pile of bad debt on their books.
Equally most people aren't stupid either. You know what you earn, you know what you can afford, and you know what you are prepared to pay.
Housing is hot right now, but it's been hot before, and it will be hot again. But it's not a bubble, it's never been a bubble, so let's cool our jets.
The Reserve Bank's role has never been more important. But it's important because it can print money, buy bonds, and use tools for lending we've never seen.
It can dig with a shovel the size no one else has. So, let's focus on that and keep the old sticky beak out of some poor 25-year olds life whose big dream is a step on the ladder, and Orr's attitude is the difference been it being realised or shattered.      ]]>117falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-mainstream-media-the-real-casualty-in-us-election-drama--1008357For the second time in recent days a number of networks in the States cut away from what was being said at the White House.
They cut away over the weekend when Trump was speaking. Some networks decided they didn’t like what he was saying, didn’t agree with it, thought it was false, so that was the end of that.
Kayleigh McEnany, White House spokesperson, got the same treatment yesterday.
Now, there’s a simple truth in a world of misinformation and untruths. Donald Trump is still the president.
The official side of the equation has not been sorted and won’t be for some days. In other words, the way these things work is that it generally becomes apparent as to what has happened in the election and a series of people, most notably the media along generally with the parties themselves, accept the outcome.
That’s slightly different this time. Trump of course doesn’t accept it, and no shortage of people in the Republican Party seem to think at the very least he should chasing some sort of resolution through the courts.
But while all that is going on, the last of the votes are still being counted and eventually an announcement will be made on the result.
Even at that point, even if Trump loses all his court battles, he is still the President until January next year. And as such, has the right to be treated as President because he is.
The simple reality is that, all over the world, a lot of strange unusual often dishonest material is passed off as fact or policy or promises at the highest of levels.
The media, especially the main stream media who still openly purport to be fair and balanced, have a duty to report it. So this new approach of editing as we go will do them then yet more damage in a world where their reputations range from questionable to outright trashed.
Another irony of course is their ongoing insistence on neutrality when no such thing exists. They are not fair or balanced or remotely neutral, the crime being they pretend they are.
So let’s have some rules, shall we?
If you hate Trump, always did and are now loving his demise, at least stick your hand up and say so, so that when you cut away from the office of the President we at least get why.
Otherwise, the job remains as it always has: to cover the office, not the President.
To inform, not editorialise, to be impartial in a way that actually shows you are, as opposed to the circus being offered up currently.    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22971998/mh111120-01-usmediacoveragecomment.mp3Wed, 11 Nov 2020 05:07:30 +0000RoccoOne of the casualties of the Trump era is the mainstream media, who, for reasons best known to themselves, continue through their own actions to damage their reputations values and performance. For the second time in recent days a number of networks...For the second time in recent days a number of networks in the States cut away from what was being said at the White House.
They cut away over the weekend when Trump was speaking. Some networks decided they didn’t like what he was saying, didn’t agree with it, thought it was false, so that was the end of that.
Kayleigh McEnany, White House spokesperson, got the same treatment yesterday.
Now, there’s a simple truth in a world of misinformation and untruths. Donald Trump is still the president.
The official side of the equation has not been sorted and won’t be for some days. In other words, the way these things work is that it generally becomes apparent as to what has happened in the election and a series of people, most notably the media along generally with the parties themselves, accept the outcome.
That’s slightly different this time. Trump of course doesn’t accept it, and no shortage of people in the Republican Party seem to think at the very least he should chasing some sort of resolution through the courts.
But while all that is going on, the last of the votes are still being counted and eventually an announcement will be made on the result.
Even at that point, even if Trump loses all his court battles, he is still the President until January next year. And as such, has the right to be treated as President because he is.
The simple reality is that, all over the world, a lot of strange unusual often dishonest material is passed off as fact or policy or promises at the highest of levels.
The media, especially the main stream media who still openly purport to be fair and balanced, have a duty to report it. So this new approach of editing as we go will do them then yet more damage in a world where their reputations range from questionable to outright trashed.
Another irony of course is their ongoing insistence on neutrality when no such thing exists. They are not fair or balanced or remotely neutral, the crime being they pretend they are.
So let’s have some rules, shall we?
If you hate Trump, always did and are now loving his demise, at least stick your hand up and say so, so that when you cut away from the office of the President we at least get why.
Otherwise, the job remains as it always has: to cover the office, not the President.
To inform, not editorialise, to be impartial in a way that actually shows you are, as opposed to the circus being offered up currently.    ]]>129falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-we-need-to-wake-up-to-the-economic-reality--1008363I somehow don’t think the curriculum moves at quite the pace the real world is at the moment, which is a shame. To understand what we are currently going through would be invaluable, and today is another important part of that.
The Reserve Bank will be detailing a number of ground breaking ideas and decisions involving negative interest rates and a funding for lending programme for commercial banks.
How it all works is the key. We have never been before on either matter, we have never even been close to being here on either matter. These are the most unconventional of unconventional tools.
And they are controversial. Australia, for example, seem determined not to go down the negative interest rate path, and yet we do.
Why?
The why is important because the consequences are massive.
The funding-for-lending programme is money and discount rates directly from the Reserve Bank to the commercial banks with a view to that money being sent out to keen borrowers to boost the economy. But how and on what?
The "what” is critical because the consequences are critical. The very reason we are here is because we are in serious trouble.
Which is the other part of the equation, the political side. Grant Robertson told us yesterday things are going better than expected, which is smoke and mirrors. What we expected was a guess, nothing more. We thought the house would burn down, turns out it's only two bedrooms, the front room, and the kitchen. So, phew.
The reality is if things were peachy Adrian Orr would have little to do today, except yak about the cash rate. Even that at 0.25 percent, is a story in itself.  And yet here he is, dishing out detail on some of the most draconian fiscal policy we are ever likely to see.
And how many of us understand it properly? How many can explain it? It affects us all, our jobs, our lives, and our futures, but my guess is very few have any real idea at all.
We are in the middle if history, watching it unfold, and yet sadly my guess is too many of us are bystanders, and in no real way participants.
It's a tragedy.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22971946/mh111120-14-covideconomicscomment.mp3Tue, 10 Nov 2020 21:29:40 +0000RoccoMy great hope is that those who have been doing their exams of late, especially the economics-based ones, have been able to, at least, be taught a bit, and tested on, what are truly remarkable times. I somehow don’t think the curriculum moves at quite...I somehow don’t think the curriculum moves at quite the pace the real world is at the moment, which is a shame. To understand what we are currently going through would be invaluable, and today is another important part of that.
The Reserve Bank will be detailing a number of ground breaking ideas and decisions involving negative interest rates and a funding for lending programme for commercial banks.
How it all works is the key. We have never been before on either matter, we have never even been close to being here on either matter. These are the most unconventional of unconventional tools.
And they are controversial. Australia, for example, seem determined not to go down the negative interest rate path, and yet we do.
Why?
The why is important because the consequences are massive.
The funding-for-lending programme is money and discount rates directly from the Reserve Bank to the commercial banks with a view to that money being sent out to keen borrowers to boost the economy. But how and on what?
The "what” is critical because the consequences are critical. The very reason we are here is because we are in serious trouble.
Which is the other part of the equation, the political side. Grant Robertson told us yesterday things are going better than expected, which is smoke and mirrors. What we expected was a guess, nothing more. We thought the house would burn down, turns out it's only two bedrooms, the front room, and the kitchen. So, phew.
The reality is if things were peachy Adrian Orr would have little to do today, except yak about the cash rate. Even that at 0.25 percent, is a story in itself.  And yet here he is, dishing out detail on some of the most draconian fiscal policy we are ever likely to see.
And how many of us understand it properly? How many can explain it? It affects us all, our jobs, our lives, and our futures, but my guess is very few have any real idea at all.
We are in the middle if history, watching it unfold, and yet sadly my guess is too many of us are bystanders, and in no real way participants.
It's a tragedy.]]>118falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-government-at-risk-of-missing-out-on-brain-gain-opportunity--1008393KEA (Kiwi Expats Association), as we told you yesterday, have done some excellent work on who the expats are that have arrived back, what they bring by way of skills, where they are heading to, how long they are staying, and what they plan to do here when they settle in.
This of course is something the government should have done, but this is not a government to seize opportunity.
We have an MIQ system seemingly unable to expand, a lack of private involvement in getting skills into the country, a lack of coordination on who should be brought in and by who, no idea who those are who are back are, what they’re doing and whether they are staying.
This all seems piece meal, a kind of suck and see approach and we hope it all works out.
The kea numbers look good in terms of investment. Lots will start businesses, any will employ people, a decent number seem to be headed for the regions.
But to call this a wave is an interesting term. Its 60 000. KEA says 250,000 could come home in the next two years and another 250,000 after that
Those numbers we need to be wary of. Why are they returning home? Covid. Will Covid still be an issue in two years. No - if it is we are all buggered.
So is it really a wave, or will it go back to what it has always been.
Expats who have done their time were always coming home anyway, and they are at least in part replaced by the new young things wandering off for their OE.  
Obviously anyone who comes back for good needs to be tapped into. A certain level of coordination is required - the more we know the more we can do.
And skills are always short, so KEA is right in many ways. This is a good news story.
But there is another side and what we should also be watching out for is Australia and the brain drain.
What we know is a certain group of people go where the going is good - that’s why we have so many returning home. We are Covid free, and that beats London, Los Angeles and Madrid right now.
But what we also know is Australia is a magnet, always has been the lights are bright and the money is good.
New Zealand can’t be and will not be an isolated haven forever. Australia is on the verge of re-emergence and will once again be competing for our talent. Whether it’s newly arrived back or already here and just waiting for a green light.
The KEA numbers show we have an opportunity, a rare maybe as they say, once in a lifetime chance
But what are we doing with it? Given the government don’t even have the data on who these people are, do you reckon they’ve even got a plan going forward?
And given they don’t, how long before it’s an opportunity missed?
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22971907/mh101120-01-returningkiwiscomment.mp3Tue, 10 Nov 2020 04:56:41 +0000RoccoIs it really an historic wave ? KEA (Kiwi Expats Association), as we told you yesterday, have done some excellent work on who the expats are that have arrived back, what they bring by way of skills, where they are heading to, how long they are...KEA (Kiwi Expats Association), as we told you yesterday, have done some excellent work on who the expats are that have arrived back, what they bring by way of skills, where they are heading to, how long they are staying, and what they plan to do here when they settle in.
This of course is something the government should have done, but this is not a government to seize opportunity.
We have an MIQ system seemingly unable to expand, a lack of private involvement in getting skills into the country, a lack of coordination on who should be brought in and by who, no idea who those are who are back are, what they’re doing and whether they are staying.
This all seems piece meal, a kind of suck and see approach and we hope it all works out.
The kea numbers look good in terms of investment. Lots will start businesses, any will employ people, a decent number seem to be headed for the regions.
But to call this a wave is an interesting term. Its 60 000. KEA says 250,000 could come home in the next two years and another 250,000 after that
Those numbers we need to be wary of. Why are they returning home? Covid. Will Covid still be an issue in two years. No - if it is we are all buggered.
So is it really a wave, or will it go back to what it has always been.
Expats who have done their time were always coming home anyway, and they are at least in part replaced by the new young things wandering off for their OE.  
Obviously anyone who comes back for good needs to be tapped into. A certain level of coordination is required - the more we know the more we can do.
And skills are always short, so KEA is right in many ways. This is a good news story.
But there is another side and what we should also be watching out for is Australia and the brain drain.
What we know is a certain group of people go where the going is good - that’s why we have so many returning home. We are Covid free, and that beats London, Los Angeles and Madrid right now.
But what we also know is Australia is a magnet, always has been the lights are bright and the money is good.
New Zealand can’t be and will not be an isolated haven forever. Australia is on the verge of re-emergence and will once again be competing for our talent. Whether it’s newly arrived back or already here and just waiting for a green light.
The KEA numbers show we have an opportunity, a rare maybe as they say, once in a lifetime chance
But what are we doing with it? Given the government don’t even have the data on who these people are, do you reckon they’ve even got a plan going forward?
And given they don’t, how long before it’s an opportunity missed?
 ]]>134falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-government-can-t-fall-into-benefit-rabbit-hole--1008309This week's money grab comes to us from no fewer than 40 groups all ganged up together looking to boost benefit money. The Salvation Army, Action Against Poverty, Child Poverty Action, those are two separate groups by the way, but both clearly want action. This does lead you to question just how many groups are there looking out for the poor and deprived.
Clearly in this instance it's at least 40. This might also lead one to suggest, fewer groups might mean a more dedicated, efficient, and laser focused approach to what is clearly an overarching commonality.
Anyway, in time for Christmas they argue, if the government could just see their way clear to upping the old benefits.
The old benefits have, of course, had a pretty good run of it of late. Even going back to the last National Government, they used money from the rockstar economy and an actual surplus to boost benefits in a way that hadn't been done in decades. It was a budget masterstroke and whipped the rug and argument out from under Labour.
But Labour are back and at the start of Covid they handed out $8 billion by way of wage support. That would grow to $13 billion but of the original $8 billion, $3 billion was for benefits. They didn’t have the money, we were sinking into the red, and as it turns out at a rate higher than any other country in the OECD bar Hong Kong.
And now having got two boosts, more is wanted. That is your slippery slope, once you start there is no end. The pressure coming from support groups who have no realistic economic outlook or understanding. They are simply driven by good intentions, but good intentions and other people's money.
One group reckoned $150 a week should do it. I did some back of the envelope stuff, as of the end of last year, we had 314,000 on benefits, so it'll be way worse now. But stat delivery is not a strong point of this country so those were the latest official figures I could find.
That, by the way, is over 10 percent of the working age population. Give them $150 a week and that’s $47 million a week. That's $2.5 billion a year. So you can see the delusion of the thinking.
And in return for what? Nothing more is produced or sold, productivity isn't up, nothing changes, so we didn’t make more, we just spent more.
The redistribution train has already left the station, it's building a head of steam, and these sorts of people are shovelling coal as fast as they can.
When you're already breaking records for debt, I pray someone in charge of something in Wellington recognises the dangers of the behaviour and is frantically working out where the hell the break is.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22971858/mh101120-14-benefitscomment.mp3Mon, 09 Nov 2020 21:32:02 +0000RoccoIt is, of course, the slippery slope. It's the fate of all new governments, those with an agenda and an idea. This week's money grab comes to us from no fewer than 40 groups all ganged up together looking to boost benefit money. The Salvation Army,...This week's money grab comes to us from no fewer than 40 groups all ganged up together looking to boost benefit money. The Salvation Army, Action Against Poverty, Child Poverty Action, those are two separate groups by the way, but both clearly want action. This does lead you to question just how many groups are there looking out for the poor and deprived.
Clearly in this instance it's at least 40. This might also lead one to suggest, fewer groups might mean a more dedicated, efficient, and laser focused approach to what is clearly an overarching commonality.
Anyway, in time for Christmas they argue, if the government could just see their way clear to upping the old benefits.
The old benefits have, of course, had a pretty good run of it of late. Even going back to the last National Government, they used money from the rockstar economy and an actual surplus to boost benefits in a way that hadn't been done in decades. It was a budget masterstroke and whipped the rug and argument out from under Labour.
But Labour are back and at the start of Covid they handed out $8 billion by way of wage support. That would grow to $13 billion but of the original $8 billion, $3 billion was for benefits. They didn’t have the money, we were sinking into the red, and as it turns out at a rate higher than any other country in the OECD bar Hong Kong.
And now having got two boosts, more is wanted. That is your slippery slope, once you start there is no end. The pressure coming from support groups who have no realistic economic outlook or understanding. They are simply driven by good intentions, but good intentions and other people's money.
One group reckoned $150 a week should do it. I did some back of the envelope stuff, as of the end of last year, we had 314,000 on benefits, so it'll be way worse now. But stat delivery is not a strong point of this country so those were the latest official figures I could find.
That, by the way, is over 10 percent of the working age population. Give them $150 a week and that’s $47 million a week. That's $2.5 billion a year. So you can see the delusion of the thinking.
And in return for what? Nothing more is produced or sold, productivity isn't up, nothing changes, so we didn’t make more, we just spent more.
The redistribution train has already left the station, it's building a head of steam, and these sorts of people are shovelling coal as fast as they can.
When you're already breaking records for debt, I pray someone in charge of something in Wellington recognises the dangers of the behaviour and is frantically working out where the hell the break is.]]>149falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-cannabis-supporters-should-be-gracious-in-victory-and-defeat--1008299No such luck. Being a good loser is not actually that hard, if you have the right attitude.
Some of the Republicans might want to look at themselves in the mirror as well. As I said last week, there is a very distinct line between looking for votes, issues, and making sure the job has been done properly, versus just being a bad loser who can't cope with being beaten.
The euthanasia side of the equation appears a lot more mature here than the cannabis camp. I think partly, as we have said a number of times, the euthanasia debate got sorted in the minds of most New Zealanders many years ago. The politicians were the hold up, so by the time David Seymour corralled them across the line, we were merely rubber stamping a well sorted stance.
Hence when the results came in, although those on the no side were obviously disappointed, they didn’t whine, nash their teeth, and wander around asking for reform, reviews and writing op-ed pieces moaning about their lot.
Sadly, the same can't be said for cannabis.
Here was the deal; we all had a say, yes or no. The yes crowd worked hard, spent a lot of money, told a lot of lies, twisted a lot of arms, and, I would argue, threw about all you could expect to be thrown at an argument.
They had well known advocates, they had government parties behind them, they had a decent chunk, if not the bulk, of the mainstream media in their camp, they got vastly more favourable coverage than the no camp, but under the rules, they didn't win.
When the votes were added up, there were more votes for no, than there were for yes, full stop. And yet sadly, like a week ago when the preliminary results arrived, nashing of the teeth, op-eds galore, moaning, whining,  whinging, and all the "but, but, but."
But nothing. In the preliminary and final results, yes, lost.
Whether the gold medal is won at the Olympics by a 10th of a second or five seconds changes nothing. Whether Joe Biden got 270, 285, or 320 changes nothing. You either win, or you don't.
When you win, you're gracious. When you lose, you're gracious. How about the yes camp give that a crack?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22971798/mh091120-11-cannabisresultcomment.mp3Sun, 08 Nov 2020 21:58:23 +0000RoccoI was kind of hoping when we got the final cannabis and euthanasia result on Friday we might not get a weekend of whining. No such luck. Being a good loser is not actually that hard, if you have the right attitude. Some of the Republicans might want...No such luck. Being a good loser is not actually that hard, if you have the right attitude.
Some of the Republicans might want to look at themselves in the mirror as well. As I said last week, there is a very distinct line between looking for votes, issues, and making sure the job has been done properly, versus just being a bad loser who can't cope with being beaten.
The euthanasia side of the equation appears a lot more mature here than the cannabis camp. I think partly, as we have said a number of times, the euthanasia debate got sorted in the minds of most New Zealanders many years ago. The politicians were the hold up, so by the time David Seymour corralled them across the line, we were merely rubber stamping a well sorted stance.
Hence when the results came in, although those on the no side were obviously disappointed, they didn’t whine, nash their teeth, and wander around asking for reform, reviews and writing op-ed pieces moaning about their lot.
Sadly, the same can't be said for cannabis.
Here was the deal; we all had a say, yes or no. The yes crowd worked hard, spent a lot of money, told a lot of lies, twisted a lot of arms, and, I would argue, threw about all you could expect to be thrown at an argument.
They had well known advocates, they had government parties behind them, they had a decent chunk, if not the bulk, of the mainstream media in their camp, they got vastly more favourable coverage than the no camp, but under the rules, they didn't win.
When the votes were added up, there were more votes for no, than there were for yes, full stop. And yet sadly, like a week ago when the preliminary results arrived, nashing of the teeth, op-eds galore, moaning, whining,  whinging, and all the "but, but, but."
But nothing. In the preliminary and final results, yes, lost.
Whether the gold medal is won at the Olympics by a 10th of a second or five seconds changes nothing. Whether Joe Biden got 270, 285, or 320 changes nothing. You either win, or you don't.
When you win, you're gracious. When you lose, you're gracious. How about the yes camp give that a crack?]]>113falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-us-remains-the-most-important-influential-country--1008305The US Election: 7/10
"For putting on the only democratic show that the whole world is truly gripped by.
"It cements its place as the most important and influential country in the world, no matter who runs it."
Donald Trump: 7/10
"It's ending badly.
"But when over 60 million still vote for you, most of the world has fundamentally misunderstood what you brought to the American equation in the first place."
Joe Biden: 6/10.
"Not the President America needs, and not the best person the Democrats could have found.
"But he's clearly the circuit breaker for enough to get rid of Trump."
America's Electoral System: 3/10
"It makes for brilliant watching and calculations, but, come on, look at it.
"You call this 20th century electoral sophistication?"
Jacinda Ardern's Cabinet: 6/10
"I think there are enough real talents there not to have the whole thing implode.
"The fact Phil Twyford is out of the room is enough to know the whole place won't be blown up accidentally when he trips over the cord."
Houses: 9/10
"We love them, we buy them, sell them, paint them, borrow for them, and die for them.
"They are a celebration and yet too many fret way too much about them."
Property Investors Federation: 3/10
"Clowns of the week for claiming first home buyers are nicking rentals from the market.
"Join some dots you fools, first home buyers are renters solving their own problem."
Damien Grant: 8/10
"He gets another shot and that’s more than fair.
"If you haven't followed the story, look it up. It's about redemption and us doing the right thing."
Raelene Castle's New Job at Sport NZ: 5/10
"Nothing personal, but how does someone who got rolled out of Australian Rugby in ignominious fashion end up running our top sports body?
The All Blacks: 9/10
"I hope all the doubters, mainly sports journalists who whined after the first test, have applied for a transfer to another department, given they clearly haven't got a clue what they're talking about."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22971642/mh061120-14-marktheweek.mp3Fri, 06 Nov 2020 02:15:50 +0000RoccoAt 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 US Election: 7/10 "For putting on the only democratic show that the whole world is truly gripped by. "It cements its place as...The US Election: 7/10
"For putting on the only democratic show that the whole world is truly gripped by.
"It cements its place as the most important and influential country in the world, no matter who runs it."
Donald Trump: 7/10
"It's ending badly.
"But when over 60 million still vote for you, most of the world has fundamentally misunderstood what you brought to the American equation in the first place."
Joe Biden: 6/10.
"Not the President America needs, and not the best person the Democrats could have found.
"But he's clearly the circuit breaker for enough to get rid of Trump."
America's Electoral System: 3/10
"It makes for brilliant watching and calculations, but, come on, look at it.
"You call this 20th century electoral sophistication?"
Jacinda Ardern's Cabinet: 6/10
"I think there are enough real talents there not to have the whole thing implode.
"The fact Phil Twyford is out of the room is enough to know the whole place won't be blown up accidentally when he trips over the cord."
Houses: 9/10
"We love them, we buy them, sell them, paint them, borrow for them, and die for them.
"They are a celebration and yet too many fret way too much about them."
Property Investors Federation: 3/10
"Clowns of the week for claiming first home buyers are nicking rentals from the market.
"Join some dots you fools, first home buyers are renters solving their own problem."
Damien Grant: 8/10
"He gets another shot and that’s more than fair.
"If you haven't followed the story, look it up. It's about redemption and us doing the right thing."
Raelene Castle's New Job at Sport NZ: 5/10
"Nothing personal, but how does someone who got rolled out of Australian Rugby in ignominious fashion end up running our top sports body?
The All Blacks: 9/10
"I hope all the doubters, mainly sports journalists who whined after the first test, have applied for a transfer to another department, given they clearly haven't got a clue what they're talking about."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>146falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-trump-in-danger-of-becoming-a-sore-loser--1008311And yet if you pull back and think about it, since we were here this time yesterday, virtually nothing has changed.
Joe Biden got Michigan and Wisconsin confirmed shortly after we left. But 24 hours on, Arizona is still in play, Georgia is still in play, Lord knows what's happening in North Carolina no one seems to have been seen or heard from anyone there for days, Nevada is still in play, Pennsylvania is still in play, and no one seems to have done a thing in Alaska.  
But the simple truth is time is the only quantum holding back Biden from officially winning this thing.
To summarise, Biden leads in Arizona but his lead is shrinking. Trump leads in Georgia and Pennsylvania, but his leads are shrinking. Biden leads in Nevada, but that is still in play.
So, most people are happy to give North Carolina and Alaska to Trump.
Most people can't see why Biden won't collect Nevada, and if you have him holding Arizona that's 270 and the end of the game. Trump argues Arizona is still in play, it's unlikely but not impossible.
What will finish this for sure is Georgia. It has 16 college votes and Trump's lead is vanishing and fast. If it flips, we are done.
Even Pennsylvania looks troublesome for the President. Same story applies if it flips, and Biden's camp now say they will win it with a wide margin.
Technically, can Trump still find a path to 270? Yes. If he holds Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arizona, and flips Nevada. But I don't think even his lawyers, his sons, or he believes that's going to happen.
Which is why we have the lawsuits. That is the sadness of all of this. A lot of this reaction is desperation. If they had confidence, they'd let the counting unfold and see what the numbers say. But they know what the numbers will say, hence they want to stop the counting, or in some places count all over again.
If we are patient enough it might well be that Biden ends up with 310 college votes. That would be better than Trump in 2016. The upside of that is it would be decisive.
I don't blame Trump for eking this out, who wouldn't?
But as each hour passes there is a fine line between looking like a guy who is counting numbers, and a guy who is a sore loser. ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22971600/mh061120-01-uselectioncomment.mp3Thu, 05 Nov 2020 21:49:17 +0000RoccoI could have sworn stuff happened yesterday. I spent, yet again, too many hours watching the minutiae unfold stateside. And yet if you pull back and think about it, since we were here this time yesterday, virtually nothing has changed. Joe Biden got...And yet if you pull back and think about it, since we were here this time yesterday, virtually nothing has changed.
Joe Biden got Michigan and Wisconsin confirmed shortly after we left. But 24 hours on, Arizona is still in play, Georgia is still in play, Lord knows what's happening in North Carolina no one seems to have been seen or heard from anyone there for days, Nevada is still in play, Pennsylvania is still in play, and no one seems to have done a thing in Alaska.  
But the simple truth is time is the only quantum holding back Biden from officially winning this thing.
To summarise, Biden leads in Arizona but his lead is shrinking. Trump leads in Georgia and Pennsylvania, but his leads are shrinking. Biden leads in Nevada, but that is still in play.
So, most people are happy to give North Carolina and Alaska to Trump.
Most people can't see why Biden won't collect Nevada, and if you have him holding Arizona that's 270 and the end of the game. Trump argues Arizona is still in play, it's unlikely but not impossible.
What will finish this for sure is Georgia. It has 16 college votes and Trump's lead is vanishing and fast. If it flips, we are done.
Even Pennsylvania looks troublesome for the President. Same story applies if it flips, and Biden's camp now say they will win it with a wide margin.
Technically, can Trump still find a path to 270? Yes. If he holds Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arizona, and flips Nevada. But I don't think even his lawyers, his sons, or he believes that's going to happen.
Which is why we have the lawsuits. That is the sadness of all of this. A lot of this reaction is desperation. If they had confidence, they'd let the counting unfold and see what the numbers say. But they know what the numbers will say, hence they want to stop the counting, or in some places count all over again.
If we are patient enough it might well be that Biden ends up with 310 college votes. That would be better than Trump in 2016. The upside of that is it would be decisive.
I don't blame Trump for eking this out, who wouldn't?
But as each hour passes there is a fine line between looking like a guy who is counting numbers, and a guy who is a sore loser. ]]>126falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/rhys-darby-comedian-turned-children-s-author-on-latest-work-life-in-america--1008166He’s become a global sensation after his stand up and Flight of the Conchord breaks back in 2007. 
That includes recent appearances in the Jumanji franchise and Guns Akimbo alongside Daniel Radcliffe. 
What you might not know about him is that he a kid's book author too.
His third book - The Top Secret Intergalactic Notes of Buttons McGinty - is out now. 
Darby joined Mike Hosking live in studio to discuss his latest work and life in America in the age of Trump. 
WATCH ABOVE
 
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22971547/mh051120-20-rhysdarby-newbook.mp3Thu, 05 Nov 2020 02:42:07 +0000RoccoRhys Darby has easily made the best of his opportunities.  He’s become a global sensation after his stand up and Flight of the Conchord breaks back in 2007.  That includes recent appearances in the Jumanji franchise and Guns Akimbo alongside Daniel...He’s become a global sensation after his stand up and Flight of the Conchord breaks back in 2007. 
That includes recent appearances in the Jumanji franchise and Guns Akimbo alongside Daniel Radcliffe. 
What you might not know about him is that he a kid's book author too.
His third book - The Top Secret Intergalactic Notes of Buttons McGinty - is out now. 
Darby joined Mike Hosking live in studio to discuss his latest work and life in America in the age of Trump. 
WATCH ABOVE
 
 ]]>622falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-it-s-easy-to-call-joe-biden-the-winner-today--1008323The pollsters so badly humiliated four years back have reworked their ratings to involve the Trump crowd more prominently, so logic would suggest they couldn’t possibly be that wrong twice.
Covid in America is a mess. In a world where those who have voted have voted for safety and Covid success, it would appear odd that America would be so uniquely different and in such numbers that they have loved watching records being broken , and a couple of hundred thousand die.
Logic would also dictate, and backed up by the polls, that at least a chunk of those who came out last time on the idea that this bloke was different and worth a shot, won't be back given what they’ve seen. Many clearly have buyer's remorse.
Women, especially, have deserted him. He's crass, he's an oaf, he's arguably a sexual predator, he's a liar, he's immersed in any amount of legal activity and dishonest behaviour, much of which will swamp him if he loses today and returns to normal life.
His pathway is narrow and that’s being generous. He has to win Florida, and at least one of those rust belt industrial type states. It would seem most likely Pennsylvania, and collect all the others that should, and did fall his way last time. Basically, he has to have a perfect day.
If you want to mount a case for him, there is a lot in the economy that's not reported here that is actually going well. Manufacturing, just yesterday, is at nearly two-year highs, last week's Q3 bounce-back was massive, homes sales are up, and spending is up. There's a lot of solid material to sell.
The crowds he's getting are sensational. There is something magnetic about him. How many politicians can you name that could get you out in freezing temperatures at midnight to listen to a few one liners and barbs about Biden? But he does it. Those who love him are evangelical and that’s never to be underestimated, especially given it was last time.
But the reason Biden will win is not because Trump can't, because he can, and not because Biden is brilliant, because he isn't. But it's because Trump was an experiment that needed a better run and a bigger tailwind.
If Covid hadn't happened, he would probably be winning today. But it did happen, and so did all the other stuff that’s mired him in controversy, anger, and madness.
Four years ago, he was an eclectic outsider. He was different enough and refreshing enough to be worth a shot. Four years on he's still the same bloke, just weighed down by enough eccentricity, dishonesty, loopiness, and failure to have lost the shine that made the difference.
Part of me wants to be wrong. The Democrats and the left are miserable downtrodden whiners who have never got over their loss. They're disparate rabble with too many extremists.
But, it's their day. They'll hold and gain in the house, they’ll flip the Senate, and they will win the White House.
The Trump era, such as it is, is over.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22971448/mh041120-01-uselectioncomment.mp3Tue, 03 Nov 2020 22:14:31 +0000RoccoIt's easy to call Joe Biden the winner today. Logic dictates it, all polls bar perhaps Iowa, show he leads. Every battleground state Donald Trump needs to win he trails, in some by a margin large enough only the deluded would argue with it. The...The pollsters so badly humiliated four years back have reworked their ratings to involve the Trump crowd more prominently, so logic would suggest they couldn’t possibly be that wrong twice.
Covid in America is a mess. In a world where those who have voted have voted for safety and Covid success, it would appear odd that America would be so uniquely different and in such numbers that they have loved watching records being broken , and a couple of hundred thousand die.
Logic would also dictate, and backed up by the polls, that at least a chunk of those who came out last time on the idea that this bloke was different and worth a shot, won't be back given what they’ve seen. Many clearly have buyer's remorse.
Women, especially, have deserted him. He's crass, he's an oaf, he's arguably a sexual predator, he's a liar, he's immersed in any amount of legal activity and dishonest behaviour, much of which will swamp him if he loses today and returns to normal life.
His pathway is narrow and that’s being generous. He has to win Florida, and at least one of those rust belt industrial type states. It would seem most likely Pennsylvania, and collect all the others that should, and did fall his way last time. Basically, he has to have a perfect day.
If you want to mount a case for him, there is a lot in the economy that's not reported here that is actually going well. Manufacturing, just yesterday, is at nearly two-year highs, last week's Q3 bounce-back was massive, homes sales are up, and spending is up. There's a lot of solid material to sell.
The crowds he's getting are sensational. There is something magnetic about him. How many politicians can you name that could get you out in freezing temperatures at midnight to listen to a few one liners and barbs about Biden? But he does it. Those who love him are evangelical and that’s never to be underestimated, especially given it was last time.
But the reason Biden will win is not because Trump can't, because he can, and not because Biden is brilliant, because he isn't. But it's because Trump was an experiment that needed a better run and a bigger tailwind.
If Covid hadn't happened, he would probably be winning today. But it did happen, and so did all the other stuff that’s mired him in controversy, anger, and madness.
Four years ago, he was an eclectic outsider. He was different enough and refreshing enough to be worth a shot. Four years on he's still the same bloke, just weighed down by enough eccentricity, dishonesty, loopiness, and failure to have lost the shine that made the difference.
Part of me wants to be wrong. The Democrats and the left are miserable downtrodden whiners who have never got over their loss. They're disparate rabble with too many extremists.
But, it's their day. They'll hold and gain in the house, they’ll flip the Senate, and they will win the White House.
The Trump era, such as it is, is over.]]>170falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-we-finally-have-a-cabinet-it-s-time-they-get-on-with-it--1008327From a personal point of view and given his attachment to the show, Stuart Nash has got to be happy with economic and regional development. Yes, he loses police and revenue but anything to do with the economy right now is as important as it gets and clearly reflects the PM’s view of his contribution.
But as for the rest of it there are a bunch of them in there that broadly you would believe they would have a clue as to what they are doing.
Robertson, Little, Parker, Hipkins, Woods and co are solid. You might not like their style of politics, but there experienced and they won’t end up like Clark or Curran or Lees-Galloway.
But in that latter is the key to all of this.
There are new names and incompetent names. We might note the scrupulous inclusion of David Clark, a simple incompetent who let the country down badly and yet still has work. That says as much about Ardern as it does Clark.
But almost redeeming herself is the demoting of Phil Twyford, with a portfolio as inconsequential as you can get without actually sacking him completely. Fortunately he’s outside cabinet, and the fact those two are still about reveals the truth they will never really confess.
And that’s that a larger caucus doesn’t mean a more talented caucus. And the pressure this time is they own it all.
They don’t have New Zealand First to blame or to unload work and portfolios on to. And if you look at their first term record, one, they didn’t get much done, and two, they ran into too many issues with too many embarrassing moments. Their lack of talent and delivery was well exposed.
The up side is there are no excuses. They have a mandate and they should if they know what’s good for them, have the confidence to start really rolling out their programme
From their point of view you would hope all the trouble they had was a lot to do with MMP not incompetence, but in all reality I think we know the truth.
So the test and pressure is real, but here’s another truth. If you’re smart you only need a handle to actually run the place.  A lot of a cabinet is window dressing its jobs and rewards for favourites. It’s as much political as it is practice.
This next three years is about money. Spending, recovery, the economy, cover those bases well and you’re half way there. Who dabbles in internal affairs or arts or broadcasting is of no real importance.
The biggest part of yesterday’s reveal is after two long, long weeks thank god we can actually get on with it because it’s not like there isn’t an economic disaster to sort.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22971404/mh031120-11-newcabinetcomment.mp3Tue, 03 Nov 2020 03:57:16 +0000RoccoLet’s be honest, the names attached to the portfolios isn’t of great interest to most of us. From a personal point of view and given his attachment to the show, Stuart Nash has got to be happy with economic and regional development. Yes, he loses...From a personal point of view and given his attachment to the show, Stuart Nash has got to be happy with economic and regional development. Yes, he loses police and revenue but anything to do with the economy right now is as important as it gets and clearly reflects the PM’s view of his contribution.
But as for the rest of it there are a bunch of them in there that broadly you would believe they would have a clue as to what they are doing.
Robertson, Little, Parker, Hipkins, Woods and co are solid. You might not like their style of politics, but there experienced and they won’t end up like Clark or Curran or Lees-Galloway.
But in that latter is the key to all of this.
There are new names and incompetent names. We might note the scrupulous inclusion of David Clark, a simple incompetent who let the country down badly and yet still has work. That says as much about Ardern as it does Clark.
But almost redeeming herself is the demoting of Phil Twyford, with a portfolio as inconsequential as you can get without actually sacking him completely. Fortunately he’s outside cabinet, and the fact those two are still about reveals the truth they will never really confess.
And that’s that a larger caucus doesn’t mean a more talented caucus. And the pressure this time is they own it all.
They don’t have New Zealand First to blame or to unload work and portfolios on to. And if you look at their first term record, one, they didn’t get much done, and two, they ran into too many issues with too many embarrassing moments. Their lack of talent and delivery was well exposed.
The up side is there are no excuses. They have a mandate and they should if they know what’s good for them, have the confidence to start really rolling out their programme
From their point of view you would hope all the trouble they had was a lot to do with MMP not incompetence, but in all reality I think we know the truth.
So the test and pressure is real, but here’s another truth. If you’re smart you only need a handle to actually run the place.  A lot of a cabinet is window dressing its jobs and rewards for favourites. It’s as much political as it is practice.
This next three years is about money. Spending, recovery, the economy, cover those bases well and you’re half way there. Who dabbles in internal affairs or arts or broadcasting is of no real importance.
The biggest part of yesterday’s reveal is after two long, long weeks thank god we can actually get on with it because it’s not like there isn’t an economic disaster to sort.]]>139falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-banks-results-show-we-ve-still-got-economic-issues--1008177Given the banks role in our lives at the best of times, far less the worst, their story is worth following.
All of them have been hit badly. They're still profitable, and boy do they need to be. Once again, it's worth reminding ourselves how lucky we are in this part of the world that the industry is robust and profitable, and won't be yet another thing to worry about going forward.
Which might, just might, be a message to the Reserve Bank who appear to revel in being interfering sticky beaks. Movement on the LVRs is almost certain in the not-too-distant future, especially around investors.
I operate on the simple premise that if someone knows what they're doing, let them get on with it. Banks know what they are doing.
Interestingly one argues, there is still room to move on housing for investors. In other words, the headlines you may be reading are more dramatic than the reality.
Good news also that first home buyers are increasingly involved in housing. So hopefully reportage one day might just reflect that, not everyone is locked out and miserable.
They may well be up to their eyeballs in mortgage debt but at least they're on the ladder. But the banks are also telling us business lending isn't up to much yet because the confidence isn't there. Why not? Why aren't they? What about all this mad purchasing that’s going on? The booming sales of everything from water tanks, to TVs, to cars, to art, to home gym equipment, why aren't the people selling that stuff laughing?
Clearly not, or not enough of them.
Job data is out this week as well, that will be another insight.
The risk we run, is we think that because everyone's buying a weekend in Queenstown and a new Jaguar, Covid isn't an issue. But it is, and it’s a bigger issue than many seem to get, and the bank commentary tells us why.
If a business won't back themselves and their own story with lending, something's not right. Could be Europe, could be a lack of vaccine, could be closed borders, or it could be worries about the new government. It doesn't really matter, what matters is actions or lack of them.
Are we doing better than many thought? Probably. Are we out the other side? The numbers are there to be read if you want to, and we're not even close.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22971357/mh031120-01-bankscomment.mp3Mon, 02 Nov 2020 21:56:52 +0000RoccoThe banks are busy reporting progress and their bottom lines at the moment. We had one last week, one yesterday, and another to come Thursday. Given the banks role in our lives at the best of times, far less the worst, their story is worth following....Given the banks role in our lives at the best of times, far less the worst, their story is worth following.
All of them have been hit badly. They're still profitable, and boy do they need to be. Once again, it's worth reminding ourselves how lucky we are in this part of the world that the industry is robust and profitable, and won't be yet another thing to worry about going forward.
Which might, just might, be a message to the Reserve Bank who appear to revel in being interfering sticky beaks. Movement on the LVRs is almost certain in the not-too-distant future, especially around investors.
I operate on the simple premise that if someone knows what they're doing, let them get on with it. Banks know what they are doing.
Interestingly one argues, there is still room to move on housing for investors. In other words, the headlines you may be reading are more dramatic than the reality.
Good news also that first home buyers are increasingly involved in housing. So hopefully reportage one day might just reflect that, not everyone is locked out and miserable.
They may well be up to their eyeballs in mortgage debt but at least they're on the ladder. But the banks are also telling us business lending isn't up to much yet because the confidence isn't there. Why not? Why aren't they? What about all this mad purchasing that’s going on? The booming sales of everything from water tanks, to TVs, to cars, to art, to home gym equipment, why aren't the people selling that stuff laughing?
Clearly not, or not enough of them.
Job data is out this week as well, that will be another insight.
The risk we run, is we think that because everyone's buying a weekend in Queenstown and a new Jaguar, Covid isn't an issue. But it is, and it’s a bigger issue than many seem to get, and the bank commentary tells us why.
If a business won't back themselves and their own story with lending, something's not right. Could be Europe, could be a lack of vaccine, could be closed borders, or it could be worries about the new government. It doesn't really matter, what matters is actions or lack of them.
Are we doing better than many thought? Probably. Are we out the other side? The numbers are there to be read if you want to, and we're not even close.]]>119falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-if-enthusiasm-translates-into-votes-trump-will-win-easily--1008368Oliver Hartwich.
9/10.
"Read his piece this week.
We don’t know how to have a national conversation, and we have fostered a social conformity that makes it hard to speak one's mind.
It's true, it's an awesome insight, and it's a must read."
Donald Trump.
8/10.
"If energy is votes, he's home free."
Joe Biden.
4/10.
"Is he really so far ahead he has to do virtually nothing?"
Melbourne and Victoria.
7/10.
"Because having been through lockdown ourselves we all felt the relief, didn’t we?
But they were only there because of a scurrilous and scandalous amount of ineptitude."
LVRs.
4/10.
"Almost certainly back, at least for investors, next month.
Adrian Orr will be reading OneRoof and freaking out."
Biscuits and the Labour/Greens Negotiations.
2/10.
That’s been our government for two weeks now.
A couple of meetings, no comment, just talk about biscuits.
Fortunately, there's nothing really important going on..."
Free Money for SMEs.
4/10.
"Kiwibank called them grants. But free money is free money.
And I can't help but think it’s the banks wanting the government to do what they should be working harder at, supporting small business."
Heart Foundation's Recommendations on Red Meat.
4/10.
"350 grams a week, one lonely steak.
And, as it turned out, it got a lot of pushback from a lot of you that clearly like a steak, and won't be told what is good and what is too much."
Scott Dixon's 6th IndyCar Championship.  
9/10.
"Still amazingly underrated despite all the success.
He is literally one of the greatest of all time, and yet the Americans know him better than we do."
Sport.
8/10.
"Between the AFL, the NRL, and the baseball, it was a great week.
Three seasons were completed this week, and how grateful have we been for sport?"
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22971133/mh301020-14-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 29 Oct 2020 21:57:14 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. Oliver Hartwich. 9/10. "Read his piece this week. We don’t know how to have a national conversation, and we have fostered a social...Oliver Hartwich.
9/10.
"Read his piece this week.
We don’t know how to have a national conversation, and we have fostered a social conformity that makes it hard to speak one's mind.
It's true, it's an awesome insight, and it's a must read."
Donald Trump.
8/10.
"If energy is votes, he's home free."
Joe Biden.
4/10.
"Is he really so far ahead he has to do virtually nothing?"
Melbourne and Victoria.
7/10.
"Because having been through lockdown ourselves we all felt the relief, didn’t we?
But they were only there because of a scurrilous and scandalous amount of ineptitude."
LVRs.
4/10.
"Almost certainly back, at least for investors, next month.
Adrian Orr will be reading OneRoof and freaking out."
Biscuits and the Labour/Greens Negotiations.
2/10.
That’s been our government for two weeks now.
A couple of meetings, no comment, just talk about biscuits.
Fortunately, there's nothing really important going on..."
Free Money for SMEs.
4/10.
"Kiwibank called them grants. But free money is free money.
And I can't help but think it’s the banks wanting the government to do what they should be working harder at, supporting small business."
Heart Foundation's Recommendations on Red Meat.
4/10.
"350 grams a week, one lonely steak.
And, as it turned out, it got a lot of pushback from a lot of you that clearly like a steak, and won't be told what is good and what is too much."
Scott Dixon's 6th IndyCar Championship.  
9/10.
"Still amazingly underrated despite all the success.
He is literally one of the greatest of all time, and yet the Americans know him better than we do."
Sport.
8/10.
"Between the AFL, the NRL, and the baseball, it was a great week.
Three seasons were completed this week, and how grateful have we been for sport?"
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>169falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-we-have-to-get-on-with-running-the-country--1008310I know they're somewhat limited as we wait for votes, tallies, and confirmations. But the overarching sense I get is that they are in no more of a hurry to do anything now than they were before we voted. Part of that is because a decent chunk of us are asleep at the wheel and expect little, if anything, from them.
They have discovered the elixir of happiness for a lot of the population. Borders closed, do nothing, supply the welfare, and heaps of us are happy as.
The Ports of Auckland has taken over border testing such has been the government's failure. Epidemiologists are now suggesting a quarantine at home programme. Vets are screaming for help on bringing in skills from offshore. Tourism continues to cry out for any sort of plan around the border. Air New Zealand laid off another 900 cabin crew yesterday. Banks are suggesting grants for SMEs such is the misery at their workplace. SMEs are crying out for a pandemic plan. Sir Ray Avery joined the growing chorus of those wanting an inquiry into the response.
And the government says what? Hello? Heeeelllllooooo? Anyone one there, at all?
Add to that the stark and chilling revelations this week around vaccines. There isn't one, the chances of one by years end now is close to zero, even if we get one there isn't enough for Europe far less us, and the head of the British body says the early ones most likely won't work, if in fact any of them ever work.
So the big question to add to the myriad of questions, what's the plan? Given the only plan that we seem to have to this point is to wait for a vaccine. If one doesn't turn up, or if it does and this is merely a flu like scenario, what then?
When does the border open? And to who and how? How long does the government welfare tap continue to flow? How long before the cold stark realisation that an asset driven support programme isn't a long-term strategy? Once the Reserve Bank has launched its FLP programme and gone negative on rates, then what?
These are real and present questions, based on real and present facts. All of which have been part of the news landscape this week.
This stuff happened this week. And the government? Where have they been? What are their answers? What's the road map? When does anything actually get attended to?  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22971127/mh301020-01-missinggovernmentcomment.mp3Thu, 29 Oct 2020 21:46:27 +0000RoccoI hope you’ve noticed this week the government literally missing in action. I know they're somewhat limited as we wait for votes, tallies, and confirmations. But the overarching sense I get is that they are in no more of a hurry to do anything now...I know they're somewhat limited as we wait for votes, tallies, and confirmations. But the overarching sense I get is that they are in no more of a hurry to do anything now than they were before we voted. Part of that is because a decent chunk of us are asleep at the wheel and expect little, if anything, from them.
They have discovered the elixir of happiness for a lot of the population. Borders closed, do nothing, supply the welfare, and heaps of us are happy as.
The Ports of Auckland has taken over border testing such has been the government's failure. Epidemiologists are now suggesting a quarantine at home programme. Vets are screaming for help on bringing in skills from offshore. Tourism continues to cry out for any sort of plan around the border. Air New Zealand laid off another 900 cabin crew yesterday. Banks are suggesting grants for SMEs such is the misery at their workplace. SMEs are crying out for a pandemic plan. Sir Ray Avery joined the growing chorus of those wanting an inquiry into the response.
And the government says what? Hello? Heeeelllllooooo? Anyone one there, at all?
Add to that the stark and chilling revelations this week around vaccines. There isn't one, the chances of one by years end now is close to zero, even if we get one there isn't enough for Europe far less us, and the head of the British body says the early ones most likely won't work, if in fact any of them ever work.
So the big question to add to the myriad of questions, what's the plan? Given the only plan that we seem to have to this point is to wait for a vaccine. If one doesn't turn up, or if it does and this is merely a flu like scenario, what then?
When does the border open? And to who and how? How long does the government welfare tap continue to flow? How long before the cold stark realisation that an asset driven support programme isn't a long-term strategy? Once the Reserve Bank has launched its FLP programme and gone negative on rates, then what?
These are real and present questions, based on real and present facts. All of which have been part of the news landscape this week.
This stuff happened this week. And the government? Where have they been? What are their answers? What's the road map? When does anything actually get attended to?  ]]>121falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-if-you-are-in-politics-what-s-the-point-unless-you-re-in-charge--1008315Simple question, if you are in politics what’s the point unless you’re in charge?
Their point, which is potentially partially valid, is don’t get stiffed. Don’t end up in a deal where you get to do little but carry any fall out which I suspect there will be plenty.
But the Greens have been in the game along time now and only recently really got their hands on the levers of power.
And the Keith Locke/Catherine Delahunty view of the world is a good insight or revelation into the fact that there are many in politics that sadly aren’t there for any real gains. They are there to cause trouble.
It was often said New Zealand First operated best in opposition or the cross benches. You could make noise but carry no responsibility.
And MMP fleshes out sadly the cold hard reality that government for small parties is most often a death sentence.
But the concept of spending three years literally doing nothing is the most fantastic waste of time to me.
Short of Chloe Swarbrick, who now has a constituency to tend to, just what is it you’re doing as an opposition list MP?
Further, having spent the last three years in government and at least in part getting the gains of power and influence, why on earth would you want to relinquish that, simply because you don’t have quite the pulling power as you did last time?
This is not to say Labour should cut them a deal. I wouldn’t. They’re not numerically needed, they will distract from the job at hand the way Labour sees it.
Labour back themselves as a greenish party anyway, why have a bunch of hangers-on ear-bashing you about radical nutty ideas that are going nowhere?
But from the Greens point of view, relevance is key, a record is key, progress is key, your ideas enacted are key.
Hopefully what Shaw and Davidson understand that Locke and Delahunty don’t is that just turning up isn’t really a job. Protesting for the sake of it isn’t really doing anything.  Getting your own way all the time isn’t really how the game works.
They call it being independent. What it really is is being on the wrong side of the house.       ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22971104/mh291020-01-greensnegotiationscomment.mp3Thu, 29 Oct 2020 05:29:43 +0000RoccoI have been disappointed but not surprised at the line-up of former Greens who are advising the current Greens stay out of government. Simple question, if you are in politics what’s the point unless you’re in charge? Their point, which is potentially...Simple question, if you are in politics what’s the point unless you’re in charge?
Their point, which is potentially partially valid, is don’t get stiffed. Don’t end up in a deal where you get to do little but carry any fall out which I suspect there will be plenty.
But the Greens have been in the game along time now and only recently really got their hands on the levers of power.
And the Keith Locke/Catherine Delahunty view of the world is a good insight or revelation into the fact that there are many in politics that sadly aren’t there for any real gains. They are there to cause trouble.
It was often said New Zealand First operated best in opposition or the cross benches. You could make noise but carry no responsibility.
And MMP fleshes out sadly the cold hard reality that government for small parties is most often a death sentence.
But the concept of spending three years literally doing nothing is the most fantastic waste of time to me.
Short of Chloe Swarbrick, who now has a constituency to tend to, just what is it you’re doing as an opposition list MP?
Further, having spent the last three years in government and at least in part getting the gains of power and influence, why on earth would you want to relinquish that, simply because you don’t have quite the pulling power as you did last time?
This is not to say Labour should cut them a deal. I wouldn’t. They’re not numerically needed, they will distract from the job at hand the way Labour sees it.
Labour back themselves as a greenish party anyway, why have a bunch of hangers-on ear-bashing you about radical nutty ideas that are going nowhere?
But from the Greens point of view, relevance is key, a record is key, progress is key, your ideas enacted are key.
Hopefully what Shaw and Davidson understand that Locke and Delahunty don’t is that just turning up isn’t really a job. Protesting for the sake of it isn’t really doing anything.  Getting your own way all the time isn’t really how the game works.
They call it being independent. What it really is is being on the wrong side of the house.       ]]>116falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-we-need-to-examine-our-covid-response--1008381He argues it's urgent, he is not alone. He argues we don’t have a plan for a pandemic, he is not alone. The government says now is not the right time. That's what this government does a lot of, talk and stall.
We got new revelations yesterday over what the Cabinet knew about lack of testing around the border workers.  You'll remember the border workers, the lack of testing, and the outbreak that got Auckland locked back down.
The revelation at the time was the government were telling us a comprehensive programme of testing had been rolled out when no such thing had happened. 36 percent of workers had been tested, remember that?
Upon being busted, the government argued they thought testing had been fully rolled out. New material shows that's not true either. Not only weren't workers getting tested, Cabinet were told repeatedly they weren't, despite the fact the government said they were.
Pick a word for that. Dishonesty, would be mine.
Remember Ashley Bloomfield, who took the main heat for it, used the word dissonance to explain it? I'm not sure the briefing papers, that at no point say the testing programme is fully rolled out, is dissonance. It's Cabinet Ministers being lazy, if not thick.
Something is either fully rolled out, or it isn't. If it doesn’t say it is, it isn't. And, of course, nothing stopped any of them at any time saying "Hey Ashley, these papers don't tell me if testing is fully rolled out, so is it fully rolled out?" Not hard, eh?
When you add the scandal around testing kits, PPE or lack of it, the lack of testing, you've got quite the haul of inquiry material to be going on with. So why aren't we?
In Victoria, they’ve had the hotel and response inquiry. So as badly as they cocked it up at least they're not afraid of accountability.
What about our lot? Are there questions, both general and specific, over how we handled this? You bet there are. So what are they afraid of? How bad can the truth be?
And is their inaction amid growing calls from the likes of Sir Ray Avery, the first of this term's lack of delivery?  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22971048/mh291020-14-covidresponseinquirycomment.mp3Wed, 28 Oct 2020 21:48:29 +0000RoccoSir Ray Avery, a former New Zealander of the Year, is calling for an inquiry into our Covid response. He is not alone. He argues it's urgent, he is not alone. He argues we don’t have a plan for a pandemic, he is not alone. The government says now is...He argues it's urgent, he is not alone. He argues we don’t have a plan for a pandemic, he is not alone. The government says now is not the right time. That's what this government does a lot of, talk and stall.
We got new revelations yesterday over what the Cabinet knew about lack of testing around the border workers.  You'll remember the border workers, the lack of testing, and the outbreak that got Auckland locked back down.
The revelation at the time was the government were telling us a comprehensive programme of testing had been rolled out when no such thing had happened. 36 percent of workers had been tested, remember that?
Upon being busted, the government argued they thought testing had been fully rolled out. New material shows that's not true either. Not only weren't workers getting tested, Cabinet were told repeatedly they weren't, despite the fact the government said they were.
Pick a word for that. Dishonesty, would be mine.
Remember Ashley Bloomfield, who took the main heat for it, used the word dissonance to explain it? I'm not sure the briefing papers, that at no point say the testing programme is fully rolled out, is dissonance. It's Cabinet Ministers being lazy, if not thick.
Something is either fully rolled out, or it isn't. If it doesn’t say it is, it isn't. And, of course, nothing stopped any of them at any time saying "Hey Ashley, these papers don't tell me if testing is fully rolled out, so is it fully rolled out?" Not hard, eh?
When you add the scandal around testing kits, PPE or lack of it, the lack of testing, you've got quite the haul of inquiry material to be going on with. So why aren't we?
In Victoria, they’ve had the hotel and response inquiry. So as badly as they cocked it up at least they're not afraid of accountability.
What about our lot? Are there questions, both general and specific, over how we handled this? You bet there are. So what are they afraid of? How bad can the truth be?
And is their inaction amid growing calls from the likes of Sir Ray Avery, the first of this term's lack of delivery?  ]]>124falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/judith-collins-on-national-mps-bidding-for-roles-within-parliament-and-gerry-brownlee-s-future--1008346Judith Collins is in the midst of interviewing her 34 colleagues to see what party positions they want and if there's anything to be disclosed.
She told Mike Hosking it's a chance to let members say what they want, including discussing the party's dramatic election loss.
But Collins says prolonged arguments are unproductive and aren't where the party will grow from.
She says talks will go on into next week, and any decisions, including if Gerry Brownlee stays on as her deputy, will be revealed in a few weeks.
Collins says it's unfair to say the tide's gone out on Brownlee .
"Gerry Brownlee is party loyal, reliable, a great deputy, and excellent MP."
Collins is still interviewing the party's 34 other MPs to see what roles they want, and if there are things to be disclosed.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22971044/mh291020-16-judithcollins-reshuffle.mp3Wed, 28 Oct 2020 21:34:37 +0000RoccoNational's MPs are underway with bidding for roles within Parliament. Judith Collins is in the midst of interviewing her 34 colleagues to see what party positions they want and if there's anything to be disclosed. She told Mike Hosking it's a chance...Judith Collins is in the midst of interviewing her 34 colleagues to see what party positions they want and if there's anything to be disclosed.
She told Mike Hosking it's a chance to let members say what they want, including discussing the party's dramatic election loss.
But Collins says prolonged arguments are unproductive and aren't where the party will grow from.
She says talks will go on into next week, and any decisions, including if Gerry Brownlee stays on as her deputy, will be revealed in a few weeks.
Collins says it's unfair to say the tide's gone out on Brownlee .
"Gerry Brownlee is party loyal, reliable, a great deputy, and excellent MP."
Collins is still interviewing the party's 34 other MPs to see what roles they want, and if there are things to be disclosed.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>259falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-haters-may-have-to-get-used-to-a-second-term-of-trump--1008182Surely we have learned enough to know if you rule Trump out, you have learned nothing.
Is it possible Trump will win? Yes. Is it likely he will win? Possibly.
Is it likely Biden will win? You would think so.
Polls - I can tell you most of the polls show Biden leading nationally, in most of the states he’s needs to lead, on various issues with various people.
If the polls told the story, the story for Trump would be over.
But polls don’t tell the story, do they? And yet despite knowing that, despite everything we saw in 2016, the media still obsess about the polls and use them as justification for their largely pro-Biden views.
The fake Melania story was back over the weekend. That’s how mad it’s got, stories that he uses a fake wife.
Ask yourself why, why would you use a fake wife? For what end, what does it achieve or solve. If the real Melania doesn’t want to be seen? And yet main stream newspapers run this crap as though it’s normal.
To be fair, Trump doesn’t help. The rise is Covid cases over the weekend; Trump argues is a mainstream media conspiracy. It isn’t, of course: the numbers are real and he knows it.
If the media's job is to serve the public, if Trump wins a lot of them should be sacked. They’ve run an overt, dangerous and often dishonest campaign against him.
Like the Democrats, they couldn’t believe they lost. They hate Trump, they have never got over that or moved on. Lord knows what they will do if he wins this time next week.
Now what might happen is Trump wins but the senate falls. That would make him like Obama, a lame duck president.
The thing is what those who hate have always hated are the madness, the unconventionality the freewheeling lack of normalcy.
You hear it when Obama speaks, his disdain for the lack of regard for the office, but in that they forget why he won in the first place, he’s not a politician. He didn’t have to be there, still doesn’t, so of course he’s crazy.
And yes if you want to, you can mount a case over the nuttiness of the whole episode from the hirings and firings, the arrests of the associates, the probes, the tax, and the debts.
But I look at him this week at those rallies and I remember the same scenes in 2016. He’s relentless, he out energises Biden a thousand to one.
For all the madness, there’s actually a semi decent record of achievement: he has actually, if you can get out of the way of your anger, got stuff done.
This is the beauty of the American system. You get two terms max. The second is won based on the success of the first.
If he wins, the haters are going to have to sober up and suck it up, because if what they say is right, he wouldn’t even be in the race, and yet he is.
 
 
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22971008/mh281020-01-uselectioncomment.mp3Wed, 28 Oct 2020 05:53:17 +0000RoccoThis time next week, what do you think? Surely we have learned enough to know if you rule Trump out, you have learned nothing. Is it possible Trump will win? Yes. Is it likely he will win? Possibly. Is it likely Biden will win? You would think so....Surely we have learned enough to know if you rule Trump out, you have learned nothing.
Is it possible Trump will win? Yes. Is it likely he will win? Possibly.
Is it likely Biden will win? You would think so.
Polls - I can tell you most of the polls show Biden leading nationally, in most of the states he’s needs to lead, on various issues with various people.
If the polls told the story, the story for Trump would be over.
But polls don’t tell the story, do they? And yet despite knowing that, despite everything we saw in 2016, the media still obsess about the polls and use them as justification for their largely pro-Biden views.
The fake Melania story was back over the weekend. That’s how mad it’s got, stories that he uses a fake wife.
Ask yourself why, why would you use a fake wife? For what end, what does it achieve or solve. If the real Melania doesn’t want to be seen? And yet main stream newspapers run this crap as though it’s normal.
To be fair, Trump doesn’t help. The rise is Covid cases over the weekend; Trump argues is a mainstream media conspiracy. It isn’t, of course: the numbers are real and he knows it.
If the media's job is to serve the public, if Trump wins a lot of them should be sacked. They’ve run an overt, dangerous and often dishonest campaign against him.
Like the Democrats, they couldn’t believe they lost. They hate Trump, they have never got over that or moved on. Lord knows what they will do if he wins this time next week.
Now what might happen is Trump wins but the senate falls. That would make him like Obama, a lame duck president.
The thing is what those who hate have always hated are the madness, the unconventionality the freewheeling lack of normalcy.
You hear it when Obama speaks, his disdain for the lack of regard for the office, but in that they forget why he won in the first place, he’s not a politician. He didn’t have to be there, still doesn’t, so of course he’s crazy.
And yes if you want to, you can mount a case over the nuttiness of the whole episode from the hirings and firings, the arrests of the associates, the probes, the tax, and the debts.
But I look at him this week at those rallies and I remember the same scenes in 2016. He’s relentless, he out energises Biden a thousand to one.
For all the madness, there’s actually a semi decent record of achievement: he has actually, if you can get out of the way of your anger, got stuff done.
This is the beauty of the American system. You get two terms max. The second is won based on the success of the first.
If he wins, the haters are going to have to sober up and suck it up, because if what they say is right, he wouldn’t even be in the race, and yet he is.
 
 
 ]]>144falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-we-re-splashing-the-cash-but-is-it-sensible-spending--1008386I like the idea that the economy is, at least, in part being driven by domestic demand. I don't like the idea that as we focus on all this domestic demand, we forget the many thousands who are being left behind because of the carnage of the health response that has led to record contractions in the economy.
What we must never forget is the simple truth that for all the boom times and spending we are seeing in some areas; two inescapable things are still at play. One, a lot of it is on borrowed money, which will have to be paid back even if money is cheap. Two, no matter how good the numbers look right now, they still haven't made up for the losses we have seen to this point.
In other words, you can find month on month increases in spending in various sectors, but when you go year on year, not nearly as many are up on an annualised basis.
There are some things though I hope are permanent. Baches are big. Property generally is big but baches are big. People want to be by the sea and that is no bad thing. That's an asset apart from anything.
But what about water tanks? Water tanks are booming. Good news if you are in water tanks and the really good news about water tanks is they're locally made. So, who knew if you got into the water tank business, you'd be booming because of drought?
But when the water is back, which it will be, what are you doing with your water tank? Are you becoming an environmentalist and saving the planet? That would be no bad thing. So maybe out of the adversity of drought and an incompetent Watercare, the water tank business booms and we save the planet.
But what about boats? Boats are booming too. But why did you buy a boat? Because you can't go anywhere that’s why. But boats ardent cars. We can all drive cars, but we can't all drive boats. You're either a boatie or you're not.
And what are you doing with your boat when the vaccine arrives, the planes are off again, and your holiday in California or London is back on? Are you selling your boat? Are you losing money on your boat?
How much of what we are buying is well thought through, solid investment versus how much is a desire to unload cash because we are bored?
If it's the latter, guess who's booming next year? Trade Me.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22970965/mh281020-14-spendingcomment.mp3Tue, 27 Oct 2020 21:48:49 +0000RoccoSo, are we spending money? Yes, we are. But are any of us thinking about what we are spending it on, and why? And is it money wisely spent? I like the idea that the economy is, at least, in part being driven by domestic demand. I don't like the idea...I like the idea that the economy is, at least, in part being driven by domestic demand. I don't like the idea that as we focus on all this domestic demand, we forget the many thousands who are being left behind because of the carnage of the health response that has led to record contractions in the economy.
What we must never forget is the simple truth that for all the boom times and spending we are seeing in some areas; two inescapable things are still at play. One, a lot of it is on borrowed money, which will have to be paid back even if money is cheap. Two, no matter how good the numbers look right now, they still haven't made up for the losses we have seen to this point.
In other words, you can find month on month increases in spending in various sectors, but when you go year on year, not nearly as many are up on an annualised basis.
There are some things though I hope are permanent. Baches are big. Property generally is big but baches are big. People want to be by the sea and that is no bad thing. That's an asset apart from anything.
But what about water tanks? Water tanks are booming. Good news if you are in water tanks and the really good news about water tanks is they're locally made. So, who knew if you got into the water tank business, you'd be booming because of drought?
But when the water is back, which it will be, what are you doing with your water tank? Are you becoming an environmentalist and saving the planet? That would be no bad thing. So maybe out of the adversity of drought and an incompetent Watercare, the water tank business booms and we save the planet.
But what about boats? Boats are booming too. But why did you buy a boat? Because you can't go anywhere that’s why. But boats ardent cars. We can all drive cars, but we can't all drive boats. You're either a boatie or you're not.
And what are you doing with your boat when the vaccine arrives, the planes are off again, and your holiday in California or London is back on? Are you selling your boat? Are you losing money on your boat?
How much of what we are buying is well thought through, solid investment versus how much is a desire to unload cash because we are bored?
If it's the latter, guess who's booming next year? Trade Me.  ]]>123falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-too-much-commentary-on-housing-ignores-reality--1008314They retired young. She will do a bit of work from their beach house which has become their main house due to the fact they sold their house in town for a lot of money, and as a result, they don’t have to work again.
Their story is the story of the New Zealand real estate dream.
They are well under 60, they bought the house they sold years ago for what seems like pocket change, did a few renos, made a killing. Got a pre-auction offer- 25 bids at the day of the auction itself – and sold it, got the cash and retired to the beach.
So Covid for them has allowed, one, her to be at the beach and do a bit of remote work if she wants, and two, seen the value of their home reach a point they could not be happier with.
It is the story of many New Zealanders, it is the story too many of the economists and worriers and overseas report writers have never understood.
Too much commentary on housing is based on what could go wrong. The bubbles, the prices, the LVRs, the access.
If there was an article written for every person who did well on housing vs every so called person who’s been locked out of the market we might restore a bit of the balance.
Even with record numbers of first home buyers in the market we are still inundated with tales of woe and disaster.
A bubble was bursting this year. A bubble was bursting in the GFC.
Once again, let’s bring reality into the equation; a bubble has never burst on New Zealand property.
In the worst of days it sinks maybe 5 to 10 %, in between it rises up to 100 %.
The people at the beach by the way are not high flyers. They’re not rich; they would not stand out in a crowd. There simply another example of the thousands of New Zealanders who understand housing, like housing, see housing as their retirement, and ultimately have made their kiwi dream come  true
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22970947/mh271020-14-realestatecomment.mp3Tue, 27 Oct 2020 08:10:05 +0000RoccoSome folks we know retired last week. They retired young. She will do a bit of work from their beach house which has become their main house due to the fact they sold their house in town for a lot of money, and as a result, they don’t have to work...They retired young. She will do a bit of work from their beach house which has become their main house due to the fact they sold their house in town for a lot of money, and as a result, they don’t have to work again.
Their story is the story of the New Zealand real estate dream.
They are well under 60, they bought the house they sold years ago for what seems like pocket change, did a few renos, made a killing. Got a pre-auction offer- 25 bids at the day of the auction itself – and sold it, got the cash and retired to the beach.
So Covid for them has allowed, one, her to be at the beach and do a bit of remote work if she wants, and two, seen the value of their home reach a point they could not be happier with.
It is the story of many New Zealanders, it is the story too many of the economists and worriers and overseas report writers have never understood.
Too much commentary on housing is based on what could go wrong. The bubbles, the prices, the LVRs, the access.
If there was an article written for every person who did well on housing vs every so called person who’s been locked out of the market we might restore a bit of the balance.
Even with record numbers of first home buyers in the market we are still inundated with tales of woe and disaster.
A bubble was bursting this year. A bubble was bursting in the GFC.
Once again, let’s bring reality into the equation; a bubble has never burst on New Zealand property.
In the worst of days it sinks maybe 5 to 10 %, in between it rises up to 100 %.
The people at the beach by the way are not high flyers. They’re not rich; they would not stand out in a crowd. There simply another example of the thousands of New Zealanders who understand housing, like housing, see housing as their retirement, and ultimately have made their kiwi dream come  true
 ]]>108falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-still-plenty-of-unanswered-economic-questions--1008187He's one of my favourite economists. He paints a solid, if not rosy, picture over what's supposedly going on. Spending is good, spending intention is good, confidence is rising, housing is through the roof, even aspects of commercial property have good demand.
That will lead to a shortage of skills as job numbers rise. People are into building homes, which means demand for land, demand for planners, architects, builders, plumbers, suppliers of stuff those people use and install, and so it goes.
So, it's all good then?
Well, explain the CPI, the Consumer Price Index, or inflation. There isn't any. Well, there is a bit, 1.7 percent. but they're looking for over two percent.
Inflation, in really simple terms, means growth and demand. You don't want too much, but you don't want too little. We have too little, which then led in reportage to the question, does the Reserve Bank need to print a bit more money? Do they have to introduce the funding for lending programme sooner? Do they need to go negative on the interest rates?
But last week before we left for the long weekend ,there was talk of LVRs. Why? Because we were borrowing too much for housing.
If the bank needs to stoke the economy with more money or lower interest rates, doesn’t that mean we are going to borrow even more? And if we do, what are we spending it on? Where is the so-called inflation going to come from? And on the bigger side of the equation, when is all this borrowed money getting paid back?
Is Tony Alexander right? And we can have closed borders but a decent economy? Or is the CPI right and a few people do well, while others go nowhere fast and ultimately there is no real growth? And what does the Reserve Bank do if the tools they have aren't working? Or are they working too well, but in the wrong areas? Ah, the problem of blunt instruments.
Seems hard to believe that a country built on tourism and farms has one of those income streams crippled for the foreseeable future, and things somehow carry on. Is every unemployed hotel worker really going to build roads?
I can't help but think a lot of what we think is happening is a guess, a lot of what we hear by way of predictions is hope as much as knowledge.
I think for all we think we know, there is a hell of a lot more we don’t.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22970865/mh271020-01-economicdatacomment.mp3Mon, 26 Oct 2020 21:55:33 +0000RoccoIf you want to feel good about life in this country right now, read Tony Alexander's piece over the weekend. He's one of my favourite economists. He paints a solid, if not rosy, picture over what's supposedly going on. Spending is good, spending...He's one of my favourite economists. He paints a solid, if not rosy, picture over what's supposedly going on. Spending is good, spending intention is good, confidence is rising, housing is through the roof, even aspects of commercial property have good demand.
That will lead to a shortage of skills as job numbers rise. People are into building homes, which means demand for land, demand for planners, architects, builders, plumbers, suppliers of stuff those people use and install, and so it goes.
So, it's all good then?
Well, explain the CPI, the Consumer Price Index, or inflation. There isn't any. Well, there is a bit, 1.7 percent. but they're looking for over two percent.
Inflation, in really simple terms, means growth and demand. You don't want too much, but you don't want too little. We have too little, which then led in reportage to the question, does the Reserve Bank need to print a bit more money? Do they have to introduce the funding for lending programme sooner? Do they need to go negative on the interest rates?
But last week before we left for the long weekend ,there was talk of LVRs. Why? Because we were borrowing too much for housing.
If the bank needs to stoke the economy with more money or lower interest rates, doesn’t that mean we are going to borrow even more? And if we do, what are we spending it on? Where is the so-called inflation going to come from? And on the bigger side of the equation, when is all this borrowed money getting paid back?
Is Tony Alexander right? And we can have closed borders but a decent economy? Or is the CPI right and a few people do well, while others go nowhere fast and ultimately there is no real growth? And what does the Reserve Bank do if the tools they have aren't working? Or are they working too well, but in the wrong areas? Ah, the problem of blunt instruments.
Seems hard to believe that a country built on tourism and farms has one of those income streams crippled for the foreseeable future, and things somehow carry on. Is every unemployed hotel worker really going to build roads?
I can't help but think a lot of what we think is happening is a guess, a lot of what we hear by way of predictions is hope as much as knowledge.
I think for all we think we know, there is a hell of a lot more we don’t.  ]]>124falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-the-winners-and-losers-after-the-election--1008340The election: 7
We got a result, and aren't sitting here this morning beholden to Winston Peters.

Winston Peters: 6
He hung in there a long time, got awfully influential for various periods, was both good and hopeless...but rarely boring.
 
The Greens: 3
Not because they didn’t get a good result. But MMP is a weird old beast and oh the irony of having more MPs but being basically a spare “you know what” at a wedding.
 
Banks: 7
Upgrading their forecasts, reminding us the end of the world didn’t come. It ain't over, but it's not Armageddon.

Dairy: 8
Milk price forecast up. If ever we needed to realise the value of the country, now's it. Farming and tourism: one is bust, one is saving us.
 
Pens: 3
A million bucks to order and ship 3.6 million pens from china so we could use them to vote, then throw them in a landfill. You wait, Greta will tweet a picture of a turtle with one stuck ups its nose, and we'll all know where that came from.

Jobs: 7
The weirdest thing: on one hand, people are retraining. On another, people cant get out of bed and everyone from fruit-growers to hoteliers are screaming for help over lack of skills. How is it we can have so many jobless and so many jobs and dots aren't joined?

Jobs: 7
Good stats, listings are up, not what they were a year ago, but better than they have been.
 
Houses: 9
You know why.

The Reserve Bank: 3
How is it they can lower rates, make banks lower rates so we can lend, then when we borrow and buy houses they panic. What is it they actually want? And in fact do they even know?

The Cathedral: 2
A decade on, and the bills gone from 100 million to 150 million. 50 million is a lot to pay for procrastination and bickering.

Krispies: 6
Is that really a biscuit to form a government on?

School zones: 4
More meddling that will lead no where.

Briscoes: 7
Repaying the wage subsidy; good on them. If they feel good, everyone's a winner but this thing and its moral outrage has got a bit out of control.

Space: 8
Exciting week: they got some dirt from an asteroid and Nokia is building a phone network on the moon.

Mystery breaks: 6
Air NZ sending you to…well that’s the point...that's the mystery. But $3,200 for 2 is a lot of money to end up in Hokitika. Nothing against Hokitika.

South Australia: 8
Pleading with our PM to open our side of the bubble...good luck. She took the border key and swallowed it months back.

That’s the week. Copies on the website and you get a free one of these for the long weekend if you park in a Wilson building as an early bird.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22970668/mh231020-13-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 22 Oct 2020 23:53:12 +0000RoccoTime to mark the week; the little piece of news and current events that’s as effective as Caleb Clarke with a ball in his hand, and an Australian in front of him. The election: 7 We got a result, and aren't sitting here this morning beholden to...The election: 7
We got a result, and aren't sitting here this morning beholden to Winston Peters.

Winston Peters: 6
He hung in there a long time, got awfully influential for various periods, was both good and hopeless...but rarely boring.
 
The Greens: 3
Not because they didn’t get a good result. But MMP is a weird old beast and oh the irony of having more MPs but being basically a spare “you know what” at a wedding.
 
Banks: 7
Upgrading their forecasts, reminding us the end of the world didn’t come. It ain't over, but it's not Armageddon.

Dairy: 8
Milk price forecast up. If ever we needed to realise the value of the country, now's it. Farming and tourism: one is bust, one is saving us.
 
Pens: 3
A million bucks to order and ship 3.6 million pens from china so we could use them to vote, then throw them in a landfill. You wait, Greta will tweet a picture of a turtle with one stuck ups its nose, and we'll all know where that came from.

Jobs: 7
The weirdest thing: on one hand, people are retraining. On another, people cant get out of bed and everyone from fruit-growers to hoteliers are screaming for help over lack of skills. How is it we can have so many jobless and so many jobs and dots aren't joined?

Jobs: 7
Good stats, listings are up, not what they were a year ago, but better than they have been.
 
Houses: 9
You know why.

The Reserve Bank: 3
How is it they can lower rates, make banks lower rates so we can lend, then when we borrow and buy houses they panic. What is it they actually want? And in fact do they even know?

The Cathedral: 2
A decade on, and the bills gone from 100 million to 150 million. 50 million is a lot to pay for procrastination and bickering.

Krispies: 6
Is that really a biscuit to form a government on?

School zones: 4
More meddling that will lead no where.

Briscoes: 7
Repaying the wage subsidy; good on them. If they feel good, everyone's a winner but this thing and its moral outrage has got a bit out of control.

Space: 8
Exciting week: they got some dirt from an asteroid and Nokia is building a phone network on the moon.

Mystery breaks: 6
Air NZ sending you to…well that’s the point...that's the mystery. But $3,200 for 2 is a lot of money to end up in Hokitika. Nothing against Hokitika.

South Australia: 8
Pleading with our PM to open our side of the bubble...good luck. She took the border key and swallowed it months back.

That’s the week. Copies on the website and you get a free one of these for the long weekend if you park in a Wilson building as an early bird.]]>184falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/wrapping-the-week-the-finest-whines-in-the-business--1008316Politicians sparked hours of talkback this week after Labour and the Greens dined on Krispies during their negotiations over the future of the government. 
Tim Wilson has also started his new job, and discussed with Kate Hawkesby and Mike Hosking about the new biscuits in his place. 
Though the election is still not off the table, as the panel discusses whether the rule banning talking about the election on Election Day is archaic. 
They also discuss mystery breaks, the costly election pens, and why Mike has the finest 'whines' in the business.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22970662/mh231020-20-week.mp3Thu, 22 Oct 2020 22:54:49 +0000RoccoThe election is finally over, and now we can focus on the truly important issues: what are the best biscuits to have in the workplace? Politicians sparked hours of talkback this week after Labour and the Greens dined on Krispies during their...Politicians sparked hours of talkback this week after Labour and the Greens dined on Krispies during their negotiations over the future of the government. 
Tim Wilson has also started his new job, and discussed with Kate Hawkesby and Mike Hosking about the new biscuits in his place. 
Though the election is still not off the table, as the panel discusses whether the rule banning talking about the election on Election Day is archaic. 
They also discuss mystery breaks, the costly election pens, and why Mike has the finest 'whines' in the business.
LISTEN ABOVE]]>607falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-why-donald-trump-s-re-election-is-looking-more-likely--1008447A pollster who's got 92.6% of his calls right says Trump will get somewhere in the 270s, possibly 280, or so in the electoral college. You need 270 to win.
Another analyst said the pollsters don’t have a clue what's going on in America. I think both men are probably right.
As we saw here last Saturday, the polls are a crap shoot. They got Act and the Greens about right, National wrong and the gap between the centre left and centre right hopelessly wrong.
In America, it would be even harder to poll accurately. Never forget, national polls break left, and hardly matter anyway.
Democratic support is disproportionately in defined areas of America; namely California and New York. Republican support is sprinkled favourably, as it turns out, in bell-weather states. Polls don’t capture that nuance. They poll on issues; economy, race, welfare, the virus. Biden wins a lot of the polls: it means nothing.
Biden, to my eye, is a spectacularly poor candidate. Clinton had it all over him. She was active, she was obviously well-read and bright. Biden, at best, even when he strings all his words together, looks old and full of stories from another age. He's a walking cliché, and this is not a partisan comment.
I am nothing more than an interested observer, and who wins will not change my life or outlook. But I was there in 2016. America was convinced Clinton was home free, and she was a way better contender.
Biden has spent the better part of this week out of sight, preparing for the debate. He looks scared. He's failed to answer the email questions over his son. I suspect because the answers are ugly. He failed to talk about stacking the Supreme Court.
Meantime, Trump, although sort of the same age, has boundless energy. Could be the drugs. He's criss-crossing the country. He's drawing huge crowds, he shows every sign of being as confident in 2020 as he was in 2016.
Also, what we see here by way of reportage, is your usual, woke, anti-Trump hatred. The economy has been smashed, but it's rebounding strongly. The Q3 number is out next week, it'll be big. Things like housing are booming, the market is booming, car sales are booming.
Never forget the ridicule we hear over the handling of the virus and states, shops and schools being open is through our fearful lens. We think locked borders and closed shops is good: there is a whole swathe of America that couldn't agree less. They are Trump's people, it's a big country and a lot of it we never see or hear from.
None of this is to say he's going to win, but it is to say if you're sitting here thinking Biden's walking home because that’s what you’ve read or watched, that will have been filtered through to you from a media that hates Trump. I stood in the Javid centre, Manhatten, four years back and watched the Democrats literally refuse to believe what was happening in front of their eyes. They're still not over it. Odds on, in the end, they’ll have to face 8 full years.    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22970658/mh231020-01-uselectioncomment.mp3Thu, 22 Oct 2020 22:48:19 +0000RoccoDebate day in the States. Mics muted, all to play for. A pollster who's got 92.6% of his calls right says Trump will get somewhere in the 270s, possibly 280, or so in the electoral college. You need 270 to win. Another analyst said the pollsters don’t...A pollster who's got 92.6% of his calls right says Trump will get somewhere in the 270s, possibly 280, or so in the electoral college. You need 270 to win.
Another analyst said the pollsters don’t have a clue what's going on in America. I think both men are probably right.
As we saw here last Saturday, the polls are a crap shoot. They got Act and the Greens about right, National wrong and the gap between the centre left and centre right hopelessly wrong.
In America, it would be even harder to poll accurately. Never forget, national polls break left, and hardly matter anyway.
Democratic support is disproportionately in defined areas of America; namely California and New York. Republican support is sprinkled favourably, as it turns out, in bell-weather states. Polls don’t capture that nuance. They poll on issues; economy, race, welfare, the virus. Biden wins a lot of the polls: it means nothing.
Biden, to my eye, is a spectacularly poor candidate. Clinton had it all over him. She was active, she was obviously well-read and bright. Biden, at best, even when he strings all his words together, looks old and full of stories from another age. He's a walking cliché, and this is not a partisan comment.
I am nothing more than an interested observer, and who wins will not change my life or outlook. But I was there in 2016. America was convinced Clinton was home free, and she was a way better contender.
Biden has spent the better part of this week out of sight, preparing for the debate. He looks scared. He's failed to answer the email questions over his son. I suspect because the answers are ugly. He failed to talk about stacking the Supreme Court.
Meantime, Trump, although sort of the same age, has boundless energy. Could be the drugs. He's criss-crossing the country. He's drawing huge crowds, he shows every sign of being as confident in 2020 as he was in 2016.
Also, what we see here by way of reportage, is your usual, woke, anti-Trump hatred. The economy has been smashed, but it's rebounding strongly. The Q3 number is out next week, it'll be big. Things like housing are booming, the market is booming, car sales are booming.
Never forget the ridicule we hear over the handling of the virus and states, shops and schools being open is through our fearful lens. We think locked borders and closed shops is good: there is a whole swathe of America that couldn't agree less. They are Trump's people, it's a big country and a lot of it we never see or hear from.
None of this is to say he's going to win, but it is to say if you're sitting here thinking Biden's walking home because that’s what you’ve read or watched, that will have been filtered through to you from a media that hates Trump. I stood in the Javid centre, Manhatten, four years back and watched the Democrats literally refuse to believe what was happening in front of their eyes. They're still not over it. Odds on, in the end, they’ll have to face 8 full years.    ]]>162falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-why-do-we-keep-messing-with-our-schools--1008352For as long as I can remember zoning has been a mess, and the reason it’s a mess is there is no answer.
Should you get access to your local school? Yes? Well, if you're school is good, then the house prices will rise as the wealthy gather in the area and price others out.
Should schools be able to accept people from out of zone? Yes? Well, the good schools will cherry pick the bright ones and the kid next door to the gate who isn't 1st XV material will have to go across town because his local is full.
And so it goes.
This time round the government is having a couple of cracks. They're getting rid of deciles, which may or may not make any difference at all.
And then the Ministry of Education has a population issue on its hands, and wants to save money on new classrooms and planning so wants to readjust zoning.
There is ideology at play as well. They hope what they call "white flight" will stop and the schools that aren't all that desirable will eventually get filled up.
But here is, and always has been, the problem with ideology like this, the whole thing is driven by unionism. Unions dominate education and they dominate it under the false pretence that all teachers are equal, and therefore they should all get paid the same based on time in the classroom.
As a result of that simple and yet catastrophic mistake, schools form reputations. Generally, they're formed by principals, the good ones insist on high standards and seek good teachers. Good teachers want to work in good schools. Good schools by in large are supported by good communities. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Everyone has a vested interest, standards lift, and reputations are created. People will pay to live in the areas where good schools exist. This doesn’t suit the unions, the Ministry ideologues, or the governments like Labour who are owned by the unions, but nevertheless it is true.
Create all the zones you want, make locals go to local schools, but all that will happen is those who can afford to move when they work out their local isn't up to much, will. Those who can't afford it are stuck.
You solve nothing. If you really want to reform education join the real world and pay on performance, incentivise good people to be better, and reward schools to improve.
Pretending everyone is the same and you can dictate where people get educated is the ultimate example of delusion.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22970565/mh221020-14-schoolzoningcomment.mp3Wed, 21 Oct 2020 22:10:36 +0000RoccoSo zoning is back, school zoning. For as long as I can remember zoning has been a mess, and the reason it’s a mess is there is no answer. Should you get access to your local school? Yes? Well, if you're school is good, then the house prices will rise...For as long as I can remember zoning has been a mess, and the reason it’s a mess is there is no answer.
Should you get access to your local school? Yes? Well, if you're school is good, then the house prices will rise as the wealthy gather in the area and price others out.
Should schools be able to accept people from out of zone? Yes? Well, the good schools will cherry pick the bright ones and the kid next door to the gate who isn't 1st XV material will have to go across town because his local is full.
And so it goes.
This time round the government is having a couple of cracks. They're getting rid of deciles, which may or may not make any difference at all.
And then the Ministry of Education has a population issue on its hands, and wants to save money on new classrooms and planning so wants to readjust zoning.
There is ideology at play as well. They hope what they call "white flight" will stop and the schools that aren't all that desirable will eventually get filled up.
But here is, and always has been, the problem with ideology like this, the whole thing is driven by unionism. Unions dominate education and they dominate it under the false pretence that all teachers are equal, and therefore they should all get paid the same based on time in the classroom.
As a result of that simple and yet catastrophic mistake, schools form reputations. Generally, they're formed by principals, the good ones insist on high standards and seek good teachers. Good teachers want to work in good schools. Good schools by in large are supported by good communities. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Everyone has a vested interest, standards lift, and reputations are created. People will pay to live in the areas where good schools exist. This doesn’t suit the unions, the Ministry ideologues, or the governments like Labour who are owned by the unions, but nevertheless it is true.
Create all the zones you want, make locals go to local schools, but all that will happen is those who can afford to move when they work out their local isn't up to much, will. Those who can't afford it are stuck.
You solve nothing. If you really want to reform education join the real world and pay on performance, incentivise good people to be better, and reward schools to improve.
Pretending everyone is the same and you can dictate where people get educated is the ultimate example of delusion.]]>127falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/matthew-mcconaughey-talks-about-his-memoir-greenlights--1008408But rather than it being the result of a dramatic fall from grace, this decision is entirely McConaughey's own, as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to rage around the world.
The 50-year-old actor told Mike Hosking that he has no intention of returning to set, even as dozens of blockbusters resume production with social distancing practices and extended bubbles in place. 
“I’m not even entertaining going to work on a set. I have a lot of friends that are working, they are talking about how the bubbles are working on set, but uh-uh, no way.
 “I’ve got an 88-year-old mother here with some pulmonary challenges. I’m not even taking a chance.”



Instead, McConaughey is focusing all his energy this year into promoting his new memoir, Greenlights. In it, McConaughey draws from 35 years of diaries that serves as a his life story so-far and  a guide to “catching greenlights” – his methodology for living a more satisfying life.
The topics range from the year he spent travelling around Australia, to how he got his big break in acting, before going on to secure acclaimed roles in HBO’s True Detective and his Oscar-winning performance in Dallas Buyers Club.
McConaughey first broke out in movies like Dazed and Confused and A Time to Kill, but it wasn’t until he started getting cast in rom-coms that he became a household name. He quickly became a household name for his roles in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and The Wedding Planner.
Eventually, he made a conscious decision to stop starring in them. He explained to Hosking that he wasn’t getting offered the dramatic roles he wanted, so he told his agent he didn’t want any.
“Four months go by, no rom-coms. This one comes in with a $8 million offer. I’m like no, I don’t want to do it. He comes back with a $10 million offer, and I said no, I don’t want to do it. I read it, it was a good script, but I don’t want to do it.
“They came back with $12 million. I pause – I had a bit of a ellipsis before I said no.
“They came back with $14-$15 million. I said, let me see that script again.
“I read that script again, and I said, you know what, it’s better. Mind you, it’s the exact same script as the original, but at 14 million, it was better.”
However, he stuck to his guns, and says that showed Hollywood that he was really done with those movies. It meant he went two years without any work as he “unbranded”, allowing him to become a new McConaughey.
“I was down in Texas holding out and raising a newborn son and falling in love with the woman who was my wife, trying to hold the line and waiting until this desert’s over and I’ll find the water.”
The book tour is being conducted entirely virtually, with McConaughey and his family - including his wife, Camilla, and their three children - hiding themselves away in their home in Austin, Texas in what he describes as a “hard-core lockdown”.
“We have one family we see every couple of weeks and right after all of us get tested.”
It's a heightened level of security at contrast with the approach taken by many Americans, including in Texas. McConaughey, who has born in the state and has lived there much of his life, says there have been plenty of protests and pushbacks against the restrictions. McConaughey puts that down to Austin being a hospitality town, but the fight is spread across Texas.
Asked if America is a deeply divided country, McConaughey simply said “yes”, putting that down to the Covid crisis coming at the same time as an election year.
 “Many of us are clinging to the extremes to have some sense of ‘I have a stance now’. A lot of it is ‘I’m not even sure what I’m for, but I know what I’m against’.”
He says that he hopes that the country makes it through the election year – with election day less than a fortnight away – without some degree of a civil war.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22970558/mh221020-21-matthewmcconaughey-book.mp3Wed, 21 Oct 2020 20:25:04 +0000RoccoHe may be one of Hollywood's most popular and diverse actors - and a multi-award winner to boot - but don't expect to see Matthew McConaughey in a starring role any time soon.  But rather than it being the result of a dramatic fall from grace, this...But rather than it being the result of a dramatic fall from grace, this decision is entirely McConaughey's own, as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to rage around the world.
The 50-year-old actor told Mike Hosking that he has no intention of returning to set, even as dozens of blockbusters resume production with social distancing practices and extended bubbles in place. 
“I’m not even entertaining going to work on a set. I have a lot of friends that are working, they are talking about how the bubbles are working on set, but uh-uh, no way.
 “I’ve got an 88-year-old mother here with some pulmonary challenges. I’m not even taking a chance.”



Instead, McConaughey is focusing all his energy this year into promoting his new memoir, Greenlights. In it, McConaughey draws from 35 years of diaries that serves as a his life story so-far and  a guide to “catching greenlights” – his methodology for living a more satisfying life.
The topics range from the year he spent travelling around Australia, to how he got his big break in acting, before going on to secure acclaimed roles in HBO’s True Detective and his Oscar-winning performance in Dallas Buyers Club.
McConaughey first broke out in movies like Dazed and Confused and A Time to Kill, but it wasn’t until he started getting cast in rom-coms that he became a household name. He quickly became a household name for his roles in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and The Wedding Planner.
Eventually, he made a conscious decision to stop starring in them. He explained to Hosking that he wasn’t getting offered the dramatic roles he wanted, so he told his agent he didn’t want any.
“Four months go by, no rom-coms. This one comes in with a $8 million offer. I’m like no, I don’t want to do it. He comes back with a $10 million offer, and I said no, I don’t want to do it. I read it, it was a good script, but I don’t want to do it.
“They came back with $12 million. I pause – I had a bit of a ellipsis before I said no.
“They came back with $14-$15 million. I said, let me see that script again.
“I read that script again, and I said, you know what, it’s better. Mind you, it’s the exact same script as the original, but at 14 million, it was better.”
However, he stuck to his guns, and says that showed Hollywood that he was really done with those movies. It meant he went two years without any work as he “unbranded”, allowing him to become a new McConaughey.
“I was down in Texas holding out and raising a newborn son and falling in love with the woman who was my wife, trying to hold the line and waiting until this desert’s over and I’ll find the water.”
The book tour is being conducted entirely virtually, with McConaughey and his family - including his wife, Camilla, and their three children - hiding themselves away in their home in Austin, Texas in what he describes as a “hard-core lockdown”.
“We have one family we see every couple of weeks and right after all of us get tested.”
It's a heightened level of security at contrast with the approach taken by many Americans, including in Texas. McConaughey, who has born in the state and has lived there much of his life, says there have been plenty of protests and pushbacks against the restrictions. McConaughey puts that down to Austin being a hospitality town, but the fight is spread across Texas.
Asked if America is a deeply divided country, McConaughey simply said “yes”, putting that down to the Covid crisis coming at the same time as an election year.
 “Many of us are clinging to the extremes to have some sense of ‘I have a stance now’. A lot of it is ‘I’m not even sure what I’m for, but I know what I’m against’.”
He says that he hopes that the country makes it through the...]]>779falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-multinationals-shouldn-t-have-to-pay-back-wage-subsidy--1008317Tuesday’s edition was the “revelation” around companies such as McDonalds and Coca Cola.
I only use the word ‘revelation’ to carry on the verbal hysteria some of the media seem  obsessed in using around who and who hasn’t paid back their chunk of change they took - according to the aggrieved and angry, under false pretences.
Of course there were no false pretences. If you closed your doors and your sales dropped to a certain extent, you qualified for money to save jobs.
Did those jobs get saved? Yes they did, the system worked.
The argument at the time was the rules were simple because they needed to get the money out the door fast and indeed out it went at a rate of knots. $13 billion, massive numbers of jobs were supported because of it.
Tuesday’s hyperbole involves McDonalds, Asahi, Tesla and Coca Cola. For convenience sake they were labelled as “international giants”
The fact they’re local, employing local people, paying local tax at local head offices was conveniently forgotten for the headline would not have screamed quite so loud.
They join the likes of the Warehouse and various other large operators who took the money, may or may not have laid people off, but committed the more generalised crime of being perceived to be rich and therefore able to pay the bills themselves.
Companies that have since reported profits have been targeted too - how can you profit and still get tax payer money?
The answer in all these cases is simple: because there was one rule. Did your business nose dive as a result of the lockdown? Yes or no.
There was no rule that said, by the way, are you loaded so the subsidy is pocket change for you?
Equally, profits reported are annual. The lockdown was limited to a small period of time. The money made was made in another part of the year when doors were open and life was normal.
Now some people say Briscoe’s have decided to pay their money back. Good on them - if they feel good about it brilliant. But that doesn’t mean the rest should, or have to.
Any more than just because you happen to be a local version of a multinational, someone in London or Atlanta should foot the bills of someone in Wellington.
If you’re obsessed with waste, let me line up a series of examples for you sometime.
Starting with the winter warmer payment made to people whether they need it or not. Or the $100 million just last week to marae reconstruction from a slush fund called the PGF - now disowned and dismantled.
There is plenty of waste if you want to see it. The wage subsidy doesn’t fit the charge. The wage subsidy had one job, and it did it.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22970516/mh211020-14-wagesubsidycomment.mp3Wed, 21 Oct 2020 03:19:25 +0000RoccoOf all the things the government has had trouble with; the one thing I thought went pretty well, turns out to be the biggest ongoing headache: the wage subsidy. Tuesday’s edition was the “revelation” around companies such as McDonalds and Coca Cola. I...Tuesday’s edition was the “revelation” around companies such as McDonalds and Coca Cola.
I only use the word ‘revelation’ to carry on the verbal hysteria some of the media seem  obsessed in using around who and who hasn’t paid back their chunk of change they took - according to the aggrieved and angry, under false pretences.
Of course there were no false pretences. If you closed your doors and your sales dropped to a certain extent, you qualified for money to save jobs.
Did those jobs get saved? Yes they did, the system worked.
The argument at the time was the rules were simple because they needed to get the money out the door fast and indeed out it went at a rate of knots. $13 billion, massive numbers of jobs were supported because of it.
Tuesday’s hyperbole involves McDonalds, Asahi, Tesla and Coca Cola. For convenience sake they were labelled as “international giants”
The fact they’re local, employing local people, paying local tax at local head offices was conveniently forgotten for the headline would not have screamed quite so loud.
They join the likes of the Warehouse and various other large operators who took the money, may or may not have laid people off, but committed the more generalised crime of being perceived to be rich and therefore able to pay the bills themselves.
Companies that have since reported profits have been targeted too - how can you profit and still get tax payer money?
The answer in all these cases is simple: because there was one rule. Did your business nose dive as a result of the lockdown? Yes or no.
There was no rule that said, by the way, are you loaded so the subsidy is pocket change for you?
Equally, profits reported are annual. The lockdown was limited to a small period of time. The money made was made in another part of the year when doors were open and life was normal.
Now some people say Briscoe’s have decided to pay their money back. Good on them - if they feel good about it brilliant. But that doesn’t mean the rest should, or have to.
Any more than just because you happen to be a local version of a multinational, someone in London or Atlanta should foot the bills of someone in Wellington.
If you’re obsessed with waste, let me line up a series of examples for you sometime.
Starting with the winter warmer payment made to people whether they need it or not. Or the $100 million just last week to marae reconstruction from a slush fund called the PGF - now disowned and dismantled.
There is plenty of waste if you want to see it. The wage subsidy doesn’t fit the charge. The wage subsidy had one job, and it did it.]]>147falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-labour-have-the-numbers-so-why-would-they-bring-in-the-greens--1008421Talks allegedly wrap up next week.
A good indicator of where Labour are at with the Greens is when, last term, Eugenie Sage torpedoed Waihi Mine's expansion plans for no good reason, and she was eventually overruled by Grant Robertson and David Parker.
The clue there is the Labour Party like the Greens, but not the dangerous ideological end of them. So, whatever the Greens get, and they will get something, it won't be the stuff that scares the horses.
They will get a deal, for as far as I can work out, two reasons. One, Jacinda Ardern is a consensus politician. Two, there seems to be a view that you don’t want to be attacked from both sides.
National and ACT will go at them over delivery, so they don’t need the Greens being a pain over pumped hydro, national parks, and clean air.
But that second reason is, in fact, wrong. MMP isn't about coalitions or it doesn’t have to be. We haven't adapted our thinking to Saturday's result.
MMP is a voting mechanism, not necessarily a government mechanism. National did business with the Maori Party when they didn’t have to, Labour can do the same with the Greens, but they're not beholden. A mandate is a mandate, if you don’t need votes why buy them?
In that is the problem for the Greens, they're not needed. And not only are they not needed; they’ve wedded themselves to Labour so what are they going to do without a deal? Bring Labour down? I don't think so.
Are they going to carp from outside the tent? Probably. But carp about what? Labour, I am sure, back themselves as a greenish type party. They back their environmental credentials. They're greens without the nuttiness.
That's the stuff the Greens would bark on about. Stuff so mad most of the rest of us would be grateful it's not the insanity that’s holding a Cabinet portfolio.
In other words, anyone can whinge, but if the whinge is the whinge of the crazy it's not effective. And not only that if you're mainstream, you're grateful you’ve got nothing to do with it.
All of this reinforces the Labour power base. It's enormous, they’ve got the numbers, got the mandate, so there's no reason to do anything with anyone.
Just because MMP produced deals historically doesn’t mean it has to. The last government was a coalition of necessity, and it wasn’t that flash.
When you’ve got the keys to the car all to yourself, who wants passengers?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22970482/mh211020-01-coalitioncomment.mp3Tue, 20 Oct 2020 22:02:00 +0000RoccoPersonally, I don’t mind if the Greens are part of the government, because if they are, they won't be a significant part. Talks allegedly wrap up next week. A good indicator of where Labour are at with the Greens is when, last term, Eugenie Sage...Talks allegedly wrap up next week.
A good indicator of where Labour are at with the Greens is when, last term, Eugenie Sage torpedoed Waihi Mine's expansion plans for no good reason, and she was eventually overruled by Grant Robertson and David Parker.
The clue there is the Labour Party like the Greens, but not the dangerous ideological end of them. So, whatever the Greens get, and they will get something, it won't be the stuff that scares the horses.
They will get a deal, for as far as I can work out, two reasons. One, Jacinda Ardern is a consensus politician. Two, there seems to be a view that you don’t want to be attacked from both sides.
National and ACT will go at them over delivery, so they don’t need the Greens being a pain over pumped hydro, national parks, and clean air.
But that second reason is, in fact, wrong. MMP isn't about coalitions or it doesn’t have to be. We haven't adapted our thinking to Saturday's result.
MMP is a voting mechanism, not necessarily a government mechanism. National did business with the Maori Party when they didn’t have to, Labour can do the same with the Greens, but they're not beholden. A mandate is a mandate, if you don’t need votes why buy them?
In that is the problem for the Greens, they're not needed. And not only are they not needed; they’ve wedded themselves to Labour so what are they going to do without a deal? Bring Labour down? I don't think so.
Are they going to carp from outside the tent? Probably. But carp about what? Labour, I am sure, back themselves as a greenish type party. They back their environmental credentials. They're greens without the nuttiness.
That's the stuff the Greens would bark on about. Stuff so mad most of the rest of us would be grateful it's not the insanity that’s holding a Cabinet portfolio.
In other words, anyone can whinge, but if the whinge is the whinge of the crazy it's not effective. And not only that if you're mainstream, you're grateful you’ve got nothing to do with it.
All of this reinforces the Labour power base. It's enormous, they’ve got the numbers, got the mandate, so there's no reason to do anything with anyone.
Just because MMP produced deals historically doesn’t mean it has to. The last government was a coalition of necessity, and it wasn’t that flash.
When you’ve got the keys to the car all to yourself, who wants passengers?]]>122falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-national-needs-to-avoid-over-reacting-to-election-loss--1008320National gathered today for what will be a forlorn old caucus meeting. They’ll have picked over the entrails as to just what went wrong.
And the risk they run right now is to fail to grasp, although some things unquestionably went wrong, the stuff that did go wrong wasn’t responsible for a Labour landslide.
It’s safe-ish to say, even if things went really right, Labour most likely still would have won.
Why? Because Covid is a pandemic, and the government of the day didn’t cock it up and in such matters and it doesn’t have to be a pandemic but in times of trouble, we have a flight to safety, we are adverse to risk.
That’s why presidents become popular in wars. Look at Churchill or Bush Senior. History is full of examples.
History also shows us, first term governments by in large get a second term.
So the trick, if you’re on the losing side, is not to over react, not to change for the sake of changing, and to step back and see the big picture.
Life whether political or otherwise, has seasons. Labour got lucky with Covid, it saved them. No Covid, you would have had a real race.
Labour was polling poorly, delivery was an issue, and the economy was slowing. Post Covid, all that stuff got tossed out the window, Saint Jacinda arrived, and we loved it - game over.
The bits National can do better on are internal. They seem self-absorbed, the leaking is pathetic, the self-interest is obvious, the factionalism is a problem. If they’d sorted that, Act would not have polled so well for example.
But 2002 for National is a lesson, and a reminder, that bad days, bad seasons, bad periods are part of political life, but they don’t last.
Tumult is part of the equation. Labour was brilliant in 1984, by 1990 they were a mess. The Clark government of ‘99 was not the Clark of 05 and so it goes.
Mitigating circumstances, things beyond your control, are always present. It rarely, if ever, is a simple battle of ideas.
It’s a third party in MMP, it’s a GFC or an earthquake or this time a pandemic.
A lot of the time, the deck is stacked either for you or against you.
The trick if you’re looking for blame or blood-letting or renewal or change or rebuilding is to deal realistically with what you can fix and what in all reality was beyond your control.
Jamie Whincup over the weekend at Bathurst, one of the greatest of drivers, made a split second mistake early in the race and hit the wall. It doesn’t make him a bad driver, doesn’t mean he couldn’t have won it, doesn’t mean the team needs to sack anyone.
A bad day is hardly ever the end, perspective is a skill. Sometimes shit happens.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22970468/mh201020-14-nationalpostmortemcomment.mp3Tue, 20 Oct 2020 08:49:44 +0000RoccoThe trouble with trouble is you can easily over analysis it.   National gathered today for what will be a forlorn old caucus meeting. They’ll have picked over the entrails as to just what went wrong. And the risk they run right now is to fail to...National gathered today for what will be a forlorn old caucus meeting. They’ll have picked over the entrails as to just what went wrong.
And the risk they run right now is to fail to grasp, although some things unquestionably went wrong, the stuff that did go wrong wasn’t responsible for a Labour landslide.
It’s safe-ish to say, even if things went really right, Labour most likely still would have won.
Why? Because Covid is a pandemic, and the government of the day didn’t cock it up and in such matters and it doesn’t have to be a pandemic but in times of trouble, we have a flight to safety, we are adverse to risk.
That’s why presidents become popular in wars. Look at Churchill or Bush Senior. History is full of examples.
History also shows us, first term governments by in large get a second term.
So the trick, if you’re on the losing side, is not to over react, not to change for the sake of changing, and to step back and see the big picture.
Life whether political or otherwise, has seasons. Labour got lucky with Covid, it saved them. No Covid, you would have had a real race.
Labour was polling poorly, delivery was an issue, and the economy was slowing. Post Covid, all that stuff got tossed out the window, Saint Jacinda arrived, and we loved it - game over.
The bits National can do better on are internal. They seem self-absorbed, the leaking is pathetic, the self-interest is obvious, the factionalism is a problem. If they’d sorted that, Act would not have polled so well for example.
But 2002 for National is a lesson, and a reminder, that bad days, bad seasons, bad periods are part of political life, but they don’t last.
Tumult is part of the equation. Labour was brilliant in 1984, by 1990 they were a mess. The Clark government of ‘99 was not the Clark of 05 and so it goes.
Mitigating circumstances, things beyond your control, are always present. It rarely, if ever, is a simple battle of ideas.
It’s a third party in MMP, it’s a GFC or an earthquake or this time a pandemic.
A lot of the time, the deck is stacked either for you or against you.
The trick if you’re looking for blame or blood-letting or renewal or change or rebuilding is to deal realistically with what you can fix and what in all reality was beyond your control.
Jamie Whincup over the weekend at Bathurst, one of the greatest of drivers, made a split second mistake early in the race and hit the wall. It doesn’t make him a bad driver, doesn’t mean he couldn’t have won it, doesn’t mean the team needs to sack anyone.
A bad day is hardly ever the end, perspective is a skill. Sometimes shit happens.]]>141falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-our-voting-system-needs-an-overhaul--1008436I enrolled, got my papers to prove my enrolment, but then didn’t get my easy vote card. I didn’t worry, given nothing that’s supposed to come in the mail these days arrives in a way that makes any sense. I sent a parcel to one of the kids the other day. I put so many stamps on it, I was expecting it to be personally choppered. But almost two weeks later it finally turned up a few hundred kilometres down the road at my daughter's place.
My wife's card arrived, still nothing for me. Don't worry they said, it will arrive. It didn’t, but even if it doesn’t, I don’t need it. That obviously begs the question, why have it?
So, I go the bloke at the desk with a stack of papers full of names. He goes through them, I'm not there. So no card, and indeed no enrolment. Fortunately, one of the few changes they have made to voting in this country is you can enrol on the day.
So, I did. It took a while given the person helping me didn’t know how that worked. The paper, the envelopes, the stickers, the instruction cards, someone is making a fortune in printing.
It should be digital, of course, but then the Russians or the Chinese will doctor things. Isn't that the latest fear? So, we've got the tech and the smarts, but we also have the fear and the crooks, so we still act like it's 1976.
Early voting has helped, or has it? They don’t count any faster despite starting at 9am on polling day. And given more and more vote early, how is it they vote mid campaign amid the promises and the arm twisting, and yet those who vote on the Saturday aren't allowed to hear a word? It makes no sense.
I've always liked the American judicial practice of being able to talk to jurors. Was it unanimous? Why was he guilty or not? Was there much debate? Insight is always useful, and what have we got to fear from information?
In Australia they stand outside polling areas handing out leaflets, and Australia doesn’t seem adversely affected by it.
It's just a decision. You're entitled to it, you can make up your mind anyway you like, it doesn’t have to be a mystery and all steeped in weird practice. Exit polls are good as well, why not have them? What are we afraid of?
But between the lost card ,the lack of enrolment, the forests of paper, cardboard, pens, the slow counting, and arcane rules, the whole process is ripe for a renovation.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22970403/mh201020-01-electionrulescomment.mp3Mon, 19 Oct 2020 21:44:51 +0000RoccoI note calls for changes to election day rules around campaigning. Every time I vote I am reminded what an old world, quaint, and disconnected from our normal life type affair it is. I enrolled, got my papers to prove my enrolment, but then didn’t get...I enrolled, got my papers to prove my enrolment, but then didn’t get my easy vote card. I didn’t worry, given nothing that’s supposed to come in the mail these days arrives in a way that makes any sense. I sent a parcel to one of the kids the other day. I put so many stamps on it, I was expecting it to be personally choppered. But almost two weeks later it finally turned up a few hundred kilometres down the road at my daughter's place.
My wife's card arrived, still nothing for me. Don't worry they said, it will arrive. It didn’t, but even if it doesn’t, I don’t need it. That obviously begs the question, why have it?
So, I go the bloke at the desk with a stack of papers full of names. He goes through them, I'm not there. So no card, and indeed no enrolment. Fortunately, one of the few changes they have made to voting in this country is you can enrol on the day.
So, I did. It took a while given the person helping me didn’t know how that worked. The paper, the envelopes, the stickers, the instruction cards, someone is making a fortune in printing.
It should be digital, of course, but then the Russians or the Chinese will doctor things. Isn't that the latest fear? So, we've got the tech and the smarts, but we also have the fear and the crooks, so we still act like it's 1976.
Early voting has helped, or has it? They don’t count any faster despite starting at 9am on polling day. And given more and more vote early, how is it they vote mid campaign amid the promises and the arm twisting, and yet those who vote on the Saturday aren't allowed to hear a word? It makes no sense.
I've always liked the American judicial practice of being able to talk to jurors. Was it unanimous? Why was he guilty or not? Was there much debate? Insight is always useful, and what have we got to fear from information?
In Australia they stand outside polling areas handing out leaflets, and Australia doesn’t seem adversely affected by it.
It's just a decision. You're entitled to it, you can make up your mind anyway you like, it doesn’t have to be a mystery and all steeped in weird practice. Exit polls are good as well, why not have them? What are we afraid of?
But between the lost card ,the lack of enrolment, the forests of paper, cardboard, pens, the slow counting, and arcane rules, the whole process is ripe for a renovation.  ]]>132falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-labour-has-the-place-to-themselves-what-are-they-going-to-do--1008288Which is good for the markets. Markets don’t like the Greens, they don’t like the uncertainty of the Greens, and although the Greens will be there, it will be in a non-confrontational ‘don’t break the china’ kind of way.
This is FPP in all but name, and whether that’s Covid or whether that’s us deciding MMP doesn’t work who would know
But the last government was pure MMP. Three parties that muddled along with handbrakes, standoffs and the lack of progression you’d expect from a lot of behind the scenes compromise.
So the up side is you can do what you want. Down side is, do they know what they want to do really?
Short of a vaccine what actually is their plan? Their campaign was a rock star leader and a lot of selfies.
Yet the economy is in a world of trouble, and a vaccine seems to be their answer.
Before Covid, their year of delivery was anything but. This will have to change or they’ll be toast in 2023.
Another issue to worry about is who the hell is coming to Wellington.
Whether large party or small, history is littered with tales of people you never heard of, people who never in their wildest dreams thought they would be an MP, actually get to be an MP.
That makes new stars, but also produces carnage. Having a large caucus gives you the votes you need, but also the trouble you don’t.
Talent is their other issue. Ardern, Robertson, Woods, Little, Parker and Hipkins, Nash; having more people in your team doesn’t mean the team is any more gifted, just larger.
Mind you, look at Helen Clark. It was her, Cullen, Goff and King. You don’t need a hall full to run the place, but ideally they probably need more than they’ve got.
And here’s the greatest challenge of all. This is their best result in decades. Ardern has taken them from 24 percent to 36 percent to 48 percent. It’s an astonishing record, but this is as good as it gets.
To improve it is impossible. To maintain it is hard work. That’s the test.
What do they say about being at the top?
Big picture, to be truly great you need three terms, with a genuine shot at four. So this chapter is potentially still early days, and these are unprecedented times
So no pressure then.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22970370/mh191020-13-labourplancomment.mp3Mon, 19 Oct 2020 05:21:26 +0000RoccoThe upside for Labour is they’ve got the place to themselves. Which is good for the markets. Markets don’t like the Greens, they don’t like the uncertainty of the Greens, and although the Greens will be there, it will be in a non-confrontational...Which is good for the markets. Markets don’t like the Greens, they don’t like the uncertainty of the Greens, and although the Greens will be there, it will be in a non-confrontational ‘don’t break the china’ kind of way.
This is FPP in all but name, and whether that’s Covid or whether that’s us deciding MMP doesn’t work who would know
But the last government was pure MMP. Three parties that muddled along with handbrakes, standoffs and the lack of progression you’d expect from a lot of behind the scenes compromise.
So the up side is you can do what you want. Down side is, do they know what they want to do really?
Short of a vaccine what actually is their plan? Their campaign was a rock star leader and a lot of selfies.
Yet the economy is in a world of trouble, and a vaccine seems to be their answer.
Before Covid, their year of delivery was anything but. This will have to change or they’ll be toast in 2023.
Another issue to worry about is who the hell is coming to Wellington.
Whether large party or small, history is littered with tales of people you never heard of, people who never in their wildest dreams thought they would be an MP, actually get to be an MP.
That makes new stars, but also produces carnage. Having a large caucus gives you the votes you need, but also the trouble you don’t.
Talent is their other issue. Ardern, Robertson, Woods, Little, Parker and Hipkins, Nash; having more people in your team doesn’t mean the team is any more gifted, just larger.
Mind you, look at Helen Clark. It was her, Cullen, Goff and King. You don’t need a hall full to run the place, but ideally they probably need more than they’ve got.
And here’s the greatest challenge of all. This is their best result in decades. Ardern has taken them from 24 percent to 36 percent to 48 percent. It’s an astonishing record, but this is as good as it gets.
To improve it is impossible. To maintain it is hard work. That’s the test.
What do they say about being at the top?
Big picture, to be truly great you need three terms, with a genuine shot at four. So this chapter is potentially still early days, and these are unprecedented times
So no pressure then.]]>123falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-it-was-a-truly-historic-election-night--1008382Obviously, a majority under MMP is history. And whether it's all because of the pandemic, which it is, doesn't really matter, the cards are the cards.
So, the headline goes to the size of the victory, but to ignore the other equally remarkable bits would be to do a number of people a massive disservice.
Chloe Swarbrick's win is astonishing. It's a reminder that in a seat where a popular incumbent leaves and the contest can be genuinely open, what Swarbrick did was good old-fashioned boots on the ground stuff. Hard work was rewarded. The only downside was she didn’t get to be the Greens saviour, that would have been the cream on an otherwise spectacular cake.
On a night when Labour rampaged through the countryside. It didn’t rampage through Auckland Central and the Labour candidate has got to wonder what the hell went wrong.
Similar story I suspect in Waiariki. There was no need for the Maori Party to win any seats. The Maori Party was born of anger and fury over the foreshore and seabed. There isn't a lot of anger and fury left now, hence last election they got wiped out. So why did they win? Helen White and Tamati Coffey might like to ask themselves a few hard questions.
ACT cannot be ignored.  One percent to eight percent, and one MP to 10 MPS. In terms of statistical improvement, they won the night, and in some respects, along with the greens saved MMP. It's a very First Past the Post Parliament, but if MMP is to survive it's got to have well established and well supported minor parties that don’t ebb and flow with the wind.
On the downside a landslide means carnage somewhere, and New Zealand First is finished. And whether you ever flirted with them or not, the cult of personality was never better expressed than by Winston Peters. His story isn't over yet, and sadly it's for all the wrong reasons.
The SFO case will play out, but the party itself is finished. The reality is it never had a succession plan. The last government and the PGF was supposed to sort of be it, but in reality, it was Peter's fiefdom and when he goes, so too go the fortunes of the party. That is the end of an interesting era.
I would like to think we might learn our lesson once and for all on the polls, but we won't. The polls couldn't have got the centre left-centre right gap more wrong.
But ultimately it was Labour's night and it's Labour's next three years, and whether the Greens are there or not doesn't matter.
This is a First Past the Post government. What shape they go to 2023 is entirely on them. 
The great ones walk towards that sort of pressure.    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22970312/mh191020-01-resultcomment.mp3Sun, 18 Oct 2020 22:26:48 +0000RoccoThe thing about a landslide is there is more than one story. Obviously, a majority under MMP is history. And whether it's all because of the pandemic, which it is, doesn't really matter, the cards are the cards. So, the headline goes to the size of...Obviously, a majority under MMP is history. And whether it's all because of the pandemic, which it is, doesn't really matter, the cards are the cards.
So, the headline goes to the size of the victory, but to ignore the other equally remarkable bits would be to do a number of people a massive disservice.
Chloe Swarbrick's win is astonishing. It's a reminder that in a seat where a popular incumbent leaves and the contest can be genuinely open, what Swarbrick did was good old-fashioned boots on the ground stuff. Hard work was rewarded. The only downside was she didn’t get to be the Greens saviour, that would have been the cream on an otherwise spectacular cake.
On a night when Labour rampaged through the countryside. It didn’t rampage through Auckland Central and the Labour candidate has got to wonder what the hell went wrong.
Similar story I suspect in Waiariki. There was no need for the Maori Party to win any seats. The Maori Party was born of anger and fury over the foreshore and seabed. There isn't a lot of anger and fury left now, hence last election they got wiped out. So why did they win? Helen White and Tamati Coffey might like to ask themselves a few hard questions.
ACT cannot be ignored.  One percent to eight percent, and one MP to 10 MPS. In terms of statistical improvement, they won the night, and in some respects, along with the greens saved MMP. It's a very First Past the Post Parliament, but if MMP is to survive it's got to have well established and well supported minor parties that don’t ebb and flow with the wind.
On the downside a landslide means carnage somewhere, and New Zealand First is finished. And whether you ever flirted with them or not, the cult of personality was never better expressed than by Winston Peters. His story isn't over yet, and sadly it's for all the wrong reasons.
The SFO case will play out, but the party itself is finished. The reality is it never had a succession plan. The last government and the PGF was supposed to sort of be it, but in reality, it was Peter's fiefdom and when he goes, so too go the fortunes of the party. That is the end of an interesting era.
I would like to think we might learn our lesson once and for all on the polls, but we won't. The polls couldn't have got the centre left-centre right gap more wrong.
But ultimately it was Labour's night and it's Labour's next three years, and whether the Greens are there or not doesn't matter.
This is a First Past the Post government. What shape they go to 2023 is entirely on them. 
The great ones walk towards that sort of pressure.    ]]>135falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-how-have-the-parties-fared-over-the-election-campaign--1008431The Election Campaign
7/10
"I've enjoyed it.
“It's got better as time has gone on."
Judith Collins' Campaign
9/10
"Worked her butt off, but her party can't say the same.
“She got more real once she shook off the mad advice to tone herself down.
“She delivered plenty of policy, fired plenty of shots, and left it all on the field."
Jacinda Ardern's Campaign
8/10
"Good campaign.
“Played it safe, smiled till her face broke, not a lot of policy, but that was never the point."
The Greens' Campaign
6/10
"Got caught badly on tax and no bottom lines.
“They're too nice and too disorganised for their own good."
David Seymour's Campaign
9/10
"Don't think he did a thing wrong.
“He just piled up the support, votes, and deserves every success coming his way.
“He was himself, supplied plenty of zingers, and looked like he had a ball."
Winston Peters' Campaign
4/10
"Wrong approach.
“Moaned about his own government and was grumpy with it.
“Also doesn’t help having a couple of your mates charged by the SFO."
The Media
4/10
"Their worst collective display in my 38 years in the game. The bias was so obvious, which made the claims of neutrality so dishonest.
“Too many are too young and too inexperienced.
“A Prime Minister in a mall at lunchtime is not drawing a crowd, people wanting selfies with anyone remotely well known is not a sign of popularity, and parties inviting supporters to come along has been going on for decades.
“It's only those who are 12 and on their first campaign that find any of this new, or newsworthy."
The Economy
6/10
"Enough there this week to, if not give overwhelming joy, perhaps a reasonable sigh of relief.
“Spending up, spending intentions up, confidence measures up, and the Truckometer up.
“It ain't what it was, but we will take it."
Judith Collins' Call on Obesity
8/10
"In a woke old world of hand wringing PC excuses for everything, and in a world where no one must be offended or held to account, god bless Collins for keeping it real."
The All Blacks
7/10
"What a joy to have them back.
“What a joy to see a crowd, what a joy to see Australia truly competitive, and what a joy to know it's another New Zealander who made them so."
Newstalk ZB
9/10
"An astonishing week for this fine radio station.
“Ratings show we have never in the history of Newstalk ZB had more people tuned in.
“I call it a flight to quality."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22970102/mh161020-14-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 15 Oct 2020 22:47:44 +0000RoccoAt 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 Election Campaign 7/10 "I've enjoyed it. “It's got better as time has gone on." Judith Collins' Campaign 9/10 "Worked her butt...The Election Campaign
7/10
"I've enjoyed it.
“It's got better as time has gone on."
Judith Collins' Campaign
9/10
"Worked her butt off, but her party can't say the same.
“She got more real once she shook off the mad advice to tone herself down.
“She delivered plenty of policy, fired plenty of shots, and left it all on the field."
Jacinda Ardern's Campaign
8/10
"Good campaign.
“Played it safe, smiled till her face broke, not a lot of policy, but that was never the point."
The Greens' Campaign
6/10
"Got caught badly on tax and no bottom lines.
“They're too nice and too disorganised for their own good."
David Seymour's Campaign
9/10
"Don't think he did a thing wrong.
“He just piled up the support, votes, and deserves every success coming his way.
“He was himself, supplied plenty of zingers, and looked like he had a ball."
Winston Peters' Campaign
4/10
"Wrong approach.
“Moaned about his own government and was grumpy with it.
“Also doesn’t help having a couple of your mates charged by the SFO."
The Media
4/10
"Their worst collective display in my 38 years in the game. The bias was so obvious, which made the claims of neutrality so dishonest.
“Too many are too young and too inexperienced.
“A Prime Minister in a mall at lunchtime is not drawing a crowd, people wanting selfies with anyone remotely well known is not a sign of popularity, and parties inviting supporters to come along has been going on for decades.
“It's only those who are 12 and on their first campaign that find any of this new, or newsworthy."
The Economy
6/10
"Enough there this week to, if not give overwhelming joy, perhaps a reasonable sigh of relief.
“Spending up, spending intentions up, confidence measures up, and the Truckometer up.
“It ain't what it was, but we will take it."
Judith Collins' Call on Obesity
8/10
"In a woke old world of hand wringing PC excuses for everything, and in a world where no one must be offended or held to account, god bless Collins for keeping it real."
The All Blacks
7/10
"What a joy to have them back.
“What a joy to see a crowd, what a joy to see Australia truly competitive, and what a joy to know it's another New Zealander who made them so."
Newstalk ZB
9/10
"An astonishing week for this fine radio station.
“Ratings show we have never in the history of Newstalk ZB had more people tuned in.
“I call it a flight to quality."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>189falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-the-2020-campaign-is-another-for-the-history-books--1008300I find it hard to believe there are many left who don’t know who they're voting for. The hope is that the early voting means more people ultimately will take part, I hope so. Democracy is never to be taken for granted, even though we do.
I think it worked out okay in the end. The extension to tomorrow was the only possible option given Auckland's second lockdown. That made the whole thing seem long, which it was.
We got plenty of policy in the end. But the question for this specific vote is how much is about policy? And how much is it about a closed border and feeling you can generally go about your business without too much fear?
As a result of the uniqueness of this election the minor players never got a look in. I mean the really minor players; they got no attention and they will get next to no vote. That's what a pandemic does for you. It's a voter flight to what they know, this is no time to test or experiment.
Which is why Labour has led. It was their lockdown, their plan, such as it is, and that’s what they will be judged on.
National could only try to paint a picture of what might have been. They managed to paint a pretty good picture, and a genuine alternative. If policy does count, they win the prize for putting good solid amounts of it out that show, whether you agree or not, there are genuinely other ways to run the country.
The Greens and New Zealand First in different ways are paying the price of MMP. Being a small party in government is a kiss of death. NZ First has almost certainly been smacked on the lips, and the Greens are somewhere between puckering up and the full pash.
Winston Peters made an era in not promoting the gains in government. He focused on all the stuff he stopped. But negativity isn't appealing and isn't a vote collector. And to be honest his record is so old and scratched, only the truly senile still want to play it one more time.  
The Greens have been the Greens. Hopelessly idealistic, and phenomenally mixed messaged. Trying to appeal to people who love national parks and communists has always  been the problem, and that’s prevented them from reaching their true potential. That's before you get to their lack of backbone around policy, a top priority is an invite to get trampled on.
ACT are your real stars. Led by David Seymour who appears to have done literally nothing wrong. He's got ACT from 1 percent to who knows, maybe 7 or 8 percent? One MP to, who knows, maybe 9 or 11? And all the while it's come with pithy one liners, awesome bum outs, and a light of foot attitude that people love.
Labour have run the only campaign they could. Selfies with Jacinda Ardern, a huge chequebook of borrowed money, and the hope that the fear lasts until 7 o'clock tomorrow.
But for now, this has been your campaign.   ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22970093/mh161020-10-campaigncomment.mp3Thu, 15 Oct 2020 22:10:02 +0000RoccoSo the campaign of 2020 is all but done. I find it hard to believe there are many left who don’t know who they're voting for. The hope is that the early voting means more people ultimately will take part, I hope so. Democracy is never to be taken for...I find it hard to believe there are many left who don’t know who they're voting for. The hope is that the early voting means more people ultimately will take part, I hope so. Democracy is never to be taken for granted, even though we do.
I think it worked out okay in the end. The extension to tomorrow was the only possible option given Auckland's second lockdown. That made the whole thing seem long, which it was.
We got plenty of policy in the end. But the question for this specific vote is how much is about policy? And how much is it about a closed border and feeling you can generally go about your business without too much fear?
As a result of the uniqueness of this election the minor players never got a look in. I mean the really minor players; they got no attention and they will get next to no vote. That's what a pandemic does for you. It's a voter flight to what they know, this is no time to test or experiment.
Which is why Labour has led. It was their lockdown, their plan, such as it is, and that’s what they will be judged on.
National could only try to paint a picture of what might have been. They managed to paint a pretty good picture, and a genuine alternative. If policy does count, they win the prize for putting good solid amounts of it out that show, whether you agree or not, there are genuinely other ways to run the country.
The Greens and New Zealand First in different ways are paying the price of MMP. Being a small party in government is a kiss of death. NZ First has almost certainly been smacked on the lips, and the Greens are somewhere between puckering up and the full pash.
Winston Peters made an era in not promoting the gains in government. He focused on all the stuff he stopped. But negativity isn't appealing and isn't a vote collector. And to be honest his record is so old and scratched, only the truly senile still want to play it one more time.  
The Greens have been the Greens. Hopelessly idealistic, and phenomenally mixed messaged. Trying to appeal to people who love national parks and communists has always  been the problem, and that’s prevented them from reaching their true potential. That's before you get to their lack of backbone around policy, a top priority is an invite to get trampled on.
ACT are your real stars. Led by David Seymour who appears to have done literally nothing wrong. He's got ACT from 1 percent to who knows, maybe 7 or 8 percent? One MP to, who knows, maybe 9 or 11? And all the while it's come with pithy one liners, awesome bum outs, and a light of foot attitude that people love.
Labour have run the only campaign they could. Selfies with Jacinda Ardern, a huge chequebook of borrowed money, and the hope that the fear lasts until 7 o'clock tomorrow.
But for now, this has been your campaign.   ]]>140falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-judith-collins-obesity-backlash-show-how-soft-we-ve-become--1008321Hasn’t Judith Collins poked the bear good and proper? And god bless her for doing it.
She has entered the sacred ground of excuse making, and the industry that has grown as a result of its acceptance. In fact, in many cases not just acceptance, but full and open embrace.
There isn't much left in life that you can't find someone else to blame if you so choose. It includes your lifestyle, your income, your parenting, your skills, your education, who you married ,why you're in court, why you are large, why you are angry, and why you drink too much.
There is the well-established series of groups and departments who espouse your outcome, feel your pain, and advocate for your rehabilitation. There is money and services readily and increasingly available to sooth your brow, dress your wounds, offer your excuses, or fight your corner.
Race is often used. If you're from the wrong race you can have special rules for things like medical school. You can put today's troubles right by blaming past wrongs. There is a whole tribunal for that and a lot of lawyers paid for by others.  
If you're short on housing not only can you join a queue, you might actually be given a special deal. And now under the latest government's rules, once you're in, you don’t have to leave, which takes that welfare net and makes it a nice, warm, lifelong blanket.
Why would you work hard, improve yourself, shake yourself off, and shape yourself up, if it's easier not to?
Pre Covid the jobseeker roll was up 15,000 a year in an economy that couldn’t find workers. How does that even make sense? Because if you couldn't find work that was okay.
And because this "it's not your fault” mentality has spread and eventually anchored itself in our psyche, there are generations of kids that grow up knowing nothing else, and therefore expecting nothing else.
If you're obese, you can blame Mum because she was obese and call it intergenerational. It's easier than exercising and learning about nutrition.
NCEA, like sport, is not about pass and fail. It's about turning up and "achieving” or getting a nice warm Merit.
We have money services, shoulders to cry on. They're all designed to absolve you of your responsibility and self-responsibility. We have the lost art of owning something yourself, of giving yourself an upper cut ,of growing some balls, or a backbone.
The fact Collins got so much heat shows you just how soft, lost, and reliant we have become.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22970021/mh151020-14-personalresponsibilitycomment.mp3Wed, 14 Oct 2020 21:28:47 +0000RoccoIt's not just obesity of course, it's all around us. It's attitudes, lifestyles, ways of living, outlooks, and for some it's who we are. Hasn’t Judith Collins poked the bear good and proper? And god bless her for doing it. She has entered the sacred...Hasn’t Judith Collins poked the bear good and proper? And god bless her for doing it.
She has entered the sacred ground of excuse making, and the industry that has grown as a result of its acceptance. In fact, in many cases not just acceptance, but full and open embrace.
There isn't much left in life that you can't find someone else to blame if you so choose. It includes your lifestyle, your income, your parenting, your skills, your education, who you married ,why you're in court, why you are large, why you are angry, and why you drink too much.
There is the well-established series of groups and departments who espouse your outcome, feel your pain, and advocate for your rehabilitation. There is money and services readily and increasingly available to sooth your brow, dress your wounds, offer your excuses, or fight your corner.
Race is often used. If you're from the wrong race you can have special rules for things like medical school. You can put today's troubles right by blaming past wrongs. There is a whole tribunal for that and a lot of lawyers paid for by others.  
If you're short on housing not only can you join a queue, you might actually be given a special deal. And now under the latest government's rules, once you're in, you don’t have to leave, which takes that welfare net and makes it a nice, warm, lifelong blanket.
Why would you work hard, improve yourself, shake yourself off, and shape yourself up, if it's easier not to?
Pre Covid the jobseeker roll was up 15,000 a year in an economy that couldn’t find workers. How does that even make sense? Because if you couldn't find work that was okay.
And because this "it's not your fault” mentality has spread and eventually anchored itself in our psyche, there are generations of kids that grow up knowing nothing else, and therefore expecting nothing else.
If you're obese, you can blame Mum because she was obese and call it intergenerational. It's easier than exercising and learning about nutrition.
NCEA, like sport, is not about pass and fail. It's about turning up and "achieving” or getting a nice warm Merit.
We have money services, shoulders to cry on. They're all designed to absolve you of your responsibility and self-responsibility. We have the lost art of owning something yourself, of giving yourself an upper cut ,of growing some balls, or a backbone.
The fact Collins got so much heat shows you just how soft, lost, and reliant we have become.  ]]>129falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-there-s-light-at-the-end-of-covid-s-tunnel--1008429It's important to differentiate as more data comes to hand. 
They said back in March armageddon was on its way. 
But they said that because they were guessing, who the hell knew what was going to unfold.
The longer this has gone, the more we know and here's what we know as of this morning.
Housing is fine, it's more than fine.
Spending is back, again, stats out yesterday show spending is up 24 % over the 3 months to September, obviously that’s pent up, it's people using money that would have gone overseas or they couldn’t spend in lock down.
Jobs are up provincially and 9 of 15 regions have more jobs now than last year.
Spending intention is also up, as we sort out whether we were losing our shirts or not, those that aren't, have settled into a new normal.
People are looking to spend and continue to spend in the next 3 to 6 months .
What we appear to have is a split recession, tourism, planes, borders, hospitality and some events badly damaged or finished.
The flip side is a lot of us are untouched.
And typical of recessions the counter factual to the damage, those that have boomed, and there seems plenty having a good time.
It's still way too early to see whether it's settled.
Whether companies still with doors open will try to see out xmas, then collapse is the question. A lot of restructuring is going on. The Warehouse, Marsden, Tiwai, Glenbrook, but much of that isn't Covid related.
And there is the change that appears permanent, downtowns in trouble as suburbs grow.
Provincial New Zealand taking on a sort of renaissance as people move to fresh air and space and zoom to the office.
Of course the in escapable truth is so much of the damage we have not seen yet, is because we have borrowed eye watering amounts of money and the country is in a mess of debt.
And it will haunt us for decades, but there is enough there i think to believe it could have been a lot worse.
And as tough as it is for those who have gone under, lost work or been stressed by uncertainty, large swathes are still ok, will be ok, it will just be different.
In every dark day there is opportunity, and as each day passes I am increasingly convinced that the line often used, the worst is yet to come, may not actually be true. ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969992/mh141020-01-covidhypecomment.mp3Wed, 14 Oct 2020 06:17:47 +0000RoccoIf you put more weight on numbers than theories, then this Covid thing is far from the end of the world. It's important to differentiate as more data comes to hand.  They said back in March armageddon was on its way.  But they said that because they...It's important to differentiate as more data comes to hand. 
They said back in March armageddon was on its way. 
But they said that because they were guessing, who the hell knew what was going to unfold.
The longer this has gone, the more we know and here's what we know as of this morning.
Housing is fine, it's more than fine.
Spending is back, again, stats out yesterday show spending is up 24 % over the 3 months to September, obviously that’s pent up, it's people using money that would have gone overseas or they couldn’t spend in lock down.
Jobs are up provincially and 9 of 15 regions have more jobs now than last year.
Spending intention is also up, as we sort out whether we were losing our shirts or not, those that aren't, have settled into a new normal.
People are looking to spend and continue to spend in the next 3 to 6 months .
What we appear to have is a split recession, tourism, planes, borders, hospitality and some events badly damaged or finished.
The flip side is a lot of us are untouched.
And typical of recessions the counter factual to the damage, those that have boomed, and there seems plenty having a good time.
It's still way too early to see whether it's settled.
Whether companies still with doors open will try to see out xmas, then collapse is the question. A lot of restructuring is going on. The Warehouse, Marsden, Tiwai, Glenbrook, but much of that isn't Covid related.
And there is the change that appears permanent, downtowns in trouble as suburbs grow.
Provincial New Zealand taking on a sort of renaissance as people move to fresh air and space and zoom to the office.
Of course the in escapable truth is so much of the damage we have not seen yet, is because we have borrowed eye watering amounts of money and the country is in a mess of debt.
And it will haunt us for decades, but there is enough there i think to believe it could have been a lot worse.
And as tough as it is for those who have gone under, lost work or been stressed by uncertainty, large swathes are still ok, will be ok, it will just be different.
In every dark day there is opportunity, and as each day passes I am increasingly convinced that the line often used, the worst is yet to come, may not actually be true. ]]>127falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-why-are-we-still-so-down-on-housing--1008324Like it or not, we love houses, and this country has an obsession with them. Always has, most likely always will.
The funny thing at the moment is it's become increasingly non-PC to celebrate housing, to be an owner, to make money from being an owner, and to get wealthy from being an owner.
The minority who are hand wringers, politically correct, or socialist have battled this. They have predicted price crashes, they highlight international reports that say we have a bubble, they say the cost to income ratio is too high, they say first home buyers are locked out, but they have been, and once again are being, proven hopelessly wrong.
What this country has by way of a relationship with housing is not quantifiable on a bit of paper, or on a chart, and that’s what the critics don’t get and never have. To have an investment, shelters you, and makes you money is unique. Yes, A2 Milk, Contact Energy, or Fisher and Paykel Healthcare are great companies. But they don’t shelter you, and you can't punch a hole in the wall to extend the indoor-outdoor flow.
The greatest thing the Reserve Bank has done is to dump their mad LVR regulations. Yes, housing costs a lot, but it gives a lot back.
For a young person, if the house is $500,000, and the deposit is $100,000, in a country where urban incomes are about $75,000, that’s too much to get on the ladder.
But with a deposit of $50,000, you've opened up the opportunity to a whole new world of buyers. Boris Johnson announced a deal in Britain last week with deposits at five percent.
The LVRs were stuck on by previous Governor Graeme Wheeler who was too conservative and too scared. No, you don’t want house prices rocketing up in double digits for years on end, but there was never any need to panic. The individual circumstances of the day always play a part.
For now, money is dirt cheap, you'd be mad not to borrow. If you get money at two percent, can you buy something that will make five percent? Yes, and then some.
Investors are back, first home buyers are up, prices are flying, money is being made, so let's celebrate that, let's not continually find reasons why it’s a problem.
The stats out yesterday are once again proof beyond a shadow of a doubt that housing is gold plated. We have record prices, regional growth, and drop in sales time.
We'd like a few more listings, but once again, those who bemoan its success are the ones who don’t get it and ultimately miss out.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969948/mh141020-14-housingmarketcomment.mp3Tue, 13 Oct 2020 22:20:28 +0000RoccoOne of my great hopes out of this current housing boom is that more people will, at last, realise that governments can't control housing. Like it or not, we love houses, and this country has an obsession with them. Always has, most likely always will....Like it or not, we love houses, and this country has an obsession with them. Always has, most likely always will.
The funny thing at the moment is it's become increasingly non-PC to celebrate housing, to be an owner, to make money from being an owner, and to get wealthy from being an owner.
The minority who are hand wringers, politically correct, or socialist have battled this. They have predicted price crashes, they highlight international reports that say we have a bubble, they say the cost to income ratio is too high, they say first home buyers are locked out, but they have been, and once again are being, proven hopelessly wrong.
What this country has by way of a relationship with housing is not quantifiable on a bit of paper, or on a chart, and that’s what the critics don’t get and never have. To have an investment, shelters you, and makes you money is unique. Yes, A2 Milk, Contact Energy, or Fisher and Paykel Healthcare are great companies. But they don’t shelter you, and you can't punch a hole in the wall to extend the indoor-outdoor flow.
The greatest thing the Reserve Bank has done is to dump their mad LVR regulations. Yes, housing costs a lot, but it gives a lot back.
For a young person, if the house is $500,000, and the deposit is $100,000, in a country where urban incomes are about $75,000, that’s too much to get on the ladder.
But with a deposit of $50,000, you've opened up the opportunity to a whole new world of buyers. Boris Johnson announced a deal in Britain last week with deposits at five percent.
The LVRs were stuck on by previous Governor Graeme Wheeler who was too conservative and too scared. No, you don’t want house prices rocketing up in double digits for years on end, but there was never any need to panic. The individual circumstances of the day always play a part.
For now, money is dirt cheap, you'd be mad not to borrow. If you get money at two percent, can you buy something that will make five percent? Yes, and then some.
Investors are back, first home buyers are up, prices are flying, money is being made, so let's celebrate that, let's not continually find reasons why it’s a problem.
The stats out yesterday are once again proof beyond a shadow of a doubt that housing is gold plated. We have record prices, regional growth, and drop in sales time.
We'd like a few more listings, but once again, those who bemoan its success are the ones who don’t get it and ultimately miss out.  ]]>133falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-why-are-we-not-asking-questions-about-funding-for-lending--1008362Funding for lending will be one of them. I love this stuff; it’s as dry as dust and yet such a critical part of our lives directly affecting each and every one of us.
And yet, in a years’ time, a decade’s time, many will not have a clue about it.
The desire to learn is in us all, especially as kids, and tragically so many lose it as the years go by.
Funding for Lending is the Reserve Bank’s next step in its so called tool box in trying desperately not to have us sink like an economic stone.
They will lend directly at a discounted rate money to the banks. The theory is they will then pass that cheaper money on to us. Cheap money is designed to stimulate the economy.
We borrow hopefully to expand …whether that’s a renovation or a new house or a new business or a new department or a pivot
The more enticing you make money, hopefully the more of it we want. It’s like a sale: you don’t need that top, but its 50 percent off.
FLP could be here next month. It probably won’t be but it could be.
After that its negative interest rates. Apart from the workings of it, which I find endlessly fascinating given it’s a mix between the factual, i.e. the cost of money, and the psychological, i.e. are we emotionally stimulated by the prospect?
The big question I have is why are we here? How desperate are we, how out of left field is this stuff really, how close to the edge is this? And what happens if it doesn’t work?
FLP isn’t new. It’s out there internationally, and so is QE, so are negative interest rates. But that doesn’t make it good or right or effective.
It’s like comparing our economy to Zimbabwe’s: just because they’re worse than us, doesn’t make ours good.
But the trick here is if we don’t know how this stuff works, if we don’t understand it, how do we ask the questions?
FLP means you essentially, for example, as a depositor get nothing for your money, or if you’re a borrower your loan is virtually free.
Is that good? How much debt gets raked up at next to nothing, and if inflation fires up and interest rates rise, how many get caught out unable to pay the bill?
What happens when some countries get some economic traction stop printing money and we are caught swimming in debt?
What if FLP doesn’t work, do negative interest rates, and what happens after negative interest rates?
How negative can you go before it’s absurd? When I asked Don Brash this the other day, he laughed, which would have been fine if he hadn’t previously been the Reserve Bank governor.
Point is, this is on the edge; we’ve never been here before. It’s either our saviour or path to ruin. So how come you don’t know about it yet?
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969933/mh131020-01-flpcomment.mp3Tue, 13 Oct 2020 08:52:31 +0000RoccoOne of the more perverse aspects of this year, are the things that have become a part of our lives we never imagined would Funding for lending will be one of them. I love this stuff; it’s as dry as dust and yet such a critical part of our lives...Funding for lending will be one of them. I love this stuff; it’s as dry as dust and yet such a critical part of our lives directly affecting each and every one of us.
And yet, in a years’ time, a decade’s time, many will not have a clue about it.
The desire to learn is in us all, especially as kids, and tragically so many lose it as the years go by.
Funding for Lending is the Reserve Bank’s next step in its so called tool box in trying desperately not to have us sink like an economic stone.
They will lend directly at a discounted rate money to the banks. The theory is they will then pass that cheaper money on to us. Cheap money is designed to stimulate the economy.
We borrow hopefully to expand …whether that’s a renovation or a new house or a new business or a new department or a pivot
The more enticing you make money, hopefully the more of it we want. It’s like a sale: you don’t need that top, but its 50 percent off.
FLP could be here next month. It probably won’t be but it could be.
After that its negative interest rates. Apart from the workings of it, which I find endlessly fascinating given it’s a mix between the factual, i.e. the cost of money, and the psychological, i.e. are we emotionally stimulated by the prospect?
The big question I have is why are we here? How desperate are we, how out of left field is this stuff really, how close to the edge is this? And what happens if it doesn’t work?
FLP isn’t new. It’s out there internationally, and so is QE, so are negative interest rates. But that doesn’t make it good or right or effective.
It’s like comparing our economy to Zimbabwe’s: just because they’re worse than us, doesn’t make ours good.
But the trick here is if we don’t know how this stuff works, if we don’t understand it, how do we ask the questions?
FLP means you essentially, for example, as a depositor get nothing for your money, or if you’re a borrower your loan is virtually free.
Is that good? How much debt gets raked up at next to nothing, and if inflation fires up and interest rates rise, how many get caught out unable to pay the bill?
What happens when some countries get some economic traction stop printing money and we are caught swimming in debt?
What if FLP doesn’t work, do negative interest rates, and what happens after negative interest rates?
How negative can you go before it’s absurd? When I asked Don Brash this the other day, he laughed, which would have been fine if he hadn’t previously been the Reserve Bank governor.
Point is, this is on the edge; we’ve never been here before. It’s either our saviour or path to ruin. So how come you don’t know about it yet?
 ]]>140falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-the-wealth-tax-isn-t-dead-just-yet--1008454In that is the Greens, and the Green voters' dilemma. Has it been ruled out or not? Do you trust Ardern or not? Could they throw caution to the wind and test us by acquiescing in negotiation, simply swallowing the rat, and hoping that 3 years later we've all got over it.
This all, of course, assumes that the Greens are there as of Saturday and if they're not, Labour have enough votes to counteract a two-party combo from National and ACT. But as part of the last week push, this is talk or a distraction Labour, especially, don't need.
If we believe Labour, that means the Greens are wasting time on the policy, and they are being disingenuous in trying to convince you to vote for them based on the tax.
On a broader measure, it’s the great weakness of their "no bottom lines only top priorities” stance. You have no idea whether any of it is going anywhere. And what do you do if your top priority, like a wealth tax, is dead in the water?
What the Greens need to do, of course, is use what could be a balance of power to force Labour's hand. It's entirely possible on Saturday night Labour will be short of a majority, it's highly likely in fact. And they will need the Greens if they are there. The Greens could force a minority confidence and supply deal. Faced with that, how much pressure is there on Labour at that point to cave on tax, give them what they want, and get across the line?
People fear tax, and rightly so. That’s why Labour have stuck with 39 cents at $180,000 plus, despite deep down wanting a whole lot more. Make no mistake, you only spend the way they have by taxing at a rate they are not, and are too afraid to try with the electorate.
The Greens have a trump card, as they sit this week on the edge of survival or oblivion, they'd be idiots not to force the issue. And on forcing the issue, they're creating a nightmare for Labour.
The policy you ruled out, but did you? The tax you're not having, or are you? Is it really dead in the water, or not?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969869/mh131020-16-wealthtaxcomment.mp3Mon, 12 Oct 2020 22:51:09 +0000RoccoIt's just not credible. Ruling out a wealth tax conversation is just no credible. And so said James Shaw, clearly exasperated as Jacinda Ardern sat on this show yesterday doing exactly that. In that is the Greens, and the Green voters' dilemma. Has it...In that is the Greens, and the Green voters' dilemma. Has it been ruled out or not? Do you trust Ardern or not? Could they throw caution to the wind and test us by acquiescing in negotiation, simply swallowing the rat, and hoping that 3 years later we've all got over it.
This all, of course, assumes that the Greens are there as of Saturday and if they're not, Labour have enough votes to counteract a two-party combo from National and ACT. But as part of the last week push, this is talk or a distraction Labour, especially, don't need.
If we believe Labour, that means the Greens are wasting time on the policy, and they are being disingenuous in trying to convince you to vote for them based on the tax.
On a broader measure, it’s the great weakness of their "no bottom lines only top priorities” stance. You have no idea whether any of it is going anywhere. And what do you do if your top priority, like a wealth tax, is dead in the water?
What the Greens need to do, of course, is use what could be a balance of power to force Labour's hand. It's entirely possible on Saturday night Labour will be short of a majority, it's highly likely in fact. And they will need the Greens if they are there. The Greens could force a minority confidence and supply deal. Faced with that, how much pressure is there on Labour at that point to cave on tax, give them what they want, and get across the line?
People fear tax, and rightly so. That’s why Labour have stuck with 39 cents at $180,000 plus, despite deep down wanting a whole lot more. Make no mistake, you only spend the way they have by taxing at a rate they are not, and are too afraid to try with the electorate.
The Greens have a trump card, as they sit this week on the edge of survival or oblivion, they'd be idiots not to force the issue. And on forcing the issue, they're creating a nightmare for Labour.
The policy you ruled out, but did you? The tax you're not having, or are you? Is it really dead in the water, or not?]]>124falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/graham-norton-a-new-book-and-filming-a-show-in-his-bedroom--1008444"If people are coming around, you kind of think, 'Wow, they really drank a lot, they were some booze hounds in last night,'" he told Mike Hosking.
"But when it's just you, when those cases of wine are empty, you're like, 'I wonder where that wine went?'
"It doesn't take Jessica Fletcher to figure out where the wine went - it went in my big gob."
The celebrated talk show host likely has plenty of his own wine to work his way through, after signing off a new blend with his New Zealand-based Invivo wine label co-founders Tim Lightbourne and Rob Cameron.
And Norton has a lot to celebrate: The trio is celebrating reaching sales of 10 million bottles of Graham Norton wines, on the heels of the release of Norton's newest book, Home Stretch.
Norton marked the milestone on Instagram with a picture of a Zoom call tasting with Lightbourne and Cameron, telling his followers he didn't drink all 10 million.
Back on the screen to chat to Newstalk ZB host Hosking, Norton said he's cut down on the drink after a boozy stint in Ireland.
"Now I'm back in London, in work mode. Now I'm limiting myself to two drinks a night - unless I don't," he said.
Norton said he understood why people abstained from alcohol for health reasons.
"But if you're just doing it for its own sake - really?
"Look, if bits of you start falling off, then maybe something went wrong. But if it's not affecting your work and you're not ill, then why not?
"I mean, we've got to do something."
Norton's recently released fifth book begins with tragedy: A car-full of youngsters crashes and the three who survive are forever scarred by the experience.
His previous novels, Holding and A Keeper, are both bestsellers, with the latest book based in his home country Ireland in the late 1980s.
Norton told Hosking that writing, for him, sat in a creative sweet spot sandwiched between his television show and radio work.
"I enjoy it as much as I do because it's in such contrast to everything else I do in my career," he said.
"All my other jobs involve meetings. It's creative, but it's slightly creative by committee.
"But there is something delicious, then, about being alone and no one has a say - I am the driving force and the solo author of these books."
Norton is no stranger to Covid-anxiety either, saying the first months of the pandemic felt like someone was sitting on his chest.
"I was lucky, because I was still sort of working. I was doing a version of the TV show, I was still doing the radio show, I was finishing off this book, I was busy."
But he noticed friends with more transient work, or with no work, found the experience much tougher, not only financially, he said.
"I also avoided the news," Norton told Hosking.
"Once I heard that I was supposed to socially distance and wash my hands, that was it. I stopped with the news, there was no news."
He did, however, manage to carve out some virtual working time with his Kiwi wine colleagues Lightbourne and Cameron to decide on next season's GN Sauvignon Blanc's blend.
Every year since 2014, the Invivo wine co-founders have travelled to meet with Norton to taste the latest harvest and sign off the blend over a few hours' tasting.
"This year we had to work virtually with Graham due to international travel restrictions and we couriered six samples of sauvignon blanc from Marlborough to his holiday home in West Cork, Ireland," Lightbourne said.
To bring the virtual tasting to life for Norton, just before Auckland's level 3 lockdown, the boys based themselves up in the Sugar Club atop the Sky Tower for the Zoom call to show him early morning Auckland in the background, they say he loved it from night-time Ireland.
Two hours later, the trio had decided next season's blend of GN Sauvignon Blanc.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969871/mh131020-22-grahamnorton-book.mp3Mon, 12 Oct 2020 22:32:38 +0000RoccoGraham Norton doesn't think he's drinking more during the pandemic - he's just noticing now how much wine he actually gets through a night. "If people are coming around, you kind of think, 'Wow, they really drank a lot, they were some booze hounds in..."If people are coming around, you kind of think, 'Wow, they really drank a lot, they were some booze hounds in last night,'" he told Mike Hosking.
"But when it's just you, when those cases of wine are empty, you're like, 'I wonder where that wine went?'
"It doesn't take Jessica Fletcher to figure out where the wine went - it went in my big gob."
The celebrated talk show host likely has plenty of his own wine to work his way through, after signing off a new blend with his New Zealand-based Invivo wine label co-founders Tim Lightbourne and Rob Cameron.
And Norton has a lot to celebrate: The trio is celebrating reaching sales of 10 million bottles of Graham Norton wines, on the heels of the release of Norton's newest book, Home Stretch.
Norton marked the milestone on Instagram with a picture of a Zoom call tasting with Lightbourne and Cameron, telling his followers he didn't drink all 10 million.
Back on the screen to chat to Newstalk ZB host Hosking, Norton said he's cut down on the drink after a boozy stint in Ireland.
"Now I'm back in London, in work mode. Now I'm limiting myself to two drinks a night - unless I don't," he said.
Norton said he understood why people abstained from alcohol for health reasons.
"But if you're just doing it for its own sake - really?
"Look, if bits of you start falling off, then maybe something went wrong. But if it's not affecting your work and you're not ill, then why not?
"I mean, we've got to do something."
Norton's recently released fifth book begins with tragedy: A car-full of youngsters crashes and the three who survive are forever scarred by the experience.
His previous novels, Holding and A Keeper, are both bestsellers, with the latest book based in his home country Ireland in the late 1980s.
Norton told Hosking that writing, for him, sat in a creative sweet spot sandwiched between his television show and radio work.
"I enjoy it as much as I do because it's in such contrast to everything else I do in my career," he said.
"All my other jobs involve meetings. It's creative, but it's slightly creative by committee.
"But there is something delicious, then, about being alone and no one has a say - I am the driving force and the solo author of these books."
Norton is no stranger to Covid-anxiety either, saying the first months of the pandemic felt like someone was sitting on his chest.
"I was lucky, because I was still sort of working. I was doing a version of the TV show, I was still doing the radio show, I was finishing off this book, I was busy."
But he noticed friends with more transient work, or with no work, found the experience much tougher, not only financially, he said.
"I also avoided the news," Norton told Hosking.
"Once I heard that I was supposed to socially distance and wash my hands, that was it. I stopped with the news, there was no news."
He did, however, manage to carve out some virtual working time with his Kiwi wine colleagues Lightbourne and Cameron to decide on next season's GN Sauvignon Blanc's blend.
Every year since 2014, the Invivo wine co-founders have travelled to meet with Norton to taste the latest harvest and sign off the blend over a few hours' tasting.
"This year we had to work virtually with Graham due to international travel restrictions and we couriered six samples of sauvignon blanc from Marlborough to his holiday home in West Cork, Ireland," Lightbourne said.
To bring the virtual tasting to life for Norton, just before Auckland's level 3 lockdown, the boys based themselves up in the Sugar Club atop the Sky Tower for the Zoom call to show him early morning Auckland in the background, they say he loved it from night-time Ireland.
Two hours later, the trio had decided next season's...]]>721falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-how-good-is-it-to-have-test-rugby-back--1008401Last time I looked at Australia and their rugby side, I didn’t take them that seriously. Australian rugby pre-Covid had been in a world of trouble from the top down.  Raelene Castle, Israel Folau, sponsors, losses, the Rugby Championship, Australia was in a world of pain in a country where league and AFL trounced union.
Rennie, assuming they carry on to play like they did yesterday, is proof coaches make a genuine, tangible difference.
And what yesterday was about for most of us, I think, was some sort of return to normality. All Black rugby was not a forgone conclusion this year, it was possible that Ian Foster and Sam Cane would have new jobs, but would not actually execute them before year's end.
It was a return to normality in front of a crowd. And it was a reminder of sport that's played well and heavily contested is no forgone conclusion. The greatest joy is you don’t know how it's going to end. Like Australia as a country, and Australia as an economy, when they do well, we enjoy it.
There is no fun in making fun of a country that can't play the game the way they used to, and there is no fun in knowing how it's going to end.
So those last 10 or so minutes are as good as it gets. When you're kicking from behind the halfway line and it hits the post and the game is on the line, that's what you live for as a fan. The only sadness was Australia kicked it out to end the game, which was a chink in the psychological armour. Why didn’t they back themselves? Sides of old would have, sides of old would have rather have gone down fighting than choose a draw.
But on the bigger picture, the crowd, where were they? 35,000 isn't a massive stadium, this is the All Blacks, and their first match all year, so why no sellout? Was the grey day, the rain and the wind, and the empty seats a sign of what we have become? A fearful nation in a world of psychological and economic pain?
Something is wrong when a Bledisloe Cup test doesn’t sell out. When the All Blacks play to empty yellow seats, it's not right. Let's see how Auckland goes on Sunday.
But take those 10 or 15 minutes at the end, take Australia and their ability to reinvent, take Dave Rennie and know he's yet another one of ours plying their trade globally at the highest level, and all in all, that was an awesome Sunday afternoon.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969802/mh121020-01-firsttestcomment.mp3Sun, 11 Oct 2020 22:24:43 +0000RoccoWas the biggest winner Dave Rennie? Last time I looked at Australia and their rugby side, I didn’t take them that seriously. Australian rugby pre-Covid had been in a world of trouble from the top down.  Raelene Castle, Israel Folau, sponsors, losses,...Last time I looked at Australia and their rugby side, I didn’t take them that seriously. Australian rugby pre-Covid had been in a world of trouble from the top down.  Raelene Castle, Israel Folau, sponsors, losses, the Rugby Championship, Australia was in a world of pain in a country where league and AFL trounced union.
Rennie, assuming they carry on to play like they did yesterday, is proof coaches make a genuine, tangible difference.
And what yesterday was about for most of us, I think, was some sort of return to normality. All Black rugby was not a forgone conclusion this year, it was possible that Ian Foster and Sam Cane would have new jobs, but would not actually execute them before year's end.
It was a return to normality in front of a crowd. And it was a reminder of sport that's played well and heavily contested is no forgone conclusion. The greatest joy is you don’t know how it's going to end. Like Australia as a country, and Australia as an economy, when they do well, we enjoy it.
There is no fun in making fun of a country that can't play the game the way they used to, and there is no fun in knowing how it's going to end.
So those last 10 or so minutes are as good as it gets. When you're kicking from behind the halfway line and it hits the post and the game is on the line, that's what you live for as a fan. The only sadness was Australia kicked it out to end the game, which was a chink in the psychological armour. Why didn’t they back themselves? Sides of old would have, sides of old would have rather have gone down fighting than choose a draw.
But on the bigger picture, the crowd, where were they? 35,000 isn't a massive stadium, this is the All Blacks, and their first match all year, so why no sellout? Was the grey day, the rain and the wind, and the empty seats a sign of what we have become? A fearful nation in a world of psychological and economic pain?
Something is wrong when a Bledisloe Cup test doesn’t sell out. When the All Blacks play to empty yellow seats, it's not right. Let's see how Auckland goes on Sunday.
But take those 10 or 15 minutes at the end, take Australia and their ability to reinvent, take Dave Rennie and know he's yet another one of ours plying their trade globally at the highest level, and all in all, that was an awesome Sunday afternoon.  ]]>116falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-election-campaign-is-getting-better-by-the-day--1008337The Election Campaign.
7/10.
"It's getting better by the day.
The early votes are in, the debates are on, the polls are out, and the final week is always the best."
The Polls.
4/10.
"They need to do something about their industry.
We have polls that aren't polls, polls that are bought by interest groups, and polls on the same subject that don’t remotely dovetail.
It's too much of a mess."
The ASB Classic.
3/10.
"Yet another thing not happening because the government runs on fear, and can't make a decision."
Travel Bubbles.
3/10.
"Same problem as the tennis.
Could have been a game-changer. Morrison sees it, but we are paralysed by inaction."
National's Auckland Council Review.
8/10.
"Policy of the week.
Who doesn’t think Auckland needs a giant rocket?"
Denise Lee's Email about the Auckland Council Review.
2/10.
"The first time most people hear about her is when she is white-anting her leader."
Donald Trump.
7/10.
"Yes, he's as mad as a cut snake.
But from his point of view, it was classic him and for his enemies to have a drive by, walkout, videos, and telling the world not to let it dominate you is about as gutting as they could ever possibly have imagined."
Joseph Parker.
7/10.
"Weird old negotiations and I'm not sure how much further along this fight gets him towards a title.
But it'll be a sell out in December."
The All Blacks.
8/10.
"Isn't it extraordinary? The first test of the year and it's October."
The Ranfurly Shield.
7/10.  
"On the move yet again, both Super Rugby and the Mitre 10 Cup have been major beneficiaries of an otherwise bollocks year for sport."
Prosecco.
6/10.
"Sales are apparently through the roof.
Is that because it's actually good? Or we will just drink anything?"
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969644/mh091020-14-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 08 Oct 2020 22:51:21 +0000RoccoAt 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 Election Campaign. 7/10. "It's getting better by the day. The early votes are in, the debates are on, the polls are out, and...The Election Campaign.
7/10.
"It's getting better by the day.
The early votes are in, the debates are on, the polls are out, and the final week is always the best."
The Polls.
4/10.
"They need to do something about their industry.
We have polls that aren't polls, polls that are bought by interest groups, and polls on the same subject that don’t remotely dovetail.
It's too much of a mess."
The ASB Classic.
3/10.
"Yet another thing not happening because the government runs on fear, and can't make a decision."
Travel Bubbles.
3/10.
"Same problem as the tennis.
Could have been a game-changer. Morrison sees it, but we are paralysed by inaction."
National's Auckland Council Review.
8/10.
"Policy of the week.
Who doesn’t think Auckland needs a giant rocket?"
Denise Lee's Email about the Auckland Council Review.
2/10.
"The first time most people hear about her is when she is white-anting her leader."
Donald Trump.
7/10.
"Yes, he's as mad as a cut snake.
But from his point of view, it was classic him and for his enemies to have a drive by, walkout, videos, and telling the world not to let it dominate you is about as gutting as they could ever possibly have imagined."
Joseph Parker.
7/10.
"Weird old negotiations and I'm not sure how much further along this fight gets him towards a title.
But it'll be a sell out in December."
The All Blacks.
8/10.
"Isn't it extraordinary? The first test of the year and it's October."
The Ranfurly Shield.
7/10.  
"On the move yet again, both Super Rugby and the Mitre 10 Cup have been major beneficiaries of an otherwise bollocks year for sport."
Prosecco.
6/10.
"Sales are apparently through the roof.
Is that because it's actually good? Or we will just drink anything?"
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>179falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-could-mmp-actually-result-in-tax-increases--1008373This, in a way, may well be why MMP is in such trouble. Why didn't we get a Capital Gains Tax? Because of MMP.
If you voted for Labour because you favoured the tax, you would have been disappointed. If you voted for New Zealand First because you thought Winston Peters would go with National, you would have been disappointed.
How many things did and didn’t get done under the guise that MMP made it too tricky? How many things got hijacked because of MMP?
Feebates for EVs didn’t happen, military and masks from day one of our lockdown didn’t happen, various level adjustments during the Covid outbreak didn’t happen, and we don’t have a travel bubble with Australia because of MMP. Just how many times have the government of the past three years been able to explain away policy, ideas, advancement, and in some cases disaster, because they simply couldn't get the numbers?
So just what is it you're voting for? The trouble with MMP is you literally don’t know what you're going to get. All you get is a number, more or less than five percent.
So here, I think was what James Shaw was driving at. The Greens get five percent, Labour don't get to govern alone, so in essence the Greens hold the balance of power. Not in a New Zealand First kind of way as they're not going with National, they're wedded to Labour.
But, and history shows us this, they don't have to go into government.
What if they insist on a wealth tax? What if the difference between Labour being in government or not is a wealth tax? Would Jacinda Ardern have any real trouble explaining to the country that she had no choice? That, once again, this is MMP? Would she have trouble saying she needed the Greens' support, and the only they could get it was a wealth tax?
It wasn’t their policy, the same way the Provincial Growth Fund wasn’t their policy, but it’s the price you pay under MMP. Even if you want Labour as a government, do you want Labour and a wealth tax?
Up until this last government, minor parties really didn’t demand overtly large influence. They were smaller ideas, smaller portfolios, by in large the whole arrangement was proportionate.
Winston Peters changed all that, the tail started to wag the dog, another MMP weakness.
Let's be honest Labour are only going for the tax changes in the way they are, because they know middle New Zealand even Labour supporting middle New Zealand wouldn’t stand for anymore.
But that doesn’t mean on the quiet, Grant Robertson and co, who have dug the most enormous debt hole, they could give the Greens what they want.
And actually, get what they want too, have their fiscal cake and eat it once again, all the while blaming MMP.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969639/mh091020-01-greenstaxpolicycomment.mp3Thu, 08 Oct 2020 21:45:10 +0000RoccoOne of the more remarkable revelations that came from James Shaw yesterday in our Leaders Breakfast was the wealth tax. He sold it as a way to get past the Capital Gains Tax. This, in a way, may well be why MMP is in such trouble. Why didn't we get a...This, in a way, may well be why MMP is in such trouble. Why didn't we get a Capital Gains Tax? Because of MMP.
If you voted for Labour because you favoured the tax, you would have been disappointed. If you voted for New Zealand First because you thought Winston Peters would go with National, you would have been disappointed.
How many things did and didn’t get done under the guise that MMP made it too tricky? How many things got hijacked because of MMP?
Feebates for EVs didn’t happen, military and masks from day one of our lockdown didn’t happen, various level adjustments during the Covid outbreak didn’t happen, and we don’t have a travel bubble with Australia because of MMP. Just how many times have the government of the past three years been able to explain away policy, ideas, advancement, and in some cases disaster, because they simply couldn't get the numbers?
So just what is it you're voting for? The trouble with MMP is you literally don’t know what you're going to get. All you get is a number, more or less than five percent.
So here, I think was what James Shaw was driving at. The Greens get five percent, Labour don't get to govern alone, so in essence the Greens hold the balance of power. Not in a New Zealand First kind of way as they're not going with National, they're wedded to Labour.
But, and history shows us this, they don't have to go into government.
What if they insist on a wealth tax? What if the difference between Labour being in government or not is a wealth tax? Would Jacinda Ardern have any real trouble explaining to the country that she had no choice? That, once again, this is MMP? Would she have trouble saying she needed the Greens' support, and the only they could get it was a wealth tax?
It wasn’t their policy, the same way the Provincial Growth Fund wasn’t their policy, but it’s the price you pay under MMP. Even if you want Labour as a government, do you want Labour and a wealth tax?
Up until this last government, minor parties really didn’t demand overtly large influence. They were smaller ideas, smaller portfolios, by in large the whole arrangement was proportionate.
Winston Peters changed all that, the tail started to wag the dog, another MMP weakness.
Let's be honest Labour are only going for the tax changes in the way they are, because they know middle New Zealand even Labour supporting middle New Zealand wouldn’t stand for anymore.
But that doesn’t mean on the quiet, Grant Robertson and co, who have dug the most enormous debt hole, they could give the Greens what they want.
And actually, get what they want too, have their fiscal cake and eat it once again, all the while blaming MMP.]]>148falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-leaders-breakfast-jacinda-ardern--1008387Speaking on Newstalk ZB this morning, Ardern was asked whether a single-party government would mean she could have no potential coalition partners in three years.
"What I have been taking to the electorate and to voters is that I do want a strong mandate … because I want an absolute focus on our recovery.
"It is fair to say in an MMP environment that multiple different parties can slow things down.
"That is not to say that there aren't things that can be drawn from consensus building, and I will build consensus on the big issues. But I also want a strong mandate."
Asked if she would stay on if in Opposition, Ardern said she did not want to speculate about what would happen with any of the minor parties or the effect on the election result.
"But nor have I got into a situation of declaring what would happen if we weren't successful.
"My focus has to be on the last five days of getting Labour into a good position."
At current polling, NZ First will not make it back into Parliament and the Greens are hovering just above the 5 per cent party vote threshold.
Ardern said the Greens were not to be feared.
"You hear a lot of fear-mongering at election time, often from the National Party, but people need to just look at the reality of the last three years.
"They've already seen them in Government."
She said MMP guarded against "lurches" in either direction on the political spectrum.
Ardern was interviewed by broadcaster Mike Hosking this morning in the final instalment of the Newstalk ZB Leaders Breakfast series.



COALITION PARTNERS
The first section of the interview focused on Labour potential coalition partners and their main policies.
Ardern said the Green Party's wealth tax was not Labour policy and it would not be part of any post-election negotiations. She said the major party forming a government should set the direction on tax policy.
"We have ruled it out. And I've done it multiple times."
Ardern also said she had not had any negotiations with other parties about possible ministerial portfolios, saying it was presumptuous.
Asked about any possible new taxes, Ardern said her party's "primary" proposals were a new top tax rate and a digital services tax.
Hosking said the most popular question for Ardern from listeners was about Ihumātao.
Ardern said just one person had raised it on the campaign trail.
She blamed the impasse over Ihumātao on MMP, saying that NZ First leader Winston Peters had prevented any progress at the site.
There was no secret deal, she said: "We have to find a way through."
The historic site near the airport in South Auckland was occupied by protestors last year who opposed a proposed development. Construction has been put off until an agreement can be made between the Government, various groups within the iwi, and the construction company Fletchers.
Ardern said her bottom line for the situation was that it could not "unravel" the Treaty process.
"Any gifting of land would be problematic in that regard."
THE ECONOMY
Ardern was next asked how long the government could keep supporting the tourism industry if the borders were going to be closed for an extended period.
She said the Government was backing strategic industries with one-off payments - such as Whale Watch in Kaikoura.
Asked how she would describe New Zealand's economic position, she cited a Bloomberg article which described New Zealand as one of the most attractive places to do business.
"[We are] well placed relative to others and that matters," she said.
"We have an opportunity here - not just because we have an open economy - we have an opportunity around investment."
FARMING AND FAIR PAY
Ardern said talk of an urban-rural divide came up every election and she did not believe it existed.
The Opposition had tried to promote the idea that farme...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969804/mhb-leaders-breakfast-jacinda-in-full.mp3Thu, 08 Oct 2020 04:03:56 +0000RoccoLabour leader Jacinda Ardern says she is not concerned about potentially governing alone because it would give her Government a strong mandate for rebuilding New Zealand from the Covid-19 pandemic. Speaking on Newstalk ZB this morning, Ardern was...Speaking on Newstalk ZB this morning, Ardern was asked whether a single-party government would mean she could have no potential coalition partners in three years.
"What I have been taking to the electorate and to voters is that I do want a strong mandate … because I want an absolute focus on our recovery.
"It is fair to say in an MMP environment that multiple different parties can slow things down.
"That is not to say that there aren't things that can be drawn from consensus building, and I will build consensus on the big issues. But I also want a strong mandate."
Asked if she would stay on if in Opposition, Ardern said she did not want to speculate about what would happen with any of the minor parties or the effect on the election result.
"But nor have I got into a situation of declaring what would happen if we weren't successful.
"My focus has to be on the last five days of getting Labour into a good position."
At current polling, NZ First will not make it back into Parliament and the Greens are hovering just above the 5 per cent party vote threshold.
Ardern said the Greens were not to be feared.
"You hear a lot of fear-mongering at election time, often from the National Party, but people need to just look at the reality of the last three years.
"They've already seen them in Government."
She said MMP guarded against "lurches" in either direction on the political spectrum.
Ardern was interviewed by broadcaster Mike Hosking this morning in the final instalment of the Newstalk ZB Leaders Breakfast series.



COALITION PARTNERS
The first section of the interview focused on Labour potential coalition partners and their main policies.
Ardern said the Green Party's wealth tax was not Labour policy and it would not be part of any post-election negotiations. She said the major party forming a government should set the direction on tax policy.
"We have ruled it out. And I've done it multiple times."
Ardern also said she had not had any negotiations with other parties about possible ministerial portfolios, saying it was presumptuous.
Asked about any possible new taxes, Ardern said her party's "primary" proposals were a new top tax rate and a digital services tax.
Hosking said the most popular question for Ardern from listeners was about Ihumātao.
Ardern said just one person had raised it on the campaign trail.
She blamed the impasse over Ihumātao on MMP, saying that NZ First leader Winston Peters had prevented any progress at the site.
There was no secret deal, she said: "We have to find a way through."
The historic site near the airport in South Auckland was occupied by protestors last year who opposed a proposed development. Construction has been put off until an agreement can be made between the Government, various groups within the iwi, and the construction company Fletchers.
Ardern said her bottom line for the situation was that it could not "unravel" the Treaty process.
"Any gifting of land would be problematic in that regard."
THE ECONOMY
Ardern was next asked how long the government could keep supporting the tourism industry if the borders were going to be closed for an extended period.
She said the Government was backing strategic industries with one-off payments - such as Whale Watch in Kaikoura.
Asked how she would describe New Zealand's economic position, she cited a Bloomberg article which described New Zealand as one of the most attractive places to do business.
"[We are] well placed relative to others and that matters," she said.
"We have an opportunity here - not just because we have an open economy - we have an opportunity around investment."3369falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-will-covid-19-see-more-people-move-to-the-regions--1008197Who would know if that’s true. Who knows if anything is true or open to realistic prediction any more. But 2025 is a long time to wait for something to get back to so called normal.
And here’s the question of the age: what is normal anyway?
One of this country’s more pressing issues going into Covid was the fact that too many people lived in Auckland for a country with our population.
Nothing wrong with a city of 1 .5 million. It’s barely even a large city on a global scale. But 1.5m heading to 2m in a country of 5m was nuts and Auckland was and is showing signs of it all being out of kilter.
It was and perhaps still is a vicious cycle. People lead to work, work leads to people. Most immigrants landed here. It’s a well-known fact you stay where you land.
Various ideas were tossed about: visa points if you went to the regions, more points if you started a business there.
The odd story in the magazines would feature the couple or family who gave up the rat race to move to provincial New Zealand to start afresh.
You might hear about the concept of technology breaking down barriers and walls and distance. But mainly it was all theory, like bike and bus lanes, despite the fact we own more cars per head, despite the fact we buy more cars every year, they still think lots of lanes will make you take public transport.
But the downtown story - namely Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch - is real. People aren’t back. And what’s more they’re not not back because they can’t. They are not back because they don’t have to, and what’s more that doesn’t seem to be something that’s changing.
So if Zoom, who seem to be perhaps globally one of the biggest beneficiaries of the new age, is a real thing, and if productivity hasn’t suffered, then why can’t we, maybe even by osmosis, solve one of the real issues – the issue of population distribution.
If it truly doesn’t matter where you are, then why not encourage it? Why not fill provincial New Zealand with new inhabitants who may or may not work in the place they live.
It’s not for everyone obviously, but provincial New Zealand has had real issues of population growth or lack of it.
Yes, Central Otago and Hawkes Bay boomed, but lots of places not automatically connected to tourism didn’t and haven’t.
It’s not a magic bullet but it’s a start. It’s the seed of an idea. Could we by default, or at least with the arrival of a virus, address something that, up till now, we didn’t have an answer for.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969603/mh081020-01-telecommutingcomment.mp3Thu, 08 Oct 2020 04:03:40 +0000RoccoAn analyst in the states yesterday was predicting the office real estate market will get back to normal in 2025. Who would know if that’s true. Who knows if anything is true or open to realistic prediction any more. But 2025 is a long time to wait for...Who would know if that’s true. Who knows if anything is true or open to realistic prediction any more. But 2025 is a long time to wait for something to get back to so called normal.
And here’s the question of the age: what is normal anyway?
One of this country’s more pressing issues going into Covid was the fact that too many people lived in Auckland for a country with our population.
Nothing wrong with a city of 1 .5 million. It’s barely even a large city on a global scale. But 1.5m heading to 2m in a country of 5m was nuts and Auckland was and is showing signs of it all being out of kilter.
It was and perhaps still is a vicious cycle. People lead to work, work leads to people. Most immigrants landed here. It’s a well-known fact you stay where you land.
Various ideas were tossed about: visa points if you went to the regions, more points if you started a business there.
The odd story in the magazines would feature the couple or family who gave up the rat race to move to provincial New Zealand to start afresh.
You might hear about the concept of technology breaking down barriers and walls and distance. But mainly it was all theory, like bike and bus lanes, despite the fact we own more cars per head, despite the fact we buy more cars every year, they still think lots of lanes will make you take public transport.
But the downtown story - namely Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch - is real. People aren’t back. And what’s more they’re not not back because they can’t. They are not back because they don’t have to, and what’s more that doesn’t seem to be something that’s changing.
So if Zoom, who seem to be perhaps globally one of the biggest beneficiaries of the new age, is a real thing, and if productivity hasn’t suffered, then why can’t we, maybe even by osmosis, solve one of the real issues – the issue of population distribution.
If it truly doesn’t matter where you are, then why not encourage it? Why not fill provincial New Zealand with new inhabitants who may or may not work in the place they live.
It’s not for everyone obviously, but provincial New Zealand has had real issues of population growth or lack of it.
Yes, Central Otago and Hawkes Bay boomed, but lots of places not automatically connected to tourism didn’t and haven’t.
It’s not a magic bullet but it’s a start. It’s the seed of an idea. Could we by default, or at least with the arrival of a virus, address something that, up till now, we didn’t have an answer for.]]>131falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-the-polls-are-getting-out-of-control--1008198Firstly, there are things like TVNZ's Vote Compass which is not polling as most of us would understand it. It is simply a tool you can dabble with as many times as you like. It is representative of nothing, and it's certainly not a poll or a snapshot of anything other than those who want to fill in questionnaires. Nothing wrong with that, just not a poll.
A poll, for what it's worth to me, is a random sample of at least 1000 called out of the blue and where information is gleaned. It is statistically representative of the country's population.
Horizon Research, which are often quoted as a poll ,entice you to join, they offer prizes to join, and you're part of a club. That's  not polling either, but they would argue it is. The only people joining are those who can be bothered, motivated, or have the time. That’s not truly representative of the population, their lives, and outlooks.
Then there are the polls from vested interests of which we have two this week on cannabis. And guess what the results are?
Colmar Brunton and Reid Research, who work for TVNZ and Newshub, had broadly similar results on cannabis. The no vote is leading by quite a margin. So much so, even if the undecided voters all went yes, yes still wouldn’t win.
Those to me are proper polls. Participants don’t join, the purchaser of the poll has no vested interest.
And yet Helen Clark and her foundation and a therapeutics company have a poll each this week also on cannabis with, remarkably, the yes vote leading. How is it possible to get the result that would just happen to suit your client? And a result the opposite of the other polls in the market?
There are so many results, numbers, and indications that don’t even come close to matching up or showing a trend that the punter is surely left bewildered.
We need a standard, a recognised, accepted, and regulated methodology in which the starting point is always the same. Because if we all start in the same place, hopefully the vast variation disappears, polls that aren't polls are no longer pedaled as polls, and those who want to buy numbers to suit their cause will, at least, be discouraged knowing they're taking a risk in shelling out money to find something they don't want to see.
Yes, we could say bugger the polls, and we have. And yet they are an industry, they drive debate ,they shift mood, they win or lose races, and they shouldn’t, especially not if they're not legit.      ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969573/mh081020-15-pollscomment.mp3Wed, 07 Oct 2020 21:58:34 +0000RoccoI tell you what, I reckon the polling industry could do itself a major favour and launch a fairly significant branding campaign to try and educate us as to how their industry works, whether it is remotely accurate, worth dealing with, and whether we...Firstly, there are things like TVNZ's Vote Compass which is not polling as most of us would understand it. It is simply a tool you can dabble with as many times as you like. It is representative of nothing, and it's certainly not a poll or a snapshot of anything other than those who want to fill in questionnaires. Nothing wrong with that, just not a poll.
A poll, for what it's worth to me, is a random sample of at least 1000 called out of the blue and where information is gleaned. It is statistically representative of the country's population.
Horizon Research, which are often quoted as a poll ,entice you to join, they offer prizes to join, and you're part of a club. That's  not polling either, but they would argue it is. The only people joining are those who can be bothered, motivated, or have the time. That’s not truly representative of the population, their lives, and outlooks.
Then there are the polls from vested interests of which we have two this week on cannabis. And guess what the results are?
Colmar Brunton and Reid Research, who work for TVNZ and Newshub, had broadly similar results on cannabis. The no vote is leading by quite a margin. So much so, even if the undecided voters all went yes, yes still wouldn’t win.
Those to me are proper polls. Participants don’t join, the purchaser of the poll has no vested interest.
And yet Helen Clark and her foundation and a therapeutics company have a poll each this week also on cannabis with, remarkably, the yes vote leading. How is it possible to get the result that would just happen to suit your client? And a result the opposite of the other polls in the market?
There are so many results, numbers, and indications that don’t even come close to matching up or showing a trend that the punter is surely left bewildered.
We need a standard, a recognised, accepted, and regulated methodology in which the starting point is always the same. Because if we all start in the same place, hopefully the vast variation disappears, polls that aren't polls are no longer pedaled as polls, and those who want to buy numbers to suit their cause will, at least, be discouraged knowing they're taking a risk in shelling out money to find something they don't want to see.
Yes, we could say bugger the polls, and we have. And yet they are an industry, they drive debate ,they shift mood, they win or lose races, and they shouldn’t, especially not if they're not legit.      ]]>144falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-leaders-breakfast-david-seymour--1008379"We are taking each day as it comes," Seymour said of that position. "If Act can play a role in holding all of them to account out there, that is a real positive."
Hosking asked about Act Party's candidate list, and whether any people set to enter Parliament could be trusted to perform.
Seymour said there was a strong vetting process, and they would be great MPs. The general public didn't yet know some of them, he said, but that was to be expected given they weren't yet MPs: "Nobody knew who Margaret Thatcher was."
Act didn't have bottom lines in any post-election negotiations. Even large parties couldn't guarantee their policy would survive negotiations, he said.
"If you vote for Act, then you are getting a push towards a more aggressive, more Taiwan-esque approach to health...you are getting a more aggressive approach to debt...there are other issues around the RMA, charter schools...firearm laws."
Seymour said he had worked with five National leaders, and they were all good day-to-day managers, and keen to stay in power. Act was different because it pushed new thinking.
"That is Act's role - to bring ideas to the table, to drive change."
What did the last Government do that he was impressed with? Abortion law reform, Seymour said. However, he ruled out any governing agreement with Labour, and insisted a National-Act coalition would happen, "by a whisker".]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969570/david-seymour-mike-hosking.mp3Wed, 07 Oct 2020 21:23:46 +0000RoccoUsed to being a one-man show in Parliament, the Act leader is expected to lead a number of largely unknown candidates next term, with recent polling putting Act on 8 per cent (10 MPs). "We are taking each day as it comes," Seymour said of that..."We are taking each day as it comes," Seymour said of that position. "If Act can play a role in holding all of them to account out there, that is a real positive."
Hosking asked about Act Party's candidate list, and whether any people set to enter Parliament could be trusted to perform.
Seymour said there was a strong vetting process, and they would be great MPs. The general public didn't yet know some of them, he said, but that was to be expected given they weren't yet MPs: "Nobody knew who Margaret Thatcher was."
Act didn't have bottom lines in any post-election negotiations. Even large parties couldn't guarantee their policy would survive negotiations, he said.
"If you vote for Act, then you are getting a push towards a more aggressive, more Taiwan-esque approach to health...you are getting a more aggressive approach to debt...there are other issues around the RMA, charter schools...firearm laws."
Seymour said he had worked with five National leaders, and they were all good day-to-day managers, and keen to stay in power. Act was different because it pushed new thinking.
"That is Act's role - to bring ideas to the table, to drive change."
What did the last Government do that he was impressed with? Abortion law reform, Seymour said. However, he ruled out any governing agreement with Labour, and insisted a National-Act coalition would happen, "by a whisker".]]>862falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-leaders-breakfast-james-shaw--1008200"It would have been a more coherent government."
Shaw said the work of the last government showed how MMP could work.
"I have issues with the way NZ First conducted themselves, at times...but ultimately that's not the fault of the system."
The thing the Greens most wanted to get done that didn't happen? The capital gains tax.
Shaw said because Jacinda Ardern had ruled out a capital gains tax, the Greens had come up with the wealth tax proposal.
"The most likely outcome from this election is a Labour-Green government...most voters, when they cast their vote, are mindful of what the shape of that looks like.
"It is not unreasonable to assume what the shape of the next government looks like...the larger party forms the majority of the programme."
Shaw said the Greens had achieved an enormous amount over the last three years. His personal highlight was the zero carbon act.
His party was the party of long-term thinking.
Is tax love? "Tax is what we do to have a civilised society," Shaw responded.
Hosking asked if Shaw misunderstands farmers. The Greens co-leader said he was raised in the city, but his mother came from a farming country.
"But I get that there is a sense of grievance there, if you like. You won't find me being one of those people saying, farmers are bad or wrong...every sector has areas where we need to pull our socks up.
"I understand there's a narrative out there that the Greens hate farmers...it's not true."
It was important to build consensus.
"Farmers want clean rivers...they are the ones most vulnerable to climate change...we all want the same things. The question is, how do we get there."
Hosking asked about Taranaki, as a region where the transition away from fossil fuel industries wasn't going smoothly.
Shaw said it would take time, but there was time: "You want to give yourselves a long runway."
Hosking again asked about MMP, suggesting it didn't work. That was rejected by Shaw, but he agreed with Peters that the media still covered elections like it was first past the post.
Was a co-leader necessary? "For us it really works...we are the only party who are going to defy history and be as strong in the subsequent election as they were the one before...a vote for the Green Party is not a wasted vote."]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969567/james-shaw-mike-hosking.mp3Wed, 07 Oct 2020 21:05:03 +0000RoccoHow different would it have been if NZ First wasn't in Government? Shaw said the Government would have been able to move faster in a lot of areas. "It would have been a more coherent government." Shaw said the work of the last government showed how..."It would have been a more coherent government."
Shaw said the work of the last government showed how MMP could work.
"I have issues with the way NZ First conducted themselves, at times...but ultimately that's not the fault of the system."
The thing the Greens most wanted to get done that didn't happen? The capital gains tax.
Shaw said because Jacinda Ardern had ruled out a capital gains tax, the Greens had come up with the wealth tax proposal.
"The most likely outcome from this election is a Labour-Green government...most voters, when they cast their vote, are mindful of what the shape of that looks like.
"It is not unreasonable to assume what the shape of the next government looks like...the larger party forms the majority of the programme."
Shaw said the Greens had achieved an enormous amount over the last three years. His personal highlight was the zero carbon act.
His party was the party of long-term thinking.
Is tax love? "Tax is what we do to have a civilised society," Shaw responded.
Hosking asked if Shaw misunderstands farmers. The Greens co-leader said he was raised in the city, but his mother came from a farming country.
"But I get that there is a sense of grievance there, if you like. You won't find me being one of those people saying, farmers are bad or wrong...every sector has areas where we need to pull our socks up.
"I understand there's a narrative out there that the Greens hate farmers...it's not true."
It was important to build consensus.
"Farmers want clean rivers...they are the ones most vulnerable to climate change...we all want the same things. The question is, how do we get there."
Hosking asked about Taranaki, as a region where the transition away from fossil fuel industries wasn't going smoothly.
Shaw said it would take time, but there was time: "You want to give yourselves a long runway."
Hosking again asked about MMP, suggesting it didn't work. That was rejected by Shaw, but he agreed with Peters that the media still covered elections like it was first past the post.
Was a co-leader necessary? "For us it really works...we are the only party who are going to defy history and be as strong in the subsequent election as they were the one before...a vote for the Green Party is not a wasted vote."]]>896falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-leaders-breakfast-winston-peters--1008395Peters was asked to rate the Coalition from 1-10, 10 being best - he gave it an 8. On the Covid response, he gave an 8 as well.
"We went early, we did not go hard enough in the context of getting the military in, using masks...but we still had a seriously, seriously good result...but we should never had the second break-out, in my view."
Peters said NZ was too conservative on moving towards measures like travel bubbles. The South Island could have linked up with places like Tasmania and the Cook Islands.
People were rightly fearful of Covid, but a collapsed economy was a huge threat too.
What was the thing he wanted that he couldn't get? Peters said his party wanted the military brought in from the start.
"I met with apathy on that."
He also wanted mask use mandated on public transport earlier.
Beyond Covid, Peters said the thing he wanted that he couldn't get was the need to seriously reform the economy.
"There are some values off-shore to do with work and savings, that we need to adopt in our country."
Asked what NZ First had prevented in government, Peters cited the scuppered Capital Gains Tax, and what he said was Labour's plans to "interfere with leases", which he likened to belonging in countries like Venezuela.
Peters said some people in Labour were great, but there were also "the tribalist type".
On the provincial growth fund, Peters said the fund had helped repair community centres like churches, council facilities and marae around the country.
"I'll tell you how dynamic it was...every Labour MP has tried to get to every opening, every National Party MP, every provincial MP."
The racing industry measures secured by NZ First were needed given the industry employs "up to 50,000 people" including casuals.
On the Pike River re-entry, Peters said he suspected bodies would be found.
Hosking asked about NZ First's low polling.
"Our historic place in New Zealand society has been to defend the vulnerable against extreme policies," Peters replied, saying this was more true than ever in the time of Covid-19.
Peters said the campaign had effectively been treated by the media as a first past the post campaign, despite the MMP system.
The NZ First leader said he knew about bottom-lines and negotiation, given his experience including as a lawyer - unlike other political leaders.



"I go in prepared to lose the whole lot.
"We have got a whole lot of lines we are keen to promote and push...we have a surge going on at the moment for NZ First - I feel it out in the streets and in the malls."
Hosking met that statement with laughter, and bet him $100 his party wouldn't get 5 per cent. That ended the interview.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969565/winston-peters-mike-hosking.mp3Wed, 07 Oct 2020 20:40:08 +0000RoccoWinston Peters is fighting for his party's survival as recent polling put NZ First well below the 5 per cent threshold, on about 1 per cent. Peters was asked to rate the Coalition from 1-10, 10 being best - he gave it an 8. On the Covid response, he...Peters was asked to rate the Coalition from 1-10, 10 being best - he gave it an 8. On the Covid response, he gave an 8 as well.
"We went early, we did not go hard enough in the context of getting the military in, using masks...but we still had a seriously, seriously good result...but we should never had the second break-out, in my view."
Peters said NZ was too conservative on moving towards measures like travel bubbles. The South Island could have linked up with places like Tasmania and the Cook Islands.
People were rightly fearful of Covid, but a collapsed economy was a huge threat too.
What was the thing he wanted that he couldn't get? Peters said his party wanted the military brought in from the start.
"I met with apathy on that."
He also wanted mask use mandated on public transport earlier.
Beyond Covid, Peters said the thing he wanted that he couldn't get was the need to seriously reform the economy.
"There are some values off-shore to do with work and savings, that we need to adopt in our country."
Asked what NZ First had prevented in government, Peters cited the scuppered Capital Gains Tax, and what he said was Labour's plans to "interfere with leases", which he likened to belonging in countries like Venezuela.
Peters said some people in Labour were great, but there were also "the tribalist type".
On the provincial growth fund, Peters said the fund had helped repair community centres like churches, council facilities and marae around the country.
"I'll tell you how dynamic it was...every Labour MP has tried to get to every opening, every National Party MP, every provincial MP."
The racing industry measures secured by NZ First were needed given the industry employs "up to 50,000 people" including casuals.
On the Pike River re-entry, Peters said he suspected bodies would be found.
Hosking asked about NZ First's low polling.
"Our historic place in New Zealand society has been to defend the vulnerable against extreme policies," Peters replied, saying this was more true than ever in the time of Covid-19.
Peters said the campaign had effectively been treated by the media as a first past the post campaign, despite the MMP system.
The NZ First leader said he knew about bottom-lines and negotiation, given his experience including as a lawyer - unlike other political leaders.



"I go in prepared to lose the whole lot.
"We have got a whole lot of lines we are keen to promote and push...we have a surge going on at the moment for NZ First - I feel it out in the streets and in the malls."
Hosking met that statement with laughter, and bet him $100 his party wouldn't get 5 per cent. That ended the interview.]]>852falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/joseph-parker-on-his-highly-anticipated-bout-with-junior-fa--1008204The fight has been mooted for some time, and resurfaced with sporadic mentions throughout the Covid-hit year to tease sports fans.
The event, presented by Stonewood Homes, will be globally televised and pit New Zealand's top heavyweights against each other in one of the country's biggest fights in history.
The tussle will present Parker with a golden opportunity to boost his hopes of returning to the heights of heavyweight boxing; a place he fell from quickly following consecutive losses to Brits Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte in 2018.
For Fa, this will be his biggest career fight to date, and could set him on course for a shot at a title fight with some of the world's best. He has the expertise of one of boxing's stars to bank off as well – Deontay Wilder, a former WBC Champion, is his sparring partner.
Fa's WBO Oriental Interim Heavyweight belt will go on the line against Parker.

Joseph Parker (left) and Junior Fa face off during a boxing press conference confirming their heavyweight fight. Photo / Photosport
Parker's manager and Duco Events founder David Higgins says it's great to get the fight confirmed during a pandemic.
"Getting this fight over the line is absolutely huge, and we are grateful to our partners Matchroom for their backing to make this happen," he says. "With both boxers inside the WBO top 10 world rankings and in their prime, this is undeniably New Zealand's fight of the century."
Lou DiBella, President of Fa's promoter DiBella Entertainment, says it presents a great opportunity for Fa.
"I've always believed that Junior Fa had the ability to become a world champion and, on December 11, he'll have the opportunity to prove that against a former heavyweight champion and amateur rival, in countryman Joseph Parker."
New Zealand Media and Entertainment (NZME), the owner and operator of the New Zealand Herald, has joined forces with Duco Events and Spark Sport in a three-way partnership to help deliver the event.
Parker joins Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking this morning to discuss all there is to know.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969492/mh071020-16-josephparker-fafight.mp3Tue, 06 Oct 2020 23:07:00 +0000RoccoThe long-awaited Joseph Parker-Junior Fa heavyweight bout is confirmed for December 11 at Spark Arena in Auckland. The fight has been mooted for some time, and resurfaced with sporadic mentions throughout the Covid-hit year to tease sports fans. The...The fight has been mooted for some time, and resurfaced with sporadic mentions throughout the Covid-hit year to tease sports fans.
The event, presented by Stonewood Homes, will be globally televised and pit New Zealand's top heavyweights against each other in one of the country's biggest fights in history.
The tussle will present Parker with a golden opportunity to boost his hopes of returning to the heights of heavyweight boxing; a place he fell from quickly following consecutive losses to Brits Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte in 2018.
For Fa, this will be his biggest career fight to date, and could set him on course for a shot at a title fight with some of the world's best. He has the expertise of one of boxing's stars to bank off as well – Deontay Wilder, a former WBC Champion, is his sparring partner.
Fa's WBO Oriental Interim Heavyweight belt will go on the line against Parker.

Joseph Parker (left) and Junior Fa face off during a boxing press conference confirming their heavyweight fight. Photo / Photosport
Parker's manager and Duco Events founder David Higgins says it's great to get the fight confirmed during a pandemic.
"Getting this fight over the line is absolutely huge, and we are grateful to our partners Matchroom for their backing to make this happen," he says. "With both boxers inside the WBO top 10 world rankings and in their prime, this is undeniably New Zealand's fight of the century."
Lou DiBella, President of Fa's promoter DiBella Entertainment, says it presents a great opportunity for Fa.
"I've always believed that Junior Fa had the ability to become a world champion and, on December 11, he'll have the opportunity to prove that against a former heavyweight champion and amateur rival, in countryman Joseph Parker."
New Zealand Media and Entertainment (NZME), the owner and operator of the New Zealand Herald, has joined forces with Duco Events and Spark Sport in a three-way partnership to help deliver the event.
Parker joins Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking this morning to discuss all there is to know.]]>402falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-national-can-t-afford-any-ill-discipline--1008392For a person like me who has a pretty solid interest and understanding of the political game and who is playing it at an influential level, I was surprised when I did the exercise some months back, just how many of them in there i had literally never heard of.
Denise Lee was one of them. Isn't it always the way that the ones who seemingly make the least contribution, are the biggest problem makers behind the scenes?
For it Ms Lee, who has whined publicly about her leader Judith Collins coming on this show on the Leaders Breakfast on Monday, and announcing the review into the Auckland Council and the CCOs like Watercare and Auckland Transport. She moaned she hadn't been consulted, which is sort of ironic, given all the stuff she has been consulted on she clearly never did anything of note with, given I had never heard of her.
She was, her bio exposes, a former Auckland councillor. I had never heard of her in that life either as it turns out, but I suspect it is a clue as to why she might be miffed at the policy. Not only wasn’t she told about it, it insinuates she was part of some of the ineptness Judith Collins wants to review.
Anyway, because Ms Lee has clearly very little loyalty and discipline, she's now made life difficult for a party that has over the past several weeks gained some very serious momentum.
Collins made what she calls a leader's call. And here's the important point, does anyone in their right mind really think it's bad policy?
Auckland is a mess run by buffoons and Collins wants it sorted. The engine room of the country's economy is short on cylinders, the mechanics are amateurs, and she wants to fix it. Surely, that’s the bit we should be interested in, not whether some nobody three years into their time in National is a bit miffed the boss didn’t call.
Collins is right to dismiss her whinging, and Collins to right to have received the apology because the fact this race is actually a race now is down to the work of Collins, not Ms lee, her misery, and lack of positive contribution.
It's one of the downsides of the political equation, you can't sack the hopeless ones.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969485/mh071020-14-deniseleeemailcomment.mp3Tue, 06 Oct 2020 21:51:38 +0000RoccoIn all honesty I had to look Denise Lee up. She is one of the 20, or so, percent of politicians in the previous Parliament I had literally never heard of. For a person like me who has a pretty solid interest and understanding of the political game and...For a person like me who has a pretty solid interest and understanding of the political game and who is playing it at an influential level, I was surprised when I did the exercise some months back, just how many of them in there i had literally never heard of.
Denise Lee was one of them. Isn't it always the way that the ones who seemingly make the least contribution, are the biggest problem makers behind the scenes?
For it Ms Lee, who has whined publicly about her leader Judith Collins coming on this show on the Leaders Breakfast on Monday, and announcing the review into the Auckland Council and the CCOs like Watercare and Auckland Transport. She moaned she hadn't been consulted, which is sort of ironic, given all the stuff she has been consulted on she clearly never did anything of note with, given I had never heard of her.
She was, her bio exposes, a former Auckland councillor. I had never heard of her in that life either as it turns out, but I suspect it is a clue as to why she might be miffed at the policy. Not only wasn’t she told about it, it insinuates she was part of some of the ineptness Judith Collins wants to review.
Anyway, because Ms Lee has clearly very little loyalty and discipline, she's now made life difficult for a party that has over the past several weeks gained some very serious momentum.
Collins made what she calls a leader's call. And here's the important point, does anyone in their right mind really think it's bad policy?
Auckland is a mess run by buffoons and Collins wants it sorted. The engine room of the country's economy is short on cylinders, the mechanics are amateurs, and she wants to fix it. Surely, that’s the bit we should be interested in, not whether some nobody three years into their time in National is a bit miffed the boss didn’t call.
Collins is right to dismiss her whinging, and Collins to right to have received the apology because the fact this race is actually a race now is down to the work of Collins, not Ms lee, her misery, and lack of positive contribution.
It's one of the downsides of the political equation, you can't sack the hopeless ones.  ]]>116falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-auckland-is-a-broken-and-chaotic-mess--1008334I'm downtown most days, but the part I was in is not as big a mess as where I was Saturday.
The part I am in most days is just sad.
Post level four, it has never come back, the people have gone, not all of them but enough of them to make my trip home faster which is no bad thing, but enough of them to know its got a ghost town feel about it and if I was trying to turn a dollar, it is nothing like it was.
No, the bit of Saturday was next level.
It was the heart of the chaos, and when I say chaos, not people, no there were hardly any people, people have long since given up trying to navigate the mess we encountered.
The only reason we persisted with the trip at all, having looked up the map to get the best directions and see nothing but red lines on the google maps, was because the shop was the only branch that had what we wanted.
It's hard to know what was worse, the reduction of lanes, the detours, the cones, the lights that aren't synchronised with the lay out, the road closures, the no parking signs, the tow away threats, there were a handful of walkers, not shoppers, no real bags but people I assumed lived in the area out on a lovely spring day.
We passed the Elliot Street restaurants currently pleading for survival over rent, I wasn’t surprised who's going there, clearly no one.
I also assume one day the authorities would tell you it will all be wonderful and world class , or will it?
Which is why National's promise of an inquiry into Auckland Council and its so desperately over due.
The key of course is terms of reference , who is doing the looking and what actually they will do by way of fixing it , and how much push back comes from the council who must be humiliated by the call.
But look at the evidence, a bridge on the verge of a wind gust, lack of water with no real plans to boost infrastructure for years.
A public transport net work that is constantly delayed, broken, late, on strike, dysfunctional.
An ideology around bike lanes that don’t work, aren't used and yet keep getting built, projects like CRL at best an ordinary idea, in reality late, getting later and billions over budget.
And all the while they call it a world class liveable city, their greatest achievement is saying that without bursting out laughing.
The Herald headlines over the weekend city of fails, and now a potential govt inquiry.
A broken town with failed leaders and arrogant agencies.
If an inquiry can bring the madness to heel and fingers  crossed address the carnage, we will owe them a spectacular debt of gratitude, good luck.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969457/mh061020-01-brokenaucklandcomment.mp3Tue, 06 Oct 2020 03:50:31 +0000RoccoI was in downtown Auckland on Saturday, and it's a shocking mess. I'm downtown most days, but the part I was in is not as big a mess as where I was Saturday. The part I am in most days is just sad. Post level four, it has never come back, the people...I'm downtown most days, but the part I was in is not as big a mess as where I was Saturday.
The part I am in most days is just sad.
Post level four, it has never come back, the people have gone, not all of them but enough of them to make my trip home faster which is no bad thing, but enough of them to know its got a ghost town feel about it and if I was trying to turn a dollar, it is nothing like it was.
No, the bit of Saturday was next level.
It was the heart of the chaos, and when I say chaos, not people, no there were hardly any people, people have long since given up trying to navigate the mess we encountered.
The only reason we persisted with the trip at all, having looked up the map to get the best directions and see nothing but red lines on the google maps, was because the shop was the only branch that had what we wanted.
It's hard to know what was worse, the reduction of lanes, the detours, the cones, the lights that aren't synchronised with the lay out, the road closures, the no parking signs, the tow away threats, there were a handful of walkers, not shoppers, no real bags but people I assumed lived in the area out on a lovely spring day.
We passed the Elliot Street restaurants currently pleading for survival over rent, I wasn’t surprised who's going there, clearly no one.
I also assume one day the authorities would tell you it will all be wonderful and world class , or will it?
Which is why National's promise of an inquiry into Auckland Council and its so desperately over due.
The key of course is terms of reference , who is doing the looking and what actually they will do by way of fixing it , and how much push back comes from the council who must be humiliated by the call.
But look at the evidence, a bridge on the verge of a wind gust, lack of water with no real plans to boost infrastructure for years.
A public transport net work that is constantly delayed, broken, late, on strike, dysfunctional.
An ideology around bike lanes that don’t work, aren't used and yet keep getting built, projects like CRL at best an ordinary idea, in reality late, getting later and billions over budget.
And all the while they call it a world class liveable city, their greatest achievement is saying that without bursting out laughing.
The Herald headlines over the weekend city of fails, and now a potential govt inquiry.
A broken town with failed leaders and arrogant agencies.
If an inquiry can bring the madness to heel and fingers  crossed address the carnage, we will owe them a spectacular debt of gratitude, good luck.]]>139falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/stan-walker-opens-up-about-his-abusive-childhood-in-new-book--1008418The Kiwi singer has made waves ever since winning Australian Idol in 2009 - and has gone on to have countless platinum albums and singles.
Now he's told his story in his first book Impossible: My Story, which tells some horrific stories from his childhood.
Stan Walker joined Mike Hosking in studio to talk about his book.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969434/mh061020-18-stanwalker-book.mp3Tue, 06 Oct 2020 01:49:15 +0000RoccoWe all know the name Stan Walker. The Kiwi singer has made waves ever since winning Australian Idol in 2009 - and has gone on to have countless platinum albums and singles. Now he's told his story in his first book Impossible: My Story, which tells...The Kiwi singer has made waves ever since winning Australian Idol in 2009 - and has gone on to have countless platinum albums and singles.
Now he's told his story in his first book Impossible: My Story, which tells some horrific stories from his childhood.
Stan Walker joined Mike Hosking in studio to talk about his book.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE]]>700falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-make-the-most-of-level-1-it-might-not-last--1008464If this is the way we handle a small localised outbreak, then we are in trouble, if not sunk.
The government were right to say we must expect some cases. The danger, in case we have forgotten, is they still don’t know how the original cluster broke out.
It was the border, of course, despite their many attempts to tell us it could be all sorts of things from frozen food to the port, it will have been an isolation facility.
All these months later if they're still climbing out windows with sheets, I think we can safely say it was lax security of some sort. And given they have no evidence otherwise, they can't say it isn't. And interestingly, or perhaps disappointingly, they still refuse to take the Australian approach which is to keep people in their rooms.
Further adding to the danger is the fact that Auckland is the arrival point, so any further problems or weaknesses will be in Auckland. So if Auckland gets two months' worth of level 3 and 2.5 every time we get a leak, then one can only imagine the damage.
This, once again, highlights the real overarching problem. Given we overreacted, given a small outbreak is level 3 and two months of economic damage, and given there is little to stop it happening again, surely it has now become painfully obvious to everyone that short of a vaccine, there is no plan. There is no ability to function at any level of normality.
This government has two levers it pulls. Lockdown and welfare with borrowed money. And even that lately has been cutback. 
The stuff that could help economically from New South Wales and South Australia, to international students, to private facilities for isolation, they don’t want to know.
It's lockdowns and welfare. And the economic carnage, whether it be the GDP figure, the “for lease” signs in the windows, or the ghostly absence of people in downtown CBDs, this is the real result of the so-called health response.
For now, those directly affected by level 1, those that need crowds, movies, performances, shows, sports, events, and community gatherings, enjoy it, spend up, support those that need it, give some hope and life to those who have been at the mercy of the fear mongering.
Because like last time, and given what we now know about the response, the good days of open doors and a sort of normality are precious, fragile and, too often ,short lived things.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969427/mh061020-12-levelonecomment.mp3Mon, 05 Oct 2020 23:23:09 +0000RoccoI could not be more pleased for the hundreds of Auckland businesses that can, at last, try and deal to the damage that has been foisted upon them as a result of two months of what I think most now would argue, was yet more needless knee jerk...If this is the way we handle a small localised outbreak, then we are in trouble, if not sunk.
The government were right to say we must expect some cases. The danger, in case we have forgotten, is they still don’t know how the original cluster broke out.
It was the border, of course, despite their many attempts to tell us it could be all sorts of things from frozen food to the port, it will have been an isolation facility.
All these months later if they're still climbing out windows with sheets, I think we can safely say it was lax security of some sort. And given they have no evidence otherwise, they can't say it isn't. And interestingly, or perhaps disappointingly, they still refuse to take the Australian approach which is to keep people in their rooms.
Further adding to the danger is the fact that Auckland is the arrival point, so any further problems or weaknesses will be in Auckland. So if Auckland gets two months' worth of level 3 and 2.5 every time we get a leak, then one can only imagine the damage.
This, once again, highlights the real overarching problem. Given we overreacted, given a small outbreak is level 3 and two months of economic damage, and given there is little to stop it happening again, surely it has now become painfully obvious to everyone that short of a vaccine, there is no plan. There is no ability to function at any level of normality.
This government has two levers it pulls. Lockdown and welfare with borrowed money. And even that lately has been cutback. 
The stuff that could help economically from New South Wales and South Australia, to international students, to private facilities for isolation, they don’t want to know.
It's lockdowns and welfare. And the economic carnage, whether it be the GDP figure, the “for lease” signs in the windows, or the ghostly absence of people in downtown CBDs, this is the real result of the so-called health response.
For now, those directly affected by level 1, those that need crowds, movies, performances, shows, sports, events, and community gatherings, enjoy it, spend up, support those that need it, give some hope and life to those who have been at the mercy of the fear mongering.
Because like last time, and given what we now know about the response, the good days of open doors and a sort of normality are precious, fragile and, too often ,short lived things.  ]]>135falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-the-government-can-t-handle-any-pressure--1008339He stole the rugby, he produced a vastly more successful lockdown and therefore has an economy that shrank way less than ours. And now he's embarrassed us by producing a travel bubble that only has one thing missing, a change of mindset from the lot that have us prisoner on the false premise that we are in mortal danger if we step on a flight to Sydney.
The weak point of this government is pressure, they can't handle it. We saw that with their RMA announcement on Friday. More on that in a moment.
But just how long do you think it will be before the calls get so loud on reciprocation that they can't resist? Australia is worth a fortune to us in tourism and trade. Literally billions are sitting there waiting to be unloaded here.
If a government can't see the benefit of that and want a slice, given the Covid numbers, then you have to start to conclude their approach is Machiavellian, their approach is highly prescriptive towards fear and reliance on a politburo that wants to control your life, movements, and thoughts. Let's watch this space and see if they buckle.
But back to the RMA, another massive cock up and a result of pressure they could no longer stand. National spent nine years trying to reform it, Labour wouldn't help. Labour spent the last three years in government defending the very thing they're now ripping up. Why?
They suspended it after Covid for obvious reasons. But the announcement, ironically at a multi-million dollar build site in Auckland, the project owned by an offshore billionaire, oh the irony, was designed to get more affordable housing.
So, what's changed? Reality, that’s what.
National have championed reform of the RMA and Labour have been embarrassed. But, and it's a significant but, what replaces it? The headline is Labour are dumping the RMA, but for what?
You need to have regulation. So, what sort of regulation? Is it possible that the replacement won't actually be that different to what they’ve dropped, thus making Fridays call a smokescreen, a blatant vote grab, and therefore a con?
We are seeing more of this, a party that entered this race so confident of a cakewalk they didn’t have anything to announce bar fear and welfare. And now they're drumming up reform on the hoof.
Their lack of plan for anything other than coasting to victory is each day now being exposed badly. If tonight's poll shows a further eroding of their support, you watch how many panic buttons get hit.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969354/mh051020-01-rmacomment.mp3Sun, 04 Oct 2020 22:36:48 +0000RoccoThe pressure is on the government to match Scott Morrison. He stole the rugby, he produced a vastly more successful lockdown and therefore has an economy that shrank way less than ours. And now he's embarrassed us by producing a travel bubble that...He stole the rugby, he produced a vastly more successful lockdown and therefore has an economy that shrank way less than ours. And now he's embarrassed us by producing a travel bubble that only has one thing missing, a change of mindset from the lot that have us prisoner on the false premise that we are in mortal danger if we step on a flight to Sydney.
The weak point of this government is pressure, they can't handle it. We saw that with their RMA announcement on Friday. More on that in a moment.
But just how long do you think it will be before the calls get so loud on reciprocation that they can't resist? Australia is worth a fortune to us in tourism and trade. Literally billions are sitting there waiting to be unloaded here.
If a government can't see the benefit of that and want a slice, given the Covid numbers, then you have to start to conclude their approach is Machiavellian, their approach is highly prescriptive towards fear and reliance on a politburo that wants to control your life, movements, and thoughts. Let's watch this space and see if they buckle.
But back to the RMA, another massive cock up and a result of pressure they could no longer stand. National spent nine years trying to reform it, Labour wouldn't help. Labour spent the last three years in government defending the very thing they're now ripping up. Why?
They suspended it after Covid for obvious reasons. But the announcement, ironically at a multi-million dollar build site in Auckland, the project owned by an offshore billionaire, oh the irony, was designed to get more affordable housing.
So, what's changed? Reality, that’s what.
National have championed reform of the RMA and Labour have been embarrassed. But, and it's a significant but, what replaces it? The headline is Labour are dumping the RMA, but for what?
You need to have regulation. So, what sort of regulation? Is it possible that the replacement won't actually be that different to what they’ve dropped, thus making Fridays call a smokescreen, a blatant vote grab, and therefore a con?
We are seeing more of this, a party that entered this race so confident of a cakewalk they didn’t have anything to announce bar fear and welfare. And now they're drumming up reform on the hoof.
Their lack of plan for anything other than coasting to victory is each day now being exposed badly. If tonight's poll shows a further eroding of their support, you watch how many panic buttons get hit.]]>123falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-leaders-breakfast-judith-collins--1008400Mike Hosking put the questions to Collins over two hours, starting from 7am.
Collins has used her extended interview to announce new policy - in the first 100 days of Government to launch an inquiry into Auckland Council - in particular council controlled organisations, including Auckland Transport and WaterCare.
"I have a particular beef with Auckland Transport, I just think it's destroyed the central city," said Collins, who criticised cycle lanes in her electorate and what she claimed was the organisation's desire to "make everything cycling or walking".
She also denied politicising her faith, after being photographed praying in a church yesterday: "We just happened to be voting in a church....the minister said, would you like to pop in and have a prayer?...I didn't invite the media in."



The National leader talked up the economic potential of oil and gas, saying "we have potential to be, basically, the North Sea in the south...there is enough there, according to the geologists...that's how places like Norway became so rich."
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will front next Monday, as she lays out her alternative vision for the country.
Is Collins politicising her faith?
The first question put to Collins by Hosking was whether she was politicising Christianity, after being photographed praying at St Thomas Church in Auckland yesterday, before casting an early vote.
Collins said she wasn't, and had been a Christian all her life.
"We just happened to be voting in a church....the minister said, would you like to pop in and have a prayer?...I didn't invite the media in."
Collins said she prayed for general guidance, rather than specifics. She prays once a day.
"It just happened to be that I was in a church...I was hardly going to turn it down."
On the border, Collins said National would have strong protective measures in place, and the current government didn't appear confident in safeguards.
Would Auckland be at level 1? "Obviously...the whole thing is getting to the stage where it just seems to be wallowing in Covid...it is causing immense hardship, economically and also stress level-wise for people."
Collins indicated Auckland had been in level 2 for too long, and said Taiwan, for example, had managed much better without lockdowns.
On Labour's announcement of wanting to look into supermarket and building supply prices, via market reviews done by the Commerce Commission, Collins said Labour had been talking about a supermarket inquiry for a long time.
The National leader said Emma Mellow had a very good shot at winning in Auckland Central - "it is a three horse race...we have momentum".
A "toxic" problem at Canterbury DHB, RMA reform and not being a "closed shop" to international students
On Canterbury DHB's huge deficits, Collins said the population in Canterbury had been underestimated in the past, and the whole situation was a "mess".
"The DHB and the Ministry currently have an absolutely toxic work relationship."
Both National and Labour have pledged to repeal and replace the Resource Management Act (RMA). Collins said it needed to be replaced by two pieces of legislation, one on planning and development, and another on environmental standards.
"There is an opportunity to cut through a lot of the red tape...it might upset a few really busy-body type people."
Should the borders be more open to international students? Collins said they had to be, given the importance to the economy. National would work with the universities and accommodation providers, with quarantine processes checked by officials.
We couldn't be a "closed shop".
"$5.1b industry...it is the flow-on effect for all the out years where students don't come back here."
National announces it would review Auckland Council
Collins announced new policy - in the first 100 da...]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969185/judith-leaders-breakfast-mix.mp3Sun, 04 Oct 2020 19:00:00 +0000RoccoNational leader Judith Collins was grilled on why her party should lead New Zealand through a pandemic and the economic fallout during the first of Newstalk ZB's Leaders Breakfasts today. Mike Hosking put the questions to Collins over two hours,...Mike Hosking put the questions to Collins over two hours, starting from 7am.
Collins has used her extended interview to announce new policy - in the first 100 days of Government to launch an inquiry into Auckland Council - in particular council controlled organisations, including Auckland Transport and WaterCare.
"I have a particular beef with Auckland Transport, I just think it's destroyed the central city," said Collins, who criticised cycle lanes in her electorate and what she claimed was the organisation's desire to "make everything cycling or walking".
She also denied politicising her faith, after being photographed praying in a church yesterday: "We just happened to be voting in a church....the minister said, would you like to pop in and have a prayer?...I didn't invite the media in."



The National leader talked up the economic potential of oil and gas, saying "we have potential to be, basically, the North Sea in the south...there is enough there, according to the geologists...that's how places like Norway became so rich."
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will front next Monday, as she lays out her alternative vision for the country.
Is Collins politicising her faith?
The first question put to Collins by Hosking was whether she was politicising Christianity, after being photographed praying at St Thomas Church in Auckland yesterday, before casting an early vote.
Collins said she wasn't, and had been a Christian all her life.
"We just happened to be voting in a church....the minister said, would you like to pop in and have a prayer?...I didn't invite the media in."
Collins said she prayed for general guidance, rather than specifics. She prays once a day.
"It just happened to be that I was in a church...I was hardly going to turn it down."
On the border, Collins said National would have strong protective measures in place, and the current government didn't appear confident in safeguards.
Would Auckland be at level 1? "Obviously...the whole thing is getting to the stage where it just seems to be wallowing in Covid...it is causing immense hardship, economically and also stress level-wise for people."
Collins indicated Auckland had been in level 2 for too long, and said Taiwan, for example, had managed much better without lockdowns.
On Labour's announcement of wanting to look into supermarket and building supply prices, via market reviews done by the Commerce Commission, Collins said Labour had been talking about a supermarket inquiry for a long time.
The National leader said Emma Mellow had a very good shot at winning in Auckland Central - "it is a three horse race...we have momentum".
A "toxic" problem at Canterbury DHB, RMA reform and not being a "closed shop" to international students
On Canterbury DHB's huge deficits, Collins said the population in Canterbury had been underestimated in the past, and the whole situation was a "mess".
"The DHB and the Ministry currently have an absolutely toxic work relationship."
Both National and Labour have pledged to repeal and replace the Resource Management Act (RMA). Collins said it needed to be replaced by two pieces of legislation, one on planning and development, and another on environmental standards.
"There is an opportunity to cut through a lot of the red tape...it might upset a few really busy-body type people."
Should the borders be more open to international students? Collins said they had to be, given the importance to the economy. National would work with the universities and accommodation providers, with quarantine processes checked by officials.
We couldn't be a "closed shop".
"$5.1b industry...it is the flow-on effect for all the out years...]]>3405falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-winston-peters-is-having-a-rough-campaign--1008403The US Presidential Debate.
6/10.
"It was the hottest of hot messes. Poor old Chris Wallace still has a cold compress on.  
But if you're wondering what's wrong with America lately and couldn’t put your finger on it, that 90 minutes gave you a good clue."
The New Zealand Leaders Debate.
8/10.
"Round two a world away from round one.
Everyone was awake, the pace picked up, and we all benefited as a result."  
The Polls.
7/10.
"The tightening is on, the numbers are closing, the numbers are falling for some, and rising for others.
It all adds to the spectacle."
ACT's Health Policy.
9/10.
"So simple, yet so hard to achieve up until now.
Good on them."
The Greens' Transport Policy.
2/10.
"No cars, a harbour crossing for a train, everyone gets free buses, and all it costs is $13 billion from a wealth tax.
What do you mean it's wacky and will never happen?"
Winston Peters.
2/10.
"Does it get any worse?
One or two percent in the polls and the SFO after your mates."
Cannabis Referendum.
7/10.
"Two polls both tell us the no vote will win.
This is excellent news and a display of good old-fashioned common sense from middle New Zealand."
Holiday Parks.
8/10.
"Numbers are up significantly on last year.
With Denarau out, Taupo anyone?"
Provincial New Zealand.
8/10.
The move is on and it might be permanent. Zoom towns, they call them.
No traffic, less stress, tech affords a new life."
Southland.  
7/10.  
"No, not for the rugby, although the rugby looks good. For the yield on property.  
You want a good return on a house? The figures tell us to let's head to Southland."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969167/mh021020-15-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 01 Oct 2020 22:35:43 +0000RoccoAt 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 US Presidential Debate. 6/10. "It was the hottest of hot messes. Poor old Chris Wallace still has a cold compress on.   But if...The US Presidential Debate.
6/10.
"It was the hottest of hot messes. Poor old Chris Wallace still has a cold compress on.  
But if you're wondering what's wrong with America lately and couldn’t put your finger on it, that 90 minutes gave you a good clue."
The New Zealand Leaders Debate.
8/10.
"Round two a world away from round one.
Everyone was awake, the pace picked up, and we all benefited as a result."  
The Polls.
7/10.
"The tightening is on, the numbers are closing, the numbers are falling for some, and rising for others.
It all adds to the spectacle."
ACT's Health Policy.
9/10.
"So simple, yet so hard to achieve up until now.
Good on them."
The Greens' Transport Policy.
2/10.
"No cars, a harbour crossing for a train, everyone gets free buses, and all it costs is $13 billion from a wealth tax.
What do you mean it's wacky and will never happen?"
Winston Peters.
2/10.
"Does it get any worse?
One or two percent in the polls and the SFO after your mates."
Cannabis Referendum.
7/10.
"Two polls both tell us the no vote will win.
This is excellent news and a display of good old-fashioned common sense from middle New Zealand."
Holiday Parks.
8/10.
"Numbers are up significantly on last year.
With Denarau out, Taupo anyone?"
Provincial New Zealand.
8/10.
The move is on and it might be permanent. Zoom towns, they call them.
No traffic, less stress, tech affords a new life."
Southland.  
7/10.  
"No, not for the rugby, although the rugby looks good. For the yield on property.  
You want a good return on a house? The figures tell us to let's head to Southland."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>166falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-it-s-time-to-stop-being-governed-by-fear--1008341Scott Morrison yesterday said that South Australia and New South Wales was on the cusp of inviting us, New Zealanders, to be able to travel to those states with no quarantine.
Here comes the stinger, the arrangement initially will only be one way. The prospect, he said, of Australians being able to travel to New Zealand is further away.
Simple question. Why? Answer. Our government and its obsession with conservatism and fear.
We see the same in Singapore. We have been able to travel there quarantine free for weeks now. Sadly only 130 actually have, based on the simple issue that when you come back, you're stuck in quarantine. Same applies to vast swathes of the world, you can land in Europe and America and jump straight in your rental car.
Here's the madness, if you want to mount an argument that having spent a month in Italy, we, as a country, don’t want to take the risk, fair enough. But if you’ve been to the Cook Islands, Fiji, South Australia, New South Wales, or most of Australia outside Victoria, given the Covid level which is better, or certainly no worse, than ours, what on Earth is the problem?
As we've said Covid has changed, deaths are down, treatment has been changed as we have learned more, but the structures running the borders have not shifted since day one.
The concept of a bubble has come and gone, and has been dangled enticingly. Remember for a while there, it seemed possible that by July or August the Pacific Islands and Australia might be available quarantine free. Here we are in October and we are no closer.
There is talk. But talk isn't a ticket, and it's not a trip. And as each day passes it gets more absurd. Countries and regions with no Covid, or no Covid worse than us, are opening and travelling. What literally is the issue with us jumping on a plane tomorrow to Sydney, spending three days for a meeting or a break, and coming back and carrying on like we have been to Queenstown?
What happened in Sydney that didn’t happen anywhere else in New Zealand? What happens over the Tasman that doesn't happen here? Their numbers are minimal, in some cases better than ours, what on Earth is the problem, apart from attitude?
I feel sorry for Morrison. He's not only had to deal with recalcitrant Premiers who share a similar love of fear like our lot.
But now he looks across the Tasman, the trade, the business, and the tourism. He's offering us a sense of freedom, a small snippet of new normality, but in reality, we are prisoners to our own government.
And they keep saying, for reasons I can't fathom, you can't go because it's too dangerous. Even now they say it, when it's plainly evidently for all to see that it isn't.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969157/mh021020-01-bubblescomment.mp3Thu, 01 Oct 2020 21:22:20 +0000RoccoBoy, it's like you got to drag this lot kicking and screaming to the alter of common sense. Scott Morrison yesterday said that South Australia and New South Wales was on the cusp of inviting us, New Zealanders, to be able to travel to those states...Scott Morrison yesterday said that South Australia and New South Wales was on the cusp of inviting us, New Zealanders, to be able to travel to those states with no quarantine.
Here comes the stinger, the arrangement initially will only be one way. The prospect, he said, of Australians being able to travel to New Zealand is further away.
Simple question. Why? Answer. Our government and its obsession with conservatism and fear.
We see the same in Singapore. We have been able to travel there quarantine free for weeks now. Sadly only 130 actually have, based on the simple issue that when you come back, you're stuck in quarantine. Same applies to vast swathes of the world, you can land in Europe and America and jump straight in your rental car.
Here's the madness, if you want to mount an argument that having spent a month in Italy, we, as a country, don’t want to take the risk, fair enough. But if you’ve been to the Cook Islands, Fiji, South Australia, New South Wales, or most of Australia outside Victoria, given the Covid level which is better, or certainly no worse, than ours, what on Earth is the problem?
As we've said Covid has changed, deaths are down, treatment has been changed as we have learned more, but the structures running the borders have not shifted since day one.
The concept of a bubble has come and gone, and has been dangled enticingly. Remember for a while there, it seemed possible that by July or August the Pacific Islands and Australia might be available quarantine free. Here we are in October and we are no closer.
There is talk. But talk isn't a ticket, and it's not a trip. And as each day passes it gets more absurd. Countries and regions with no Covid, or no Covid worse than us, are opening and travelling. What literally is the issue with us jumping on a plane tomorrow to Sydney, spending three days for a meeting or a break, and coming back and carrying on like we have been to Queenstown?
What happened in Sydney that didn’t happen anywhere else in New Zealand? What happens over the Tasman that doesn't happen here? Their numbers are minimal, in some cases better than ours, what on Earth is the problem, apart from attitude?
I feel sorry for Morrison. He's not only had to deal with recalcitrant Premiers who share a similar love of fear like our lot.
But now he looks across the Tasman, the trade, the business, and the tourism. He's offering us a sense of freedom, a small snippet of new normality, but in reality, we are prisoners to our own government.
And they keep saying, for reasons I can't fathom, you can't go because it's too dangerous. Even now they say it, when it's plainly evidently for all to see that it isn't.]]>144falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-on-points-you-have-to-give-the-first-debate-to-trump--1008349Come to that shortly, but Trump v Biden lived up to the hype.
The biggest loser was Chris Wallace who had a neigh on impossible job to contain the madness. The mistake that was made was setting segments with topics.
They started with the Supreme Court but barely covered it, as both candidates let rip at each other, the animosity took about three seconds to emerge.
Wallace threw his hands up, insisted he was the moderator, looked exasperated and generally failed to contain the scrap.
This, by the way wasn’t his fault, and I feel scared for the next two moderators.
Trump was Trump, he bullied his way, he cajoled. If you want a bulldozer in a debate, he’s your man.
Biden looked initially frustrated but used a clever tactic to stare down the camera and talked to ‘the folks at home’ a lot - probably the best thing he could have done.
In the Covid segment, Trump managed to take the death rate and what generally has been seen as a disaster and managed to turn it into an anti- Democrat rant over closed towns and states. He made a segment that could have gone badly seem remarkably successful.
This sort of stuff happened a lot. There was nuance and subtly in each of the so called segments but in reality both held their ground mainly.
Both made reasonable points, both made up for the fact there was no energy coming from an audience that under normal circumstances would have been all over it. As a scrap, it was good telly.
When Trump raised Burisma, Biden struggled, as did Wallace who clearly was over his job and I suspect wanted to go home.
He complained of the raised voices and the interruptions, and kept telling them about the change of segments and how each had two minutes uninterrupted.
No two minutes went uninterrupted, and I doubt there is a single person who could have told you what the segment was meant to be about.
They could have started any of the segments with any topic: oranges, supersonic aircraft, primates of Papua New Guinea, it didn’t matter. It took in a life of its own, each and every time.
Trump, in general, defended his record well, and he highlighted the Biden problems well. Biden was more defensive than offensive, and given the perceived weaknesses of the Trump administration, he could have done a lot more.
Trump called Biden on a lot of issues, many he came back well on, some he didn’t.
The value of the debate was you saw the two men in the same room going head to head under pressure, on their toes.
What they said was not unique and was nothing that hadn’t been seen or heard before separately, but eye ball to eye ball, it was gripping.
It was a slugfest, it was a heavyweight title fight.
Ultimately, no one got knocked down. Except Chris Wallace who was out for the count and concussed about 30 minutes in, and if he’s lucky he won’t remember a thing about it.
But on points, I think Trump got it. But like boxing, in calling Trump on points, that’s probably controversial. I doubt votes got swayed but like, I suspect millions, I’ll be back for round two in a couple of weeks.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969124/mh011020-01-usdebatecomment.mp3Thu, 01 Oct 2020 03:50:08 +0000RoccoDid we have a winner in Cleveland? Come to that shortly, but Trump v Biden lived up to the hype. The biggest loser was Chris Wallace who had a neigh on impossible job to contain the madness. The mistake that was made was setting segments with topics....Come to that shortly, but Trump v Biden lived up to the hype.
The biggest loser was Chris Wallace who had a neigh on impossible job to contain the madness. The mistake that was made was setting segments with topics.
They started with the Supreme Court but barely covered it, as both candidates let rip at each other, the animosity took about three seconds to emerge.
Wallace threw his hands up, insisted he was the moderator, looked exasperated and generally failed to contain the scrap.
This, by the way wasn’t his fault, and I feel scared for the next two moderators.
Trump was Trump, he bullied his way, he cajoled. If you want a bulldozer in a debate, he’s your man.
Biden looked initially frustrated but used a clever tactic to stare down the camera and talked to ‘the folks at home’ a lot - probably the best thing he could have done.
In the Covid segment, Trump managed to take the death rate and what generally has been seen as a disaster and managed to turn it into an anti- Democrat rant over closed towns and states. He made a segment that could have gone badly seem remarkably successful.
This sort of stuff happened a lot. There was nuance and subtly in each of the so called segments but in reality both held their ground mainly.
Both made reasonable points, both made up for the fact there was no energy coming from an audience that under normal circumstances would have been all over it. As a scrap, it was good telly.
When Trump raised Burisma, Biden struggled, as did Wallace who clearly was over his job and I suspect wanted to go home.
He complained of the raised voices and the interruptions, and kept telling them about the change of segments and how each had two minutes uninterrupted.
No two minutes went uninterrupted, and I doubt there is a single person who could have told you what the segment was meant to be about.
They could have started any of the segments with any topic: oranges, supersonic aircraft, primates of Papua New Guinea, it didn’t matter. It took in a life of its own, each and every time.
Trump, in general, defended his record well, and he highlighted the Biden problems well. Biden was more defensive than offensive, and given the perceived weaknesses of the Trump administration, he could have done a lot more.
Trump called Biden on a lot of issues, many he came back well on, some he didn’t.
The value of the debate was you saw the two men in the same room going head to head under pressure, on their toes.
What they said was not unique and was nothing that hadn’t been seen or heard before separately, but eye ball to eye ball, it was gripping.
It was a slugfest, it was a heavyweight title fight.
Ultimately, no one got knocked down. Except Chris Wallace who was out for the count and concussed about 30 minutes in, and if he’s lucky he won’t remember a thing about it.
But on points, I think Trump got it. But like boxing, in calling Trump on points, that’s probably controversial. I doubt votes got swayed but like, I suspect millions, I’ll be back for round two in a couple of weeks.]]>148falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-both-leaders-stepped-up-in-second-debate--1008355But from the bell the exchange was on. And dare I suggest it, but my advice out of last week's debate, which was soporific and geriatric in its pace, was immeasurably improved by a moderator who was engaged, had a question line, and was holding both combatants to account.
Pace puts people on their toes and we saw the results, and it was good to see the gloves off as well.
Ardern learned her lesson out of the first debate, where she was either tired, asleep, arrogant, or all of the aforementioned, but she was back. The trouble she faces, and Collins early barb of "manners” exposed it, is for a person who wanted kindness and positivity has let that charade slip all week, and last night we saw more of it.
It reflects the polls, the centre left has lost momentum. The centre right is on the rise. The gap is closing. What was a cake walk, has shrunk to an easy win, which has shrunk to a likely win, which is fast shrinking to a tight race. So, the pressure is on and you're seeing it in the way Ardern operates and presents herself.
Collins last week and this, thank God, has shaken off the advice she was clearly getting, and sadly taking from people in her office that don’t have a clue, and is back to the old crusher. Nothing beats authenticity, people can see it, and feel it from a mile off. She's getting better the more natural she is.
Ardern alternatively is starting to sweat, it doesn’t suit her. She suffered badly on the wage subsidy. Everyone seems to agree that companies taking it and making profit is bad. Ardern didn’t like it, and yet she was the one that set the rules and then said she wouldn’t do anything about it, Collins would.
That’s the trouble with being in power you have to defend your policies. And Ardern criticised something she created and wouldn’t fix. That's theory versus reality, a weak point of the past three years.
Ultimately though you'd struggle to call a winner out of Ardern and Collins. Both held their ground well, on everything from cannabis, to health and cancer, and to housing. Although if you had to, Collins takes it, just.
Both made good points, both responded well to pressure, both said they'd investigate PHARMAC. To be frank that looked like investigations announced on the hoof to look good. It reminded me of last time when Ardern promised a second pipe line in Auckland for fuel. Did it happen? Of course not. But in the heat of the moment you're prone to saying a lot of mad stuff that will never see the light of day.
Which really is why Patrick Gower was the ultimate winner, he held them to account. And, my God, these past 3 years the mainstream media has failed abysmally on that front. He, in a tiny way, made up for that last night.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969077/mh011020-10-debateiicommnet.mp3Wed, 30 Sep 2020 22:03:02 +0000RoccoHard to know whether the feisty nature of the second debate came from the fact Jacinda Ardern lost the first one or whether they had both been watching and taking tips from Donald Trump and Joe Biden. But from the bell the exchange was on. And dare I...But from the bell the exchange was on. And dare I suggest it, but my advice out of last week's debate, which was soporific and geriatric in its pace, was immeasurably improved by a moderator who was engaged, had a question line, and was holding both combatants to account.
Pace puts people on their toes and we saw the results, and it was good to see the gloves off as well.
Ardern learned her lesson out of the first debate, where she was either tired, asleep, arrogant, or all of the aforementioned, but she was back. The trouble she faces, and Collins early barb of "manners” exposed it, is for a person who wanted kindness and positivity has let that charade slip all week, and last night we saw more of it.
It reflects the polls, the centre left has lost momentum. The centre right is on the rise. The gap is closing. What was a cake walk, has shrunk to an easy win, which has shrunk to a likely win, which is fast shrinking to a tight race. So, the pressure is on and you're seeing it in the way Ardern operates and presents herself.
Collins last week and this, thank God, has shaken off the advice she was clearly getting, and sadly taking from people in her office that don’t have a clue, and is back to the old crusher. Nothing beats authenticity, people can see it, and feel it from a mile off. She's getting better the more natural she is.
Ardern alternatively is starting to sweat, it doesn’t suit her. She suffered badly on the wage subsidy. Everyone seems to agree that companies taking it and making profit is bad. Ardern didn’t like it, and yet she was the one that set the rules and then said she wouldn’t do anything about it, Collins would.
That’s the trouble with being in power you have to defend your policies. And Ardern criticised something she created and wouldn’t fix. That's theory versus reality, a weak point of the past three years.
Ultimately though you'd struggle to call a winner out of Ardern and Collins. Both held their ground well, on everything from cannabis, to health and cancer, and to housing. Although if you had to, Collins takes it, just.
Both made good points, both responded well to pressure, both said they'd investigate PHARMAC. To be frank that looked like investigations announced on the hoof to look good. It reminded me of last time when Ardern promised a second pipe line in Auckland for fuel. Did it happen? Of course not. But in the heat of the moment you're prone to saying a lot of mad stuff that will never see the light of day.
Which really is why Patrick Gower was the ultimate winner, he held them to account. And, my God, these past 3 years the mainstream media has failed abysmally on that front. He, in a tiny way, made up for that last night.]]>140falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/judith-collins-on-the-debate-polls-and-national-s-policies--1008459And the National Party leader confirmed to Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking this morning her "big call" policy during last night's TV leaders' debate to introduce a new law to reclaim the wage subsidy from some companies if they were found to have misused it during the first Covid lockdown.
"It is important to find out... Jacinda Ardern said last night that these companies played by the rules. The trouble is, the rules were pathetic and they just let people go waltzing through them.
"But there is a moral right, a moral duty of people if they've taken all that money... if they don't need it, they should have paid it back."
Asked how she could introduce a law when companies followed rules, she said first off she would make phone calls to companies.
"Have a look at the system... did anyone break those rules? In some cases they kept the jobs for the term of the wage subsidy and then sacked them."
She admitted the policy for a new law was a "big call". "I reckon we could do it... but retrospective is never ideal."
Collins said she had no problem with Act leader Seymour in the Deputy Prime Minister role. "David Seymour is a principled person in my experience and he and I have worked together before. I'd rather have him any day than what Miss Ardern has had."

The gloves were off in the fiery, high-energy debate between Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Collins last night.

The robust bout started off with tense questions on the Covid-19 outbreak, the economy, if the health system is racist, child abuse and housing but the pair appeared to relax as the debate wore on.
It came with commitments from both to look into Pharmac's funding decisions and ensure every school had gender neutral bathrooms available.
And it came with memorable, heated exchanges with Ardern directly asking Collins what her plan was for climate change and Collins shooting back: "What for, dear?" Later Collins admitted she thought Seymour would make an "excellent" Deputy Prime Minister in her government which was met with a "jeepers" from Ardern.
And Ardern finally admitted to having smoked cannabis "a long time ago" but continued her refusal to reveal how she was going to vote on the referendum.



But in the final quick-fire round Ardern and Collins found a lot of common ground with both wanting schools to have non-gendered bathrooms, not taxing sugar, making period products freely available in schools and putting a statue of Kate Sheppard in Parliament.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969070/mh011020-15-judithcollins-thursday.mp3Wed, 30 Sep 2020 21:18:28 +0000RoccoThe PM didn't like it - "jeepers" - but Judith Collins confirmed today she'd have no problem appointing David Seymour as Deputy Prime Minister should a National-Act alliance hit the 51 per cent party-vote mark on election day. And the National Party...And the National Party leader confirmed to Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking this morning her "big call" policy during last night's TV leaders' debate to introduce a new law to reclaim the wage subsidy from some companies if they were found to have misused it during the first Covid lockdown.
"It is important to find out... Jacinda Ardern said last night that these companies played by the rules. The trouble is, the rules were pathetic and they just let people go waltzing through them.
"But there is a moral right, a moral duty of people if they've taken all that money... if they don't need it, they should have paid it back."
Asked how she could introduce a law when companies followed rules, she said first off she would make phone calls to companies.
"Have a look at the system... did anyone break those rules? In some cases they kept the jobs for the term of the wage subsidy and then sacked them."
She admitted the policy for a new law was a "big call". "I reckon we could do it... but retrospective is never ideal."
Collins said she had no problem with Act leader Seymour in the Deputy Prime Minister role. "David Seymour is a principled person in my experience and he and I have worked together before. I'd rather have him any day than what Miss Ardern has had."

The gloves were off in the fiery, high-energy debate between Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Collins last night.

The robust bout started off with tense questions on the Covid-19 outbreak, the economy, if the health system is racist, child abuse and housing but the pair appeared to relax as the debate wore on.
It came with commitments from both to look into Pharmac's funding decisions and ensure every school had gender neutral bathrooms available.
And it came with memorable, heated exchanges with Ardern directly asking Collins what her plan was for climate change and Collins shooting back: "What for, dear?" Later Collins admitted she thought Seymour would make an "excellent" Deputy Prime Minister in her government which was met with a "jeepers" from Ardern.
And Ardern finally admitted to having smoked cannabis "a long time ago" but continued her refusal to reveal how she was going to vote on the referendum.



But in the final quick-fire round Ardern and Collins found a lot of common ground with both wanting schools to have non-gendered bathrooms, not taxing sugar, making period products freely available in schools and putting a statue of Kate Sheppard in Parliament.]]>530falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-mmp-hasn-t-done-what-it-was-meant-to-do--1008210It’s another failing or sadness of MMP.
Colin Craig, Graham Capill, Gareth Morgan: periodically a collection of slightly earnest, at times bewildered, but always passionate groups come along for an electoral crack, and every now and again some make enough noise to one, draw attention; two, make progress; and three, sometimes even look like they might be serious.
But this time round, no one is going anywhere or anywhere close.
Not only are we talking about most of the established small players being in trouble or heading for oblivion, the really small players aren’t even seeing the light of day
Is it Covid? Probably, but reality is reality, and with three weeks to go, no one has made any cut through, got any coverage, shown any form of relevance.
Is it time we looked at MMP? What’s the point of a system that works against what it was supposed to provide?
The other part of the equation is what happens when the parties that do get in and form a government. This has been our first true MMP coalition and you hardly call it a success, would you?
Forget whether you supported the parties or not, look at the workings of it.
You can credit the three parties for clearly having a large series of differences behind the scenes and keeping them relatively under control. Winston got through three years - almost - without ending up in a Shipley-Bolger type falling out.
But as soon as the vote was called and time was up, out came the bitching, back stabbing and finger pointing.
The stuff that wasn’t done, the stuff that was done that most didn’t agree on, the wastage, the expense, the endless compromise that leads to stagnation. And if not stagnation, a glacial pace of progress.
MMP was designed to see small parties flourish, it hasn’t done that.
It was designed to see checks and balances on bulldozer policy approach. Has it done that, or just stalled everything, watered it down to a relic of what it could or should have been?
NZ First gone, the Greens on the cusp. Conservatives, Advance, TOP, the Māori party all invisible, with ACT the only survivor for sure. If this was a report card on a system, it doesn’t read well, and is worth a C at best.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969041/mh300920-01-mmpcomment.mp3Wed, 30 Sep 2020 04:20:37 +0000RoccoThe ones out there doing the hardest yards are the small players, the ones that won’t just not make it this election, but will not even come close. It’s another failing or sadness of MMP. Colin Craig, Graham Capill, Gareth Morgan: periodically a...It’s another failing or sadness of MMP.
Colin Craig, Graham Capill, Gareth Morgan: periodically a collection of slightly earnest, at times bewildered, but always passionate groups come along for an electoral crack, and every now and again some make enough noise to one, draw attention; two, make progress; and three, sometimes even look like they might be serious.
But this time round, no one is going anywhere or anywhere close.
Not only are we talking about most of the established small players being in trouble or heading for oblivion, the really small players aren’t even seeing the light of day
Is it Covid? Probably, but reality is reality, and with three weeks to go, no one has made any cut through, got any coverage, shown any form of relevance.
Is it time we looked at MMP? What’s the point of a system that works against what it was supposed to provide?
The other part of the equation is what happens when the parties that do get in and form a government. This has been our first true MMP coalition and you hardly call it a success, would you?
Forget whether you supported the parties or not, look at the workings of it.
You can credit the three parties for clearly having a large series of differences behind the scenes and keeping them relatively under control. Winston got through three years - almost - without ending up in a Shipley-Bolger type falling out.
But as soon as the vote was called and time was up, out came the bitching, back stabbing and finger pointing.
The stuff that wasn’t done, the stuff that was done that most didn’t agree on, the wastage, the expense, the endless compromise that leads to stagnation. And if not stagnation, a glacial pace of progress.
MMP was designed to see small parties flourish, it hasn’t done that.
It was designed to see checks and balances on bulldozer policy approach. Has it done that, or just stalled everything, watered it down to a relic of what it could or should have been?
NZ First gone, the Greens on the cusp. Conservatives, Advance, TOP, the Māori party all invisible, with ACT the only survivor for sure. If this was a report card on a system, it doesn’t read well, and is worth a C at best.]]>122falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-rio-tinto-playing-the-politicians-like-fiddles--1008472The smelter was too expensive, they are closing it down unless the government write a cheque. The Labour Party, emboldened by the National Party, told them not one more cent. National told them not one more cent, after giving them $30 million.
When they came back Ardern said no. And she was not for turning, until, of course, she was.
It is a lesson, as far as I can work out, in a few things. Being big helps, pure economics doesn’t always work in regional New Zealand, and whatever it is you do, if you can be big in a small place the government will always pay the bills. All you need is a large workforce of locals who become reliant on you and a government that doesn't want to see a town or region decimated, especially not in election year.
New Zealand First, I think, was first out of the blocks with the plan. National came second, and Labour fell on its sword just the other day. They're all essentially offering the same thing, and they're all essentially making the same mistake.
Part of Rio Tinto's problem is the price of aluminium, which isn't the governments fault, but they have chosen to make it their problem. Part of it is the power companies are so reliant on a single client, so when the client looked like they were leaving they didn’t have the ability to shift the power north.
There is nothing wrong with Tiwai getting a good power deal. Big players get good deals on all sorts of things. Bulk buys discounts. But beyond that, we are now talking about manipulating the system.
Transpower is a monopoly, so they're now dragged in on transmission prices. Labour wants them to "help." What's that mean? Apart from manipulate the price, cost, or deal to favour Tiwai.
So, the question is, what's the cost of seeing a region damaged by an exit versus the cost of subsidising a business to have them stay? And the tricky bit is, once you're down the rabbit hole, can you ever extract yourself? No. Do you set a dangerous precedent? Yes.
And who's the big winner? The company that played the government like a fiddle.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22969007/mh300920-14-tiwaiturnaroundcomment.mp3Tue, 29 Sep 2020 22:50:32 +0000RoccoTell you who one of the biggest winners is this election, Rio Tinto. You reckon they worked all this to a plan? The smelter was too expensive, they are closing it down unless the government write a cheque. The Labour Party, emboldened by the National...The smelter was too expensive, they are closing it down unless the government write a cheque. The Labour Party, emboldened by the National Party, told them not one more cent. National told them not one more cent, after giving them $30 million.
When they came back Ardern said no. And she was not for turning, until, of course, she was.
It is a lesson, as far as I can work out, in a few things. Being big helps, pure economics doesn’t always work in regional New Zealand, and whatever it is you do, if you can be big in a small place the government will always pay the bills. All you need is a large workforce of locals who become reliant on you and a government that doesn't want to see a town or region decimated, especially not in election year.
New Zealand First, I think, was first out of the blocks with the plan. National came second, and Labour fell on its sword just the other day. They're all essentially offering the same thing, and they're all essentially making the same mistake.
Part of Rio Tinto's problem is the price of aluminium, which isn't the governments fault, but they have chosen to make it their problem. Part of it is the power companies are so reliant on a single client, so when the client looked like they were leaving they didn’t have the ability to shift the power north.
There is nothing wrong with Tiwai getting a good power deal. Big players get good deals on all sorts of things. Bulk buys discounts. But beyond that, we are now talking about manipulating the system.
Transpower is a monopoly, so they're now dragged in on transmission prices. Labour wants them to "help." What's that mean? Apart from manipulate the price, cost, or deal to favour Tiwai.
So, the question is, what's the cost of seeing a region damaged by an exit versus the cost of subsidising a business to have them stay? And the tricky bit is, once you're down the rabbit hole, can you ever extract yourself? No. Do you set a dangerous precedent? Yes.
And who's the big winner? The company that played the government like a fiddle.]]>110falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-we-re-waking-up-to-the-dangers-of-cannabis--100836953 percent against it, 35 per cent for it, 11 percent don't know. That’s got to the point where even if every single person who doesn’t know, decided to vote yes, the yes vote would still lose.
And it's not like the yes vote hasn’t had a good run. The media in general has featured, to my eye, favourable coverage of why we should be legalising the stuff, as opposed to why we shouldn’t. I think the answer is relatively simple. Why would you look to create trouble, simply for the sake of it?
The yes camp has never really had anything more than the most spurious of ideas that it should be legalised simply because a lot of people do it. And in that, never really understanding just how stupid that concept is. If you can find enough people doing anything against law, is that good enough to legalise it?
Texting while driving, drinking while driving, hitting other people when you lose your temper, stealing other people's possessions whether by fraud or robbery, there's plenty of it about, so let's change the law?
And then having gotten off on the wrong foot logically, they then search the world for examples of how and when you do it, it all works out fine.
We are full of social ills woes and worries, and yet we want to add another to the list. We angst openly about suicide and mental illness, not to mention psychosis, and yet we want to ignore all that because lots of people only want to smoke a joint on a Friday and it never did them any harm.
It's seemed to be the most middle-class, indulgent load of nonsense heard in many a long year. They didn’t want to be criminals despite the fact no one who ever puffed on a Friday ended up in jail, despite the mad claim that they did. It's like denying alcoholism and its effects because you just have the one glass a night. The doctors who work with the damage are screaming for help, but none of that seems important.
A government, who should have known better, has wasted well in excess of a year having a debate that was never necessary, indulging a minor coalition partner who if they'd focused on core values like National Parks, mining, and clean air might not be in the fight for survival they are.
Lies have been told over and over about how harmless all this is. Photos of cops have been used in advertising, and claims it will bring better access to the medicinal side of the cannabis equation. The Drug Foundation, supposedly apolitical and heavily funded by the government, has been overtly political, not to mention dangerously disingenuous.
They went nuts, they looked slightly insane, and once people thought about it, and realised a vote counts, it was at that point the numbers changed dramatically and I think permanently.
The no vote has gone from 49 percent to 53 percent. The yes vote has gone from 43 percent to 35 percent. There's a trend driven by reality and common sense. It ain't over, but it's as good as.
Thank God we got there in the end.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22968900/mh290920-14-cannabisreferendumcomment.mp3Mon, 28 Sep 2020 21:50:51 +0000RoccoIs the latest poll on cannabis reform the death knell for those who are desperate to legalise the stuff? It's got to be pretty close. 53 percent against it, 35 per cent for it, 11 percent don't know. That’s got to the point where even if every single...53 percent against it, 35 per cent for it, 11 percent don't know. That’s got to the point where even if every single person who doesn’t know, decided to vote yes, the yes vote would still lose.
And it's not like the yes vote hasn’t had a good run. The media in general has featured, to my eye, favourable coverage of why we should be legalising the stuff, as opposed to why we shouldn’t. I think the answer is relatively simple. Why would you look to create trouble, simply for the sake of it?
The yes camp has never really had anything more than the most spurious of ideas that it should be legalised simply because a lot of people do it. And in that, never really understanding just how stupid that concept is. If you can find enough people doing anything against law, is that good enough to legalise it?
Texting while driving, drinking while driving, hitting other people when you lose your temper, stealing other people's possessions whether by fraud or robbery, there's plenty of it about, so let's change the law?
And then having gotten off on the wrong foot logically, they then search the world for examples of how and when you do it, it all works out fine.
We are full of social ills woes and worries, and yet we want to add another to the list. We angst openly about suicide and mental illness, not to mention psychosis, and yet we want to ignore all that because lots of people only want to smoke a joint on a Friday and it never did them any harm.
It's seemed to be the most middle-class, indulgent load of nonsense heard in many a long year. They didn’t want to be criminals despite the fact no one who ever puffed on a Friday ended up in jail, despite the mad claim that they did. It's like denying alcoholism and its effects because you just have the one glass a night. The doctors who work with the damage are screaming for help, but none of that seems important.
A government, who should have known better, has wasted well in excess of a year having a debate that was never necessary, indulging a minor coalition partner who if they'd focused on core values like National Parks, mining, and clean air might not be in the fight for survival they are.
Lies have been told over and over about how harmless all this is. Photos of cops have been used in advertising, and claims it will bring better access to the medicinal side of the cannabis equation. The Drug Foundation, supposedly apolitical and heavily funded by the government, has been overtly political, not to mention dangerously disingenuous.
They went nuts, they looked slightly insane, and once people thought about it, and realised a vote counts, it was at that point the numbers changed dramatically and I think permanently.
The no vote has gone from 49 percent to 53 percent. The yes vote has gone from 43 percent to 35 percent. There's a trend driven by reality and common sense. It ain't over, but it's as good as.
Thank God we got there in the end.  ]]>165falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-we-re-digging-a-massive-hole-over-border-restrictions--1008376Netball has got some good news, cricket too. We could have had the Rugby Championship, but because of the inability to embrace a bottom line and any sort of entrepreneurial spirit, we lost it to Australia, and not only do we miss out on millions, the All Blacks get to spend Christmas in quarantine
And now the ASB Classic is in danger of not happening, which goes back yet again to a government that simply doesn’t seem to want to think of anything outside its tiny little myopic view of how things should be done.
Which made National’s policy last week on quarantine seem so welcome. Let people help, let business get involved, let them provide facilities and expertise, let them pay for the bill and let’s get some stuff under way
How is it we see the US Open in New York, the French open in Paris, the golf in America, the Super Cars in Australia, the league, the AFL, the NFL, all being played - some of it in front  of no crowds, some small crowds, some with thousands, but they’re all playing, they’re all generating revenue broadcast money general interest for a sport starved world and they’re all virtually doing it with either no worse a scenario than ours right through to a vastly worse scenario.
Why? Because they have the right attitude.
We are making this needlessly hard. The world is open, the world is getting on with life, the world has decided, whether deliberately or by osmosis, that elimination isn’t real.
And this cloistered economy wrecking obsession we have here, although once laudable until the border leaked, is now no way to move forward.
The reality is simple. We don’t have to be a venue. Business, sport or anything else will continue whether we want to participate or not.
The only loser is us.
Yes, we can stay in a hermetically sealed bubble convincing ourselves we are clever, but we are clever and broke and the tough days have barely begun.
For a country that relies on the world, it seems a bizarre take to continue to insist the world isn’t welcome even though the world is actually out and about and operating.
If the tennis doesn’t come, it’s not catastrophic, but it’s the cumulative effect: the tennis and the championship, Labour and the super yachts, and all the other stuff that got locked out and went elsewhere.
That’s where the seed of the disaster begins. We are digging ourselves a massive hole we will regret.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22968865/mh280920-12-borderrestrictionscomment.mp3Mon, 28 Sep 2020 05:00:49 +0000RoccoSome good and bad news in our ongoing battle to get the government to see some sort of sense  around letting and getting people into this country to spend some money, do some work, sell some tickets, create some jobs Netball has got some good news,...Netball has got some good news, cricket too. We could have had the Rugby Championship, but because of the inability to embrace a bottom line and any sort of entrepreneurial spirit, we lost it to Australia, and not only do we miss out on millions, the All Blacks get to spend Christmas in quarantine
And now the ASB Classic is in danger of not happening, which goes back yet again to a government that simply doesn’t seem to want to think of anything outside its tiny little myopic view of how things should be done.
Which made National’s policy last week on quarantine seem so welcome. Let people help, let business get involved, let them provide facilities and expertise, let them pay for the bill and let’s get some stuff under way
How is it we see the US Open in New York, the French open in Paris, the golf in America, the Super Cars in Australia, the league, the AFL, the NFL, all being played - some of it in front  of no crowds, some small crowds, some with thousands, but they’re all playing, they’re all generating revenue broadcast money general interest for a sport starved world and they’re all virtually doing it with either no worse a scenario than ours right through to a vastly worse scenario.
Why? Because they have the right attitude.
We are making this needlessly hard. The world is open, the world is getting on with life, the world has decided, whether deliberately or by osmosis, that elimination isn’t real.
And this cloistered economy wrecking obsession we have here, although once laudable until the border leaked, is now no way to move forward.
The reality is simple. We don’t have to be a venue. Business, sport or anything else will continue whether we want to participate or not.
The only loser is us.
Yes, we can stay in a hermetically sealed bubble convincing ourselves we are clever, but we are clever and broke and the tough days have barely begun.
For a country that relies on the world, it seems a bizarre take to continue to insist the world isn’t welcome even though the world is actually out and about and operating.
If the tennis doesn’t come, it’s not catastrophic, but it’s the cumulative effect: the tennis and the championship, Labour and the super yachts, and all the other stuff that got locked out and went elsewhere.
That’s where the seed of the disaster begins. We are digging ourselves a massive hole we will regret.]]>132falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-winston-peters-has-done-us-a-favour-over-ihumatao--1008439I have been surprised at just how much correspondence I have had over Ihumātao. People still ask literally every day what happened.
Are they waiting until after the election? Do you they know how explosive it is? And are they trying to stiff us?
The answer we now know for sure is, yes and no. We said months back that Winston Peters was the reason it was held up. We didn't have confirmation, but all logical reasoning had it as the only possible answer.
Remember the stories? The deal was done, Pania Newton of the protest was saying it was sorted, the Maori King came to visit, and there was the flurry of government cars. But then, nothing. Why?
Winston Peters.
And on Friday in one of his, "let's run it up the flag pole and see how many people we can infuriate” speeches, he confirmed he almost pulled the coalition plug over it.
Here's the important thing, here's the maddening thing about New Zealand First. He's actually right.
For all the drama, noise, headline grabbing bollocks that surrounds him and his party, at least some of the time he actually lives up to, what he allegedly stands for, which is a bit of middle of the road common sense.
Ihumātao is a disaster waiting to happen. The Prime Minister made it the mess it is by injecting herself into it before she left for that trip to Tokelau, remember? She instructed building to stop. How she got away with that, lord knows. Fletcher Building got royally screwed.
She sent a couple of Ministers in, who presumably sorted a deal out and there it has sat, ready to go, with our money, except for Peters standing in the way.
Ihumātao was a done deal before the government ever made a mess of it. The group that protested is part of the group that sold it to Fletchers. That’s all this is, a group who didn’t agree within the group. That, at no point, should ever have been our problem, until Ardern made it so.
Peters point is you do a deal here, every other Treaty claimant will be back for another crack. Full and final will mean nothing. And that is the danger of Ihumātao.
Do a deal, don't like the deal? Do another deal. How long do you reckon that train wreck of an approach lasts and how much do you reckon that costs?
We owe Peters a debt of gratitude. But if Labour will win the election, Ihumātao will be the start of a mess they’ll have lost control of from day one.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22968814/mh280920-01-ihumataocomment.mp3Sun, 27 Sep 2020 22:19:30 +0000RoccoCOMMENT: I have been surprised at just how much correspondence I have had over Ihumātao. People still ask literally every day what happened. Are they waiting until after the election? Do you they know how explosive it is? And are they trying to stiff...I have been surprised at just how much correspondence I have had over Ihumātao. People still ask literally every day what happened.
Are they waiting until after the election? Do you they know how explosive it is? And are they trying to stiff us?
The answer we now know for sure is, yes and no. We said months back that Winston Peters was the reason it was held up. We didn't have confirmation, but all logical reasoning had it as the only possible answer.
Remember the stories? The deal was done, Pania Newton of the protest was saying it was sorted, the Maori King came to visit, and there was the flurry of government cars. But then, nothing. Why?
Winston Peters.
And on Friday in one of his, "let's run it up the flag pole and see how many people we can infuriate” speeches, he confirmed he almost pulled the coalition plug over it.
Here's the important thing, here's the maddening thing about New Zealand First. He's actually right.
For all the drama, noise, headline grabbing bollocks that surrounds him and his party, at least some of the time he actually lives up to, what he allegedly stands for, which is a bit of middle of the road common sense.
Ihumātao is a disaster waiting to happen. The Prime Minister made it the mess it is by injecting herself into it before she left for that trip to Tokelau, remember? She instructed building to stop. How she got away with that, lord knows. Fletcher Building got royally screwed.
She sent a couple of Ministers in, who presumably sorted a deal out and there it has sat, ready to go, with our money, except for Peters standing in the way.
Ihumātao was a done deal before the government ever made a mess of it. The group that protested is part of the group that sold it to Fletchers. That’s all this is, a group who didn’t agree within the group. That, at no point, should ever have been our problem, until Ardern made it so.
Peters point is you do a deal here, every other Treaty claimant will be back for another crack. Full and final will mean nothing. And that is the danger of Ihumātao.
Do a deal, don't like the deal? Do another deal. How long do you reckon that train wreck of an approach lasts and how much do you reckon that costs?
We owe Peters a debt of gratitude. But if Labour will win the election, Ihumātao will be the start of a mess they’ll have lost control of from day one.]]>116falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-act-are-the-political-stars-of-the-week--1008344The First Debate
8/10
"Good times, good contest, and a sign that the bulk of us love a bit of sport, political or otherwise."
Greg Foran
7/10
"Spoke out, said elimination isn't real.
"And those who take a more moderate path, like Australia, will win. He's right."
Levels
7/10
"I'm thrilled for the country, apart from Auckland.
"Level 1 isn't normal, but for now it's as close as. But for Auckland what a joke."
Paul Goldsmith's Fiscal Hole
2/10
"Coins are easy to miss, $4 billion isn't."
ACT Party
9/10
"Political stars of the week.
'Seven percent and climbing is an astonishing achievement when you start at one percent."
Julie Anne Genter's Bottom Line
3/10
"This is trouble.
"Bottom line or top priority? No new taxes or maybe new taxes? Straight up and down or spinning us a line?"
Tax Cuts
8/10
"Letting people keep their money.
"Who would have thought you'd have to argue for that to be a thing?"
The Auckland Harbour Bridge
2/10
"What else can you say? #1935."
Elton John's Postponed NZ Shows
4/10
"Face it, he's not coming."
The Ranfurly Shield
8/10
"With the All Blacks in the Mitre 10 Cup and the shield on the move, it's another bright spot for sport in the toughest of years."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22968648/mh250920-15-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 24 Sep 2020 23:20:58 +0000RoccoAt 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 First Debate 8/10 "Good times, good contest, and a sign that the bulk of us love a bit of sport, political or otherwise." Greg...The First Debate
8/10
"Good times, good contest, and a sign that the bulk of us love a bit of sport, political or otherwise."
Greg Foran
7/10
"Spoke out, said elimination isn't real.
"And those who take a more moderate path, like Australia, will win. He's right."
Levels
7/10
"I'm thrilled for the country, apart from Auckland.
"Level 1 isn't normal, but for now it's as close as. But for Auckland what a joke."
Paul Goldsmith's Fiscal Hole
2/10
"Coins are easy to miss, $4 billion isn't."
ACT Party
9/10
"Political stars of the week.
'Seven percent and climbing is an astonishing achievement when you start at one percent."
Julie Anne Genter's Bottom Line
3/10
"This is trouble.
"Bottom line or top priority? No new taxes or maybe new taxes? Straight up and down or spinning us a line?"
Tax Cuts
8/10
"Letting people keep their money.
"Who would have thought you'd have to argue for that to be a thing?"
The Auckland Harbour Bridge
2/10
"What else can you say? #1935."
Elton John's Postponed NZ Shows
4/10
"Face it, he's not coming."
The Ranfurly Shield
8/10
"With the All Blacks in the Mitre 10 Cup and the shield on the move, it's another bright spot for sport in the toughest of years."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>165falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-government-continues-with-the-crazy-rules--1008482The government spends $42 billion a year buying stuff. It's 138 departments spend a lot of money, buying a lot of stuff. That's called procurement.
First issue, I would have thought is do we really need 138 departments? As an exercise I did this earlier this year for a reason I can't remember, but I looked up all the government departments we have. Go do it, it's worth it. You'll be astonished at the stuff we have that you’ve literally never heard of.
Anyway, they buy a lot of things. And under the new rules they need to consider not just what they're buying or whether it's any good, but whether it's helped Pacific Islanders, Maori, women or the disabled. I wish I was kidding.
The upside is it also involves a remit requiring a greater emphasis on quality construction, and that is no bad thing. When it comes to building stuff in this country we have been abysmal, and anything we can do to aim for quality and longevity over price I'm all for.
I am all for, by the way, women, Maori, and anyone else you want to stick in a category separate to anyone else.
In that is the madness, I don't categorise people by race or gender, or indeed height or hair colour. I couldn't care less who you are, or where you come from. What I care about, especially if I'm hiring you, is if you're any good.
What do I need, and what does it do? Whether it's goods or services, what is it you're offering? Is it value for money? Will it do the job I want it to do? Have you, through your skills and experience, given me something by way of a transaction that suits us both?
The moment you step outside that calculation, you are compromising. It could be on price. Why is it so cheap? Or why is it so expensive and am I being ripped off?
Or if it's to do with gender or race, am I buying something that I wouldn’t buy normally because I am under instruction? Does the purchase cross the threshold because the company stacked the deck with race or gender based employees at the expense of quality, longevity, or product specifications?
Once you're down that track, it's a rabbit hole you're not coming out of. It's theoretical, ideological rubbish and waste. And yet again using our money, and money we don’t even have any more.
Is this really the best that they can do in digging us out of a financial hole, the likes we have never seen?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22968632/mh250920-01-procurementcomment.mp3Thu, 24 Sep 2020 21:44:19 +0000RoccoIf the fees free at university didn’t work, what do you reckon is going to happen to the new procurement rules? The government spends $42 billion a year buying stuff. It's 138 departments spend a lot of money, buying a lot of stuff. That's called...The government spends $42 billion a year buying stuff. It's 138 departments spend a lot of money, buying a lot of stuff. That's called procurement.
First issue, I would have thought is do we really need 138 departments? As an exercise I did this earlier this year for a reason I can't remember, but I looked up all the government departments we have. Go do it, it's worth it. You'll be astonished at the stuff we have that you’ve literally never heard of.
Anyway, they buy a lot of things. And under the new rules they need to consider not just what they're buying or whether it's any good, but whether it's helped Pacific Islanders, Maori, women or the disabled. I wish I was kidding.
The upside is it also involves a remit requiring a greater emphasis on quality construction, and that is no bad thing. When it comes to building stuff in this country we have been abysmal, and anything we can do to aim for quality and longevity over price I'm all for.
I am all for, by the way, women, Maori, and anyone else you want to stick in a category separate to anyone else.
In that is the madness, I don't categorise people by race or gender, or indeed height or hair colour. I couldn't care less who you are, or where you come from. What I care about, especially if I'm hiring you, is if you're any good.
What do I need, and what does it do? Whether it's goods or services, what is it you're offering? Is it value for money? Will it do the job I want it to do? Have you, through your skills and experience, given me something by way of a transaction that suits us both?
The moment you step outside that calculation, you are compromising. It could be on price. Why is it so cheap? Or why is it so expensive and am I being ripped off?
Or if it's to do with gender or race, am I buying something that I wouldn’t buy normally because I am under instruction? Does the purchase cross the threshold because the company stacked the deck with race or gender based employees at the expense of quality, longevity, or product specifications?
Once you're down that track, it's a rabbit hole you're not coming out of. It's theoretical, ideological rubbish and waste. And yet again using our money, and money we don’t even have any more.
Is this really the best that they can do in digging us out of a financial hole, the likes we have never seen?]]>121falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-debate-ratings-show-we-are-invested-in-election--1008412The numbers were good but not great. 1.1 million tuned in Tuesday night  vs 1.3 million compared to three years ago.
A key here is that’s the total number - 1.1 million, the number of people that watched at least one minute, which if you’re one of the participants is not what you want
So the key here is the average. The average was 657,000,  good on any night of regular  programming  but given the nature of the debate, what we can deduce is that a lot of people didn’t hang around for the whole show .
In other words it wasn’t good telly. It wasn’t sticky, it wasn’t a good watch, and if you need the debates to work for you that’s a problem. I personally would have given up if it hadn’t been work.
But the upside is over a million even tuning in does reassure us that at last at least a chunk of us have woken up enough to take an interest, and it bodes well going forwards.
Given we got a result as such, as meandering as parts of it were, it was generally accepted that Collins won and therefore that peaks the interest as to what Ardern does with a defeat and whether she has a new plan for next week.
Toss in a poll or two, and we actually have a race with a good number of interested voters. This is all good for democracy.
It’s also a reminder that right or wrong, good or bad, there is very little in life left that still truly unites a country.
The media landscape is so fragmented and has been for years now. The water cooler days of communal watches have long since passed.
So it’s a reminder that for all its weaknesses and partisan nonsense, how a country is run and who runs it is one of the few things we are happy to sort of gather together and participate in.
In excess 80 per cent of us will eventually vote. Compare it to America where barely half turn out, and their debates will be watched by comparatively a handful compared to ours.
So not a record number, but close enough, and thank god proof at last that we as a country we have worked out this actually counts.
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22968580/mh240920-01-debateviewershipcomment.mp3Thu, 24 Sep 2020 04:11:19 +0000RoccoSo was the debate a hit? Yes and no: the ratings tell a story. The numbers were good but not great. 1.1 million tuned in Tuesday night  vs 1.3 million compared to three years ago. A key here is that’s the total number - 1.1 million, the number of...The numbers were good but not great. 1.1 million tuned in Tuesday night  vs 1.3 million compared to three years ago.
A key here is that’s the total number - 1.1 million, the number of people that watched at least one minute, which if you’re one of the participants is not what you want
So the key here is the average. The average was 657,000,  good on any night of regular  programming  but given the nature of the debate, what we can deduce is that a lot of people didn’t hang around for the whole show .
In other words it wasn’t good telly. It wasn’t sticky, it wasn’t a good watch, and if you need the debates to work for you that’s a problem. I personally would have given up if it hadn’t been work.
But the upside is over a million even tuning in does reassure us that at last at least a chunk of us have woken up enough to take an interest, and it bodes well going forwards.
Given we got a result as such, as meandering as parts of it were, it was generally accepted that Collins won and therefore that peaks the interest as to what Ardern does with a defeat and whether she has a new plan for next week.
Toss in a poll or two, and we actually have a race with a good number of interested voters. This is all good for democracy.
It’s also a reminder that right or wrong, good or bad, there is very little in life left that still truly unites a country.
The media landscape is so fragmented and has been for years now. The water cooler days of communal watches have long since passed.
So it’s a reminder that for all its weaknesses and partisan nonsense, how a country is run and who runs it is one of the few things we are happy to sort of gather together and participate in.
In excess 80 per cent of us will eventually vote. Compare it to America where barely half turn out, and their debates will be watched by comparatively a handful compared to ours.
So not a record number, but close enough, and thank god proof at last that we as a country we have worked out this actually counts.
 ]]>112falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-labour-needs-to-get-real-on-farming--1008479The irony being this day saw her down on the farm. If there was a single comment on the debate that sunk her, it was the condescending nonsense she dribbled out over farming and how what Judith Collins has said about being proud as a farmer's daughter and how the farmer felt beaten and embattled sounded like farming from another age.
Forgetting, of course, the Labour Party's credentials on farming weren't exactly stellar to start with, and, in fact, this farming from another age is actually keeping the country from going completely bankrupt.
Labour's policy for the farm, as released via a cowshed by the Prime Minister, was to use yet more money we don’t have to help farmers meet compliance. The irony being, why not cut the compliance as opposed to keeping red tape and pretending the cost doesn’t exist by subsidising it?
And the policy doesn’t actually have a plan yet. The first thing they need to do is set up the obligatory group, think-tank, and gab fest session to work out what the rules are so we are all on the same page.
In that is Labour to a tee, announce an idea that hasn’t actually even been formulated.
What Labour have never understood about the rural community is that farmers are business people, and all the ideological crap they want to dump on them isn't actually necessary because  it doesn’t work and  the stuff that does, they were doing anyway due to the fact that farms are businesses and no business person sets out to wreck their business.
Water, waterways, planting, run off, all the stuff that’s being regulated, is already on the radar of your New Zealand farmer.
The pugging, the slope of the paddock nonsense is the stuff only a wonk from Wellington without a set of gumboots could ever dream up. And as such even Damien O'Connor, who passes for a man of the land, but is lonely in his caucus, could see a lot of it was unworkable rubbish so at least acquiesced to some change.
But here's a thought for Labour, indeed all parties who have obvious areas of weakness, identify what you don’t know and aren't good at, and do something about it. Bring in expertise. In Labour's case, get O'Connor some mates in caucus that know one end of a cow from the other.
Look like you care. If you don't, you end like Ardern in a debate writing off an entire industry with your ignorance and disdain.    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22968534/mh240920-14-labourfarmpolicycomment.mp3Wed, 23 Sep 2020 21:25:17 +0000RoccoYou've got to hand it to Jacinda Ardern. Having been spanked in the debate, such is the life of a politician in a campaign, you got to get out of bed the next morning and carry on like it never happened. The irony being this day saw her down on the...The irony being this day saw her down on the farm. If there was a single comment on the debate that sunk her, it was the condescending nonsense she dribbled out over farming and how what Judith Collins has said about being proud as a farmer's daughter and how the farmer felt beaten and embattled sounded like farming from another age.
Forgetting, of course, the Labour Party's credentials on farming weren't exactly stellar to start with, and, in fact, this farming from another age is actually keeping the country from going completely bankrupt.
Labour's policy for the farm, as released via a cowshed by the Prime Minister, was to use yet more money we don’t have to help farmers meet compliance. The irony being, why not cut the compliance as opposed to keeping red tape and pretending the cost doesn’t exist by subsidising it?
And the policy doesn’t actually have a plan yet. The first thing they need to do is set up the obligatory group, think-tank, and gab fest session to work out what the rules are so we are all on the same page.
In that is Labour to a tee, announce an idea that hasn’t actually even been formulated.
What Labour have never understood about the rural community is that farmers are business people, and all the ideological crap they want to dump on them isn't actually necessary because  it doesn’t work and  the stuff that does, they were doing anyway due to the fact that farms are businesses and no business person sets out to wreck their business.
Water, waterways, planting, run off, all the stuff that’s being regulated, is already on the radar of your New Zealand farmer.
The pugging, the slope of the paddock nonsense is the stuff only a wonk from Wellington without a set of gumboots could ever dream up. And as such even Damien O'Connor, who passes for a man of the land, but is lonely in his caucus, could see a lot of it was unworkable rubbish so at least acquiesced to some change.
But here's a thought for Labour, indeed all parties who have obvious areas of weakness, identify what you don’t know and aren't good at, and do something about it. Bring in expertise. In Labour's case, get O'Connor some mates in caucus that know one end of a cow from the other.
Look like you care. If you don't, you end like Ardern in a debate writing off an entire industry with your ignorance and disdain.    ]]>124falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-the-election-race-isn-t-over-yet--1008371It's a snapshot in time, and little else. So, let's take last night's numbers and see what Newshub says next week, then watch the trend as we get closer to the actual polling day.
But what we can see, is pretty much what we see each election as the day draws closer, the gap between the two major parties tightens.
Labour down five percent is bad, but to be honest not unexpected. Those numbers of 50 plus in previous polls, as we have said so many times, weren't real or anywhere close to it. National need to worry, there is no real sign of growth. That's outside of ACT which in a MMP race is really all you need. If the centre right block is growing, that's momentum. And momentum is what you want in the final weeks of a race.
The key is going to be the Greens. If the Greens are back over the threshold then you'd be churlish not to suggest that Labour will be back for a second term and comfortably. If they're not, then Labour has real trouble. Labour's number is going to do nothing but shrink between now and October 17. If the Greens aren't back that's probably the end of this government.
The great consistency appears to be the really small players, including New Zealand First who must be as close to gone as you get without actually counting a vote. And none of the others will see the light of day by the end of Saturday night.
But the Greens aren't there yet, and they under-perform so six is better than five, but it's not home bast yet.
My broad premise has been, and still is, if the Greens are gone, and you're writing off 10 percent and therefore splitting the 90 percent that's left.
Does Labour have close to 45 percent? Yes. Does National and ACT have close to 45 percent? Yes.
So, with a month to go, a slow burn of a campaign where many aren't even close to engaged, there is a lot to play for, a lot to lose, and a lot of unknowns.
If you think it's over, you're wrong.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22968454/mh230920-01-pollcomment.mp3Tue, 22 Sep 2020 22:52:27 +0000RoccoSo, first rule of polls is don’t take them all that seriously. We have never lived in an age in which polls are more all over the place. It's a snapshot in time, and little else. So, let's take last night's numbers and see what Newshub says next week,...It's a snapshot in time, and little else. So, let's take last night's numbers and see what Newshub says next week, then watch the trend as we get closer to the actual polling day.
But what we can see, is pretty much what we see each election as the day draws closer, the gap between the two major parties tightens.
Labour down five percent is bad, but to be honest not unexpected. Those numbers of 50 plus in previous polls, as we have said so many times, weren't real or anywhere close to it. National need to worry, there is no real sign of growth. That's outside of ACT which in a MMP race is really all you need. If the centre right block is growing, that's momentum. And momentum is what you want in the final weeks of a race.
The key is going to be the Greens. If the Greens are back over the threshold then you'd be churlish not to suggest that Labour will be back for a second term and comfortably. If they're not, then Labour has real trouble. Labour's number is going to do nothing but shrink between now and October 17. If the Greens aren't back that's probably the end of this government.
The great consistency appears to be the really small players, including New Zealand First who must be as close to gone as you get without actually counting a vote. And none of the others will see the light of day by the end of Saturday night.
But the Greens aren't there yet, and they under-perform so six is better than five, but it's not home bast yet.
My broad premise has been, and still is, if the Greens are gone, and you're writing off 10 percent and therefore splitting the 90 percent that's left.
Does Labour have close to 45 percent? Yes. Does National and ACT have close to 45 percent? Yes.
So, with a month to go, a slow burn of a campaign where many aren't even close to engaged, there is a lot to play for, a lot to lose, and a lot of unknowns.
If you think it's over, you're wrong.]]>119falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-john-campbell-missed-the-mark-in-first-leaders-debate--1008383The poll still has 14% undecided, so as we said, still plenty to play for.
But as to last night's debate, how many watched? Because in that number is the clue and the key.
Last time, 3 years ago, it was Ardern and English and 1.3 million turned up, it was far and away the biggest TV audience of the year.
It showed people were thinking about an election.
I'm not sure they are right now.
Are TV debates still a big deal? The ratings out this morning will tell the story.
Small point from an experienced operator, if John Campbell learned to stop thanking people over and over and over, and if he trimmed his question to a question from a lengthy tedious dissertation, and stopped summing up each section with a lot of “this is a good debate” and “gosh its good to have you here” and then tossing in an explicable series of huffs and puffs, they could have saved at least 22 minutes between him and the commercial realities. A lot of time was wasted.
Another tip I think works but wasn’t used last night is pace.
Shorten the questions, keep the leaders on their toes.
Both Ardern and Collins are good communicators, so to keep them sharp and potentially expose them, you need to keep it short and sharp. 
It's why when runners set out for world record attempts they have a person set the pace, by slowing everything down to a geriatric dissertation, you give them too much time to stall and waffle, it got so slow at one point poor old John completely lost where he was and was comforted by Ardern and he asked for alcohol.  
Having a taped question from a so called punter is also a mistake, it’s a mistake TV 1 make election year after election year, they're broad, too broad and cover the same old issues, health, education and a lack of something, ending with the obligatory, what are you going to do for us?
Essentially, this was a debate for people who hadn't thought about anything much for the last three years, so maybe it served a purpose, a debate for new arrivals.
As for Collins, she had some good barbs, knew her policy and sold her vision and was not caught out in anyway that would damage her, indeed by the end of an hour she was into her stride and taking a certain level of control, possibly to keep herself awake.
She also ticked every box, she married a Samoan, daughter of a farmer, owned a business and she had experience in everything.     
Ardern didn’t make any real mistakes, she sold a different vision but you'd expect that, not quite as assertive, so if you loved her gentle style of waffle to start ,you would not have been disappointed, but shes lucky shes leading in the polls because if this was a pitch she lost.
If Collins was your pick, she had life and facts and took Ardern to task for 3 years of governance with plenty of holes, by the end she looked stronger than both the other 2 in the room as it turns out.
Who won? Collins, because she owned the back half of the show.
She was sharper ,more energetic, more fact and detail
If a lot of people watched, and at least some of then were genuinely undecided, votes would have been swung her way
1-0 to the Nats.    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22968448/mh230920-10-debatereview.mp3Tue, 22 Sep 2020 21:45:03 +0000RoccoThe real test of last night's debate in a way ties in with last night's poll, how many people are engaged. The poll still has 14% undecided, so as we said, still plenty to play for. But as to last night's debate, how many watched? Because in that...The poll still has 14% undecided, so as we said, still plenty to play for.
But as to last night's debate, how many watched? Because in that number is the clue and the key.
Last time, 3 years ago, it was Ardern and English and 1.3 million turned up, it was far and away the biggest TV audience of the year.
It showed people were thinking about an election.
I'm not sure they are right now.
Are TV debates still a big deal? The ratings out this morning will tell the story.
Small point from an experienced operator, if John Campbell learned to stop thanking people over and over and over, and if he trimmed his question to a question from a lengthy tedious dissertation, and stopped summing up each section with a lot of “this is a good debate” and “gosh its good to have you here” and then tossing in an explicable series of huffs and puffs, they could have saved at least 22 minutes between him and the commercial realities. A lot of time was wasted.
Another tip I think works but wasn’t used last night is pace.
Shorten the questions, keep the leaders on their toes.
Both Ardern and Collins are good communicators, so to keep them sharp and potentially expose them, you need to keep it short and sharp. 
It's why when runners set out for world record attempts they have a person set the pace, by slowing everything down to a geriatric dissertation, you give them too much time to stall and waffle, it got so slow at one point poor old John completely lost where he was and was comforted by Ardern and he asked for alcohol.  
Having a taped question from a so called punter is also a mistake, it’s a mistake TV 1 make election year after election year, they're broad, too broad and cover the same old issues, health, education and a lack of something, ending with the obligatory, what are you going to do for us?
Essentially, this was a debate for people who hadn't thought about anything much for the last three years, so maybe it served a purpose, a debate for new arrivals.
As for Collins, she had some good barbs, knew her policy and sold her vision and was not caught out in anyway that would damage her, indeed by the end of an hour she was into her stride and taking a certain level of control, possibly to keep herself awake.
She also ticked every box, she married a Samoan, daughter of a farmer, owned a business and she had experience in everything.     
Ardern didn’t make any real mistakes, she sold a different vision but you'd expect that, not quite as assertive, so if you loved her gentle style of waffle to start ,you would not have been disappointed, but shes lucky shes leading in the polls because if this was a pitch she lost.
If Collins was your pick, she had life and facts and took Ardern to task for 3 years of governance with plenty of holes, by the end she looked stronger than both the other 2 in the room as it turns out.
Who won? Collins, because she owned the back half of the show.
She was sharper ,more energetic, more fact and detail
If a lot of people watched, and at least some of then were genuinely undecided, votes would have been swung her way
1-0 to the Nats.    ]]>168falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-government-drip-feeding-money-to-businesses-is-almost-cruel--1008389Millions more got announced yesterday. Some make sense, some don’t.
But what we already know is from day one this thing has had trouble. The initial grants to the likes of AJ Hackett caused upset and surprise, as we went down that old track of, if you happen to be perceived to be rich, should you get any help at all?
It’s the same with the wage subsidy: if you got help but made a profit, you should pay it back. What was forgotten was the wage subsidy was to keep jobs, it wasn’t profit related.
Would jobs have been cut if the subsidy hadn’t been in place? Yes, so it did its job. It’s not up to employers to run their companies on a break even line to maintain workers.
As for tourism, the big trouble here is the admission we aren’t open to the world until a vaccine has been effectively handed out. You tell me when that is.
And given you can’t, because no one can, just how long are we keeping these businesses propped up for.
To my mind, AJ Hackett is a world class operator. They do attract tourist both domestic and international. Waitomo does the same thing, and Whale Watch is just as good.
But yesterday’s announcement includes Rainbows End. Now I’ll get myself in trouble here, but be honest, Rainbows End is not a tourist attraction or anywhere close to it.
Yes, tourists, mainly domestic, may well use it, but the original criteria was if the venue didn’t exist would tourism numbers be materially affected.
Whale Watch counts. Why? Because it’s the major attraction in Kaikoura. Honestly, are you cancelling the trip to Auckland if Rainbows End isn’t there?
Which is not to isolate out Rainbows End, any more than it is other recipients the Art Gallery, the Zoo, the Maritime Museum, and Kelly Tarltons.
We are getting into the area of guess work here. There all worthy businesses, but every city has a museum many have zoos and art galleries. They can’t and don’t all attract tourists in and of themselves, and they can’t all be propped up forever.
Eventually, tough calls have to be made.
If you insist on locking this country up from the world, casualties will result. Drip feeding them borrowed money is almost cruel. It offers no certainty and minimal hope - what sort of business plan is that?
 
 
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22968409/mh220920-11-tourismbailoutscomment.mp3Tue, 22 Sep 2020 04:24:06 +0000RoccoThere is something amiss about the tourism funding help. Millions more got announced yesterday. Some make sense, some don’t. But what we already know is from day one this thing has had trouble. The initial grants to the likes of AJ Hackett caused...Millions more got announced yesterday. Some make sense, some don’t.
But what we already know is from day one this thing has had trouble. The initial grants to the likes of AJ Hackett caused upset and surprise, as we went down that old track of, if you happen to be perceived to be rich, should you get any help at all?
It’s the same with the wage subsidy: if you got help but made a profit, you should pay it back. What was forgotten was the wage subsidy was to keep jobs, it wasn’t profit related.
Would jobs have been cut if the subsidy hadn’t been in place? Yes, so it did its job. It’s not up to employers to run their companies on a break even line to maintain workers.
As for tourism, the big trouble here is the admission we aren’t open to the world until a vaccine has been effectively handed out. You tell me when that is.
And given you can’t, because no one can, just how long are we keeping these businesses propped up for.
To my mind, AJ Hackett is a world class operator. They do attract tourist both domestic and international. Waitomo does the same thing, and Whale Watch is just as good.
But yesterday’s announcement includes Rainbows End. Now I’ll get myself in trouble here, but be honest, Rainbows End is not a tourist attraction or anywhere close to it.
Yes, tourists, mainly domestic, may well use it, but the original criteria was if the venue didn’t exist would tourism numbers be materially affected.
Whale Watch counts. Why? Because it’s the major attraction in Kaikoura. Honestly, are you cancelling the trip to Auckland if Rainbows End isn’t there?
Which is not to isolate out Rainbows End, any more than it is other recipients the Art Gallery, the Zoo, the Maritime Museum, and Kelly Tarltons.
We are getting into the area of guess work here. There all worthy businesses, but every city has a museum many have zoos and art galleries. They can’t and don’t all attract tourists in and of themselves, and they can’t all be propped up forever.
Eventually, tough calls have to be made.
If you insist on locking this country up from the world, casualties will result. Drip feeding them borrowed money is almost cruel. It offers no certainty and minimal hope - what sort of business plan is that?
 
 
 ]]>119falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/bic-runga-on-her-upcoming-tour-performs-live-in-studio--1008503Her debut album back in 1997 was a hit, and has been certified seven times platinum.
She's gone on to receive 20 New Zealand music awards, has been inducted into the New Zealand music hall of fame, and was given the Order of Merit back in 2006.
And now she's back on the road with a new nationwide tour in October and November.
Bic Runga joined Mike Hosking live in studio for a chat and live performance!
Tour Dates: 
Sunday 25 October - Tauranga, Baycourt Theatre - support from Yasamin
Monday 26 October - Hawke's Bay Arts Festival
Friday 6 November - Wellington, San Fran - support from ebony lamb
Saturday 7 November - Whanganui, Royal Wanganui opera house - support from ebony lamb
Friday 13 November - Auckland, Hollywood Theatre -support from na noise
Saturday 14 November - Leigh, sawmill - support from Kendall Elise
Saturday 19 December at Queen Charlotte Tavern in Linkwater]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22968386/mh220920-18-bicrunga-tour.mp3Tue, 22 Sep 2020 01:14:40 +0000RoccoBic Runga is a name synonymous with Kiwi music. Her debut album back in 1997 was a hit, and has been certified seven times platinum. She's gone on to receive 20 New Zealand music awards, has been inducted into the New Zealand music hall of fame, and...Her debut album back in 1997 was a hit, and has been certified seven times platinum.
She's gone on to receive 20 New Zealand music awards, has been inducted into the New Zealand music hall of fame, and was given the Order of Merit back in 2006.
And now she's back on the road with a new nationwide tour in October and November.
Bic Runga joined Mike Hosking live in studio for a chat and live performance!
Tour Dates: 
Sunday 25 October - Tauranga, Baycourt Theatre - support from Yasamin
Monday 26 October - Hawke's Bay Arts Festival
Friday 6 November - Wellington, San Fran - support from ebony lamb
Saturday 7 November - Whanganui, Royal Wanganui opera house - support from ebony lamb
Friday 13 November - Auckland, Hollywood Theatre -support from na noise
Saturday 14 November - Leigh, sawmill - support from Kendall Elise
Saturday 19 December at Queen Charlotte Tavern in Linkwater]]>603falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-auckland-bridge-woes-show-a-deeper-problem-for-new-zealand--1008496The trick to understanding the human condition is to realise until it affects you, you don’t really care. You can offer a bit of sympathy, a shoulder to cry on, a few wise words of advice, but until it's up in your grill ruining your day, it's not really your problem.
That's how elections work. It's why Trump, Boris Johnson and Scott Morrison won.
What people say and what they do are often two different things. That's why New Zealand First does better on election day than in polls, people are embarrassed to admit any support. Flip side the Greens, it's cool to be green but you wouldn’t actually vote for them.
So, if you're reading this in Timaru, Christchurch, Wellington, or New Plymouth, the fact Auckland's Harbour Bridge doesn’t work is of no real concern to you. Until, of course, the economic impact it has hits your town, your workplace, or your home.
That economic reality was brought home in the last Auckland lockdown. It affects the whole country. When Auckland doesn't work, New Zealand doesn’t work.
Downtown Auckland currently is a mess. It didn’t function before Covid, it doesn’t function now, but in a different way, because a lot of people went home and never came back. Some of the trains are out for the week, again. Ferries are a nightmare, inconsistent and shoddy when they are running.  There is not enough water because they didn’t plan for population growth. Housing is too expensive for many making it harder to attract Labour. And the bridge is falling apart cutting half the population off from the other half.
It's got four days' worth of headlines because the bridge is the most tangible outworking of the dysfunction. And it isn't getting any better. In typical Auckland, come New Zealand style, there is no rush to sort it. The obligatory four weeks to months fixes are offered from another dysfunctional department in charge of something but responsible for nothing.  
And while all this has been slowly but inevitably bubbling to the mess we currently face, leaders have declared climate emergencies, indulged their passion for wastage on things like bike lanes, and pretended it’s a globally liveable city. There should be charges for civil fraud for this sort of behaviour.
We are here because we sadly deserve to be. We don’t care, we don’t vote, and we don’t hold people to account.
The same is happening with the government and Covid-19. We are prisoners to an ideology, the economy has crashed, and we are pretending we did well. But New Zealand as a country is like Auckland and its bridge or its water.
After a while it's damage becomes increasingly evident, the impact increasingly wide, and the tolerance increasingly low. The question at all stages, in all the scenarios, is the same, just how long are you prepared to put up with it?
Why don’t you want more and better? How long can we pretend? Is this actually the best we can do? What needs to break, stop, or die before we finally wake up to the fact this country is, in fact, a broken bridge and no one is going anywhere fast?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22968360/mh220920-01-brokenaucklandcomment.mp3Mon, 21 Sep 2020 21:24:41 +0000RoccoDoes Auckland feel like one of the world's most liveable cities? The trick to understanding the human condition is to realise until it affects you, you don’t really care. You can offer a bit of sympathy, a shoulder to cry on, a few wise words of...The trick to understanding the human condition is to realise until it affects you, you don’t really care. You can offer a bit of sympathy, a shoulder to cry on, a few wise words of advice, but until it's up in your grill ruining your day, it's not really your problem.
That's how elections work. It's why Trump, Boris Johnson and Scott Morrison won.
What people say and what they do are often two different things. That's why New Zealand First does better on election day than in polls, people are embarrassed to admit any support. Flip side the Greens, it's cool to be green but you wouldn’t actually vote for them.
So, if you're reading this in Timaru, Christchurch, Wellington, or New Plymouth, the fact Auckland's Harbour Bridge doesn’t work is of no real concern to you. Until, of course, the economic impact it has hits your town, your workplace, or your home.
That economic reality was brought home in the last Auckland lockdown. It affects the whole country. When Auckland doesn't work, New Zealand doesn’t work.
Downtown Auckland currently is a mess. It didn’t function before Covid, it doesn’t function now, but in a different way, because a lot of people went home and never came back. Some of the trains are out for the week, again. Ferries are a nightmare, inconsistent and shoddy when they are running.  There is not enough water because they didn’t plan for population growth. Housing is too expensive for many making it harder to attract Labour. And the bridge is falling apart cutting half the population off from the other half.
It's got four days' worth of headlines because the bridge is the most tangible outworking of the dysfunction. And it isn't getting any better. In typical Auckland, come New Zealand style, there is no rush to sort it. The obligatory four weeks to months fixes are offered from another dysfunctional department in charge of something but responsible for nothing.  
And while all this has been slowly but inevitably bubbling to the mess we currently face, leaders have declared climate emergencies, indulged their passion for wastage on things like bike lanes, and pretended it’s a globally liveable city. There should be charges for civil fraud for this sort of behaviour.
We are here because we sadly deserve to be. We don’t care, we don’t vote, and we don’t hold people to account.
The same is happening with the government and Covid-19. We are prisoners to an ideology, the economy has crashed, and we are pretending we did well. But New Zealand as a country is like Auckland and its bridge or its water.
After a while it's damage becomes increasingly evident, the impact increasingly wide, and the tolerance increasingly low. The question at all stages, in all the scenarios, is the same, just how long are you prepared to put up with it?
Why don’t you want more and better? How long can we pretend? Is this actually the best we can do? What needs to break, stop, or die before we finally wake up to the fact this country is, in fact, a broken bridge and no one is going anywhere fast?]]>156falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-electorate-polls-shows-mmp-is-done-after-20-years--1008211The first, the slightly less interesting bit is 20 percent are undecided. That means the final race will be tighter than it currently is.
The high undecided number is because the incumbent Nikki Kaye is going and people will be working out whether her national replacement is up to much.
It’s been of late a tight run race and this time will be no different.
The second and much more interesting bit is that Chloe Swarbrick won’t win it.
Coming third already, she will stay third, and as a result, if the Greens need her to win, it’s over.
The only other seat of any great interest - remembering of course MMP is about percentage of the vote; with few exceptions, very few individual races count for anything – was Northland.
But a poll some weeks back indicating Shane Jones was coming nowhere sort of put that to bed.
Which is what made Friday's coverage of the Wairarapa seat kind of strange. It’s almost as though the media haven’t quite worked out how MMP works.
Whether Labour or National win Wairarapa doesn’t matter to the parliament. It matters to parties for bragging rights but it doesn’t change the makeup of government. So, why cover it?
Of course, Epsom is a separate kettle of fish, with it being the only seat left with a special arrangement. David Seymour will once again win it, and potentially given the coat tailing rules, drag some more MPs in without crossing the five per cent threshold.
Having said that, with the tail wind he appears to have, I am sure he’s looking for a plus-five number next month.
Anyway back to Auckland Central. Chloe is not the Greens saviour, so it’s up to the Greens to put the Shaw Green School debacle behind them and hope like hell the history of underperforming on the night compared to pre-election polling doesn’t come true. Because if it does, they’re gone.
And if that happens, one of the potential talking points out of that is it will be entirely possible that, Act aside, we will be electing a FPP parliament – just two major parties – just like the good old days.
We wanted MMP, but 20 odd years, on we are voting it out.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22968328/mh210920-01-aucklandcentralpollcomment.mp3Mon, 21 Sep 2020 05:01:53 +0000RoccoA couple of interesting things to come out of the weekend’s poll on the Auckland Central electorate. The first, the slightly less interesting bit is 20 percent are undecided. That means the final race will be tighter than it currently is. The high...The first, the slightly less interesting bit is 20 percent are undecided. That means the final race will be tighter than it currently is.
The high undecided number is because the incumbent Nikki Kaye is going and people will be working out whether her national replacement is up to much.
It’s been of late a tight run race and this time will be no different.
The second and much more interesting bit is that Chloe Swarbrick won’t win it.
Coming third already, she will stay third, and as a result, if the Greens need her to win, it’s over.
The only other seat of any great interest - remembering of course MMP is about percentage of the vote; with few exceptions, very few individual races count for anything – was Northland.
But a poll some weeks back indicating Shane Jones was coming nowhere sort of put that to bed.
Which is what made Friday's coverage of the Wairarapa seat kind of strange. It’s almost as though the media haven’t quite worked out how MMP works.
Whether Labour or National win Wairarapa doesn’t matter to the parliament. It matters to parties for bragging rights but it doesn’t change the makeup of government. So, why cover it?
Of course, Epsom is a separate kettle of fish, with it being the only seat left with a special arrangement. David Seymour will once again win it, and potentially given the coat tailing rules, drag some more MPs in without crossing the five per cent threshold.
Having said that, with the tail wind he appears to have, I am sure he’s looking for a plus-five number next month.
Anyway back to Auckland Central. Chloe is not the Greens saviour, so it’s up to the Greens to put the Shaw Green School debacle behind them and hope like hell the history of underperforming on the night compared to pre-election polling doesn’t come true. Because if it does, they’re gone.
And if that happens, one of the potential talking points out of that is it will be entirely possible that, Act aside, we will be electing a FPP parliament – just two major parties – just like the good old days.
We wanted MMP, but 20 odd years, on we are voting it out.]]>123falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-government-s-approach-to-the-economy-a-mess--1008375The PREFU.
3/10.
"The border was the shocker, wasn’t it?
Yes, the numbers are a mess, and yes its going on for longer than we thought, but did you really have all of next year written off for borders?"
Q2 GDP.
1/10.
"We are as bad as Italy, and a world worse than Australia.
This is the “no argument no guess” price we are paying for this government's approach.
That's economic calamity."
The Wairarapa.
8/10.
"The only region in the country to grow in terms of tourism.
#magnetforholidays."
Middle Seats on Planes.
8/10.
"Probably as political as it was medical, but who cares most of this stuff has been made up anyway.
This is the sort of forward looking thinking we need a hell of a lot more of.
And hopefully it will fill some tills come the school holidays."
The Rugby Championship.
0/10.
"An astonishing cock up.
We had it, and yet through ineptitude, intransigence, and sheer bloody mindedness we blew it.
And the Australians, using a completely different mindset, are reaping the rewards."
Bledisloe Cup Tests.
7/10.
"A small element of redemption and some genuine high level sport to look forward to.
Fingers crossed actually in front of a crowd."
Labour Cancelling Fees-Free Extension.
8/10.
"Yes it’s a broken promise.
But that’s good given the idea was naff from the start, didn’t work, and therefore was a waste of money."
Jobs.
7/10.
"There are lots of them in the fields and orchards of this country. And at $25 an hour it seems astonishing they're not being filled.
Winston Peters might be right maybe foreign labour is the only answer.  
Ironic the conclusion came from Peters."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22968120/mh180920-13-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 17 Sep 2020 22:01:32 +0000RoccoAt 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 PREFU. 3/10. "The border was the shocker, wasn’t it? Yes, the numbers are a mess, and yes its going on for longer than we...The PREFU.
3/10.
"The border was the shocker, wasn’t it?
Yes, the numbers are a mess, and yes its going on for longer than we thought, but did you really have all of next year written off for borders?"
Q2 GDP.
1/10.
"We are as bad as Italy, and a world worse than Australia.
This is the “no argument no guess” price we are paying for this government's approach.
That's economic calamity."
The Wairarapa.
8/10.
"The only region in the country to grow in terms of tourism.
#magnetforholidays."
Middle Seats on Planes.
8/10.
"Probably as political as it was medical, but who cares most of this stuff has been made up anyway.
This is the sort of forward looking thinking we need a hell of a lot more of.
And hopefully it will fill some tills come the school holidays."
The Rugby Championship.
0/10.
"An astonishing cock up.
We had it, and yet through ineptitude, intransigence, and sheer bloody mindedness we blew it.
And the Australians, using a completely different mindset, are reaping the rewards."
Bledisloe Cup Tests.
7/10.
"A small element of redemption and some genuine high level sport to look forward to.
Fingers crossed actually in front of a crowd."
Labour Cancelling Fees-Free Extension.
8/10.
"Yes it’s a broken promise.
But that’s good given the idea was naff from the start, didn’t work, and therefore was a waste of money."
Jobs.
7/10.
"There are lots of them in the fields and orchards of this country. And at $25 an hour it seems astonishing they're not being filled.
Winston Peters might be right maybe foreign labour is the only answer.  
Ironic the conclusion came from Peters."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>148falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-was-the-economic-calamity-worth-it--1008215A recession is we might have, in the good old days, have gone backwards for two quarters but Q1 would have been negative 0.1 and Q2 was negative 0.2. Not negative 1.6 and followed by negative 12.2.
If this isn't a depression, then we need a new word, because recession doesn’t seem to cover it.
The 12.2 percent drop is worth noting for several things actually. Yes, it's not as bad as they said it would be. But surely now we understand that is a dose of reverse psychology and the fact their original numbers, even their revised numbers, were pretty much guesswork, and a dartboard would have been just as useful at Treasury.
It further highlights yesterday's PREFU, which you would hope was published with an increased level of confidence, but still in reality has to carry an element of "I wouldn’t have a clue what happens next" about it.
Which is what makes the GDP so interesting. It's real. Yes, it's behind us, but it did actually happen. This wasn’t a forecast or a guess, this was the cold hard stark fact of it all.
A 12.2 percent drop is a disaster. And it's proof positive that when you take our two numbers and Australia's two numbers, they thrashed us.
They closed less of their economy, their approach was broadly the same but with a defter touch, and as a result, Victoria and its specific Daniel Andrews' inaptitude aside, they got out less damaged. In fact, significantly less damaged.
The government needs to own up to this. Grant Robertson and Jacinda Ardern I am sure will busy themselves not wanting to compare, but we must, for the simple reason they are our trading partners, our closest allies, and a repository for what will almost certainly become a brain drain.
12.2 is of European standards, Sweden aside who got a 9 percent drop. They, once again, can claim that, economically at least, theirs has been a better path. But Spain, France, and Italy, economies we looked askance at fared no worse than us, or we no better than them. Italy, long considered an economic basket case came in at negative 12.4 percent.
The big question is, was all this really worth it? Chaos, carnage, joblessness, lives torn asunder, debt for years, deficits for years, and borders shut this year and maybe next. Even the so-called bounce-back we are supposed to be in now, is in real jeopardy and doubt.
Go hard and go early? Or go backwards and go broke?  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22968115/mh180920-01-recessioncomment.mp3Thu, 17 Sep 2020 21:20:31 +0000RoccoIt's almost quaint that we call it a recession. A recession is we might have, in the good old days, have gone backwards for two quarters but Q1 would have been negative 0.1 and Q2 was negative 0.2. Not negative 1.6 and followed by negative 12.2. If...A recession is we might have, in the good old days, have gone backwards for two quarters but Q1 would have been negative 0.1 and Q2 was negative 0.2. Not negative 1.6 and followed by negative 12.2.
If this isn't a depression, then we need a new word, because recession doesn’t seem to cover it.
The 12.2 percent drop is worth noting for several things actually. Yes, it's not as bad as they said it would be. But surely now we understand that is a dose of reverse psychology and the fact their original numbers, even their revised numbers, were pretty much guesswork, and a dartboard would have been just as useful at Treasury.
It further highlights yesterday's PREFU, which you would hope was published with an increased level of confidence, but still in reality has to carry an element of "I wouldn’t have a clue what happens next" about it.
Which is what makes the GDP so interesting. It's real. Yes, it's behind us, but it did actually happen. This wasn’t a forecast or a guess, this was the cold hard stark fact of it all.
A 12.2 percent drop is a disaster. And it's proof positive that when you take our two numbers and Australia's two numbers, they thrashed us.
They closed less of their economy, their approach was broadly the same but with a defter touch, and as a result, Victoria and its specific Daniel Andrews' inaptitude aside, they got out less damaged. In fact, significantly less damaged.
The government needs to own up to this. Grant Robertson and Jacinda Ardern I am sure will busy themselves not wanting to compare, but we must, for the simple reason they are our trading partners, our closest allies, and a repository for what will almost certainly become a brain drain.
12.2 is of European standards, Sweden aside who got a 9 percent drop. They, once again, can claim that, economically at least, theirs has been a better path. But Spain, France, and Italy, economies we looked askance at fared no worse than us, or we no better than them. Italy, long considered an economic basket case came in at negative 12.4 percent.
The big question is, was all this really worth it? Chaos, carnage, joblessness, lives torn asunder, debt for years, deficits for years, and borders shut this year and maybe next. Even the so-called bounce-back we are supposed to be in now, is in real jeopardy and doubt.
Go hard and go early? Or go backwards and go broke?  ]]>131falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-we-know-about-our-debt-problem-but-do-we-care--1008448Oliver Hartwich for example wrote in the Herald on Tuesday, about this mess being the biggest bailout in history. He's right, the debt being produced all over the world is going to haunt us, if not destroy us, for years to come.
Another piece of writing sights the cruise ships, they average $1.5 billion apiece. They are generally leased, and someone owes someone a lot of money. Planes all leased, it's the same deal, and are parked up in the desert. We have hotels that are empty, and those property developers lease to operators. Who is paying all those bills?
The banks are at the end of the debt line, and yes, they have had a good decade of growth to grow the books and soak up the bad days.
But when you combine it all, the debt racked up to businesses that aren't actually in business any more in a proper sense, and the government's whose sole answer is another cheque using printed money, this is going nowhere good.
Oliver Hartwich also points out, and this is where the election comes in, that for a lot of people none of this is front and centre right now. Those who have jobs, those who would be travelling, but aren't and now off to the car yard or out to dinner, those who received government largesse and stuck it in the bank, those who borrowed using government programmes at zero percent then went and paid their mortgage off, are all having a half decent time.
No, they can't go to a rugby match, or travel to Denarau, but a lot of life is pretty good. And what debt Grant Robertson has racked up on the credit card is neither here nor there.
So, you don’t care, if you haven't read where this is going, if you don’t want to know, or even if you do but you dismiss it, then all of this is no big deal, it's someone else's problem, or it's to be dealt with another day.
And that's how governments get away with calamity, Muldoon did it 45 years ago. Thing big, carless days, and high taxes.
"They wouldn't know a deficit if they saw one." That's what he said, and he was right. It's kind of the same again, a lot of harm is being done. But unless it's harmed your doorstep, maybe it's not worth worrying about.
Until it harms us all. And then, it's too late.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22968033/mh170920-14-debtcomment.mp3Wed, 16 Sep 2020 21:59:55 +0000RoccoThe detail is all out there, if you want it. And the great question of this election is, who does? Oliver Hartwich for example wrote in the Herald on Tuesday, about this mess being the biggest bailout in history. He's right, the debt being produced...Oliver Hartwich for example wrote in the Herald on Tuesday, about this mess being the biggest bailout in history. He's right, the debt being produced all over the world is going to haunt us, if not destroy us, for years to come.
Another piece of writing sights the cruise ships, they average $1.5 billion apiece. They are generally leased, and someone owes someone a lot of money. Planes all leased, it's the same deal, and are parked up in the desert. We have hotels that are empty, and those property developers lease to operators. Who is paying all those bills?
The banks are at the end of the debt line, and yes, they have had a good decade of growth to grow the books and soak up the bad days.
But when you combine it all, the debt racked up to businesses that aren't actually in business any more in a proper sense, and the government's whose sole answer is another cheque using printed money, this is going nowhere good.
Oliver Hartwich also points out, and this is where the election comes in, that for a lot of people none of this is front and centre right now. Those who have jobs, those who would be travelling, but aren't and now off to the car yard or out to dinner, those who received government largesse and stuck it in the bank, those who borrowed using government programmes at zero percent then went and paid their mortgage off, are all having a half decent time.
No, they can't go to a rugby match, or travel to Denarau, but a lot of life is pretty good. And what debt Grant Robertson has racked up on the credit card is neither here nor there.
So, you don’t care, if you haven't read where this is going, if you don’t want to know, or even if you do but you dismiss it, then all of this is no big deal, it's someone else's problem, or it's to be dealt with another day.
And that's how governments get away with calamity, Muldoon did it 45 years ago. Thing big, carless days, and high taxes.
"They wouldn't know a deficit if they saw one." That's what he said, and he was right. It's kind of the same again, a lot of harm is being done. But unless it's harmed your doorstep, maybe it's not worth worrying about.
Until it harms us all. And then, it's too late.]]>119falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-we-are-economically-our-own-worst-enemies--1008233Yes, you have. It’s the Prime Minister sprooking our Covid success. She is comparing our economy to others. The fact it’s all a myth is separate to the fact she’s making the comparison.
Most of the world is open they’re not crippled the way we are with a handful of cases. But the comparison part is important, because over the next two days the government are going to be bending over backwards to avoid comparisons, because when we look to Australia, it will be confirmed they’ve spanked us economically: Their lockdown was superior and the facts and the numbers will prove it.
Grant Robertson last week on this show told me it’s not a game of rugby. It certainly isn’t - we don’t know how to host games of rugby. The Australians do, as we also learned last week with the championship debacle. 
The government’s line is that Australia has a different economy to ours. That’s true too. But, and here’s the bit they won’t mention, that’s also our fault.
What do Australia have in their arsenal that has served then up a fortune for generations? Natural resources. They dig gold, literally and figuratively, out of the ground and sell it to the world.
We don’t. Why not? Because we have chosen not to.
Our call, no one else’s, from Taranaki and its oil to the west coast and its coal and gold. To Waihi and the endless resource  trouble they’ve had adding jobs and bringing in income, we have selected not to be a part of a global market that offers billions every year to those who want it.
So what then happens? We become more reliant on what we do want to do. As it turns out that’s dairy and tourism.
One of which is now buggered - lack of diversity will bite you every time. The other this government has spent a lot of time on making increasingly difficult - ask any farmer.
We are economically our own worst enemies.
The money, the revenue streams, the jobs are all there. We just don’t want to exploit them.
So when the figures are produced and yet again Australia teaches us what good economic policy and decision making is about, don’t let the Robertson’s pull the wool over your eyes with spin.
They have been out played, as it turns out given last week, off the field, as well as on it.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22968016/mh160920-01-prefucomment.mp3Wed, 16 Sep 2020 07:51:08 +0000RoccoWe are one of the most open economies in the world - heard it before? Yes, you have. It’s the Prime Minister sprooking our Covid success. She is comparing our economy to others. The fact it’s all a myth is separate to the fact she’s making the...Yes, you have. It’s the Prime Minister sprooking our Covid success. She is comparing our economy to others. The fact it’s all a myth is separate to the fact she’s making the comparison.
Most of the world is open they’re not crippled the way we are with a handful of cases. But the comparison part is important, because over the next two days the government are going to be bending over backwards to avoid comparisons, because when we look to Australia, it will be confirmed they’ve spanked us economically: Their lockdown was superior and the facts and the numbers will prove it.
Grant Robertson last week on this show told me it’s not a game of rugby. It certainly isn’t - we don’t know how to host games of rugby. The Australians do, as we also learned last week with the championship debacle. 
The government’s line is that Australia has a different economy to ours. That’s true too. But, and here’s the bit they won’t mention, that’s also our fault.
What do Australia have in their arsenal that has served then up a fortune for generations? Natural resources. They dig gold, literally and figuratively, out of the ground and sell it to the world.
We don’t. Why not? Because we have chosen not to.
Our call, no one else’s, from Taranaki and its oil to the west coast and its coal and gold. To Waihi and the endless resource  trouble they’ve had adding jobs and bringing in income, we have selected not to be a part of a global market that offers billions every year to those who want it.
So what then happens? We become more reliant on what we do want to do. As it turns out that’s dairy and tourism.
One of which is now buggered - lack of diversity will bite you every time. The other this government has spent a lot of time on making increasingly difficult - ask any farmer.
We are economically our own worst enemies.
The money, the revenue streams, the jobs are all there. We just don’t want to exploit them.
So when the figures are produced and yet again Australia teaches us what good economic policy and decision making is about, don’t let the Robertson’s pull the wool over your eyes with spin.
They have been out played, as it turns out given last week, off the field, as well as on it.]]>115falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-no-prime-minister-the-economy-is-not-back-to-level-1--1008366Good on all those who spoke out yesterday calling out the Prime Minister over her claim on Monday that the economy was back to level 1.
Quite apart from the fact it isn't, the claim was based on a small skerrick of card data that spanned a ludicrously short period of time. It indicated nothing other than we had been locked down and when we weren't as locked down, some might have gone out for a dinner.
It's the bounce-back we've seen before, the bounce-back seen all over the world. The shop takes in nothing one week, and the next week under a new level it takes in $10, half of which wasn’t spent the week before.
So, from $0 to $10 looks more impressive than it actually is.
The Prime Minister's fundamental lack of economic understanding, if she's not careful, is going to get her in real trouble. Economies win and lose elections, and no one is more invested in their personal economy than those living it.
So, out came the business people of this country with the dismay and anger that was richly deserved over a claim that, by the time she turned up on this show yesterday, when challenged she couldn't back up.
The economy is not back to level 1, and highly likely it won't be for several reasons. The wage subsidy is running out, government support is tailing off, and given we now bounce in and out of various forms of invented levels, confidence is trashed. As a result, we won't be spending like we used to, even those that can.
And we have those who can't spend, because they lost work. That number continues to grow daily. Not by the record breaking amounts of the early level 4 days, but it grows every day nevertheless.
Today's PREFU, the fiscal update, will tell us just what a mess they’ve made of this economy. And then tomorrow the GDP figure will confirm it.
But the most dangerous thing you can do in politics, especially around an election, is pretend things are what they aren't. You can do it with future promises, who knew they were never building 100,000 houses.
But when you tell people whose lives have been upended that the bounce-back is on and spending is great, and you're standing behind your counter wondering where the people are, and how level 2.5 is no way to pay the bills, no amount of fairytales changes your reality.
Once again, the pulpit of truth was the podium of BS.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22967942/mh160920-14-holdingarderntoaccountcomment.mp3Tue, 15 Sep 2020 21:34:21 +0000RoccoYou can feel the incredulity meter ramping up. Good on all those who spoke out yesterday calling out the Prime Minister over her claim on Monday that the economy was back to level 1. Quite apart from the fact it isn't, the claim was based on a small...Good on all those who spoke out yesterday calling out the Prime Minister over her claim on Monday that the economy was back to level 1.
Quite apart from the fact it isn't, the claim was based on a small skerrick of card data that spanned a ludicrously short period of time. It indicated nothing other than we had been locked down and when we weren't as locked down, some might have gone out for a dinner.
It's the bounce-back we've seen before, the bounce-back seen all over the world. The shop takes in nothing one week, and the next week under a new level it takes in $10, half of which wasn’t spent the week before.
So, from $0 to $10 looks more impressive than it actually is.
The Prime Minister's fundamental lack of economic understanding, if she's not careful, is going to get her in real trouble. Economies win and lose elections, and no one is more invested in their personal economy than those living it.
So, out came the business people of this country with the dismay and anger that was richly deserved over a claim that, by the time she turned up on this show yesterday, when challenged she couldn't back up.
The economy is not back to level 1, and highly likely it won't be for several reasons. The wage subsidy is running out, government support is tailing off, and given we now bounce in and out of various forms of invented levels, confidence is trashed. As a result, we won't be spending like we used to, even those that can.
And we have those who can't spend, because they lost work. That number continues to grow daily. Not by the record breaking amounts of the early level 4 days, but it grows every day nevertheless.
Today's PREFU, the fiscal update, will tell us just what a mess they’ve made of this economy. And then tomorrow the GDP figure will confirm it.
But the most dangerous thing you can do in politics, especially around an election, is pretend things are what they aren't. You can do it with future promises, who knew they were never building 100,000 houses.
But when you tell people whose lives have been upended that the bounce-back is on and spending is great, and you're standing behind your counter wondering where the people are, and how level 2.5 is no way to pay the bills, no amount of fairytales changes your reality.
Once again, the pulpit of truth was the podium of BS.]]>116falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-prime-minister-is-trying-to-justify-the-unjustifiable--1008417The irony, of course, is that nothing has changed for the change to take place.
There must be a middle row left empty – no, hang on, we can fill that. What’s changed? Nothing.
Like so many of the decisions made, it may or may not make any sense.
You could argue the country outside Auckland got a bit of a bone too, if things go well, whatever that means, we can be in level 1 this time next week.
Not so good for Auckland: Auckland will be stuck here for over a week and a half more, which basically means we write off September.
The Prime Minister tried in her pulpit of truth announcement to explain that the economy was fine we are seeing a fabulous bounce back not dissimilar to what we saw in level 1 last time
I don’t know who’s telling her that, or whether like the SANZAR Rugby Championship line, she literally made it up. But I think come Wednesday with the government’s fiscal update we will see the truth, and come Thursday, the GDP number will indisputably show how crushing their attitude and inability to unlock the country economically has been.
The sadness of course is the virus numbers and scenario they deal with today is no different to what they dealt with a couple of weeks ago. A handful of cases, a bit of a tail, and a few things they clearly can’t control - this sadly is our lot.
They can get on top of virtually nothing: a handful of cases are crippling our economy, simple as that.
A number the PM gave gives us a clue as to how frightened they are: 25 per cent.
That’s a 25 per cent chance according to the ministry of health of the virus getting out of Auckland. Here’s another way of looking at it: a 75 per cent chance it won’t.
I take the second odds, and a lot of people take the second odds.
That’s why her claim that we have one of the most open economies in the world is simply not true
Having lost the elimination argument, she is now floundering, making stuff, up justifying the unjustifiable. We are writing off vast swathes of this year for increasingly no good reason.
Having said that, did you expect anything different? Of course not, and in that is the complete abdication of leadership and any sort of vision, beyond the one stop shop of panic, lock up, and hope no one notices the country collapsed.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22967904/mh150920-01-airlineseatscomment.mp3Tue, 15 Sep 2020 05:09:51 +0000RoccoA bone for the planes just in time for the holidays, which in and of itself is good news for places like Queenstown. The irony, of course, is that nothing has changed for the change to take place. There must be a middle row left empty – no, hang on,...The irony, of course, is that nothing has changed for the change to take place.
There must be a middle row left empty – no, hang on, we can fill that. What’s changed? Nothing.
Like so many of the decisions made, it may or may not make any sense.
You could argue the country outside Auckland got a bit of a bone too, if things go well, whatever that means, we can be in level 1 this time next week.
Not so good for Auckland: Auckland will be stuck here for over a week and a half more, which basically means we write off September.
The Prime Minister tried in her pulpit of truth announcement to explain that the economy was fine we are seeing a fabulous bounce back not dissimilar to what we saw in level 1 last time
I don’t know who’s telling her that, or whether like the SANZAR Rugby Championship line, she literally made it up. But I think come Wednesday with the government’s fiscal update we will see the truth, and come Thursday, the GDP number will indisputably show how crushing their attitude and inability to unlock the country economically has been.
The sadness of course is the virus numbers and scenario they deal with today is no different to what they dealt with a couple of weeks ago. A handful of cases, a bit of a tail, and a few things they clearly can’t control - this sadly is our lot.
They can get on top of virtually nothing: a handful of cases are crippling our economy, simple as that.
A number the PM gave gives us a clue as to how frightened they are: 25 per cent.
That’s a 25 per cent chance according to the ministry of health of the virus getting out of Auckland. Here’s another way of looking at it: a 75 per cent chance it won’t.
I take the second odds, and a lot of people take the second odds.
That’s why her claim that we have one of the most open economies in the world is simply not true
Having lost the elimination argument, she is now floundering, making stuff, up justifying the unjustifiable. We are writing off vast swathes of this year for increasingly no good reason.
Having said that, did you expect anything different? Of course not, and in that is the complete abdication of leadership and any sort of vision, beyond the one stop shop of panic, lock up, and hope no one notices the country collapsed.]]>120falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-politics-and-sport-often-a-dangerous-mix--1008541Lewis Hamilton is now under investigation for wearing a t-shirt post yesterday's Grand Prix wanting the police arrested for shooting Breonna Taylor who was a victim in Kentucky.
It was always going here because the moment you start something like this, whatever you thought you started, spirals. It's a knee, it's a fist in the air, it's a slogan on a helmet, or a message on a t shirt. All of it well intentioned, but whether it achieves anything, like stopping people being shot, is another matter.
A couple of cops were shot in Los Angeles over the weekend, and I am assuming none of the t-shirts will be mentioning their names. I equally assume the phone number to raise the $50 million they want to try and put Kenosha back together from its burnings and lootings won't get the same sort of coverage.
But the line between politics and sport has always been tricky. But by constantly exploring it, you inevitably ask for trouble.
And making it even more precarious is the fact some of sports' leading names are running the programme. From LeBron James, to Lewis Hamilton, these people are a step up from Colin Kaepernick who, when he started all this in San Francisco, was a quarterback of note, but hardly Tom Brady or Brett Favre. In other words, he was a player not an icon, who have more power over the sport than the sport has over them.
But here's the rub, as worthy as the messages they carry may be, like all things in life, time and place plays a significant role. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Just because you think it's important doesn’t mean everyone agrees. Just because there is a moment or venue, it doesn’t mean people want it,  need it, or more importantly, expect it or welcome it.
Which to a degree has always been the magic of sport. Not only are you enjoying rare talent but it's in a neutral venue. A place away from the world of politics, frustration, anger, and dispute.
It's a place where millions can come from disparate and diverse backgrounds but put their differences aside for a couple of halves, or a race, and all agree that what we are collectively doing is separate from the rest our existence views or outlooks.
The value of the escape that sport provides has, and is as, important as any movement or societal ill that it can draw our attention to.
So, Hamilton is remembered now for a protest and an investigation, not a win. If he was a professional protestor that would be fine, but Mercedes don't employ him to protest and never did.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22967852/mh150920-12-lewishamiltoncomment.mp3Mon, 14 Sep 2020 22:26:39 +0000RoccoIt was only a matter of time. Lewis Hamilton is now under investigation for wearing a t-shirt post yesterday's Grand Prix wanting the police arrested for shooting Breonna Taylor who was a victim in Kentucky. It was always going here because the moment...Lewis Hamilton is now under investigation for wearing a t-shirt post yesterday's Grand Prix wanting the police arrested for shooting Breonna Taylor who was a victim in Kentucky.
It was always going here because the moment you start something like this, whatever you thought you started, spirals. It's a knee, it's a fist in the air, it's a slogan on a helmet, or a message on a t shirt. All of it well intentioned, but whether it achieves anything, like stopping people being shot, is another matter.
A couple of cops were shot in Los Angeles over the weekend, and I am assuming none of the t-shirts will be mentioning their names. I equally assume the phone number to raise the $50 million they want to try and put Kenosha back together from its burnings and lootings won't get the same sort of coverage.
But the line between politics and sport has always been tricky. But by constantly exploring it, you inevitably ask for trouble.
And making it even more precarious is the fact some of sports' leading names are running the programme. From LeBron James, to Lewis Hamilton, these people are a step up from Colin Kaepernick who, when he started all this in San Francisco, was a quarterback of note, but hardly Tom Brady or Brett Favre. In other words, he was a player not an icon, who have more power over the sport than the sport has over them.
But here's the rub, as worthy as the messages they carry may be, like all things in life, time and place plays a significant role. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Just because you think it's important doesn’t mean everyone agrees. Just because there is a moment or venue, it doesn’t mean people want it,  need it, or more importantly, expect it or welcome it.
Which to a degree has always been the magic of sport. Not only are you enjoying rare talent but it's in a neutral venue. A place away from the world of politics, frustration, anger, and dispute.
It's a place where millions can come from disparate and diverse backgrounds but put their differences aside for a couple of halves, or a race, and all agree that what we are collectively doing is separate from the rest our existence views or outlooks.
The value of the escape that sport provides has, and is as, important as any movement or societal ill that it can draw our attention to.
So, Hamilton is remembered now for a protest and an investigation, not a win. If he was a professional protestor that would be fine, but Mercedes don't employ him to protest and never did.]]>126falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-govt-needs-to-be-honest-over-rugby-championship-scandal--1008406The only glimmer of light to come out of the Rugby Championship debacle for the government was the bad news was delivered on a Friday. Traditionally, it's the best bad news days for governments on the understanding that people forget stuff over the weekend.
For our show, anyway, no such luck.
The damage, as it turns out is two-fold, and the second bit is directly attributable to the Prime Minister who basically made stuff up. The reason we lost it is as reported, the government wouldn't move on quarantine. Three Ministers were primarily involved, Grant Roberson, Megan Woods, and here perhaps is your clue, Phil Twyford.
The three teams would fly into Queenstown, quarantine, and train. The government would not allow it in numbers larger than 15, which obviously isn't doable. The government had this on their table for three months. In those 3 months they offered one compromise, the 15 could go to 25. It's still not viable.
The Australians having run the AFL and NRL successfully stepped in and offered a solution. And despite the government knowing this was a reality, they did nothing, and they refused to budge.
Which once again leads to the question, what's the point of a decent Covid response if you can't take advantage of it?
The Australians in a similar, or you might even argue numerically slightly worse position than us, are able through agility, positivity, and genuine desire to take advantage of an opportunity worth millions upon millions of dollars. They played us for fearful dithering suckers, and good on them.
But that wasn't the end of it. As gutting as our mistake and shooting of ourselves in the foot was, the Prime Minister blamed SANZAR and SANZAR politics. That was instead of telling the truth, like they wouldn't budge, they are fearful of major events, and they'd rather stay shut.
This was a shock. Because not only were the NZR and SANZAR disappointed, they were now dealing with fiction by way of excuse. Hence you saw a response far greater and stronger than originally was intended from them.
SANZAR said there was no politics, they looked at the deals they called it.
NZR, clearly gobsmacked by the Prime Minister's fairytale, had little option but to come out as well and say there was no politics. It is, as they described it, the government's unwillingness to be flexible around quarantine. We lost the Rugby Championship because the government quarantine system would not accommodate a major sporting event. Beginning, middle, and end.
The Prime Minister is Machiavellian, she invented a blame game, and she invented an excuse. If you want to be blinded by fear, ineptitude, and intransigence at least be honest about it, and own it.
Don't blame others who aren't to blame, that’s just straight up and down dishonesty.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22967786/mh140920-14-rugbychampionshipcomment.mp3Sun, 13 Sep 2020 23:03:44 +0000RoccoCOMMENT: The only glimmer of light to come out of the Rugby Championship debacle for the government was the bad news was delivered on a Friday. Traditionally, it's the best bad news days for governments on the understanding that people forget stuff...The only glimmer of light to come out of the Rugby Championship debacle for the government was the bad news was delivered on a Friday. Traditionally, it's the best bad news days for governments on the understanding that people forget stuff over the weekend.
For our show, anyway, no such luck.
The damage, as it turns out is two-fold, and the second bit is directly attributable to the Prime Minister who basically made stuff up. The reason we lost it is as reported, the government wouldn't move on quarantine. Three Ministers were primarily involved, Grant Roberson, Megan Woods, and here perhaps is your clue, Phil Twyford.
The three teams would fly into Queenstown, quarantine, and train. The government would not allow it in numbers larger than 15, which obviously isn't doable. The government had this on their table for three months. In those 3 months they offered one compromise, the 15 could go to 25. It's still not viable.
The Australians having run the AFL and NRL successfully stepped in and offered a solution. And despite the government knowing this was a reality, they did nothing, and they refused to budge.
Which once again leads to the question, what's the point of a decent Covid response if you can't take advantage of it?
The Australians in a similar, or you might even argue numerically slightly worse position than us, are able through agility, positivity, and genuine desire to take advantage of an opportunity worth millions upon millions of dollars. They played us for fearful dithering suckers, and good on them.
But that wasn't the end of it. As gutting as our mistake and shooting of ourselves in the foot was, the Prime Minister blamed SANZAR and SANZAR politics. That was instead of telling the truth, like they wouldn't budge, they are fearful of major events, and they'd rather stay shut.
This was a shock. Because not only were the NZR and SANZAR disappointed, they were now dealing with fiction by way of excuse. Hence you saw a response far greater and stronger than originally was intended from them.
SANZAR said there was no politics, they looked at the deals they called it.
NZR, clearly gobsmacked by the Prime Minister's fairytale, had little option but to come out as well and say there was no politics. It is, as they described it, the government's unwillingness to be flexible around quarantine. We lost the Rugby Championship because the government quarantine system would not accommodate a major sporting event. Beginning, middle, and end.
The Prime Minister is Machiavellian, she invented a blame game, and she invented an excuse. If you want to be blinded by fear, ineptitude, and intransigence at least be honest about it, and own it.
Don't blame others who aren't to blame, that’s just straight up and down dishonesty.]]>153falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-labour-raising-taxes-on-high-earners-not-a-good-look--1008441Matariki Holiday.
6/10.
"Because, mainly, we like days off.
The fact it was Labour's opening so-called policy speaks to their raw political desire."
Tax Policy.
4/10.
"A strange business, no one really wants to go near it.
Except, of course, the Greens because "tax is love."
If I was Grant Robertson, I would have left it completely, because raising parking meter money from high earners only reminds everyone Labour hates success."
Watercare.
3/10.
"In yesterday's interview you see why Auckland is where it's at."
NZ Initiative Survey into Civics.
7/10.
"A great survey.
A reminder of the value of knowing how your country is run, and yet so few of us do."
Student Loans.
8/10.
"The good news is now they're back, we can collect the money.
Can't we?"
The Covid Vaccine.
4/10.
"Tough week with one trial suspended.
But the real concern surely that the politics and market action around its arrival is as much about votes and profit, as it is about actually killing a virus."
Eric Murray.
8/10.
"God bless him.
In a woke old world of whiners and wowsers he's called out the lily-livered and defended high performance sport and its so called issues.
If you haven't, look up his piece and read it."
North v South Rugby Game.
8/10.
"A reminder of the value of sport, and a reminder of the value of crowds both emotionally and financially.
If the border hadn't leaked, we wouldn't be at level 3, then 2, and the stadium would have been full and the cash registers would have rung.
Thank God, the game itself lived up to expectations."
All Blacks.
7/10.
"What a wacky year.
A side named, for what? Will they play? Who would know.
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22967633/mh110920-13-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 10 Sep 2020 22:05:34 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. Matariki Holiday. 6/10. "Because, mainly, we like days off. The fact it was Labour's opening so-called policy speaks to their raw...Matariki Holiday.
6/10.
"Because, mainly, we like days off.
The fact it was Labour's opening so-called policy speaks to their raw political desire."
Tax Policy.
4/10.
"A strange business, no one really wants to go near it.
Except, of course, the Greens because "tax is love."
If I was Grant Robertson, I would have left it completely, because raising parking meter money from high earners only reminds everyone Labour hates success."
Watercare.
3/10.
"In yesterday's interview you see why Auckland is where it's at."
NZ Initiative Survey into Civics.
7/10.
"A great survey.
A reminder of the value of knowing how your country is run, and yet so few of us do."
Student Loans.
8/10.
"The good news is now they're back, we can collect the money.
Can't we?"
The Covid Vaccine.
4/10.
"Tough week with one trial suspended.
But the real concern surely that the politics and market action around its arrival is as much about votes and profit, as it is about actually killing a virus."
Eric Murray.
8/10.
"God bless him.
In a woke old world of whiners and wowsers he's called out the lily-livered and defended high performance sport and its so called issues.
If you haven't, look up his piece and read it."
North v South Rugby Game.
8/10.
"A reminder of the value of sport, and a reminder of the value of crowds both emotionally and financially.
If the border hadn't leaked, we wouldn't be at level 3, then 2, and the stadium would have been full and the cash registers would have rung.
Thank God, the game itself lived up to expectations."
All Blacks.
7/10.
"What a wacky year.
A side named, for what? Will they play? Who would know.
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>161falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-labour-proving-they-only-care-about-ideology--1008384They want us to be 100 percent renewable by 2030. The policy is that this is five years sooner than the current policy, so nothing has changed apart from a date.
Is changing a date a policy? In 2025, they're going to have a review to see where they are at. Is having a review a policy?
By the way, whenever we talk of renewables I remind anyone and everyone to watch Michael Moore's documentary Planet of the Humans. And if you go in with an open mind, and this is the problem with the Labour policy, do you still feel the same way about renewables at the end of the documentary?
Anyway, is a policy still a decent policy if its driven by ideology? Further, is it still a decent policy if the ideology is insisted upon despite evidence to show it's wrong?
The reasons for these questions are because the policy as announced is in fact not new. It's already set for 2035, but more importantly the journey there has already been mapped out and it doesn’t add up.
Part of making us 100 percent renewable requires us to turn Lake Onslow into a pumped hydro facility. A massive bucket of water just in case, and the bill for the bucket is $4 billion.
Another question, do we have $4 billion? No we don’t. If we spent $4 billion, would have Onslow on standby just in case make sense? No, it wouldn't.
How do I know this? Because the industry, as in the power industry, has looked at it and concluded it's too expensive. The Productivity Commission has also looked into it and came to the same conclusion.
I told the Prime Minister this a few weeks ago. But as is her want, she doesn’t deal in fact, reports, or experts, she deals in ideology. So, she's spending millions on another report the result of which I suspect we already know. Sort of like hiring Sir Brian Roche or Heather Simpson.
What's widely understood, Onslow aside, by anyone who knows anything about renewables, is that as a country we already do pretty well. 80-plus percent is already renewable energy already.
To get to 95 percent is doable. But beyond that it becomes pointless, it's more money than it's worth, and it's window dressing for the sake of it.
And yet here we are. They have the answers, the reports have been done, but why would you use fact and fiscal prudence when you can make it up as you go along?
So final question, was that a policy? Or was it delusional hot air? Given the target is 2030 will never see the light of day.    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22967627/mh110920-01-renewableenergycomment.mp3Thu, 10 Sep 2020 21:36:54 +0000RoccoSome simple questions for you over Labour's energy policy. They want us to be 100 percent renewable by 2030. The policy is that this is five years sooner than the current policy, so nothing has changed apart from a date. Is changing a date a policy?...They want us to be 100 percent renewable by 2030. The policy is that this is five years sooner than the current policy, so nothing has changed apart from a date.
Is changing a date a policy? In 2025, they're going to have a review to see where they are at. Is having a review a policy?
By the way, whenever we talk of renewables I remind anyone and everyone to watch Michael Moore's documentary Planet of the Humans. And if you go in with an open mind, and this is the problem with the Labour policy, do you still feel the same way about renewables at the end of the documentary?
Anyway, is a policy still a decent policy if its driven by ideology? Further, is it still a decent policy if the ideology is insisted upon despite evidence to show it's wrong?
The reasons for these questions are because the policy as announced is in fact not new. It's already set for 2035, but more importantly the journey there has already been mapped out and it doesn’t add up.
Part of making us 100 percent renewable requires us to turn Lake Onslow into a pumped hydro facility. A massive bucket of water just in case, and the bill for the bucket is $4 billion.
Another question, do we have $4 billion? No we don’t. If we spent $4 billion, would have Onslow on standby just in case make sense? No, it wouldn't.
How do I know this? Because the industry, as in the power industry, has looked at it and concluded it's too expensive. The Productivity Commission has also looked into it and came to the same conclusion.
I told the Prime Minister this a few weeks ago. But as is her want, she doesn’t deal in fact, reports, or experts, she deals in ideology. So, she's spending millions on another report the result of which I suspect we already know. Sort of like hiring Sir Brian Roche or Heather Simpson.
What's widely understood, Onslow aside, by anyone who knows anything about renewables, is that as a country we already do pretty well. 80-plus percent is already renewable energy already.
To get to 95 percent is doable. But beyond that it becomes pointless, it's more money than it's worth, and it's window dressing for the sake of it.
And yet here we are. They have the answers, the reports have been done, but why would you use fact and fiscal prudence when you can make it up as you go along?
So final question, was that a policy? Or was it delusional hot air? Given the target is 2030 will never see the light of day.    ]]>134falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-rugby-championship-stoush-another-sign-australia-is-more-agile-than-us-on-covid--1008488Having on Tuesday made a plea to the government to wake up and try and learn to be a bit more proactive – that if they insist on banging on about our so called Covid success, how about they put it into action and make hay, take advantage, leverage this success and pay some bill, lift some spirits and give some people some work – i.e. get the All Blacks on the field?
They’ve cancelled the youth America’s Cup, they’ve cancelled the Women’s Cricket World Cup. They have a default position of saying no, of saying why should we, instead of why shouldn’t we?
Then Sir John Kirwan speaks up. He is pleading with the government as well. He says, as we said Tuesday, that we have all made the sacrifice, we all got locked up to attain this semi Covid free status so we could what ? Get welfare cheques? Lose our jobs? Wait an age for medical care that got put off?
Or actually do something with it, like get some teams on the parks get some crowds in the stadiums and do some business.
Why is this so damn hard? Why aren’t the government more aspirational, why is Sir John Kirwan having to plead to watch top level rugby?
And now is where it bites the government badly. Word is the Rugby Championship could be off to Australia.
Why? They’ve put together a better deal, have more enthusiasm and better quarantine options
How gutting, how humiliating, how embarrassing, how unforgivable would it be for Australia to nick this from under us.
Yes, the All Blacks would play and that’s good, but they’d play over there. The revenue is over there. The crowds here would be on the couch not the stands. The income would be on the left of the Tasman, not the right.
Next week, Australia’s economy will be shown to be better off than ours by some margin when we get our GDP figures. They then potentially further remind us that they’re more agile, more aggressive, more able to move on and up than this government knows how to be, or worse, even wants to be.
Losing to the Australians on the field has largely been dealt to these past few years. Off the field, they’re killing us. The government, sadly, aren’t in the All Blacks league.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22967600/mh100920-01-rugbychampionshipcomment.mp3Thu, 10 Sep 2020 04:48:52 +0000RoccoOh, the irony. Having on Tuesday made a plea to the government to wake up and try and learn to be a bit more proactive – that if they insist on banging on about our so called Covid success, how about they put it into action and make hay, take...Having on Tuesday made a plea to the government to wake up and try and learn to be a bit more proactive – that if they insist on banging on about our so called Covid success, how about they put it into action and make hay, take advantage, leverage this success and pay some bill, lift some spirits and give some people some work – i.e. get the All Blacks on the field?
They’ve cancelled the youth America’s Cup, they’ve cancelled the Women’s Cricket World Cup. They have a default position of saying no, of saying why should we, instead of why shouldn’t we?
Then Sir John Kirwan speaks up. He is pleading with the government as well. He says, as we said Tuesday, that we have all made the sacrifice, we all got locked up to attain this semi Covid free status so we could what ? Get welfare cheques? Lose our jobs? Wait an age for medical care that got put off?
Or actually do something with it, like get some teams on the parks get some crowds in the stadiums and do some business.
Why is this so damn hard? Why aren’t the government more aspirational, why is Sir John Kirwan having to plead to watch top level rugby?
And now is where it bites the government badly. Word is the Rugby Championship could be off to Australia.
Why? They’ve put together a better deal, have more enthusiasm and better quarantine options
How gutting, how humiliating, how embarrassing, how unforgivable would it be for Australia to nick this from under us.
Yes, the All Blacks would play and that’s good, but they’d play over there. The revenue is over there. The crowds here would be on the couch not the stands. The income would be on the left of the Tasman, not the right.
Next week, Australia’s economy will be shown to be better off than ours by some margin when we get our GDP figures. They then potentially further remind us that they’re more agile, more aggressive, more able to move on and up than this government knows how to be, or worse, even wants to be.
Losing to the Australians on the field has largely been dealt to these past few years. Off the field, they’re killing us. The government, sadly, aren’t in the All Blacks league.]]>117falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-labour-s-tax-policy-exposes-its-pettiness--1008239It shows the lack of imagination of a party that should be desperate for growth ideas, desperate to encourage opportunity and entrepreneurial attitude, and not stifle it.
A new top tax rate is not a path way to prosperity. Neither literally, given it raises a few hundred million, nor figuratively because generally it socks those who create the wealth in the first place.  
It is at the politically safe end of the spectrum, given it affects only a small percentage of voters. Which in and of itself is a reminder of why it is so small minded.
The fact there aren't more large earners is a sign we lack a certain level of productivity and success. Being a poor nation is nothing to be proud of.
Having limited expectations is the same, and comparing us to other countries, as is their want these days, and saying we are comparatively low taxed in terms of the OECD is simply another declaration of mediocrity. It exposes who Labour really are, the Cullen party who hate "rich pricks".
Here's the real out working of it. Our biggest trading partner and closest friend Australia is cutting tax. Faced with the same problem, they're doing the opposite.
And the trouble with that is cuts lead to greater expenditure, expenditure leads to growth, and when you get growth you need labour. No one has been a greater source of labour for Australia than we have.
And another simple outworking of incomes at the high end is that they are earned by people with skill, skills that are in demand and very often transportable.
The other matter is, of course, the company tax rate which is lower than the top tax rate. That's one of the reasons they cut it originally. The moment the top tax rate is higher than the company rate, you'll be surprised at how many people become companies.
I honestly hoped Grant Robertson would be better than this. It's petty. There would be hardly anyone who will be hit by this that gets their income for sitting round doing nothing. They work, they take risks, they are highly trained, highly skilled, they contribute, they employ, and they deserve a party and a government that represents and appreciates their contribution.
What they’ve got is a party that gives them the middle finger.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22967557/mh100920-13-labourtaxpolicycomment.mp3Wed, 09 Sep 2020 21:55:11 +0000RoccoTaxing the so-called rich isn't hard. It shows the lack of imagination of a party that should be desperate for growth ideas, desperate to encourage opportunity and entrepreneurial attitude, and not stifle it. A new top tax rate is not a path way to...It shows the lack of imagination of a party that should be desperate for growth ideas, desperate to encourage opportunity and entrepreneurial attitude, and not stifle it.
A new top tax rate is not a path way to prosperity. Neither literally, given it raises a few hundred million, nor figuratively because generally it socks those who create the wealth in the first place.  
It is at the politically safe end of the spectrum, given it affects only a small percentage of voters. Which in and of itself is a reminder of why it is so small minded.
The fact there aren't more large earners is a sign we lack a certain level of productivity and success. Being a poor nation is nothing to be proud of.
Having limited expectations is the same, and comparing us to other countries, as is their want these days, and saying we are comparatively low taxed in terms of the OECD is simply another declaration of mediocrity. It exposes who Labour really are, the Cullen party who hate "rich pricks".
Here's the real out working of it. Our biggest trading partner and closest friend Australia is cutting tax. Faced with the same problem, they're doing the opposite.
And the trouble with that is cuts lead to greater expenditure, expenditure leads to growth, and when you get growth you need labour. No one has been a greater source of labour for Australia than we have.
And another simple outworking of incomes at the high end is that they are earned by people with skill, skills that are in demand and very often transportable.
The other matter is, of course, the company tax rate which is lower than the top tax rate. That's one of the reasons they cut it originally. The moment the top tax rate is higher than the company rate, you'll be surprised at how many people become companies.
I honestly hoped Grant Robertson would be better than this. It's petty. There would be hardly anyone who will be hit by this that gets their income for sitting round doing nothing. They work, they take risks, they are highly trained, highly skilled, they contribute, they employ, and they deserve a party and a government that represents and appreciates their contribution.
What they’ve got is a party that gives them the middle finger.]]>111falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-covid-can-t-be-an-excuse-for-laziness--1008365I could see when it was introduced it offered the seed of a decent idea. It offered more choice, it offered a more varied pathway through school, but it came unquestionably at the expense of quality.
It is too easy to get. It doesn't deal, despite its options and choices, in any great way with the real world, work, and future work available. It is soft in its approach with its merit, achieved, and excellence grades.
It lets you off, if you want to be let off with complete choice by year 13. The libertarian side of me thinks is no bad thing until, of course, it is a bad thing given it's kids making those choices and half the time no matter how bright they are, they still don't have a clue about life and the big picture.
So, all in all, NCEA has weakened education, weakened the kids experience, increased the gap between high school and university, and generally been based on lowering standards so more people are perceived to have got through.
Now, and yes, it's an unusual year, but they are literally making it up as they go along. We have yet another adjustment for Covid.
They had one during the first lockdown, they’ve added another for the second. Once again, like NCEA itself, you get the logic. But what about the outcome? One credit free for every five, unless you're in Auckland where it's one free for every four credits.
It's not steak knives, it's education, it’s a qualification. For employers and universities, these will be known as the Covid numbers. It will be the year in which everyone will know that whatever your mark, it's not really merit based, it's government based.
The fact they are already letting kids into university with no University Entrance should be worrying enough, but now they're handing out freebies for being stuck at home.
Here's a lesson in life, we've all been stuck at home to a greater or lesser degree, and we've all had to get on with it. Two of our kids have spent the better part of their university year at home. One is in another country, working online but getting on with it. Labs went by the wayside, but they still got on with it. They still sat exams, and they still had to pass.
Covid and it's many inconveniences can't be a scapegoat for slackness, laziness, and excuses. It can't be a reason to be second best.
And yet, in a country of increasing mediocrity, mediocrity gets an achieved, if not a merit.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22967444/mh090920-13-nceacreditscomment.mp3Tue, 08 Sep 2020 22:09:27 +0000RoccoHaving had a bunch of kids go through NCEA in the past couple of years, I can tell you it's not my way of education. I could see when it was introduced it offered the seed of a decent idea. It offered more choice, it offered a more varied pathway...I could see when it was introduced it offered the seed of a decent idea. It offered more choice, it offered a more varied pathway through school, but it came unquestionably at the expense of quality.
It is too easy to get. It doesn't deal, despite its options and choices, in any great way with the real world, work, and future work available. It is soft in its approach with its merit, achieved, and excellence grades.
It lets you off, if you want to be let off with complete choice by year 13. The libertarian side of me thinks is no bad thing until, of course, it is a bad thing given it's kids making those choices and half the time no matter how bright they are, they still don't have a clue about life and the big picture.
So, all in all, NCEA has weakened education, weakened the kids experience, increased the gap between high school and university, and generally been based on lowering standards so more people are perceived to have got through.
Now, and yes, it's an unusual year, but they are literally making it up as they go along. We have yet another adjustment for Covid.
They had one during the first lockdown, they’ve added another for the second. Once again, like NCEA itself, you get the logic. But what about the outcome? One credit free for every five, unless you're in Auckland where it's one free for every four credits.
It's not steak knives, it's education, it’s a qualification. For employers and universities, these will be known as the Covid numbers. It will be the year in which everyone will know that whatever your mark, it's not really merit based, it's government based.
The fact they are already letting kids into university with no University Entrance should be worrying enough, but now they're handing out freebies for being stuck at home.
Here's a lesson in life, we've all been stuck at home to a greater or lesser degree, and we've all had to get on with it. Two of our kids have spent the better part of their university year at home. One is in another country, working online but getting on with it. Labs went by the wayside, but they still got on with it. They still sat exams, and they still had to pass.
Covid and it's many inconveniences can't be a scapegoat for slackness, laziness, and excuses. It can't be a reason to be second best.
And yet, in a country of increasing mediocrity, mediocrity gets an achieved, if not a merit.]]>130falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-we-must-challenge-the-government-to-be-proactive--1008455Why? Because they are not proactive, they have not been remotely proactive enough in areas that could genuinely benefit this country as a result of its so-called success against Covid. What's the point in locking the world out and reducing the virus to a handful of cases if you can't then, while under the policy of elimination, take advantage of what we have achieved.
The price, which has been talked of so many times, is economic disaster.
But surely if there is a light, it's events like test rugby. Or as Queensland has found out, the AFL. Or as we have started to dabble in, some film work and the America's Cup.
The headlines generated throughout the media yesterday as a result of our question, I hope place enough pressure on the government that the cancel culture they’ve indulged in so far is coming to an end and a change of attitude will prevail.
But we have to keep the pressure on. The Youth America's Cup is gone, and the Women's Cricket World Cup has been postponed by the International Cricket Council. Why? I have no idea, other than attitude.
Under the the simple heading of, "where there is a will there is a way" these are the sort of events we could have forged on with. Isolation is doable, the bill can be covered, and the organisational expertise is easy.
Once you have these people here and through quarantine it means they are safe, the problem is solved, and we can get on with it.
None of these events requires thousands of people. And as the government keep reminding us, if they actually manage to secure the border and sort the testing, we can resume level 1. Level 1 is crowds and crowds pay the bills, something even the Australians are still limited with.
The welfare blinkers they’ve had on are sending us broke. So, any form of revenue generation should be pursued, pushed, and enacted as quickly and as often as we can. Not to mention the psychological lift of watching our greatest sporting export success ply their trade.
Have we not, given all our sacrifice and the government's endless trumpeting of our Covid success, earned the right to explore the upside of where we find ourselves?
A little entrepreneurial spirit, a willing desire and a can-do attitude is not a lot to ask. Why make it hard when it doesn’t have to be?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22967354/mh080920-14-capatilisingoneradicationcomment.mp3Mon, 07 Sep 2020 22:29:13 +0000RoccoI asked the Prime Minister about the All Blacks yesterday to hold her to account. Why? Because they are not proactive, they have not been remotely proactive enough in areas that could genuinely benefit this country as a result of its so-called success...Why? Because they are not proactive, they have not been remotely proactive enough in areas that could genuinely benefit this country as a result of its so-called success against Covid. What's the point in locking the world out and reducing the virus to a handful of cases if you can't then, while under the policy of elimination, take advantage of what we have achieved.
The price, which has been talked of so many times, is economic disaster.
But surely if there is a light, it's events like test rugby. Or as Queensland has found out, the AFL. Or as we have started to dabble in, some film work and the America's Cup.
The headlines generated throughout the media yesterday as a result of our question, I hope place enough pressure on the government that the cancel culture they’ve indulged in so far is coming to an end and a change of attitude will prevail.
But we have to keep the pressure on. The Youth America's Cup is gone, and the Women's Cricket World Cup has been postponed by the International Cricket Council. Why? I have no idea, other than attitude.
Under the the simple heading of, "where there is a will there is a way" these are the sort of events we could have forged on with. Isolation is doable, the bill can be covered, and the organisational expertise is easy.
Once you have these people here and through quarantine it means they are safe, the problem is solved, and we can get on with it.
None of these events requires thousands of people. And as the government keep reminding us, if they actually manage to secure the border and sort the testing, we can resume level 1. Level 1 is crowds and crowds pay the bills, something even the Australians are still limited with.
The welfare blinkers they’ve had on are sending us broke. So, any form of revenue generation should be pursued, pushed, and enacted as quickly and as often as we can. Not to mention the psychological lift of watching our greatest sporting export success ply their trade.
Have we not, given all our sacrifice and the government's endless trumpeting of our Covid success, earned the right to explore the upside of where we find ourselves?
A little entrepreneurial spirit, a willing desire and a can-do attitude is not a lot to ask. Why make it hard when it doesn’t have to be?]]>121falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-could-we-have-a-contest-of-ideas--1008247Credit where credit is due, National can't be accused of not taking this election seriously with policy.
Name me Labour's latest policy and when it was announced. Given you can't, at least National are pumping it out. And put aside wether you agree with it or not, at least it's out there, at least there is choice, at least there are ideas.
From the $3000 for babies, to the $31 billion for infrastructure, most days there has been an announcement.
We have border policy, a plan for Tiwai, and something for small business. That, by the way, with its 90-day trials is the first real example we have seen that involves businesses actually being given an opportunity to grow without the endless welfare chequebook being brought out.
We have law and order covered, and there was a car insurance policy around third-party cover that would hardly change the world but once again, a good example of simple practical stuff that shows signs of thought, research, and a gap in the status quo. There has been health money, policy for schools both in infrastructure and future planning.
It's all there if you want it. The question, I guess, is, do we? Are we open to ideas? Do we want a debate? Is there an alternative? How engaged are we?
The read sadness would be, if this was all about Covid, we as a country are in deep trouble. Covid, of course, is omnipresent of course, but for some we seem to have been swamped by it.
Certainly, you can see it in the Prime Minister in that interview a couple of weeks ago where she knew nothing of council issues and a port proposal. It showed she knows about Covid and little more. Even last week when we asked about social housing and the department paying $3000 a week for houses worth $550, she knew nothing.
Add to that the lack of policy from the government, like tax. Are they cutting or putting it up? Short of telling us from the podium of truth what their latest thinking around levels is, just what is it they're doing? What's their plan? What's next? Do they have anything at all?
Their calling card, the plight of children was shockingly exposed last week by UNICEF.
They seemed to have closed down, the place is run by Ardern, Hipkins, Robertson, and Woods. And their fingers are crossed no one will notice.
So, kudos to National for, potentially at least, making this election a contest of ideas.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22967279/mh070920-01-policiescomment.mp3Sun, 06 Sep 2020 23:17:26 +0000RoccoCOMMENT: Credit where credit is due, National can't be accused of not taking this election seriously with policy. Name me Labour's latest policy and when it was announced. Given you can't, at least National are pumping it out. And put aside wether you...Credit where credit is due, National can't be accused of not taking this election seriously with policy.
Name me Labour's latest policy and when it was announced. Given you can't, at least National are pumping it out. And put aside wether you agree with it or not, at least it's out there, at least there is choice, at least there are ideas.
From the $3000 for babies, to the $31 billion for infrastructure, most days there has been an announcement.
We have border policy, a plan for Tiwai, and something for small business. That, by the way, with its 90-day trials is the first real example we have seen that involves businesses actually being given an opportunity to grow without the endless welfare chequebook being brought out.
We have law and order covered, and there was a car insurance policy around third-party cover that would hardly change the world but once again, a good example of simple practical stuff that shows signs of thought, research, and a gap in the status quo. There has been health money, policy for schools both in infrastructure and future planning.
It's all there if you want it. The question, I guess, is, do we? Are we open to ideas? Do we want a debate? Is there an alternative? How engaged are we?
The read sadness would be, if this was all about Covid, we as a country are in deep trouble. Covid, of course, is omnipresent of course, but for some we seem to have been swamped by it.
Certainly, you can see it in the Prime Minister in that interview a couple of weeks ago where she knew nothing of council issues and a port proposal. It showed she knows about Covid and little more. Even last week when we asked about social housing and the department paying $3000 a week for houses worth $550, she knew nothing.
Add to that the lack of policy from the government, like tax. Are they cutting or putting it up? Short of telling us from the podium of truth what their latest thinking around levels is, just what is it they're doing? What's their plan? What's next? Do they have anything at all?
Their calling card, the plight of children was shockingly exposed last week by UNICEF.
They seemed to have closed down, the place is run by Ardern, Hipkins, Robertson, and Woods. And their fingers are crossed no one will notice.
So, kudos to National for, potentially at least, making this election a contest of ideas.]]>123falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-government-s-attitude-to-alert-levels-improving--1008497Level 2.
7/10.
"Not level 1, and certainly not what a lot of the country wants.
But it felt better this week than last."
The Government's Attitude to Levels.
6/10.
"The emergence, I hope of a trend. Level 2 with cases, talk of level 1 with cases.
Could it be, at last, they’ve worked out that the health side isn't everything? And life can continue without freaking out and locking down?
The Testing Message.
1/10.
"In that, is all that has been wrong with the handling of this.
Too many departments, too many people, not enough simple common sense, and brain power."
James Shaw and the Green School.
0/10.
"About as bad as it gets, and freakishly similar to Metiria Turei three years ago.
Has he sunk his party? Question of the week."  
Judith Collins' Husband, David Wong Tung.
4/10.
"Bad, but not the scandal  they tried to make it out to be.
Social media is a cess pit, and more fool you if you dabble.
But people are individuals, adults are adults, and trying to contain a spouse is from 1837, not the modern day."
Trump and Biden.
7/10.
"Why? Because it's on.
Post convention the ads are out, the campaign is underway, and if you can pick a winner, it's because your biased not because it’s a forgone conclusion."
Housing.
9/10.
"Through the roof.
Confidence, demand, and prices are defying expectations and records."
Wine.
8/10.
"More wine, more income, and the forecast is cheerier than a crisp rosé at lunch in spring.
Global sales up again, the world will always love and pay for top shelf.
The Warriors.
9/10.
"Come on, four wins out the last five games.
The Knights spanked, a sniff from the top eight, and bring on the Eels.
Could this be our year?"
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22967090/mh040920-14-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 03 Sep 2020 22:34:41 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. Level 2. 7/10. "Not level 1, and certainly not what a lot of the country wants. But it felt better this week than last." The...Level 2.
7/10.
"Not level 1, and certainly not what a lot of the country wants.
But it felt better this week than last."
The Government's Attitude to Levels.
6/10.
"The emergence, I hope of a trend. Level 2 with cases, talk of level 1 with cases.
Could it be, at last, they’ve worked out that the health side isn't everything? And life can continue without freaking out and locking down?
The Testing Message.
1/10.
"In that, is all that has been wrong with the handling of this.
Too many departments, too many people, not enough simple common sense, and brain power."
James Shaw and the Green School.
0/10.
"About as bad as it gets, and freakishly similar to Metiria Turei three years ago.
Has he sunk his party? Question of the week."  
Judith Collins' Husband, David Wong Tung.
4/10.
"Bad, but not the scandal  they tried to make it out to be.
Social media is a cess pit, and more fool you if you dabble.
But people are individuals, adults are adults, and trying to contain a spouse is from 1837, not the modern day."
Trump and Biden.
7/10.
"Why? Because it's on.
Post convention the ads are out, the campaign is underway, and if you can pick a winner, it's because your biased not because it’s a forgone conclusion."
Housing.
9/10.
"Through the roof.
Confidence, demand, and prices are defying expectations and records."
Wine.
8/10.
"More wine, more income, and the forecast is cheerier than a crisp rosé at lunch in spring.
Global sales up again, the world will always love and pay for top shelf.
The Warriors.
9/10.
"Come on, four wins out the last five games.
The Knights spanked, a sniff from the top eight, and bring on the Eels.
Could this be our year?"
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>173falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-we-need-to-talk-tax--1008461You'll note so far, despite the billions borrowed, no one has mentioned the bill. We are in an election campaign, and yet no tax policy, and no spending policy other than the old "there is more where that came from.”
The fact we will end up, on current forecasts, at over 50 percent of GDP as far as debt goes, is little short of a disaster. No it's not as bad as some other countries, but all that shows is their disaster is bigger than ours, and that is nothing to aspire to. You don't explain to your bank that the trouble you're having paying your mortgage isn't really a big deal, given your neighbour next door went broke, so you're smelling of roses.
In Britain, to their credit, they have at least started down the track of fiscal repatriation. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is talking of tax increases. This is controversial at the best of times, far less when the idea comes from a Conservative.
Norman Lamont, a former Chancellor, has taken to the papers to mount a defence. He won't be the last. Lamont was Chancellor under Sir John Major but was in power with Margaret Thatcher, who would be turning in her grave over tax increases for debt.
There is more than one way to skin a cat. Tax is but one. Another, of course, is to cut spending. Another is to grow the pie, in other words grow the economy, and gather the increased taxes that come from it.
The greatest argument against tax increases is it kills the economy. In this country the sort of people you would tax aren't actually rich, the top tax rate cuts in at $70,000. No one in urban New Zealand on $70,000 or so regards themselves as rich.
Further those on the sort of money that might be attractive for a government are few and far between. The people on hundreds of thousands, and perhaps even millions are, in comparison, handfuls.
More tax is based largely on envy not sound economic principle. "They can afford it." That's not actually an argument, it’s a statement of jealousy. And look at the stats, it doesn’t actually raise all that much money.
A capital gains tax is often mooted, and it was three years ago, until it got shoved back in Labour's face and the promise was made never to revisit it again.
With spending, are there areas of savings? Of course there are. The Provincial Growth Fund alone was $3 billion that, sadly, never really produced anything close to what it was supposed to.
But most importantly tax increases are a sign of defeat. Aspirational countries look to grow and expand, they create their own wealth they don’t prevent it by taxing it
Norman Lamont understands that, hopefully if we ever get around to it here, whoever is running the place will too.      ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22967082/mh040920-06-taxcomment.mp3Thu, 03 Sep 2020 21:35:54 +0000RoccoAnother debate we might want to have before too long is the old "who is paying for this mess" debate. You'll note so far, despite the billions borrowed, no one has mentioned the bill. We are in an election campaign, and yet no tax policy, and no...You'll note so far, despite the billions borrowed, no one has mentioned the bill. We are in an election campaign, and yet no tax policy, and no spending policy other than the old "there is more where that came from.”
The fact we will end up, on current forecasts, at over 50 percent of GDP as far as debt goes, is little short of a disaster. No it's not as bad as some other countries, but all that shows is their disaster is bigger than ours, and that is nothing to aspire to. You don't explain to your bank that the trouble you're having paying your mortgage isn't really a big deal, given your neighbour next door went broke, so you're smelling of roses.
In Britain, to their credit, they have at least started down the track of fiscal repatriation. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is talking of tax increases. This is controversial at the best of times, far less when the idea comes from a Conservative.
Norman Lamont, a former Chancellor, has taken to the papers to mount a defence. He won't be the last. Lamont was Chancellor under Sir John Major but was in power with Margaret Thatcher, who would be turning in her grave over tax increases for debt.
There is more than one way to skin a cat. Tax is but one. Another, of course, is to cut spending. Another is to grow the pie, in other words grow the economy, and gather the increased taxes that come from it.
The greatest argument against tax increases is it kills the economy. In this country the sort of people you would tax aren't actually rich, the top tax rate cuts in at $70,000. No one in urban New Zealand on $70,000 or so regards themselves as rich.
Further those on the sort of money that might be attractive for a government are few and far between. The people on hundreds of thousands, and perhaps even millions are, in comparison, handfuls.
More tax is based largely on envy not sound economic principle. "They can afford it." That's not actually an argument, it’s a statement of jealousy. And look at the stats, it doesn’t actually raise all that much money.
A capital gains tax is often mooted, and it was three years ago, until it got shoved back in Labour's face and the promise was made never to revisit it again.
With spending, are there areas of savings? Of course there are. The Provincial Growth Fund alone was $3 billion that, sadly, never really produced anything close to what it was supposed to.
But most importantly tax increases are a sign of defeat. Aspirational countries look to grow and expand, they create their own wealth they don’t prevent it by taxing it
Norman Lamont understands that, hopefully if we ever get around to it here, whoever is running the place will too.      ]]>38falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-winston-is-right-but-he-s-got-to-take-responsibility-as-well--1008493Are the government, have the government, been “gilding the lily” over our Covid response? Yes they have. But Peters was part of the gilding, he's been in cahoots for three years.
This government is the government he picked, the government he created, and the government he has been a part of. If they gilded, he gilded with them.
The gilding is real.
We had the lockdown that came a week too late as many of us pleaded  to close the border. We had the claim that self isolation would work, when it didn’t, because the coppers never knocked on the doors they said they would. We had the mess over testing kits, PPE and flu jabs. The Ministry, namely Ashley Bloomfield insisted we had, but clearly didn’t. We had the testing they insisted we were doing, they clearly weren't.
The border that was leaky, but we were told it wasn't.  And don't mention Thelma and Louise, the guards asleep, the recruitment of Megan Woods and Commander Webb, the replacement of David Clark with Chris Hipkins, and last week's shamble over testing.
So when the Prime Minister says Peters does us all a disservice, she once again is covering her own ineptitude by dragging us into it.
We did our job.
Even those of us who argued it was overkill and too driven by epidemiologists at the expense of jobs, the economy and mental health, did our job.  Only to be let down by a government so far out of their depth, it's now really all been laid bare and we aren't even out the other side.
So Peters points out a truth. But, it's his truth as well. It's his fault as well. If he wanted the military in earlier, if he was worried about the border, if he felt this hadn't gone the way it should, it was up to him to make this clear.  It was up to him to argue his case, to bring it to our attention, to make sure that it went a better way than clearly it has.
So now it's too late, why? Because he's telling us all this, for his own political survival. He didn’t put us first when he needed to. He's only doing it now, when is party is at two percent and looking like it's on its way out.
Yes, they didn’t do it properly. Some of us have been saying that for months. But some of us have been saying it for months, because it was the right thing to say, not because we need votes.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22967000/mh030920-14-peterscomplicitcomment.mp3Wed, 02 Sep 2020 21:37:21 +0000RoccoWinston Peters is right, and disingenuous at the same time. Are the government, have the government, been “gilding the lily” over our Covid response? Yes they have. But Peters was part of the gilding, he's been in cahoots for three years. This...Are the government, have the government, been “gilding the lily” over our Covid response? Yes they have. But Peters was part of the gilding, he's been in cahoots for three years.
This government is the government he picked, the government he created, and the government he has been a part of. If they gilded, he gilded with them.
The gilding is real.
We had the lockdown that came a week too late as many of us pleaded  to close the border. We had the claim that self isolation would work, when it didn’t, because the coppers never knocked on the doors they said they would. We had the mess over testing kits, PPE and flu jabs. The Ministry, namely Ashley Bloomfield insisted we had, but clearly didn’t. We had the testing they insisted we were doing, they clearly weren't.
The border that was leaky, but we were told it wasn't.  And don't mention Thelma and Louise, the guards asleep, the recruitment of Megan Woods and Commander Webb, the replacement of David Clark with Chris Hipkins, and last week's shamble over testing.
So when the Prime Minister says Peters does us all a disservice, she once again is covering her own ineptitude by dragging us into it.
We did our job.
Even those of us who argued it was overkill and too driven by epidemiologists at the expense of jobs, the economy and mental health, did our job.  Only to be let down by a government so far out of their depth, it's now really all been laid bare and we aren't even out the other side.
So Peters points out a truth. But, it's his truth as well. It's his fault as well. If he wanted the military in earlier, if he was worried about the border, if he felt this hadn't gone the way it should, it was up to him to make this clear.  It was up to him to argue his case, to bring it to our attention, to make sure that it went a better way than clearly it has.
So now it's too late, why? Because he's telling us all this, for his own political survival. He didn’t put us first when he needed to. He's only doing it now, when is party is at two percent and looking like it's on its way out.
Yes, they didn’t do it properly. Some of us have been saying that for months. But some of us have been saying it for months, because it was the right thing to say, not because we need votes.  ]]>129falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-is-james-shaw-s-apology-enough-to-save-the-greens--1008419Is this Metiria Turei 2.0?
The money itself to my mind isn't the end of the world and never has been. The school, as wacky as parts of it may appear, is a shovel ready project, puts money into the economy, and provides jobs. In other words, it ticks boxes required by the government in their $3 billion shovel ready project fund.
The fact Shaw threatened to hold up the rest of the fund unless he got his way is stupid, but a response to the fact, I suspect, that the Greens have been shafted this term and were presumably over it.
They also, given the way the govt has treated Taranaki on oil and gas, probably thought they owed the region something as comparatively small as it may actually be.
The fact Shaw really didn’t do the due diligence is on him, and as Winston Peters, quite rightly points out, is a testament to inexperience.
So politically it’s a catastrophe. Economically, if you're not a Greens supporter, it's hardly the end of the world.
But it's the politics here in the early part of September that really counts. And here is why it's so important, Labour will not get a majority, The polls, if you believe them, are wrong. When National used to track at 50 percent plus, they openly admitted it wasn’t real. This isn't real either.
So the simple maths works like this, to win, Labour need the Greens. If they don't have the Greens, they will lose government. National, by the 19th of October could be in the 40s, ACT is good for 4 or 5, maybe. That's a government.
Ironically the Greens are the balance of power, not in a New Zealand First kind of way. The Greens are wedded to the left, but without the Greens, Labour are sunk.
So are the greens sunk? Metiria Turei didn’t finish them, but she came close. This smacks of something freakishly similar.
Whatever it is about them, they have 2 hurdles. They under perform on the night compared to polling, and polling has them at 5 or less. Plus, they shoot themselves in the foot.
So, if you thought the election was a forgone conclusion, think again. And if you don’t want to think again, you're out to lunch.    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22966919/mh020920-14-shawschoolcomment.mp3Tue, 01 Sep 2020 21:42:51 +0000RoccoSo we finally found James Shaw yesterday, having been flushed out on a scandal that may well sink him and his team. Is this Metiria Turei 2.0? The money itself to my mind isn't the end of the world and never has been. The school, as wacky as parts of...Is this Metiria Turei 2.0?
The money itself to my mind isn't the end of the world and never has been. The school, as wacky as parts of it may appear, is a shovel ready project, puts money into the economy, and provides jobs. In other words, it ticks boxes required by the government in their $3 billion shovel ready project fund.
The fact Shaw threatened to hold up the rest of the fund unless he got his way is stupid, but a response to the fact, I suspect, that the Greens have been shafted this term and were presumably over it.
They also, given the way the govt has treated Taranaki on oil and gas, probably thought they owed the region something as comparatively small as it may actually be.
The fact Shaw really didn’t do the due diligence is on him, and as Winston Peters, quite rightly points out, is a testament to inexperience.
So politically it’s a catastrophe. Economically, if you're not a Greens supporter, it's hardly the end of the world.
But it's the politics here in the early part of September that really counts. And here is why it's so important, Labour will not get a majority, The polls, if you believe them, are wrong. When National used to track at 50 percent plus, they openly admitted it wasn’t real. This isn't real either.
So the simple maths works like this, to win, Labour need the Greens. If they don't have the Greens, they will lose government. National, by the 19th of October could be in the 40s, ACT is good for 4 or 5, maybe. That's a government.
Ironically the Greens are the balance of power, not in a New Zealand First kind of way. The Greens are wedded to the left, but without the Greens, Labour are sunk.
So are the greens sunk? Metiria Turei didn’t finish them, but she came close. This smacks of something freakishly similar.
Whatever it is about them, they have 2 hurdles. They under perform on the night compared to polling, and polling has them at 5 or less. Plus, they shoot themselves in the foot.
So, if you thought the election was a forgone conclusion, think again. And if you don’t want to think again, you're out to lunch.    ]]>112falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-too-many-issues-are-being-ignored--1008523Last Tuesday, we had an interview with the Prime Minister. It ended in an odd way, in the sense that some of the subjects I raised with her, it became apparent she didn’t have a clue about.
This set off the usual Twitterati, accusing me of being rude. A lot of people also wondered why so much was going on she didn’t know about.
It happened again yesterday, a government Ministry paying $3000 a house for social housing needs instead of the $550 they were actually worth. Last week there were the two letters to councils in trouble asking for information for the Minister. The Minister has the power to appoint people to run councils if a council has become dysfunctional.
And we also had the letter suggesting the government buy the Ports of Auckland, or 50 percent of it.
Ardern knew nothing of this, which was remarkable given it had been on this programme and a number of other outlets. You'd think the potential sale of such an asset might have caught her eye, or been drawn to her attention .
But as it turned out the bloke who wrote the letter had sprung the idea on his Auckland Council mates. Poor old Phil Goff, who appeared as out of the loop as the Prime Minister, expressed his displeasure and said it was no answer to the councils hundreds of millions of dollars worth of black hole left by Covid.
Anyway, the proposal less than a week later is on the desk of Grant Robertson. So something very few people seemed to be even remotely aware of, is now in front of the man with the money.
The question is, do we want the government owning more stuff than they already do? And it's question we should be asking given, it's an election issue, or it should be.
Government owning things is rarely a good idea. We already have Air New Zealand and their arrangement. We have a loan scheme that Air New Zealand has tapped into or about to tap into that is available to other major players that could involve the government grabbing a stake in the companies.
That includes Tiwai, NZ Refining and the Glenbrook mill.
There is also another loan scheme for smaller businesses where the government might end up owning a stake as well.
Just how much of this country do we want owned by the state? And when the state owns most of the country's businesses, what's the called? Join some dots.
For something so potentially significant, it's astonishing how little it's being talked about.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22966833/mh010920-14-nationalisationcomment.mp3Mon, 31 Aug 2020 21:31:31 +0000RoccoIsn't it funny how this country is run? Last Tuesday, we had an interview with the Prime Minister. It ended in an odd way, in the sense that some of the subjects I raised with her, it became apparent she didn’t have a clue about. This set off the...Last Tuesday, we had an interview with the Prime Minister. It ended in an odd way, in the sense that some of the subjects I raised with her, it became apparent she didn’t have a clue about.
This set off the usual Twitterati, accusing me of being rude. A lot of people also wondered why so much was going on she didn’t know about.
It happened again yesterday, a government Ministry paying $3000 a house for social housing needs instead of the $550 they were actually worth. Last week there were the two letters to councils in trouble asking for information for the Minister. The Minister has the power to appoint people to run councils if a council has become dysfunctional.
And we also had the letter suggesting the government buy the Ports of Auckland, or 50 percent of it.
Ardern knew nothing of this, which was remarkable given it had been on this programme and a number of other outlets. You'd think the potential sale of such an asset might have caught her eye, or been drawn to her attention .
But as it turned out the bloke who wrote the letter had sprung the idea on his Auckland Council mates. Poor old Phil Goff, who appeared as out of the loop as the Prime Minister, expressed his displeasure and said it was no answer to the councils hundreds of millions of dollars worth of black hole left by Covid.
Anyway, the proposal less than a week later is on the desk of Grant Robertson. So something very few people seemed to be even remotely aware of, is now in front of the man with the money.
The question is, do we want the government owning more stuff than they already do? And it's question we should be asking given, it's an election issue, or it should be.
Government owning things is rarely a good idea. We already have Air New Zealand and their arrangement. We have a loan scheme that Air New Zealand has tapped into or about to tap into that is available to other major players that could involve the government grabbing a stake in the companies.
That includes Tiwai, NZ Refining and the Glenbrook mill.
There is also another loan scheme for smaller businesses where the government might end up owning a stake as well.
Just how much of this country do we want owned by the state? And when the state owns most of the country's businesses, what's the called? Join some dots.
For something so potentially significant, it's astonishing how little it's being talked about.  ]]>118falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-government-are-holding-us-hostage--1008469Level 3.
2/10.
"We should already be at level 2, the rest of the country should be at level 1.
We have been held hostage by a government overwhelmed in conservatism, and no real understanding of the economic damage they're doing."
Masks.  
6/10.
"If they led to more freedom like they were supposed to, and like Michael Baker argues, then maybe it would have been an 8/10."
Masks v Social Distancing.
4/10.
"Bloomfield v Baker, who's right?
And in that, is the complexity and conundrum of this whole mess, who's right? And how do we know?"
Quarantine Testing.
0/10.
"Yet another pile of poop.
We test on day 3 and day 12. Ooops, unless we don’t."  
The NZX Cyber Attacks.
4/10.
"Three days in a row is embarrassing.
This is 2020."
Team New Zealand.
8/10.
"Nothing to see here, that’s what Grant Dalton said, and that’s the way it turned out.
But in between far too much finger pointing and scurrilous stirring from those who should know better."    
Housing Market.
8/10.
"Everyone seems on board.
Housing in this world of economic carnage is okay, if not even better.
Forecasts are being rewritten, expats are spending, money is cheap and getting cheaper, and first home buyers are in like robbers' dogs."
Free NCEA Credits.
7/10.
"Students have done it tougher than most this year, there is an unfairness beyond their control.
But ask Britain if they think making stuff up for exams works well."
The Warriors.
8/10.
"A beacon of hope, they could still finish fifth this year.
Can you imagine it? All things considered; they'd win the Halberg for Team of the Year."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22966604/mh280820-14-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 27 Aug 2020 22:09:01 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. Level 3. 2/10. "We should already be at level 2, the rest of the country should be at level 1. We have been held hostage by a...Level 3.
2/10.
"We should already be at level 2, the rest of the country should be at level 1.
We have been held hostage by a government overwhelmed in conservatism, and no real understanding of the economic damage they're doing."
Masks.  
6/10.
"If they led to more freedom like they were supposed to, and like Michael Baker argues, then maybe it would have been an 8/10."
Masks v Social Distancing.
4/10.
"Bloomfield v Baker, who's right?
And in that, is the complexity and conundrum of this whole mess, who's right? And how do we know?"
Quarantine Testing.
0/10.
"Yet another pile of poop.
We test on day 3 and day 12. Ooops, unless we don’t."  
The NZX Cyber Attacks.
4/10.
"Three days in a row is embarrassing.
This is 2020."
Team New Zealand.
8/10.
"Nothing to see here, that’s what Grant Dalton said, and that’s the way it turned out.
But in between far too much finger pointing and scurrilous stirring from those who should know better."    
Housing Market.
8/10.
"Everyone seems on board.
Housing in this world of economic carnage is okay, if not even better.
Forecasts are being rewritten, expats are spending, money is cheap and getting cheaper, and first home buyers are in like robbers' dogs."
Free NCEA Credits.
7/10.
"Students have done it tougher than most this year, there is an unfairness beyond their control.
But ask Britain if they think making stuff up for exams works well."
The Warriors.
8/10.
"A beacon of hope, they could still finish fifth this year.
Can you imagine it? All things considered; they'd win the Halberg for Team of the Year."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>207falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-it-s-time-for-some-more-policy--1008402One would hope, as of next week, when we are in level 2 around the country, maybe we can get around to talking about good tangible ideas that might go some way to helping this country get off it economic knees and start to slowly rebuild.
National, in releasing their small business policy, are bringing back the 90-day trial. This was a policy, and a successful one, that got dismantled by the current government. They would have gone further, and driven by nothing more than union ideology, butchered the whole thing completely. But credit where credit is due, New Zealand First stepped in and saved part of it.
But in simple terms the 90-day trials allowed employers to take on new hires for a period with no great risk, in that if it didn’t work out, they could move them on with no hassle and no penalty.
The unions, pre-National enacting it, cried black and blue about abuse, and the powerless being taken advantage of. What actually happened, and research showed it, is people weren't abused, they were hired.
Because what the policy did in the real world, as opposed to the theoretical world of the unions, was allow employers, especially smaller employers, the life blood of the economy to take a leap of faith, to take the risk, and actually employ people. What these people told us was that the policy made a tangible difference, indeed the difference between hiring and not bothering.
These sort of polices are what we need more of, those are the polices that go beyond the one stop shop of the current plan which is welfare. Subsidies, welfare, free money, whatever form it comes, is no answer long term. We simply don't have the money.
The only way an economy grows is by people doing real work, making real products and services, and earning real money. That money converts to incomes, to spending, and to tax.
This is the scandal of the election. We are not seeing enough real policy that provides enough real incentive to get on with it.
Too many have been hypnotised into believing free borrowed money, a lot of closed shops and businesses, and a social catastrophe of people losing their livelihoods is an excellent response to a health issue. And going forward Grant Robertson and his printed cheque book will suffice.
So, before we hear the receivers at the door, let us hope there is more 90-day trial type material coming our way, that there are those who care about the future of this country beyond locking us down, sending us broke, pretending people working hard, and taking risks isn't actually the way forward.    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22966594/mh280820-01-90daytrialcomment.mp3Thu, 27 Aug 2020 21:19:25 +0000RoccoI don't know if policy outside of Covid will ever see the light of day. One would hope, as of next week, when we are in level 2 around the country, maybe we can get around to talking about good tangible ideas that might go some way to helping this...One would hope, as of next week, when we are in level 2 around the country, maybe we can get around to talking about good tangible ideas that might go some way to helping this country get off it economic knees and start to slowly rebuild.
National, in releasing their small business policy, are bringing back the 90-day trial. This was a policy, and a successful one, that got dismantled by the current government. They would have gone further, and driven by nothing more than union ideology, butchered the whole thing completely. But credit where credit is due, New Zealand First stepped in and saved part of it.
But in simple terms the 90-day trials allowed employers to take on new hires for a period with no great risk, in that if it didn’t work out, they could move them on with no hassle and no penalty.
The unions, pre-National enacting it, cried black and blue about abuse, and the powerless being taken advantage of. What actually happened, and research showed it, is people weren't abused, they were hired.
Because what the policy did in the real world, as opposed to the theoretical world of the unions, was allow employers, especially smaller employers, the life blood of the economy to take a leap of faith, to take the risk, and actually employ people. What these people told us was that the policy made a tangible difference, indeed the difference between hiring and not bothering.
These sort of polices are what we need more of, those are the polices that go beyond the one stop shop of the current plan which is welfare. Subsidies, welfare, free money, whatever form it comes, is no answer long term. We simply don't have the money.
The only way an economy grows is by people doing real work, making real products and services, and earning real money. That money converts to incomes, to spending, and to tax.
This is the scandal of the election. We are not seeing enough real policy that provides enough real incentive to get on with it.
Too many have been hypnotised into believing free borrowed money, a lot of closed shops and businesses, and a social catastrophe of people losing their livelihoods is an excellent response to a health issue. And going forward Grant Robertson and his printed cheque book will suffice.
So, before we hear the receivers at the door, let us hope there is more 90-day trial type material coming our way, that there are those who care about the future of this country beyond locking us down, sending us broke, pretending people working hard, and taking risks isn't actually the way forward.    ]]>133falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-we-need-to-be-far-less-conservative-in-our-covid-battle--1008471One of the most overworked phrases from this government of overworked phrases is, "there is no playbook." If that’s true, why would we not err on the side of common sense, progression, and even an element of entrepreneurial risk?
One of the developments of the Covid coverage is you can now pick your specialist, and you, broadly speaking, know what the answer is depending on what expert you pick.
Epidemiologist Michael Baker is, without question, one of the most conservative operators out there. He would probably have you in lockdown for the rest of your life. We would not be coming out of level 3 and 2 this Monday, we'd need longer. He's been like this all along.
Bloomfield isn't seemingly as conservative. But Cabinet papers have shown he's gone for longer lockdowns than the government ultimately have decided upon.
But now we are at a junction that is critical to the economy. And the government seem less interested in the economy than they do the health side of the mixture. What have they said? In another overworked phrase, "the best economic response is a good health response."
And yet, Baker says masks mean more normality. He says with masks you can fill a plane. Wasn't that the deal? With new measures we get more freedoms? Except it appears we don't.
Why have mandatory masks if we don’t get more freedoms? Fill the buses, the trains and the planes. The more people work and move, the more bottom lines are positively affected.
Jetstar is going nowhere, Air New Zealand is heavily curtailed and can't operate commercially with empty middle seats.
With masks, Bakers says fill those rows. Bloomfield says social distancing beats masks, why? Why is he right and Baker wrong? Why does the government not look at every opportunity to leverage our success in having minimal numbers?
Like Australia and their international students, as we still don’t have the answer as to why they can, and we can't. Unless you have concluded like I have, it's only because we don’t want to.
At some point the economic carnage will loom so large and so dangerous even this lot with their blinkered ideological blindness will no longer be able to ignore it.
When you're more conservative than Michael Baker, that’s setting new records in looking to go nowhere fast.    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22966515/mh270820-15-bloomfieldvsbakercomment.mp3Wed, 26 Aug 2020 21:22:30 +0000RoccoIn the Ashley Bloomfield Michael Baker battle over masks versus social distancing, you have the crux of where this country is going wrong on the economic side of the Covid equation. One of the most overworked phrases from this government of overworked...One of the most overworked phrases from this government of overworked phrases is, "there is no playbook." If that’s true, why would we not err on the side of common sense, progression, and even an element of entrepreneurial risk?
One of the developments of the Covid coverage is you can now pick your specialist, and you, broadly speaking, know what the answer is depending on what expert you pick.
Epidemiologist Michael Baker is, without question, one of the most conservative operators out there. He would probably have you in lockdown for the rest of your life. We would not be coming out of level 3 and 2 this Monday, we'd need longer. He's been like this all along.
Bloomfield isn't seemingly as conservative. But Cabinet papers have shown he's gone for longer lockdowns than the government ultimately have decided upon.
But now we are at a junction that is critical to the economy. And the government seem less interested in the economy than they do the health side of the mixture. What have they said? In another overworked phrase, "the best economic response is a good health response."
And yet, Baker says masks mean more normality. He says with masks you can fill a plane. Wasn't that the deal? With new measures we get more freedoms? Except it appears we don't.
Why have mandatory masks if we don’t get more freedoms? Fill the buses, the trains and the planes. The more people work and move, the more bottom lines are positively affected.
Jetstar is going nowhere, Air New Zealand is heavily curtailed and can't operate commercially with empty middle seats.
With masks, Bakers says fill those rows. Bloomfield says social distancing beats masks, why? Why is he right and Baker wrong? Why does the government not look at every opportunity to leverage our success in having minimal numbers?
Like Australia and their international students, as we still don’t have the answer as to why they can, and we can't. Unless you have concluded like I have, it's only because we don’t want to.
At some point the economic carnage will loom so large and so dangerous even this lot with their blinkered ideological blindness will no longer be able to ignore it.
When you're more conservative than Michael Baker, that’s setting new records in looking to go nowhere fast.    ]]>129falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-are-people-allowed-to-make-up-for-past-mistakes--1008250I mentioned something about a recent column to my wife who then added the fact he was a convicted felon. Funny old pivot, that. You're in the middle of a chat about something you’ve read and next thing you know he's been a crook.
I looked it up, sure enough many years ago, he was sprung for credit card convictions in the 1980s, then a share dealing scam in 1994. He's since gone to run what I am led to believe is a successful insolvency firm employing 10 people.
Now, as of next month new rules come into play when it comes to running insolvency firms, you need to be licensed by an accredited authority. That authority has had a look at Grant's application and turned it down.
You get a review, he got one, they turned him down again. He's now off to court.
So my question is this, assuming he's done nothing in the ensuing period from the 1990s, why are we still penalising him? And if we are, how long does that go on for? His fraudulent activities, I should point out, aren't secret he's talked quite openly about them.
In a world where we seem desperate to reduce the recidivism rate, reform people, encourage them to go on, leave their past mistakes behind, and make new productive lives, what sort of mad message is this sending?
The bloke, when he was in his 20s, clearly made some pretty serious mistakes. He's learned, put them behind him, started fresh, started a business, and started employing people. I am assuming he has clients who like his work.  
I get you want some regulation around practitioners of all sorts, but if their thinking is that after a quarter of a century, we need to keep revisiting past wrongs and keep making you pay for them, what hope is there for anyone? Far less someone who was determined the past was in the past and a productive life going forward was the only answer.
If a 26-year-old finite sentence is, in fact, a life sentence, then why bother? And we'll have the recidivism rate and social fallout to show for it.    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22966419/mh260820-12-damiangrantcomment.mp3Tue, 25 Aug 2020 21:26:58 +0000RoccoI don't know Damien Grant, never met him, but he writes a solid column. He seems bright and well informed and periodically I've featured a little bit of his work on our programme. I mentioned something about a recent column to my wife who then added...I mentioned something about a recent column to my wife who then added the fact he was a convicted felon. Funny old pivot, that. You're in the middle of a chat about something you’ve read and next thing you know he's been a crook.
I looked it up, sure enough many years ago, he was sprung for credit card convictions in the 1980s, then a share dealing scam in 1994. He's since gone to run what I am led to believe is a successful insolvency firm employing 10 people.
Now, as of next month new rules come into play when it comes to running insolvency firms, you need to be licensed by an accredited authority. That authority has had a look at Grant's application and turned it down.
You get a review, he got one, they turned him down again. He's now off to court.
So my question is this, assuming he's done nothing in the ensuing period from the 1990s, why are we still penalising him? And if we are, how long does that go on for? His fraudulent activities, I should point out, aren't secret he's talked quite openly about them.
In a world where we seem desperate to reduce the recidivism rate, reform people, encourage them to go on, leave their past mistakes behind, and make new productive lives, what sort of mad message is this sending?
The bloke, when he was in his 20s, clearly made some pretty serious mistakes. He's learned, put them behind him, started fresh, started a business, and started employing people. I am assuming he has clients who like his work.  
I get you want some regulation around practitioners of all sorts, but if their thinking is that after a quarter of a century, we need to keep revisiting past wrongs and keep making you pay for them, what hope is there for anyone? Far less someone who was determined the past was in the past and a productive life going forward was the only answer.
If a 26-year-old finite sentence is, in fact, a life sentence, then why bother? And we'll have the recidivism rate and social fallout to show for it.    ]]>116falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-government-has-yet-more-legal-trouble--1008476The clue in the Borrowdale case, which seemed a great deal more complex than the gas case, was that after nine days they changed the bit of writing on the paper. In other words, someone, somewhere worked out they might be in trouble so put a bit of ink in place to seemingly patch up the gaps.
We now know that was because the opening stanza was unlawful. It's a shame, in many respects, the case didn’t get the coverage it deserved. And it failed to do so because,  we were preoccupied with a border cock up and a decent chunk of the country locked down due to a government that couldn’t deliver a pizza, far less a pandemic plan. And sadly, the media don’t have a large number of senior practitioners any more than understand law as well as they should …having been in court a few times over the years very little is as it seems
The simple gets quickly complicated and the slam dunk argument often has a nuance mainly missed by those merely seeking a headline grab. And, as such, often the decisions aren't actually all that cut and dry as well.
In the Borrowdale case, for example, yes, the government acted unlawfully but in the end, what tangible outworkings were there? None, apart from humiliation.
The gas case, on its first flush, seems very simple indeed.
Can you make an announcement to ban something and then enact that decision without actually changing the law? The answer would seem to be, no.
And pretending to enact it, as is the claim, for a full seven months until the law is changed seems a fairly open and shut case. If it does play out this way, if in fact Greymouth are right and the government lose again, what does that say about the government? Is it inept? Or so arrogant they didn’t think they needed to change laws because they were above the law? Did they never consider their actions might lead to harm for business and therefore they would be surprised if anyone questioned their stance?
Can a government think they can simply go about making any old decisions they want, hurting whoever they want, without any due regard for what parliament is actually there for? That's making laws.
The devil will be in the detail. But losing once is bad enough, losing twice would surely give even the most ardent supporter pause for thought. Can a single government really be that bad at the basics, twice?    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22966345/mh250820-01-governmentcourtcasescomment.mp3Mon, 24 Aug 2020 22:33:43 +0000RoccoIf the government hadn't lost last week in the Borrowdale case, I wouldn't be paying the attention I am to Greymouth Gas taking Megan Woods and the government to court. The clue in the Borrowdale case, which seemed a great deal more complex than the...The clue in the Borrowdale case, which seemed a great deal more complex than the gas case, was that after nine days they changed the bit of writing on the paper. In other words, someone, somewhere worked out they might be in trouble so put a bit of ink in place to seemingly patch up the gaps.
We now know that was because the opening stanza was unlawful. It's a shame, in many respects, the case didn’t get the coverage it deserved. And it failed to do so because,  we were preoccupied with a border cock up and a decent chunk of the country locked down due to a government that couldn’t deliver a pizza, far less a pandemic plan. And sadly, the media don’t have a large number of senior practitioners any more than understand law as well as they should …having been in court a few times over the years very little is as it seems
The simple gets quickly complicated and the slam dunk argument often has a nuance mainly missed by those merely seeking a headline grab. And, as such, often the decisions aren't actually all that cut and dry as well.
In the Borrowdale case, for example, yes, the government acted unlawfully but in the end, what tangible outworkings were there? None, apart from humiliation.
The gas case, on its first flush, seems very simple indeed.
Can you make an announcement to ban something and then enact that decision without actually changing the law? The answer would seem to be, no.
And pretending to enact it, as is the claim, for a full seven months until the law is changed seems a fairly open and shut case. If it does play out this way, if in fact Greymouth are right and the government lose again, what does that say about the government? Is it inept? Or so arrogant they didn’t think they needed to change laws because they were above the law? Did they never consider their actions might lead to harm for business and therefore they would be surprised if anyone questioned their stance?
Can a government think they can simply go about making any old decisions they want, hurting whoever they want, without any due regard for what parliament is actually there for? That's making laws.
The devil will be in the detail. But losing once is bad enough, losing twice would surely give even the most ardent supporter pause for thought. Can a single government really be that bad at the basics, twice?    ]]>127falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-we-must-have-a-better-strategy-than-continuous-lockdowns--1008372Forgotten, sadly, these past couple of weeks is the bulk of the country, the vast swathes of this land who have had to endure repressed and constrained movement for lord only knows what reason.
In locking off Auckland, Timaru got caught up as well, as did Arrowtown, Westport, New Plymouth, Nelson; how long do you want the list to be?
And in that net were the bars and cafes that closed or got hammered in terms of turnover and customer numbers.
Level 2 isn't the end of the world, but that’s the reverse psychology of all of this, isn't it? The same way the doom merchants of Auckland freaked out about a level 4 lockdown and when they got 3 they, instead of seeing it for what it was, a massive over reaction, actually breathed a sigh of relief.
For the bulk of the country level 2 isn't as bad as level 3. But it's worse than level one, which is worse than zero, and one is where you should be, but you're not.
It's the Grant Robertson trick. Find someone, or something that is really bad or useless and go, "see look at that mess, we are nothing like that mess.” And instead of going, "no, why would we be?" We go, "oh yeah, so it's not so bad after all."
There is simply no reason for the South Island to have been inconvenienced in any way whatsoever. Queenstown, already in trouble because of the border, sits thousands of kilometres away from a South Auckland cluster, and is being hammered again by the removal of domestic tourists.
Sport has been hammered, pubs have been hammered, hospitality generally has been hammered.
You don’t have cases, haven't had cases, aren't within miles of any cases and yet you are paying the price. Why, and why if you're not, aren't you angry?
It is, yet again, a tangible outworking of why the panic this government operates under as a strategy, doesn't work because they don’t have the tools. Like contact tracing, testing and an app that has the uptake to actually be effective.
A cluster in a small area should not lockdown a whole city, far less inconvenience an entire country.
We have to learn to deal. If our border is going to continue to leak, and that’s another matter altogether, we have to learn to deal with an outbreak without taking a mallet to the whole nation. Yes, we are a small country, but the pub curtailed in Blenheim, because of a cool store in South Auckland is too high a price to pay.
And you will note there is no promise this won't be happening again, and again, and again.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22966283/mh240820-15-levelannouncementcomment.mp3Sun, 23 Aug 2020 22:03:58 +0000RoccoD-Day today, again.  It was going to be Friday, but in the Labour Party's over-promise and under-deliver way of running the country that got delayed. Forgotten, sadly, these past couple of weeks is the bulk of the country, the vast swathes of this...Forgotten, sadly, these past couple of weeks is the bulk of the country, the vast swathes of this land who have had to endure repressed and constrained movement for lord only knows what reason.
In locking off Auckland, Timaru got caught up as well, as did Arrowtown, Westport, New Plymouth, Nelson; how long do you want the list to be?
And in that net were the bars and cafes that closed or got hammered in terms of turnover and customer numbers.
Level 2 isn't the end of the world, but that’s the reverse psychology of all of this, isn't it? The same way the doom merchants of Auckland freaked out about a level 4 lockdown and when they got 3 they, instead of seeing it for what it was, a massive over reaction, actually breathed a sigh of relief.
For the bulk of the country level 2 isn't as bad as level 3. But it's worse than level one, which is worse than zero, and one is where you should be, but you're not.
It's the Grant Robertson trick. Find someone, or something that is really bad or useless and go, "see look at that mess, we are nothing like that mess.” And instead of going, "no, why would we be?" We go, "oh yeah, so it's not so bad after all."
There is simply no reason for the South Island to have been inconvenienced in any way whatsoever. Queenstown, already in trouble because of the border, sits thousands of kilometres away from a South Auckland cluster, and is being hammered again by the removal of domestic tourists.
Sport has been hammered, pubs have been hammered, hospitality generally has been hammered.
You don’t have cases, haven't had cases, aren't within miles of any cases and yet you are paying the price. Why, and why if you're not, aren't you angry?
It is, yet again, a tangible outworking of why the panic this government operates under as a strategy, doesn't work because they don’t have the tools. Like contact tracing, testing and an app that has the uptake to actually be effective.
A cluster in a small area should not lockdown a whole city, far less inconvenience an entire country.
We have to learn to deal. If our border is going to continue to leak, and that’s another matter altogether, we have to learn to deal with an outbreak without taking a mallet to the whole nation. Yes, we are a small country, but the pub curtailed in Blenheim, because of a cool store in South Auckland is too high a price to pay.
And you will note there is no promise this won't be happening again, and again, and again.]]>137falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-government-s-unlawful-lockdown--1008270The Week in Covid News.
2/10.
"Who thought last Friday as we got two weeks of level three and two, that things would be exposed the way they have?"
Covid Testing.
0/10.
"That’s the greatest scandal of all.
Michael Morrah, who asked the question no one else did, certainly not the government, is owed a debt of gratitude by us all."
Elimination.
5/10.
"It still has obvious merit.
But at what cost? And those asking for cost-benefit revisits are asking the right questions."
Vaccines.
7/10.
"You've never seen so much money tossed at something that still hasn’t happened.
But keep asking, just where is it we are in the queue?"
Andrew Borrowdale.
8/10.
"Another person that needs our gratitude. He tested what needed testing.
A government that acts unlawfully is a government to be ashamed of."
The Election Date Change.
7/10.
"Yes, the right thing to do.
The only thing to do."
The Economy.
8/10.
"A welcome bright spot.
Manufacturing up, services sector up, spending generally up, and the housing market almost universally backed as being more than okay."
Joe Biden.
6/10.
"Got there in the end in the weirdest contest ever that started with everyone from Kamala Harris, to Pete Buttigieg, to Kirsten Gillibrand, to Beto O'Rourke, to Andrew Yang.
And yet polls show so many of the votes he might get are not because of who he is, but who he isn't."
The Vodafone Warriors.
9/10.
"On the verge this week of being shafted in the most abysmal way by Telstra.
They deserved better and got it."
Ronnie O'Sullivan.
9/10.
"World Champion on the snooker table again.
Doesn't play a lot, and yet still the best in the world, and sensationally cool with it."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22966106/mh210820-14-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 20 Aug 2020 22:33:39 +0000RoccoAt 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 Week in Covid News. 2/10. "Who thought last Friday as we got two weeks of level three and two, that things would be exposed the...The Week in Covid News.
2/10.
"Who thought last Friday as we got two weeks of level three and two, that things would be exposed the way they have?"
Covid Testing.
0/10.
"That’s the greatest scandal of all.
Michael Morrah, who asked the question no one else did, certainly not the government, is owed a debt of gratitude by us all."
Elimination.
5/10.
"It still has obvious merit.
But at what cost? And those asking for cost-benefit revisits are asking the right questions."
Vaccines.
7/10.
"You've never seen so much money tossed at something that still hasn’t happened.
But keep asking, just where is it we are in the queue?"
Andrew Borrowdale.
8/10.
"Another person that needs our gratitude. He tested what needed testing.
A government that acts unlawfully is a government to be ashamed of."
The Election Date Change.
7/10.
"Yes, the right thing to do.
The only thing to do."
The Economy.
8/10.
"A welcome bright spot.
Manufacturing up, services sector up, spending generally up, and the housing market almost universally backed as being more than okay."
Joe Biden.
6/10.
"Got there in the end in the weirdest contest ever that started with everyone from Kamala Harris, to Pete Buttigieg, to Kirsten Gillibrand, to Beto O'Rourke, to Andrew Yang.
And yet polls show so many of the votes he might get are not because of who he is, but who he isn't."
The Vodafone Warriors.
9/10.
"On the verge this week of being shafted in the most abysmal way by Telstra.
They deserved better and got it."
Ronnie O'Sullivan.
9/10.
"World Champion on the snooker table again.
Doesn't play a lot, and yet still the best in the world, and sensationally cool with it."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>176falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-we-deserved-a-better-covid-response--1008385Essentially, we all got there in the end, didn't we? We need a border force. Labour want a border force, now that they've worked out their Dad's Army approach has failed spectacularly. New Zealand First always, apparently, wanted a border force. Funny we only found out about it this week, as they develop their election strategy of claiming everything that was ever good, and running from everything that wasn't.
National would get you tested before you enter the plane, makes sense. Plenty of others already do that. It would be run by a single agency, not the mad mix of all and sundry the current government seems to have chosen.


But it represents a simple truth when it comes to facing up to the mess we have. There aren't actually any magic bullets. Yes, a border force is the answer, so essentially everyone comes up with the same policy.
But the key, and this is why this past week has been such a disaster for the Government, is how you enact ideas, and how you deliver policy. The idea and the concept are but one part of the puzzle. Making it actually work is the other and it clearly requires a skill, dexterity, dedication, and work ethic Labour doesn't possess.
If Labour lose the election because of this, and only the true apparatchik would scoff now at such a suggestion, this will be the week where the rot really sets in. What was supposed to be 14 days of another lockdown for a chunk of the country and an annoying inconvenience for the rest, actually turned into a full-blown scandal.
Jacinda Ardern in full spin may well have been able to manage the disappointment of a level three due to this "tricky virus".
But when it became clear that the border leaks, the guards were asleep, the social distancing was a joke, and the testing wasn't being done despite all the reassurances, it became frighteningly clear that the Government had learned nothing from the first lockdown, were sensationally lazy in failing to check what they wanted was actually unfolding, and yet again relied on Labour's favourite excuse, that's what the officials told them.
If the officials told Ardern the sky was purple, every Tuesday she'd argue black and blue that it was, until it became obvious it wasn't, and then blame someone else for not looking up to check.
Business has lost faith, we have lost faith. The shots on those beaches told you that last weekend. The conversation for the first time has turned openly and frequently to elimination being suspect, if not wrong and impossible.
And if all that wasn't bad enough, the court ruled and told us that the first nine days of the original lockdown were unlawful.
Yes, a royal commission is required, yes heads should have rolled, and yes, my god yes, we deserved a hell of a lot better.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22966098/mh210820-01-nationalborderpolicycomment.mp3Thu, 20 Aug 2020 21:31:01 +0000RoccoThe National Party's border policy smacks of the thinking of a party with recent experience in government. Essentially, we all got there in the end, didn't we? We need a border force. Labour want a border force, now that they've worked out their Dad's...Essentially, we all got there in the end, didn't we? We need a border force. Labour want a border force, now that they've worked out their Dad's Army approach has failed spectacularly. New Zealand First always, apparently, wanted a border force. Funny we only found out about it this week, as they develop their election strategy of claiming everything that was ever good, and running from everything that wasn't.
National would get you tested before you enter the plane, makes sense. Plenty of others already do that. It would be run by a single agency, not the mad mix of all and sundry the current government seems to have chosen.


But it represents a simple truth when it comes to facing up to the mess we have. There aren't actually any magic bullets. Yes, a border force is the answer, so essentially everyone comes up with the same policy.
But the key, and this is why this past week has been such a disaster for the Government, is how you enact ideas, and how you deliver policy. The idea and the concept are but one part of the puzzle. Making it actually work is the other and it clearly requires a skill, dexterity, dedication, and work ethic Labour doesn't possess.
If Labour lose the election because of this, and only the true apparatchik would scoff now at such a suggestion, this will be the week where the rot really sets in. What was supposed to be 14 days of another lockdown for a chunk of the country and an annoying inconvenience for the rest, actually turned into a full-blown scandal.
Jacinda Ardern in full spin may well have been able to manage the disappointment of a level three due to this "tricky virus".
But when it became clear that the border leaks, the guards were asleep, the social distancing was a joke, and the testing wasn't being done despite all the reassurances, it became frighteningly clear that the Government had learned nothing from the first lockdown, were sensationally lazy in failing to check what they wanted was actually unfolding, and yet again relied on Labour's favourite excuse, that's what the officials told them.
If the officials told Ardern the sky was purple, every Tuesday she'd argue black and blue that it was, until it became obvious it wasn't, and then blame someone else for not looking up to check.
Business has lost faith, we have lost faith. The shots on those beaches told you that last weekend. The conversation for the first time has turned openly and frequently to elimination being suspect, if not wrong and impossible.
And if all that wasn't bad enough, the court ruled and told us that the first nine days of the original lockdown were unlawful.
Yes, a royal commission is required, yes heads should have rolled, and yes, my god yes, we deserved a hell of a lot better.]]>151falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-government-hits-the-panic-button-again--1008405The Prime Minister, in yet another one of her spin exercises, talked yesterday at the one o'clock lecture from the pulpit of truth of constant improvement. I think most of us know that there is no constant improvement, has been no constant improvement, and that is why we are in the mess we are.
What we have had is no improvement, and indeed no real change. What we have had is a Ministry and a government asleep at the wheel. To be fair it’s a Ministry asleep at the wheel, and a government distracted, wandering around the country banging their drum of success over the never before seen 100 plus days of elimination. That, of course, not to be elimination at all.
The military replacing private security firms is like a lot of the decisions made of late, obvious, and yet nowhere near in time.
Guards were asleep at work, we had concerns out of Australia of guards' involvement in both Melbourne and Sydney. In other words, lots of red flags that employing people with no real stake in the game is dangerous in facilities that, if you have seen the photos, are as slack as.
Sir Brian and Simpson are a direct challenge to Bloomfield and his role. Not only is it a challenge, it's a vote of no confidence. After all Sir Brian and Simpson aren't hands on help, they're not administering tests, they're not doing the genomic work, they're making sure that what Bloomfield and his Ministry says is happening, is actually happening.
Why they're needed I've got no idea, given you'd think the Prime Minister and the specific Ministers were more than capable of being on the phone and in the faces of those who they need to hold to account.
But that’s this government, isn't it? So many people, so many departments, .and so many balls up then requiring extra resource on top of the resource. It's numbers, not efficiency. Just having more people hanging out doesn’t get done what needs doing.
Clark went, Hipkins in, Woods in, Webb in, now Sir Brian and Simpson in, and Bloomfield sidelined. It's shuffling, scrambling, and patching.  
Is this as the Prime Minister spins, constant improvement, or constant panic? ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22966023/mh200820-14-roachandsimpsoncomment.mp3Thu, 20 Aug 2020 04:05:52 +0000RoccoSo here comes the military, again. And here comes Heather Simpson, and here comes Sir Brian Roche. The Prime Minister, in yet another one of her spin exercises, talked yesterday at the one o'clock lecture from the pulpit of truth of constant...The Prime Minister, in yet another one of her spin exercises, talked yesterday at the one o'clock lecture from the pulpit of truth of constant improvement. I think most of us know that there is no constant improvement, has been no constant improvement, and that is why we are in the mess we are.
What we have had is no improvement, and indeed no real change. What we have had is a Ministry and a government asleep at the wheel. To be fair it’s a Ministry asleep at the wheel, and a government distracted, wandering around the country banging their drum of success over the never before seen 100 plus days of elimination. That, of course, not to be elimination at all.
The military replacing private security firms is like a lot of the decisions made of late, obvious, and yet nowhere near in time.
Guards were asleep at work, we had concerns out of Australia of guards' involvement in both Melbourne and Sydney. In other words, lots of red flags that employing people with no real stake in the game is dangerous in facilities that, if you have seen the photos, are as slack as.
Sir Brian and Simpson are a direct challenge to Bloomfield and his role. Not only is it a challenge, it's a vote of no confidence. After all Sir Brian and Simpson aren't hands on help, they're not administering tests, they're not doing the genomic work, they're making sure that what Bloomfield and his Ministry says is happening, is actually happening.
Why they're needed I've got no idea, given you'd think the Prime Minister and the specific Ministers were more than capable of being on the phone and in the faces of those who they need to hold to account.
But that’s this government, isn't it? So many people, so many departments, .and so many balls up then requiring extra resource on top of the resource. It's numbers, not efficiency. Just having more people hanging out doesn’t get done what needs doing.
Clark went, Hipkins in, Woods in, Webb in, now Sir Brian and Simpson in, and Bloomfield sidelined. It's shuffling, scrambling, and patching.  
Is this as the Prime Minister spins, constant improvement, or constant panic? ]]>117falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-hotel-case-another-sign-of-bureaucratic-incompetence--1008446A maintenance worker at one of the hotels has Covid. This case isn’t linked to the mess that has the country in level 3 and 2. According to the minister of health, they would not have had contact with guests.
Which, of course, begs the question, how does he have Covid? All the government can say is it’s a mystery. Isn’t everything, conveniently, a mystery?
The man was tested on the 13th as part of routine testing. The routine testing only came into being because of the mess that got exposed last week.
Ask yourself: if the government hadn’t been caught out, would this bloke have been tested in routine testing if there wasn’t routine testing?
The government still insist that operations at these hotels is water tight, and yet i think most of us who have followed this will have seen the photos sent in by guests that show no social distancing no PPE, no gloves, no masks.
We once again ask the question why aren’t we running quarantine like Australia is? You are in your room, you don’t leave, military are in the hallways - full stop.
Sort of like we asked why don’t we round Covid positive cases up and stick them in quarantine, remember that last week? Bloomfield said we round up sheep, not people; later that afternoon, they round up people.
So make no mistake; the hotels are loose, and the trouble has just started.
Add also the growing and yes entirely predictable outcry over air crew who get to fly into the country, get next to no medical attention, then head home and then back to work. If you think that system isn’t fraught, your name’s probably Chris Hipkins.
Hipkins and Bloomfield were asked at the 1pm briefing yesterday about those rules and regulations. Neither had an answer or knew any detail of them. Ask yourself why.
This entire exercise from start to now has been piecemeal, its whack a mole as problem after problem, cock up after cock up is exposed.
Everything is retrospective, everything has a chase your tail feel to it. What we are seeing is we are being led by kindly yet largely bureaucratic incompetents –Bloomfield, Hipkins and Clark before him – who aren’t up to it, and they are led by a prime minister who isn’t across detail or interested in it, and trusts officialdom to a dangerous extent.
If they knew what they were doing, we wouldn’t be where we are in.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22966015/mh190820-01-managedisolationissuescomment.mp3Wed, 19 Aug 2020 09:09:54 +0000RoccoYou are about to see, if we haven’t already, that the border is leaking, and that the measures in place aren’t up to it and never were. A maintenance worker at one of the hotels has Covid. This case isn’t linked to the mess that has the country in...A maintenance worker at one of the hotels has Covid. This case isn’t linked to the mess that has the country in level 3 and 2. According to the minister of health, they would not have had contact with guests.
Which, of course, begs the question, how does he have Covid? All the government can say is it’s a mystery. Isn’t everything, conveniently, a mystery?
The man was tested on the 13th as part of routine testing. The routine testing only came into being because of the mess that got exposed last week.
Ask yourself: if the government hadn’t been caught out, would this bloke have been tested in routine testing if there wasn’t routine testing?
The government still insist that operations at these hotels is water tight, and yet i think most of us who have followed this will have seen the photos sent in by guests that show no social distancing no PPE, no gloves, no masks.
We once again ask the question why aren’t we running quarantine like Australia is? You are in your room, you don’t leave, military are in the hallways - full stop.
Sort of like we asked why don’t we round Covid positive cases up and stick them in quarantine, remember that last week? Bloomfield said we round up sheep, not people; later that afternoon, they round up people.
So make no mistake; the hotels are loose, and the trouble has just started.
Add also the growing and yes entirely predictable outcry over air crew who get to fly into the country, get next to no medical attention, then head home and then back to work. If you think that system isn’t fraught, your name’s probably Chris Hipkins.
Hipkins and Bloomfield were asked at the 1pm briefing yesterday about those rules and regulations. Neither had an answer or knew any detail of them. Ask yourself why.
This entire exercise from start to now has been piecemeal, its whack a mole as problem after problem, cock up after cock up is exposed.
Everything is retrospective, everything has a chase your tail feel to it. What we are seeing is we are being led by kindly yet largely bureaucratic incompetents –Bloomfield, Hipkins and Clark before him – who aren’t up to it, and they are led by a prime minister who isn’t across detail or interested in it, and trusts officialdom to a dangerous extent.
If they knew what they were doing, we wouldn’t be where we are in.]]>128falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-where-is-the-leadership--1008414The fact Australia is seeing the arrival back of international students next month and we aren't is example one. Listen to our Prime Minister yesterday being told the news, she had no answer, she had no plan, she hadn't thought about it, she started offering excuses. Like Australia wasn’t getting many back, and Australia was concentrating them in certain areas.
Yes, and yes. That’s called a plan, that’s a trial, that’s working out what works, and what doesn’t. Doing nothing, which is her attitude and approach, isn't working. It isn't solving the problem, it isn't bringing some of the $5 billion we've lost back into the country.
It's an abdication of duty and responsibility that we aren't leading the way, thinking about leading the way, or looking at all possible avenues to generate income for this country.
What makes it worse is the universities have already addressed this with the government. They have a solution, they can run the programme themselves, they have the facilities, and they have solved their own issues. But no, the government must do everything, and yet it’s the government that are doing nothing.
Example two is elective surgery. Once again the Prime Minister was surprised. Is it really necessary to cancel all elective surgery in the country's largest city just for level three, and a cluster of 50 odd people?
The answer is no.
But the fact the Prime Minister was taken aback by the health reaction tells you two things. She hadn't thought through the consequences of going to level thee and two, and the public service are so fear bound that the go to position is to cancel everything. Like he 2000 beds in level four that were filled by 22 people as thousands gave up their operations and treatments.
While we are at it, the Australians are going after Google in terms of adverting to help local media. We talked about that, remember? What have we done? Nothing.
Leadership is the most critical of skills. Foresight, planning, insight, determination, respect, reassurance, and even the odd bit of surprise. Yet look at the border, look at universities, look at elective surgery, look at Google. And that's just the here and now.
Where is the leadership? Where is the sense that the adults are in charge here? Where are the adults?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22965943/mh190820-12-foreignstudentseleetivesurgerycomments.mp3Tue, 18 Aug 2020 21:47:18 +0000RoccoIf leadership is a test of this election, and like all elections it should be, surely we are seeing some fairly gargantuan issues emerge. The fact Australia is seeing the arrival back of international students next month and we aren't is example one....The fact Australia is seeing the arrival back of international students next month and we aren't is example one. Listen to our Prime Minister yesterday being told the news, she had no answer, she had no plan, she hadn't thought about it, she started offering excuses. Like Australia wasn’t getting many back, and Australia was concentrating them in certain areas.
Yes, and yes. That’s called a plan, that’s a trial, that’s working out what works, and what doesn’t. Doing nothing, which is her attitude and approach, isn't working. It isn't solving the problem, it isn't bringing some of the $5 billion we've lost back into the country.
It's an abdication of duty and responsibility that we aren't leading the way, thinking about leading the way, or looking at all possible avenues to generate income for this country.
What makes it worse is the universities have already addressed this with the government. They have a solution, they can run the programme themselves, they have the facilities, and they have solved their own issues. But no, the government must do everything, and yet it’s the government that are doing nothing.
Example two is elective surgery. Once again the Prime Minister was surprised. Is it really necessary to cancel all elective surgery in the country's largest city just for level three, and a cluster of 50 odd people?
The answer is no.
But the fact the Prime Minister was taken aback by the health reaction tells you two things. She hadn't thought through the consequences of going to level thee and two, and the public service are so fear bound that the go to position is to cancel everything. Like he 2000 beds in level four that were filled by 22 people as thousands gave up their operations and treatments.
While we are at it, the Australians are going after Google in terms of adverting to help local media. We talked about that, remember? What have we done? Nothing.
Leadership is the most critical of skills. Foresight, planning, insight, determination, respect, reassurance, and even the odd bit of surprise. Yet look at the border, look at universities, look at elective surgery, look at Google. And that's just the here and now.
Where is the leadership? Where is the sense that the adults are in charge here? Where are the adults?]]>126falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-election-delay-the-right-call-but-will-hurt-jacinda-ardern-s-chances--1008415I have been astonished over the past week or so to hear at least two so-called political experts from universities arguing there was no need to delay the election. Frighteningly, these are the people who fill young minds with what, in this case, is almost party political broadcast material.
The Prime Minister clearly wasn't overly keen on an extension either. But to seriously contemplate, as our political wonks at universities were, simply to carry on as though nothing had happened is to undermine the entire political process, not to mention tradition and simple fairness.
The Opposition hasn't even launched its campaign.
We look on at Belarus with questions. What do you think the world would make of a country where the Government's major party launched their campaign, then locked a solid chunk of the country down, made freedom of movement tricky for the rest of it, and had the official Opposition with no launch at all?
So a delay was a given.
I had, as you may have heard yesterday, predicted October 17 as the date.
I had that without having to ask the myriad of people the Prime Minister waded through.
Fairness was the simple guiding light. Given, once you'd decided you had to delay you could pick any date and if it was only dates you were weighing up in isolation, any date would do. So October 17 is the first Saturday past the school holidays. Easy.
Now, does it help or hinder? The reluctance from the Prime Minister to move the date is because it hinders her, and she knows it. Every day beyond September 19 is a day the Government has to explain this current mess. The border breach, the lack of testing, the very reason we are here is because it has failed to deliver what it said it had.
Up until last week it made much of the 100 days Covid-free. It called this the Covid Election, there would be barely any policy because it had eliminated the virus.
Sadly, that whole platform is blown to bits. Another two weeks of the country's biggest economy locked down, the flow-on effects for the rest of the country, and a billion-dollar-plus bill from the diminishing pile of borrowed money. It is not a good look, and a world away from what it thought it was campaigning on.
It's good for National, which gets a launch, and a platform to argue alternatives. And it's good for New Zealand First, which gets time to save itself.
It was always going to be closer than many of the Labour acolytes thought. But now with another month, and yet more bungles to spin, the tide on a government that's messed it up and failed to deliver is going out.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22965853/mh180820-01-electiondelaycomment.mp3Mon, 17 Aug 2020 21:24:14 +0000RoccoIt was, of course, the only call to make. I have been astonished over the past week or so to hear at least two so-called political experts from universities arguing there was no need to delay the election. Frighteningly, these are the people who fill...I have been astonished over the past week or so to hear at least two so-called political experts from universities arguing there was no need to delay the election. Frighteningly, these are the people who fill young minds with what, in this case, is almost party political broadcast material.
The Prime Minister clearly wasn't overly keen on an extension either. But to seriously contemplate, as our political wonks at universities were, simply to carry on as though nothing had happened is to undermine the entire political process, not to mention tradition and simple fairness.
The Opposition hasn't even launched its campaign.
We look on at Belarus with questions. What do you think the world would make of a country where the Government's major party launched their campaign, then locked a solid chunk of the country down, made freedom of movement tricky for the rest of it, and had the official Opposition with no launch at all?
So a delay was a given.
I had, as you may have heard yesterday, predicted October 17 as the date.
I had that without having to ask the myriad of people the Prime Minister waded through.
Fairness was the simple guiding light. Given, once you'd decided you had to delay you could pick any date and if it was only dates you were weighing up in isolation, any date would do. So October 17 is the first Saturday past the school holidays. Easy.
Now, does it help or hinder? The reluctance from the Prime Minister to move the date is because it hinders her, and she knows it. Every day beyond September 19 is a day the Government has to explain this current mess. The border breach, the lack of testing, the very reason we are here is because it has failed to deliver what it said it had.
Up until last week it made much of the 100 days Covid-free. It called this the Covid Election, there would be barely any policy because it had eliminated the virus.
Sadly, that whole platform is blown to bits. Another two weeks of the country's biggest economy locked down, the flow-on effects for the rest of the country, and a billion-dollar-plus bill from the diminishing pile of borrowed money. It is not a good look, and a world away from what it thought it was campaigning on.
It's good for National, which gets a launch, and a platform to argue alternatives. And it's good for New Zealand First, which gets time to save itself.
It was always going to be closer than many of the Labour acolytes thought. But now with another month, and yet more bungles to spin, the tide on a government that's messed it up and failed to deliver is going out.]]>129falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-the-anger-s-growing-over-government-s-elimination-approach--1008434Given the government are obsessed with elimination, which is a word they should stop using, given it isn't and was never eliminated - it was suppressed until a mistake at the border was made.
So what we know is that next time, and there will be a next time, we get a leak, we are in lockdown for at least two weeks.
What would have been immeasurably more positive, uplifting, and realistic, is to say given it’s a cluster, given our contact tracing is world class, given we have electronic apps and contacts, we can safely move Auckland to level two and the rest of the country to level one after two and a half days.  
What that would have done is give us a read on how this country and its economy operates going forward. And even though many would think that’s still too conservative and economically damaging, at least it would have been a great deal more aggressive and sensible than what we got.
They are on a hiding to nothing. Until a vaccine or a change of government, we are at the hostage of control freaks who are maintaining an approach that has failed and the world has given up on. The amount of reading to be done on the damage of an elimination strategy is growing by the day, if not the hour.
We have gone from a fear of mass death and overwhelmed ICUs, to being obsessed over a comparative handful of people.
It's a cluster, it's not a mass outbreak. We have had all the time we needed to be ready. They said it would happen, they weren't ready. They’ve barely advanced in approach from March.
We don’t have the money to keep footing the bill, we don’t have the psychological where-with-all to withstand an ongoing fear that somehow, someway this is going to be happening over, over, and over again. The government's credibility was based on elimination, their word. They seemed to convince enough people they'd achieved it. They were wrong, they were always wrong.
And every time we now go through this, the resilience fades, the questions marks increase, and the anger grows. The tide is draining on support for this approach.
And that is why we have elections.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22965791/mh170820-01-eliminationcomment.mp3Sun, 16 Aug 2020 21:34:16 +0000RoccoSo this is it? This is our future? Given the government are obsessed with elimination, which is a word they should stop using, given it isn't and was never eliminated - it was suppressed until a mistake at the border was made. So what we know is that...Given the government are obsessed with elimination, which is a word they should stop using, given it isn't and was never eliminated - it was suppressed until a mistake at the border was made.
So what we know is that next time, and there will be a next time, we get a leak, we are in lockdown for at least two weeks.
What would have been immeasurably more positive, uplifting, and realistic, is to say given it’s a cluster, given our contact tracing is world class, given we have electronic apps and contacts, we can safely move Auckland to level two and the rest of the country to level one after two and a half days.  
What that would have done is give us a read on how this country and its economy operates going forward. And even though many would think that’s still too conservative and economically damaging, at least it would have been a great deal more aggressive and sensible than what we got.
They are on a hiding to nothing. Until a vaccine or a change of government, we are at the hostage of control freaks who are maintaining an approach that has failed and the world has given up on. The amount of reading to be done on the damage of an elimination strategy is growing by the day, if not the hour.
We have gone from a fear of mass death and overwhelmed ICUs, to being obsessed over a comparative handful of people.
It's a cluster, it's not a mass outbreak. We have had all the time we needed to be ready. They said it would happen, they weren't ready. They’ve barely advanced in approach from March.
We don’t have the money to keep footing the bill, we don’t have the psychological where-with-all to withstand an ongoing fear that somehow, someway this is going to be happening over, over, and over again. The government's credibility was based on elimination, their word. They seemed to convince enough people they'd achieved it. They were wrong, they were always wrong.
And every time we now go through this, the resilience fades, the questions marks increase, and the anger grows. The tide is draining on support for this approach.
And that is why we have elections.]]>120falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-we-have-the-right-to-be-suspicious--1008277Tuesday Night.
0/10.
"A sense of despondency, anger and disbelief."
Conspiracy Theories.
4/10.
"Too many people have gone mad.
There was nothing wrong with asking about the extraordinary coincidence between the government's new obsession with masks, testing, and lanyards. My word when Brownlee says the timing is interesting on Friday and Saturday, and by Tuesday he's right, can you blame suspicion?"
Supermarket Panic Buying and Elastic.
1/10.
"It's like we learned absolutely nothing."
The Labour Launch.
7/10.
"There was a sense it was officially underway.
And for political wonks it’s the best of times, no matter who you vote for."
The Greens.
6/10.
"Even when they tell you everyone gets a house.
It’s a just a reminder even the mad have a place in the political process."
Cars and Spending.
9/10.
"A record July for cars, all that holiday money turned into new wheels.
The tills were ringing as well. We were buying durables and food, and having a ball."
Kamala Harris .
8/10.
"It's a good ticket.
She, in many respects, outshines Joe Biden, which I think is the point.
Given if he wins he won't go a second time around."
The Warriors.
8/10.
"Two wins in a row, which at the best of times is a thrill, far less from the position of arduousness they currently face."
The Crusaders.
9/10.
"Winning, winning, winning.
They are as good a franchise in any sport, in any league, in any country."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22965607/mh140820-12-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 13 Aug 2020 22:50:50 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. Tuesday Night. 0/10. "A sense of despondency, anger and disbelief." Conspiracy Theories. 4/10. "Too many people have gone mad....Tuesday Night.
0/10.
"A sense of despondency, anger and disbelief."
Conspiracy Theories.
4/10.
"Too many people have gone mad.
There was nothing wrong with asking about the extraordinary coincidence between the government's new obsession with masks, testing, and lanyards. My word when Brownlee says the timing is interesting on Friday and Saturday, and by Tuesday he's right, can you blame suspicion?"
Supermarket Panic Buying and Elastic.
1/10.
"It's like we learned absolutely nothing."
The Labour Launch.
7/10.
"There was a sense it was officially underway.
And for political wonks it’s the best of times, no matter who you vote for."
The Greens.
6/10.
"Even when they tell you everyone gets a house.
It’s a just a reminder even the mad have a place in the political process."
Cars and Spending.
9/10.
"A record July for cars, all that holiday money turned into new wheels.
The tills were ringing as well. We were buying durables and food, and having a ball."
Kamala Harris .
8/10.
"It's a good ticket.
She, in many respects, outshines Joe Biden, which I think is the point.
Given if he wins he won't go a second time around."
The Warriors.
8/10.
"Two wins in a row, which at the best of times is a thrill, far less from the position of arduousness they currently face."
The Crusaders.
9/10.
"Winning, winning, winning.
They are as good a franchise in any sport, in any league, in any country."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>156falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-what-a-gutting-week--1008465Those were the days when we had sport, crowds, and cafes sold you coffee.
By Tuesday that was shattered. A lot was shattered, like the delusion that an elimination strategy can actually work. That’s the big question going forward, once again we ask, what's our plan? Beyond taking this day by day, oiling the squeaky wheel with welfare money we don’t have, how are we going to face the world? Deal with the world? Be a part of the world? Especially in a world where elimination, short of a vaccine isn't happening, and we sit isolated with a failed policy.
Or are we happy with  the way we are doing this? Is this weeks disappointment and despondency, not to mention anger and frustration, just the way it is?
A couple of months of freedom, then a lockdown. Start your business, stop your business. Do we think we can afford that?
Which is why we should also talk about the election, it needs delaying if Auckland goes beyond tonight. Level Two is hardly the end of the world, Level Three is no longer a level playing field. Campaigns need to be run, policies released, debates had, questions asked, and examinations conducted. That is how we do it, and it's how we expect to do it. Upending it makes this even more political than it already is. And make no mistake, this is highly political.
The Prime Minister gets a pulpit every day. No other political party enjoys that. They made this a Covid election, they called it a Covid election.
As we end this week, there is a palpable change in mood from what we felt like last week, and from what we felt last time.
Last time it was fear and the unknown, this time it’s a gutting disappointment. A realisation that elimination isn't real, and never was.
And a sense given what we've learned over the months about PPE, testing, the flu jab, the likelihood this latest mess is a border slip up, like the last border slip up where there wasn't testing and Thelma and Louise were on the run to Wellington, the trust in the government is drying up for good reason. That’s actually why we have elections, reputations and records are tested.
We really need to start thinking and talking big picture.
But for right now, let's hope midnight tonight is it.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22965598/mh140820-01-theweekcomment.mp3Thu, 13 Aug 2020 21:34:28 +0000RoccoDidn’t the week start so well, eh? The Warriors had won twice in a row from a lockdown of their own, the Crusaders wrapped up the rugby a week early, and we had the sell out this weekend. Those were the days when we had sport, crowds, and cafes sold...Those were the days when we had sport, crowds, and cafes sold you coffee.
By Tuesday that was shattered. A lot was shattered, like the delusion that an elimination strategy can actually work. That’s the big question going forward, once again we ask, what's our plan? Beyond taking this day by day, oiling the squeaky wheel with welfare money we don’t have, how are we going to face the world? Deal with the world? Be a part of the world? Especially in a world where elimination, short of a vaccine isn't happening, and we sit isolated with a failed policy.
Or are we happy with  the way we are doing this? Is this weeks disappointment and despondency, not to mention anger and frustration, just the way it is?
A couple of months of freedom, then a lockdown. Start your business, stop your business. Do we think we can afford that?
Which is why we should also talk about the election, it needs delaying if Auckland goes beyond tonight. Level Two is hardly the end of the world, Level Three is no longer a level playing field. Campaigns need to be run, policies released, debates had, questions asked, and examinations conducted. That is how we do it, and it's how we expect to do it. Upending it makes this even more political than it already is. And make no mistake, this is highly political.
The Prime Minister gets a pulpit every day. No other political party enjoys that. They made this a Covid election, they called it a Covid election.
As we end this week, there is a palpable change in mood from what we felt like last week, and from what we felt last time.
Last time it was fear and the unknown, this time it’s a gutting disappointment. A realisation that elimination isn't real, and never was.
And a sense given what we've learned over the months about PPE, testing, the flu jab, the likelihood this latest mess is a border slip up, like the last border slip up where there wasn't testing and Thelma and Louise were on the run to Wellington, the trust in the government is drying up for good reason. That’s actually why we have elections, reputations and records are tested.
We really need to start thinking and talking big picture.
But for right now, let's hope midnight tonight is it.]]>126falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-government-has-well-and-truly-stuffed-this-up--1008511We have people "in the know." There is an armada of people who knew Level Three was coming, even more know that we will be in Level Four by Monday.
We have people who know people, who know people. There are people who know for a fact these cases don’t even exist, that all the talk about masks, tests, and lanyards was the softening up for what came Tuesday night.
I tell you what, Bloomfield clearly spends most of his time just leaking astonishing amounts of detail. I'm surprised he had time to take that test on Tuesday.
That, by the way was a stunt that the media, sadly, because most of them long ago let go of any pretense around being neutral, failed to see as a stunt.
And it was a stunt as a result of the Prime Minister being sprung on this show Monday for not having had a single test, despite spending the previous days telling everyone to say yes to a test, contact trace, wear a lanyard, download an app, and get a mask.
She, of course, couldn’t front up all of a sudden and do a public test, that would have been too embarrassing. So poor old Bloomfield was thrown under the bus yet again and dispatched to give the media their headline and happy snap, that their administration were at least superficially doing what they were expecting the rest of us to .
For what it's worth and call me sensationally naive, but I am one of the few who seem to believe we'll be out of this by tomorrow night.
Why? Because the government can't afford not to be. They've blown this, their calling card is in tatters, the Covid free status that formed their campaign, and the Covid free election is now shot to bits.
They wouldn't have been so stupid to name Friday if they didn’t think they could deliver. In an election campaign, and make no mistake the campaign hasn’t stopped, the pitch for love, support and your vote rolls on unabated. But in an election campaign,you under-promise and over-deliver.
You don’t say Friday, then go, "whoops it's Level Four, and it'll be weeks."
That, by the way, I didn’t hear from Bloomfield, it's just common sense.        ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22965522/mh130820-12-ashleybloomfieldcomment.mp3Wed, 12 Aug 2020 21:49:24 +0000RoccoI have been astonished at how many people personally know Ashley Bloomfield or people who work directly with Bloomfield, who have been able to release in the golden gems of info they’ve gleaned from their highly prized conversations with him. We have...We have people "in the know." There is an armada of people who knew Level Three was coming, even more know that we will be in Level Four by Monday.
We have people who know people, who know people. There are people who know for a fact these cases don’t even exist, that all the talk about masks, tests, and lanyards was the softening up for what came Tuesday night.
I tell you what, Bloomfield clearly spends most of his time just leaking astonishing amounts of detail. I'm surprised he had time to take that test on Tuesday.
That, by the way was a stunt that the media, sadly, because most of them long ago let go of any pretense around being neutral, failed to see as a stunt.
And it was a stunt as a result of the Prime Minister being sprung on this show Monday for not having had a single test, despite spending the previous days telling everyone to say yes to a test, contact trace, wear a lanyard, download an app, and get a mask.
She, of course, couldn’t front up all of a sudden and do a public test, that would have been too embarrassing. So poor old Bloomfield was thrown under the bus yet again and dispatched to give the media their headline and happy snap, that their administration were at least superficially doing what they were expecting the rest of us to .
For what it's worth and call me sensationally naive, but I am one of the few who seem to believe we'll be out of this by tomorrow night.
Why? Because the government can't afford not to be. They've blown this, their calling card is in tatters, the Covid free status that formed their campaign, and the Covid free election is now shot to bits.
They wouldn't have been so stupid to name Friday if they didn’t think they could deliver. In an election campaign, and make no mistake the campaign hasn’t stopped, the pitch for love, support and your vote rolls on unabated. But in an election campaign,you under-promise and over-deliver.
You don’t say Friday, then go, "whoops it's Level Four, and it'll be weeks."
That, by the way, I didn’t hear from Bloomfield, it's just common sense.        ]]>121falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-community-cases-leave-plenty-of-unanswered-questions--1008291The international media have been interesting overnight. One headline had "New Zealand's Covid Freak Out." In other words, it's an awfully strong reaction to four cases.
Another headline called it the end of a golden run.
It does seem a massive reaction. If you're waking up in Timaru, Westport, Nelson, Napier, or New Plymouth this morning,  why are you in level two? Do you even remember what level two is? Is it really worth level three for Auckland and all the businesses that close that really can't afford to?
It also lends weight to the questions being asked these past few days. Just why, when we were celebrating 100 days of no community transmission, is the government launching yes to the test, and telling us to buy masks and we were running short of elastic? There was suspicion, that proved correct. Did they know something was wrong and didn't tell us?
I see a bit of a mess coming. Regionality given it's new, will lead to the old 6000 inane questions. The introduction of masks in different levels will confuse people around whether they're mandatory or voluntary.  Will people start freaking out about distancing again? Where does Auckland start and stop? Do planes fly? Can you conduct business? Do you leave town for a short break in Taupo? Is the Super Rugby still on? What about the election campaign?
In broader terms, is the same reaction coming every time we get a handful of cases?
The big question, of course, can we contact trace properly? PPE was a mess, the flu jab was a mess, if not a scandal as it was uncovered this week. The war footing was a con, the Medical Association said we don't have a hope in hell of rolling out a Covid vaccine.
And the really big question, how did this happen? Think about it, the borders have been closed for months, everyone entering is put in an isolation facility. There should be, has been, no community transmission. Who cocked it up?
A big day of questions and a sense of depressing deja vu.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22965443/mh120820-01-level3comment.mp3Tue, 11 Aug 2020 21:51:18 +0000RoccoIs there a sinking feeling? I think so. The international media have been interesting overnight. One headline had "New Zealand's Covid Freak Out." In other words, it's an awfully strong reaction to four cases. Another headline called it the end of a...The international media have been interesting overnight. One headline had "New Zealand's Covid Freak Out." In other words, it's an awfully strong reaction to four cases.
Another headline called it the end of a golden run.
It does seem a massive reaction. If you're waking up in Timaru, Westport, Nelson, Napier, or New Plymouth this morning,  why are you in level two? Do you even remember what level two is? Is it really worth level three for Auckland and all the businesses that close that really can't afford to?
It also lends weight to the questions being asked these past few days. Just why, when we were celebrating 100 days of no community transmission, is the government launching yes to the test, and telling us to buy masks and we were running short of elastic? There was suspicion, that proved correct. Did they know something was wrong and didn't tell us?
I see a bit of a mess coming. Regionality given it's new, will lead to the old 6000 inane questions. The introduction of masks in different levels will confuse people around whether they're mandatory or voluntary.  Will people start freaking out about distancing again? Where does Auckland start and stop? Do planes fly? Can you conduct business? Do you leave town for a short break in Taupo? Is the Super Rugby still on? What about the election campaign?
In broader terms, is the same reaction coming every time we get a handful of cases?
The big question, of course, can we contact trace properly? PPE was a mess, the flu jab was a mess, if not a scandal as it was uncovered this week. The war footing was a con, the Medical Association said we don't have a hope in hell of rolling out a Covid vaccine.
And the really big question, how did this happen? Think about it, the borders have been closed for months, everyone entering is put in an isolation facility. There should be, has been, no community transmission. Who cocked it up?
A big day of questions and a sense of depressing deja vu.  ]]>112falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-do-people-vote-on-policy--1008547Do people actually vote on policy?
Guns, for example. ACT have been smart on guns. They got a bunch of players on their list who are lined up and publicised as gun owners. This is to nab a few votes of New Zealand First who once held that spot in the minds of rural and semi-rural New Zealand, but let themselves down badly by hanging out with Labour who, in the end, could not have been more misguided on guns if they tried.
The gun buyback was about as ineffectual as you can be in looking to solve the problem they were, which is what to do about mad men and mass killings. The answer wasn't go to all the law abiding citizens who like to shoot targets and rabbits, and give them money to take their guns and destroy them.
But, if you vote for ACT because of guns, does a gun policy get enacted? I tried this with James Shaw yesterday, he didn't like it. In theory you make your policy designed to appeal to people so they will vote for you.
But that's it, isn't it? It's theory. The Greens will never be government, any more than ACT will be.
So then, I would have thought, you look to bottom lines. What's negotiable, and what isn't. In other words as a voter, if you did back a party what can you realistically expect to be top of the pile of stuff that will actually see the light of day?
As it turns out the Greens have none. Not a single bottom line. Not just that, of course, they're wedded to Labour, they have no other choices. So even if it all broke down, you know full well the Greens would let Labour govern, deal or no deal.
So in essence, what's the point of voting for the Greens? They have no bottom lines, they wont be the government, so you literally have no idea whether your vote will ever count for anything.
This is what made New Zealand First way more valuable. They, at least, could go either way in government, and they said they had bottom lines. But that brings us to the other problem, even when they said they did, like immigration, it never got enacted.
For Labour it was the Kiwibuild broken promise, and the light rail plug pulled by New Zealand First.
Anything can be explained away. It's MMP, it didn’t survive the talks, or they ran out of time.
So policy counts for what? If you're voting on it, it's a crap shoot.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22965333/mh110820-01-nopoliciescomment.mp3Mon, 10 Aug 2020 21:38:12 +0000RoccoHave you considered the fact that the so-called lack of policy around the election so far may not, in fact, be an issue? Do people actually vote on policy? Guns, for example. ACT have been smart on guns. They got a bunch of players on their list who...Do people actually vote on policy?
Guns, for example. ACT have been smart on guns. They got a bunch of players on their list who are lined up and publicised as gun owners. This is to nab a few votes of New Zealand First who once held that spot in the minds of rural and semi-rural New Zealand, but let themselves down badly by hanging out with Labour who, in the end, could not have been more misguided on guns if they tried.
The gun buyback was about as ineffectual as you can be in looking to solve the problem they were, which is what to do about mad men and mass killings. The answer wasn't go to all the law abiding citizens who like to shoot targets and rabbits, and give them money to take their guns and destroy them.
But, if you vote for ACT because of guns, does a gun policy get enacted? I tried this with James Shaw yesterday, he didn't like it. In theory you make your policy designed to appeal to people so they will vote for you.
But that's it, isn't it? It's theory. The Greens will never be government, any more than ACT will be.
So then, I would have thought, you look to bottom lines. What's negotiable, and what isn't. In other words as a voter, if you did back a party what can you realistically expect to be top of the pile of stuff that will actually see the light of day?
As it turns out the Greens have none. Not a single bottom line. Not just that, of course, they're wedded to Labour, they have no other choices. So even if it all broke down, you know full well the Greens would let Labour govern, deal or no deal.
So in essence, what's the point of voting for the Greens? They have no bottom lines, they wont be the government, so you literally have no idea whether your vote will ever count for anything.
This is what made New Zealand First way more valuable. They, at least, could go either way in government, and they said they had bottom lines. But that brings us to the other problem, even when they said they did, like immigration, it never got enacted.
For Labour it was the Kiwibuild broken promise, and the light rail plug pulled by New Zealand First.
Anything can be explained away. It's MMP, it didn’t survive the talks, or they ran out of time.
So policy counts for what? If you're voting on it, it's a crap shoot.]]>123falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-is-warriors-upheaval-the-key-to-their-comeback--1008552Normally we would start a Monday off the back of a win, with a word or two about how good it was, how good they are, how inspiring it all is, and how this is our year.
I haven't done it this year for fairly obvious reasons, apart from the start when I think we were all immeasurably uplifted by the NRL in general basically being the first in the world to get a major season back up and running under the most arduous of circumstances.
Peter V’landys who runs league still deserves every recognition for what he managed to achieve and we still enjoy week in week out. While other sports still struggle, for all intents and purposes, the league has had a pretty normal looking season.
The Warriors, though, have not only had to park up in another country, they've seen their owners take an already tricky season and tip it on its head.
Which makes the last two weeks little short of spectacular. Let’s be honest, two wins in a row is a reason to celebrate at the best of times, far less in a season like this. Hell, they’re three points outside the top eight.
To boost a good win and two good weekends we have Nathan Brown and Phil Gould lining up to turn it all round next year and take us to the promised land. The trick to upheaval is if you create it, it better be part of a big picture plan.
In other words, it better pay off.
Steven Kearney's demise was shockingly timed. Add the players who went home, the bulk of them who weren't hangers-on, they are major stars. Add blake greens treatment which I still argue was pretty shabby.
Look at people like Tuivasa-Sheck, who is without his family and the only bloke there with out his family, and one of the games greatest talents, surrounded by an increasing array of part-timers and loan players and a coach who didn’t want the job, and you'd forgive him for going bugger this for a game of soldiers.
And yet through it all, they stitch together two glorious wins in a row.
Adversity is a wonderful leveller. You learn who your mates are and you learn how deep you can dig when times are tough.
And no one’s had it tougher than the Warriors, and yet, as the Tigers and Manly will attest, the Warriors on their day are still magic, and if they can do it when it’s tough, imagine what awaits when life is back to normal.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22965318/mh100820-01-warriorscomment.mp3Mon, 10 Aug 2020 05:05:38 +0000RoccoI feel a bit remiss over my beloved Warriors. Normally we would start a Monday off the back of a win, with a word or two about how good it was, how good they are, how inspiring it all is, and how this is our year. I haven't done it this year for...Normally we would start a Monday off the back of a win, with a word or two about how good it was, how good they are, how inspiring it all is, and how this is our year.
I haven't done it this year for fairly obvious reasons, apart from the start when I think we were all immeasurably uplifted by the NRL in general basically being the first in the world to get a major season back up and running under the most arduous of circumstances.
Peter V’landys who runs league still deserves every recognition for what he managed to achieve and we still enjoy week in week out. While other sports still struggle, for all intents and purposes, the league has had a pretty normal looking season.
The Warriors, though, have not only had to park up in another country, they've seen their owners take an already tricky season and tip it on its head.
Which makes the last two weeks little short of spectacular. Let’s be honest, two wins in a row is a reason to celebrate at the best of times, far less in a season like this. Hell, they’re three points outside the top eight.
To boost a good win and two good weekends we have Nathan Brown and Phil Gould lining up to turn it all round next year and take us to the promised land. The trick to upheaval is if you create it, it better be part of a big picture plan.
In other words, it better pay off.
Steven Kearney's demise was shockingly timed. Add the players who went home, the bulk of them who weren't hangers-on, they are major stars. Add blake greens treatment which I still argue was pretty shabby.
Look at people like Tuivasa-Sheck, who is without his family and the only bloke there with out his family, and one of the games greatest talents, surrounded by an increasing array of part-timers and loan players and a coach who didn’t want the job, and you'd forgive him for going bugger this for a game of soldiers.
And yet through it all, they stitch together two glorious wins in a row.
Adversity is a wonderful leveller. You learn who your mates are and you learn how deep you can dig when times are tough.
And no one’s had it tougher than the Warriors, and yet, as the Tigers and Manly will attest, the Warriors on their day are still magic, and if they can do it when it’s tough, imagine what awaits when life is back to normal.]]>121falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-where-are-the-adults-in-charge-of-our-recovery--1008416In this mad old world of mixed messages, we seem to have an admission from the government that more specialist workers are going to be let into the country.
Good. We need them. We needed them yesterday, and last week, and the reluctance was driving various industries nuts.
But one step forward, one step back. The same government appears not remotely convinced over private enterprise getting into the quarantine business. Not good. Why not? Many of the scenarios are in fact the same people. In other words, some of the workers are required for large business that have a problem, like labour, and have a solution, like the where with all to do the quarantining and cover the costs.
This, by the way, isn't about the tertiary sector. Which it actually should be, given they too, offer a problem and a solution.
Why is the government not interested in being a hell of a lot more proactive than they are?
CRL, for example, the company building a massive hole through half of Auckland, have machines that cannot be driven by anyone in this country through lack of skill, and for a project massively behind schedule and over budget, you'd think the government would be bending over backwards to address that.
Even Helen Clark, who you would have thought might have an “in” with this lot, said so eloquently last week that we can do so much more. Yes, we can. What happened to "let's do this?"
So migrants in, but no to quarantine. It's sort of like, "haven't we done so well? But hold on, can you go stock up on masks and get a cotton bud up your nose and wear a lanyard?"
So which is it? Are we doing well? Or we going to level two?
Are we getting more workers? Or we letting the government be the sole provider of quarantine? And a massive choke point as a result that serves no ones demands, needs or purpose, or provides any sort of professional, well managed solution.
It's hopelessly piecemeal, it lacks coordination, and there doesn’t seem a plan. It's whack-a-mole with an economy that needs adults in charge. Where are the adults?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22965290/mh100820-12-bordercontrolscomment.mp3Sun, 09 Aug 2020 22:57:41 +0000RoccoAm I reading this right? In this mad old world of mixed messages, we seem to have an admission from the government that more specialist workers are going to be let into the country. Good. We need them. We needed them yesterday, and last week, and the...In this mad old world of mixed messages, we seem to have an admission from the government that more specialist workers are going to be let into the country.
Good. We need them. We needed them yesterday, and last week, and the reluctance was driving various industries nuts.
But one step forward, one step back. The same government appears not remotely convinced over private enterprise getting into the quarantine business. Not good. Why not? Many of the scenarios are in fact the same people. In other words, some of the workers are required for large business that have a problem, like labour, and have a solution, like the where with all to do the quarantining and cover the costs.
This, by the way, isn't about the tertiary sector. Which it actually should be, given they too, offer a problem and a solution.
Why is the government not interested in being a hell of a lot more proactive than they are?
CRL, for example, the company building a massive hole through half of Auckland, have machines that cannot be driven by anyone in this country through lack of skill, and for a project massively behind schedule and over budget, you'd think the government would be bending over backwards to address that.
Even Helen Clark, who you would have thought might have an “in” with this lot, said so eloquently last week that we can do so much more. Yes, we can. What happened to "let's do this?"
So migrants in, but no to quarantine. It's sort of like, "haven't we done so well? But hold on, can you go stock up on masks and get a cotton bud up your nose and wear a lanyard?"
So which is it? Are we doing well? Or we going to level two?
Are we getting more workers? Or we letting the government be the sole provider of quarantine? And a massive choke point as a result that serves no ones demands, needs or purpose, or provides any sort of professional, well managed solution.
It's hopelessly piecemeal, it lacks coordination, and there doesn’t seem a plan. It's whack-a-mole with an economy that needs adults in charge. Where are the adults?]]>108falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-border-complacency-is-economically-dangerous--1008397The Border.
4/10.
"We need to do better.
No, we don’t need to open it for all, but we need to do more.
Sir John Key says so, Helen Clark says so, Sir Peter Gluckman in that report some weeks back says so, and Rob Fyfe says so.
Our complacency is economically dangerous and ruinous."
Our Airports.
7/10.
"They're sorting a post Covid border opening by splitting terminals.
Our government isn't moving, why not?"
Jobs.
7/10.
"Because although the headline number is wrong, we still appear to be on the decent side of the trouble.
In other words, it could be a hell of a lot worse."
Jetstar.
7/10.
"They're back to 90 percent of their domestic schedule.
That’s demand, that's people spending money, flying, and that’s welcome."
Car Sales.
8/10.
"A July record.
Yes, some of it's pent up. But what wasn’t reported was the last couple of Julys were records.
So records on records."
The Provincial Growth Fund.
5/10.
"A good idea gone wrong, the Auditor General has flushed it out."
Valedictory Speeches.
6/10.
"Only for the wonks and obsessives to watch in detail, but they were odd this year.
They seem to reflect a time we are in. They were mean spirited, negative, and sort of sad.
Why do something you don’t love?"
Todd Payten.
7/10.
"Admired his honesty on the coaching job.
But it tells you something about the reality of the Warriors this year."
Blake Green.
6/10.
"Thanks for the contribution.
A good hire, a good contribution, but a shabby end."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22965099/mh070820-14-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 06 Aug 2020 23:18:21 +0000RoccoAt 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 Border. 4/10. "We need to do better. No, we don’t need to open it for all, but we need to do more. Sir John Key says so, Helen...The Border.
4/10.
"We need to do better.
No, we don’t need to open it for all, but we need to do more.
Sir John Key says so, Helen Clark says so, Sir Peter Gluckman in that report some weeks back says so, and Rob Fyfe says so.
Our complacency is economically dangerous and ruinous."
Our Airports.
7/10.
"They're sorting a post Covid border opening by splitting terminals.
Our government isn't moving, why not?"
Jobs.
7/10.
"Because although the headline number is wrong, we still appear to be on the decent side of the trouble.
In other words, it could be a hell of a lot worse."
Jetstar.
7/10.
"They're back to 90 percent of their domestic schedule.
That’s demand, that's people spending money, flying, and that’s welcome."
Car Sales.
8/10.
"A July record.
Yes, some of it's pent up. But what wasn’t reported was the last couple of Julys were records.
So records on records."
The Provincial Growth Fund.
5/10.
"A good idea gone wrong, the Auditor General has flushed it out."
Valedictory Speeches.
6/10.
"Only for the wonks and obsessives to watch in detail, but they were odd this year.
They seem to reflect a time we are in. They were mean spirited, negative, and sort of sad.
Why do something you don’t love?"
Todd Payten.
7/10.
"Admired his honesty on the coaching job.
But it tells you something about the reality of the Warriors this year."
Blake Green.
6/10.
"Thanks for the contribution.
A good hire, a good contribution, but a shabby end."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>148falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-this-isn-t-the-new-zealand-we-know-and-love--1008428Every home needs masks, so says Ashley Bloomfield. He wanted level two to last longer but the government overruled him. So I guess that indicates that he's running this programme by himself as opposed to being directed by a government that wants us freaking out long enough to reelect them.
But if you believe yesterday's Herald poll, and I do, a lot of people love Bloomfield, a closed border, a broke country, and a sense that what ever tomorrow holds doesn’t need thinking about right now, far less planning for.
What saddens me most is this isn't the New Zealand I know and love. This isn't the aspirational country I thought we purported to be. This isn't the country that boxes a mile above its weight.
It's now a country that thinks getting a good health outcome is enough. That a lockdown was plenty, there is nothing more to do, or worry about. We just sit here, for god knows how long going "look at us, didn't we do well."
Yes, we did do well. But we did well months ago and we have failed to move on. We have fallen for the Grant Robertson trick of reassuring ourselves how well we have done by looking and finding useless people and thinking because they are hopeless, we are less hopeless, therefore that’s plenty.
It isn't. Bloomfield is saying it's not if, but when, and the virus is coming. Why is it coming? Why are we setting our standards so low? Why are we offering up negative fait accompli?
I was fantastically reassured by Helen Clark. Say what you what about her if you're not a Labour luvvie but that’s a woman who, at least, is a globalist. Sir John Key is too, of course, but if you are a labour luvvie you hate him. And he took heat for his comments about rich Americans.
In that is my frustration, why do we hate rich Americans? Why do we now seemingly hate success? Why is what we have enough? Why aren't we desperate for more and better? Why aren't we more like Clark and Sir John, and want more for this country?
Why can one Labour leader be aspirational for us and urge us on, and the current Labour leader coast to the election with no policy, no plan, no desire to be better than what we are? Which is a small country locked off from the rest of the world with seemingly no real plan, and certainly no desire to ever reconnect.
Why is this it? Why don't we want more? Why don't we want to be what we once were?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22965089/mh070820-01-maskscomment.mp3Thu, 06 Aug 2020 21:34:45 +0000RoccoI end the week in a level of some despair. Every home needs masks, so says Ashley Bloomfield. He wanted level two to last longer but the government overruled him. So I guess that indicates that he's running this programme by himself as opposed to...Every home needs masks, so says Ashley Bloomfield. He wanted level two to last longer but the government overruled him. So I guess that indicates that he's running this programme by himself as opposed to being directed by a government that wants us freaking out long enough to reelect them.
But if you believe yesterday's Herald poll, and I do, a lot of people love Bloomfield, a closed border, a broke country, and a sense that what ever tomorrow holds doesn’t need thinking about right now, far less planning for.
What saddens me most is this isn't the New Zealand I know and love. This isn't the aspirational country I thought we purported to be. This isn't the country that boxes a mile above its weight.
It's now a country that thinks getting a good health outcome is enough. That a lockdown was plenty, there is nothing more to do, or worry about. We just sit here, for god knows how long going "look at us, didn't we do well."
Yes, we did do well. But we did well months ago and we have failed to move on. We have fallen for the Grant Robertson trick of reassuring ourselves how well we have done by looking and finding useless people and thinking because they are hopeless, we are less hopeless, therefore that’s plenty.
It isn't. Bloomfield is saying it's not if, but when, and the virus is coming. Why is it coming? Why are we setting our standards so low? Why are we offering up negative fait accompli?
I was fantastically reassured by Helen Clark. Say what you what about her if you're not a Labour luvvie but that’s a woman who, at least, is a globalist. Sir John Key is too, of course, but if you are a labour luvvie you hate him. And he took heat for his comments about rich Americans.
In that is my frustration, why do we hate rich Americans? Why do we now seemingly hate success? Why is what we have enough? Why aren't we desperate for more and better? Why aren't we more like Clark and Sir John, and want more for this country?
Why can one Labour leader be aspirational for us and urge us on, and the current Labour leader coast to the election with no policy, no plan, no desire to be better than what we are? Which is a small country locked off from the rest of the world with seemingly no real plan, and certainly no desire to ever reconnect.
Why is this it? Why don't we want more? Why don't we want to be what we once were?]]>129falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-provincial-growth-fund-another-incompetent-failure-by-government--1008399I called KiwiBuild bluff in October and November of 2017 before the government had even been formed. Even an amateur could see they were never going to build those houses in those numbers.
It’s a policy that should haunt them forever, it sums up in a nutshell just how utterly out of touch with the market they were.
And the other policy? The Provincial Growth Fund, a laudable idea that now officially has been busted with this week’s auditor general’s report
The signs were there all along sadly, the numbers they didn’t have, the money that hadn’t gone out the door, the jobs that didn’t actually eventuate.
But unlike KiwiBuild, there was little reason for it to fail other than the one that did it in: incompetence. 
The concept of money into the regions is not a bad one. The concept of boosting forgotten areas is fine. And no one has a cheque book like a government to do at times what the market is reluctant to.
But even Shane Jones who has been on this programme numerous times has known and admitted that he’s had trouble, he’s been open about the lack of stats.
The longer term projects he’s been right about, some of them take time to get up and running ,some need a report or scoping study to work out how they’re going to unfold, and he’s been open about paper work and bureaucracy.
But as much sympathy as you might want to award him, and I do, the cold hard facts can’t be avoided. $3 billion is an astonishing amount of money to do so little with.
And in that realisation is the realisation of the dangers of government and other people’s money. When it’s not yours, you get loose, fast.
When it’s not yours, you think nothing of spending $30 million on Lake Onslow, which wasn’t the PGF but stupid never the less. It’s already had a report written about it and a whole industry telling you it’s too expensive and not worth it, and yet you still go ahead.
You get trapped by the headlines of a jobs machine, the glare of the spotlight at a whole bunch of announcements and press releases and turning of the sod ceremonies. And yet three years on, you end up telling us there are more than 10,000 jobs when in reality there aren’t and the auditor general flushes you out
Delivery, delivery, delivery. This government even named a year for it, and yet their two biggest calling cards lie in tatters. ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22965059/mh060820-13-labourpolicyfailscomment.mp3Thu, 06 Aug 2020 04:55:40 +0000RoccoTwo major polices, one I liked, one I didn’t, yet both of them failed and seemingly failed miserably. I called KiwiBuild bluff in October and November of 2017 before the government had even been formed. Even an amateur could see they were never going...I called KiwiBuild bluff in October and November of 2017 before the government had even been formed. Even an amateur could see they were never going to build those houses in those numbers.
It’s a policy that should haunt them forever, it sums up in a nutshell just how utterly out of touch with the market they were.
And the other policy? The Provincial Growth Fund, a laudable idea that now officially has been busted with this week’s auditor general’s report
The signs were there all along sadly, the numbers they didn’t have, the money that hadn’t gone out the door, the jobs that didn’t actually eventuate.
But unlike KiwiBuild, there was little reason for it to fail other than the one that did it in: incompetence. 
The concept of money into the regions is not a bad one. The concept of boosting forgotten areas is fine. And no one has a cheque book like a government to do at times what the market is reluctant to.
But even Shane Jones who has been on this programme numerous times has known and admitted that he’s had trouble, he’s been open about the lack of stats.
The longer term projects he’s been right about, some of them take time to get up and running ,some need a report or scoping study to work out how they’re going to unfold, and he’s been open about paper work and bureaucracy.
But as much sympathy as you might want to award him, and I do, the cold hard facts can’t be avoided. $3 billion is an astonishing amount of money to do so little with.
And in that realisation is the realisation of the dangers of government and other people’s money. When it’s not yours, you get loose, fast.
When it’s not yours, you think nothing of spending $30 million on Lake Onslow, which wasn’t the PGF but stupid never the less. It’s already had a report written about it and a whole industry telling you it’s too expensive and not worth it, and yet you still go ahead.
You get trapped by the headlines of a jobs machine, the glare of the spotlight at a whole bunch of announcements and press releases and turning of the sod ceremonies. And yet three years on, you end up telling us there are more than 10,000 jobs when in reality there aren’t and the auditor general flushes you out
Delivery, delivery, delivery. This government even named a year for it, and yet their two biggest calling cards lie in tatters. ]]>128falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-unemployment-number-simply-not-real--1008293The unemployment number, originally forecast to be 9.8 percent, is in fact a jobs machine. 4 percent is your headline rate as of yesterday. It was 4.2, so it's trending down.
That lockdown was good for jobs. All those stories you heard about people getting laid off, the thousands upon thousands, what we didn’t realise is they all went out and got new jobs.
We've got the pivot to infrastructure and the shovel ready projects. Fortunately the fact that none of them are shovel ready, doesn’t matter, because there is work a plenty in an economy that is clearly booming.
How do we explain this? Artificiality, statistics, and distortion is the answer.
In an odd way, what an insult to everyone who has been laid off and joins the in excess of 200,000 on the jobseeker and other benefits. Their plight is clearly forgotten as we celebrate the statistical jobs machine that clearly is the New Zealand economy.
If you've ever struggled with statistics none of this helps. The headline figure is a joke, it's worse than Newshub's rogue poll. It's not real, the real answer is  the underutilised rate and that increased at record levels.  
But it does highlight the danger we are in. If $13 billion can buy you the sort of job protection it clearly has, you have to ask what sort of carnage is coming on as of September 1. Just how much artificiality is there in the economy? We've got the wage subsidy, the mortgage holidays, the deferrals, and the loans system with the banks and Inland Revenue.
That is all a false reality and it can't last. We simply don't have the where with all, to keep printing, keep borrowing, and keep living in la la land. The same way the spending we are currently seeing on cars,  art, and houses is pent up.
The carnage we will see next quarter, the quarter after that, and into the new year will be the flood of trouble and reality that is released when the sugar stops.
I hope ultimately the 9.8 percent unemployment they picked isn't that bad. Banks had yesterday's number at between five and seven percent, they couldn't have been more wrong.
But most of us, I think, suspect its wrong because the carnage is simply better hidden by the printed money than was previously thought. In other words the disease is there, it's currently just masked by a pile of artificial fiscal bandages.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22965007/mh060820-01-unemploymentcomment.mp3Wed, 05 Aug 2020 23:16:18 +0000RoccoWho knew? We have read this all wrong. Covid-19 is actually good for the economy, why didn’t we get it here faster? The unemployment number, originally forecast to be 9.8 percent, is in fact a jobs machine. 4 percent is your headline rate as of...The unemployment number, originally forecast to be 9.8 percent, is in fact a jobs machine. 4 percent is your headline rate as of yesterday. It was 4.2, so it's trending down.
That lockdown was good for jobs. All those stories you heard about people getting laid off, the thousands upon thousands, what we didn’t realise is they all went out and got new jobs.
We've got the pivot to infrastructure and the shovel ready projects. Fortunately the fact that none of them are shovel ready, doesn’t matter, because there is work a plenty in an economy that is clearly booming.
How do we explain this? Artificiality, statistics, and distortion is the answer.
In an odd way, what an insult to everyone who has been laid off and joins the in excess of 200,000 on the jobseeker and other benefits. Their plight is clearly forgotten as we celebrate the statistical jobs machine that clearly is the New Zealand economy.
If you've ever struggled with statistics none of this helps. The headline figure is a joke, it's worse than Newshub's rogue poll. It's not real, the real answer is  the underutilised rate and that increased at record levels.  
But it does highlight the danger we are in. If $13 billion can buy you the sort of job protection it clearly has, you have to ask what sort of carnage is coming on as of September 1. Just how much artificiality is there in the economy? We've got the wage subsidy, the mortgage holidays, the deferrals, and the loans system with the banks and Inland Revenue.
That is all a false reality and it can't last. We simply don't have the where with all, to keep printing, keep borrowing, and keep living in la la land. The same way the spending we are currently seeing on cars,  art, and houses is pent up.
The carnage we will see next quarter, the quarter after that, and into the new year will be the flood of trouble and reality that is released when the sugar stops.
I hope ultimately the 9.8 percent unemployment they picked isn't that bad. Banks had yesterday's number at between five and seven percent, they couldn't have been more wrong.
But most of us, I think, suspect its wrong because the carnage is simply better hidden by the printed money than was previously thought. In other words the disease is there, it's currently just masked by a pile of artificial fiscal bandages.]]>123falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-we-need-a-proactive-government--1008380It was $900,000. $500,000 in grant money and $400,000, if needed, in a loan. She was grateful but slightly guilty given others had not been as successful as she has been.
Her business is one of the strategic ones, like the AJ Hackett money that caused a bit of a stir a couple of months ago. You had to bring people to your area, and the area would suffer if you weren't operating.
The question I had for her, and it’s the question I have for a lot of business in abeyance, is what's their plan B? What if, once the money is gone, you need more money?  At what point does your story go from a business in some sort of holding pattern, to a business that is no longer viable?
I ask that because, as things stand this country has no proactive border plan. And we aren't proactive because we don't have a proactive government. We have a government that is stalling, coasting, or reacting with welfare.
It's exacerbated further this week by the W.H.O telling us there may be no silver bullet. Their comments come off the back of Dr Fauci, who said the virus may be with us forever. In other words, a vaccine would be great, and there are several stage three trails. But if that's your plan, if that's the answer, if it all hinges on that, then we are in a pile of trouble. Because what there seemingly is no answer for is, what happens if there is no vaccine, our borders are closed, and we are isolated.
For the woman I talked to, a domestic pivot will never fill the gap in customers from offshore. So is she liquid or not? If there is no vaccine, is she a viable proposition or not? And when do we decide?
It is a stunning abdication of responsibility and duty that this government has no answers. It doesn't even look like they’ve started thinking about answers, solutions, and ideas.
They've already said don’t expect any big policies, their big push this week is to tell you to wash your hands and use an app that doesn’t work. And if worst comes to worst, the trusty old welfare chequebook can be rolled out some more.
That's their lot, that's the government. That's as good as they seem to be. Does that not frighten the life out of you?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22964925/mh050820-14-tourismbailoutcomment.mp3Tue, 04 Aug 2020 23:53:28 +0000RoccoI talked yesterday to a woman who runs a tourism business who received a decent chunk of money out of the tourism side of the government's support programme. It was $900,000. $500,000 in grant money and $400,000, if needed, in a loan. She was grateful...It was $900,000. $500,000 in grant money and $400,000, if needed, in a loan. She was grateful but slightly guilty given others had not been as successful as she has been.
Her business is one of the strategic ones, like the AJ Hackett money that caused a bit of a stir a couple of months ago. You had to bring people to your area, and the area would suffer if you weren't operating.
The question I had for her, and it’s the question I have for a lot of business in abeyance, is what's their plan B? What if, once the money is gone, you need more money?  At what point does your story go from a business in some sort of holding pattern, to a business that is no longer viable?
I ask that because, as things stand this country has no proactive border plan. And we aren't proactive because we don't have a proactive government. We have a government that is stalling, coasting, or reacting with welfare.
It's exacerbated further this week by the W.H.O telling us there may be no silver bullet. Their comments come off the back of Dr Fauci, who said the virus may be with us forever. In other words, a vaccine would be great, and there are several stage three trails. But if that's your plan, if that's the answer, if it all hinges on that, then we are in a pile of trouble. Because what there seemingly is no answer for is, what happens if there is no vaccine, our borders are closed, and we are isolated.
For the woman I talked to, a domestic pivot will never fill the gap in customers from offshore. So is she liquid or not? If there is no vaccine, is she a viable proposition or not? And when do we decide?
It is a stunning abdication of responsibility and duty that this government has no answers. It doesn't even look like they’ve started thinking about answers, solutions, and ideas.
They've already said don’t expect any big policies, their big push this week is to tell you to wash your hands and use an app that doesn’t work. And if worst comes to worst, the trusty old welfare chequebook can be rolled out some more.
That's their lot, that's the government. That's as good as they seem to be. Does that not frighten the life out of you?]]>121falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-jacinda-ardern-is-scaremongering-us-for-political-advantage--1008423Highlighting a new testing regime, why is the Prime Minister doing this? Because she wants you to worry, she wants you to remember the dark and troubled days of lockdown, and the uncertainty of what would happen to us all as this previously unknown virus swept the world and towards our small nation.
The fact we haven't had community transmission for three months is unfortunately a poorly timed out working of having a successful lockdown, but not tied to the election. If they'd managed to do that they'd be home free. We'd barely be pulling our teddy out of the window before it was voting day.
You'll note, by the way if you missed the detail, that voting booths will have social distancing and hand sanitiser. What for? The virus that hasn't been for what will be well in excess of four, going on five months by then.
She said we can't be complacent. No, we can't. But that applies to crossing the road, eating too much fat, or drinking too much alcohol. That doesn't mean we test ourselves for it for the sake of it.
It really is the most glaringly audacious ploy to have us believe that a virus that is in a handful of isolation hotel dwellers really needs us lining up by the thousand to find out there isn't an issue. It's a mystery of the New Zealand psyche that was discovered in March when we all basically went home and said nothing.
We did, like a well trained small dog, as we were told. And now they are using it to get another term of government.
The fact the economy is in tatters must not be focused on because as we have heard and you will continue to hear, .we are in the middle of a pandemic. The health freak out worked for them. The economic misery, not so much.    
But here's the truth the truth of today, not March, we are not in the middle of anything other than a recession the likes of which we have never seen. This country is not in a pandemic, we haven't been for months. And even in its worst moments, of the 1000 beds we set aide for the tidal wave of death and ventilators, we hardly filled any.
They’ve had their health curtain call, we've applauded. But they're now milking the standing ovations for naked political advantage.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22964852/mh040820-14-messagingcomment.mp3Mon, 03 Aug 2020 22:22:31 +0000RoccoShe was at it again yesterday. "Say yes to the test." Highlighting a new testing regime, why is the Prime Minister doing this? Because she wants you to worry, she wants you to remember the dark and troubled days of lockdown, and the uncertainty of...Highlighting a new testing regime, why is the Prime Minister doing this? Because she wants you to worry, she wants you to remember the dark and troubled days of lockdown, and the uncertainty of what would happen to us all as this previously unknown virus swept the world and towards our small nation.
The fact we haven't had community transmission for three months is unfortunately a poorly timed out working of having a successful lockdown, but not tied to the election. If they'd managed to do that they'd be home free. We'd barely be pulling our teddy out of the window before it was voting day.
You'll note, by the way if you missed the detail, that voting booths will have social distancing and hand sanitiser. What for? The virus that hasn't been for what will be well in excess of four, going on five months by then.
She said we can't be complacent. No, we can't. But that applies to crossing the road, eating too much fat, or drinking too much alcohol. That doesn't mean we test ourselves for it for the sake of it.
It really is the most glaringly audacious ploy to have us believe that a virus that is in a handful of isolation hotel dwellers really needs us lining up by the thousand to find out there isn't an issue. It's a mystery of the New Zealand psyche that was discovered in March when we all basically went home and said nothing.
We did, like a well trained small dog, as we were told. And now they are using it to get another term of government.
The fact the economy is in tatters must not be focused on because as we have heard and you will continue to hear, .we are in the middle of a pandemic. The health freak out worked for them. The economic misery, not so much.    
But here's the truth the truth of today, not March, we are not in the middle of anything other than a recession the likes of which we have never seen. This country is not in a pandemic, we haven't been for months. And even in its worst moments, of the 1000 beds we set aide for the tidal wave of death and ventilators, we hardly filled any.
They’ve had their health curtain call, we've applauded. But they're now milking the standing ovations for naked political advantage.  ]]>125falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-auckland-s-foot-traffic-is-down-is-anyone-surprised--1008302As a result, you can imagine the cries of worry and concern. Part of it, they claim, is tourist-related. There aren’t any in the recent holidays. Most in Auckland left Auckland, and those out of Auckland didn’t go to Auckland.
You might argue that some people have not returned to the city post lockdown and have lost their job or are working from home.
Here’s what I’ve said for several years. The place is a mess, it’s a jumbled, shambolic, dug up, poorly planned, hopelessly inefficient dump. The bike lanes that aren’t used, the bus lanes that cause congestion, the parking that’s been ripped up, the trains that get cancelled, the restrictions on speed and access and road closures and construction that has seen any number of business sent to the wall.
What’s to come downtown for the delusional fools who think we are some extension of Europe where we cycle to the café to have Pimms and macchiatos?
The delusional fools who think we are the same as Hong Kong and New York and a train are all that’s needed to speed us home to our car-less apartments.
The cold hard simple truth is the city planners have been tripped up by their own theory and seen that what they thought would be cool on a whiteboard doesn’t work in the real world where we love a car and a car park and we like the suburbs with some lawn and a dog.
And so, as they dig the place up, invest a small island nations GDP into road cones and generally just drive the poor saps who have to deal with the place nuts, is it any wonder foot traffic is down?
For foot traffic, you need people to actually want to be in the place, and if you’re in Auckland, look around: it isn’t flash.
Cities only work when they’re beautiful or historic or easy. Auckland, whether for a tourist or local, is none of those things.
Oh, there are fabulous bits, but they’re not downtown. Go to a North Shore beach or a bay, hit the countryside, its world-class.
But stand on Quay Street or Queen Street or K Road and you wonder why you bothered, which is why the stats are what they are: people no longer do.
And so, they are getting what they were always getting and deserved when they didn’t listen, got captured by ideology and bowled ahead despite it all. You can spin theory, harder to spin reality.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22964812/mh030820-01-downtownfoottrafficcomment.mp3Mon, 03 Aug 2020 04:06:36 +0000RoccoHonestly, I hate to tell I told you so, but it has been revealed foot traffic in the Auckland downtown area is down 25 percent. As a result, you can imagine the cries of worry and concern. Part of it, they claim, is tourist-related. There aren’t any...As a result, you can imagine the cries of worry and concern. Part of it, they claim, is tourist-related. There aren’t any in the recent holidays. Most in Auckland left Auckland, and those out of Auckland didn’t go to Auckland.
You might argue that some people have not returned to the city post lockdown and have lost their job or are working from home.
Here’s what I’ve said for several years. The place is a mess, it’s a jumbled, shambolic, dug up, poorly planned, hopelessly inefficient dump. The bike lanes that aren’t used, the bus lanes that cause congestion, the parking that’s been ripped up, the trains that get cancelled, the restrictions on speed and access and road closures and construction that has seen any number of business sent to the wall.
What’s to come downtown for the delusional fools who think we are some extension of Europe where we cycle to the café to have Pimms and macchiatos?
The delusional fools who think we are the same as Hong Kong and New York and a train are all that’s needed to speed us home to our car-less apartments.
The cold hard simple truth is the city planners have been tripped up by their own theory and seen that what they thought would be cool on a whiteboard doesn’t work in the real world where we love a car and a car park and we like the suburbs with some lawn and a dog.
And so, as they dig the place up, invest a small island nations GDP into road cones and generally just drive the poor saps who have to deal with the place nuts, is it any wonder foot traffic is down?
For foot traffic, you need people to actually want to be in the place, and if you’re in Auckland, look around: it isn’t flash.
Cities only work when they’re beautiful or historic or easy. Auckland, whether for a tourist or local, is none of those things.
Oh, there are fabulous bits, but they’re not downtown. Go to a North Shore beach or a bay, hit the countryside, its world-class.
But stand on Quay Street or Queen Street or K Road and you wonder why you bothered, which is why the stats are what they are: people no longer do.
And so, they are getting what they were always getting and deserved when they didn’t listen, got captured by ideology and bowled ahead despite it all. You can spin theory, harder to spin reality.]]>122falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-covid-testing-push-suits-government-s-political-agenda--1008425This, of course, at least in part is a sham. It's at least part of the charade the government is desperate to spin as they approach election day.
To be fair, it's probably partially true. We don’t want to get tested. We have all seen the pictures, who wants a cotton bud up your nose?
The only person I know who actually had a test is my daughter who got out of isolation in Australia on Saturday. She got tested twice, and they did nose and throat both times. Her experience varied widely, and I think this is the key. It's not the test or the probe per se, it’s the approach of the operator.
She had one who was determined to stick it up and out the other side and clearly couldn't give a monkeys about discomfort or pain. The second test was done by someone more kindly, and the reports from my daughter were the experiences were night and day.
Before we leave my daughter, small tip to this government; do what Australia is doing. 14 days isolation means you don’t leave your room, literally. Simple, yet effective. And if you do that, guess what? You don’t have absconders and bad headlines. It seems remarkable we haven't worked that out.
Back to the sham, why aren't we really getting tested? Because why would we? We don't have Covid, we haven't for months now. You can't have it both ways. You can't tell us how successful we are, and then tell us to keep panicking and getting tested.
The government are playing us for votes. Scaring us has worked and they just need to keep freaking us out until September 19.
Why would you get a test for something you don’t have, and for something no one else has?
There is no community spread. The only Covid is in a hotel in a handful of people. Keeping on testing for something that isn't here, doesn’t make sense. Unless, of course, it suits your political agenda.
The economic implosion, the government has realised, isn't going as well as the health response did. Hence the forlorn face and the pretence we still need to act the way we did.
The lack of testing is merely proof we've worked that out, but they don’t like it.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22964768/mh030820-12-testingcomment.mp3Sun, 02 Aug 2020 21:48:16 +0000RoccoI looked at Chris Hipkins forlorn face on Friday at his Covid briefing telling us we just didn’t like getting tested. This, of course, at least in part is a sham. It's at least part of the charade the government is desperate to spin as they approach...This, of course, at least in part is a sham. It's at least part of the charade the government is desperate to spin as they approach election day.
To be fair, it's probably partially true. We don’t want to get tested. We have all seen the pictures, who wants a cotton bud up your nose?
The only person I know who actually had a test is my daughter who got out of isolation in Australia on Saturday. She got tested twice, and they did nose and throat both times. Her experience varied widely, and I think this is the key. It's not the test or the probe per se, it’s the approach of the operator.
She had one who was determined to stick it up and out the other side and clearly couldn't give a monkeys about discomfort or pain. The second test was done by someone more kindly, and the reports from my daughter were the experiences were night and day.
Before we leave my daughter, small tip to this government; do what Australia is doing. 14 days isolation means you don’t leave your room, literally. Simple, yet effective. And if you do that, guess what? You don’t have absconders and bad headlines. It seems remarkable we haven't worked that out.
Back to the sham, why aren't we really getting tested? Because why would we? We don't have Covid, we haven't for months now. You can't have it both ways. You can't tell us how successful we are, and then tell us to keep panicking and getting tested.
The government are playing us for votes. Scaring us has worked and they just need to keep freaking us out until September 19.
Why would you get a test for something you don’t have, and for something no one else has?
There is no community spread. The only Covid is in a hotel in a handful of people. Keeping on testing for something that isn't here, doesn’t make sense. Unless, of course, it suits your political agenda.
The economic implosion, the government has realised, isn't going as well as the health response did. Hence the forlorn face and the pretence we still need to act the way we did.
The lack of testing is merely proof we've worked that out, but they don’t like it.]]>115falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-quarantine-charging-farce-exposes-government-s-incompetence--1008513The Polls.
7/10.
"The TVNZ Colmar Brunton poll confirms the earlier one was rogue.
But don't we love a poll? Bet you David Seymour is loving the polls."
Quarantine Charging.
0/10.
"What a joke, what a bust, and what a farce. Say one thing, do another and bulldozed by the Greens.  
The ultimate committee policy where literally no one is happy.
You can't run countries that way."
Behrouz Boochani.
2/10.
"Nothing against the bloke, but when the Greens meet you at the airport, and you're here for a festival with clearly no intention of going home and you’ve already been accepted to America and suddenly, bam, you're in.
It doesn’t add up."
Sarah Dowie.
8/10.
"Went out with a zing and sent some salient messages with it.
Well done her."
Paula Bennett.
8/10.
"Gone with class and style in the valedictory week.
Good stories, good memories, some cold realisations, and a bright future she won't regret."
The Economy.
6/10.
"Spending, tick. Jobs, almost a tick.
New statistics show there is a recovery of sorts, let's hope it holds."
Shaun "The Dark Destroyer" Wallace.
7/10.
He is a good guy. He loves his name.
And in such matters if the so-called victim isn't actually a victim, but in fact perfectly happy, then the luvvies can back the hell up."
Super Rugby Aotearoa and The Crusaders v Hurricanes.
8/10.
"Adding value to the competition by providing proof that on your day anything is possible, and it's not automatically a forgone conclusion."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22964610/mh310720-14-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 30 Jul 2020 22:26:05 +0000RoccoAt 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 Polls. 7/10. "The TVNZ Colmar Brunton poll confirms the earlier one was rogue. But don't we love a poll? Bet you David Seymour...The Polls.
7/10.
"The TVNZ Colmar Brunton poll confirms the earlier one was rogue.
But don't we love a poll? Bet you David Seymour is loving the polls."
Quarantine Charging.
0/10.
"What a joke, what a bust, and what a farce. Say one thing, do another and bulldozed by the Greens.  
The ultimate committee policy where literally no one is happy.
You can't run countries that way."
Behrouz Boochani.
2/10.
"Nothing against the bloke, but when the Greens meet you at the airport, and you're here for a festival with clearly no intention of going home and you’ve already been accepted to America and suddenly, bam, you're in.
It doesn’t add up."
Sarah Dowie.
8/10.
"Went out with a zing and sent some salient messages with it.
Well done her."
Paula Bennett.
8/10.
"Gone with class and style in the valedictory week.
Good stories, good memories, some cold realisations, and a bright future she won't regret."
The Economy.
6/10.
"Spending, tick. Jobs, almost a tick.
New statistics show there is a recovery of sorts, let's hope it holds."
Shaun "The Dark Destroyer" Wallace.
7/10.
He is a good guy. He loves his name.
And in such matters if the so-called victim isn't actually a victim, but in fact perfectly happy, then the luvvies can back the hell up."
Super Rugby Aotearoa and The Crusaders v Hurricanes.
8/10.
"Adding value to the competition by providing proof that on your day anything is possible, and it's not automatically a forgone conclusion."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>163falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-sarah-dowie-is-right-about-the-media-s-treatment-of-politicians--1008438Sarah Dowie left Parliament in a verbal blaze of glory outlining the pitfalls, weaknesses, and sheer misery that the career can bestow upon you. At the same time William Wood, who is yet to experience that aforementioned trauma but wants to, got an early taste of what he might be in for.
Salient lesson number one is it appears a mugs game. You could probably toss in Paula Bennett's valedictory as well. Even a seasoned successful and robust operator like her talked of the punishment the job hands out. She balanced it, as did Dowie.
Bennett said they sign up for it, Dowie said part of her demise was, of course, a result of her own actions. So the bits that needed owning, got owned.
But the rest, the really venomous bits are the bits they didn’t deserve and in Dowie's mind a good slice of that lies at the foot of the media. And in that she is right.
William Woods, who apologised quickly and in doing so showed maturity with it, was largely defended by Judith Collins who called it nasty bullying. She is also right, and once again the media is to blame.
Salient lesson number two, the media has a lot to answer for. Is it any wonder we end up with the ordinary, when the extraordinary, the ones we really want running the place are smart enough, or weary enough, to stay the hell clear of the cesspit that is Parliament.
Dowie said it best when she talked of her desire to be there, to knock down any door, scale any height. And most of them start out that way, they are there for the best of intentions. But how quickly do you think someone like William Woods gets beaten down when he sees himself the lead story on Newshub for something he did as a 14 year old?
People far older, allegedly more experienced, and wiser than him are essentially acting with the same stupidity he did.
The ultimate irony of the media is its full of luvvies, hand wringing, virtue signalling, pick a cause a day, do gooders who say one thing, and do another. Not all, of course, but the media of 2020 is about agendas, vendettas, attack headlines, leaks, clicks, and gossip.
Another irony, this is all happening as they plead for fiscal mercy in these difficult days. They write column inches, produce PC pieces about balance, diversity, and fairness. And yet when it suits, they destroy a character, a reputation for ratings. That’s called being a hypocrite.
The great hope with lessons, like the ones from Dowie and Wood this week, is those who need to learn them recognise themselves in the stories, and actually learn.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22964601/mh310720-01-parliamentcomment.mp3Thu, 30 Jul 2020 21:35:18 +0000RoccoSalient lessons this week. Sarah Dowie left Parliament in a verbal blaze of glory outlining the pitfalls, weaknesses, and sheer misery that the career can bestow upon you. At the same time William Wood, who is yet to experience that aforementioned...Sarah Dowie left Parliament in a verbal blaze of glory outlining the pitfalls, weaknesses, and sheer misery that the career can bestow upon you. At the same time William Wood, who is yet to experience that aforementioned trauma but wants to, got an early taste of what he might be in for.
Salient lesson number one is it appears a mugs game. You could probably toss in Paula Bennett's valedictory as well. Even a seasoned successful and robust operator like her talked of the punishment the job hands out. She balanced it, as did Dowie.
Bennett said they sign up for it, Dowie said part of her demise was, of course, a result of her own actions. So the bits that needed owning, got owned.
But the rest, the really venomous bits are the bits they didn’t deserve and in Dowie's mind a good slice of that lies at the foot of the media. And in that she is right.
William Woods, who apologised quickly and in doing so showed maturity with it, was largely defended by Judith Collins who called it nasty bullying. She is also right, and once again the media is to blame.
Salient lesson number two, the media has a lot to answer for. Is it any wonder we end up with the ordinary, when the extraordinary, the ones we really want running the place are smart enough, or weary enough, to stay the hell clear of the cesspit that is Parliament.
Dowie said it best when she talked of her desire to be there, to knock down any door, scale any height. And most of them start out that way, they are there for the best of intentions. But how quickly do you think someone like William Woods gets beaten down when he sees himself the lead story on Newshub for something he did as a 14 year old?
People far older, allegedly more experienced, and wiser than him are essentially acting with the same stupidity he did.
The ultimate irony of the media is its full of luvvies, hand wringing, virtue signalling, pick a cause a day, do gooders who say one thing, and do another. Not all, of course, but the media of 2020 is about agendas, vendettas, attack headlines, leaks, clicks, and gossip.
Another irony, this is all happening as they plead for fiscal mercy in these difficult days. They write column inches, produce PC pieces about balance, diversity, and fairness. And yet when it suits, they destroy a character, a reputation for ratings. That’s called being a hypocrite.
The great hope with lessons, like the ones from Dowie and Wood this week, is those who need to learn them recognise themselves in the stories, and actually learn.  ]]>131falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-quarantine-charging-decision-an-absolute-joke--1008442By the time they work out who they are charging, and how they are charging them, they may as well have flagged it, the Greens win. This has been a scam, and it's an abdication of responsibility.
How the Labour Party told us they favoured having people and put this out is a joke. How New Zealand First told us they wanted people to pay and came out with this is a joke. The Greens, to their credit, have at least been consistent. Deluded but consistent that charging people somehow breaches their human rights.
Their human right is access to your home country, that has never been at stake or risk. Why did Labour and New Zealand First get rolled by the Greens only to have us pay out half a billion dollars we don’t have? And that's half a billion to the end of this year, what about next year? How long does this go? Until we get a vaccine? When are we getting a vaccine?
National could have given the government the numbers to pass the law they said they wanted passed. One can only conclude that Labour, in particular, never wanted to charge people. Or if they did, they freaked out and changed their mind when they worked out there might be a few offshore votes at stake.
New Zealand First should be embarrassed. For a party that’s made a lot of mileage out of distancing themselves from their own government, why no distancing now? Why get landed with a mess of a back-down like this?
If you're coming back for good for no charge, what if you come back for good then change your mind? How convoluted is it going to be to work out what to do when someone turns up and says they're broke? What if you structure a loan and they don't pay? This is the hallmark of this government, the ability to take an inordinately long period of time to essentially do nothing, or nothing close to what you said you were doing.
Once again, we were led to believe one thing, and something else turns out to be the result. We, yes, have been played like a fiddle. And this one was a half billion dollar fiddle that sucked us in.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22964522/mh300720-13-quarantinechargescomment.mp3Wed, 29 Jul 2020 21:41:04 +0000RoccoWhat a convoluted, messy, indecisive waste of time all that turned out to be. By the time they work out who they are charging, and how they are charging them, they may as well have flagged it, the Greens win. This has been a scam, and it's an...By the time they work out who they are charging, and how they are charging them, they may as well have flagged it, the Greens win. This has been a scam, and it's an abdication of responsibility.
How the Labour Party told us they favoured having people and put this out is a joke. How New Zealand First told us they wanted people to pay and came out with this is a joke. The Greens, to their credit, have at least been consistent. Deluded but consistent that charging people somehow breaches their human rights.
Their human right is access to your home country, that has never been at stake or risk. Why did Labour and New Zealand First get rolled by the Greens only to have us pay out half a billion dollars we don’t have? And that's half a billion to the end of this year, what about next year? How long does this go? Until we get a vaccine? When are we getting a vaccine?
National could have given the government the numbers to pass the law they said they wanted passed. One can only conclude that Labour, in particular, never wanted to charge people. Or if they did, they freaked out and changed their mind when they worked out there might be a few offshore votes at stake.
New Zealand First should be embarrassed. For a party that’s made a lot of mileage out of distancing themselves from their own government, why no distancing now? Why get landed with a mess of a back-down like this?
If you're coming back for good for no charge, what if you come back for good then change your mind? How convoluted is it going to be to work out what to do when someone turns up and says they're broke? What if you structure a loan and they don't pay? This is the hallmark of this government, the ability to take an inordinately long period of time to essentially do nothing, or nothing close to what you said you were doing.
Once again, we were led to believe one thing, and something else turns out to be the result. We, yes, have been played like a fiddle. And this one was a half billion dollar fiddle that sucked us in.]]>112falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-even-the-w-h-o-sees-it-we-need-a-border-plan--1008462Even the World Health Organisation seems to realise what our government doesn’t, our border can't stayed closed the way it is forever.
We got praise at the W.H.O for our health efforts, along with places like Rwanda, Vietnam, Thailand, the Pacific Islands, and the Caribbean Islands.
To be fair, they were praising us because we had followed their advice which is hand washing and social distancing, so it behooves them to pump up their own tyres.
But Mike Ryan who is the WHO's Director of Health Emergencies and seemingly much more amenable and likeable than Dr Tedros who comes with, as far as I can work out some interesting baggage with his perceived links to China.
Anyway Ryan says the borders simply can't stay shut. This appears to be where we are stuck at.
We've locked ourselves up, which isn't hard, given all the water around us. And we seem content to stay locked despite the growing frustration around the simple, cold, stark truth that we can't afford to be and even the W.H.O sees it.
The universities are furious at the lack of access to students, the lack of government desire to get students back ,the inability for business to do business, and the seeming refusal of the government to do anything other than pretend we still have a pandemic and hand out money in welfare form from a revenue stream long ago exhausted.
No one pretends this isn't hard work and answers aren't tricky, but they do claim to have answers, plans, and ideas. But the government doesn’t seem remotely interested.
The bet, and this is where the election comes in, is they’ve got enough people with Stockholm Syndrome who think that doing nothing, going no where, and paying for it with a big printer is just fine and they'll give you three more years for a job well done.
They're stalling. They seem to think a good health outcome is the whole story, the only story, and the economic carnage can't be helped. They'll claim everyone's in trouble, so we will be in trouble but with low health numbers, so therefore we look good compared to others. It's a ploy, it's subterfuge, and the polls would seem to suggest enough are falling for it.
How long have they talked about a Cook Island's bubble? What about Taiwan? What about Vietnam? What's the excuse when there is minimal risk? When the universities have an answer and want to own the problem, why the reluctance? Because it suits them politically.
There is a massive window for National here. This isn't the only way, we are not all captives, and the health obsession and emergency is over.  The W.H.O see it, and they're not even paying the price.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22964450/mh290720-13-closedbordercomment.mp3Tue, 28 Jul 2020 21:35:55 +0000RoccoWe are starting to see the clash between politics and reality, elections and the economy, ideology and our future. Even the World Health Organisation seems to realise what our government doesn’t, our border can't stayed closed the way it is forever....Even the World Health Organisation seems to realise what our government doesn’t, our border can't stayed closed the way it is forever.
We got praise at the W.H.O for our health efforts, along with places like Rwanda, Vietnam, Thailand, the Pacific Islands, and the Caribbean Islands.
To be fair, they were praising us because we had followed their advice which is hand washing and social distancing, so it behooves them to pump up their own tyres.
But Mike Ryan who is the WHO's Director of Health Emergencies and seemingly much more amenable and likeable than Dr Tedros who comes with, as far as I can work out some interesting baggage with his perceived links to China.
Anyway Ryan says the borders simply can't stay shut. This appears to be where we are stuck at.
We've locked ourselves up, which isn't hard, given all the water around us. And we seem content to stay locked despite the growing frustration around the simple, cold, stark truth that we can't afford to be and even the W.H.O sees it.
The universities are furious at the lack of access to students, the lack of government desire to get students back ,the inability for business to do business, and the seeming refusal of the government to do anything other than pretend we still have a pandemic and hand out money in welfare form from a revenue stream long ago exhausted.
No one pretends this isn't hard work and answers aren't tricky, but they do claim to have answers, plans, and ideas. But the government doesn’t seem remotely interested.
The bet, and this is where the election comes in, is they’ve got enough people with Stockholm Syndrome who think that doing nothing, going no where, and paying for it with a big printer is just fine and they'll give you three more years for a job well done.
They're stalling. They seem to think a good health outcome is the whole story, the only story, and the economic carnage can't be helped. They'll claim everyone's in trouble, so we will be in trouble but with low health numbers, so therefore we look good compared to others. It's a ploy, it's subterfuge, and the polls would seem to suggest enough are falling for it.
How long have they talked about a Cook Island's bubble? What about Taiwan? What about Vietnam? What's the excuse when there is minimal risk? When the universities have an answer and want to own the problem, why the reluctance? Because it suits them politically.
There is a massive window for National here. This isn't the only way, we are not all captives, and the health obsession and emergency is over.  The W.H.O see it, and they're not even paying the price.]]>135falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-3000-quarantine-a-bargain-for-offshore-kiwis-returning-home--1008345Stuff that used to fill our days from climate change, to obesity, to advertising sugar, to all the other pressure group dramas have largely vanished from the landscape. The old energy in, energy out equation we very quickly discovered was tipped on its head. And whatever our "super" cause was, no one was listening.
Apparently plastic bags use is up as we decided saving the planet was less important than saving ourselves, so a single use bag was a reassurance against bugs, apparently. Even the evangelical climate changers have had to work hard to get a headline of late.
So given the mood, I think the bunch of whinging expats upset that we are charging them to come back and quarantine are wasting their time as opposed to changing minds. And as such, if they're smart, they will give up before they really kick on with it.
Why they haven't done a poll on this, I have no idea. Given I am convinced it would heavily favour the government move to charge.
Once again by the way ,this is a lesson to the Greens. Labour is for it, National are for it, and New Zealand First are for it, so being the tiny outlier the Greens are on this just reminds everyone what a bunch of fringe thinkers they are. And at a time when all the polls have them dangerously close to annihilation I'd be looking to avoid that.
Or is that why they are doing it? Appeal to the offshore vote? Align yourself with the distant Kiwi, angry in London, and grateful there is still a voice back home that makes you feel slightly less forgotten.
But back here in the real world, the cold hard truth is we are one of those countries lots of us like to leave. That might actually be something we could look at some time, why is it so many of us want to naff off? Is it something that drives us away? Or are we just so disconnected geographically we have to go find out what's on the other side of the earth for ourselves?
Anyway, by year's end the bill for quarantine is half a billion dollars. It's absurd, we don’t have it. And it's not even like the government are making this up, there is no legal right to free entry.
Yes, you have a right to return to your country. But rights aren't carte blanche. Governments regulate and dictate rules, conditions, and boundaries all the time.
All this is, is a price on your re-entry. No, you don't have to like it. And yes, you might want to argue it's unfair and start all the campaigns you like, but that won't be changing your reality.
Like most things in life there is a price, and $3000 to get back into one of the safest places on earth, is a bargain.   ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22964348/mh280720-01-quarantinechargescomment.mp3Mon, 27 Jul 2020 21:39:19 +0000RoccoOne of the bigger lessons out of Covid is the fact that not a lot else matters any more. Stuff that used to fill our days from climate change, to obesity, to advertising sugar, to all the other pressure group dramas have largely vanished from the...Stuff that used to fill our days from climate change, to obesity, to advertising sugar, to all the other pressure group dramas have largely vanished from the landscape. The old energy in, energy out equation we very quickly discovered was tipped on its head. And whatever our "super" cause was, no one was listening.
Apparently plastic bags use is up as we decided saving the planet was less important than saving ourselves, so a single use bag was a reassurance against bugs, apparently. Even the evangelical climate changers have had to work hard to get a headline of late.
So given the mood, I think the bunch of whinging expats upset that we are charging them to come back and quarantine are wasting their time as opposed to changing minds. And as such, if they're smart, they will give up before they really kick on with it.
Why they haven't done a poll on this, I have no idea. Given I am convinced it would heavily favour the government move to charge.
Once again by the way ,this is a lesson to the Greens. Labour is for it, National are for it, and New Zealand First are for it, so being the tiny outlier the Greens are on this just reminds everyone what a bunch of fringe thinkers they are. And at a time when all the polls have them dangerously close to annihilation I'd be looking to avoid that.
Or is that why they are doing it? Appeal to the offshore vote? Align yourself with the distant Kiwi, angry in London, and grateful there is still a voice back home that makes you feel slightly less forgotten.
But back here in the real world, the cold hard truth is we are one of those countries lots of us like to leave. That might actually be something we could look at some time, why is it so many of us want to naff off? Is it something that drives us away? Or are we just so disconnected geographically we have to go find out what's on the other side of the earth for ourselves?
Anyway, by year's end the bill for quarantine is half a billion dollars. It's absurd, we don’t have it. And it's not even like the government are making this up, there is no legal right to free entry.
Yes, you have a right to return to your country. But rights aren't carte blanche. Governments regulate and dictate rules, conditions, and boundaries all the time.
All this is, is a price on your re-entry. No, you don't have to like it. And yes, you might want to argue it's unfair and start all the campaigns you like, but that won't be changing your reality.
Like most things in life there is a price, and $3000 to get back into one of the safest places on earth, is a bargain.   ]]>134falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-don-t-believe-the-numbers--1008504So there's quite a lot of bad news in last night's Newshub poll.
Sadly, lot of it is bad news for Newshub who, I think, will have to explain how Labour aren't, won't, never were, never will, be getting the 60 percent support they currently claim they have.
It's not directly their fault, the numbers are given to them by the people they pay to do the collection, but 60 percent in a MMP environment is not real, or close to real.
Nor does it, of course tally, with the other polls, one of which was featured earlier yesterday. Under the headline "Game On" and Judith Collins is fizzing, given the Stuff-Massey poll has National on 40.
Newshub has them on 25, One has them on 38, so is it 24, 40, or 38?
So here's the deal with polls, don't take them seriously. And certainly don't take them seriously at a time like this, given what the world is going through the numbers could be anything. And it is only on the day, that we will really know.
The reality is it may take until the day, election day, that a lot of people actually tune in, think about it, and actually make a decision. Given the world right now, even with an election close, a lot of people have vastly more important things to think about.
Jobs might be one of them, along with meeting bills, their future, and their kids future. This country is upside down, it's a massive mess and hundreds of thousands of lives are being tossed asunder. Who supports who will be dealt with for many, on another day.
If there is one consistency in all the polls it’s the third parties who are heading for extinction. ACT aside, who are up in all polls, and will be back given the Epsom deal. But for New Zealand First and the Greens all polls show either they miss by a lot, or they're on the very edge, and should be freaking out.
And as for any of the other pretenders looking to make their mark, forget it. Pack up, go home, and save your money. The Greens making it back will be a miracle, far less the less than one percenters.
As for National and Labour, believe me this will be way closer than certainly last night's numbers show.
You simply can't have 40, 38, and 25 for National all by credible, professional outfits all claiming a certain level of accuracy and realistically believe any of it.
Never before have polls been less real, less relevant, or less accurate.
Right now a dartboard would work just as well.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22964305/mp3_bc_-mp3_online_mh270720-01-tv3pollcomment.mp3Sun, 26 Jul 2020 22:48:24 +0000RoccoCOMMENT: So there's quite a lot of bad news in last night's Newshub poll. Sadly, lot of it is bad news for Newshub who, I think, will have to explain how Labour aren't, won't, never were, never will, be getting the 60 percent support they currently...So there's quite a lot of bad news in last night's Newshub poll.
Sadly, lot of it is bad news for Newshub who, I think, will have to explain how Labour aren't, won't, never were, never will, be getting the 60 percent support they currently claim they have.
It's not directly their fault, the numbers are given to them by the people they pay to do the collection, but 60 percent in a MMP environment is not real, or close to real.
Nor does it, of course tally, with the other polls, one of which was featured earlier yesterday. Under the headline "Game On" and Judith Collins is fizzing, given the Stuff-Massey poll has National on 40.
Newshub has them on 25, One has them on 38, so is it 24, 40, or 38?
So here's the deal with polls, don't take them seriously. And certainly don't take them seriously at a time like this, given what the world is going through the numbers could be anything. And it is only on the day, that we will really know.
The reality is it may take until the day, election day, that a lot of people actually tune in, think about it, and actually make a decision. Given the world right now, even with an election close, a lot of people have vastly more important things to think about.
Jobs might be one of them, along with meeting bills, their future, and their kids future. This country is upside down, it's a massive mess and hundreds of thousands of lives are being tossed asunder. Who supports who will be dealt with for many, on another day.
If there is one consistency in all the polls it’s the third parties who are heading for extinction. ACT aside, who are up in all polls, and will be back given the Epsom deal. But for New Zealand First and the Greens all polls show either they miss by a lot, or they're on the very edge, and should be freaking out.
And as for any of the other pretenders looking to make their mark, forget it. Pack up, go home, and save your money. The Greens making it back will be a miracle, far less the less than one percenters.
As for National and Labour, believe me this will be way closer than certainly last night's numbers show.
You simply can't have 40, 38, and 25 for National all by credible, professional outfits all claiming a certain level of accuracy and realistically believe any of it.
Never before have polls been less real, less relevant, or less accurate.
Right now a dartboard would work just as well.]]>124falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-it-s-david-seymour-s-time--1008486The Political Scandals.
2/10.
"They varied in terms of seriousness.
But what they have done is suck the air out of more important matters, like an economy on its knees and what to do about it."
Winston Peters.
6/10.
"Mixed week.
Made some good points about inexperience, Labour, the dangers of the Greens, and the frustrations of MMP.
But he also looked old, bitter, and down and out with the episode over David Seymour and leaks in the house."
David Seymour.
8/10.
"This is his time.
Starting with euthanasia, and backed up by an Olympic style consistency when it comes to one liners, bum outs, and picking good issues.
He is heading towards a good election."
Charging Expats for Quarantine.
6/10.
"Of course they have a right to come home.
It's their country, but it's also their bill, not ours."
Money.
7/10.
"People love it, and Reserve Banks are saying we need more.
America is looking at more, Europe this week gave more.
We are sinking in debt and not enough people seem to care, or even get it."
Plan for Airport in Tarras.
8/10.
"An airport will transform the town and the region.
It's a wonderful bit of proof that there are plenty of people planning for a new tomorrow."
Kanye West.
4/10.
"America has found three people to run for President.
Every one of them is a worry, what's that tell you about America?"
The School Holidays.
7/10.
"It gave tourism a shot, it was bigger than last year, and a lot of us got a break.
Winners all round."
Super Rugby Aotearoa.
9/10.
"Drawing crowds here, rating brilliantly in Britain, and every game is a cliffhanger.
What's not to love?"
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22964146/mh240720-13-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 23 Jul 2020 22:34:01 +0000RoccoAt 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 Political Scandals. 2/10. "They varied in terms of seriousness. But what they have done is suck the air out of more important...The Political Scandals.
2/10.
"They varied in terms of seriousness.
But what they have done is suck the air out of more important matters, like an economy on its knees and what to do about it."
Winston Peters.
6/10.
"Mixed week.
Made some good points about inexperience, Labour, the dangers of the Greens, and the frustrations of MMP.
But he also looked old, bitter, and down and out with the episode over David Seymour and leaks in the house."
David Seymour.
8/10.
"This is his time.
Starting with euthanasia, and backed up by an Olympic style consistency when it comes to one liners, bum outs, and picking good issues.
He is heading towards a good election."
Charging Expats for Quarantine.
6/10.
"Of course they have a right to come home.
It's their country, but it's also their bill, not ours."
Money.
7/10.
"People love it, and Reserve Banks are saying we need more.
America is looking at more, Europe this week gave more.
We are sinking in debt and not enough people seem to care, or even get it."
Plan for Airport in Tarras.
8/10.
"An airport will transform the town and the region.
It's a wonderful bit of proof that there are plenty of people planning for a new tomorrow."
Kanye West.
4/10.
"America has found three people to run for President.
Every one of them is a worry, what's that tell you about America?"
The School Holidays.
7/10.
"It gave tourism a shot, it was bigger than last year, and a lot of us got a break.
Winners all round."
Super Rugby Aotearoa.
9/10.
"Drawing crowds here, rating brilliantly in Britain, and every game is a cliffhanger.
What's not to love?"
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>155falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-the-government-can-t-save-everyone--1008467Travel agents are pleading for more money or else their industry will "collapse.”
The wage subsidy comes to an end on September 1, that is no bad thing. Will companies fall over and people lose their jobs? Yes. But what's the alternative? Welfare? And not the welfare you can already access, but the artificial welfare that would have replaced the real money no longer being earned by a business sector that has been wiped out.
There is still plenty of money about the place. There is money specifically set aside for the tourism sector, and it's set aside based on sound principles. Those principles being some jobs, some sectors will come back, and we will need them ready to go. There's no point in destruction only to have to rebuild.
But, and here's the new development that hasn’t been worked through properly, now that we know the borders aren't opening until there is no community spread in the countries we are opening to, or a vaccine, just how long should we wait?  And should we be artificially propping people up?
As encouraging as the news is around the vaccine this week, no one seems to think we'll see anything this side of Christmas.
So is a travel agent worth propping up? Sadly, no. You have to  be realistic. We don’t actually have any money to do the propping. There will always be people with plight you can sympathise with, and no more so than in a time like this where none of this is anyone's fault.But as in all great calamities, some will prosper and some won't. In this case many won't.
The trick to good leadership is know the difference, and being bold enough to make the calls.
I might be a bit of a lone vice in this, given what Phillip Lowe at the Australian Reserve Bank said this week, he said more money, more borrowing, and it's only because we are not used to all this that it all seems odd.
But here's what i know about our plight, we have no money. We will need to pay back what we borrow, and we aren't doing it by propping up industries and businesses that, for now anyway, can't turn a dollar by themselves.          ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22964140/mh240720-01-postcovidrecoverycomment.mp3Thu, 23 Jul 2020 21:42:25 +0000RoccoA certain desperation is creeping into the language of some as the so-called post Covid-19 recovery settles in.  Travel agents are pleading for more money or else their industry will "collapse.” The wage subsidy comes to an end on September 1, that is...Travel agents are pleading for more money or else their industry will "collapse.”
The wage subsidy comes to an end on September 1, that is no bad thing. Will companies fall over and people lose their jobs? Yes. But what's the alternative? Welfare? And not the welfare you can already access, but the artificial welfare that would have replaced the real money no longer being earned by a business sector that has been wiped out.
There is still plenty of money about the place. There is money specifically set aside for the tourism sector, and it's set aside based on sound principles. Those principles being some jobs, some sectors will come back, and we will need them ready to go. There's no point in destruction only to have to rebuild.
But, and here's the new development that hasn’t been worked through properly, now that we know the borders aren't opening until there is no community spread in the countries we are opening to, or a vaccine, just how long should we wait?  And should we be artificially propping people up?
As encouraging as the news is around the vaccine this week, no one seems to think we'll see anything this side of Christmas.
So is a travel agent worth propping up? Sadly, no. You have to  be realistic. We don’t actually have any money to do the propping. There will always be people with plight you can sympathise with, and no more so than in a time like this where none of this is anyone's fault.But as in all great calamities, some will prosper and some won't. In this case many won't.
The trick to good leadership is know the difference, and being bold enough to make the calls.
I might be a bit of a lone vice in this, given what Phillip Lowe at the Australian Reserve Bank said this week, he said more money, more borrowing, and it's only because we are not used to all this that it all seems odd.
But here's what i know about our plight, we have no money. We will need to pay back what we borrow, and we aren't doing it by propping up industries and businesses that, for now anyway, can't turn a dollar by themselves.          ]]>112falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-why-do-we-expect-so-much-from-mps--1008561Could we also ask whether the Prime Minister would have sacked him so quickly, If at all, if she hadn't had a masterclass in decisiveness from Judith Collins earlier in the week? It must have been a shock to actually sack someone, as opposed to pretending nothing was wrong, or hiring yet another QC for a review.
But in a way only she could, she only sacked him as a Minister. She was leaving it to Lees-Galloway to work out whether he wanted to stay an MP. And even he could see the writing on the wall, like Clare Curran and David Clark before him. The strange habit of sacking yourself has become a "thing” with this government, hasn’t it?
So assuming this is it, can there really be anymore?
We can also make several observations. One, politics is a mugs' game. Two, as a result of it being a mugs' game, those who do want it tend to be disproportionately frail in a variety of areas. Three, it shows no signs of changing.
That is the tragedy, because we have created this absurd anomaly where by we ask so much of these people, but we ask that of them but not ourselves. Given we must never forget they are supposedly representatives of us, they are our democratic extensions, and we are as frail as they are.
There are the brilliant and the bizarre in any community. Why did we decide that once they stand for office and go to Wellington they must take on some shield of invincibility and perfection? We've done it with sportspeople. Somehow having hand-eye coordination and the ability to kick a ball also means you have to be saint like and one step short of beatification.
If you sell yourself as virtuous or above reproach, and fall, fair enough. We all remember Graham Capill.
But if you're just the person who wanted to take your community's voice to the capital but end up taping your secretary, or leaking secrets, or even getting your leg over, it's not turned out all that well, but it's hardly breaking ground that, that very community hasn’t seen many a time before.
It doesn’t make it right. But it makes it more common than we'd like to think. But somehow because we've created this fallacy around MPs, the reason they’ve dropped like flies is because we wanted them to be more than they ever really were.    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22964060/mh230720-13-ianleesgallowaycomment.mp3Wed, 22 Jul 2020 21:34:58 +0000RoccoCould one be forgiven for wondering if the reason Iain Lees-Galloway didn’t read the Sroubek file was because he had his eye elsewhere? And we now know where.  Could we also ask whether the Prime Minister would have sacked him so quickly, If at all,...Could we also ask whether the Prime Minister would have sacked him so quickly, If at all, if she hadn't had a masterclass in decisiveness from Judith Collins earlier in the week? It must have been a shock to actually sack someone, as opposed to pretending nothing was wrong, or hiring yet another QC for a review.
But in a way only she could, she only sacked him as a Minister. She was leaving it to Lees-Galloway to work out whether he wanted to stay an MP. And even he could see the writing on the wall, like Clare Curran and David Clark before him. The strange habit of sacking yourself has become a "thing” with this government, hasn’t it?
So assuming this is it, can there really be anymore?
We can also make several observations. One, politics is a mugs' game. Two, as a result of it being a mugs' game, those who do want it tend to be disproportionately frail in a variety of areas. Three, it shows no signs of changing.
That is the tragedy, because we have created this absurd anomaly where by we ask so much of these people, but we ask that of them but not ourselves. Given we must never forget they are supposedly representatives of us, they are our democratic extensions, and we are as frail as they are.
There are the brilliant and the bizarre in any community. Why did we decide that once they stand for office and go to Wellington they must take on some shield of invincibility and perfection? We've done it with sportspeople. Somehow having hand-eye coordination and the ability to kick a ball also means you have to be saint like and one step short of beatification.
If you sell yourself as virtuous or above reproach, and fall, fair enough. We all remember Graham Capill.
But if you're just the person who wanted to take your community's voice to the capital but end up taping your secretary, or leaking secrets, or even getting your leg over, it's not turned out all that well, but it's hardly breaking ground that, that very community hasn’t seen many a time before.
It doesn’t make it right. But it makes it more common than we'd like to think. But somehow because we've created this fallacy around MPs, the reason they’ve dropped like flies is because we wanted them to be more than they ever really were.    ]]>131falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-govt-sucked-us-all-in-with-expensive-covid-spin--1008433Some got $400 an hour, so $3200 a day. But what's remarkable about the new numbers is that of the $16 million, about $15 million went on spin.
They use other words in the industry like "marketing" and "communications." But essentially all the hype you heard from Prime Minister, the likes of "the team of five million,"  "the stay safe stay home," the "be kind," we paid for that and it came from advertising agencies. One got $3 million, another got $12 million.
You astonished? Extraordinary, isn't it? It shows, as I pointed out many, many times without the benefit of knowing the numbers, just how much we got played by a government that was as desperate to score points on this as it was to actually address a health crisis.
Those ridiculous rules during lockdown. Supermarkets were fine, but butchers weren't. You could walk, but only locally. What was local? You could surf, but only if you'd done it  before. It will go down in history as one of the most made up, on the spot, nonsensical list of instructions ever.
What was remarkable was how many of us acquiesced, without a single question as to why. In fact some of us were hypnotised into a soporific sort of state where we ended up taking instructions from the head spin master Ardern about putting stuffed animals in windows.
The only thing that didn’t go to plan was the "be kind," because we weren't. We dobbed people in left, right, and centre.
And unfortunately that was driven by the Prime Minister who forgot her be kind message by issuing yet more pointless instructions on what number to ring, or e-mail, to spring recalcitrants who had wandered a bit far from their front door, or weren't carrying measuring tapes for their social distancing.
Is communication important? Of course. But do you need to pay $16 million for it? No. Which is what makes this so egregious.
This wasn’t simple instruction that any government or group or person can come up with, this was  clearly a highly planned, seriously worked over piece of strategy designed for maximum political impact.
And the irony is, from the advertising agencies point of view, it worked. We got sucked in, followed orders and came out hailing the Prime Minister with a 59 percent share in a poll.
Value for money then? Or a master piece of fantastically expensive spin?
Again, we were played like a fiddle.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22963976/mh220720-13-covid19consultantscomment.mp3Wed, 22 Jul 2020 05:18:35 +0000RoccoYou want some numbers? $16 million. That's what we have paid on consultants when its come to Covid. Ah, the old consultant. Some got $400 an hour, so $3200 a day. But what's remarkable about the new numbers is that of the $16 million, about $15...Some got $400 an hour, so $3200 a day. But what's remarkable about the new numbers is that of the $16 million, about $15 million went on spin.
They use other words in the industry like "marketing" and "communications." But essentially all the hype you heard from Prime Minister, the likes of "the team of five million,"  "the stay safe stay home," the "be kind," we paid for that and it came from advertising agencies. One got $3 million, another got $12 million.
You astonished? Extraordinary, isn't it? It shows, as I pointed out many, many times without the benefit of knowing the numbers, just how much we got played by a government that was as desperate to score points on this as it was to actually address a health crisis.
Those ridiculous rules during lockdown. Supermarkets were fine, but butchers weren't. You could walk, but only locally. What was local? You could surf, but only if you'd done it  before. It will go down in history as one of the most made up, on the spot, nonsensical list of instructions ever.
What was remarkable was how many of us acquiesced, without a single question as to why. In fact some of us were hypnotised into a soporific sort of state where we ended up taking instructions from the head spin master Ardern about putting stuffed animals in windows.
The only thing that didn’t go to plan was the "be kind," because we weren't. We dobbed people in left, right, and centre.
And unfortunately that was driven by the Prime Minister who forgot her be kind message by issuing yet more pointless instructions on what number to ring, or e-mail, to spring recalcitrants who had wandered a bit far from their front door, or weren't carrying measuring tapes for their social distancing.
Is communication important? Of course. But do you need to pay $16 million for it? No. Which is what makes this so egregious.
This wasn’t simple instruction that any government or group or person can come up with, this was  clearly a highly planned, seriously worked over piece of strategy designed for maximum political impact.
And the irony is, from the advertising agencies point of view, it worked. We got sucked in, followed orders and came out hailing the Prime Minister with a 59 percent share in a poll.
Value for money then? Or a master piece of fantastically expensive spin?
Again, we were played like a fiddle.]]>144falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-government-can-t-rely-on-lockdown-success-to-win-election--1008457Well Simon is gone, and so is Todd, but Judith has worked it all out.
The economy is the nuclear moment for many of us, and we might have spent a bit of time on The Warehouse these past 24 hours, but it is no different to the plight of many hundreds if not thousands of companies all over this country who have in fact gone through or will go through exactly the same thing.
Laying hundreds off is no different to laying one off if you’re that one. And the reason this will play into the way we vote is because the halcyon days of the lock down are well past, and we have moved on with the inevitable, what next scenario.
The prime minister, you will note, still talks about the pandemic, still sells it as being real and present when it isn’t.
The reason she is doing that is because they worked out scaring us was good for polling. That twee line last week about recognising that there was an election coming but really there was a pandemic to deal with was calculated because they know with Collins real opposition has arrived.
And they know historically economies swing elections and they know historically National are the party of the economy.
And as each day goes by and more and more New Zealanders have their future tipped upside down sooner or later, people are going to start asking ,where is the recovery, where is the plan, where is the growth.
Knowing that, Grant Robertson using other people’s money isn’t any sort of long term answer.
The fact we have been in level one now for a while has helped, and the government gets credit for that, but the level of artificiality about the place is still staggering and that’s coming to an end.
If The Warehouse, having taken the wage subsidy, can still lay off the numbers they are, and they’re far from the only ones, how many more join that queue come September 1st?
And how many of those jobless quite rightly ask themselves whether teddy bears in windows, closed borders and a tanked economy with no real answer outside welfare is really worth voting for.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22964020/mh220720-01-electionpredictioncomment.mp3Wed, 22 Jul 2020 03:58:14 +0000RoccoI know it was well before Simon ever got rolled, but you may remember we predicted that the election was going to be way closer than a lot of people were saying because by the time the cold and dark and despair of July and august came around and the...Well Simon is gone, and so is Todd, but Judith has worked it all out.
The economy is the nuclear moment for many of us, and we might have spent a bit of time on The Warehouse these past 24 hours, but it is no different to the plight of many hundreds if not thousands of companies all over this country who have in fact gone through or will go through exactly the same thing.
Laying hundreds off is no different to laying one off if you’re that one. And the reason this will play into the way we vote is because the halcyon days of the lock down are well past, and we have moved on with the inevitable, what next scenario.
The prime minister, you will note, still talks about the pandemic, still sells it as being real and present when it isn’t.
The reason she is doing that is because they worked out scaring us was good for polling. That twee line last week about recognising that there was an election coming but really there was a pandemic to deal with was calculated because they know with Collins real opposition has arrived.
And they know historically economies swing elections and they know historically National are the party of the economy.
And as each day goes by and more and more New Zealanders have their future tipped upside down sooner or later, people are going to start asking ,where is the recovery, where is the plan, where is the growth.
Knowing that, Grant Robertson using other people’s money isn’t any sort of long term answer.
The fact we have been in level one now for a while has helped, and the government gets credit for that, but the level of artificiality about the place is still staggering and that’s coming to an end.
If The Warehouse, having taken the wage subsidy, can still lay off the numbers they are, and they’re far from the only ones, how many more join that queue come September 1st?
And how many of those jobless quite rightly ask themselves whether teddy bears in windows, closed borders and a tanked economy with no real answer outside welfare is really worth voting for.]]>115falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-can-we-still-rely-on-china-when-everyone-else-is-shunning-them--1008564The extradition treaty between Hong Kong and Britain is gone. Sanctions are coming the Chinese way from the Americans over Hong Kong
Britain has changed its mind on Huawei, no doubt because of the unrelenting pressure of the Americans.
The Australians are in an openly hostile on going exchange of insults and tariffs over the way the Chinese claim they are being treated
And don’t even scratch the surface on US relations in general and yet here we are at the annual NZ China business summit working out how we do ever more business with them.
The ambassador put it perfectly: stay out of our politics and we will get on fine. Which I think, if we were being honest about things, would be exactly what we’d like to do.
But we have an earnest if not slightly xenophobic government that likes to mix business with politics and ultimately the only loser will be us.
We are of course far too reliant on China. The trade deal done all those years ago has turned out to be spectacularly good for us, but at what prices?
The same questions and scenarios are applicable to a lot of other countries, so it’s not like we are in this by ourselves.
We apparently are still looking to sign up to part of the Belt and Road Vision. We openly look to expand opportunities, and yet the mess we currently find ourselves in is directly on the doorstep of China and I just don’t know how you can hide from it despite the fact they may want us to.
You get the British response to Hong Kong. That doesn’t have to be our issue, nor the plight of the Uighurs, but Covid came from China, and there seems little doubt they weren’t exactly ringing the alarm bells on day 1
Can we let them get away with that? Can anyone let them get away with that?
There are countries in Europe changing laws to prevent the Chinese takeover of strategic companies, now that the Chinese are out the other side of covid and cashed up and set to buy big.
The Chinese are increasingly a global concern for a growing number of countries. Is it really as easy as looking the other way as they ask? Or because we are so small are we so stuck now, no longer have a choice.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22963928/mh210720-11-chineserelationscomment.mp3Tue, 21 Jul 2020 05:22:31 +0000RoccoIt seems a little bit ironic that we are busy this week dealing with the Chinese and trade when so much of the world wants to shun them. The extradition treaty between Hong Kong and Britain is gone. Sanctions are coming the Chinese way from the...The extradition treaty between Hong Kong and Britain is gone. Sanctions are coming the Chinese way from the Americans over Hong Kong
Britain has changed its mind on Huawei, no doubt because of the unrelenting pressure of the Americans.
The Australians are in an openly hostile on going exchange of insults and tariffs over the way the Chinese claim they are being treated
And don’t even scratch the surface on US relations in general and yet here we are at the annual NZ China business summit working out how we do ever more business with them.
The ambassador put it perfectly: stay out of our politics and we will get on fine. Which I think, if we were being honest about things, would be exactly what we’d like to do.
But we have an earnest if not slightly xenophobic government that likes to mix business with politics and ultimately the only loser will be us.
We are of course far too reliant on China. The trade deal done all those years ago has turned out to be spectacularly good for us, but at what prices?
The same questions and scenarios are applicable to a lot of other countries, so it’s not like we are in this by ourselves.
We apparently are still looking to sign up to part of the Belt and Road Vision. We openly look to expand opportunities, and yet the mess we currently find ourselves in is directly on the doorstep of China and I just don’t know how you can hide from it despite the fact they may want us to.
You get the British response to Hong Kong. That doesn’t have to be our issue, nor the plight of the Uighurs, but Covid came from China, and there seems little doubt they weren’t exactly ringing the alarm bells on day 1
Can we let them get away with that? Can anyone let them get away with that?
There are countries in Europe changing laws to prevent the Chinese takeover of strategic companies, now that the Chinese are out the other side of covid and cashed up and set to buy big.
The Chinese are increasingly a global concern for a growing number of countries. Is it really as easy as looking the other way as they ask? Or because we are so small are we so stuck now, no longer have a choice.]]>124falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-grant-robertson-deserves-credit-for-his-fiscal-prudence--1008558I am led to believe he has, or had, a quote framed in the entrance to his office that I made about him sometime in the past three years. I said Robertson might well be the saviour of this government.
How prophetic, given what we heard yesterday.
The government set aside about $50 billion to pay for Covid-19 and its carnage. In an update we found there is $14 billion left. The fear among many, was this was set aside for some excellent vote winning expenditure the closer we get to September 19.
Well to his credit, he will not be spending it. It will be put aside in case things turn pear shaped later. So the argument, I am sure, National had lined up that this was a spend thrift government and there was billions about to be tossed at the economy, has been pulled out from under them.
Robertson rolled out his usual comparison trick, find some useless countries and compare them to us.
His point being we started off with debt at 19 percent of GDP. Thanks National by the way.
And we will end up at about 54 percent. That, in anyone's books, is not good, it's not healthy, and may never really be paid back. But he is right, there are those that started off worse than us, and we will still end up a lot better off than many.
But if you do the math, of the $50 billion they put aside with $14 billion left, that $36 billion spent, for a country of 5 million, is a staggering amount of money. A lot of it is welfare based, it's not investment, it's not growth related, it's band-aid sugar money designed to hide the gaping wound.
Some of that will be badly exposed on September 1 when the wage subsidies end. And it's at that point the raw, stark, and brutal nature of the obsession around the health outcome will be laid bare.
But for a government that has tossed a lot of money in bad, unproductive, and politically blatant areas, Robertson deserves every credit, for at least not turning the last $14 billion into an election campaign lolly scramble.         ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22963891/mh210720-01-covidrecoverycomment.mp3Mon, 20 Jul 2020 21:49:55 +0000RoccoFrom our credit where credit is due file, come on in Grant Robertson. I am led to believe he has, or had, a quote framed in the entrance to his office that I made about him sometime in the past three years. I said Robertson might well be the saviour...I am led to believe he has, or had, a quote framed in the entrance to his office that I made about him sometime in the past three years. I said Robertson might well be the saviour of this government.
How prophetic, given what we heard yesterday.
The government set aside about $50 billion to pay for Covid-19 and its carnage. In an update we found there is $14 billion left. The fear among many, was this was set aside for some excellent vote winning expenditure the closer we get to September 19.
Well to his credit, he will not be spending it. It will be put aside in case things turn pear shaped later. So the argument, I am sure, National had lined up that this was a spend thrift government and there was billions about to be tossed at the economy, has been pulled out from under them.
Robertson rolled out his usual comparison trick, find some useless countries and compare them to us.
His point being we started off with debt at 19 percent of GDP. Thanks National by the way.
And we will end up at about 54 percent. That, in anyone's books, is not good, it's not healthy, and may never really be paid back. But he is right, there are those that started off worse than us, and we will still end up a lot better off than many.
But if you do the math, of the $50 billion they put aside with $14 billion left, that $36 billion spent, for a country of 5 million, is a staggering amount of money. A lot of it is welfare based, it's not investment, it's not growth related, it's band-aid sugar money designed to hide the gaping wound.
Some of that will be badly exposed on September 1 when the wage subsidies end. And it's at that point the raw, stark, and brutal nature of the obsession around the health outcome will be laid bare.
But for a government that has tossed a lot of money in bad, unproductive, and politically blatant areas, Robertson deserves every credit, for at least not turning the last $14 billion into an election campaign lolly scramble.         ]]>115falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-crunch-time-is-coming-where-is-the-economic-plan--1008474For some, it’s a catastrophe to this point, at least 40 000 have lost their jobs. The health outcome might have been solid, but the economic one has been life-changing.
The mixed reports we have been getting is some doing well, some not, appears to come down to the fact that those so far unaffected work-wise have taken the money they would have spent on travel and are spending it elsewhere.
Here is a fascinating number I was given. We spend $7 billion a year on travel. Most of that now has to go elsewhere: where is it going?
Cars, major dealers are struggling to keep up, I have this from good numbers of sources. Art is selling like it hasn’t in years. And the stories of renovations are more than true: a fortune is being spent tarting the place up. If you’re in those industries this is all working out very well indeed.
So we are getting a clearer picture of what’s happening. The early carnage was in the tourism areas. Close the borders, you close an industry. Planes, hotels, motels, travel agents; all a disaster.
Now, the next part is the one a lot of people are worrying about. Job losses – phase two.
In Britain, they are saying one in three companies will be laying off when the furlough money stops.
Here, the wage subsidies September 1. Businesses all over this country right now will know what state they are in, how they are tracking, what their likely future is. They will have an idea of what the next round of job losses looks like
This will play out in the weeks running up to the election. Mix in the mortgage holidays coming to an end, and we will be revisiting the worry and uncertainty of April and March.
It’s possible it won’t be as bad as they said. They said 10 % unemployment, they said 80 000 more jobs lost. Let’s hope they’re wrong.
But like all things economic, some do well, many do not.
The same questions we have been asking for months now apply more than ever: where is the recovery plan?
When does the welfare stop? The borrowed/ printed patch up money stop? The talk stop? And when do the polices start getting delivered?
The Prime Minister was in Invercargill last Thursday talking jobs post-Tiwai. What jobs? Talk is not a job, a visit isn’t a job.
Crunch time is coming, when the sugar money is gone and reality arrives. Once again, what’s the plan?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22963860/mh200720-01-economycomment.mp3Mon, 20 Jul 2020 03:31:21 +0000RoccoI have a decent handle I think on the economy. Two weeks of holiday chat and calls and feedback and what seems to have happened is this. For some, it’s a catastrophe to this point, at least 40 000 have lost their jobs. The health outcome might have...For some, it’s a catastrophe to this point, at least 40 000 have lost their jobs. The health outcome might have been solid, but the economic one has been life-changing.
The mixed reports we have been getting is some doing well, some not, appears to come down to the fact that those so far unaffected work-wise have taken the money they would have spent on travel and are spending it elsewhere.
Here is a fascinating number I was given. We spend $7 billion a year on travel. Most of that now has to go elsewhere: where is it going?
Cars, major dealers are struggling to keep up, I have this from good numbers of sources. Art is selling like it hasn’t in years. And the stories of renovations are more than true: a fortune is being spent tarting the place up. If you’re in those industries this is all working out very well indeed.
So we are getting a clearer picture of what’s happening. The early carnage was in the tourism areas. Close the borders, you close an industry. Planes, hotels, motels, travel agents; all a disaster.
Now, the next part is the one a lot of people are worrying about. Job losses – phase two.
In Britain, they are saying one in three companies will be laying off when the furlough money stops.
Here, the wage subsidies September 1. Businesses all over this country right now will know what state they are in, how they are tracking, what their likely future is. They will have an idea of what the next round of job losses looks like
This will play out in the weeks running up to the election. Mix in the mortgage holidays coming to an end, and we will be revisiting the worry and uncertainty of April and March.
It’s possible it won’t be as bad as they said. They said 10 % unemployment, they said 80 000 more jobs lost. Let’s hope they’re wrong.
But like all things economic, some do well, many do not.
The same questions we have been asking for months now apply more than ever: where is the recovery plan?
When does the welfare stop? The borrowed/ printed patch up money stop? The talk stop? And when do the polices start getting delivered?
The Prime Minister was in Invercargill last Thursday talking jobs post-Tiwai. What jobs? Talk is not a job, a visit isn’t a job.
Crunch time is coming, when the sugar money is gone and reality arrives. Once again, what’s the plan?]]>132falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-government-being-dishonest-over-cannabis-vote--1008307In my holiday mail was the official pamphlet, direct from the politburo. Putin would have been proud of it.
Remember the official line is that the government holds no view on this, this is our choice, and they're staying out of it. If you still believe that you've been asleep or you're not that bright.
When it was claimed Family First was getting money from an American lobby group, Andrew Little blew his lid. It was completely unjustifiable for a foreign group to involve themselves in a local debate and vote. But there was, of course, no money at all.
And yet this is the same Minister who has overseen a series of rules that allow people like the Drug Foundation to raise whatever they like from whoever they like and not have to tell anyone who those people are, and he is just fine with it.
Back to the pamphlet, it reads "the bill's purpose is to reduce harm to people and communities." No, it isn't. The bill's purpose is to legalise, or not, something that is currently illegal. You are voting yes or no, legal or illegal, nothing more.
Could an outworking of the vote mean there might be less harm to people and communities? Possibly. Or indeed possibly not. Because that’s the case, you can't make the claim something will happen, if in fact it might not. That’s fraudulent.
The pamphlet ends with the question, "where can I get more information?" The answer, of course, is the internet. But they offer you one tiny piece of the internet, namely their own website. Can we conclude that if that particular piece of the net they're sprooking is as gerrymandered and biased as the pamphlet, then the only information you'll be getting is the stuff they want you to see?
They helpfully include a phone number as well. But only one number, theirs.
Here's the dishonesty in all this, for the most open, honest, and transparent government ever, it’s a joke. You know where I stand. Why? Because I tell you. I'm honest and I am open. You disagree with me? Fine. But, at least, we know where we are at.
They say they have no view, they're lying. They say they're neutral, they're lying. The pamphlet is a snow job masquerading as advice. And it's been driven by fear that they're losing, look at the Colmar Brunton poll.
You know what? The no vote deserves to win, not only because it’s the right health and social outcome, but because the government have been dishonest in putting their case forward. They simply can't be trusted.
This isn't, nor has it ever been, a level playing field.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22963826/mh200720-13-cannabisreferendumcomment.mp3Sun, 19 Jul 2020 22:05:40 +0000RoccoSo the con continues to unfold from the government over the cannabis vote in September.  In my holiday mail was the official pamphlet, direct from the politburo. Putin would have been proud of it. Remember the official line is that the government...In my holiday mail was the official pamphlet, direct from the politburo. Putin would have been proud of it.
Remember the official line is that the government holds no view on this, this is our choice, and they're staying out of it. If you still believe that you've been asleep or you're not that bright.
When it was claimed Family First was getting money from an American lobby group, Andrew Little blew his lid. It was completely unjustifiable for a foreign group to involve themselves in a local debate and vote. But there was, of course, no money at all.
And yet this is the same Minister who has overseen a series of rules that allow people like the Drug Foundation to raise whatever they like from whoever they like and not have to tell anyone who those people are, and he is just fine with it.
Back to the pamphlet, it reads "the bill's purpose is to reduce harm to people and communities." No, it isn't. The bill's purpose is to legalise, or not, something that is currently illegal. You are voting yes or no, legal or illegal, nothing more.
Could an outworking of the vote mean there might be less harm to people and communities? Possibly. Or indeed possibly not. Because that’s the case, you can't make the claim something will happen, if in fact it might not. That’s fraudulent.
The pamphlet ends with the question, "where can I get more information?" The answer, of course, is the internet. But they offer you one tiny piece of the internet, namely their own website. Can we conclude that if that particular piece of the net they're sprooking is as gerrymandered and biased as the pamphlet, then the only information you'll be getting is the stuff they want you to see?
They helpfully include a phone number as well. But only one number, theirs.
Here's the dishonesty in all this, for the most open, honest, and transparent government ever, it’s a joke. You know where I stand. Why? Because I tell you. I'm honest and I am open. You disagree with me? Fine. But, at least, we know where we are at.
They say they have no view, they're lying. They say they're neutral, they're lying. The pamphlet is a snow job masquerading as advice. And it's been driven by fear that they're losing, look at the Colmar Brunton poll.
You know what? The no vote deserves to win, not only because it’s the right health and social outcome, but because the government have been dishonest in putting their case forward. They simply can't be trusted.
This isn't, nor has it ever been, a level playing field.  ]]>148falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-why-do-councils-even-pretend-to-care-about-our-views--1008514Exhibit A – Christchurch. A massive public consultation campaign triggered thousands of submissions pleading with the council to adopt a zero rates increase, to help ratepayers get through the Covid crisis. That’s just not possible, was their response.
Despite its war-chest of commercial assets, producing piss poor dividend flows, the council considers partial-asset sales to correct its balance sheet as bordering on the satanic. An evil no-go zone.
So businesses and residents will be slugged with another lazy rates increase, to fund their parade of pet projects. In the past six years alone, my rates bill has shot up 52%.
The Christchurch Council seems to reside in a parallel universe. They won’t cut staff numbers this year. They won’t even follow the private sector and temporarily reduce remuneration levels for the hundreds of staff earning six figure salaries.
There’s no sense of shared sacrifice.
Exhibit B – Auckland Council. Risibly, their consultation on the annual plan, the emergency budget, prompted a massive public mandate to cap rates increases at 2 point 5 per cent. That’s what two-thirds of the submitters plumped for. One in four wanted a rates freeze. Just twenty eight per cent backed the council’s preferred option of a three point five per cent rates rise.
The Phil Goff-led council has spurned the overwhelming public feedback, boxing on with the heftier rates hike. The overall 3 point 5 per cent hike will see average household rates increasing 4.4 per cent, with water charges also expected to rise.
The arrogance, the defiance, the ‘we know best” bloody-mindedness makes me sick. Stand by for more over-specked slow roads and gold-plated cycle lanes. We have our projects to deliver, and by god we will, seems to be the mentality.
And councils around the land still wonder why most of us don’t bother voting in local body elections, let alone bothering ourselves around with their pointless, farcical, consultations. Wonder no more.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22963669/newstalk-zb-auckland-2020_07_17-07-24-34.mp3Fri, 17 Jul 2020 01:24:38 +0000RoccoWhy do councils even pretend to care about your views, to pretend that consultation counts, when in most cases, the establishment thumbs its nose at the public will, to protect its nest and cess pit of waste. Exhibit A – Christchurch. A massive public...Exhibit A – Christchurch. A massive public consultation campaign triggered thousands of submissions pleading with the council to adopt a zero rates increase, to help ratepayers get through the Covid crisis. That’s just not possible, was their response.
Despite its war-chest of commercial assets, producing piss poor dividend flows, the council considers partial-asset sales to correct its balance sheet as bordering on the satanic. An evil no-go zone.
So businesses and residents will be slugged with another lazy rates increase, to fund their parade of pet projects. In the past six years alone, my rates bill has shot up 52%.
The Christchurch Council seems to reside in a parallel universe. They won’t cut staff numbers this year. They won’t even follow the private sector and temporarily reduce remuneration levels for the hundreds of staff earning six figure salaries.
There’s no sense of shared sacrifice.
Exhibit B – Auckland Council. Risibly, their consultation on the annual plan, the emergency budget, prompted a massive public mandate to cap rates increases at 2 point 5 per cent. That’s what two-thirds of the submitters plumped for. One in four wanted a rates freeze. Just twenty eight per cent backed the council’s preferred option of a three point five per cent rates rise.
The Phil Goff-led council has spurned the overwhelming public feedback, boxing on with the heftier rates hike. The overall 3 point 5 per cent hike will see average household rates increasing 4.4 per cent, with water charges also expected to rise.
The arrogance, the defiance, the ‘we know best” bloody-mindedness makes me sick. Stand by for more over-specked slow roads and gold-plated cycle lanes. We have our projects to deliver, and by god we will, seems to be the mentality.
And councils around the land still wonder why most of us don’t bother voting in local body elections, let alone bothering ourselves around with their pointless, farcical, consultations. Wonder no more.]]>151falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-national-s-urban-liberals-have-a-lot-to-answer-for--1008312It’s been backdropped by the rumble of insurrection wrenching at National’s soul.
The squishy centre, the Labour lite urban liberals have a lot to answer for. First, they brought down Bridges. Simon may have not been the dream leader, but I don’t believe he was leading National to political disaster.
The squishy centre torpedoed him for Todd, who wasn’t up to snuff. He never looked comfortable in his skin, despite his impressive credentials. Bridges’ critics argue that the public were no longer tuned in. The phone was off the hook. Yet with Muller, the phone wasn’t even plugged in. His bumbling hash magandi on the MAGA hat said it all. He wasn’t a sure-footed leader.
And then we got all the woke rubbish, as the Labour light crowd dabbled in identity politics. Nicki Kaye said Goldsmith was Ngati Porou. Just this week, Amy Adams talking up Catherine Chu as Chinese. Wrong. They are both better than that. This kind of identity nonsense is not the National Party I know. National looked lost, confused and rudderless, grasping for its true north, as the centrists ran amok.
Thankfully, with Collins and Brownlee at the helm, a sense of order has been restored by the seasoned pros. Kaye and Adams are packing their bags. Malcolm Turnball-ising this party was never the answer.
Yes, National is a broad spectrum church. But it’s default position, its anchor is a party of the centre-right.
National should always tilt to the right. The injection of Nicola Willis and Chris Bishop up the rankings should pacify the more centrist urban liberals. But similarly, Collins has soothed the right wing by dramatically promoting Bridges to Number 4, and adding Justice to his workload. She has played this well.
Judith and Gerry are righting the ship. If any other MP is not hearing the siren call for stability, if they’re disaffected, they should join the clean out. Back Judith, back this team, or buggar off.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22963636/newstalk-zb-auckland-2020_07_17-06-08-13.mp3Thu, 16 Jul 2020 22:59:18 +0000RoccoWho would possibly have thought two sleepy weeks of winter school holidays could unearth such political histrionics. It’s been backdropped by the rumble of insurrection wrenching at National’s soul. The squishy centre, the Labour lite urban liberals...It’s been backdropped by the rumble of insurrection wrenching at National’s soul.
The squishy centre, the Labour lite urban liberals have a lot to answer for. First, they brought down Bridges. Simon may have not been the dream leader, but I don’t believe he was leading National to political disaster.
The squishy centre torpedoed him for Todd, who wasn’t up to snuff. He never looked comfortable in his skin, despite his impressive credentials. Bridges’ critics argue that the public were no longer tuned in. The phone was off the hook. Yet with Muller, the phone wasn’t even plugged in. His bumbling hash magandi on the MAGA hat said it all. He wasn’t a sure-footed leader.
And then we got all the woke rubbish, as the Labour light crowd dabbled in identity politics. Nicki Kaye said Goldsmith was Ngati Porou. Just this week, Amy Adams talking up Catherine Chu as Chinese. Wrong. They are both better than that. This kind of identity nonsense is not the National Party I know. National looked lost, confused and rudderless, grasping for its true north, as the centrists ran amok.
Thankfully, with Collins and Brownlee at the helm, a sense of order has been restored by the seasoned pros. Kaye and Adams are packing their bags. Malcolm Turnball-ising this party was never the answer.
Yes, National is a broad spectrum church. But it’s default position, its anchor is a party of the centre-right.
National should always tilt to the right. The injection of Nicola Willis and Chris Bishop up the rankings should pacify the more centrist urban liberals. But similarly, Collins has soothed the right wing by dramatically promoting Bridges to Number 4, and adding Justice to his workload. She has played this well.
Judith and Gerry are righting the ship. If any other MP is not hearing the siren call for stability, if they’re disaffected, they should join the clean out. Back Judith, back this team, or buggar off.]]>163falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-tourist-drivers-aren-t-the-problem-on-our-roads--1008521Tourist drivers are not the monstrous deadly menace they have been made out to be in recent years by an excitable media narrative. With virtually zero tourists in the country, the post-lockdown road toll has not dropped.
Transport Ministry data shows June had the same number of monthly fatal crashes, that the past five years has had, while July is shaping up to be the worst or second worst July for fatalities in the past five years. We are the Kiwi killing machines. We cause the carnage.
And our borders are closed. Admittedly, I have enjoyed tripping through the Mackenzie and Central Otago lately, where many a distracted tourist driver comes a cropper. Without them on the roads, it has made for a more relaxing drive. I’ve become accustomed to driving like a hyper-defensive driver in those parts. I accept that. It goes with the territory in a tourist trap. But a huge amount of work has been invested in enhancing driver safety for the foreign driver in recent years, with centre line rumble strips, keep left signage…you name it.
The bottom line remains that tourist drivers were never the big contributor to our fatality count, that the hysterics and hyperbole made out. They were a convenient scapegoat, while we downplayed our own collective driving defects and glaring imperfections.
The public hysteria was best illustrated by those whipped-up demands for all tourists to be ordered to sit a New Zealand practical driving test before being given the keys to rental. Ridiculous.
Over the past ten years, the Ministry’s crash data shows foreign nationals were involved in three to four per cent of serious or fatal road crashes. And we had four million of them in the country in the past year. When they finally return, post-Covid, hopefully we won’t be so feral or so quick to point the finger of blame.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22963577/newstalk-zb-auckland-2020_07_16-06-08-01.mp3Wed, 15 Jul 2020 23:24:42 +0000RoccoAs we fleetingly profiled on yesterday’s show, one of New Zealand’s greatest urban legends seems to have been starkly exposed as the hysterical nonsense it always has been. Tourist drivers are not the monstrous deadly menace they have been made out to...Tourist drivers are not the monstrous deadly menace they have been made out to be in recent years by an excitable media narrative. With virtually zero tourists in the country, the post-lockdown road toll has not dropped.
Transport Ministry data shows June had the same number of monthly fatal crashes, that the past five years has had, while July is shaping up to be the worst or second worst July for fatalities in the past five years. We are the Kiwi killing machines. We cause the carnage.
And our borders are closed. Admittedly, I have enjoyed tripping through the Mackenzie and Central Otago lately, where many a distracted tourist driver comes a cropper. Without them on the roads, it has made for a more relaxing drive. I’ve become accustomed to driving like a hyper-defensive driver in those parts. I accept that. It goes with the territory in a tourist trap. But a huge amount of work has been invested in enhancing driver safety for the foreign driver in recent years, with centre line rumble strips, keep left signage…you name it.
The bottom line remains that tourist drivers were never the big contributor to our fatality count, that the hysterics and hyperbole made out. They were a convenient scapegoat, while we downplayed our own collective driving defects and glaring imperfections.
The public hysteria was best illustrated by those whipped-up demands for all tourists to be ordered to sit a New Zealand practical driving test before being given the keys to rental. Ridiculous.
Over the past ten years, the Ministry’s crash data shows foreign nationals were involved in three to four per cent of serious or fatal road crashes. And we had four million of them in the country in the past year. When they finally return, post-Covid, hopefully we won’t be so feral or so quick to point the finger of blame.]]>166falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-opening-border-to-cook-islands-a-quick-and-easy-win--1008318On face value, it may strike you as contradictory and confusing to be agitating for air bridges with the world for leisure travel, while at the same time arguing for stringent security at our border and around our MIQ facilities.
But that’s exactly the dual challenge New Zealand has to man up to.
We are in the most invidious position in the world with our Covid status. And we must jealously guard that position with a rigorous security posture to ensure all new Covid cases are contained within our MIQ facilities. But we have to learn to walk and chew gum at the same time and open up to the world, with best-practise confidence.  
Prime Minister Ardern has finally caught up with Prime Minister Puna and the Cook Islands bubble looks closer to becoming a reality. A timeline is now being worked on. The resumption of leisure travel back to the covid-free Cooks will revive their shattered economy.
There are obvious geopolitical reasons why we must reach out to the Cooks as well. Tourism generates 70 per cent of their GDP.
As their deputy Prime Minister told me yesterday, tourism is so valuable to the Cooks, it’s the equivalent of 50 million visitors spending money in New Zealand.  May these baby steps help expedite similar air bridges to Covid-free Aussie states, like South Australia and Tasmania.
Safe, smart quarantine-free travel, separated from the MIQ arrivals flocking home from far-flung places. A reliable instant Covid detection test would certainly help the cause. And I hope that’s not far away. But we’ve got to start re-engaging with the world – and the Cooks is a quick and easy win.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22963525/newstalk-zb-auckland-2020_07_15-07-48-19.mp3Wed, 15 Jul 2020 02:54:43 +0000RoccoFinally see some headway on New Zealand’s challenge to start re-engaging with the world. On face value, it may strike you as contradictory and confusing to be agitating for air bridges with the world for leisure travel, while at the same time arguing...On face value, it may strike you as contradictory and confusing to be agitating for air bridges with the world for leisure travel, while at the same time arguing for stringent security at our border and around our MIQ facilities.
But that’s exactly the dual challenge New Zealand has to man up to.
We are in the most invidious position in the world with our Covid status. And we must jealously guard that position with a rigorous security posture to ensure all new Covid cases are contained within our MIQ facilities. But we have to learn to walk and chew gum at the same time and open up to the world, with best-practise confidence.  
Prime Minister Ardern has finally caught up with Prime Minister Puna and the Cook Islands bubble looks closer to becoming a reality. A timeline is now being worked on. The resumption of leisure travel back to the covid-free Cooks will revive their shattered economy.
There are obvious geopolitical reasons why we must reach out to the Cooks as well. Tourism generates 70 per cent of their GDP.
As their deputy Prime Minister told me yesterday, tourism is so valuable to the Cooks, it’s the equivalent of 50 million visitors spending money in New Zealand.  May these baby steps help expedite similar air bridges to Covid-free Aussie states, like South Australia and Tasmania.
Safe, smart quarantine-free travel, separated from the MIQ arrivals flocking home from far-flung places. A reliable instant Covid detection test would certainly help the cause. And I hope that’s not far away. But we’ve got to start re-engaging with the world – and the Cooks is a quick and easy win.]]>164falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-judith-collins-is-the-perfect-woman-to-break-jacinda-ardern-s-silvery-spell--1008475The dilemma some centre-right voters will have to face, is whether they keep the faith with the National Party given its most uncustomary turmoil – or do they swing their wagons behind Winston, to torpedo the gross excesses of a full-throated left wing agenda. Some may simply choose to reward ACT for remaining focused and creative.
History favours this government not being rolled in September. We haven’t chucked out a one term government since 1975.  
But Judith Collins gives National new hope. She has an established brand. She has steel, she has spark, she has the smirk. But she’s only got ten weeks to make a fist of it.
Is she in it to win it? Of course.  But it’s a formidable challenge. Collins has to galvanise the party base and its factions. The squishy Labour light crowd and the right wing rump. She has to galvanise middle New Zealand and rip apart the warm and fuzzy culture of complacency that has proliferated under Ardern’s silvery spell. Can she cut Jacinda’s lunch?
Well Collins certainly won’t suffer from stage fright. But National now needs to make all the running and grab the election agenda by the scruff of its neck. I wouldn’t write Collins off. It’s been a year of surprise turns and shocks. The inconceivable is the new normal.   
But as election day nears, I see suspect a chunk of centre-right voters will forensically examine the polls, to ensure National is well into the 40s.  If they’re not, and those voters don’t hold confidence that National can viably muster the numbers, will they still vote for the party they believe in, or will they vote tactically for NZ First, simply to blunt the left wing excess?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22963493/mhb-my-editorial-15-07.mp3Tue, 14 Jul 2020 22:15:49 +0000RoccoThe notion of a Labour Greens government fills my heart with fear. For all their mischief and duplicity, I’m grateful that New Zealand First has been in a position to ankle-tap and obliterate some of their more odious polices, whether it be CGT or the...The dilemma some centre-right voters will have to face, is whether they keep the faith with the National Party given its most uncustomary turmoil – or do they swing their wagons behind Winston, to torpedo the gross excesses of a full-throated left wing agenda. Some may simply choose to reward ACT for remaining focused and creative.
History favours this government not being rolled in September. We haven’t chucked out a one term government since 1975.  
But Judith Collins gives National new hope. She has an established brand. She has steel, she has spark, she has the smirk. But she’s only got ten weeks to make a fist of it.
Is she in it to win it? Of course.  But it’s a formidable challenge. Collins has to galvanise the party base and its factions. The squishy Labour light crowd and the right wing rump. She has to galvanise middle New Zealand and rip apart the warm and fuzzy culture of complacency that has proliferated under Ardern’s silvery spell. Can she cut Jacinda’s lunch?
Well Collins certainly won’t suffer from stage fright. But National now needs to make all the running and grab the election agenda by the scruff of its neck. I wouldn’t write Collins off. It’s been a year of surprise turns and shocks. The inconceivable is the new normal.   
But as election day nears, I see suspect a chunk of centre-right voters will forensically examine the polls, to ensure National is well into the 40s.  If they’re not, and those voters don’t hold confidence that National can viably muster the numbers, will they still vote for the party they believe in, or will they vote tactically for NZ First, simply to blunt the left wing excess?]]>150falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-let-s-support-our-local-potato-industry--1008566Enter the foreign fries, the frozen spuds to our shops, from Belguim and the Netherlands. Huge surplus inventories have spilled on to our shores, largely due to Covid-induced supply chain disruption. Global potato prices have collapsed and there’s a mountain of product in European cool stores.
But as you will have seen in the news, the allegation is that these Euro frozen potato products are being dumped here. And of course, being European, these spuds enjoy EU subsidies. A Dutch grower for example gets a 50 Euro subsidy per tonne.
But the material damage to our own homegrown industry from this dumping could be swift and severe, if the local industry is forced to compete on price.
The definition of dumping is when imported goods are sold at a price that is below their normal value in their country of export. Analysis from the industry body, Potatoes New Zealand, determines the dumping margins are anywhere between ninety five per cent and one hundred and fifty per cent – and rising. They want the government to impose an anti-dumping duty on these Euro potato products, to ensure demand for locally grown spuds can withstand the onslaught. The industry estimates the current situation will lead to local industry product being undercut by up to nearly fourty per cent, savaging our growers and processors. Production will be slashed, jobs fried.
So a dumping complaint is before MBIE. The maddening thing is that even if MBIE believes an investigation is warranted, they’re allowed to take nine long months to probe away, before applying a dumping duty. Beauacratic paralysis at its leisurely best. In the interim, lend the industry a hand. Spurn the foreign spuds. Buy local, from God’s own soil.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22963406/mhb14-07-20-opening-potatoe-dumping.mp3Mon, 13 Jul 2020 23:11:04 +0000RoccoMaybe it’s my DNA, my Irish roots, but I love potatoes. Agria, Red Rascals, Ilam Hardy…spuds rock. Christmas wouldn’t be complete without Oamaru Jersey Bennies. Our one billion dollar potato industry is a relatively intimate one, employing around five...Enter the foreign fries, the frozen spuds to our shops, from Belguim and the Netherlands. Huge surplus inventories have spilled on to our shores, largely due to Covid-induced supply chain disruption. Global potato prices have collapsed and there’s a mountain of product in European cool stores.
But as you will have seen in the news, the allegation is that these Euro frozen potato products are being dumped here. And of course, being European, these spuds enjoy EU subsidies. A Dutch grower for example gets a 50 Euro subsidy per tonne.
But the material damage to our own homegrown industry from this dumping could be swift and severe, if the local industry is forced to compete on price.
The definition of dumping is when imported goods are sold at a price that is below their normal value in their country of export. Analysis from the industry body, Potatoes New Zealand, determines the dumping margins are anywhere between ninety five per cent and one hundred and fifty per cent – and rising. They want the government to impose an anti-dumping duty on these Euro potato products, to ensure demand for locally grown spuds can withstand the onslaught. The industry estimates the current situation will lead to local industry product being undercut by up to nearly fourty per cent, savaging our growers and processors. Production will be slashed, jobs fried.
So a dumping complaint is before MBIE. The maddening thing is that even if MBIE believes an investigation is warranted, they’re allowed to take nine long months to probe away, before applying a dumping duty. Beauacratic paralysis at its leisurely best. In the interim, lend the industry a hand. Spurn the foreign spuds. Buy local, from God’s own soil.]]>155falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-team-new-zealand-don-t-deserve-criticism-for-rental-deal--1008562Official Information documents outline that the team’s bargain deal is locked in until March 2022, with a maximum lease term for a further five years. Que the outrage and well-rehearsed claims of mates rates and furtive corporate welfare.
But there is nothing fishy or scandalous or inquiry-triggering about this rental deal for the Viaduct Events Centre.
It is not over and above Auckland Council’s contribution to hosting the America’s Cup. It is part of the council’s $113 million dollar package. Rather than building a brand new cup village for all the teams, offering up the events centre as Team New Zealand’s base was seen as a pragmatic way to reduce the cash cost of the council’s contribution.
Now you could argue that for the council’s venues operator to forgo millions of dollars in annual revenue, and extend a bargain lease to Team New Zealand, was far too generous. But that was the deal struck as part of the council’s contribution to the America’s Cup defence.
The critics are lining up to pillory the shrinking returns Auckland stands to gain from the regatta next year. But since when is Team New Zealand responsible for the global pandemic, the border closures, and the collapse in international tourism to this country?
Similarly, the financial crisis Auckland Council now finds itself in, is not of the America’s Cup’s making. Emirates Team New Zealand seems to have become a convenient catch-all whipping boy for other people’s woes.
With the council cash-strapped, I can understand that the Auckland Mayor now wants to kick the home team out of the centre shortly after the Cup defence, and rehouse them elsewhere, in a bid to raise some revenue for the coffers from the events centre. And that’s fine.
But don’t dump on Team New Zealand on this peppercorn rental deal, which was struck in good faith.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22963370/mhb13-07-20-opening-americas-cup.mp3Mon, 13 Jul 2020 02:05:58 +0000RoccoTeam New Zealand have come under media fire again over the weekend, with revelations that their team base at the Viaduct Events centre was secured for the peppercorn rental of one dollar a year. Official Information documents outline that the team’s...Official Information documents outline that the team’s bargain deal is locked in until March 2022, with a maximum lease term for a further five years. Que the outrage and well-rehearsed claims of mates rates and furtive corporate welfare.
But there is nothing fishy or scandalous or inquiry-triggering about this rental deal for the Viaduct Events Centre.
It is not over and above Auckland Council’s contribution to hosting the America’s Cup. It is part of the council’s $113 million dollar package. Rather than building a brand new cup village for all the teams, offering up the events centre as Team New Zealand’s base was seen as a pragmatic way to reduce the cash cost of the council’s contribution.
Now you could argue that for the council’s venues operator to forgo millions of dollars in annual revenue, and extend a bargain lease to Team New Zealand, was far too generous. But that was the deal struck as part of the council’s contribution to the America’s Cup defence.
The critics are lining up to pillory the shrinking returns Auckland stands to gain from the regatta next year. But since when is Team New Zealand responsible for the global pandemic, the border closures, and the collapse in international tourism to this country?
Similarly, the financial crisis Auckland Council now finds itself in, is not of the America’s Cup’s making. Emirates Team New Zealand seems to have become a convenient catch-all whipping boy for other people’s woes.
With the council cash-strapped, I can understand that the Auckland Mayor now wants to kick the home team out of the centre shortly after the Cup defence, and rehouse them elsewhere, in a bid to raise some revenue for the coffers from the events centre. And that’s fine.
But don’t dump on Team New Zealand on this peppercorn rental deal, which was struck in good faith.  ]]>149falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-anti-gangs-policy-shows-why-act-is-growing-in-popularity--1008453National set the stage in its discussion document late last year, with the big splash on Strikeforce Raptor. Whether that policy idea has survived the leadership change remains to be seen, but National is sure to go after the gangs.
Ditto for New Zealand First. Shane Jones particularly only too well knows what a venomous, life-destroying cancer on Northland communities the gangs and their drug trade is.
But the surprise package is ACT. David Seymour and Nicole McKee have unveiled a targeted policy that seeks to smash the gangs by seizing all of their assets.
There’s no question that ACT is gunning for New Zealand First’s vote, particularly on the back of the fury over illegal firearms, the buyback and the ongoing reforms affecting licensed owners.
And they have tapped into that vein of discontent by taking aim at gangs.
Under the ACT Party’s new policy, the Criminal Proceeds Recovery Act would be dramatically changed to make life decidedly easier for the police. If the police find illegal firearms at an unlawful gang-run operation, that would be sufficient to seize all of the assets, under court order.
Currently, the Recovery Act requires a vast range of tests to be met including proving a link between illicit money and the purchasing of assets. But the biggest hurdle the police must cross is proving that the drugs for supply, for example, carry a value of more than thirty thousand dollars.
Gangs aren’t dumb and this prompted many organised criminals to decentralise their operations into a vast array of subsidiary satellites, to try and keep the street value of their product per site, below the threshold, to avert seizure proceedings against their loot and gold-rimmed motorbikes.
It may strike some libertarians as a little too invasive, but this is smart, surgical policy by ACT. And it’s another reason why this niche party is enjoying real and sustained voter traction.       ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22963346/mhb13-07-20-comment-act-party.mp3Sun, 12 Jul 2020 22:24:44 +0000RoccoIsn’t it interesting that organised crime, gangland, is being lined up by a swathe of political parties for special attention this election? National set the stage in its discussion document late last year, with the big splash on Strikeforce Raptor....National set the stage in its discussion document late last year, with the big splash on Strikeforce Raptor. Whether that policy idea has survived the leadership change remains to be seen, but National is sure to go after the gangs.
Ditto for New Zealand First. Shane Jones particularly only too well knows what a venomous, life-destroying cancer on Northland communities the gangs and their drug trade is.
But the surprise package is ACT. David Seymour and Nicole McKee have unveiled a targeted policy that seeks to smash the gangs by seizing all of their assets.
There’s no question that ACT is gunning for New Zealand First’s vote, particularly on the back of the fury over illegal firearms, the buyback and the ongoing reforms affecting licensed owners.
And they have tapped into that vein of discontent by taking aim at gangs.
Under the ACT Party’s new policy, the Criminal Proceeds Recovery Act would be dramatically changed to make life decidedly easier for the police. If the police find illegal firearms at an unlawful gang-run operation, that would be sufficient to seize all of the assets, under court order.
Currently, the Recovery Act requires a vast range of tests to be met including proving a link between illicit money and the purchasing of assets. But the biggest hurdle the police must cross is proving that the drugs for supply, for example, carry a value of more than thirty thousand dollars.
Gangs aren’t dumb and this prompted many organised criminals to decentralise their operations into a vast array of subsidiary satellites, to try and keep the street value of their product per site, below the threshold, to avert seizure proceedings against their loot and gold-rimmed motorbikes.
It may strike some libertarians as a little too invasive, but this is smart, surgical policy by ACT. And it’s another reason why this niche party is enjoying real and sustained voter traction.       ]]>151falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-harder-line-needed-on-assault-penalties--1008553How many times have we heard the tired old sob stories from their legal counsel, about how a conviction for an assault, no matter how brutal or depraved , would cause irreparable damage to their clients career prospects and their ability to travel overseas? That a conviction against their name would inflict lasting damage on their potential to pursue their chosen profession and full earning potential. It’s a cynical old canard which is wheeled out on cue.
And many members of our judiciary will dutifully oblige, issuing a discharge without conviction – even when the gravity of the assault is at the higher-end of offending.
It completely undercuts society’s expectation that the courts will hold violent offenders to account and uphold our revulsion of domestic violence.
Enter Robin Ihaka Ainsley. A twenty one year old who pleaded guilty in the Dunedin District Court to assault, after a vile, terrifying and sustained physical attack on his former girlfriend. What’s worse, he hounded her demanding she seem him, before unleashing this attack. I’ll spare you the raw details of his onslaught. But check out the Herald if you want the blow by blow.
Ainsley is a national sporting representative, in rugby and wrestling. He’s got huge international prospects, he’s a much-lauded student-athlete. But his lawyer’s bid for a discharge without conviction, given the quote “dire” ramifications was skittled. Judge Michael Crosbie wasn’t buying it, despite accepting a conviction will impact on his life. Hopefully for the better. And he sentenced Ainsley to nine months supervision. Ainsley should count himself lucky he wasn’t jailed.
But consequences do matter. And don’t get me started on this trumped up nonsense about not being able to travel to the likes of the US if you’ve got a conviction. Kiwis routinely get granted exemptions to that hurdle, if you’ve kept yourself out of trouble. That’s the task before Ronin Ainsley, now. Turn a new leaf. And I wish him well. Bravo, Judge Crosbie.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22963203/mhb10-07-20-comment-judge-crosby.mp3Fri, 10 Jul 2020 07:33:28 +0000RoccoHow many times have we heard of entertainers, sportsmen or aspiring stars with bright futures appearing in court for their thuggish crimes, only to be discharged without conviction. How many times have we heard the tired old sob stories from their...How many times have we heard the tired old sob stories from their legal counsel, about how a conviction for an assault, no matter how brutal or depraved , would cause irreparable damage to their clients career prospects and their ability to travel overseas? That a conviction against their name would inflict lasting damage on their potential to pursue their chosen profession and full earning potential. It’s a cynical old canard which is wheeled out on cue.
And many members of our judiciary will dutifully oblige, issuing a discharge without conviction – even when the gravity of the assault is at the higher-end of offending.
It completely undercuts society’s expectation that the courts will hold violent offenders to account and uphold our revulsion of domestic violence.
Enter Robin Ihaka Ainsley. A twenty one year old who pleaded guilty in the Dunedin District Court to assault, after a vile, terrifying and sustained physical attack on his former girlfriend. What’s worse, he hounded her demanding she seem him, before unleashing this attack. I’ll spare you the raw details of his onslaught. But check out the Herald if you want the blow by blow.
Ainsley is a national sporting representative, in rugby and wrestling. He’s got huge international prospects, he’s a much-lauded student-athlete. But his lawyer’s bid for a discharge without conviction, given the quote “dire” ramifications was skittled. Judge Michael Crosbie wasn’t buying it, despite accepting a conviction will impact on his life. Hopefully for the better. And he sentenced Ainsley to nine months supervision. Ainsley should count himself lucky he wasn’t jailed.
But consequences do matter. And don’t get me started on this trumped up nonsense about not being able to travel to the likes of the US if you’ve got a conviction. Kiwis routinely get granted exemptions to that hurdle, if you’ve kept yourself out of trouble. That’s the task before Ronin Ainsley, now. Turn a new leaf. And I wish him well. Bravo, Judge Crosbie.]]>141falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-rio-tinto-s-not-a-charity-case--1008484 
But as much as Rio Tinto has a penchant for playing who blinks first, I respect the Finance Minister for not buckling, not capitulating to their increasingly grasping ways.
 
I love Southland. We all feel for Southland. But Grant Robertson has stood firm, upholding the position of Key, Joyce and English. No more hand-outs. As it is, Rio Tinto is charged a pepper-corn usage rate by Meridian. A quarter of the consumer’s rate. Does Rio Tinto really expect the gentailer now gives its power away to them for free? Rio Tinto already pocket a sixty five million dollar carbon subsidy under the ETS scheme. And under the Transmission Pricing changes, they would soon be paying eleven million dollars a year less in grid charges. But it’s never enough for these guys.
 
I was gazing over their disgusting dross dump in Mataura just a couple of weeks ago. They’re not exactly the exemplar of good corporate citizenship.
 
Aluminium prices continue to fall. As Grant Robertson rightly highlighted, just look at aviation. New aircraft today are typically constructed out of composites, not the aluminium tubes of old.
Rio Tinto is playing the same game, with the same tricks in Iceland right now. Enough – they’re not a charity case.
Meanwhile, as we’ve seen in the north, the ripple effects have started, with Contact pressing pause on some generation projects. When the Clutha Waitaki transmission upgrade is complete, that gusher of surplus of Meridian power from Manapouri could have a very positive impact on your power bill – depending on where you live in the country. But Southland will need real help to develop and expand industry and jobs, whether its agritech or aquaculture. Rich in resourceful people and a gutsy spirit, they will be up for the challenge.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22963135/mhb10-07-20-opening-tiwai.mp3Thu, 09 Jul 2020 21:20:10 +0000RoccoIt’s a hammer blow for Bluff, for Invercargill, for Southland. So many jobs, so many livelihoods heading for the shredder over the next fourteen months. One thousand at the smelter and sixteen hundred downstream jobs. Ten per cent of the regional... 
But as much as Rio Tinto has a penchant for playing who blinks first, I respect the Finance Minister for not buckling, not capitulating to their increasingly grasping ways.
 
I love Southland. We all feel for Southland. But Grant Robertson has stood firm, upholding the position of Key, Joyce and English. No more hand-outs. As it is, Rio Tinto is charged a pepper-corn usage rate by Meridian. A quarter of the consumer’s rate. Does Rio Tinto really expect the gentailer now gives its power away to them for free? Rio Tinto already pocket a sixty five million dollar carbon subsidy under the ETS scheme. And under the Transmission Pricing changes, they would soon be paying eleven million dollars a year less in grid charges. But it’s never enough for these guys.
 
I was gazing over their disgusting dross dump in Mataura just a couple of weeks ago. They’re not exactly the exemplar of good corporate citizenship.
 
Aluminium prices continue to fall. As Grant Robertson rightly highlighted, just look at aviation. New aircraft today are typically constructed out of composites, not the aluminium tubes of old.
Rio Tinto is playing the same game, with the same tricks in Iceland right now. Enough – they’re not a charity case.
Meanwhile, as we’ve seen in the north, the ripple effects have started, with Contact pressing pause on some generation projects. When the Clutha Waitaki transmission upgrade is complete, that gusher of surplus of Meridian power from Manapouri could have a very positive impact on your power bill – depending on where you live in the country. But Southland will need real help to develop and expand industry and jobs, whether its agritech or aquaculture. Rich in resourceful people and a gutsy spirit, they will be up for the challenge.]]>165falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-we-still-need-proof-muller-is-the-game-changer--1008456Dominating Jacinda Ardern’s negatives is the perception that she’s too kind, indecisive and too forgiving of fools. The Prime Minister might possibly have been the last person left in New Zealand to retain confidence in her previous Health Minister, David Clark.
Then we come to the National Party. With a new broom at the helm, Todd Muller’s first real test of his mettle looked muddled. On Monday, he knew the Walker scandal was going to blow. He relieved Hamish Walker of his portfolios on Tuesday and issued a statement accordingly.
It came up short. The glaring misjudgement was Muller’s fundamental failure to swiftly wash his hands of Walker.
There was no nod from Todd, publicly, that Walker should consider his future. And he had the time to get his ducks in a row, constitutionally with the party, to do so. But he didn’t. And that oversight made Muller look lame in the thick of a crisis. The court of public opinion was seething. Walker had to go, and Muller found himself playing catch-up.
Belatedly, this time yesterday, he got there, confirming that Clutha Southland deserved a fresh candidate. And Walker resigned at lunchtime.
Hopefully for National, this will cauterise the bleeding and contain the mess. The shills on the left would have you believe the rot of dirty politics goes much further up the National Party Tree. It’s a half-cocked claim with no supporting evidence.
But Muller’s crisis-management performance was flaky. He didn’t pass the stress-test in flying colours. We’re on the eve of the campaign proper. He shouldn’t be tepid, wooden and hesitant to publicly assert his moral authority.
For all his attributes, Muller is yet to convince me that he’s a leadership game-changer. Has National made the same panicky missteps that the bed-wetters in the Liberal Party unleashed – a la axing Abbott for a muddling Malcolm Turnbull? Judgement and timing is everything.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22963107/mhb09-07-20-opening-todd-muller.mp3Thu, 09 Jul 2020 04:03:33 +0000RoccoThe most exacting measure on which we rate political leaders is judgement. It’s the yardstick that really counts. Are they decisive, are they assertive and clear-eyed in their judgement? Dominating Jacinda Ardern’s negatives is the perception that...Dominating Jacinda Ardern’s negatives is the perception that she’s too kind, indecisive and too forgiving of fools. The Prime Minister might possibly have been the last person left in New Zealand to retain confidence in her previous Health Minister, David Clark.
Then we come to the National Party. With a new broom at the helm, Todd Muller’s first real test of his mettle looked muddled. On Monday, he knew the Walker scandal was going to blow. He relieved Hamish Walker of his portfolios on Tuesday and issued a statement accordingly.
It came up short. The glaring misjudgement was Muller’s fundamental failure to swiftly wash his hands of Walker.
There was no nod from Todd, publicly, that Walker should consider his future. And he had the time to get his ducks in a row, constitutionally with the party, to do so. But he didn’t. And that oversight made Muller look lame in the thick of a crisis. The court of public opinion was seething. Walker had to go, and Muller found himself playing catch-up.
Belatedly, this time yesterday, he got there, confirming that Clutha Southland deserved a fresh candidate. And Walker resigned at lunchtime.
Hopefully for National, this will cauterise the bleeding and contain the mess. The shills on the left would have you believe the rot of dirty politics goes much further up the National Party Tree. It’s a half-cocked claim with no supporting evidence.
But Muller’s crisis-management performance was flaky. He didn’t pass the stress-test in flying colours. We’re on the eve of the campaign proper. He shouldn’t be tepid, wooden and hesitant to publicly assert his moral authority.
For all his attributes, Muller is yet to convince me that he’s a leadership game-changer. Has National made the same panicky missteps that the bed-wetters in the Liberal Party unleashed – a la axing Abbott for a muddling Malcolm Turnbull? Judgement and timing is everything.]]>159falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-it-s-time-to-get-tough-and-turn-quarantine-into-a-fortress--1008480The absconders have exposed that this trust-model system is heavily at the mercy of voluntary compliance. It’s the chink in the armour.
But how many breakouts should we be prepared to tolerate?
Clearly we can’t transform downtown hotels into super max prisons, fortified with razor -wire, watch towers and hungry dobermans.
But the fact that this homecoming halfwit from Delhi has returned a positive test, after skiving off to the supermarket on a very wandery circuit, vividly lays bare the public health risk. This selfish individual turned himself into a walking roulette wheel, for unsuspecting shoppers and staff at Countdown Victoria Street West.
The tale of the tape on CCTV has led authorities to determine there’s only a low risk that he could have infected anyone. But isn’t it insidious how one drip can open the door on the spectre of renewed community spread.
And wouldn’t you feel infuriated if you happen to manage, own, work or shop in that supermarket? This absconder has cost this shop a bomb in lost sales, closed for a clean, then weirdly reopened and hastily closed again for a deeper clean, forcing staff and shoppers into self-isolation. All because of this idiot’s wilful disregard for the law, while parked up in a five star hotel, on the taxpayer’s tit.
So, are we too trusting? Is the MIQ system still too loose, despite the military oversight? Absolutely.
Six foot fences have now been erected around the outside areas adjoining MIQ hotels. But this regime needs more security blankets. And maybe ankle bracelets for returnees.
Until you have passed a negative test, I don’t believe you should be allowed outside for a smoke, if you can make a break for it. And let’s reinforce the uniformed presence around these hotels properly, with a damn sight more military or police boots on the ground.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22963056/mhb09-07-20-comment-countdown-loser.mp3Wed, 08 Jul 2020 21:39:56 +0000RoccoSo first we had the break out from the Pullman. Now the sneak out from the Stamford. Public confidence in our MIQ facilities is wobbly, despite the military precision that was drafted in to beef up our MIQS, two weeks ago. The absconders have exposed...The absconders have exposed that this trust-model system is heavily at the mercy of voluntary compliance. It’s the chink in the armour.
But how many breakouts should we be prepared to tolerate?
Clearly we can’t transform downtown hotels into super max prisons, fortified with razor -wire, watch towers and hungry dobermans.
But the fact that this homecoming halfwit from Delhi has returned a positive test, after skiving off to the supermarket on a very wandery circuit, vividly lays bare the public health risk. This selfish individual turned himself into a walking roulette wheel, for unsuspecting shoppers and staff at Countdown Victoria Street West.
The tale of the tape on CCTV has led authorities to determine there’s only a low risk that he could have infected anyone. But isn’t it insidious how one drip can open the door on the spectre of renewed community spread.
And wouldn’t you feel infuriated if you happen to manage, own, work or shop in that supermarket? This absconder has cost this shop a bomb in lost sales, closed for a clean, then weirdly reopened and hastily closed again for a deeper clean, forcing staff and shoppers into self-isolation. All because of this idiot’s wilful disregard for the law, while parked up in a five star hotel, on the taxpayer’s tit.
So, are we too trusting? Is the MIQ system still too loose, despite the military oversight? Absolutely.
Six foot fences have now been erected around the outside areas adjoining MIQ hotels. But this regime needs more security blankets. And maybe ankle bracelets for returnees.
Until you have passed a negative test, I don’t believe you should be allowed outside for a smoke, if you can make a break for it. And let’s reinforce the uniformed presence around these hotels properly, with a damn sight more military or police boots on the ground.]]>142falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-cannabis-uncertainty-is-a-cop-out--1008473We already have an addiction-fueled mental health crisis in this country, much of which can be sheeted home to recreational cannabis abuse and psychosis. Why risk aggravating that problem even more, by normalising and legitimising dope, by surrendering on the law? There are so many unintended consequences, which I don’t believe this panel has fully considered.
Let me give you an example of the elevated threat of real harm to you and me. Drug-driving.
Last week the Road Transport Forum made their views very clear about the higher risks on our roads if recreational cannabis use is legalised. It raises the stakes on risk.
And bear in mind, the number of people being killed by drug impaired drivers on our roads is already higher than those killed by drivers above the legal alcohol limit. Do we want to ratchet that up?
Here's some stats from various North American jurisdictions that legalised dope.
Post-legalisation in Colorado, cannabis-related roads deaths increased 151%. In Washington State, they doubled. A quarter of Canadians aged 18-34 who smoke dope admit to driving after consuming, or have been a passenger with someone who just has. Idiots.
In a 2018 Colorado State study, 27% of cannabis users admitted to driving high almost daily. And a New Zealand health study found that habitual users of cannabis have about 10 times the risk of causing a road injury or death compared to infrequent or non-users.
Ding ding. I hear alarm bells.
If that's not harm and increased harm, you can call me Hamish.
As to the Chief Science Advisor's Panel, and this cop-out conclusion that it’s too early to say whether legalisation leads to increased harm, I have a word of advice. If in doubt, leave it out.
Why subject the nation to this experiment?
It’s just another reason why I believe September’s referendum is destined to crash and burn.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22962978/mhb08-07-20-comment-cannabis.mp3Tue, 07 Jul 2020 21:38:24 +0000RoccoI have a major beef with this mealy-mouthed suggestion from the Chief Science Advisor's panel that it’s still uncertain whether legalising dope increases harm. We already have an addiction-fueled mental health crisis in this country, much of which can...We already have an addiction-fueled mental health crisis in this country, much of which can be sheeted home to recreational cannabis abuse and psychosis. Why risk aggravating that problem even more, by normalising and legitimising dope, by surrendering on the law? There are so many unintended consequences, which I don’t believe this panel has fully considered.
Let me give you an example of the elevated threat of real harm to you and me. Drug-driving.
Last week the Road Transport Forum made their views very clear about the higher risks on our roads if recreational cannabis use is legalised. It raises the stakes on risk.
And bear in mind, the number of people being killed by drug impaired drivers on our roads is already higher than those killed by drivers above the legal alcohol limit. Do we want to ratchet that up?
Here's some stats from various North American jurisdictions that legalised dope.
Post-legalisation in Colorado, cannabis-related roads deaths increased 151%. In Washington State, they doubled. A quarter of Canadians aged 18-34 who smoke dope admit to driving after consuming, or have been a passenger with someone who just has. Idiots.
In a 2018 Colorado State study, 27% of cannabis users admitted to driving high almost daily. And a New Zealand health study found that habitual users of cannabis have about 10 times the risk of causing a road injury or death compared to infrequent or non-users.
Ding ding. I hear alarm bells.
If that's not harm and increased harm, you can call me Hamish.
As to the Chief Science Advisor's Panel, and this cop-out conclusion that it’s too early to say whether legalisation leads to increased harm, I have a word of advice. If in doubt, leave it out.
Why subject the nation to this experiment?
It’s just another reason why I believe September’s referendum is destined to crash and burn.]]>155falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-don-t-tax-us-for-your-low-quality-spending--1008437If you were listening yesterday, did you notice that Jacinda Ardern sounded somewhat wistful when reconfirming that a CGT remains a non-starter?
But that’s where the specificity fast-ended.
Would she rule out a land tax? A company tax increase? Or an increase to personal income tax? She dodged any lines of enquiry. Nothing ruled in. Nothing out.
So what are we meant to make of it? It’s a political pea-souper.
I can’t tell whether Labour is still testing the waters and taking the pulse. Are they genuinely diffident on what to do, or are they strategically concealing their grand plans on tax until deep August?
Make no mistake, this will be a key narrative in the campaign.
Meanwhile, a ray of hope has emerged for cash-strapped businesses. ACC levies for business and the self-employed are now frozen for the next two years.
ACC has also been holding off sending out their invoices. If you were expecting to receive your levy invoice, like me, this month, ACC has pressed pause on the dispatch until October, to give people more time and flexibility to make their payments.
And ACC will hold the line on its levy rates by changing the organisation’s funding target from 105 per cent solvency for the levied accounts, to 100 per cent solvency. This is welcome, responsive, pragmatic stuff.
I’m self-employed and I find ACC’s annual levy invoice levy demand a considerable cost burden. It’s far bigger than my quarterly rates demand. So the fact that the levy will stay capped for two years provides some relief. It’s not a game-changer, but it will help the cause.
May that provide the vector for Labour’s wider deliberations on tax. Don’t jack up taxes during an economic crisis. Don’t add to the burden. Give us a break.
What’s the better alternative? Blitz the low-quality spending and accelerate economic growth to generate the revenue to deal to the debt.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22962939/mhb07-07-20-opening-acc.mp3Tue, 07 Jul 2020 03:56:52 +0000RoccoTry as I might, the Prime Minister won’t give an inch on her taxation intentions. If you were listening yesterday, did you notice that Jacinda Ardern sounded somewhat wistful when reconfirming that a CGT remains a non-starter? But that’s where the...If you were listening yesterday, did you notice that Jacinda Ardern sounded somewhat wistful when reconfirming that a CGT remains a non-starter?
But that’s where the specificity fast-ended.
Would she rule out a land tax? A company tax increase? Or an increase to personal income tax? She dodged any lines of enquiry. Nothing ruled in. Nothing out.
So what are we meant to make of it? It’s a political pea-souper.
I can’t tell whether Labour is still testing the waters and taking the pulse. Are they genuinely diffident on what to do, or are they strategically concealing their grand plans on tax until deep August?
Make no mistake, this will be a key narrative in the campaign.
Meanwhile, a ray of hope has emerged for cash-strapped businesses. ACC levies for business and the self-employed are now frozen for the next two years.
ACC has also been holding off sending out their invoices. If you were expecting to receive your levy invoice, like me, this month, ACC has pressed pause on the dispatch until October, to give people more time and flexibility to make their payments.
And ACC will hold the line on its levy rates by changing the organisation’s funding target from 105 per cent solvency for the levied accounts, to 100 per cent solvency. This is welcome, responsive, pragmatic stuff.
I’m self-employed and I find ACC’s annual levy invoice levy demand a considerable cost burden. It’s far bigger than my quarterly rates demand. So the fact that the levy will stay capped for two years provides some relief. It’s not a game-changer, but it will help the cause.
May that provide the vector for Labour’s wider deliberations on tax. Don’t jack up taxes during an economic crisis. Don’t add to the burden. Give us a break.
What’s the better alternative? Blitz the low-quality spending and accelerate economic growth to generate the revenue to deal to the debt.]]>161falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-where-s-the-accountability-from-our-public-officials--1008570I’m a fair-minded person and I have no beef with bureaucracy over the Pullman Hotel bust out. It’s the fence-jumping fugitive that must cop the consequences and the full force of the courts for that feckless escapade. We can’t turn our hotels into razor-wired prisons for managed isolation. So I give our officials a pass on that one.
But someone must take the rap for the egregious security breach of Covid positive patient data. You would hope such a spreadsheet is password locked with highly restricted access. You would hope. Someone must be sacked for that confidence -destroying breach – and perhaps prosecuted, too.
Then just yesterday, the Keystone cops caper continued with the risible case of the Kiwi in managed isolation with a missing Covid test. Nicole Green had served her fourteen days but still wasn’t allowed to leave because her day twelve test had gone awol. The Northern DHB’s dopey system doesn’t register the swabs in the database at the point of collection, so lord knows what happened to Nicole’s nasal swab.
But the most lamentable blow to public faith in our public services emanates from the youth justice facility supposed to be a keeping a teenage killer under lock and key. And after Haami Hanara escaped with his mate from Korowai Manaaki, neither the facility or the police alerted the public to this dangerous offender on the loose for more than twenty four hours. What’s worse, Korowai Manaaki didn’t even notice these two were missing for eighty minutes. And they took a further forty minutes before they bothered to call the police.
An epic failure to protect and an epic failure to inform. And you may have heard, these rogue roosters escaped through the same window that previous escapees have busted out. How about a bars few around the window? This is not Korowai Kindergarten.
But despite this latest spate of clangers, don’t bother waiting for any real sense of accountability or consequences to emerge, from any of these agencies. Hello Snowballs. Hello Hell.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22962896/mhb07-07-20-comment-quarantine-escape.mp3Mon, 06 Jul 2020 21:35:04 +0000RoccoJust as we’ve got over last month’s shameful border bungle, a la Thelma and Louise; faceless, nameless public officials continue to make a joke of their jobs and our security. I’m a fair-minded person and I have no beef with bureaucracy over the...I’m a fair-minded person and I have no beef with bureaucracy over the Pullman Hotel bust out. It’s the fence-jumping fugitive that must cop the consequences and the full force of the courts for that feckless escapade. We can’t turn our hotels into razor-wired prisons for managed isolation. So I give our officials a pass on that one.
But someone must take the rap for the egregious security breach of Covid positive patient data. You would hope such a spreadsheet is password locked with highly restricted access. You would hope. Someone must be sacked for that confidence -destroying breach – and perhaps prosecuted, too.
Then just yesterday, the Keystone cops caper continued with the risible case of the Kiwi in managed isolation with a missing Covid test. Nicole Green had served her fourteen days but still wasn’t allowed to leave because her day twelve test had gone awol. The Northern DHB’s dopey system doesn’t register the swabs in the database at the point of collection, so lord knows what happened to Nicole’s nasal swab.
But the most lamentable blow to public faith in our public services emanates from the youth justice facility supposed to be a keeping a teenage killer under lock and key. And after Haami Hanara escaped with his mate from Korowai Manaaki, neither the facility or the police alerted the public to this dangerous offender on the loose for more than twenty four hours. What’s worse, Korowai Manaaki didn’t even notice these two were missing for eighty minutes. And they took a further forty minutes before they bothered to call the police.
An epic failure to protect and an epic failure to inform. And you may have heard, these rogue roosters escaped through the same window that previous escapees have busted out. How about a bars few around the window? This is not Korowai Kindergarten.
But despite this latest spate of clangers, don’t bother waiting for any real sense of accountability or consequences to emerge, from any of these agencies. Hello Snowballs. Hello Hell.]]>164falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-water-woes-highlight-the-waste-of-councils--1008388Watercare don't actually know how much water has leaked over the past five months - there was a huge increase in pipe breakages because of the bone-dry ground. Yet Aucklanders have been directed to save 30 million litres a day, when over 50 million litres is wasted away through leaks.
For context, the entire city of Dunedin uses 40 million litres a day, less than what Auckland is wasting in leakages.
Watercare’s chief executive Raveen Jaduram admits they aren’t even meeting their own leakage target, which is 13 per cent or less.
But if you think 13 per cent sounds egregious, many towns and cities around New Zealand average 18 per cent in leaked water supply.
Living in Christchurch, in my hometown, it’s an undiluted dog’s breakfast. And you only have to note how many water main blowouts get mentioned virtually every day, every week on Time Saver Traffic, to realise how much water is literally running down the drain.
Last year, the Christchurch City Council estimates they lost 9 billion litres of water through leaks and broken pipes and faults. That's the equivalent of 70 Olympic-size swimming pools a week.
So Auckland loses at least 50 million litres a day. Christchurch loses 26 million a day. But in Christchurch, that represents a loss rate of eighteen point four per cent through leaks. The council is promising to do better. Their target for this year is to only lose fifteen per cent. You can’t make this stuff up.
What a potent metaphor for council waste at its most gratuitous. The squander. The neglect.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if councils, up and down the country, actually invested properly in the three waters, in half decent pipe renewals, half decent water supply infrastructure, with the same fervour and obsession they that reserve for their vanity projects and their fripperies. Their cycleways and slow roads, their non-essential off-piste self-glorification spend ups.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22962872/mhb06-07-20-opening.mp3Mon, 06 Jul 2020 03:24:14 +0000RoccoIt’s been revealed that Auckland's drinking water pipes are leaking at least 50 million litres a day, far more than residents have been asked to conserve during the shortage. Watercare don't actually know how much water has leaked over the past five...Watercare don't actually know how much water has leaked over the past five months - there was a huge increase in pipe breakages because of the bone-dry ground. Yet Aucklanders have been directed to save 30 million litres a day, when over 50 million litres is wasted away through leaks.
For context, the entire city of Dunedin uses 40 million litres a day, less than what Auckland is wasting in leakages.
Watercare’s chief executive Raveen Jaduram admits they aren’t even meeting their own leakage target, which is 13 per cent or less.
But if you think 13 per cent sounds egregious, many towns and cities around New Zealand average 18 per cent in leaked water supply.
Living in Christchurch, in my hometown, it’s an undiluted dog’s breakfast. And you only have to note how many water main blowouts get mentioned virtually every day, every week on Time Saver Traffic, to realise how much water is literally running down the drain.
Last year, the Christchurch City Council estimates they lost 9 billion litres of water through leaks and broken pipes and faults. That's the equivalent of 70 Olympic-size swimming pools a week.
So Auckland loses at least 50 million litres a day. Christchurch loses 26 million a day. But in Christchurch, that represents a loss rate of eighteen point four per cent through leaks. The council is promising to do better. Their target for this year is to only lose fifteen per cent. You can’t make this stuff up.
What a potent metaphor for council waste at its most gratuitous. The squander. The neglect.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if councils, up and down the country, actually invested properly in the three waters, in half decent pipe renewals, half decent water supply infrastructure, with the same fervour and obsession they that reserve for their vanity projects and their fripperies. Their cycleways and slow roads, their non-essential off-piste self-glorification spend ups.]]>171falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-yardley-labour-party-must-be-hoping-voters-have-short-term-memories--1008489The true-believers were waiting for an email to land in their inboxes that would reveal Labour’s brand new campaign slogan. Let’s Keep Moving.
I’ve never put much stock in campaign slogans, but for the party base it’s a big deal. Maybe the attention span of some of their prospective voters only extends to three words.
But the problem I have with this new slogan is the fact that’s wide open to ridicule. And I’m not talking about the fact that it sounds like a Richard Simmons jazzercize show, circa 1985.
As the successor to Let’s Do This, Let’s Keep Moving presupposes that New Zealand has been moving swimmingly, that we’ve been on a roll, with a high-performing transformational government racking up a wave of achievements. The reality of course is their trophy cabinet is pretty bare.
Economically or socially, the well-being report card isn’t flash.  
With a spluttering economy even before Covid, the failure to deliver meaningful runs on the board, material progress or greater prosperity undermines the credibility of any clarion call to let’s keep moving.
Even before Covid, under Labour’s watch, the dole queues had jumped by a further 30,000 people.
In her key note address to the party Congress yesterday, the intriguing centrepiece of the speech was Cleaning up our Waterways, with two thousand Jobs for Nature. It seems a very flimsy offering as the big takeaway, the bug nugget to anchor a key-note speech. Labour’s 5 Point Economic Plan, like “Jobs, Jobs, Jobs”, currently resembles a loose assortment of glib slogans.
Yes, Jacinda Ardern is a very savvy communicator. She knows how to sell the sausage, even when the product struggles to pass muster.
But I just wonder if Labour is pinning its hopes on the notion that most voters have very short term memories. And a dope referendum thrown in for good measure. Is Labour punting that voters will only judge their record on the past three months, not the past three years? Managing the Covid Crisis is a potent consideration, but it’s certainly not the sole measure.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22962837/mhb06-07-20-comment-labours-new-slogan.mp3Sun, 05 Jul 2020 21:45:31 +0000RoccoThousands of Labour Party members were huddled around their laptops and hovering over their smartphones on Saturday. There was an air of much excitement and great anticipation. The true-believers were waiting for an email to land in their inboxes that...The true-believers were waiting for an email to land in their inboxes that would reveal Labour’s brand new campaign slogan. Let’s Keep Moving.
I’ve never put much stock in campaign slogans, but for the party base it’s a big deal. Maybe the attention span of some of their prospective voters only extends to three words.
But the problem I have with this new slogan is the fact that’s wide open to ridicule. And I’m not talking about the fact that it sounds like a Richard Simmons jazzercize show, circa 1985.
As the successor to Let’s Do This, Let’s Keep Moving presupposes that New Zealand has been moving swimmingly, that we’ve been on a roll, with a high-performing transformational government racking up a wave of achievements. The reality of course is their trophy cabinet is pretty bare.
Economically or socially, the well-being report card isn’t flash.  
With a spluttering economy even before Covid, the failure to deliver meaningful runs on the board, material progress or greater prosperity undermines the credibility of any clarion call to let’s keep moving.
Even before Covid, under Labour’s watch, the dole queues had jumped by a further 30,000 people.
In her key note address to the party Congress yesterday, the intriguing centrepiece of the speech was Cleaning up our Waterways, with two thousand Jobs for Nature. It seems a very flimsy offering as the big takeaway, the bug nugget to anchor a key-note speech. Labour’s 5 Point Economic Plan, like “Jobs, Jobs, Jobs”, currently resembles a loose assortment of glib slogans.
Yes, Jacinda Ardern is a very savvy communicator. She knows how to sell the sausage, even when the product struggles to pass muster.
But I just wonder if Labour is pinning its hopes on the notion that most voters have very short term memories. And a dope referendum thrown in for good measure. Is Labour punting that voters will only judge their record on the past three months, not the past three years? Managing the Covid Crisis is a potent consideration, but it’s certainly not the sole measure.  ]]>173falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-david-clark-exposes-jacinda-s-ardern-s-major-weakness--1008358David Clark.
4/10.
"Only gets four because he got there in the end, even if his leader yet again wouldn't see it.
If only Jacinda Ardern could look at the dictionary and get her head around the term, accountability."
Paula Bennett.
8/10.
"Tough way to go, but she's excited, and she'll do well.
But some colour leaves the political game, and in a world of hand-wringing grey, that’s a shame."
Judith Collins.
7/10.
"The book is worth a read.
It’s a good insight into what separates out the survivors from the pretenders."
Auckland's Water.
8/10.
"Thank you, Waikato.
I know it wasn’t your problem, and yes Phil Goff and Co are clowns, and no the government shouldn’t have had to get involved.
But water is sort of important, so it's appreciated."
July 1.
7/10.
"More paid parental leave, and more tax at the pump.
And a bunch of other stuff, on balance, that's probably more good than not."
Foreign Students.
3/10.
"This is a worrying theme. The idea was Queenstown to have them arrive and revive a five billion dollar industry.
That apparently is going nowhere.  
Why? Why aren't we more "can do?" Why aren't we desperate for stuff that we can make happen as opposed to the mindset of stuff we can't or won't?"
Tesla.
8/10.
"10 years since floating, and shares up 4000 percent. Now the most valuable car manufacturer in the world.  
I still wouldn't buy one, but you cant argue with that sort of success."
School Holidays.
8/10.
"Is literally everyone going to Queenstown?"
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22962659/mhb03-07-20-mark-the-week.mp3Thu, 02 Jul 2020 22:03:17 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. David Clark. 4/10. "Only gets four because he got there in the end, even if his leader yet again wouldn't see it. If only Jacinda...David Clark.
4/10.
"Only gets four because he got there in the end, even if his leader yet again wouldn't see it.
If only Jacinda Ardern could look at the dictionary and get her head around the term, accountability."
Paula Bennett.
8/10.
"Tough way to go, but she's excited, and she'll do well.
But some colour leaves the political game, and in a world of hand-wringing grey, that’s a shame."
Judith Collins.
7/10.
"The book is worth a read.
It’s a good insight into what separates out the survivors from the pretenders."
Auckland's Water.
8/10.
"Thank you, Waikato.
I know it wasn’t your problem, and yes Phil Goff and Co are clowns, and no the government shouldn’t have had to get involved.
But water is sort of important, so it's appreciated."
July 1.
7/10.
"More paid parental leave, and more tax at the pump.
And a bunch of other stuff, on balance, that's probably more good than not."
Foreign Students.
3/10.
"This is a worrying theme. The idea was Queenstown to have them arrive and revive a five billion dollar industry.
That apparently is going nowhere.  
Why? Why aren't we more "can do?" Why aren't we desperate for stuff that we can make happen as opposed to the mindset of stuff we can't or won't?"
Tesla.
8/10.
"10 years since floating, and shares up 4000 percent. Now the most valuable car manufacturer in the world.  
I still wouldn't buy one, but you cant argue with that sort of success."
School Holidays.
8/10.
"Is literally everyone going to Queenstown?"
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>173falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-a-stark-contrast-in-leadership--1008451Having lamented the often sad and unfortunate end to too many political careers, this week's being Paula Bennett, what a reassurance it is to see Simon Bridges.
I sighted Dame Jenny Shipley's demise as well. Just because they vote you out as leader or deputy leader, it doesn’t make you a political zero, it doesn’t mean the talent and experience vanishes, and yet that is too often the outcome. The person leaves aggrieved, and the party misses their talent.
Muller to his credit has worked this out, and that’s why Bridges gets Foreign Affairs in the reshuffle. No, he wasn’t the greatest leader but he was and is regarded as a good MP, and an experienced player at the top level. He has a contribution, and that now stays within the party.
Contrast that to Ardern who has set the bar so low in terms of performance, that for the second time this term we have seen a resignation from a Minister as a result of the incompetence and ineptitude being so glaring, even they can see how hopeless their cause is, while their ever blinkered leader soldiers with fingers in ears going "la, la, la. Nothing to see here."
Just over a week ago I asked Ardern, why, given the emergency was over, and that was the only reason she claimed Clark wasn’t sacked, was he now not being sacked? She, almost gobsmackingly, bewilderingly, defended him. He'd done a good job and he was safe, she said to my amazement.
And yet poor old David Clark. Even he could see how bad he was, so like Clare Curran before him, he did the right thing, even when his leader wouldn't.
And that’s the trouble with the word, isn't it? Leader, it's a title. But it's also a state of mind, and the Ardern approach to leadership is so wet, so weak, that anything goes. It doesn’t matter what a waster you are, under her direction you're safe.
And the ones with the gall and arrogance, Phil you know everyone's looking at you Twyford, tough it out. Pretending the room doesn’t laugh under their breath when you walk in. So Clark, at least, exits having done the decent thing.
Further complicating matters is Chris Hipkins. In yet another reminder that if your name isn't Woods or Robertson, there clearly isn't a talent in the bunch to be promoted.
Health and education, are you serious? The whole government is essentially run by about four people.
That is, to be fair to Ardern, a leadership skill. Being able to recognise, in a room full of MPs there are next to none you would actually give a big job to.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22962657/mhb03-07-20-opening-david-clark-comment.mp3Thu, 02 Jul 2020 21:47:34 +0000RoccoA tale of two leaders. It's Todd Muller one, Jacinda Ardern zero. Having lamented the often sad and unfortunate end to too many political careers, this week's being Paula Bennett, what a reassurance it is to see Simon Bridges. I sighted Dame Jenny...Having lamented the often sad and unfortunate end to too many political careers, this week's being Paula Bennett, what a reassurance it is to see Simon Bridges.
I sighted Dame Jenny Shipley's demise as well. Just because they vote you out as leader or deputy leader, it doesn’t make you a political zero, it doesn’t mean the talent and experience vanishes, and yet that is too often the outcome. The person leaves aggrieved, and the party misses their talent.
Muller to his credit has worked this out, and that’s why Bridges gets Foreign Affairs in the reshuffle. No, he wasn’t the greatest leader but he was and is regarded as a good MP, and an experienced player at the top level. He has a contribution, and that now stays within the party.
Contrast that to Ardern who has set the bar so low in terms of performance, that for the second time this term we have seen a resignation from a Minister as a result of the incompetence and ineptitude being so glaring, even they can see how hopeless their cause is, while their ever blinkered leader soldiers with fingers in ears going "la, la, la. Nothing to see here."
Just over a week ago I asked Ardern, why, given the emergency was over, and that was the only reason she claimed Clark wasn’t sacked, was he now not being sacked? She, almost gobsmackingly, bewilderingly, defended him. He'd done a good job and he was safe, she said to my amazement.
And yet poor old David Clark. Even he could see how bad he was, so like Clare Curran before him, he did the right thing, even when his leader wouldn't.
And that’s the trouble with the word, isn't it? Leader, it's a title. But it's also a state of mind, and the Ardern approach to leadership is so wet, so weak, that anything goes. It doesn’t matter what a waster you are, under her direction you're safe.
And the ones with the gall and arrogance, Phil you know everyone's looking at you Twyford, tough it out. Pretending the room doesn’t laugh under their breath when you walk in. So Clark, at least, exits having done the decent thing.
Further complicating matters is Chris Hipkins. In yet another reminder that if your name isn't Woods or Robertson, there clearly isn't a talent in the bunch to be promoted.
Health and education, are you serious? The whole government is essentially run by about four people.
That is, to be fair to Ardern, a leadership skill. Being able to recognise, in a room full of MPs there are next to none you would actually give a big job to.  ]]>129falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-covid-has-shown-how-many-people-aren-t-willing-to-work--1008443Fruit to be picked: can’t get hands on deck.
Plenty of work on the farm: no one wants it.
Jobs paying up to $40 an hour go unfilled.
And so here we go again.
It beggars belief to believe we are even here, but remarkably already the stories are piling up of jobs that can’t be filled because New Zealanders – New Zealanders freshly laid off due to the economic crisis this country is now wading through – don’t seem to really want to work.
It was of course a massive issue pre-Covid. At 4 per cent unemployment, most people who wanted work had it. And there was a creeping suspicion this government, who are soft on work and big on welfare, were letting too many people off the hook.
The job seeker benefit prior to Christmas was growing at 14,000 a year for the past two years. How was that possible when there was an abundance of work?
The answer was because the pressure wasn’t on from the department involved. The same way they changed the rules around social housing as your circumstances changed and you didn’t need a tax payer supported cheap rent any more – you could still stay in the house – and they wondered why the housing queue blew out to record levels.
The great hope was, of course, with tens of thousands laid off, the demand for work would be such finding hands would be easy. Sadly not. And given the government’s attitude, they are in for serious trouble going forward
The whole premise of the so called recovery is based around people retraining. Free apprenticeships, billions in infrastructure building, all good ideas, but not if the jobless like being jobless.
At what point do the government wake up to this and adjust the attitude? How long can 1000 au pair jobs go unfilled before someone realises this is insane?
It plays out a cold hard and tragic truth. It is why we brought so many people to the country: there are a group of New Zealanders who simply can’t be bothered, and, making it worse, this government has boosted welfare, making it easier to get and more generous when you get it.
There is no rebuild, no recovery, when huge swathes of New Zealanders want it done for them by others from the comfort of their welfare supported beds.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22962616/mhb02-07-20-opening-comment-welfare.mp3Thu, 02 Jul 2020 04:39:54 +0000Rocco1000 au pairs: can’t find them. Fruit to be picked: can’t get hands on deck. Plenty of work on the farm: no one wants it. Jobs paying up to $40 an hour go unfilled. And so here we go again. It beggars belief to believe we are even here, but remarkably...Fruit to be picked: can’t get hands on deck.
Plenty of work on the farm: no one wants it.
Jobs paying up to $40 an hour go unfilled.
And so here we go again.
It beggars belief to believe we are even here, but remarkably already the stories are piling up of jobs that can’t be filled because New Zealanders – New Zealanders freshly laid off due to the economic crisis this country is now wading through – don’t seem to really want to work.
It was of course a massive issue pre-Covid. At 4 per cent unemployment, most people who wanted work had it. And there was a creeping suspicion this government, who are soft on work and big on welfare, were letting too many people off the hook.
The job seeker benefit prior to Christmas was growing at 14,000 a year for the past two years. How was that possible when there was an abundance of work?
The answer was because the pressure wasn’t on from the department involved. The same way they changed the rules around social housing as your circumstances changed and you didn’t need a tax payer supported cheap rent any more – you could still stay in the house – and they wondered why the housing queue blew out to record levels.
The great hope was, of course, with tens of thousands laid off, the demand for work would be such finding hands would be easy. Sadly not. And given the government’s attitude, they are in for serious trouble going forward
The whole premise of the so called recovery is based around people retraining. Free apprenticeships, billions in infrastructure building, all good ideas, but not if the jobless like being jobless.
At what point do the government wake up to this and adjust the attitude? How long can 1000 au pair jobs go unfilled before someone realises this is insane?
It plays out a cold hard and tragic truth. It is why we brought so many people to the country: there are a group of New Zealanders who simply can’t be bothered, and, making it worse, this government has boosted welfare, making it easier to get and more generous when you get it.
There is no rebuild, no recovery, when huge swathes of New Zealanders want it done for them by others from the comfort of their welfare supported beds.]]>118falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-government-s-cannabis-agenda-has-been-exposed--1008326The allegation is that a lobby group out of America called SAM is helping fund them. First and most important point is, it is not true. But what if it was? This is the government that doesn’t apparently hold a view. Ask the Prime Minister which way she's voting, and she'll run for the hills.
Ask Andrew Little he'll do the same. He'll spout platitudes about democracy, neutrality, and balance.
He is a hypocrite. His reaction  to a lobby group being involved in funding gives him away. He's exercised because they're losing the debate. The Colmar Brunton poll this week has the no vote winning 49 percent to 40.
And he thinks foreign money might swing support away from what he clearly wants, despite the fact he's neutral.
The most egregious and hypocritical aspect of all of it, this is the government that put virtually no rules around this. This is the government that up until June 19th would allow you to promote your pro or anti cause using whatever money you wanted from who ever you got it from. And the government funded Drug Foundation did exactly that. They spent hundreds of thousands of dollars from we know not who, in telling you to vote yes.
Where was Andrew Little then? Even after June 19, groups are still able to spend $100,000 money, once again from anyone they can get it from. Why is it a problem for Family First, and not for the Drug Foundation? Why didn’t Little ring Family First and ask them about SAM? And when they told him not a cent was coming from offshore, he would have been able to stay well out of the debate.
There us nothing worst than dishonesty in these sort of matters. Why pretend to be neutral, when clearly you're not? Why have a structure that allows any man and his dog to throw money at a cause with no public disclosure? And then when an incorrect allegation is tossed at the side you don’t like, you suddenly get all exercised about it and end up spouting false allegations off the back of no homework?
Integrity and credibility are foundation traits for any government in any exercise of this sort. Little has blown that sky high.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22962570/mhb02-07-20-andrew-little-comment.mp3Wed, 01 Jul 2020 22:07:33 +0000RoccoWhy on earth would the government, or Andrew Little in particular, be remotely bothered as to whether Family First were getting money for their “no” campaign against legalising dope in the vote in September.  The allegation is that a lobby group out...The allegation is that a lobby group out of America called SAM is helping fund them. First and most important point is, it is not true. But what if it was? This is the government that doesn’t apparently hold a view. Ask the Prime Minister which way she's voting, and she'll run for the hills.
Ask Andrew Little he'll do the same. He'll spout platitudes about democracy, neutrality, and balance.
He is a hypocrite. His reaction  to a lobby group being involved in funding gives him away. He's exercised because they're losing the debate. The Colmar Brunton poll this week has the no vote winning 49 percent to 40.
And he thinks foreign money might swing support away from what he clearly wants, despite the fact he's neutral.
The most egregious and hypocritical aspect of all of it, this is the government that put virtually no rules around this. This is the government that up until June 19th would allow you to promote your pro or anti cause using whatever money you wanted from who ever you got it from. And the government funded Drug Foundation did exactly that. They spent hundreds of thousands of dollars from we know not who, in telling you to vote yes.
Where was Andrew Little then? Even after June 19, groups are still able to spend $100,000 money, once again from anyone they can get it from. Why is it a problem for Family First, and not for the Drug Foundation? Why didn’t Little ring Family First and ask them about SAM? And when they told him not a cent was coming from offshore, he would have been able to stay well out of the debate.
There us nothing worst than dishonesty in these sort of matters. Why pretend to be neutral, when clearly you're not? Why have a structure that allows any man and his dog to throw money at a cause with no public disclosure? And then when an incorrect allegation is tossed at the side you don’t like, you suddenly get all exercised about it and end up spouting false allegations off the back of no homework?
Integrity and credibility are foundation traits for any government in any exercise of this sort. Little has blown that sky high.]]>128falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-instead-of-the-negativity-tell-us-the-plan--1008329Now that Europe is having fun in the summer holiday sun, and we are officially invited, and Ardern, true to reputation, says it's too dangerous. You get the sense she longs for the good old/bad old days where we were all locked down, doing as we were told, and "be kind" was all she had to say each day.
The fresh, brash new world of economic carnage and job loss is causing her some real consternation. The border is a mess, more PPE is needed, and they're running on borrowed money. It's all a bit angsty.
Coming to the rescue is Winston "give me a bubble now” Peters, who says who cares what the EU think, we are not being flooded with foreigners.
I think he's missing the point. The question we need to be asking is, what's the plan? Articulate the plan. If the borders are to remain closed, closed until when exactly? Ardern says the trans tasman bubble is up to the Australians. What's that exactly mean? What are we looking for, or waiting for?
When Peters said the Cook Islands bubble is closer than you think, is it not? I thought it would be underway by now. They have no Covid, we have next to no Covid, so what's the problem?
The power and importance of the question is because if you are keeping the borders closed, we need to know until when. Is until there is no more Covid in the world? Is it until there is a vaccine? And if that's the case, what the replaces the gargantuan hole in the economy while we wait for that to happen?
It's even more important given eradication isn't happening, and vaccine may or may not. So for how long do we wait until it becomes apparent plan "A" isn't happening and therefore we need plan “B?” And what is plan B?
None of these questions, and certainly none of the answers, have been forth coming. Tourism, planes, holiday makers, and hotels are worth between 12 and 13 billion dollars to this economy.
While that is no longer happening, what's the replacement? What's the strategy? And surely, tell me it's more than more printed money.
Welfare is a patch up, it's a band aid, and it's temporary.
Are we now saying it's permanent? Is that as good as it gets? Are we reliant on local tourism and jobseeker?
Peters and Ardern appear good at telling us what isn't happening. What we need desperately from them is, what is happening.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22962501/mhb01-07-20-comment-winston-and-the-borders.mp3Tue, 30 Jun 2020 21:34:44 +0000RoccoHold the front page, Winston Peters and Jacinda Ardern are getting on together. Both appear determined not to open our borders. Now that Europe is having fun in the summer holiday sun, and we are officially invited, and Ardern, true to reputation,...Now that Europe is having fun in the summer holiday sun, and we are officially invited, and Ardern, true to reputation, says it's too dangerous. You get the sense she longs for the good old/bad old days where we were all locked down, doing as we were told, and "be kind" was all she had to say each day.
The fresh, brash new world of economic carnage and job loss is causing her some real consternation. The border is a mess, more PPE is needed, and they're running on borrowed money. It's all a bit angsty.
Coming to the rescue is Winston "give me a bubble now” Peters, who says who cares what the EU think, we are not being flooded with foreigners.
I think he's missing the point. The question we need to be asking is, what's the plan? Articulate the plan. If the borders are to remain closed, closed until when exactly? Ardern says the trans tasman bubble is up to the Australians. What's that exactly mean? What are we looking for, or waiting for?
When Peters said the Cook Islands bubble is closer than you think, is it not? I thought it would be underway by now. They have no Covid, we have next to no Covid, so what's the problem?
The power and importance of the question is because if you are keeping the borders closed, we need to know until when. Is until there is no more Covid in the world? Is it until there is a vaccine? And if that's the case, what the replaces the gargantuan hole in the economy while we wait for that to happen?
It's even more important given eradication isn't happening, and vaccine may or may not. So for how long do we wait until it becomes apparent plan "A" isn't happening and therefore we need plan “B?” And what is plan B?
None of these questions, and certainly none of the answers, have been forth coming. Tourism, planes, holiday makers, and hotels are worth between 12 and 13 billion dollars to this economy.
While that is no longer happening, what's the replacement? What's the strategy? And surely, tell me it's more than more printed money.
Welfare is a patch up, it's a band aid, and it's temporary.
Are we now saying it's permanent? Is that as good as it gets? Are we reliant on local tourism and jobseeker?
Peters and Ardern appear good at telling us what isn't happening. What we need desperately from them is, what is happening.]]>127falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-paula-bennett-s-resignation-shows-what-is-wrong-with-politics--1008332Paula Bennett is all that's wrong with politics. Mind you, I said the same thing about Dame Jenny Shipley at the time.
Politics as a profession, as a means of making large decisions, and running countries leaves a tremendous amount to be desired. It's not like most jobs where recruiting is high quality, expectations are high quality, those who work hard and are driven and talented generally end up doing what they want with a decent number of people benefiting because of it.
Up until she got rolled, Bennett was potentially the Deputy Prime Minister, a senior Cabinet minister, and the chair of the upcoming election campaign for the National Party. After she got rolled, she is on her way out, over it, clearly aggrieved - and looking for a new life and a new start.
Nothing wrong with that, if the latter part of that is arrived at by yourself. You make your contribution, you have set goals, and you move on to new and fresh fields.
But that wasn't the plan. And it is so rarely the plan in politics because politics is hopelessly broken, and it mostly ends badly.
Dame Jenny Shipley, I distinctly remember, was the Prime Minister who lost the 1999 election. Not really because she wasn't up to much, but because the coalition which involved a bloke called Winston Peters had fallen apart, taken Jim Bolger with it and generally left the public with a desire for change.
One of the outworkings of that was Shipley was rolled and sent to the backbenches. Shortly after, she quit and moved back to the real world.
But the skills, experience and acumen that got her to the top didn't vanish with the election defeat, the same way what Bennett offered didn't vanish because Todd Muller came along. You don't go from being a leader to useless on a vote.
But sadly that appears to be the way politics is played and as a result you lose valuable talent.
The game relies on too many variables. It's not enough to be good, you have to be hellishly lucky as well. It has to be the right time, there have to be any number of compromises, trade offs, deals done, and you throw all of that in the great big pot of aspiration, and see what pops out at the end.
It's why people like Sir Geoffrey Palmer, David Cunliffe and Sir Bill English get to be leaders. It's not because they stand out or are obvious choices - they are compromises, last people standing, the only ones we can all agree on in difficult times.
But Bennett is of genuine value and use to her party, and she's now lost to them.
She won't miss them as much as they'll miss her. She will go on to do decent stuff and recover her normality.
But it's a shabby sad way to wrap 15 years, and like many before her she deserves a better conclusion.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22962420/mhb30-06-20-paula-bennett-comment.mp3Mon, 29 Jun 2020 21:26:22 +0000RoccoCOMMENT: Paula Bennett is all that's wrong with politics. Mind you, I said the same thing about Dame Jenny Shipley at the time. Politics as a profession, as a means of making large decisions, and running countries leaves a tremendous amount to be...Paula Bennett is all that's wrong with politics. Mind you, I said the same thing about Dame Jenny Shipley at the time.
Politics as a profession, as a means of making large decisions, and running countries leaves a tremendous amount to be desired. It's not like most jobs where recruiting is high quality, expectations are high quality, those who work hard and are driven and talented generally end up doing what they want with a decent number of people benefiting because of it.
Up until she got rolled, Bennett was potentially the Deputy Prime Minister, a senior Cabinet minister, and the chair of the upcoming election campaign for the National Party. After she got rolled, she is on her way out, over it, clearly aggrieved - and looking for a new life and a new start.
Nothing wrong with that, if the latter part of that is arrived at by yourself. You make your contribution, you have set goals, and you move on to new and fresh fields.
But that wasn't the plan. And it is so rarely the plan in politics because politics is hopelessly broken, and it mostly ends badly.
Dame Jenny Shipley, I distinctly remember, was the Prime Minister who lost the 1999 election. Not really because she wasn't up to much, but because the coalition which involved a bloke called Winston Peters had fallen apart, taken Jim Bolger with it and generally left the public with a desire for change.
One of the outworkings of that was Shipley was rolled and sent to the backbenches. Shortly after, she quit and moved back to the real world.
But the skills, experience and acumen that got her to the top didn't vanish with the election defeat, the same way what Bennett offered didn't vanish because Todd Muller came along. You don't go from being a leader to useless on a vote.
But sadly that appears to be the way politics is played and as a result you lose valuable talent.
The game relies on too many variables. It's not enough to be good, you have to be hellishly lucky as well. It has to be the right time, there have to be any number of compromises, trade offs, deals done, and you throw all of that in the great big pot of aspiration, and see what pops out at the end.
It's why people like Sir Geoffrey Palmer, David Cunliffe and Sir Bill English get to be leaders. It's not because they stand out or are obvious choices - they are compromises, last people standing, the only ones we can all agree on in difficult times.
But Bennett is of genuine value and use to her party, and she's now lost to them.
She won't miss them as much as they'll miss her. She will go on to do decent stuff and recover her normality.
But it's a shabby sad way to wrap 15 years, and like many before her she deserves a better conclusion.]]>129falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-the-warriors-latest-loss-means-their-season-is-over--1008499Cameron Smith and Craig Bellamy of the Melbourne Storm are in there trying, I think unsuccessfully, to tell them it isn't the end of the world.
It looked like the end of the world, they lost in spectacular fashion.
When we talked to Richie Barnett last week and I suggested they might implode, I didn’t say that because I wanted that to happen, I said it because I have followed the side for over 25 years, and mental fragility, unfortunately, has been an Achilles heel for most of that time. And I saw no real reason to believe it wasn’t going to be something that might haunt them again.
Barnett suggested otherwise, sadly he was wrong.
The season is over. Even if they win again, even if they win again in outlandish spectacular fashion, which they probably will, this isn't their year. The owners in sacking Stephen Kearney have killed it, they finished it for them prematurely.  
Even if the plan is to hire someone and give them time to reshape and recruit, all of which makes sense, they do it at the expense of this season.
In some senses it's logical. What a mess of a year. As spectacular as the return is for the NRL, one of the first major sports to be back, the poor old Warriors had the biggest burden to carry. Being overseas, no family for months on end, it was always a big ask.
If Kearney's sacking had been a relief, it might be different, but he wasn’t. He was liked, admired, and his demise has clearly been the final straw. To lose is one thing, even to lose badly to a side like Melbourne, but to then have a bunch of your better, if not best, players saying they want to go home is all the proof required that 2020 will go down as the Warriors' worst of years.
Top level sport is psychological. They're all fit and talented, what makes the difference is the mindset. The set up the Warriors face would have tested anyone, far less a side that has rarely fired on all cylinders in the best of times, far less the worst.
I don’t blame the players. You could argue they're professionals and it's their job, but like all things in life there has to be a quid pro quo. To excel you need the right circumstances. Their circumstances are abysmal, and the past week they got worse.
It's going to be a hard watch. A beleaguered side turning out for the rest of the season to meet obligations and little more. The owners better have something pretty good for next year if they want the faithful to even contemplate sticking around.    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22962377/mhb29-06-20-opening.mp3Mon, 29 Jun 2020 00:28:05 +0000RoccoIf you haven't seen the scenes in the Warriors dressing room after their match on Friday night, have a look. Cameron Smith and Craig Bellamy of the Melbourne Storm are in there trying, I think unsuccessfully, to tell them it isn't the end of the...Cameron Smith and Craig Bellamy of the Melbourne Storm are in there trying, I think unsuccessfully, to tell them it isn't the end of the world.
It looked like the end of the world, they lost in spectacular fashion.
When we talked to Richie Barnett last week and I suggested they might implode, I didn’t say that because I wanted that to happen, I said it because I have followed the side for over 25 years, and mental fragility, unfortunately, has been an Achilles heel for most of that time. And I saw no real reason to believe it wasn’t going to be something that might haunt them again.
Barnett suggested otherwise, sadly he was wrong.
The season is over. Even if they win again, even if they win again in outlandish spectacular fashion, which they probably will, this isn't their year. The owners in sacking Stephen Kearney have killed it, they finished it for them prematurely.  
Even if the plan is to hire someone and give them time to reshape and recruit, all of which makes sense, they do it at the expense of this season.
In some senses it's logical. What a mess of a year. As spectacular as the return is for the NRL, one of the first major sports to be back, the poor old Warriors had the biggest burden to carry. Being overseas, no family for months on end, it was always a big ask.
If Kearney's sacking had been a relief, it might be different, but he wasn’t. He was liked, admired, and his demise has clearly been the final straw. To lose is one thing, even to lose badly to a side like Melbourne, but to then have a bunch of your better, if not best, players saying they want to go home is all the proof required that 2020 will go down as the Warriors' worst of years.
Top level sport is psychological. They're all fit and talented, what makes the difference is the mindset. The set up the Warriors face would have tested anyone, far less a side that has rarely fired on all cylinders in the best of times, far less the worst.
I don’t blame the players. You could argue they're professionals and it's their job, but like all things in life there has to be a quid pro quo. To excel you need the right circumstances. Their circumstances are abysmal, and the past week they got worse.
It's going to be a hard watch. A beleaguered side turning out for the rest of the season to meet obligations and little more. The owners better have something pretty good for next year if they want the faithful to even contemplate sticking around.    ]]>129falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-the-world-is-travelling-again-so-what-s-our-plan--1008478As we speak, people all over Europe are going on holiday. It is summer, some borders are now open, planes are flying, tickets are being booked, and you can go on holiday.
IATA last week issued a warning for countries like ours that if we keep borders shut we run the risk of being left behind. There is, of course, self interest in that. They are desperate for planes to fly and normality to return.
But for a country like ours, for regions like Central Otago, this is crippling. And it shows no real signs of changing, maybe even this year. Forecasters have Air New Zealand back to 80 percent domestically by Christmas, but internationally, there are deserts full of planes going nowhere.
So once the borders are open and people start moving, we start missing out. So then the question is, what's the big picture? Do we have any sort of plan at all long term? And if so, what is it? What is it we are waiting for? The whole world to reach zero cases?
The clue, of course, is in our lack of action over Australia or the Pacific. We have a handful of cases in isolation, Australia has issues but in the grand scheme of things exceedingly small numbers. The Pacific is good to go and yet we aren't going.
How is it England, with thousands of cases, is off to Benidorm? How is it the good people of France are off to the Amalfi Coast? Because they've worked out that they may have to live with this thing, they may never beat it, and there may never be a vaccine.
Is that our plan? Wait for the vaccine before we open the border? And how long are we waiting? Do we still honestly believe there is a vaccine by September? We might have a years old inflammation treatment that will help, but not cure.
We have a few pills and potions they discover that have some sort of effect. But while all of these maybes unfold, still the borders are closed, and the economy is strangled.
If the whole world opens to some sort of degree, we have seen what happens, people get on with it. If they want to travel and they can, they will. If it doesn’t include us, then the only loser is us.
IATA are, at least, in part right. We run the very real risk of watching the world move on without us. What was the point of a great health outcome if the economic one is a catastrophe? For a country that needs, relies on, and is beholden to the world, that's a disaster.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22962362/mhb29-06-20-comment-on-borders.mp3Sun, 28 Jun 2020 22:10:01 +0000RoccoSo where does all this lead? Think about that.  As we speak, people all over Europe are going on holiday. It is summer, some borders are now open, planes are flying, tickets are being booked, and you can go on holiday. IATA last week issued a warning...As we speak, people all over Europe are going on holiday. It is summer, some borders are now open, planes are flying, tickets are being booked, and you can go on holiday.
IATA last week issued a warning for countries like ours that if we keep borders shut we run the risk of being left behind. There is, of course, self interest in that. They are desperate for planes to fly and normality to return.
But for a country like ours, for regions like Central Otago, this is crippling. And it shows no real signs of changing, maybe even this year. Forecasters have Air New Zealand back to 80 percent domestically by Christmas, but internationally, there are deserts full of planes going nowhere.
So once the borders are open and people start moving, we start missing out. So then the question is, what's the big picture? Do we have any sort of plan at all long term? And if so, what is it? What is it we are waiting for? The whole world to reach zero cases?
The clue, of course, is in our lack of action over Australia or the Pacific. We have a handful of cases in isolation, Australia has issues but in the grand scheme of things exceedingly small numbers. The Pacific is good to go and yet we aren't going.
How is it England, with thousands of cases, is off to Benidorm? How is it the good people of France are off to the Amalfi Coast? Because they've worked out that they may have to live with this thing, they may never beat it, and there may never be a vaccine.
Is that our plan? Wait for the vaccine before we open the border? And how long are we waiting? Do we still honestly believe there is a vaccine by September? We might have a years old inflammation treatment that will help, but not cure.
We have a few pills and potions they discover that have some sort of effect. But while all of these maybes unfold, still the borders are closed, and the economy is strangled.
If the whole world opens to some sort of degree, we have seen what happens, people get on with it. If they want to travel and they can, they will. If it doesn’t include us, then the only loser is us.
IATA are, at least, in part right. We run the very real risk of watching the world move on without us. What was the point of a great health outcome if the economic one is a catastrophe? For a country that needs, relies on, and is beholden to the world, that's a disaster.  ]]>131falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-david-clark-is-the-disgrace-of-the-week--1008424Quarantine Testing
1/10.
"This story has haunted the government and damaged their credibility, and marks its second week.
In a world where the news cycle churns ever faster this is the one that might have done the government in.
And still no finality on those numbers, let's assume we'll never get them."
David Clark
0/10.
"The disgrace of the week.
To have the gall to publicly humiliate Ashley Bloomfield, as he watched on, having been the biggest walking disaster of the Covid response yourself, reveals who you're really dealing with as a person."
Light Rail
8/10.
"Because it’s a dumb idea that won't see the light of day.
Phew, close call."
Jobs and Confidence
4/10.
"Still he issue that could haunt us most. Confidence is hard to find, almost as hard as jobs.
As yet more got laid off this week we have the growing sense the real number is worse than the official number."
But Jobs
7/10.
"How is it the agencies have work and few or no applications?
Up to $40 an hour and no takers. How's that work?
Pine Trees
8/10.
"I like a pine tree, I've got lots of them myself.
To watch a pine tree sway in the wind is therapeutic.
But mine haven't replaced farmland, and that’s the problem."
House Prices
7/10.
"More signs this week we look okay.
We have solid sale prices, good clearance rates, and good numbers in the market."
Stephen Kearney
3/10.
"Tough week. And only deserved if the replacement is the answer.
Given we don’t have a replacement, we can't be sure about the answer."
The Crusaders
7/10.
"The Blues looked good until you saw the Crusaders enter Super Rugby Aotearoa."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22962177/mh260620-14-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 25 Jun 2020 22:27:46 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. Quarantine Testing 1/10. "This story has haunted the government and damaged their credibility, and marks its second week. In a...Quarantine Testing
1/10.
"This story has haunted the government and damaged their credibility, and marks its second week.
In a world where the news cycle churns ever faster this is the one that might have done the government in.
And still no finality on those numbers, let's assume we'll never get them."
David Clark
0/10.
"The disgrace of the week.
To have the gall to publicly humiliate Ashley Bloomfield, as he watched on, having been the biggest walking disaster of the Covid response yourself, reveals who you're really dealing with as a person."
Light Rail
8/10.
"Because it’s a dumb idea that won't see the light of day.
Phew, close call."
Jobs and Confidence
4/10.
"Still he issue that could haunt us most. Confidence is hard to find, almost as hard as jobs.
As yet more got laid off this week we have the growing sense the real number is worse than the official number."
But Jobs
7/10.
"How is it the agencies have work and few or no applications?
Up to $40 an hour and no takers. How's that work?
Pine Trees
8/10.
"I like a pine tree, I've got lots of them myself.
To watch a pine tree sway in the wind is therapeutic.
But mine haven't replaced farmland, and that’s the problem."
House Prices
7/10.
"More signs this week we look okay.
We have solid sale prices, good clearance rates, and good numbers in the market."
Stephen Kearney
3/10.
"Tough week. And only deserved if the replacement is the answer.
Given we don’t have a replacement, we can't be sure about the answer."
The Crusaders
7/10.
"The Blues looked good until you saw the Crusaders enter Super Rugby Aotearoa."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>163falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-tvnz-poll-shows-this-election-is-far-from-over--1008490National, obviously. The rot has stopped, and some reality has returned. Labour was never on 59 per cent: No one in an MMP environment is on 59.
These are mad times and they were mad numbers. Labour on 50 per cent is still over-represented. The rot of the past two weeks of isolation chaos has yet to sink into the wider psyche of the voter.
The good news for National is, with the gap closing, it will close more. Because it always does, and because the Government has hit real trouble with their myriad issues around Covid and general delivery.
If you think this won't be a genuine race, you're dreaming.
The other big winner was ACT. The little party that, at last, looks like it could. It would get four MPs on these numbers if David Seymour wins Epsom. When you only have one, it's not a bad boost.
Off the back of a great year with the euthanasia law, and into this year with a consistent pithy opposition-like message, they are starting to get the traction they deserve. And on these numbers, they out-poll New Zealand First. That's an achievement not to be understated given one is in Government and one isn't.
The Greens, at six per cent, will be relieved, rather than pleased. But what we know about the Green vote is it under-performs on the night, so they still have to be panicked.
As indeed do Labour, because not only are they making a mess of life, if they lose the Greens below the threshold they can't win the election. Yes, New Zealand First tends to over-perform on the night. But when you start at a two, in reality five is too big a leap. And then you're reliant on Shane Jones winning his seat and dragging them across on the coat-tails.
This is still early days - three months is a lifetime. Given the times in which we live, it's several lifetimes.
Only a fool would make a prediction as of this morning. If you're calling it, you're calling because you're tied to an outcome, not because you can read a trend, because there isn't one.
What we know is Labour are not a shoo-in the way many people think. Both Government partners are in the fight of their lives.
And it might just be, if you want an early call, that we end up with two parties plus ACT, and only because of their special arrangement in Epsom.
In other words, on Saturday September 19, we vote to return essentially to FPP (first past the post). If it happens, remember where you heard it first.
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22962158/mh260620-01-pollcomment.mp3Thu, 25 Jun 2020 21:20:52 +0000RoccoThere were a couple of big winners in last night's Colmar Brunton poll. National, obviously. The rot has stopped, and some reality has returned. Labour was never on 59 per cent: No one in an MMP environment is on 59. These are mad times and they were...National, obviously. The rot has stopped, and some reality has returned. Labour was never on 59 per cent: No one in an MMP environment is on 59.
These are mad times and they were mad numbers. Labour on 50 per cent is still over-represented. The rot of the past two weeks of isolation chaos has yet to sink into the wider psyche of the voter.
The good news for National is, with the gap closing, it will close more. Because it always does, and because the Government has hit real trouble with their myriad issues around Covid and general delivery.
If you think this won't be a genuine race, you're dreaming.
The other big winner was ACT. The little party that, at last, looks like it could. It would get four MPs on these numbers if David Seymour wins Epsom. When you only have one, it's not a bad boost.
Off the back of a great year with the euthanasia law, and into this year with a consistent pithy opposition-like message, they are starting to get the traction they deserve. And on these numbers, they out-poll New Zealand First. That's an achievement not to be understated given one is in Government and one isn't.
The Greens, at six per cent, will be relieved, rather than pleased. But what we know about the Green vote is it under-performs on the night, so they still have to be panicked.
As indeed do Labour, because not only are they making a mess of life, if they lose the Greens below the threshold they can't win the election. Yes, New Zealand First tends to over-perform on the night. But when you start at a two, in reality five is too big a leap. And then you're reliant on Shane Jones winning his seat and dragging them across on the coat-tails.
This is still early days - three months is a lifetime. Given the times in which we live, it's several lifetimes.
Only a fool would make a prediction as of this morning. If you're calling it, you're calling because you're tied to an outcome, not because you can read a trend, because there isn't one.
What we know is Labour are not a shoo-in the way many people think. Both Government partners are in the fight of their lives.
And it might just be, if you want an early call, that we end up with two parties plus ACT, and only because of their special arrangement in Epsom.
In other words, on Saturday September 19, we vote to return essentially to FPP (first past the post). If it happens, remember where you heard it first.
 ]]>132falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-julie-anne-genter-s-zero-road-toll-plan-another-non-delivery-fiasco--1008495Nothing encapsulated the deluded theoretical view of the world more than a fanciful number that was never going to be achieved.
Of all the things this lot have promised, 100,000 KiwiBuild houses, light rail, rent relief, three billion on the PGF, a feebate on EVs, a zero road toll was in a league of its own. Now we discover we aren't getting a zero road toll. The stuff they are supposed to be doing to make our roads safer is not being rolled out at anywhere near the rate they promised.
They promised $1.4 billion two years ago to save 160 deaths.
Where are they at? So far only $470 million down the track, a billion yet to be spent.
They promised 198 kilometres of median barriers. As of July last year they'd done 16 kilometres. As of now, 18 kilometres. So two kilometres in a year.
Side barriers? 150 kilometres out of 320. Lower speed limits? Only 35 kilometres of roads have new speed limits. They're a little better on the rumble strips. 3000 kilometres out of the 3500 promised.
So all in all, like so much of what they talk about, delivery once again is the issue. Promise big, get a headline, but then fail to deliver and hope no one notices.
It's debatable as to how much of this stuff, even if it was installed, would help save lives. But Genter's defence of this lack of action is consultation. She says there has been a lot of consultation. The irony being she's the one who wanted the consultation.
No one gum flaps like this government. Years for the Health Review to come back, we're still waiting for the sexual abuse review. No one sets up more committees, orders more reviews, and gabs more than this lot.
But surely it's a new low to  blame your own approach for a non delivery of your own policy. Genter's having a tough time. Her feebate EV plan got bowled the other day, and now this.
As we approach the vote, ask just what has been delivered, what was promised three years ago, and what do we have delivered?
This lot are going to be scrambling for answers, and few more so than Julie Anne Genter. ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22962098/mh250620-13-roadingnondeliverycomment.mp3Wed, 24 Jun 2020 21:54:56 +0000RoccoPerhaps the most outlandish statement made these past three years came from Julie Anne Genter who stated that we were aiming for a zero road toll. Nothing encapsulated the deluded theoretical view of the world more than a fanciful number that was...Nothing encapsulated the deluded theoretical view of the world more than a fanciful number that was never going to be achieved.
Of all the things this lot have promised, 100,000 KiwiBuild houses, light rail, rent relief, three billion on the PGF, a feebate on EVs, a zero road toll was in a league of its own. Now we discover we aren't getting a zero road toll. The stuff they are supposed to be doing to make our roads safer is not being rolled out at anywhere near the rate they promised.
They promised $1.4 billion two years ago to save 160 deaths.
Where are they at? So far only $470 million down the track, a billion yet to be spent.
They promised 198 kilometres of median barriers. As of July last year they'd done 16 kilometres. As of now, 18 kilometres. So two kilometres in a year.
Side barriers? 150 kilometres out of 320. Lower speed limits? Only 35 kilometres of roads have new speed limits. They're a little better on the rumble strips. 3000 kilometres out of the 3500 promised.
So all in all, like so much of what they talk about, delivery once again is the issue. Promise big, get a headline, but then fail to deliver and hope no one notices.
It's debatable as to how much of this stuff, even if it was installed, would help save lives. But Genter's defence of this lack of action is consultation. She says there has been a lot of consultation. The irony being she's the one who wanted the consultation.
No one gum flaps like this government. Years for the Health Review to come back, we're still waiting for the sexual abuse review. No one sets up more committees, orders more reviews, and gabs more than this lot.
But surely it's a new low to  blame your own approach for a non delivery of your own policy. Genter's having a tough time. Her feebate EV plan got bowled the other day, and now this.
As we approach the vote, ask just what has been delivered, what was promised three years ago, and what do we have delivered?
This lot are going to be scrambling for answers, and few more so than Julie Anne Genter. ]]>157falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-government-s-obsession-with-planting-trees-a-big-mistake--1008452Planting trees to allow us to meet our Paris accord deal is potentially a catastrophic mistake that is unfolding before our eyes.
Firstly, because our calling card to the world is not our climate credentials, it’s the food we sell. For that you need productive land. Under the Emission Trading Scheme changes, the price of carbon lifts. As it lifts, it becomes more attractive to buy land to plant trees.
Planting trees is easy, and people always take the easy path. And what makes this worse is many who invest in these trees have no intention of harvesting them. They're simply there to clip the ticket.
The answer is simple, limit conversion. We limit all sorts of things these days. Foreigners can't buy certain houses, some companies can't buy other companies, or some companies can't take over other companies. There are rules everywhere, whether they make sense is a matter for another day, but the unfettered conversion of farmland to forest land can easily be controlled.
What's interesting is whether those who are more obsessed with climate than our future really want to.
That’s where James Shaw comes in. It seems a strange thing that a bright bloke like him, doesn't see all of this. Unless, of course, he does, but he doesn't really care. He's happy to have trees, not sheep. Also unusual that someone of the left wouldn't understand, if not sympathise, with the community aspects of all of this.
The beef and lamb numbers are stark. Money from farms outweighs money from trees, whether you harvest them or not. If you don’t, the money from farms far outweighs trees. It outweighs forestry on jobs, on income, and community spending.
The farmers have to play their part too. There's no point bemoaning the end of an era, if you’ve flicked the farm off to pocket the profit. And I'm surprised National, as a party of the farmer, haven't been working this for months. By the time you look at this government's record with the rural community, there are votes aplenty, not to mention a way of life to save. Isn't that what they're in politics for?
As for the trees, it's relatively simple. You don’t solve one problem by creating another.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22962015/mh240620-01-farmsvsforestscomment.mp3Tue, 23 Jun 2020 21:43:39 +0000RoccoI am glad the forestation of this country at the expense of good, productive farmland finally appears to be getting the sort of attention it deserves. The trouble with a crisis, is it takes your eye off all sorts of balls, and  various issues would...Planting trees to allow us to meet our Paris accord deal is potentially a catastrophic mistake that is unfolding before our eyes.
Firstly, because our calling card to the world is not our climate credentials, it’s the food we sell. For that you need productive land. Under the Emission Trading Scheme changes, the price of carbon lifts. As it lifts, it becomes more attractive to buy land to plant trees.
Planting trees is easy, and people always take the easy path. And what makes this worse is many who invest in these trees have no intention of harvesting them. They're simply there to clip the ticket.
The answer is simple, limit conversion. We limit all sorts of things these days. Foreigners can't buy certain houses, some companies can't buy other companies, or some companies can't take over other companies. There are rules everywhere, whether they make sense is a matter for another day, but the unfettered conversion of farmland to forest land can easily be controlled.
What's interesting is whether those who are more obsessed with climate than our future really want to.
That’s where James Shaw comes in. It seems a strange thing that a bright bloke like him, doesn't see all of this. Unless, of course, he does, but he doesn't really care. He's happy to have trees, not sheep. Also unusual that someone of the left wouldn't understand, if not sympathise, with the community aspects of all of this.
The beef and lamb numbers are stark. Money from farms outweighs money from trees, whether you harvest them or not. If you don’t, the money from farms far outweighs trees. It outweighs forestry on jobs, on income, and community spending.
The farmers have to play their part too. There's no point bemoaning the end of an era, if you’ve flicked the farm off to pocket the profit. And I'm surprised National, as a party of the farmer, haven't been working this for months. By the time you look at this government's record with the rural community, there are votes aplenty, not to mention a way of life to save. Isn't that what they're in politics for?
As for the trees, it's relatively simple. You don’t solve one problem by creating another.]]>115falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-it-s-time-to-have-a-serious-talk-about-guns--1008517Is a gun in the back of a police car, when an incident can turn so dangerous, so quickly, really of any great use? How many times, rightly or wrongly, have we heard that gun crime is increasing? That's backed up by the stats.  
More and more incidents are turning ugly, if not potentially deadly, too fast for the current policy of not having armed police to continue.
The new Police Commissioner has made what I would deem a very soft and unspectacular start to his job. He defended community led road blocks and he favours police not carrying weapons as a normal part of policing. He looks wrong on both counts.
For those who argue against arming police, the vast majority aren't actually police. They don't deal with gangs and criminals, and would not be remotely interested in taking on the responsibility our heroes in blue do every single day. That's part of it.
The other part is the cold hard truth that the person who shot and killed the police officer is not one of the thousands who gave up their weapons in the government's buyback. The buyback was premised on the delusion that if we got a lot of guns out of the hands of gun owners we would be safer.
We are not. We never were. It was a desperate and foolish reaction to a tragedy from a government that wanted to be seen to be doing something large and tangible, and had nothing else by way of a response.
The only guns that got handed in or sold were the ones that belonged to people who had never bothered the law, and never would have.
Are there fewer guns? Yes. But, so what? Does it stop the crazies getting their hands on them? Has it halted gang activity? Has it seen gun crime drop?
No, no, and no.
Effective policy has an obvious outworking. This policy hasn’t, doesn’t, and won't.
The simple truth, sadly, is bad people do bad things, and increasingly they do them with guns. You either meet that with a response that’s effective, or you don’t.
If you don’t, the good guys end up dead. ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22961928/mh230620-13-armedpolicecomment.mp3Mon, 22 Jun 2020 21:27:18 +0000RoccoIt's always tricky to raise certain issues amid a mood of heightened tension. But is it not sensible and realistic to ask several questions around guns as a result of Friday's tragedy?  Is a gun in the back of a police car, when an incident can turn...Is a gun in the back of a police car, when an incident can turn so dangerous, so quickly, really of any great use? How many times, rightly or wrongly, have we heard that gun crime is increasing? That's backed up by the stats.  
More and more incidents are turning ugly, if not potentially deadly, too fast for the current policy of not having armed police to continue.
The new Police Commissioner has made what I would deem a very soft and unspectacular start to his job. He defended community led road blocks and he favours police not carrying weapons as a normal part of policing. He looks wrong on both counts.
For those who argue against arming police, the vast majority aren't actually police. They don't deal with gangs and criminals, and would not be remotely interested in taking on the responsibility our heroes in blue do every single day. That's part of it.
The other part is the cold hard truth that the person who shot and killed the police officer is not one of the thousands who gave up their weapons in the government's buyback. The buyback was premised on the delusion that if we got a lot of guns out of the hands of gun owners we would be safer.
We are not. We never were. It was a desperate and foolish reaction to a tragedy from a government that wanted to be seen to be doing something large and tangible, and had nothing else by way of a response.
The only guns that got handed in or sold were the ones that belonged to people who had never bothered the law, and never would have.
Are there fewer guns? Yes. But, so what? Does it stop the crazies getting their hands on them? Has it halted gang activity? Has it seen gun crime drop?
No, no, and no.
Effective policy has an obvious outworking. This policy hasn’t, doesn’t, and won't.
The simple truth, sadly, is bad people do bad things, and increasingly they do them with guns. You either meet that with a response that’s effective, or you don’t.
If you don’t, the good guys end up dead. ]]>111falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-is-sacking-stephen-kearney-going-to-solve-the-warriors-problems--1008333So the question for the Stephen Kearney sacking is: what's the answer? Have they, by getting rid of him, solved their problem?
I don’t see how. Is Wayne Bennett crossing the Tasman? What about Craig Bellamy? Some other coaching guru come genius that has that magic combination required to take a side with so much potential, and yet so much inconsistency, and meld that together for a season we have been waiting for for over a quarter-century now?
What you do get with singular ownership is decisive action. That's the beauty of owning the whole joint yourself. Robert Croot and Mark Robinson want results. They are known to want results, that's why they bought the place.
None of this is unusual in the world of elite sport where the model, generally, is of a team owned by an individual. You work or you're out. The EPL, the NFL, pick any of them, they all see a veritable merry go round of talent come and go. So let's not get overly involved or emotional about a high level decision based on performance, or lack of it.
In many respects, given what we have seen lately, it's refreshing. Megan Woods and Digby Webb are your similar scenario at government level.  Of course, under the Ardern model, no one ever gets sacked or held accountable. But essentially Wood and Webb replace David Clark and Ashley Bloomfield because of lack of performance.
Kearney's story is no different. But what's the Warriors problem? Inconsistency. Are they a bad side? No. Can they beat anyone? Yes.
So far in the relaunched season, their record is two and two. Two spectacular wins, and two very ordinary, you could say typical, losses.
There are two sides. Is that the coach's fault? Is there something a Stephen Kearney can be held responsible for? Same side, same approach, same plan, but completely different results. What part of that lies at the player's feet? What part at the coach's?
If Kearney wasn’t liked, if he wasn’t trusted, or if he had lost the dressing room, that might make sense. But I see none of that. I see a side that would do any coach's head in.
So does the sacking solve a problem? As of right now, no. Therefore Kearney is hard done by, and it's not a reflection on his talent or ability to get another job.  
The ball is now in the owner's court. Is the sacking part of a well thought-through strategy that will unfold quickly and become obvious? Or was it a fit of pique leaving a side without a coach and a recruitment headache for the rest of the season?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22961872/mh220620-01-kearneysackingcomment.mp3Sun, 21 Jun 2020 22:16:31 +0000RoccoNothing wrong with sacking people, if you have the answer. So the question for the Stephen Kearney sacking is: what's the answer? Have they, by getting rid of him, solved their problem? I don’t see how. Is Wayne Bennett crossing the Tasman? What about...So the question for the Stephen Kearney sacking is: what's the answer? Have they, by getting rid of him, solved their problem?
I don’t see how. Is Wayne Bennett crossing the Tasman? What about Craig Bellamy? Some other coaching guru come genius that has that magic combination required to take a side with so much potential, and yet so much inconsistency, and meld that together for a season we have been waiting for for over a quarter-century now?
What you do get with singular ownership is decisive action. That's the beauty of owning the whole joint yourself. Robert Croot and Mark Robinson want results. They are known to want results, that's why they bought the place.
None of this is unusual in the world of elite sport where the model, generally, is of a team owned by an individual. You work or you're out. The EPL, the NFL, pick any of them, they all see a veritable merry go round of talent come and go. So let's not get overly involved or emotional about a high level decision based on performance, or lack of it.
In many respects, given what we have seen lately, it's refreshing. Megan Woods and Digby Webb are your similar scenario at government level.  Of course, under the Ardern model, no one ever gets sacked or held accountable. But essentially Wood and Webb replace David Clark and Ashley Bloomfield because of lack of performance.
Kearney's story is no different. But what's the Warriors problem? Inconsistency. Are they a bad side? No. Can they beat anyone? Yes.
So far in the relaunched season, their record is two and two. Two spectacular wins, and two very ordinary, you could say typical, losses.
There are two sides. Is that the coach's fault? Is there something a Stephen Kearney can be held responsible for? Same side, same approach, same plan, but completely different results. What part of that lies at the player's feet? What part at the coach's?
If Kearney wasn’t liked, if he wasn’t trusted, or if he had lost the dressing room, that might make sense. But I see none of that. I see a side that would do any coach's head in.
So does the sacking solve a problem? As of right now, no. Therefore Kearney is hard done by, and it's not a reflection on his talent or ability to get another job.  
The ball is now in the owner's court. Is the sacking part of a well thought-through strategy that will unfold quickly and become obvious? Or was it a fit of pique leaving a side without a coach and a recruitment headache for the rest of the season?]]>127falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-the-jacinda-and-ashley-show-comes-to-a-dreadful-end--1008468The Government's Week.
1/10.
"If it doesn’t rain, it pours.
The teddy bears are gone, and the acrimony, anger, and fury has arrived."
David Clark.
4/10.
"He's been a lost cause for ages.
But now he just looks pathetic, and yet still in the portfolio."
Jacinda Ardern.
3/10.
"Her worst week by so far it doesn’t matter. And not directly her fault, and yet really it is.
When you expect so little, deal in nothing more than headlines, noise, and next to no detail, it always come back to bite you."
Ashley Bloomfield.
1/10.
"Amazing he's still in work as well.
Between the testing debacle and the PPE review he has been badly exposed as little more than another Ministry lifer out of his depth when the real work arrives.
If you bought the t-shirt, bin it."
Q1 GDP Numbers.
1/10.
"The price we are paying for all those numpties is an economy that’s tanked way worse than the experts had thought.
And what's worse, Q2 will make this look like a sunny day of recovery."
Fawlty Towers.
7/10.
"Only because it got reinstated by the BBC.
They, like all the other woke hand wringers, panicked when they saw a bit of anger from a line up of go no wheres, and then decided nothing made before the MeToo era should ever see the light of day again."
Kiwifruit.
9/10.
"Along with all the other stuff we sell. Our agriculture and horticulture sectors are our lifeline.
This week's reports stats and surveys show it. Apples, kiwis, meat, or wine, we are selling heaps and for good prices."
Commercial Bay.  
7/10.
"A billion dollars into bricks and mortar retail, and 200,000 through the doors in four days.
Stats that show the money is there and being spent.
Fingers crossed."
Super Rugby.  
9/10.
"Top sport and crowds. Hell, we had sell outs.
And the Crusaders weren't even playing."
The Warriors.
8/10.  
"Isolation suits them.
The first week and last week are signs of a team that can make it their year.
This is their year."  
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22961703/mh190620-13-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 18 Jun 2020 22:48:32 +0000RoccoAt 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 Government's Week. 1/10. "If it doesn’t rain, it pours. The teddy bears are gone, and the acrimony, anger, and fury has...The Government's Week.
1/10.
"If it doesn’t rain, it pours.
The teddy bears are gone, and the acrimony, anger, and fury has arrived."
David Clark.
4/10.
"He's been a lost cause for ages.
But now he just looks pathetic, and yet still in the portfolio."
Jacinda Ardern.
3/10.
"Her worst week by so far it doesn’t matter. And not directly her fault, and yet really it is.
When you expect so little, deal in nothing more than headlines, noise, and next to no detail, it always come back to bite you."
Ashley Bloomfield.
1/10.
"Amazing he's still in work as well.
Between the testing debacle and the PPE review he has been badly exposed as little more than another Ministry lifer out of his depth when the real work arrives.
If you bought the t-shirt, bin it."
Q1 GDP Numbers.
1/10.
"The price we are paying for all those numpties is an economy that’s tanked way worse than the experts had thought.
And what's worse, Q2 will make this look like a sunny day of recovery."
Fawlty Towers.
7/10.
"Only because it got reinstated by the BBC.
They, like all the other woke hand wringers, panicked when they saw a bit of anger from a line up of go no wheres, and then decided nothing made before the MeToo era should ever see the light of day again."
Kiwifruit.
9/10.
"Along with all the other stuff we sell. Our agriculture and horticulture sectors are our lifeline.
This week's reports stats and surveys show it. Apples, kiwis, meat, or wine, we are selling heaps and for good prices."
Commercial Bay.  
7/10.
"A billion dollars into bricks and mortar retail, and 200,000 through the doors in four days.
Stats that show the money is there and being spent.
Fingers crossed."
Super Rugby.  
9/10.
"Top sport and crowds. Hell, we had sell outs.
And the Crusaders weren't even playing."
The Warriors.
8/10.  
"Isolation suits them.
The first week and last week are signs of a team that can make it their year.
This is their year."  
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>165falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-gdp-number-shows-we-re-in-an-economic-disaster--1008450The quarter one GDP number is the first, no hiding from it, it's not a guess, factual statement as to what sort of mess our economy is in. Sadly, the forecasters had picked negative one, so unlike many other guesses that turn out to be overly negative, this turned out to be overly optimistic.
Negative 1.6 for the months of January, February and March. Compare it with Australia, at negative 0.3. We are in excess of five times worse than that. If there was ever any doubt that they are managing this better than us, negative 0.3 versus negative 1.6 is your answer.
This ends the Government's worst week by so far it doesn't matter.
Not only has the health side of the equation been botched in comedic, tragic and gobsmackingly unprofessional fashion, the price we are paying economically is massive.
Politically, my guess is this week will have turned the love tap off for the Government. The sycophancy, the adoration, the international heads, the Ardern-and-Bloomfield-can-do-no-wrong hypnotic trance so many fell into, will have turned.
You can't put a country through what we have, to then have a bunch of halfwits at the Ministry of Health screw it up in their dumpty-doo fashion - with no one held accountable,- and then, oh by the way, look how badly the economy has tanked as well.
Remember for Q1, January and February weren't even Covid months. Nothing untoward was happening in this country apart from the Government's economic policies slowing the economy. Don't forget that, pre-Covid, the economic delivery of this Government was ordinary, to say the least.
Add Covid on top and if you think Q1 is bad, the real misery comes in Q2. Q2 is April, May, and June. If there is hope, it's that we aren't out of June yet - and for a lot of the month we have been in level 1. The money stats say spending has been solid, if not spectacular. It might be June works out okay, and the only damage is April and May.
But if March sunk Q1, then two months worse than that in Q2 is surely a sign we are sinking, as we speak, like a stone.
Those Q2 numbers will be out by election time. If things continue the way they have this week for the Government, they may well be the final nail in the coffin.
Here's the simple truth: They have underestimated the suffering and sacrifice we have gone through. They don't get the life-changing trauma they have inflicted on hundreds of thousands of us, because they have never been in the real world. And because their jobs are safe, this to them has been a project, but for the rest of us, it's our lives.
We end the week with the health part and economic parts in tatters. Conclusion? They couldn't run a piss-up in a brewery.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22961693/mh190620-01-gdpcomment.mp3Thu, 18 Jun 2020 21:35:18 +0000RoccoThere is no hiding from negative 1.6. It is a disaster. The quarter one GDP number is the first, no hiding from it, it's not a guess, factual statement as to what sort of mess our economy is in. Sadly, the forecasters had picked negative one, so...The quarter one GDP number is the first, no hiding from it, it's not a guess, factual statement as to what sort of mess our economy is in. Sadly, the forecasters had picked negative one, so unlike many other guesses that turn out to be overly negative, this turned out to be overly optimistic.
Negative 1.6 for the months of January, February and March. Compare it with Australia, at negative 0.3. We are in excess of five times worse than that. If there was ever any doubt that they are managing this better than us, negative 0.3 versus negative 1.6 is your answer.
This ends the Government's worst week by so far it doesn't matter.
Not only has the health side of the equation been botched in comedic, tragic and gobsmackingly unprofessional fashion, the price we are paying economically is massive.
Politically, my guess is this week will have turned the love tap off for the Government. The sycophancy, the adoration, the international heads, the Ardern-and-Bloomfield-can-do-no-wrong hypnotic trance so many fell into, will have turned.
You can't put a country through what we have, to then have a bunch of halfwits at the Ministry of Health screw it up in their dumpty-doo fashion - with no one held accountable,- and then, oh by the way, look how badly the economy has tanked as well.
Remember for Q1, January and February weren't even Covid months. Nothing untoward was happening in this country apart from the Government's economic policies slowing the economy. Don't forget that, pre-Covid, the economic delivery of this Government was ordinary, to say the least.
Add Covid on top and if you think Q1 is bad, the real misery comes in Q2. Q2 is April, May, and June. If there is hope, it's that we aren't out of June yet - and for a lot of the month we have been in level 1. The money stats say spending has been solid, if not spectacular. It might be June works out okay, and the only damage is April and May.
But if March sunk Q1, then two months worse than that in Q2 is surely a sign we are sinking, as we speak, like a stone.
Those Q2 numbers will be out by election time. If things continue the way they have this week for the Government, they may well be the final nail in the coffin.
Here's the simple truth: They have underestimated the suffering and sacrifice we have gone through. They don't get the life-changing trauma they have inflicted on hundreds of thousands of us, because they have never been in the real world. And because their jobs are safe, this to them has been a project, but for the rest of us, it's our lives.
We end the week with the health part and economic parts in tatters. Conclusion? They couldn't run a piss-up in a brewery.]]>150falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-pandemic-response-has-gone-to-the-dogs--1008522The theme of this government pre Covid-19 was on delivery, or lack of it. They can't do stuff. They announce stuff, but can't deliver. They can't build houses, they can't build light rail, and now it turns out they can't run a pandemic.
The irony of that is they have spent so much time and energy telling you that not only could they, they were among the best in the world.
The centrepiece of the pantomime was, of course, our great leader and her trusted health sidekick. The bloke she hitched her reputational wagon to, Dr Ashley Bloomfield. We became so enamoured with Bloomfield. We had t-shirts made, we have tea towels, we feted him, and we wanted his children.
Sadly, he is a bust. He is like a lot of other wonks who head Ministries, not very good at his job. Read the Auditor General's report into PPE. And because the Prime Minster has no experience in anything, like so many Labour leaders and Ministers before her in similar scenarios, she relies completely on the so-called expert's advice.
Once you do that, you're stuck with your decision. Ardern is stuck with Bloomfield, and he is going to drag her down.
Bloomfield, of course, should have quit by now. And in that is the other problem, no one quits in this government.  No one quits, no is sacked, and no one is held to account. They're not held to account because as one MP, Deborah Russell, famously said of Ardern, "it's not her way." The problem with it not being her way is it sets the bar so low, everyone goes to sleep.
That's why people leave quarantine with no tests, despite there being rules about tests. That's why cops don't knock on doors in self isolation, despite the fact we were assured they would. That's why they argued self isolation was fine and quarantine wasn't needed. It's why they argued there was plenty of PPE, and we were on a war footing. Hell, it's probably why the couriers couldn't deliver anything for weeks on end.
No one gives a monkeys because from the top down this government is about noise, headlines, verbal frippery, and nothing beyond that. They don't do details, they don't do delivery. They do feelings. You can't run a country on feelings.
In essence this is an inept government. The suspicion was well and truly raised last year as the economy slowed. It's been confirmed now as the smoke and mirrors show they called a pandemic response spectacularly falls apart.
We report of incompetence, stories that aren't true, and details that change daily.
And yet, still no accountability. Everyone who cocked this up, is cocking this up, is still in work.
Why?  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22961597/mh180620-01-covidcockupcomment.mp3Wed, 17 Jun 2020 21:21:38 +0000RoccoThis, of course, is how governments unravel. The economy and incompetence will kill you every time.  The theme of this government pre Covid-19 was on delivery, or lack of it. They can't do stuff. They announce stuff, but can't deliver. They can't...The theme of this government pre Covid-19 was on delivery, or lack of it. They can't do stuff. They announce stuff, but can't deliver. They can't build houses, they can't build light rail, and now it turns out they can't run a pandemic.
The irony of that is they have spent so much time and energy telling you that not only could they, they were among the best in the world.
The centrepiece of the pantomime was, of course, our great leader and her trusted health sidekick. The bloke she hitched her reputational wagon to, Dr Ashley Bloomfield. We became so enamoured with Bloomfield. We had t-shirts made, we have tea towels, we feted him, and we wanted his children.
Sadly, he is a bust. He is like a lot of other wonks who head Ministries, not very good at his job. Read the Auditor General's report into PPE. And because the Prime Minster has no experience in anything, like so many Labour leaders and Ministers before her in similar scenarios, she relies completely on the so-called expert's advice.
Once you do that, you're stuck with your decision. Ardern is stuck with Bloomfield, and he is going to drag her down.
Bloomfield, of course, should have quit by now. And in that is the other problem, no one quits in this government.  No one quits, no is sacked, and no one is held to account. They're not held to account because as one MP, Deborah Russell, famously said of Ardern, "it's not her way." The problem with it not being her way is it sets the bar so low, everyone goes to sleep.
That's why people leave quarantine with no tests, despite there being rules about tests. That's why cops don't knock on doors in self isolation, despite the fact we were assured they would. That's why they argued self isolation was fine and quarantine wasn't needed. It's why they argued there was plenty of PPE, and we were on a war footing. Hell, it's probably why the couriers couldn't deliver anything for weeks on end.
No one gives a monkeys because from the top down this government is about noise, headlines, verbal frippery, and nothing beyond that. They don't do details, they don't do delivery. They do feelings. You can't run a country on feelings.
In essence this is an inept government. The suspicion was well and truly raised last year as the economy slowed. It's been confirmed now as the smoke and mirrors show they called a pandemic response spectacularly falls apart.
We report of incompetence, stories that aren't true, and details that change daily.
And yet, still no accountability. Everyone who cocked this up, is cocking this up, is still in work.
Why?  ]]>139falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-government-is-spinning-bollocks-over-border-blunder--1008568Even as the two women were let out of quarantine on compassionate grounds were exposed as being two new cases we shouldn’t have had, the Prime Minister, yet again, was spinning the bollocks she's spun this entire time through Covid-19.
That's how well prepared we are, why we test, and how rigorous our testing is. It meant nothing because most of it isn't true.
The same way it wasn’t true when she defended no quarantine, because self-isolation was full proof because the police were knocking on the doors, until, of course, it was discovered they weren't. The same as yesterday’s fiasco where people are released from quarantine early with no test.
And as a result of that cock up Ashley Bloomfield fronts up, and tells us how it's good this has been discovered so we can tighten those rules further. Was he perhaps hoping at no point anyone goes, "mate, we thought you would have thought of testing them before they leave because that’s about the most obvious thing you can do, and we all thought it went without saying you were doing it?"
If you're thinking we should be keeping the borders closed, don’t. It's not the border's fault, or the people who turn up here to see dying relatives. The answer is not to prevent people coming here or be more conservative, the answer is for the people who are supposed to be doing their job, to actually do their job.
Yesterday, it was revealed the police didn’t do their job either, and that’s why the madman in Christchurch in March last year got a licence for his guns. The answer was never a gun buyback, it was to do the job properly in the first place.
This, by the way, is the same Ministry of Health who in yesterday's health review essentially got a lot of the system taken off them and handed to what is recommended to be an entirely new agency.
This is the same Ministry, the head of which the Prime Minister, as we have said over and over again, has foolishly hitched her inexperienced wagon to, and driven the economy into the ground by being overly fascinated, zealous, and obsessed with a numbers game around a virus while jobs burned.
And now the same bloke who ran that obsession, lets peoples out from quarantine without testing them. And let us not get started on those who scarpered from the funeral.
For all those obsessed with Bloomfield, who bought the t-shirt, who wanted him knighted, he's a policy wonk no smarter than the rest of them advising a government that’s spins bollocks to hide their ineptitude.
End of.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22961564/mh170620-01-covidcockupcomment.mp3Wed, 17 Jun 2020 08:00:42 +0000RoccoThis is this government to a "t." All noise, no delivery. Even as the two women were let out of quarantine on compassionate grounds were exposed as being two new cases we shouldn’t have had, the Prime Minister, yet again, was spinning the bollocks...Even as the two women were let out of quarantine on compassionate grounds were exposed as being two new cases we shouldn’t have had, the Prime Minister, yet again, was spinning the bollocks she's spun this entire time through Covid-19.
That's how well prepared we are, why we test, and how rigorous our testing is. It meant nothing because most of it isn't true.
The same way it wasn’t true when she defended no quarantine, because self-isolation was full proof because the police were knocking on the doors, until, of course, it was discovered they weren't. The same as yesterday’s fiasco where people are released from quarantine early with no test.
And as a result of that cock up Ashley Bloomfield fronts up, and tells us how it's good this has been discovered so we can tighten those rules further. Was he perhaps hoping at no point anyone goes, "mate, we thought you would have thought of testing them before they leave because that’s about the most obvious thing you can do, and we all thought it went without saying you were doing it?"
If you're thinking we should be keeping the borders closed, don’t. It's not the border's fault, or the people who turn up here to see dying relatives. The answer is not to prevent people coming here or be more conservative, the answer is for the people who are supposed to be doing their job, to actually do their job.
Yesterday, it was revealed the police didn’t do their job either, and that’s why the madman in Christchurch in March last year got a licence for his guns. The answer was never a gun buyback, it was to do the job properly in the first place.
This, by the way, is the same Ministry of Health who in yesterday's health review essentially got a lot of the system taken off them and handed to what is recommended to be an entirely new agency.
This is the same Ministry, the head of which the Prime Minister, as we have said over and over again, has foolishly hitched her inexperienced wagon to, and driven the economy into the ground by being overly fascinated, zealous, and obsessed with a numbers game around a virus while jobs burned.
And now the same bloke who ran that obsession, lets peoples out from quarantine without testing them. And let us not get started on those who scarpered from the funeral.
For all those obsessed with Bloomfield, who bought the t-shirt, who wanted him knighted, he's a policy wonk no smarter than the rest of them advising a government that’s spins bollocks to hide their ineptitude.
End of.]]>127falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-jacinda-ardern-s-pay-cut-promise-nothing-but-hot-air--1008525And the virtue signalling nonsense she instigated months ago is yet another example of having led to exactly nothing.
The real frustration, of course, is that she has been caught out. She gets caught out a lot. She got caught out on Monday when we asked her about Rob Fyfe. She'd cold shouldered Fyfe by not even acknowledging his letter of his return to his home having volunteered to work for her for the past two months. That's Ardern to a "t."
There is no need for her to be frustrated over her non pay cut. She could have got the Remuneration Authority to move more quickly, sort of like hundreds of employers did to hundreds of thousands of workers all over the country.
Or she could have front footed it and said, "look, I had no idea this was so hard." At which point someone like me would have asked, why not? And if you didn’t, why didn’t you check it before you got yourself another headline with yet another vacuous promise?
Anyway, she could have said, "I had no idea it was so hard, so in the meantime I'm donating the money to charity or putting it aside to deposit it as a lump sum."
Or, "I've told the Authority to back date it." Or "I'm reviewing the Authority to find out why it's so useless." Or anything other than, yet again, what's happened, which is the NZ Herald once again busting her for spouting a lot of frippery that goes nowhere.
What makes this particularly egregious is I said at the time it was a bunch of virtue signalling nonsense given, unless you were directly affected by Covid, or unless your job was in jeopardy, there was no point in taking a pay cut because it solved nothing. It saved nothing, it did nothing, it changed nothing. So all that was left was it made you look like you cared.
She's into that stuff, she wants you to like her, and she wants you to think she's cool and on your side. In that is the deception. In intent she may well be genuine, in delivery she is nothing of the sort.
And this embarrassment is her to a “t.” She made her announcement, got her headline, and she moved on. The details were inconsequential, until, of course, they came and bit her on the bum.
At which point we have to roll out the old "I'm frustrated line. Not my fault, nothing to see here. All I want to do is the right thing by everyone."
Saying stuff that leads no where, is superficial, and in this case supercilious as well.
You can only play this trick so often before the Empress would appear to have no clothes.    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22961520/mh170620-13-governmentpaycutcomment.mp3Tue, 16 Jun 2020 21:41:42 +0000RoccoSpare a thought for poor old Jacinda Ardern this morning. She's frustrated. She's frustrated she is still earning half a million dollars, and that pay cut hasn't come through. And the virtue signalling nonsense she instigated months ago is yet another...And the virtue signalling nonsense she instigated months ago is yet another example of having led to exactly nothing.
The real frustration, of course, is that she has been caught out. She gets caught out a lot. She got caught out on Monday when we asked her about Rob Fyfe. She'd cold shouldered Fyfe by not even acknowledging his letter of his return to his home having volunteered to work for her for the past two months. That's Ardern to a "t."
There is no need for her to be frustrated over her non pay cut. She could have got the Remuneration Authority to move more quickly, sort of like hundreds of employers did to hundreds of thousands of workers all over the country.
Or she could have front footed it and said, "look, I had no idea this was so hard." At which point someone like me would have asked, why not? And if you didn’t, why didn’t you check it before you got yourself another headline with yet another vacuous promise?
Anyway, she could have said, "I had no idea it was so hard, so in the meantime I'm donating the money to charity or putting it aside to deposit it as a lump sum."
Or, "I've told the Authority to back date it." Or "I'm reviewing the Authority to find out why it's so useless." Or anything other than, yet again, what's happened, which is the NZ Herald once again busting her for spouting a lot of frippery that goes nowhere.
What makes this particularly egregious is I said at the time it was a bunch of virtue signalling nonsense given, unless you were directly affected by Covid, or unless your job was in jeopardy, there was no point in taking a pay cut because it solved nothing. It saved nothing, it did nothing, it changed nothing. So all that was left was it made you look like you cared.
She's into that stuff, she wants you to like her, and she wants you to think she's cool and on your side. In that is the deception. In intent she may well be genuine, in delivery she is nothing of the sort.
And this embarrassment is her to a “t.” She made her announcement, got her headline, and she moved on. The details were inconsequential, until, of course, they came and bit her on the bum.
At which point we have to roll out the old "I'm frustrated line. Not my fault, nothing to see here. All I want to do is the right thing by everyone."
Saying stuff that leads no where, is superficial, and in this case supercilious as well.
You can only play this trick so often before the Empress would appear to have no clothes.    ]]>135falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-todd-muller-makes-gaffe-after-gaffe--1008483The MAGA hat that was a non-story he refused to make a non-story by keeping on answering dumb questions about it until he stuck it in a box. Thus indicating that if you ask enough dumb questions, he'll turn it into something.
Then the possum in the headlights reaction to the ethnicity question over the new front bench, which was only partly his fault but because he didn’t sound like he owned it. Nikki Kaye, who I also have a sinking feeling about, decided making Paul Goldsmith Maori was a good idea.
And then she doubled down when Paul Goldsmith decided to make "stick to your knitting" a headline grabbing story by suggesting they weren't the best choice of words when in fact there was nothing wrong with them, nor has there ever been.
It all lacked a self confidence. It all looked like you could say anything and they'd wet themselves in fear over what you meant, what you might have meant, or what it could mean. Ah, for the good old days when Sir John Key just laughed most of it off, was light-foot having the time of his life, and treating the idiots with the lack of respect they deserved.
Of course the trouble with trouble is, if you get off on the wrong foot, you're shaken. If you're shaky to start, making a hash of it doesn’t help. So it's hardly a surprise when Muller, who's also been charged with being largely absent of late when it comes to holding the government to account, reappeared on Sunday for a big speech.
David Seymour, it must be said at this point, deserves real plaudits for his role as de-facto opposition leader. He says more, makes more cogent points, holds the government to better account currently, and does it with far less resource than the National Party. Not that a lot of wider New Zealand will have noticed.
It's still early days, and in that is the hope for Muller. Most people won't be switched on and in to the election and it's detail until the end of July, maybe even August.
But anyway poor old Muller turns up in front of an upside down flag in Te Puna and tells everyone how he wanted to join the Labour Party before asking whether he should start again. If it was only that easy. It is the game of confidence, and he clearly doesn't have any.
My great fear is the great fear I have with all non-naturals, and that is when tough times strike too many people get in your ear and spook you further. Authenticity is what gels with people, and the more you are manufactured, the more you trip yourself up.
Muller's shambolic start can be fixed, because by August no one will remember any of this stuff if he's got his act together by then. But the key is, does he have an act to get together? If he doesn’t, if he's a busted flush, no amount of gerrymandered papering over the cracks will fix it. The race is done.
But he has to be more present, he has to get more aggressive, he has to stop being frightened of questions, and short on answers.
At best, as we sit here this morning, it’s a four out of ten start. ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22961433/mh160620-13-mullercomment.mp3Mon, 15 Jun 2020 21:34:03 +0000RoccoDo you have a sinking feeling over Todd Muller? The MAGA hat that was a non-story he refused to make a non-story by keeping on answering dumb questions about it until he stuck it in a box. Thus indicating that if you ask enough dumb questions, he'll...The MAGA hat that was a non-story he refused to make a non-story by keeping on answering dumb questions about it until he stuck it in a box. Thus indicating that if you ask enough dumb questions, he'll turn it into something.
Then the possum in the headlights reaction to the ethnicity question over the new front bench, which was only partly his fault but because he didn’t sound like he owned it. Nikki Kaye, who I also have a sinking feeling about, decided making Paul Goldsmith Maori was a good idea.
And then she doubled down when Paul Goldsmith decided to make "stick to your knitting" a headline grabbing story by suggesting they weren't the best choice of words when in fact there was nothing wrong with them, nor has there ever been.
It all lacked a self confidence. It all looked like you could say anything and they'd wet themselves in fear over what you meant, what you might have meant, or what it could mean. Ah, for the good old days when Sir John Key just laughed most of it off, was light-foot having the time of his life, and treating the idiots with the lack of respect they deserved.
Of course the trouble with trouble is, if you get off on the wrong foot, you're shaken. If you're shaky to start, making a hash of it doesn’t help. So it's hardly a surprise when Muller, who's also been charged with being largely absent of late when it comes to holding the government to account, reappeared on Sunday for a big speech.
David Seymour, it must be said at this point, deserves real plaudits for his role as de-facto opposition leader. He says more, makes more cogent points, holds the government to better account currently, and does it with far less resource than the National Party. Not that a lot of wider New Zealand will have noticed.
It's still early days, and in that is the hope for Muller. Most people won't be switched on and in to the election and it's detail until the end of July, maybe even August.
But anyway poor old Muller turns up in front of an upside down flag in Te Puna and tells everyone how he wanted to join the Labour Party before asking whether he should start again. If it was only that easy. It is the game of confidence, and he clearly doesn't have any.
My great fear is the great fear I have with all non-naturals, and that is when tough times strike too many people get in your ear and spook you further. Authenticity is what gels with people, and the more you are manufactured, the more you trip yourself up.
Muller's shambolic start can be fixed, because by August no one will remember any of this stuff if he's got his act together by then. But the key is, does he have an act to get together? If he doesn’t, if he's a busted flush, no amount of gerrymandered papering over the cracks will fix it. The race is done.
But he has to be more present, he has to get more aggressive, he has to stop being frightened of questions, and short on answers.
At best, as we sit here this morning, it’s a four out of ten start. ]]>155falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-warriors-are-the-perfect-example-of-why-we-love-sport--1008449Yes, the Super Rugby got the headlines because they were back with crowds, and that deserved attention. But let us not forget that the NRL led the way back to normalcy, and their competition has completed its third weekend in the new era.
And here's the thing about the Warriors; who can figure out how it all works in any given week?
The Dragons in that opening weekend were given a lesson by a side that could have beaten anyone, anytime. 44 sets in a row, unheard of. Last weekend you had a side that looked like league might be new to them. And then Friday night, against a side like the Cowboys with the return of people like Taumalolo, they revert to being untouchable.
A massive completion rate, Peta Hiku back from injury and scores a hatrick, Blake Green and Kodi Nikorima as good a halves combo as you will ever see.
Here's the thing that keeps tragics like me coming back every week of every year. That side, that did that to the Cowboys on Friday night, didn’t have David Fusitu'a, Ken Maumalo, or Jazz Tevaga. In other words, real weaponry wasn’t even on the field.
So surely those of you who look at people like me and roll your eyes can understand that this isn't an ordinary side. This isn't a side that delivers what you'd expect. This is a side that can be better than any other side in the competition.
On paper it's all there, on any given weekend it goes from theory on paper, to reality on the field. It is possible that the combination, the right winds and the stars align so we could actually see us actually deliver on all that potential we've been hanging out to see, put together for over a quarter of a century.
And yes, I fully understand the Phil Goulds who lambasted them last week and said if they aren't good by now, they never will be. And it’s a whole country they represent, not just one of a number of teams in a city like Sydney.
But, in that, is the magic of sport. It's addictive. And it's addictive because it's enticing, it lures you in with prospects. It promises memories and joy, it promises to make your day and justify your membership and investment of energy.
And let us not forget the sacrifice the team is making, and the artificiality of their circumstances. Could they stitch this together consistently?
This is the stuff of dreams. And as of Friday night, the dream is still very much alive. This could be, this just might be, our year.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22961365/mh150620-01-warriorscomment.mp3Sun, 14 Jun 2020 22:18:58 +0000RoccoAre we on the train to the promised land? After 26 years, is this our year?  Yes, the Super Rugby got the headlines because they were back with crowds, and that deserved attention. But let us not forget that the NRL led the way back to normalcy, and...Yes, the Super Rugby got the headlines because they were back with crowds, and that deserved attention. But let us not forget that the NRL led the way back to normalcy, and their competition has completed its third weekend in the new era.
And here's the thing about the Warriors; who can figure out how it all works in any given week?
The Dragons in that opening weekend were given a lesson by a side that could have beaten anyone, anytime. 44 sets in a row, unheard of. Last weekend you had a side that looked like league might be new to them. And then Friday night, against a side like the Cowboys with the return of people like Taumalolo, they revert to being untouchable.
A massive completion rate, Peta Hiku back from injury and scores a hatrick, Blake Green and Kodi Nikorima as good a halves combo as you will ever see.
Here's the thing that keeps tragics like me coming back every week of every year. That side, that did that to the Cowboys on Friday night, didn’t have David Fusitu'a, Ken Maumalo, or Jazz Tevaga. In other words, real weaponry wasn’t even on the field.
So surely those of you who look at people like me and roll your eyes can understand that this isn't an ordinary side. This isn't a side that delivers what you'd expect. This is a side that can be better than any other side in the competition.
On paper it's all there, on any given weekend it goes from theory on paper, to reality on the field. It is possible that the combination, the right winds and the stars align so we could actually see us actually deliver on all that potential we've been hanging out to see, put together for over a quarter of a century.
And yes, I fully understand the Phil Goulds who lambasted them last week and said if they aren't good by now, they never will be. And it’s a whole country they represent, not just one of a number of teams in a city like Sydney.
But, in that, is the magic of sport. It's addictive. And it's addictive because it's enticing, it lures you in with prospects. It promises memories and joy, it promises to make your day and justify your membership and investment of energy.
And let us not forget the sacrifice the team is making, and the artificiality of their circumstances. Could they stitch this together consistently?
This is the stuff of dreams. And as of Friday night, the dream is still very much alive. This could be, this just might be, our year.]]>132falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-the-government-is-angry--1008335Money and Spending.
8/10.
"It's still early days but the spending is there. One percent down on this time last year.
Are you kidding me? What recession?"
Trans-Tasman and Pacific Bubbles.
4/10.
"We've got to be more entrepreneurial.
If Australia isn't ready, the Cooks Islands are. Let's get on with it.
Is it really hard to do more than one thing at a time?"
Australia.
5/10.
"Scott Morrison is pulling his hair out. Winston Peters is right, it’s the road block of federalism.
Giving that power to a power freak in Queensland at the expense of the country is not the way to run a successful country."
The Protests, Statues and TV Cancellations.
1/10.
"What a shocking week where the mad, rabid, and bizarre were let loose.
Not only did they put all our health at risk, but also completely lose the plot on history."
The Government's Mood.
4/10.
"Jacinda Ardern got angry, Grant Robertson got frustrated, and Stuart Nash got bloody angry.
You notice when we are not locked up, and there is more than just one voice barking out orders on Facebook Live, things start to come a bit unstuck?"
Pike River.
0/10.
"The confession from Andrew Little that the bodies weren't coming home.
Not that most of us didn’t know that, the crime is the trick that was played on the families for political gain.
If you don’t think this government is Machiavellian, wake up."
Ministry of Education and the Modems.
1/10.
"Come on, even for the public service that’s a pretty spectacular cock up.
And once again with our money which, of course, wasn’t our money anyway given we borrowed it."
The Election.
7/10.
"99 days and counting.
It'll be closer than many think, with no shortage of drama."
Sport.
8/10.
"It's back.
And if it's not back, it's almost back, and a lot of it is back with crowds.
And with crowds comes money."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22961205/mh120620-16-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 11 Jun 2020 23:24:19 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all.  Money and Spending. 8/10. "It's still early days but the spending is there. One percent down on this time last year. Are you...Money and Spending.
8/10.
"It's still early days but the spending is there. One percent down on this time last year.
Are you kidding me? What recession?"
Trans-Tasman and Pacific Bubbles.
4/10.
"We've got to be more entrepreneurial.
If Australia isn't ready, the Cooks Islands are. Let's get on with it.
Is it really hard to do more than one thing at a time?"
Australia.
5/10.
"Scott Morrison is pulling his hair out. Winston Peters is right, it’s the road block of federalism.
Giving that power to a power freak in Queensland at the expense of the country is not the way to run a successful country."
The Protests, Statues and TV Cancellations.
1/10.
"What a shocking week where the mad, rabid, and bizarre were let loose.
Not only did they put all our health at risk, but also completely lose the plot on history."
The Government's Mood.
4/10.
"Jacinda Ardern got angry, Grant Robertson got frustrated, and Stuart Nash got bloody angry.
You notice when we are not locked up, and there is more than just one voice barking out orders on Facebook Live, things start to come a bit unstuck?"
Pike River.
0/10.
"The confession from Andrew Little that the bodies weren't coming home.
Not that most of us didn’t know that, the crime is the trick that was played on the families for political gain.
If you don’t think this government is Machiavellian, wake up."
Ministry of Education and the Modems.
1/10.
"Come on, even for the public service that’s a pretty spectacular cock up.
And once again with our money which, of course, wasn’t our money anyway given we borrowed it."
The Election.
7/10.
"99 days and counting.
It'll be closer than many think, with no shortage of drama."
Sport.
8/10.
"It's back.
And if it's not back, it's almost back, and a lot of it is back with crowds.
And with crowds comes money."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>178falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-leadership-needed-to-stop-nutters-destroying-history--1008534The world has had an abysmal week, in the middle of a pandemic, the likes of which we have never seen. We still have the capacity to find other things in which to make a mess of our lives and futures.
Somehow the death of a black man in Minneapolis ended up seeing a statue toppled in Bristol, which then was tied to a call to stop funding police, in fact to have no police at all. That was closely followed by lots of other statues being targeted, so they could be banned, chopped, or melted down. That dovetailed into campaigns to have plaques and street names reassessed, reassessed by whom was never quite dealt with.
Detail is never addressed in these scenarios. Mad symbolism isn't about answers, it's about noise, carnage, and destruction.
By the end of the week Gone with the Wind was off air, along with Little Britain and Cops. From Floyd, to Coulston, to Lou and Andy, gone. Banned. Put in the bin of history because history now clearly is only to be seen through a lenses prescribed by wokest of woke.
In that is the rub, most of us see this for what it is. The only difference these days is the nutters are given licence. Leadership has vanished, and in an attempt to try and avoid upsetting anyone, anything goes. An entire world can be in lockdown trying to save lives unless there's a cause the handwringer decides is worth putting that at risk for.
Because there is no leadership, no one says enough. Never seeing Rhett and Scarlett again isn't going to save the life, or treatment, of a black man on the streets of America. We all know it, but but that’s not what the wreckers are after.
The wreckers never have answers. They're not bright enough to get that far into the problem. We all accept there is a problem, we know there is a problem because the George Floyd story sadly isn't the first, or anywhere close to it.
The same way Colston wasn’t the only bloke who sold people for money.
But that’s how societies change, and that’s why Colston is a relic. That's why Rhett and Scarlett had servants. It was what they did at the time, and that time is not now, because we learned from it. You don’t learn by not seeing and pretending it never happened.
Yes, the time is now to stop bad cops kneeling on necks, but that’s not archived by banning Fat Pat or Marjorie Dawes. It's not achieved by removing Rhodes ,or de-funding police forces.
Here's the irony, unless you have leadership and authority you are left defenceless and open to the weakest link. And, my god, did this week feel like the weakest link had free run of the place.      ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22961193/mh120620-01-cancelculturecomment.mp3Thu, 11 Jun 2020 21:40:11 +0000RoccoOur capacity to foot trip our way forward never ceases to amaze me.  The world has had an abysmal week, in the middle of a pandemic, the likes of which we have never seen. We still have the capacity to find other things in which to make a mess of our...The world has had an abysmal week, in the middle of a pandemic, the likes of which we have never seen. We still have the capacity to find other things in which to make a mess of our lives and futures.
Somehow the death of a black man in Minneapolis ended up seeing a statue toppled in Bristol, which then was tied to a call to stop funding police, in fact to have no police at all. That was closely followed by lots of other statues being targeted, so they could be banned, chopped, or melted down. That dovetailed into campaigns to have plaques and street names reassessed, reassessed by whom was never quite dealt with.
Detail is never addressed in these scenarios. Mad symbolism isn't about answers, it's about noise, carnage, and destruction.
By the end of the week Gone with the Wind was off air, along with Little Britain and Cops. From Floyd, to Coulston, to Lou and Andy, gone. Banned. Put in the bin of history because history now clearly is only to be seen through a lenses prescribed by wokest of woke.
In that is the rub, most of us see this for what it is. The only difference these days is the nutters are given licence. Leadership has vanished, and in an attempt to try and avoid upsetting anyone, anything goes. An entire world can be in lockdown trying to save lives unless there's a cause the handwringer decides is worth putting that at risk for.
Because there is no leadership, no one says enough. Never seeing Rhett and Scarlett again isn't going to save the life, or treatment, of a black man on the streets of America. We all know it, but but that’s not what the wreckers are after.
The wreckers never have answers. They're not bright enough to get that far into the problem. We all accept there is a problem, we know there is a problem because the George Floyd story sadly isn't the first, or anywhere close to it.
The same way Colston wasn’t the only bloke who sold people for money.
But that’s how societies change, and that’s why Colston is a relic. That's why Rhett and Scarlett had servants. It was what they did at the time, and that time is not now, because we learned from it. You don’t learn by not seeing and pretending it never happened.
Yes, the time is now to stop bad cops kneeling on necks, but that’s not archived by banning Fat Pat or Marjorie Dawes. It's not achieved by removing Rhodes ,or de-funding police forces.
Here's the irony, unless you have leadership and authority you are left defenceless and open to the weakest link. And, my god, did this week feel like the weakest link had free run of the place.      ]]>131falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-pike-river-exposed-as-a-political-tool--1008529So the day of reckoning, or at least a day of reckoning, has arrived. The jig is up.
Andrew Little, the Minister in charge of Pike River, fronts the appropriate select committee and reveals what most of us had worked out well before they ever entered the mine.
The retrieval of bodies is no longer practical. The simple truth, a decade on, is that the retrieval of remains was never practical.
Little perpetrates the con a little further by suggesting that the main reason they are still there, apart from perceived political gain, is to gather evidence for the crime committed.
If it needs to be stated, let me state it again, there is no evidence, there will be no evidence, and there will be no charges. I called it in the CTV Building destroyed in the Christchurch earthquake, I call it on Pike River.
Families who are angry, and rightly so, who want vengeance, justice, or a bit of both, all have good arguments and much emotion behind the cause. But that does not a case or charges make, or indeed anywhere close.
The Labour Party should be ashamed of themselves. They took a tragedy, saw a political gap, and leapt on it.
The previous National government did what any logical, sensible, and adult government would have done, all they could. Short of making up stories and promising false hope like the current lot have.
They consulted experts, the experts said it was too dangerous and too big a risk. The Labour Party promised the world. Winston Peters chimed in equally as opportunistically and promised to be one of the first down the shaft.
Millions has been spent, budgets have been blown - and now the cold hard truth. There will be no bodies. The families asked for and were granted by the Labour Party their loved ones back, but it won't be happening.
But the con is, it never was. The families were used for political gain, and cheap violin string headlines.
Most of them won't admit it, I don't think because they all seem enamoured with the Labour Party. This was as much about being against the last government as it was about a rescue.
But the facts don't lie. Are bodies coming out? No. Were they ever? No.Will there be evidence? No. Will there be charges? No.
So what has been achieved apart from a whole new department being created and millions spent for the admission from Andrew Little that was always coming?
It was only a matter of time.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22961116/mh110620-10-pikerivercomment.mp3Wed, 10 Jun 2020 21:39:53 +0000RoccoCOMMENT: So the day of reckoning, or at least a day of reckoning, has arrived. The jig is up. Andrew Little, the Minister in charge of Pike River, fronts the appropriate select committee and reveals what most of us had worked out well before they ever...So the day of reckoning, or at least a day of reckoning, has arrived. The jig is up.
Andrew Little, the Minister in charge of Pike River, fronts the appropriate select committee and reveals what most of us had worked out well before they ever entered the mine.
The retrieval of bodies is no longer practical. The simple truth, a decade on, is that the retrieval of remains was never practical.
Little perpetrates the con a little further by suggesting that the main reason they are still there, apart from perceived political gain, is to gather evidence for the crime committed.
If it needs to be stated, let me state it again, there is no evidence, there will be no evidence, and there will be no charges. I called it in the CTV Building destroyed in the Christchurch earthquake, I call it on Pike River.
Families who are angry, and rightly so, who want vengeance, justice, or a bit of both, all have good arguments and much emotion behind the cause. But that does not a case or charges make, or indeed anywhere close.
The Labour Party should be ashamed of themselves. They took a tragedy, saw a political gap, and leapt on it.
The previous National government did what any logical, sensible, and adult government would have done, all they could. Short of making up stories and promising false hope like the current lot have.
They consulted experts, the experts said it was too dangerous and too big a risk. The Labour Party promised the world. Winston Peters chimed in equally as opportunistically and promised to be one of the first down the shaft.
Millions has been spent, budgets have been blown - and now the cold hard truth. There will be no bodies. The families asked for and were granted by the Labour Party their loved ones back, but it won't be happening.
But the con is, it never was. The families were used for political gain, and cheap violin string headlines.
Most of them won't admit it, I don't think because they all seem enamoured with the Labour Party. This was as much about being against the last government as it was about a rescue.
But the facts don't lie. Are bodies coming out? No. Were they ever? No.Will there be evidence? No. Will there be charges? No.
So what has been achieved apart from a whole new department being created and millions spent for the admission from Andrew Little that was always coming?
It was only a matter of time.]]>118falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-we-need-air-new-zealand-let-s-cut-them-some-slack--1008477As far back as I can remember, no matter how successful our airline has been, we have been itching to hate them. In the bad old days of the NAC, Erebus and government departments, like all those businesses at the time there was a lot not to like.
But of late, they have been one of the world's great airlines. They have won any number of awards, they have been recognised for innovation and antipodean edginess, and I suppose, ultimately, they have made a shed load of money.
Overall, in their new-ish guise they have been a rockstar airline.
But even in those days, there was never a lack of those, just below the surface, on the end of the phone or a text, ready to take a pop.
Maybe it’s the curse of being big? Or having being bailed out by the state? Or being corporate? Who would know, but the balance was never there. The acrimony over the slightest bad day, never balanced with the accolades of the best days.
Now, they seem in a world of trouble with everyone who's ever bought a ticket but hasn’t been able to fly for reasons well beyond anyone's fault. The credit v refund scandal of 2020 is raging, and as far as I can work out there will be, and can be, no winners. Because essentially no one is really wrong.
To be fair, the airline has communicated appallingly. The new CEO Greg Foran was nowhere to be seen for weeks until we call him out last Friday morning, and almost as if by magic that afternoon he appeared with a message of renewal and hope that would take about 800 days.
But look at Jetstar, and this is what prompted this. They could not run for the hills as soon as trouble hit. Then they come back with some tempting offers for cheap seats then promptly cancelled the services. Now that we are in level one, guess who's back?
That is called a fair weather friend, a fly by nighter, no pun intended. That's a company here for the good times, not the long haul.
Air New Zealand has gone no where. They can't go anywhere, they have a responsibility to this country, and as a result have to run their operation in a different way to others. They don’t get to pick and choose, come and go. They are here through thick and thin, and that counts for something. Wandering in and out on a mood is easy.
So when Jetstar offers you $29 dollar fares, are you buying them? And if you are, what happened to supporting local?
On balance we are lucky to have Air New Zealand. Your refund is a lost job or more debt for a company in real trouble, and it's our company.
They didn’t wake up to give you a hard time. Longevity, relationships, and consistency and goodwill count.
No, they're not perfect. But on balance, they don’t deserve the bagging they're currently getting either.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22961042/mh100620-13-airnzcomment.mp3Tue, 09 Jun 2020 21:51:16 +0000RoccoIt isn't cool to defend Air New Zealand. But on balance, I think we should.  As far back as I can remember, no matter how successful our airline has been, we have been itching to hate them. In the bad old days of the NAC, Erebus and government...As far back as I can remember, no matter how successful our airline has been, we have been itching to hate them. In the bad old days of the NAC, Erebus and government departments, like all those businesses at the time there was a lot not to like.
But of late, they have been one of the world's great airlines. They have won any number of awards, they have been recognised for innovation and antipodean edginess, and I suppose, ultimately, they have made a shed load of money.
Overall, in their new-ish guise they have been a rockstar airline.
But even in those days, there was never a lack of those, just below the surface, on the end of the phone or a text, ready to take a pop.
Maybe it’s the curse of being big? Or having being bailed out by the state? Or being corporate? Who would know, but the balance was never there. The acrimony over the slightest bad day, never balanced with the accolades of the best days.
Now, they seem in a world of trouble with everyone who's ever bought a ticket but hasn’t been able to fly for reasons well beyond anyone's fault. The credit v refund scandal of 2020 is raging, and as far as I can work out there will be, and can be, no winners. Because essentially no one is really wrong.
To be fair, the airline has communicated appallingly. The new CEO Greg Foran was nowhere to be seen for weeks until we call him out last Friday morning, and almost as if by magic that afternoon he appeared with a message of renewal and hope that would take about 800 days.
But look at Jetstar, and this is what prompted this. They could not run for the hills as soon as trouble hit. Then they come back with some tempting offers for cheap seats then promptly cancelled the services. Now that we are in level one, guess who's back?
That is called a fair weather friend, a fly by nighter, no pun intended. That's a company here for the good times, not the long haul.
Air New Zealand has gone no where. They can't go anywhere, they have a responsibility to this country, and as a result have to run their operation in a different way to others. They don’t get to pick and choose, come and go. They are here through thick and thin, and that counts for something. Wandering in and out on a mood is easy.
So when Jetstar offers you $29 dollar fares, are you buying them? And if you are, what happened to supporting local?
On balance we are lucky to have Air New Zealand. Your refund is a lost job or more debt for a company in real trouble, and it's our company.
They didn’t wake up to give you a hard time. Longevity, relationships, and consistency and goodwill count.
No, they're not perfect. But on balance, they don’t deserve the bagging they're currently getting either.  ]]>158falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-we-need-transparency-in-referendum-debate--1008506The Drug Foundation, who should not be in the business at the best of times of being political operatives, have nevertheless decided to bring the worst aspects of Washington lobbying to New Zealand by raising money to buy spin, to twist your arm to vote yes for cannabis in September.
The question is, who's funding them?
They say for a start that the government money they get isn't being used. But of the money that’s being donated, who is it from? And how much is it? And most importantly, why don't we know? And if we did, would it potentially change your mind?
Here's an irony, I bet you anything you want, that these are just the sort of people who would object to us funding governments and political parties and the way they're funding their campaigns with few rules and little disclosure.
If you have to disclose anything over $15,000 for a political party, why not a referenda?
Here's my guess, at least some of the money will be coming from corporates who see profit in legalising dope. Those who gain most, will be finding the opportunity to profit the most. Show me I am wrong. And do those that stand to profit have our health interests at heart? Or their bottom lines? And if they're so above board and open with their views, ideas, and plans, why on earth aren't they out there telling us who they are, and what they're stumping up?
Nothing wrong with a vote. Democracy is good, ideas are good, and debate is good. But you debate with those you can see. We currently can't see who they are.
The entire campaign is run under the name of the Drug Foundation. We have no idea who's behind him. Why not? And if it was a corporate who had given a small fortune, what would your view be then?
Much is made in America about small donors, the likes of which Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren played on. Much is made of big oil, big gas, big tobacco, and firearms lobbyists who fund others. It's seen as shady and hijacked, where the rich and influential, get richer and more influential.
What you want most of all in these sort of debates is transparency and a level playing field.
Why don’t we have one? What have they got to hide?  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22960966/mh090620-01-cannabisreferendumcomment.mp3Mon, 08 Jun 2020 21:41:38 +0000RoccoIt seems remarkable does it not you can have referenda in this country that have, seemingly, so few rules around them.  The Drug Foundation, who should not be in the business at the best of times of being political operatives, have nevertheless...The Drug Foundation, who should not be in the business at the best of times of being political operatives, have nevertheless decided to bring the worst aspects of Washington lobbying to New Zealand by raising money to buy spin, to twist your arm to vote yes for cannabis in September.
The question is, who's funding them?
They say for a start that the government money they get isn't being used. But of the money that’s being donated, who is it from? And how much is it? And most importantly, why don't we know? And if we did, would it potentially change your mind?
Here's an irony, I bet you anything you want, that these are just the sort of people who would object to us funding governments and political parties and the way they're funding their campaigns with few rules and little disclosure.
If you have to disclose anything over $15,000 for a political party, why not a referenda?
Here's my guess, at least some of the money will be coming from corporates who see profit in legalising dope. Those who gain most, will be finding the opportunity to profit the most. Show me I am wrong. And do those that stand to profit have our health interests at heart? Or their bottom lines? And if they're so above board and open with their views, ideas, and plans, why on earth aren't they out there telling us who they are, and what they're stumping up?
Nothing wrong with a vote. Democracy is good, ideas are good, and debate is good. But you debate with those you can see. We currently can't see who they are.
The entire campaign is run under the name of the Drug Foundation. We have no idea who's behind him. Why not? And if it was a corporate who had given a small fortune, what would your view be then?
Much is made in America about small donors, the likes of which Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren played on. Much is made of big oil, big gas, big tobacco, and firearms lobbyists who fund others. It's seen as shady and hijacked, where the rich and influential, get richer and more influential.
What you want most of all in these sort of debates is transparency and a level playing field.
Why don’t we have one? What have they got to hide?  ]]>118falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-government-can-t-keep-relying-on-welfare-masquerading-as-subsidies--1008411First to National, they're onto something. It's practical stuff that encourages growth.
Their first policy under Simon Bridges allowed you to write off large spends, encouraging you to buy plant and machinery. It was costed, made sense, and was well-received, unlike the government's bank debt plan that went nowhere fast.
Then they came up with Muller's first policy. An incentive to hire, $10,000 per person hired. It's an encouragement, an incentive, leads to expansion and growth, and now tourism grants that are attached to growth, new ideas, and it’s a contestable fund decided upon by tourism experts not wonks in Wellington.
These are the solid, sensible, entrepreneurial ideas that will get National back in the election race. Because what it does is separate them out from the government, who are relying on debt and welfare to make you feel as though we will get through this economic mess in one piece.
That brings us to Friday's change to the wage subsidy scheme. The second tranche was going to require you to prove a 50 percent Covid-19 hit, now it's 40 percent. That brings in 40,000 businesses. This will be of relief, I personally know of several businesses it will directly affect. Those on the scheme already, and grateful for it. It did what it was supposed to do - keep jobs.
But 50 percent was going to be a stretch. Yes, they'd been hit but not that bad, so 40 percent they’ll probably scrape in.
But for how long are we paying wages with printed and borrowed money? And when there is a third tranche, and there will be, what level is it set at? Where is the line drawn? Especially given the economy will be well and truly open by then, where is the line between welfare and subsidy?
How long as a business do you get to rebuild under government help before someone goes, sadly, "you know what? You're not going to make it."  
And when that happens how much have we spent trying to save jobs that weren't saved? And those who had the jobs still get the wage subsidy, it's just called the Jobseeker Benefit.
That is the critical role of government going forward. Less welfare, more incentive to grow and go. Welfare is addictive, and if you want to be Machiavellian, that probably suits Labour perfectly. Their control over us is their utopia, hence the third tranche will take us to election day. But a day of reckoning is always coming, and when it does, it's ugly.
So National's "in” is to remind us we are actually an agile, hard-working, entrepreneurial country with people who like to forge their own path, not rely on welfare masquerading as subsidies.
Writing cheques using borrowed money is easy. And it's been useful and welcome, but it can't last. National recognise that, and now have policy to show it.
The government, though, not so keen to wean us off. ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22960919/mh080620-14-recoverypoliciescomment.mp3Sun, 07 Jun 2020 22:22:56 +0000RoccoA couple of new policies to dissect. The government's wage subsidy extension and change. And National's tourism funding. First to National, they're onto something. It's practical stuff that encourages growth. Their first policy under Simon Bridges...First to National, they're onto something. It's practical stuff that encourages growth.
Their first policy under Simon Bridges allowed you to write off large spends, encouraging you to buy plant and machinery. It was costed, made sense, and was well-received, unlike the government's bank debt plan that went nowhere fast.
Then they came up with Muller's first policy. An incentive to hire, $10,000 per person hired. It's an encouragement, an incentive, leads to expansion and growth, and now tourism grants that are attached to growth, new ideas, and it’s a contestable fund decided upon by tourism experts not wonks in Wellington.
These are the solid, sensible, entrepreneurial ideas that will get National back in the election race. Because what it does is separate them out from the government, who are relying on debt and welfare to make you feel as though we will get through this economic mess in one piece.
That brings us to Friday's change to the wage subsidy scheme. The second tranche was going to require you to prove a 50 percent Covid-19 hit, now it's 40 percent. That brings in 40,000 businesses. This will be of relief, I personally know of several businesses it will directly affect. Those on the scheme already, and grateful for it. It did what it was supposed to do - keep jobs.
But 50 percent was going to be a stretch. Yes, they'd been hit but not that bad, so 40 percent they’ll probably scrape in.
But for how long are we paying wages with printed and borrowed money? And when there is a third tranche, and there will be, what level is it set at? Where is the line drawn? Especially given the economy will be well and truly open by then, where is the line between welfare and subsidy?
How long as a business do you get to rebuild under government help before someone goes, sadly, "you know what? You're not going to make it."  
And when that happens how much have we spent trying to save jobs that weren't saved? And those who had the jobs still get the wage subsidy, it's just called the Jobseeker Benefit.
That is the critical role of government going forward. Less welfare, more incentive to grow and go. Welfare is addictive, and if you want to be Machiavellian, that probably suits Labour perfectly. Their control over us is their utopia, hence the third tranche will take us to election day. But a day of reckoning is always coming, and when it does, it's ugly.
So National's "in” is to remind us we are actually an agile, hard-working, entrepreneurial country with people who like to forge their own path, not rely on welfare masquerading as subsidies.
Writing cheques using borrowed money is easy. And it's been useful and welcome, but it can't last. National recognise that, and now have policy to show it.
The government, though, not so keen to wean us off. ]]>153falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-we-are-being-treated-like-children--1008567Donald Trump.
4/10.
"Between the Bible, the walk, the tear gas, the rants on Twitter, and the abuse on the Governor's phone call.
He won't lose his base, but history will never judge that level of unhinged activity well."
Exemptions to Border Closure.
4/10.
"For the way they handled them."
But the Exemptions as an Idea.
7/10.
"We want and need Avatar filmed here, we want and need the America's Cup sailed here, and we want and need skills, talent, and money.
What's the hold up, Phil?"
Social Distancing.
2/10.
"Between Matt King in the restaurant, the Prime Minister and Ashley Bloomfield, and the protests, the hypocrisy and idiocy has been laid bare.
Not to mention the simple truth about having far too many rules."
The "Ten Golden Rules."
1/10.
"When you're treating a nation as four year olds and giving out hand washing advice, it's over.
Enough already."
Todd Muller.
7/10.
"Better week and a half decent policy on small businesses hiring.
Produce more of that and you're back in the race."
Sweden.
4/10.
"Their economy grew, but so too, it appears, have regrets.
The chief epidemiologist says they wouldn't do it the same way again.
Not our way, but not their way either."
Space X.
9/10.
"Space and the private sector. It's years overdue and the domain of the dreamers.
Space is still as inspirational and aspirational as it ever was."
The Warriors.
9/10.
"Not just a win, but a win for the times. Out of isolation, 44 completed sets, and a scoreless opposition.
It could be the start of what could one of the great sporting dreams."
Dan Carter.
8/10.
"The pay packet tells the story.
Most who succeed in life do so for the love of the pursuit or activity, not because of the dollars.
Hope.
8/10.
"I see increasing amounts of it.
Mainly from figures that weren't as bad as expected, borders slowly opening, and planes started to reschedule.
Most places you look, the signs of new life are increasingly easy to see."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22960748/mh050620-14-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 04 Jun 2020 23:56:01 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all.  Donald Trump. 4/10. "Between the Bible, the walk, the tear gas, the rants on Twitter, and the abuse on the Governor's phone call....Donald Trump.
4/10.
"Between the Bible, the walk, the tear gas, the rants on Twitter, and the abuse on the Governor's phone call.
He won't lose his base, but history will never judge that level of unhinged activity well."
Exemptions to Border Closure.
4/10.
"For the way they handled them."
But the Exemptions as an Idea.
7/10.
"We want and need Avatar filmed here, we want and need the America's Cup sailed here, and we want and need skills, talent, and money.
What's the hold up, Phil?"
Social Distancing.
2/10.
"Between Matt King in the restaurant, the Prime Minister and Ashley Bloomfield, and the protests, the hypocrisy and idiocy has been laid bare.
Not to mention the simple truth about having far too many rules."
The "Ten Golden Rules."
1/10.
"When you're treating a nation as four year olds and giving out hand washing advice, it's over.
Enough already."
Todd Muller.
7/10.
"Better week and a half decent policy on small businesses hiring.
Produce more of that and you're back in the race."
Sweden.
4/10.
"Their economy grew, but so too, it appears, have regrets.
The chief epidemiologist says they wouldn't do it the same way again.
Not our way, but not their way either."
Space X.
9/10.
"Space and the private sector. It's years overdue and the domain of the dreamers.
Space is still as inspirational and aspirational as it ever was."
The Warriors.
9/10.
"Not just a win, but a win for the times. Out of isolation, 44 completed sets, and a scoreless opposition.
It could be the start of what could one of the great sporting dreams."
Dan Carter.
8/10.
"The pay packet tells the story.
Most who succeed in life do so for the love of the pursuit or activity, not because of the dollars.
Hope.
8/10.
"I see increasing amounts of it.
Mainly from figures that weren't as bad as expected, borders slowly opening, and planes started to reschedule.
Most places you look, the signs of new life are increasingly easy to see."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>199falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-it-s-up-to-us-if-we-want-to-come-out-of-this--10085206700 are risk of closure, 17,000 out of the 27000 could shut for good, only 10,000 are in a stable financial position, 24 percent are expected to cease trading, and 37 percent hang in the balance.
That’s ugly and may well go some way to giving a clearer insight into how artificially the economy is currently being propped up by borrowed government money.
But what it might also show, and I hope I am right, is that they are being way too pessimistic. Increasingly from all parts of the world, not just here, the forecasts of doom are being proven wrong, and in many cases badly and wildly so.
Not unlike all the deaths they said would happen with the virus, the calls, forecasts, and predictions of dire recessions come depressions don't appear real.
This is not to say it isn't bad, because it is. It’s a mess. And part of it is being exacerbated as we have already seen this week by the Cabinet leak over days without community spread, and why we aren't in level one yet. We are not helping ourselves the way we might. Things don’t need to be as bad as they could be, and approach is everything. As I've said, we need to be operating on gut, instinct, and courage. Not policy wonks in the public service looking to cross the last "t".
Spending was down 80 percent in lockdown, 37 percent in level three, and now only 12 percent in level two. 12 percent is bad, but it's not the end of the world. With level one next week with a tail wind and the right intent, there is no reason to think it can't be back to largely normal.
So why then are so many businesses going out of business? Could it be there were barely hanging on anyway? Could it be some areas of business has changed? The money has gone elsewhere? It's probably both those things.
But it's also the fact, not enough people back themselves. It might well be, like so many of the other numbers that have been wrong, the numbers of closures is wrong as well.
The simple truth is a recession shakes out the weak, always has. And it's not a bad thing. And maybe new businesses, when they start, start with better backing, better planning, and better foundations. Let's hope so.
But if there is a strong theme emerging, it's that a lot of what we thought would happen hasn’t. And it hasn’t because when we thought it might, we didn’t know, so we went negative to cover our bets and backs.
Level one changes all that. Most of it now sits with us. Do we want to succeed? Or do we want to pack up before we start?
The choice is easy and it's ours.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22960741/mh050620-01-retailclosurescomment.mp3Thu, 04 Jun 2020 21:30:36 +0000RoccoIt's hard to ignore the starkness of the retail numbers.  6700 are risk of closure, 17,000 out of the 27000 could shut for good, only 10,000 are in a stable financial position, 24 percent are expected to cease trading, and 37 percent hang in the...6700 are risk of closure, 17,000 out of the 27000 could shut for good, only 10,000 are in a stable financial position, 24 percent are expected to cease trading, and 37 percent hang in the balance.
That’s ugly and may well go some way to giving a clearer insight into how artificially the economy is currently being propped up by borrowed government money.
But what it might also show, and I hope I am right, is that they are being way too pessimistic. Increasingly from all parts of the world, not just here, the forecasts of doom are being proven wrong, and in many cases badly and wildly so.
Not unlike all the deaths they said would happen with the virus, the calls, forecasts, and predictions of dire recessions come depressions don't appear real.
This is not to say it isn't bad, because it is. It’s a mess. And part of it is being exacerbated as we have already seen this week by the Cabinet leak over days without community spread, and why we aren't in level one yet. We are not helping ourselves the way we might. Things don’t need to be as bad as they could be, and approach is everything. As I've said, we need to be operating on gut, instinct, and courage. Not policy wonks in the public service looking to cross the last "t".
Spending was down 80 percent in lockdown, 37 percent in level three, and now only 12 percent in level two. 12 percent is bad, but it's not the end of the world. With level one next week with a tail wind and the right intent, there is no reason to think it can't be back to largely normal.
So why then are so many businesses going out of business? Could it be there were barely hanging on anyway? Could it be some areas of business has changed? The money has gone elsewhere? It's probably both those things.
But it's also the fact, not enough people back themselves. It might well be, like so many of the other numbers that have been wrong, the numbers of closures is wrong as well.
The simple truth is a recession shakes out the weak, always has. And it's not a bad thing. And maybe new businesses, when they start, start with better backing, better planning, and better foundations. Let's hope so.
But if there is a strong theme emerging, it's that a lot of what we thought would happen hasn’t. And it hasn’t because when we thought it might, we didn’t know, so we went negative to cover our bets and backs.
Level one changes all that. Most of it now sits with us. Do we want to succeed? Or do we want to pack up before we start?
The choice is easy and it's ours.  ]]>136falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-time-for-some-guts-let-s-get-on-with-this--1008516The ball is well and truly in our court now. Level four to three was a joke, too much remained locked down. Three to two was a solid step, but as we found out, for a lot of people simply being open does not a living, or a profit, make.
If we look back at this in some sort of official way, I think we will ultimately conclude that too much of this was run by an inexperienced Prime Minister far too reliant on health wonks who, although well meaning, have little, if any, idea of the real world.
Rob Fyfe, who once ran Air New Zealand and is now the interface between private enterprise and the government made a very revealing comment early on in his new job. He needs 60 percent information, the rest is gut.
That’s what this lacked. Gut and instinct. This was a health experiment with every "t" crossed, “I” dotted, and an abundance of caution. Part of the outworking of that caution was fear, led by a Prime Minister who people seemed to trust, and like, if not love. But what she has failed to do, is follow up the health work with the economic work.
She seems stuck on health. Just Tuesday on this show she was still banging on about how well we have done. Yes we have, but that's over. It was done weeks ago. We should have been moving on with gut, instinct, and confidence.
But because the health side came with so many rules, so many stories, and so many animals in windows. We were conditioned, we were told to be scared, to second guess, to worry, and to be careful. And trouble with that is the effects are still in play. We still have people telling us it's not over to watch for a second wave.
All rational has gone out the window. The one active case should be gone by weeks end. Those still freaked out are looking for something that isn't there, they are hunting ghosts. And they're hunting ghosts because, too much emphasis has been placed on worry.
So level one it's all on bar borders. We can't do anything about other countries, but we can do something about our place.  We can get out, we can stop second guessing, we can spend, and we can take a punt literally and figuratively. We can be bold, we can believe, we can shake this thing off, and move on.
There aren't rules left now to blame, distances to adhere to, Prime Ministerial ifs to second guess, and ask weird questions about. This is the new normal and we have to make it work. The government cannot and should not fund this by debt. The hand holding and the cajoling is largely over. We sink or swim on our own volition, and that has been given back to us.
It's time for gut, instinct, bravery, and boldness. Time to get on with this.   ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22960663/mh040620-14-levelonecomment.mp3Wed, 03 Jun 2020 22:02:05 +0000RoccoThe trick to level one is confidence. The difference between level two and level one, in some respects, is everything. The ball is well and truly in our court now. Level four to three was a joke, too much remained locked down. Three to two was a solid...The ball is well and truly in our court now. Level four to three was a joke, too much remained locked down. Three to two was a solid step, but as we found out, for a lot of people simply being open does not a living, or a profit, make.
If we look back at this in some sort of official way, I think we will ultimately conclude that too much of this was run by an inexperienced Prime Minister far too reliant on health wonks who, although well meaning, have little, if any, idea of the real world.
Rob Fyfe, who once ran Air New Zealand and is now the interface between private enterprise and the government made a very revealing comment early on in his new job. He needs 60 percent information, the rest is gut.
That’s what this lacked. Gut and instinct. This was a health experiment with every "t" crossed, “I” dotted, and an abundance of caution. Part of the outworking of that caution was fear, led by a Prime Minister who people seemed to trust, and like, if not love. But what she has failed to do, is follow up the health work with the economic work.
She seems stuck on health. Just Tuesday on this show she was still banging on about how well we have done. Yes we have, but that's over. It was done weeks ago. We should have been moving on with gut, instinct, and confidence.
But because the health side came with so many rules, so many stories, and so many animals in windows. We were conditioned, we were told to be scared, to second guess, to worry, and to be careful. And trouble with that is the effects are still in play. We still have people telling us it's not over to watch for a second wave.
All rational has gone out the window. The one active case should be gone by weeks end. Those still freaked out are looking for something that isn't there, they are hunting ghosts. And they're hunting ghosts because, too much emphasis has been placed on worry.
So level one it's all on bar borders. We can't do anything about other countries, but we can do something about our place.  We can get out, we can stop second guessing, we can spend, and we can take a punt literally and figuratively. We can be bold, we can believe, we can shake this thing off, and move on.
There aren't rules left now to blame, distances to adhere to, Prime Ministerial ifs to second guess, and ask weird questions about. This is the new normal and we have to make it work. The government cannot and should not fund this by debt. The hand holding and the cajoling is largely over. We sink or swim on our own volition, and that has been given back to us.
It's time for gut, instinct, bravery, and boldness. Time to get on with this.   ]]>147falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-now-s-not-the-time-for-emissions-trading-scheme-confusion--1008466The latest chapter could be so fantastically complex no-one truly understands what's going on. We have fresh reforms, we have change to the emissions trading scheme.
There is a new cap of 160 million tonnes of co2 equivalent greenhouses gases over 2021 to 2025, along with a provisional emission budget for the same period of 354 million tonnes.
There are also price controls that will act as a backstop when auctioning is introduced, designed to stop prices going too high or too low.
There is also an extension to participants' access to the fixed price option, which acts as the scheme's defacto price setting.
However, the government has opted to push back implementing major forestry polices till 2023 along with bringing in penalties for smaller foresters. Got it? Simple, eh? This is all part of the emissions trading reform bill which is being dealt with by parliament this week.
Also sorted are the so-called hot air credits which were imported and of dubious nature. Unless you're a wonk, a lot of that means nothing. Does it work? Is it the answer? If it is, when by, what real time effect am I going to see as a result? Those are the questions that have no answers.
As a package, says James Shaw, these reforms take a big step towards a safer future. What does that mean? Shaw also wants the recently-formed climate change commission to  provide advice on whether our commitments under the Paris Agreement are ambitious enough to meet the United Nations target. Now, I do understand that bit. That’s kowtowing to a dysfunctional mess in New York masquerading as a world authority.
Now this is the point: if you are barely surviving as a business, if you’ve lost your job, if you are struggling under level 2, if you're still at home working from your new office, if you are on a mortgage holiday, if your future is up in the air because of COVID, does any of this mean anything to you? Is climate change really an issue for you? Or are these just a bunch of noise-makers in Wellington chasing their tails over an invented system of credits and trades that may or may not mean something to someone one day?
And most importantly, does it make doing business more complex and more expensive? And given it does, do you think they might want to read the room a little better than they currently are? While we are working out credits, Australia is being led by a resources resurgence that like it or not is still heavily in demand all over the world. So, as to our economic future, who's got the right answer, James and his commission, or Scott and his shovel?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22960622/mh030620-01-etsreformcomment.mp3Wed, 03 Jun 2020 02:39:47 +0000RoccoIn a way it’s a good sign: there is life beyond COVID. And to be fair, of all the stories that've managed to get just a little bit of oxygen in the past few months, the climate change agenda made it to daylight more than any other. The latest chapter...The latest chapter could be so fantastically complex no-one truly understands what's going on. We have fresh reforms, we have change to the emissions trading scheme.
There is a new cap of 160 million tonnes of co2 equivalent greenhouses gases over 2021 to 2025, along with a provisional emission budget for the same period of 354 million tonnes.
There are also price controls that will act as a backstop when auctioning is introduced, designed to stop prices going too high or too low.
There is also an extension to participants' access to the fixed price option, which acts as the scheme's defacto price setting.
However, the government has opted to push back implementing major forestry polices till 2023 along with bringing in penalties for smaller foresters. Got it? Simple, eh? This is all part of the emissions trading reform bill which is being dealt with by parliament this week.
Also sorted are the so-called hot air credits which were imported and of dubious nature. Unless you're a wonk, a lot of that means nothing. Does it work? Is it the answer? If it is, when by, what real time effect am I going to see as a result? Those are the questions that have no answers.
As a package, says James Shaw, these reforms take a big step towards a safer future. What does that mean? Shaw also wants the recently-formed climate change commission to  provide advice on whether our commitments under the Paris Agreement are ambitious enough to meet the United Nations target. Now, I do understand that bit. That’s kowtowing to a dysfunctional mess in New York masquerading as a world authority.
Now this is the point: if you are barely surviving as a business, if you’ve lost your job, if you are struggling under level 2, if you're still at home working from your new office, if you are on a mortgage holiday, if your future is up in the air because of COVID, does any of this mean anything to you? Is climate change really an issue for you? Or are these just a bunch of noise-makers in Wellington chasing their tails over an invented system of credits and trades that may or may not mean something to someone one day?
And most importantly, does it make doing business more complex and more expensive? And given it does, do you think they might want to read the room a little better than they currently are? While we are working out credits, Australia is being led by a resources resurgence that like it or not is still heavily in demand all over the world. So, as to our economic future, who's got the right answer, James and his commission, or Scott and his shovel?]]>149falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-beekeepers-won-t-save-the-economy--1008481Come on in, all social workers. It's free. Well, it's not free, nothing is free, but if you want to get into social work and you're going to retrain, the state will pick up the tab via taxpayers as part of the budget's $1.6 billion training programme.
The free courses were detailed yesterday. On the list are carpentry and plumbing, which makes sense. But does social work?
Which is not to dismiss the wonderful work social workers do. But is it a calling or a career that we are desperately short of? And is it a course people will flock to? And is it a course that enhances the economy?
My understanding of the trades programme was to get people into work. It's one of the few things the Government is actually doing towards rebuilding the economy.
A lot of money has been put into band-aid programmes, wage subsidies and interest-free loans, which are designed to save the economy from further damage.
But what's needed and what we don't have, is a plan to get back to work, to grow jobs, to take punts, to invest in stuff that will pay dividends.
Infrastructure has $15b waiting to be spent, we still do not know on what. For things that are shovel-ready we have been told. Well what's the problem? Can't they find the shovels?
Anyway, back at the tech or the university, a whole bunch of stuff has been announced as being "free" for you to study or retrain.
Beekeeping is another.
But are we really a nation that's going to get over a depression the likes of which we have never seen by taking on a whole lot of people who look after hives?
Heavy trucking is in there, makes sense. But does hairdressing? Are we short of hairdressers?
The idea, surely, is we target jobs that need filling. Industries that need to grow. This, presumably, is part of the equation required to fill those jobs that migrants used to do that we didn't want to.
The clue in the $15b for infrastructure, for example, is surely it's roads and bridges and buildings. How does beekeeping, social work and hairdressing fit in?
The trap we got into in the first place was that we funded courses based on bums on seats. Put a course on, attract students, the government would write you a cheque. So we got endless courses that sounded fun but led nowhere.
I thought we'd decided to fix that. Is beekeeping fixing that? If you lost your job at the hotel in Queenstown, do you want to retrain as a social worker?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22960586/mh030620-13-freetrainingcomment.mp3Tue, 02 Jun 2020 21:43:25 +0000RoccoCOMMENT Come on in, all social workers. It's free. Well, it's not free, nothing is free, but if you want to get into social work and you're going to retrain, the state will pick up the tab via taxpayers as part of the budget's $1.6 billion training...Come on in, all social workers. It's free. Well, it's not free, nothing is free, but if you want to get into social work and you're going to retrain, the state will pick up the tab via taxpayers as part of the budget's $1.6 billion training programme.
The free courses were detailed yesterday. On the list are carpentry and plumbing, which makes sense. But does social work?
Which is not to dismiss the wonderful work social workers do. But is it a calling or a career that we are desperately short of? And is it a course people will flock to? And is it a course that enhances the economy?
My understanding of the trades programme was to get people into work. It's one of the few things the Government is actually doing towards rebuilding the economy.
A lot of money has been put into band-aid programmes, wage subsidies and interest-free loans, which are designed to save the economy from further damage.
But what's needed and what we don't have, is a plan to get back to work, to grow jobs, to take punts, to invest in stuff that will pay dividends.
Infrastructure has $15b waiting to be spent, we still do not know on what. For things that are shovel-ready we have been told. Well what's the problem? Can't they find the shovels?
Anyway, back at the tech or the university, a whole bunch of stuff has been announced as being "free" for you to study or retrain.
Beekeeping is another.
But are we really a nation that's going to get over a depression the likes of which we have never seen by taking on a whole lot of people who look after hives?
Heavy trucking is in there, makes sense. But does hairdressing? Are we short of hairdressers?
The idea, surely, is we target jobs that need filling. Industries that need to grow. This, presumably, is part of the equation required to fill those jobs that migrants used to do that we didn't want to.
The clue in the $15b for infrastructure, for example, is surely it's roads and bridges and buildings. How does beekeeping, social work and hairdressing fit in?
The trap we got into in the first place was that we funded courses based on bums on seats. Put a course on, attract students, the government would write you a cheque. So we got endless courses that sounded fun but led nowhere.
I thought we'd decided to fix that. Is beekeeping fixing that? If you lost your job at the hotel in Queenstown, do you want to retrain as a social worker?]]>124falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-we-need-level-1-now--1008501Given the health numbers, surely even the most timid, fearful, and spellbound can now see this is in the realms of a Guinness Book of World Records overreaction.
We have the Economic Editor of The Australian telling 25 million across the Tasman she is pushing our economy off a cliff. We have Fraser Whineray, the head of Ardern's own hand appointed Business Advisory Council telling her Australia is outperforming us. We have KordaMentha people last week pleading for level one given the carnage they're seeing out there at the cutting edge of the economy. We have Michael Baker, epidemiologist of the most conservative persuasion, saying he'd be on a plane to Australia tomorrow. We have Michael Barnett of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce saying level one is needed and needed last week.
And her Deputy Prime Minister in Cabinet arguing that she is wrong, and that the damage being done to this country outweighs the health response. The dangers to people's health now is worse than the dangers to people's health then. The economic catastrophe we are making worse literally every day by pretending this is still a health emergency.
Just how large does the pushback have to get before she finally wakes up to the fact she's hitched her wagon to a likeable wonk at the Ministry of Health who clearly has no real interest in the rest of us, unless it involves a nasal swab, an ICU bed, or some stats associated with a virus now essentially eradicated.
Even if we all agree locking down a small isolated country was the right thing to do, even if a week late and with no quarantine until the end, and even  if we want to fait her as a genius in a crisis, surely we are at the stage now of coming to almost universal agreement, that the next chapter is the real one. The large one, the truly dangerous one.
And she is now hopelessly off side with the majority of New Zealanders.
Given that, if she has a nose for the main chance especially come September, June 22 will be binned. We'll get a new excuse invented like the team of five million has been better than our wildest imagination, and as a result we can move faster than we thought.
I don't care how she spins it, just spin it. Do it. Make it happen.
For a person who allegedly reads the room well, if she stepped outside just for half an hour and wandered down main street New Zealand, she would see, her and Ashley Bloomfield could not be more out of step if they set out to be completely out of step]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22960513/mh020620-10-levellingdowncomment.mp3Mon, 01 Jun 2020 22:27:20 +0000RoccoWhat do you reckon? What will it take for the Prime Minister to see the economic, and perhaps more importantly for her, political reality and bail on the whole June 22 nonsense and get this country open, operating, and digging our way out of this...Given the health numbers, surely even the most timid, fearful, and spellbound can now see this is in the realms of a Guinness Book of World Records overreaction.
We have the Economic Editor of The Australian telling 25 million across the Tasman she is pushing our economy off a cliff. We have Fraser Whineray, the head of Ardern's own hand appointed Business Advisory Council telling her Australia is outperforming us. We have KordaMentha people last week pleading for level one given the carnage they're seeing out there at the cutting edge of the economy. We have Michael Baker, epidemiologist of the most conservative persuasion, saying he'd be on a plane to Australia tomorrow. We have Michael Barnett of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce saying level one is needed and needed last week.
And her Deputy Prime Minister in Cabinet arguing that she is wrong, and that the damage being done to this country outweighs the health response. The dangers to people's health now is worse than the dangers to people's health then. The economic catastrophe we are making worse literally every day by pretending this is still a health emergency.
Just how large does the pushback have to get before she finally wakes up to the fact she's hitched her wagon to a likeable wonk at the Ministry of Health who clearly has no real interest in the rest of us, unless it involves a nasal swab, an ICU bed, or some stats associated with a virus now essentially eradicated.
Even if we all agree locking down a small isolated country was the right thing to do, even if a week late and with no quarantine until the end, and even  if we want to fait her as a genius in a crisis, surely we are at the stage now of coming to almost universal agreement, that the next chapter is the real one. The large one, the truly dangerous one.
And she is now hopelessly off side with the majority of New Zealanders.
Given that, if she has a nose for the main chance especially come September, June 22 will be binned. We'll get a new excuse invented like the team of five million has been better than our wildest imagination, and as a result we can move faster than we thought.
I don't care how she spins it, just spin it. Do it. Make it happen.
For a person who allegedly reads the room well, if she stepped outside just for half an hour and wandered down main street New Zealand, she would see, her and Ashley Bloomfield could not be more out of step if they set out to be completely out of step]]>139falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-todd-muller-s-maga-hat-is-not-a-story--1008510Todd Muller.
4/10.
"This time last week, he had the ascendency to get the big job.
But he ends this week bruised, battered, and hopefully ultra-aware this is harder than it looks."
Nikki Kaye.
2/10.
"No, Paul Goldsmith isn't Maori.
She dug a hole the likes of which I have not seen dug for many a year."
Paula Bennett.
6/10.
"No hiding the fact she is gutted.
But professionalism is a quality much needed post spills, coups, and dark days."
Judith Collins.
8/10.
"Saved the day to a degree, and said what was needed to be said, "is there something wrong with me being white?"
MAGA Hat Story.
0/10.
"Having a bit of merchandise from the democratically elected President of the United States is not a story, a reason to be outraged, or anything more than a collectable.
It says nothing about you or your world view, other than you were once in America.
You might well also own a Yankees or Dodgers hat without actually being a fan either."
Winston Peters.
8/10.
"He exposed the split in the government, and the scrap at Cabinet.
And the fact it's Labour, not him that's holding us hostage." 
Job Losses.
3/10.
"A dreadful week, and a dreadful month.
There is no hiding from the price we are starting to be pay economically, and that price is far from over.
By the time it is, it's still any forecasters guess as to how bad the wreckage will be."
Working from Home.
8/10.
"It's official, we liked it, and we worked better.
Let's hope we haven't wasted this crisis and something more permanent and productive comes out of it."
Trans-Tasman Bubble.
7/10.
"Seems real, and seems real, real soon.
Might just be Sydney or Melbourne, but from small beginnings..."
The Warriors.
8/10.
"They're back this weekend, the NRL back last night.
These are important social and psychological pieces in the puzzle."
Queen's Birthday Weekend.
8/10.
"Very much anticipated and needed right now.
And it's a chance to spread the love and cash far and wide."  
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22960314/mh290520-13-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 28 May 2020 23:15:12 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. Todd Muller. 4/10. "This time last week, he had the ascendency to get the big job. But he ends this week bruised, battered, and...Todd Muller.
4/10.
"This time last week, he had the ascendency to get the big job.
But he ends this week bruised, battered, and hopefully ultra-aware this is harder than it looks."
Nikki Kaye.
2/10.
"No, Paul Goldsmith isn't Maori.
She dug a hole the likes of which I have not seen dug for many a year."
Paula Bennett.
6/10.
"No hiding the fact she is gutted.
But professionalism is a quality much needed post spills, coups, and dark days."
Judith Collins.
8/10.
"Saved the day to a degree, and said what was needed to be said, "is there something wrong with me being white?"
MAGA Hat Story.
0/10.
"Having a bit of merchandise from the democratically elected President of the United States is not a story, a reason to be outraged, or anything more than a collectable.
It says nothing about you or your world view, other than you were once in America.
You might well also own a Yankees or Dodgers hat without actually being a fan either."
Winston Peters.
8/10.
"He exposed the split in the government, and the scrap at Cabinet.
And the fact it's Labour, not him that's holding us hostage." 
Job Losses.
3/10.
"A dreadful week, and a dreadful month.
There is no hiding from the price we are starting to be pay economically, and that price is far from over.
By the time it is, it's still any forecasters guess as to how bad the wreckage will be."
Working from Home.
8/10.
"It's official, we liked it, and we worked better.
Let's hope we haven't wasted this crisis and something more permanent and productive comes out of it."
Trans-Tasman Bubble.
7/10.
"Seems real, and seems real, real soon.
Might just be Sydney or Melbourne, but from small beginnings..."
The Warriors.
8/10.
"They're back this weekend, the NRL back last night.
These are important social and psychological pieces in the puzzle."
Queen's Birthday Weekend.
8/10.
"Very much anticipated and needed right now.
And it's a chance to spread the love and cash far and wide."  
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>176falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-just-get-on-with-it-let-the-america-s-cup-teams-in--1008509Do we honestly want America's Cup trouble? Do we honestly want any bad publicity around being open, hospitable and accommodating when it comes to international events?
Why are the America's Cup entrants having trouble getting into the country?
The answer is obvious, we are locked down.
But there are exemptions. Exemptions for essential workers and jobs that provide material benefit to this country. They enter, isolate, and then bring skills, money and expertise we want and should encourage.
The film industry wants to get to work here because of our health gains. Other specialist jobs have been allowed exemptions.
Why, then, is the America's Cup having trouble? Why are foreign entrants speaking out? Why are they frustrated? Why are they potentially calling on Team New Zealand to step in and help? Why are we even here?
So far this week, the two men who appear to hold the answers aren't talking: Phil Twyford and Iain Lees-Galloway. Sadly, in my view, both have reputations for ineptitude that well and truly precede them.
Could it be as simple as that? A couple of blokes who have previously been shown up as incompetent are displaying those traits again? The fact they won't talk, is that part of the Government's new "gagging and we can dismiss" policy? Is it the arrogance that comes with lockdown laws that have two voices - Jacinda Ardern and Grant Robertson - telling us what we can do, who can do it, and when?
Or could it be as we reach level 2 those who have been hidden away for a couple of months re-emerge? And with the re-emergence comes the ineptitude of old? Could it be the issues that plagued this government before Covid-19 - like lack of delivery - are back front and centre?
When it comes to actually doing stuff, as in more than just announcing another handout, they're stuck. They're slow. They're indecisive.
Need we remind ourselves of the value of the America's Cup? And need we even raise the importance, in this new era, of the value of reputation?
So once again, why are we here?
What sort of look is it that those who want to participate in yachting's oldest prize, and bring with them the spectacle, audience, and money that goes with it, that their introduction to the country is paperwork, no answers, frustration and pleas for help?
And their greeting party and points of official contact are made up of people called Lees-Galloway and Twyford?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22960303/mh290520-01-americascupcomment.mp3Thu, 28 May 2020 21:36:47 +0000RoccoCOMMENT: Do we honestly want America's Cup trouble? Do we honestly want any bad publicity around being open, hospitable and accommodating when it comes to international events? Why are the America's Cup entrants having trouble getting into the...Do we honestly want America's Cup trouble? Do we honestly want any bad publicity around being open, hospitable and accommodating when it comes to international events?
Why are the America's Cup entrants having trouble getting into the country?
The answer is obvious, we are locked down.
But there are exemptions. Exemptions for essential workers and jobs that provide material benefit to this country. They enter, isolate, and then bring skills, money and expertise we want and should encourage.
The film industry wants to get to work here because of our health gains. Other specialist jobs have been allowed exemptions.
Why, then, is the America's Cup having trouble? Why are foreign entrants speaking out? Why are they frustrated? Why are they potentially calling on Team New Zealand to step in and help? Why are we even here?
So far this week, the two men who appear to hold the answers aren't talking: Phil Twyford and Iain Lees-Galloway. Sadly, in my view, both have reputations for ineptitude that well and truly precede them.
Could it be as simple as that? A couple of blokes who have previously been shown up as incompetent are displaying those traits again? The fact they won't talk, is that part of the Government's new "gagging and we can dismiss" policy? Is it the arrogance that comes with lockdown laws that have two voices - Jacinda Ardern and Grant Robertson - telling us what we can do, who can do it, and when?
Or could it be as we reach level 2 those who have been hidden away for a couple of months re-emerge? And with the re-emergence comes the ineptitude of old? Could it be the issues that plagued this government before Covid-19 - like lack of delivery - are back front and centre?
When it comes to actually doing stuff, as in more than just announcing another handout, they're stuck. They're slow. They're indecisive.
Need we remind ourselves of the value of the America's Cup? And need we even raise the importance, in this new era, of the value of reputation?
So once again, why are we here?
What sort of look is it that those who want to participate in yachting's oldest prize, and bring with them the spectacle, audience, and money that goes with it, that their introduction to the country is paperwork, no answers, frustration and pleas for help?
And their greeting party and points of official contact are made up of people called Lees-Galloway and Twyford?]]>127falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-are-coalition-cracks-starting-to-appear--1008336His revelation on this show yesterday now tells us this government is not the one holding us back from moving to level one, getting doors open to a point where actual trading can be done, livings be made, and jobs saved, if not created. No it is not the government, it's the Labour Party. But one part of the government.
In the revelation is the exposure of what many had suspected, a socialist type power grab designed to sure up votes driven by fear, topped up with extraordinary amounts of money we don’t have, and all delivered with the ever so slightly condescending butter wouldn't melt in my mouth style favoured by the Prime Minister who is clearly loving her days in the debt laden economically catastrophic sun.
Unfortunately for Peters, it's him making the revelation, and these revelations have form. We are close to an election, he's in trouble poll-wise, and he looks at this point to be yet another victim of the MMP curse. And that is no small party who ever properly went into government via a formal coalition has ever survived to tell the tale. So it suits his agenda to drive a headline or two.
However in this case, as much as it may suit him, he's also on the right side of history, and the economic future and wellbeing of this country is at stake.
So what does he do? How long is it before his observations turn to musing about expecting Labour to review the level one date, to actually bringing it forward? How long before this back and forth gets played out daily between dueling coalition partners? How long before New Zealand First start to ponder their future in government?  
The advantage they have is every small business in the land would agree with them. The National Party, you will note, with a new leader and the New Zealand First door ajar, is behind them. Most regular, everyday, ordinary New Zealanders who can see this catastrophe unfolding for themselves, even if they would never contemplate voting for New Zealand First, at least can go along with the sentiment.
Every day Peters makes sense ,pitches the cause of the majority, isolates out Labour as obsessive on health and economically dangerous, he gets headlines, a potential growth in support, and distance from Labour. And hopefully does us all a massive economic service by actually getting the country open the way it should be.
As we keep saying, if a week is along time in politics, more than 16 is an age.
Watch this space.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22960224/mh280520-15-levelonedelaycomment.mp3Wed, 27 May 2020 21:45:15 +0000RoccoThe question is not whether Winston Peters is correct, because he indisputably is. The question is, what is he going to do about it?  His revelation on this show yesterday now tells us this government is not the one holding us back from moving to...His revelation on this show yesterday now tells us this government is not the one holding us back from moving to level one, getting doors open to a point where actual trading can be done, livings be made, and jobs saved, if not created. No it is not the government, it's the Labour Party. But one part of the government.
In the revelation is the exposure of what many had suspected, a socialist type power grab designed to sure up votes driven by fear, topped up with extraordinary amounts of money we don’t have, and all delivered with the ever so slightly condescending butter wouldn't melt in my mouth style favoured by the Prime Minister who is clearly loving her days in the debt laden economically catastrophic sun.
Unfortunately for Peters, it's him making the revelation, and these revelations have form. We are close to an election, he's in trouble poll-wise, and he looks at this point to be yet another victim of the MMP curse. And that is no small party who ever properly went into government via a formal coalition has ever survived to tell the tale. So it suits his agenda to drive a headline or two.
However in this case, as much as it may suit him, he's also on the right side of history, and the economic future and wellbeing of this country is at stake.
So what does he do? How long is it before his observations turn to musing about expecting Labour to review the level one date, to actually bringing it forward? How long before this back and forth gets played out daily between dueling coalition partners? How long before New Zealand First start to ponder their future in government?  
The advantage they have is every small business in the land would agree with them. The National Party, you will note, with a new leader and the New Zealand First door ajar, is behind them. Most regular, everyday, ordinary New Zealanders who can see this catastrophe unfolding for themselves, even if they would never contemplate voting for New Zealand First, at least can go along with the sentiment.
Every day Peters makes sense ,pitches the cause of the majority, isolates out Labour as obsessive on health and economically dangerous, he gets headlines, a potential growth in support, and distance from Labour. And hopefully does us all a massive economic service by actually getting the country open the way it should be.
As we keep saying, if a week is along time in politics, more than 16 is an age.
Watch this space.]]>139falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-could-todd-muller-have-had-a-worse-start--1008550He took the MAGA hat story and gave it life. Massive, massive mistake. It wasn't a story,  it was an agenda driven rant  by Jacinda Ardern by a loving lefty obsessed, tire-kicking, and hand wringers who fail to do their job as journalists. That bit was on them. The bit where he gave it life is on him. And he successfully managed to give it four days of life by not treating it with the contempt it deserved.
And then Nikki Kaye joined the shambles. Paul Goldsmith became Maori. Once again the mistake was made in responding to PC bollocks driven by PC media, who continue to ask for support to save their jobs while at the same time can't help but drum their hand wringing, navel gazing dogma.
Racial diversity is not a rule or a law, or a requirement, especially not in a crisis. What's needed in a crisis are the best people. If they happen to be Maori, Pacific Islanders, German, or tall, shorter, ginger, then all the better, but talent is the key and that was the answer. The answer, astonishingly, wasn’t given.
They genuflected and offered Paul Goldsmith as a Maori, and as a result they got what they deserved.
Yet again, Judith Collins came up trumps by simply saying what the rest of them should have said, "is there something wrong with being white?" No there isn't, as long as you're good at what you do. And that  actual requirement for work, not race, height, weight, or colour.
Paula Bennett didn’t help by basking in the disaster, and saying that was a question you'd need to ask the new leadership. This indicates that the vote on Friday was razor thin. Muller wasn’t ready to go, wanted to wait till after the election but got flushed out, and there are many still very aggrieved and ready to exact revenge.  
Need I raise Nicola Willis, the biggest winner of the whole reshuffle who with all that talent that Muller clearly saw, went and called her leader Simon Bridges.
Yes Phil Twyford is a problem, as indeed is David Clark and Kelvin Davis. But if yesterday is National's rebirth, and that was what they’ve got up their sleeve, the current government, once they’ve stopped laughing, can glide easily into September without a care in the world.    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22960148/mh270520-13-mullerfirstdaycomment.mp3Tue, 26 May 2020 21:28:32 +0000RoccoI despair. Todd Muller's first full day out including the Parliament was little short of a disaster. He took the MAGA hat story and gave it life. Massive, massive mistake. It wasn't a story,  it was an agenda driven rant  by Jacinda Ardern by a loving...He took the MAGA hat story and gave it life. Massive, massive mistake. It wasn't a story,  it was an agenda driven rant  by Jacinda Ardern by a loving lefty obsessed, tire-kicking, and hand wringers who fail to do their job as journalists. That bit was on them. The bit where he gave it life is on him. And he successfully managed to give it four days of life by not treating it with the contempt it deserved.
And then Nikki Kaye joined the shambles. Paul Goldsmith became Maori. Once again the mistake was made in responding to PC bollocks driven by PC media, who continue to ask for support to save their jobs while at the same time can't help but drum their hand wringing, navel gazing dogma.
Racial diversity is not a rule or a law, or a requirement, especially not in a crisis. What's needed in a crisis are the best people. If they happen to be Maori, Pacific Islanders, German, or tall, shorter, ginger, then all the better, but talent is the key and that was the answer. The answer, astonishingly, wasn’t given.
They genuflected and offered Paul Goldsmith as a Maori, and as a result they got what they deserved.
Yet again, Judith Collins came up trumps by simply saying what the rest of them should have said, "is there something wrong with being white?" No there isn't, as long as you're good at what you do. And that  actual requirement for work, not race, height, weight, or colour.
Paula Bennett didn’t help by basking in the disaster, and saying that was a question you'd need to ask the new leadership. This indicates that the vote on Friday was razor thin. Muller wasn’t ready to go, wanted to wait till after the election but got flushed out, and there are many still very aggrieved and ready to exact revenge.  
Need I raise Nicola Willis, the biggest winner of the whole reshuffle who with all that talent that Muller clearly saw, went and called her leader Simon Bridges.
Yes Phil Twyford is a problem, as indeed is David Clark and Kelvin Davis. But if yesterday is National's rebirth, and that was what they’ve got up their sleeve, the current government, once they’ve stopped laughing, can glide easily into September without a care in the world.    ]]>128falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-todd-muller-s-first-move-a-good-one--1008435The fact he's taken Small Business is clever. Small Business is the bulk of business in this country, and it's in massive trouble. If the government response so far, in shuffling billions out the door, has a glaring mistake about it, it is around small business. The loan scheme that hasn’t worked, the IRD switch which may, or may not, have worked.
The simple fact they haven't helped with rents despite the cries for help and still don’t have a package out around it is testament that Labour isn't strong on business experience and understanding. Muller has leapt on that.
Nikki Kaye is very strong on education. And although Hipkins is competent, he's an ideologue and open to exploitation around delivery. Judith Collins on economic development, who is she up against? Phil Twyford. Say no more.
Amy Adams is a two fold success. Of all the retirees she was far and away the most competent. And the fact she was clearly retiring because she had decided they were all toast under Bridges, means she in her heart of hearts thinks they have a chance under Muller.
Paul Goldsmith retaining Finance was a no-brainer. He and Chris Bishop have been stand out performers for the past two years. Mark Mitchell retains Justice and Defence. That's recognition Mitchell is a talent, and even though a Bridges man you don’t burn talent for the sake of it.
Michael Woodhouse in health is almost as one sided as Collins against Twyford, given Woodhouse has mountain biker David Clark to tangle with.
This is the other part of the overall equation that Muller highlighted last week. Labour have a few solid operators. They are Jacinda Ardern, Grant Robertson, and David Parker. Beyond that, the pool is shallow, if not shallow and dangerous. They are ripe for the picking.
At least part, if not a major part, of the Labour success right now is directly a result of virtually none of them having been seen for two months. You've seen Ardern and Robertson.,
Given health is behind us and economics is now front and centre. We are now playing into National's strengths, Labour's weaknesses, and forcing the Labour lack of talent back into the cold hard glare of an election campaign.  
We don't know yet if Muller has any magic as he goes head to head with Ardern. But this line up shows at least he's got a plan, he's thought about it, and it makes sense. So clearly he's a strategist.
The only other question left is, is the phone off the hook? Are New Zealanders receptive to an election campaign? Are they open to detail and debate? Or have they been so scared into a shell? Is no one coming up or out for light until well after September?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22960067/mh260520-01-shadowcabinetcomment.mp3Mon, 25 May 2020 21:28:47 +0000RoccoFor wonks who follow politics in detail, the Todd Muller reshuffle has a lot to admire and is a reassuring start to a new regime.  The fact he's taken Small Business is clever. Small Business is the bulk of business in this country, and it's in...The fact he's taken Small Business is clever. Small Business is the bulk of business in this country, and it's in massive trouble. If the government response so far, in shuffling billions out the door, has a glaring mistake about it, it is around small business. The loan scheme that hasn’t worked, the IRD switch which may, or may not, have worked.
The simple fact they haven't helped with rents despite the cries for help and still don’t have a package out around it is testament that Labour isn't strong on business experience and understanding. Muller has leapt on that.
Nikki Kaye is very strong on education. And although Hipkins is competent, he's an ideologue and open to exploitation around delivery. Judith Collins on economic development, who is she up against? Phil Twyford. Say no more.
Amy Adams is a two fold success. Of all the retirees she was far and away the most competent. And the fact she was clearly retiring because she had decided they were all toast under Bridges, means she in her heart of hearts thinks they have a chance under Muller.
Paul Goldsmith retaining Finance was a no-brainer. He and Chris Bishop have been stand out performers for the past two years. Mark Mitchell retains Justice and Defence. That's recognition Mitchell is a talent, and even though a Bridges man you don’t burn talent for the sake of it.
Michael Woodhouse in health is almost as one sided as Collins against Twyford, given Woodhouse has mountain biker David Clark to tangle with.
This is the other part of the overall equation that Muller highlighted last week. Labour have a few solid operators. They are Jacinda Ardern, Grant Robertson, and David Parker. Beyond that, the pool is shallow, if not shallow and dangerous. They are ripe for the picking.
At least part, if not a major part, of the Labour success right now is directly a result of virtually none of them having been seen for two months. You've seen Ardern and Robertson.,
Given health is behind us and economics is now front and centre. We are now playing into National's strengths, Labour's weaknesses, and forcing the Labour lack of talent back into the cold hard glare of an election campaign.  
We don't know yet if Muller has any magic as he goes head to head with Ardern. But this line up shows at least he's got a plan, he's thought about it, and it makes sense. So clearly he's a strategist.
The only other question left is, is the phone off the hook? Are New Zealanders receptive to an election campaign? Are they open to detail and debate? Or have they been so scared into a shell? Is no one coming up or out for light until well after September?]]>143falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-level-two-another-step-towards-normality--1008549Level Two.
8/10.
"This has been the best week in ages.
A weekend out, going where you want to go, and not where you are told to go.
Shops, cafes, bars, choice, the sense of real freedom, and the chance of a rebuild."
Advice for Level Two.
2/10.
"What condescending nonsense.
Stories on how anxious we are, and stories with tips on how to drive, in case we forgot how to drive.
It was level four, not Rip Van Winkle."
Simon Bridges.  
2/10.
"What a miserable week.
And an even worse weekend."
Todd Muller.
3/10.
"I'm sure, like all those that engineer spills, he thinks he's done it for the right reasons.
But talk about timing."
More Public Holidays.
7/10.
"Who doesn’t want more public holidays?"
Winston Peters.
6/10.
"He doesn’t want that extra holiday.
We always forget someone pays, there is no free lunch.
And this plays nicely for him and his "I need to distance myself from Labour" game.
Fraser Whineray.
9/10.
"In a parting shot from the Prime Minister's Business Advisory Council backed up what we've said for over a month, Australia have done this better than us.
If Jacinda Ardern had any integrity given it's her invention and her committee, she'd at least acknowledge it."
Auckland's Water Restrictions.
0/10.
"Ineptitude leading to potential job losses and more commercial pain.
And all because they’ve sat on their hands for seven years."
The Warriors.
7/10.
"They're out of isolation, they’ve got a draw, but it seems no players.
How do so many get so many injuries when half the time there wasn’t even any contact?
And how bad would it be if Gallen and co come out of retirement, play, and we win?
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22959879/mh220520-14-marktheweek.mp3Fri, 22 May 2020 02:37:54 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. Level Two. 8/10. "This has been the best week in ages. A weekend out, going where you want to go, and not where you are told to go....Level Two.
8/10.
"This has been the best week in ages.
A weekend out, going where you want to go, and not where you are told to go.
Shops, cafes, bars, choice, the sense of real freedom, and the chance of a rebuild."
Advice for Level Two.
2/10.
"What condescending nonsense.
Stories on how anxious we are, and stories with tips on how to drive, in case we forgot how to drive.
It was level four, not Rip Van Winkle."
Simon Bridges.  
2/10.
"What a miserable week.
And an even worse weekend."
Todd Muller.
3/10.
"I'm sure, like all those that engineer spills, he thinks he's done it for the right reasons.
But talk about timing."
More Public Holidays.
7/10.
"Who doesn’t want more public holidays?"
Winston Peters.
6/10.
"He doesn’t want that extra holiday.
We always forget someone pays, there is no free lunch.
And this plays nicely for him and his "I need to distance myself from Labour" game.
Fraser Whineray.
9/10.
"In a parting shot from the Prime Minister's Business Advisory Council backed up what we've said for over a month, Australia have done this better than us.
If Jacinda Ardern had any integrity given it's her invention and her committee, she'd at least acknowledge it."
Auckland's Water Restrictions.
0/10.
"Ineptitude leading to potential job losses and more commercial pain.
And all because they’ve sat on their hands for seven years."
The Warriors.
7/10.
"They're out of isolation, they’ve got a draw, but it seems no players.
How do so many get so many injuries when half the time there wasn’t even any contact?
And how bad would it be if Gallen and co come out of retirement, play, and we win?
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>198falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-just-what-is-the-government-s-plan--1008573We've got $15 billion for shovel ready projects, and the crickets are chirping.
The Prime Minister's own handpicked advisory board in their final letter before being disbanded for the election are telling her Australia is beating us, and they're doing it better than us.
It is one thing to write cheques having borrowed or printed the money, but that is not delivery, and it's not a plan. Announcing the spending of other peoples money isn't even a skill. So just what is it we are doing? And is any one actually asking?
What we have to this point are band aids. Necessary and, in most cases, largely effective band aids. Money for wages, help for debt, aid for mortgages, that was all needed, welcomed, and has mainly been successful.
But now what? We have predictions domestic student numbers will be up by 30 percent. But what's behind that? What does it lead to? And why isn't anyone asking? They're increasing because they're jobless and because they need to rethink their future.
But what are they studying? Do they want to study it? Are they only enrolling because it's free? It isn't, of course, free it's paid for, like everything else, by us for decades to come.
Are they studying reluctantly? What if they don't like it? Don't want to finish? What if they do finish with a bit of paper that leads nowhere? Who is coordinating all of this? Are we plugging gaps? Are we mixing and matching study with work? Are we matching desire with outcomes? Or are  just making everything free and thinking it's all good news when we get bums on seats at universities and polytechs?
The shovel ready projects, do they lead to a better economy or merely scratch a "nice to have” itch? What is the plan?
Government's can't buy their way to growth, even less so on borrowed money.
So far this week we have a letter saying Australia is outdoing us, the unions saying we are too slow, and a Prime Minster who's only tangible response is to suggest we work less each week, and have more holidays.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22959854/mh220520-01-recoveryplancomment.mp3Thu, 21 May 2020 22:04:32 +0000RoccoThe unions are telling the government they need to move faster on infrastructure. When the unions are telling Labour to hurry up, you know this is not a government of action. And isn't that their real reputation? The government of announcements. ...We've got $15 billion for shovel ready projects, and the crickets are chirping.
The Prime Minister's own handpicked advisory board in their final letter before being disbanded for the election are telling her Australia is beating us, and they're doing it better than us.
It is one thing to write cheques having borrowed or printed the money, but that is not delivery, and it's not a plan. Announcing the spending of other peoples money isn't even a skill. So just what is it we are doing? And is any one actually asking?
What we have to this point are band aids. Necessary and, in most cases, largely effective band aids. Money for wages, help for debt, aid for mortgages, that was all needed, welcomed, and has mainly been successful.
But now what? We have predictions domestic student numbers will be up by 30 percent. But what's behind that? What does it lead to? And why isn't anyone asking? They're increasing because they're jobless and because they need to rethink their future.
But what are they studying? Do they want to study it? Are they only enrolling because it's free? It isn't, of course, free it's paid for, like everything else, by us for decades to come.
Are they studying reluctantly? What if they don't like it? Don't want to finish? What if they do finish with a bit of paper that leads nowhere? Who is coordinating all of this? Are we plugging gaps? Are we mixing and matching study with work? Are we matching desire with outcomes? Or are  just making everything free and thinking it's all good news when we get bums on seats at universities and polytechs?
The shovel ready projects, do they lead to a better economy or merely scratch a "nice to have” itch? What is the plan?
Government's can't buy their way to growth, even less so on borrowed money.
So far this week we have a letter saying Australia is outdoing us, the unions saying we are too slow, and a Prime Minster who's only tangible response is to suggest we work less each week, and have more holidays.]]>120falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/harper-finn-talks-with-mike-hosking-performs-norway--1008565Harper Finn hit the scene with a flash last year – with his single Conversations with the moon becoming a massive hit on Australia’s Triple J playlist. 
He comes from good musical pedigree – as he’s Tim Finn’s son. 
Now he’s back for 2020 with a new single simply titled Norway. 
Finn joined Mike Hosking to discuss his rising success and performed his song live.
LISTEN ABOVE
 
 
 
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22959801/mh210520-20-harperfinn-newsong.mp3Thu, 21 May 2020 02:13:50 +0000RoccoOne of New Zealand’s most promising musical talents is back with a new song. Harper Finn hit the scene with a flash last year – with his single Conversations with the moon becoming a massive hit on Australia’s Triple J playlist.  He comes from good...Harper Finn hit the scene with a flash last year – with his single Conversations with the moon becoming a massive hit on Australia’s Triple J playlist. 
He comes from good musical pedigree – as he’s Tim Finn’s son. 
Now he’s back for 2020 with a new single simply titled Norway. 
Finn joined Mike Hosking to discuss his rising success and performed his song live.
LISTEN ABOVE
 
 
 
 ]]>797falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-simon-bridges-is-doomed-even-if-he-wins--1008531The worst-case scenario is Simon Bridges wins.
It has been suggested by a number of people that some of the challenge depends on tonight's poll on TVNZ.
Why that would be the case I have no idea.
What are they saying? If TVNZ has National on 40, not 30, Bridges is safe? Surely the story then would simply be that, yet again, we should have little, if any, faith in polls.
Which brings us back to the original issue National seems to be failing to grasp.
Broadly speaking, forget the minutiae of any given poll. Any opposition party in the western world right now is not overly popular because of fear created by governments in lockdown, and the subsequent lolly scramble that followed once restrictions started to lift.
In a cataclysmic event where people's lives, livelihoods, and futures are being tossed asunder, politics is not front of mind. And if asked a fairly general sort of question about who's leading the place, as long as they're not called Bolsonaro you're likely to get a fairly positive response.
So, all that's achieved if Bridges wins is a group of people have been flushed out within the National caucus who we know for sure don't think their own leader is up to it.


How well do you think that's going to play in the election campaign?
The only justification for this, and it's really no justification at all, is if they've decided they're toast anyway, and Todd Muller and Nikki Kaye are a band-aid, a Mike Moore-type operation designed to save as many jobs as possible.
But what that forgets is National were leading in the polls prior to Covid-19, they're competent when it comes to economic matters, and the dark days of winter and the economic calamity hasn't been seen yet. We had Fletcher Building lose jobs yesterday, and the show has only just begun.
No, Bridges isn't the great redeemer, or even the most logical choice. But his reputation was cemented well before Covid-19, and the same people who want him gone put him in. So they have to own a bit of this.
There were similar mutterings about Sir Bill English post the Sir John Key era, and yet English came to life. He actually won the election, bar the foibles of MMP and a bitter Winston Peters picking the party who came second.
There is a genuine story to be told here about this country's future. There is more than one option and it's never been more important for genuine alternatives to be put in front of voters.
As opposed to a circus of a panicked, self-absorbed, spineless, self-interested former government that gave up at the first sign of trouble.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22959766/mh210520-13-nationalleadershipcomment.mp3Wed, 20 May 2020 21:27:30 +0000RoccoCOMMENT: The worst-case scenario is Simon Bridges wins. It has been suggested by a number of people that some of the challenge depends on tonight's poll on TVNZ. Why that would be the case I have no idea. What are they saying? If TVNZ has National on...The worst-case scenario is Simon Bridges wins.
It has been suggested by a number of people that some of the challenge depends on tonight's poll on TVNZ.
Why that would be the case I have no idea.
What are they saying? If TVNZ has National on 40, not 30, Bridges is safe? Surely the story then would simply be that, yet again, we should have little, if any, faith in polls.
Which brings us back to the original issue National seems to be failing to grasp.
Broadly speaking, forget the minutiae of any given poll. Any opposition party in the western world right now is not overly popular because of fear created by governments in lockdown, and the subsequent lolly scramble that followed once restrictions started to lift.
In a cataclysmic event where people's lives, livelihoods, and futures are being tossed asunder, politics is not front of mind. And if asked a fairly general sort of question about who's leading the place, as long as they're not called Bolsonaro you're likely to get a fairly positive response.
So, all that's achieved if Bridges wins is a group of people have been flushed out within the National caucus who we know for sure don't think their own leader is up to it.


How well do you think that's going to play in the election campaign?
The only justification for this, and it's really no justification at all, is if they've decided they're toast anyway, and Todd Muller and Nikki Kaye are a band-aid, a Mike Moore-type operation designed to save as many jobs as possible.
But what that forgets is National were leading in the polls prior to Covid-19, they're competent when it comes to economic matters, and the dark days of winter and the economic calamity hasn't been seen yet. We had Fletcher Building lose jobs yesterday, and the show has only just begun.
No, Bridges isn't the great redeemer, or even the most logical choice. But his reputation was cemented well before Covid-19, and the same people who want him gone put him in. So they have to own a bit of this.
There were similar mutterings about Sir Bill English post the Sir John Key era, and yet English came to life. He actually won the election, bar the foibles of MMP and a bitter Winston Peters picking the party who came second.
There is a genuine story to be told here about this country's future. There is more than one option and it's never been more important for genuine alternatives to be put in front of voters.
As opposed to a circus of a panicked, self-absorbed, spineless, self-interested former government that gave up at the first sign of trouble.]]>145falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-lockdown-and-water-restrictions-reveal-we-re-a-nation-of-narks--1008512The government that told us to be kind then told us to dob people in, and my god did we get a gold medal in dobbing.
Special phone lines to call for people who might have wandered a metre or two outside a designated area that didn’t actually have a designation, apart from in someone’s head.
The mad theoretical measuring going on as you eyed up what constituted social distancing. Price gouging allegations, the rip offs being perpetuated in super markets up and down the land; we became an obsessed little nation of nark and Karens as we put an unhealthy amount of energy into finding fault in others.
And now it rolls into another crisis as the country’s biggest city enters water restrictions due to the ineptitude of those that run it.
There would be very few businesses that run their operation with no control over the inputs required. Most know where to source the material, what price they pay, where it comes from, what the supply chain is, what are the alternatives if they need them.
Auckland seems to run on rain  and not a lot else.
There is the pipe into the Waikato river that got produced last time it didn’t rain, but here we are years later and still they’ve not put in place the essentials for a non-rainy day
The processing required for extra water has not been completed. They astonishingly operate under the broad guideline that extension of capacity isn’t required for another eight years and they have their application stuck at the council in Waikato where it has been for 7 long years.
And then to add insult to injury, the narks are back out whining about people breaking the rules.
100 complaints and growing. What is the matter with us?
Jobs will be lost out of this, businesses already damaged by the level 4 and 3 lock down will be furthered damaged if not finished simply because of the ineptitude of those charged with making the basics of life available in a 21 century fashion and yet failing.
Of course, in a perverse way, if businesses collapse, that helps their problem. A closed business no longer turns the tap on to wash the house or clean the car or clear the gutters.
This, by the way, doesn’t deal to the absurdity of indoor water that isn’t restricted. Some businesses run through gallons of the stuff but because it’s done indoors no restrictions – outdoors, you pay the price.
Personally, I couldn’t bring myself to nark on someone dob someone in, and it says something about people who can and do.
For a country that was asked to be kind, the phone traffic seems to indicate we have and are failing miserably.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22959727/mh200520-01-narcingcomment.mp3Wed, 20 May 2020 03:50:58 +0000RoccoOne of the great regrets of the lockdown was the massive inconsistency in government messaging. The government that told us to be kind then told us to dob people in, and my god did we get a gold medal in dobbing. Special phone lines to call for people...The government that told us to be kind then told us to dob people in, and my god did we get a gold medal in dobbing.
Special phone lines to call for people who might have wandered a metre or two outside a designated area that didn’t actually have a designation, apart from in someone’s head.
The mad theoretical measuring going on as you eyed up what constituted social distancing. Price gouging allegations, the rip offs being perpetuated in super markets up and down the land; we became an obsessed little nation of nark and Karens as we put an unhealthy amount of energy into finding fault in others.
And now it rolls into another crisis as the country’s biggest city enters water restrictions due to the ineptitude of those that run it.
There would be very few businesses that run their operation with no control over the inputs required. Most know where to source the material, what price they pay, where it comes from, what the supply chain is, what are the alternatives if they need them.
Auckland seems to run on rain  and not a lot else.
There is the pipe into the Waikato river that got produced last time it didn’t rain, but here we are years later and still they’ve not put in place the essentials for a non-rainy day
The processing required for extra water has not been completed. They astonishingly operate under the broad guideline that extension of capacity isn’t required for another eight years and they have their application stuck at the council in Waikato where it has been for 7 long years.
And then to add insult to injury, the narks are back out whining about people breaking the rules.
100 complaints and growing. What is the matter with us?
Jobs will be lost out of this, businesses already damaged by the level 4 and 3 lock down will be furthered damaged if not finished simply because of the ineptitude of those charged with making the basics of life available in a 21 century fashion and yet failing.
Of course, in a perverse way, if businesses collapse, that helps their problem. A closed business no longer turns the tap on to wash the house or clean the car or clear the gutters.
This, by the way, doesn’t deal to the absurdity of indoor water that isn’t restricted. Some businesses run through gallons of the stuff but because it’s done indoors no restrictions – outdoors, you pay the price.
Personally, I couldn’t bring myself to nark on someone dob someone in, and it says something about people who can and do.
For a country that was asked to be kind, the phone traffic seems to indicate we have and are failing miserably.]]>140falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-economy-needs-confidence-to-survive-covid-19-crisis--1008343Massive increases in the past month, many are young, many have no real experience of ever needing state assistance.
The hope lies in the forecast, as the forecast is joblessness will peak at 9.8 %. What makes you suspicious of that number is it's politically appealing given its below 10. 10 is double digits and psychologically way worse than anything just below it.
So is 9.8 convenient or real? If it’s real, then all of this is not the end of the world. America at 15 plus, heading possibly to 25, is pretty much the end of the world.
And it was their central bank governor who spooked the markets last week by talking openly of their recession lasting longer than we previously might have thought
The problem in that talk is that it destroys pretty much everything the whole bounce back narrative was based on.
This was not the GFC. This was not a series of psychological unknowns like a regular recession. This was a virus and when the virus was sorted we were off and running. Seeing light at the end of the tunnel has been critical right through this scenario
So back to our 9.8. What’s required is confidence. The services sector of our country is worth about two-thirds of our economy. Buying stuff is what produces jobs income savings and growth.
The government can’t do it by themselves, and the great worry is as the wage subsidy artificially shelters peoples jobs, there will come a time – and it needs to be sooner rather than later – when we need to see some rubber hit the road.
Are you open because the government pays for it? Are you trading at a level that pays bills or are you subsidised? And that bit is up to us the consumer.
The fear is people don’t spend, second guess their circumstances and fall into the dangerous mindset that somehow the money from the budget, that $50 billion, is magic tree money and there’s plenty more where that came from.
There isn’t.
We are in debt for years if not decades. We are walking a fine line between this being enough to get us through the dark days and out the other side, or hearing more talk from the Jay Powells of this world who decide this thing is worse and with us longer.
And when the US Federal Reserve heads start to doubt things, given they’re the backstops to all this, that’s when you really know it's hitting the fan.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22959564/mh180520-11-postcovideconomycomment.mp3Mon, 18 May 2020 04:20:59 +0000RoccoThe number of people on benefits in this country as of this morning are horrific. Massive increases in the past month, many are young, many have no real experience of ever needing state assistance. The hope lies in the forecast, as the forecast is...Massive increases in the past month, many are young, many have no real experience of ever needing state assistance.
The hope lies in the forecast, as the forecast is joblessness will peak at 9.8 %. What makes you suspicious of that number is it's politically appealing given its below 10. 10 is double digits and psychologically way worse than anything just below it.
So is 9.8 convenient or real? If it’s real, then all of this is not the end of the world. America at 15 plus, heading possibly to 25, is pretty much the end of the world.
And it was their central bank governor who spooked the markets last week by talking openly of their recession lasting longer than we previously might have thought
The problem in that talk is that it destroys pretty much everything the whole bounce back narrative was based on.
This was not the GFC. This was not a series of psychological unknowns like a regular recession. This was a virus and when the virus was sorted we were off and running. Seeing light at the end of the tunnel has been critical right through this scenario
So back to our 9.8. What’s required is confidence. The services sector of our country is worth about two-thirds of our economy. Buying stuff is what produces jobs income savings and growth.
The government can’t do it by themselves, and the great worry is as the wage subsidy artificially shelters peoples jobs, there will come a time – and it needs to be sooner rather than later – when we need to see some rubber hit the road.
Are you open because the government pays for it? Are you trading at a level that pays bills or are you subsidised? And that bit is up to us the consumer.
The fear is people don’t spend, second guess their circumstances and fall into the dangerous mindset that somehow the money from the budget, that $50 billion, is magic tree money and there’s plenty more where that came from.
There isn’t.
We are in debt for years if not decades. We are walking a fine line between this being enough to get us through the dark days and out the other side, or hearing more talk from the Jay Powells of this world who decide this thing is worse and with us longer.
And when the US Federal Reserve heads start to doubt things, given they’re the backstops to all this, that’s when you really know it's hitting the fan.]]>130falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-auckland-s-lack-of-water-isn-t-the-sky-s-fault--1008348But it seems a cruel twist, on top of all that business has gone through, to hit the businesses who use water with a double whammy. As of this past weekend, water restrictions in Auckland came into force.
Restrictions came into force, in part, because it hasn't rained as much as it might have. But also because of ineptitude and incompetence.
We are not short of water in this country. Never have been, don't need to be. We capture about 2 per cent of what falls out of the sky. The fact we insist on not having enough storage, or expanding storage to a level that covers bad years is no one's fault but those who didn't make the appropriate preparations.
And it's not just the rain, it's the growth of a city. The growth of Auckland has escaped no one's attention, but once again the infrastructure has not been future-proofed to cope.
Last time it didn't rain was the 1990s. And the problem was solved to a degree, with a pipe into the Waikato River. That pipe means we don't actually have a shortage of water.
The reason Saturday brought restrictions was because the consent applied for to draw more water in winter has not been approved. Not only hasn't it been approved, it has been sitting waiting to be actioned for seven years. There is simply no excuse for things to be the way they are.
Phil Goff, surely one of the more incompetent in a reasonably long line of incompetents, didn't seem to realise what a dick of himself he was making when he huffed and puffed and proclaimed that he had written to David Parker twice, once in March and once in April, and hadn't got a reply.
That, in Goff's mind, appeared to be sufficient excuse for applying water restrictions on Saturday.
So we are putting businesses who use water, water blasters, house cleaners, car washes and so on, on the rack after level 4 and 3 Covid-19 lockdowns, simply because Goff finds writing a letter hard. He finds seven years of nothing an acceptable waiting period to solve a problem that's entirely solvable.
We aren't short of water, we have a pipe. What we need is the paperwork. For lack of paperwork, people will lose their jobs and businesses suffer yet another setback.
Where is the outrage? Why are so we pathetically compliant? How is it those who run the water aren't embarrassed, ashamed and, God forbid, accountable?
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22959534/mh180520-01-waterrestrictionscomment.mp3Sun, 17 May 2020 21:55:25 +0000RoccoThe job losses that are have, and will occur, out of the virus and the lockdown are, at least in part, not anyone's real fault. The government response, the length of the lockdown, how it handles itself fiscally out the other side, may or may not...But it seems a cruel twist, on top of all that business has gone through, to hit the businesses who use water with a double whammy. As of this past weekend, water restrictions in Auckland came into force.
Restrictions came into force, in part, because it hasn't rained as much as it might have. But also because of ineptitude and incompetence.
We are not short of water in this country. Never have been, don't need to be. We capture about 2 per cent of what falls out of the sky. The fact we insist on not having enough storage, or expanding storage to a level that covers bad years is no one's fault but those who didn't make the appropriate preparations.
And it's not just the rain, it's the growth of a city. The growth of Auckland has escaped no one's attention, but once again the infrastructure has not been future-proofed to cope.
Last time it didn't rain was the 1990s. And the problem was solved to a degree, with a pipe into the Waikato River. That pipe means we don't actually have a shortage of water.
The reason Saturday brought restrictions was because the consent applied for to draw more water in winter has not been approved. Not only hasn't it been approved, it has been sitting waiting to be actioned for seven years. There is simply no excuse for things to be the way they are.
Phil Goff, surely one of the more incompetent in a reasonably long line of incompetents, didn't seem to realise what a dick of himself he was making when he huffed and puffed and proclaimed that he had written to David Parker twice, once in March and once in April, and hadn't got a reply.
That, in Goff's mind, appeared to be sufficient excuse for applying water restrictions on Saturday.
So we are putting businesses who use water, water blasters, house cleaners, car washes and so on, on the rack after level 4 and 3 Covid-19 lockdowns, simply because Goff finds writing a letter hard. He finds seven years of nothing an acceptable waiting period to solve a problem that's entirely solvable.
We aren't short of water, we have a pipe. What we need is the paperwork. For lack of paperwork, people will lose their jobs and businesses suffer yet another setback.
Where is the outrage? Why are so we pathetically compliant? How is it those who run the water aren't embarrassed, ashamed and, God forbid, accountable?
 ]]>163falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-winston-peters-and-simon-bridges-are-in-good-form--1008548Level Two.
8/10.
"Yesterday was a proper level drop, level three was a fraud drop.
Two feels like life again. Not life as we knew it, but life, choice, movement, a little bit of hope, and freedom."
Rules around Funerals.
3/10.
"Yet again a haphazard, ill-thought through, back of an envelope mishap masquerading as an idea."
Rules around Bars.
3/10.
"There is a fundamental unfairness about them not being able to open.
This thing is hard enough without singling them out further."
Simon Bridges.
7/10.
"Two good weeks in a row. An opposition, a proper functioning and coordinated opposition to any government is critical.
And when they're on form as they have been, the government has looked spooked and rattled."
Winston Peters.
8/10.
"He's on fire.
I don’t agree with half the stuff he's saying, but he's not saying it to me. He's saying it to those who think the way he thinks, and currently that’s not five percent, and its needs to be.
But talk about versatile. Migrant workers, China, hongis, bubbles, there ain't nothing he won't touch."
Sport coming back.
9/10.
"From the Korean football, to the Taiwanese baseball, to the UFC, to the NRL, AFL, EPL and all the other “Ls” that have started, or about to.
It reminds us that sport isn't just sport, it's way more valuable than that."
The Reserve Bank.
8/10.
"So far they appear to have been faultless.
From the LVRs, to the QE, to the OCR, it's what is needed, has been delivered, and with it the confidence required."
The Election.
7/10.
"I could never see why you would put it off.
But extra early voting and free pens on the day, what more do you want?
Democracy rocks."
NZ Holidays.
7/10.
"Take one.
Go discover or rediscover somewhere good, it's not like we are short of places to choose.
There is a reason they came here by the millions, it's because we don’t know how lucky we are."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22959349/mh150520-13-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 14 May 2020 22:33:19 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. Level Two. 8/10. "Yesterday was a proper level drop, level three was a fraud drop. Two feels like life again. Not life as we knew...Level Two.
8/10.
"Yesterday was a proper level drop, level three was a fraud drop.
Two feels like life again. Not life as we knew it, but life, choice, movement, a little bit of hope, and freedom."
Rules around Funerals.
3/10.
"Yet again a haphazard, ill-thought through, back of an envelope mishap masquerading as an idea."
Rules around Bars.
3/10.
"There is a fundamental unfairness about them not being able to open.
This thing is hard enough without singling them out further."
Simon Bridges.
7/10.
"Two good weeks in a row. An opposition, a proper functioning and coordinated opposition to any government is critical.
And when they're on form as they have been, the government has looked spooked and rattled."
Winston Peters.
8/10.
"He's on fire.
I don’t agree with half the stuff he's saying, but he's not saying it to me. He's saying it to those who think the way he thinks, and currently that’s not five percent, and its needs to be.
But talk about versatile. Migrant workers, China, hongis, bubbles, there ain't nothing he won't touch."
Sport coming back.
9/10.
"From the Korean football, to the Taiwanese baseball, to the UFC, to the NRL, AFL, EPL and all the other “Ls” that have started, or about to.
It reminds us that sport isn't just sport, it's way more valuable than that."
The Reserve Bank.
8/10.
"So far they appear to have been faultless.
From the LVRs, to the QE, to the OCR, it's what is needed, has been delivered, and with it the confidence required."
The Election.
7/10.
"I could never see why you would put it off.
But extra early voting and free pens on the day, what more do you want?
Democracy rocks."
NZ Holidays.
7/10.
"Take one.
Go discover or rediscover somewhere good, it's not like we are short of places to choose.
There is a reason they came here by the millions, it's because we don’t know how lucky we are."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>164falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-let-s-hope-there-s-more-detail-to-come-on-the-budget--1008536So Grant Robertson is one of Labour's best weapons, if for no other reason than he sounds passionate, delivers the detail well, and is backed up, whether you agree with him politically or not, with a good understanding of what hems dealing with.
You can't overtly criticise the budget, because so much of the money announced isn't actually allocated. They are spending only a chunk out of a total of $50 billion, a lot of it is yet to be assigned. At the end of it, it'll be a total $63 billion.
And that was the the part, the gobsmackingly large numbers involved. In the simplest of terms, this is a gargantuan mess, this is a hole the likes of which have never seen, and one we may never get out of, if you're goal is to return to where we started.
19 percent of debt to GDP is where we began. It'll be 53 percent in three years time. Actually debt started at $58 billion, it'll end at $200 billion. There isn't a surplus until 2028, and remember even if we hit that, that’s an annual surplus. That’s not paying down debt.
Deficit this year 9.6 percent of GDP, next year 10 percent. It's phenomenal money piled on top of phenomenal money. And I take no solace from Robertson's great weakness which is to find other people worse than us and pretend, as a result, we have nothing to worry about.
If there is light it's in the jobless numbers. 9.8 percent unemployment by year's end is bad, but not as bad as it could have been. Low double digits is what they thought, 9.8 percent is psychologically comfortably below that. And if we actually achieve it, it'll be a happy day.
But that’s the main thing here isn't it? Who the hell knows? As Robertson said forecasting is an art, and it's never been more of an art than it is now.
They made all the right noises. The wage subsidy extension will be welcome. But the big question, then what?
The focus on jobs, training, and apprenticeships is good, but how real? Do people really retrain? Labour has always been an issue, mixing the job gaps with people who want to fill them has never seemingly worked.
Their promise to build 8000 houses. Their track record on housing precedes yesterday's document.
So most of what got announced didn’t come with the detail needed to really be able to see whether this is the start of a rebuild, the start of an election campaign, or a spend and hope exercise.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22959344/mh150520-01-budgetcomment.mp3Thu, 14 May 2020 21:48:21 +0000RoccoUltimately it's not what really counts, but presentation is important. Anyone who's ever seen Bill Birch or Sir Bill English deliver a budget knows that.  So Grant Robertson is one of Labour's best weapons, if for no other reason than he sounds...So Grant Robertson is one of Labour's best weapons, if for no other reason than he sounds passionate, delivers the detail well, and is backed up, whether you agree with him politically or not, with a good understanding of what hems dealing with.
You can't overtly criticise the budget, because so much of the money announced isn't actually allocated. They are spending only a chunk out of a total of $50 billion, a lot of it is yet to be assigned. At the end of it, it'll be a total $63 billion.
And that was the the part, the gobsmackingly large numbers involved. In the simplest of terms, this is a gargantuan mess, this is a hole the likes of which have never seen, and one we may never get out of, if you're goal is to return to where we started.
19 percent of debt to GDP is where we began. It'll be 53 percent in three years time. Actually debt started at $58 billion, it'll end at $200 billion. There isn't a surplus until 2028, and remember even if we hit that, that’s an annual surplus. That’s not paying down debt.
Deficit this year 9.6 percent of GDP, next year 10 percent. It's phenomenal money piled on top of phenomenal money. And I take no solace from Robertson's great weakness which is to find other people worse than us and pretend, as a result, we have nothing to worry about.
If there is light it's in the jobless numbers. 9.8 percent unemployment by year's end is bad, but not as bad as it could have been. Low double digits is what they thought, 9.8 percent is psychologically comfortably below that. And if we actually achieve it, it'll be a happy day.
But that’s the main thing here isn't it? Who the hell knows? As Robertson said forecasting is an art, and it's never been more of an art than it is now.
They made all the right noises. The wage subsidy extension will be welcome. But the big question, then what?
The focus on jobs, training, and apprenticeships is good, but how real? Do people really retrain? Labour has always been an issue, mixing the job gaps with people who want to fill them has never seemingly worked.
Their promise to build 8000 houses. Their track record on housing precedes yesterday's document.
So most of what got announced didn’t come with the detail needed to really be able to see whether this is the start of a rebuild, the start of an election campaign, or a spend and hope exercise.]]>139falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-funeral-backtrack-another-example-of-government-s-lack-of-compassion--1008535So sadly here we go again, not because Maori and all the others who saw this for what it was aren't right, because they are. But because this lot don’t have a clue, they don't have a plan beyond whatever was stuck up on the whiteboard last.
It's happened yet again, like the tragedy of last week, that’s still being sorted through this week, of all those poor families that simply couldn't be given permission to see their dying relatives, until the court turned out to be the ones with a bit of common sense and a heart, and put the government and the Ministry right.
Not having learned that lesson, for some bizarre, inexplicable reason, we could all pile into a mall or a restaurant but no more than 10 at a funeral.
Why? Because we couldn’t control our emotions, we'd break out in a mad series of hugs and embraces, and the whole second wave would sweep through the land and we'd have to clear the 1000 hospital beds again and wait for the onslaught.
For all of those who have been hypnotised into believing this has been a well thought through, deeply considered, multi-layered military-type operation, I hope the cold hard truth is finally dawning on you . A lot of this, too much of this, has been a gerrymandered farce with little, if any, common sense attached.
From the possibility this has been illegal anyway, to the draconian nonsense exposed by the opposition in the Parliament these past 48 hours, to the "it’s a rule one day, no it's not” another, the inexperience and dangerous reliance on government departments is being exposed now almost daily.
The worst sort of decision a government can make is the one that doesn’t make sense in the first place , and then gets backed down on because of it.
Making the funeral call even worse is it comes with the added emotional stress at a time when it's least needed. The government who have told us to be kind so often it's become farcical, turns out to be the exact opposite. Unkind to families with dying loved ones, and unkind to families who have already lost loved ones.
That's all based on decisions and thinking that turned out to be paper thin either because of a court or an angry public, who, thank God, brought more common sense to the party than those who are supposed to be in charge and knowing what they're doing.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22959265/mh140520-12-funeralnumberscomment.mp3Wed, 13 May 2020 21:24:36 +0000Rocco10 at a funeral, 100 at a funeral, 38 at a funeral, funerals are dangerous, until, oh whoops no they're not. They are a risk until they aren't, until Maori pack a massive sad and harangue a Prime Minister into submission. So sadly here we go again,...So sadly here we go again, not because Maori and all the others who saw this for what it was aren't right, because they are. But because this lot don’t have a clue, they don't have a plan beyond whatever was stuck up on the whiteboard last.
It's happened yet again, like the tragedy of last week, that’s still being sorted through this week, of all those poor families that simply couldn't be given permission to see their dying relatives, until the court turned out to be the ones with a bit of common sense and a heart, and put the government and the Ministry right.
Not having learned that lesson, for some bizarre, inexplicable reason, we could all pile into a mall or a restaurant but no more than 10 at a funeral.
Why? Because we couldn’t control our emotions, we'd break out in a mad series of hugs and embraces, and the whole second wave would sweep through the land and we'd have to clear the 1000 hospital beds again and wait for the onslaught.
For all of those who have been hypnotised into believing this has been a well thought through, deeply considered, multi-layered military-type operation, I hope the cold hard truth is finally dawning on you . A lot of this, too much of this, has been a gerrymandered farce with little, if any, common sense attached.
From the possibility this has been illegal anyway, to the draconian nonsense exposed by the opposition in the Parliament these past 48 hours, to the "it’s a rule one day, no it's not” another, the inexperience and dangerous reliance on government departments is being exposed now almost daily.
The worst sort of decision a government can make is the one that doesn’t make sense in the first place , and then gets backed down on because of it.
Making the funeral call even worse is it comes with the added emotional stress at a time when it's least needed. The government who have told us to be kind so often it's become farcical, turns out to be the exact opposite. Unkind to families with dying loved ones, and unkind to families who have already lost loved ones.
That's all based on decisions and thinking that turned out to be paper thin either because of a court or an angry public, who, thank God, brought more common sense to the party than those who are supposed to be in charge and knowing what they're doing.  ]]>130falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-helicopter-money-in-the-budget-would-be-fiscal-suicide--1008463The concept of free money, the power of a hand out, is clearly not to be under estimated. Research out yesterday shows two thirds of us want some helicopter cash from the budget.
This is the sort of insanity there currently debating in America. The Democrats are looking at thousands per month for everyone until the pandemic is over, whenever that is, and how ever they decide to declare it over.
So an open, bottomless cheque, and that is why America doesn’t run a surplus and is mired in debt.
Back here, perhaps alarmingly, when I’ve raised it with the finance minister he hasn’t ruled it out. He should have, but sadly he’s got form.
The winter heating payment which was boosted recently is not means tested, it’s open to everyone from paupers to millionaires.
Why? If the recipient doesn’t need it, can do without it why would you hand out money you don’t have to help someone who doesn’t need it.
What makes the research slightly murky is the general sense that a cash payment would stimulate the economy, which of course it would, and I think we all agree it needs it. But the “how” is the critical part.
It is, i suppose, a reality check and a lesson as to why so many of us carry so much debt. It’s easy, it’s clearly not seen by many as a thing to rid yourself of, to divest yourself of. It’s just a mechanism to pay for a holiday, buy a car, extend the deck.
Perhaps the fact that whatever Robertson hands out tomorrow isn’t his or ours doesn’t worry many of us, and yet it should.
Someone else will pay for it another day - is that what drives this?
The cost, by the way, of this largesse is between a couple of billion and 6 billion depending obviously on what the hand out is.
Now the key problem is, does it get spent and if so where? What if it’s spent where it isn’t really needed, hence the beauty of the wage subsidy. It kept people in work
Does a handout get spent on an air ticket or a holiday? Does it get spent locally or online to some offshore operator who pays no tax here or employs no one?
And what of those that get it, that doesn’t need it, and despite all the worry right now, it must be remembered most of us still have work still get paid and always will - are you really handing out money to them?
Clearly the average punter cannot be trusted with the nation’s wallet. 66per cent who want free money that isn’t even ours to start with is a reason to have us all go back to school and a session or two of economics.
So the greatest test Robertson has is discipline. Yes, we need help, and a lot of it, but a free for all is economic irresponsibility not to mention fiscal suicide.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22959232/mh130520-01-helicopterpayoutscomment.mp3Wed, 13 May 2020 04:15:24 +0000RoccoGod help us all. The concept of free money, the power of a hand out, is clearly not to be under estimated. Research out yesterday shows two thirds of us want some helicopter cash from the budget. This is the sort of insanity there currently debating...The concept of free money, the power of a hand out, is clearly not to be under estimated. Research out yesterday shows two thirds of us want some helicopter cash from the budget.
This is the sort of insanity there currently debating in America. The Democrats are looking at thousands per month for everyone until the pandemic is over, whenever that is, and how ever they decide to declare it over.
So an open, bottomless cheque, and that is why America doesn’t run a surplus and is mired in debt.
Back here, perhaps alarmingly, when I’ve raised it with the finance minister he hasn’t ruled it out. He should have, but sadly he’s got form.
The winter heating payment which was boosted recently is not means tested, it’s open to everyone from paupers to millionaires.
Why? If the recipient doesn’t need it, can do without it why would you hand out money you don’t have to help someone who doesn’t need it.
What makes the research slightly murky is the general sense that a cash payment would stimulate the economy, which of course it would, and I think we all agree it needs it. But the “how” is the critical part.
It is, i suppose, a reality check and a lesson as to why so many of us carry so much debt. It’s easy, it’s clearly not seen by many as a thing to rid yourself of, to divest yourself of. It’s just a mechanism to pay for a holiday, buy a car, extend the deck.
Perhaps the fact that whatever Robertson hands out tomorrow isn’t his or ours doesn’t worry many of us, and yet it should.
Someone else will pay for it another day - is that what drives this?
The cost, by the way, of this largesse is between a couple of billion and 6 billion depending obviously on what the hand out is.
Now the key problem is, does it get spent and if so where? What if it’s spent where it isn’t really needed, hence the beauty of the wage subsidy. It kept people in work
Does a handout get spent on an air ticket or a holiday? Does it get spent locally or online to some offshore operator who pays no tax here or employs no one?
And what of those that get it, that doesn’t need it, and despite all the worry right now, it must be remembered most of us still have work still get paid and always will - are you really handing out money to them?
Clearly the average punter cannot be trusted with the nation’s wallet. 66per cent who want free money that isn’t even ours to start with is a reason to have us all go back to school and a session or two of economics.
So the greatest test Robertson has is discipline. Yes, we need help, and a lot of it, but a free for all is economic irresponsibility not to mention fiscal suicide.  ]]>145falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-budget-day-a-chance-for-national-to-get-back-in-the-race--1008470Yes, the budget will be a torrent of money the likes of which we have never seen. But it's the key to where we go next, it's the answer or partial answer to the real story of the virus.
We move now to the economics of it all. Health is done. The two in hospital, and the one or two cases a day has got too embarrassing for too long. The overreaction, the length of reaction have all played their part in putting our economy on its knees.
So as a result of this week, it's the economy front and centre. And what's the problem with that for the government? Phil Twyford, Kelvin Davis, Jenny Salesa, Julie-Anne Genter, Carmel Sepuloni, Iain Lees-Galloway, to name a few.
These are the people who have been hidden away for neigh on two months as the clique of Ardern, Robertson and Bloomfield under possibly illegally enacted orders have run the country largely devoid of any traditional critique.
The advantage of that is that Ardern and Robertson are two of Labour's best operators. The other one that popped up mid crisis was the Health Minister. All he and his bike did was remind us what a bunch of inexperienced, gobsmackingly incompetent numpties sit around the Cabinet table when times are more normal.
These are the people who are going to be back front and centre. These are the people with extraordinary power and responsibility on their desks using all the skills, experience, and acumen at their disposal to rebuild this country. We should be very, very afraid.
The entire countries economic development is under the auspices of Phil "let me build you a house" Twyford. He hasn't been seen for weeks, now he's got the future of our economy on his desk and in his hands.
Enter National. If they can't look at that, and do something with it, they don't deserve to be in government. If they can't offer a viable, genuinely well thought through, and cohesive blueprint for resurrecting this place they may as well give up now.
As much as we want our country back, it has been decades, if ever, since we have had such an inexperienced, worryingly dodgy lot doing it. If Phil Twyford is it, if Julie-Anne Genter is top notch, then Simon Bridges should be licking his lips.
The polls may not show it right now for obvious reasons. But given this is now about money, debt, taxes, and our future, if you line up National in terms of experience, both government and real world, against the people running the place, I'd be champing at the bit for the flag to drop.
Finish line, September.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22959188/mh130520-12-economycomment.mp3Tue, 12 May 2020 21:45:47 +0000RoccoGood news for National this week. Yes, the budget will be a torrent of money the likes of which we have never seen. But it's the key to where we go next, it's the answer or partial answer to the real story of the virus. We move now to the economics of...Yes, the budget will be a torrent of money the likes of which we have never seen. But it's the key to where we go next, it's the answer or partial answer to the real story of the virus.
We move now to the economics of it all. Health is done. The two in hospital, and the one or two cases a day has got too embarrassing for too long. The overreaction, the length of reaction have all played their part in putting our economy on its knees.
So as a result of this week, it's the economy front and centre. And what's the problem with that for the government? Phil Twyford, Kelvin Davis, Jenny Salesa, Julie-Anne Genter, Carmel Sepuloni, Iain Lees-Galloway, to name a few.
These are the people who have been hidden away for neigh on two months as the clique of Ardern, Robertson and Bloomfield under possibly illegally enacted orders have run the country largely devoid of any traditional critique.
The advantage of that is that Ardern and Robertson are two of Labour's best operators. The other one that popped up mid crisis was the Health Minister. All he and his bike did was remind us what a bunch of inexperienced, gobsmackingly incompetent numpties sit around the Cabinet table when times are more normal.
These are the people who are going to be back front and centre. These are the people with extraordinary power and responsibility on their desks using all the skills, experience, and acumen at their disposal to rebuild this country. We should be very, very afraid.
The entire countries economic development is under the auspices of Phil "let me build you a house" Twyford. He hasn't been seen for weeks, now he's got the future of our economy on his desk and in his hands.
Enter National. If they can't look at that, and do something with it, they don't deserve to be in government. If they can't offer a viable, genuinely well thought through, and cohesive blueprint for resurrecting this place they may as well give up now.
As much as we want our country back, it has been decades, if ever, since we have had such an inexperienced, worryingly dodgy lot doing it. If Phil Twyford is it, if Julie-Anne Genter is top notch, then Simon Bridges should be licking his lips.
The polls may not show it right now for obvious reasons. But given this is now about money, debt, taxes, and our future, if you line up National in terms of experience, both government and real world, against the people running the place, I'd be champing at the bit for the flag to drop.
Finish line, September.]]>143falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-let-s-kick-start-our-country-back-to-life--1008359Many of us would say the lockdown was too severe, that the evidence was there for us all to see way sooner than the Government was prepared to act on, that seven weeks should have been about four or five.
This is still way too prescriptive, not just because it's not necessary, but because it leads to confusion.
The more complicated the message, the more people won't take it in, or understand, or will miss it.
The more dictatorial the instruction, the more you invite some of the more rebellious among us to simply say "stuff it, I'll do what I want".
Last weekend might have been a clue.
The Government's overarching message these past two months has been way too heavily weighed around negativity, lack of trust, and fear.
We have been ear-bashed into hibernation. We have been too frightened to think for ourselves. Too many of us have been quivering wrecks, reliant on a handful in Wellington to tell us what to do, what to ask and when to act.
And as the economic side of this story continues to unfold, and the cold hard realisation dawns upon us what sort of carnage has been created, the frustration and anger will only grow.
Given there have been fewer than 1500 cases in total, many of us will have not met or know an actual person who had the virus. But every single one of us will know, meet, or be one of the casualties of the economic price paid.
The trick here is to be bold, be confident and spend some money.
The businesses who are allowed to be open still have massive issues. Being open isn't making a living. The two things are very separate. Businesses need all the help we can give and so much of that is up to us.
The wage subsidy won't go on forever, nor should it. The Government is spending money it doesn't have, and that can't go on forever either.
At some point we have to realise that this is up to us. Stop relying on Wellington, stop looking to dob people in, and stop asking weird banal questions.
Just get on with it, let's take our country back.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22959105/mh120520-12-level2comment.mp3Mon, 11 May 2020 21:49:54 +0000RoccoWe should be grateful there are enough people in Cabinet, people like Grant Robertson and Winston Peters, who clearly won the day yesterday over the health hawks who would have had us locked down for another week or two. Many of us would say the...Many of us would say the lockdown was too severe, that the evidence was there for us all to see way sooner than the Government was prepared to act on, that seven weeks should have been about four or five.
This is still way too prescriptive, not just because it's not necessary, but because it leads to confusion.
The more complicated the message, the more people won't take it in, or understand, or will miss it.
The more dictatorial the instruction, the more you invite some of the more rebellious among us to simply say "stuff it, I'll do what I want".
Last weekend might have been a clue.
The Government's overarching message these past two months has been way too heavily weighed around negativity, lack of trust, and fear.
We have been ear-bashed into hibernation. We have been too frightened to think for ourselves. Too many of us have been quivering wrecks, reliant on a handful in Wellington to tell us what to do, what to ask and when to act.
And as the economic side of this story continues to unfold, and the cold hard realisation dawns upon us what sort of carnage has been created, the frustration and anger will only grow.
Given there have been fewer than 1500 cases in total, many of us will have not met or know an actual person who had the virus. But every single one of us will know, meet, or be one of the casualties of the economic price paid.
The trick here is to be bold, be confident and spend some money.
The businesses who are allowed to be open still have massive issues. Being open isn't making a living. The two things are very separate. Businesses need all the help we can give and so much of that is up to us.
The wage subsidy won't go on forever, nor should it. The Government is spending money it doesn't have, and that can't go on forever either.
At some point we have to realise that this is up to us. Stop relying on Wellington, stop looking to dob people in, and stop asking weird banal questions.
Just get on with it, let's take our country back.]]>134falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-government-needs-to-stop-trying-to-spin-economic-damage--1008445It was a trick he had in full flight well before the virus when it became increasingly obvious our economy was already in trouble through a variety of poor policy decisions that were seeing immigration tax take and growth slowing fairly rapidly.
He kept using the phrase international headwinds as those it was those headwinds, not the government, that was responsible for the trouble ahead.
The reality, if you remember, is that at the time, our export receipts were at record levels. Yes, internationally there were a growing series of issues, but when it came to money in the bank from what we do - i.e. feed the world – we were laughing.
He also kept telling us we were doing better than our trading partners, which at the time also wasn’t true: not of Australia, not of the states and certainly not of China.
Fast forward to Friday, he was busy trying to spin the 1000 people a day going onto the benefit heap as being not as bad as it looked given it represented only 1 % of the population as opposed to 10 % in America.
Without getting too picky, the jobless rate in America is up 30 million their population is 329 million so it’s not actually 10 per cent.
Anyway, finding people worse than you is not hard, and more importantly, it’s not a way to sell yourself and your agenda or plans.
America and their job programme is extremely loose around the edges. There is, compared to us, very little welfare, very little security, a lot of illegal workers, undocumented workers and workers on low wages topped up by tips. It’s a world away from us, so let’s drop the comparison.
What we are dealing with and what we can’t hide from, is that in April 1000 a week went on the dole. It’s an extraordinarily large number - a frightening number of people.
And we haven’t seen May. We haven’t seen the effect of level 3 with its heavy restrictions around hospitality. We already know tourism and hotels are shot.
The advantage Robertson has is we don’t blame him. The virus isn’t his fault. The level of carnage economically starts to encroach on the government’s handling of the lockdown, and on that they will have increasing trouble.
But spin is out. None of the 1000 per week cares what happened in Alabama, Illinois or California.
What they care about is what are the policies for growth, how close to our realistic debt ceiling are we, how long can the government keep bailing people out, how long before debt for businesses is no longer an option, how many defaults are coming, what’s happening to GDP what is their future.
Focus on that, focus on us. It’s a crisis, not a sales pitch.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22959071/mh110520-01-budgetcomment.mp3Mon, 11 May 2020 03:21:08 +0000RoccoIf Grant Robertson wants to hold onto his well-earned reputation of being one of the few in the current government you’d actually see as being competent professional and effective, then he has to stop turning up to the Friday briefings and finding...It was a trick he had in full flight well before the virus when it became increasingly obvious our economy was already in trouble through a variety of poor policy decisions that were seeing immigration tax take and growth slowing fairly rapidly.
He kept using the phrase international headwinds as those it was those headwinds, not the government, that was responsible for the trouble ahead.
The reality, if you remember, is that at the time, our export receipts were at record levels. Yes, internationally there were a growing series of issues, but when it came to money in the bank from what we do - i.e. feed the world – we were laughing.
He also kept telling us we were doing better than our trading partners, which at the time also wasn’t true: not of Australia, not of the states and certainly not of China.
Fast forward to Friday, he was busy trying to spin the 1000 people a day going onto the benefit heap as being not as bad as it looked given it represented only 1 % of the population as opposed to 10 % in America.
Without getting too picky, the jobless rate in America is up 30 million their population is 329 million so it’s not actually 10 per cent.
Anyway, finding people worse than you is not hard, and more importantly, it’s not a way to sell yourself and your agenda or plans.
America and their job programme is extremely loose around the edges. There is, compared to us, very little welfare, very little security, a lot of illegal workers, undocumented workers and workers on low wages topped up by tips. It’s a world away from us, so let’s drop the comparison.
What we are dealing with and what we can’t hide from, is that in April 1000 a week went on the dole. It’s an extraordinarily large number - a frightening number of people.
And we haven’t seen May. We haven’t seen the effect of level 3 with its heavy restrictions around hospitality. We already know tourism and hotels are shot.
The advantage Robertson has is we don’t blame him. The virus isn’t his fault. The level of carnage economically starts to encroach on the government’s handling of the lockdown, and on that they will have increasing trouble.
But spin is out. None of the 1000 per week cares what happened in Alabama, Illinois or California.
What they care about is what are the policies for growth, how close to our realistic debt ceiling are we, how long can the government keep bailing people out, how long before debt for businesses is no longer an option, how many defaults are coming, what’s happening to GDP what is their future.
Focus on that, focus on us. It’s a crisis, not a sales pitch.]]>147falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-government-s-arrogance-has-been-laid-bare--1008487This government has little more than contempt for most of us, and the proof of this, sadly for them, was leaked on Friday.
Along with the classic Friday dump of vast swathes of documentation around the advice they were getting and subsequent handling of the crisis, we got the leak of the email from the Prime Minister's office.
The email said Ministers were not to talk, not to give interviews, there is no real need to defend themselves, and only issue a brief written response. It went on to say the government had no need to respond, because of the overwhelming public support, and should instead "lead the changing conversation." That, by the way, is another term for spin the conversation.
It ends, having told them not to say a word, "we can dismiss."
The old Friday number is standard fare. It is not unique to this lot, but it is, in it's own way, why politics and their operators are broadly treated with the level of derision they are.
But the PMO's e-mail is a good insight into just how Machiavellian she really is. In many respects it's clever. The stuff you're supposed to see, the Facebook Lives on the floor of the lounge next to Neve's fort, the teddy bears in windows, and making of the Easter Bunny an essential worker is what got her on the cover of magazines. It's why too many of the local media here have forgotten their job and adopted their new public relations stance supporting their favourite government.
She smiles, she hugs, she tells you to be kind, and for good numbers of the media and New Zealand that’s all they want from a leader. It's all the time and energy they want to spare on the business of how our country is being run.
That, of course, suits the government down to a tee. That is why what we have seen for the past eight weeks has up until recently, worked well for them. Three voices, Ardern, Robertson, and Bloomfield. Easy clean one liners, no real pressure at the daily briefing, everyone locked up, everyone scared, everyone second guessing themselves whether walking round two blocks instead of one is illegal.
But last week it fell apart. Grieving families, cancer patients not seen, the Wall Street Journal telling us Australia had a better approach than ours.
The great crime exposed out of the email need i use the line? The most open, honest, and transparent government this country has ever seen. That's what they want you to remember, but the email exposes the fraud.
We are to be treated with contempt, we are to be fed like mushrooms, we will be told when we need to be told by those the politburo deem suitable to do the telling. And in this case, no telling was required at all. "We can dismiss."  
Is it possible for them to be any more cynical? How do you feel about being so callously treated and dismissed? Or was a smile and a Facebook Live with tips for Mothers' Day all you really ever wanted?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22959040/mh110520-14-documentdumpcomment.mp3Sun, 10 May 2020 21:54:03 +0000RoccoI have said a couple of times we are being played like a fiddle.  This government has little more than contempt for most of us, and the proof of this, sadly for them, was leaked on Friday. Along with the classic Friday dump of vast swathes of...This government has little more than contempt for most of us, and the proof of this, sadly for them, was leaked on Friday.
Along with the classic Friday dump of vast swathes of documentation around the advice they were getting and subsequent handling of the crisis, we got the leak of the email from the Prime Minister's office.
The email said Ministers were not to talk, not to give interviews, there is no real need to defend themselves, and only issue a brief written response. It went on to say the government had no need to respond, because of the overwhelming public support, and should instead "lead the changing conversation." That, by the way, is another term for spin the conversation.
It ends, having told them not to say a word, "we can dismiss."
The old Friday number is standard fare. It is not unique to this lot, but it is, in it's own way, why politics and their operators are broadly treated with the level of derision they are.
But the PMO's e-mail is a good insight into just how Machiavellian she really is. In many respects it's clever. The stuff you're supposed to see, the Facebook Lives on the floor of the lounge next to Neve's fort, the teddy bears in windows, and making of the Easter Bunny an essential worker is what got her on the cover of magazines. It's why too many of the local media here have forgotten their job and adopted their new public relations stance supporting their favourite government.
She smiles, she hugs, she tells you to be kind, and for good numbers of the media and New Zealand that’s all they want from a leader. It's all the time and energy they want to spare on the business of how our country is being run.
That, of course, suits the government down to a tee. That is why what we have seen for the past eight weeks has up until recently, worked well for them. Three voices, Ardern, Robertson, and Bloomfield. Easy clean one liners, no real pressure at the daily briefing, everyone locked up, everyone scared, everyone second guessing themselves whether walking round two blocks instead of one is illegal.
But last week it fell apart. Grieving families, cancer patients not seen, the Wall Street Journal telling us Australia had a better approach than ours.
The great crime exposed out of the email need i use the line? The most open, honest, and transparent government this country has ever seen. That's what they want you to remember, but the email exposes the fraud.
We are to be treated with contempt, we are to be fed like mushrooms, we will be told when we need to be told by those the politburo deem suitable to do the telling. And in this case, no telling was required at all. "We can dismiss."  
Is it possible for them to be any more cynical? How do you feel about being so callously treated and dismissed? Or was a smile and a Facebook Live with tips for Mothers' Day all you really ever wanted?]]>162falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-ministry-of-health-s-appalling-medical-experiment--1008364The Ministry of Health and the Compassionate Cases.
1/10.
"Exposed in the most brutal of ways.
We have confirmation that this medical experiment is of complete and utter fascination for them, at the expense of thousands of ordinary New Zealanders' lives."
Ashley Bloomfield.
4/10.
"Hope you didn’t buy the t-shirt.
Still knowledgeable and calm with the numbers, but defended the indefensible.
He got taken to court and lost, and is now reviewing the cases with something that has a pulse, not an algorithm."
Jacinda Ardern.
4/10.
"This is her worst week of the crisis, and by some margin. And it came about by hitching her wagon to the Bloomfield express.
"For a leader coated in the veneer of humanity, what we heard this week from those families, a policy she endorsed, exposed the venal political side of her operation."
The Wage Subsidy.
8/10.
"It's worked, and yet a lot tried to pull it down this week.
Were there other ways? Probably. Were they as clean and efficient? I doubt it."
Simon Bridges.
7/10.
"His SME package proves the value of opposition.
It made sense, it was costed, it is a better policy than the government's.
And that’s before you get to his committee."
The Resource Management Act Reforms.
7/10.
"Bulldozed to one side to let building begin.
Smart business, smart politics."
Sam Cane as new All Blacks Captain.
8/10.
"Lord knows when he plays, but surely this is the dream of any kid who ever grabs a ball, and dreams big."
The Warriors.
8/10.
"They're in Australia, actually training, and kick off is a couple of weeks away.
Sport is back. They willed it to happen. There is a message in that for us all."
Michael Moore's Planet of the Humans.
9/10.
"Apart from After Life Season Two, if you watch nothing else this weekend, watch this and the scandal that is greenwashing and renewable energy."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22958871/mh080520-12-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 07 May 2020 22:55:58 +0000RoccoAt 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 Ministry of Health and the Compassionate Cases. 1/10. "Exposed in the most brutal of ways. We have confirmation that this...The Ministry of Health and the Compassionate Cases.
1/10.
"Exposed in the most brutal of ways.
We have confirmation that this medical experiment is of complete and utter fascination for them, at the expense of thousands of ordinary New Zealanders' lives."
Ashley Bloomfield.
4/10.
"Hope you didn’t buy the t-shirt.
Still knowledgeable and calm with the numbers, but defended the indefensible.
He got taken to court and lost, and is now reviewing the cases with something that has a pulse, not an algorithm."
Jacinda Ardern.
4/10.
"This is her worst week of the crisis, and by some margin. And it came about by hitching her wagon to the Bloomfield express.
"For a leader coated in the veneer of humanity, what we heard this week from those families, a policy she endorsed, exposed the venal political side of her operation."
The Wage Subsidy.
8/10.
"It's worked, and yet a lot tried to pull it down this week.
Were there other ways? Probably. Were they as clean and efficient? I doubt it."
Simon Bridges.
7/10.
"His SME package proves the value of opposition.
It made sense, it was costed, it is a better policy than the government's.
And that’s before you get to his committee."
The Resource Management Act Reforms.
7/10.
"Bulldozed to one side to let building begin.
Smart business, smart politics."
Sam Cane as new All Blacks Captain.
8/10.
"Lord knows when he plays, but surely this is the dream of any kid who ever grabs a ball, and dreams big."
The Warriors.
8/10.
"They're in Australia, actually training, and kick off is a couple of weeks away.
Sport is back. They willed it to happen. There is a message in that for us all."
Michael Moore's Planet of the Humans.
9/10.
"Apart from After Life Season Two, if you watch nothing else this weekend, watch this and the scandal that is greenwashing and renewable energy."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>159falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-level-2-messaging-is-too-confusing--1008394If you missed it, listen to the Prime Minister's dissertation on what level two looks like, how it's supposed to work, and what the rules are around it are. Then if I fired off 10 random questions, how many would you get right?
And given the answer is not many, the message is too confusing, and the rules are hopelessly complex. It's classic Wellington, classic schoolma'am, and destined to fail miserably. Not that it's a bad thing. What it simply means is, despite their determination to make this whole mess as descriptive as possible, we will simply get on with it.
I feel bad for hospitality. The rules that they will have to follow, single servers, spacing, and all the other S's Ardern tried to turn into some sort of cute alliteration fest, is going to be a problem for some so large, they won't be able to turn a profit. And so will add to the unemployment pile. Same trouble for malls, can you really imagine taking names at doors for contact tracing?  
What most in business wanted, and they said it on the show yesterday, was to be trusted. Trust them to do the right thing, to have a brain, to be sensible, to look after ourselves. And that is the New Zealand I love.
Sadly it's not the New Zealand that’s being allowed to prosper right now. This lot in Wellington are control freaks that could teach established control freaks how to tighten things up. They are literally strangling business out of business.
At one point the Prime Minister in her seemingly never ending list of rules said, "finally, actually not finally.” It was almost as though she had wanted it to be "finally" given she was even boring herself to death.
A lot  of comment has been made on how much traffic is back under level three, even though level three isn't much different to level four. You know why that is? People are over it, people are sick of the rules and sub-rules, the rules they didn’t know about, the rules that make no sense, the spectacular inconsistencies, and the overt unfairness. So they’ve simply set their own agenda.
This thing from Wellington is being done by committee. It looks and sounds like it. It's pocket protectors, white boards, and wonks. It's the lecture or class you dreaded at school from your most earnest, out of touch, and tedious teacher.
Lockdown was simple. Stay home, and don't be an idiot. What this should be, and should have been weeks ago, is "given how well it's all worked out, don't blow it. Go make a living, work hard, dream big, and let's put this country back together again. We trust you."
Instead it was nanny Ardern with an A4 pad of delusion little, if any, of which will be followed. The goodwill they had is going, if not gone. That's because they don't know how to be normal.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22958892/mh080520-01-level2briefingcomment.mp3Thu, 07 May 2020 21:34:10 +0000RoccoThe test of good messaging is how many people can answer questions correctly at the end of the message?  If you missed it, listen to the Prime Minister's dissertation on what level two looks like, how it's supposed to work, and what the rules are...If you missed it, listen to the Prime Minister's dissertation on what level two looks like, how it's supposed to work, and what the rules are around it are. Then if I fired off 10 random questions, how many would you get right?
And given the answer is not many, the message is too confusing, and the rules are hopelessly complex. It's classic Wellington, classic schoolma'am, and destined to fail miserably. Not that it's a bad thing. What it simply means is, despite their determination to make this whole mess as descriptive as possible, we will simply get on with it.
I feel bad for hospitality. The rules that they will have to follow, single servers, spacing, and all the other S's Ardern tried to turn into some sort of cute alliteration fest, is going to be a problem for some so large, they won't be able to turn a profit. And so will add to the unemployment pile. Same trouble for malls, can you really imagine taking names at doors for contact tracing?  
What most in business wanted, and they said it on the show yesterday, was to be trusted. Trust them to do the right thing, to have a brain, to be sensible, to look after ourselves. And that is the New Zealand I love.
Sadly it's not the New Zealand that’s being allowed to prosper right now. This lot in Wellington are control freaks that could teach established control freaks how to tighten things up. They are literally strangling business out of business.
At one point the Prime Minister in her seemingly never ending list of rules said, "finally, actually not finally.” It was almost as though she had wanted it to be "finally" given she was even boring herself to death.
A lot  of comment has been made on how much traffic is back under level three, even though level three isn't much different to level four. You know why that is? People are over it, people are sick of the rules and sub-rules, the rules they didn’t know about, the rules that make no sense, the spectacular inconsistencies, and the overt unfairness. So they’ve simply set their own agenda.
This thing from Wellington is being done by committee. It looks and sounds like it. It's pocket protectors, white boards, and wonks. It's the lecture or class you dreaded at school from your most earnest, out of touch, and tedious teacher.
Lockdown was simple. Stay home, and don't be an idiot. What this should be, and should have been weeks ago, is "given how well it's all worked out, don't blow it. Go make a living, work hard, dream big, and let's put this country back together again. We trust you."
Instead it was nanny Ardern with an A4 pad of delusion little, if any, of which will be followed. The goodwill they had is going, if not gone. That's because they don't know how to be normal.]]>145falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-the-wage-subsidy-has-worked--1008458But the big questions are, where were you six weeks ago? And what's your point?
So far this week we've had examples of what one outlet called "liquor barons." Note the flourish of language, so as to remind you, they are not just owners of booze shops, they are barons. Yesterday we had examples of elite private schools. Not schools, but elite schools, schools most of us can only peer through the shrubbery at.
We've also had the law firms, the large retailers, and the foreigners. There was even a bit of a scrap over dairy companies given they are essential and therefore didn’t close down, thus leading to the question, given they were operating, how could they be losing 30 percent of their business? The advantage of those companies was some of them were owned by the Chinese. Oh, the Chinese, excellent we can add a bit of xenophobia in as well.
So we have a campaign of sorts, an accusatory finger, and a furrowed brow of tut tut.
Just to refresh us with some fact, the government's only criteria for the wage subsidy was 30 percent loss of business. Nothing more, nothing less. This, they argued, was so the money could flow as quickly as possible. And it did, over $10 billion dollars and counting.  There was no rider on whether you looked rich, whether someone might call you a fat cat, whether you were Asian, whether you were elite, or anything else.
So what is this campaign all about? No one is suggesting they've broken rules. An audit is underway and those who have broken rules are paying it back, and they signed at the time, a declaration that what they said was true, otherwise they were committing fraud.
So these stories aren't about dishonesty.
But six weeks in, what are we doing? Are they asking whether the government should've had tighter criteria? That's fine to ask, but why wasn’t that raised at the time?
And if they did, you know what would have happened? We would've seen people screaming blue murder that one company got money and another, which is the same, didn't. Is that the sort of mess we wanted?
The government made it simple. 30 percent loss of business the money is yours, and yours now. Is it perfect? No. They never claimed it to be, but it's worked.
Bitching now is futile, leads no where, and isn't even based on anything that’s actually been done wrong. It's just clearly a dislike of how certain groups look. How very, very superficial.     ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22958782/mh070520-14-wagesubsidywitchhuntcomment.mp3Wed, 06 May 2020 21:39:03 +0000RoccoComing to us thick and fast from the department of "isn't hindsight a great thing” is what would appear a growing obsession among the media to try and find people who they perceive should not be receiving the wage subsidy. Sir Roger Douglas who isn't...But the big questions are, where were you six weeks ago? And what's your point?
So far this week we've had examples of what one outlet called "liquor barons." Note the flourish of language, so as to remind you, they are not just owners of booze shops, they are barons. Yesterday we had examples of elite private schools. Not schools, but elite schools, schools most of us can only peer through the shrubbery at.
We've also had the law firms, the large retailers, and the foreigners. There was even a bit of a scrap over dairy companies given they are essential and therefore didn’t close down, thus leading to the question, given they were operating, how could they be losing 30 percent of their business? The advantage of those companies was some of them were owned by the Chinese. Oh, the Chinese, excellent we can add a bit of xenophobia in as well.
So we have a campaign of sorts, an accusatory finger, and a furrowed brow of tut tut.
Just to refresh us with some fact, the government's only criteria for the wage subsidy was 30 percent loss of business. Nothing more, nothing less. This, they argued, was so the money could flow as quickly as possible. And it did, over $10 billion dollars and counting.  There was no rider on whether you looked rich, whether someone might call you a fat cat, whether you were Asian, whether you were elite, or anything else.
So what is this campaign all about? No one is suggesting they've broken rules. An audit is underway and those who have broken rules are paying it back, and they signed at the time, a declaration that what they said was true, otherwise they were committing fraud.
So these stories aren't about dishonesty.
But six weeks in, what are we doing? Are they asking whether the government should've had tighter criteria? That's fine to ask, but why wasn’t that raised at the time?
And if they did, you know what would have happened? We would've seen people screaming blue murder that one company got money and another, which is the same, didn't. Is that the sort of mess we wanted?
The government made it simple. 30 percent loss of business the money is yours, and yours now. Is it perfect? No. They never claimed it to be, but it's worked.
Bitching now is futile, leads no where, and isn't even based on anything that’s actually been done wrong. It's just clearly a dislike of how certain groups look. How very, very superficial.     ]]>160falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-government-s-lack-of-humanity-has-been-found-out--1008519He travelled half way around the world to see his dying father. He wasn't allowed to, until a court overruled the cartel that are currently running this country. We have 24 cases, no exemptions.
The beauty of the court decision was it was able to do what so many of us haven't, truly hold this lot to account. They were made to act, to change their minds, and made to review their procedures.
It'll be fascinating to see once they do that, just how much their approach will change. How many of those 24 originally turned down would have, or will have, the chance to do what they were initially denied?
It brings into sharp focus the Winston Peters comments of last week, the advice from the Ministry of Health to lock New Zealanders out of New Zealand. It shows a blind obsession with health outcomes and literally nothing else.
As we told you at the time, the advice, although free and fair and the sort of thing departments do all the time, was never, could never be acted upon because of immigration law and a United Nations Convention we've signed up to, making it illegal to leave people stateless.
This, of course, is of no concern to the Ministry. But are we not in seeing this advice and witnessing their actions around the 24 cases, a department that has basically hijacked this whole mess, and turned it into their own experiment?
And it's endorsed, tragically, by a Prime Minister short on real world experience. She's so desperate for a safe harbour of perceived wisdom and experience, and as a result a convert to what is turning out to be an economic catastrophe, masquerading as a health victory.
Ashley Bloomfield, the man responsible for the approach as Director General of Health, is answerable to really no one, so has got a way with it, given his calm demeanor and good general knowledge. But he's been badly exposed by a court who has seen what most of us could see, but didn’t have the judicial authority to fix.
What makes this really ugly is we have a Prime Minister who has coated herself with the varnish of humanity. Being kind is what she is, and what she does. But having told us 18 of the 24 cases had been given exemptions was, embarrassingly and yet again, let down by the Ministry when it turned out the reality wasn’t 18, it was zero.
The woman who put teddies in windows and made the tooth fairy an essential worker, stands beside and behind a Ministry that turns out to be heartless, cold, and driven by little more than statistics.
Her saving grace was heart. The magnet for the apparatchiks was kindness.
And yet 24 people will tell you a whole other story. A story we would never known about it, if it hadn't been for Oliver Christiansen and his three attempts to see his dying father.    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22958705/mh060520-13-compassionatelockdownleavecomment.mp3Tue, 05 May 2020 21:48:16 +0000RoccoSurely one of the most compelling things we've seen this week is the court decision around Oliver Christiansen.  He travelled half way around the world to see his dying father. He wasn't allowed to, until a court overruled the cartel that are...He travelled half way around the world to see his dying father. He wasn't allowed to, until a court overruled the cartel that are currently running this country. We have 24 cases, no exemptions.
The beauty of the court decision was it was able to do what so many of us haven't, truly hold this lot to account. They were made to act, to change their minds, and made to review their procedures.
It'll be fascinating to see once they do that, just how much their approach will change. How many of those 24 originally turned down would have, or will have, the chance to do what they were initially denied?
It brings into sharp focus the Winston Peters comments of last week, the advice from the Ministry of Health to lock New Zealanders out of New Zealand. It shows a blind obsession with health outcomes and literally nothing else.
As we told you at the time, the advice, although free and fair and the sort of thing departments do all the time, was never, could never be acted upon because of immigration law and a United Nations Convention we've signed up to, making it illegal to leave people stateless.
This, of course, is of no concern to the Ministry. But are we not in seeing this advice and witnessing their actions around the 24 cases, a department that has basically hijacked this whole mess, and turned it into their own experiment?
And it's endorsed, tragically, by a Prime Minister short on real world experience. She's so desperate for a safe harbour of perceived wisdom and experience, and as a result a convert to what is turning out to be an economic catastrophe, masquerading as a health victory.
Ashley Bloomfield, the man responsible for the approach as Director General of Health, is answerable to really no one, so has got a way with it, given his calm demeanor and good general knowledge. But he's been badly exposed by a court who has seen what most of us could see, but didn’t have the judicial authority to fix.
What makes this really ugly is we have a Prime Minister who has coated herself with the varnish of humanity. Being kind is what she is, and what she does. But having told us 18 of the 24 cases had been given exemptions was, embarrassingly and yet again, let down by the Ministry when it turned out the reality wasn’t 18, it was zero.
The woman who put teddies in windows and made the tooth fairy an essential worker, stands beside and behind a Ministry that turns out to be heartless, cold, and driven by little more than statistics.
Her saving grace was heart. The magnet for the apparatchiks was kindness.
And yet 24 people will tell you a whole other story. A story we would never known about it, if it hadn't been for Oliver Christiansen and his three attempts to see his dying father.    ]]>160falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-government-is-risking-getting-banks-offside--1008500The announcement of $100,000 interest free loans came from Grant Robertson with a serve for the bankers, a sense of dissappointment that they hadn't been playing their part.
Their original part was to have a few regulations swept aside so they could hand out mortgage holidays without the regulators and credit agencies taking a dim view of their increasing debt. In that move is risk carried by the banks.
Then came the original $6 billion loan scheme. 80 percent risk covered by government, 20 percent by the banks. What a lot of people missed is that the banks, although willing, aren't in the business of government, aren't running this pandemic response and still have to, at the end of the day make some money and answer to shareholders. They also riding instructions from Treasury about lending to people in places like commercial development and agriculture, and there needed some level of surety from the businesses.
In that is your problem. If you're a small business, and this been the relevant question since day one, is debt at a time of stress really ever the answer? Two things can happen here, either the government helps or the bank lends. Which one is more useful and potentially less damaging in the long run?
So been hardly any surprise that businesses have used debt as a last resort, hence you have all your calls for rent relief. The government has now dropped the request for surety, worth noting in Britain and Australia, they never wanted any from the start.
Can you really blame a bank for asking for it? If you're told to ask, and your bottom line is at risk, is it not more than reasonable to cover your exposure? What many non business people also don’t seem to understand is that lumping in personal possessions as part of your business isn't good business, and isn't generally done.
That's why so called large or wealthy companies have got access to the wage subsidy. Your business life and personal life, quite rightly, are two separate things.
So why's this relationship worth watching? Because as the true economic cost of this thing gets laid bare, and the government is asked for more, and more, and more, they, in part, are going to look to offload more to the banks.
They're going to argue debt is a solution not just handouts. More businesses are going to resist that, and banks are going to resist that.
But never let it be forgotten, at no point was this a discussion. This was an imposition from a handful under emergency powers who told us how it was going to work.
Their plan, their problem, not the banks. ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22958666/mh050520-01-bankscomment.mp3Tue, 05 May 2020 04:06:48 +0000RoccoI would watch the relationship between the government and the banks over the coming weeks if I was you. The announcement of $100,000 interest free loans came from Grant Robertson with a serve for the bankers, a sense of dissappointment that they...The announcement of $100,000 interest free loans came from Grant Robertson with a serve for the bankers, a sense of dissappointment that they hadn't been playing their part.
Their original part was to have a few regulations swept aside so they could hand out mortgage holidays without the regulators and credit agencies taking a dim view of their increasing debt. In that move is risk carried by the banks.
Then came the original $6 billion loan scheme. 80 percent risk covered by government, 20 percent by the banks. What a lot of people missed is that the banks, although willing, aren't in the business of government, aren't running this pandemic response and still have to, at the end of the day make some money and answer to shareholders. They also riding instructions from Treasury about lending to people in places like commercial development and agriculture, and there needed some level of surety from the businesses.
In that is your problem. If you're a small business, and this been the relevant question since day one, is debt at a time of stress really ever the answer? Two things can happen here, either the government helps or the bank lends. Which one is more useful and potentially less damaging in the long run?
So been hardly any surprise that businesses have used debt as a last resort, hence you have all your calls for rent relief. The government has now dropped the request for surety, worth noting in Britain and Australia, they never wanted any from the start.
Can you really blame a bank for asking for it? If you're told to ask, and your bottom line is at risk, is it not more than reasonable to cover your exposure? What many non business people also don’t seem to understand is that lumping in personal possessions as part of your business isn't good business, and isn't generally done.
That's why so called large or wealthy companies have got access to the wage subsidy. Your business life and personal life, quite rightly, are two separate things.
So why's this relationship worth watching? Because as the true economic cost of this thing gets laid bare, and the government is asked for more, and more, and more, they, in part, are going to look to offload more to the banks.
They're going to argue debt is a solution not just handouts. More businesses are going to resist that, and banks are going to resist that.
But never let it be forgotten, at no point was this a discussion. This was an imposition from a handful under emergency powers who told us how it was going to work.
Their plan, their problem, not the banks. ]]>138falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-it-s-time-to-get-on-with-it--1008485There are no new cases, so why would you want to get back to business?
Given he had nothing to say, Ashley “have my baby” Bloomfield used the gathering to impart more spin. And this is why they keep these charades going.
Every 24 hours they have a collection of journalists, many with little more ability than to simply transfer the words uttered directly to the six o'clock news, gathered, ready, and attentive. It's a politicians dream, and don’t think Bloomfield isn't a politician. He's been as guilty as any of them when its come to the bollocks around PPE and flu jabs.
So yesterday, with the revelation over the weekend that the 700,000 jabs are about the place, they're just not exactly sure where specifically, and after the Prime Minister's car crash interview on the subject  here yesterday, it was up to good old Bloomfield to talk some more about how the flu jab problem, isn't a problem. It’s a figment of every medicos imagination, and if they just looked under the nearest pile of PPE they'd probably find a couple of hundred jabs.
To give some due, it really is a skill to BS as long as these guys have, and still do it without blushing or bursting into laughter.
Bloomfield talked weeks ago of war time footing in terms of distribution. You'd have to conclude if there was actually a war, it would have been lost by now and even someone as insignificant as Papua New Guinea could have come in here and rolled us by lunch time.
Back to the zero, for weeks now its been three new cases daily, or two, or five, and on a bad day nine. And each and every one of those days more people got better than got ill, and so our number has been tracking backwards.
And still they say, it's too soon. But the people who say that, have jobs, and safe ones. They don’t run businesses, they don’t employ people, and they don’t fill out GST forms.
For those people, the majority of us, we look at countries opening up with hundreds, if not thousands, of cases, we see death rates, we see real health issues, and yet we see haircuts given, parks played in, and shop doors open.
Here, with a death toll laughably small and no new cases, we see as severe a lock down as anywhere. And for what? So the medicos can satisfy their obsession of dotting every I and crossing every T?
It's what happens when as a politician you haven't run anything. You rely on officials, the officials have captured the government and the government are running the country into the ground.
For what? Zero new cases.    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22958621/mh050520-13-zerocasescomment.mp3Mon, 04 May 2020 21:33:43 +0000RoccoIt became painfully evident yesterday at the daily one o'clock bingo session why we have to endure another eight if not more days in level three.  There are no new cases, so why would you want to get back to business? Given he had nothing to say,...There are no new cases, so why would you want to get back to business?
Given he had nothing to say, Ashley “have my baby” Bloomfield used the gathering to impart more spin. And this is why they keep these charades going.
Every 24 hours they have a collection of journalists, many with little more ability than to simply transfer the words uttered directly to the six o'clock news, gathered, ready, and attentive. It's a politicians dream, and don’t think Bloomfield isn't a politician. He's been as guilty as any of them when its come to the bollocks around PPE and flu jabs.
So yesterday, with the revelation over the weekend that the 700,000 jabs are about the place, they're just not exactly sure where specifically, and after the Prime Minister's car crash interview on the subject  here yesterday, it was up to good old Bloomfield to talk some more about how the flu jab problem, isn't a problem. It’s a figment of every medicos imagination, and if they just looked under the nearest pile of PPE they'd probably find a couple of hundred jabs.
To give some due, it really is a skill to BS as long as these guys have, and still do it without blushing or bursting into laughter.
Bloomfield talked weeks ago of war time footing in terms of distribution. You'd have to conclude if there was actually a war, it would have been lost by now and even someone as insignificant as Papua New Guinea could have come in here and rolled us by lunch time.
Back to the zero, for weeks now its been three new cases daily, or two, or five, and on a bad day nine. And each and every one of those days more people got better than got ill, and so our number has been tracking backwards.
And still they say, it's too soon. But the people who say that, have jobs, and safe ones. They don’t run businesses, they don’t employ people, and they don’t fill out GST forms.
For those people, the majority of us, we look at countries opening up with hundreds, if not thousands, of cases, we see death rates, we see real health issues, and yet we see haircuts given, parks played in, and shop doors open.
Here, with a death toll laughably small and no new cases, we see as severe a lock down as anywhere. And for what? So the medicos can satisfy their obsession of dotting every I and crossing every T?
It's what happens when as a politician you haven't run anything. You rely on officials, the officials have captured the government and the government are running the country into the ground.
For what? Zero new cases.    ]]>138falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-why-are-we-accepting-these-community-run-checkpoints--1008390As we found out over the weekend from a NZME journalist who arrived at the Ngataki in the Far North, there wasn’t a police person in sight. Locals had already talked of friction at the sight, as people try and access beaches, something perfectly acceptable in level three.
The journalist, despite being an essential worker and allowed to go where they want, was told they couldn’t. Told they couldn't by a person with no more authority than you or me. The Ngati Kuri spokesperson didn't regard media as essential. Really? Under what power, law or authority? A police officer, astonishingly, arrived 10 minutes after the journalist.
And that is what the Prime Minister with yet another of her astoundingly naive utterances has started. To even countenance, in the slightest of ways, the prospect of non law officials taking the law into their own hands, you are asking for exactly the sort of trouble that has unfolded.
I listened to ZB's Drive show on Friday. The head of another checkpoint listed the gangs present including, in her words, "the mighty Mongrel Mob."
All of this is premised under the foe spin that these are vulnerable communities. As far as I can work out when it comes to the virus, we are all vulnerable. In fact, what we do know is the most vulnerable are old people, so why they haven't got road blocks up I have no idea.
But under what circumstances could you have imagined yourself living in a country where a race based policy of breaking the law is endorsed by the highest office in the land, endorsed by the Police Commissioner and backed up with so called evidence? Like all road blocks aren't road blocks, they're checkpoints, and all checkpoints have police at them when that is simply a straight up and down not true.
The police operate with the support of all of us, they are respected because the vast majority of us believe they are on the right side of the law, justice, and community service. This is the opposite of that, it is race based, and therefore racist. It is illegal, yet defended. We are told one thing when another is clearly the truth.
And worst of all it's political. The Labour Party are beholden to Maori for the Maori seats they can't afford to lose the vote. They would sell every non-Maori out to offer a level of tacit support for illegal activity the rest of us wouldn't stand a hope in hell of getting away with.
Why are we putting up with this?    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22958565/mh040520-01-roadblockscomment.mp3Sun, 03 May 2020 21:40:38 +0000RoccoSo the fundamental dishonesty continues. It seems the most remarkable thing to think you can set yourself up a roadblock, pretend to call it a checkpoint, and get approval from the Prime Minister and the Police Commissioner.  As we found out over the...As we found out over the weekend from a NZME journalist who arrived at the Ngataki in the Far North, there wasn’t a police person in sight. Locals had already talked of friction at the sight, as people try and access beaches, something perfectly acceptable in level three.
The journalist, despite being an essential worker and allowed to go where they want, was told they couldn’t. Told they couldn't by a person with no more authority than you or me. The Ngati Kuri spokesperson didn't regard media as essential. Really? Under what power, law or authority? A police officer, astonishingly, arrived 10 minutes after the journalist.
And that is what the Prime Minister with yet another of her astoundingly naive utterances has started. To even countenance, in the slightest of ways, the prospect of non law officials taking the law into their own hands, you are asking for exactly the sort of trouble that has unfolded.
I listened to ZB's Drive show on Friday. The head of another checkpoint listed the gangs present including, in her words, "the mighty Mongrel Mob."
All of this is premised under the foe spin that these are vulnerable communities. As far as I can work out when it comes to the virus, we are all vulnerable. In fact, what we do know is the most vulnerable are old people, so why they haven't got road blocks up I have no idea.
But under what circumstances could you have imagined yourself living in a country where a race based policy of breaking the law is endorsed by the highest office in the land, endorsed by the Police Commissioner and backed up with so called evidence? Like all road blocks aren't road blocks, they're checkpoints, and all checkpoints have police at them when that is simply a straight up and down not true.
The police operate with the support of all of us, they are respected because the vast majority of us believe they are on the right side of the law, justice, and community service. This is the opposite of that, it is race based, and therefore racist. It is illegal, yet defended. We are told one thing when another is clearly the truth.
And worst of all it's political. The Labour Party are beholden to Maori for the Maori seats they can't afford to lose the vote. They would sell every non-Maori out to offer a level of tacit support for illegal activity the rest of us wouldn't stand a hope in hell of getting away with.
Why are we putting up with this?    ]]>140falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-iwi-led-checkpoints-a-major-problem--1008532Level Three.
6/10.
"Only because three is better than four."
The Calls to go to Level Two.
8/10.
"Two is where we should be and should have been.
It's becomes patently obvious we are playing this way too cautiously."
Rent Relief.
2/10.
"There isn't any, well not from the government. But there are a lot of good landlords around.
But ask yourself the simple question, who closed the door? And given that, who should be helping with the rent?"
Iwi Led Checkpoints.
0/10.
"We now live in a country where taking the law into your own hands is endorsed by the Prime Minister and the Police Commissioner.
Can you believe it?"
David Clark.
0/10.
"A bigger idiot you will not find.
Biking, walking, humping boxes to his new house.
And all the while not just a rule breaker, but the actual Minister of Health in a health crisis."  
Winston Peters.
7/10.
"Got good headlines for a bloke who's largely been in Northland this past month.
But as for his wander down memory lane as a future for this country, that thinking largely died when Happen Inn did."
Adrian Orr.
8/10.
"For being practical, from scrapping the capital reserves, to scrapping the LVRS.
He's not blinded by ideology, he's driven by what's useful and right.
We need more of him."
Boris Johnson.
9/10.
"What a week.
Back at work, saved from death, and a baby.
Oh, and a country to run in a crisis.
The Listener Magazine.
8/10.
"From the ashes, someone wants to buy it.
So a title is resurrected, and jobs are saved."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22958409/mh010520-14-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 30 Apr 2020 22:23:08 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. Level Three. 6/10. "Only because three is better than four." The Calls to go to Level Two. 8/10. "Two is where we should be and...Level Three.
6/10.
"Only because three is better than four."
The Calls to go to Level Two.
8/10.
"Two is where we should be and should have been.
It's becomes patently obvious we are playing this way too cautiously."
Rent Relief.
2/10.
"There isn't any, well not from the government. But there are a lot of good landlords around.
But ask yourself the simple question, who closed the door? And given that, who should be helping with the rent?"
Iwi Led Checkpoints.
0/10.
"We now live in a country where taking the law into your own hands is endorsed by the Prime Minister and the Police Commissioner.
Can you believe it?"
David Clark.
0/10.
"A bigger idiot you will not find.
Biking, walking, humping boxes to his new house.
And all the while not just a rule breaker, but the actual Minister of Health in a health crisis."  
Winston Peters.
7/10.
"Got good headlines for a bloke who's largely been in Northland this past month.
But as for his wander down memory lane as a future for this country, that thinking largely died when Happen Inn did."
Adrian Orr.
8/10.
"For being practical, from scrapping the capital reserves, to scrapping the LVRS.
He's not blinded by ideology, he's driven by what's useful and right.
We need more of him."
Boris Johnson.
9/10.
"What a week.
Back at work, saved from death, and a baby.
Oh, and a country to run in a crisis.
The Listener Magazine.
8/10.
"From the ashes, someone wants to buy it.
So a title is resurrected, and jobs are saved."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>185falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-adrian-orr-could-be-the-saviour-of-us-all--1008560LVRs are on their way out. He didn't invent them, but he's overseen them. And getting rid of them is an act of practicality and common sense, in a world at the moment that involves too much self interest and a lot of politics.
The government would have been practical and wise not to hand out the latest minimum wage rise, because those who are currently teetering and may not make it, can't afford it. The government were told that by any number of people, from economists, to those who were faced with a bill they didn’t have the money for. And yet given Labour are owned by the unions and the unions wanted it, so they got it. It was political. The same way upping the benefits was political, not practical.
Practical would have been to shovel $8 billion to save jobs, not $5 billion with $3 billion for the beneficiaries. Practical would been to hold off the Winter Energy Payment to millionaires who didn’t need it. Practical would have been to hold off funding Maori as part of the virus support.
This is why an increasing number now question the government's whole ”we are all in this together” drum beat. Because although that’s true, they're also in it to hoodwink you into believing that everything they do has absolutely nothing to do with you voting for them in September.
So Orr is a blessing and a breath of fresh air. The biggest call, of course, came early with the capital reserves for banks. That was his baby, he wanted it, fought for it, and battled the banks for it.
He wanted twice as much money set aside for a rainy day. The banks argued, and rightly, the more they had to keep aside, the more expensive money would get, the more they'd have to cut back in areas of risk like farming, or first home buyers. It was a stand off, and Orr got his way.
But as a first move from the Reserve Bank he gave that up, and in doing so allowed $47 billion into the economy. That is sort the leadership we need, and should be recognised and applauded.
He is doing what is necessary to get us through this. He could have baulked at it, could have gone another route, could have turning it into his minimum wage, but he didn't. He rolled up the white flag.
And now the LVRs. They were never really that effective, they might have put off the odd investor, and let a first home buyer in, but if you want to make money easier to get, it's an easy call to make. Well, it is for practical people who are good at their job.
I hope in the wash up of all of this, his role and these actions aren't easily forgotten, because he's doing the right thing by us all.            ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22958401/mh010520-01-reservebankcomment.mp3Thu, 30 Apr 2020 21:22:34 +0000RoccoAdrian Orr is coming into his own. If we were handing out awards for having your act together he would likely be this week's recipient. LVRs are on their way out. He didn't invent them, but he's overseen them. And getting rid of them is an act of...LVRs are on their way out. He didn't invent them, but he's overseen them. And getting rid of them is an act of practicality and common sense, in a world at the moment that involves too much self interest and a lot of politics.
The government would have been practical and wise not to hand out the latest minimum wage rise, because those who are currently teetering and may not make it, can't afford it. The government were told that by any number of people, from economists, to those who were faced with a bill they didn’t have the money for. And yet given Labour are owned by the unions and the unions wanted it, so they got it. It was political. The same way upping the benefits was political, not practical.
Practical would have been to shovel $8 billion to save jobs, not $5 billion with $3 billion for the beneficiaries. Practical would been to hold off the Winter Energy Payment to millionaires who didn’t need it. Practical would have been to hold off funding Maori as part of the virus support.
This is why an increasing number now question the government's whole ”we are all in this together” drum beat. Because although that’s true, they're also in it to hoodwink you into believing that everything they do has absolutely nothing to do with you voting for them in September.
So Orr is a blessing and a breath of fresh air. The biggest call, of course, came early with the capital reserves for banks. That was his baby, he wanted it, fought for it, and battled the banks for it.
He wanted twice as much money set aside for a rainy day. The banks argued, and rightly, the more they had to keep aside, the more expensive money would get, the more they'd have to cut back in areas of risk like farming, or first home buyers. It was a stand off, and Orr got his way.
But as a first move from the Reserve Bank he gave that up, and in doing so allowed $47 billion into the economy. That is sort the leadership we need, and should be recognised and applauded.
He is doing what is necessary to get us through this. He could have baulked at it, could have gone another route, could have turning it into his minimum wage, but he didn't. He rolled up the white flag.
And now the LVRs. They were never really that effective, they might have put off the odd investor, and let a first home buyer in, but if you want to make money easier to get, it's an easy call to make. Well, it is for practical people who are good at their job.
I hope in the wash up of all of this, his role and these actions aren't easily forgotten, because he's doing the right thing by us all.            ]]>133falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-simon-bridges-role-has-never-been-more-vital--1008460Clearly fortified over a long weekend, he returned to the capital with his Epidemic Response Committee, and telling all who will listen that he'd do the same thing again.  That was to point out that the Australian government might well have the march on us when it comes to its overall handling of the crisis.
We have both done well on the health front, but Australia is off and running economically. They have relaxations all over the place, from Western Australia, to South Australia, to Queensland, to New South Wales. They have more shops, bigger weddings, haircuts, larger bubbles, and more gatherings. Every aspect of their economy has a slightly better projection and trajectory than ours.
And that’s what Bridges said, and seemingly attracted a bit of attention from the detractors and as a result got a headline, and the sniff of a coup as well. There was no coup of course, that’s just the media doing sadly what the media does.
But the important thing to remember, and I hope with this week's reassuring re-messaging he's learned it, is that getting haters online is grist to the mill, entirely predictable, and, to be frank, 26,000 bored people on social media is just a day at the office if you put it in perspective. That’s before you get to the simple truth that most of it will be organised to cause trouble.
What Bridges appears to lack at times is the courage of his convictions and balls. Say what you mean and mean what you say. What he said had merit and fact behind it, but it doesn’t mean you'll get universal acceptance or support. It might mean you rile a few up. Good, that's what he is there for.
The pattern has emerged that there is a tiny clique who have all the power under the state of emergency. There are a group of New Zealanders who seem happy and compliant to be in lock step with the utterances of those handful. That is fine.
But there are lots who aren't. They are called the silent majority, and their importance and numbers are never to be forgotten. Most people don't have time to whine on Facebook, so the 26,000 that bothered Bridges should have been given the weight they deserve.
This government's performance over Covid-19 needs greater scrutiny than it's got, and Bridges is a critical part of that. The media, broadly, have been too compliant. The number that have really run a consistent programme of hard-ish questions is few and far between.
So although Bridges has trouble getting heard given the all encompassing nature of the story, his role has never been more vital. His reassuringly fresh attitude this week is to be encouraged, given there is plenty of material to challenge the government on.
So yes do it again, and keep doing it, and by August you might find it's paying off.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22958238/mh290420-14-simonbridgescommentl.mp3Tue, 28 Apr 2020 21:45:31 +0000RoccoSimon Bridges is back for a new week. Clearly fortified over a long weekend, he returned to the capital with his Epidemic Response Committee, and telling all who will listen that he'd do the same thing again.  That was to point out that the Australian...Clearly fortified over a long weekend, he returned to the capital with his Epidemic Response Committee, and telling all who will listen that he'd do the same thing again.  That was to point out that the Australian government might well have the march on us when it comes to its overall handling of the crisis.
We have both done well on the health front, but Australia is off and running economically. They have relaxations all over the place, from Western Australia, to South Australia, to Queensland, to New South Wales. They have more shops, bigger weddings, haircuts, larger bubbles, and more gatherings. Every aspect of their economy has a slightly better projection and trajectory than ours.
And that’s what Bridges said, and seemingly attracted a bit of attention from the detractors and as a result got a headline, and the sniff of a coup as well. There was no coup of course, that’s just the media doing sadly what the media does.
But the important thing to remember, and I hope with this week's reassuring re-messaging he's learned it, is that getting haters online is grist to the mill, entirely predictable, and, to be frank, 26,000 bored people on social media is just a day at the office if you put it in perspective. That’s before you get to the simple truth that most of it will be organised to cause trouble.
What Bridges appears to lack at times is the courage of his convictions and balls. Say what you mean and mean what you say. What he said had merit and fact behind it, but it doesn’t mean you'll get universal acceptance or support. It might mean you rile a few up. Good, that's what he is there for.
The pattern has emerged that there is a tiny clique who have all the power under the state of emergency. There are a group of New Zealanders who seem happy and compliant to be in lock step with the utterances of those handful. That is fine.
But there are lots who aren't. They are called the silent majority, and their importance and numbers are never to be forgotten. Most people don't have time to whine on Facebook, so the 26,000 that bothered Bridges should have been given the weight they deserve.
This government's performance over Covid-19 needs greater scrutiny than it's got, and Bridges is a critical part of that. The media, broadly, have been too compliant. The number that have really run a consistent programme of hard-ish questions is few and far between.
So although Bridges has trouble getting heard given the all encompassing nature of the story, his role has never been more vital. His reassuringly fresh attitude this week is to be encouraged, given there is plenty of material to challenge the government on.
So yes do it again, and keep doing it, and by August you might find it's paying off.]]>148falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-deborah-russell-exposes-jacinda-ardern-s-weakness--1008505Having been largely absent for over two years of government, the previously invisible Labour MP lobs up at the Epidemic Response Committee, tells small business that if they're having trouble surviving the lockdown maybe they're just a bit useless at business.
This is the most welcome advice from a titan of small business herself. Not.
She, of course, is publicly chastised by the Prime Minister and Grant Robertson, who know full well their party already has credibility issues with all sorts of businesses, far less SMEs.
Willie Jackson, who made equally stupid comments, appears to have been let off lightly, given Russell grabbed all the headlines.
But then in a “the gift just keeps giving” kind of way, Russell lobs up on the Newstalk ZB Drive show on Friday and drops an even bigger bombshell. Turns out the Prime Minister did what we always knew she does but would never admit to publicly, not actually take Russell to task for the original crime.
Ardern is famous now for being unable to be bold, make a decision off her own bat, far less actually deal to incompetence. We'd barely moved on from the David Clark sort of sacking, the sacking you have when you don’t actually sack anyone. That, of course, went into the Ardern pantheon of other non-decisions like Iain-Lees Galloway and the Sroubek saga , Clare Curran and RNZ, and the gold medal non-sacking, the promotion of Phil Twyford to Economic Development Minister having cocked up Kiwibuild in a way they’ll write about for years.
No, Ardern put on her best stern face at another of those afternoon bingo sessions of how many cases, how many in hospital, and how many are linked to overseas travel. And she left us under illusion Russell had misspoken.
She then, according to Russell in her ZB Drive "throw Ardern under the bus" session, got a call from Ardern. And she told her not to do it again? No. To pull her head in? No. Not to think before she speaks? No. But to hang in there, you'll be alright.
When asked whether Ardern had actually told her off in anyway Russell gave the Ardern game away, she said "that’s not Jacinda's way."
And sadly, no it isn't. And in that is the credibility issue, what Ardern says she does, and what she really does in circumstances like this are two very different things. Matthew Hooton calls her one of the world's best symbolic communicators. That’s spot on. Sounds great, says nothing.
Tells people off, but doesn’t tell people off. Sacks people, but doesn’t sack people.
Big stern face, leaves you with the impression someone's in for it. And yet, what really happens is "hang in there, you'll be alright."
And yet, what really happens is, "hang in there you'll be alright."
Because that’s not her way.
So what's been exposed here is not just the government's profound incompetence in an increasing number of matters, but basically Ardern's fraudulent portrayal of a leader who does what she says she'll do.
We are being played. Some of us have known this for a while but thanks to Russell, she's exposed the trick, for all its shabby superficiality.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22958160/mh280420-13-deborahrussellcomment.mp3Mon, 27 Apr 2020 21:49:04 +0000RoccoCome on in Deborah Russell.  Having been largely absent for over two years of government, the previously invisible Labour MP lobs up at the Epidemic Response Committee, tells small business that if they're having trouble surviving the lockdown maybe...Having been largely absent for over two years of government, the previously invisible Labour MP lobs up at the Epidemic Response Committee, tells small business that if they're having trouble surviving the lockdown maybe they're just a bit useless at business.
This is the most welcome advice from a titan of small business herself. Not.
She, of course, is publicly chastised by the Prime Minister and Grant Robertson, who know full well their party already has credibility issues with all sorts of businesses, far less SMEs.
Willie Jackson, who made equally stupid comments, appears to have been let off lightly, given Russell grabbed all the headlines.
But then in a “the gift just keeps giving” kind of way, Russell lobs up on the Newstalk ZB Drive show on Friday and drops an even bigger bombshell. Turns out the Prime Minister did what we always knew she does but would never admit to publicly, not actually take Russell to task for the original crime.
Ardern is famous now for being unable to be bold, make a decision off her own bat, far less actually deal to incompetence. We'd barely moved on from the David Clark sort of sacking, the sacking you have when you don’t actually sack anyone. That, of course, went into the Ardern pantheon of other non-decisions like Iain-Lees Galloway and the Sroubek saga , Clare Curran and RNZ, and the gold medal non-sacking, the promotion of Phil Twyford to Economic Development Minister having cocked up Kiwibuild in a way they’ll write about for years.
No, Ardern put on her best stern face at another of those afternoon bingo sessions of how many cases, how many in hospital, and how many are linked to overseas travel. And she left us under illusion Russell had misspoken.
She then, according to Russell in her ZB Drive "throw Ardern under the bus" session, got a call from Ardern. And she told her not to do it again? No. To pull her head in? No. Not to think before she speaks? No. But to hang in there, you'll be alright.
When asked whether Ardern had actually told her off in anyway Russell gave the Ardern game away, she said "that’s not Jacinda's way."
And sadly, no it isn't. And in that is the credibility issue, what Ardern says she does, and what she really does in circumstances like this are two very different things. Matthew Hooton calls her one of the world's best symbolic communicators. That’s spot on. Sounds great, says nothing.
Tells people off, but doesn’t tell people off. Sacks people, but doesn’t sack people.
Big stern face, leaves you with the impression someone's in for it. And yet, what really happens is "hang in there, you'll be alright."
And yet, what really happens is, "hang in there you'll be alright."
Because that’s not her way.
So what's been exposed here is not just the government's profound incompetence in an increasing number of matters, but basically Ardern's fraudulent portrayal of a leader who does what she says she'll do.
We are being played. Some of us have known this for a while but thanks to Russell, she's exposed the trick, for all its shabby superficiality.]]>158falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-we-should-be-at-level-3-now--1008542Level Three.
4/10.
"We should be in it now, and we aren't.
We aren't because some are too obsessed with health over the economy."
Hunting at Level Three.
7/10.
"The return of an element of common sense and of some kind of normality.
The argument that you shouldn’t move just in case you get an ingrown toenail and bother the health service has become farcical."
Simon Bridges.
2/10.
"A miserable week made worse by the media.
Portions of which let the decent operators down by turning unsubstantiated whining on social media into news.
First clue on social media, when they say I've been a National voter my whole life, note to scandal monger, they haven't.
Winston Peters.
2/10.
"As much sympathy as I have for his plight, and I have a lot because his private stuff was leaked, he should never have sued and never gone to court.
Because he's Deputy Prime Minister, he was always going to lose, and it cost us a fortune."
Deborah Russel and her Business Comments.
3/10.
"When you’ve owned a business, set one up, closed one down, hired someone, paid GST, taken a risk, or lost sleep then talk to me.
When you’ve been at university a lot, zip it sweetie."
Parliament.
7/10.
"Back next week and not a moment too soon.
This small collection of the anointed need to be held to account."
Uber Eats and its Commission.
4/10.
"Profiting at a rate most think is unfair at a time of real hardship isn't cool.
I think we've decided Uber Eats isn't cool."
NRL Coming Back.
8/10.
"Of all the sports that have plans to restart they look the most concrete.
Believe it hard enough, think creatively, hard enough, push hard enough, and you'll be amazed what you can do."
Radio.
9/10.
"An industry I have loved for 38 years.
The ratings out yesterday remind us all of the value of good quality communication, information, ideas and entertainment.
It's never been more valuable, and clearly never been more frequented."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22957991/mh240420-13-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 23 Apr 2020 22:12:35 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. Level Three. 4/10. "We should be in it now, and we aren't. We aren't because some are too obsessed with health over the economy."...Level Three.
4/10.
"We should be in it now, and we aren't.
We aren't because some are too obsessed with health over the economy."
Hunting at Level Three.
7/10.
"The return of an element of common sense and of some kind of normality.
The argument that you shouldn’t move just in case you get an ingrown toenail and bother the health service has become farcical."
Simon Bridges.
2/10.
"A miserable week made worse by the media.
Portions of which let the decent operators down by turning unsubstantiated whining on social media into news.
First clue on social media, when they say I've been a National voter my whole life, note to scandal monger, they haven't.
Winston Peters.
2/10.
"As much sympathy as I have for his plight, and I have a lot because his private stuff was leaked, he should never have sued and never gone to court.
Because he's Deputy Prime Minister, he was always going to lose, and it cost us a fortune."
Deborah Russel and her Business Comments.
3/10.
"When you’ve owned a business, set one up, closed one down, hired someone, paid GST, taken a risk, or lost sleep then talk to me.
When you’ve been at university a lot, zip it sweetie."
Parliament.
7/10.
"Back next week and not a moment too soon.
This small collection of the anointed need to be held to account."
Uber Eats and its Commission.
4/10.
"Profiting at a rate most think is unfair at a time of real hardship isn't cool.
I think we've decided Uber Eats isn't cool."
NRL Coming Back.
8/10.
"Of all the sports that have plans to restart they look the most concrete.
Believe it hard enough, think creatively, hard enough, push hard enough, and you'll be amazed what you can do."
Radio.
9/10.
"An industry I have loved for 38 years.
The ratings out yesterday remind us all of the value of good quality communication, information, ideas and entertainment.
It's never been more valuable, and clearly never been more frequented."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>179falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-radio-is-as-important-as-ever--1008557The first of the year's ratings were out and it was a very stark reminder of just how resilient and well received, if not loved this business is. The shine, perhaps, not quite as bright, given all that this country and world is going through and the very difficult economic realities that come with it.
The media's plight in general was well canvassed  last week at the Epidemic Response Committee. Viewership, readership, and listenership are up, in fact up through the roof. And yet the money that supports the jobs, the investment, and the profits is in short supply right now.
But on the basic principal that we are here for, the basic business we love, that is well and truly intact. In fact, prior to the virus let us not forget that the media in general sadly already had trouble. But it was radio that was defying that. And it's still growing, excelling, doing all its ever done in its simple and yet highly effective form.
Free to air television in this country is against the wall. Newspapers and magazines have had a long and well documented battle for any sort of future. But radio is in embarrassingly robust health.
Part of it may well be that all the upheaval the rest are facing from the likes of Google, Netflix, and Facebook was dealt with by radio decades back, when FM was set loose and any man and his dog could buy a frequency, and so we ended up with more radio stations per head of population than anywhere in the world.
Some lasted, some didn’t. Most got consolidated into a couple of large players who dominate the industry today.
The  quintessential brilliance of it all though is only truly understood when you’ve hung about the place for a while like I have, and realise that what I did 38 years ago in 1982 as a 16 year old is pretty much the same as what I do in 2020 as a 55 year old.
Turn on a microphone on and say some stuff. It engages, it infuriates, it provides insight and laughter, it challenges, it inquires. You're still in your car, kitchen, or bathroom. Radio is as portable as it ever was. You might hear this via an app.
But it's me to you at the same time each day. And you pretty much go about your day the way I've gone about my work. It hasn’t really changed, and that is why radio is king of the hill.
This is not the time to blow too many individual trumpets. But in a small clue from yesterday's ratings, this programme has never seen an audience like it. What we are doing works, and it works because of the brilliance of the medium, and because of you.
And for that we celebrate, and we are truly grateful. We are grateful to be a part of it, and grateful for the continued success.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22957988/mh240420-01-radiocomment.mp3Thu, 23 Apr 2020 21:40:40 +0000RoccoI don’t know if you would call yesterday a bitter sweet day for this wondrous industry we call radio. The first of the year's ratings were out and it was a very stark reminder of just how resilient and well received, if not loved this business is. The...The first of the year's ratings were out and it was a very stark reminder of just how resilient and well received, if not loved this business is. The shine, perhaps, not quite as bright, given all that this country and world is going through and the very difficult economic realities that come with it.
The media's plight in general was well canvassed  last week at the Epidemic Response Committee. Viewership, readership, and listenership are up, in fact up through the roof. And yet the money that supports the jobs, the investment, and the profits is in short supply right now.
But on the basic principal that we are here for, the basic business we love, that is well and truly intact. In fact, prior to the virus let us not forget that the media in general sadly already had trouble. But it was radio that was defying that. And it's still growing, excelling, doing all its ever done in its simple and yet highly effective form.
Free to air television in this country is against the wall. Newspapers and magazines have had a long and well documented battle for any sort of future. But radio is in embarrassingly robust health.
Part of it may well be that all the upheaval the rest are facing from the likes of Google, Netflix, and Facebook was dealt with by radio decades back, when FM was set loose and any man and his dog could buy a frequency, and so we ended up with more radio stations per head of population than anywhere in the world.
Some lasted, some didn’t. Most got consolidated into a couple of large players who dominate the industry today.
The  quintessential brilliance of it all though is only truly understood when you’ve hung about the place for a while like I have, and realise that what I did 38 years ago in 1982 as a 16 year old is pretty much the same as what I do in 2020 as a 55 year old.
Turn on a microphone on and say some stuff. It engages, it infuriates, it provides insight and laughter, it challenges, it inquires. You're still in your car, kitchen, or bathroom. Radio is as portable as it ever was. You might hear this via an app.
But it's me to you at the same time each day. And you pretty much go about your day the way I've gone about my work. It hasn’t really changed, and that is why radio is king of the hill.
This is not the time to blow too many individual trumpets. But in a small clue from yesterday's ratings, this programme has never seen an audience like it. What we are doing works, and it works because of the brilliance of the medium, and because of you.
And for that we celebrate, and we are truly grateful. We are grateful to be a part of it, and grateful for the continued success.]]>139falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-bridges-coup-nothing-more-than-social-media-crap--1008526But even more for the media who might have forgotten that they are currently immersed in a campaign to remind us just how valuable they are, and how important the service they provide is. Their pitch involves the word "reliable." The inference is around professionalism and independence.
And yet they have driven a story of a coup that doesn’t exist, started with a rumour from a blogger who said it was a rumour, and fuelled by faceless people on a social media platform who have been given a level of credibility any journalist who takes themselves even remotely seriously should be well and truly ashamed of.
Once again, if i need to, I am not the world's biggest Bridges fan, so this, on my part, is no partisan style defence.
Steven Joyce should have had the job. I said it then, and I say it now. And not only do I say it now, I am even more convinced that matters would be entirely different if that had come to pass. Even Mark Mitchell and Judith Collins would have turned things out differently. So the argument is less about the individual, more about the actions of those who claim to be something they're not.
One of the great shames in modern media is the trend that has become mainstream, and that is to elevate words on social media into news. When it comes from a source you can attribute, a name you recognise, and can confirm, it's useful. But when it comes from Marion, who's been a National Party supporter all her life but now hates Bridges, that's not news.
And no amount of bile spouted forth allegedly saying the same thing 1000 times over makes it news. And it's not news because as they say in the trade you can't stand it up. You don't know who these people are, you don't know and can't confirm that what these people say is true.
Having been in this game for 38 years the clues are as follows, when they say "I'm never listening to you again", it's mainly not true because if it was I wouldn't be number one, and by a large margin. When they say "I've been a supporter for years, but..." it's highly likely to be untrue as well.
Of the thousands who piled onto the Bridges post some will have been genuinely disagreeing, but not as many as were simply commenting on a comment. That is the bit that's not news.
I learned this years back when Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand were under siege at the BBC over a stunt involving a thing that became known as "Manuelgate." Turns out most of those who wanted them sacked hadn't actually heard the event itself, they had merely heard of the event.
That's social media all day long. It's a pile on. By the time you get to comment 8000 they have no idea what the original event actually involved. This crap happens to me all the time.
Hence it isn't, wasn’t and never should have been news, a headline, or taken remotely seriously. Far less elevated into a coup attempt.
If this is the stuff, the so called journalism, that needs supporting, I'll pass.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22957912/mh230420-13-bridgesmediabeatupcomment.mp3Wed, 22 Apr 2020 21:48:08 +0000RoccoThe Simon Bridges drama comes along at an unfortunate time for all. Obviously for Bridges, who needs it like a hole in the head. But even more for the media who might have forgotten that they are currently immersed in a campaign to remind us just how...But even more for the media who might have forgotten that they are currently immersed in a campaign to remind us just how valuable they are, and how important the service they provide is. Their pitch involves the word "reliable." The inference is around professionalism and independence.
And yet they have driven a story of a coup that doesn’t exist, started with a rumour from a blogger who said it was a rumour, and fuelled by faceless people on a social media platform who have been given a level of credibility any journalist who takes themselves even remotely seriously should be well and truly ashamed of.
Once again, if i need to, I am not the world's biggest Bridges fan, so this, on my part, is no partisan style defence.
Steven Joyce should have had the job. I said it then, and I say it now. And not only do I say it now, I am even more convinced that matters would be entirely different if that had come to pass. Even Mark Mitchell and Judith Collins would have turned things out differently. So the argument is less about the individual, more about the actions of those who claim to be something they're not.
One of the great shames in modern media is the trend that has become mainstream, and that is to elevate words on social media into news. When it comes from a source you can attribute, a name you recognise, and can confirm, it's useful. But when it comes from Marion, who's been a National Party supporter all her life but now hates Bridges, that's not news.
And no amount of bile spouted forth allegedly saying the same thing 1000 times over makes it news. And it's not news because as they say in the trade you can't stand it up. You don't know who these people are, you don't know and can't confirm that what these people say is true.
Having been in this game for 38 years the clues are as follows, when they say "I'm never listening to you again", it's mainly not true because if it was I wouldn't be number one, and by a large margin. When they say "I've been a supporter for years, but..." it's highly likely to be untrue as well.
Of the thousands who piled onto the Bridges post some will have been genuinely disagreeing, but not as many as were simply commenting on a comment. That is the bit that's not news.
I learned this years back when Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand were under siege at the BBC over a stunt involving a thing that became known as "Manuelgate." Turns out most of those who wanted them sacked hadn't actually heard the event itself, they had merely heard of the event.
That's social media all day long. It's a pile on. By the time you get to comment 8000 they have no idea what the original event actually involved. This crap happens to me all the time.
Hence it isn't, wasn’t and never should have been news, a headline, or taken remotely seriously. Far less elevated into a coup attempt.
If this is the stuff, the so called journalism, that needs supporting, I'll pass.  ]]>161falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-climate-nutters-taking-advantage-of-our-hardship--1008409How many stories have we had of how the air quality has improved? As if to show or tell us what? If you do nothing, if you lock everyone away, and close an economy, you can improve the environment? Do you suspect anyone above the age of six could not have worked that out? Is having a pollution disappear because we are all indoors really a victory?
Reports initially from northern Italy, those satellite photos over China, the vast swathes of the north east of America under fresh clear skies, and our own motorway readings. Yes indeed, confirmation that basically if you revert the world back to 1467, you do in fact get fresh air and less pollution.
So what? What's the inference? That this is all worth it? That we should have lockdowns more often? That if only we go and crash the economies of the world we can breath easy?
This is a go nowhere campaign. Does any one really think that fresh air is a wondrous new discovery, and that all of this virus and its economic and health chaos is well worth the trouble?
Most insidious is the call from the unions and other zealots in an international open letter to not to save airlines, not bail them out or offer assistance. They want them left to fail, let them go under, and in allowing that we reduce pollution.
Isn't that the most extraordinary thing? And in presumably being serious about the call, they in a single move expose themselves for who they really are. Economic wreckers.
How do they propose the hundreds of thousands of airline employees make a living? Or don't they care? How do they propose we travel, move freight, and do business? Or don't they care? The answer is they don't care.
In that revelation is the danger of who they are and what they believe. They're single issue nutters who will wreck and destroy anything and everything simply in order to achieve their sole aim.
The smart thing, of course, would be to have sympathised, to have stayed quiet, to have not tried to score cheap and ultimately disastrous points at a time of great hardship, suffering, and uncertainty.
But no, they couldn't help themselves. Well they lose, because out the other side of this, who's going to forget the self absorbed, venal, narcissism they have put on display?
Not me.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22957824/mh220420-14-climatechangecomment.mp3Tue, 21 Apr 2020 21:41:23 +0000RoccoAbout the most futile of all the futile nonsense that has gone on during this mess, is the seemingly never-ending, and yet ultimately wasteful attempt by the climate change obsessives to convince us, this is all good. How many stories have we had of...How many stories have we had of how the air quality has improved? As if to show or tell us what? If you do nothing, if you lock everyone away, and close an economy, you can improve the environment? Do you suspect anyone above the age of six could not have worked that out? Is having a pollution disappear because we are all indoors really a victory?
Reports initially from northern Italy, those satellite photos over China, the vast swathes of the north east of America under fresh clear skies, and our own motorway readings. Yes indeed, confirmation that basically if you revert the world back to 1467, you do in fact get fresh air and less pollution.
So what? What's the inference? That this is all worth it? That we should have lockdowns more often? That if only we go and crash the economies of the world we can breath easy?
This is a go nowhere campaign. Does any one really think that fresh air is a wondrous new discovery, and that all of this virus and its economic and health chaos is well worth the trouble?
Most insidious is the call from the unions and other zealots in an international open letter to not to save airlines, not bail them out or offer assistance. They want them left to fail, let them go under, and in allowing that we reduce pollution.
Isn't that the most extraordinary thing? And in presumably being serious about the call, they in a single move expose themselves for who they really are. Economic wreckers.
How do they propose the hundreds of thousands of airline employees make a living? Or don't they care? How do they propose we travel, move freight, and do business? Or don't they care? The answer is they don't care.
In that revelation is the danger of who they are and what they believe. They're single issue nutters who will wreck and destroy anything and everything simply in order to achieve their sole aim.
The smart thing, of course, would be to have sympathised, to have stayed quiet, to have not tried to score cheap and ultimately disastrous points at a time of great hardship, suffering, and uncertainty.
But no, they couldn't help themselves. Well they lose, because out the other side of this, who's going to forget the self absorbed, venal, narcissism they have put on display?
Not me.]]>132falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-we-got-there-in-the-end--1008559It's a classic Labour government call, isn't it? Sort of right, but not as right as it could have been.
You can argue at least we go to level three, which is true. You can argue, given it's now next Tuesday not Thursday, is a couple of days and the cover for a long weekend is not the end of the world. Well no, although I am sure there are no shortage of small businesses who would argue that’s yet more crippling days of no income. So it’s the Easter supermarket call. We got there, sort of, just not quite as cleanly as we could have.
I would have pulled the trigger at least a week ago. The numbers are now embarrassing in their success. There are fewer than 500 actual cases. The lockdown worked a treat. That's what you get when you are an island nation at the bottom of the world and you largely close the borders.
The really encouraging news is the level three call is for, initially, three weeks. It's an incentive, it is hope, and by god do we need some of that right now. Quite apart from anything level three is too restrictive, so the sooner we get out of that, and down to level two and a world we actually recognise, the better.
I think most of us would agree that things like the borders, international travel, random gatherings, large gatherings are out for now, if not quite some time.
But increasingly what we are seeing is the genuine questioning of some of the decisions around this next level. People who can't open, who if you apply logic not a regimented govt controlled blitzkrieg of one stop shop brush stroke sameness, would actually be able to save a few jobs ,get a bit of coin through, and start to rebuild.
The next question, of course, is the opened ended nature of level three. What are they looking for? What constitutes success? When cases increase, and they're bound to, to some degree do they freak out. Do they panic and extend three? Or god forbid go back to four?
Given the government's wage subsidy, we still don’t know the true carnage of all of this.  
But let us take what we can get, this is better than it could have been, the obsessives haven't won the day around health. And even the Prime minister managed to drum up a convenient new interpretation of elimination.
Stamp it out where it turns up, which is different to the idea of getting rid of it all together. Because until we get a vaccine that was, to quote Steven Joyce, "pie in the sky."
So in three weeks, let's pray we are on to level two. This mess is well and truly behind us, and let's be grateful the next step on that journey starts in a week today.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22957725/mh210420-01-level3comment.mp3Mon, 20 Apr 2020 22:02:11 +0000RoccoIs it the right call? It's a classic Labour government call, isn't it? Sort of right, but not as right as it could have been. You can argue at least we go to level three, which is true. You can argue, given it's now next Tuesday not Thursday, is a...It's a classic Labour government call, isn't it? Sort of right, but not as right as it could have been.
You can argue at least we go to level three, which is true. You can argue, given it's now next Tuesday not Thursday, is a couple of days and the cover for a long weekend is not the end of the world. Well no, although I am sure there are no shortage of small businesses who would argue that’s yet more crippling days of no income. So it’s the Easter supermarket call. We got there, sort of, just not quite as cleanly as we could have.
I would have pulled the trigger at least a week ago. The numbers are now embarrassing in their success. There are fewer than 500 actual cases. The lockdown worked a treat. That's what you get when you are an island nation at the bottom of the world and you largely close the borders.
The really encouraging news is the level three call is for, initially, three weeks. It's an incentive, it is hope, and by god do we need some of that right now. Quite apart from anything level three is too restrictive, so the sooner we get out of that, and down to level two and a world we actually recognise, the better.
I think most of us would agree that things like the borders, international travel, random gatherings, large gatherings are out for now, if not quite some time.
But increasingly what we are seeing is the genuine questioning of some of the decisions around this next level. People who can't open, who if you apply logic not a regimented govt controlled blitzkrieg of one stop shop brush stroke sameness, would actually be able to save a few jobs ,get a bit of coin through, and start to rebuild.
The next question, of course, is the opened ended nature of level three. What are they looking for? What constitutes success? When cases increase, and they're bound to, to some degree do they freak out. Do they panic and extend three? Or god forbid go back to four?
Given the government's wage subsidy, we still don’t know the true carnage of all of this.  
But let us take what we can get, this is better than it could have been, the obsessives haven't won the day around health. And even the Prime minister managed to drum up a convenient new interpretation of elimination.
Stamp it out where it turns up, which is different to the idea of getting rid of it all together. Because until we get a vaccine that was, to quote Steven Joyce, "pie in the sky."
So in three weeks, let's pray we are on to level two. This mess is well and truly behind us, and let's be grateful the next step on that journey starts in a week today.  ]]>148falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-hosking-when-we-can-let-s-fall-in-love-with-nz-again--1008398This is survey work suggesting 30 percent of us will take a holiday domestically within a six month period of being able to do so.
The good news is that’s about one million of us. But I'm not sure a third or less than is that huge. That's two thirds going nowhere.
But here's the good part of all this. When I moved to Auckland 25 years ago I was astonished at how many people had never been to the South Island. They'd been to, at that stage of travel, Fiji and Sydney. But never Nelson, Timaru, or Christchurch.
Then, as one stop holidays on planes increased, it was Hawaii, Los Angeles, not to mention Singapore, and bits of Asia. The argument was always that offshore was more glamorous, and to be blunt too much of this country was too expensive to get around. A seven-day package at Denarau was cheaper than seven nights in Queenstown.
But given foreign shores are out, New Zealand is set to be rediscovered. And here's further good news; you won't regret it.
Whether it was my parents or whether we all did it, I don’t know, but holidaying locally was all I knew growing up. Somehow I have managed to see literally every bit of this country. There isn't a region I haven't been to, there isn't a small town I haven't, at least, past through, or had an ice cream in, or gone to the beach.
Through holidays as a kid, travel through work, or holidaying with family we have been everywhere. And it seems remarkable that seemingly not a lot of others have.
So if you haven't and if you're one of the 30 percent, then you're in for a treat. The key I suspect was the fact we never flew, and the downside of planes is you miss large swathes of countryside.
I drove Wellington to Tauranga too many times to count. At 6 hours, it's big miles, but the countryside is superb. I've done Dunedin to Christchurch and back too many times to count. But Timaru, Oamaru are both brilliant. The hinterland around Ashburton is magnificent. Christchurch to Central Otago, the Mackenzie Country is postcard. Christchurch to the West Coast, Hokitika, Reefton and Westport. I've seen them all.
That’s the beauty of the road. Christchurch to Kaiteriteri, how many thousands of Cantabrians have done it?  The Tasman is as sparkling as it gets. Round the roads of Ruby Bay, Golden Bay, remote and brilliant.
And given we had no money it must have been cheap. It's all still there. Only recently more likely to be frequented by an American or German than a New Zealander. So let's change that, given the place is ours again, at least for now.
Don't leave town till you’ve seen the country. Remember that? A 40 year old ad line as applicable today as it ever was, maybe more so.
 ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22957695/mh200420-01-domestictourismcomment.mp3Mon, 20 Apr 2020 01:28:46 +0000RoccoIs 30 percent huge? The headline was the prediction of a "huge" resurgence in travel once levels get dropped and we can actually start living sort of normally again. This is survey work suggesting 30 percent of us will take a holiday domestically...This is survey work suggesting 30 percent of us will take a holiday domestically within a six month period of being able to do so.
The good news is that’s about one million of us. But I'm not sure a third or less than is that huge. That's two thirds going nowhere.
But here's the good part of all this. When I moved to Auckland 25 years ago I was astonished at how many people had never been to the South Island. They'd been to, at that stage of travel, Fiji and Sydney. But never Nelson, Timaru, or Christchurch.
Then, as one stop holidays on planes increased, it was Hawaii, Los Angeles, not to mention Singapore, and bits of Asia. The argument was always that offshore was more glamorous, and to be blunt too much of this country was too expensive to get around. A seven-day package at Denarau was cheaper than seven nights in Queenstown.
But given foreign shores are out, New Zealand is set to be rediscovered. And here's further good news; you won't regret it.
Whether it was my parents or whether we all did it, I don’t know, but holidaying locally was all I knew growing up. Somehow I have managed to see literally every bit of this country. There isn't a region I haven't been to, there isn't a small town I haven't, at least, past through, or had an ice cream in, or gone to the beach.
Through holidays as a kid, travel through work, or holidaying with family we have been everywhere. And it seems remarkable that seemingly not a lot of others have.
So if you haven't and if you're one of the 30 percent, then you're in for a treat. The key I suspect was the fact we never flew, and the downside of planes is you miss large swathes of countryside.
I drove Wellington to Tauranga too many times to count. At 6 hours, it's big miles, but the countryside is superb. I've done Dunedin to Christchurch and back too many times to count. But Timaru, Oamaru are both brilliant. The hinterland around Ashburton is magnificent. Christchurch to Central Otago, the Mackenzie Country is postcard. Christchurch to the West Coast, Hokitika, Reefton and Westport. I've seen them all.
That’s the beauty of the road. Christchurch to Kaiteriteri, how many thousands of Cantabrians have done it?  The Tasman is as sparkling as it gets. Round the roads of Ruby Bay, Golden Bay, remote and brilliant.
And given we had no money it must have been cheap. It's all still there. Only recently more likely to be frequented by an American or German than a New Zealander. So let's change that, given the place is ours again, at least for now.
Don't leave town till you’ve seen the country. Remember that? A 40 year old ad line as applicable today as it ever was, maybe more so.
 ]]>145falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-we-re-on-top-of-covid-19-coronavirus-so-let-s-get-on-with-it--1008413Firstly, Grant Robertson on Friday at the update bent over backwards to walk back the mistake the Prime Minister had made on Thursday in outlining level three.
She explained it in a way that clearly large swathes of New Zealanders thought we were automatically heading for it, as if it actually started the moment she outlined it.
So on Friday Robertson read out a list of countries that not only hadn't unlocked their people, they had in fact locked them down longer.
Trouble with that was those counties aren't us. Britain was one of his examples. If you compare Britain with us and even begin to think they're remotely similar, there is no hope for you. Once again the messaging has been messy.
We should, of course, be going to level three this week. To my mind, it's a foregone conclusion. Every day fewer and fewer people have the virus. More get over it than get it - we are going backwards in a good way.
But never underestimate those who are besotted with this as a medical experiment. And never underestimate the politicians that see the mirage of elimination as a career-defining moment.
Both groups have a large say in today's announcement. If anything health-wise trips us up it will be contact tracing. We have not been good at it. We haven't got to people fast enough - the same way the police never quite knocked on the doors of the self isolators they way they said they would. The same as the border was closed but no one quite got quarantined until really it was too late.
Also medicos will argue having a bunch of people in supermarket car parks swabbing shoppers randomly isn't all that comprehensive either. So their argument will be, if you're looking for a picture perfect landscape on which to make a level four/level three call, we won't have it.
• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website
Which is not, of course, a reason not to do the sensible thing. But don't forget, this is less about sense than it is ideology, obsession and politics.
Also, don't forget this is a government that is hopelessly indecisive. The fact we got locked down in the first place was really the work of some behind-the-scenes heavyweights who have never got the credit they deserve. This government's weak point is pressure. They don't lead, they react, and they react most to pressure.
So don't be surprised if we get another week at four with a promise of two weeks at three. Like supermarkets got to open Sunday, but not Friday. Why be decisive if you don't have to? Or you don't know how?
Today though, in theory, is the day to do the right thing by us all.
We have paid a spectacular price economically. We achieved many days ago what we set out to do: flatten the curve.
We have been successful, so let's get on with it.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22957659/mh200420-15-level3announcementcomment.mp3Sun, 19 Apr 2020 21:39:44 +0000RoccoThere are some scenarios to think about ahead of this afternoon's big reveal. Firstly, Grant Robertson on Friday at the update bent over backwards to walk back the mistake the Prime Minister had made on Thursday in outlining level three. She explained...Firstly, Grant Robertson on Friday at the update bent over backwards to walk back the mistake the Prime Minister had made on Thursday in outlining level three.
She explained it in a way that clearly large swathes of New Zealanders thought we were automatically heading for it, as if it actually started the moment she outlined it.
So on Friday Robertson read out a list of countries that not only hadn't unlocked their people, they had in fact locked them down longer.
Trouble with that was those counties aren't us. Britain was one of his examples. If you compare Britain with us and even begin to think they're remotely similar, there is no hope for you. Once again the messaging has been messy.
We should, of course, be going to level three this week. To my mind, it's a foregone conclusion. Every day fewer and fewer people have the virus. More get over it than get it - we are going backwards in a good way.
But never underestimate those who are besotted with this as a medical experiment. And never underestimate the politicians that see the mirage of elimination as a career-defining moment.
Both groups have a large say in today's announcement. If anything health-wise trips us up it will be contact tracing. We have not been good at it. We haven't got to people fast enough - the same way the police never quite knocked on the doors of the self isolators they way they said they would. The same as the border was closed but no one quite got quarantined until really it was too late.
Also medicos will argue having a bunch of people in supermarket car parks swabbing shoppers randomly isn't all that comprehensive either. So their argument will be, if you're looking for a picture perfect landscape on which to make a level four/level three call, we won't have it.
• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website
Which is not, of course, a reason not to do the sensible thing. But don't forget, this is less about sense than it is ideology, obsession and politics.
Also, don't forget this is a government that is hopelessly indecisive. The fact we got locked down in the first place was really the work of some behind-the-scenes heavyweights who have never got the credit they deserve. This government's weak point is pressure. They don't lead, they react, and they react most to pressure.
So don't be surprised if we get another week at four with a promise of two weeks at three. Like supermarkets got to open Sunday, but not Friday. Why be decisive if you don't have to? Or you don't know how?
Today though, in theory, is the day to do the right thing by us all.
We have paid a spectacular price economically. We achieved many days ago what we set out to do: flatten the curve.
We have been successful, so let's get on with it.]]>149falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-let-s-keep-hearing-from-our-business-leaders--1008440Level Three Restrictions.
6/10.
"In a nutshell level three is Australia.
Australia is where we should have been all along. Australia are doing better than us.
This is where we should have been for a month."
If Monday's Decision is to Move to Level Three.
8/10.
"It's the only call."
If Monday's Decision is to Extend the Lockdown.
0/10.
"Given the virus numbers are farcical."
All the Entrepreneurs Putting up Good Ideas.
8/10.
"We've featured ideas from the likes of Sir Bob Jones, Connor English, Sam Stubbs, Patrick Smellie, Troy Bowker, and Rod Drury.
There is a growing body of intelligent, well thought out, and clever insight into all this.
There has been no excuse not to learn and know more."
Treasury Modelling.
3/10.
"Way too much politics.
Telling us life would be a mess if we were in level four for six months, and level three for six months serves no purpose.
Other than to scare people and allow Finance Ministers to claim they are heroes."
Ashley Bloomfield.
8/10.
"He's highly political and he's fudged a lot around swabs, testing and PPE.
But broadly, he's been the star of the show.
He doesn’t talk to you like you're four, and knows his stuff."
Online Shopping from Offshore.
3/10.
"It's super uncool at the expense of local retail."
Kiwifruit.
9/10.
"A record start to this season which is a multi-billion dollar saviour.
The farmers and growers of this land once more are the heroes they always really were.
But just lately not treated that way."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22957513/mh170420-13-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 16 Apr 2020 22:36:34 +0000RoccoAt the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. Level Three Restrictions. 6/10. "In a nutshell level three is Australia. Australia is where we should have been all along....Level Three Restrictions.
6/10.
"In a nutshell level three is Australia.
Australia is where we should have been all along. Australia are doing better than us.
This is where we should have been for a month."
If Monday's Decision is to Move to Level Three.
8/10.
"It's the only call."
If Monday's Decision is to Extend the Lockdown.
0/10.
"Given the virus numbers are farcical."
All the Entrepreneurs Putting up Good Ideas.
8/10.
"We've featured ideas from the likes of Sir Bob Jones, Connor English, Sam Stubbs, Patrick Smellie, Troy Bowker, and Rod Drury.
There is a growing body of intelligent, well thought out, and clever insight into all this.
There has been no excuse not to learn and know more."
Treasury Modelling.
3/10.
"Way too much politics.
Telling us life would be a mess if we were in level four for six months, and level three for six months serves no purpose.
Other than to scare people and allow Finance Ministers to claim they are heroes."
Ashley Bloomfield.
8/10.
"He's highly political and he's fudged a lot around swabs, testing and PPE.
But broadly, he's been the star of the show.
He doesn’t talk to you like you're four, and knows his stuff."
Online Shopping from Offshore.
3/10.
"It's super uncool at the expense of local retail."
Kiwifruit.
9/10.
"A record start to this season which is a multi-billion dollar saviour.
The farmers and growers of this land once more are the heroes they always really were.
But just lately not treated that way."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>179falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-have-we-overreacted-to-all-of-this--1008530So, welcome to Australia. Or should I say "g'day, where the bloody hell have you been?" Level three is Australia.
If you watched the Prime Minister's address yesterday, I reckon she made a few glaring errors.
She suggested we are in the unique position to eliminate the virus. She is wrong. Elimination is a mirage. Unless you have a vaccine, you don't eliminate a virus. And what, given we don't have a vaccine, does elimination look like? Ask anyone and you will not get a straight answer.
She defended the potential charge of overreaction: "We don't want to confuse reaction with overreaction."
I say she said that because that's exactly what she did do - she overreacted. The 1000 hospital beds empty are proof of that, the ICU units that have barely been bothered are proof of that. The economic carnage is proof of that.
She says we are in the rare position of being able to take the next steps.
There is nothing rare about it. Rome opened some shops this week, huge swathes of Europe stepped into the light this week. Spain sent hundreds of thousands of people back to work. And that's before you get to Australia, who have been doing what we are about to do ever since they locked their country down.
As for level three, you can get takeaways, you can build a building, and you can attend a funeral.
Australia has been doing this for weeks now.
The numbers simply don't lie. In the obsession to eliminate, they have failed to accept our lockdown went too far.
Australia's numbers are equal if not better than ours. They test more, and yet have been able to do more.
Basically, we have lost a month economically.
Ardern is right to suggest that we don't want to try too much too soon, only to go back.
But our level three is hardly going to push any envelopes. You're still working from home, a few kids might go to school, the odd wedding might be held, and you might go for a surf.
But all those businesses that had hope of being able to resurrect themselves in some shape or form, the hospitality industry for example, have been consigned to potentially two months of no income, and who knows how many jobs on the scrapheap by the end of it.
The risk they're taking now is buy-in.
Given the Australian comparison is now laid bare, how many don't quite believe in the way they did it? How many now see the health obsession, given the numbers, as over the top? How many see the economic wreckage as simply too large?
Sir John Key was spot on. Locking down was the easy bit. Even on Monday, if they go to level three, as each day passes, their credibility will increasingly be tested.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22957504/mh170420-01-level3comment.mp3Thu, 16 Apr 2020 21:24:19 +0000RoccoCOMMENT So, welcome to Australia. Or should I say "g'day, where the bloody hell have you been?" Level three is Australia. If you watched the Prime Minister's address yesterday, I reckon she made a few glaring errors. She suggested we are in the unique...So, welcome to Australia. Or should I say "g'day, where the bloody hell have you been?" Level three is Australia.
If you watched the Prime Minister's address yesterday, I reckon she made a few glaring errors.
She suggested we are in the unique position to eliminate the virus. She is wrong. Elimination is a mirage. Unless you have a vaccine, you don't eliminate a virus. And what, given we don't have a vaccine, does elimination look like? Ask anyone and you will not get a straight answer.
She defended the potential charge of overreaction: "We don't want to confuse reaction with overreaction."
I say she said that because that's exactly what she did do - she overreacted. The 1000 hospital beds empty are proof of that, the ICU units that have barely been bothered are proof of that. The economic carnage is proof of that.
She says we are in the rare position of being able to take the next steps.
There is nothing rare about it. Rome opened some shops this week, huge swathes of Europe stepped into the light this week. Spain sent hundreds of thousands of people back to work. And that's before you get to Australia, who have been doing what we are about to do ever since they locked their country down.
As for level three, you can get takeaways, you can build a building, and you can attend a funeral.
Australia has been doing this for weeks now.
The numbers simply don't lie. In the obsession to eliminate, they have failed to accept our lockdown went too far.
Australia's numbers are equal if not better than ours. They test more, and yet have been able to do more.
Basically, we have lost a month economically.
Ardern is right to suggest that we don't want to try too much too soon, only to go back.
But our level three is hardly going to push any envelopes. You're still working from home, a few kids might go to school, the odd wedding might be held, and you might go for a surf.
But all those businesses that had hope of being able to resurrect themselves in some shape or form, the hospitality industry for example, have been consigned to potentially two months of no income, and who knows how many jobs on the scrapheap by the end of it.
The risk they're taking now is buy-in.
Given the Australian comparison is now laid bare, how many don't quite believe in the way they did it? How many now see the health obsession, given the numbers, as over the top? How many see the economic wreckage as simply too large?
Sir John Key was spot on. Locking down was the easy bit. Even on Monday, if they go to level three, as each day passes, their credibility will increasingly be tested.]]>150falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-why-the-50m-for-a-visa-idea-is-a-good-one--1008533Given that any idea is at least worth a look at times like these, you have to say the concept of the wealthy pitching in $50 million apiece in return for a visa is not a bad one.
It'll attract the usual xenophobic hyper-reaction, of course.
Its success though will, or should, depend on what sort of investment you're talking about.
Previously - before this government locked out a lot of foreigners driven by the combination of New Zealand First's dislike of foreign people, and Labour's sheer naivety over housing and the belief that stopping an American billionaire buying a $15 million bolt-hole was somehow going to help a first home buyer get into the bungalow market - this country was in fact open for business.
And that's the general theme we should be looking at.
Tourism is stuffed for a long while. Domestic travel will help, but it won't make up for the 25 per cent the Chinese and Americans provided.
And although housing is a bit of an open question at the moment, given no one really has a handle on what will happen given it's closed right now, we need to look at every and all opportunities to help where we can.
Making this a destination once again is the most obvious of starts.
We already were a magnet of sorts. What we take for granted is treasured by those that don't have it. A tiny place at the bottom of the world, isolation, an island, a sparse population and yet connected to the planet, and a level of sophistication in various areas that doesn't make us a backwater.
We are as appealing as it gets.
Troy Bowker's visa idea is a $100 billion idea. That's 33 per cent of our old GDP.
Equally, and perhaps much more accessible, is the housing market - especially for places like Queenstown, and those that rely on tourism. The world is full of people who may not have $50 million, but do have $10 million or $5 million. They are the ones that bought the big houses before.
The research showed they didn't tilt the market. They were just 3 per cent of the market - and that was just the offshore foreigners. Until the government decided we hated them, they were an important and lucrative part of the housing market.
A country needs to sell what it does well. We did tourism well, but for reasons out of our control, not now.
We still do farming and feeding well, we still export well, we are still an attractive jewel at the bottom of the world, for a house, for some land, for some investment, and for a future.
Just look at this place and put it on a brochure. If you can't sell that for top dollar, you don't know how to sell.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22957435/mh160420-01-payingforvisascomment.mp3Wed, 15 Apr 2020 21:42:30 +0000RoccoComment Given that any idea is at least worth a look at times like these, you have to say the concept of the wealthy pitching in $50 million apiece in return for a visa is not a bad one. It'll attract the usual xenophobic hyper-reaction, of course....Given that any idea is at least worth a look at times like these, you have to say the concept of the wealthy pitching in $50 million apiece in return for a visa is not a bad one.
It'll attract the usual xenophobic hyper-reaction, of course.
Its success though will, or should, depend on what sort of investment you're talking about.
Previously - before this government locked out a lot of foreigners driven by the combination of New Zealand First's dislike of foreign people, and Labour's sheer naivety over housing and the belief that stopping an American billionaire buying a $15 million bolt-hole was somehow going to help a first home buyer get into the bungalow market - this country was in fact open for business.
And that's the general theme we should be looking at.
Tourism is stuffed for a long while. Domestic travel will help, but it won't make up for the 25 per cent the Chinese and Americans provided.
And although housing is a bit of an open question at the moment, given no one really has a handle on what will happen given it's closed right now, we need to look at every and all opportunities to help where we can.
Making this a destination once again is the most obvious of starts.
We already were a magnet of sorts. What we take for granted is treasured by those that don't have it. A tiny place at the bottom of the world, isolation, an island, a sparse population and yet connected to the planet, and a level of sophistication in various areas that doesn't make us a backwater.
We are as appealing as it gets.
Troy Bowker's visa idea is a $100 billion idea. That's 33 per cent of our old GDP.
Equally, and perhaps much more accessible, is the housing market - especially for places like Queenstown, and those that rely on tourism. The world is full of people who may not have $50 million, but do have $10 million or $5 million. They are the ones that bought the big houses before.
The research showed they didn't tilt the market. They were just 3 per cent of the market - and that was just the offshore foreigners. Until the government decided we hated them, they were an important and lucrative part of the housing market.
A country needs to sell what it does well. We did tourism well, but for reasons out of our control, not now.
We still do farming and feeding well, we still export well, we are still an attractive jewel at the bottom of the world, for a house, for some land, for some investment, and for a future.
Just look at this place and put it on a brochure. If you can't sell that for top dollar, you don't know how to sell.]]>126falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-economy-must-be-part-of-virus-plan--1008492There is no doubt that over a very short period of time as we enter the end of week three of level four that, given we are a tiny nation, an island nation and fairly sparsely populated, that if you close the place and prevent people dong anything, you will get the sort of health outcome we are getting.
But the evidence is mounting we are overdoing the health side of the equation.
You can't hide from the numbers, not just the numbers of recoveries or of new cases, but the tiny number comparatively of cases overall. The number of hospital beds that lie empty for increasingly no good reason at all. The ICU capacity that simply hasn’t or won't be used.
For a health professional, or obsessive, these are golden days. This is an experiment the likes of which we are, fingers crossed, never likely to need to repeat. Put a country on ice, and watch what happens.
But the rest of the world are getting ahead of us. The rest of the world, or at least growing parts, are doing a couple of things we aren't. Getting back to work, and locking down with a more realistic approach to the economy.
We are not eliminating the virus. That is fanciful. Is it possible if we stayed locked down for another four weeks, and the new daily rate drops to next to nothing, and the recovery number continues to rise, that eventually we will get to a statistical zero? Of course it is.
But that’s not the point. Being broke with no official cases means nothing. Because we are broke, and testing shows we have people with the virus who either don’t know it, or we don't know it because testing hasn't been wide enough.
The University of Gothenburg has the numbers. They claim tiny proportions of actual cases have been captured. In Iceland they suspect huge swathes of people potentially have it without knowing it. And so, increasing numbers of countries are returning to work.
Or places like Australia are still locked down, but locked down less than us. And it is too Australia we must look most closely. Why? Because they are us. We are the same model.
Is their curve flatter? Yes. Is there death rate comparable? Yes. Is their economy more open therefore less damaged and more readily able to restart? Yes.
If it's pure health you're after, then the little lab experiment our Prime Minister seems so besotted with is fantastic. But she may preside over it while standing in a smouldering economic ruin. Meantime Australia will get out quicker and be economically leaving us in their dust.
We aren't leading the world in a place that counts. They are. We need to look and learn, fast.    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22957357/mh150420-13-healthvseconomycomment.mp3Tue, 14 Apr 2020 21:48:48 +0000RoccoYes, another good health day for this country. Another day in which the new cases drop. Another day, more importantly, where the number of recoveries far outweighs the number of new cases.  There is no doubt that over a very short period of time as we...There is no doubt that over a very short period of time as we enter the end of week three of level four that, given we are a tiny nation, an island nation and fairly sparsely populated, that if you close the place and prevent people dong anything, you will get the sort of health outcome we are getting.
But the evidence is mounting we are overdoing the health side of the equation.
You can't hide from the numbers, not just the numbers of recoveries or of new cases, but the tiny number comparatively of cases overall. The number of hospital beds that lie empty for increasingly no good reason at all. The ICU capacity that simply hasn’t or won't be used.
For a health professional, or obsessive, these are golden days. This is an experiment the likes of which we are, fingers crossed, never likely to need to repeat. Put a country on ice, and watch what happens.
But the rest of the world are getting ahead of us. The rest of the world, or at least growing parts, are doing a couple of things we aren't. Getting back to work, and locking down with a more realistic approach to the economy.
We are not eliminating the virus. That is fanciful. Is it possible if we stayed locked down for another four weeks, and the new daily rate drops to next to nothing, and the recovery number continues to rise, that eventually we will get to a statistical zero? Of course it is.
But that’s not the point. Being broke with no official cases means nothing. Because we are broke, and testing shows we have people with the virus who either don’t know it, or we don't know it because testing hasn't been wide enough.
The University of Gothenburg has the numbers. They claim tiny proportions of actual cases have been captured. In Iceland they suspect huge swathes of people potentially have it without knowing it. And so, increasing numbers of countries are returning to work.
Or places like Australia are still locked down, but locked down less than us. And it is too Australia we must look most closely. Why? Because they are us. We are the same model.
Is their curve flatter? Yes. Is there death rate comparable? Yes. Is their economy more open therefore less damaged and more readily able to restart? Yes.
If it's pure health you're after, then the little lab experiment our Prime Minister seems so besotted with is fantastic. But she may preside over it while standing in a smouldering economic ruin. Meantime Australia will get out quicker and be economically leaving us in their dust.
We aren't leading the world in a place that counts. They are. We need to look and learn, fast.    ]]>149falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-who-s-got-the-best-virus-strategy--1008539Iceland has tested more than anyone, as in percentage of their population, and what they found is exciting and yet worrying. 
Large numbers who tested positive showed no signs of having the virus at the time of testing.  
Which means most countries, including ours, who don’t test unless you seem like you're ill, may never know what we have actually been dealing with.  
And more importantly you can argue the lockdown is a waste of time, given we may have huge numbers of people who aren't remotely ill and yet passing the virus on.  
Norway claims they have it under control. Parts of Scandanavia are starting to reopen businesses, the Czech Republic have hardware shops open and you can go swimming, Austria is largely open this week, in Norway the kindergartens are back open this week as well.  
Australia on a patients per million scale is outperforming us. Not by much, but a bit. Their advantage though is their economy has remained more active than ours, thus leading to the possibility the economic carnage won't be as great, or as long term.  
There is no doubt our numbers look superb. But the overarching question remains at what cost? 
Sweden is still a work in progress. The numbers are hardly alarming. They are not as good as ours, but given they’ve barely locked the place down at all, you can mount a pretty solid argument that their approach may well yet prove to be a winning one.  
We have that careful line between stopping a virus, but not killing your economy in the process.  
What’s interesting about Norway is they have over 6000 cases and more than deaths, and they have the same population as us. So who's beating who?  
Our numbers win by a large margin but they claim they’ve cracked it. We are making no such claim, why not? We must be close to declaring victory.  
Borders are closed, clusters are largely contained, the numbers are only heading one way, what’s holding them back? 
The answer is their almost unique obsession with elimination, but what's elimination? 
Zero? And if they ever get to zero, do they know they're at zero given the Iceland work?
Or if they reach zero, open the cafes and it goes back to 100, then what?  
My fear is we got obsessed by this, and we make it all about health and nothing else. No one else has got that extreme bar the Chinese, who I think we can all agree made most of their story up anyway.  
So we are the global outliers, and trying something no one else has. We’re looking, at least, in the health part very successful. But maybe ultimately in focusing too much on one aspect of a much bigger picture, we will end up winning a battle, but losing the war. ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22957291/mh140420-01-lockdowncomment.mp3Mon, 13 Apr 2020 23:24:13 +0000RoccoIs it a contest? It's a sort of a contest, isn't it? Who is winning this thing?  Iceland has tested more than anyone, as in percentage of their population, and what they found is exciting and yet worrying.  Large numbers who tested positive showed no...Iceland has tested more than anyone, as in percentage of their population, and what they found is exciting and yet worrying. 
Large numbers who tested positive showed no signs of having the virus at the time of testing.  
Which means most countries, including ours, who don’t test unless you seem like you're ill, may never know what we have actually been dealing with.  
And more importantly you can argue the lockdown is a waste of time, given we may have huge numbers of people who aren't remotely ill and yet passing the virus on.  
Norway claims they have it under control. Parts of Scandanavia are starting to reopen businesses, the Czech Republic have hardware shops open and you can go swimming, Austria is largely open this week, in Norway the kindergartens are back open this week as well.  
Australia on a patients per million scale is outperforming us. Not by much, but a bit. Their advantage though is their economy has remained more active than ours, thus leading to the possibility the economic carnage won't be as great, or as long term.  
There is no doubt our numbers look superb. But the overarching question remains at what cost? 
Sweden is still a work in progress. The numbers are hardly alarming. They are not as good as ours, but given they’ve barely locked the place down at all, you can mount a pretty solid argument that their approach may well yet prove to be a winning one.  
We have that careful line between stopping a virus, but not killing your economy in the process.  
What’s interesting about Norway is they have over 6000 cases and more than deaths, and they have the same population as us. So who's beating who?  
Our numbers win by a large margin but they claim they’ve cracked it. We are making no such claim, why not? We must be close to declaring victory.  
Borders are closed, clusters are largely contained, the numbers are only heading one way, what’s holding them back? 
The answer is their almost unique obsession with elimination, but what's elimination? 
Zero? And if they ever get to zero, do they know they're at zero given the Iceland work?
Or if they reach zero, open the cafes and it goes back to 100, then what?  
My fear is we got obsessed by this, and we make it all about health and nothing else. No one else has got that extreme bar the Chinese, who I think we can all agree made most of their story up anyway.  
So we are the global outliers, and trying something no one else has. We’re looking, at least, in the health part very successful. But maybe ultimately in focusing too much on one aspect of a much bigger picture, we will end up winning a battle, but losing the war. ]]>145falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-economy-vs-health-debate--1008537The Queen.
9/10.
"She was the highlight of the week.
It was a rare appearance, beautifully timed, brilliantly thought through, wonderfully uplifting, and effective."
The Covid-19 Numbers.
8/10.
"A rocky, bumpy, and uncertain old ride.
But a number of countries from Britain, Spain, Italy, Norway, Germany, Australia, to us declared that their curve was flattening.
The numbers could be seen as encouraging, and in Norway's case they are under control."
David Clark.
0/10.
"His beach trip was inexplicable, bizarre, and arrogant.
The fact he retains his job long term is equally mad."
The Economy v Health Debate.
5/10.
"This is the great dilemma.
A dozen people in hospital, 1000 beds empty, and lord knows how many businesses on their knees.
Have we done this right? It will be the question of the age."
The Butchers and Green-Grocers.
7/10.
"Very, very unfairly treated.
The advice has been wonky, if not shonky.
And the Prime Minister's claim she has been consistent is laughable."
The Lockdown.
8/10.
"We're halfway through, and by in large it's held up well.
And the spirits remain mostly intact."
The Narks.
3/10.
"This is exception to the lockdown number.
Too much bitching and backstabbing from a tiny handful of the bitter and nasty.
Too much focus on cauliflower, beachgoers, and telling tales.
Easter.
8/10.
"A double-edged sword this year.
Great to have a break, not so great to have a break going nowhere as the bach, beach ,hotel, motel, and campsite sits empty."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22957070/mh090420-14-marktheweek.mp3Wed, 08 Apr 2020 22:20:12 +0000RoccoAt 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 Queen. 9/10. "She was the highlight of the week. It was a rare appearance, beautifully timed, brilliantly thought through,...The Queen.
9/10.
"She was the highlight of the week.
It was a rare appearance, beautifully timed, brilliantly thought through, wonderfully uplifting, and effective."
The Covid-19 Numbers.
8/10.
"A rocky, bumpy, and uncertain old ride.
But a number of countries from Britain, Spain, Italy, Norway, Germany, Australia, to us declared that their curve was flattening.
The numbers could be seen as encouraging, and in Norway's case they are under control."
David Clark.
0/10.
"His beach trip was inexplicable, bizarre, and arrogant.
The fact he retains his job long term is equally mad."
The Economy v Health Debate.
5/10.
"This is the great dilemma.
A dozen people in hospital, 1000 beds empty, and lord knows how many businesses on their knees.
Have we done this right? It will be the question of the age."
The Butchers and Green-Grocers.
7/10.
"Very, very unfairly treated.
The advice has been wonky, if not shonky.
And the Prime Minister's claim she has been consistent is laughable."
The Lockdown.
8/10.
"We're halfway through, and by in large it's held up well.
And the spirits remain mostly intact."
The Narks.
3/10.
"This is exception to the lockdown number.
Too much bitching and backstabbing from a tiny handful of the bitter and nasty.
Too much focus on cauliflower, beachgoers, and telling tales.
Easter.
8/10.
"A double-edged sword this year.
Great to have a break, not so great to have a break going nowhere as the bach, beach ,hotel, motel, and campsite sits empty."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>187falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-ceo-pay-cut-debate-is-just-virtue-signalling--1008563He is the first banking boss, he heads the Nationwide Building Society,  to offer to take a pay cut after the Bank of England wrote to all the major banks and suggested everyone take a haircut.
Like so much of what is going on now, this is sort of being made up as we go along. The pay cut call has become an industry of sorts.
The Fletcher's saga here has been the one to ignite most reaction. We've got lots of calls for MPs to take pay cuts for a combination of reasons. Many are at home doing seemingly little, they're part of the state side of the economy, the side that isn't overtly being affected by the lockdown, and general economic hit the rest of us are taking.
Sport has had the issue for a variety of reasons. Mainly because they make their money doing something they can no longer do, so therefore there is no income.
So by the time you mix all the scenarios and examples together, it, like so much of this, is a bit of a mess.
You also have to factor in the envy part of it. Some want those who earn good money to take a cut, just for the sake of it. And a bank boss would be right up there.
Unfortunately the rational, if there ever was any, has gone flying out the window, as it's far easier to simply make the call to cut pay than it is to explain it or justify it. For some, who don't like well paid people, the rational appears to be little more than, you can afford it. So in other words as long as you have the price of a bag of groceries, why do you need any more?
Then we come to the specifics of the cut and what tangibly it achieves. In sport, it's easy to argue. It's survival. The rugby union here handed over two and a half million dollars. And given you only have what you have, you make it last, and spread it around.
But what about those that are open, trading, and heaven forbid actually doing well? The people running the banks will never have been busier. These are dramatic, uncharted times. Skill, experience and gonads have never been more heavily relied upon. So he or she is more than earning their crust.
If someone who doesn’t actually have to take a cut, takes a cut for nothing more than a goodwill gesture, whose goodwill are they garnering? And for how long? How long is a piece of string? If the Queen moved to her least luxurious castle to deliver this week's message do you feel any differently about her?
If the gesture has no real tangibility, if it doesn’t save a job, if it makes no material difference, we enter, do we not, the world of virtue signalling?
Joe Garner may or may not take his cut. But either way, little, if anything changes, which makes the whole maelstrom around it little more than a sport.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22957066/mh090420-01-paycutscomment.mp3Wed, 08 Apr 2020 21:45:04 +0000RoccoJoe Garner might well become a hero of sorts in Britain.  He is the first banking boss, he heads the Nationwide Building Society,  to offer to take a pay cut after the Bank of England wrote to all the major banks and suggested everyone take a haircut....He is the first banking boss, he heads the Nationwide Building Society,  to offer to take a pay cut after the Bank of England wrote to all the major banks and suggested everyone take a haircut.
Like so much of what is going on now, this is sort of being made up as we go along. The pay cut call has become an industry of sorts.
The Fletcher's saga here has been the one to ignite most reaction. We've got lots of calls for MPs to take pay cuts for a combination of reasons. Many are at home doing seemingly little, they're part of the state side of the economy, the side that isn't overtly being affected by the lockdown, and general economic hit the rest of us are taking.
Sport has had the issue for a variety of reasons. Mainly because they make their money doing something they can no longer do, so therefore there is no income.
So by the time you mix all the scenarios and examples together, it, like so much of this, is a bit of a mess.
You also have to factor in the envy part of it. Some want those who earn good money to take a cut, just for the sake of it. And a bank boss would be right up there.
Unfortunately the rational, if there ever was any, has gone flying out the window, as it's far easier to simply make the call to cut pay than it is to explain it or justify it. For some, who don't like well paid people, the rational appears to be little more than, you can afford it. So in other words as long as you have the price of a bag of groceries, why do you need any more?
Then we come to the specifics of the cut and what tangibly it achieves. In sport, it's easy to argue. It's survival. The rugby union here handed over two and a half million dollars. And given you only have what you have, you make it last, and spread it around.
But what about those that are open, trading, and heaven forbid actually doing well? The people running the banks will never have been busier. These are dramatic, uncharted times. Skill, experience and gonads have never been more heavily relied upon. So he or she is more than earning their crust.
If someone who doesn’t actually have to take a cut, takes a cut for nothing more than a goodwill gesture, whose goodwill are they garnering? And for how long? How long is a piece of string? If the Queen moved to her least luxurious castle to deliver this week's message do you feel any differently about her?
If the gesture has no real tangibility, if it doesn’t save a job, if it makes no material difference, we enter, do we not, the world of virtue signalling?
Joe Garner may or may not take his cut. But either way, little, if anything changes, which makes the whole maelstrom around it little more than a sport.]]>135falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-prime-minister-is-soft-when-it-comes-to-discipline--1008518I had assumed, clearly incorrectly, that yesterday afternoon she would be addressing the David Clark fiasco by confirming he remains as Health Minister during the Covid-19 crisis, but at its conclusion he would relinquish that portfolio and be setting himself up on the backbench.
Why did I think that? I have no idea.
The legacy of this government is virtually no one gets sacked. Not Clare Curran, not Iain Lees-Galloway, and Meka Whaitiri only got the don't come Monday because it involved violence.
I would have fully backed the Prime Minister yesterday if she'd said what she should have said, because the cold hard truth is right now an established figure in a critical role like health is needed. Her argument, and my defence of it, is slightly weakened by the fact Clark, of course, has been nowhere to be seen.
So you could suggest he's not actually that valuable at all. But in theory in a health crisis, the Health Minister should be a critically important component.
Also, another cold hard truth is the talent, or lack of it. Associate Health Ministers Jenny Salesa and Julie Anne Genter are the next cabs off the rank. We all know we can't afford for that to happen.
The truth is Clark is saved by this government's sheer lack of talent.
It was, of course, Genter who fronted the measles disaster last year. Remember that? The refusal to force people to get vaccinated, the insistence on asking nicely, the exportation of the disease to the Pacific, that's the Genter approach to healthcare. Clark looks a solid pair of hands compared to that, even if he spent the rest of the crisis at the beach on his mountain bike.
The problem for the Prime Minister if we ever get to an election, is she has opened herself up to the charge of being fantastically soft when it comes to discipline. Even in Shane Jones, where it's become a joke. Although she can claim he's from another party, he's still a Cabinet Minister and the Minister is part of the collective responsibility. She is the boss of the government and needs to act like it.
In terms of cock ups this has been a calamitous government. All government's have trouble, but this lot particularly so, but the damage is always mitigated if the response is clear and appropriate.
It is Ardern's glaring weak spot. In the same week she declares the Easter Bunny an essential worker, she let's yet another of her hopeless colleagues partially off the hook. It sums her up. If you need a hug you're in expert hands. Anything harder? Forget it.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22956982/mh080420-14-notfiringclarkcomment.mp3Tue, 07 Apr 2020 22:41:41 +0000RoccoThe Prime Minister's reputation remains intact. When it comes to hard decisions around her colleagues, she is still in search of a spine. I had assumed, clearly incorrectly, that yesterday afternoon she would be addressing the David Clark fiasco by...I had assumed, clearly incorrectly, that yesterday afternoon she would be addressing the David Clark fiasco by confirming he remains as Health Minister during the Covid-19 crisis, but at its conclusion he would relinquish that portfolio and be setting himself up on the backbench.
Why did I think that? I have no idea.
The legacy of this government is virtually no one gets sacked. Not Clare Curran, not Iain Lees-Galloway, and Meka Whaitiri only got the don't come Monday because it involved violence.
I would have fully backed the Prime Minister yesterday if she'd said what she should have said, because the cold hard truth is right now an established figure in a critical role like health is needed. Her argument, and my defence of it, is slightly weakened by the fact Clark, of course, has been nowhere to be seen.
So you could suggest he's not actually that valuable at all. But in theory in a health crisis, the Health Minister should be a critically important component.
Also, another cold hard truth is the talent, or lack of it. Associate Health Ministers Jenny Salesa and Julie Anne Genter are the next cabs off the rank. We all know we can't afford for that to happen.
The truth is Clark is saved by this government's sheer lack of talent.
It was, of course, Genter who fronted the measles disaster last year. Remember that? The refusal to force people to get vaccinated, the insistence on asking nicely, the exportation of the disease to the Pacific, that's the Genter approach to healthcare. Clark looks a solid pair of hands compared to that, even if he spent the rest of the crisis at the beach on his mountain bike.
The problem for the Prime Minister if we ever get to an election, is she has opened herself up to the charge of being fantastically soft when it comes to discipline. Even in Shane Jones, where it's become a joke. Although she can claim he's from another party, he's still a Cabinet Minister and the Minister is part of the collective responsibility. She is the boss of the government and needs to act like it.
In terms of cock ups this has been a calamitous government. All government's have trouble, but this lot particularly so, but the damage is always mitigated if the response is clear and appropriate.
It is Ardern's glaring weak spot. In the same week she declares the Easter Bunny an essential worker, she let's yet another of her hopeless colleagues partially off the hook. It sums her up. If you need a hug you're in expert hands. Anything harder? Forget it.]]>133falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-we-need-some-magic-to-get-out-of-lockdown-in-good-shape--1008422Yes, numbers are still rising. And no, the fact yesterday was slightly lower than the day before is not a trend, but the numbers in total don’t add up to much, the borders are closed essentially, those arriving back are down to a trickle despite the fact they are not being quarantined, and the clusters seem reasonably contained. You would, as amateurs in this whole business, be excused for thinking there seems little reason  why all of a sudden now, out of nowhere, the numbers would suddenly spike.
So using that as a working model, let us jump ahead a bit to the next crunch point, the next point of angst. What re-opens at the end of four weeks? Do we go to level two? What does that look like?
By the way look at level three, it's barely different to level four. So what opens at level two? How much of the economy is moving? And how much at that point do we reignite the argument we are already having as to what should be operating and what shouldn’t?
We will get a bit of a read on the economic damage as well. How many cafes don’t re-open? How many businesses are finished? Hospitality, as in tourism, and it's many wounds will be there for all to see, given the borders aren't opening and no one will be going on holiday.
So we will sort of limp into a new, reduced kind of economy. And that's the really tricky bit for the government.
Sir John Key is 100 percent right, getting into this was the easy bit. And as easy as it was to lock everything down, look at the messaging and decision problems we've had around that. You can triple them, if not more, on the way out. People will be desperate to trade, some will not be able to. Why not? They will ask this, with increasing levels of alarm.
Does the lockdown mean we are so pent up we go nuts, and social distancing is out the door? If you surfed and partied during a lockdown, lord knows what we're up to in level two? How much risk are you running with infection rates ballooning if we venture out?
And given that risk, how big a call is it to lower from level four anyway?
These numbers, if they hold, if they show a pattern, potentially put us in a world leading category. We are lucky we are an island nation, we are lucky we locked down so tight, we are lucky isolation seems to be working, and we are lucky there are so few of us to start with.
The bit we are in is eye wateringly expensive, perhaps too expensive, given the carnage already, and the carnage to come.
But this bit is actually easy, doing largely nothing is easy. How to return to normality, and what that normality looks like, and is reacted to, that's not just hard, its a mixture of  courage, guess work, luck, and potentially even a bit of magic.    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22956899/mh070420-12-curvecomment.mp3Mon, 06 Apr 2020 21:48:35 +0000RoccoI think we have to take heart out of the numbers, don’t we? Surely this is the turning point of sorts we are looking for. Yes, numbers are still rising. And no, the fact yesterday was slightly lower than the day before is not a trend, but the numbers...Yes, numbers are still rising. And no, the fact yesterday was slightly lower than the day before is not a trend, but the numbers in total don’t add up to much, the borders are closed essentially, those arriving back are down to a trickle despite the fact they are not being quarantined, and the clusters seem reasonably contained. You would, as amateurs in this whole business, be excused for thinking there seems little reason  why all of a sudden now, out of nowhere, the numbers would suddenly spike.
So using that as a working model, let us jump ahead a bit to the next crunch point, the next point of angst. What re-opens at the end of four weeks? Do we go to level two? What does that look like?
By the way look at level three, it's barely different to level four. So what opens at level two? How much of the economy is moving? And how much at that point do we reignite the argument we are already having as to what should be operating and what shouldn’t?
We will get a bit of a read on the economic damage as well. How many cafes don’t re-open? How many businesses are finished? Hospitality, as in tourism, and it's many wounds will be there for all to see, given the borders aren't opening and no one will be going on holiday.
So we will sort of limp into a new, reduced kind of economy. And that's the really tricky bit for the government.
Sir John Key is 100 percent right, getting into this was the easy bit. And as easy as it was to lock everything down, look at the messaging and decision problems we've had around that. You can triple them, if not more, on the way out. People will be desperate to trade, some will not be able to. Why not? They will ask this, with increasing levels of alarm.
Does the lockdown mean we are so pent up we go nuts, and social distancing is out the door? If you surfed and partied during a lockdown, lord knows what we're up to in level two? How much risk are you running with infection rates ballooning if we venture out?
And given that risk, how big a call is it to lower from level four anyway?
These numbers, if they hold, if they show a pattern, potentially put us in a world leading category. We are lucky we are an island nation, we are lucky we locked down so tight, we are lucky isolation seems to be working, and we are lucky there are so few of us to start with.
The bit we are in is eye wateringly expensive, perhaps too expensive, given the carnage already, and the carnage to come.
But this bit is actually easy, doing largely nothing is easy. How to return to normality, and what that normality looks like, and is reacted to, that's not just hard, its a mixture of  courage, guess work, luck, and potentially even a bit of magic.    ]]>145falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-price-gouging-allegations-are-nonsense--1008527The Epidemic Response Committee.
9/10.
"What a wondrous revelation this has been. It's democracy in action.
And it's shown a government appallingly exposed on testing, their lack of plan and planning, changes to essential services, and a spectacular smack-down by an economist pleading for an adult to be running this thing."
Government's Response this week.
2/10.
From testing, to the flu jab, to PPE, to contact tracing, to airport isolations, or lack of them.
By weeks end, this is a government that is losing control of the plan, if there was one.
Plus they're losing the narrative, and the goodwill of an increasing number of New Zealanders."
Allegations of Price Gouging.
2/10.
"Over 1000 people emailed the government over prices, even about cauliflower.
I despair. If it was illegal not to buy cauliflower you'd have a point.
Given it isn't, how about you do something productive?"
Online Shopping.
8/10.
"Harvey Norman are back with fridges and freezers galore,
This is the blueprint for an economic reboot. Get this country moving, work out who can work and how, and get this country moving.  
Nick Mowbray and the other Entrepreneurs.
9/10.
"Their businesses are on hold.
So they put the country put first, and genuine useful practical help is delivered."
Zespri.
8/10.
"Holding to their 2025 target of $4 billion in earnings.
It reminds us that what we do is feed the world,  and the world will always need feeding."
Mercedes.
8/10.
"Along with GM, Ford and Dyson, they're all making ventilators.
Creativity shines in tough times."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22956684/mh030420-14-marktheweek.mp3Thu, 02 Apr 2020 23:19:07 +0000RoccoEvery Friday morning, Mike Hosking takes you through the big ticket items of the week and lets you know what he makes of it all. The Epidemic Response Committee. 9/10. "What a wondrous revelation this has been. It's democracy in action. And it's shown...The Epidemic Response Committee.
9/10.
"What a wondrous revelation this has been. It's democracy in action.
And it's shown a government appallingly exposed on testing, their lack of plan and planning, changes to essential services, and a spectacular smack-down by an economist pleading for an adult to be running this thing."
Government's Response this week.
2/10.
From testing, to the flu jab, to PPE, to contact tracing, to airport isolations, or lack of them.
By weeks end, this is a government that is losing control of the plan, if there was one.
Plus they're losing the narrative, and the goodwill of an increasing number of New Zealanders."
Allegations of Price Gouging.
2/10.
"Over 1000 people emailed the government over prices, even about cauliflower.
I despair. If it was illegal not to buy cauliflower you'd have a point.
Given it isn't, how about you do something productive?"
Online Shopping.
8/10.
"Harvey Norman are back with fridges and freezers galore,
This is the blueprint for an economic reboot. Get this country moving, work out who can work and how, and get this country moving.  
Nick Mowbray and the other Entrepreneurs.
9/10.
"Their businesses are on hold.
So they put the country put first, and genuine useful practical help is delivered."
Zespri.
8/10.
"Holding to their 2025 target of $4 billion in earnings.
It reminds us that what we do is feed the world,  and the world will always need feeding."
Mercedes.
8/10.
"Along with GM, Ford and Dyson, they're all making ventilators.
Creativity shines in tough times."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>160falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-government-s-rocky-week-shows-they-are-out-of-their-depth--1008491These must be strange times.
Shamubeel Eaqub and I turn out to be in lock step on one key thing: We need an adult in the room. That's what he said to Parliament's Epidemic Response Committee.
That committee might have been one of the great modern democratic discoveries. All the stuff you never hear about, all the Parliamentary question times you never listened to, was there on display with the added advantage of a bunch of experts, Eaqub being one of them.
By week's end Sir David Skegg spectacularly exposed the Government over a lack of testing, a lack of clear direction, and a plan. Act MP David Seymour managed to change the Government's mind on community newspapers.
And Eaqub exposed the cold hard reality that this is turning into a chaotic mess - and no one of any great repute is actually running this thing.
When someone as left and dour as Eaqub, nothing personal intended given he's my new hero, but when someone like that says what he said, we should all be bolt up right and paying attention.
There is no plan to get us out of this, the same way there was no plan to build 100,000 houses. The Government went into this with a reputation as being useless at delivery, with a lot of noise, ideas, and committees, but little concrete behind it.
So at week's end the medical profession are crying out for personal protection equipment the Government said was plentiful - and yet is nowhere to be found. The flu vaccine which was over-ordered, but is nowhere to be found. The contact tracing that they were all over has vanished as story after story emerges of people a week into isolation not having heard a word.
The testing scam has finally been exposed. There were never enough kits, the criteria for testing was a joke (as well as confusing) and the Prime Minister most embarrassingly of all on Tuesday decided to use the World Health Organisation's two-week-old mantra of "test, test, test." It was as though Jacinda Ardern had just put her latest teddy in the window and discovered it as a fresh buzz phrase.
Add the scandal of funding for beneficiaries that isn't virus-related, the minimum wage rise that can't be afforded, the funding for Māori (as though the virus had a racial element) and this is the most blatant pork barrelling you've seen in a generation.

Top off the refusal to quarantine return citizens and still defending the idea of self-isolation as workable.
You have ended up with a Government in seriously deep trouble, and quite obviously a mile out of their depth.
The love-in that this started as, with your Facebook Lives, and be kinds, and shout outs to sign language experts, is turning. And watch next week as jobs and livelihoods tumble, how quickly this becomes an economic fight over a Government that still insists that health trumps all.
This thing is costing the economy more than $3 billion a week, how many weeks can we afford that and still have a Government telling us we all need to be at home doing nothing?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22956677/mh030420-01-governmentfallingshortcomment.mp3Thu, 02 Apr 2020 22:02:02 +0000RoccoCOMMENT: These must be strange times. Shamubeel Eaqub and I turn out to be in lock step on one key thing: We need an adult in the room. That's what he said to Parliament's Epidemic Response Committee. That committee might have been one of the great...These must be strange times.
Shamubeel Eaqub and I turn out to be in lock step on one key thing: We need an adult in the room. That's what he said to Parliament's Epidemic Response Committee.
That committee might have been one of the great modern democratic discoveries. All the stuff you never hear about, all the Parliamentary question times you never listened to, was there on display with the added advantage of a bunch of experts, Eaqub being one of them.
By week's end Sir David Skegg spectacularly exposed the Government over a lack of testing, a lack of clear direction, and a plan. Act MP David Seymour managed to change the Government's mind on community newspapers.
And Eaqub exposed the cold hard reality that this is turning into a chaotic mess - and no one of any great repute is actually running this thing.
When someone as left and dour as Eaqub, nothing personal intended given he's my new hero, but when someone like that says what he said, we should all be bolt up right and paying attention.
There is no plan to get us out of this, the same way there was no plan to build 100,000 houses. The Government went into this with a reputation as being useless at delivery, with a lot of noise, ideas, and committees, but little concrete behind it.
So at week's end the medical profession are crying out for personal protection equipment the Government said was plentiful - and yet is nowhere to be found. The flu vaccine which was over-ordered, but is nowhere to be found. The contact tracing that they were all over has vanished as story after story emerges of people a week into isolation not having heard a word.
The testing scam has finally been exposed. There were never enough kits, the criteria for testing was a joke (as well as confusing) and the Prime Minister most embarrassingly of all on Tuesday decided to use the World Health Organisation's two-week-old mantra of "test, test, test." It was as though Jacinda Ardern had just put her latest teddy in the window and discovered it as a fresh buzz phrase.
Add the scandal of funding for beneficiaries that isn't virus-related, the minimum wage rise that can't be afforded, the funding for Māori (as though the virus had a racial element) and this is the most blatant pork barrelling you've seen in a generation.

Top off the refusal to quarantine return citizens and still defending the idea of self-isolation as workable.
You have ended up with a Government in seriously deep trouble, and quite obviously a mile out of their depth.
The love-in that this started as, with your Facebook Lives, and be kinds, and shout outs to sign language experts, is turning. And watch next week as jobs and livelihoods tumble, how quickly this becomes an economic fight over a Government that still insists that health trumps all.
This thing is costing the economy more than $3 billion a week, how many weeks can we afford that and still have a Government telling us we all need to be at home doing nothing?]]>148falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-economic-expertise-needs-to-come-to-the-fore--1008571We are more than entitled to question whether the people right now in charge of this country's economic future are up to it. This week's minimum wage increase is a sign of no pragmatism, and a rose tinted view of economic reality. Not to mention a flagrant adherence to the union movement and its economically destructive beliefs.
It's true low wage earners spend their money. But that’s true of most people, low wage or not. All money actually gets spent, unless you literally have cash under a mattress, all money is active in the economy.
What also isn't in dispute and yet the government chose to ignore it, is the simple fact, you only have what you have to pay wages. And you either split $100 five ways at $20 an hour, or four ways at $25. The person who just lost that fifth job is now being paid for by us on the jobseeker benefit. So are we any better off? If you need the answer, then you need to study basic economics.
The things we all agree on are we don’t have money to spare, all money being used is borrowed. We all want money to go most to those who need it, either individually, by sector, business, or industry.
Given that, why was the wage subsidy only $5 billion when it could've been $8 billion, given $3 billion went to welfare increases not affected by the virus? Why is a universal income being looked at, which gives money to people whether they need it or not? Why was the Winter Warmer Payment made available to anyone who wants it, regardless of means? Why is all that money not targeted?
The Reserve Bank, to their credit, parked their idea of banks and capital reserves. That was Adrian Orr's baby. It must have been a tough pill to swallow, but he did it. It was the right thing to do and it gave the economy $47 billion dollars.  
Sir John Key gave the clue this week. In getting people together to sort this, they’ll need to park their ideology at the door. Has the government done that with the minimum wage or welfare? Not even close.
Key also said governments need to be nimble. If an idea doesn’t work, ditch it, drop it, and move on.
No shortage of employers, the real heroes of this economy, were screaming that the minimum wage couldn't be afforded. The only voices against that were the unions, and Labour. Join the dots.
Don't forget this was a government prior to the virus that already had economic trouble. Growth in the one percent range, a borrowing programme already underway, a growing welfare base through jobseeker benefit, record queues to social housing. They had a serious question mark already over their economic credentials.
Yes, they’ve written cheques and moved fast so far, and that’s good.
But it's barely the start, do they have the experience? The where with all? The ideological dexterity to be up for the really hard work? Or is borrowing about where the skillset stops?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22956597/mh020420-01-economycomment.mp3Wed, 01 Apr 2020 22:35:06 +0000RoccoEconomic pragmatism, not to mention economic expertise, is required to work and pay our way out of this mess. We are more than entitled to question whether the people right now in charge of this country's economic future are up to it. This week's...We are more than entitled to question whether the people right now in charge of this country's economic future are up to it. This week's minimum wage increase is a sign of no pragmatism, and a rose tinted view of economic reality. Not to mention a flagrant adherence to the union movement and its economically destructive beliefs.
It's true low wage earners spend their money. But that’s true of most people, low wage or not. All money actually gets spent, unless you literally have cash under a mattress, all money is active in the economy.
What also isn't in dispute and yet the government chose to ignore it, is the simple fact, you only have what you have to pay wages. And you either split $100 five ways at $20 an hour, or four ways at $25. The person who just lost that fifth job is now being paid for by us on the jobseeker benefit. So are we any better off? If you need the answer, then you need to study basic economics.
The things we all agree on are we don’t have money to spare, all money being used is borrowed. We all want money to go most to those who need it, either individually, by sector, business, or industry.
Given that, why was the wage subsidy only $5 billion when it could've been $8 billion, given $3 billion went to welfare increases not affected by the virus? Why is a universal income being looked at, which gives money to people whether they need it or not? Why was the Winter Warmer Payment made available to anyone who wants it, regardless of means? Why is all that money not targeted?
The Reserve Bank, to their credit, parked their idea of banks and capital reserves. That was Adrian Orr's baby. It must have been a tough pill to swallow, but he did it. It was the right thing to do and it gave the economy $47 billion dollars.  
Sir John Key gave the clue this week. In getting people together to sort this, they’ll need to park their ideology at the door. Has the government done that with the minimum wage or welfare? Not even close.
Key also said governments need to be nimble. If an idea doesn’t work, ditch it, drop it, and move on.
No shortage of employers, the real heroes of this economy, were screaming that the minimum wage couldn't be afforded. The only voices against that were the unions, and Labour. Join the dots.
Don't forget this was a government prior to the virus that already had economic trouble. Growth in the one percent range, a borrowing programme already underway, a growing welfare base through jobseeker benefit, record queues to social housing. They had a serious question mark already over their economic credentials.
Yes, they’ve written cheques and moved fast so far, and that’s good.
But it's barely the start, do they have the experience? The where with all? The ideological dexterity to be up for the really hard work? Or is borrowing about where the skillset stops?]]>159falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-politics-is-creeping-into-covid-19-response--1008538As soon as it was, Ashley Bloomfield dutifully told us this modelling was why we are doing what we are doing.
The first question to ask is, why this modelling? Is it right? How do we know? Are there those who are experts in their field who argue modelling like this is pseudo-science ? Yes there are. We have featured one such piece of work already this week.
If you missed the dramatic numbers, 150,000 of us are in hospital, 28,000 of us are dead, 3.3 million of us get it, and 36,000 are in ICU. And most who die are older.
They note, and this is your first real sign of the disingenuous nature of this, there would be more deaths than World War One. Not mentioning, of course, a war has no relation to a virus and the population then was vastly different from now. They also compare it to the 1918 influenza. Once again population vastly different, not to mention the state of health care.
Further loose thinking is presented when they say, there are many uncertainties. No kidding.
They introduce seasonal fluctuation . They add 25 percent for winter, and take way 25 percent for summer. Why? Why 25 percent? Why not 28? Or 12? Or 3? Or 200?
Answer, they made it up.
They model contacts. And based on those contacts, which are fictitious, given they have no idea what they really are, they then produce results. And results on things they made up, that’s modelling.
Is that how we are running this? What we do know, and sorry for introducing facts, from the Italian study is virtually everyone who dies has an underlying health issue. In this country, latest figures show 186,000 of us had heart disease. Every year heart disease claims 6000 lives, one every 90 minutes.
We are not crashing the economy for that. Overall we had over 33,000 deaths in 2017. By the way those deaths were the highest rate in 25 years, you won't remember the alarm because there wasn’t any.
This entire debate is driven by politics, alarm, with a reasonable amount of genuine concern for our safety and health. But the latter is starting to get mixed up with the former, as increasingly people ask whether the reaction warrants the concern.
Modelling is slightly educated, partially scientific guesswork. The real answers lie in testing. But we haven't wanted to do anything extensive in that area. We test less than half of what Australia does. You'll note miraculously yesterday Jacinda Ardern decided we need to test more. Ask yourself why.
Ask yourself a lot of questions. Like whether releasing alarmist numbers does anything, other than potentially scare people into thinking this lot know what they're doing, and in scaring us hopefully we all shut up.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22956516/mh010420-13-gettingpoliticalcomment.mp3Tue, 31 Mar 2020 21:56:55 +0000RoccoIf you ever needed more evidence that what is going on here is increasingly political, ask yourself why the modelling the government has relied on for this mess was released publicly. As soon as it was, Ashley Bloomfield dutifully told us this...As soon as it was, Ashley Bloomfield dutifully told us this modelling was why we are doing what we are doing.
The first question to ask is, why this modelling? Is it right? How do we know? Are there those who are experts in their field who argue modelling like this is pseudo-science ? Yes there are. We have featured one such piece of work already this week.
If you missed the dramatic numbers, 150,000 of us are in hospital, 28,000 of us are dead, 3.3 million of us get it, and 36,000 are in ICU. And most who die are older.
They note, and this is your first real sign of the disingenuous nature of this, there would be more deaths than World War One. Not mentioning, of course, a war has no relation to a virus and the population then was vastly different from now. They also compare it to the 1918 influenza. Once again population vastly different, not to mention the state of health care.
Further loose thinking is presented when they say, there are many uncertainties. No kidding.
They introduce seasonal fluctuation . They add 25 percent for winter, and take way 25 percent for summer. Why? Why 25 percent? Why not 28? Or 12? Or 3? Or 200?
Answer, they made it up.
They model contacts. And based on those contacts, which are fictitious, given they have no idea what they really are, they then produce results. And results on things they made up, that’s modelling.
Is that how we are running this? What we do know, and sorry for introducing facts, from the Italian study is virtually everyone who dies has an underlying health issue. In this country, latest figures show 186,000 of us had heart disease. Every year heart disease claims 6000 lives, one every 90 minutes.
We are not crashing the economy for that. Overall we had over 33,000 deaths in 2017. By the way those deaths were the highest rate in 25 years, you won't remember the alarm because there wasn’t any.
This entire debate is driven by politics, alarm, with a reasonable amount of genuine concern for our safety and health. But the latter is starting to get mixed up with the former, as increasingly people ask whether the reaction warrants the concern.
Modelling is slightly educated, partially scientific guesswork. The real answers lie in testing. But we haven't wanted to do anything extensive in that area. We test less than half of what Australia does. You'll note miraculously yesterday Jacinda Ardern decided we need to test more. Ask yourself why.
Ask yourself a lot of questions. Like whether releasing alarmist numbers does anything, other than potentially scare people into thinking this lot know what they're doing, and in scaring us hopefully we all shut up.]]>160falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-we-need-to-start-thinking-about-the-big-picture--1008528As we work ourselves into a collective lockdown frenzy over price gouging that clearly doesn’t exist, the Prime Minister, at the end of her Cabinet briefing, made that startlingly obvious economic reality.
Raising prices is not illegal.
Did she not learn her lesson from the petrol fiasco? She told us this time yesterday she had no evidence of price gouging. That's before you get to the simple fact, we don’t actually have a national measure of what price gouging might actually be. Further, we got evidence yesterday as well from Foodstuffs that the numbers of specials is almost as high as it has been normally. The only difference being the stuff they can't put on special is because supply is an issue.
And Chris Quin, head of Foodstuffs in North Island said hand on heart there is no gouging.
So we don’t actually have a problem. Some people will. But the main issue will be the variability of fruit and vege prices from people that don't understand seasonal variability and importation issues. Surely the avocado scandal of recent years gave us all the insight we need?    
However, doing what this government does so well, they set up a complaint service for feedback. You can now dob in a can of beans, or whatever the sight is, and have all your grievances, what? Ignored, I suspect.
It's the same as the dob in a jogger website they opened over the weekend. Thousands of sticky beak protesters crashed it on day one. As people with a world of boredom on their hands, and a lot of venom in their hearts, let rip on some poor, unsuspecting dog walkers.
What the government were supposed to be dealing with at Cabinet yesterday was the question as to whether supermarkets should be open over Easter. And yet again they did what they do so well.
Procrastinate. It's a 30 second decision. The government needs to get out of the way of essential services. It's not hard.  
If supermarkets want to close that’s their call. If they want to serve the community the govt won't stop them. How hard is that? It’s a couple of phone calls at best, we have a handful of supermarket brands.
Dairies can stay open, same with pharmacies. With so much actually locked down and comparatively so few players to deal with, making decisions should actually get easier, not harder.
It seems to me, we are still obsessed with the minutiae. This country is in a health and economic crisis. We need big picture thinking, with big picture ideas, and big picture answers.
How to come out of this the other side, who's in work, what business survive, who prospers, who doesn’t, how big the debt hole is, how big welfare becomes. It's the serious stuff.
But no, let's obsess about websites and playing spooks on neighbours. That’s a mile more productive, isn't it?]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22956432/mikes-min-31-march.mp3Mon, 30 Mar 2020 21:55:40 +0000RoccoRaising prices is not illegal. Exactly. As we work ourselves into a collective lockdown frenzy over price gouging that clearly doesn’t exist, the Prime Minister, at the end of her Cabinet briefing, made that startlingly obvious economic reality....As we work ourselves into a collective lockdown frenzy over price gouging that clearly doesn’t exist, the Prime Minister, at the end of her Cabinet briefing, made that startlingly obvious economic reality.
Raising prices is not illegal.
Did she not learn her lesson from the petrol fiasco? She told us this time yesterday she had no evidence of price gouging. That's before you get to the simple fact, we don’t actually have a national measure of what price gouging might actually be. Further, we got evidence yesterday as well from Foodstuffs that the numbers of specials is almost as high as it has been normally. The only difference being the stuff they can't put on special is because supply is an issue.
And Chris Quin, head of Foodstuffs in North Island said hand on heart there is no gouging.
So we don’t actually have a problem. Some people will. But the main issue will be the variability of fruit and vege prices from people that don't understand seasonal variability and importation issues. Surely the avocado scandal of recent years gave us all the insight we need?    
However, doing what this government does so well, they set up a complaint service for feedback. You can now dob in a can of beans, or whatever the sight is, and have all your grievances, what? Ignored, I suspect.
It's the same as the dob in a jogger website they opened over the weekend. Thousands of sticky beak protesters crashed it on day one. As people with a world of boredom on their hands, and a lot of venom in their hearts, let rip on some poor, unsuspecting dog walkers.
What the government were supposed to be dealing with at Cabinet yesterday was the question as to whether supermarkets should be open over Easter. And yet again they did what they do so well.
Procrastinate. It's a 30 second decision. The government needs to get out of the way of essential services. It's not hard.  
If supermarkets want to close that’s their call. If they want to serve the community the govt won't stop them. How hard is that? It’s a couple of phone calls at best, we have a handful of supermarket brands.
Dairies can stay open, same with pharmacies. With so much actually locked down and comparatively so few players to deal with, making decisions should actually get easier, not harder.
It seems to me, we are still obsessed with the minutiae. This country is in a health and economic crisis. We need big picture thinking, with big picture ideas, and big picture answers.
How to come out of this the other side, who's in work, what business survive, who prospers, who doesn’t, how big the debt hole is, how big welfare becomes. It's the serious stuff.
But no, let's obsess about websites and playing spooks on neighbours. That’s a mile more productive, isn't it?]]>150falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-government-needs-to-change-their-lockdown-messaging--1008502Forget the whole issue around what's local, and how far you can drive to a park. The Government, in yet another example of how this whole thing is highly political, is controlling the messages you hear on any given day.
We have been looking to get Iain Lees-Galloway on the radio show for most of last week - he is not allowed to speak to us.
We want to talk to him in his capacity as Immigration Minister. The visa issue around foreign workers both stuck here, and not allowed to come in to the country, and the issue of fruit harvesting and there not bring enough hands on deck. These are serious issues with economic implications.
We also wanted to talk to Immigration New Zealand, who were happy to talk apparently, but had been told not to.
There is a very distinct line between getting messages out that you want people to hear, which is standard practice for any government, and preventing genuine detail coming out because you don't want it to, or it might not suit your agenda.
Part of the excuse is Iain Lees-Galloway isn't on the right virus committee, so they offer up a minister who is, in a one-stop shop sort of role.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but this is not a Government festooned with great talent. A lot of these ministers under other governments would barely be making the tea, far less have a portfolio.
Simply putting a person up doesn't mean questions get answered or detail gets delivered. I'll spare names to save embarrassment but a couple of ministers were floating around last week, basically saying we don't have that detail, we haven't talked about that, I'm not sure where that sits, and any other series of 101 PR spin lines designed to say nothing.
The longer this goes on the more suspicious I get that this is a PR exercise for the Government, and they are as interested in how this plays for them politically, as they are for the lockdown itself and our wider wellbeing.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is running a very fine line between being an actual leader with decisive decision-making powers, and a TV and radio presenter with lots of time for Facebook Lives, teddies in the window, and a lot of touchy-feely be kind to each other.
While we are all bantering backward and forward about whether kayaking or abseiling is good exercise, and how far we can drive to do it, the Covid-19 numbers are going up dangerously.
It is becoming clearer the airport and testing have been a joke, there are issues around personal protection equipment and access to it, there are people who may or may not be isolating, and there is tonnes of work sitting in paddocks and fields across the country needing to be done, to actually make this country a living.
What's happening with that? And who's doing it? That's our question. Iain Lees-Galloway has the answer, and yet he's locked away.
Some of the media might want to wake up to this and realise they're being played. Surely I can't be the only one who wants some proper insight, information, and answers from the proper people.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22956372/mh300320-01-messagingcomment.mp3Sun, 29 Mar 2020 21:49:16 +0000RoccoThis week's challenge is to try and see if we can do something about the Government's messaging. Forget the whole issue around what's local, and how far you can drive to a park. The Government, in yet another example of how this whole thing is highly...Forget the whole issue around what's local, and how far you can drive to a park. The Government, in yet another example of how this whole thing is highly political, is controlling the messages you hear on any given day.
We have been looking to get Iain Lees-Galloway on the radio show for most of last week - he is not allowed to speak to us.
We want to talk to him in his capacity as Immigration Minister. The visa issue around foreign workers both stuck here, and not allowed to come in to the country, and the issue of fruit harvesting and there not bring enough hands on deck. These are serious issues with economic implications.
We also wanted to talk to Immigration New Zealand, who were happy to talk apparently, but had been told not to.
There is a very distinct line between getting messages out that you want people to hear, which is standard practice for any government, and preventing genuine detail coming out because you don't want it to, or it might not suit your agenda.
Part of the excuse is Iain Lees-Galloway isn't on the right virus committee, so they offer up a minister who is, in a one-stop shop sort of role.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but this is not a Government festooned with great talent. A lot of these ministers under other governments would barely be making the tea, far less have a portfolio.
Simply putting a person up doesn't mean questions get answered or detail gets delivered. I'll spare names to save embarrassment but a couple of ministers were floating around last week, basically saying we don't have that detail, we haven't talked about that, I'm not sure where that sits, and any other series of 101 PR spin lines designed to say nothing.
The longer this goes on the more suspicious I get that this is a PR exercise for the Government, and they are as interested in how this plays for them politically, as they are for the lockdown itself and our wider wellbeing.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is running a very fine line between being an actual leader with decisive decision-making powers, and a TV and radio presenter with lots of time for Facebook Lives, teddies in the window, and a lot of touchy-feely be kind to each other.
While we are all bantering backward and forward about whether kayaking or abseiling is good exercise, and how far we can drive to do it, the Covid-19 numbers are going up dangerously.
It is becoming clearer the airport and testing have been a joke, there are issues around personal protection equipment and access to it, there are people who may or may not be isolating, and there is tonnes of work sitting in paddocks and fields across the country needing to be done, to actually make this country a living.
What's happening with that? And who's doing it? That's our question. Iain Lees-Galloway has the answer, and yet he's locked away.
Some of the media might want to wake up to this and realise they're being played. Surely I can't be the only one who wants some proper insight, information, and answers from the proper people.]]>154falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-farmers-will-once-again-come-to-the-rescue--1008543New Zealand's Lockdown.
8/10.
"It's simple and relatively clear.
Let's take it seriously."
The Alert Levels.
4/10.
"Launched Saturday by the the Prime Minister in a kind of Jemima from play-school sort of way.
No sooner was it introduced, it miraculously got upped from level two to four.
That indicates it had a very last minute feel about it, to explain what was unfolding anyway."
Panic Buying.
1/10.
"It's a western world embarrassment and shame.
It proves sacrifice and selflessness are for other people, clearly."
Sport.
7/10.
"I actually admire the A-League, NRL, and even New Zealand Rugby for trying to work around an impossible problem."
Scaring People.
3/10.
"Still too many reports from so-called experts who don’t actually know the answer.
Like what do you reckon unemployment will get to? Instead of saying "who the hell would know," say 30 percent?"
That's a poor answer, even worse reporting it."
The Ingenuity.
8/10.
"From car factories making ventilators, to Nick Mowbray importing masks by the millions.
Creative thinking and good motivation are always at hand in a crisis."
Farmers.
9/10.
"Oh the irony.
A group of heroes set upon these past couple of years, and yet once again they look set to be the sector that pays the bills, and saves the country."
The Possibilities.
9/10.
"A lockdown is what you make of it, given we have never been here.
So do it productively, learn something, improve something, or work at something.
Never waste a crisis."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22956232/mhb27-03-20-mark-the-week.mp3Thu, 26 Mar 2020 23:14:22 +0000RoccoEvery Friday morning, Mike Hosking takes you through the big ticket items of the week and lets you know what he makes of it all. New Zealand's Lockdown. 8/10. "It's simple and relatively clear. Let's take it seriously." The Alert Levels. 4/10....New Zealand's Lockdown.
8/10.
"It's simple and relatively clear.
Let's take it seriously."
The Alert Levels.
4/10.
"Launched Saturday by the the Prime Minister in a kind of Jemima from play-school sort of way.
No sooner was it introduced, it miraculously got upped from level two to four.
That indicates it had a very last minute feel about it, to explain what was unfolding anyway."
Panic Buying.
1/10.
"It's a western world embarrassment and shame.
It proves sacrifice and selflessness are for other people, clearly."
Sport.
7/10.
"I actually admire the A-League, NRL, and even New Zealand Rugby for trying to work around an impossible problem."
Scaring People.
3/10.
"Still too many reports from so-called experts who don’t actually know the answer.
Like what do you reckon unemployment will get to? Instead of saying "who the hell would know," say 30 percent?"
That's a poor answer, even worse reporting it."
The Ingenuity.
8/10.
"From car factories making ventilators, to Nick Mowbray importing masks by the millions.
Creative thinking and good motivation are always at hand in a crisis."
Farmers.
9/10.
"Oh the irony.
A group of heroes set upon these past couple of years, and yet once again they look set to be the sector that pays the bills, and saves the country."
The Possibilities.
9/10.
"A lockdown is what you make of it, given we have never been here.
So do it productively, learn something, improve something, or work at something.
Never waste a crisis."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>207falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-let-s-not-lose-our-financial-minds-during-this-crisis--1008569Just because times are tight, unusual, unheard of, or worrying doesn't mean we have to lose our minds.
Finance Minister Grant Robertson is reported to be considering a universal income. In a different time, about two months ago, this would have been laughed out of the room. Universal incomes don't work, they've been proven to not work. Finland tried one, it flopped, and this was only in December last year.
A universal basic income is a socialist's dream. It's about control by the state, it's about everyone being reliant on the government.
There are a million articles about Finland, or any of the others that have given it a crack, and it's a failed idea. It was money wasted, it led to no real incentive to work. Simply, all the things you'd expect to happen if you applied a logical brain.
Up to this point I had assumed we wouldn't be so stupid.
I might, sadly, be wrong. There is talk in Britain and the US of something universal. That in itself is worrying enough.
To state the obvious, or for fans of free money to give you a lesson in why it's flawed, follow this simple logic: Firstly, not everyone needs money. Given the situation we are in, whatever the Government offers needs to be efficient and targeted. And it needs to be targeted to those who need it, and it needs to be spent in areas that need it most.
Which is why I was astounded they didn't look at some sort of voucher system. Vouchers for specific areas of the economy that most need it, and are most useful.


If you give a person free money, even if they need it, do they spend it wisely? Do they spend it in areas that would most benefit? You have no control over that, so therefore there is waste.
If you give people money who don't need it, that's automatic waste given it fails to target someone in genuine need.
And given they don't need it, it could logically then be argued it doesn't get spent in a remotely useful way, if spent at all. What if they put it in savings, or pay their mortgage, or buy shares with it? Is that a sensible use of taxpayers' money? And yet again need we remind ourselves these days it's taxpayers' debt.
Does the economy, in general, need money? Yes, but target it.
Don't in these most of unusual days, lose your mind, and forget basic economic principles.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22956218/mhb27-03-20-opening-universal-income.mp3Thu, 26 Mar 2020 21:34:40 +0000RoccoCOMMENT: Just because times are tight, unusual, unheard of, or worrying doesn't mean we have to lose our minds. Finance Minister Grant Robertson is reported to be considering a universal income. In a different time, about two months ago, this would...Just because times are tight, unusual, unheard of, or worrying doesn't mean we have to lose our minds.
Finance Minister Grant Robertson is reported to be considering a universal income. In a different time, about two months ago, this would have been laughed out of the room. Universal incomes don't work, they've been proven to not work. Finland tried one, it flopped, and this was only in December last year.
A universal basic income is a socialist's dream. It's about control by the state, it's about everyone being reliant on the government.
There are a million articles about Finland, or any of the others that have given it a crack, and it's a failed idea. It was money wasted, it led to no real incentive to work. Simply, all the things you'd expect to happen if you applied a logical brain.
Up to this point I had assumed we wouldn't be so stupid.
I might, sadly, be wrong. There is talk in Britain and the US of something universal. That in itself is worrying enough.
To state the obvious, or for fans of free money to give you a lesson in why it's flawed, follow this simple logic: Firstly, not everyone needs money. Given the situation we are in, whatever the Government offers needs to be efficient and targeted. And it needs to be targeted to those who need it, and it needs to be spent in areas that need it most.
Which is why I was astounded they didn't look at some sort of voucher system. Vouchers for specific areas of the economy that most need it, and are most useful.


If you give a person free money, even if they need it, do they spend it wisely? Do they spend it in areas that would most benefit? You have no control over that, so therefore there is waste.
If you give people money who don't need it, that's automatic waste given it fails to target someone in genuine need.
And given they don't need it, it could logically then be argued it doesn't get spent in a remotely useful way, if spent at all. What if they put it in savings, or pay their mortgage, or buy shares with it? Is that a sensible use of taxpayers' money? And yet again need we remind ourselves these days it's taxpayers' debt.
Does the economy, in general, need money? Yes, but target it.
Don't in these most of unusual days, lose your mind, and forget basic economic principles.]]>121falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-take-the-lockdown-seriously--1008556The questions up to this point about rules, exceptions, concepts, things to do, what's allowed, what's essential, what isn't, why not and so on have reached peak idiocy. 
Once again it’s the western way of viewing the world. Why follow simple instructions if you can ask 1000 inane questions, that could fairly easily be answered if you applied a bit of common sense? It's a resistance built up over decades of arguing the point. I suppose it's all based on the right kind of concepts, freedom of thought and expression, the right to question authority, all that sort of stuff. 
But in a state of emergency that ends. 
A simple philosophy of mine has always been if you're going to do something, do it properly. It would outwardly appear this lockdown is being done properly, especially if you compare it to many, including Australia's. 
If we accept the virologists were right, that we should have done better at the airport, on self isolation, and certainly in testing, then we can assume they're still right now. 
To break this thing, we lockdown, and lockdown properly. 
The reason we were slow to this point, even if you argue we are faster than other countries, was economic and social push back. The government listened too much to the argument around schools. But look at where the community infection is. As of yesterday, Marist. Schools.  
The economic line that a shutdown stalls the economy. Answer? The pain was coming anyway. You want slightly less pain for way longer? Or do you want the pain now and get out the other side quicker? 
We have made the right decision on this. Australia hasn't. 
Donald Trump is in real trouble as well. His “let's all go to church at Easter” and is “we'll be back up and running sooner rather than later” sends a dangerous, if not delusional, message. 
When he said the doctors want to close the whole world down. He was actually right, they probably do. Because only two things work, a vaccine or a lockdown. We don’t know, but we can have the other. 
So to Australia, a cock up of royal proportions. Scott Morrison has buckled to the economic side of the equation at the expense of health. You can go to boot camp, get married, have your hair done, and everyone with work is an essential worker. What a joke. 
Unless, what we are doing is over the top. Morrison's gets similar results with less severity. 
But yesterday's poll here showed 93 percent of us think what we are doing is right. And that is hope in a poll. Because if you have buy in, it's likely to be way more effective, especially when there is self sacrifice at play. ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22956157/mhb26-03-20-comment-7-20-lockdown.mp3Wed, 25 Mar 2020 23:18:03 +0000RoccoI am pleased we are doing this the way we are.  The questions up to this point about rules, exceptions, concepts, things to do, what's allowed, what's essential, what isn't, why not and so on have reached peak idiocy.  Once again it’s the western way...The questions up to this point about rules, exceptions, concepts, things to do, what's allowed, what's essential, what isn't, why not and so on have reached peak idiocy. 
Once again it’s the western way of viewing the world. Why follow simple instructions if you can ask 1000 inane questions, that could fairly easily be answered if you applied a bit of common sense? It's a resistance built up over decades of arguing the point. I suppose it's all based on the right kind of concepts, freedom of thought and expression, the right to question authority, all that sort of stuff. 
But in a state of emergency that ends. 
A simple philosophy of mine has always been if you're going to do something, do it properly. It would outwardly appear this lockdown is being done properly, especially if you compare it to many, including Australia's. 
If we accept the virologists were right, that we should have done better at the airport, on self isolation, and certainly in testing, then we can assume they're still right now. 
To break this thing, we lockdown, and lockdown properly. 
The reason we were slow to this point, even if you argue we are faster than other countries, was economic and social push back. The government listened too much to the argument around schools. But look at where the community infection is. As of yesterday, Marist. Schools.  
The economic line that a shutdown stalls the economy. Answer? The pain was coming anyway. You want slightly less pain for way longer? Or do you want the pain now and get out the other side quicker? 
We have made the right decision on this. Australia hasn't. 
Donald Trump is in real trouble as well. His “let's all go to church at Easter” and is “we'll be back up and running sooner rather than later” sends a dangerous, if not delusional, message. 
When he said the doctors want to close the whole world down. He was actually right, they probably do. Because only two things work, a vaccine or a lockdown. We don’t know, but we can have the other. 
So to Australia, a cock up of royal proportions. Scott Morrison has buckled to the economic side of the equation at the expense of health. You can go to boot camp, get married, have your hair done, and everyone with work is an essential worker. What a joke. 
Unless, what we are doing is over the top. Morrison's gets similar results with less severity. 
But yesterday's poll here showed 93 percent of us think what we are doing is right. And that is hope in a poll. Because if you have buy in, it's likely to be way more effective, especially when there is self sacrifice at play. ]]>143falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-it-s-pretty-obvious-what-an-essential-business-is--1008554But I think all the clues you needed were there yesterday to reveal the government was pushed by some very large, intelligent, and well researched forces behind the scenes over the weekend and into Monday, to get us to tonight's lockdown.
The Prime Ministerial debut of a level programme on Saturday afternoon was designed to ease us into this. The message seemed to be we will gently meander our way through stages, all hands would be held, reassuring messages would be whispered, and slowly but surely we would arrive at a nice, comfortable, not scary at all, level four. Where we'd be virtually comatose into a sense of relief that everything had been so well handled.
The fact it went from level two to level four essentially between Saturday afternoon and Monday morning tells you that those getting to them with facts, charts and advice won the day. And maybe one day we  will all be able to thank them, for they are, in their own way, heroes.
The biggest of clues came yesterday and the fact that the government clearly had no idea beyond the broadest of brush stroke concepts as to who actually was an essential business.
The Warehouse telling us they'd be open was a joke. Fast food outlets announcing intentions to remain open equally so.
By the time we got to the press briefing and the obvious questions were put forward, it became painfully evident that given they were still  "working that through,” that they hadn't  actually done any work, any substance at all, and were scrambling to provide what really should be the simplest of answers.
In a scenario like this, there are genuinely perplexing questions. There are individual circumstances and a myriad of them, that a vast machine like a government department can't necessarily have instant, easy, and individual solutions and details for.
But what specifically constitutes essential services, I would have thought would have been worked through weeks ago. If in fact they had had their head around what was unfolding in front of them, first in China and then in Europe.
And the potential trouble of not having a militaristic type plan, is that everyone is looking for a loophole. This is where governments, if they're properly led and run, actually lead.
It is why authoritarian regimes work so much better in a crisis because the people are already under instruction. Western countries make stuff up as they go along on a whim, bend to the pressure groups, and discuss the "issues.” Basically they are as loose as, until it all hits the fan.
Of course, I fully appreciate how big this has been for the government, and in parts, like finance, they seem to be on top of their job.
But if you thought the old level one-two-three-four plan was from a well established playbook and not stuck together at the last minute as a result of extraordinary pressure on a reluctant govt, and not knowing The Warehouse isn't an essential service, gave the game away spectacularly.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22956065/mhb25-03-20-comment-essential-services.mp3Tue, 24 Mar 2020 21:50:10 +0000RoccoIt will all be flushed out in the fullness of time, of course.  But I think all the clues you needed were there yesterday to reveal the government was pushed by some very large, intelligent, and well researched forces behind the scenes over the...But I think all the clues you needed were there yesterday to reveal the government was pushed by some very large, intelligent, and well researched forces behind the scenes over the weekend and into Monday, to get us to tonight's lockdown.
The Prime Ministerial debut of a level programme on Saturday afternoon was designed to ease us into this. The message seemed to be we will gently meander our way through stages, all hands would be held, reassuring messages would be whispered, and slowly but surely we would arrive at a nice, comfortable, not scary at all, level four. Where we'd be virtually comatose into a sense of relief that everything had been so well handled.
The fact it went from level two to level four essentially between Saturday afternoon and Monday morning tells you that those getting to them with facts, charts and advice won the day. And maybe one day we  will all be able to thank them, for they are, in their own way, heroes.
The biggest of clues came yesterday and the fact that the government clearly had no idea beyond the broadest of brush stroke concepts as to who actually was an essential business.
The Warehouse telling us they'd be open was a joke. Fast food outlets announcing intentions to remain open equally so.
By the time we got to the press briefing and the obvious questions were put forward, it became painfully evident that given they were still  "working that through,” that they hadn't  actually done any work, any substance at all, and were scrambling to provide what really should be the simplest of answers.
In a scenario like this, there are genuinely perplexing questions. There are individual circumstances and a myriad of them, that a vast machine like a government department can't necessarily have instant, easy, and individual solutions and details for.
But what specifically constitutes essential services, I would have thought would have been worked through weeks ago. If in fact they had had their head around what was unfolding in front of them, first in China and then in Europe.
And the potential trouble of not having a militaristic type plan, is that everyone is looking for a loophole. This is where governments, if they're properly led and run, actually lead.
It is why authoritarian regimes work so much better in a crisis because the people are already under instruction. Western countries make stuff up as they go along on a whim, bend to the pressure groups, and discuss the "issues.” Basically they are as loose as, until it all hits the fan.
Of course, I fully appreciate how big this has been for the government, and in parts, like finance, they seem to be on top of their job.
But if you thought the old level one-two-three-four plan was from a well established playbook and not stuck together at the last minute as a result of extraordinary pressure on a reluctant govt, and not knowing The Warehouse isn't an essential service, gave the game away spectacularly.]]>147falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-it-s-now-up-to-us-to-stop-covid-19--1008555Listening to the Prime Minister yesterday and her logic and reason, the most obvious question for those who spent most of last week saying the same thing, is why didn’t she get it then? Why was she dragged kicking and screaming to the most obvious of points?
The modelling she referred to as far as cases are concerned has been around since the numbers offshore exploded. The lessons learned, and not learned, have all been there for us to see, read, take in and absorb. The modelling has us at over 600 cases by Sunday, about 1200 by this time next week, over 2300 by Thursday week.
Short of a vaccine, a lockdown was all we could do, so thank God we got there.
Much more reassuring has been the government's economic response. They have performed poorly health wise, but not so economically. With the odd exception like the Pike River call, Maori call, and benefit call. The obvious extensions were made yesterday. All businesses big and small now have some sort of cover, or help.
The banks are playing their role, helped by the government and their balance sheet, and the Reserve Bank.
If there is a light at the end of the tunnel economically, given all of this is global and we are all in trouble, is money won't be an issue. They can print the stuff as long as there is ink. Money can flood the place, which makes it a stark contrast to the GFC. It is why the GFC and this should never really have been compared. Banks can protect mortgages and houses, rents are being protected. This is a limited crisis, where an end will unfold.
China is living proof of it.
My only real fear at this point is us. To put it bluntly, with the panic shopping, beachgoers , socialising, and general stupidity we have hopelessly let ourselves down. For the past week, rightly or wrongly, the world has changed dramatically. The day Trump closed those borders to Europe, the world changed dramatically. That was the cue and the clue, and too many didn’t get it, or want to get it.
My great hope apart from us getting it now and not behaving like idiots, is we learn like Asia. We should never forget this, we learn from this, and we are better prepared next time.
I hope logic prevails, that this is a health crisis and nothing more. This isn't a water crisis, or power, or petrol, or transport, or food.
Just health.
Being stuck will be fun for some for a while, then it'll be a pain. That’s a very small price to pay for, at last, the urgency of this starting to drive decision making. And hopefully for us to really get ahead of this instead of just saying we are.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22955987/mhb24-03-20-opening.mp3Mon, 23 Mar 2020 21:33:59 +0000RoccoThank God we got there in the end. Listening to the Prime Minister yesterday and her logic and reason, the most obvious question for those who spent most of last week saying the same thing, is why didn’t she get it then? Why was she dragged kicking...Listening to the Prime Minister yesterday and her logic and reason, the most obvious question for those who spent most of last week saying the same thing, is why didn’t she get it then? Why was she dragged kicking and screaming to the most obvious of points?
The modelling she referred to as far as cases are concerned has been around since the numbers offshore exploded. The lessons learned, and not learned, have all been there for us to see, read, take in and absorb. The modelling has us at over 600 cases by Sunday, about 1200 by this time next week, over 2300 by Thursday week.
Short of a vaccine, a lockdown was all we could do, so thank God we got there.
Much more reassuring has been the government's economic response. They have performed poorly health wise, but not so economically. With the odd exception like the Pike River call, Maori call, and benefit call. The obvious extensions were made yesterday. All businesses big and small now have some sort of cover, or help.
The banks are playing their role, helped by the government and their balance sheet, and the Reserve Bank.
If there is a light at the end of the tunnel economically, given all of this is global and we are all in trouble, is money won't be an issue. They can print the stuff as long as there is ink. Money can flood the place, which makes it a stark contrast to the GFC. It is why the GFC and this should never really have been compared. Banks can protect mortgages and houses, rents are being protected. This is a limited crisis, where an end will unfold.
China is living proof of it.
My only real fear at this point is us. To put it bluntly, with the panic shopping, beachgoers , socialising, and general stupidity we have hopelessly let ourselves down. For the past week, rightly or wrongly, the world has changed dramatically. The day Trump closed those borders to Europe, the world changed dramatically. That was the cue and the clue, and too many didn’t get it, or want to get it.
My great hope apart from us getting it now and not behaving like idiots, is we learn like Asia. We should never forget this, we learn from this, and we are better prepared next time.
I hope logic prevails, that this is a health crisis and nothing more. This isn't a water crisis, or power, or petrol, or transport, or food.
Just health.
Being stuck will be fun for some for a while, then it'll be a pain. That’s a very small price to pay for, at last, the urgency of this starting to drive decision making. And hopefully for us to really get ahead of this instead of just saying we are.  ]]>145falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-if-we-want-to-beat-covid-19-shut-the-country-down--1008427The numbers are only going one way. Look at the charts and talk to the epidemiologists. You add cases by ones, then handfuls, then you add them by 10s, then you add them by hundreds.
We are going up in 10s. Look at the charts of those countries in trouble, they all tell the same story. Michael Baker is right, we need to be shutting doors.
Look at Britain. Boris Johnson swore black and blue herd immunity was right, until it was wrong. He swore keeping schools open was right, until he was wrong. He swore keeping pubs open was right, until he was wrong.
Our government will be telling you they have community transmission. We have it, that will be proved this week. It hasn't been confirmed officially already simply because we haven't tested enough. The virus is ahead of the government.
Second problem is that people aren't listening to the government. Social distancing isn't happening, isolation isn't happening, even panic shopping advice is being ignored. For all the trumpeting of the likes of Singapore and Taiwan, we aren't the same people. They had SARS, and they learned their lessons. They take it seriously.
We aren't taking it seriously. And the government telling us to simply isn't working. If you're not taking shopping advice from the Prime Minister you're certainly not taking health advice.
Schools are already seeing half empty classes as parents make their own minds up. Some schools will partially start closing this week off their own bat. They are being threatened by the Ministry, and some schools are passing that threat onto parents via emails telling them to get their kids back to school.
For a government, once people don’t listen, like with social distancing, or stop listening regarding panic shopping, you’ve lost. Invent all the levels you want, tell everyone to be kind over and over again, none of it stops the march of a virus. That we know, for a fact, only reacts to a vaccine or a lock down. China has proven that.
On the upside, banks, both the Reserve Bank and all the retailers, from an economic point of view get it and are acting brilliantly. Governments, economically, get it and are throwing money at this like we literally have never seen.
I have never been more proud of my beloved Warriors. What they're doing involves sacrifice and hardship. And no, it's not only sport. Sport counts. It's never counted more in a world of very little sport.
The small businesses, the restaurants with innovative new takeout and delivery ideas, the advertisers with clever ways on how you can view their products and services differently, the entrepreneurs who have suspended their businesses and tossed millions into research and expertise to try and help their country.
There is a lot to be proud of and confident of right now.
If only we can get the government to listen - and believe me, there are those in the government that are pushing hard against their own people to close this place down.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22955934/mhb23-03-20-opening-close-the-place-down.mp3Sun, 22 Mar 2020 21:54:19 +0000RoccoThis week is about getting this country shut down. The government are too slow, and no one is listening. The numbers are only going one way. Look at the charts and talk to the epidemiologists. You add cases by ones, then handfuls, then you add them by...The numbers are only going one way. Look at the charts and talk to the epidemiologists. You add cases by ones, then handfuls, then you add them by 10s, then you add them by hundreds.
We are going up in 10s. Look at the charts of those countries in trouble, they all tell the same story. Michael Baker is right, we need to be shutting doors.
Look at Britain. Boris Johnson swore black and blue herd immunity was right, until it was wrong. He swore keeping schools open was right, until he was wrong. He swore keeping pubs open was right, until he was wrong.
Our government will be telling you they have community transmission. We have it, that will be proved this week. It hasn't been confirmed officially already simply because we haven't tested enough. The virus is ahead of the government.
Second problem is that people aren't listening to the government. Social distancing isn't happening, isolation isn't happening, even panic shopping advice is being ignored. For all the trumpeting of the likes of Singapore and Taiwan, we aren't the same people. They had SARS, and they learned their lessons. They take it seriously.
We aren't taking it seriously. And the government telling us to simply isn't working. If you're not taking shopping advice from the Prime Minister you're certainly not taking health advice.
Schools are already seeing half empty classes as parents make their own minds up. Some schools will partially start closing this week off their own bat. They are being threatened by the Ministry, and some schools are passing that threat onto parents via emails telling them to get their kids back to school.
For a government, once people don’t listen, like with social distancing, or stop listening regarding panic shopping, you’ve lost. Invent all the levels you want, tell everyone to be kind over and over again, none of it stops the march of a virus. That we know, for a fact, only reacts to a vaccine or a lock down. China has proven that.
On the upside, banks, both the Reserve Bank and all the retailers, from an economic point of view get it and are acting brilliantly. Governments, economically, get it and are throwing money at this like we literally have never seen.
I have never been more proud of my beloved Warriors. What they're doing involves sacrifice and hardship. And no, it's not only sport. Sport counts. It's never counted more in a world of very little sport.
The small businesses, the restaurants with innovative new takeout and delivery ideas, the advertisers with clever ways on how you can view their products and services differently, the entrepreneurs who have suspended their businesses and tossed millions into research and expertise to try and help their country.
There is a lot to be proud of and confident of right now.
If only we can get the government to listen - and believe me, there are those in the government that are pushing hard against their own people to close this place down.]]>152falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mark-the-week-giving-3-billion-to-beneficiaries-is-criminal--1008498The Week Overall.
6/10.
"Because with a lot to deal with, a lot to think about, and a lot of change, things, by in large, feel okay."
Information.
9/10.
"Like most things, information is working.
If you are of a mind, this is a time to learn, read, listen, and watch.
It’s a time to know a lot, about a lot of things you might never have bothered with."
Jacinda Ardern.
5/10.
"I am giving her a little benefit of the doubt, but she looks increasingly shakey, indecisive, and torn.
The stimulus package helped.
But when you're giving three billion dollars to beneficiaries for no good virus related reason that’s politics over economic practicality.
And it's criminal."
Grant Robertson.
4/10.
"He's down in my estimation. He's still on top of his portfolio and the communication of it.
But the Winter Energy Payment, and the aforementioned benefits increase was a dreadful political mistake."
Simon Bridges.
4/10.
"He looked dreadful in the House talking about the package response.
He was outshone by both Paul Goldsmith and Michael Woodhouse, and by some margin.
He needs a major improvement fast, if you're going to be called the Opposition actually be it."
The Sports Administrators.
8/10.
"From the Warriors, to the Phoenix, to New Zealand Rugby, and their Australian counterparts.
In the most dire of times to try and forge on with creative thinking is to be admired."
Panic.
0/10.
"There is no room for it."
Hope and Perspective.
10/10.
"Most of life is perfectly normal, and most stuff works fine.
There is an end to this,and there aren't actually all that many unknowns.
Never forget that."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22955790/mhb20-03-20-mark-the-week.mp3Thu, 19 Mar 2020 22:36:20 +0000RoccoEvery Friday morning, Mike Hosking takes you through the big ticket items of the week and lets you know what he makes of it all. The Week Overall. 6/10. "Because with a lot to deal with, a lot to think about, and a lot of change, things, by in large,...The Week Overall.
6/10.
"Because with a lot to deal with, a lot to think about, and a lot of change, things, by in large, feel okay."
Information.
9/10.
"Like most things, information is working.
If you are of a mind, this is a time to learn, read, listen, and watch.
It’s a time to know a lot, about a lot of things you might never have bothered with."
Jacinda Ardern.
5/10.
"I am giving her a little benefit of the doubt, but she looks increasingly shakey, indecisive, and torn.
The stimulus package helped.
But when you're giving three billion dollars to beneficiaries for no good virus related reason that’s politics over economic practicality.
And it's criminal."
Grant Robertson.
4/10.
"He's down in my estimation. He's still on top of his portfolio and the communication of it.
But the Winter Energy Payment, and the aforementioned benefits increase was a dreadful political mistake."
Simon Bridges.
4/10.
"He looked dreadful in the House talking about the package response.
He was outshone by both Paul Goldsmith and Michael Woodhouse, and by some margin.
He needs a major improvement fast, if you're going to be called the Opposition actually be it."
The Sports Administrators.
8/10.
"From the Warriors, to the Phoenix, to New Zealand Rugby, and their Australian counterparts.
In the most dire of times to try and forge on with creative thinking is to be admired."
Panic.
0/10.
"There is no room for it."
Hope and Perspective.
10/10.
"Most of life is perfectly normal, and most stuff works fine.
There is an end to this,and there aren't actually all that many unknowns.
Never forget that."
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW]]>203falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-isolated-mps-show-how-bloated-parliament-is--1008524You may remember before the virus started, and life was different, I did a piece on how many MPs in our Parliament I had never heard of. It turned out to be about 20 percent, 22 of them. Never heard of them, literally, and what made it surprising is no one follows the game more than me.
I watch Question Time, I follow Select Committees, the progress of legislation. Politics is my fascination. And yet in that Parliament were 22 people who have never managed to say or do anything to come to my attention. Two of those isolated are on the list, is that coincidence or not?
The fact four are list MPs once again highlights the absurdity of MMP. Just what is it these people do? Who do they represent? And when they're self isolating, be honest does anyone actually miss them?
Perhaps the most disturbing statistic I have heard is from Trevor Mallard who said if it came down to it, the Parliament could pass law with about 12 MPs. 12. And you know what the next question is, why do we need the other 108?
Obviously there are electorates, people do need some sort of personal representation. Although, hand on heart, how many people do you know who have gone to see an MP? And even those who have, how often? What for? And what if anything actually got done?  
You can add the committees and so on, but given we start with a base of 12 to actually make law, surely we can rapidly conclude that 120 plus all the apparatus that goes with it, is excessive.
In a world of so-called efficiency, not to mention fiscal leniency, there would appear to be a lot of people surplus to requirements.
One test, not the only one, but one test of your value to a group, business, institution, or economy is, if you vanished what wouldn't happen? What would stop? What would people miss? If the answer is nothing, or not much, or it would take a while to even notice, surely we could argue your role is not exactly vital? Perhaps not even that viable?
Its applicable in a lot of areas of life. From the roadwork crew, you know the one you drive past, and they're all leaning on their shovels watching one sap dig. What about the administrative type person in the office? No one really knows what exactly it is they do. The one's who's entire day is back to back meetings, a world of white boards, learnings, and un-packings.
A lot of it, sadly, is tax or rat payer funded. Nothing bloats like the public sector.
If Mallard is right and all we need is 12, that’s a lot of room for self isolation and no one really noticing the difference.      ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22955779/mhb20-03-20-opening-list-mps.mp3Thu, 19 Mar 2020 21:43:04 +0000RoccoAt last count there are six MPs in self isolation. Two electorate, four from the list. You may remember before the virus started, and life was different, I did a piece on how many MPs in our Parliament I had never heard of. It turned out to be about...You may remember before the virus started, and life was different, I did a piece on how many MPs in our Parliament I had never heard of. It turned out to be about 20 percent, 22 of them. Never heard of them, literally, and what made it surprising is no one follows the game more than me.
I watch Question Time, I follow Select Committees, the progress of legislation. Politics is my fascination. And yet in that Parliament were 22 people who have never managed to say or do anything to come to my attention. Two of those isolated are on the list, is that coincidence or not?
The fact four are list MPs once again highlights the absurdity of MMP. Just what is it these people do? Who do they represent? And when they're self isolating, be honest does anyone actually miss them?
Perhaps the most disturbing statistic I have heard is from Trevor Mallard who said if it came down to it, the Parliament could pass law with about 12 MPs. 12. And you know what the next question is, why do we need the other 108?
Obviously there are electorates, people do need some sort of personal representation. Although, hand on heart, how many people do you know who have gone to see an MP? And even those who have, how often? What for? And what if anything actually got done?  
You can add the committees and so on, but given we start with a base of 12 to actually make law, surely we can rapidly conclude that 120 plus all the apparatus that goes with it, is excessive.
In a world of so-called efficiency, not to mention fiscal leniency, there would appear to be a lot of people surplus to requirements.
One test, not the only one, but one test of your value to a group, business, institution, or economy is, if you vanished what wouldn't happen? What would stop? What would people miss? If the answer is nothing, or not much, or it would take a while to even notice, surely we could argue your role is not exactly vital? Perhaps not even that viable?
Its applicable in a lot of areas of life. From the roadwork crew, you know the one you drive past, and they're all leaning on their shovels watching one sap dig. What about the administrative type person in the office? No one really knows what exactly it is they do. The one's who's entire day is back to back meetings, a world of white boards, learnings, and un-packings.
A lot of it, sadly, is tax or rat payer funded. Nothing bloats like the public sector.
If Mallard is right and all we need is 12, that’s a lot of room for self isolation and no one really noticing the difference.      ]]>141falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-we-need-quick-and-decisive-action-to-combat-virus--1008544In a complex world washing your hands isn't interesting, new, or edgy, but its as applicable as it ever was. We just don’t necessarily want to know.
So simplicity in the answer is in this question, why isn't this country locked down? Now? Already?  
There are lots of other equally pertinent questions as well, like why didn’t we test earlier? Why didn't we know about the number of test kits we didn’t have?
But for right now, why isn't this country locked down? China has given us the answer. Not necessarily in a way we find comfortable. But the numbers don’t lie, they are largely out the other side by locking their country down. Europe is all the evidence you need as to what happens if you don’t act.
We seem in the midst of some bizarre, slowly unfolding series of decisions released in a cumbersome, lethargic, and needlessly ineffective way.
We have messages for New Zealanders to come home, messages to self-isolate, messages to practice social distancing, messages about large gatherings, that become smaller gatherings, that will inevitably lead to no gatherings.
All of this is unfolding, it's all going in the same direction , but it's just not happening fast enough. It's all heading to an obvious end point. Locking the country down, why are we waiting for whenever? When the call is the right one now?
The trouble, in part, is the government. They are useless at project management. The government can't do stuff, they talk about stuff, but they don’t do stuff.
We asked Monday whether you would feel differently if someone like Sir John Key was still in charge. The question is still applicable. If decisions were in the hands of proven project leaders would you feel better? And would stuff be happening faster?
The answer, if you need one, is yes.
Is an overreaction? What's the worst that can happen? You were wrong with an abundance of caution?
I doubt, in the fullness of time, with China and the various other success stories of this crisis show us, you will not be thanked for procrastinating. You stand a better chance of being thanked for appearing overeager.
The government faces the very real issue of people taking decisions into their own hands. It runs the risk of people thinking so little of their leadership they run their own programme.
The one thing the Prime Minister has done correctly is tell us not to panic. There is no need for panic, but there is an increasingly urgent need to act, and act decisively.
As we said earlier this week, this looks and feels like a government being led, not leading.
That needs to change now. ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22955709/mike-editorial.mp3Wed, 18 Mar 2020 22:40:09 +0000RoccoAs mad as it seems, the more we learn, the more it becomes apparent the answers are in fact clear and simple. Not unlike, wash your hands. In a complex world washing your hands isn't interesting, new, or edgy, but its as applicable as it ever was. We...In a complex world washing your hands isn't interesting, new, or edgy, but its as applicable as it ever was. We just don’t necessarily want to know.
So simplicity in the answer is in this question, why isn't this country locked down? Now? Already?  
There are lots of other equally pertinent questions as well, like why didn’t we test earlier? Why didn't we know about the number of test kits we didn’t have?
But for right now, why isn't this country locked down? China has given us the answer. Not necessarily in a way we find comfortable. But the numbers don’t lie, they are largely out the other side by locking their country down. Europe is all the evidence you need as to what happens if you don’t act.
We seem in the midst of some bizarre, slowly unfolding series of decisions released in a cumbersome, lethargic, and needlessly ineffective way.
We have messages for New Zealanders to come home, messages to self-isolate, messages to practice social distancing, messages about large gatherings, that become smaller gatherings, that will inevitably lead to no gatherings.
All of this is unfolding, it's all going in the same direction , but it's just not happening fast enough. It's all heading to an obvious end point. Locking the country down, why are we waiting for whenever? When the call is the right one now?
The trouble, in part, is the government. They are useless at project management. The government can't do stuff, they talk about stuff, but they don’t do stuff.
We asked Monday whether you would feel differently if someone like Sir John Key was still in charge. The question is still applicable. If decisions were in the hands of proven project leaders would you feel better? And would stuff be happening faster?
The answer, if you need one, is yes.
Is an overreaction? What's the worst that can happen? You were wrong with an abundance of caution?
I doubt, in the fullness of time, with China and the various other success stories of this crisis show us, you will not be thanked for procrastinating. You stand a better chance of being thanked for appearing overeager.
The government faces the very real issue of people taking decisions into their own hands. It runs the risk of people thinking so little of their leadership they run their own programme.
The one thing the Prime Minister has done correctly is tell us not to panic. There is no need for panic, but there is an increasingly urgent need to act, and act decisively.
As we said earlier this week, this looks and feels like a government being led, not leading.
That needs to change now. ]]>142falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-too-much-politics-in-rescue-package--1008494But that's the problem, if all you see is the number. And I am sad to say that is part of the political game that is being played. It is $12.1 billion because the Prime Minister made the error of saying it would be the biggest package she will ever produce. It's $12.1 billion to beat the $12 billion she borrowed for infrastructure, not because $12.1 billion is actually the number needed.
Of the money, a fantastically, obviously, fantastically, and alarmingly small amount is for health. Test, test, test is what the W.H.O said yesterday. We aren't, haven't been, and most likely never will.  And we haven't because we don't have the kits, don’t have the capacity, and the money from the package won't solve it.
The Winter Energy Payment is not a means tested, closely monitored piece of financial assistance. It’s a cash splash, it's classic Labour economics, no efficiency with other people's money. It's wasted. It's not virus related, it's not job related, it's not recession related, it's simply money in your letterbox whether you need it or not.
The benefit increase is the worst of the lot. It is blatant politics of the worst sort. Beneficiaries are not affected economically by the virus. Their wages are safe, their job outlook and financial circumstances are untouched. For every dollar this costs, it's money not going to a wage subsidy, or an employer who needs help.
All it does does is make life easier for the person who loses their job. It's not efficient spending, it's unproductive, and a monumentally large, missed opportunity.
The rest of it, and the good news is there is more if and when needed. And one assumes the Budget will be as big as it needs to be, if it becomes rescue 2.0.
But in what we have, we can only guess right now whether it's enough. The wage subsidies, the tax treatments, they'll all merge in with the help from the banks, the stimulus from the Reserve Bank, and the announcements that are yet to come.
If you want a crude measure it's six out of ten. There is simply too much politics, and pork barrelling.
And the long term danger is around debt. This is clearly a government not afraid to borrow, and potentially to dangerous levels.
We're starting off in good shape, and even that’s partially debatable. But it very quickly unravels if your penchant is to boost benefits and non means tested handouts. We aren't rich enough or big enough to do that.
The money had to be for the productive end of the economy, and too much of it isn't. It's an ideological fail.
On a day when much was anticipated, and even more was needed, too much went the wrong way.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22955625/mhb18-03-20-opener-coronavirus-package.mp3Tue, 17 Mar 2020 21:41:36 +0000Rocco$12.1 billion is a lot of money. It is four percent of GDP.  But that's the problem, if all you see is the number. And I am sad to say that is part of the political game that is being played. It is $12.1 billion because the Prime Minister made the...But that's the problem, if all you see is the number. And I am sad to say that is part of the political game that is being played. It is $12.1 billion because the Prime Minister made the error of saying it would be the biggest package she will ever produce. It's $12.1 billion to beat the $12 billion she borrowed for infrastructure, not because $12.1 billion is actually the number needed.
Of the money, a fantastically, obviously, fantastically, and alarmingly small amount is for health. Test, test, test is what the W.H.O said yesterday. We aren't, haven't been, and most likely never will.  And we haven't because we don't have the kits, don’t have the capacity, and the money from the package won't solve it.
The Winter Energy Payment is not a means tested, closely monitored piece of financial assistance. It’s a cash splash, it's classic Labour economics, no efficiency with other people's money. It's wasted. It's not virus related, it's not job related, it's not recession related, it's simply money in your letterbox whether you need it or not.
The benefit increase is the worst of the lot. It is blatant politics of the worst sort. Beneficiaries are not affected economically by the virus. Their wages are safe, their job outlook and financial circumstances are untouched. For every dollar this costs, it's money not going to a wage subsidy, or an employer who needs help.
All it does does is make life easier for the person who loses their job. It's not efficient spending, it's unproductive, and a monumentally large, missed opportunity.
The rest of it, and the good news is there is more if and when needed. And one assumes the Budget will be as big as it needs to be, if it becomes rescue 2.0.
But in what we have, we can only guess right now whether it's enough. The wage subsidies, the tax treatments, they'll all merge in with the help from the banks, the stimulus from the Reserve Bank, and the announcements that are yet to come.
If you want a crude measure it's six out of ten. There is simply too much politics, and pork barrelling.
And the long term danger is around debt. This is clearly a government not afraid to borrow, and potentially to dangerous levels.
We're starting off in good shape, and even that’s partially debatable. But it very quickly unravels if your penchant is to boost benefits and non means tested handouts. We aren't rich enough or big enough to do that.
The money had to be for the productive end of the economy, and too much of it isn't. It's an ideological fail.
On a day when much was anticipated, and even more was needed, too much went the wrong way.]]>144falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-this-is-grant-robertson-s-moment--1008540It’s a bit late, should have been at least a week ago if you subscribe to the argument that a week is a life time in business.
Without wanting to read between too many lines, if you look at what Australia did last week at a bit over $20 billion, those numbers translated down to our economy would be about $4 billion. And yet the Prime Minister has said it’s the biggest package she will ever announce.
And given she's already rolled out the $12 billion for infrastructure, that would mean it's over that. But then yesterday on our show when presented with those facts, she seemed to baulk. Unless, of course, she tries to say the $12 billion already announced is part of it, and then she adds another lot today for the grand total of who knows what.
Whatever it is the key is effectiveness as opposed to size.
The first thing they did a week or so back was drop the stand down period for benefits. That, although logical, is favouring welfare. Their argument would be all welfare money is spent, therefore it's worth it. Counter argument is welfare money grows government, we don’t want to grow government, and every dollar the government handles loses economic potency every time it's handled.
That's why Australia did the right thing. Massive and instant write offs on the purchase of plant and equipment. Things to encourage the economy, to keep people spending.
Obviously the banks and tax office play their role. Delay of payments, suspension of interest, there are no shortage of mechanisms if you're so inclined.
But no one has a chequebook like a government. And now is the time to flood the economy with spending power. And the key is to look forward. This isn't a patch up, it's not retrospective, because for many nothing has actually happened. It's a band aid to cover a gap, it will be okay.
The real key, the magic to all this, is to be in a place where you can put the foot down when the bounce back comes. So wage subsidies to keep people at work are critical. We already had labour shortages, we don’t want more. We need to keep businesses open.
That’s why I worry so much about the sport. If teams fail, you don’t magic up new teams on the Saturday after the Friday things came right.
This is a holding pattern, where many will need help to stay afloat while they hold. But he key is not to panic, shrink, sack, or close. Of course, some tragically will, that's what a recession does.
But for Robertson today it's money where his mouth is, he's said the economy is in great shape, debt is low, and we are prepared.
So let's see it.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22955540/mhb17-03-20-robertson-comment-opener.mp3Mon, 16 Mar 2020 21:40:37 +0000RoccoSo all eyes on Grant Robertson today. This will be, at least until now, the biggest thing he's ever done. It’s a bit late, should have been at least a week ago if you subscribe to the argument that a week is a life time in business. Without wanting to...It’s a bit late, should have been at least a week ago if you subscribe to the argument that a week is a life time in business.
Without wanting to read between too many lines, if you look at what Australia did last week at a bit over $20 billion, those numbers translated down to our economy would be about $4 billion. And yet the Prime Minister has said it’s the biggest package she will ever announce.
And given she's already rolled out the $12 billion for infrastructure, that would mean it's over that. But then yesterday on our show when presented with those facts, she seemed to baulk. Unless, of course, she tries to say the $12 billion already announced is part of it, and then she adds another lot today for the grand total of who knows what.
Whatever it is the key is effectiveness as opposed to size.
The first thing they did a week or so back was drop the stand down period for benefits. That, although logical, is favouring welfare. Their argument would be all welfare money is spent, therefore it's worth it. Counter argument is welfare money grows government, we don’t want to grow government, and every dollar the government handles loses economic potency every time it's handled.
That's why Australia did the right thing. Massive and instant write offs on the purchase of plant and equipment. Things to encourage the economy, to keep people spending.
Obviously the banks and tax office play their role. Delay of payments, suspension of interest, there are no shortage of mechanisms if you're so inclined.
But no one has a chequebook like a government. And now is the time to flood the economy with spending power. And the key is to look forward. This isn't a patch up, it's not retrospective, because for many nothing has actually happened. It's a band aid to cover a gap, it will be okay.
The real key, the magic to all this, is to be in a place where you can put the foot down when the bounce back comes. So wage subsidies to keep people at work are critical. We already had labour shortages, we don’t want more. We need to keep businesses open.
That’s why I worry so much about the sport. If teams fail, you don’t magic up new teams on the Saturday after the Friday things came right.
This is a holding pattern, where many will need help to stay afloat while they hold. But he key is not to panic, shrink, sack, or close. Of course, some tragically will, that's what a recession does.
But for Robertson today it's money where his mouth is, he's said the economy is in great shape, debt is low, and we are prepared.
So let's see it.]]>137falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-virus-is-a-test-of-leadership-which-trump-failed-miserably--1008545Scott Morrison gave a lesson in how to do it properly. He spoke confidently, he was reassuring, he had plenty of money to spend, he said he was off to the footy, and it would all be okay in the end.
People worry at times like this, and this is where leadership really counts.
Contrast it to the US President who looked like a bumbling fool. We all know he can't read the auto-cue, which by the way, puts to bed once and for all that tired old complaint about newsreaders that anyone could do that for a living. It simply isn't true.
Reading an auto-cue is a skill, and Trump proves it.
He came with the headline travel ban, of course no one saw that coming. To be fair to him, it's very Trump, it's America first, it's isolationist, and it will play well.
But as for the rest of it, what a chaotic, unconvincing mish mash of jumbled thoughts it was. This is where being a President matters, and you can go back decades and not have seen such a piss poor effort.Say what you want about any of his predecessors, they could all deliver well when it matters. When a rallying cry or call was needed, pick any one of them either a Bush, Obama of course, Clinton, and and the best of the lot Reagan. Everyone of them knew how to look, sound, and act Presidential.
Trump is an amateur at it. He closed some borders, offered a loan scheme for small business, which by the way is not a grant or write off, and the loans aren't even interest free. He talked of a payroll tax that needs Congressional support, but won't get it. So he may as well have talked about flying to the moon.
He told everyone to wash their hands, and that was that.
Meantime Morrison twice yesterday reassured Australia in a way that not only comforted, but also came with tangible help. Over 20 billion dollars of genuine help, two percent of GDP is being thrown at this. They are looking to boost growth by one and a half points. Then last night he addressed the country again, it rarely happens and when it does it has to count.
It did, look at it, look at him, you can see why he won the election in a way few saw coming.
As regards us, that sort of leadership has been absent this week, Jacinda Ardern should have fronted by now. The government should have fronted by now. They, as always, are too slow to actually do anything.
Grant Robertson has been good with the reassuring noise, but woefully short on action. So next week's package better be good.
Tough days reveal the true measure of leaders. Morrison has it, Ardern is missing in action again, and Trump at least showed.
But, my god it left you astonished, and not in a good way.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22955327/newstalk-zb-auckland-2020_03_13-06-07-43.mp3Thu, 12 Mar 2020 21:56:55 +0000RoccoYou had a contrast of leaders yesterday. Scott Morrison gave a lesson in how to do it properly. He spoke confidently, he was reassuring, he had plenty of money to spend, he said he was off to the footy, and it would all be okay in the end. People...Scott Morrison gave a lesson in how to do it properly. He spoke confidently, he was reassuring, he had plenty of money to spend, he said he was off to the footy, and it would all be okay in the end.
People worry at times like this, and this is where leadership really counts.
Contrast it to the US President who looked like a bumbling fool. We all know he can't read the auto-cue, which by the way, puts to bed once and for all that tired old complaint about newsreaders that anyone could do that for a living. It simply isn't true.
Reading an auto-cue is a skill, and Trump proves it.
He came with the headline travel ban, of course no one saw that coming. To be fair to him, it's very Trump, it's America first, it's isolationist, and it will play well.
But as for the rest of it, what a chaotic, unconvincing mish mash of jumbled thoughts it was. This is where being a President matters, and you can go back decades and not have seen such a piss poor effort.Say what you want about any of his predecessors, they could all deliver well when it matters. When a rallying cry or call was needed, pick any one of them either a Bush, Obama of course, Clinton, and and the best of the lot Reagan. Everyone of them knew how to look, sound, and act Presidential.
Trump is an amateur at it. He closed some borders, offered a loan scheme for small business, which by the way is not a grant or write off, and the loans aren't even interest free. He talked of a payroll tax that needs Congressional support, but won't get it. So he may as well have talked about flying to the moon.
He told everyone to wash their hands, and that was that.
Meantime Morrison twice yesterday reassured Australia in a way that not only comforted, but also came with tangible help. Over 20 billion dollars of genuine help, two percent of GDP is being thrown at this. They are looking to boost growth by one and a half points. Then last night he addressed the country again, it rarely happens and when it does it has to count.
It did, look at it, look at him, you can see why he won the election in a way few saw coming.
As regards us, that sort of leadership has been absent this week, Jacinda Ardern should have fronted by now. The government should have fronted by now. They, as always, are too slow to actually do anything.
Grant Robertson has been good with the reassuring noise, but woefully short on action. So next week's package better be good.
Tough days reveal the true measure of leaders. Morrison has it, Ardern is missing in action again, and Trump at least showed.
But, my god it left you astonished, and not in a good way.]]>135falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/graham-gouldman-from-10cc-performs-live-in-studio--1008551Of course, Dreadlock Holiday and I'm Not in Love are among the hits.
The original line up made it big in the 60s and 70s, but suddenly split in 1976.
Since then, there's been various iterations of the band.
And they're still touring, and on our shores for Platinum Sounds.
Lead singer and founding member Graham Gouldman joined Mike Hosking for a chat, and treated us to a live performance as well!
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22955113/mh100320-20-grahamgouldman-10cc.mp3Tue, 10 Mar 2020 03:02:15 +0000Rocco10cc is regarded as one of the most influential music bands ever. Of course, Dreadlock Holiday and I'm Not in Love are among the hits. The original line up made it big in the 60s and 70s, but suddenly split in 1976. Since then, there's been various...Of course, Dreadlock Holiday and I'm Not in Love are among the hits.
The original line up made it big in the 60s and 70s, but suddenly split in 1976.
Since then, there's been various iterations of the band.
And they're still touring, and on our shores for Platinum Sounds.
Lead singer and founding member Graham Gouldman joined Mike Hosking for a chat, and treated us to a live performance as well!
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE]]>658falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-putting-bikes-on-footpaths-is-a-stupid-idea--1008546That's why National, as part of their red tape purge, are tossing out the landlord changes the govt is trying to implement as we speak. Fines for not telling tenant's stuff, fines for changing your address or not providing receipts. That's niggly, scrappy, narky little bits of law that drive people nuts.
And that’s before you get to the bigger stuff like 90 day tenancy changes, heating requirements, and pets. They have taken a market and wrecked it.
Here are the simple facts around renting in this country, there aren't enough houses, there are too many people looking for those houses, the price is rising and finding a place is a nightmare. The average rental in most urban centres is at record levels, in excess of $600 a week. And what you get for that is depressing.
A large chunk of that is based on the very simple premise that the harder you make it to do something, the less likely someone is to do it. Which is why Simon Bridges and his mates might be onto something. New Zealanders hate petty little rules, so tipping them up has appeal.
And then having messed up rentals the government are looking to poke their nose into bikes and footpaths.
Should bikes be allowed on footpaths? No. But that's not stopping them.
Should it be limited to 16 year olds or less? Immediately you can see where the trouble is, who's policing that?
Should e-scooters be allowed in bike lanes? They think yes, but they'd need lights and reflectors. Who's policing that?
Should skateboards be allowed in bike lanes?
So you’ve got bikes, scooters and skateboards in bike lanes, under 16 or maybe over 16, some with reflectors some with out, but they'd all have to give way to buses. Are you serious? This, you perhaps won't be surprised to learn, is the work of that well known transport genius and feebate inventor Julie Anne Genter.
The fact we have allowed e-scooters to roam and rampage free for a year now without any regulation, costing us all millions in ACC as pissed geriatrics fall off and break themselves, shows you just how hopelessly disorganised we are around transport and its regulation.
And when we go to address it, instead of keeping it clean and simple, clear and understandable, we have half a million options and variables which will lead to carnage, cost, and confusion.
This lot are meddlers. There isn't an issue they can't strangle and complicate, with death by a thousand bylaws, exemptions, changes or theories.
The footpath is for people, the road is for everyone else.
See it's simple, if you apply a bit of logic.    ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22955080/mh100320-13-bikesonfootpathscomment.mp3Mon, 09 Mar 2020 22:09:20 +0000RoccoThere is nothing worse than bad law, there is nothing worse than bad law driven by tinkering and pottering, and a series of niggly little amendments that make it complex and /or neigh on impossible to police.  That's why National, as part of their red...That's why National, as part of their red tape purge, are tossing out the landlord changes the govt is trying to implement as we speak. Fines for not telling tenant's stuff, fines for changing your address or not providing receipts. That's niggly, scrappy, narky little bits of law that drive people nuts.
And that’s before you get to the bigger stuff like 90 day tenancy changes, heating requirements, and pets. They have taken a market and wrecked it.
Here are the simple facts around renting in this country, there aren't enough houses, there are too many people looking for those houses, the price is rising and finding a place is a nightmare. The average rental in most urban centres is at record levels, in excess of $600 a week. And what you get for that is depressing.
A large chunk of that is based on the very simple premise that the harder you make it to do something, the less likely someone is to do it. Which is why Simon Bridges and his mates might be onto something. New Zealanders hate petty little rules, so tipping them up has appeal.
And then having messed up rentals the government are looking to poke their nose into bikes and footpaths.
Should bikes be allowed on footpaths? No. But that's not stopping them.
Should it be limited to 16 year olds or less? Immediately you can see where the trouble is, who's policing that?
Should e-scooters be allowed in bike lanes? They think yes, but they'd need lights and reflectors. Who's policing that?
Should skateboards be allowed in bike lanes?
So you’ve got bikes, scooters and skateboards in bike lanes, under 16 or maybe over 16, some with reflectors some with out, but they'd all have to give way to buses. Are you serious? This, you perhaps won't be surprised to learn, is the work of that well known transport genius and feebate inventor Julie Anne Genter.
The fact we have allowed e-scooters to roam and rampage free for a year now without any regulation, costing us all millions in ACC as pissed geriatrics fall off and break themselves, shows you just how hopelessly disorganised we are around transport and its regulation.
And when we go to address it, instead of keeping it clean and simple, clear and understandable, we have half a million options and variables which will lead to carnage, cost, and confusion.
This lot are meddlers. There isn't an issue they can't strangle and complicate, with death by a thousand bylaws, exemptions, changes or theories.
The footpath is for people, the road is for everyone else.
See it's simple, if you apply a bit of logic.    ]]>139falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-shane-jones-saga-exposes-jacinda-ardern-s-weakness-again--1008420They, obviously, put the Shane Jones saga to her and asked her why she was allowing casual racism to fester at the highest levels of government. Fair question.
Her answer was for the voter not to punish her, for the voter to work out who has the power to form governments, and it's within your power to decide what you make of those comments.
Yes it is, and the inference is clear. But what's also clear is we have it in our power to work out whether we want a leader with no backbone, whether we want a leader who time and time again fails to make clear and obvious leadership decisions, and whether we want a leader who clearly is either too scared to be bold, or too afraid that her government will implode if she acts in a way the vast majority of us would under normal circumstances expect.
The answer is classic Ardern. You could put it in the dictionary. "An Ardern" is is when you make some noise but say nothing, when your answer is not an answer at all.
Shane Jones and Winston Peters arguably, could have, should have, both been stood down. But they haven't been, and they haven't been because the person who could do it, is incapable of owning hard calls.
It not only makes her look weak it makes Peters and Jones look in charge, it hands them the power. It’s the lesson of the school yard, if you don’t stand up to the bully, the bully keeps bullying.
Jones has a number of verbal indiscretions now, and each time we see the farcical scene where Ardern puts on her best stern face and tells us she's had a word.
It's happened so often now it’s a joke, the savaging of the wet bus ticket.
Peters, of course, is vastly more serious. And when it happened previously he did stand down, and that's because if he didn’t, he would have been sacked by Helen Clark who, say what you want about her, knew how to actually lead.
So when Ardern tries yet again to sidestep a question by "handing the power to the people," as we ask whether Jones and his tongue should be allowed another crack, we also ask the value of a leader who doesn’t lead, can't lead, is scared of leading, fails to hold those under her watch to account.
If we had a decisive leader, we wouldn't need to ask the question about Jones because there wouldn't be a question because it would have been taken care of.]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22955025/mh090320-01-ardernleadershipcomment.mp3Sun, 08 Mar 2020 21:44:58 +0000RoccoThe Prime Minister made a very grave mistake in an interview with Indian media on Friday.  They, obviously, put the Shane Jones saga to her and asked her why she was allowing casual racism to fester at the highest levels of government. Fair question....They, obviously, put the Shane Jones saga to her and asked her why she was allowing casual racism to fester at the highest levels of government. Fair question.
Her answer was for the voter not to punish her, for the voter to work out who has the power to form governments, and it's within your power to decide what you make of those comments.
Yes it is, and the inference is clear. But what's also clear is we have it in our power to work out whether we want a leader with no backbone, whether we want a leader who time and time again fails to make clear and obvious leadership decisions, and whether we want a leader who clearly is either too scared to be bold, or too afraid that her government will implode if she acts in a way the vast majority of us would under normal circumstances expect.
The answer is classic Ardern. You could put it in the dictionary. "An Ardern" is is when you make some noise but say nothing, when your answer is not an answer at all.
Shane Jones and Winston Peters arguably, could have, should have, both been stood down. But they haven't been, and they haven't been because the person who could do it, is incapable of owning hard calls.
It not only makes her look weak it makes Peters and Jones look in charge, it hands them the power. It’s the lesson of the school yard, if you don’t stand up to the bully, the bully keeps bullying.
Jones has a number of verbal indiscretions now, and each time we see the farcical scene where Ardern puts on her best stern face and tells us she's had a word.
It's happened so often now it’s a joke, the savaging of the wet bus ticket.
Peters, of course, is vastly more serious. And when it happened previously he did stand down, and that's because if he didn’t, he would have been sacked by Helen Clark who, say what you want about her, knew how to actually lead.
So when Ardern tries yet again to sidestep a question by "handing the power to the people," as we ask whether Jones and his tongue should be allowed another crack, we also ask the value of a leader who doesn’t lead, can't lead, is scared of leading, fails to hold those under her watch to account.
If we had a decisive leader, we wouldn't need to ask the question about Jones because there wouldn't be a question because it would have been taken care of.]]>120falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-coronavirus-hysteria-is-out-of-control--1008432It started Saturday with the panic buying as a result of a single case of the virus in this country. I was genuinely astonished. That's not to say it hasn’t happened elsewhere because it has, but it’s a cop out excuse. Finding a bigger idiot than you, doesn’t absolve you from your own idiocy.
The media has been a profound, although sadly, not a completely unsurprising disappointment. Yes, once again, you’ve had insane examples offshore over headlines designed to scare, upset, and ultimately cause a click, but just because you can find a reprobate worse than yourself, that doesn’t justify your immersion into unprofessionalism.
By about Wednesday, I finally noted a handful of outlets starting to do what we began Monday. Use a few facts.
One of the most astonishing things to me was the global number of cases reported, wasn’t the actual number of cases, but a cumulative figure from the start. So the 94,000-odd was everyone added up, but it wasn’t explained that way, and it didn’t sound like that.
Why not? Why was I the only one to ask? Why was I the only one putting out the real, current number? Why was the the number of people who had it but now didn’t not published just as widely as any other number? Why was the number of those who were better not highlighted? Given that number was a mile bigger than those still sick.
Was it because it didn't suit the purveyors of drama? Why present fact, heaven forbid, positive fact, when an ongoing barrage of upset, alarmism, and drama was clearly far more appealing to the desire to attract readers, watchers, and listeners.
It is not a killer virus, as I read a number of times. It’s a virus that can kill, the same way a Toyota Corolla isn't a killer car. You need mitigating circumstances, in this case age and infirmity.
The vast majority of cases are mild, not serious. The vast majority of cases have always been in one province of one country, and that country has this week produced a dramatically diminishing number of cases. Outside the province within a population of over one billion people, the number of new cases is in single figures, and the deaths are zero.
Where have all these facts been?
The ultimate irony, of course, is parts of the media in this country are in a pile of trouble financially, the future is fraught. So what better time to step up and impress, but they reminded us what a bunch of shallow, clickbait obsessives they really are.
And the greatest tragedy is, of course, the economy. The fallout is not proportionate to the actual health facts. Fear has won, and the psychology of that fear has translated into real bottom lines, jobs, and futures.
We can't control a lot of it, but we can control our reaction. We can keep our heads, we can properly inform ourselves, and we can keep perspective.
We can do a lot better.  ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22954873/mh060320-01-covid19weekcomment.mp3Thu, 05 Mar 2020 21:50:03 +0000RoccoI've got to say I have found this week draining and disappointing. It started Saturday with the panic buying as a result of a single case of the virus in this country. I was genuinely astonished. That's not to say it hasn’t happened elsewhere because...It started Saturday with the panic buying as a result of a single case of the virus in this country. I was genuinely astonished. That's not to say it hasn’t happened elsewhere because it has, but it’s a cop out excuse. Finding a bigger idiot than you, doesn’t absolve you from your own idiocy.
The media has been a profound, although sadly, not a completely unsurprising disappointment. Yes, once again, you’ve had insane examples offshore over headlines designed to scare, upset, and ultimately cause a click, but just because you can find a reprobate worse than yourself, that doesn’t justify your immersion into unprofessionalism.
By about Wednesday, I finally noted a handful of outlets starting to do what we began Monday. Use a few facts.
One of the most astonishing things to me was the global number of cases reported, wasn’t the actual number of cases, but a cumulative figure from the start. So the 94,000-odd was everyone added up, but it wasn’t explained that way, and it didn’t sound like that.
Why not? Why was I the only one to ask? Why was I the only one putting out the real, current number? Why was the the number of people who had it but now didn’t not published just as widely as any other number? Why was the number of those who were better not highlighted? Given that number was a mile bigger than those still sick.
Was it because it didn't suit the purveyors of drama? Why present fact, heaven forbid, positive fact, when an ongoing barrage of upset, alarmism, and drama was clearly far more appealing to the desire to attract readers, watchers, and listeners.
It is not a killer virus, as I read a number of times. It’s a virus that can kill, the same way a Toyota Corolla isn't a killer car. You need mitigating circumstances, in this case age and infirmity.
The vast majority of cases are mild, not serious. The vast majority of cases have always been in one province of one country, and that country has this week produced a dramatically diminishing number of cases. Outside the province within a population of over one billion people, the number of new cases is in single figures, and the deaths are zero.
Where have all these facts been?
The ultimate irony, of course, is parts of the media in this country are in a pile of trouble financially, the future is fraught. So what better time to step up and impress, but they reminded us what a bunch of shallow, clickbait obsessives they really are.
And the greatest tragedy is, of course, the economy. The fallout is not proportionate to the actual health facts. Fear has won, and the psychology of that fear has translated into real bottom lines, jobs, and futures.
We can't control a lot of it, but we can control our reaction. We can keep our heads, we can properly inform ourselves, and we can keep perspective.
We can do a lot better.  ]]>161falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-could-the-virus-have-big-political-implications--1008572I've already called a growth rate of one-point-something for this year, for last year. We were slowing, the government was blaming head winds, and they're now blaming the virus.
Difference is the headwinds were for their political benefit. Yes, there were headwinds, but we had done a lot of damage locally that wasn’t helping. The virus is no one's fault, apart from possibly the Chinese, and we are at the mercy of it like everyone else.
So a growth rate of one-point-something wasn’t flash, and the economy was to have played a major role in the campaign.
By the time we vote, we will have Q1 numbers for this year. That’s January, February and March, they will come out around June, and I doubt they’ll be above zero.
By election day we should have Q2, April, May, and June. If the virus has been an issue all of Q1 and into Q2 we will definitely be below zero and that, potentially, technically, is a recession.
The "rockstar" economy to a recession. Oh, how turbulent these times are.
So the big question is, does the economy still play in the campaign? And if so, how? Does a government get blamed for the economy being in bad shape if it isn't directly their fault? Does a government get blamed for not helping enough in hard times? And if so, do we want more help? Or has the help been badly handled? Does an opposition have a platform to argue they would have done it differently? And if so, how?
Whatever help comes, if in fact it gets ramped up, it's extremely limited. There is only so much a government can do. Simon Bridges is arguing this week middle income earners deserve a tax break. We might all deserve a tax break if this gets ugly.
Grant Robertson told us the other day he will spend his way out of this. Under normal circumstances that sort of debt and cheque writing would be taken to task by conservatives, but we might not be in normal times or anywhere close to it.
Could the taps being turned on be a boon for a government? Do the old theories apply? Conservative governments are favoured in dark days because people back conservatives around the economy.Or do we fall in love with this govt who are filling our pockets with money and saving the day?
If the virus is still in play, all bets are off. Rules don’t apply, history is no guide, and lord knows how this all plays out.
The great hope, of course, is the virus is but a distant memory, and we can judge all contenders on a level playing field, not in a time of crisis and economic upheaval.      ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22954787/mh050320-14-growthcomment.mp3Wed, 04 Mar 2020 22:53:29 +0000RoccoAlthough it's only March, and although the election isn't until September, what we know according to the government, who are onto plan two of their three point plan for the virus, is that it will effect the economy for the rest of the year. I've...I've already called a growth rate of one-point-something for this year, for last year. We were slowing, the government was blaming head winds, and they're now blaming the virus.
Difference is the headwinds were for their political benefit. Yes, there were headwinds, but we had done a lot of damage locally that wasn’t helping. The virus is no one's fault, apart from possibly the Chinese, and we are at the mercy of it like everyone else.
So a growth rate of one-point-something wasn’t flash, and the economy was to have played a major role in the campaign.
By the time we vote, we will have Q1 numbers for this year. That’s January, February and March, they will come out around June, and I doubt they’ll be above zero.
By election day we should have Q2, April, May, and June. If the virus has been an issue all of Q1 and into Q2 we will definitely be below zero and that, potentially, technically, is a recession.
The "rockstar" economy to a recession. Oh, how turbulent these times are.
So the big question is, does the economy still play in the campaign? And if so, how? Does a government get blamed for the economy being in bad shape if it isn't directly their fault? Does a government get blamed for not helping enough in hard times? And if so, do we want more help? Or has the help been badly handled? Does an opposition have a platform to argue they would have done it differently? And if so, how?
Whatever help comes, if in fact it gets ramped up, it's extremely limited. There is only so much a government can do. Simon Bridges is arguing this week middle income earners deserve a tax break. We might all deserve a tax break if this gets ugly.
Grant Robertson told us the other day he will spend his way out of this. Under normal circumstances that sort of debt and cheque writing would be taken to task by conservatives, but we might not be in normal times or anywhere close to it.
Could the taps being turned on be a boon for a government? Do the old theories apply? Conservative governments are favoured in dark days because people back conservatives around the economy.Or do we fall in love with this govt who are filling our pockets with money and saving the day?
If the virus is still in play, all bets are off. Rules don’t apply, history is no guide, and lord knows how this all plays out.
The great hope, of course, is the virus is but a distant memory, and we can judge all contenders on a level playing field, not in a time of crisis and economic upheaval.      ]]>150falsefullhttps://www.spreaker-beta.com/episode/mike-s-minute-shane-jones-anti-pc-campaign-a-breath-of-fresh-air--1008574This is like an on going serial drama. Say something that upsets people, get the obligatory reaction, get told off by the Prime Minister, watch the Prime Minister's telling off get laughed at, roll out someone like the Race Relations Commissioner who says it's racist, get a comment from Shane Jones who says it isn't, and wait for next time.
He, in this particular case, has produced a moderately nice turn of phrase.
The younger generation, he says, especially those who belong to "Ngati Woke" have inherited the value of free speech. But when they hear speech that is not in the vein of a carefully nuanced and perfectly couched terminology, then they are offended and they reach for the mallet of xenophobia.
Winston Peters rolled in with the defence. He suggested Jones was merely reflecting the views of the Indian community that had contacted New Zealand First. Never having to name any of those people, of course, allows a robust defence.
"These aren't our words, they are merely the words of the Indian community, and therefore, by inference, how can they be racist."
The great game at play here, of course, is the cold hard reality that Shane Jones is loving it. He knows no one can touch him, and he also knows a lot of what he says plays beautifully to the people he wants to play to. And those who are aggrieved and upset are not those people.
It makes Jacinda Ardern's day hard work. You have never seen a Prime Minister so hamstrung when it comes to discipline. She has the ongoing hassle of Jones and his tongue, and Jones’ leader, her Deputy Prime Minister occupying the time of the Serious Fraud Office and all the potential political carnage that entails, and literally she can do nothing about it.
If ever you wanted tangible examples of who is running this country and who has the power, this is all the evidence you need.
Of course, Jones actually has a point.
Not specifically necessarily about Indians and whether they ruin institutions. But on the greatest of rights, the ability to speak your mind, and say what you want in a world, where that pursuit has been curtailed, many of us would argue, by an army of uptight, politically correct, ideologically driven, control freaks.
They are ruining discourse and free speech.
There will always have to be lines drawn, of course. But a good dose of Jones is actually good for us. It's push back, it’s a rectifying of the out of balance situation in which we find ourselves.
He represents a frustrated group that, I suspect, grows by the day. In other words, partly anyway, he is us. ]]>https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/media/22954694/mh040320-13-shanejonesracismcomment.mp3Tue, 03 Mar 2020 21:37:47 +0000RoccoSo Shane Jones is a racist, or is he? This is like an on going serial drama. Say something that upsets people, get the obligatory reaction, get told off by the Prime Minister, watch the Prime Minister's telling off get laughed at, roll out someone...This is like an on going serial drama. Say something that upsets people, get the obligatory reaction, get told off by the Prime Minister, watch the Prime Minister's telling off get laughed at, roll out someone like the Race Relations Commissioner who says it's racist, get a comment from Shane Jones who says it isn't, and wait for next time.
He, in this particular case, has produced a moderately nice turn of phrase.
The younger generation, he says, especially those who belong to "Ngati Woke" have inherited the value of free speech. But when they hear speech that is not in the vein of a carefully nuanced and perfectly couched terminology, then they are offended and they reach for the mallet of xenophobia.
Winston Peters rolled in with the defence. He suggested Jones was merely reflecting the views of the Indian community that had contacted New Zealand First. Never having to name any of those people, of course, allows a robust defence.
"These aren't our words, they are merely the words of the Indian community, and therefore, by inference, how can they be racist."
The great game at play here, of course, is the cold hard reality that Shane Jones is loving it. He knows no one can touch him, and he also knows a lot of what he says plays beautifully to the people he wants to play to. And those who are aggrieved and upset are not those people.
It makes Jacinda Ardern's day hard work. You have never seen a Prime Minister so hamstrung when it comes to discipline. She has the ongoing hassle of Jones and his tongue, and Jones’ leader, her Deputy Prime Minister occupying the time of the Serious Fraud Office and all the potential political carnage that entails, and literally she can do nothing about it.
If ever you wanted tangible examples of who is running this country and who has the power, this is all the evidence you need.
Of course, Jones actually has a point.
Not specifically necessarily about Indians and whether they ruin institutions. But on the greatest of rights, the ability to speak your mind, and say what you want in a world, where that pursuit has been curtailed, many of us would argue, by an army of uptight, politically correct, ideologically driven, control freaks.
They are ruining discourse and free speech.
There will always have to be lines drawn, of course. But a good dose of Jones is actually good for us. It's push back, it’s a rectifying of the out of balance situation in which we find ourselves.
He represents a frustrated group that, I suspect, grows by the day. In other words, partly anyway, he is us. ]]>138falsefull