The Mike Hosking Breakfast

John Key not only appeared on our show Friday, having put out a video reminding us all what is at stake this Saturday, he also appeared on a podcast suggesting Luxon has been the victim of a hit job by the left and the media. I think he is right. I would also suggest the media is the left, and the left is the media. But, and it's a big "but", it makes no difference. It is what it is, and to his credit, Luxon has not complained about his treatment, often using the line "it's like a farmer complaining about the weather". I do worry about John Key and his role. He left office ten years ago and he clearly is still the National Party's greatest asset. What's that say about the National Party? I thought about this last week when I watched Obama get rolled out as part of the midterms. He is as electric as he ever was. But you can equally ask the question, given Trump got to the White House also a decade ago, why hasn’t he been replaced by someone new and just as charismatic? Is it the times? Does the world not…

The stakes are high for Donald Trump and his Republican Party as American's head to the polls just before us next week, on Wednesday. The midterm elections will determine control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, shaping how much power Trump has to push through his agenda for the remainder of his presidency. US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking Trump's approval rating is at an all-time low, with the worst numbers for any president before a midterm. As a result, he says, the Democrats look to have a strong likelihood of taking control of the House. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday 2nd of November, we dig into the AA report showing we've hit the lowest road toll in over a century. The Prime Minister and National Party leader Christopher Luxon joins Mike for two hours for his Leader's Breakfast, discussing what he's achieved, broken promises, and looking ahead to a new government. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's Leader denies they're being too negative in their election campaign. Their campaign has focused on the potential outcome of a Labour-led coalition, with a particular focus on Green Party Co-Leader Chloe Swarbrick and her desire to be Finance Minister. Christopher Luxon told Mike Hosking on the Leaders Breakfast his message is very simple: stick with a plan that's working. He says they're doing the right things, and the future looks incredibly bright, so don't put that at risk with a Labour coalition. "There's a risk. You've got four parties, you've got six leaders, and you got nine new taxes on the table and an $18 billion hole. I'm telling you what they will do is they will do exactly what they've done before – they will spend more, tax more, borrow more." "They are not the answer to the, to the problems that we've been dealing with." He says New Zealand is at a crossroads and they've worked too damn hard for the last three years to get it into this shape, so don't put it at risk. LISTEN ABOVE…

Christopher Luxon is brushing off latest poll results that have them behind Labour on all but one of the key issues this election. The Ipsos Issues monitor ranks how much voters trust political parties to deliver on issues. Inflation was the leading concern and Labour the frontrunner, with 38% to National's 24%. Health, petrol prices, the economy, and unemployment round out the top five, with Labour on top of all four. The National Leader told Mike Hosking on the Leaders Breakfast polls say all sorts of things in any given week, and people should go look at the data. He says the economy is better under the National-led coalition than it was under Labour – same with inflation. "My job is to actually get under the hood, fix the fundamentals, make sure that they're actually done right and sorted because actually, it's not sexy stuff, it's not popular stuff, it's the stuff that actually does matter to make it work for the future." Luxon says they've seen growth in things like tourism, exports, and construction…

The Waitangi Tribunal is set to undergo some changes if the Coalition Government is re-elected. National Leader Christopher Luxon told Mike Hosking on the Leaders Breakfast the tribunal is a longstanding feature of New Zealand's Government, but the country needs to ask the question of what its role is. “[It] could be no role, could be evolved role, adjusted role," he said. He defended his government’s record on Māori and Treaty issues, saying it had sorted through things like disbanding the Māori Health Authority, ending co-governance of public services, and putting English into Government agency departments. Of the tribunal, Luxon said there is "certainly going to be a plan to change it in some form or another" if re-elected. "Whether it's gone could be an option," he said. Both ACT and NZ First want to disband the tribunal once all remaining historical Treaty claims are settled, but Luxon said the parties have not yet had a conversation with National over a plan. "I appreciate those parties may have their…

Smarter technology is helping save lives on our roads, but dangerous driving behaviours remain a major concern. New Zealand recorded a record-low road toll in 2025, with 270 deaths – the lowest annual figure in more than a century. Chief Executive of fleet safety organisation Autosense, Charles Dawson told Mike Hosking they've set up thousands of cameras, which monitor when people fall asleep. He says they pick up 84 people falling asleep at the wheel every day, and the system can prevent a serious accident from happening. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National Party leader Christopher Luxon is reiterating his stance there's "no need" for strategic or split voting strategies. The strategy, promoted by some on the right, calls for voters to give their candidate vote to National and their party vote to ACT or NZ First to create an overhang and give the right bloc more seats to form a potential coalition. Division has emerged on the right over newspaper ads promoting the strategy, with revelations that ACT and New Zealand First approved them. It later emerged that the National Party filed a formal complaint with the Electoral Commission against the campaign. Asked about the campaign on the Mike Hosking Leaders Breakfast, Luxon said that in his option, people shouldn't complicate it. "If you like the National Party policies and you want them around the cabinet table rather than other people, and if you want a National-led government, vote for us." "I do think it's confusing, I think the messages are quite confusing for the public, it's unhelpful in a tight…

Former Prime Minister Sir John Key is repeating a call not to engage in strategic voting, saying it's "not a smart idea" to split the vote. He told Mike Hosking the centre-right political party, the biggest party in the parliament, needs to have a strong core. "If you eat away at that and you say, 'okay, well, I'll give my party vote somewhere else', then then you put Labour right in the box seat to be the first party that can form a government." Sir John released a video earlier this morning urging people to vote and told Hosking he wasn't worried, but it was a very tight race. "If people don't vote, you know, I would worry that they would wake up on November the 8th and have buyer's remorse," he said. Sir John suggested voters were lethargic as the campaign had lacked "drama" compared to some elections he had been involved in. "People just go, 'oh, I'm bored with all this, I just won't vote'. But the consequences of a change of government are very, very significant." LISTEN ABOVE See…

At the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. The campaign: 4/10 When Chlöe and Winston agree it's bad, you've got to listen. Polls: 4/10 There has to be some sort of reckoning around this stuff. The RNZ Reid Research poll was rogue, clearly, the spread is absurd and the methodology is ropey as all you-know-what. Who is actually paying for this nonsense? The Reserve Bank: 8/10 What a move! What a vote, and the Governor might be the Government's best appointment of the past three years. Apple: 2/10 How is it in 2026 we are still putting phones into the market, charging thousands, and they break upon opening? Christchurch stadium: 1/10 It's the Apple question – why in 2026 are we still building stuff that doesn’t work the way it should? LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So, the winner in week... what is it, five or six? The winner in week five of the election campaign was the polls. Not the pollsters. The polls. They were far from winners. The spread, the margin of error in some, is now so absurd they're writing articles about it. Ironically, I listened to an interview on Radio NZ as they tried to explain it. Small clue: they couldn't. They couldn't explain why their polls didn't bear any real resemblance to any of the other polls. There was a debate a number of years ago that polls should be banned a few weeks out from a vote. Given the variance in methodology these days, I reckon that's probably not a bad idea. But the polls I mean are the polling booths. I have voted. I voted on day one. And, as it turns out, a lot of people did. And that is a good sign. In part, it's a sign that a lot of us knew what we were voting for and had done for a while. In essence, the campaign makes zero difference. And the irony of course, is that once you can vote, and you do, the campaign is…

The short week has come to a close, which means it's time for Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson to help Mike Hosking Wrap the Week that Was. They unpack how the election campaign has gone with just one more week until the big day and discuss the new programme the Ministry of Education is rolling out for gifted kids before Mike starts telling slanderous lies about his producer. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Supercross is back in New Zealand for the first time since 2019. Auckland's North Harbour Stadium is hosting the second round of the AUSX Australian Championship this weekend, with 5,500 tonnes of dirt used to build the track. After winning both the American Supercross and Motocross 250 titles this year, Kiwi motocross star Cole Davies is competing in this weekend's event. He told Mike Hosking he's stoked his hard work has paid off this year. Davies says he's achieving the goals and dreams he's had since he was a little kid. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are hopes a new approach to gifted education will help students reach their full potential. The Ministry of Education's rolling out a new national programme from January, aiming to better support their curriculum and social-emotional needs. A review of past support found approaches were inconsistent across the country. Gifted Education Researcher at Massey University, Professor Tracy Riley told Mike Hosking they're not yet sure what the ministry is planning on doing under the programme, but generally they try to enrich the curriculum and match it to where the kids are at. She says a lot of gifted kids spend a lot of time waiting – waiting for others to catch up, waiting for the next thing to happen. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 30th of October, Sir John Key gives his thoughts on the second to last week of the election campaign. Kiwi motocross champ Cole Davies is excited to compete competitively in NZ for the first time since 2019. And Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson talk the campaign and gifted kids as they Wrap the Week, before Mike starts telling slanderous lies about his producer! Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some solid earnings growth for Freightways, despite pressure from high fuel prices. The transport and logistics company's first-quarter revenue for the 2027 financial year rose 17.6% to $408.3 million, with net profit up 12% to $26 million. E-commerce volumes jumped 24%, while retail volumes fell 1% and health volumes dropped 3%. CEO Mark Troughear told Mike Hosking it reflects signs of growth in New Zealand's economy, and for the first time, we seem to be ahead of Australia. He says Australia has performed and performed for a very long time, but they're starting to see a bit of pessimism over there and a bit less spending. Troughear says New Zealand's in a pretty good place as long as we can get through the fuel piece. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand Rugby boss Steve Lancaster's preparing for difficult conversations with provincial unions and Super teams in the five major centres. Operations in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin will be consolidated as part of a drive to reduce costs and increase efficiency by 2028. Lancaster has acknowledged the decisions will rankle. He told Mike Hosking change is always challenging, and it always creates a level of angst. Lancaster also rejects the perception they're taking the easy option, saying the changes will be below the surface in terms of how the competition is delivered, the entities that deliver them, and how they can put more focus on promoting and marketing. He told Hosking that's why they want to create a dedicated office to run Super Rugby, as opposed to it simply being a function that resides within NZ Rugby and Rugby Australia respectively. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An economist warns fixing the supermarket sector is much more complicated than breaking up the big players. The Institute of Economic Research says the move could increase competition but will also be expensive and inefficient for purchasing and distribution. It wants barriers addressed like limited wholesale access, purchasing advantages for current players, and trouble securing retail sites. Institute senior economist Susie McKenzie told Mike Hosking limited wholesale access is an unresolved barrier. She says we need to understand why existing reforms haven't made a difference and aren't giving better access. McKenzie told Hosking all our political parties are just suggesting different solutions to different problems. She says from the supermarket challenge is very complicated and there's no simple solution. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gold medal for Kelly Eckhold at Westpac. He called it, or at least suggested the hold we saw from the Reserve Bank wasn't as "home run" as many might have predicted. This, in a dry, old world of monetary policy, is little short of a blockbuster. I guess you could argue the 4-3 vote is a good indication of the wider view. The economy is far from firing. It's far from needing to be contained. So why hike? Well, because we have inflation above the target. The Bank's job is to keep inflation within the target. Technically, they are failing in that job. The dollar fell, which, like all economic matters, is good and bad. Fantastic for exporters. No good for the importers, and we do a lot of importing, including things like petrol. The hold argument is also about the reality of what you are achieving by holding. Does oil drop? Do rates drop? No, they don't. Do you squeeze already pressured budgets? Yes, you do. Part of their argument, perhaps the most fascinating part, is that they don't see price pressure. The…

Andy Burnham's Government has released its first budget. UK Chancellor John Healey set out their latest tax and spending measures, saying it's a budget built on fiscal discipline, for the working people of Britain. Economic growth is forecast at 1.2% this year, and remains under 2% right up to 2031. UK Correspondent Enda Brady agreed growth is anaemic, but told Mike Hosking the whole of Europe is having similar problems. He says the plan off the back of this budget seems to be getting people through winter. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Promising signs for small businesses, even in a shaky economy. A Xero Small Business Insights report shows sales rose 5.6% year-on-year in the September quarter. New Zealand out-performed all four other countries Xero tracks, with sales growth ahead of Australia, the UK, the US, and Canada. Xero Country Manager Bridget Snelling told Mike Hosking they'd like to see this momentum continuing into the next quarter, especially since we're heading into the busy festive period. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 29th of October, Reserve Bank Governor Dr Anna Breman explains why they decided to hold the Official Cash Rate. We go to Israel as their "pivotal" election hangs in the balance, with the question now being who will blink first and join up with the Arab parties to get the majority. It's the so-called "minor party" leaders show this morning, so Chlöe Swarbrick, David Seymour, and Winston Peters joined to give the lay of the land. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winston Peters says the 2026 election campaign is one of the worst he's ever seen. The New Zealand First Leader told Mike Hosking on the Leaders Breakfast people are sick and tired of it – the pettiness, the diversion, the misleading representation. He says if you ask people in the audience, as he did at public meeting in the Hutt Valley last night, if they're sick and tired of it, they all put their hands up. The party is also taking its campaign directly to the people, with Winston Peters arguing packed-out town halls are the best poll there is. NZ First's been drawing big crowds around the country in recent months, taking a different approach to many of its rivals. Peters told Hosking the mainstream media has dramatically changed, and claims it now takes sides politically in the worst way he's seen. He says there's only social media, or the old fashion way of meeting locals, to fight that. Peters expressed frustration New Zealand wasn’t an export “powerhouse”. Challenged on the relative success of New…

Israel's future governance is still up in the air, with parties on all sides falling short of the required 61 seats. With most votes counted, Benjamin Netanyahu's holding a narrow lead over rival Gadi Eisenkot, with 53 seats to 48. The Arab parties have surged to a record 19. ABC News Middle East correspondent Matthew Doran told Mike Hosking we could see parties from either bloc break away to form a coalition. He says there's already speculation of Netanyahu trying to form a unity government with Eisenkot, who's campaigned for most of the year for him to go. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT Leader David Seymour is cautiously confident the coalition could have speedier post-election negotiations this year, compared to 2023. National, ACT, and New Zealand First took 40-days to strike a deal after the last election. Both the Leaders of National and Labour have promised to try to finish negotiations by Christmas, but no firm promises have been made. Seymour told Mike Hosking on the Leaders Breakfast he can't speak for his colleagues in NZ First or National, but they have experience on side this time. He says himself and the other party leaders all know each other and have worked together. Seymour acknowledged compromise is necessary but says their proposal to remove tax from KiwiSaver is an important aspect of their policy platform. He also made it clear though that proposals by potential partners for compulsory KiwiSaver are a "non-starter". He didn’t express regret when asked about the level of reform the Government had been unable to progress, again pointing to the need for compromise. When…

The Reserve Bank is keeping a close eye on several factors as it weighs up whether to hike the Official Cash Rate before Christmas. The Monetary Policy Committee voted, four votes to three, to hold the cash rate yesterday. The shock decision has had an immediate impact on exchange rates, with the already weak Kiwi dollar seeing its biggest drop against the Aussie in almost a decade. Governor Anna Breman told Mike Hosking they're monitoring both weak household consumption here at home and uncertainty abroad. She says the geopolitical tensions are high, fuel prices are volatile, many countries have high debt levels, France is facing widespread protests, and there are risks from the AI investment boom. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Greens Co-Leader Chlöe Swarbrick believes any dip in the polls as a result of the party’s association with gangs would have already been seen, but argues voters are more interested on other issues. Two polls this week show the Green Party holding its 14-16% vote share of recent months. The polling period of both polls captured in its final days the saga concerning last week’s resignation of Labour candidate Kerrin Leoni for campaigning at a gang event, which came after MPs from Te Pāti Māori and the Greens did the same. Swarbrick told Mike Hosking on the Leaders Breakfast she would have expected any impact to have been seen in polls this week, and believes voters were more interested in issues such as the cost of living. Asked about Labour leader Chris Hipkins ruling out many Green Party tax reform policies and ruling out giving the party some ministerial positions, Swarbrick insisted the relationship between the two parties was good and “collaborative”, noting she and co-leader Marama Davidson had regular…

The figures keep defying the reality. 68,000 votes were cast on Monday. That day was a problem according to the conspiracy theorists who suggested that not only had enrolling closed early, but the opening day of voting was a public holiday and for some reason voting on a day off may prove to be some sort of issue. At 68,000, that is more than in 2023. So what does that mean? Nothing. But you could suggest it's an early turnout, which means a bigger turnout by the time this is over. A bigger turnout would be welcome because we should all be interested in democracy and, more importantly, actually participating in democracy. It's one thing to enrol, and here is the real story that the conspiracy theorists might like to spend more energy on: enrolment is not as important as turnout. Being on a roll isn't as important as actually voting. Last time only 77% turned out. That’s not great. You need to well and truly crack 80% for a good day at the office. The conspiracy folk need to be careful because when this…

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 28th of October, we look at what the Reserve Bank is likely to do with the OCR today and how it might affect an election campaign. The Prime Minister pops in after the long weekend to talk early voting numbers, alleged voter suppression, and what the polls are saying. And on Politics Wednesday, Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell talk their electorates, the Fire and Emergency CEO's resignation and the confusion around whether Rakesh Naidoo is under investigation or not. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Politics Wednesday, which means Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen are back with Mike Hosking to dig into the biggest stories of the week thus far. With the election just under two weeks away, they discussed how things are faring in their electorates and the ongoing drama around voter registrations. They also touched on the situation around Rakesh Naidoo and the resignation of Fire and Emergency's CEO. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank could have its hands full over the next few months, with inflation still stuck at elevated levels. Economists are predicting the Monetary Policy Committee will lift the official cash rate by 25 basis points at 2pm today. This would take it to 3%. ASB's Kim Mundy told Mike Hosking we could see further hikes in December and February. She says the Reserve Bank needs to get settings back to neutral levels sooner rather than later, because we're seeing signs that inflation's starting to stir. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amidst an already bad time for airlines, an analyst says Air New Zealand faces a unique set of challenges. Forsyth Barr expects the airline to lose $338 million before tax this financial year. Its passenger revenue is up 12% year-on-year, but fuel is costing it about $6.8 million a day. Forsyth Barr Head of Research Andy Bowley told Mike Hosking engine issues is one challenge, with another being sales. He says Kiwis make up half of their sales, and we've been in and out of recession for the last three years. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some say it's too hot, others too cold – a challenge for the operator of Christchurch's new covered stadium. Some areas of One NZ Stadium reached 32 degrees during Sunday's Rugby League matches and Monday's NPC final. Daytime fixtures could be scrapped in future to help players and fans cope with the heat. Venues Otautahi Chief Executive Caroline Harvie-Teare told Mike Hosking the stadium bowl is also retaining heat on colder days, with a 4.5 degree temperature variation around the venue on Monday. She says it's the variation which is the issue, with some complaining it was too cold at the weekend. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's Christopher Luxon says it's great to see so many people already showing up to vote. Nearly 70 thousand people cast their ballots on day one of advance voting. That's slightly more than the same time at the last election. Luxon told Mike Hosking he's hoping that's a sign people are going to give his government another crack. He says people understand it's been a difficult three years, but that his plan just needs more time as it's starting to work. When it comes to the economy, the Prime Minister's blaming the conflict in the Middle East for headline inflation remaining stubbornly high. Economists are predicting the Reserve Bank's will lift the OCR by 25 basis points this afternoon, taking it to 3%. Inflation's running at 3.7%, outside the target band of 1–3%. Luxon told Hosking the war's pushed up oil prices around the world, and how you respond to it matters – you can't just get the money hose and spray cash around. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wellington City Missioner says Labour's rent-to-own scheme could help more people own a home. The party wants $100 of Kainga Ora tenants' weekly rent put towards a home deposit. Labour would also expand eligibility for 5% home deposits by increasing the income threshold to $300,000. Wellington City Missioner Murray Edridge told Mike Hosking this could help make people's dreams of owning a home a reality. He says the issue for a lot of people isn't the amount of repayment whether it's rent or a mortgage, it's getting a deposit. Edridge told Hosking these types of schemes have worked in the past. He says his parents along with many other built their homes by capitalising their family benefit. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do they say about the truth always coming out? By Friday morning Kerrin Leoni was gone. She lied and she got caught with the photo and the video. Not only didn’t it pass the pub test, it didn’t pass the truth test. Campaigns almost always have things in them you never saw coming. For Labour it was a combination of dishonesty and their past. Law and order was not part of the vote of 2026, until it was. It was very much a part of 2023 because Labour was perceived to have failed abysmally on the subject. Law and order was, if not the number one issue, certainly in the top three and a major part of the law-and-order story was the perceived weakness Labour had around gangs. They ruled the streets, they paraded the patches, they sold the drugs and they abused the women. Labour opposed the new Government's gang patch ban, until they didn’t. Labour has been hoisted by their own petard. This started as a Greens/Māori Party mess that infected a third party. The initial issue was reputational. Could Labour be seen…

Subsidising access to GLP-1s through Pharmac would be a “win-win” for New Zealand, according to an Auckland University medical professor. New research has found more than 80% of healthcare spending in New Zealand goes into treating chronic and long-term conditions. A huge percentage of those conditions were tied to obesity, Professor of Molecular Medicine and Pathology Peter Shepherd told Mike Hosking. “We’ve now got these wonderful medications to reduce weight, and they’re showing massive effects long-term in terms of improved outcomes for heart disease, for Alzheimer’s, for diabetes…we need to start proactively funding some of these solutions.” Some 30-40,000 Kiwis were already paying for the medicines themselves. “But if we funded it more widely, it'll benefit not just those people who are suffering, but also the rest of us by reducing healthcare bills.” Illegal versions of the drugs cost around $100-$200 per month, and Shepherd predicted official medications would cost a similar amount once patents…

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 27th of October, it's the first of our special Leaders Breakfast shows for the election. Today it's two hours with Labour Leader Chris Hipkins, discussing everything from Kerrin Leoni to education, health, tax, and coalition partners. And ACT has released their manifesto, which talks about money for health and even more cuts that they say didn't go far enough this term. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Hipkins has confirmed the Finance portfolio's off the table for any potential coalition partners, as well as Police and Justice for Greens and Te Pāti Māori MPs. The Labour leader says everything else is up for discussion after the election. Hipkins told Mike Hosking on the Leaders Breakfast he wouldn't agree to increasing the size of Cabinet beyond the 20 Ministers it has now. He says he wouldn't want a Cabinet that's disproportionate towards the smaller parties. The Labour Leader is also spelling out the differences between his current lineup of potential ministers and his last government. Senior members of the party include Kieran McAnulty, Barbara Edmonds, and Ayesha Verrall. Hipkins told Hosking there's only about half a dozen in his party who were ministers when they became government in 2017. He says most weren't ministers until the very end of the last Labour Government. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Hipkins says he has no regret over his level of involvement with the Covid inquiry. The Labour leader was criticised for not appearing at the public hearing when the Royal Commission was gathering evidence. Hipkins told Mike Hosking on the Leaders Breakfast he answered every question thrown at him. He also says the reviews of the Reserve Bank’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic were “largely fair”. An independent review of the bank’s response found that stimulus was kept in place for too long as the economy recovered, contributing to the wave of inflation that shook the economy after the pandemic. Hipkins says the reviews were in line with reviews of other central banks’ responses to the pandemic, but you could argue they got that a bit wrong. On an education note, the Labour Leader isn't budging on his vow to scrap charter schools, if elected. The Labour Leader has pledged to transition the existing ones into the public education system. Hipkins told Mike Hosking on the Leaders Breakfast they're being…

Labour Leader Chris Hipkins admits his party wasn't totally ready to govern in 2017. National won the largest share of the result in that election, but New Zealand First chose to go into government with Jacinda Ardern's Labour instead. Hipkins told Mike Hosking on the Leader's Breakfast because of the nature of the election, they weren't as ready as they could've been. He says he went home on election night thinking they'd be in Opposition, not expecting the coalition negotiations to go the way they did. But he says the party is tangibly different now, as they're much more focused in what they're promising in this election. Hipkins says one of the biggest criticism of the previous Labour Government was that they were trying to do too many things and thus weren't delivering them well. He told Hosking this election they're only promising things he knows he and the system can deliver on. The Labour Leader says they're more pragmatic than they used to be. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy…

An offer by the French Government to students has fallen short of demands as mass protests continue. More than 1300 people have been arrested over the weekend as hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets. Police have fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse protesters in a number of cities including Paris, while barricades were set alight in Marseille. Europe Correspondent Catherine Field told Mike Hosking student leaders met with the Prime Minister today. She says they were offered concessions including classroom sizes and more vocational training, which wasn't seen as good enough. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour Leader Chris Hipkins is certain their campaign hasn't been impacted by the controversy surrounding MPs visiting gang members. Former Labour candidate Kerrin Leoni resigned on Friday after fallout from her campaigning at a whanau event, attended by gang members. Hipkins told Mike Hosking on the Leaders Breakfast that having family members in gangs was not the main issue, her engagement was. He says we have to be able to say there is a pathway out from a gang upbringing, and Leoni could have been that role model. But Hipkins thinks Kiwis can see that he acted decisively when it came to dealing with the situation, saying he was more decisive on the issue than the National Party had been on equivalent issues. He says he sets high standards, and if people don't meet them, there are consequences. The Labour Leader has admitted he's frustrated the party can no longer contest all seven Māori electorate seats. Leoni is staying in the race, standing as an independent, but Hipkins says he doesn't think she'll…

At the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. Justin Bieber: 8/10 With 200 million followers, what he posted about us is worth its weight ten times over in gold, and is a very good reminder of what a special place we have here that's too often taken for granted. Dairy auction: 9/10 Not just up, but up a chunk. Could actually move the farmgate price. Just when you think it's all brilliant, it gets more brilliant. Our NZ Super Fund: 8/10 Another 14%+ return, but over the longer period it's consistently good and one of the best of its type in the world. That's what New Zealand is capable of. Gangs: 1/10 The Māori Party, the Greens and, by association, Labour still couldn’t shake it this week. Could have been the turning point. Liam Lawson: 8/10 If sources are right, he'll be confirmed this weekend for 2027, and is proof that if you work and deliver then all things are possible. LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See…

So a good week for National and, by association, for the Government in general. There has been a shift with two weeks to go. The gang drama might just have put a nail in Labour's chances of government. Their polling is now in trouble. Their gap to National is now a problem. Thomas Coughlan's piece yesterday talking of the issues they have found with lack of enrolment in South Auckland seems to have induced an amount of panic within the party. Not a lot has gone right for them this week. As far as I can see, it's the combo for the Government. All three players are campaigning well. ACT are still my medal winners for the week. They remained disciplined, on message and haven't put a foot wrong. On each debate their leader, if he doesn’t win, is consistent and clear. Winston, although not as disciplined, turns up enough when it counts to remind you he is still a force. Luxon's week seems to have been about good news. He hung out with farmers and kids in areas where they are fairly blue. He may or may not have…

Ahead of the long weekend, Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson joined Mike Hosking to Wrap the Week that Was. They discussed the latest from the election campaigning, the aforementioned long weekend for Labour Day, and what makes a business successful. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland Airport is forecasting a flat year ahead following its annual meeting. It maintained its underlying earnings forecast of between $290 million and $330 million for the 2027 financial year. It's despite positive signs for international travel, including a 35% boost in Argentinian visitors thanks to a new China-South America flight route. CEO Carrie Hurihanganui told Mike Hosking the positive growth in the international space is offset by the continued demand challenges in the domestic environment. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Formula 1 journalist believes it would take a perfect storm for Kimi Antonelli to secure his first Championship win. The 20 year old Mercedes racer holds a 102 point lead over teammate George Russell heading into this weekend's US Grand Prix in Austin. If he successful, he'd become the sport's youngest World Champion. Chris Medland told Mike Hosking even if Antonelli does win the race, he'd need Russell to finish no higher than ninth, and Lewis Hamilton to finish no higher than fifth to secure the title. He says the racer needs a lot of things to go his way, so it's more likely to happen next weekend in Mexico, or the week after in Brazil. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 23rd of October, ACT wants a charter school in every major town and Airbnb is changing some of its rules. Nicola Willis discusses the inflation number and how it might affect an election campaign. And Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson talk the election, long weekends, and what makes a business successful as they Wrap the Week that Was. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT wants charter schools in every major town. The Party's pledging if elected to lift enrolments to 10,000 by 2029 and increase conversions from state schools. The current 20 schools have about 2000 students. Leader David Seymour told Mike Hosking when it comes to demand for the schools, they've been overwhelmed. He says that each time they do a round, there will be 60 or 70 applicants who have prepared submissions, have their community on board, have novel ideas, and have people ready to go. "This is an idea whose time has come." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.