Mike's Minute: The madness of the carbon auction needs to end

It's the definition of madness. And stupidity.  How many times do you have to do the same dumb thing with no result, thus proving your system doesn’t work, before you admit your system doesn’t work and give up?  The last of the carbon auctions was held this week. You know where this story is goin…

Mark the Week: School lunches were the stupidest story of the week

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.      Consumers: 7/10  Confidence at a 6-month high.    School lunches: 3/10 This is the stupidest story of the week. Four days it lasted – we've become myopic. We fixate on …

Full Show Podcast: 05 December 2025

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 5th of December, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon joined Mike to wrap the year before he takes off on holiday.  They also exchanged gifts, and both of them were hugely impressed with each other's loot.  And for the final time of the year,…

Mike's Minute: The NZ retail experience, a first hand view

The New Zealand retail experience, as summed up by a frustrated Katherine Hawkesby as of yesterday.  She visited half a dozen shops - one was decent and the rest were useless.  They were useless for a variety of reasons, but the common theme was service, or lack of it.  How is it continually pos…

Richard Arnold: US Correspondent on the Department of Defence report finding Hegseth put military personnel at risk in the Signal chat incident

The US Defence Secretary seems to be in hot water.  A Department of Defence report concluded that Pete Hegseth put military personnel at risk when he shared information of a planned airstrike over Signal.  The incident came to light when a journalist for the Atlantic was accidently added to the c…

Wrapping the Week with Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson: Gift exchange between Mike and Christopher Luxon, price of postage

For the final time this year, Tim Wilson and Kate Hawkesby joined Mike Hosking to Wrap the Week that Was.  They discussed the gift exchange that happened earlier on the show and Mike’s reaction to the Prime Minister's interesting gift.  Plus, they got into the price of postage, shopping, and good…

Jane Wrightson: Retirement Commissioner on the reforms to the Retirement Villages Act 2003

The Retirement Commissioner's unfazed at the prospect of a potential retirement village price rise.  The Government's announced changes to the Retirement Villages Act 2003, aiming to ease the experience of elderly people and their families.   Changes include ensuring money is paid back within a y…

Erica Stanford: Education Minister on the secondary teachers accepting their new collective agreement

The Education Minister's pleased to see secondary school teachers vote yes for their new collective agreement.   PPTA members have accepted the Government's offer, which includes a 4.6% pay increase over two years and a million dollar a year fund for professional development.   Minister Erica Sta…

Christopher Luxon: Prime Minister wraps the year, exchanges gifts with Mike Hosking

‘Tis the season for the annual swapping of gifts between the Prime Minister and broadcaster Mike Hosking.  For Prime Minister Christopher Luxon the festive season has begun with meal tray tables bearing the longtime broadcaster’s face, after the pair exchanged gifts in a Christmas tradition that d…

Mike's Minute: We watch Australia's social media ban with interest

The Australian social media ban has started.  Well, sort of. It came in on Monday but begins officially on the 10th of December.  The worrying thing is one of the big proponents of the idea said she believed with all her heart that "we were saving a generation".  That is not true. Saving them fr…