Barbara Edmonds is adamant she's 'absolutely credible' as Labour's finance spokesperson.

The party's unveiled its Fiscal Plan, promising to return the books to an operating surplus in 2028/29.

Edmonds is confident every campaign promise so far is fully costed and funded.

She's not providing a figure for returning the former pay equity scheme, saying that will be decided in bargaining.

Edmonds told Mike Hosking this isn't her first rodeo. 

LISTEN ABOVE

Barbara Edmonds is adamant she's 'absolutely credible' as Labour's finance spokesperson.
The party's unveiled its Fiscal Plan, promising to return the books to an operating surplus in 2028/29.
Edmonds is confident every campaign promise so far is fully costed and funded.
She's not providing a figure for returning the former pay equity scheme, saying that will be decided in bargaining.
Edmonds told Mike Hosking this isn't her first rodeo.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show.

Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda.

The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion, delivers the best talent, and always leaves you wanting more.

The Mike Hosking Breakfast always cuts through and delivers the best daily on Newstalk ZB.

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show. Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda. The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion, delivers the best talent, and always leaves you wanting more. The Mike Hosking Breakfast always cuts through and delivers the best daily on Newstalk ZB.

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show.Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda.The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion,...

The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Barbara Edmonds: Labour's Finance Spokesperson on the party's fiscal plan

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/2a9da1db-4bfe-4e27-8447-b4d9013dde26/transcript

Listen to the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday  5 October.

Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday 5 October. 
Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Full Show Podcast: 05 October 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/edc01e0b-200b-4590-8fdd-b4d9014cf097/transcript

Chris Luxon is criticising Labour's long-awaited fiscal plan, but won't put a date on when its fiscal plan will be released.

Labour's plan includes a return to operating surplus by 2028-29 - and the party's confident every campaign promise so far is fully costed and funded.

Luxon has criticised the plan, for not costing the reintroduction of the pay equity scheme.

The National Leader told Mike Hosking his party will release its fiscal plan in the next couple of weeks, but he isn't quite sure when.

LISTEN ABOVE

Chris Luxon is criticising Labour's long-awaited fiscal plan, but won't put a date on when its fiscal plan will be released.
Labour's plan includes a return to operating surplus by 2028-29 - and the party's confident every campaign promise so far is fully costed and funded.
Luxon has criticised the plan, for not costing the reintroduction of the pay equity scheme.
The National Leader told Mike Hosking his party will release its fiscal plan in the next couple of weeks, but he isn't quite sure when.
LISTEN ABOVE

Christopher Luxon: National Leader on Labour's financial plan, strategic voting and Mill Road

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/5e493d50-3901-40cb-9d88-b4d901427edc/transcript

The Opportunity Party turns out to be a sham of sorts. 

We have bottom lines, but not real bottom lines. 

1) More power to the Commerce Commission. Big deal... 

2) A 10-year health plan. That means nothing. 

3) Reforming lobbying. That's hardly a thing. It means a lot, or little, or nothing, but it's hard to be against it. 

4) Bottom trawling. It's an odd one because it's not one of life's great issues in a world of war, terror, and white bread prices. 

5) Keeping the Climate Change Commission. Once again, big deal. 

I'd agree to all of that to shut them up and get on with running the country. 

The Government is littered with do-gooder, go nowhere departments. The Climate Commission makes literally no difference to anything. They have no teeth, they just recommend stuff, like a coroner or Privacy Commissioner. 

So what are we left with? 

The land tax is not a bottom line. The universal income is nowhere to be seen. 

In very general terms this would appear to make them much more appealing to a wider selection of voters. 

Is anyone actually against any of their actual bottom lines? 

Can National revisit their potential accommodation with them? They were ruled out because they sounded barking mad, turning everyone into a beneficiary. Now they aren't. 

If National needs six votes, are they the end of the world? Are they for example any more extreme than New Zealand First's opposition to the India FTA or ACT's stand on not breaking up supermarkets? 

If you accept them at their word they are a classic middle-of-the-road type operation. Ironically, they're so middle-of-the-road there appears no real need for them. 

Was their extreme tax position simply an attention grab? Will turning out to be bland on the bottom lines mean their support now fades, given they stand for stuff pretty much everyone stands for? 

How do you disagree with a 10-year health plan, whatever that is? 

They are either suckers, or manipulators, or Machiavellian, but for those who flocked to them to see major reform, it ain't happening. 

Their "get in the tent first" approach is way smarter, but in being now overtly nondescript, have they blown their chances of getting into the tent at all? 

The Opportunity Party turns out to be a sham of sorts.&nbsp;
We have bottom lines, but not real bottom lines.&nbsp;
1) More power to the Commerce Commission. Big deal...&nbsp;
2) A 10-year health plan. That means nothing.&nbsp;
3) Reforming lobbying. That's hardly a thing. It means a lot, or little, or nothing, but it's hard to be against it.&nbsp;
4) Bottom trawling. It's an odd one because it's not one of life's great issues in a world of war, terror, and white bread prices.&nbsp;
5) Keeping the Climate Change Commission. Once again, big deal.&nbsp;
I'd agree to all of that to shut them up and get on with running the country.&nbsp;
The Government is littered with do-gooder, go nowhere departments. The Climate Commission makes literally no difference to anything. They have no teeth, they just recommend stuff, like a coroner or Privacy Commissioner.&nbsp;
So what are we left with?&nbsp;
The land tax is not a bottom line. The universal income is nowhere to be seen.&nbsp;
In very general terms this would appear to make them much more appealing to a wider selection of voters.&nbsp;
Is anyone actually against any of their actual bottom lines?&nbsp;
Can National revisit their potential accommodation with them? They were ruled out because they sounded barking mad, turning everyone into a beneficiary. Now they aren't.&nbsp;
If National needs six votes, are they the end of the world? Are they for example any more extreme than New Zealand First's opposition to the India FTA or ACT's stand on not breaking up supermarkets?&nbsp;
If you accept them at their word they are a classic middle-of-the-road type operation. Ironically, they're so middle-of-the-road there appears no real need for them.&nbsp;
Was their extreme tax position simply an attention grab? Will turning out to be bland on the bottom lines mean their support now fades, given they stand for stuff pretty much everyone stands for?&nbsp;
How do you disagree with a 10-year health plan, whatever that is?&nbsp;
They are either suckers, or manipulators, or Machiavellian, but for those who flocked to them to see major reform, it ain't happening.&nbsp;
Their "get in the tent first" approach is way smarter, but in being now overtly nondescript, have they blown their chances of getting into the tent at all?&nbsp;

Mike's Minute: Has the Opportunity Party blown it?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/285bc90e-bc52-4702-885d-b4d701473186/transcript

Barbara Edmonds: Labour's Finance Spokesperson on the party's fiscal plan

In 1 playlist(s)

The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips