The war in the Middle East escalated over the weekend, with Iran launching an attack on Israel. 

US, UK and Jordanian forces helped Israel to take down incoming drones and missiles.

Retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel and Foreign Affairs analyst with Think Tank Defence Priorities Daniel L Davis tells Mike Hosking that “everything depends on what Israel does next”.

LISTEN ABOVE

The war in the Middle East escalated over the weekend, with Iran launching an attack on Israel.  
US, UK and Jordanian forces helped Israel to take down incoming drones and missiles. 
Retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel and Foreign Affairs analyst with Think Tank Defence Priorities Daniel L Davis tells Mike Hosking that “everything depends on what Israel does next”. 
LISTEN ABOVE

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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

Daniel L Davis: Retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel and Foreign Affairs analyst with Think Tank Defence Priorities on Iran launching missile attacks on Israel

Bit of buzz around Kiwibank as it potentially looks to have another crack at getting bigger, and by getting bigger, then becomes better able to take on the so-called "big four". 

This is business and it's politics. 

Asset sales are back on the agenda, especially for the National and ACT parties. 

NZ First, not so much. So it may well be one of those things that gets tossed around as an idea, but in the reality of an MMP environment, it goes nowhere. 

Making the Kiwibank story slightly unique is its role in the overall banking atmosphere of New Zealand and whether a bigger bank would solve any of the perceived competition problems we have. 

People we know are prepared to change banks. Last year when there was a free for all on cashbacks for borrowing, people were moving freely like the wind. So the idea that there isn't competition doesn’t appear to be true. 

But I'm in a minority given everyone from the Commerce Commission to the Finance Minister argues otherwise. 

I also detect more broadly that asset sales are not, as a topic, as edgy as they once were. 

If you go back to the 80's and Labour under Douglas and Prebble, asset sales were dynamite and not all of them went well, which didn’t help the pro-sales argument. 

But the cold hard-ish reality here, 40 years on, is there isn't a lot left to sell. 

Some chunks of power companies are worth serious money. 

We have an airline, a TV network, a radio network, some farms – it's all got a moderately piecemeal vibe to it. 

Kiwibank should be able to raise the sort of money it needs, and it should be allowed to grow. Is the counter to a partial sale that we like a small, restricted bank that hasn’t been allowed to be all it could be just so we can say we are anti-asset sales? 

In Kiwibank's case you are holding back growth. 

In TVNZ's case it's about ideology, i.e. should the state run a TV station given the place isn't worth anything to sell? 

And in say the case of Genesis, it's about serious coin we could badly use elsewhere. 

If this idea goes anywhere this election year, you would hope we are less hung up on ideology and more attuned to the nuances of the debate than we have been in the past. 

Bit of buzz around Kiwibank as it potentially looks to have another crack at getting bigger, and by getting bigger, then becomes better able to take on the so-called "big four".&nbsp;
This is business and it's politics.&nbsp;
Asset sales are back on the agenda, especially for the National and ACT parties.&nbsp;
NZ First, not so much. So it may well be one of those things that gets tossed around as an idea, but in the reality of an MMP environment, it goes nowhere.&nbsp;
Making the Kiwibank story slightly unique is its role in the overall banking atmosphere of New Zealand and whether a bigger bank would solve any of the perceived competition problems we have.&nbsp;
People we know are prepared to change banks. Last year when there was a free for all on cashbacks for borrowing, people were moving freely like the wind. So the idea that there isn't competition doesn’t appear to be true.&nbsp;
But I'm in a minority given everyone from the Commerce Commission to the Finance Minister argues otherwise.&nbsp;
I also detect more broadly that asset sales are not, as a topic, as edgy as they once were.&nbsp;
If you go back to the 80's and Labour under Douglas and Prebble, asset sales were dynamite and not all of them went well, which didn’t help the pro-sales argument.&nbsp;
But the cold hard-ish reality here, 40 years on, is there isn't a lot left to sell.&nbsp;
Some chunks of power companies are worth serious money.&nbsp;
We have an airline, a TV network, a radio network, some farms – it's all got a moderately piecemeal vibe to it.&nbsp;
Kiwibank should be able to raise the sort of money it needs, and it should be allowed to grow. Is the counter to a partial sale that we like a small, restricted bank that hasn’t been allowed to be all it could be just so we can say we are anti-asset sales?&nbsp;
In Kiwibank's case you are holding back growth.&nbsp;
In TVNZ's case it's about ideology, i.e. should the state run a TV station given the place isn't worth anything to sell?&nbsp;
And in say the case of Genesis, it's about serious coin we could badly use elsewhere.&nbsp;
If this idea goes anywhere this election year, you would hope we are less hung up on ideology and more attuned to the nuances of the debate than we have been in the past.&nbsp;

Mike's Minute: Reality vs ideology re: asset sales

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/2a1114e0-9df1-4f87-88c0-b4490176fbf3/transcript

Qantas and Jetstar have announced their biggest-ever investment in New Zealand. 

Chief Executive Vanessa Hudson says the Qantas Group wants to work with our Government to achieve more routes, access, and affordability. 

She says Jetstar's undergoing it's biggest-ever expansion in New Zealand and has added more than 800-thousand trans-Tasman seats over the past 12 months. 

Hudson acknowledges the airline's had to hike fares and cut some flights due to rising jet fuel prices, but says committing to New Zealand is important. 

Jetstar CEO Stephanie Tully told Mike Hosking their biggest challenge is the fuel price, so they have to manage their business and stay focused on how they can mitigate that. 

She says the reason she, Hudson, and other executives are in the country is to reaffirm their commitment to offering great value to travelling New Zealanders.  

LISTEN ABOVE 

Qantas and Jetstar have announced their biggest-ever investment in New Zealand.&nbsp;
Chief Executive Vanessa Hudson says the Qantas Group wants to work with our Government to achieve more routes, access, and affordability.&nbsp;
She says Jetstar's undergoing it's biggest-ever expansion in New Zealand and has added more than 800-thousand trans-Tasman seats over the past 12 months.&nbsp;
Hudson acknowledges the airline's had to hike fares and cut some flights due to rising jet fuel prices, but says committing to New Zealand is important.&nbsp;
Jetstar CEO Stephanie Tully told Mike Hosking their biggest challenge is the fuel price, so they have to manage their business and stay focused on how they can mitigate that.&nbsp;
She says the reason she, Hudson, and other executives are in the country is to reaffirm their commitment to offering great value to travelling New Zealanders. &nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Stephanie Tully: Jetstar CEO on Qantas and Jetstar committing to NZ despite axing flights

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/5ef0d88f-512f-42ce-8cc3-b44901657c72/transcript

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 14th of May, we get a couple of interesting insights into business in this country when it comes to governance and brick and mortar retailers. 

Finance Minister Nicola Willis discusses her ever shrinking Budget operating allowance. 

And CEO of Jetstar Steph Tully unpacks the recent claim they’re committed to New Zealand while also cutting routes and flights due to current jet fuel prices. 

Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 14th of May, we get a couple of interesting insights into business in this country when it comes <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/kendall-langston-pivot-pace-founding-partner-on-the-countrys-leading-ceos-becoming-increasingly-frustrated-by-the-lack-of-long-term-thinking/">to governance</a> and <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/nicole-buisson-lightspeed-managing-director-on-the-state-of-the-retail-industry-report-and-the-number-of-kiwis-preferring-to-shop-in-person/">brick and mortar retailers</a>.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/nicola-willis-finance-minister-on-the-decision-to-reduce-the-operating-allowance-by-300-million-for-the-next-budget/">Finance Minister Nicola Willis</a> discusses her ever shrinking Budget operating allowance.&nbsp;
And <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/stephanie-tully-jetstar-ceo-on-qantas-and-jetstar-committing-to-nz-despite-axing-flights/">CEO of Jetstar Steph Tully</a> unpacks the recent claim they’re committed to New Zealand while also cutting routes and flights due to current jet fuel prices.&nbsp;
Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Full Show Podcast: 14 May 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/43810495-5e57-4d0a-be06-b449015d786e/transcript

Daniel L Davis: Retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel and Foreign Affairs analyst with Think Tank Defence Priorities on Iran launching missile attacks on Israel

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