The Transport Agency's spending is in the spotlight. 

The Transport Minister's calling NZTA's costs “eye-watering” and excessive after revealing a near $800 million spend on traffic management over the past three years. 

Simeon Brown says a new framework is coming to reduce costs. 

Traffic Direct General Manager Dev Strause told Mike Hosking it will be made, but change doesn't happen overnight. 

He says it takes a bit of fine tuning to be able to redevelop and retrain all the workers, especially when some have been in the industry for over a decade. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

The Transport Agency's spending is in the spotlight.&nbsp;
The Transport Minister's calling NZTA's costs “eye-watering” and excessive after revealing a near $800 million spend on traffic management over the past three years.&nbsp;
Simeon Brown says a new framework is coming to reduce costs.&nbsp;
Traffic Direct General Manager Dev Strause told Mike Hosking it will be made, but change doesn't happen overnight.&nbsp;
He says it takes a bit of fine tuning to be able to redevelop and retrain all the workers, especially when some have been in the industry for over a decade.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

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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

Dev Strause: Traffic Direct General Manager on the new framework to reduce NZTA's costs

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/9d42ad18-2823-4bdf-b755-b22e01382d76/transcript

New Zealand aren’t the only ones suffering from healthcare struggles. 

Italy released their 2025 draft Budget, and medical professionals in particular are unimpressed. 

Nurses and doctors went on a nationwide strike, drawing 85% of support according to trade unions. 

Italy Correspondent Jo McKenna told Mike Hosking that they’re saying not enough money has been allocated to healthcare, and they have insufficient resources to pay staff and keep the system functioning. 

She says the system is rather rundown, and waiting lists are a big problem in the public system, which a majority of the population uses. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

New Zealand aren’t the only ones suffering from healthcare struggles.&nbsp;
Italy released their 2025 draft Budget, and medical professionals in particular are unimpressed.&nbsp;
Nurses and doctors went on a nationwide strike, drawing 85% of support according to trade unions.&nbsp;
Italy Correspondent Jo McKenna told Mike Hosking that they’re saying not enough money has been allocated to healthcare, and they have insufficient resources to pay staff and keep the system functioning.&nbsp;
She says the system is rather rundown, and waiting lists are a big problem in the public system, which a majority of the population uses.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Jo McKenna: Italy Correspondent on the nurses and doctors' responses to Italy's 2025 draft budget

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/b3bbdb06-ce41-4ca9-9dc2-b22e01763e66/transcript

It's ironic that we mention the Commerce Commission yesterday and here we are today, indulging in a bit more of its madness. 

Lines charges, the cost of getting power to your house, is going to get more expensive. 

Your bill will rise for the next handful of years by up to $85. That’s over $1,000 a year. 

Is your power better? No. 

Do you get more power? No. 

You just pay more. Why? 

Because the Commerce Commission decided they are going to let Transpower and local lines companies charge more so they can invest in new infrastructure. 

They will be allowed to raise just shy of $6 billion. 

There are a few ironies with this: 

1) We also, says the Commission, understand the importance of incentivising business to invest and improve and meet consumer demands. What?! You don’t think they would charge this and more if they could? 

And what incentive? Transpower are a monopoly. They have no incentive to improve anything. 

2) The $6 billion is way more than it should be. What should it be? Under $3 billion. 

Why? Because 55% of what Transpower is doing is because of higher inflation and interest rates. And what is 55% of $6 billion, roughly? 

Now, how did we get those? That’s right - Adrian Orr. 

If you want yet another tangible example, as the Labour Government and Adrian Orr years of incompetence roll on, then here you are. $3 billion worth, that is for nothing other than admin and fees. 

Stuff that should not have happened if the approach in Covid hadn't been as grandiose and wasteful and plain idiotic. 

More inflation than we ever needed, leading of course to interest rates we shouldn't have had to try and bring back to Earth, entirely as a result of the Covid approach that crippled the country. 

Yes, there are plenty of intangibles like morals, behaviours, mental health and school attendance. But we are also paying Transpower $6 billion to do what they should have done anyway. 

Awesome economics in an awesome economy. 

It's ironic that we mention the Commerce Commission yesterday and here we are today, indulging in a bit more of its madness.&nbsp;
Lines charges, the cost of getting power to your house, is going to get more expensive.&nbsp;
Your bill will rise for the next handful of years by up to $85. That’s over $1,000 a year.&nbsp;
Is your power better? No.&nbsp;
Do you get more power? No.&nbsp;
You just pay more. Why?&nbsp;
Because the Commerce Commission decided they are going to let Transpower and local lines companies charge more so they can invest in new infrastructure.&nbsp;
They will be allowed to raise just shy of $6 billion.&nbsp;
There are a few ironies with this:&nbsp;
1) We also, says the Commission, understand the importance of incentivising business to invest and improve and meet consumer demands. What?! You don’t think they would charge this and more if they could?&nbsp;
And what incentive? Transpower are a monopoly. They have no incentive to improve anything.&nbsp;
2) The $6 billion is way more than it should be. What should it be? Under $3 billion.&nbsp;
Why? Because 55% of what Transpower is doing is because of higher inflation and interest rates. And what is 55% of $6 billion, roughly?&nbsp;
Now, how did we get those? That’s right - Adrian Orr.&nbsp;
If you want yet another tangible example, as the Labour Government and Adrian Orr years of incompetence roll on, then here you are. $3 billion worth, that is for nothing other than admin and fees.&nbsp;
Stuff that should not have happened if the approach in Covid hadn't been as grandiose and wasteful and plain idiotic.&nbsp;
More inflation than we ever needed, leading of course to interest rates we shouldn't have had to try and bring back to Earth, entirely as a result of the Covid approach that crippled the country.&nbsp;
Yes, there are plenty of intangibles like morals, behaviours, mental health and school attendance. But we are also paying Transpower $6 billion to do what they should have done anyway.&nbsp;
Awesome economics in an awesome economy.&nbsp;

Mike's Minute: The ComCom Transpower decision is madness

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/b7b31033-d6e3-4ca5-85c3-b22e0164cba4/transcript

A researcher believes international drug smugglers are flooding the New Zealand market, bringing prices down and availability up. 

The New Zealand Drugs Trends Survey found cocaine use is increasing, with 48% of respondents reporting they've used it at some point in their life. 

It finds meth's also dropping in price, with a gram becoming 36% cheaper over the past six years. 

Massey University drug researcher Chris Wilkins says the majority of Australia's meth comes from Mexican cartels. 

He says there's now an overlap for smugglers, importing meth and cocaine together. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

A researcher believes international drug smugglers are flooding the New Zealand market, bringing prices down and availability up.&nbsp;
The New Zealand Drugs Trends Survey found cocaine use is increasing, with 48% of respondents reporting they've used it at some point in their life.&nbsp;
It finds meth's also dropping in price, with a gram becoming 36% cheaper over the past six years.&nbsp;
Massey University drug researcher Chris Wilkins says the majority of Australia's meth comes from Mexican cartels.&nbsp;
He says there's now an overlap for smugglers, importing meth and cocaine together.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Chris Wilkins: Massey University Drug Researcher on the increasing use of synthetic drugs in New Zealand

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/ff40c89b-81a0-44a1-833e-b22e01539e07/transcript

Dev Strause: Traffic Direct General Manager on the new framework to reduce NZTA's costs

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