On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 19th of November, BusinessNZ is calling for cross-party vision and a solid plan to strengthen New Zealand by 2050 in order to avoid a dire economic future.  

It’s been revealed that the Ministry of Social Development has handed out $38 million in business start up grants for seemingly very little return. Welfare expert Phil O’Reilly discusses the situation.  

Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen discuss the Hutt Bridge scandal, the Greens wanting to repeal the mining plans, and Hipkins' engagement on Politics Wednesday. 

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 Wednesday 19th of November, <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/catherine-beard-businessnz-advocacy-director-on-the-report-calling-for-a-long-term-plan-to-strengthen-the-country-by-2050/">BusinessNZ is calling for cross-party vision and a solid plan to strengthen New Zealand by 2050</a> in order to avoid a dire economic future. &nbsp;
It’s been revealed that the <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/phil-oreilly-former-welfare-expert-advisory-group-member-on-the-effectiveness-of-the-business-start-up-grant/">Ministry of Social Development has handed out $38 million in business start up grants</a> for seemingly very little return. Welfare expert Phil O’Reilly discusses the situation. &nbsp;
Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen discuss the Hutt Bridge scandal, the Greens wanting to repeal the mining plans, and Hipkins' engagement on Politics Wednesday.&nbsp;
Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

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

Full Show Podcast: 19 November 2025

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/77a4c98e-dea7-4216-8e83-b3990188fbc8/transcript

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 going. 

I first got interested in this a couple of years ago when it struck me that this auction malarkey might be one of the better examples of the sheer, ideological madness that drives so much of the climate policy. 

One of the reasons so many people have got into forestry is it's free money. 

It's on land and land, generally, is a good investment and free money isn't a bad deal either. 

Also, after a while, they might pay you some good dough for your wood. 

So if trees get carbon credits why would you turn up to an auction? You wouldn’t, and indeed this week they didn’t. 

Not one person. Not one bid. Not one credit sold. 

There are four of these each year for the past two years. No one has bought a thing. Ask yourself why. 

They have tried to price the units, to no avail, but what is really causing the issue is the Government. 

To buy something you must believe it has value. It has to have worth. 

Why would you buy into the Government carbon narrative when they keep changing the rules? 

This Government is doing their best to do as little as possible to meet their climate emissions. I applaud that because it’s the right thing to do. 

But given the rules keep changing I'm certainly not turning up to buy stuff like a credit I may not need. 

The minister, as I told you the other day, took the unprecedented step of offering commentary about the auction and telling us how committed the Government is to climate in the hope we would go "well that’s OK then, see you at the auction". 

It didn’t work. 

The auction didn’t work, again. Eight down and zero sales, no revenue. 

How long before they pull the pin on a gargantuan embarrassment? 

The longer this goes the more foolish they look. 

It's the definition of madness. And stupidity.&nbsp;
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?&nbsp;
The last of the carbon auctions was held this week. You know where this story is going.&nbsp;
I first got interested in this a couple of years ago when it struck me that this auction malarkey might be one of the better examples of the sheer, ideological madness that drives so much of the climate policy.&nbsp;
One of the reasons so many people have got into forestry is it's free money.&nbsp;
It's on land and land, generally, is a good investment and free money isn't a bad deal either.&nbsp;
Also, after a while, they might pay you some good dough for your wood.&nbsp;
So if trees get carbon credits why would you turn up to an auction? You wouldn’t, and indeed this week they didn’t.&nbsp;
Not one person. Not one bid. Not one credit sold.&nbsp;
There are four of these each year for the past two years. No one has bought a thing. Ask yourself why.&nbsp;
They have tried to price the units, to no avail, but what is really causing the issue is the Government.&nbsp;
To buy something you must believe it has value. It has to have worth.&nbsp;
Why would you buy into the Government carbon narrative when they keep changing the rules?&nbsp;
This Government is doing their best to do as little as possible to meet their climate emissions. I applaud that because it’s the right thing to do.&nbsp;
But given the rules keep changing I'm certainly not turning up to buy stuff like a credit I may not need.&nbsp;
The minister, as I told you the other day, took the unprecedented step of offering commentary about the auction and telling us how committed the Government is to climate in the hope we would go "well that’s OK then, see you at the auction".&nbsp;
It didn’t work.&nbsp;
The auction didn’t work, again. Eight down and zero sales, no revenue.&nbsp;
How long before they pull the pin on a gargantuan embarrassment?&nbsp;
The longer this goes the more foolish they look.&nbsp;

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

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/03b874cc-34c7-44bf-960a-b3aa0159a98d/transcript

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 triviality. It’s got a small village idiot vibe to it, don’t you reckon?  

 

Social media ban: 6/10

Mainly for effort, because it’s not real, it’s not practical – it’s got idealism all over it.  

 

Pete Hegseth: 3/10 

Between the narco boats and the Signal report, what odds are you running that he doesn’t make Christmas?  

 

Rates caps: 7/10 

Move of the week from the central government.  If local government just stopped whining for a moment and asked themselves who the architects of the mess actually are and why, they might not have as much to moan about.

 

LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW   

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. &nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Consumers: 7/10&nbsp;
Confidence at a 6-month high.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/david-seymour-associate-education-minister-on-the-mouldy-school-lunches-being-served-at-a-christchurch-school/">School lunches: 3/10</a>
This is the stupidest story of the week. Four days it lasted – we've become myopic. We fixate on triviality. It’s got a small village idiot vibe to it, don’t you reckon? &nbsp;
&nbsp;
Social media ban: 6/10
Mainly for effort, because it’s not real, it’s not practical – it’s got idealism all over it. &nbsp;
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/richard-arnold-us-correspondent-on-the-department-of-defence-report-finding-hegseth-put-military-personnel-at-risk-in-the-signal-chat-incident/">Pete Hegseth: 3/10</a>&nbsp;
Between the narco boats and the Signal report, what odds are you running that he doesn’t make Christmas? &nbsp;
&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/simon-watts-local-government-minister-on-the-government-setting-caps-on-council-rates-increases/">Rates caps: 7/10</a>&nbsp;
Move of the week from the central government.&nbsp; If local government just stopped whining for a moment and asked themselves who the architects of the mess actually are and why, they might not have as much to moan about.
&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW &nbsp;&nbsp;

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

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/1fe58278-043e-44b4-9f2b-b3a9016482e9/transcript

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, Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson Wrapped the Week, talking about the gift exchange and Mike's reaction.   

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 Friday 5th of December, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon joined Mike to wrap the year before he takes off on holiday.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/christopher-luxon-prime-minister-wraps-the-year-exchanges-gifts-with-mike-hosking/">They also exchanged gifts</a>, and both of them were hugely impressed with each other's loot.&nbsp;
And for the final time of the year, <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/wrapping-the-week-with-kate-hawkesby-and-tim-wilson-gift-exchange-between-mike-and-christopher-luxon-price-of-postage/">Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson Wrapped the Week</a>, talking about the gift exchange and Mike's reaction. &nbsp;&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: 05 December 2025 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/203f21a3-5535-401e-b8ec-b3a9014c987c/transcript

Full Show Podcast: 19 November 2025

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