On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Monday the 23rd of March, we look at what could happen after the 48 hours is up from Trump's ultimatum.

The Prime Minister is back from Samoa and talks the trigger point for Government help with fuel prices and whether they would even entertain Winston's idea of splitting up the gentailers.

Andrew Saville and Jason Pine talk the mighty Warriors and the record breaking game from Ronnie O'Sullivan.

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 Monday the 23rd of March, we look at what could happen after the 48 hours is up from Trump's ultimatum.
The Prime Minister is back from Samoa and talks the trigger point for Government help with fuel prices and whether they would even entertain Winston's idea of splitting up the gentailers.
Andrew Saville and Jason Pine talk the mighty Warriors and the record breaking game from Ronnie O'Sullivan.
Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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

Full Show Podcast: 23 March 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/6ec32454-371d-48ff-994a-b415014c958c/transcript

One of the easiest games in town is currently being played in Wellington. 

The water company has a new Māori name, and they are going to start sending out specific water bills to everyone, which upon first blush, if you have never got a water bill before, seems a lot. The average will be about $2,500. 

But then the upside is it's good to know what things actually cost, as opposed to having it all hidden away in a mass bill called "rates" where you have no idea what's what. 

The real scrap though is over the pay packets. In this new company they are a lot bigger. 

The chair of the board gets $110,000. They used to get $60,000 before. The members of that board get $60,000 when they used to get $30,000. 

The bloke who carries the can as CEO gets $645,000. 

Toss a few figures like that about the place and the upset is almost instant. 

But, and here is your real-world issue, you either want decent people for the job, any job, or you don’t. 

I don't need to tell you that previously a lot of the people doing Wellington's water work were clearly useless. In a small and not complete way, money fixes that. 

It is not to say big money automatically gets brilliance. But it is fair to say if you pay rubbish, you will get rubbish. 

The old community contribution, "give something back" line only carries you so far and you tend to get do-gooders, not professionals. 

Can I be even slightly more fiscally acerbic by suggesting that even at these new inflated numbers you're not exactly paying top dollar. $645,000 is a lot of money if you're in year 13, or a teacher, or a journalist. 

But it's not much to be a CEO. It's even less when you are the CEO of an entity that is under tremendous pressure and publicly accountable by a population that will want to lynch you if you fail. 

As a rule, the public service underpays. And that in part is why the public service is in the state it's in. Cheap in general is no way to run business, sign contracts, accept quotes or operate your life. 

Worry less about the money and more about the outcomes. 

If Wellington had never had a water worry with no burst pipes, no contamination, no poo in the harbour and the bloke running the place was earning $2 million and gave you that, what a bargain. 

One of the easiest games in town is currently being played in Wellington.&nbsp;
The water company has a new Māori name, and they are going to start sending out specific water bills to everyone, which upon first blush, if you have never got a water bill before, seems a lot. The average will be about $2,500.&nbsp;
But then the upside is it's good to know what things actually cost, as opposed to having it all hidden away in a mass bill called "rates" where you have no idea what's what.&nbsp;
The real scrap though is over the pay packets. In this new company they are a lot bigger.&nbsp;
The chair of the board gets $110,000. They used to get $60,000 before. The members of that board get $60,000 when they used to get $30,000.&nbsp;
The bloke who carries the can as CEO gets $645,000.&nbsp;
Toss a few figures like that about the place and the upset is almost instant.&nbsp;
But, and here is your real-world issue, you either want decent people for the job, any job, or you don’t.&nbsp;
I don't need to tell you that previously a lot of the people doing Wellington's water work were clearly useless. In a small and not complete way, money fixes that.&nbsp;
It is not to say big money automatically gets brilliance. But it is fair to say if you pay rubbish, you will get rubbish.&nbsp;
The old community contribution, "give something back" line only carries you so far and you tend to get do-gooders, not professionals.&nbsp;
Can I be even slightly more fiscally acerbic by suggesting that even at these new inflated numbers you're not exactly paying top dollar. $645,000 is a lot of money if you're in year 13, or a teacher, or a journalist.&nbsp;
But it's not much to be a CEO. It's even less when you are the CEO of an entity that is under tremendous pressure and publicly accountable by a population that will want to lynch you if you fail.&nbsp;
As a rule, the public service underpays. And that in part is why the public service is in the state it's in. Cheap in general is no way to run business, sign contracts, accept quotes or operate your life.&nbsp;
Worry less about the money and more about the outcomes.&nbsp;
If Wellington had never had a water worry with no burst pipes, no contamination, no poo in the harbour and the bloke running the place was earning $2 million and gave you that, what a bargain.&nbsp;

Mike's Minute: Do we complain about public service pay too much?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/1a8f2117-4d09-45ac-b499-b42c01713d9e/transcript

The Iran war is prompting Qantas to scale back flights within Australia, but it's flying more to Paris and Rome. 

The airline's scaling back domestic Qantas and Jetstar flights about 5%. 

Qantas says fuel prices have more than doubled since late February and remain highly volatile. 

Australia Correspondent Steve Price told Mike Hosking the airline is estimating its fuel bill will be around $3.3 billion for the next 12 months – nearly a billion dollars more than expected. 

But he says it’s also making more money from international flights, as Middle Eastern airlines such as Qatar and Emirates are unable to provide reliable and regular flights. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

The Iran war is prompting Qantas to scale back flights within Australia, but it's flying more to Paris and Rome.&nbsp;
The airline's scaling back domestic Qantas and Jetstar flights about 5%.&nbsp;
Qantas says fuel prices have more than doubled since late February and remain highly volatile.&nbsp;
Australia Correspondent Steve Price told Mike Hosking the airline is estimating its fuel bill will be around $3.3 billion for the next 12 months – nearly a billion dollars more than expected.&nbsp;
But he says it’s also making more money from international flights, as Middle Eastern airlines such as Qatar and Emirates are unable to provide reliable and regular flights.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Steve Price: Australia Correspondent on Qantas cutting back domestic flights, Angus Taylor's new immigration policy, Meghan and Harry's visit

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/de6893ba-a0a1-4574-bc9f-b42c016f5c79/transcript

President Trump is suggesting talks with Iran could resume within the next two days. 

Despite the US blockading the Strait of Hormuz, a ceasefire between the sides remains in effect – but that's set to expire in a week. 

Donald Trump is hinting "something could be happening" shortly in Pakistan, where negotiations over the weekend broke down. 

US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking US Vice President JD Vance says the ball is in Iran’s court, as the US has out a lot on the table.  

He says that instead of a permanent ban on nuclear enrichment by Iran, the US has instead proposed a 20 year suspension of all nuclear activity – Iran’s counter proposal would see nuclear activity halted for just five years.  

LISTEN ABOVE 

President Trump is suggesting talks with Iran could resume within the next two days.&nbsp;
Despite the US blockading the Strait of Hormuz, a ceasefire between the sides remains in effect – but that's set to expire in a week.&nbsp;
Donald Trump is hinting "something could be happening" shortly in Pakistan, where negotiations over the weekend broke down.&nbsp;
US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking US Vice President JD Vance says the ball is in Iran’s court, as the US has out a lot on the table. &nbsp;
He says that instead of a permanent ban on nuclear enrichment by Iran, the US has instead proposed a 20 year suspension of all nuclear activity – Iran’s counter proposal would see nuclear activity halted for just five years. &nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Richard Arnold: US Correspondent on the negotiations between Iran and the US, resignations

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/de8779e8-ed1f-452e-8370-b42c016de54a/transcript

Full Show Podcast: 23 March 2026

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