It's being argued the government has taxed beer to a point where people can't afford it as consumption levels plummet.  

Stats NZ data shows the volume of all alcoholic beverages made last year fell by 8.3%, with beer dropping by 10%.  

It follows the beer excise tax rising more than 20% in five years. 

Garage Project Brewery co-owner Jos Ruffell told Mike Hosking the multi-billion-dollar industry is feeling the pain of this bizarre tax.  

LISTEN ABOVE 

It's being argued the government has taxed beer to a point where people can't afford it as consumption levels plummet. &nbsp;
Stats NZ data shows the volume of all alcoholic beverages made last year fell by 8.3%, with beer dropping by 10%. &nbsp;
It follows the beer excise tax rising more than 20% in five years.&nbsp;
Garage Project Brewery co-owner Jos Ruffell told Mike Hosking the multi-billion-dollar industry is feeling the pain of this bizarre tax. &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

Jos Ruffell: Garage Project Brewery Co-Owner blames government taxes for beer consumption falling by 10%

There was a huge reaction to yesterday's Politics Wednesday segment on homelessness and move-on orders. 

Labour argues homelessness is up dramatically and there is nowhere for these people to go. 

New numbers released today show that simply, in Auckland anyway, is not true. 

Advocates working in the area tell us numbers are down 29%. 

Part of that drop is due to Government funding in October of last year to improve outreach, as well as the provision of 207 housing places in the Housing First programme. 

So, like a lot of other issues being raised as being disasters, the truth tells a different story. 

As I have said, Labour is going to lose the election anyway. But their growing problem is reality is smashing directly into their ideology. 

Their plan to this point, and it was reflected well in the Hipkins so-called "State of the Nation" speech, is to tell you everything is a mess, it's all broken, it's all been cocked up and is going backwards. 

The theory is if they set the mood right what they have to offer doesn’t need to be a thing, hence they have no policies outside their capital gains tax. 

You're in a funk and you vote the Government out because they have convinced you life sucks. 

Except the evidence that it isn't, is starting to arrive, and in some volume. 

Growth is up, spending is up, confidence is up, performance in schools is up, kids are actually turning up to school, large industrial relations deals are being signed so strikes are off, crime is down, and now homelessness is down as well. 

By November employment will have turned and the picture, broadly, will be complete. 

It's hard to compete against good economic news and it's hard to compete against positive social news like the homelessness stats. 

And it's really hard, and this is where Labour and the Greens are blowing it, against the wider will and view of the populous. 

On move-on orders, like the gang patches and like the ram raids, crack downs are popular. 

Defending crooks and drug addicts and trouble makers is not a vote getter. 

There was a huge reaction to yesterday's Politics Wednesday segment on homelessness and move-on orders.&nbsp;
Labour argues homelessness is up dramatically and there is nowhere for these people to go.&nbsp;
New numbers released today show that simply, in Auckland anyway, is not true.&nbsp;
Advocates working in the area tell us numbers are down 29%.&nbsp;
Part of that drop is due to Government funding in October of last year to improve outreach, as well as the provision of 207 housing places in the Housing First programme.&nbsp;
So, like a lot of other issues being raised as being disasters, the truth tells a different story.&nbsp;
As I have said, Labour is going to lose the election anyway. But their growing problem is reality is smashing directly into their ideology.&nbsp;
Their plan to this point, and it was reflected well in the Hipkins so-called "State of the Nation" speech, is to tell you everything is a mess, it's all broken, it's all been cocked up and is going backwards.&nbsp;
The theory is if they set the mood right what they have to offer doesn’t need to be a thing, hence they have no policies outside their capital gains tax.&nbsp;
You're in a funk and you vote the Government out because they have convinced you life sucks.&nbsp;
Except the evidence that it isn't, is starting to arrive, and in some volume.&nbsp;
Growth is up, spending is up, confidence is up, performance in schools is up, kids are actually turning up to school, large industrial relations deals are being signed so strikes are off, crime is down, and now homelessness is down as well.&nbsp;
By November employment will have turned and the picture, broadly, will be complete.&nbsp;
It's hard to compete against good economic news and it's hard to compete against positive social news like the homelessness stats.&nbsp;
And it's really hard, and this is where Labour and the Greens are blowing it, against the wider will and view of the populous.&nbsp;
On move-on orders, like the gang patches and like the ram raids, crack downs are popular.&nbsp;
Defending crooks and drug addicts and trouble makers is not a vote getter.&nbsp;

Mike's Minute: The political divide on homelessness

After almost six months, IndyCar is returning this weekend. 

Scott Dixon, Marcus Amstrong, and Scott McLaughlin are all lining up on the streets of St Petersburg for the first race – the same streets where McLaughlin got pole last year.  

However, McLaughlin has admitted that 2025 was a frustrating year, as he finished 10th in the Championship with three podiums.  

He told Mike Hosking that it was really the lowest of lows for him in many cases, and he’s trying to turn that negative into a positive. 

McLaughlin says he doesn’t have to do too much differently, he just has to execute it better. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

After almost six months, IndyCar is returning this weekend.&nbsp;
Scott Dixon, Marcus Amstrong, and Scott McLaughlin are all lining up on the streets of St Petersburg for the first race – the same streets where McLaughlin got pole last year. &nbsp;
However, McLaughlin has admitted that 2025 was a frustrating year, as he finished 10th in the Championship with three podiums. &nbsp;
He told Mike Hosking that it was really the lowest of lows for him in many cases, and he’s trying to turn that negative into a positive.&nbsp;
McLaughlin says he doesn’t have to do too much differently, he just has to execute it better.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Scott McLaughlin: Kiwi IndyCar driver ahead of the 2026 season

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 26th of February, the dairy sector is experiencing record high milk production and exports.  

Kiwi Alex Kendall is CEO of Wayve, a self-driving tech firm that just secured $1.5 billion to support the commercial rollout of their tech.  

Kiwi Indycar driver Scott McLaughlin lays out his prospects ahead of the first race of the 2026 season this weekend. 

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 26th of February, the dairy sector is experiencing <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/campbell-parker-dairy-nz-ceo-on-the-industrys-highest-production-and-export-earnings-ever/">record high milk production and exports</a>. &nbsp;
<a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/alex-kendall-wayve-ceo-on-securing-15-billion-to-roll-out-their-self-driving-technology-commercially/">Kiwi Alex Kendall is CEO of Wayve</a>, a self-driving tech firm that just secured $1.5 billion to support the commercial rollout of their tech. &nbsp;
Kiwi Indycar driver Scott McLaughlin lays out his prospects ahead of the first race of the 2026 season this weekend.&nbsp;
Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Jos Ruffell: Garage Project Brewery Co-Owner blames government taxes for beer consumption falling by 10%

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