A big Hollywood celebration for the Wētā FX team last night after another Oscar win.  

Wellington's Wētā FX won Best Visual Effects at the Academy Awards in LA yesterday for their work on James Cameron's blockbuster Avatar: Fire and Ash.  

It brings their total Oscar count to eight.  

Head of Visual Effects Matt Aitken told Mike Hosking it's an acknowledgement of the team's dedication.  

He says they thought it was the best work ever done in visual effects, but you never know how it's going to go on the night. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

A big Hollywood celebration for the Wētā&nbsp;FX team last night after another Oscar win. &nbsp;
Wellington's Wētā FX won Best Visual Effects at the Academy Awards in LA yesterday for their work on James Cameron's blockbuster Avatar: Fire and Ash. &nbsp;
It brings their total Oscar count to eight. &nbsp;
Head of Visual Effects Matt Aitken told Mike Hosking it's an acknowledgement of the team's dedication. &nbsp;
He says they thought it was the best work ever done in visual effects, but you never know how it's going to go on the night.&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

Matt Aitken: Wētā FX Head of Visual Effects on winning Best Visual Effects at the 2026 Oscars

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/ebecc952-bbac-43b8-903e-b40f014b2547/transcript

Like a school report, the International Monetary Fund forecast for the global economy arrived in yesterday's post. 

No one escaped the Trump carnage. The UK in particular is in trouble, as is potentially Australia. 

Australia was warned not to exacerbate wartime inflation. It was a slap down, a mark against the Government and a big reveal into the way Albanese and his cronies run the place. 

The reference was to a debate that has been going on since the last election – is Government spending driving inflation? The answer of course is yes, but the Government denies it. 

The IMF laid the truth bare. They were warning against a spendathon in the coming Budget. 

Australia's inflation is already way worse than ours and for the very obvious reason they keep handing out money they don’t have. 

We should be proud of our war time approach, as hard as it may be for some to stomach. 

Handouts are easy and Australia has yet again fallen into the trap. It will hurt them more in the long run, but they don’t care. 

It dovetails, I think, into the Labour approach here, which is to say nothing policy-wise. But also dare I suggest they have finally worked out the traditional Opposition line of promising free money is no longer tolerated here, because of the carnage Labour caused in Covid. The results are still too real and too raw for them to run the old playbook. 

They are snookered by a government that is fiscally mature and restrained, so they can't be seen to be loose and flagrant. 

But no such luck in Australia. Tax is cut on petrol, so every millionaire Ferrari driver gets a subsidy, and big companies are forced to pay the extra on previously signed contracts so small companies don’t have to. 

There seems no amount of gerrymandering Albanese won't get amongst and the IMF sees it all. 

If you want to see a cost of living crisis in real time that puts ours into some relief, look at Australia. Like Covid, or the financial crisis, or the war, the government you get in dark days is luck. 

In 2019 ours ran out. This time around it's Australia's turn to see what economic damage amateurs from the left can do. 

I know where I would rather be. 

Like a school report, the International Monetary Fund forecast for the global economy arrived in yesterday's post.&nbsp;
No one escaped the Trump carnage. The UK in particular is in trouble, as is potentially Australia.&nbsp;
Australia was warned not to exacerbate wartime inflation. It was a slap down, a mark against the Government and a big reveal into the way Albanese and his cronies run the place.&nbsp;
The reference was to a debate that has been going on since the last election – is Government spending driving inflation? The answer of course is yes, but the Government denies it.&nbsp;
The IMF laid the truth bare. They were warning against a spendathon in the coming Budget.&nbsp;
Australia's inflation is already way worse than ours and for the very obvious reason they keep handing out money they don’t have.&nbsp;
We should be proud of our war time approach, as hard as it may be for some to stomach.&nbsp;
Handouts are easy and Australia has yet again fallen into the trap. It will hurt them more in the long run, but they don’t care.&nbsp;
It dovetails, I think, into the Labour approach here, which is to say nothing policy-wise. But also dare I suggest they have finally worked out the traditional Opposition line of promising free money is no longer tolerated here, because of the carnage Labour caused in Covid. The results are still too real and too raw for them to run the old playbook.&nbsp;
They are snookered by a government that is fiscally mature and restrained, so they can't be seen to be loose and flagrant.&nbsp;
But no such luck in Australia. Tax is cut on petrol, so every millionaire Ferrari driver gets a subsidy, and big companies are forced to pay the extra on previously signed contracts so small companies don’t have to.&nbsp;
There seems no amount of gerrymandering Albanese won't get amongst and the IMF sees it all.&nbsp;
If you want to see a cost of living crisis in real time that puts ours into some relief, look at Australia. Like Covid, or the financial crisis, or the war, the government you get in dark days is luck.&nbsp;
In 2019 ours ran out. This time around it's Australia's turn to see what economic damage amateurs from the left can do.&nbsp;
I know where I would rather be.&nbsp;

Mike's Minute: The reality of NZ vs Australia's fuel response

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/a8edafbe-98d8-4cc1-a1de-b42d017e32ed/transcript

Ryan Wood's eager to prove success his in Taupō was no fluke when he gets back behind the wheel of his Toyota at the maiden Supercars event in Christchurch. 

Four races will be staged across the weekend, including a postponed race from last week's weather hampered stop in Taupo. 

Wood picked up his second career victory and a third placing across the two races that were completed. 

Wood told Mike Hosking they’ll find out tomorrow if his momentum from last Saturday will pull through to this weekend’s races.  

“If there is momentum, then I’ll be trying to use it. I’ve still got confidence, so we’ll see how it goes.” 

“At the end of the day, I don’t overthink it, just go out there and drive.” 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Ryan Wood's eager to prove success his in Taupō was no fluke when he gets back behind the wheel of his Toyota at the maiden Supercars event in Christchurch.&nbsp;
Four races will be staged across the weekend, including a postponed race from last week's weather hampered stop in Taupo.&nbsp;
Wood picked up his second career victory and a third placing across the two races that were completed.&nbsp;
Wood told Mike Hosking they’ll find out tomorrow if his momentum from last Saturday will pull through to this weekend’s races. &nbsp;
“If there is momentum, then I’ll be trying to use it. I’ve still got confidence, so we’ll see how it goes.”&nbsp;
“At the end of the day, I don’t overthink it, just go out there and drive.”&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Ryan Wood: Kiwi Supercars driver on his success in Taupō, this weekend's event in Christchurch

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/de4fa8d5-bb3b-4790-a227-b42d017a2b2d/transcript

Amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East is an upcoming Royal visit to the United States.  

King Charles will address a joint meeting of Congress as well as meet privately with US President Donald Trump later this month.  

British lawmakers are questioning whether the visit should go ahead, as the relationship between the two countries is unusually delicate.  

Royal Correspondent Robert Hardman told Mike Hosking that any trip holds a risk, but cancelling this visit would be a greater risk.  

He says that Trump is a royalist, and on previous visits has gone out of his way not to embarrass the Royals while they’re there.  

“Now, of course, what he says before and after is another matter, but I don't think there's going to be a toe-curling moment for the King while he's on the ground.” 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East is an upcoming Royal visit to the United States. &nbsp;
King Charles will address a joint meeting of Congress as well as meet privately with US President Donald Trump later this month. &nbsp;
British lawmakers are questioning whether the visit should go ahead, as the relationship between the two countries is unusually delicate. &nbsp;
Royal Correspondent Robert Hardman told Mike Hosking that any trip holds a risk, but cancelling this visit would be a greater risk. &nbsp;
He says that Trump is a royalist, and on previous visits has gone out of his way not to embarrass the Royals while they’re there. &nbsp;
“Now, of course, what he says before and after is another matter, but I don't think there's going to be a toe-curling moment for the King while he's on the ground.”&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Robert Hardman: Royal Correspondent on King Charles' visit to the US to meet with Donald Trump

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/4ab2e0c6-923a-435b-abc7-b42d01690a53/transcript

Matt Aitken: Wētā FX Head of Visual Effects on winning Best Visual Effects at the 2026 Oscars

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