The economy is expected to look better than earlier predictions. 

Figures —due out from Stats NZ this morning— are expected to show the country's GDP grew 0.7% for the first quarter of the year.  

It's slightly higher than 0.4%, predicted earlier this year. 

ASB chief economist Nick Tuffley told Mike Hosking things are expected to slow through the middle half of the year. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

The economy is expected to look better than earlier predictions.&nbsp;
Figures —due out from Stats NZ this morning— are expected to show the country's GDP grew 0.7% for the first quarter of the year. &nbsp;
It's slightly higher than 0.4%, predicted earlier this year.&nbsp;
ASB chief economist Nick Tuffley told Mike Hosking things are expected to slow through the middle half of the year.&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

Nick Tuffley: ASB Chief Economist ahead of today's GDP announcement

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/57d66eb7-d8f1-4e22-b8f3-b300014bf942/transcript

Does the Talbot Mills poll out yesterday blow wide open the overt and corrupt actions of the parts of the media that went to town last week, and the week before, on the Prime Minister? 

Does the Talbot Mills poll out yesterday with National on 32% also build on evidence that they are not 28%, nor were they ever 28%, therefore there was never a need to go to town last week, and the week before, on the Prime Minister? 

As we count the number of polls, and I have at least six, if not seven, that have National well into the 30's vs the one that has National at 28%, can we conclude the 28% was an outlier, should have been seen as one and, therefore, treated as such? 

Given large swathes of the media didn’t treat it as such, we can very confidently say those parts of the media showed an unprofessional bias against the Government. 

Can we also say that if the polls continue to show National in the 30's (and not the 20's) and polls continue to show as yesterday's does a hung Parliament (at worst) but more realistically, based on the Māori Party assumption, a re-elected Government, that rolling a leader of a party destined for a second term is not actually a realistic prospect, or anywhere close?   

The less realistic it is the more absurd their agenda-driven, brain explosion looks. 

Hipkins too was asked this week whether his leadership is safe. Safe from what? Furious ex-wives? 

Is that the problem? The political media only have a grab bag of questions around the same theme – are you quitting? Are you safe? Is a coup brewing? Are you going home to consider your options? 

The problem with so many of them being as inexperienced as they are, is they lack any form of institutional knowledge and, as such, haven't really seen proper political drama. A rogue poll and a rogue ex aren't it. 

Mix that with the fact they are overtly biased against the Government and all you need is one ropy poll at 28% and it's Operation Epic Fury: Gallery style. 

In a world where news cycles turn at an increasing rate of knots this crime, and it is a crime committed by those charged with political coverage, deserves ongoing attention simply because it's election year. 

Yesterday's poll starts to expose very clearly that the Government has two oppositions – one made up of Labour, the Greens, and the Māori Party, and the other made up of a decent chunk of the media, some of whom are funded by the taxpayer. 

If that doesn’t worry you in election year, nothing does.  

Does the Talbot Mills poll out yesterday blow wide open the overt and corrupt actions of the parts of the media that went to town last week, and the week before, on the Prime Minister?&nbsp;
Does the Talbot Mills poll out yesterday with National on 32% also build on evidence that they are not 28%, nor were they ever 28%, therefore there was never a need to go to town last week, and the week before, on the Prime Minister?&nbsp;
As we count the number of polls, and I have at least six, if not seven, that have National well into the 30's vs the one that has National at 28%, can we conclude the 28% was an outlier, should have been seen as one and, therefore, treated as such?&nbsp;
Given large swathes of the media didn’t treat it as such, we can very confidently say those parts of the media showed an unprofessional bias against the Government.&nbsp;
Can we also say that if the polls continue to show National in the 30's (and not the 20's) and polls continue to show as yesterday's does a hung Parliament (at worst) but more realistically, based on the Māori Party assumption, a re-elected Government, that rolling a leader of a party destined for a second term is not actually a realistic prospect, or anywhere close? &nbsp;&nbsp;
The less realistic it is the more absurd their agenda-driven, brain explosion looks.&nbsp;
Hipkins too was asked this week whether his leadership is safe. Safe from what? Furious ex-wives?&nbsp;
Is that the problem? The political media only have a grab bag of questions around the same theme – are you quitting? Are you safe? Is a coup brewing? Are you going home to consider your options?&nbsp;
The problem with so many of them being as inexperienced as they are, is they lack any form of institutional knowledge and, as such, haven't really seen proper political drama. A rogue poll and a rogue ex aren't it.&nbsp;
Mix that with the fact they are overtly biased against the Government and all you need is one ropy poll at 28% and it's Operation Epic Fury: Gallery style.&nbsp;
In a world where news cycles turn at an increasing rate of knots this crime, and it is a crime committed by those charged with political coverage, deserves ongoing attention simply because it's election year.&nbsp;
Yesterday's poll starts to expose very clearly that the Government has two oppositions – one made up of Labour, the Greens, and the Māori Party, and the other made up of a decent chunk of the media, some of whom are funded by the taxpayer.&nbsp;
If that doesn’t worry you in election year, nothing does. &nbsp;

Mike's Minute: Further proof the Taxpayer poll was an outlier

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/c07e7037-d84e-43eb-92e6-b41101626044/transcript

British pop legend Robbie Williams is coming to entertain New Zealand this November. 

The artist behind Angels, Rock DJ, and Let Me Entertain You has confirmed two New Zealand shows for his BRITPOP world tour, opening at Eden Park on November 24. 

He'll follow it up at the new Christchurch Te Kaha Stadium on the 28th, becoming the first international artist to perform there. 

BRITPOP is the 16th album of Williams’ solo career and its success saw him surpass the Beatles, becoming the artist with the most number one albums in UK chart history.  

“I’ve had 16 number one albums, which feels mind-bendingly incredible,” he told Mike Hosking. 

“But because I’d had 15 number ones, you know, I think there was an exhale that there was a 16th number one, and I think the panic and the worry was, what if it isn’t, what if I don’t get to experience that again?” 

“I suppose the intoxication is not in the experiencing 16 number ones, it’s the exhale at not being number two.”  

Williams has been performing since 1990, first as a member of Take That, and then launching his solo career in 1996, and despite his awards and success, there’s something pushing him onwards.  

“The hole is unfillable, but still I persevere,” he told Hosking.  

“I’m not quite sure 100% of what it is that I’m running from and what it is that needs to be, you know this hole that needs to be filled, but what I am enjoying now is the journey.” 

Speaking of the journey, Williams is heading back on the road later this year for the BRITPOP tour, and he takes the responsibility of performing “incredibly seriously”. 

“Every show is the most important show – the next show is always the most important show.” 

“I don't wanna let me down and I don’t wanna let my audience down.” 

LISTEN ABOVE 

British pop legend Robbie Williams is coming to entertain New Zealand this November.&nbsp;
The artist behind Angels, Rock DJ, and Let Me Entertain You has confirmed two New Zealand shows for his BRITPOP world tour, opening at Eden Park on November 24.&nbsp;
He'll follow it up at the new Christchurch Te Kaha Stadium on the 28th, becoming the first international artist to perform there.&nbsp;
BRITPOP is the 16th album of Williams’ solo career and its success saw him surpass the Beatles, becoming the artist with the most number one albums in UK chart history. &nbsp;
“I’ve had 16 number one albums, which feels mind-bendingly incredible,” he told Mike Hosking.&nbsp;
“But because I’d had 15 number ones, you know, I think there was an exhale that there was a 16th number one, and I think the panic and the worry was, what if it isn’t, what if I don’t get to experience that again?”&nbsp;
“I suppose the intoxication is not in the experiencing 16 number ones, it’s the exhale at not being number two.” &nbsp;
Williams has been performing since 1990, first as a member of Take That, and then launching his solo career in 1996, and despite his awards and success, there’s something pushing him onwards. &nbsp;
“The hole is unfillable, but still I persevere,” he told Hosking. &nbsp;
“I’m not quite sure 100% of what it is that I’m running from and what it is that needs to be, you know this hole that needs to be filled, but what I am enjoying now is the journey.”&nbsp;
Speaking of the journey, Williams is heading back on the road later this year for the BRITPOP tour, and he takes the responsibility of performing “incredibly seriously”.&nbsp;
“Every show is the most important show – the next show is always the most important show.”&nbsp;
“I don't wanna let me down and I don’t wanna let my audience down.”&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Robbie Williams: British pop legend on his career, success of his new album, BRITPOP tour

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/326f2420-a843-4ef0-b943-b411015a44c5/transcript

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 19th of March, the GDP figure for the December quarter will be announced today – 12 days out from the end of Q1. While it might be positive, the conflict in the Middle East looms over it.  

An exclusive chat with outgoing Fonterra CEO Miles Hurrell, who talked about his next moves, the future of the dairy giant, and the rumours about NZR. 

And British superstar Robbie Williams joined for a chat about music, performing, and his New Zealand tour.  

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 19th of March, <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/nick-tuffley-asb-chief-economist-on-the-expectation-the-gdp-will-rise-by-04-in-the-december-quarter/">the GDP figure for the December quarter will be announced today</a> – 12 days out from the end of Q1. While it might be positive, the conflict in the Middle East looms over it. &nbsp;
An exclusive chat with <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/miles-hurrell-outgoing-fonterra-ceo-on-his-departure-after-eight-years-in-the-role/">outgoing Fonterra CEO Miles Hurrell,</a> who talked about his next moves, the future of the dairy giant, and the rumours about NZR.&nbsp;
And British superstar Robbie Williams joined for a chat about music, performing, and his New Zealand tour. &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: 19 March 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/89679ffa-f07f-44aa-a07b-b411014c90d3/transcript

Nick Tuffley: ASB Chief Economist ahead of today's GDP announcement

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