An expert believes there's still a number of Kiwis returning to New Zealand, despite a falling net migration rate. 

It's fallen to 10,600 for the year to August 2025. 

Overall, Stats NZ figures show migrant arrivals dropped 16% to more than 138 thousand, while departures increased 13% to just under 128 thousand. 

Massey University sociologist Paul Spoonley told Mike Hosking it's still a major net loss, but Kiwis are coming back, even from Australia. 

He says there's always been Kiwis leaving and returning on the traditional OE. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

An expert believes there's still a number of Kiwis returning to New Zealand, despite a falling net migration rate.&nbsp;
It's fallen to 10,600 for the year to August 2025.&nbsp;
Overall, Stats NZ figures show migrant arrivals dropped 16% to more than 138 thousand, while departures increased 13% to just under 128 thousand.&nbsp;
Massey University sociologist Paul Spoonley told Mike Hosking it's still a major net loss, but Kiwis are coming back, even from Australia.&nbsp;
He says there's always been Kiwis leaving and returning on the traditional OE.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

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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,...

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Paul Spoonley: Massey University Sociologist on net migration falling to 10,600 for August

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/c4307484-b587-43b5-a7c1-b37501403596/transcript

There's a view National's alternative to a bed tax would remove some pressure on smaller councils.  

The party's pledging to re-set the International Visitor Levy, putting aside $100 million a year for conservation and $50 million for tourism.  

The rest would go to councils, divvied up based on how many international visitor nights they host.  

Local Government New Zealand President Rehette Stoltz —who's the mayor of Gisborne— told Mike Hosking this allocates it fairly across the country.  

She says $600,000 or $700,000 represents a 1% rate rise for some smaller councils. 

There are some councils who are unhappy with the proposal, with both the Mayors of Auckland and Queenstown saying they would be better off under a bed tax. 

But Stoltz says there's a chance future discussions could fix where the policy falls short. 

LISTEN ABOVE   

There's a view National's alternative to a bed tax would remove some pressure on smaller councils. &nbsp;
The party's pledging to re-set the International Visitor Levy, putting aside $100 million a year for conservation and $50 million for tourism. &nbsp;
The rest would go to councils, divvied up based on how many international visitor nights they host. &nbsp;
Local Government New Zealand President Rehette Stoltz —who's the mayor of Gisborne— told Mike Hosking this allocates it fairly across the country. &nbsp;
She says $600,000 or $700,000 represents a 1% rate rise for some smaller councils.&nbsp;
There are some councils who are unhappy with the proposal, with both the Mayors of Auckland and Queenstown saying they would be better off under a bed tax.&nbsp;
But Stoltz says there's a chance future discussions could fix where the policy falls short.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE &nbsp;&nbsp;

Rehette Stoltz: Local Government NZ President and Gisborne Mayor on National's proposed alternative to a bed tax

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/a5eb38b8-ce81-4cfd-90fc-b4bf014fb8bc/transcript

The Education Minister believes improving attendance is one reason for the narrowing achievement gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students. 

PISA results find it's narrowed in the last four years, largely because disadvantaged students performed better. 

It also shows New Zealand students remain above the OECD average across all three subjects, ranking ninth in reading, tenth in science, and 16th in mathematics. 

Education Minister Erica Stanford told Mike Hosking attendance is vitally important. 

She says when PISA was last done in the Covid year of 2022, attendance was around 39%, compared to this year where it's 64.3%. 

LISTEN ABOVE   

The Education Minister believes improving attendance is one reason for the narrowing achievement gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students.&nbsp;
PISA results find it's narrowed in the last four years, largely because disadvantaged students performed better.&nbsp;
It also shows New Zealand students remain above the OECD average across all three subjects, ranking ninth in reading, tenth in science, and 16th in mathematics.&nbsp;
Education Minister Erica Stanford told Mike Hosking attendance is vitally important.&nbsp;
She says when PISA was last done in the Covid year of 2022, attendance was around 39%, compared to this year where it's 64.3%.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE &nbsp;&nbsp;

Erica Stanford: Education Minister on PISA results stabilising, reading, science, and math results sitting above OECD average

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/163e5b59-c017-4e66-b6ea-b4bf014ae8af/transcript

There's a battle of the ideologies on display as ACT looks to cut art spending on roading projects. 

It's very ACT, i.e. fiscally disciplined. Every $1 million on roading needs to be $1 million on roading, not 99% on roads and 1% on art. 

The art is an issue for several reasons, mainly for me because most of it is unimpressive. 

I'm not actually against art per se. I like art. I prefer private operators to pay for it, but I wouldn't die in the ditch trying to cut it. 

It makes sense. We have no money, we need more roads, and so it's fairly obvious you make every dollar go as far as it can. 

And I suspect broadly most people feel the same way, so it's an easy headline and a political point to make in a campaign. 

But public art can be amazing. The trouble is a lot of ours isn't. 

On the highway out of Christchurch heading towards Kaiapoi there is some good work. At what they call Spaghetti Junction in Auckland there is what loosely looks like red light stalks. They're awful. 

On our way home on the new highway north of Auckland there are a bunch of Māori soldiers or chiefs, sort of metal cutouts that are rusted. 

It’s a look. I don’t like it, which is the other bit about art. It's fraught. 

There is also obviously an overt Māori fixation around it. There's not a lot of Siddell's or Sydney's about the place. There are more conceptual, race-based interpretations that you might argue may not get a lot of commissions if it wasn’t for the NZTA. 

So you have the battle between to do it, or not, and also if you do do it, is it any good? 

But to the ideology, ACT are about efficiency and that’s good, given our parlous state fiscally. 

The defence came from the transport wonks who said, "look, its only 1.4% of the overall budget", the inference being that we shouldn't worry about it because it's nothing. And yet, do the math. 

For every 72-odd roads, that's another free road if you don’t spend your 1.4%. Would you rather have another road or a bunch of eclectic sculptures? 

I think the inescapable conclusion is art is for better days, more affluent times, in countries that have productivity levels way better than ours and that have handled their finances better than ours. 

Art is a reward, not a must have. 

There's a battle of the ideologies on display as ACT looks to cut art spending on roading projects.&nbsp;
It's very ACT, i.e. fiscally disciplined. Every $1 million on roading needs to be $1 million on roading, not 99% on roads and 1% on art.&nbsp;
The art is an issue for several reasons, mainly for me because most of it is unimpressive.&nbsp;
I'm not actually against art per se. I like art. I prefer private operators to pay for it, but I wouldn't die in the ditch trying to cut it.&nbsp;
It makes sense. We have no money, we need more roads, and so it's fairly obvious you make every dollar go as far as it can.&nbsp;
And I suspect broadly most people feel the same way, so it's an easy headline and a political point to make in a campaign.&nbsp;
But public art can be amazing. The trouble is a lot of ours isn't.&nbsp;
On the highway out of Christchurch heading towards Kaiapoi there is some good work. At what they call Spaghetti Junction in Auckland there is what loosely looks like red light stalks. They're awful.&nbsp;
On our way home on the new highway north of Auckland there are a bunch of Māori soldiers or chiefs, sort of metal cutouts that are rusted.&nbsp;
It’s a look. I don’t like it, which is the other bit about art. It's fraught.&nbsp;
There is also obviously an overt Māori fixation around it. There's not a lot of Siddell's or Sydney's about the place. There are more conceptual, race-based interpretations that you might argue may not get a lot of commissions if it wasn’t for the NZTA.&nbsp;
So you have the battle between to do it, or not, and also if you do do it, is it any good?&nbsp;
But to the ideology, ACT are about efficiency and that’s good, given our parlous state fiscally.&nbsp;
The defence came from the transport wonks who said, "look, its only 1.4% of the overall budget", the inference being that we shouldn't worry about it because it's nothing. And yet, do the math.&nbsp;
For every 72-odd roads, that's another free road if you don’t spend your 1.4%. Would you rather have another road or a bunch of eclectic sculptures?&nbsp;
I think the inescapable conclusion is art is for better days, more affluent times, in countries that have productivity levels way better than ours and that have handled their finances better than ours.&nbsp;
Art is a reward, not a must have.&nbsp;

Mike's Minute: The battle of ideologies at play

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/44941b39-ee87-422d-8757-b4be017cecf2/transcript

Paul Spoonley: Massey University Sociologist on net migration falling to 10,600 for August

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