Today on Politics Wednesday, Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen joined Mike Hosking to delve into some of the biggest stories of the week thus far.  

They discussed the bill that would ban social media for under-16s, Labour’s desire to see the bill before pledging their support, and the seeming lack of support from National’s coalition partners.  

And they touched on stances around AI data centres and the alleged Russian spy. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Today on Politics Wednesday, Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen joined Mike Hosking to delve into some of the biggest stories of the week thus far. &nbsp;
They discussed the bill that would ban social media for under-16s, Labour’s desire to see the bill before pledging their support, and the seeming lack of support from National’s coalition partners. &nbsp;
And they touched on stances around AI data centres and the alleged Russian spy.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

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

Pollies: National's Mark Mitchell and Labour's Ginny Andersen on the social media bill, AI data centres, alleged Russian spy

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/e2fee14a-81a4-4877-9e69-b495016710c0/transcript

It turns out a lot is in a name. 

Stats NZ gave us the latest household living-costs price indexes. 

This is what we pay for stuff. This is the cost of our living or, as is more often than not referred to by the media and the miserable, the "cost of living crisis". 

In that name, "the cost of living crisis", lies a lot of our problems. And a lot of our problems lie in our attitude. 

The "cost of living crisis" no longer exists. It arrived in Covid and it roughly finished when inflation dropped back to a more orderly level. 

Now this is not to say things are perfect, or brimming, or bullish. It's just that it's not as bad as it was, nor indeed anywhere close. 

But we've decided the "cost of living crisis" has stuck. It makes us feel justified in moaning and it gives some political operators ammunition. 

The actual increase in our cost of living was 3.2%. That's actually not bad. It's not great, but it's not bad and just about in the Reserve Bank band. 

If you take out petrol, which has nothing to do with us, it would have been way lower. 

What was way lower was the interest rate costs on the mortgage. See, not everything is going up. 

We hear a lot about power and rates, and rightly so, but little about the mass saving that has arrived in our bank accounts by paying interest rates that by any historic reading are quite low. 

Like all stories your individual circumstances matter; how much petrol you use, what your income is, what industry you are in, what sort of pay rise you got, etc. They are in fact, the majority of people you know, doing fine. 

They have plentiful work, they are well paid, they have savings, take holidays, wish the power bill was cheaper but, by and large, life is decent and there is no crisis. 

It's getting close to the time that if we can get the war out of the way, the oil at about $70 a barrel consistently, and renewable power supply dropping generation prices, we will actually arrive economically at a pretty good spot. 

At 3.2% with a war, we are close to being maybe 2% without one. 

And that is what they call a sweet spot. All that’s left is for those obsessed with the negativity of a crisis to recognise that it isn't. 

It turns out a lot is in a name.&nbsp;
Stats NZ gave us the latest household living-costs price indexes.&nbsp;
This is what we pay for stuff. This is the cost of our living or, as is more often than not referred to by the media and the miserable, the "cost of living crisis".&nbsp;
In that name, "the cost of living crisis", lies a lot of our problems. And a lot of our problems lie in our attitude.&nbsp;
The "cost of living crisis" no longer exists. It arrived in Covid and it roughly finished when inflation dropped back to a more orderly level.&nbsp;
Now this is not to say things are perfect, or brimming, or bullish. It's just that it's not as bad as it was, nor indeed anywhere close.&nbsp;
But we've decided the "cost of living crisis" has stuck. It makes us feel justified in moaning and it gives some political operators ammunition.&nbsp;
The actual increase in our cost of living was 3.2%. That's actually not bad. It's not great, but it's not bad and just about in the Reserve Bank band.&nbsp;
If you take out petrol, which has nothing to do with us, it would have been way lower.&nbsp;
What was way lower was the interest rate costs on the mortgage. See, not everything is going up.&nbsp;
We hear a lot about power and rates, and rightly so, but little about the mass saving that has arrived in our bank accounts by paying interest rates that by any historic reading are quite low.&nbsp;
Like all stories your individual circumstances matter; how much petrol you use, what your income is, what industry you are in, what sort of pay rise you got, etc. They are in fact, the majority of people you know, doing fine.&nbsp;
They have plentiful work, they are well paid, they have savings, take holidays, wish the power bill was cheaper but, by and large, life is decent and there is no crisis.&nbsp;
It's getting close to the time that if we can get the war out of the way, the oil at about $70 a barrel consistently, and renewable power supply dropping generation prices, we will actually arrive economically at a pretty good spot.&nbsp;
At 3.2% with a war, we are close to being maybe 2% without one.&nbsp;
And that is what they call a sweet spot. All that’s left is for those obsessed with the negativity of a crisis to recognise that it isn't.&nbsp;

Mike's Minute: The cost of living "crisis" no longer exists

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/43aa8f43-eb87-49fa-8a27-b49501780e9b/transcript

The White House says Donald Trump's meetings with Israel and Ukraine's leaders were both positive and productive.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met separately with the US President at the Oval Office earlier today.

Zelenskyy says he discussed Patriot interceptor missiles and other ideas which could help his nation's fight against Russia.

US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking Netanyahu's visit marks his first face-to-face meeting with Trump since the start of the Iran war.

He says the Israeli leader is pushing for further military escalation, after claims some of Iran's nuclear programme has been moved to an underground facility.

LISTEN ABOVE

The White House says Donald Trump's meetings with Israel and Ukraine's leaders were both positive and productive.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met separately with the US President at the Oval Office earlier today.
Zelenskyy says he discussed Patriot interceptor missiles and other ideas which could help his nation's fight against Russia.
US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking Netanyahu's visit marks his first face-to-face meeting with Trump since the start of the Iran war.
He says the Israeli leader is pushing for further military escalation, after claims some of Iran's nuclear programme has been moved to an underground facility.
LISTEN ABOVE

Richard Arnold: US Correspondent on the meetings between Trump, Netanyahu, and Zelenskyy

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/6d5bd70a-7280-4c40-aeee-b495016e6471/transcript

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 29th of July, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford was on to discuss the changes the Government is making to the RSE scheme. 

The latest economic data dump shows the cost of living is up, but according to one economist, we’re no longer in a cost of living crisis.  

And Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell talk the social media bill, AI data centres, and the alleged Russian spy on Politics Wednesday. 

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 Wednesday 29th of July, <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/erica-stanford-immigration-minister-on-the-governments-planned-changes-to-the-rse-scheme/">Immigration Minister Erica Stanford</a> was on to discuss the changes the Government is making to the RSE scheme.&nbsp;
The latest economic data dump shows the cost of living is up, but according to one economist, <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/kelly-eckhold-westpac-chief-economist-says-nz-on-the-cost-of-living-rising-32-in-the-year-to-june/">we’re no longer in a cost of living crisis.</a> &nbsp;
And Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell talk the social media bill, AI data centres, and the alleged Russian spy on Politics Wednesday.&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: 29 July 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/0b434681-3ed2-4308-b992-b495015d6654/transcript

Pollies: National's Mark Mitchell and Labour's Ginny Andersen on the social media bill, AI data centres, alleged Russian spy

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