The US has escalated tensions with Venezuela and seized a tanker off its coast, described by Donald Trump as the largest ever seized.  

He's otherwise keeping tight lipped, saying it was done for 'a very good reason'.  

CNN reports it intensifies Trump's pressure campaign aimed at forcing the leader Nicolas Maduro out of power. 

US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Heather du Plessis-Allan that while US officials are saying the seizure does not signal a broad scale war, Trump doesn’t want to rule an American ground invasion in or out. 

He says the US has now carried out 22 attacks on Venezuelan drug boats, Trump saying that every drug boat leads to the deaths of some 25,000 Americans, but it’s unknown where he pulled that figure from. 

LISTEN ABOVE  

The US has escalated tensions with Venezuela and seized a tanker off its coast, described by Donald Trump as the largest ever seized. &nbsp;
He's otherwise keeping tight lipped, saying it was done for 'a very good reason'. &nbsp;
CNN reports it intensifies Trump's pressure campaign aimed at forcing the leader Nicolas Maduro out of power.&nbsp;
US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Heather du Plessis-Allan that while US officials are saying the seizure does not signal a broad scale war, Trump doesn’t want to rule an American ground invasion in or out.&nbsp;
He says the US has now carried out 22 attacks on Venezuelan drug boats, Trump saying that every drug boat leads to the deaths of some 25,000 Americans, but it’s unknown where he pulled that figure from.&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,...

The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Richard Arnold: US Correspondent on the latest with the seizing of a Venezuelan tanker

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/5273f68f-51a7-4767-856a-b3b0014c58c9/transcript

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast with Heather du Plessis-Allan Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 17th of December, Nicola Willis responds to the surplus being pushed out another year, the third blowout in her two years as the Finance Minister. 

Indycar champ Scott Dixon is on to talk his career and the launch of a new world class karting facility in Auckland. 

And Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen cover all the highs and lows of 2025 on the final Politics Wednesday for the year.   

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 with Heather du Plessis-Allan Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 17th of December, <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/nicola-willis-finance-minister-on-the-government-pushing-out-surplus-expectations/">Nicola Willis responds to the surplus being pushed out another year</a>, the third blowout in her two years as the Finance Minister.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/scott-dixon-indycar-champion-on-the-opening-of-the-sir-colin-giltrap-raceway-in-auckland/">Indycar champ Scott Dixon</a> is on to talk his career and the launch of a new world class karting facility in Auckland.&nbsp;
And <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/pollies-mark-mitchell-and-ginny-andersen-on-retail-crime-highs-and-lows-of-2025-governments-books/">Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen</a> cover all the highs and lows of 2025 on the final Politics Wednesday for the year. &nbsp;&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: 17 December 2025 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/b7a4984d-9ce7-4b83-90b8-b3b5015483fa/transcript

It's no surprise that Nicola Willis has pushed out surplus by another year. 

That now makes it three years in two years, as in she has delayed surplus by three years in just the space of the two years she’s been at the Finance Minister’s desk. 

Had she kept her pledge, the one she made about tidying up this country’s books when asking for our votes in 2023, we would be seeing a surplus next year. 

Now it’s 2029 at the earliest. 

Getting our books back in order is important if we don’t want our kids to pack up and leave for Australia when they’re old enough to. 

Nicola can blame everyone from Treasury to Trump if she wants, but she has not done enough to get us back to surplus. 

She has defended, and kept, Jacinda’s wasteful policy of paying for one free year for university students. The policy has been repeatedly criticised as a flop that doesn’t actually make anyone go to university. 

Cutting that would save us in the vicinity of $1 billion over four years. 

She has given welfare to households on more than $200,000 a year by giving them money for childcare. People on that kind of coin don’t need benefits. 

Cutting that would save $1 billion in a little over five years. 

She still hasn’t cut or income tested the Winter Energy Payment, which is going to people who are still in the workforce and being set aside for nice trips to Fiji. 

Cutting that would save $1 billion in less than two years. Trimming it would save less, but it would save something. 

She has cut 2000 public servants when Grant and Jacinda added 14,000. 

Be in no doubt - money is tight. 

But there is still a lot of waste that could be cut if Nicola Willis was brave enough. 

It's no surprise that Nicola Willis has pushed out surplus by another year.&nbsp;
That now makes it three years in two years, as in she has delayed surplus by three years in just the space of the two years she’s been at the Finance Minister’s desk.&nbsp;
Had she kept her pledge, the one she made about tidying up this country’s books when asking for our votes in 2023, we would be seeing a surplus next year.&nbsp;
Now it’s 2029 at the earliest.&nbsp;
Getting our books back in order is important if we don’t want our kids to pack up and leave for Australia when they’re old enough to.&nbsp;
Nicola can blame everyone from Treasury to Trump if she wants, but she has not done enough to get us back to surplus.&nbsp;
She has defended, and kept, Jacinda’s wasteful policy of paying for one free year for university students. The policy has been repeatedly criticised as a flop that doesn’t actually make anyone go to university.&nbsp;
Cutting that would save us in the vicinity of $1 billion over four years.&nbsp;
She has given welfare to households on more than $200,000 a year by giving them money for childcare. People on that kind of coin don’t need benefits.&nbsp;
Cutting that would save $1 billion in a little over five years.&nbsp;
She still hasn’t cut or income tested the Winter Energy Payment, which is going to people who are still in the workforce and being set aside for nice trips to Fiji.&nbsp;
Cutting that would save $1 billion in less than two years. Trimming it would save less, but it would save something.&nbsp;
She has cut 2000 public servants when Grant and Jacinda added 14,000.&nbsp;
Be in no doubt - money is tight.&nbsp;
But there is still a lot of waste that could be cut if Nicola Willis was brave enough.&nbsp;

Heather du Plessis-Allan: Nicola Willis needs to be braver and cut more

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/244d2019-3362-434a-a361-b3b50157d09d/transcript

The son of Hollywood director and actor Rob Reiner is being held on suspicion of the murder of his parents.   

Police say 32-year-old Nick Reiner's been booked for murder after Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were found dead in their Los Angeles home.  

They say he's a suspect in the case and is being held on a US$4 million bail. 

US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Heather du Plessis-Allan that Reiner and his wife had apparently taken their son to a holiday party, where he had apparently been disruptive, the day before their bodies were found. 

He says it allegedly led to a shouting match between the father and son. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

The son of Hollywood director and actor Rob Reiner is being held on suspicion of the murder of his parents. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Police say 32-year-old Nick Reiner's been booked for murder after Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were found dead in their Los Angeles home. &nbsp;
They say he's a suspect in the case and is being held on a US$4 million bail.&nbsp;
US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Heather du Plessis-Allan that Reiner and his wife had apparently taken their son to a holiday party, where he had apparently been disruptive, the day before their bodies were found.&nbsp;
He says it allegedly led to a shouting match between the father and son.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Richard Arnold: US Correspondent on Nick Reiner being arrested on suspicion of murdering Rob and Michele Reiner

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/7ce96715-65ae-4da2-a900-b3b5015398ed/transcript

Richard Arnold: US Correspondent on the latest with the seizing of a Venezuelan tanker

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