The country's youngest national snooker champion expects to turn professional in a couple of years. 

16-year-old Riley James took out the title at the 2025 NZ National Snooker Championships over the weekend. 

He told Mike Hosking that going into the tournament, he thought his changes were high. 

“I always knew if I was in the right headspace, I play some of the best snooker in the country.” 

LISTEN ABOVE 

The country's youngest national snooker champion expects to turn professional in a couple of years.&nbsp;
16-year-old Riley James took out the title at the 2025 NZ National Snooker Championships over the weekend.&nbsp;
He told Mike Hosking that going into the tournament, he thought his changes were high.&nbsp;
“I always knew if I was in the right headspace, I play some of the best snooker in the country.”&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

Riley James: NZ Snooker player on winning the National Snooker Championships at age 16

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/da07c9d3-2728-424f-8679-b3750154996f/transcript

You’ll be aware of the Far North Council and their unelected Māori voting plan. 

It is of course a scandal, but more importantly it is part of the overall de-Māorification of the economy this current Government, in one form or another, promised to address. 

The fact this stuff is still going on proves they are failing. 

ACT’s Todd Stevenson the other day wrote to Public Service Minister Judith Collins asking about Māori names in government departments. She said there was a war on, and we had better things to do. Fair point? Or convenient excuse? 

The simple truth is what they promised and what has happened are two different things. 

Enter ACT, who are now promising to ban the Far North type of behaviour. Is that a double promise? Didn't you already say you would do that?  

Here is the problem with it:  

1) ACT aren’t running the Government; they are merely part of it. Unless they make it a bottom line, which they won’t, it may or may not see the light of day after the election.  

2) Given their well-promoted stance on race-based policy, going into another election having had the opportunity to fix it already, you have a credibility problem. 

And 3) My sense of this as a broad-based issue is it isn't what it once might have been. 

Personally, I find Māorification problematic. To give someone rules, or money, or decisions of names, or a job based on race is simply irrefutably wrong. 

But the fervour with which that was argued a couple of years ago doesn’t appear to be quite as white hot.  

Yes, there is a very vocal group who seem to have made it their raison d'être, but they are small and many of them are rabid, which makes the appeal of the overall argument to the broader populace less enticing. 

You might also argue that against this wall of determination was an even bigger wall of determination, i.e. those who believe in it, think it's good, who have held the line and carried on. 

And can I suggest that at this point, and the Far North Council are your gold star example, it is they who are the more successful of the two camps.

You’ll be aware of the Far North Council and their unelected Māori voting plan.&nbsp;
It is of course a scandal, but more importantly it is part of the overall de-Māorification of the economy this current Government, in one form or another, promised to address.&nbsp;
The fact this stuff is still going on proves they are failing.&nbsp;
ACT’s Todd Stevenson the other day wrote to Public Service Minister Judith Collins asking about Māori names in government departments. She said there was a war on, and we had better things to do. Fair point? Or convenient excuse?&nbsp;
The simple truth is what they promised and what has happened are two different things.&nbsp;
Enter ACT, who are now promising to ban the Far North type of behaviour. Is that a double promise? Didn't you already say you would do that? &nbsp;
Here is the problem with it: &nbsp;
1) ACT aren’t running the Government; they are merely part of it. Unless they make it a bottom line, which they won’t, it may or may not see the light of day after the election. &nbsp;
2) Given their well-promoted stance on race-based policy, going into another election having had the opportunity to fix it already, you have a credibility problem.&nbsp;
And 3) My sense of this as a broad-based issue is it isn't what it once might have been.&nbsp;
Personally, I find Māorification problematic. To give someone rules, or money, or decisions of names, or a job based on race is simply irrefutably wrong.&nbsp;
But the fervour with which that was argued a couple of years ago doesn’t appear to be quite as white hot. &nbsp;
Yes, there is a very vocal group who seem to have made it their raison d'être, but they are small and many of them are rabid, which makes the appeal of the overall argument to the broader populace less enticing.&nbsp;
You might also argue that against this wall of determination was an even bigger wall of determination, i.e. those who believe in it, think it's good, who have held the line and carried on.&nbsp;
And can I suggest that at this point, and the Far North Council are your gold star example, it is they who are the more successful of the two camps.

Mike's Minute: The issue the Govt promised to address

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/0b8fb607-58e2-4a65-a62b-b43201777744/transcript

Britain's Prime Minister is accusing officials of withholding information from him before he appointed Peter Mandelson US ambassador. 

Sir Keir Starmer sacked Mandelson in September last year over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. 

Starmer says officials deliberately didn't tell him Mandelson has failed security vetting, and he wouldn't have cleared Mandelson to the role if he'd known. 

UK Correspondent Rod Liddle told Mike Hosking neither the arguments of the Government nor those of then-Foreign Office boss Sir Olly Robbins make sense.  

He says the situation is catastrophic. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Britain's Prime Minister is accusing officials of withholding information from him before he appointed Peter Mandelson US ambassador.&nbsp;
Sir Keir Starmer sacked Mandelson in September last year over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.&nbsp;
Starmer says officials deliberately didn't tell him Mandelson has failed security vetting, and he wouldn't have cleared Mandelson to the role if he'd known.&nbsp;
UK Correspondent Rod Liddle told Mike Hosking neither the arguments of the Government nor those of then-Foreign Office boss Sir Olly Robbins make sense. &nbsp;
He says the situation is catastrophic.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Rod Liddle: UK Correspondent on Sir Keir Starmer being unaware Peter Mandelson failed security vetting before he was appointed US Ambassador

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/289a1793-7cf5-48d7-81df-b43201729c65/transcript

There’s no doubt ‘The Boys’ is one of the biggest shows on television at the moment. 

It’s in its fifth and final season and has been one of Amazon’s biggest hits – season 4 drawing in 55 million viewers. 

The satirical superhero show is helmed by two well-known Kiwis, Antony Starr, who plays Homelander, and Karl Urban, who plays Billy Butcher. 

Urban is actually in the midst of one of the busiest stretches of his career, playing not only Butcher, but starring in ‘The Bluff’ and the upcoming Mortal Kombat II.  

“This year has just been one nonstop sequence of hopping on planes and travelling around the world, talking about all these shows,” he told Mike Hosking. 

“It’s a good spot to be in.” 

The media landscape has changed tremendously over the span of Urban’s career, and while there are some downsides, there are also some “real positives”.  

“I mean, the advent of streaming, for example, has allowed us to tell stories in a tone that you never would have been able to tell on television, or even in movies for that fact, before,” he explained. 

“On one hand there’s been this amazing expansion in possibilities, but then also, you know, there’s also a certain contraction going on ... but at the moment I’m in a great position, and just really enjoying playing these characters and delivering something fun to the audience.”  

The arrival of streaming has also allowed projects like ‘The Boys’ to gain global recognition and reach a wide audience, something that wasn’t possible in the past. 

“In the old days it used to be a very, sort of finite number of networks globally, and they had a sort of, a certain audience,” Urban said.  

“[The Boys is] a global phenomenon. I’ve never experienced anything like it,” 

“You know, the fan base is so supportive of this show, and it’s really incredible to get to the end of this sort of nine-year journey, and to be going out on top.”  

But all things must come to an end, and for Urban, it’s bittersweet. 

“It’s been a hell of a ride,” he said. 

“I’m really gonna miss it, but I’m also very grateful that we have the opportunity to tell the story that we want to tell and go out at the point that we want to go out.” 

LISTEN ABOVE 

There’s no doubt ‘The Boys’ is one of the biggest shows on television at the moment.&nbsp;
It’s in its fifth and final season and has been one of Amazon’s biggest hits – season 4 drawing in 55 million viewers.&nbsp;
The satirical superhero show is helmed by two well-known Kiwis, Antony Starr, who plays Homelander, and Karl Urban, who plays Billy Butcher.&nbsp;
Urban is actually in the midst of one of the busiest stretches of his career, playing not only Butcher, but starring in ‘The Bluff’ and the upcoming Mortal Kombat II. &nbsp;
“This year has just been one nonstop sequence of hopping on planes and travelling around the world, talking about all these shows,” he told Mike Hosking.&nbsp;
“It’s a good spot to be in.”&nbsp;
The media landscape has changed tremendously over the span of Urban’s career, and while there are some downsides, there are also some “real positives”. &nbsp;
“I mean, the advent of streaming, for example, has allowed us to tell stories in a tone that you never would have been able to tell on television, or even in movies for that fact, before,” he explained.&nbsp;
“On one hand there’s been this amazing expansion in possibilities, but then also, you know, there’s also a certain contraction going on ... but at the moment I’m in a great position, and just really enjoying playing these characters and delivering something fun to the audience.” &nbsp;
The arrival of streaming has also allowed projects like ‘The Boys’ to gain global recognition and reach a wide audience, something that wasn’t possible in the past.&nbsp;
“In the old days it used to be a very, sort of finite number of networks globally, and they had a sort of, a certain audience,” Urban said. &nbsp;
“[The Boys is] a global phenomenon. I’ve never experienced anything like it,”&nbsp;
“You know, the fan base is so supportive of this show, and it’s really incredible to get to the end of this sort of nine-year journey, and to be going out on top.” &nbsp;
But all things must come to an end, and for Urban, it’s bittersweet.&nbsp;
“It’s been a hell of a ride,” he said.&nbsp;
“I’m really gonna miss it, but I’m also very grateful that we have the opportunity to tell the story that we want to tell and go out at the point that we want to go out.”&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Karl Urban: Kiwi actor on the final season of The Boys, the changes in the media landscape

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/f6e5e3fc-0fe1-4126-bb37-b432016d1113/transcript

Riley James: NZ Snooker player on winning the National Snooker Championships at age 16

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