The Government’s opting to provide capital to Crown-controlled power companies instead of reshaping its role in the energy sector. 

Genesis, Mercury, and Meridian have been assured funding is available for major infrastructure projects. 

A procurement process for a Liquefied Natural Gas facility has also been launched, which Energy Minister Simon Watts says will start on Monday. 

He told Mike Hosking Cabinet will aim to make a decision by Christmas to get supply into the country as soon as possible. 

Watts says their shortest timeline has supply arriving by Winter of 2027, but if a more traditional route is used, it’s more likely to come by 2028 or 2029.  

LISTEN ABOVE 

The Government’s opting to provide capital to Crown-controlled power companies instead of reshaping its role in the energy sector.&nbsp;
Genesis, Mercury, and Meridian have been assured funding is available for major infrastructure projects.&nbsp;
A procurement process for a Liquefied Natural Gas facility has also been launched, which Energy Minister Simon Watts says will start on Monday.&nbsp;
He told Mike Hosking Cabinet will aim to make a decision by Christmas to get supply into the country as soon as possible.&nbsp;
Watts says their shortest timeline has supply arriving by Winter of 2027, but if a more traditional route is used, it’s more likely to come by 2028 or 2029. &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

Simon Watts: Energy Minister on the Government's plan for energy reform, procuring a Liquefied Natural Gas facility

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/dd527241-4b46-40df-b4af-b36801534a40/transcript

Hasn’t working from home become funny? 

Seek have produced a thing called Money Matters, and they look at work-life balance. 

Actually, hasn’t that become a thing as well – work-life balance. I can't place it exactly, but it seems like a Covid thing. The world changed and so did we. 

Working hard is now so last year, or so last decade. We all long for work-life balance with a good sprinkling of mental health days. 

But working from home is a scam because according to Money Matters if you got a pay rise you would go back to the office quick as you like. 

So is it about work-life balance or is it about money? 

Everything is about money. We just like to pretend it isn't. You feel more virtuous if you pretend it isn't about money. 

But Money Matters spills the truth. Working from home is easier, we save on the commute, you claim you are more productive, blah blah blah. "Hey, how about 20% more?" Then you're out of there. 

We would work more hours for more money, we would take on an increased workload for more money, and we would commute further for more money. 

There isn't much we wouldn't do for more money. 

The work from home thing, by the way, is funny because before Covid there was virtually no such thing. The idea that you could invent a thing and then having invented it, because we were all locked down anyway, turn it into a permanent thing that could only be broken by a pay rise is the ultimate in farce. It's an insight into how quickly a habit can form if it suits you. 

Anyway, the only other thing that can make us blow up our precious work-life balance is more time off. 

But it still doesn’t beat money. 

It's why lotto is popular I guess – money solves everything. 

Do we value work-life balance? My word we do. 

But do we value it more than money? Don’t make me laugh. 

Hasn’t working from home become funny?&nbsp;
Seek have produced a thing called Money Matters, and they look at work-life balance.&nbsp;
Actually, hasn’t that become a thing as well – work-life balance. I can't place it exactly, but it seems like a Covid thing. The world changed and so did we.&nbsp;
Working hard is now so last year, or so last decade. We all long for work-life balance with a good sprinkling of mental health days.&nbsp;
But working from home is a scam because according to Money Matters if you got a pay rise you would go back to the office quick as you like.&nbsp;
So is it about work-life balance or is it about money?&nbsp;
Everything is about money. We just like to pretend it isn't. You feel more virtuous if you pretend it isn't about money.&nbsp;
But Money Matters spills the truth. Working from home is easier, we save on the commute, you claim you are more productive, blah blah blah. "Hey, how about 20% more?" Then you're out of there.&nbsp;
We would work more hours for more money, we would take on an increased workload for more money, and we would commute further for more money.&nbsp;
There isn't much we wouldn't do for more money.&nbsp;
The work from home thing, by the way, is funny because before Covid there was virtually no such thing. The idea that you could invent a thing and then having invented it, because we were all locked down anyway, turn it into a permanent thing that could only be broken by a pay rise is the ultimate in farce. It's an insight into how quickly a habit can form if it suits you.&nbsp;
Anyway, the only other thing that can make us blow up our precious work-life balance is more time off.&nbsp;
But it still doesn’t beat money.&nbsp;
It's why lotto is popular I guess – money solves everything.&nbsp;
Do we value work-life balance? My word we do.&nbsp;
But do we value it more than money? Don’t make me laugh.&nbsp;

Best of 2025: Mike's Minute - Here's the truth on working from home

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/e3b16421-c084-4d91-8f63-b3ce01419e05/transcript

Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson joined Mike Hosking once again to Wrap the Week that was. 

On today’s agenda was the gender pay gap, the Tom Phillips situation, and Kate finally got her chance to call out Mike’s behaviour from the week. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson joined Mike Hosking once again to Wrap the Week that was.&nbsp;
On today’s agenda was the gender pay gap, the Tom Phillips situation, and Kate finally got her chance to call out Mike’s behaviour from the week.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Best of 2025: Kate calls out Mike during Wrapping the Week on the Mike Hosking Breakfast

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/818ffc6b-a731-4f23-8a71-b3cd014180c7/transcript

Dame Noeline Taurua gives her first interview since the saga began

Dame Noeline Taurua has broken her silence, following her suspension and reinstatement as Silver Ferns coach.

The 57-year-old and her coaching team were stood down in September after player concerns emerged from a Sydney training camp.

Interim coach Yvette McCausland-Durie is leading the team on next week’s Northern Tour.

Speaking to Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking in her first interview since the saga, Taurua says the suspension was horrific, and she feels partly vindicated, but not fully back in the job.

She says her happy place is on court, training with the players, so there's still a bit to go until she's really back.

LISTEN ABOVE FOR PART 1 AND BELOW FOR PART 2

<h2>Dame Noeline Taurua gives her first interview since the saga began</h2>
Dame Noeline Taurua has broken her silence, following her suspension and reinstatement as Silver Ferns coach.
The 57-year-old and her coaching team were stood down in September after player concerns emerged from a Sydney training camp.
Interim coach Yvette McCausland-Durie is leading the team on next week’s Northern Tour.
Speaking to Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking in her first interview since the saga, Taurua says the suspension was horrific, and she feels partly vindicated, but not fully back in the job.
She says her happy place is on court, training with the players, so there's still a bit to go until she's really back.
LISTEN ABOVE FOR PART 1 AND BELOW FOR PART 2

Best of 2025: Dame Noeline Taurua gives first interview since coaching saga began on the Mike Hosking Breakfast

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/7986b99f-913e-458c-aeda-b3cc01419d82/transcript

Simon Watts: Energy Minister on the Government's plan for energy reform, procuring a Liquefied Natural Gas facility

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