A lack of surprise over Alexei Navalny's death.

The 47-year-old Russian opposition leader died at the weekend, after collapsing following a walk in his Arctic prison.

In the wake of the announcement of his death, more than 400 people have been arrested across Russia, as local police crackdown on memorials across 36 cities.

Auckland University international relations expert Stephen Hoadley told Mike Hosking the past two decades under Vladimir Putin show some stark reading.

He says there have been 14 assassinations of political opponents, various exiles, and more than 600 opponents have been imprisoned.



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A lack of surprise over Alexei Navalny's death.
The 47-year-old Russian opposition leader died at the weekend, after collapsing following a walk in his Arctic prison.
In the wake of the announcement of his death, more than 400 people have been arrested across Russia, as local police crackdown on memorials across 36 cities.
Auckland University international relations expert Stephen Hoadley told Mike Hosking the past two decades under Vladimir Putin show some stark reading.
He says there have been 14 assassinations of political opponents, various exiles, and more than 600 opponents have been imprisoned.
 
LISTEN ABOVE

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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

Stephen Hoadley: Alexei Navalny's death shows a stark reading

The prediction we made some weeks back over fast-track housing is starting to come true. 

Fast-track in and of itself is working. The Tauranga Port has the green light after literally years of regulatory BS that had it tied up in court, going nowhere. 

If you put RMA v fast-track, then fast-track wins hands down and our country will be better for it. 

But housing is becoming political. The latest situation is in Waimauku. 

In Pukeatua they want 1600 homes. A petition has been signed by hundreds, furious at what they see. 

It joins Delmore in North Auckland, Pegasus in Christchurch, and the Arrowtown development, all of which have the same blueprint – a lot of houses and angry locals. 

Obviously, you can lay the charge of nimbyism, and in some cases it may well be true. 

The very thing that stopped so much progress is back for more under new rules: moaning locals. 

Shane Jones has spotted it though he argues, and I think correctly, that what NZ First had envisaged was more infrastructure, not so much housing. 

What this country needs is more bridges and roads and mines and factories. Yes, it needs houses, but not in the same proportion. 

Mayors have now joined forces and are after change, and if you want to look at this purely from a political point of view, then the Government would be wise to listen. 

Somewhere between the neighbours hating everything new and a Delmore with 1000 houses getting wastewater trucked out until 2050, is an answer. 

But it can't be so hard to shift housing out of fast-track and leave it for the big stuff. 

I think Chris Bishop gets it as well. The fact Pegasus in Christchurch never actually got to an expert panel tells you he sees the trouble ahead. 

If Delmore can be given the go ahead then why would Pegasus not? Well, problem solved by never giving it to the panel in the first place. 

Fast-track needs, apart from anything, reputational heft. It needs to be seen to be doing good. 

Housing clearly is getting in the way. 

Sort it now and save yourself a headache post-election. 

The prediction we made some weeks back over fast-track housing is starting to come true.&nbsp;
Fast-track in and of itself is working. The Tauranga Port has the green light after literally years of regulatory BS that had it tied up in court, going nowhere.&nbsp;
If you put RMA v fast-track, then fast-track wins hands down and our country will be better for it.&nbsp;
But housing is becoming political. The latest situation is in Waimauku.&nbsp;
In Pukeatua they want 1600 homes. A petition has been signed by hundreds, furious at what they see.&nbsp;
It joins Delmore in North Auckland, Pegasus in Christchurch, and the Arrowtown development, all of which have the same blueprint – a lot of houses and angry locals.&nbsp;
Obviously, you can lay the charge of nimbyism, and in some cases it may well be true.&nbsp;
The very thing that stopped so much progress is back for more under new rules: moaning locals.&nbsp;
Shane Jones has spotted it though he argues, and I think correctly, that what NZ First had envisaged was more infrastructure, not so much housing.&nbsp;
What this country needs is more bridges and roads and mines and factories. Yes, it needs houses, but not in the same proportion.&nbsp;
Mayors have now joined forces and are after change, and if you want to look at this purely from a political point of view, then the Government would be wise to listen.&nbsp;
Somewhere between the neighbours hating everything new and a Delmore with 1000 houses getting wastewater trucked out until 2050, is an answer.&nbsp;
But it can't be so hard to shift housing out of fast-track and leave it for the big stuff.&nbsp;
I think Chris Bishop gets it as well. The fact Pegasus in Christchurch never actually got to an expert panel tells you he sees the trouble ahead.&nbsp;
If Delmore can be given the go ahead then why would Pegasus not? Well, problem solved by never giving it to the panel in the first place.&nbsp;
Fast-track needs, apart from anything, reputational heft. It needs to be seen to be doing good.&nbsp;
Housing clearly is getting in the way.&nbsp;
Sort it now and save yourself a headache post-election.&nbsp;

Mike's Minute: Fast-track needs to get back to infrastructure, not housing

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/7ba64a64-f119-47af-98f8-b4b7016a2c61/transcript

After dropping off the face of the Earth for a few years, Miller Yule is back with more music. 

He's been on and off in the music scene for about a decade, but stepped back from the spotlight after the release of his 2022 debut album 'Let It Burn'. 

Now inspiration has struck again, with Yule set to release his second album, 'Surrender', later this month.  

"After the album, I just needed to take a little, little break and invest in other parts of my life," he confessed to Mike Hosking. 

Despite how fulfilling and rewarding releasing the album was, it was also a big push, and Yule admits to becoming a bit jaded. 

"This is where the story is, is that kind of classic musical story where you lose sight of why you started doing it to begin with," he said. 

"I think when you're a musician or independent musician and you wanna do it as a career and monetise it, you become the accountants, the record label, the publisher, the content creator, and very quickly you're doing less and less of the writing and the performing and the creative stuff that you did when you enjoyed it." 

"I think taking that space away and then to come back and do it on my terms in a way that I wanna do it, and find the joy again."  

LISTEN ABOVE  

After dropping off the face of the Earth for a few years, Miller Yule is back with more music.&nbsp;
He's been on and off in the music scene for about a decade, but stepped back from the spotlight after the release of his 2022 debut album 'Let It Burn'.&nbsp;
Now inspiration has struck again, with Yule set to release his second album, 'Surrender', later this month. &nbsp;
"After the album, I just needed to take a little, little break and invest in other parts of my life," he confessed to Mike Hosking.&nbsp;
Despite how fulfilling and rewarding releasing the album was, it was also a big push, and Yule admits to becoming a bit jaded.&nbsp;
"This is where the story is, is that kind of classic musical story where you lose sight of why you started doing it to begin with," he said.&nbsp;
"I think when you're a musician or independent musician and you wanna do it as a career and monetise it, you become the accountants, the record label, the publisher, the content creator, and very quickly you're doing less and less of the writing and the performing and the creative stuff that you did when you enjoyed it."&nbsp;
"I think taking that space away and then to come back and do it on my terms in a way that I wanna do it, and find the joy again." &nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE &nbsp;

Miller Yule: Kiwi musician on his upcoming album 'Surrender', four year break

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/f46d9fb9-ba99-4cee-b484-b4b701670351/transcript

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 1st of September, as expected, the Government has made the call to delay increasing fuel taxes by a year. Finance Minister Nicola Willis defended the decision. 

Our Privacy Commissioner wants to review the law as the rising use of smart glasses spark concerns. 

Kiwi musician Miller Yule is back with new music after three years, so he's in the studio for a song and a chat. 

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 Tuesday 1st of September, as expected, the Government has made the call to delay increasing fuel taxes by a year. <a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/nicola-willis-finance-minister-defends-decision-to-delay-fuel-tax-increases/">Finance Minister Nicola Willis</a> defended the decision.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/michael-webster-privacy-commissioner-on-the-need-to-review-laws-amid-the-rise-of-smart-glasses/">Our Privacy Commissioner</a> wants to review the law as the rising use of smart glasses spark concerns.&nbsp;
Kiwi musician Miller Yule is back with new music after three years, so he's in the studio for a song and a chat.&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: 01 September 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/737ba2be-f61d-47f3-8902-b4b7015d7071/transcript

Stephen Hoadley: Alexei Navalny's death shows a stark reading

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