Australia's treasurer says the number one priority of his Budget is easing the cost of living. 

Jim Chalmers is reporting a $9.3 billion surplus for this year but anticipates deficits for the next two years. 

He's outlined benefits like energy relief for all households and increased rent assistance for welfare recipients.

Australian Correspondent Steve Price told Andrew Dickens that it’s a bit of a hope and wish budget.

He said that many pundits are suggesting that this is Labour lining everything up for an early election.

LISTEN ABOVE 

Australia's treasurer says the number one priority of his Budget is easing the cost of living.  
Jim Chalmers is reporting a $9.3 billion surplus for this year but anticipates deficits for the next two years.  
He's outlined benefits like energy relief for all households and increased rent assistance for welfare recipients. 
Australian Correspondent Steve Price told Andrew Dickens that it’s a bit of a hope and wish budget. 
He said that many pundits are suggesting that this is Labour lining everything up for an early election. 
LISTEN ABOVE

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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

Steve Price: Australian Correspondent on the federal budget

Some are working pretty hard currently to buy into the Mike Smith storyline that the big end of town has the Government's ear over climate change. 

Mike Smith is the activist, the agitator, the chainsaw man, the "smack the America's Cup" bloke. 

So, you know, a life of angst and upset. 

His latest outing was in court, looking to sue individual companies over their pollution around climate change. He was looking for an activist court to agree with the idea that a company can be held to specific and individual account for something that happens all over the world by, if you think about it, all of us. 

The Government stepped in a week or so back and put an end to it. 

Their argument is Parliament is your ultimate court and these sorts of laws are for it, not individual judges who may sway with the wind. They didn’t put it that way, I did. 

But there is no doubt in my mind, in a number of areas, various courts these days are open to a bit of judicial dabbling. In my humble opinion it is brought about by an increasing arrogance that they make the rules. 

It's true to say a court can have a say or hold sway. But it's equally true to say the ultimate court is the Parliament of the land and we do not want that undermined. 

Now, Mike claims people like Fonterra have been writing to the Prime Minister's office and advocating for the Government to step in on court action like his. 

And given they did he now suggests this is collusion, this is scally-waggery, this is big money, big influence malarkey that borders on scandal. 

Or could it be a corporate saying what you would expect a corporate to say and a government, not surprisingly, doing what they would do anyway. 

In other words, Fonterra didn’t need to say anything because Paul Goldsmith would have done what he did without any correspondence. 

Why? 

Because they think the same way I do. I didn’t write to anyone and didn't have a meeting with anyone and yet I would have thought, nay expected, the Government to nip the Smith fishing expedition in the bud. 

Why? Because it's obvious and it's common sense. 

See not everything is a conspiracy. Sometimes, remarkably, especially when it's obvious, people tend to have the same view. Letters or no letters, meetings or no meetings. 

Nothing to see here. 

Some are working pretty hard currently to buy into the Mike Smith storyline that the big end of town has the Government's ear over climate change.&nbsp;
Mike Smith is the activist, the agitator, the chainsaw man, the "smack the America's Cup" bloke.&nbsp;
So, you know, a life of angst and upset.&nbsp;
His latest outing was in court, looking to sue individual companies over their pollution around climate change. He was looking for an activist court to agree with the idea that a company can be held to specific and individual account for something that happens all over the world by, if you think about it, all of us.&nbsp;
The Government stepped in a week or so back and put an end to it.&nbsp;
Their argument is Parliament is your ultimate court and these sorts of laws are for it, not individual judges who may sway with the wind. They didn’t put it that way, I did.&nbsp;
But there is no doubt in my mind, in a number of areas, various courts these days are open to a bit of judicial dabbling. In my humble opinion it is brought about by an increasing arrogance that they make the rules.&nbsp;
It's true to say a court can have a say or hold sway. But it's equally true to say the ultimate court is the Parliament of the land and we do not want that undermined.&nbsp;
Now, Mike claims people like Fonterra have been writing to the Prime Minister's office and advocating for the Government to step in on court action like his.&nbsp;
And given they did he now suggests this is collusion, this is scally-waggery, this is big money, big influence malarkey that borders on scandal.&nbsp;
Or could it be a corporate saying what you would expect a corporate to say and a government, not surprisingly, doing what they would do anyway.&nbsp;
In other words, Fonterra didn’t need to say anything because Paul Goldsmith would have done what he did without any correspondence.&nbsp;
Why?&nbsp;
Because they think the same way I do. I didn’t write to anyone and didn't have a meeting with anyone and yet I would have thought, nay expected, the Government to nip the Smith fishing expedition in the bud.&nbsp;
Why? Because it's obvious and it's common sense.&nbsp;
See not everything is a conspiracy. Sometimes, remarkably, especially when it's obvious, people tend to have the same view. Letters or no letters, meetings or no meetings.&nbsp;
Nothing to see here.&nbsp;

Mike's Minute: Not everything is a conspiracy

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/ed23ef67-9a57-4ca1-ab18-b455017d9713/transcript

The World Surf League event at Raglan’s Manu Bay has wrapped after 11 days of competition. 

It’s being labelled as a massive success, with organisers hitting capacity crowds of 6500 onlookers.  

The event came to New Zealand’s shores in late January, supported by the Government’s $40 million Events Attraction Package. 

Surfing NZ CEO Ben Kennings told Mike Hosking the purpose of the package is to get eyeballs from around the world looking at New Zealand, and the funding also helped inspire New Zealand surfers.  

He says that the people who came down to Manu Bay throughout the event was pretty amazing, and probably exceeded expectations. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

The World Surf League event at Raglan’s Manu Bay has wrapped after 11 days of competition.&nbsp;
It’s being labelled as a massive success, with organisers hitting capacity crowds of 6500 onlookers. &nbsp;
The event came to New Zealand’s shores in late January, supported by the Government’s $40 million Events Attraction Package.&nbsp;
Surfing NZ CEO Ben Kennings told Mike Hosking the purpose of the package is to get eyeballs from around the world looking at New Zealand, and the funding also helped inspire New Zealand surfers. &nbsp;
He says that the people who came down to Manu Bay throughout the event was pretty amazing, and probably exceeded expectations.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Ben Kennings: Surfing NZ CEO on the World Surf League event at Raglan's Manu Bay

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/f61000e3-a376-4286-ba45-b455017c430c/transcript

Kiwibank’s CEO is hoping the Reserve Bank will hold off on raising the Official Cash Rate tomorrow. 

Economists are expecting it to be held at 2.25%, with markets pricing in moves later in the year. 

It comes as the economy remains flat, with inflation, housing, global tensions, and weak spending all testing resilience. 

Kiwibank CEO Steve Jurkovich told Mike Hosking the economy is way too weak to cope with an increase to the OCR, as the inflation is coming from things outside of the usual set of worries.  

LISTEN ABOVE 

Kiwibank’s CEO is hoping the Reserve Bank will hold off on raising the Official Cash Rate tomorrow.&nbsp;
Economists are expecting it to be held at 2.25%, with markets pricing in moves later in the year.&nbsp;
It comes as the economy remains flat, with inflation, housing, global tensions, and weak spending all testing resilience.&nbsp;
Kiwibank CEO Steve Jurkovich told Mike Hosking the economy is way too weak to cope with an increase to the OCR, as the inflation is coming from things outside of the usual set of worries. &nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Steve Jurkovich: Kiwibank CEO gives economic lay of the land ahead of Budget, OCR announcement

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/a86adf20-13c5-43fd-8c04-b4550171f4d0/transcript

Steve Price: Australian Correspondent on the federal budget

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