Te Huia train fares are rising 25% as passenger numbers surge. 

Waikato Regional Council's voted to lift the $24.06 one-way fare for the trip between Hamilton and Auckland to $32.50. 

Patronage in recent months rose 52% on last year, with fewer track disruptions and more reliability. 

But Waikato Regional Council Chair Warren Maher told Heather du Plessis-Allan that’s not why they’re putting the price up. 

He says the government is currently supporting it by 60%, but if it becomes a permanent service that will drop to 51% and as a user-pays service, it needs to reflect the cost users are actually paying for it. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

Te Huia train fares are rising 25% as passenger numbers surge.&nbsp;
Waikato Regional Council's voted to lift the $24.06 one-way fare for the trip between Hamilton and Auckland to $32.50.&nbsp;
Patronage in recent months rose 52% on last year, with fewer track disruptions and more reliability.&nbsp;
But Waikato Regional Council Chair Warren Maher told Heather du Plessis-Allan that’s not why they’re putting the price up.&nbsp;
He says the government is currently supporting it by 60%, but if it becomes a permanent service that will drop to 51% and as a user-pays service, it needs to reflect the cost users are actually paying for it.&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

Warren Maher: Waikato Regional Council Chair on Te Huia fares being increased by 25% amid a surge in passengers

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/a91f6118-f725-4214-ab7a-b45e015f2a5e/transcript

I'm not one to get excited at election time about the outside chance that small parties like Opportunity make it into Parliament. 

But I reckon this year is different. If Opportunity plays this right, they might just do it. 

Yesterday’s Roy Morgan poll had them at 6%. 

Now, I don’t know how much stock I put in that poll because it was very volatile. National went up 5% and Labour went down 7.5%. 

Swings that big have got to be questioned because they don’t seem credible. 

But this is now a trend for Opportunity. They are now close to, or over, 5% in multiple polls and knocking off 5% is the one thing they must do. 

It's the biggest hurdle for a new party. Voters don’t want to vote for a party if they think it’s not going to make it in. It’s a weird part of our voter psyche that makes no sense. 

But never mind – it might not matter for Opportunity if they can keep polling this high. 

I reckon they are benefiting from the same thing NZ First is at the moment: frustration. 

Like with Pauline Hanson, Nigel Farage, and Donald Trump, voters are so frustrated by regular politicians ignoring them and their concerns for decades. 

That's why they want to blow things up, break up the supermarket duopoly, break up the gentailers, buy back the BNZ, and stop the immigration. 

For voters on the right, NZ First is their "blow it up" party. 

For voters on the left, it’s Opportunity. 

They’re the party for voters frustrated by Labour never being brave enough to do anything bold and for voters frustrated by the Greens being too weird. 

Opportunity is a radical left-wing party with a land tax and a universal basic income, fronted by a nice lady from Auckland. 

If they can play this right, if that polling holds up, 2026 might just, to coin a phrase on this show, be their year. 

I'm not one to get excited at election time about the outside chance that small parties like Opportunity make it into Parliament.&nbsp;
But I reckon this year is different. If Opportunity plays this right, they might just do it.&nbsp;
Yesterday’s Roy Morgan poll had them at 6%.&nbsp;
Now, I don’t know how much stock I put in that poll because it was very volatile. National went up 5% and Labour went down 7.5%.&nbsp;
Swings that big have got to be questioned because they don’t seem credible.&nbsp;
But this is now a trend for Opportunity. They are now close to, or over, 5% in multiple polls and knocking off 5% is the one thing they must do.&nbsp;
It's the biggest hurdle for a new party. Voters don’t want to vote for a party if they think it’s not going to make it in. It’s a weird part of our voter psyche that makes no sense.&nbsp;
But never mind – it might not matter for Opportunity if they can keep polling this high.&nbsp;
I reckon they are benefiting from the same thing NZ First is at the moment: frustration.&nbsp;
Like with Pauline Hanson, Nigel Farage, and Donald Trump, voters are so frustrated by regular politicians ignoring them and their concerns for decades.&nbsp;
That's why they want to blow things up, break up the supermarket duopoly, break up the gentailers, buy back the BNZ, and stop the immigration.&nbsp;
For voters on the right, NZ First is their "blow it up" party.&nbsp;
For voters on the left, it’s Opportunity.&nbsp;
They’re the party for voters frustrated by Labour never being brave enough to do anything bold and for voters frustrated by the Greens being too weird.&nbsp;
Opportunity is a radical left-wing party with a land tax and a universal basic income, fronted by a nice lady from Auckland.&nbsp;
If they can play this right, if that polling holds up, 2026 might just, to coin a phrase on this show, be their year.&nbsp;

Heather du Plessis-Allan: The Opportunity Party could be the dark horse of the election

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/57e3b3f4-1a86-4fe9-860e-b45e0174248e/transcript

The self-proclaimed People’s Princess of Aotearoa, Chris Parker is bringing his latest tour back home. 

Though he came into many people’s lives during lockdown, when his videos started going viral, he’s been a part of the Kiwi comedy scene for a lot longer, winning multiple awards at the NZ International Comedy Festival.  

He’s appeared on TV shows, podcasts, and performed a lot of comedy – selling out shows in New Zealand, Australia, London, and Edinburgh. 

And after taking his latest show ‘Take a Good Hard Look at Me’ to three of the four aforementioned locations, Parker’s finally bringing it back to New Zealand in September.  

The show is set on the 10th of February, 2026 – a deeply ordinary and uneventful day in the grand scheme of things. 

“I was trying to, I guess like, hit this feeling,” Parker explained to Heather du Plessis-Allan. 

“Where it does feel like, on one scale everything is really like... feels life-threatening and like, end of the movie sort of stakes, and then on the other end of the spectrum it’s like our day to day lives... when you’re 35, it can be quite boring.” 

“It’s quite dizzying.” 

LISTEN ABOVE 

The self-proclaimed People’s Princess of Aotearoa, Chris Parker is bringing his latest tour back home.&nbsp;
Though he came into many people’s lives during lockdown, when his videos started going viral, he’s been a part of the Kiwi comedy scene for a lot longer, winning multiple awards at the NZ International Comedy Festival. &nbsp;
He’s appeared on TV shows, podcasts, and performed a lot of comedy – selling out shows in New Zealand, Australia, London, and Edinburgh.&nbsp;
And after taking his latest show ‘Take a Good Hard Look at Me’ to three of the four aforementioned locations, Parker’s finally bringing it back to New Zealand in September. &nbsp;
The show is set on the 10th of February, 2026 – a deeply ordinary and uneventful day in the grand scheme of things.&nbsp;
“I was trying to, I guess like, hit this feeling,” Parker explained to Heather du Plessis-Allan.&nbsp;
“Where it does feel like, on one scale everything is really like... feels life-threatening and like, end of the movie sort of stakes, and then on the other end of the spectrum it’s like our day to day lives... when you’re 35, it can be quite boring.”&nbsp;
“It’s quite dizzying.”&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Chris Parker: Kiwi Comedian on comedy in New Zealand and Australia, upcoming tour

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/97f7fde9-71be-41d0-9eaa-b45e017112cd/transcript

The All Blacks are back on TV3 – if you’re willing to wait. 

The July tests against France, Italy, and Ireland will be shown delayed on both the linear TV3 and on-demand Three Now.  

It’s the first major play since Sky bought the channel last year, and is aimed at converting casual viewers into paying subscribers. 

Sky TV’s Head of Sport Content Gary Burchett told Heather du Plessis-Allan that sports rights aren’t cheap, and the production itself can be “eye-wateringly” expensive.  

So, he says, they put value on their customers because their money is what allows them to actually acquire the rights and put on world-class rugby. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

The All Blacks are back on TV3 – if you’re willing to wait.&nbsp;
The July tests against France, Italy, and Ireland will be shown delayed on both the linear TV3 and on-demand Three Now. &nbsp;
It’s the first major play since Sky bought the channel last year, and is aimed at converting casual viewers into paying subscribers.&nbsp;
Sky TV’s Head of Sport Content Gary Burchett told Heather du Plessis-Allan that sports rights aren’t cheap, and the production itself can be “eye-wateringly” expensive. &nbsp;
So, he says, they put value on their customers because their money is what allows them to actually acquire the rights and put on world-class rugby.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Gary Burchett: Sky TV Head of Sport Content on the decision to stream All Blacks games for free in delay

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/4a7c16c2-0e8c-433c-b84c-b45e0165ab44/transcript

Warren Maher: Waikato Regional Council Chair on Te Huia fares being increased by 25% amid a surge in passengers

In 1 playlist(s)

The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips