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The latest cuts in the US Government have been described as a “total farce”.
The Trump Administration has reversed the firings of hundreds of employees at the National Nuclear Security Administration, the department tasked with working on the nation’s nuclear weapons programs.
The cuts were part of a DOGE purge across the Department of Energy.
US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking they attempted to walk back the sackings and rehire the workers, but were unable to contact many of them since they’d been cut out of the email network.
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You have to read it to believe it and even in reading it, it might well be you still can't believe it.
A report, one of a number of investigations now underway, has reported back on whether personal Census and Covid intel collected at Manurewa Marae was misused for electoral purposes.
It's important to point out that this particular report didn’t have it within its scope to find out whether the marae did anything shonky. That's still to come.
The marae, if you recall, was managed by Takutai Tarsh Kemp, who was also a Māori Party candidate, and she went on to win the electorate by a handful of votes.
What this report does find is proof, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that even when you stack the public service full of people the way the Labour Government did, they are still incompetent.
The head of Stats NZ is going. He won't be reappointed. Each of the departments looked into —Stats NZ, Health New Zealand, and the Ministry of Health— have all been found hopelessly wanting.
It was a combination of not really having any oversight on information that may, or may not, be protected and that may, or may not, be inappropriately used, plus when concerns were raised still doing nothing about it.
"High trust models" were in place. Remember the golden Ardern and Hipkins days of high trust models?
It basically confirms the Public Service Commissioner's findings last week that the public service isn't fit for purpose. It has too many meetings, there are too many departments, we need a few gotten rid of, and if you designed it today it wouldn’t be like it is.
There are no safeguards, no regard for privacy, and the issues around privacy in the report shows it's just a litany of uselessness.
Remember the alleged skullduggerous part of whether the Māori Party used some of this intel to help their election campaign? That outcome is still to surface.
It's bad enough as it is. If they get pinged, it’s a full-blown scandal.
At least one head has rolled, but you can't make this stuff up. It's gliding on, it's worse than most would have thought and it's not even over.
The worst may well still be to come.
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Another large cut to the Official Cash Rate's on the cards today.
Economists and markets are almost certain the Reserve Bank will slash the OCR by 50-basis points.
That would take the cash rate from its current 4.25% to 3.75%.
BNZ Chief Economist Mike Jones told Mike Hosking that things are tracking as the Reserve Bank expected when they last met in November of last year.
He says that in that meeting, the Reserve Bank essentially said they would cut 50 points unless something threw them wildly off track, and he doesn’t believe that’s happened.
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There's controversy over a New Zealand MP taking part in an anti-government protest in the Cook Islands.
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer has taken part in a rally against Mark Brown's government over its new strategic partnership with China.
The deal will see the countries cooperate more on trade, investment, and tourism, with China providing a $4 million grant for future projects.
Labour’s Ginny Andersen told Mike Hosking it’s not something she would do, but different things do it for different people.
She says that if she wants do go and do that and she’s not breaking the law, then alright.
National’s Mark Mitchell agreed, saying that if he was travelling on personal business he wouldn’t join a protest or interfere with the internal matters, but Ngarewa-Packer has chosen to inject herself into this situation, and that’s up to her.
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On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 19th of February, a few questions are asked: What will the Reserve Bank do with the OCR? How did the peace talks between Russia and the US in Riyadh go? And what are the findings of the shocking report into the public service?
The IPCA want a law change so police can better deal with protests that get out of hand.
Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell talk Debbie Ngarewa-Packer in Rarotonga and the Brian Roche report on Politics Wednesday.
Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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A push for government agencies to raise the bar when handling public data.
The Public Service Commission's revealed multiple failures by Stats New Zealand, Health New Zealand, and the Ministry of Health, with regard to safeguarding data.
It comes after allegations surfaced last June about a potential misuse of Census and Covid vaccine data by providers at Manurewa Marae.
Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche told Mike Hosking that there’s a broader issue.
He says the model that’s been used is very good and the people who work in it are amazing, but the model is no longer fit for purpose.
"We live in a world that’s changing dramatically, we’ve got the adoption of technology and all of those things, and we need to sort of face into that and get ahead of the curve.”
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Hamish Kerr has claimed another title.
The Olympic gold medallist has been awarded Sportsman of the Year at the Halberg Awards.
The high jumper beat out some tough competition for the title, including two other gold medallists Finn Butcher and Hayden Wilde.
Kerr told Mike Hosking that it was cool to see not only New Zealand Olympians at the event, but also crickets, and footballers.
“Such an amazing range of sports, all represented.”
He believes that sport unites the country, saying that the attitude Kiwis took towards the Olympics was really felt overseas.
“I felt proud to be a Kiwi out there, you know, watching all my fellow competitors or compatriots compete – it was so special.”
A lot of people are still connected to sport, and athletics in particular, and he thinks the athletics success in Paris has started to bring people back into it.
“I’ve done a couple of comps since, just domestically, and you know, just the reaction from the people coming down wanting to meet not only me, but all the other Olympians has been, has been so, so cool to see.”
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There's a potential new era in European security.
The US has got Russia to the table to reach three key agreements, including reinstating ambassadors to each other's countries during high-level talks in Saudi Arabia.
Neither Ukraine nor Europe were invited.
Senior Russian expert at Britain's Chatham House think tank, Keir Giles told Mike Hosking these are historic moments.
He says it's a huge upset to the assumptions under-pinning Euro-Atlantic security and the United States' place in the world.
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Federated Farmers is crediting the coalition government for a surge in farmer confidence.
Confidence within the sector has reached its highest level in more than a decade, jumping from a dismal -66% in July last year to 2%.
Federated Farmers President Wayne Langford told Mike Hosking while the last few years have been tough for farming families, favourable farming rules have seen things turn around.
He says announcements around emissions pricing, freshwater farm plans, and on-farm costs is helping the sector.
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The Police Association says clarification around protest laws are long overdue.
An Independent Police Conduct Authority report makes several recommendations for laws which would protect protestor rights and ensure public safety.
One law would let police and local authorities set conditions in advance about how a protest may be carried out.
Police Association President Chris Cahill told Mike Hosking that will be helpful for police and protesters alike.
He says that would set clear guidelines for behaviour.
Cahill says Destiny Church is a good example of a group which often steps over the line.
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How fascinating is the Daman Kumar case?
How would you like to be Chris Penk, the minister in charge of making the call as to whether to deport people?
In a way this is a singular example of what the Americans deal with millions of times over.
There seems to be no dispute 18-year-old Daman's parents are overstayers.
Daman was born here and New Zealand is his home. So does he get deported and do his parents get deported?
If you follow the law the answer seems simple - yes they do.
It's not Daman's fault his parents broke the law. And that’s the birthers debate in America.
The illegals come across the border, they have a child, the child is an illegal and yet it is not their fault. It is their home, it is the only country they know, a Democratic administration gives you leniency and a Republican one not so much.
There are, as there always are, questions around how you can be here as an overstayer for so many years.
Also, I assume these are decent people. If they were criminals or reprobates the decisions would be a lot easier.
So a family who work, contribute to the country, call it their own and want to stay. There's no shortage of emotion in the argument.
I am sure part of their issue is at some point they technically became overstayers and they feared getting caught after a week, or a month, or a year. So do you come clean and tidy your affairs up, plead for leniency and hope for the best, or do you try your luck?
Surely in doing what they did, they must have known the game at some point, for some reason, would be up?
Or maybe after 8, 9,15, or 21 years, maybe they put it to one side. Maybe they would never be found out.
So, what to do? Section 378 of the Immigration Act says the minister can, apparently, do anything he likes.
It's easy to say "let them stay", but then you set a precedent. That’s the trouble with power jobs and big decisions - they're hardly ever simple.
It may well be the hardest thing Penk ever does, unless he lets them stay.
That would be easier, and make you feel good – probably with minimal push back.
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They call it a once-in-a-generation crisis summit.
Keir Starmer will be there.
Emmanuel Macron called it. Olaf Scholz is ropeable over the JD Vance comments.
The JD Vance comments that has put Europe into meltdown were a very good example of what is good, but also what is bad, about Trump.
His suggestion that Europe should really be worried not about Russia or the Chinese, but the pressure from within, is actually quite a good point.
All he was saying was for all those freaking out about the move throughout Europe to the so-called far right, ask yourself why. What is it you are not hearing, or seeing, or accepting, that is leading to these outcomes electorally?
So far, so good.
Then he went and gave Romania as an example of a presidential race and that is fairly widely accepted as being a jack up backed by Russia.
So he starts with a good point and then messes it up with a shonky follow up, which is not dissimilar to his boss, who quite rightly pointed out that what was going on in Gaza for years hasn’t, and isn't, working. But then he talks about the Riviera and something akin to an upper east side condo opportunity.
Anyway, the upshot is the same - Ukraine can be at the peace talk table but ultimately Europe can't. Cue the melt down.
This is where the laziness and complacency of Europe intersects with the financial might of America.
When you have funded the war, a war that is going nowhere, you call the shots. Europe has watched, for three years now, a conflict funded to a fraction of the extent the Americans did.
That means you give up a form of legitimacy.
When your were brow-beaten by the Americans into actually forking out for NATO to the tune you said you would, but didn’t, you have lost credibility.
So when a big power mad, egomaniac arrives in the White House, guess what? You're going to be called out, shut out and forced to finally wake up to your complacency.
It'll all work out fine of course. This is what Trump does - he pitches the absurd, then backpedals.
But tell that to Macron, Starmer and co. They are wetting their pants.
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Graham Norton is hopping off screens and onto the stage.
He’s embarking on a three-city tour of New Zealand this year, performing nine shows across Christchurch, Wellington, and Auckland.
‘An Evening with Graham Norton’ will delve into some of his biggest TV highlights and memorable moments, Norton sharing tales from behind the scenes and legendary red sofa.
The original tour dates sold out fast - three new dates being added to ensure Kiwi audiences could get their fix.
Norton told Mike Hosking it’s always nerve wracking to organise live events and tours.
“Most of the stuff I do, it’s quite a passive thing to consume,” he said.
“This, you’ve got to actively, you know, go online, pick up a phone, you’ve got to reach into your wallet, you’ve got to get actual cash – it’s a much bigger commitment.”
“I’m really pleased that people have decided to come out.”
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On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 18th of February, France is hosting an emergency summit for European leaders as the talks between Russia and the US loom.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon answers questions about Ukraine, the public service, and just what it is our retail crime group is doing, if anything.
Friend of the show Graham Norton steps away from the big red chair to talk to Mike about his upcoming NZ tour.
Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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There's an unclear picture of what New Zealand's losing from people moving overseas.
About 70 thousand Kiwis left the country last year. Of those, 38% were people aged 18 to 30.
New Zealand had a net migration gain of 27,000 migrants in 2024, just a fraction of the 128,000 gained in 2023.
Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen told Mike Hosking while there's clear data on the people arriving, it's not the same story for departures.
He says there's no strong evidence of what skills are leaving, only anecdotes.
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European leaders appear alarmed by the speed the US has taken on its Russia plans.
France is hosting an emergency summit with European and NATO leaders to discuss the situation.
US and Russian officials are en route to Saudi Arabia for their own talks - Russia says Europe will have no role in these discussions.
Former BBC Foreign Correspondent Paul Wood told Mike Hosking the meeting in Saudi Arabia is wider than a Ukraine peace deal.
He says this is about the US resetting its relationship with Russia, but Europe is worried about the implications it will have on its security.
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Russia appears to be pleased with the position it's in.
US and Russian officials are en route to Saudi Arabia for talks, excluding Ukraine and Europe.
France is hosting an emergency summit with European and NATO leaders to discuss the situation.
BBC Senior Russia Reporter Olga Ivshina told Mike Hosking Russia is presenting itself like it has the upper hand in negotiations.
However, she says Ukraine's control over a part of Russia is an issue that bothers Vladimir Putin.
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The Prime Minister's open to axing entire Government agencies, saying there's probably too many.
Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche says he's considering the idea of cutting whole departments and bringing others together.
Christopher Luxon told Mike Hosking he wants more efficiency in the public sector and is open to departments being scrapped.
He says there are many small agencies that lack scale, and they need to be better focused on core business.
Luxon also says New Zealand needs to do more to keep on top of illegal immigration.
Associate Immigration Minister Chris Penk is considering the case of Kiwi born 18-year-old Damen Kumar.
Kumar's parents have been living as overstayers for 24 years.
Luxon says he can't comment on the individual case, but he told Hosking people need to follow the immigration process.
He says illegal immigration is unfair for people who have followed the rules.
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European leaders are scrambling to work out a security plan - without US support.
France is hosting an emergency summit regarding the war in Ukraine while US and Russian officials are en route to Saudi Arabia for their own talks to try to end the conflict.
Ukraine's Prime Minister is also in the Middle East, but won't be part of the talks.
Europe correspondent Catherine Field told Mike Hosking it feels like the ground is shifting, but no one knows which way it's moving.
She says it's because there are so many confusing remarks and opinions coming out of the Trump administration.
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We're being told the potential for New Zealand's 'blue economy' to take off will depend on the Resource Management Act.
A new Westpac report says the marine economy could grow to $14 billion in 10 years by switching to more sustainable practices.
Aquaculture New Zealand Chief Executive Gary Hooper told Mike Hosking aquaculture was recognised for the part it could play, but has yet to flourish due to RMA restrictions.
He hopes the fast-track approval processes shortened time frames, certainties, and more nuanced approach could be the circuit breaker to unleash new opportunities.
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