The Mike Hosking Breakfast

It probably wasn’t a surprise to learn the parents being prosecuted over their kids not going to school didn’t turn up to court.
So the reason the justice wheel turns so slowly is partially because of those sorts of folks.
I doubt any court action will achieve a lot in this specific case. But then you can argue it probably wasn’t supposed to.
Governments prosecuting parents over non-school attendances is a sad, but good, policy at the same time.
Sad because we got to this point. Good because what it will achieve is a chilling effect for those who may not get to court but could have.
The reason they didn’t was because of the test cases we hear of this week.
Like the school phone ban not everyone follows it. It's not bulletproof, but it is effective.
Chilling effects are not to be underestimated.
The light system in Jobseeker is another good example. When there are no consequences for not looking for work, it's amazing how many are happy to take the invitation not to do anything.
Offer them a bit of stick and all of a sudden, the number of people who fail and reach red and get a benefit cut becomes negligible.
Once again, what a tragedy that there seem so many who are happy enough to waste a life.
But the lowest common denominator is in fact quite common, given how many frequent it.
It's doubly sad of course when it comes to kids and school. It's not their fault the parents are wasters and you run the risk the habits are contagious, and the kid carries the wastage on for another generation.
So no, the initial prosecution will involve the worst of the reprobates and, no, it most likely won't make a jot of difference.
But enough people will see it and hear of it, it will be around the school grounds, word will spread, and with that for some anyway, what might have been will be avoided. It may well be that if a handful of kids get to go to school properly, it might eventually benefit us all.
It takes a tough Government to take their people to court over something as fundamental as education. Certainly, previous ones haven't been interested and that is why, in part, we have ended up where we are.
But, potentially, it's also at a point where tough love could pay off.
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A Kiwi music icon is firmly rooted back on our shores, with new music on the way.
Gin Wigmore returned to New Zealand’s shores in late 2024 after years spent living in Los Angeles, California.
Last time she spoke with Mike Hosking she was in Palm Springs, moving to LA when she was pregnant with her second child and running a hotel out of Santa Monica.
But after a while, she realised she wasn’t content with her life and her marriage, separating from her husband, moving back to New Zealand, and opening a deli in Auckland’s Kingsland.
“I felt like I needed, I missed New Zealand, I missed my roots,” Wigmore said.
“I missed having my kids grow up in this environment ... there’s something about the freedom of that sort of childhood that was getting less, it was getting harder to do in Los Angeles.”
Although she’s currently in the midst of her divorce, Wigmore says she still has a good relationship with her ex.
“We were just kids when we met and we couldn’t, couldn’t evolve together,” she told Hosking.
“And we’re two lead singers – I mean it was sort of destined to f***ing fail in some fiery emotional explosion, and so, y’know, we kind of, we called it.”
It’s been eight years since Wigmore released an album, but even amid all her other ventures, music is still deeply important to her.
“Music’s amazing in that it always catches me in my worst moments,” she explained.
“Sometimes I’ve likened it to a really toxic boyfriend —kind of like this player that I’m seeing— and then sometimes it’s just this really steady go-to that always catches me in my worst, hardest moments.”
And that second sentiment is what her upcoming album, ‘Beautiful Mess’, channels – filled with all the highlights and lowlights of Wigmore’s life.
“Together it’s like a whole complete world of what my life... a snapshot of my world for the last five years or so.”
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Our wine industry continues to find success on the global stage.
Marlborough’s Spy Valley achieved a clean sweep at the London Wine Competition, claiming seven golds for the seven wines they entered.
It’s one of the industry’s most influential events, and on top of their golds, they were also named New Zealand’s Winery of the Year.
Owner and Managing Director Amanda Johnson told Mike Hosking they aim to make really good quality wine at different price points, so it was a delight for their hardworking team to be rewarded across all the skews.
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On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 30th of April, Dr Rober Breunig takes a look at Australia’s surging inflation whilst Finance Minister Nicola Willis compares their experience to ours.
The Cancer Society has released their election manifesto, calling for more investment in skin cancer prevention.
Kiwi singer Gin Wigmore is back to living in New Zealand – she's opened a deli and is releasing some new music. It's been over a decade since she was last in the Breakfast studio, so she stopped by for a chat – and to talk her dating life!
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Australia’s cost of living has jumped yet again.
Headline inflation jumped 1.1% in the March quarter, while the Consumer Price Index rose to 4.6% in the year to March, up from 3.7%.
Surging oil prices have largely driven the jump, with petrol prices increasing by 32.8%, lifting transport costs by 9.2%.
The Reserve Bank of Australia will be making an announcement regarding the Official Cash Rate on the 5th of May.
Dr Rober Breunig, Director of the Tax and Transfer Policy Institute at the Australian National University, told Mike Hosking that while inflation has risen, they’re not seeing much impact in terms of economic growth and unemployment – the latter holding steady.
He says the Reserve Bank will be concerned about inflation expectations getting out of control – if people expect high inflation to persist and start asking for wage increases, prices may be increased in anticipation, and it all snowballs.
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