The Mike Hosking Breakfast

So given the original Māori Party was formed in 2004, would we call it a success?
A party for Māori. What have they achieved?
Have they done more damage than good? Do we differentiate between Māori and "Māori". By that I mean Māori who aren't as angsty as some and are perfectly happy on the general roll.
Is the Māori movement generally just for the agitators? And as such, you have people with very specific agendas, and those agendas are almost certain to clash.
I have no doubt the Māori Party in their current iteration will implode this election. I think everyone does. I have little doubt Labour will scoop most of the support back up.
The same Labour Party that got trounced last election because the Māori Party 2.0 was the repository of so much hope and promise.
The history of Māori roll voting is mad. They were Labour forever, until they went with NZ First, and then Labour, until Māori Party Part One came along, and then Labour, and then NZ First, until the Māori Party Part Two came along.
Is the Māori vote a cheap date-type affair? Flash a bit of bling, say something random, and you can reel them in. How else to explain the wild gyrations in direction?
On a broader question, just what exactly have the Māori seats delivered, specifically, ever, under any party, for anyone?
Is the mistake the race bit?
Pita Sharples is not Rawiri Waititi. Tariana Turia is not Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, or Dover Samuels, or Tu Wylie, or Tuku Morgan. But because they all happen to be Māori they should all, apparently, be the same.
Is that the mistake? Race is first, second and third. Ideas, policies and visions come a long way down the list. After you have all arrived as Māori you suddenly realise you don’t actually have a lot in common and as a result you fall out.
Because that is the undeniable outworking of the Māori vote and the Māori parties.
The vote swings wildly, and quality and delivery even more wildly, then you get someone like Kapa-Kingi who is but another sad chapter we have seen before.
It all ends the same way, in a great big shambolic mess.
So 20 years and counting – what's the point?
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Migration and housing supply are emerging as key issues, following the Australian Government's latest Budget.
The Labor Government is raising taxes on investment properties and some trust funds to pay for a $250 tax break for working Australians.
Its expected 35 thousand fewer homes will be built, despite net migration remained at 300 thousand people per year.
Australia Correspondent Steve Price told Mike Hosking a federal surplus isn't expected until 2036 and gross debt will likely hit $1 trillion this year.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Luke Metcalf is poised to leave the Warriors.
The NRL club have agreed to a request from Metcalf's management to talk with other clubs.
It's unclear whether they would allow an immediate release for the halfback, who only re-signed until 2028 late last year.
Metcalf has been unable to regain his halfback role since returning from injury with Tanah Boyd impressing in his absence and retaining the jersey.
Former Kiwis and Queensland Maroons Head Coach Sir Graham Lowe told Mike Hosking the situation highlights how the Warriors have grown.
He says Metcalf is a brilliant player and a game-breaker, but Boyd’s unlocked the whole team and is a key to their performance.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen are back with Mike Hosking to delve into some of the biggest political stories of the week thus far.
They discussed the 24 year political career of Judith Collins, who is resigning from Parliament and taking up a new role with the Law Commission.
They also discussed Mariameno Kapa-Kingi's split from Te Pāti Māori to form her own party and what this may mean for Labour and the Māori seats – plus, the former Labour staffer linked to the troll social media account.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Competition in New Zealand's economy isn't as strong as it could be.
New Commerce Commission analysis of 22 years of Stats NZ data shows average business concentration has dipped slightly.
However, smaller businesses are still struggling to gain traction against larger firms.
Commission Chair John Small says weak competition in essential sectors is also weakening the rest of economy.
He told Mike Hosking that while the size of New Zealand does have an impact on the amount of competition we have capacity for, we can still do a lot better than we are.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.