The Mike Hosking Breakfast

At the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all.

The war: 6/10
Mark my words, this is closer to the end than many think. Round two of talks, a squeeze on the Strait – the Iranians are about to capitulate.

Moana Pasifika: 4/10
In a competition already lacking sparkle, this can't have helped. And also, perhaps a lesson in starting something for the right reasons, not ideological ones.

The Crusaders' horses: 3/10
That's a 30-year legacy we will miss.

Emma Aitken: 7/10
Pleased she wasn’t booted, but nor should she have been. What a storm in a bone china, Northern Club teacup.

The BSA: 7/10
Can't wait to see the back of them. Good luck and good night.

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Not a lot of coverage has been given to the failed appeal by Tony Gibson.
He was the head of the Port of Auckland, a worker died and he was charged under health and safety and found guilty.
It was the Health and Safety at Work Act of 2015, and he was the first person of a large operation to be charged and found guilty under it.
This in no way takes away from the tragedy and seriousness of the accident.
But the question for us all though, is can you reasonably hold a single person responsible in a company where so many people, if you were looking to cast a wide net, potentially could also be responsible?
And if you can, what sort of chilling effect does that have around the running of large companies in which you can potentially be held to account for Lord knows what?
The court found he had overall responsibility, which in theory is not unfair. It’s the buck-stops-at-the-top argument.
But what about the board? What is the point in having management and managerial responsibility if it all eventually gets sheeted back up top?
In a business where safety is a key aspect of operation, you presumably have people and groups, or committees, that operate procedures and rules.
What level, if any, of responsibility do they hold, or share?
Can one person really be held to account for the singular accident, on one day, in one incident, in a company of hundreds, or potentially thousands?
And if you answer 'yes', as the court seems to have, then how does a CEO change the way they approach the running of that business?
Are they risk averse? Do they take longer to make decisions? Does progress get slowed as we guess, second guess, then guess one more time just in case?
Do you overspend or invest in areas "just in case"? How much sleep do you lose doing all this?
If the rules around being on a board are increasingly arduous, and they are, is making life as a CEO harder, productive?
Or is finding a single person culpable for any event in the workplace an easy out, of a complex problem allowing everyone else to wash their hands?
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A major fire at one of Australia's two remaining oil refineries isn't expected to have much effect on national prices.
The fire at Viva Energy's Geelong facility will hinder its ability to make petrol, but it can still produce diesel and jet fuel.
It's one of only two sites in Australia and produces 10% of the country's fuel.
Australia Correspondent Murray Olds told Mike Hosking the fire underlines the perilous nature of the country’s fuel supplies, as they have very limited refining capacity.
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It’s Friday, which means Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson are back with Mike to Wrap the Week that Was.
They discussed the rumours of a coup in the National Party and Chris Bishop’s performance on the show this morning.
Also on the agenda was circuses, pet sitting, and this weekend’s maiden Supercars event in Christchurch.
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The Nurses Organisation says violence in emergency departments will worsen if systemic issues aren't addressed.
Figures released under the Official Information Act show more than 7,500 reports of violence against healthcare staff were logged last year, matching the year before, but up significantly on 2023.
Just over 1000 reports came from emergency departments.
Organisation Chief Executive Paul Goulter told Mike Hosking it comes down to understaffing and people waiting too long to get treated, and it often escalates from there.
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