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.

Justin Bieber: 8/10
With 200 million followers, what he posted about us is worth its weight ten times over in gold, and is a very good reminder of what a special place we have here that's too often taken for granted.

Dairy auction: 9/10
Not just up, but up a chunk. Could actually move the farmgate price. Just when you think it's all brilliant, it gets more brilliant.

Our NZ Super Fund: 8/10
Another 14%+ return, but over the longer period it's consistently good and one of the best of its type in the world. That's what New Zealand is capable of.

Gangs: 1/10
The Māori Party, the Greens and, by association, Labour still couldn’t shake it this week. Could have been the turning point.

Liam Lawson: 8/10
If sources are right, he'll be confirmed this weekend for 2027, and is proof that if you work and deliver then all things are possible.

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So a good week for National and, by association, for the Government in general.
There has been a shift with two weeks to go. The gang drama might just have put a nail in Labour's chances of government.
Their polling is now in trouble. Their gap to National is now a problem.
Thomas Coughlan's piece yesterday talking of the issues they have found with lack of enrolment in South Auckland seems to have induced an amount of panic within the party.
Not a lot has gone right for them this week.
As far as I can see, it's the combo for the Government. All three players are campaigning well.
ACT are still my medal winners for the week. They remained disciplined, on message and haven't put a foot wrong. On each debate their leader, if he doesn’t win, is consistent and clear.
Winston, although not as disciplined, turns up enough when it counts to remind you he is still a force.
Luxon's week seems to have been about good news. He hung out with farmers and kids in areas where they are fairly blue. He may or may not have won the debate, but none of the debates have damaged him in any way, shape or form.
The poll movement, even if he doesn’t admit it, will have given him a spring and, probably most importantly, the poll that had twice as many of us thinking the economy will be better next year than think it will be worse is the sort of news an incumbent can't buy.
It may be that their line that as we get closer more people get engaged and the more engaged they are, the more they sit with the Government, is right.
This week might have been the week it settled in toward the coalition.
The others look ropey. The Greens in their debate didn’t mention the environment once, Chlöe came on Newstalk ZB and sounded like a councillor created by AI and the Māori Party through Oriini Kaipara looked as separatist as ever.
One group looked like adults while the other looked messy.
And the Opportunity Party? The polls show a trend. The air is leaving the balloon. It's touch-and-go.
I still say they won't make it.
Labour must be praying they do.
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Ahead of the long weekend, Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson joined Mike Hosking to Wrap the Week that Was.
They discussed the latest from the election campaigning, the aforementioned long weekend for Labour Day, and what makes a business successful.
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Auckland Airport is forecasting a flat year ahead following its annual meeting.
It maintained its underlying earnings forecast of between $290 million and $330 million for the 2027 financial year.
It's despite positive signs for international travel, including a 35% boost in Argentinian visitors thanks to a new China-South America flight route.
CEO Carrie Hurihanganui told Mike Hosking the positive growth in the international space is offset by the continued demand challenges in the domestic environment.
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A Formula 1 journalist believes it would take a perfect storm for Kimi Antonelli to secure his first Championship win.
The 20 year old Mercedes racer holds a 102 point lead over teammate George Russell heading into this weekend's US Grand Prix in Austin.
If he successful, he'd become the sport's youngest World Champion.
Chris Medland told Mike Hosking even if Antonelli does win the race, he'd need Russell to finish no higher than ninth, and Lewis Hamilton to finish no higher than fifth to secure the title.
He says the racer needs a lot of things to go his way, so it's more likely to happen next weekend in Mexico, or the week after in Brazil.
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