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Is it a bombshell?  A moment too weird to properly comprehend and, because of that, is that why it isn't real? And if it's not real then it's not worth speculating on.  And yet here I am speculating.  The NZ Rugby Union has approached Steve Hansen and Ian Foster and asked them to apply for the coach's job.  Is that the most absurd, bizarre, nutty, unbelievable, possibly stupid thing you have ever heard around rugby, or perhaps even sport?  And yet it's suggested it's true.  In a way I hope it isn't, unless it is. But first I'll deal with the 'isn't'.  I hope it isn't because the union already have enough reputational issues without adding to them, like the panel, the rules and the criteria. For goodness sake, just go get a rockstar. Surely the All Blacks coaching job still has enough prestige that getting great talent isn't an issue?  That's if you haven't already targeted someone, which they should have!  But then I hope it is true because I love Hansen and I love Foster and I'm an old romantic who fizzes over the edge of the glass in excitement at what would be/could be one of the great redemption stories in all of sport.  Both have issues with rugby and rules and unions. Foster especially got treated abysmally. How good could it feel to march back into the dressing room and say "Hello lads. Now where were we before I was so rudely interrupted?"  But for the union, this is why it can't be true. You don’t go to a Hansen or a Foster and say have an application form and see what you think.  You beg for such talent to frequent your business! And if you're asking them to apply, what are you saying to Jamie Joseph and Co. who might be asking why they're looking for reheats when they're there. Not a bad point.  See? It would be way better if none of this were true.  Mind you it would be way better if they hadn't sacked Scott Robertson mid-term with a mass pay out and a restraint of trade with no clear plan going forward.  This is almost so good it can't be real, while also being so bad it shouldn’t be real.  The key of course is to win the world cup and if we do that no one will care who the coach is.  But that bit seems a long way off when we currently have no coach and in front of us what could be a stroke of genius, or sheer insanity.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump has called for the Republican Party to nationalise elections.   He made the statement during his appearance on the podcast of former deputy FBI director Dan Bongino, saying the Party should seek to take over voting in at least 15 places.  Elections are primarily run by state law, with voting administrated by local officials across the United States.   US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that nationalising the election would go against the Constitution, which says elections are governed by state law, not by any party in power.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 4th of February, Transport Minister Chris Bishop delves into the overhaul of the drivers licensing system.  Mike runs through what words he can, can't, and shouldn't say after the BSA's latest swearing report.  And Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell discuss Peeni Henare’s resignation, the messy press conference with Labour and the Greens, and Waitangi on Politics Wednesday. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Politics Wednesday, Labour’s Ginny Andersen and National’s Mark Mitchell delve into the biggest political stories of the week so far.  They discussed the proceedings at Waitangi, the joint press conference between Labour and the Green Party, and the resignation of Labour MP Peeni Henare.   LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More good news on the tourism front.  Auckland Airport has reinstated its partnership with Thai Airways, bringing back non-stop flights between Auckland and Bangkok.   The route reconnects New Zealand with one of Asia’s major aviation hubs, and is expected to bring in around $250 million a year in visitor spending.  Auckland Airport Chief Customer Officer Scott Tasker told Mike Hosking not only will it make it easier for Kiwis to visit Thailand, the flights also make New Zealand a much more attractive destination for Thai tourists.   Also, he says, Thai Airways has a network of 56 international destinations from Bangkok, so this route will help bring in more high spenders from places like the UK, Germany and India.   LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A chance to open next year's Rugby World Cup with a blockbuster Wallabies-All Blacks clash has been passed by.  Organisers have opted to kick-off the tournament with Australia taking on Hong Kong on October 1, with the All Blacks facing Chile the following day.  The move is being labelled as a play to keep interest levels “alive”.   International Rugby Players’ Association CEO Omar Hassanein told Mike Hosking getting a mostly guaranteed win in the first match is important, and while one would like to hope Australia could beat the All Blacks, form over the last decades indicates they may struggle.   He says the opening match in Peth is likely to sell out regardless of opposition, so it was a tactical ploy to ensure Australia stays in the tournament and momentum continues.   LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The wine industry is trying to stay positive.   It's facing an oversupply of sorts after around 100 thousand tonnes of grapes —about a fifth of the crop— were left on the vine last year.  Some growers put it down to people changing their drinking habits globally, others blame the pandemic, tax increases, and US tariffs.   New Zealand Winegrowers Chief Executive Philip Gregan told Mike Hosking there are issues, but they will keep making quality products.  He says long term, the industry is confident it's producing the types of wines people want to drink.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Economists are divided on whether unemployment is finally starting to fall.  Stats NZ is releasing its latest employment update at 10.45.  Economic conditions are improving, but that's also prompting more people to re-join the labour market.  Most bank economists expect the unemployment rate to remain unchanged from three months ago at an historically high 5.3%, but ASB economists think it will fall slightly to 5.2% – the first fall in unemployment in four years.  Senior Economist Mark Smith told Mike Hosking that hiring is starting to pick up after being on the backburner for so long.   He says the economy has some underlying momentum, and after waiting on the sidelines last year, firms are going to convert those intentions into actions.   LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government says it's modernising the drivers licensing system, with the key change being the end to full license practical tests.    After passing the restricted license test, drivers under the age of 25 will have to wait out a mandatory 12-month period as a restricted driver before they can apply for a full licence.   Those aged over 25 will have to wait six months.   Transport Minister Chris Bishop says it'll save time and money.   He told Mike Hosking most countries don’t make drivers do a second practical test, so they’re bringing New Zealand in line with that.   LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Building townhouses and apartments is becoming increasingly popular, with Auckland leading the charge.   More than 36-thousand building consents for new homes were issued nationwide in the year to December, up 9%, with multi-unit homes making up the majority of those.   Master Builders Chief Executive Ankit Sharma told Mike Hosking this is likely to continue in the long term due to infrastructure constraints and population growth in big cities like Auckland.  He says it's better to build before demand comes or else there will be shortages.   LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A small tip on news coverage.  The media can go some small way to redeeming its reputation by asking more questions.  One of the current obsessions is the closure of hospitality outlets.  A café only needs to announce their closing, and the media can't swoop fast enough with a doom and gloom headline.  To be fair, The Hospitality Association doesn’t help. They roll out no shortage of misery stories.  Ruby in Auckland got headlines the other day after they announced they were leaving downtown Auckland. Now, Ruby isn't hospitality, but the same fetish for bad headlines applies.  Get into the detail and, yes, the Auckland vibe isn't what it might once have been, but the real reason they were leaving is the space didn’t suit them anymore. They were off elsewhere and days later their original space was snapped up by a business that was keen to expand.  Fast forward to this week and it’s the Rice Bowl Burger Bar in Wellington.  Cue the Stuff headline: "Another Wellington hospo business announces closure".  Here is what I know: every story has a story. It is not always the economy. In fact, often it isn't the economy. In some cases, it's wrong place i.e. they took the car parks away, or sometimes it's bad luck i.e. they built the CRL around you and didn’t compensate you.  Sometimes it's because you aren't very good at your job i.e. your food is crap and there are better places down the road.  Sometimes it's about migration. Hospo is an easy way to buy work for you and the family, but that doesn't mean you're any good or understand the culture. But it is a ticket to work and a visa.  The evidence, for those who want to look at it, shows hospo for those who work hard, offer good food and good service, does well. The country, sadly, is over hospo-ed.  And irony of ironies, despite the closure and woe and misery headlines, we actually have more hospo outlets than we ever have.  One closes, but at least another one, if not more, open. But they don’t write about the start-ups.  Because that would be just a bit too upbeat, wouldn't it?  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 3rd of February, Education Minister Erica Stanford unpacks the new reporting system for junior education.  Meta VP and Global Head of Safety Antigone Davis is in the country and discusses what they're doing to protect kids online and her thoughts on the social media bans gaining traction around the world.  9News Finance Editor Chris Kohler puts both our and Australia’s financial concerns in humorous light and discusses his book ‘How They Get You’.  Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fresh allegations have emerged linking former UK-US Ambassador Lord Mandelson to Jeffrey Epstein.  Newly released files suggest Mandelson shared internal government information with the convicted sex offender.  The revelations follow the release of photographs showing Mandelson in his underwear.  Mandelson was sacked as the ambassador last year and is now stepping down from the UK Labour Party entirely.  UK Correspondent Rod Liddle told Mike Hosking the Labour Party’s leadership is tainted, as Sir Keir Starmer made him the Ambassador having known he had connections with Epstein.   LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finances can be a bit of a struggle.   Costs are constantly rising, and in an era of auto-payments and forgotten subscriptions, it can sometimes be difficult to keep on top of everything, or even know that you’re getting the best deal.  9News Finance Editor Chris Kohler is becoming increasingly popular on social media for incorporating dry wit into usually boring economic news and has written a book called ‘How They Get You’.  ‘How They Get You’ covers “sneaky” everyday economics and what you can do to outsmart the systems and save your money.  Kohler told Mike Hosking the intent of the book is to take a good thorough look at something that tends to be boring and is often pushed to the side.  “I think people are really smart actually, I think that they just are presented with information in a way that makes them feel like it’s nebulous, or it’s above their heads, or they don’t have the right education.”  “For most people, they’re, their radar of when something isn’t fair, and when something is a bit off is really good, but I think that they’re not given the tools to argue with financial institutions in a way that might help them.”   Kohler very much subscribes to the mentality that if you look after the pennies, the pounds will take care of themselves, though he says it’s more than pennies at the moment.  “The difference between the best and the worst mortgage rate out there at the moment is a couple hundred a month for people.”  “I think it’s very important to, to have a good hard look at the money that we’re spending and whether or not we can be spending less.”  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New entrants are needing more help than ever.   Primary schools are reporting record levels of children arriving without basic skills such as talking, eating and toileting.  Data from the Auckland Primary Principals’ Association shows 92% of schools report new entrants don’t know the letters in their own name.  Director of New Shoots Children's Centre Kelly Seaburg told Mike Hosking there isn't good data on what kids have learned prior to attending school.  She says they know whether children have attended Early Childhood Education, but they have no idea how many hours they’ve spent there.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.