The oomph is going out of Auckland housing and the wait is on to see if the regions follow.

The latest QV House Price Index reveals house prices have increased by 8.1 per cent in the past year with the average value sitting at around $639,000.

Despite slowing annually, rates picked up in the last quarter - rising by 1.2 per cent.

QV national spokesperson Andrea Rush said the increase is driven by boosts outside our main centres.

"Strong value growth in some provincial areas and the market picking up again in Hamilton and Tauranga, after decreasing earlier in the year," Ms Rush said.

New Zealand Herald property editor Anne Gibson said it's not clear if the steam will stay.

"Certain areas like New Plymouth, Tauranga and Hamilton, there is still growth there and it's not in the same territory as Auckland. Will that change? Well let's wait and see what the next survey shows us."

The figures show house sales in Auckland are down 30 percent on this time last year. That's after banks tightened their lending criteria.

The value of the average Auckland home is holding steady at just over $1 million.

Ms Gibson said it's off the back off a huge surge.

"Every year the prices were going up around about a quarter. That's pretty phenomenal, that is pretty much bubble territory. Internationally that would be seen as quite extreme, so I think there was a bubble but it's just gone down."

LISTEN ABOVE AS NZ HERALD PROPERTY EDITOR ANNE GIBSON SPEAKS TO MIKE HOSKING

The Commerce Commission doesn't have statutory powers to investigate whether fuel sold here, is overpriced, says a lawyer.

A government study has found a sharp rise in gross profit margins over the past seven years, going up from nine cents to a record 29 cents, but it couldn't say if prices are unreasonable.

Energy Minister Judith Collins is not impressed and wants the Commerce Commission to investigate.

But competition lawyer Alan Lear told Mike Hosking there's not much Mrs Collins can do right now.

"Currently, there are no statutory powers to apply price control or margin control on the fuel companies. In fact, the Commerce Commission doesn't have statutory powers to even investigate the industry in these circumstances."

Mr Lear said the Government has been looking at increasing the powers of the Commerce Commission for some time.

"And it probably comes as no real coincidence, that last week the Government announced its decision to expand the Commerce Commission's powers to conduct market studies. I think it's been accelerated just to deal with this situation."

LISTEN ABOVE AS COMPETITION LAWYER ALAN LEAR SPEAKS TO MIKE HOSKING

Listen above as Political Scientist at Auckland University Jennifer Lees-Marshment speaks with Mike Hosking

A recycling expert believes our consuming and disposing culture is causing increased amounts of rubbish sent to landfills.

More than 1.5 million tonnes of rubbish was sent to landfills from 2013 to 2016.

That's up 20 percent from the amount recorded in the three years previous.

Smart Environmental managing director Grahame Christian told Mike Hosking we need to change our ways.

"Just sending stuff to landfill is not appropriate and we need to move more in line globally with the European countries and Australia."

A levy introduced in 2009 has had little effect when it comes to the amount of rubbish landfills are receiving.

It requires landfill operators to pay $10 per tonne of rubbish dumped at their site.

Mr Christian told Mike Hosking the levy has been a waste of time.

"We need something real and tangible that actually drives opportunity. We have to regulate or legislate to bring it to people's attention and... the levy or the tax would be very low."

LISTEN ABOVE AS GRAHAME CHRISTIAN OF SMART ENVIRONMENTAL SPEAKS TO MIKE HOSKING

The hours left for Qatar to formally respond to a list of demands are slowly dwindling.

The deadline comes after Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt accused them of supporting terrorism and issued a list of 13 demands.

They include scaling down ties with Iran, closing news network Al Jazeera and a Turkish military base in Qatar.

Defence lecturer at Kings College London David Roberts told Mike Hosking the extended deadline doesn't make any difference.

"I'm almost a bit surprised that they're going through the rigmarole of the 48 hours. I say that thinking that, based on what we've seen so far, there's not a slightest indication that the two sides are remotely near any sort of resolution."

Mr Roberts believes the issues surrounding Qatar and neighbouring gulf states could continue long after the 48-hour deadline.

He told Mike Hosking resolution is a long way off.

"I suspect in a year we'll still be having similar conversations. There'll be a stalemate going on for years, and I say that just because there is no evidence on which we can base a conclusion of this issue getting resolved any time soon."

LISTEN ABOVE AS DEFENCE LECTURER DAVID ROBERTS SPEAKS TO MIKE HOSKING

The Government's pledged $5 million to Team New Zealand, provided the event is held here, to keep the team together and stop other syndicates from poaching our talent.

But the question of whether the Government will actually help in hosting the defence of the America's Cup is still in the air.

Co- founder of Team New Zealand Alan Sefton said speculation about the defence of the America's Cup is premature, and we need to let the team get home and get their feet back on the ground before making any plans.

Mr Sefton also talks about how central and local governments need to front up with new facilities, should we end up hosting.

LISTEN ABOVE AS ALAN SEFTON SPEAKS TO MIKE HOSKING

Director of building consultant Maynard Marks Stuart Wilson speaks to Mike Hosking about the building safety in New Zealand and why we're in the position we are.

American tennis great John McEnroe wanted to figure out what to do with his life post-tennis.

He said that it's "probably virtually impossible" and as it turns out "tennis will always be a part of my life". 

"There's different ways to skin a cat. Obviously when you peak at something at 25, 26 years of age you have to figure out how to reinvent and stay close to it." 

People talked about the sport a lot more in his day and the game was really on the uprise, McEnroe told Mike Hosking.

"To me, Federer and Nadal are the greatest players that ever lived, but the game itself it doesn't seem to be as sexy to the young kids, maybe it's less affordable, and it's not talked about as much as it was in the States."

McEnroe said fortunately tennis is one of the few sports you can continue to do at a later age.

LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW ABOVE AS JOHN MCENROE SPEAKS TO MIKE HOSKING

NASA is trying to protect us from at least one doomsday scenario, of an asteroid colliding with the planet and potentially wiping out human life.

It's revealed plans to create a spacecraft that can crash into an asteroid and deflect it off a collision course with Earth.

LISTEN ABOVE: MATHEW PAVLETICH SPOKE TO MIKE HOSKING ON MIKE HOSKING BREAKFAST.

Space commentator Mathew Pavletich said it's expected to be in space in 2022 to coincide with a close approach by the Didymos asteroid.

"It will fire what's called a compactor to change the course of the asteroid.

"So instead of hitting the Earth, with an asteroid that masses many millions of tonnes, and perhaps destroying a city or worse, it might just narrowly miss the Earth by a thousand kilometres or so," he said.

Former All Black captain, Sean Fitzpatrick says New Zealand will be desperate at Eden Park and their depth tested, but they'll know what is needed to beat the Lions and win the series.

LISTEN ABOVE AS SEAN FITZPATRICK SPEAKS TO MIKE HOSKING