The Mike Hosking Breakfast

No fuel at all has been found in the area around the wreckage of a plane that's crashed in Colombia.

There were 81 people on board when it went down just 50 kilometres away from its destination, in Medellin. 75 have died.

Colombia correspondent Manuel Rueda told Mike Hosking there are two theories about what happened. The first - an electrical failure, the second - that it ran out of fuel.

"This is why these people didn't find fuel near the plane and why there wasn't a big explosion.

"The fuselage had sort of broken and then spun around an area of about 100 metres wide, but there wasn't a big explosion, so maybe that's also what saved these six people who have survived."

LISTEN ABOVE: Colombia correspondent Manuel Rueda spoke with Mike Hosking

The charter flight was carrying a Brazilian first division football team, as well as its officials and more than 20 journalists, that was set to play in the finals of a regional tournament.

Colombia correspondent Antonia Ekland told Rachel Smalley the match was going to be a big deal for the Chapecoense side.

"It's the first time the club has reached the final of a major South American club competition, so there had been huge excitement about this trip and about this game that they were going to play, but it's obviously turned into a huge tragedy."

The final will now not be played the title will be awarded to Chapecoense in tribute.

Ekland said the scene at the mountainous crash site is just awful. She said it's in the Colombian jungle and there was a lot of rain - but it's not clear if the weather had any effect on what happened.

She said it was just minutes away from the airport when it crashed.

New Zealand is on something of a high.

Economic consultancy NZIER has released its latest quarterly prediction - forecasting three percent growth on average over the next five years.

The economy is being seen as being in great shape - strong enough to withstand the twin tremors of the Kaikoura earthquake and the election of Donald Trump.

That's largely thanks to tourism and the construction boom.

Deputy Chief Executive John Ballingall told Mike Hosking international interest rates are starting to increase which will flow through to mortgage rates here, but even that should be alright.

"They're coming from record lows, so overall mortgage servicing costs shouldn't be too much for most households."

Ballingall said New Zealand is a good place to be at the moment.

"And that's reflected in the fact that so many people want to come and live here. Our labour market is very strong with unemployment under five percent."

LISTEN ABOVE: NZIER Deputy Chief Executive John Ballingall spoke with Mike Hosking

Legendary blues musician Bonnie Raitt speaks to Mike Hosking about her journey through music, what influenced her style, and being influential for musicians today. 

WHAT'S ON: Bonnie Raitt - Dig In Deep Tour

One mistake in a maths paper can make an entire exam impossible.

Three different NCEA maths exams have been found to be riddled with errors - with one simple statistics probability question adding up to more than 100 percent.

Maths New Zealand's Jake Wills said the fact there are so many errors shows there's a flaw in the NZQA process.

He said that process should work very well - but mistakes like this, that anyone who sat down and did the exam would have noticed, shows it's not working somewhere.

Wills told Mike Hosking it's not only about the question with mistakes in it. He said students doubt their ability when they can't find an answer.

"One of my students messaged me after the exam and said 'I died because I had no idea how to finish that table, then I didn't even try the next one because I just lost all confidence of knowing how to do it."

LISTEN ABOVE: Maths New Zealand's Jake Wills spoke with Mike Hosking

Talk that British celebrity Noel Edmonds is moving to New Zealand, may be exaggerated.

The British press reports the former host of Noel's House Party is emigrating, a term the man himself says isn't quite accurate.

He is in the country and says he might buy a house if he expands his radio venture down here.

Edmonds told Mike Hosking he has an open mind about where he'd buy - having travelled from Kerikeri, down to Thames, and then to Katikati.

He said he's now in Christchurch and hopes it won't be his last visit.

LISTEN ABOVE: Noel Edmonds spoke with Mike Hosking

The tourism industry says a tax on accommodation for holiday-makers is the wrong approach for a tourist levy.

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff is suggesting a 3-4 percent levy on visitor accommodation, which he says could raise up to $30 million a year to help pay for the marketing and promotion of Auckland.

SEE ALSO: Concerns Goff's visitor tax will hurt tourism industry

But Tourism Industry Aotearoa's Chris Roberts told Mike Hosking it's an unfair rate which only targets hotels and motels, and isn't a true visitor levy.

"There is the possibility for a national visitor levy if properly designed, and if it captures everyone - for example it needs to capture the shared accommodation, the Air B&B type market, which is growing very rapidly. It's not fair to put a new rate on hotels and motels and leave out their competitors."

Roberts said they'd support a better thought-through, national approach, rather than piecemeal regional rates.

"And if it's going to fund infrastructure," he said. "This proposal is just to fund the marketing of Auckland. It's not going to build anymore infrastructure."

As part of his proposed budget, Mr Goff has also put forward a regional fuel tax and a special rates category for large-scale developments in a bid to discourage land banking.

High praise for the man who managed to make it ashore, after a boat capsized at the entrance to the Kaipara Harbour on Saturday.

He's one of three survivors of the 11 on board the 'Francie'. The other two were winched to safety by a rescue helicopter.

A police search on the water, and in the air, continues for one man still missing this morning.

Kaipara Cat Fishing Charter owner Tony Wallace told Mike Hosking he can't believe someone made it ashore.

"The distance to shore from where the actual channel is is a hell of a long way, and for that man who swam ashore - he's the most amazing fellow I've heard about in a long time."

Wallace said he knew Bill McNatty, the Francie's skipper, who is one of the dead. He said he can't think why Mr McNatty still went out, considering the dicey forecast.

"These people have paid the ultimate price for a feed of fish," he said.

LISTEN ABOVE: Kaipara Cat Fishing Charter owner Tony Wallace spoke with Mike Hosking

Doctors are demanding a fairer system to determine how much people pay for a doctor's visit.

General Practitioners are able to access government subsidies, and doctors who are classed as treating "high needs" patients get more money.

However, this means there can be a huge cost difference from one doctor to the next. In some areas, such as Wellington, one doctor can charge $20 per appointment, while another could charge $60.

Tim Malloy, President of the Royal New Zealand College of GPs, maintains the system isn't actually helping those that need it most.

"It is not a flexible scheme," he said.

"Those people who can afford to purchase primary care can do so, and those people who are the greatest in need should get the maximum benefit from the government's level of subsidy."

Alexandra Shulman, who has edited the British edition of Vogue since 1992, joins Mike Hosking to talk about the significance of the magazine.

One of the country's most famous former All Blacks turned mental health advocate is telling quake-battered Kaikoura people to enjoy the little things to get through the worst days.

After spending a day in the ravaged region Sir John Kirwan praised the strength and resilience of the residents, saying everyone was showing incredible courage since their lives were turned upside down in last Monday's quake.

LISTEN ABOVE: Sir John Kirwan spoke with Mike Hosking

He told Mike Hosking it had been a really tough time for them and the idea of a visit was to give them permission and understanding that anxiety and fear was a normal reaction to the abnormal situation they found themselves in.

"So I really just wanted to give them permission to be okay about what's going on," he said.

He said everyone had been through a major traumatic event where buildings shook and people were forced to leave their homes.

"It's an abnormal situation. If you have anxiety and fear don't worry too much about that. You'll get through it, you'll come right and it's important to keep hanging onto hope and helping each other."

He advised people not to worry too much about how they were faring because everyone appeared to be coping incredibly well.

Sir John also said it was important people took time for themselves.

"Look after yourself every day. Stop and have that cup of tea if you get a moment and just pat yourselves on the back on how incredibly resilient you've been.

"Enjoy the little things, just try and get through each day."

He said what had been accomplished was incredible and it was humbling visiting the community.