The Mike Hosking Breakfast

A band of pirates in a giant aircraft with no idea how to work the controls.

That's how the incoming Trump administration is being described.

Howard Fineman of the Huffington Post told Mike Hosking there's always an adjustment period with new administration, but never this extreme.

"There's never been a situation before when a bunch of people this little aware of how Government works have suddenly been put in charge of it," he said.

Meanwhile, President-elect Trump is denying he's seeking security clearance for his children, who are said to want to continue running the family business, but also have access to classified information.

Fineman said that's going to cause an issue.

"I think what's going to happen here is that the son-in-law, Ivanka's husband Jared Kushner, is going to get the clearances, and I don't think the kids will."

LISTEN ABOVE: The Huffington Post's Howard Fineman speaks with Mike Hosking

UPDATED 9.56AM The government thinks it's well placed to pay the bill for the quake damage.

Acting Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee told Mike Hosking that the cost of the quakes was still to emerge, but it would be in the billions of dollars.

“The Government is in a pretty strong financial position at the moment, New Zealand has a very strong balance sheet. And given that some of that [earthquake recovery] work, particularly the coastal highway, is essential, then you cut the cost to suit, but I don't see us cutting any programmes as a result of this.”

Brownlee said there would be enough builders, engineers and other workers to cover any rebuild, despite a construction boom in Auckland.

“I don’t think that will be a problem because you’ve got a lot of, particularly infrastructure, contracts coming to the end in Christchurch. You still have a workforce down in the South Island.”

SEE ALSO: Earthquake update: What you need to know

On the damage to buildings in Wellington, including the Statistics New Zealand building, Brownlee said lessons from the recent earthquakes could lead to building code requirements being strengthened.

“But what’s really important to note is that in two very big earthquake events now we’ve only had, I think, four building failures in so far as parts of them may have collapsed.”

LISTEN ABOVE: Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee spoke with Mike Hosking

Sir Bob Parker is calling for government support for businesses suffering after this week's quakes in North Canterbury.

The former Christchurch mayor told Mike Hosking government help for his city worked well, and would work just as well for the businesses that are losing money, and will continue to do so from a lack of visitors.

"Generally they're forced to leave, they'll go somewhere else, and that's a death now for a lot of these communities.

"The experience in Christchurch was the government put money into businesses which had lost their work, or lost their premises, and lost their ability to generate income."

Sir Parker also said he's very worried about the state of Wellington's buildings.

A vacant building in Molesworth Street has been cordoned off due to risk of collapse and seven buildings surrounding it have been evacuated.

"It does seem a huge surprise to us to see the buildings that seem to have been affected," he said. "My view is they'll probably find a few more as well.

"And yes I guess there has to be a degree of concern about how did that happen. We haven't heard the story yet, there might be another side to it."

LISTEN ABOVE: Former Christchurch mayor, Sir Bob Parker, spoke with Mike Hosking

Musician Phil Collins joins Mike Hosking to discuss his career in the wake of publishing his autobiography Not Dead Yet.

He relates some of the stories of other musicians he's known, some of the mistakes he's made, and reflects on his successes. 

LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW ABOVE

Different people will be dealing with the shock of the quakes in different ways.

Massey University Associate Professor of Disaster Mental Health, Dr Sarb Johal, told Mike Hosking it's all about context.

"If you've lived through a lot of stuff and a lot of hard stuff in your life, then this fits within a context where it's hard but it's within a range of things you've experienced."

LISTEN to the interview above

Prime Minister John Key told the Mike Hosking Breakfast this morning United States President-elect Donald Trump had been trying to call him yesterday.

LISTEN ABOVE: PM John Key speaks to Mike Hosking

"That's the message I got. I didn't see it but he's been trying to hook up.

"I suspect the combination of just wanting to make that first call and I'm sure they would have got reports of what had happened."

Trump didn't leave a number but Key said he had a number for him and expected the call would happen today or tomorrow.

Key said he would congratulate Trump.

"I know the protests and all that stuff but it was a general election and he won. Everyone might not like it but he won fair and square...

"I think we have to put our best foot forward and I'm going to work with him like I would have worked with Hillary if she'd been president."

Key said he would raise TPP with Trump.

"I will say to him 'look, if you take a step back, I think that TPP was very much about US leadership in the region'.

"I still strongly believe the United States still gains more than it actually gives from free trade and I'd urge him when he gets a chance to sit back and get some advice on how we might be able to progress it."

Kaikoura's mayor is hoping there will be at least one way in and out of the quake-stricken seaside settlement by the end of the week.

Winston Gray told Mike Hosking everyone was working solidly to restore access in and out of Kaikoura on the inland road.

Engineers from Kaikoura and Hurunui were looking at what was required bridge-wise and removing landslips off the road.

"We can't put a time on that but we'd hope by week's end that it'll be looking promising - possibly earlier - but we can't put a timeframe yet as they haven't walked or looked at everything."

Gray said the Army was due to fly in fresh supplies this morning and people would be ferried out 20 at a time.

He said only one flight was possible last night before bad weather hampered rescue operations.

They were also keenly awaiting the arrival of the naval ship, HMNZS Canterbury, to take out the bulk of the stranded holidaymakers.

Waiau local resident Kelvin Hooper talked to Mike Hosking about the damage to the roads in and out of the small town, after a huge quake struck the area. 

Locals are gathering at the Civil Defence facility at Waiau School.

Prime Minister John Key joins Mike Hosking to discuss the Civil Defence response to the earthquake that took place overnight.

He said the damage is likely to be more significant than it currently appears, particularly in terms of structural damage to buildings.

At the time of the interview, there were two confirmed fatalities. Mr Key offered his condolences to the families of the victims of the quake.

Wellington CBD resembles a ghost town following this morning's massive quake.

Newstalk ZB journalist Georgia Nelson has been surveying the damage in the City and port areas.

LISTEN ABOVE: Georgia Nelson speaks to Mike Hosking from the Wellington CBD

She said huge cracks, 30 centimetres long are clearly visible.

A ferry has even torn away from the wharf leaving the passenger ramp dangling.

The BNZ building is also looking worse for wear. The front doors have warped and windows have shattered .

Further into the City, Wakefield Street has been badly hit.

Building masonry has fallen from high buildings, shattering the glass awnings beneath.

Concrete and glass carpet the street.

Civil Defence is urging workers not to head into the CBD this morning until buildings are checked.