The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Criticism of Boris Johnson may prove to be water off a duck's back.
There's a claim the British Prime Minister told an October meeting he'd rather see bodies piled in their thousands, than order a third lockdown.
Johnson denies it, and Defence Minister Ben Wallace says the government has had enough of unnamed sources by unnamed advisers talking about unnamed events.
UK correspondent Rod Liddle told Mike Hosking the allegation may hurt the PM.
But he says what will hurt him more, is when it's found out the Government took bad decisions over what happened in care homes a year ago, and that it was too slow to lock down in the first instance.
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There's doubt a new move to keep siblings together at school will make any difference.
The Ministry of Education says there's a special transitional arrangement to enrol younger siblings at an older child's school, even if the family's home is outside the new zone.
That's provided there is space on the school's roll.
Auckland Grammar headmaster Tim O'Connor told Mike Hosking it's not going to affect parents who want to access another school because they'll just move into the area.
“Our biggest shift comes from people who move into zone weeks before the school year starts, so that’s where they actually need to focus their attention.”
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THE BEST BITS IN A SILLIER PACKAGE (from Tuesday's Mike Hosking Breakfast) Can't Even Beat Pretend Countries/What Mike Missed/Tokyo Cancelled/Fish Out of Water

Expect the government to resume travel with Western Australia.
It's deciding today whether to reopen that part of the bubble, after Perth's three-day lockdown.
Some restrictions are still in place for a few more days in the city, like wearing face masks everywhere.
Auckland University Professor of Medicine Des Gorman told Mike Hosking it's likely the bubble will be restored between us and the state.
“They may elect to wait the four days, but I suspect not. The message is loud and clear to would be travellers isn’t it? The prospect of being trapped in Australia is real and unpredictable.”
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I was intrigued to read through Microsoft’s annual Work Trend Index. 
The report uncovers key office workplace trends as we settle into a new era of work, beyond the heights of the Covid panic.
Here are the big takeaways.
Sixty one per cent of workers in New Zealand think that their employer cares about their work-life balance. That’s pretty good.
Flexible work is here to stay: 71 per cent of workers in New Zealand surveyed want flexible remote work options to continue, alongside having some in-person time with their teams. We like the blend.
Talent is everywhere in a hybrid work world: Fifty six per cent of Kiwi workers surveyed are planning to move to a new location this year because of remote work options. That seems a strikingly high figure to me, but make of it what you want.
When I’m not keeping shop for Mike Hosking, I generally work from home or remote - wherever I am in the world. Dodging the peak-hour commuter ordeal, is undeniably one of its great rewards.
Business leaders know that the hybrid work world is here to stay. 69 per cent of New Zealand employers are recognising the office workplace evolution and are more likely planning to redesign office space for hybrid work, or downsize their office footprint.
Now, obviously the biggest casualties from the hybrid work world could well be the demand for commercial building office work space in the CBD.  I know several building owners currently repurposing office space for residential use.
But working remote and working from home is a potent player in busting peak-hour road congestion. In my city, Christchurch, the commute figures breakdown like this. 76% get to work by car. 4% by bus. 4% on foot. 6% by bike. And ten per cent, work from home. We’re spending mega bucks on mode-shift transport projects, for little gain. The hybrid work world holds far greater potential in shifting the needle on combating congestion.

DOC said it will be closing one of its Great Walk huts next month in an attempt to evict a hardy infestation of bedbugs.
Stewart Island's backcountry huts had their busiest season on record, however there were some unwelcome guest who checked in with walkers.
Hikers returning from the Rakiura Track, Stewart Island's Great Walk complained of developing bites and itchy sores after staying in the DOC facilities.
Mike Hosking is joined by Tim Wilson and Kate Hawkesby to discuss this, along with wrapping the rest of the week in news.

More countries are putting restrictions on arrivals from India, as the country struggles with a second wave of Covid-19.
In the past 24 hours, it's recorded more than 314,000 new cases which is a global record.
Our government will announce this afternoon whether the travel suspension will extend past Wednesday.
Australian correspondent, Murray Olds, told Mike Yardley Australia is planning to cut flights by 30% and will limit the number of people going to high risk countries.
The UK is also adding India to its travel red-list, meaning only UK residents can arrive and will have to quarantine in a hotel.
"That's going to be cut by 30%. The Western Australia Government wanted all flights from India to be banned and Australia is also going to be limiting the number of people allowed to go to high risk countries."
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Global commitments on climate change may be meaningless if the US and China can't end their diplomatic stand-off.
Joe Biden has committed to halving America's emissions between 2005 and 2030, during an appearance at a virtual Leaders Summit on Climate overnight.
Jacinda Ardern also appeared at the summit, urging world leaders to be more ambitious about reducing emissions.
Victoria University's Adrian Macey, who served as New Zealand's first climate ambassador told Mike Yardley the talk is positive, but it's just talk at this stage.
“One of the critical ingredients in getting to where we’ve got to was US-China leadership. If those two countries are not working together and showing leadership to the world then we won’t get to where we have to go.”
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Don't mess with the Italians and their gelato.
The Italian Senate is considering making it illegal to make sub-standard gelato, by clamping down on vendors who use too much air, or bad ingredients.
Christchurch's Rollickin' Gelato director Jed Joyce told Mike Yardley a lack of air is what gives the sweet treat its distinctive texture and flavour.
“Ice cream, that often contains up to 80% air, when you think about it, that’s a lot. That’s more air than product. We have about 10% air.”
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A trend is developing to have women write their work emails more like men.
Traditionally, men tend to be more forthcoming in their notes.
But women will apologise more, not be as assertive and use more exclamation marks or sign off emails with a kiss as if to try and reflect their manner.
So the call has gone out for that to end. And it's taken off online.
Freelance journalist Laura Hampson made the original call, and she spoke with Mike Yardley about it.
“I definitely do think it changes how you are viewed around the office.”
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