The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Is James Shaw trolling me? It’s Thursday and he’s onto his second wacky idea for the week.
Tuesday, he was still banging on about that damn wealth tax despite the fact it, one, is not happening, and two, even if it was, it wasn’t solving the problem he was claiming it would solve, i.e. the price of houses and first home buyers trying to get into the market
Now its cars. Combustion engines to be precise, he wants them banned.
He’s not the first of course. Announcements have been made internationally, not least of which is in Britain where they are banning their import from 2030.
Why Boris Johnson do that given all he’s got on his plate I have no idea.
But James sees trouble in the fact that if we don’t ban them as well, they’ll dump their product on our market and to quote him, we’ll be stuffed.
Will we? Japan has dumped their product on our market for years and we love it. In fact, it’s not really been dumping we've gone out and made an industry of it.
James may not know this but if you wander the second hand yards of this country, they are full of imports from Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Britain and South Africa and a few specialist products via America.
And guess what? We buy them; buy them willingly and with a certain passion.
Why? Because one, they’ve brought the price of cars down, and two, they offer a range of vehicles that might otherwise be unavailable to us.
What James fails to get is largely we are driven by price. The average car in this country is well over a decade old, and one must also never forget the car fleet is owned by some of the most passionate motorists anywhere in the world.
We love cars: old, new, fast, noisy, and rare, more cars per head than anywhere outside America.
No one wants James world of cycles and buses and EVs. Obviously some do, but not many or else we would be on to it already and we are not.
A cheap new EV is $70,000, and the bus doesn’t come past your door at the time you need it.
Banning stuff is the policy of defeat, used by megalomaniacs who failed to take the people with them.
Come back to me in 2030 in nine years’ time and let’s see who’s right, shall we?
 

A2 Milk said it was sticking to its revenue guidance issued in September but said the impact of Covid-19 had made forecasting difficult.
The company has already said the market dynamics have been challenging.
A2 Milk, in slides prepared for today's annual meeting, said it still expects group revenue for the first half of $725 million to $775m, down from $805.3m in the previous corresponding half.
Group revenue for 2021 was expected to come to $1.8 billion to $1.90b, up from $1.73b in the 2020 financial year.
The 2021 year's EBITDA margin was forecast to be in the order of 31 per cent.
"However, due to the volatility arising from Covid-19, and the difficulties this presents with forecasting, naturally there is uncertainty to this forecast," the company said.
"We also acknowledge the outlook provides for a significant increase in revenue in the second half, dependent on a number of key assumptions, including an improvement in the daigou channel and continued growth in our China label business," the company said.
A2 said it continued to observe "strong underlying brand health metrics", particularly in China, including market share expansion, and growth of brand awareness and loyalty measures.
"This gives us confidence that, notwithstanding the current headwinds, the fundamentals of the business over the medium term remain sound," the company said.
A2 Milk said in September that disruption in the unofficial daigou channel had affected sales "and it is currently anticipated that this will continue for the remainder of the first half of 2021".
The daigou trade channel to China represents a significant proportion of infant formula sales for a2 Milk's Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) business.
Much of that trade is through Melbourne, which has been severely affected by Covid-19 lockdowns.
A2 Milk's net profit hit a record $385.8 million in the June 2020 year, driven by a 34 per cent lift in infant formula sales.
For that period, A2 Milk estimated that Covid-19 had a "modest positive impact on revenue and earnings" thanks to pantry filling during lockdowns.
A2 Milk's shares last traded at $16.28, up 69c.

Italian authorities have reported more than 40,000 new Covid-19 infections in the past 24 hours, the largest daily increase since the pandemic started. 

There were 40,902 new cases on Friday, data from the Italian Health Ministry showed. The total number of infections in Italy is now at 1,107,303.
Authorities also reported 550 additional deaths from the coronavirus, with the total death toll from the virus rising to 44,139. 
The record in daily infections comes despite the infection rate having decreased slightly, according to the head of the prevention department at the Italian Health ministry, Gianni Rezza.
It is the “first sign of the decrease in transmission that could be attributed to the (containment) measures that have been taken,” he said.

A new clinical trial is on the cards to help those with pancreatic cancer.
Just eight percent of New Zealanders diagnosed with pancreatic cancer live longer than five years.
The method has been effective against lung and prostate tumours.
Gut Cancer Foundation boss Liam Willis told Mike Hosking they'll be trying out stereotactic radiotherapy, which has been proven useful against other types of tumours.
“It's able to specifically target cancer cells as opposed to widespread radiation, which means it can be administered in a higher dose.”
Willis says only 10 percent are diagnosed early enough for surgery.
He says they're trying to reduce the tumour enough to allow surgery, which is the only cure for pancreatic cancer.
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The Government will spend $30,000 on contracting five New Zealand social media influencers to post about vocational training, in a bid to bolster the number of apprentices.
The influencers will be required to post two original items on their social media accounts and respond to comments on the post.
It comes as part of the new vocational education and training (VET) plan, which aims to further bolster the number of apprentices in New Zealand.
"This is our chance – we have been a nation of apprentices where we grow our own skills before, this is our chance to make sure we're that country again," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said today.
To do this, the Government has enlisted the help of social media influencers who will begin actively targeting school leavers and people under 25.
These influencers are Raniera Rewiri, Ruby Tui, Jazz Thornton, Chelsea Roper and Clint Roberts
Most of these individuals are working in vocations, or are in training, according to a spokesperson for Education Minister Chris Hipkins.
Overall, $4.4 million over four years has been budgeted for the VET campaign - of the initial $1.2m, some $30,000 is being spent on influencers.
Other areas of spending include TV ($552,000), print ($3400), radio ($188,000), digital display ($90,000), digital video ($170,000), and social media ($140,000).
It comes after the Government earmarked $320 million earlier this year to make all apprenticeships, as well as, certificates, diplomas and programmes in targeted industries, free.
That scheme began on July 1 this year – since then, 14,000 people have started apprenticeships. That's up from 7500 people the year prior.
When it comes to female apprentices, government data shows there has been considerable growth in that area too, with 1800 more women now learning a trade.
That's up from 845 over the same period the year before.
"These are extremely encouraging signs given the historical perception of vocational careers," Hipkins said.
"Based on these numbers and research by the Tertiary Education Commission, New Zealanders' views on vocational education and training are shifting."
Hipkins said it was a welcome development to see more women going into these traditionally male-dominated industries but said there was "still a long way to go".
The new campaign to get more people into trades is in two phases: The first is the marketing phase where the Government is enlisting the help of social media influencers.
There will also be radio announcer adlibs aimed at starting a "meaningful conversations about vocational education and training in the community", according to Hipkins.
"The second phase of the campaign, set to begin next month, will include TV, radio and social media ads, digital displays and online videos."

A medical expert says improvements to the border system should have happened sooner.
Covid 19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins has announced additional testing rules to strengthen the border and increase workers' safety.
It includes requiring border workers to keep a dairy of their Covid 19 testing.
Auckland University Professor of Medicine Des Gorman told Mike Hosking until now, New Zealand's success in containing the virus has made us too complacent.
He says when we focus on how we're ahead of the rest of the world, we miss the things we could be doing better.
The new measures come into force from next Friday.
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Tell you what, what an unimpressive week it's been for the All Blacks, the fans, and the whole All Blacks experience.
This is a country with a nasty underbelly.
It is true that fans of most sports globally are fairly short on loyalty and calling for sackings is a sport in and of itself, and it's true to say that what the All Blacks have been up to these past two weeks has been less than fantastic.
But faith is for the long haul. Loyalty is about the good days, as well as the bad. And what we have seen this week is pretty low rent.
Sam Cane had a crack at some of the critics. Personally, I wouldn't have, but I don’t blame him. Having spent my career in the public eye you are, of course, open to an ever-increasing series of experts offering you their wisdom and help.
Most of them are dickheads who have aspired to little, achieved even less, so the trick is to see them for what they are, and let it slide.
Maybe that’s where Sam Cane came a bit unstuck? He's new to the captaincy and let it get to him. The older heads in the organisation should have got to him and advised differently, but it is what it is.
The All Blacks are public property and want support, so there is a relationship to balance. Part of that is a required, or expected, dose of success. And when it doesn’t come, the heat will follow.
But like so much these days, nuance, subtlety and perspective are of a bygone era.
So out came the clickbait headlines this week. "It's time for Foster to go" screamed one particularly superficial example. Are you serious? He only arrived last week, as did this year's All Blacks.
Man, we are short sighted. We long for international rugby all year, we pray for the break that will allow them to travel, to compete, to play in front of a crowd, and the first thing we do is start calling for sackings.
Can we hear ourselves? What the hell has happened to us? God forbid we judge ourselves by the same standards we judge others.
Yes, the All Blacks need to pull their finger out and get their act together. But here's the good news, they will.
And while they're doing it a bit, of patriotism and loyalty might not go amiss.

The leader of Britain’s main opposition Labour Party said Wednesday that he won’t readmit ex-Labour chief Jeremy Corbyn to the party’s parliamentary caucus, accusing Corbyn of weakening efforts to stamp out anti-Semitism.
Labour leader Keir Starmer said his predecessor had “undermined and set back our work in restoring trust and confidence in the Labour Party’s ability to tackle anti-Semitism.”
Corbyn will continue to sit in Parliament, but as an independent lawmaker.
Labour has been grappling with allegations that anti-Semitism was allowed to fester under Corbyn, a long-time supporter of Palestinians and a critic of Israel who led the party for almost five years from 2015.
Corbyn was suspended from the party last month in the wake of a scathing report by Britain’s equalities watchdog. The Equality and Human Rights Commission said Labour officials had failed to stamp out anti-Semitism and committed “unlawful acts of harassment and discrimination.”
After the report was released, Corbyn accused opponents of exaggerating the problem for “political reasons” — a statement that got him suspended from the party.
On Tuesday, Corbyn issued a statement saying that concerns about anti-Semitism in Labour were not exaggerated, and the party must “never tolerate anti-Semitism or belittle concerns about it.” Later that day, Labour’s governing National Executive Committee voted to reinstate Corbyn, who has represented Labour in Parliament since 1983.
But Starmer said he was keeping Corbyn out of Labour’s parliamentary caucus. He said he was acting because “the (Labour Party) disciplinary process does not have the confidence of the Jewish community.”
Starmer was elected in April to lead the party. He has vowed to stamp out prejudice and restore relations between the party and the Jewish community.

South Australia is waking up to its first morning under lockdown.
For the next six days, people will only be allowed to leave their homes for medical care, to work in essential services, or to obtain medical supplies.
Schools, gyms, eateries, factories and construction sites are closing, exercise isn't permitted outside the home - and weddings and funerals can't be held.
Officials hope the short, sharp lockdown will contain a cluster of the virus in Adelaide.
ABC Adelaide's Rhett Burnie told Mike Hosking the state has gone from Covid-free to full lockdown in a matter of days.
"Many people are in shock about how quickly the situation has changed."
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All Blacks great Buck Shelford has underlined the contrast between the All Blacks and their fans in the wake of Sam Cane's comments about 'brutal' supporters.
Cane has faced scrutiny for his comments that some fans criticising the team don't know a lot about rugby.
Cane and his side have come under pressure after back-to-back losses following the shock 25-15 defeat to Argentina on Saturday.
Shelford, who led the All Blacks 31 times without losing, told the Mike Hosking Breakfast we can be cruel to our top sporting sides.
"I think they're under pressure having lost two games in a row. I've heard a lot of comments from people saying they are useless and all this sort of stuff but it's a lot harder than people think. It takes a long time to make it into the All Blacks and you're the best of the best," Shelford said.
"We're so used to winning that when we do lose we get our heckles up and we get a bit annoyed with the boys. They will lose at times.
"I think he [Cane] is just being honest. And we can be quite cruel to our international stars, not just in rugby, but any of our sports stars," he told Mike Hosking.
Shelford added that the rise of social media has increased the criticism and questions whether some of it is genuine.
"Now we're living in this technology age, people are just punching out stuff all the time and sometimes do they really mean it? They don't really think about it they just put it in then all of a sudden it's gone… They've got to realise it takes a long time to get into the top, a lot of pain.
"They get brutally hammered every week especially when test matches come along. We don't have to do that. We just have to sit in the stands, eat pies and chips and watch what they do. We complain if they lose and if they win we go and get absolutely pissed."
Cane was quick to defend his team and head coach Ian Foster, and in an interview with Sky Sprot's The Breakdown, describing the brutal nature of some of the All Blacks' passionate supporters.
"We've got some amazing fans but we've also got some pretty brutal ones," he said. "With that you've just got to remind yourself 'hey, they may like to think they know a lot about the game of rugby, in reality they don't really'. They may know the game from what they see in the 80 minutes, but they don't see the stuff that goes on behind the scenes."
The comments led to boundless backlash on social media from fans who indeed, believe they're well-versed in the 15-man code.
One said on Twitter it's "not a very wise thing to say coming from the captain. Most AB supporters know he ain't captain material anyway".
"A very arrogant view. I've barely missed an All Blacks Test on TV since 1987 and attend probably 10 live games a year. Kiwis know rugby," another added.
A third said "I agree, not a wise comment as we the fans do understand rugby and so many of the fans actually play rugby too".
The public expressed their concerns about the team on the Herald as well. Commenting on a story where Cane went on the defensive, one reader exclaimed "we can read body language though, and the majority of players are telling me both Cane and Foster hold little respect. When they both have to talk each other up we know there's something not right in camp".
"Cane rhymes with Taine [Randall]... and he lost 5 in a row…" another wrote.
One took aim at the team as a whole, saying "strategy issues identified by Cane (going wider), but selection is an issue too..1st 5 at fullback, fullback on wing, wing at centre, 6/7 at 8. Coach has to take responsibility for team selection".
There were also those in Cane's corner willingly caressing his shoulders. "Sam Cane is mostly right here. Many fans are just keyboard warriors with no professional experience in rugby or intimate knowledge of rugby rules. Elite players like Sam Cane don't need the fans, fans need the elite players though," one Twitter user said.