At the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. 

The Golden Visas: 7/10 

Part of what's turning out to be a pretty solid run for the Government. There seems genuine interest from the wealthy to come and park up here and grow the place. 

Business sales: 6/10 

Demand is up, supply is down. People want to chart their own destiny, which is always a very good sign. 

Coachella: 4/10 

Most people who went borrowed money to pay for their tickets. Clearly no money left over for Golden Visas. 

Andrew Little: 6/10 

Given Tory Whanau's reputation and record, is it even a race? 

The women on Bezos' rocket: 2/10 

Brought new meaning to the term space cadets. 

Taupo: 8/10 

Shout out for last weekend and the Supercars. Place was packed, looked awesome and Matty Payne was your hero #NZAtItsBest. 

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My fun fact of the week, not that it's that fun or even new, given it's been around if you could be bothered looking. 

In Hawke’s Bay there are 56 mayors, chairs and councillors spread across five councils. Just for Hawke’s Bay. 

Not Mexico City, or London, or New York. Hawke’s Bay, in little old regional New Zealand. 

This is contained in an excellent piece well worth reading over the long weekend to be found on the Newsroom website. 

Broadly it looks into amalgamation of councils. The good news is amalgamation is coming. 

In my view it cannot come fast enough. 

This small land is festooned with councils and boards and groups who do little other than add to inflation with cost, plus accounting. 

The trick, and part of it is the Government's Water Done Well programme, is once they spin those duties out to new entities you won't need as many councils and councils won't have a ratepayer base to be able to afford stuff anyway. 

But here is where it might go wrong: 

1) Fiefdoms. Too many still argue they are more important than they are. 

2) The Government says they won't enforce this change. They will act on the communities’ will. 

Big, big mistake. 

On the upside there is talk of as few as 13 unitary authorities. That would mean 11 regional councils gone. Good, do it as quick as you like. 

We are grossly over-councilled in this country, with 67 currently. We have authorities for handfuls of thousands of people. It's absurd and that’s before you get to the quality, or lack of it. 

The savings are huge, with $5 billion on the RMA side alone. 

By the time you read the article you are left uplifted by the possibility that one of your more boring topics, local body representation, might, just might, be heading somewhere good. 

My hope is if it does head somewhere good, we may at last start to pay attention to it, be invested in it and it becomes a virtuous circle of success, productivity and positivity. 

And if that doesn’t fizz you up for a good Easter, nothing does. 

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On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 17th of April, the Government has announced a $20b plan to upgrade our health infrastructure, so now we need some action. 

The Commerce Commission has pushed KiwiRail to compensate the victims of cancelled Interislander ferries. 

Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson wrap the short week, and we deal with Kate's first boomer moment.   

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Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson joined Mike Hosking a day earlier than usual, to wrap the short week before Easter. 

They discussed Morgan Wallen and country music, the school holidays, and Kate has her first boomer moment.  

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The Commerce Commission says it'll take KiwiRail to court if it doesn't compensate ferry customers.  

The rail provider's agreed to pay those disrupted in three Interislander cancellations in early 2023. 

KiwiRail had previously treated delays and cancellations from mechanical faults as out of their control, which the Commerce Commission argued misled customers.  

The Commission's Vanessa Horne told Mike Hosking KiwiRail should've taken action on its own accord.  

She says good businesses get ahead of the game to ensure customers are cared for. 

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A new electricity gentailer is entering the market with a primary focus on large-scale solar.  

Lodestone Energy says it will initially focus on commercial and industrial sectors, but may expand if the market allows.  

It says it’s creating it fifth solar farm with plans for up to 20 more in the next few years.  

Lodestone Managing Director Gary Holden told Mike Hosking it scatters them in less-visible places like substation areas and behind hedge rows.  

He says it has a vision for every community to have its own solar farm and battery pack. 

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Donald Trump's tariffs are having ripple effects here and everywhere. 

Infometrics is drastically reducing its GDP growth forecast from 2.6% to just 1%. 

Many economists now expect the Reserve Bank to go further with OCR cuts than previously forecast, in spite of a likely rise in inflation. 

Fonterra Chief Executive Miles Hurrell told Mike Hosking there will be some kind of global slowdown. 

He says it will start in the US, where consumers are already feeling the impact of the tariffs, but any slowdown in the world's largest economy will ultimately be felt everywhere. 

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Schools operating over their campus capacity are getting creative to cater for roll growth. 

New data shows 17% of state schools had more students enrolled than their official classroom capacity last year. 

Another 71% are operating at capacity. 

Secondary Principals' Association president Vaughan Couillault told Mike Hosking packed schools typically put in more prefabs in the first instance. 

He says they may also start to make classes bigger or use libraries and meeting rooms as classrooms. 

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The Health Minister says their new $20 million health infrastructure plan is an answer to decades of under investment. 

The list includes new projects and general maintenance, but has no timeline. 

Simeon Brown told Mike Hosking the government will take time to engage with the private sector and see what they may be able to invest. 

He says the plan won't be delivered overnight but gives a clear indication of what needs to be done. 

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Increased global trade barriers —like Donald Trump's tariffs— are continuing to slow down New Zealand's economic recovery. 

Infometrics is drastically reducing its GDP growth forecast from 2.6% to just 1%. 

Many economists now expect the Reserve Bank to go harder for longer with OCR cuts, despite a likely rise in inflation. 

ASB Chief Executive Vittoria Shortt told Mike Hosking many businesses don't know how they'll be affected by the global uncertainty. 

He says confidence had started to reappear but is now dampening as things start going on hold. 

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