The Mike Hosking Breakfast Newstalk ZB

United States and Israel relations are further unravelling after the latest move by Benjamin Netanyahu.  

The Israeli Prime Minister's released a video where he's attempting to remove the block on a US bomb shipment that was introduced last month.  

He says during World War II, Churchill told the US "give us the tools and we'll do the job". 

He's now telling the US give us the tools and we'll finish the job a lot faster.  

The White House has pushed back saying it doesn't know what Netanyahu's talking about.  

US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that it's denying reports it's since cancelled a meeting with Israeli officials.  

He said that the White House says they’re trying to work out the calendar on that, which means they are seeking to paper over differences. 

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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. 

 

C-listers: 7/10 

Burn of the week. I love people who call it like it is. 

 

Granny flats: 7/10 

A common sense policy and we need more of it. 

 

GDP: 8/10 

Come on! We beat Australia! Can't you feeeell the growth? Surely this makes us a rockstar economy again? Surely? Right? 

 

The Defence Force plane: 3/10 

The outworkings of numerous Governments that lacked back bone and never understood basic investment. 

 

Sail GP in Christchurch: 4/10 

They said they wouldn't be back, and they won't be. When a dolphin beats growth, tourism, marketing and income it explains a lot about the malaise. 

 

Janet Dickson: 6/10 

Good luck to her. Real estate agents get what her argument is, but I suspect she will lose in court. 

 

Eden Park: 8/10 

A Super Rugby game sold out. About damn time. 

 

Joseph Parker: 8/10 

Warm vibes from me. A really nice guy who sits comfortably these days in his own skin. It's been awesome to watch the journey over the last decade. 

 

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Think hard before you jump. 

That was a quote from the Reserve Bank economist Paul Conway in a speech this week, as he tried to explain monetary policy, inflation and our general mess of an economy. 

The comment was, in part, an answer to a question about whether the approach the bank had taken to the economy was the reason why so many New Zealanders were leaving. 

"Think hard before you jump." The prognosis he went on to say was good. 

He is right, to an extent. It always comes right. 

This country, in fact this planet, is in a mess right now. But it hasn’t, and it won't be, that way forever. History is instructive. The "leaving New Zealand" debate has been had for decades. 

We have been in a hole many times before. Young people have hated the place dozens of times over. 

Half of Australia is filled with aggrieved Kiwis who bailed first chance they got. But I detect a slight difference this time. A lot of people ask, or say, that they don’t know if the Government can fix it this time around. 

That explains the current polling around confidence. Post election confidence went up because we had acted and we had lanced the Labour boil. But then reality came back for a visit. 

The books were worse than they thought, there were hidden dramas, fiscal cliffs, the economy got really ugly, and things started to bite. Whether this Government can turn that around is still an open question eight months on from the vote. Plus, it's winter and it's always worse in winter. 

For what it's worth, I don’t have a shadow of a doubt the Reserve Bank has made it worse than it needs to be. But I was around for Robert Muldoon and he was a calamity of historic proportions. It took Roger Douglas, and a series of deeply traumatic decisions, to right that ship. But he did it. 

This lot, with fortitude, gonads and no fear, can probably repeat the trick. 

But, as we have seen this week in surveys in Australia, they are just as unhappy. The millionaires in Britain are bailing in record numbers. Lots of people have lots of grievances. 

We are not alone. 

It doesn’t make our plight any less stressful. But we aren't the only basket case in town. 
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Threats of war are firing between Israel and Lebanon-based Hezbollah, sparking fears of a wider Middle East conflict.  

Israel's military says operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon have been approved.  

Meanwhile, Hezbollah says it would invade northern Israel should a war break out.  

Otago University Professor of Peace Studies Richard Jackson told Mike Hosking that it's unlikely Israel could take on both Hamas and Hezbollah, as the latter is a much bigger opponent.  

He says since the 2006 war Hezbollah's been massively re-arming and it has a lot more sophisticated weapons. 

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Wellington is gearing up for a weekend of indulgence with a huge chocolate festival in town. 

Chockstock is coming to the Harbourside Function Centre with chocolate tasting sessions starting this evening and wrapping up Sunday afternoon. 

More than 25 chocolate makers will feature in the exhibition. 

Co-Founder Luke Owen-Smith told Mike Hosking that the craft chocolate industry's growing. 

He says there are three times the chocolate makers there were a few years ago. 

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Kingsland is set to be buzzing as the Super Rugby Final kicks off in a sold out Eden Park. 

The Blues are playing the Chiefs tomorrow from 7pm, taking the home field advantage. 

Blues Coach Vern Cotter told Mike Hosking that the recovery of Patrick Tuipulotu was a good boost for the team. 

He said that he’s instrumental in putting everything in place, and gives the boys around him confidence. 

Cotter told Hosking that he knows the Chiefs are reasonably confident coming to Eden Park, but it is their home ground, and the Blues are proud to play there. 

“It will be a good battle.” 

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