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.

Good ideas: 7/10

Not a bad week. Monthly inflation data, the census scrapped, the Housing Minister to overrule council and health targets improving. Things feel a bit like they're moving.

The Crusaders: 7/10

A great comeback story for Rob Penney, who was vilified a year ago, on the verge of being a hero this weekend.

Nico Porteous: 7/10

Story of the week in some ways for me. Living his dream, charting his destiny, and mature beyond his years. I wish him well.

Venice: 3/10

They're protesting the Jeff Bezos wedding. He has booked the place out, he is throwing money at the joint, and they are a tourist town. What is it you want?

Radio NZ: 4/10

They're looking for people to quit and that, sadly, is what you get when the Willie 'Snake Oil' Jackson rolls his circus into town to hand out lollies that can never be real.

The world: 4/10

It’s a mess, isn't it? This time last week yet another war started and where traditionally we have a country and a leader that rises to the occasion, sadly these days there's no such luck. He's too busy launching his gold phone.

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I think this was the move of the week.

Housing Minister Chris Bishop dropped the bombshell on local body operators that the Government has decided to give him the power to intervene around housing in local body decision making.

Mind you, we could argue scrapping the calamitous Census was a good move, and indeed I'm a massive fan of reporting inflation data on a monthly basis, which sort of makes us look like a first world country. These are all good decisions.

But as regards councils and housing, in the broader interests of this small country finally getting its fiscal act together, this move cannot come soon enough.

The simple truth is we are over councilled. We have ludicrous numbers of local do-gooders in a vast array of fiefdoms making decisions that may, or may not, make any sense locally, far less incorporating themselves into the bigger national picture.

Part of the problem is too often councils have not been up to much. Too many councils are littered with acrimony and in-fighting, progress is stalled, or watered down, or major work is ignored in favour of more headline grabbing material that makes the local representatives look good.

Not all of course, but too many.

From Tauranga, to Wellington, to Christchurch, to Invercargill; the infighting and dysfunction has become legendary.

What you can say about central Government that you can't say about local Government is most of us took part in the democratic process and as a result this Government, rightly or wrongly, has a mandate to get on and do stuff.

Mainly, stuff that got cocked up by the previous Government.

If there has been a constant theme of this current Government, even from its broad-based supporters, it is that they haven't done as much as they might have.

They have plans and ideas and announcements and KPIs. What they don't have is a vast array of results.

They don't have tangible things that have been changed leading to us quite clearly being better off.

With the Bishop announcement it would appear that message and the lack of traction is finally hitting home, and they have sat around the Cabinet table and worked out they have about a year left to put some major runs on the board so that election time is about delivery and not more promises.

The country basically is too small for this many councils and committees. A lot of decisions have major national economic implications and as such, central Government has, or should have, a say.

They will hate it of course. They will gnash and wail and moan about local democracy. But guess what? Big picture economic success is more important.

The big picture, generally, is more important. The national story is more important.

Christchurch learned this last week over their intensification scrap, which lasted years and cost them millions, that this Government is serious and on a central vs local head-to-head, only one side is coming out on top.

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Are early finishes to blame for the surgical backlog?

Surgeon Chris Wakeman claims that public health professionals won’t perform surgeries past the 4pm cutoff, causing backlog issues.

Health NZ’s Chief Clinical Officer Dr Richard Sullivan told Mike Hosking that early finishes do occur.

The rosters generally run until about 4:30/5pm, and he says that there are very few operations that can be done in less than half an hour.

He says they’ve been running weekend theatres to try get more people through, but you need quite a big work force to do that consistently.

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With Matariki this weekend, we’ve come to the end of a short week.

Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson joined Mike Hosking to get their session of Mike-bullying in early – going after his expensive tastes, his lack of control over his life, and his special burgundy suede loafers.

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The latest carbon auction was a bust.

It attracted zero bids, becoming the eighth auction to be declined.

The secondary market currently sits around $58 a tonne, while the auction price sits at $68.

ACT’s Climate Change Spokesperson, Simon Court told Mike Hosking it shows that industrial emitters, such as coal users, already have enough units in the carbon bank to pay for this year's emissions.

With the success of the secondary market, Court says it’s evidence the Emissions Trading Scheme and the carbon markets are working quite well.

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The Crusaders’ current Super Rugby season is like chalk and cheese when compared to the las.

They missed the playoffs in 2024, with just four wins in 14 matches.

In contrast, this year sees them host the grand final against the Chiefs – clashing at the Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch on Saturday.

Coach Rob Penney told Mike Hosking the Chiefs have beaten them twice this year, but neither team is the same team as they were on those occasions.

He says it’s going to be another tight match, and the team that holds its composure the longest, prepares the best, and plays the best will be the ultimate victors.

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On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 19th of June, what will our GDP number look like? It’s set to look quite healthy, but will that give us false hope in Q2?

The Crusaders are going to win the Super Rugby final this weekend, so coach Rob Penney is on to tell us how they’ll do it.

It’s a short week, so Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson get to have their Mike-bullying session slightly earlier as they Wrap the Week.

Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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A sleep-expert assures Melatonin is safe, but is still urging people to take caution.

Medsafe has given approval for the sleep drug to be available over the counter at pharmacies.

It is commonly used to treat insomnia or jet lag.

Sleepwell Clinic Director Alex Bartle says potential side-effects are fairly minor, and long-term effects aren't fully understood.

However, he doesn’t believe it’s as valuable as it’s made out to be.

Bartle told Mike Hosking behavioural treatments are much more effective.

He says a 2017 study shows a person's total sleep time after taking the medication didn't improve, and says he doesn't prescribe Melatonin at all.

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