Forget Greenland – in our own backyard we have growing action in the Pacific between America and China.

This is not breaking news, but the US is trying to renew its strategic compact ties with places like Palau and the Marshall Islands, and testimony in front of the House Committee on Natural Resources suggests China is waging a sustained influence campaign aimed at weakening democratic institutions and strategic alignment in the Pacific.

Now this is all good news for us, given it felt like America wasn’t that overtly interested in the Pacific these past few years.

But Trump seems active everywhere, so the more they are alert to what's going on, the better.

The downside though is that there appears nothing we can do. Despite the efforts of us and Australia, too many Pacific nations have gone, to a degree, with China and that is for the simple reason of money in whatever form.

Places with no dough tend to like a large cheque and when our moderate sized cheques got replaced with much bigger cheques the writing was on the wall.

The Cooks is your best and closest example. We can withhold aid until we are blue in the face, it is not going to make a jot of difference.

Enter Winston Peters, who I always thought has got the advantage of experience in matters like this and it has, and is, making him a very able Foreign Minister.

But he has come on this show a number of times and argued the value of friendship.

As I have pointed out the cold, hard reality of Chinese money and promises, he has countered with what seems to be the genuine belief that friendship matters.

I fear that’s an old man talking. His view is muddled by a bygone era, hope and good vibes.

It would be nice to think friendship was a thing, but it doesn’t beat dollars.

Some in the Pacific will still say it could have been different if we and Australia had been more generous over the years, but I don’t believe that for a minute either.

China is here and they are shopping. The upside is America, at last, has not just woken up, but they might just be awake and alarmed enough to do something about it.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.

Trump's week: 2/10

Outside the usual madness came the NATO soldier Afghanistan insult and a dead man in Minneapolis, followed by the usual flannel about domestic terrorists. This time the backlash was real, forceful, and might well stick.

The rugby union: 4/10

Too many rules around the coach. It's a classic case of overthinking it – just go get the best.

NZ Post: 6/10

Yes, we would all like a post shop in the lounge, but it's not real so at least good on them for telling it like it is and defending a tough, but realistic, decision.

Fees Free: 2/10

Data that shows why the polls are where they are. Very few are keen on a repeat of that level of fiscal carnage.

Judith Collins: 8/10

Not just time (24 years) but a workload and a legacy. You don’t get 18 portfolios without leaving an imprint.

LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We end the week with a reality check.

I was a bit underwhelmed by the Government's response to the last couple of week's weather events.

$2 million is not a lot of money, which in a way is good because it indicates the damage isn't that bad.

The damage is that bad. It's just the big stuff, the roads and bridges and infrastructure, is being paid for out of contingency budgets in various Government's departments.

Fine. But as I asked, and got no real answer to, is that the plan, is it?

Build it, watch it get destroyed, patch it up, watch it get destroyed and patch it up? It's not my favoured plan.

I asked Penk, Mitchell, and Luxon what the big picture is. There is one, they reassure us. Not sure of a timeframe, which is political speak for "it's on the never-never".

Yet in the Post from AA Insurance to the Buller District Mayor is the news they will be suspending cover for the region. No new business in the postcode of 7825, Westport, Carters Beach, and Cape Foulwind.

This is where this goes. Just how many letters from how many insurance companies do you want before the big calls need to be made?

Matata should have been the red flag and that started 20 years ago. Already Wellington, for other reasons, has insurance issues.

The Upper Hunter Valley in New South Wales has been dealing with it for years. Even if you can get cover, it's at least $50,000 a year.

There are, rightly or wrongly, sadly or not, chunks of the country that look problematic. Ignoring them or relying on an ever-increasing contingency budget is not going to make them any less so.

The Government.is always the last port of call in crisis. The taxpayer will always be the one asked to provide the accommodation and bridge and food when the climate tips life upside down.

Federated Farmers said it's not acceptable to have State Highway 2 to Waioweka cut off. Correct, it isn't.

But the Government's answers are more band aids. AA Insurance's answer is no more cover.

One of them is missing the point. One of them is showing you how this unfolds.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump's border chief is working on an eventual draw-down plan of immigration agents in Minneapolis.

The US President sent Tom Homan to the city after two protestors, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were shot dead by federal officials in Minneapolis.

He's told a news conference he wants to see common sense co-operation, which allows the number of ICE officers in the city to reduce.

US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking details for the wind-down plan are scarce, but it would involve having ICE agents seek more access in jails.

This would mean they’re rounding up criminals, instead of people on the streets or in front of home supply stores, he says.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 30th of January, Trade Minister Todd McClay responds to Winston Peters’ comments on the Free Trade Agreement with India.

Liam Sceats joins the show to talk his wildcard entry into the 70th NZ Grand Prix this weekend.

Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson Wrap the Week and talk Judith Collins and smashing rackets.

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

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The week has come to an end, so Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson are back with Mike Hosking to Wrap the Week that was.

They discussed music and Bruce Springsteen's new song, Judith Collins, and smashing rackets.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The most coveted crown in New Zealand motorsport is on the line this weekend.

Highlands is hosting the 70th edition of the NZ Grand Prix, which is running under the new NextGen NZ Championship banner

And the 2024 winner, 20-year-old Liam Sceats, has been handed a last-minute wildcard into the field.

The championship has been running for the last three weekends, but he told Mike Hosking he’s only jumping in for this one.

Sceats says it’s not going to be easy jumping in at this stage, but he’s spent two years in these cars and won in 2024 on this exact track, so he’s feeling confident.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a belief there may come a point when insurers’ goodwill runs out in areas most exposed to climate risk.

AA Insurance has told Buller District Council it’s temporarily stopped offering new home and landlord cover in Westport due to flood risk, though existing policies can still be renewed.

MinterEllisonRuddWatts insurance partner Andy Horne told Mike Hosking it’s unusual for an insurer to be this open.

He says the reality is insurers are increasingly making risk-based decisions about where they’ll offer cover.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.