Having argued the other week for compulsory KiwiSaver, it was sort of ironic, but probably lucky, that several reports came out post the comments that wanted the same thing.

Then enter Winston who wants it as well, and will pay for it, apparently with tax cuts.

Of course the tax cuts are completely unaffordable, but it doesn’t make the compulsion a bad idea.

I personally am not for compulsion, but it seems the only way to solve our never-ending inability to save.

Here is what possibly is the defining argument: a bloke called John O'Malley, who works for Deloitte, has written a paper on creditor and debtor nations.

That is when you take all of a country's financial dealings with the world and work out who owes what.

Places like Germany and Japan and Switzerland are what they call "creditor nations". They are owed money.

The debtor nations owe the money. It will not surprise you that New Zealand is a debtor nation.

Australia, which is where the paper originated, is what they call a "switcher nation". In other words, Australia has been a debtor, but the numbers have reversed dramatically. Net foreign liabilities have gone from 63% of GDP in 2016 to 32%, to now 24%.

If it keeps going, you're a creditor nation.

How have they done this? Well, it's through a number of things because economies are complex, but no small contributor has been superannuation.

Former Labor Treasurer Paul Keating introduced compulsion in 1992 from employee and employer, and they have never looked back.

Yes, they had the usual arguments – it cuts into pay rises, it's unaffordable, etc. But 30-something years later the proof is in the numbers. We have an average KiwiSaver of $30,000-ish. They have an average of $130,000-ish.

Recently, for the first time, they could say a person starting work and working for 40 years on an average salary could look forward to retiring in comfort.

So, a problem solved. They don’t debate retirement and its cost, and the wealth created makes them on the verge of being a creditor nation, joining the heavyweights like Japan and Germany and Switzerland.

So New Zealand or Australia? Who would you rather be?

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The US President's been treated to a day of processions, gifts and flypasts in his second state visit to the UK.

Donald Trump's attending a state banquet at Windsor Castle, hosted by King Charles, with about 150 other guests.

The King is cherishing the close ties between American and British people, saying the ocean may divide the two countries, but they're the 'closest of kin.'

UK Correspondent Rod Liddle told Mike Hosking they’re flinging every bit of royal regalia that they can at Trump in order to curry favour, and it seems to be working.

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Another case of a Kiwi punching above his weight.

Hailing from Christchurch, 20 year old motorsport driver Jacob Douglas is currently competing in the USF Pro 2000 Circuit over in the States.

He’s on the road to IndyCar, and has just wrapped up the season, finishing 5th overall and securing a win and eight podiums.

At age 16 Douglas made the move to America in order to chase his dreams, and told Mike Hosking at the time he didn’t realise how big of a deal it was.

“I was kind of just, y’know, another Kiwi going off overseas to chase my goals in sports,” he said.

“But it was a great experience, and yeah, I loved every minute of it.”

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Hamilton's first domestic jet service in 25 years will connect thousands of people to Christchurch every year.

Air New Zealand's Airbus A320 service will operate alongside two smaller planes, to be deployed to other parts of the regional network.

From today the 171-seat domestic jet will leave Christchurch at 3pm five days a week and return from Hamilton just after 5pm.

Waikato Chamber of Commerce CEO Don Good told Mike Hosking Air NZ wouldn’t have put a plane on that route if there wasn’t demand.

He says they’ve seen the opportunity and believe that it will grow.

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On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 18th of September, we look at the predictions of how bad Q2 was economically, and whether this is the worst of it.

Some extraordinary new numbers when it comes to youth crime that shows the Government is starting to get the issue under control.

Young motorsport driver Jacob Douglas details his path to IndyCar and why he moved to the US by himself at only 16 years old.

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

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Top musicians are taking their music off Spotify and leaving the platform behind – but why?

Kiwi musicians like Tiki Taane and The Bats have joined overseas acts like Deerhoof and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard in boycotting the platform, accusing it of exploitation, poor royalties, and subsidising big international acts.

As it stands, each stream earns an artist around one-twentieth of a New Zealand cent.

Tech commentator Paul Spain told Mike Hosking artists are making a fair point, as Spotify has been increasing their prices, but not artist payouts.

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The vast majority of New Zealand's foreign tourist levy is being held on to by the Government.

Budget documents show up to $139 million is being banked from the International Visitor Levy for Crown spending.

This year's budget allocated $55 million a year to spending in conservation and $35 million to new spending in tourism from a pot of almost $230 million.

Minister of Conservation Tama Potaka told Mike Hosking it helps cover the costs of all things used by tourists, not just things like conservation.

He says tourists also use the health system and roads, not just conservation estates and tourism areas.

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The Children's Minister is attributing a reduction in youth reoffending to boot camps, even though they haven't started yet.

The Government says serious and persistent young offending has dropped by more than 14% since June 2023.

Northland experienced the greatest decrease at 40%.

Minister Karen Chhour told Mike Hosking there have been significant developments.

She says they've learnt a lot from the military-style academy pilot, which has informed other programmes.

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