The Mike Hosking Breakfast

The end of an era for one of our most iconic sweets.  Levin confectioner RJ's has discontinued production of Jaffas, due to poor sales.  The orange-coated balls of chocolate were previously produced by Cadbury in Dunedin and have been on our shelves for almost a century.  Mike Hutcheson, former Managing Director of Saatchi & Saatchi, told Mike Hosking that a competitor would pick up Jaffas in a heartbeat.  He says it’s not just a sweet, it’s a symbol, and it’s possible to turn it around and make Jaffas a brand that means something.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The company overseeing the new infrastructure and ferries for Cook Strait is confident it can deliver by 2029.  Winston Peters has announced agreements to build and modernise ports in Wellington and Picton for the arrival of new Interislander ferries.  Ferry Holdings Chair Chris Mackenzie says there will be robust discussions between KiwiRail, Ferry Holdings, and ports on delivering the project.  He's feeling positive, despite New Zealand's track record with infrastructure.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The shakeup to shoplifting laws continues to be seen as a good first step among retailers, but the boss of Briscoes and Rebel Sport believes the devil will be in the detail.   Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith's unveiled the latest crackdown proposals, including speeding ticket-like infringements, and up to seven years prison time for theft more than $2000.      Briscoe Group Managing Director Rod Duke told Mike Hosking it's a terrific start and guesses there will be enforcement guidance to come.   He's hoping there will be consequences embedded in the legislation but given it could be a year in the making, they will have to wait to see what happens.  Duke also believes they’ll need to be strengthened down the line - the latest proposals may only deter some, as he says there are very experienced thieves around.  He says losing the money is catastrophic, but the bigger issue is the fact staff are abused, injured, and threatened in these situations.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Records have been set in Spain and Portugal as extreme heat continues to roast Europe.   Temperatures at or above 38C are expected through the week, rolling eastward to encompass France, Italy, and eventually portions of Eastern Europe.   A record number of heat alerts are in place across France, with 16 regions on red alert, and 68 others on orange alert.  Europe Correspondent Catherine Field told Mike Hosking while heatwaves aren’t uncommon in summer, there’s never been temperatures this high, this early.  She says Monday was the hottest June day in France ever, and it’s only going to get worse by Tuesday lunchtime.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Helicopters are such an Auckland issue.  I love helicopters. I have flown in a lot of helicopters.  Our place is on a flight path north. People who go to the Bay of Islands and to the flash golf courses north of Auckland fly over our place.  On a sunny Saturday they start 6.30am-ish in summer. On a still day you hear them coming maybe 30 seconds before you might see them.  Because I like them, I have never understood the Waiheke moaners who can't stand them and want them banned on their island.  To me a helicopter is full of people going places, i.e. tourists and golfers. These are people we like and want.  If you haven't followed the story, Ali Williams, once an All Black, and Anna Mowbray, part of the Zuru clan, are a couple and they have a house in Westmere, which is an inner-city suburb in Auckland. They applied to land their chopper at their place.  Cue the horror.  Far too much money and time has been spent on this – over 1400 submissions. That’s right, 1400. And what was mad about it was a number of submissions submitted that they had no view.  You can't make this up. The number of people who are clearly bored out of their minds is unreal.  Many a submission against their use of a chopper in suburbia came from people who don’t even live in Auckland. Not only were they not close to the landing pad, but they're not even in the same city, i.e. it's got nothing to do with you.  Lawyers, council staff, submissions, hearings, and Lord knows how many hours and dollars and, as you will have heard, Williams and Mowbray win. They can land at their place two times a day for no more than 10 times a month.  There is nothing, said the Commissioners, untoward, unacceptable, or significantly out of character with helicopter noise, which I think is fair enough.  But two questions;  1) How many got exercised out of petty jealousy, i.e. rich folks doing stuff we don’t like?  2) How unpopular does it make them? And do they care?  There is of course the precedent now. Suburbia and choppers are no big deal.  Very Auckland. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been a dream couple of months for Ryan Fox.  In May, the Kiwi golfer won the Myrtle Beach Classic, claiming his first PGA Tour win.   From there he made the cut for the PGA Championship, won his second Tour event at the Canadian Open, before making the cut for the US Open.   He’ll soon be heading to the UK for the Scottish Open and Open Championship, taking a week’s break ahead of the tournament.  “It’s been a crazy couple of months,” Fox told Mike Hosking.  “Going from trying to figure out where we’re gonna play gold, or where I was going to play golf next year, where we’re going to live as a family, to, yeah, being on the PGA Tour for a few more years now, and having a couple of wins and playing my way into the big events.”   He says he’s still trying to come to terms with it all, but it’s what he’s always dreamed of doing.  “It’s pretty cool.”  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 1st of July, we've got a new police college opening in Auckland today – is it a case of build it and they will come?  What is it about helicopters that gets us so exercised? Mike has some thoughts on Ali Williams and Anna Mowbray's helipad getting approval.  We haven't caught up with Ryan Fox since his success on the PGA Tour, so we catch him before he jets off to the UK for the Open Championship.    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.

A new start up that could drastically reduce your power bill will soon be available in homes.  Designed to replace the current switchboards, Basis Smart Panels aim to provide Kiwis with greater control over their electricity consumption.  With over 7,500 orders already contracted, the company plans to install 50,000 panels in the next 24 months.  Co-Founder Danny Purcell told Mike Hosking the panel provides full visibility as to how electricity is consumed in your house, which customers can use save money and make their homes safer.  He says the panel pays for itself fairly quickly, and they expect the payback period to be around 15-18 months for the average customer.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Action to attract crucial international investment.  Invest New Zealand is up and running, a government organisation that'll work with global investors to create jobs, boost innovation, and lift productivity.  It's been given $85 million over four years to cement itself.  Auckland Business Chamber CEO Simon Bridges told Mike Hosking that our settings were suboptimal, and we’re now getting better ones.  He says that they’re not world leading, but they are being made with impeccable timing, as they’re being made as the world’s increasingly turning to custard.  Bridges says there’s real enthusiasm for this in New Zealand, as new residents investing in businesses and startups will have a real flow on effect on the economy.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Deputy Prime Minister believes the Government would be better off with the part-privatisation of Interislander ferries.  A Treasury paper presented to Cabinet by the Minister for Rail, Winston Peters, says the Government can consider private investment to reduce costs.  David Seymour agrees with the idea and says the Government has been far too relaxed with capital.  He told Mike Hosking the Government is not a good operator of commercial enterprises, and there's no shortage of evidence for that.  Seymour says you have to balance the books, and at the moment the Government owns too many underperforming assets.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.