Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

Like many of us, I was hoping for a triumphant Saturday of wins - the AB’s against France and the Warriors against the Panthers.   OK fair enough that was probably a tougher call the latter one, but a double win would have been a much-needed morale boost for a country in the doldrums at the moment.   Sadly it was not to be. And after some fleeting optimism and pre-emptive excitement - we are all back in the doldrums again.   And our mood or collective funk is not only annoying, but it must be worrying politicians. Because when we are grumpy we are likely to go one of two ways.   Apathy - can’t be bothered - there’s no light at end of tunnel, everything sucks. Or two, the current situation sucks so bad we simply have to blow it up and start over. That option is bad news for Labour.   Mind you apathy’s not a great option for them either. I think we may be on track for setting a record for gloom in this country, in terms of how long it’s lasting, so I’m looking for silver linings. I was thrilled to see some hope

Ryan Fox must be wondering when the luck of the Irish will fall his way after finishing just short at the Irish Open for the third time of his career.  Fox, playing in his first tournament since the PGA Tour’s 3M Open in July, held a share of the lead midway through the fourth round but dropped a shot on the penultimate hole to end his chance of another victory on the DP World Tour.  Fox carded a final round 70 at the K Club to finish two shots (12-under) behind Swede Vincent Norrman at 14-under in a share of third. Norrman had the low round of the day with 65 to win his second tournament of the year.  The Kiwi finished runner-up last year behind Adrian Meronk and also in 2018, edged out by Russell Knox. This year he shared third with Grant Forrest (Scotland), Shane Lowry (Ireland), Triston Lawrence (South Africa) and Hurly Long (Germany).  Fox earns $315,000 (NZD$535,000) for his third placed finish.  He missed a birdie chance at the 16th which would have tied the lead, but the ball held up just short of the

National's being accused of missing the point with its target for emergency departments.  The party's pledging to bring back health targets if elected, including 95 percent of ED patients to be admitted, discharged or transferred within six hours.  Northcare Accident and Medical's Peter Boot told Kate Hawkesby they should be thinking about primary care, which is falling over because doctors are either moving offshore or about to retire.  “And National’s policy of bolstering up secondary care is completely missing the point. It’s like mopping up the floor when the roof’s leaking.”  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National Party is promising to build a new “Great Walk” as part of its new tourism policy.   It's planed an $14m upgrade the 80km Waiau-Toa/Molesworth walking track in Canterbury, creating the 11th Great Walk.  Hurunui Mayor Marie Black told Tim Dower that having a track of this distinction in their district would be a significant boost for the local and regional economies.   She said that the district would embrace something of this nature, and it could bring in the big spenders.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Labour's law and order policy would allow Police to confiscate cars, motorbikes, and even tractors.  Police Minister Ginny Andersen says it's designed for large scale convoys going through public roads, disrupting people's daily lives.  Criminal lawyer Steve Cullen told Tim Dower that it appears they'll come at them after the fact.  He says they will have to show there's a breach of the road laws by people in two or more vehicles.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Really? New Zealand First... really?  I mean, I know it's a pretty desperate time... we're all a bit lost and confused and disappointed, frustrated and seriously peed off at the state of the country right now.  But to see a poll showing New Zealand First potentially over the five percent threshold? I guess it shows how desperate things are for a lot of people.  It's not my place to tell you how to vote, or how not to vote, but what I will say is: just think of the history.  Think of the dramas, the twists and turns, how you thought you had a clear commitment on something, only to see a complete 180 when it comes to the crunch.  Think how many times we've been held to ransom, double-crossed, gaslit, and bullshitted... you really wanna go there again?    I've heard Chris Luxon saying he's focused on National and getting the best result he can, and I think that's the right tack to take.  But I suspect he and other senior figures in the party will be disappointed that they're not yet winning over more of the cent

Some in the dairy sector are less than convinced by Labour's five economic priorities.  The list includes growing an export-led country, boosting renewable energy, enhancing tourism, and focusing on sustainable agriculture technology.  Lincoln University Professor Jacqueline Rowarth told Kate Hawkesby she's confused by what the party's trying to achieve.   She says New Zealand already is a centre for agricultural sustainability expertise, and that's why delegations from other countries come here to see how we do things.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Automobile Association says when it comes to EV structure, investment needs to happen ahead of demand.  The AA's pleased with National's promise of 10-thousand public EV chargers over the next four years, a promise that will cost $257 million.  The party would also dump Labour's clean car discount scheme and ute tax.   Chief Policy Officer Simon Douglas told Kate Hawkesby that big car manufacturers are beginning to invest in electric cars.  He says we'll reach a point where EVs and internal combustion engine cars are equal in price, and things will take off.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The country's big four electricity providers are being accused of abusing their power.  Electric Kiwi is taking a complaint to the Commerce Commission, claiming that Meridian, Mercury, Genesis, and Contact are taking advantage of their market dominance and driving out competition.  Chief Executive Luke Blincoe told Kate Hawkesby the complaint is extensive.  He says there are 37 pages of examples of actual refusal to supply some hedge products and constructive refusal to supply, meaning prices are offered but they're well outside the market.   Mercury is rejecting Electric Kiwis' claim, saying it supplies hedge products to Electric Kiwi and other retailers.  It claims the electricity market is highly competitive.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In my ongoing obsession with all things canine, I was interested to see that Wellington has a problem at the moment with uncontrolled dogs.   It was reported in a Wellington City Council dog control report, that “the number of uncontrolled dogs has increased by 26 percent in the last year. Sixty-five attacks on people, 78 on animals, and 697 uncontrolled dogs were reported.” Not only that, but disturbingly ‘the report suggested the high number of attacks and aggressive dog behaviour appeared to be a nationwide issue.’   And I’m not surprised. The number of people who let their dogs off leash in parks or public spaces —who then run rampant menacing people— and other dogs is outrageous. And it’s not even the dog’s fault half the time, it’s poor ownership.   I was at a park the other day with my dog and an owner drove up, flicked open her car boot and two huge unleashed dogs leapt out and just went beserk all over the place running up to people and their dogs and bothering them, jumping up on them, running at ot

Dairy prices have risen for the first time in four months.  Overall prices are up 2.7% at this morning's latest Global Dairy Trade auction, making up slightly for a 7.4% fall at the last auction three weeks ago.  The news is even better for the all-important Whole Milk Powder price, which is up 5.3%.  HighGround Dairy consultant Stu Davison told Kate Hawkesby that it's too early to say whether this is a turn-around in the trend, or a one-off.  He says it's positive news nonetheless.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Having witnessed a supermarket theft the other day, as we all probably have by now, I was not surprised to see that supermarket crime ‘has surged’.   In just Foodstuffs North Island stores, it's reported there are ‘more than a thousand incidents a month.’ And the thefts are brazen. There was one video of a man ‘armed with a screwdriver stealing nine legs of lamb’. Foodstuffs say that in more than a third of these crimes, it’s repeat offenders.    So it’s not surprising they’re taking matters into their own hands and 'investing 45 million in security measures.’ They’ve had a ‘jump of more than 300 percent in assaults and thefts over the past six years'. And that's just physical assaults and thefts. In terms of security incidents in general, they're up more than 800 percent, reportedly.   I mean that's untenable as a business to have to put up with that. And so unfair on staff. They shouldn’t have to deal with the sort of crap they're now dealing with. 'Knives were a common weapon to be pulled on staff, and eve

Experts are warning against relying on Facebook Marketplace for your livelihood.  A New Plymouth couple has been locked out of their business account without explanation, cutting them from their income.  Social media expert Vaughan Davis told Kate Hawkesby that putting all your eggs in this basket is risky.  Davis says it means hitching your wagon to an offshore company who can change the rules at any moment.  He says the issue is becoming more common.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Senior doctors and dentists say they don't want to see anyone harmed by today's strike.  Members of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists will strike for two hours from midday after rejecting Te Whatu Ora's latest offer.  Around 250 planned procedures are being changed as a result.  Executive Director Sarah Dalton says there are contingency plans.  She told Kate Hawkesby that she's been taking calls in the last few days about surgeries that can't be delayed, and they've approved staffing for that.  But Dalton says many procedures are currently postponed or cancelled across the country every day due to a lack of staffing.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tourism is making a comeback and people are deciding to spend more time here.  Before Covid it was our largest export.  It's clambered back up to number three on the list, with visitors spending 2.1 billion dollars in the last quarter.  Tourism Holdings Limited Chief Executive Grant Webster told Kate Hawkesby that it's recovering faster than he anticipated, partly down to a good ski season and the Fifa World Cup.  He says we saw a lot of people visiting over winter, and the attractions in the regions played a big part.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A fascinating insight into what it’s like to move countries —which I think is timely given how many Kiwis are doing it right now— appeared on social media the last couple of days from an ex-pat living here.   It was reported that a British native said they were moving back home to England from NZ, because Kiwis lack interest in other people’s lives, and we’re short on banter. That part made me laugh to be honest because I think it depends who you hang with and where you are.   This person lives in Wellington so I can understand how people may be a lot more serious and intense in the political capital than they are other places. They’re more likely to be wokesters who easily take offence, that could be part of the problem. But this person said they’d not been able to form ‘fulfilling friendships’ in the 4 years they’ve been here, and that Kiwis take themselves too seriously.   I think we might take ourselves more seriously now, but we didn’t use to. But again it depends who you’re surrounded by and what your e

Gin-lovers rejoice!  The number of distilleries creating gin in New Zealand has shot up from just 15 to more than 150 in recent years.  So what are the challenges for owners working in a now-saturated market?  Mt Fyffe Distillery owner Justine Shroder joined Kate Hawkesby.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said Sunday that disposable vapes will soon be banned in the country as part of a national anti-smoking plan.  Borne, speaking on RTL radio, did not say when the ban would enter into force.  She said the government would soon unveil its new plan to combat smoking, which she said is the cause of 75,000 deaths a year in the country.  It will include a ban on disposable vapes, which she said “are giving bad habits to young people.”  “It’s a reflex and a gesture that young people get used to. That’s how they get into smoking,” she added.  Most of the disposable e-cigarettes, which are thrown away after they’re used up, come in sweet and fruity flavors like pink lemonade, gummy bear and watermelon that makes them attractive to teenagers. They are sold in France usually at a price of between 8 euros ($8.7) and 12 euros ($13).  An existing ban on the sale of electronic cigarette devices to those under 18 is not widely respected. Promoting or advertising such products is also ban

So a weekend chocka of political campaigning as the parties hit the ground running in the lead-up to the election.   I don’t know about you but I’m finding the whole lead-up so far a bit low rent. As in, a lot of gutter politics, name-calling, misinformation tactics, and a lot of needless disruption and chaos. And I reckon that puts voters off, so I’m not sure why political parties do it. It has the opposite effect of engaging people, I think what it does is make people think they’re all a bunch of clowns and they don’t want to vote for any of them.   Brian Tamaki’s Freedoms party has already said it hopes to cause ‘a massive political earthquake’ this election, and they seem intent on doing this by crashing other parties' campaign announcements.   Newsflash to Brian Tamaki, that’s not how you win friends and influence people. It certainly won’t win them anywhere near the pie-in-the-sky aim they have of getting 15 to 16 percent of votes.   Freedoms NZ protestors disrupted Labour’s campaign launch Saturday, a

Liam Lawson’s Formula One stocks continue to rise.  After impressing in his debut last weekend, the 21-year-old Kiwi posted a new season’s best result for the second AlphaTauri car with an 11th-placed finish in the Italian Grand Prix.  In just two races since replacing the injured Daniel Ricciardo, Lawson has come away with better results than the Aussie (two races) and teammate Nyck de Vries (10 races), proving he is ready for the top level of the sport, while he equalled the best qualifying performance of the second AlphaTauri car this season by putting it 12th on the grid at Monza.  After the race, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner confirmed Ricciardo (broken arm) is unlikely to return for the Singapore Grand Prix or the following week in Japan, meaning another few races for the Kiwi.  “Singapore, I don’t think there’s any chance he’ll be ready for then. It would be optimistic for Japan,” said Horner of Ricciardo.  There was a delay of about 20 minutes following the formation lap at Monza, as Lawson’s Al