There's a belief tax cuts to heated tobacco products will make a big difference for smokers.

Customs Minister Casey Castello has faced criticism for cutting the excise tax by 50%.

There are concerns over the lack of evidence to support the product and its possible appeal for young nonsmokers.

Action for Smokefree 2025 Director Ben Youdan told Mike Hosking it's an effective cessation tool.

He says for smokers who can't get into vaping, the tax cut will make this option very appealing.

LISTEN ABOVE

There's a belief tax cuts to heated tobacco products will make a big difference for smokers. 
Customs Minister Casey Castello has faced criticism for cutting the excise tax by 50%. 
There are concerns over the lack of evidence to support the product and its possible appeal for young nonsmokers. 
Action for Smokefree 2025 Director Ben Youdan told Mike Hosking it's an effective cessation tool. 
He says for smokers who can't get into vaping, the tax cut will make this option very appealing. 
LISTEN ABOVE

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The Mike Hosking Breakfast always cuts through and delivers the best daily on Newstalk ZB.

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show. Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda. The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion, delivers the best talent, and always leaves you wanting more. The Mike Hosking Breakfast always cuts through and delivers the best daily on Newstalk ZB.

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show.

Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda.

The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion,...

The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Ben Youdan: Action for Smokefree 2025 Director on the excise tax cut on heated tobacco products

Labor Day in the US has come and gone, and the polls are as tight as ever.

Seven states have emerged as battlegrounds, with Kamala Harris leading by slim margins in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, with Donald Trump ahead by slim margins in North Carolina, Arizona, Georgia, and Nevada.

Harris is pulling ahead in terms of public favour, with 46% having a favourable impression of her and 53% viewing her as qualified to be president, compared to 33% and 47% respectively for Trump.

US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that the gender gap is significant and growing.

He said that Harris leads among women by 13 points, up six since the Democratic Convention, while Trump is up 5 points among men in that same period.

LISTEN ABOVE

Labor Day in the US has come and gone, and the polls are as tight as ever. 
Seven states have emerged as battlegrounds, with Kamala Harris leading by slim margins in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, with Donald Trump ahead by slim margins in North Carolina, Arizona, Georgia, and Nevada. 
Harris is pulling ahead in terms of public favour, with 46% having a favourable impression of her and 53% viewing her as qualified to be president, compared to 33% and 47% respectively for Trump. 
US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking that the gender gap is significant and growing. 
He said that Harris leads among women by 13 points, up six since the Democratic Convention, while Trump is up 5 points among men in that same period. 
LISTEN ABOVE

Richard Arnold: US Correspondent on the latest in the US Election campaign

There are a number of things that stand out to me post-Covid that are disappointing.

Obviously the recessionary state this place has been in and the carnage it has caused, and continues to cause, although they are all ultimately tied to the one major event.

But tourism stands out as the most clear example of something we had and something we have now lost.

Not literally. They still arrive, but not like they used to and not even close. Something happened between closing the borders and opening them back up.

Initially it was a time thing and, apparently, it was a capacity thing because the planes weren't back yet.

But four years on, what some of us saw a couple of years ago everyone now sees, and the truth has been laid bare.

We are simply not up to it the way we once were. Bits are, like Queenstown and the general area, back plus some, and that’s awesome. But nowhere else is.

We are marooned at about 80% and that doesn’t count the gap between the 80% and the 100%+ it could have been, should have been, and all those tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of people who should have been arriving in these past few years. They went elsewhere.

Let's be blunt - it's not like the world hasn’t been travelling, they're just not travelling here.

Enter the new entry fee to the country. It triples and it'll be $100. Industry operators don’t like it, and I don't blame them.

Doing it tough is hard enough without heaping more cost on, but I assume the Government took that into account.

They defend it by comparing us to the fees of other countries. But isn't that the point? We aren't other countries and the numbers show it.

I still want to argue $100 should not be a barrier. If you spent three grand getting here, is $100 what tips you over?

But here is the inescapable truth - tourism, along with dairy, was the golden goose. And if we didn't wreck it, we irreparably harmed it.

I don’t see how making it more expensive improves our plight.

There are a number of things that stand out to me post-Covid that are disappointing. 
Obviously the recessionary state this place has been in and the carnage it has caused, and continues to cause, although they are all ultimately tied to the one major event. 
But tourism stands out as the most clear example of something we had and something we have now lost. 
Not literally. They still arrive, but not like they used to and not even close. Something happened between closing the borders and opening them back up. 
Initially it was a time thing and, apparently, it was a capacity thing because the planes weren't back yet. 
But four years on, what some of us saw a couple of years ago everyone now sees, and the truth has been laid bare. 
We are simply not up to it the way we once were. Bits are, like Queenstown and the general area, back plus some, and that’s awesome. But nowhere else is. 
We are marooned at about 80% and that doesn’t count the gap between the 80% and the 100%+ it could have been, should have been, and all those tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of people who should have been arriving in these past few years. They went elsewhere. 
Let's be blunt - it's not like the world hasn’t been travelling, they're just not travelling here. 
Enter the new entry fee to the country. It triples and it'll be $100. Industry operators don’t like it, and I don't blame them. 
Doing it tough is hard enough without heaping more cost on, but I assume the Government took that into account. 
They defend it by comparing us to the fees of other countries. But isn't that the point? We aren't other countries and the numbers show it. 
I still want to argue $100 should not be a barrier. If you spent three grand getting here, is $100 what tips you over? 
But here is the inescapable truth - tourism, along with dairy, was the golden goose. And if we didn't wreck it, we irreparably harmed it. 
I don’t see how making it more expensive improves our plight.

Mike's Minute: The tourist levy doesn't improve our plight

A Kiwi AI firm has caught the attention of College Football in the US’s Atlanta.

Designers from HyperCinema are turning the Hall of Fame into an immersive museum experience.

This technology, developed in New Zealand, could soon be used in museums and entertainment spaces across the globe.

CEO Miles Gregory explained to Mike Hosking that the experience places visitors into stories of college football, using AI to insert them into both video footage and static images.

He said that the technology is entirely malleable, if you can dream it, they can create it.

LISTEN ABOVE

A Kiwi AI firm has caught the attention of College Football in the US’s Atlanta. 
Designers from HyperCinema are turning the Hall of Fame into an immersive museum experience. 
This technology, developed in New Zealand, could soon be used in museums and entertainment spaces across the globe. 
CEO Miles Gregory explained to Mike Hosking that the experience places visitors into stories of college football, using AI to insert them into both video footage and static images. 
He said that the technology is entirely malleable, if you can dream it, they can create it. 
LISTEN ABOVE

Ben Youdan: Action for Smokefree 2025 Director on the excise tax cut on heated tobacco products

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