The Weekend Collective

Today Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour, announced a $79 million boost over three years for tourism and farming by stopping the spread of wilding pines. The work will be concentrated around Queenstown, the Mackenzie Basin, the North Island’s Central Plateau, and New Zealand’s largest farm in South Marlborough. T...

This week on The Panel, Tim Beveridge is joined by journalist Wilhelmina O'Keeffe and Fieldays CEO Richard Lindroos to discuss the biggest stories from the week that was. These include the Brethren's anti-pet stance, budget announcements, prison officer arrests, and the accidental false announcement of King Charles' death.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The age of retirement is back in the forefront of news this week after a report from the OECD recommended means testing the age of eligibility for NZ Super or risk an unsustainable rise in public debt.  The agency says New Zealand's ageing population will continue to become a prevalent issue as the government tries to pull the economy out of the red.  But some finance experts say we shou...

Hearing loss is one of those things that sneak up on you.  In most cases, it's not something you notice as a sudden change - but you may catch yourself lip reading a little bit more often, or turning up the volume on the TV gradually over a few weeks or months. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Russian president Vladimir Putin says the war in Ukraine is coming to an end.  The conflict has been ongoing since Russia's initial invasion in 2022, and Putin had been speaking in the Kremlin following a very scaled-back Victory Day parade. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winston Peters has leaked, and the Government has confirmed, that this will be the final year of fees-free support for tertiary students.  The support was first introduced as a first year free incentive to help get more young people into further education, and was changed to be final year free last year.  The policy has cost almost $350 million a year since it was introduced, but it seem...

The cost of having or raising a child is often the most considered issue among couples planning to start or grow their family.  It's not just the shopping trips for prams and cots and nappies - it's the income loss over the months of parental leave and the endless sick days once daycare starts up.  Plunket estimates a medium-budget cost for raising a child for the first year comes to jus...

Staging homes has been a popular way to market your property for years.  It's not your home as you have lived in it God Forbid  but it gives potential buyers an idea of what their future home could look like if it were intentionally designed and hardly lived in.  We know our home likely won't look a whole lot like that once we move ourselves in - but there's a rising trend of digita...

This week on The Panel, Tim Beveridge is joined by Untidy Podcast host Matilda Green and Infometrics CEO Brad Olsen to discuss the biggest stories from the week that was.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All investment accounts are a bit touch and go at the moment.  If you're checking your KiwiSaver more than a few times a year, the amount of movement could really start to get to your head.  But for those close to or at retirement age, or about to withdraw for whatever reason - a volatile market can make all the difference.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor...

The weather is cooling down and winter is almost upon us...  That means winter sports will be starting up soon if they haven't already, and your muscles will be tighter and more vulnerable to injury than in the warmer months.  What injuries are more likely when it's colder out, and how can we avoid them?  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand has received a preliminary proposal from the United States requesting help in opening the Strait of Hormuz -  possibly as part of a coalition that would restore access to the strait. So yes we're apparently just one of a number of countries that received a proposal.  Foreign Affairs minister Winston Peters says we're seeking more information and as such won't be making a deci...

There's a new trend sweeping through social media - when your child is lost in a tantrum or a pre-teen spiral, you call out for your imaginary helper named Jessica, and more often than not it will confuse them enough to stop them in their tracks.  Distraction methods like this one have been used for years and years, but why do they work?  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for priv...

We've all heard the age-old advice you should buy the worst house on the best street - but is that still the case?  The divide between what's considered a 'good' or 'bad' street seems to be less obvious than what it once was, and the cost of building or renovating has skyrocketed in recent years. It's just not as easy these days to throw a little bit of cash and a few weekends of hard work at...

This week on The Panel, TIm Beveridge is joined by Taxpayers' Union's Jordan Williams and NZ Gardener's Jo McCarroll to discuss the biggest stories from the week that was.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Divorce is still one of those taboo topics we tend to avoid, but up to 40% of marriages end that way here in New Zealand, so it's probably about time we become a bit more comfortable with it.  It's not always a hostile end, some couples are even able to "DIY" their split in a sense - but is that really a good idea?  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've been hearing for a while an increasing concern around a lack of information about healthy eating.  You head to the doctor for a minor issue that's been bugging you for a while, and you're more likely to head home with a script for panadol and ibuprofen than a few print outs on maintaining a balanced diet.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SailGP won't be going ahead in the city of sails next year as the Government has pulled funding.  Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston wrote in a letter to mayor Wayne Brown that the event did not meet funding criteria, which requires a specific net economic benefit.  It's been met with disappointment, as funding continues for larger events such as Robbie Williams and Linkin Pa...

After much deliberation, the Labour Party has announced they'll back the India free trade agreement.  We do see cross party agreements, but just how important will bipartisanship be for this year's election?  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Doctors are seeing an increasing number of young people coming in with unexplained symptoms.  The prominent ones parents are probably seeing most frequently are the random headaches, stomach aches, difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much.  Parents will often treat their children with panadol and electrolytes, take their devices away before bed to avoid blue light, and hope the problem r...

Buyer's agents. They're projected to grow in popularity in the coming years, so what are they and who really needs one?  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Panel, Tim Beveridge is joined by Resident Builder Pete Wolfkamp and chemistry professor Allan Blackman to discuss the biggest stories from the week that was.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We often think of trusts as a way to protect your assets, especially if you work in certain fields - but a surprising number of regular families use them for a range of reasons.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For decades we've watched as professional athletes spend a whole lot of time warming up behind the pre-game interviews on game day, from stretching to sprinting and everything in between.  The professionals take it seriously and so do the amateurs - parents will know the rush to show up an hour or two early to make enough time for a thorough warm up on a Saturday morning.  LISTEN ABOVE S...

The Green Party have just had their annual State of the Planet Address, and this year they're calling for a National Electrification Plan.  They say it's in response to the current fossil fuels crisis, and would add to their previous calls for free public transport and solutions to ease the cost of living.  The plan would lay out a clear plan to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and use r...