The SME Stream

The Government’s plan to cut 8,700 public sector jobs and save $2.4 billion has been framed largely as a brutal cost‑cutting exercise.  In this week’s episode of The Business of Tech podcast, Hamilton‑based technologist Brandon Hutcheson argues it could instead be the catalyst for a once‑in‑a‑generation redesign of how government works – if we get the AI strategy right. He a...

Forsyth Barr Investment Adviser Mark Richardson weighs in as anticipation grows for the biggest IPO in history.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Better Taxes for a Better Future spokesperson Kate Stone talks about Facebook's ability to send NZ income to low-tax Ireland.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BusinessDesk's Riley Kennedy talks to Herald NOW Business from the first day of the sold out Fieldays in Mystery Creek. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Experts are warning investors to brace for a 'choppy' market in the tech sector. Some of the US's leading chip companies have been getting some extra attention on them, as the market looks set to change.  Milford Asset Management's Jeremy Hutton explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The High Court has ordered ASB Bank to pay $6.731 million for breaching anti-money laundering laws. The penalty is the largest ever imposed by a New Zealand court under the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Act 2009. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explained the case further - and whether it sets a precedent. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com...

Tough economic conditions over the past six years have taken a toll on the survival rate of small and medium-sized businesses, but franchises appear to have fared better. International data supplied by the Franchise Association of New Zealand (FANZ) indicates about 75 to 85 percent of franchises were still operating after five years, compared with about half of independent small businesses. Franch...

Newstalk ZB's Claire Sherwood joins Herald NOW with the latest headlines from the South Island.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For bars in particular, low spend shows a real reluctance to get the wallet out as many of us try to spend less. 2degrees Business wrap - Garth Bray.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it actually take to walk away from a stable career and back yourself completely? In this episode I sit down with Holly Egerton, founder of Succession and one of my first ever mentorship clients, who left eight years in law to build a business entirely on her own terms. This one is for anyone sitting in a job they like but do not love, wondering if there is something more out there for th...

House prices are still falling in real terms, construction is slowing and businesses are losing faith in a quick recovery. Liam Dann and Tamsyn Parker discuss what could be New Zealand's biggest property reset in decades,  They also explain why Auckland's economy is feeling the pain and consider whether upcoming GDP figures will show the recovery has stalled once again (probably). The Economy...

2degrees Shaping Business Report surveyed more than 500 NZ businesses providing a snapshot of how they're navigating increasing economic uncertainty. Video|Herald NOW Business    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister is promising more detail is coming regarding a billion dollar pre-Budget allocation. The funding's been labelled 'secret spending' by Labour. Nicola Willis says this reflects the Government's provision for a potential capital to operating forecast change in transport spend - that can be subject to future decisions. "That is literally what it is, and we will be taking policy de...

Manufacturing and rural doing okay, but slowing construction keeps a headwind on them. Mohandeep Singh - Craigs Investment Partners. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Energy and other fixed costs biggest problem for business, Apple boosts Siri AI, donation rebate cap hammered by charities. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New data shows Australian business confidence is on the up - but things are still gloomy across the Tasman. The survey from National Australia Bank showed its index ​of business conditions held at +3 in ​May, ending four months of losses. Confidence ⁠improved modestly to -14, from -23 in April. HSBC Chief Economist Paul Bloxham explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privac...

Christchurch's new stadium is helping drive national retail spending.  Paymark data shows spending through its Core Retail network rose 1.2% last month compared to a year ago.  Canterbury recorded the strongest regional growth, with spending up 2.8%.  Retail New Zealand's Carolyn Young told Francesca Rudkin that events drive activity.   She says the Six60 concert significantly...

New research paints a gloomier picture for business leaders.   The latest 2degrees Shaping Business Report suggests optimism about post-pandemic recovery has fallen away.   It says leaders are now shifting from recovery mode to simply playing the hand they've got.  Chief Business Officer Andrew Fairgray told Heather du Plessis-Allan people were looking for a return to normalcy in th...

Aspire Property Management's Mike Atkinson discusses tough times for landlords, calling it the worst market in 50 years.  For years the story was rental shortage, rising rents, desperate tenants, but now we’ve got softer rents in some main centres, more townhouses and apartments, and tenants needing affordability. So, the question arises, is it a renter's market, and if so, how long wil...

Could an old job be holding money you’ve forgotten about? In this episode of The Prosperity Project , Nadine Higgins speaks to NZBritannia founder Alun Rees-Williams about the UK pension money many Kiwis lose track of after working overseas. Some people discover multiple pension schemes from different jobs, and in rare cases, the amounts can be life-changing. They discuss why these funds are...

The former Minister for Primary Industries and current NZ Special Ag Trade Envoy, just back in the country, talks about Trump’s latest tariff debacle. Plus we look at the perilous state of the honey industry. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon joined Heather du Plessis-Allan to chat about his Australia trip. Lat week, after it was announced four New Zealand MPs would be banned from China for a year, Australia commented condemning China's decision. Luxon responded saying it was not a matter for Australia to be involved in, but today he stated he was 'appreciative' of the support anyway.  A focus of t...

Interest rates have begun to creep back up.   New Zealand’s largest bank, ANZ, has increased its rates across the board, hiking everything by 20 basis points except the one-year rate, which only increased by 10.  It's rates now start at 4.69% for its six-month “special” and go up to 6.49% for five-year terms.   So how high will they go and what should you do? Ed Mc...

A Christchurch mother is calling for changes to bereavement leave laws.  Sheena Hemens’ 27-year-old daughter Lauren was killed in a car accident nearly three years ago.  Hemens says grief kept her from working for months, but currently, the law only provides three days of leave.  She’s launched a petition to increase minimum bereavement leave to 10 days, saying many peop...

A Christchurch mother says current bereavement leave rules don’t give families enough time to grieve.  Sheena Hemens has launched a petition to increase the minimum entitlement from three days to ten, after her 27-year-old daughter Lauren was killed in a car crash nearly three years ago.  She says most people don't realise how little time you get to grieve until tragedy strikes, an...