The SME Stream

The Director General of MPI reviews the December Situation and Outlook for the Primary Industries (SOPI) that was released this morning. Kiwi farmers, growers, and primary producers are driving New Zealand’s economy with food and fibre exports set to reach a record $62 billion for the year to June 30, 2026. The sector now accounts for 83% of all NZ goods exports.  See omnystudio.com/lis...

There’s a view that New Zealand's still a while away from being a 'rockstar' economy.  Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update documents are coming out early this afternoon, carrying key economic metrics. Treasury's also releasing a Budget Policy Statement outlining priorities for upcoming spending. Former Finance Minister Steven Joyce told Heather du Plessis-Allan it was a pretty average year f...

Students are still battling to find consistent work leading into the summer break.  Fifty thousand people applied for work through Student Job Search in November – the highest number this year.  Chief Executive of Student Job Search Louise Saviker told Heather du Plessis-Allan while there are more jobs being listed, these are largely one-off or casual roles.  She says this means stu...

New data shows the service sector has now dipped in activity for six months in a row.  The most recent PSI recorded performance at its lowest since May, at 46.9.   For growth, it needs to sit at 50 or above.  ABC Business Sales CEO Chris Small told Heather du Plessis-Allan the results were a surprise.  He says the data had suggested the low point would be during Winter.  T...

The BNZ - BusinessNZ Performance of Services Index has slowed down, according to new data. Reports show it fell by 1.5 points to 46.9, sparking concerns about the future of the economy. Harbour Asset Management expert Shane Solly explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update is due to be unveiled to the nation tomorrow, and the Finance Ministers outlined her expectations.  Experts have speculated a projected surplus will be pushed back from 2029 by another year, and Prime Minister Chris Luxon tempered expectations earlier today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says 'fiscal discipline' will see New Zealand's eco...

AI is changing marketing faster than any shift we’ve ever seen and business owners everywhere are asking the same question: Will AI replace us? In today’s episode of Make It Happen , we cut through the hype and the fear to uncover what’s actually happening right now in the business world. Whether you’re a business owner, marketer, or skilled professional, this conversation...

The Deputy Prime Minister and Act Party leader makes his final appearance for 2025 as we discuss tomorrow’s Half-Year Economic and Fiscal Update (Hyefu). Plus, who is his Ag Person of the Year? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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In this episode, Sienna tells her dad Ben she wants to grow up and start her own beauty brand — just like Rowena Bird from Lush. Rowena’s journey started with literally mixing products by hand and somehow grew into helping build one of the biggest and most loved ethical beauty brands in the world. Sienna and Ben chat with Rowena about: What she was like as a kid and how she got into be...

The global dairy market is expected to face a period of weaker commodity prices off the back of a growth-filled 2025. According to Rabobank's Q4 Global Dairy Quarterly Report, global milk production growth is estimated to have peaked in Q3 2025. The Country's Jamie Mackay explained further.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The global dairy market is expected to face a period of weaker commodity prices following "stunning" global milk production growth across the second half of 2025, according to Rabobank, in its  Q4 Global Dairy Quarterly Report.   So is a $9 milk price now on the cards? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Drones have gone from hobbyist toys to decisive tools of war and essential infrastructure for industry. Few people have had a better vantage point on that shift than  FenixUAS founder Dr Andrew Shelley.  In the latest episode of The Business of Tech podcast, the economist and aviation specialist explains how a decade of incremental innovation has transformed uncrewed aircraft into platfo...

In Leaders Getting Coffee episode 55, our guest is the former National Party Minister, Speaker of the House and Ambassador to London, Sir Lockwood Smith.  Sir Lockwood Smith is one of those people you feel you know before meeting him. He first stepped into the public gaze as a television presenter of science programmes aimed at school age children. What started as a university holiday job del...

The new Reserve Bank Governor, Anna Breman, hosted an event for media earlier, allowing financial journalists to get their first look. Breman is monitoring the impact of tightening financial conditions, amid concerns about the state of the OCR. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recent trading updates indicate the nation's leading retailers are feeling the pinch ahead of the busy season. The Warehouse and Kathmandu are among the big names that have been seeing significant losses over the past few months. Milford Asset Management's Michael Luke says there's hope things will pick up in the next few weeks, given the demand brought about by Christmas and Boxing Day. LISTEN AB...

A signal from the Reserve Bank's led Westpac to hike rates - and one economist expects other banks could follow.  Westpac lifted two five-year fixed rates by 30 basis points yesterday. The bank's chief economist, Kelly Eckhold, says it seems the Reserve Bank's unlikely to cut the OCR again any time soon.  "We kind of expected that they would cut the rate by 25 basis points, but we didn't...

Kiwis are flying the coop, most of them heading for better opportunities across the Tasman. Latest Stats NZ figures show just over 124,000 migrant departures in the year to October, up nearly 7% - 71,000 of them New Zealanders. What is pushing our best and brightest out the door? And is the grass really greener on the other side? Today on The Front Page, NZ Herald Business editor at large Liam Dan...

The Prime Minister ponders an FTA with India, the RMA reforms, the latest 1News poll, and whether lamb beats ham for Christmas in the Luxon household. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Hipkins is hitting out at the Taxpayers' Union as it prepares to launch a campaign against Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  The lobby group is questioning Willis's track record on the economy.  Willis has responded, challenging chair and former finance minister Ruth Richardson to a debate.  The Labour Leader told John MacDonald the Taxpayers' Union has a view of "entrenched pr...

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A mortgage broker is saying not to panic about rising mortgage rates.   Westpac has announced a 30 basis point increase to its 2-5 year fixed rates.  They claim the move reflects rising wholesale rates and higher costs for long-term funding.   Sue Tierney told Heather du Plessis-Allan that people do have the opportunity to negotiate rates.  She says the bank has an advertised r...

The length of New Zealand's summer holiday - isn't as bad for the economy as some may think.  Prime Minister Chris Luxon's weighed in on debate - saying after working overseas, he's used to returning to work about January 3  - which he'll probably do again this summer.  Infometrics Chief Executive, Brad Olsen, says supermarkets and tourism boom over the period.  He says the pro...

In this episode of the Make It Happen podcast, Iyia sits down with viral content expert Jony Lee Head of Growth at The Attention Seeker with over 1M followers and 30M+ monthly views. To break down what actually makes content resonate online. Jony shares the emotional story behind the viral moment that launched her career, the framework she uses to create human-first content, and why building a bra...

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