Best of Business

Your bank may soon be able track your carbon footprint. The software does this through tracking transactions, which they can then understand what the likely carbon footprint is. It was developed in the UK, and Westpac already have something similar here. Business commentator Rod Oram joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A visiting expert on China is concerned that we're too dependent on China. These comments come as Jacinda Ardern urges diplomacy with China over Pacific tensions. China visiting expert Jeremy Goldkorn joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A survey has found Aussies view Kiwi exporters as "informal", "unsophisticated" and "bad at long-term relationships". The survey is from the government body NZ Story. They asked Australians how they viewed New Zealanders as trading partners. NZ Story CEO David Downs joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Beware the wisdom of the academic. AUT's David Williamson is weighing into the labour shortage debate with the insight only an academic can give; if you can't pay decent wages, don’t be in business. It dovetails into the Government's view which is broadly the same. But that has been slammed by most because of the arrogance of commentary and law based on no experience whatsoever. If you have “been...

Concerns the Government are rolling on through with environmental policy changes without any care that farmers are struggling to keep up. On June 9 we will get the draft of the Indigenous Biodiversity National Policy statement - this is all to do with the SNAs. This is while farmers are also trying to deal with policy changes on water, climate, conservation and the resource management act. So a jo...

Performance reviews for a lot of businesses this week and 87 percent of workers expect to discuss money. 42 percent of companies say salary reviews are the most anticipated method to combat staff leaving. Sandy Gibbs is head of People and Culture at Tribe Recruitment, who joined Tim Dower. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another job for an old mate has been announced by the Government. If as a child, you grew up and you were asked what do you want to be when you grow up and you said I want to be a Grocery Commissioner, the way is now clear for you to do so! Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister David Clark announced that a grocery commissioner is to be appointed during an update on progress being made to bring su...

There are suggestions it’s time we do away with TV show intros. We have some numbers around the ‘skip intro button’ - ever since Netflix introduced it in 2017 they estimate that it's pressed about 136 million times per day, saving viewers 195 years in cumulative time. However some argue that without an intro you don't get the build up, the music creates a certain atmosphere, you wouldn't have been...

A Kiwi skin cancer expert who consults some of Los Angeles' biggest names has created the world's first vegan non-injectable wrinkle reduction serum. Dr Sharad Paul has been featured in Time magazine as one of the world's celebrity scientists and is even filming a documentary on Netflix. But this world-first serum is said to be a game changer in the multi-billion dollar dermal filler market. LISTE...

Some are proposing an argument to be made for young New Zealanders looking to invest to avoid the housing market and get into their first business. Concerns have been raised around problems with consents for new homes, the volatility of the housing market, combined with a new survey which says 77 percent of people thinking home ownership is unaffordable. Between October last year and January this...

Consumers shouldn't expect to see savings at the checkout any time soon. Consultation is underway on a draft code between major grocery retailers and their suppliers - the Government will also appoint a Grocery Commissioner later this year. Founder of online grocery retailer Supie, Sarah Balle, told Mike Hosking the code of conduct won't make a big difference for a while. “It’s not going to move t...

A supermarket watchdog looks set to stir up competition in the sector. Consultation is underway on a draft code between major grocery retailers and their suppliers - the Government will also appoint a Grocery Commissioner later this year. An earlier Commerce Commission report found a supermarket duopoly was driving up prices at the till. Vegetables New Zealand Chair John Murphy told Kate Hawkesby...

Didn’t you always know that this Government, in clamping down on something, would involve a working group, a watchdog, a commissioner or a report? Turns out they’ve gone with a mix of all four. ‘Grocery Commissioner’ is the official title of the watchdog being set up. Supermarkets must be quaking in their boots. Not. It will take a while to establish – first they need to set up legislation round i...

Business confidence has taken a dive this week. But what does mean for the Reserve Bank's decision on the OCR next week? The main issue for the Reserve Bank, however, is inflation. Infometrics chief forecaster Gareth Kiernan joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jacinda Ardern has stressed the need for regenerative tourism in Sydney. She said that we need to promote clean, green tourism and tourism that embeds Maori values. She also wants airlines to shift towards using cleaner types of fuel.  NZ Herald Wellington Business Editor Jenée Tibshraeny joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He Waka Eke Noa needs some critical tweaks to work. This is according to the Climate Change Commission. For now, they recommend cracking on with the existing plan to get farmers to pay for their climate emissions. Climate Change Commission chair Rod Carr joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Interest rates may have already reached their peak. In May 2020, borrowers taking out a standard one-year rate were paying an average of 3.2 percent, but that increased to just over 5 percent in May this year. It comes as ANZ, BNZ and Westpac cut their two-year fixed mortgage rates. Squirrel Mortgages CEO John Bolton says told Heather Du Plessis Allan the OCR will keep increasing, but longer-term...

Covid-19 cases have been climbing, with experts warning we're in a new wave of the pandemic. Some experts say New Zealand should be considered. Auckland University Covid modeller David Welch says cases are likely to keep rising, putting extra pressure on the health system. He says he certainly wouldn't rule out going back into red within the next few weeks -- but he concedes it may not be politica...

One Queenstown hotel thinks the secret to getting more guests is to treat the kids like VIPs. The Holiday Inn Queenstown Remarkables Park are doing a 'Very Important Kids' program during the July holidays, a partnership with businesses around the town to offer discounts at a number of attractions. General Manager of the Holiday Inn Queenstown Remarkables Park Mathew Simister joined Mike Hosking. L...

Inland Revenue is on the chase for unpaid taxes from construction and property investment firms. Deloitte has seen an increase in action and companies coming to them for help. Craig Elliffe is a tax expert at Auckland university and joined Kate Hawkesby. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The tourism bodies of New Zealand and Australia are collaborating for the first time today, as part of the Prime Minister's trip across the Tasman. The event includes a speech from Jacinda Ardern, and a panel with Minister of Tourism, Stewart Nash, and his Australian counterpart. Tourism Industry Aotearoa Chief Executive, Rebecca Ingram, says told Mike Hosking there'll be a lot of industry leaders...

Covid is exacerbating labour shortages, with Sealord asking office staff to work the factory floor. The company has only recruited 150 of its usual 450 workers in its Nelson wet fish processing factory. It comes as there were close to 10,000 community covid cases across the country yesterday, up more than three thousand on the day prior. Sealord Chief Executive Doug Paulin told Mike Hosking Covid...

A shock to an old classic. Toyota's announced the most popular car model in the world - the Corolla will only be sold in hybrid-electric versions by the end of the year. Toyota New Zealand chief executive Neeraj Lala told Kate Hawkesby it joins some of their other models that have become fully hybrid. He says their plan has always been to move towards a fully electrified line-up, so this is a step...

Optimism that the country can side-step stagflation. The latest NZIER survey has business confidence at its weakest since March 2020, with 62 percent of businesses expecting economic conditions to deteriorate. ASB Bank is warning of the possibility of stagflation, where there's high inflation and recession. ANZ Chief Economist Sharon Zollner told Mike Hosking to have persistent stagflation, the Re...

The path to avoiding a hard economic landing continues to look tricky. Business confidence has plummeted back to March 2020 levels in NZIER's latest survey, with 62 percent of businesses expecting economic conditions to deteriorate. ASB is warning of the possibility of stagflation. JMI Wealth Director Andrew Kelleher told Mike Hosking nothing in this survey suggests it's getting any easier. He say...