The SME Stream

Earlier this week, an interesting proposal was made to shake up the way we use Superannuation. A report from Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand indicates a flexible choice of when people can start receiving NZ Super could improve affordability. Would this be worth it? And who should be considering this as an option? Financial Author Martin Hawes joins Tim Beveridge on Smart Money to d...

No new taxes. Free GP visits. Cheaper public transport. Solar subsidies. KiwiSaver changes. The election promises are coming thick and fast — but what will they actually mean for your finances? On The Prosperity Project, Katie Bradford joins Nadine Higgins to unpack how the major parties’ policies could affect your wallet, from tax and rates to KiwiSaver, student loans, solar panels, s...

National is promising to expand access to the 5 percent first home loan scheme.  If elected it says it will increase the income cap for eligibility so more people can access the scheme.  Singles and group buyers would be able to get it if they make $300,000 a year or less.  National Party Housing spokesperson Chris Bishop explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener f...

Reporting season has revealed better than expected results, with median growth across the economy at +21%, despite forecasters predicting it was going to be +16%.  "We've come out of a pretty long trough in the context of profitability that we've seen across the New Zealand listed companies," Forsyth Barr head of research Andy Bowley told Mike Hosking.  "But, it's unlikely to be uniform,...

National's plan to expand the First Home Loan scheme could help more people buy their first home - but isn't expected to transform the housing market. The party wants to widen access to five percent deposits. If elected, National would increase the income threshold so anyone earning less than 300-thousand dollars combined could access the scheme - up from the current 95-thousand dollars for single...

In this special series of The SME Stream Podcast, Wilhelmina O’Keeffe steps inside some of Aotearoa’s most loved small and medium businesses - exploring their culture, their stories, and how coffee helps bring people and ideas together. In this episode, Wilhelmina catches up with Nespresso's very own New Zealand Market Director; Andrew Bowring to discuss the journey of Nespresso coffee...

In this special series of The SME Stream Podcast, Wilhelmina O’Keeffe steps inside some of Aotearoa’s most loved small and medium businesses - exploring their culture, their stories, and how coffee helps bring people and ideas together. In this episode, Wilhelmina catches up with Dan Mclaughlin; the co-founder and managing director of Scapegrace to explore Scapegrace’s journ...

In this special series of The SME Stream Podcast, Wilhelmina O’Keeffe steps inside some of Aotearoa’s most loved small and medium businesses - exploring their culture, their stories, and how coffee helps bring people and ideas together. In this episode, Wilhelmina catches up with Portia Lawrence and Gavin Hunt to chat how coffee plays an important role in Signature Homes’ culture...

In this special series of The SME Stream Podcast, Wilhelmina O’Keeffe steps inside some of Aotearoa’s most loved small and medium businesses - exploring their culture, their stories, and how coffee helps bring people and ideas together. In this episode, Wilhelmina catches up with Co-Founder Nicola Taylor to talk about how the coffee machine has become the modern equivalent of the offic...

As business owners, you know how hard it is keeping up with your business, let alone the news. Join Wilhelmina O'Keeffe each week as she gives you a rundown of the biggest stories that could impact your business, so you can make informed decisions with expert advice.   This week,  It’s up again, so are further OCR hikes around the corner? Fuel tax relief means a shortfall for roads...

Westpac chief economist Kelly Eckhold says the tragectory for the OCR is still upwards, but not necessarily after every meeting now. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

OpenAI meeting claims New Zealand users are saving 4 hours per week on admin. Peter Griffin - Business of Tech Podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New data shows there's a subset of Kiwis who are being hit harder than most by rising interest rates. At least 3600 first home buyers owe more than what their home is worth, but Cotality suspects the number could be higher. Cotality Chief Property Economist Kelvin Davidson says true number in negative equity is likely to be higher because many bought with a deposit smaller than 20 percent. "If you...

Herald Now senior correspondent Katie Bradford says a new report reveals not getting scope and design done early enough is driving up costs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Long-term Government borrowing costs have hit significantly high levels all over the world, and experts are discussing the long-term implications of this. The US, Japan, Germany and many other countries have reached the highest levels of Government debt in nearly two decades, inspiring economists to coin the term 'debt doom loop'. Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See om...

Forsyth Barr’s Zoe Wallis breaks down what the OCR decision means for interest rates, markets and the NZ economy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Banks aren't expected to increase fixed rates after the latest OCR hike.  The Reserve Bank raised the Official Cash Rate another 25 basis points yesterday, bringing it to 2.75%.  Governor Anna Breman says they are moving it towards a neutral level of around 3%.  Co-operative Bank CEO Mark Wilkshire told Ryan Bridge the hike was largely expected, so those rates were already built in....

Question for you: is National's tax strategy working? What I'm talking about is the blatant strategy they have of swamping social media and traditional media with warnings about Labour, the Greens, and the Opportunity Party's taxes in a bid to freak you out so badly it drives you back to National. The reason I'm asking is that I'm not entirely convinced this is working. It just seems desperate and...

Methanex now... might Huntly's gas-fired generator be next? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In episode 70 of Leaders Getting Coffee our guest is Alex Martelli, a young innovator who is changing the way people buy real estate.   She’s a born and bred Aucklander who spent her entire schooling and university years in the city.  But somewhere in there a desire for travel was instilled, and she spent 11 years traveling the world and working with some of the biggest r...

Australasian venture-capital heavyweight Blackbird has closed a record $1.25 billion sixth fund – and its New Zealand general partner Phoebe Harrop Meadows says Kiwi companies are central to its investment strategy. The fund, described by Blackbird as the largest venture-capital raise in ANZ history, underscores the firm’s rise from a small Australian startup investor into one of the r...

Opposition Leader Chris Hipkins is waiting for the Government to release its pre-election fiscal update before explaining how Labour would fund a freeze to fuel taxes over the next three years. Speaking to Canterbury Mornings, Hipkins said Labour would need to wait until the government's books were opened to determine how it would fund the election promise, but he backed the party's plan to ease p...

The Reserve Bank Governor's defending the latest hike to the Official Cash Rate.  The central bank's raised the cash rate another 25-basis-points to 2.75%.  Anna Breman says they'll need to assess the impact of the past two OCR hikes before deciding whether to hike again.  But she told Mike Hosking yesterday's hike was needed to rein in high inflation.  She says if the OCR had...

The Reserve Bank has raised the Official Cash Rate 25 basis points, from 2.5 percent to 2.75. The Monetary Policy Committee agreed unanimously to the rise, broadly expected by economists and the market. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says this could have an immediate impact on retailers, as people will now have less money to spend in stores.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudi...

The Finance Minister says major gas user Methanex shutting up shop doesn't change the Government's argument for a Liquified Natural Gas terminal.  The methanol producer is closing its Taranaki plant after more than 30 years.  It cites the continued decline in domestic natural gas and no clear pathway to meaningful new supply.  Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking they'd already predicted...