The SME Stream

In Leaders Getting Coffee episode 57, our guest is The Right Honourable Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of New Zealand. A typical Kiwi upbringing was a hallmark of young Christopher Luxon’s life. The oldest of three brothers, he grew up in Christchurch and later Auckland, with working parents and a work ethic that was obvious early. He was a sports mad kid, but it didn’t stop there....

A half-tonne metal “donut” silently floating in a vacuum chamber in Wellington might sound like science fiction. But as you’ll hear in the latest episode of The Business of Tech, it’s very real – and it could reshape New Zealand’s role in the global race for nuclear fusion. This week, I sit down with BusinessDesk journalist Greg Hurrell to unpack OpenStar &rsquo...

The PM ponders Trump’s tariffs and the potential of selling Pāmu. He also discusses the industry kickback against the RMA rural reforms and falling electricity prices. Plus, the fall of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (the artist formerly known as Prince). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A positive financial result has gentailer Meridian thinking about infrastructure upgrades.  It recorded a half year profit after tax of $227 million. Chief executive Mike Roan says they're considering increasing capacity at the Pukaki dam in the Mackenzie basin.  He says it's still early days though.  "The question that I've asked the team is - is it economic to do it? Does it actua...

NZ Property Investors Federation's Matt Ball joins Ryan to discuss the concerns See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PGG Wrightson’s chief executive is naturally upbeat about his company’s good half-year result, a barometer of the positivity in the rural New Zealand economy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AI firm Anthropic has made upgrades to their Claude model and it's sparked concerns about what this could mean for markets and jobs. Claude specialises in coding and technology, and IBM's stock recently took a hit - with experts citing the model as a reason. Milford Asset Management expert Andrew Curtayne explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It feels like the golden days for dairy farmers as they celebrate a record-breaking year.  Dairy NZ's annual state of the dairy nation report shows farmers produced an unprecedented 21 billion litres of milk in the 2024/2025 season.   The sector smashed export records – raking in more than $27 billion.  Dairy NZ Chief Executive Campbell Parker told Mike Hosking it reflects the...

Findings claim the Government extinguishing pay-equity claims destroyed an earlier system that was fit for purpose.  The People's Select Committee - a group of 10 former women MPs - has released its final report on the changes rushed through by the coalition under urgency last year. It held three months of hearings and almost 1400 submissions. Group chair and former National MP, Dame Marilyn...

Garth Bray joins Ryan to talk about the latest in markets thanks to Forsyth Barr. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Uber Eats will offer over 30,000 hardware, gardening and trade supplies on their app. CEO of Gorilla Technology joins Ryan to talk about what this means for retailers and consumers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PwC's annual CEO survey found a majority of bosses are most concerned about AI. PwC CEO. Andrew Holmes, joins Ryan to discuss the concerns. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Garth Bray joins Ryan to discuss the flurry of half year results that have been released with thanks to Forsyth Barr.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The cost of living is hitting Kiwis hard, with new data showing Aucklanders are more likely to be worse off. More than a third of New Zealanders have a savings balance of less than $500, according to new data from Westpac. Westpac's Financial Wellbeing programme manager, Warren Ngan Woo, says Auckland is a big city where things cost more, which eats into people's ability to save money. "This is ju...

In this episode, I walk you through exactly how to start a business in 2026 - even if you have no idea what you’re doing. From finding your first profitable idea to launching quickly without overthinking, I break down the simple steps that helped me turn one product into $3.5M in my first year. You’ll learn how to spot business opportunities hiding in your everyday life, the mindset sh...

The Prime Minister says visitors should be able to enjoy new investments in our city-centres - without feeling intimidated. The Government's introducing "move-on" orders - allowing Police to order people begging and sleeping rough,  to leave a public space for up to 24 hours.  They'll be slapped with a $2000 fine or up to three months’ imprisonment if they refuse. Chris Luxon told...

On Saturday Donald Trump announced a 10% levy on all goods coming into the US in response to the Supreme Court ruling his other tariffs unconstitutional. The new global tariffs were updated to 15% on Sunday. Economist Cameron Bagrie joined Tim Beveridge to talk about the implications for kiwi businesses.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Minister of Trade tries to clear up some of the confusion surrounding the latest on the Trump tariffs and the Indian FTA. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trade Minister Todd McClay on what the latest twist in the tariffs story means for businesses in NZ. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business appears to be booming in most parts of the country. ABC's quarterly market report shows business sales are up 28 percent on this time last year, with average prices up three percent. It finds 507 completed sales over a 12 month period - a new historical high. ABS Business Managing Director Chris Small told Mike Hosking that there's a link between sales and the current state of the economy...

Donald Trump remains steadfast in his pursuit of sweeping global tariffs - slamming a US Supreme Court decision outlawing them as anti-American.  The President's now taking advantage of a never-used trade law to enact 15 percent temporary levies, under the guise of a balance of payments deficit. Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly unpacked the market reactions. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio....

Genesis Energy says fresh Crown investment into the power generator will go towards building infrastructure.  The Government's confirmed it will put up to $200 million dollars - letting it retain its 51 percent shareholding, as Genesis launches a capital raise. Chief executive Malcolm Johns says the money will speed up its ability to build. "We're gonna build some solar farms, some grid-scale...

Signs of a turnaround in the retail sector as sales rise.  Stats NZ data shows sales jumped by $239 million in December, compared to the September quarter – up nearly one percent.  The growth was driven by pharmaceuticals and other store-based retailers, as well as electronic goods and hardware supplies.  First Retail Group Managing Director Chris Wilkinson told Mike Hosking s...

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, The OCR holds steady so will retail interest rates do the same? Another roadblock for the India free trade deal, a...

The Government will today reveal its back down on controversial Auckland housing intensification plans amid fierce public criticism.   New planning rules would currently allow another 2 million homes in Auckland.  But last month the Government announced it'll water down the rules with an announcement expected this afternoon.   Prime Minister Christopher Luxon told Kerre Woodham a ba...