The SME Stream

This week, the chief executive of 2degrees, Mark Callendar, shares his best and worst money stories with Liam Dann, including his unusual path to running a major company, and the current state of the telco industry.  The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any opinions expressed in the podcasts are not necessar...

A new study suggests that another Pike River mine disaster is likely. The Victoria University of Wellington researchers say the failures that lead to the disaster that killed 29 men could happen again at any other organisation. One of their "potentially disturbing observations" is that health & safety training, auditors, and well-qualified staff were not enough to prevent failure – and m...

Business leaders across New Zealand have voiced concerns that Donald Trump's tariffs could have a more severe global impact than the Covid-19 pandemic and the Global Financial Crisis.  The months since Trump’s 'Liberation Day' announcement have seen sustained market volatility, tit-for-tat trade wars and fears of a resurgence in inflation. New Zealand Initiative executive director Olive...

Homeowners need to brace for another cost increase, this time to help fund the state disaster insurer, the Natural Hazards Commission. The minister responsible for the commission, David Seymour, says levies will 'almost certainly' need to rise, with Cabinet set to decide the changes in the coming months. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explains further. LISTEN ABOVE The podca...

Leeann Watson, CEO of Business Canterbury, joined John MacDonald to give a quarterly update.  Are we seeing signs of recovery in Canterbury? What would a commuter train mean for the city business scene?  And will the Government’s new approach to WorkSafe make a difference for local businesses and how they operate?  LISTEN ABOVE  The podcasts in the SME Stream co...

Tonight on The Huddle, Rob Campbell and Maurice Williamson joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Will we read Jacinda's new book? What are we expecting? Are we annoyed there's no apology over the Covid response? The new WorkSafe changes kicked in - are we glad the Government is dialling back on the health and safety enforcement or do we think this is a step to...

If there’s anyone who shouldn't be told they can wind things back on the health and safety front, it’s a New Zealander.   Because generally, we are absolute shockers when it comes to this sort of thing and our health and safety laws are the only thing standing between our “she’ll be right” attitude and misery and tragedy.   Especially when you consider that...

Career progression is a significant thing to consider for most people - whether they could develop as much as they'd like at their current job, or if they would need to look elsewhere. So how can employers spot and support an employee who wants to progress? LISTEN ABOVE The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any op...

Owning a pet can bring aso much joy to your life - but it can also bring some big expenses.  Some people can spend a fortune on their pets, and as they get older, those costs often increase. And that's before you factor in breeds and how that can impact what you spend.  To talk about some of the costs that you need to be prepared for, this week Nadine is joined by Michelle de Long, chief...

Make way for Beatrice Thorne , beautiful brain that founded Eve Wellness - yes, the brand with the colourful jars! Grab your  Suntory Boss Coffee - It's brewed hot, chilled fast and perfect for an on-the-go podcast listen. In this empowering episode of Bored to Boss , host Georgia Patten chats with Beatrice Thorne, the trailblazing founder behind Eve Wellness & Supplements . Known fo...

 [VIDEO EPISODE ON YOUTUBE & SPOTIFY] From Invercargill to Alaska, this iconic New Zealand aluminium boat business is expanding into North America with private equity funds. The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any opinions expressed in the podcasts are not necessarily shared by BNZ, or its related entit...

A US federal court's blocked Donald Trump's global tariffs from going into effect - ruling the President overstepped his authority. The Court of International Trade says an emergency law invoked by the White House doesn't provide unilateral authority to impose tariffs on nearly every country. Fisher Funds expert Sam Dickie explains what this means for the economy. LISTEN ABOVE The podcasts in the&...

As business owners, you know how hard it is keeping up with your business, let alone the news. Join Wilhelmina Shrimpton each week as she gives you a rundown of the biggest stories that could impact on your business, so you can make informed decisions with expert advice. This week, the OCR came down again, but don’t get used to it, our shaky economy leaves more people without work,...

This week, Liam is joined by singer-songwriter Georgia Lines, who shares her best and worst money stories - from starting her own businesses as a teenager, to how money has impacted her art.  Georgia is nominated for four Aotearoa Music Awards, being handed out tonight, and will perform Under the Stars with Friends at the Auckland Live Cabaret Season - tickets and details available here: http...

If the novelty of seeing AI-generated videos popping up in our newsfeeds has started to wear off, Google has something new for you to feast your eyes on. Last week, the AI giant released Veo 3, the latest version of its AI content generator. Its claim to fame? Veo 3 not only generates short video clips based on prompts from users, but also audio, syncing sound effects and character dialo...

The Reserve Bank has cut the Official Cash Rate 25-basis-points -- to 3.25 percent. That's the lowest it's been since August 2022 – though there were discussions about holding it. Today's move is in line with most economists' expectations, and is another positive sign of the growth of the economy. But there remains global uncertainty over President Trump’s policies and what impact his...

Christopher Luxon remains hopeful the latest cut in the OCR isn't the last.  The Reserve Bank's dropped the Official Cash Rate 25 basis points to 3.25%, and is now forecasting it will reach a low of 2.9 percent in December.  But the Monetary Policy Committee wasn't able to reach a unanimous decision to cut the cash rate.  The Prime Minister told Mike Hosking Acting Governor Christia...

Labour's yet to rule potential coalition partners in or out.  New Zealand First leader Winston Peters is refusing to work with Chris Hipkins next election, but has not entirely ruled Labour out.  On social media, Peters posted a Government of Labour, the Greens, and Te Pati Māori would be a "circus" and a "radical woke show".  Hipkins told John MacDonald that they actually ruled out...

Don't bank on further cuts to the Official Cash Rate.  The Reserve Bank's dropped the OCR 25 basis points to 3.25%, and is now forecasting it could reach a low of 2.9% by the end of the year.  But Governor Christian Hawkesby says further cuts aren't guaranteed.  He told Mike Hosking they're taking things one step at a time, as they wait to see how global developments affect the econ...

The Reserve Bank delivered their quarterly update on the OCR - but there was a hawkish undertone this time round, according to experts. The central bank cut the Official Cash Rate by 25 basis points to 3.25 percent, in line with expectations from economists. Despite this,  NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny noted there were some concerns about the economic future. LISTEN AB...

The Reserve Bank cut the Official Cash Rate by 25 basis points to 3.25 percent. The markets had already priced a rates cut in - but there was some uncertainty emerging after the announcement took place.  Milford Asset Management's Remy Morgan explains further. LISTEN ABOVE The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice...

The 2025 Budget has come and gone, but the Finance Minister has confirmed raising the superannuation age was still on National’s radar after they campaigned on it in the last election. She's explained it was not on their mandates or the coalition agreement - but changes need to be phased in. Infometrics principal economist Brad Olsen weighed in on the ongoing debate. LISTEN ABOVE The podcast...

The Police Minister is attempting to clarify the meaning of a memo to staff on lower-value retail crime cases. The nation-wide directive told staff not to investigate shoplifting worth less than $500 dollars - and less significant petrol, online and retail theft.  Mark Mitchell says that's not explicitly what the memo intended. He's promised police will respond to crime, and says the directiv...

BNZ's the latest bank to drop its home loan rates, anticipating a change to the Official Cash Rate this afternoon.   The Reserve Bank's expected to cut the OCR 25 basis point to 3.25%.  Already BNZ's cut its fixed rates to as low as 4.89%, and its standard variable rate to 6.44%.   BNZ chief economist Mike Jones told Mike Hosking today's decision should indicate the Reserve Bank's g...

All eyes will be on the Reserve Bank tomorrow afternoon, when stand-in Reserve Bank Governor Christian Hawkesby delivers the bank's latest monetary policy statement. A 25 basis point cut to the OCR to 3.25 percent is taken as a given - but experts are wondering what the future path of interest rates will look like. HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham explained further. LISTEN ABOVE The podcasts in t...