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The Finance Minister's revealed top-level legal advice was sought over the Reserve Bank's battle with Treasury for funding. The bank received less money than it anticipated in the latest funding round - which prompted Adrian Orr to quit as Governor. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny unpacks the issue further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's hardly a surprise, is it? Adrian looks at what Nicola is offering to run the place, packs a sad, and is off. It's a pathetic end to a tumultuous period in which we, the people who paid him, deserved an awful lot better. The fact this information on the Orr resignation had to be dragged out of the bank by way of the Official Information Act, the rules of which were ignored as the bank failed to meet deadlines, shows you just what sort of place we are dealing with. How you conduct yourself is critical. It's critical to all of us and even more critical the further up the totem pole you are. There's nothing wrong with Adrian quitting if he genuinely believed the money being offered to run the bank wasn't enough. But you do it with some dignity. You quit, you serve out your period, you offer reasons for you quitting and you move on with life. In doing it that way you give us all an insight into what sort of human being you are. And in this case, you might well have been able to give us insight into how your organisation runs, what its thinking is, what the gap is between the bank and the Government and why you might be right, and they might be wrong. It doesn't have to turn into a scrap or a fallout. Just a series of adult ideas as to why people might see things at odds to each other. If Covid taught us nothing else, it taught us the critical role of a central bank and what sort of people run it. The way Adrian ran it is well documented and the general view held by many is widely traversed. But the sudden departure was another insight into why Adrian did things the way he did. He is petulant. You don't leave out of the blue and in silence. You don't bail on hosting an international finance conference having said you were looking forward to it. It's toys and sandpits with Adrian and then obfuscation from the bank when a few simple questions were asked. If you can't conduct yourself, and the bank can't conduct themselves, with any great level of clarity, transparency and professionalism, is it any wonder the economy got run over the way it did? Ol' Adrian won't be missed. But you would have hoped for something a bit more sophisticated on the way out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
At the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. Ryan Fox: 9/10 Living the dream by winning. It rarely gets better, and another chance at a big one over this weekend. Greta Thunberg: 2/10 Not kidnapped, just fantastically annoying. She is a good example of where your annoyingness outweighs your effect on your cause. Adrian Orr: 4/10 Local disappointment of the week is both him and the Reserve Bank over their petty mucking around over simple questions. When its petty at the top, it leads nowhere productive. They should be embarrassed. The Warriors: 8/10 Can't stop winning. Another two points this weekend with the bye and two more after that against the Panthers. This is the journey to the promised land. This is our year. Los Angeles: 3/10 Was that an overreaction looking for a skirmish, or what? You can only show us an intersection of a few hundred masked try hards and pretend it's a "thing" for so long. Businesses and franchises: 7/10 Record sales. We're selling businesses like hotcakes. That's got to be a good sign for confidence. LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Finance Minister says a move to require wool carpets in state housing makes financial sense. Nicola Willis has announced a change to Kainga Ora's supplier agreement that will see it re-open its previously nylon-only carpet tender process. From the start of next month, all public entities will also be required to use woollen fibres where practical and appropriate. Willis told Mike Hosking officials have told her it makes sense for Kainga Ora to make this change. She says it's cost-neutral, and it performs well across a number of other dimensions. Nicola Willis says the Reserve Bank should never be exempt from cost-cutting across the public sector. Newly released documents show Adrian Orr's abrupt resignation as Governor came after he was denied the Budget allocation he was seeking. The Finance Minister says the central bank still has the funding it requires to do its statutory duties. She told Hosking the Reserve Bank can't operate as a "gilded palace" – it needs to be fiscally responsible, like all other government departments. Willis says any idea that the Reserve Bank doesn't need to abide by the same funding constraints as other Government agencies is wrong. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A former Reserve Bank economist is calling out his former employers' lack of transparency. The bank today revealed Adrian Orr quit as Governor in March, when the five-year funding for the RBNZ was much less than anticipated. Michael Reddell says the bank waited far too long to say why Orr left so abruptly. "It's just extraordinary - maybe they couldn't tell us the full story on the day, but the new Reserve Bank funding agreement was published on the 16th of April. There's absolutely no excuse at this point for lack of clarity." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
LIVE at 9pm we have Alternative Jewish Voices Marilyn Garson joining us to talk about the NZ government joining Britain, Australia, Canada and Norway in banning two 'extremist' Israeli politiciansNZ Herald's Herald NOW programme hosted their political panel today with Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick and ACT Minister Karen Chhour discuss sanctions against Israeli ministers and "taxing the rich"The Reserve Bank has revealed more details behind the shock resignation of former governor Adrian Orr in March, which has now been attributed to a "distressing" disagreement over the central bank's funding.=================================Come support the work we're doing by becoming a Patron of #BHN www.patreon.com/BigHairyNews=================================Merch available at www.BHNShop.nz Like us on Facebookwww.facebook.com/BigHairyNews Follow us on Twitter.@patbrittenden @Chewie_NZFollow us on BlueskyPat @patbrittenden.bsky.socialChewie @chewienz.bsky.socialEmily @iamprettyawesome.bsky.socialMagenta @xkaosmagex.bsky.social
FIRST WITH YESTERDAY'S NEWS (highlights from Monday on Newstalk ZB) Can't We Just Do It Case By Case?/We're Not Paying for Their Jackets/Too Old to Change?/Weather and Power/Where In the World Is Adrian OrrSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
THE BEST BITS IN A SILLIER PACKAGE (from Monday's Mike Hosking Breakfast) You Can't Argue with a Performance Like That/People Will Always Go to Good Places/Where In the World is Adrian Orr?/Stop Trying to Save the Planet/Speaking of Terrible Cars...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What I hope for today is a sign and a sense that what we are facing economically as a country is real, and it's real bad, and the Government see it, accept it, and chart a path forward that gives us some sort of hope. The damage done by Jacinda Ardern, Grant Robertson, Chris Hipkins, and Adrian Orr is now years long. You can't invent money in that volume without spending the ensuing years trying to dig yourself out of it. The start has been made. The cutbacks have begun and the screaming, wailing, and upset has ensued. But there is a lot more where that came from. The seeds of recovery are real, manufacturing is expanding, and has been for several months, but services aren't. Sentiment isn't. The farmers have struck gold, but the weather has been exceptionally kind, as have Americans with their passion for burgers. Our debt is shocking. We are not running a surplus on an annual basis and still won't be for years. The Finance Minister today has virtually nothing to play with; no excess, no lolly, and no largesse. She has, I hope, found a fortune in savings and she will redirect that to better places. I pray she isn't borrowing on top of what we have already incurred. If she has, she may well be making a generational mistake, given Treasury says 50% debt by way of GDP is it, and we are close enough to that to worry the conservatives. In a sense today should wrap some numbers and forecasts around the rhetoric, being we are open for businesses, we are pro-growth, we are big on infrastructure and most importantly, fiscally as well as economically, we are not going to die wondering. Today is not a day for a dollar here and a dollar there. It is not an itch-scratching exercise. It should be a document that lays an ongoing foundation for the major project that is the economic resuscitation of the New Zealand economy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
At the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. Anthony Albanese: 8/10 Better than anyone, and I suspect even he, expected. Nigel Farage: 8/10 Better than anyone, and I suspect even he, expected. Donald Trump: 6/10 Between the redecorating tips, the movie move, the GDP going backwards, Mark Carney, whatever the Middle East announcement is, the deals he wants to do, the deals he doesn't want to do, his withdrawal of another nomination, defunding of public broadcasting, his outrage over the Emmy nod for the interview he's suing over, plane loads of illegal's to Syria, Lord knows how many court cases - and that's just this week! Have you ever seen a more omnipresent international player? Erica Stanford's email: 2/10 The biggest time-wasting nonsense of the week. Adrian Orr's farewell: 4/10 The saddest thing you ever heard. $6,000 for water, juice and biscuits. LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Economists are seemingly aligned on where they think today's Official Cash Rate figure will land. The Reserve Bank's expected to cut the OCR by 25 basis points, down from 3.75 percent. It's the first rate decision since Governor Adrian Orr's resignation. Jarden Economist and Investment Strategist, John Carran told Andrew Dickens there's been a lot of uncertainty in markets from US President Donald Trump's tariffs. He believes it's too early for the bank to panic and cut the OCR any further. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Adrian Orr steps down and Trump's tariffs step up—this week, global finance is in flux and Kiwis are wondering what comes next. We break down what the Reserve Bank's next move means for borrowers, how Trump's tariffs are shaking the global economy, and what Orr's exit signals for the future of monetary policy in New Zealand.Next Steps: Need help navigating rate changes? Talk to the team at Lighthouse Mortgages—no guesswork, no stress, just the right loan with the right structure at the right price. Want to learn more? Check out these episodes below:How Trump is Shaping the Global Economy ft. Jarrod KerrNZ's Economy in 2025: Is the Worst Over? For more money tips follow us on:FacebookInstagramThe content in this podcast is the opinion of the hosts. It should not be treated as financial advice. It is important to take into consideration your own personal situation and goals before making any financial decisions.
The Reserve Bank wasn't planning to announce former governor Adrian Orr's resignation until after it had hosted a big international conference. But the unexplained resignation was brought forward by five days to March 5 - the day before the conference, new documents reveal. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Reserve Bank wasn't planning to announce former governor Adrian Orr's resignation until after it had hosted a big international conference. But the unexplained resignation was brought forward by five days to March 5 - the day before the conference, new documents reveal. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week we welcome Simon Jensen, President of the Banking & Financial Services Law Association to the Nut Bar. Him and DC chat about Adrian Orr, the Reserve Bank and...loan sharks.Tune in next week for part two with Simon!If you have any questions or things you'd like to hear us talk about, get in touch with us at david@squirrel.co.nz or John@squirrel.co.nz. The opinions expressed in this podcast are not financial advice, or a recommendation of any financial product. Any commentary provided are personal views and are not necessarily representative of the opinions of Squirrel. As always, we recommend seeking professional investment or mortgage advice before taking any action. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ex-politician Rodney Hide is fighting a battle. It began a couple of years ago, and it continues today. It involves the 'Relationship and Sexuality Education Curriculum' being taught in his daughter's school. It's actually taught in all schools. Rodney is not the only parent unhappy about what's being taught, but he stands almost alone in trying to address it. To him it is a matter of principle. But we also discuss other matters- the RBNZ and Adrian Orr, Luxon and the National party, economic growth, and more. And we wind up in The Mailroom with Mrs Producer. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 10 March 2025, Chris Hipkins has overtaken Chris Luxon in the latest political poll - and we'll dig into what's going on with the PM's popularity. Who is Mark Carney? Ryan Bridge tells you everything you need to know about Canada's new PM. Ryan asks Finance Minister Nicola Willis when she found out about Adrian Orr's shock resignation. Plus, the road cone scandal that has us all riled up. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week on the Sunday Panel, Newstalk ZB host Roman Travers and producer, journalist and commentator Irene Gardiner joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! NZ Super is set to undergo a tough period as the aging population grows. How can we address this problem? Should we raise the age? Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr shocked the nation by resigning abruptly last week. What do we think caused this? What do we make of this? Tinā is dominating the New Zealand box office - and it's had the third-biggest opening week for a New Zealand-made film ever. Have we seen it? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The man at the centre of the economy for eight years has resigned, leaving without notice or explanation. Adrian Orr stepped down from his role as Reserve Bank governor on Wednesday. Senior Political Correspondent Barry Soper says it would be beneficial to hear from Orr. "He's either accepting absolute defeat in what he set out to do, or he's saying ... 'I've done the job, now I'm out of here.' LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Every Friday on Matt and Tyler afternoons on ZB we name the New Zealander of the week. It's an honour that we grant on your behalf to someone who has had effect on our great and beautiful nation over the past week. There are three nominees but can only be one winner. Is it Phil Goff, Adrian Orr, or the Warriors? LISTEN ABOVE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Crikey, I barely stepped away from the microphone yesterday and we had a double whammy news-wise. Phil Goff sacked as High Commissioner to London for an intemperate comment and question, Greg Foran resigning as Air New Zealand CEO. I heard someone on The Huddle with Ryan Bridge last night saying Greg Foran can now become the High Commissioner, Adrian Orr would become Air New Zealand CEO, and Phil Goff will take over as Reserve Bank Governor - all change. Boy, will Phil Goff be kicking himself all the way back to New Zealand, all the way back to the farm at Clevedon. You are on the pig's back when you get a gig like that – it is a sweet deal. And one intemperate comment ... I think he was just trying to be a bit too clever, showing he's done his homework, showing that he was well read, making appointed remark about somebody the world regards as a graceless buffoon (well, members of Phil Goff's world regard as a graceless buffoon), and he loses his gig, and rightly so. He was asking a question of the Finnish Foreign Affairs Minister at a Chatham House event in London. Goff said he'd been rereading a speech by former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill after the Munich Agreement. “He turned to Chamberlain, he said ‘You had the choice between war and dishonour. You chose dishonour, yet you will have a war',” Goff then said “President Trump has restored the bust of Churchill to the Oval Office. But do you think he really understands history?” So Phil Goff was making it well researched, clever-dick, pointed remark about the American president. What on Earth did he think was going to happen? He was stripped of his position immediately by Winston Peters. The Foreign Affairs Minister said Phil Goff's comments were deeply disappointing. They did not represent the views of the New Zealand Government and made his position as High Commissioner to London untenable. So a number of comments around that. Phil Goff was sacked by Winston Peters immediately. Winston Peters did not have to consult the Prime Minister before doing so – there was no need for him to consult. He was presented with a problem in his own department, and he dealt with it in the appropriate fashion. That's why you have managers, that's why you have ministers. Everything doesn't filter up to the CEO. Imagine in your own organisation if every single decision in your department had to go to the CEO. Why have a dog and bark yourself? So there was no need to consult. Was he sacked because the Government's sucking up, particularly to Donald Trump in the US? No. As Winston Peters pointed out yesterday, and as numerous foreign affairs experts have concurred, Phil Goff would have been sacked if he had made the comment of any foreign leader. When you're in a diplomatic role, you have to be diplomatic, and that wasn't. And what about the Chatham House rules? Chatham House is an actual place where people congregate to debate, discuss ideas primarily around foreign policy, but also about other things. It's a meeting place for pointy heads where they can float and toss ideas around, and they don't have to worry about it being attributable back to them. The rules say when a meeting or part thereof is held under the Chatham House rules, participants are free to use the information received but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speakers, nor that of any other participant, may be revealed. So Chatham House rules guarantee people can speak freely within the walls. But in this case, the Chatham House rules had not been invoked because it was being live streamed, so you're not going to be able to shield the identity of the speakers because it's being live streamed. So that's why the comments became public, despite the fact they were in Chatham House – oh irony of ironies. The rules have to be invoked. They weren't, and apparently, according to Chatham House, it's not terribly often that they are. So there we go. That's what happened. He stuffed up royally and he's paid the price. And nobody will be more disappointed, I imagine, than Phil Goff except Mrs Goff because that would have been a lovely reward for a long period of time being an uxorious, fabulous support. Being a politician's partner or spouse would not be an easy gig. So you get the cushy number in London, feet up, gorgeous little holidays popping off around Europe. Now back to the farm in Clevedon, tail between the legs. Back on the ride on mower, no gardener for you anymore. He's had his punishment. He's heading home and Winston Peters did exactly the right thing. Ten out of ten for the Foreign Affairs Minister. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Finance Minister insists the Reserve Bank governor's reasons for resigning are his and his alone, as questions continue to be asked over exactly why Adrian Orr has gone. Mr Orr's immediate departure means he didn't host a major conference today, with the Deputy - now Acting - governor taking to the stage instead. Here's our political reporter Giles Dexter.
Political Editor Jo Moir spoke to Lisa Owen about the resignations of Reserve Bank head Adrian Orr and Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran, as well as the sacking of UK High Commissioner Phil Goff.
Adrian Orr resigned as Reserve Bank Governor this week after 7 years in the job, but three years early, effective immediately and without explanation. Bernard Hickey talks in an emergency edition of When The Facts Change with NZ Initiative executive director Oliver Hartwich, an Orr critic, about his legacy and how his replacement should change the bank, and with Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr about Orr's operation of monetary policy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Am I joining too many dots? I wonder aloud whether the Government and the Prime Minister, having had by any measure a very good week, has at last got the message that some action, as opposed to yak, might be what the punter wants a bit more of? There's been several solid health changes; more doctors already here to be parked at GP's, more nurses and scripts via tech when we want them. I mean, the idea that getting a script on the net at an hour that suits you really shouldn't be a thing, but it does show you how backward we have become. They are all practical, sensible, and politically beneficial. The exam concerns from principals that wanted less hard work and more free credits? That was dismissed as the minister hammers home the concept of hard work and not giving up. The big one was Adrian Orr gone. It was a sacking without a sacking and a result the Government wanted and needed. Then there was Phil Goff gone. Was it thinly veiled? Maybe. It was a stupid comment, if you didn't catch up on it, and a Commissioner's job is to represent the Government, and never more so than when you are dealing with a new, unpredictable America and walking a tight rope in the Pacific between China and the US. A couple of other minor ones - the Prime Minister's marmite sandwich line on this show. It was a nod to middle New Zealand who are fed up with elite moaners and elite media and their pile on over an issue that, in a convulsing world, is really embarrassing now. Secondly, and more importantly, health again with bowel cancer. The screening age has been has been dropped from 60-years-old to 58-years old. The money comes from the segregated Māori bowel screening programme. The message is this is one country, with one rule for everyone. Bowel cancer is not a race issue, it's a health issue. So by the time you put all that together on a Friday morning you have collected up a fairly substantial seven days, and the vast majority of it is positive, on the right side of the voter and gives the very clear indication that a week's worth of actual “doing” is vastly more appealing and productive than a week worth of announcing, or defending, or scrapping, or time wasting. Keep it up and the polls will show it's what the majority of people actually voted for. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What's with all these sackings and surprise resignations this week... Phil Goff yesterday, Adrian Orr the day before. Richard Prebble did a runner from the gravy train of the Waitangi Tribunal Greg Foran Calls it a day at Air New Zealand after 5 years... One of these guys had change forced on them, the other three just packed up and left with varying degrees of notice. Some are angry. some are relieved. And they all have one thing in common They're over 60. You don't screw with successful over 60s, which they all are. They have discovered a superpower. They don't give a flying fig. They're financially settled. They know their own mind. They can afford to stand on their principles, Phil Goff won't mind being held to account for what he said because he believes it. He may be regretful that his entertaining job in London has gone but he'll just come back to the farm in Clevedon and start making some real money in consultancy and cashing in both his Prime Ministerial and Mayoral superannuation. When things start getting all hot and sticky in their jobs for these over 60s, they can instantly switch to whoever needs this crap and walk. And then they brood. In their Bach. Or on a cruise ship. With a nice dinner reservation and maybe treat themselves to a new car. And if you think the over 60s have a superpower it's nothing compared to the over 70s whose superpower is the absolute certainty in what they believe and the total commitment to making sure that everyone knows it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Reserve Bank Board chair Neil Quigley said governor Adrian Orr has made a personal decision to step away and he has full confidence in him.
An economist says Adrian Orr's resignation as Reserve Bank Governor is unprecedented and raises questions about confidence in the bank's leadership. Infometrics principal economist Brad Olsen spoke to Corin Dann.
On today's episode, the trade war between the United States and Canada is in full swing and will have wide ranging consequences in both nations, the CIA has confirmed the United States has stopped sharing intelligence with Ukraine, an economist says Adrian Orr's resignation as Reserve Bank Governor is unprecedented and raises questions about confidence in the bank's leadership, government minister Simeon Brown appointed a prominent oil and gas lobbyist to an energy savings board against official advice, documents released to RNZ show, and the Black Caps are through to the Champions Trophy final after dismantling South Africa in Lahore.
The fact Adrian Orr is leaving is excellent. It shows a level of accountability and responsibility for what has been a ruinous period for the New Zealand economy. The receipts and reviews are in, and the story is stark. We have been hit harder than any other country in the OECD. We had three recessions while most countries, as a result of the Covid plan, had none. Grant Robertson carries some blame for encouraging and endorsing Orr but, more dangerously, reappointing him so close to the last election. The new Government could have/should have sacked Orr, although that would have set a fairly disturbing precedent given the Governor is supposed to be neutral. Orr made the Governor's job a household fascination. Yes, Don Brash got well known, but really only when he went political. The others came and went. I might have interviewed Allan Bollard a couple of times. Before Spencer Russell, who you also never heard of, the job was called the Chief Cashier. Russell was your first Governor. Anyway, the upside of Covid and Orr was we at last took an interest. We had a view, and we know about cash rates and inflation and quantitative easing. But we learned the hard way. We paid an enormous price and are in fact still paying the price. Orr has years to run on his contract and clearly the pressure was on. The Government is currently negotiating a budget with the bank, and I assume they were twisting arms, hard, behind the scenes. By the way, the bank staffing numbers have ballooned. Orr has come across as haughty and arrogant, unable to really express any level of regret, if in fact he has any, for all the damage he has done. Giving banks money for free and not putting restrictions of where that money went was the height of incompetency. Still handing out money when we knew a lot of what we thought would happen during Covid didn't, was a scandal. The onerous banking restrictions he placed on the retailers with his “just in case” thinking was needlessly restrictive. The conclusion has to be that although everyone flew blind during Covid, no one flew more blind than us. And no one was led by a more ideologically driven, fiscal ransacker than Adrian Orr. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 6th of March, Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr has quit, so what is his legacy? And what's next for the Reserve Bank? We fact check the almost two hour long speech from Donald Trump to Congress yesterday. Kiwi chef Peter Gordon gives an insight into the current state of the restaurant industry - and tells us how to make a good meatball! Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A former Reserve Bank senior staffer ranks Adrien Orr as the least competent Reserve Bank Governor New Zealand's ever had. Orr's announced he's quitting two years into his second five year tenure. Geof Mortlock told Mike Hosking there's been many negative results from his monetary policies. He contends Orr has left New Zealand taxpayers with more than $10 billion of debt. His shock exit announcement yesterday comes as the bank is in the process of agreeing its funding increase for the next five years. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
There's surprise among economists and industry experts after Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr abruptly resigned today. Orr was almost halfway through his second five-year term. Former Reserve Bank economist Michael Reddell says no one's received an adequate explanation as to why Orr chose to depart today - and it's not good enough. "Maybe he really is just exhausted - but still, you don't just walk out on the same day, on the eve of a really big conference being hosted tomorrow." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today's surprise resignation by Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr has left experts with plenty of questions. Neither the Prime Minister nor Finance Minister are giving any details of why the most powerful, non-elected person in Government has abruptly quit. Not only have Nicola Willis and Chris Luxon gone to ground - the Reserve Bank will not answer media questions about the departure. ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper suspects Adrian Orr may have found other opportunities elsewhere - and aimed to leave while the economy was recovering. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Major question marks over the shock-resignation of Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr. Orr's laid out areas of his work he's proud of, but gave no reason for quitting almost half-way through his second, five-year term. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny unpacked the reactions to this announcement. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The last seven years have been among the toughest in our economy's history, and the Reserve Bank has drawn both praise and criticism for its moves to get inflation under control.
On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday March 5 2025, Former Reserve Bank economist Michael Reddell joined Ryan Bridge to discuss Adrian Orr's shock resignation as Reserve Bank Governor. Trade Minister Todd McClay has also confirmed he's keeping a close eye on potential trade disruptions that could impact New Zealand as Trump's tariffs kick in. Former ACT leader Richard Prebble also unpacked the combination of factors that led to him stepping down from the Waitangi Tribunal. Plus, The Huddle wonders if body cameras for bin inspectors will do more harm than good. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tonight on The Huddle, Tim Wilson from the Maxim Institute and AUT chancellor Rob Campbell joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr stunned the country by announcing a shock resignation earlier today. What do we think caused this? Did he want to leave - or was he pushed out? Recycling bin inspectors will be fitted with body cameras in a bid to reduce abuse on the job. What do we make of this? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
There's confusion around the Reserve Bank Governor's resignation. Adrian Orr's announced he's quitting, two years into his second five-year tenure. Neither the Prime Minister nor Finance Minister are giving any details of why he's abruptly quit. University of Auckland Business School Professor Robert MacCulloch told Kerre Woodham that while we don't know for certain, the criticism Orr has received over the years likely played a factor. He recommends not getting too political about it, saying that one shouldn't take their eye off the ball that he was a bad governor, and the country stagnated due to significant mistakes made during his tenure. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Reserve Bank is dangling the prospect of three more cuts to the official cash rate to around 3 percent by the end of the year. Reserve bank governor Adrian Orr spoke to business editor Gyles Beckford.
Pressure is mounting on banks to pass OCR cuts onto their customers. The Reserve Bank's signalling yesterday's double cut to the cash rate will be followed by at least two more single cuts. All major banks have started dropping their rates. But Governor Adrian Orr told Mike Hosking they need to go further. He says they need to be doing better, looking at their own margins, and chasing and competing for customers much more vigorously. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday the 20th of February, Winston Peters says we need a reset in our relationship with the Cook Islands. Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr joined to talk our future plans after they cut the OCR by 50 basis points. One of our most successful entrepreneurs Rowan Simpson has some ideas about how to turn this country around, and it's all laid out in his new book ‘How to be Wrong'. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Finally, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand started cutting interest rates this year, having moved before everyone else and stayed higher for longer than everyone else. The economy slumped significantly early in the year, remaining firmly in recession since. By August 14, Adrian Orr felt safe enough to cut 25 basis points. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
People will have questions, after one of the country's worst quarterly GDP dips in decades. Stats NZ figures show New Zealand's gross domestic product crashed down one percent in the September quarter. It's put the country in the deepest recession since the Covid-driven slump in 2020. Former Finance Minister Steven Joyce says the Reserve Bank Governor, Adrian Orr, needs to speak up and explain. "I think there is some legitimate questions to be asked - I can remember, quite recently, him saying he's got it all under control and that this is going to be a soft landing. Well, quite clearly, it wasn't." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We knew the Government books were going to be bad, but not this bad. No way we're getting to the surplus we expected in 2028. That is now so far away it's not even in Treasury's forecast period anymore. It's some time, who knows when, in the 2030's. We'll have to borrow another $20b in debt to tide us over for the next four years. That'll push our interest payments over $10b every year. So we'll be spending more on our debt interest than we spend on Defence, Corrections, Police, and Customs combined. Now, this is not the current Government's fault. This is a recession caused by Adrian Orr and the Reserve Bank to deal with Labour's overspending. But National are not doing what they need to. They need to be cutting way harder than they are. There is a measure we use to look at how much the Government is adding to, or reducing from, economic growth. It's called public consumption. They were supposed to cut that by 1.4% this year. They cut it by 0.2%. That's basically no cut. Next year it's supposed to cut by 2.2%. Now, it's by another 0.2%, which is to say they're actually not cutting much at all. We still pay the wages of 14,000 more public servants than we did in 2018. They've only cut one public agency, which is the Productivity Commission. Nicola Willis spent more in her last budget than Grant Robertson ever did. National keeps saying they can't cut more because they don't want austerity, but we are so far from austerity it's not funny. We are spending more and hiring more public servants than five years ago. The trouble with that is we're in a recession, which we weren't five years ago. National needs to treat this like the economic trainwreck it is and cut their cloth accordingly. They might not be responsible for the mess we're in, but they are responsible for fixing it and so far, they're really not fixing it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In 2022, Reserve Bank governor Adrian Orr told Christmas shoppers to “cool your jets”, as the bank scrambled to control inflation by hiking interest rates. This week - now inflation has been beaten back down - he delivered another whopper 50-basis point rate cut in the RBNZ's latest monetary policy statement. Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr joins Bernard Hickey to discuss the governor's gradual transformation from OCR grinch to Father Christmas, and how many more rate cuts we can expect to see in the new year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It's ironic that we mention the Commerce Commission yesterday and here we are today, indulging in a bit more of its madness. Lines charges, the cost of getting power to your house, is going to get more expensive. Your bill will rise for the next handful of years by up to $85. That's over $1,000 a year. Is your power better? No. Do you get more power? No. You just pay more. Why? Because the Commerce Commission decided they are going to let Transpower and local lines companies charge more so they can invest in new infrastructure. They will be allowed to raise just shy of $6 billion. There are a few ironies with this: 1) We also, says the Commission, understand the importance of incentivising business to invest and improve and meet consumer demands. What?! You don't think they would charge this and more if they could? And what incentive? Transpower are a monopoly. They have no incentive to improve anything. 2) The $6 billion is way more than it should be. What should it be? Under $3 billion. Why? Because 55% of what Transpower is doing is because of higher inflation and interest rates. And what is 55% of $6 billion, roughly? Now, how did we get those? That's right - Adrian Orr. If you want yet another tangible example, as the Labour Government and Adrian Orr years of incompetence roll on, then here you are. $3 billion worth, that is for nothing other than admin and fees. Stuff that should not have happened if the approach in Covid hadn't been as grandiose and wasteful and plain idiotic. More inflation than we ever needed, leading of course to interest rates we shouldn't have had to try and bring back to Earth, entirely as a result of the Covid approach that crippled the country. Yes, there are plenty of intangibles like morals, behaviours, mental health and school attendance. But we are also paying Transpower $6 billion to do what they should have done anyway. Awesome economics in an awesome economy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Our old friend Adrian Orr has decided Donald Trump will be slightly inflationary and that peak free trade is over. On both counts he is right. He is not always right. He wasn't right this week on the jobs, when he thought they would be 5% by way of unemployment. And I don't think he's right when he talked in his fiscal risk report that more jobs will lead to more mortgage defaults on housing. If we have learned one thing out of this whole mad Covid experiment it is that New Zealanders and our relationship with housing is something out of the box. It's obsessive. If we don't believe it's a right to own a house, it's certainly on the “to do” list and we work awfully hard to make it happen. And having made it happen, we ain't letting go easily, which is why the mortgage cliff never happened. All the doom and misery around all the houses that would be foreclosed on never came to pass. So a few more job losses isn't going to add to the calamity that never happened in the first place. An interesting question to ask is whether Adrian's conservatism has, and indeed continues to, hold us back. He has a “just in case” feel about him. I refer to the amount banks have to keep aside for things that so far haven't happened, the jobs that might be lost that in fact weren't, the money all the banks needed for free during Covid so they could spray it about to protect a lot of stuff that, as it turned out, didn't need protecting. This is not to say things haven't been, and aren't, bad, because they are. Adrian has made a godawful mess of it all, as bad as anywhere and worse than most. But this week I think we saw a bit of hope. The jobless rate is still to rise, but if the forecasts were wrong now, my bet is those who think it could go to 6% will be wrong next year. The mood has, or is, changing. People don't want to be any more down than they have to be and the tide, my gut tells me, is turning. Even Adrian saw better times ahead for farming in his report. I see it for farming and, indeed, for most of the rest of us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 9th of October, we look at what Adrian Orr may do with the OCR today as well as the Government's crackdown on dodgy builders. We've got new data as to how the Health NZ deficit blew out, so Commissioner Lester Levy is on as they try to turn it around. Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell talk Dunedin Hospital and buy outs for flood victims on Politics Wednesday. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
For the first time in four years the official cash rate was cut by quarter of a per cent with the central bank governor Adrian Orr saying it was time to take the foot off the economic brake.Stephen Toplis is head of research at BNZ.