Podcasts about finance ministers

The NZ First leader is at his combative best as he educates us on the Indian FTA, National Super, the Opportunity Party, Chloe Swarbrick as Finance Minister, whether he still wants to be Foreign Minister, plus he throws in some free healthy diet advice for good measure!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You may have noticed an element of concern, if not alarm, over the number of young people who are not enrolled in the election. In the 18-24 age group there are just 61% enrolled. Last time it was 77%. The Greens in particular have been running campaigns about this for obvious reasons. The trouble is their campaigns are on university campuses where the bright and active hang out, not, I suspect, where those who aren't enrolled hang out. There was also a conspiracy floated momentarily when Chris Luxon last ran into his leadership trouble. Just before the caucus vote there was a lot of angst over the plot, for that's how they saw it, to overthrow Luxon and then call a snap election and the snap would leave thousands of young people un-enrolled. That conspiracy fell apart when, oh that's right, no such thing happened. There has also been the finger pointing over the enrolment rule changes and even though we still have well over three weeks to go its still, according to the aggrieved, not fair. Anyway, none of it is new. Young people have always been hopeless at enrolling and actually voting. It is sad but true, and as far as we can see nothing is changing this time. In fact it's getting worse. The important bit is how that plays out. It's entirely possible that the Greens, once again, are going to enhance their reputation as a party who polls well but doesn't turn out the vote. While we're on polling, the immigrant vote will tell a story not really seen in polling either. Language is an issue and increasingly this country is a country of migrants, especially in Auckland. The migrant population is not well polled. How they vote, which is broadly conservative, might well swing the election in a way, that if you didn't know that, would surprise you. Migrants work hard, strive for better and chase a dream. That's a centre-right view of the world. Watch this space. But key advice – before Chlöe measures the curtains on the Finance Minister's office, she might want to drum up a few more Gen Z-ers to pull their finger out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Well, the Chlöe-for-Finance-Minister debate has gone up a level. She has been asked what her qualifications are. David Seymour is making fun of the idea, I think for good reason. And Chlöe herself has hit back, specifically at Nicola Willis, because there was a poll that showed a touch more people actually trust Chlöe on the economy than Nicola. Touché from Chlöe. But I'm of the view that Chlöe is actually overplaying her hand here. No disrespect to her because I personally like her a lot and I really rate her as a political campaigner. But she's 32 years old and she has no business background other than a few of those fun projects you run when you're 20 and then shut down again. I mean, literally, what are her qualifications for this job? The reason the Nats and ACT keep going on about this, now for the third day, is because they know, like I know, that this is bad for the centre-left and the prospects of a centre-left Government. There is polling data from Curia that I've seen a couple of times and it shows that National Party voters actually have a net positive opinion of the leaders of their coalition partners on the right, David and Winston. National Party voters do not really stress out at all about the prospect of giving jobs to Winston, giving jobs to David, and so on. But Labour Party voters are not the same. They do not feel the same way about their left-wing coalition partners. Their opinion of the leaders on the left is negative across the board. It is unsettling for Labour voters to think of the Greens having that much influence. Now, I can see what Chlöe is doing here. She's trying to gee up her base with the idea that if they get enough votes, they may gain some real power around the Cabinet table. She's also obviously starting the negotiations with Chippy from a very high position, so that whatever the consolation prize turns out to be, it's also significant and not just some Green-aligned portfolio like DoC. But she might well be doing both the Green Party and the broader left some damage here. They may not make it into Government if this is the kind of thing that people freak out about. She knows she's not going to get this portfolio, right? She hasn't got any leverage. Back when Winston got Treasurer, and really the only time Finance has gone to a coalition partner, he was negotiating with both sides. He was talking to both Helen Clark and Jim Bolger, so he could play them off against each other. Chlöe doesn't have that ability. She is bound to Labour. She is not going to get Finance. So I can see what she's doing and it's not all bad for the Greens. But it could be bad for the chances of the left because the thought of Chlöe as Finance Minister might just drive away some of those swing voters that Labour desperately needs. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick says she wants to see the party's commitments delivered after the election. After scoring 16 percent in Monday's 1News Verian poll, Swarbrick said they'd demand high-profile portfolios, if they reach that number on election day. Chris Hipkins has again ruled her out as finance minister, under a Labour Government. Swarbrick says she's not counting chickens - but neither should Labour. "If you're serious about actually meaningfully making economic transformation, you need to have the portfolios that are necessary to do that." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Wellington Mornings host Nick Mills and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! There's growing speculation about Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick potentially becoming Finance Minister, despite Labour ruling this out if they win. Did the Greens overplay their hand by asking for this? Speaking of which, a Dutch environmental group recently claimed New Zealand is breaching climate obligations in our EU Free Trade agreement with actions like reversing the ban on oil and gas exploration. Is this a valid point of concern? Do we think the Government is walking away from making changes to NZ Super? Does the Chateau Tongariro need to go? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It is only day three of the election campaign, and the left is already fighting over the Treasury keys. Chlöe Swarbrick wants the finance portfolio, Chris Hipkins says Barbara Edmonds gets it bottom line, and Labour is talking up a mini budget to cover its promises. We break down the massive numbers, the pay equity demands, and why the arithmetic simply does not add up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apologies for the delay, Pat was stuck in Wellington and there was no one else who could upload the podcastCraig Rennie joins us LIVE to discuss today's PREFU and what it means for the Coalition and the campaign.Opportunity knocks with 5 bottom lines they will bring to the Coalition discussions if they're over the threshold in November.Media have been playing out a Chloe vs Chippy Narrative all day , why might that be?++++++++++++++++++++Like us on Facebook.com/BigHairyNetwork Follow us on Twitter.com/@bighairynetworkFollowing us on TikTok.com/@bighairynetworkSupport us on Patreon www.patreon.com/c/BigHairyNewsCheck out our merch https://bhn.nz/shop/Donate to our work https://bhn.nz/shop/donation/

The Finance Minister has her eye firmly on returning to surplus after a pre-election look into the books. Treasury forecasts predict the next two years' deficits will be much smaller, and the 2028/29 surplus nearly $2 billion larger than expected. But much of that improvement is down to income-tax bracket creep, and more revenue from GST and company tax. Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking it would be irresponsible to be talking about how they'll spend a surplus on things like tackling the tax bracket creep before it's arrived. She says circumstances could change, not because they won't remain focused, but because the world is volatile and forecasts could shift. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Politics Wednesday, Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen joined Mike Hosking to dig into some of the biggest stories of the week thus far. They discussed the call from some parties for voters to engage in strategic voting and the disagreement between Chris Hipkins and Chlöe Swarbrick as to who would be Finance Minister if they were in government. And they paid tribute to former Speaker and Labour MP Adrian Rurawhe, who died at age 65. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why did Chris Hipkins choose to announce that he will restore the pay equity regime within the first 100 days of a Labour-led Government? Why did he do that? I'm really confused by it because it's not as if there was a special event or venue that he tied the announcement to. He was just at a public meeting in Spreydon and then seemed to blurt it out. This is hugely consequential for the Labour Party. What it's done is change the focus. It should be about the PREFU and about holding the Finance Minister's feet to the fire over why she's still taking on more debt and why she's trying to sell us a set of figures based on, quote, "heroic assumptions" that essentially ignore the current price of oil and bond yields. But instead of doing that, Chippy has inserted himself into the conversation. Rather than focusing on Nicola Willis, what I'm now much more interested in is this: where is Labour going to find the apparent $13 billion needed to fund its pay equity promise? I don't know if you've seen what's in the PREFU but even though the outlook is much rosier than it was four months ago, we're still borrowing as a country and will continue to do so for the next three to four years. And that's based on optimistic, even heroic, assumptions. We are still, to quote Nicola, "borrowing for groceries". We are still on track to pay $13.7 billion a year in interest costs on our existing debt. And that's without Chippy adding even more to it. So where is he going to find the money for this pay equity promise if it's not going on the debt? Or is it going on the debt? This is the weirdest strategy from Chippy. Frankly, up until now I expected Labour's announcement to be that it would ditch this policy, just as it ditched the so-called landlords' tax policy, albeit for different reasons. Labour has clearly demonstrated it's willing to change its mind and scrap policies that simply aren't going to work. The books have just been opened and shown that we have no money and that our debt is already costing us a fortune. Yet here we are, wondering where Chris Hipkins is going to find another $13 billion for pay equity. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's Nicola Willis is putting the rosier Government books - unveiled today - down to Kiwis' hard work, but won't say whether they'll be repaid a dividend in the form of tax cuts. Forecasts predict the next two years' deficits will be much smaller, and the 2028/29 surplus nearly $2 billion larger than earlier expected. But much of that improvement is down to income-tax bracket creep, and more revenue from GST and company tax. Willis says her focus is getting debt down, to buffer against any future shock. "Those are National's budget responsibility rules - we have to deliver on those before we start dishing out the dividend." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 29 September, 2026, Nicola Willis "opens the books" before the election - and it's looking better than even four months ago at the Budget. We delve into the numbers with the Finance Minister, Labour spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and on the Huddle with Maurice Williamson and Mike Munro. A big stink in central Otago. Why Federated Farmers are upset about some plans for "poo". Plus Scott Barrett on his All Blacks comeback and why he's wary of the Wallabies. 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.

National's Nicola Willis is putting the rosier Government books - unveiled today - down to Kiwis' hard work, but won't say whether they'll be repaid a dividend in the form of tax cuts. Forecasts predict the next two years' deficits will be much smaller, and the 2028/29 surplus nearly $2 billion larger than earlier expected. But much of that improvement is down to income-tax bracket creep, and more revenue from GST and company tax. Willis says her focus is getting debt down, to buffer against any future shock. "Those are National's budget responsibility rules - we have to deliver on those before we start dishing out the dividend." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister says tough choices aren't just made for the sake of it with the Crown books now opened for pre-election scrutiny. It shows we're on track for a good surplus in the 2028/29 financial year, with a much smaller current deficit than expected. But it's not entirely rosy, with predictions slashed on house price growth, more money needed for health, and concerns over Super costs Nicola Willis told Kerre Woodham she's pushed to re-prioritise spending for a reason. She says she's reduced back-office costs and stopped programmes that weren't working, so she could find the money to invest in things Kiwis really want. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former Finance Minister's hailing today as extremely important as Treasury opens the Government's books. This afternoon's Pre-Election Economic and Fiscal Update will show the levels of Crown debt, revenue, and expenditure. Budget 2026 predicted a return to operating surplus in the 2028/29 financial year – a year earlier than had been signalled. Steven Joyce told Mike Hosking things could change quickly, but it's a helpful snapshot. He says it's the best anchor, that shows where things are at, to help parties explain how they'll pay for their election promises. Joyce is warning to 'proceed with caution' though – saying it'll be better than people think, but there are dangers with that too. He acknowledges it may be a vote of confidence in the Government's short-term economic management, but the big issue still remains as to how to drive debt down. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shane McInnes has fired up over comments made by Minister for Finance Katy Gallagher, as well as Minister of Social Services Tanya Plibersek amid the cost-of-living crisis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eric Girard, CAQ candidate for Groulx and our current finance minister Image: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

The Finance Minister believes the report on the Reserve Bank's performance during Covid affirms decisions made by the current Government. An external review of Bank's Covid monetary policy during the pandemic finds it was right to cut the OCR early but was slow to react when the economy bounced back sooner than expected. Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking the results show the importance of the guardrails they implemented – having a single inflation-busting mandate and the change to voting to create more accountability. She believes the report matters as it also shows the Reserve Bank can keep getting better as long as it has an attitude of ongoing improvement. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 23rd of September, the Finance Minister responds to the independent review of the Reserve Bank's monetary policy during the Covid pandemic. It's not just our Sauvignon Blanc; we've got a good news story about our Chardonnay going up against the best in France and winning. Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell discuss the last week in the House, Labour u-turn on interest deductibility, and the National crime video 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.

Former Ashanti Regional Minister Simon Osei-Mensah questions what he calls conflicting statements over the $2 billion allocated for the Kumasi Expressway.

Labour is promising it won't change interest deductibility for landlords, and the Finance Minister has been quick to condemn this development. Leader Chris Hipkins said that since the party has already pledged a capital gains tax, it'll keep deductibility as it is, despite reducing the claimable interest last time they were in Government. Nicola Willis says Labour and Hipkins have been consistently blaming National's changes to interest deductibility for the cost of living crisis - only to make an eleventh hour change ahead of the election. "Unbelievable - and this is why people can't take him seriously. He's all about the soundbite and ultimately doesn't have a coherent agenda, he's just copied National's homework." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Conor Murphy, Sinn Féin Senator & former Finance Minister in the Northern Assembly.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The two-day informal meeting in Dublin is taking place in Dublin Castle and will "focus on a number of areas." says Tánaiste Simon Harris. For more on this David Murphy, Economics and Public Affairs Editor.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Canada and the European Union announced the start of a new relationship, setting Ottawa on the path to become the EU's first "associate member." The unprecedented transatlantic move comes after the United States has targeted its neighbor and old ally, imposing big tariffs and threatening to make it a 51st state. John Manley is Canada's former Deputy Prime Minister, Finance Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and he joins Christiane from Ottawa to discuss what the announcement actually means.   Also on today's show: Anthony Gardner, Former US Ambassador to the EU; former Washington Governor Jay Inslee; author Jacob Weisberg ("Profiles in Cowardice")  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Finance Minister says the National's bid to break up Foodstuffs would be the most low-cost measure to ensure Kiwis can get cheaper groceries. National is campaigning on separating Pak'nSave from New World and Four Square - if the Commerce Commission believes it stacks up. Nicola Willis says there's less benefits and more costs around restructuring Woolworths, as the retailer would have to set up an entirely new operator and brands. "Whereas, Foodstuffs already has two different brands, it already has Pak'nSave vs New World. So the costs of that restructure are lower - and once you add in all of the extra costs of the Woolworths restructure, you end up with lower net benefits." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yesterday's policy announcement from the National Party has sparked outrage from business leaders and supermarket owners. Marc Brokenshire is the Owner/Operator of New World Ilam. He joined John MacDonald to share his perspective as a supermarket owner, and an employer of over 165 staff in his community. He said the uncertainty has already led him to delay significant investments, including a backup generator capable of powering the entire supermarket during a power outage. "'I'm not ordering that new generator. Those investment decisions just go on hold, and I hope we don't need that service." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister's brushing off concerns about the government's fast track programme. Local Government New Zealand is calling on central Government to pause all referrals on housing projects - claiming they're bypassing council decisions. It wants a review to clarify the housing fast track's role within the new planning system. Nicola Willis says she wants to make clear fast-track approval doesn't give developers a free pass to charge ahead. She says expert panels still impose conditions - requiring roads, wastewater and other infrastructure to be in place, before construction. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alberta's Oct. 19 referendum isn't just about separation. There are 10 questions on the ballot, including five that target immigrants and raise serious questions about access to health care, education and social supports. We're joined by former Alberta premier Rachel Notley, former Edmonton mayor Don Iveson, former St. Albert mayor Cathy Heron, lawyer Avnish Nanda (4:25), and former Lethbridge mayor Chris Spearman (1:07:00) for Real Talk about what these questions are really about, and what they say about the politics shaping Alberta right now. Plus, Canada's Minister of Finance François-Philippe Champagne goes one-on-one with Ryan (43:30) in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West to recap last week's G20 summit in North Carolina, his ongoing conversations with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, and what Canadians told him through recent pre-budget consultations. THIS EPISODE IS PRESENTED BY HANSEN DISTILLERY, WINNERS OF THREE GOLD MEDALS AT THE INAUGURAL ALBERTA WHISKY AWARDS! LEARN MORE: https://hansendistillery.com/ OUR ALBERTA ADVANTAGE: https://ouralbertaadvantage.ca/ REQUEST YOUR MAIL-IN BALLOT BY SEPT. 25: https://www.elections.ab.ca/request-a-special-ballot/ MBEW: https://www.mercedes-benz-edmontonwest.ca/ TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: leave a comment here or email talk@ryanjespersen.com  SAVE on INTERNET, ELECTRICITY, and NATURAL GAS: https://parkpower.ca/realtalk/ GET YOUR "PROUDLY ALBERTAN. FIERCELY CANADIAN." HOODIES BEFORE THEY SELL OUT (AGAIN): https://ryanjespersen.com/merch REAL TALK'S LIVE STREAM IS PRESENTED BY CALIFORNIA CLOSETS. BOOK YOUR FREE CONSULTATION: https://californiaclosets.ca/ REAL TALK HIGHLIGHTS ARE PRESENTED BY KUBY ENERGY AND CANADIAN GREEN TECH, YOUR TRUSTED SOLAR PROVIDERS. LEARN MORE AT https://kuby.ca/ or in-store at Costco. SIGN UP for YEGplus, CANADA'S FIRST AIRPORT REWARDS PROGRAM: https://yegplus.com/realtalk SAVE 10% on ONLINE MEN'S CLOTHING PURCHASES at THE HELM with promo code REALTALK: https://thehelmclothing.com/ FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, X, INSTAGRAM, and LINKEDIN: @realtalkrj & @ryanjespersen JOIN US ON FACEBOOK: @ryanjespersen REAL TALK MERCH: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE PERKS - BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: patreon.com/ryanjespersen THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

With the election only two months out, Finance Minister Nicola Willis joins Nick Mills in the studio this morning to talk the economy and Wellington issues. When will ordinary people feel the economy begin to recover? With the latest OCR hike, Willis shares her predictions for the financial future. On the local front, pressure is building on WCC Chief Infrastructure Officer Jenny Chetwynd who did not interview for the Moa Point review. Willis called on Chetwynd to "front up" and take accountability. “Apparently they provided written information, but you and I both know the lawyers would have written that.” She said while the failures are spread across departments, it is clear the Wellington City Council did not do enough. Mills and Willis discussed the public servants strike yesterday, and according to the Minister PSA union members were encouraged to wear red yesterday in support. Plus, Willis shares her thoughts on the Green's "KiwiMart", and the MSD admin error. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Both major parties took a hit in the recent Taxpayers' Union-Curia poll, with both Labour and National dropping below 30 percent. National holds the lead at 29 percent, while Labour has tumbled to 25.9 percent - and the Greens have jumped to 13.9, ACT is on 10.5 and Opportunity has fallen all the way to 4.5 percent. National's Nicola Willis says the party is committed to reminding voters that it aims to fix the basics and build the future - and to highlight the proposals of the opposition parties. "We've been delivering a lot of policies, whether that's universal KiwiSaver, extending paid parental leave, extending eligibility for first home loans, reducing the student loan repayment rate - we've been delivering a lot." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Methanex would close and had factored this into their LNG plans. She says they decided the gas Methanex uses being released back into the market wouldn't be enough to solve our problems, believing another option is still needed. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister's defending the decision to delay fuel tax and road user charges, saying it won't add to the country's debt. The excise was due to rise 12-cents a litre in January, but has been pushed back a year and cut to five cents. The Government now needs to put an extra $1.4 billion into the Land Transport Fund. Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking it's not the right time to raise fuel taxes. But she says GDP growth will be double this year's in 2028, while inflation is also forecast to be coming down by then. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister says the Government has made the right move in delaying increase to the fuel tax at this stage. The excise was due to rise 12-cents a litre next January, but has been delayed to the following year - and will only be five cents. Nicola Willis says the Government is still on the path to returning to surplus, and they've determined they can fit this in as part of it. "Ultimately, we've judged that we can fit it and also meet all of our budget responsibility rules in terms of maintaining that path to surplus - ensuring that we're still going to get debt tracking down." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Maytham is joined by Cape Town Mayor and DA mayoral candidate Geordin Hill-Lewis, following his pledge to create at least 500,000 additional jobs in Cape Town over the next five years. Hill-Lewis says this would take the city to one million additional jobs created since the DA took office, with the target being reached by 2031. Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned journalist. His show serves a round-up of local and international news coupled with the latest in business, sport, traffic and weather. The host’s eclectic interests mean the program often surprises the audience with intriguing book reviews and inspiring interviews profiling artists. A daily highlight is Rapid Fire, just after 5:30pm. CapeTalk fans call in, to stump the presenter with their general knowledge questions. Another firm favourite is the humorous Thursday crossing with award-winning journalist Rebecca Davis, called “Plan B”. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Afternoon Drive with John Maytham Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 15:00 and 18:00 (SA Time) to Afternoon Drive with John Maytham broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/BSFy4Cn or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/n8nWt4x Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media: CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's hit out at Labour's plan to pause fuel taxes. Labour's promised no hikes to the fuel excise over the first three years if elected and will consider pushing back National Land Transport fund projects to compensate. National's announced it doesn't plan to go ahead with an excise lift scheduled for January. But Finance Minister Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking they can't put it off forever like Labour wants to do. She says its plan would mean potholes everywhere, bridges washed away in major cyclones, and roads that can't be fixed up. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Arun Jaitley's death anniversary, Shekhar Gupta recalls the most inspirational side of the former Finance Minister's personal life. In this edition of #FirstPersonSecondDraft, ThePrint Editor-In-Chief reminisces about his meetings with Arun Jaitley, and the BJP leader's courageous fight against cancer.----more----Read the text version here: https://theprint.in/opinion/not-another-my-friend-arun-jaitley-obit-courage-cancer-a-big-heart-and-some-sd-burman/281620/

The National Party has confirmed it's not going to introduce any new taxes if elected for a second term. Earlier this month, it indicated it was looking at new bank tax settings and progressing a bed tax, but they've ruled those out. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says the party was very clear two weeks ago - and they've clarified these new taxes have been ruled out. "The three parties of the coalition - National, New Zealand Fist and ACT - agreed to explore it, only explore it...and we've come to our campaign position, which is that we will not do it." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's stressing the importance of getting an additional Waitemata Harbour Crossing right from the beginning. It's announced a business case will be completed next year for options on a crossing to address the limitations of the Auckland Harbour Bridge. An NZTA case endorses a tunnel, while the Government's willing to reconsider a bridge at Meola Reef - mayor Wayne Brown's preferred option. Associate Finance Minister Chris Bishop says earlier investigations have been carried out into the Meola Reef option, but the Government has a deal with the mayor. "We want to, in good faith, take this seriously - so the offer's there to do a joint study with the council if they're keen for it." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week's episode features two segments. G20 Finance Track in Asheville this month First up, you'll hear Jeremy and Sea speak about the upcoming G20 Financial Track gathering of Finance Ministers and Central Bankers happening in Asheville at the end of August this year. We speak about the G20, neoliberalism, and some of the organizing happening locally. More info available at G20AVL.NoBlogs.Org Squatted Neighborhood of Prosfygika Then you'll hear a segment form the June 2026 episode #103 of B(A)D News: Angry Voices from Around The World by the A-Radio Network. In this audio, members of Crna Luknja from Ljubljana, Slovenia, speak with participants in the autonomous, squatted neighborhood of Athens, Prosfygika, a name which translates to Refugee. The audio was recorded on May 28th , so likely the situation has shifted and you can find more information and updates at SaveProsfygika.GR/index.php/en/ for English. According to a statement from June 24th found on that website, the hunger strikes of Aristotelis Chantzis and Suzon Doppagne were suspended following municipal statements in line with movement demands. Check the Materials page for statements, photos, audios and documentaries from and about the community. Announcements Mutual Aid in Spokane in the wake of massive fires A comrade sent some fundraising links for mutual aid, particularly for undocumented community members and folks at the Colville Tribal Rez north of town where fire damage has been extensive. Check our show notes for links. Amazon Wishlist for Colville Rez Spokane Tribal Network food assistance Asheville Anti-Surveillance Week of Action August 16-22 CAMS (Community Against Mass Surveillance) is doing a week of action against mass surveillance alongside the nationwide DeFlock week of actoin. Check our show notes for the local schedule of events in Asheville. SCHEDULE FOR WEEK OF ACTION: Aug 16-22: Sunday 8/16 – Week of Action kickoff & potluck: coalition building, info and resource sharing, and organizing for week of action and beyond, 1 to 3 pm, Home Hub Pavilion, 27 Balm Grove Ave., W AVL, rain or shine (covered outdoor space and access to indoor spaces). **Tuesday evening 8/18 - online panel and Q&A with local and national experts, 7 - 8:30 pm.** Friday evening 8/21 - Infoshare, Q&A, Speak Out + dance party, 6 to 10 pm, location TBD. . ... . .. Featured Track: TFSR by The Willows Whisper Beatbuster by The Willows Whisper

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Nicola Willis says the National's new proposed increase to the fuel tax, the new bed tax and the possible bank levy aren't new information. A Taxpayers' Union Curia Issue poll shows 76 percent of National supporters want the party to promise no new taxes or tax increases. The party yesterday outlined a promise for fiscal responsibility - including a commitment to lower the debt to GDP ratio and to get the books back into surplus. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says these proposals have been documented and National's simply being straight with voters. "Three issues we've already been very open and upfront about, and I can be very clear with you that there is nothing that we are considering that you haven't heard about." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why are we so bad at planning, procurement & budgeting? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

National's under pressure to come clean on what new taxes it could be considering. The party's unveiled its budget responsibility rules, promising to deliver a surplus and rein in spending. But finance spokeswoman Nicola Willis has only ruled out higher taxes on working people, leaving the door open to other tax increases. Former Finance Minister Steve Joyce told Mike Hosking that bed and fuel taxes are the most likely options. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode of Think Change explores the growing environmental footprint of artificial intelligence – from rising energy demand and emissions to the vast quantities of water needed to power and cool the data centres behind today's AI revolution.As Europe experiences another summer of record-breaking heat, devastating wildfires and growing water stress, the race to develop and deploy AI raises urgent questions about how we balance technological progress with climate goals. Can the environmental costs of AI be managed? And who bears the burden when new technologies increase pressure on already stretched resources?The conversation looks beyond technology alone to the governance challenges shaping AI's future: who sets the rules, whose interests are prioritised, and how we can ensure that AI development supports rather than deepens existing inequalities.Recorded during London Climate Action Week, the episode brings together perspectives on energy systems, climate policy and international cooperation to ask what it will take to build an AI future that is innovative, sustainable and fair.Guests:Sara Pantuliano (host), Chief Executive, ODI GlobalDivij Joshi, Research Fellow, ODI GlobalJoaquim Levy, former Finance Minister of Brazil and a Commissioner of the Future of Development Cooperation CoalitionFiona Macklin, Head of Climate, ApoliticalRelated resourcesAI's climate consequences: why AI governance needs to confront climate injusticeThe Paris AI Summit: is geopolitical rivalry derailing AI governance?The environmental risks of generative AI: why better global governance is urgently neededGlobal Critical Minerals Outlook 2025

The Finance Minister says fuel support will stay in place until the Government is confident prices won't spike again. It's extending the in-work tax credit, higher mileage rates for health workers and eligible patients, and reimbursements for relievers. That's despite average pump prices sitting below $3 for four weeks. Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking the measures will return to Cabinet once prices fall below that mark again. She says it's important to note that the support can only come back with legislation - which isn't easy. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Geopolitical uncertainty is forcing the Government to push fuel assistance out a while longer. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says they'll continually review the package. Willis says there was a period when petrol prices dipped below $3 a litre, but they're climbing again. "Treasury are forecasting prices could remain above $3 through August and September, so we've agreed to keep the temporary supports in place for now, because there hasn't been a sustained reduction in price." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Government is looking to modernise the Tobacco Bill to ban disposable vapes; FLOW is looking to wind up the candw.ky email service; and the Finance Minister speaks to recent supplemental appropriations.

The Finance Minister says changes to paid parental leave weren't in the coalition agreement for the current government. The National Party is promising to extend paid parental leave to 30 weeks by 2029 if re-elected, with further increases possible if finances allow. It would also allow parents more flexibility to share, or take leave at the same time. Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking that the change would be a priority for a National-led government. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister expects to see power prices start easing "soon". Inflation's hit a two-year high of 4.1%. It's been driven not only by the surge in global petrol and diesel prices thanks to the war in Iran, but also the 12% annual rise in household electricity bills. Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking the increase in power generation is pushing down commercial power prices and should also start bringing down household power prices. She says the extra generation is consented and is being built, and the Government expects the fall in energy costs to be passed on to retail customers. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Day 1,557.Today, after a weekend that saw Russian ships hit by drones, hit by drones and hit by drones again, it ended with another Russian ship being seized by abseiling Frenchmen. Meanwhile, Ukraine's “logistics lockdown” continued, leading to fuel rationing in Crimea and more Russian oil refineries self-sanctioning in very dramatic ways; no wonder Putin's Finance Minister has said Russia's spending on the war has gone two trillion rubles over budget.Contributors: Dom Nicholls (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @DomNicholls on X.Sophie O'Sullivan (Telegraph journalist).Adelie Pojzman-Pontay (Host on Ukraine: The Latest). @adeliepjz on X.With thanks to Stergios-Aristoteles Mitoulis (Associate Professor of engineering at the Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction at UCL). @DrMitoulis on X.Producer: Rachel PorterSenior Producer: Lilian FawcettVideo Producer: Sophie O'SullivanSocial Producer: Gezim HilajStudio Director: Meghan SearleExecutive Editor: Francis DearnleyCreated by David KnowlesNOW IN FULL VIDEO WITH MAPS & BATTLEFIELD FOOTAGE:Every episode is now available on our YouTube channel shortly after the release of the audio version. You will find it here: https://www.youtube.com/@UkraineTheLatest CONTENT REFERENCED:Russia overspends on Putin's war in Ukraine by $28bn (The Financial Times)https://www.ft.com/content/93674b5c-06ea-4e49-a005-dc08e1091574?syn-25a6b1a6=1 Inside the schools preparing Ukrainian children for war (The Telegraph)https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/05/31/inside-the-schools-preparing-ukrainian-children-for-war/ For more information on Professor Mitoulis's work, follow the links below:Bridge Ukraine: https://bridgeukraine.org/Meta Infrastructure: https://metainfrastructure.org/EMAIL US:Contact the team on ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk. We continue to read every message, and seek to respond to as many on air and in our newsletter as possible.HIGHLIGHTS:France seizes Russian shadow fleet tanker in mission Moscow calls ‘piracy'Ukrainian drones dominate skies over occupied cities Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.