Podcasts about finance minister nicola willis

The Consumers Price Index (CPI) has increased 4.1% in the 12 months to the June 2026 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. As expected, the increase can be partially contributed to the US-Iran war as the largest upwards contributor to the annual inflation rate was petrol, up 27.5%. Finance Minister Nicola Willis is labelling annual inflation hitting its highest level in more than two years a “Trump spike”. Former Reserve Bank senior economist Michael Reddell told Andrew Dickens that economists don't tend to look at the headline numbers but they will be digging through the numbers to find trends. "It's a bit like the famous line about democracy, you know, it's not a perfect system, it's just better than any of the alternatives that have been tried, and inflation targeting is a bit like that as well. It's definitely not perfect." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I have so many questions around the Government bailout of Golden Bay Cement, which is not in fact manufactured in Golden Bay, but in Northland. Fletcher owns the company and they said Golden Bay Cement operates New Zealand's only domestic cement manufacturing facility at Portland near Whangarei. It supplies nearly 60% of the cement used in New Zealand – about 95% of its output is sold domestically. Golden Bay Cement took a long hard look at the account books and participated in an independent assessment which confirmed that without support, rising costs —including carbon costs— would force the closure of the company and a shift to an import only model for cement from 2030. So in steps the Government with a $60 million payout. They say it's a specific one-time response to an exceptional set of circumstances, to keep the plant open at least through to 2040. In return, Golden Bay Cement has committed to continue producing cement at its Northland plant at least until 2040 and to invest at least 150 million through to 2040, phased over time. Finance Minister Nicola Willis told Heather du Plessis Allan last night the decision to offer a bailout was not made lightly and does not set a precedent. “We went through three steps. One, this is quite different in that it is strategically so important that you can produce cement for your domestic economy, that you're not exposed to not being able to have cement if there was an international trade disruption. Two, the financial case here is that actually this is a business that is working overall. The key thing is just that emissions cost. And three, we've set in place some really firm requirements that Golden Bay need to meet in order to get this cash with clawbacks if they don't meet those requirements. And that includes keeping production going through to at least 2040 making $150 million worth of investments in that manufacturing capability, keeping the jobs at that factory going, and having an open book exercise with us, the Government, so that we can audit that investment. So we set a very high bar, we took a very case by case approach. Believe you me, I did not want to be setting a precedent that we're going to keep doing this.” Well, yeah, you kind of have set a precedent though, haven't you? Because when you bail out one company, that's precedent. The other companies can say you've done it before, so it's a precedent. And Nicola Willis made the point that, oh, this is a thriving company, it's just that emissions cost. Yeah, about that... that's one of those questions. If it's just that emissions cost, then that's not going to change unless you change our obligation to the Paris Agreement and unless you do as other European countries have done and delay the introduction of the ETS or scrap it all together. So “just that emissions cost” is what's snookering a whole lot of New Zealand companies. Fletcher says that New Zealand manufacturers face carbon costs that importers largely avoid. They want to see a carbon border adjustment mechanism, something they say addresses the structural imbalance directly and would let the ETS work as intended without exposing domestic manufacturers like Golden Bay to ongoing domestic advantage. A CBAM would apply a carbon charge to imported goods based on the emissions generated during their production. While we're all being, hey look at us, we're being so good and we're saving the Arctic shelves and we're snookering our own companies because we believe in the greater good of the of the planet and the universe, other countries go, yeah, no, not for us. Not really. We don't buy into that whole ETS thing, so we're not going to do it. They can make their goods a whole lot cheaper on so many levels without the ETS even coming into it. Add the ETS on that, the fact that they're ignoring it completely, no wonder their goods are cheaper. So as Fletcher says, why don't we bring in the carbon border adjustment mechanism so wherever it's made in the world, you have to pay your ETS if we're all going to buy into that. How is a one-off payment going to help given the trading environment isn't changing or they've given no indication of the ETS obligations changing anytime soon? And they won't under Labour and Greens, if anything they'd go up. And if Golden Bay is so critical, why isn't Carter Holt Harvey's pulp and paper and plywood? I would have thought that was pretty critical too. Except of course they closed down and it wasn't an election year. Perhaps that's the difference. Last year Carter Holt Harvey saw the closure of Kinleith and Eves Valley sawmill with the loss of hundreds of jobs. We had the closure of Ravensdown, Smithfield, and Ruapehu. Each of these towns and regions could argue that what they made was critical to the supply chain. It was certainly critical to the economic viability of their particular region, which is not awash in situations vacant. Cameron Bagrie has called the bailout of Golden Bay corporate welfareism. Of course it is. Fletcher says it's not, the Government says it's not, but if it's taxpayer money going to an entity that can't support itself, that's welfareism. Nicola Willis might not want to set a precedent, but she has. And a one-off payment is not going to fix the problem, as Fletcher points out. We have signed up to the Paris Accord, we've said, oh yes, bring on the ETS, please let's cripple ourselves so we can maintain the moral high ground. And in the meantime, we're going to have to import goods that are made by other countries that have stuck two fingers to Paris and said we can't afford it. How does that work? How do we maintain the moral high ground by buying goods from countries that are ignoring their carbon offset obligations? We do our own companies out of business, we put people out of work, and we buy from countries that ignore the ETS. It doesn't make any sense to me at all. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Consumers Price Index (CPI) has increased 4.1% in the 12 months to the June 2026 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. As expected, the increase can be partially contributed to the US-Iran war as the largest upwards contributor to the annual inflation rate was petrol, up 27.5%. Finance Minister Nicola Willis is labelling annual inflation hitting its highest level in more than two years a “Trump spike”. Former Reserve Bank senior economist Michael Reddell told Andrew Dickens that economists don't tend to look at the headline numbers but they will be digging through the numbers to find trends. "It's a bit like the famous line about democracy, you know, it's not a perfect system, it's just better than any of the alternatives that have been tried, and inflation targeting is a bit like that as well. It's definitely not perfect." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I have so many questions around the Government bailout of Golden Bay Cement, which is not in fact manufactured in Golden Bay, but in Northland. Fletcher owns the company and they said Golden Bay Cement operates New Zealand's only domestic cement manufacturing facility at Portland near Whangarei. It supplies nearly 60% of the cement used in New Zealand – about 95% of its output is sold domestically. Golden Bay Cement took a long hard look at the account books and participated in an independent assessment which confirmed that without support, rising costs —including carbon costs— would force the closure of the company and a shift to an import only model for cement from 2030. So in steps the Government with a $60 million payout. They say it's a specific one-time response to an exceptional set of circumstances, to keep the plant open at least through to 2040. In return, Golden Bay Cement has committed to continue producing cement at its Northland plant at least until 2040 and to invest at least 150 million through to 2040, phased over time. Finance Minister Nicola Willis told Heather du Plessis Allan last night the decision to offer a bailout was not made lightly and does not set a precedent. “We went through three steps. One, this is quite different in that it is strategically so important that you can produce cement for your domestic economy, that you're not exposed to not being able to have cement if there was an international trade disruption. Two, the financial case here is that actually this is a business that is working overall. The key thing is just that emissions cost. And three, we've set in place some really firm requirements that Golden Bay need to meet in order to get this cash with clawbacks if they don't meet those requirements. And that includes keeping production going through to at least 2040 making $150 million worth of investments in that manufacturing capability, keeping the jobs at that factory going, and having an open book exercise with us, the Government, so that we can audit that investment. So we set a very high bar, we took a very case by case approach. Believe you me, I did not want to be setting a precedent that we're going to keep doing this.” Well, yeah, you kind of have set a precedent though, haven't you? Because when you bail out one company, that's precedent. The other companies can say you've done it before, so it's a precedent. And Nicola Willis made the point that, oh, this is a thriving company, it's just that emissions cost. Yeah, about that... that's one of those questions. If it's just that emissions cost, then that's not going to change unless you change our obligation to the Paris Agreement and unless you do as other European countries have done and delay the introduction of the ETS or scrap it all together. So “just that emissions cost” is what's snookering a whole lot of New Zealand companies. Fletcher says that New Zealand manufacturers face carbon costs that importers largely avoid. They want to see a carbon border adjustment mechanism, something they say addresses the structural imbalance directly and would let the ETS work as intended without exposing domestic manufacturers like Golden Bay to ongoing domestic advantage. A CBAM would apply a carbon charge to imported goods based on the emissions generated during their production. While we're all being, hey look at us, we're being so good and we're saving the Arctic shelves and we're snookering our own companies because we believe in the greater good of the of the planet and the universe, other countries go, yeah, no, not for us. Not really. We don't buy into that whole ETS thing, so we're not going to do it. They can make their goods a whole lot cheaper on so many levels without the ETS even coming into it. Add the ETS on that, the fact that they're ignoring it completely, no wonder their goods are cheaper. So as Fletcher says, why don't we bring in the carbon border adjustment mechanism so wherever it's made in the world, you have to pay your ETS if we're all going to buy into that. How is a one-off payment going to help given the trading environment isn't changing or they've given no indication of the ETS obligations changing anytime soon? And they won't under Labour and Greens, if anything they'd go up. And if Golden Bay is so critical, why isn't Carter Holt Harvey's pulp and paper and plywood? I would have thought that was pretty critical too. Except of course they closed down and it wasn't an election year. Perhaps that's the difference. Last year Carter Holt Harvey saw the closure of Kinleith and Eves Valley sawmill with the loss of hundreds of jobs. We had the closure of Ravensdown, Smithfield, and Ruapehu. Each of these towns and regions could argue that what they made was critical to the supply chain. It was certainly critical to the economic viability of their particular region, which is not awash in situations vacant. Cameron Bagrie has called the bailout of Golden Bay corporate welfareism. Of course it is. Fletcher says it's not, the Government says it's not, but if it's taxpayer money going to an entity that can't support itself, that's welfareism. Nicola Willis might not want to set a precedent, but she has. And a one-off payment is not going to fix the problem, as Fletcher points out. We have signed up to the Paris Accord, we've said, oh yes, bring on the ETS, please let's cripple ourselves so we can maintain the moral high ground. And in the meantime, we're going to have to import goods that are made by other countries that have stuck two fingers to Paris and said we can't afford it. How does that work? How do we maintain the moral high ground by buying goods from countries that are ignoring their carbon offset obligations? We do our own companies out of business, we put people out of work, and we buy from countries that ignore the ETS. It doesn't make any sense to me at all. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis joined Heather du Plessis-Allan for their weekly chat. On the Golden Bay Cement bailout, Willis defended the Government's decision to not change the ETS and instead provide funding directly to the company. "If we had said 'actually no, the ETS doesn't apply to you, Golden Bay Cement', there would have been a conga, well, there could have been a conga line of others who would have said, 'hey, we don't want the ETS to apply to us either.'" Willis also confirmed that Erica Stanford is expected to make announcements on a potential social media ban in the coming weeks. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger has pushed back on a Councillor's suggestion the city's relationship with central government is failing. Heathcote Councillor Nathaniel Herz Jardine says the council is still waiting for a reply after writing to South Island Minister James Meager in February. According to Herz Jardine, the lack of communication is creating uncertainty around infrastructure planning and future collaboration with the Government. However, Mauger says those concerns are overstated. Speaking to Canterbury Mornings, he described the comments as "bollocks" and said he speaks with Meager "from time-to-time". "We're doing okay and I don't want Christchurch to be seen as greedy buggers." Finance Minister Nicola Willis claimed last month the Christchurch City Council did not ask for anything in this year's Budget and that was why it missed out on funding. Mauger also discussed the council's proposal for an additional glass recycling bin, local government amalgamation, and the Government's plans to shift responsibility for climate adaptation planning to councils. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister's again reiterating the volatility of oil prices as fighting resumes between the US and Iran. US President Donald Trump's declared the ceasefire is over as both sides accuse the other of breaching the terms of the ceasefire agreement. American forces have hit dozens of Iranian targets, while Iran's fired drones at US bases in response. Finance Minister Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking she'd just been celebrating falling petrol prices. She says in the past 24 hours, oil prices have jumped 5%. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 9th of July, Finance Minister Nicola Willis speaks on the Official Cash Rate, and Luke Jacobson tells us how the All Blacks will beat Italy this weekend. Dr Anna Breman explains the Reserve Bank's decision to raise the OCR by 25 basis points. And Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson discuss the All Blacks' travelling gear, going to restaurants with bare feet, and school holidays as they Wrap the Week. 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.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 2nd of July, Finance Minister Nicola Willis responds to the latest IMF report, which seems to have good economic news for us. L.A.B are launching their own festival in a sector where most are losing money or shutting down. So, do they have the magic? CNN anchor Richard Quest talks everything from oil, to the war in the Middle East, to AI, and the fascinating world we live in right now. 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.

Oil prices have plunged with the shaky ceasefire between the US and Iran, and it's sparked discussion about what's going to happen next. It's bringing consumers some ease at the pump, with 91 dipping below $3 a litre. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says she's 'pleased' to see prices coming down, but prices need to stay below the $3 limit for four weeks in a row before they end the fuel support package. "If that oil prices spikes up again in response to events in the Middle East, you might see that the petrol price at the pump bump up again. But we're all crossing our fingers...and hoping it stays low." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National is accusing Labour of having a “hidden bill”, worth $18 billion, in its spending plans. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says they promised to outline how it would fund its election commitments after the Budget, but no credible plan has been provided. But Labour disputes this, promising everything will become clear in the party's fiscal plan, which will be released later this year. The big focus is Labour's Future Fund, which would take ownership of some Crown stakes and shareholdings, using the dividend revenue to fund other policies. However, this would leave a $2.7 billion hole in public finances. NZ Herald Political Editor Thomas Coughlan told Kerre Woodham that Labour is refusing to say what will be redirected into the Fund until after the election – which they've rightly copped flak for. But he believes that after the election they might quietly try to kill it by making it a very small fund —around 10–15% of what was promised— which could help the numbers stack up. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Almost all New Zealanders chose to not opt out of increasing their KiwiSaver payments. Minimum contributions increased from 3 percent in April to 3.5, although people could remain at 3 percent if they wished. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says it's important the Government set out their direction to increase contributions further." "Setting the direction out now makes it clear where we're going, it gives everyone time to adjust." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 19th of June, Finance Minister Nicola Willis talks the state of the economy after the Q1 GDP number and makes a comment about Shane Jones' trip. Wellington's Chamber of Commerce celebrates the cancellation of the Golden Mile project but still wants something to be done about Courtenay Place. We preview the Super Rugby Final with the Hurricanes' Malcolm Gillies and Chiefs' Simon Graafhuis and celebrate yet another Warriors sellout —this time in Christchurch— with Cameron George. Tim Wilson and Kate Hawkesby Wrap the Week – discussing the holiday and the new business that's popped up near Newstalk ZB. 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.

We've come to the end of a fascinating week in politics. But what week in politics isn't? It kicked off last Sunday with Nicola Willis alleging a massive hidden bill in Labour's policies. She also had a crack at the lack of policies from Labour. And while that entertained her base who already hold that view, there were many who said she pulled the trigger too soon and it was a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black. Heather said it was way too soon, and it should have been left to closer to Election Day. Cameron Bagrie said that all parties have hidden bills and because of our fiscal state, all policies are going to have to be paid for by debt. So, Nicola's shot could have backfired. And Audrey Young pointed out that last election Nicola Willis released her fiscal policy with costings only four days before advance voting started, and 17 days before Election Day. This year's election is 141 days away. Look I enjoy this election-style biffo because it's great grist to the mill for people in my job, but I too wonder why National has pulled the trigger so early. It raises the question whether they're very worried about the Opposition beating them. It also shows their hand, and come Election time maybe Labour will be better prepared. Maybe.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Green Party says voters shouldn't have to guess who's numbers are right, as it pushes for a Parliamentary Budget Office. It says parties are already accusing each other of fiscal holes this year - highlighting the need for an independent office to cost election policies. The party's written to Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Labour's Barbara Edmonds, urging support. Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick says there's demand for this on both sides of the political aisle. "Wouldn't it be useful to have an independent body that can say - hey look very clearly here, if we compare apples with apples in terms of uniform forecasting protocols, then this is demonstrably untrue. That would mean political parties would also tighten up their act." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis fronted a press conference on Sunday, complete with a black dossier labelled Labour's Hidden Bill, accusing the opposition of leaving an $18 billion funding gap in its plans. Since then, independent economists have also questioned Labour’s figures around their recently announced fare cap policy, saying the numbers don’t quite stack up. Labour says the attack is a distraction while National says voters deserve answers. But beyond the numbers themselves, does this tell us something about how both major parties plan to fight the election campaign? Today on The Front Page, NZ Herald senior correspondent Katie Bradford joins us to unpack the battle over Labour's alleged hidden costs and what it reveals about the state of Election 2026. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network. Editor/Producer: Richard MartinProducer: Jane YeeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 16th of June, International Security Expert Matthew Schmidt unpacks the reported peace deal between the US and Iran. Finance Minister Nicola Willis discusses the impact the deal could have on New Zealand's economy. The All Whites are set to play their first match of the FIFA World Cup against Iran this afternoon – Football NZ CEO Andrew Pragnell previews the match. And Neuroscientist Kerry Spackman explains how to succeed in his new book ‘The Winner's Formula'. 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.

TSB and Heartland Bank are looking to join forces by the end of the year. TSB owner Toi Foundation's seeking feedback on the plan to join with Heartland Bank, to the tune of $620 million. Finance Minister Nicola Willis welcomes this decision to team up and take on the big Australian banks. "That's positive, and good for the state of banking competition." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Sunday Panel, Resident Economist from Opes Partners, Ed McKnight, and TV producer, journalist and commentator, Irene Gardiner, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Budget 2026 was revealed last week, and it forecasts a return to surplus in the 2028/29 year. Some experts have raised questions over how likely this actually is - what do we think? Finance Minister Nicola Willis also indicated discussions about the future of NZ Super need to take place. Do we agree with this? Rum and raisin ice cream is back on the shelves - will we buy it? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Return to surplus? Nicola Willis charts economic recovery Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered her third and final Budget Day speech for the parliamentary term this week. A Budget delivering investment in health, infrastructure and defence, the Minister has described it as "responsible" - while Opposition voices have criticised the lack of stimulus for ordinary New Zealanders facing cost-of-living pressures. The big bonus is a forecast return to surplus in financial year 2028/29, one year earlier than previously forecast, using the government's favoured forecasting tool, OBEGALx. Five months out from the general election, Nicola Willis joins Jack Tame to discuss the government's record on economic stewardship, why the new bank tax won't be passed onto consumers, and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's "freeloaders" comment on New Zealand's defence spending. Children's Commissioner: The cost of child poverty In Budget 2026, Treasury published New Zealand's latest child poverty statistics. It's a grim picture, and one that isn't improving much: the number of households in material hardship is estimated to be 14 percent, with a 2028 target of six percent. Children's Commissioner Claire Achmad joins Jack Tame to lay out the cost of persistent child poverty and discusses the workability of a forthcoming ban of social media for under-16s. Why populist nationalism won't stop immigration Five months from the election, immigration is being framed by political parties as a critical election issue, with the Prime Minister warning the wrong policies could damage social cohesion. In New Zealand in 2026, migration is the main source of population growth, with the nation's fertility rate slumping to 1.6, below replacement levels. Is an immigration backlash the inevitable response to a globalising world? Jack Tame speaks to author and CEO of geospatial analytics company AlphaGeo Dr Parag Khanna. Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter. Made with the support of NZ on Air.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered her third and final Budget Day speech for the parliamentary term this week. A Budget delivering investment in health, infrastructure and defence, the Minister has described it as "responsible" - while Opposition voices have criticised the lack of stimulus for ordinary New Zealanders facing cost-of-living pressures. The big bonus is a forecast return to surplus in financial year 2028/29, one year earlier than previously forecast, using the government's favoured forecasting tool, OBEGALx. Five months out from the general election, Nicola Willis joins Jack Tame to discuss the government's record on economic stewardship, why the new bank tax won't be passed onto consumers, and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's "freeloaders" comment on New Zealand's defence spending. Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter. Made with the support of NZ on Air.

Well, it wasn't the most exciting Budget week was it? Finance Minister Nicola Willis' budget was designed around fiscal restraint, deficit reduction, and a return to operating surplus by 2028/29 (depending on the accounting measure used!). It does appear to make progress toward reducing spending growth. Major savings are expected from restructuring the public service and ending the final-year “fees free” tertiary policy. Whether these cuts are fully achievable is uncertain. The plan to reduce around 8700 public-sector jobs by 2029 relies on agency mergers, technology adoption, and continued restraint across departments. That's a lot to get done right. Critics argue these reductions may prove politically difficult due to differences between the coalition parties. On the revenue side, the Government introduced a new levy on banks and insurers and adjusted several tax settings, but the Budget largely depends on stronger future growth to lift tax receipts over time to make the numbers work. The Government also attempted to address productivity and long-term growth through increased capital investment in infrastructure, defence, hospitals, schools, vocational training, and technology development. Supporters argue these investments will improve economic capacity over time. Critics contend we still lack a comprehensive productivity strategy and under-invest in innovation and business growth. So it's not an aspirational Budget. Or an interesting one. It's not a Budget that is going to seriously address inequality and inequity in NZ. It's a back to basics, practical Budget and pretty much what we were expecting. But what I do like, and what makes this Budget distinctive, is the medium and long-term approach which, considering the pickle we're in, is refreshingly grown-up. This is a Budget focused on long-term economic management rather than near-term popularity. It largely devoid of gimmicks, bribes, or incentives for voters. This is a Budget that draws a line in the sand. This is National and the coalition practising what they preach and defining themselves by their decision making. Whether the strategy succeeds politically is another question. Yes, it demonstrates fiscal credibility and attempts to address underlying economic weaknesses. But you can also argue the Government has underestimated public demand for immediate cost-of-living relief. Overall, the Budget moves New Zealand closer to stabilising debt and returning to surplus, but its success depends heavily on economic growth forecasts, successful implementation of spending cuts, and stable global conditions. Given weaker growth projections and international uncertainty, achieving surplus by 2029–2030 is far from guaranteed. As ever, it's another case of us needing to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Keeping NZ super as it is, is a strike against intergenerational equity according to the Finance Minister Nicola Willis. Winston Peter's has described her comments as a "sad point". There were no changes to the super scheme in the Budget. But the finance minister took the opportunity to raise serious concerns about the cost of the universal benefit. Nicola Willis said super costs are rising sharply with the bill going from $20 billion in 2020 to a forecast $30 billion in 2030. NZ First Leader Winston Peters spoke to Lisa Owen.

While presenting Budget 2026, Finance Minister Nicola Willis shared a prediction that New Zealand will reach a $2.6 billion surplus by 2028-29. ANZ Chief Economist Sharon Zollner told Heather du Plessis-Allan the prediction was 'a little bit rosy'. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister Nicola Willis took a gamble with her budget yesterday. Touted as a responsible financial move with no sugar hits, Budget 2026 focused on the long term, and an early return to surplus, over election year sweeteners. 

Finance Minister Nicola Willis speaks to Lisa Owen about Budget 2026.

Papatoetoe GP responds to budget health announcements; Pediatrician raises concerns over child poverty progress; Opotiki trades academy responds to budget announcement; Finance Minister Nicola Willis discusses 'responsible budget'; Che Fu discusses hall of fame honour with John Campbell.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss about what she's called the "responsible Budget".

All eyes will be on Parliament this afternoon as Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers the Budget. At 2pm we'll pass the mic to Guyon Espiner for RNZ's one-hour Budget Special. But before then we wanted to look at where today's announcement sits in the history of Government Budgets. Historian Dr Grant Morris is with Jesse.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 29th of May, we got the trades' reaction to the Budget and an economist's thoughts on what the books might look like in a couple years' time. Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Winston Peters both relay their wins from Budget Day. And Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson discuss Mike's holiday, the Music Awards, and Oura Rings. 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.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis hopes her Budget will convince voters to re-elect the Government in November. It includes significant investment in infrastructure and health. It also shows a return to surplus in the 2028/29 financial year – a year sooner than previously forecast. The forecast uses the OBEGALx measure, which excludes ACC. Willis told Mike Hosking her message is simple. She says the Opposition would borrow and spend more, which would put the country's future at risk. The Finance Minister is also defending the new 1% levy on banks, insurers, and other financial market participants, which would be used to regulate the sector. Willis yesterday directed banks not to pass on the cost of the levy to their customers, saying they're the most profitable companies in the country and do very well for themselves. Asked by Hosking why she didn't increase tax on high-earning individuals like himself using the same logic, Willis said she didn't want him “flying off overseas”. She says that the idea that taxing high-earners more and they'll be more inclined to invest in New Zealand doesn't make sense, but when it comes to banks, it's a tiny, tiny levy relative to their bottom line. The move brings New Zealand into line with other countries like Australia and the UK, Willis says. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis has described superannuation as a 'time bomb' that is here now and political parties need to be honest about it. Delivering the Budget today, Willis said National will enter the election with changes to ensure superannuation is affordable. NZ First's Shane Jones has confirmed the party's not budging on this issue. "The reality is, our economic growth rate...is quite anaemic. Under three percent, that's in the Treasury forecast. We need to do a hell of a lot more as a country, irrespective of who the the Government is, to substantially grow the economy and boost our revenue." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The surplus train's left the station early in Budget news today, with the country expected to be out of deficit by 2028/29, a year ahead of predictions. Government Ministers are trumpeting that figure, alongside a focus on health and infrastructure. The Waikato Expressway will get 12 more kilometres, Whangarei a new hospital wing and new police stations are on the horizon for Whanganui and Greymouth. The biggest surprise is a tax on banks and insurers, worth roughly $50 million dollars a year. The bowel cancer screening age will lower to 56 by September and increased health funding aims to increase surgeries and reduce wait times. $450 million has been set aside for targeted support, in case the fuel crisis worsens. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says things are tough - but its not the time for lolly scrambles. She says the crisis is hitting many hard - but the country will bounce back with growth and increasing wages. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2026 Budget was delivered by Finance Minister Nicola Willis today, and it aimed to be more 'careful' amid the ongoing economic turmoil and international conflicts. Healthcare, education, and infrastructure were the key priorities - and the Government's claimed the books will return to surplus in the 2028/29 financial year. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Winston Peters has lucked out, as he's secured an extra financial boost in terms of foreign aid. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tomorrow, Finance Minister Nicola Willis will deliver the third and final Budget of this Parliamentary term. 

Tonight on The Huddle, Trish Sherson from Sherson Willis PR and former Green MP Gareth Hughes joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! As the New Zealand greyhound racing ban looms, there's talk of sending at least 70 greyhounds to Australia. What do we make of this? Labour's Barbara Edmonds is under fire after she called Finance Minister Nicola Willis a 'duck-faced horse'. Were these comments out of line? And why is Labour spending more time on media training than policies? Ahead of Budget 2026, the Government has introduced bank loans to help businesses reduce or eliminate their dependency on gas. Is this a good move? What did we think of Auckland FC securing the A-League title? How good is this? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another swathe of Government agency job cuts and public sector reform. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says they want to return the public servant headcount to 1% of the population by mid-2029, culling about 8,700 jobs. Government agency operating budgets will again be reduced – 2% now, increasing over following years. Willis says they will also thin out the ministries, pointing to savings it'll bring. She says they expect to hire more nurses, Police officers, and others in critical frontline roles. Willis says AI is “incredible” at slashing the amount of time needed for mundane tasks, revealing her staff used it to write a report on public service reform. She told Mike Hosking the Government was streamlining agencies and embedding AI and digitisation, and asking the public service to "get out of the 80s". She was experimenting with AI in her own office. “Instead of one of my analysts spending half a day coming up with a document, they said to AI, ‘Have a look at public service reform around the world, tell us who's done what, what seems to have worked well, what hasn't'. “And 10 minutes later, you've got a beautiful document with some guidance and some advice.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 20th of May, Finance Minister Nicola Willis unpacks the public service cuts and we hear from the head of Commonwealth Sport as Auckland hosts the Oceania National Olympic Committees' General Assembly. Team NZ CEO Grant Dalton joins out of Sardinia as the America's Cup officially gets underway. And Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell discuss the lack of details in Labour's Future Fund and Winston Peters' idea for BNZ 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.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 18 May, 2026, former Finance Minister Ruth Richardson on why we can't buy back the BNZ as Winston Peters suggests. Finance Minister Nicola Willis reveals part of her pre-Budget speech will be on setting a target of reducing the number of public servants to 1% of the workforce. We talk to chief victims adviser Ruth Money about why removing character references for sex offenders' sentencing is a good thing. And on The Huddle, Trish Sherson and Josie Pagani discuss whether taking "weed" helps you exercise. 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.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 14th of May, we get a couple of interesting insights into business in this country when it comes to governance and brick and mortar retailers. Finance Minister Nicola Willis discusses her ever shrinking Budget operating allowance. And CEO of Jetstar Steph Tully unpacks the recent claim they're committed to New Zealand while also cutting routes and flights due to current jet fuel prices. 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.

The government says in a worst case scenario, fuel would be rationed according to need - from critical services at the top to the general public at the bottom. Nicola Willis spoke to John Campbell.

Opposition leader Chris Hipkins speaks to Ingrid Hipkiss; Finance Minister Nicola Willis explains the fuel rationing plan; Mariameno Kapa-Kingi discusses her exit from Te Pati Maori; Calls for more money for trades following fees free scrapping; Interview with NZ Rugby League's new boss, Andrea Nelson .

Finance Minister Nicola Willis has backed the decision to scrap the fees-free scheme for good. Last week, Winston Peters revealed to Newstalk ZB on Friday the Government's doing away with the free final year of tertiary education. Nicola Willis says it's important for the Government to invest in things that Kiwis really need and want - not a failed policy that didn't achieve any of the goals it aimed to accomplish. "New Zealand has been in deficit since 2019, we're carrying a heck of a lot of debt, we've got some real priorities for our budget in terms of the health system, the education we want to give our young kids, the defence system we want to build up, the infrastructure we want to build - all of those things have a better call on money." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister says the Government's going to have to do something about Superannuation. An OECD report warns if current policy settings continue, we could be spending 5% more of our GDP on health, long-term care, and pensions by 2060. Minister Nicola Willis says the cost for superannuation is going up billions of dollars, while there are fewer workers for every pensioner. She told Mike Hosking the cost is also rising as a proportion of taxes. Willis says it will soon account for 20%, and every dollar spent isn't available for education, health, and infrastructure. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 8th of May, Finance Minister Nicola Willis discusses the OECD report on the future impact of our current Superannuation settings. NZR Chairman David Kirk answers questions about the new CEO, new President, and the economic state of rugby in this country. And on Wrapping the Week, Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson listen in as Mike calls a young fan with a special invite! 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.

It's now five weeks exactly since Finance Minister Nicola Willis said she was "actively consulting with industry, local Government and other community stakeholders" about who would be on the list. Earlier this week, Shane Jones told Checkpoint officials are finalising the list but didn't want to rush it and would confirm a timeline at another time. Nathan Surendren is Chair of the think tank, Wise Response Society, a group of people from various walks of life and experience who look at the imminent risks facing New Zealand. Surendren spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 30th of April, Dr Rober Breunig takes a look at Australia's surging inflation whilst Finance Minister Nicola Willis compares their experience to ours. The Cancer Society has released their election manifesto, calling for more investment in skin cancer prevention. Kiwi singer Gin Wigmore is back to living in New Zealand – she's opened a deli and is releasing some new music. It's been over a decade since she was last in the Breakfast studio, so she stopped by for a chat – and to talk her dating life! 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.

The Government says there will be downsides to loosening restrictions on heavy vehicles. Trucking lobby group Transporting New Zealand is calling for weight restrictions to loosen immediately, not just in Phase Two of the fuel response. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says the Government's looking into options they can implement quickly - and they're weighing up the benefits and drawbacks. "I wouldn't rule out progressing them in Phase One, because actually, what they'll do is reduce the cost of fuel for major diesel users." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 22nd of April, the inflation rate for Q1 has held steady at 3.1%. Finance Minister Nicola Willis discusses what that means going forward, and touches on the National Party leadership vote. Gilbert Enoka has returned as the All Blacks' mental skills coach under Dave Rennie and joined Mike to discuss his appointment. And Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen discuss the India Free Trade Agreement, Shane Jones' ‘butter chicken tsunami' comment, and the National Party leadership saga 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.

The Finance Minister says the country's fuel supplies are stable, but diesel levels have dipped slightly in the latest figures. Finance Minister Nicola Willis spoke to Corin Dann.