Podcasts about finance ministers

There's a view that New Zealand's still a while away from being a 'rockstar' economy. Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update documents are coming out early this afternoon, carrying key economic metrics. Treasury's also releasing a Budget Policy Statement outlining priorities for upcoming spending. Former Finance Minister Steven Joyce told Heather du Plessis-Allan it was a pretty average year for the economy, and next year looks to be better. Joyce says getting core spending below 30% of GDP is the goal, but it won't happen overnight. He says Bill English spent eight years after the Canterbury quakes and the global financial crisis wrestling to get back into surplus. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update is due to be unveiled to the nation tomorrow, and the Finance Ministers outlined her expectations. Experts have speculated a projected surplus will be pushed back from 2029 by another year, and Prime Minister Chris Luxon tempered expectations earlier today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says 'fiscal discipline' will see New Zealand's economy keep growing in the coming months. "Importantly, I also get to update the Treasury's economic forecasts and that's what shows the picture for more job creation, income growth into the future, and people doing better." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government's Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update is due to be unveiled to the nation tomorrow, and the Finance Ministers outlined her expectations. Experts have speculated a projected surplus will be pushed back from 2029 by another year, and Prime Minister Chris Luxon tempered expectations earlier today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says 'fiscal discipline' will see New Zealand's economy keep growing in the coming months. "Importantly, I also get to update the Treasury's economic forecasts and that's what shows the picture for more job creation, income growth into the future, and people doing better." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a week of back and forth for the Taxpayers' Union and the Finance Minister. Nicola Willis has challenged Union chair and former finance minister Ruth Richardson to a debate, which was met with a sweet treat sent to Nicola and media. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a stunt, performative politics, a farce, a side show, a distraction from the HYEFU and quarterly GDP results being released this week… goodness me, the thought of a debate between our current Finance Minister, Nicola Willis, and a previous Finance Minister, Ruth Richardson, caused quite a stir this week, didn't it? Politics is, by its nature, a contest of ideas and values, so why are we afraid of a little debate? We see performative debate taking place in the House on a regular basis? Dare I say it - but with all the hype, maybe people will watch this one. I like that Finance Minister Nicola Willis isn't quietly counting down the days until the Christmas break to slink away and hope the fudge campaign, devised by the Taxpayers Union, will slowly slip from our minds after a bevy and BBQ or three. In his column in the NZ Herald this week, Mathew Hooton said that whoever advised Finance Minister Nicola Willis to challenge her predecessor Ruth Richardson, now the chair of the Taxpayers Union, to a debate should be sacked. I wonder whether Willis, an experienced debater, came up with the idea herself. Hooton has a point - it's potentially a lose-lose situation. Richardson is going to be cast as a member of the hard-nose right happy to inflict misery on people to achieve fiscal consolidation, and Willis could be a sitting duck depending on the HYEFU and quarterly GDP results released next week. But do we want politicians who are always thinking about themselves, take a strategic approach and craft their messaging to avoid transparency, or would you prefer a Finance Minister prepared to openly discuss one of the main issues concerning New Zealanders today - the state of the economy - with someone who is trying to undermine her? The NZ Herald's political editor, Thomas Coughlan, does an excellent job of explaining what's behind this situation in his article titled Ruth Richardson v Nicola Willis - the facts behind the argument. Essentially, after a financial crisis or shock it is accepted that Governments spend more to get through - and that the books end up in a bit of mess - but once the economy has ‘restarted' and we're on the other side of the shock, fiscal consolidation kicks in, and budgets tighten so the country is ready for the next financial shock. What is to be debated is whether the current coalition is moving fast enough when it comes to this fiscal consolidation. Will we be ready for the next financial shock? We know we have challenges ahead - with two of the known ones being our aging population's impact on our health system and the increased cost of superannuation. Do we increase taxes? Reduce spending and inflict the social costs of austerity? Or do we risk taking a slower approach to getting back on track, with less negative impact on our communities? As long as it's a civil one - it sounds like something worth debating. But it needs to be a debate which doesn't get personal, nasty or derogatory. One in which each debater expresses their values and the reasoning behind their approach, backs their thinking with evidence and outlays a long term vision for New Zealand. This is the kind of discourse we should be having. Let's get an independent economist to run it - and get on with it. If nothing else - it could be highly entertaining, something we could all do with at this point in the year. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The debate over a debate between Finance Ministers - past and present - has descended into farce - with both sides now accusing the other of chickening out. Nicola Willis had challenged Ruth Richardson - who chairs the Taxpayers' Union - to a public debate over the government's fiscal strategy. But they can't seem to agree on a location. Acting political editor Craig McCulloch reports.

Tonight on The Huddle, Ali Jones from Red PR and Brigitte Morton from Franks Ogilvie joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The Taxpayers' Union has released some packaged fudge taking aim at Nicola Willis' track record as a Finance Minister - ahead of the debate between her and Ruth Richardson that's supposed to be taking place. What do we make of all this? The US is reportedly looking to require tourists to hand over their social media accounts in order to travel there. How do we feel about this? Would it put you off travelling to the US? Cancer diagnoses are set to skyrocket in the next 20 years, but experts say at least half of these could be prevented if we smoked less, drank less, ate better and got more exercise. Do we need to take more responsibility for our health? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you see any advantage or benefit to the country in having a former Finance Minister and the current one debating fiscal policy? The current Finance Minister, Nicola Willis, has challenged the former Finance Minister, Ruth Richardson, to a debate. Now, that is misguided in my view, but to be fair, she was grievously provoked. Ruth Richardson is the chair of the Taxpayers' Union. The Taxpayers' Union is a pressure group, a ginger group, founded in 2013 to scrutinise government spending, publicise government waste, and promote an efficient tax system. Its basis is its membership is mainly conservative, centre-right, right-wing figures, and it's regarded as a right-wing pressure group. Normally you would think they'd be scrutinising Labour and Labour's spending. Last week, the Taxpayers' Union sent out a provocative pamphlet and an accompanying box of fudge, accusing Nicola Willis of not delivering on her election promises to rein in reckless spending, unsustainable borrowing, and the hiring of endless bureaucrats. The Union accused Willis of failing to deliver the goods and fudging it, hence the fudge that arrived with the press release. Provoked and incensed beyond reason, Nicola Willis swiped back. She said, "My message for Ruth Richardson is a very clear one: come and debate me face-to-face, come out of the shadows. I will argue toe-to-toe on the prescription that our government is following. I reject your approach, and instead of lurking in the shadows with secretly funded ads in the paper, come and debate me right here in Parliament. 'm ready anytime, anywhere, I will debate her." So you can see she was a little bit brassed off. Willis said she stood by her decisions in government and wanted Richardson to defend her legacy, having introduced the infamous Mother of All Budgets in 1991, when her government under Bolger came in and were left with, I would argue, an even worse fiscal mess than this government inherited. It's all got very personal. I don't think there's anything wrong in critiquing decisions made by government ministers, looking at how they're going, giving updates, having a reckon, especially when the ministers came in on a campaign of fixing the economy and reining in irresponsible spending, it's fair enough to say, "Okay, have you?" The Coalition Government possibly hasn't done enough, been innovative enough to suit the Taxpayers' Union agenda. They wanted more. They wanted cuts in spending, they wanted slashing of and wholesale firing of bureaucrats. That's what they wanted, but the Government's in the tricky position of having to be responsible stewards of the public purse and get re-elected. And that's a tricky one. The Taxpayers' Union doesn't have to worry about getting elected. It's a stand-alone lobby group. The Taxpayers' Union has criticised Nicola Willis for a measly 1% reduction in public servants, but as David Farrar from Kiwiblog points out, this may well be the first government in history to actually reduce the number of public servants. They're the first ones to have done it. It was never going to be easy inheriting the situation left by the previous government, and it never is. The Labour governments spend, that's what they do. But there's also nothing wrong with critiquing the performance of the government. The Taxpayers' Union shouldn't have made it so personal. Nicola Willis should have showed superhuman restraint and not lashed back. The debate is a pointless waste of time in my view. I know that we're all political tragics here and we take far more interest than the average person does and if I thought there was any merit whatsoever, and if lessons could be learned or if as a country we would benefit from having these two Finance Ministers thrashing out points of economic order, fine. I just don't see it. I think it's egos have been wounded and it is the equivalent of challenging somebody to 50 press-ups – a pointless exercise. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Nicola Willis-Ruth Richardson showdown looks like it'll go ahead next week after the HYEFU release. As you'll know from listening to this show on Monday night, Nicola's not happy with Ruth. And Ruth isn't too happy with Nicola. We have a structural deficit and we're not addressing it. Surplus is probably going to be pushed out - again - to 2030. So we have a showdown. But you might be wondering why the current Finance Minister is debating a former one (of some 30-odd years ago) at all. Well, here's the comms strategy on this: Ruth has credibility, as least on the right. The left reckons she permanently scarred the country, but you can't deny something had to be done. And people forget the growth and jobs that followed. Nicola's still earning her credibility, and things have not been going terribly well on that front. Spending's higher than Grant and surplus keeps getting pushed out. The growth is anaemic. So this is a way of tackling Ruth's attacks head-on and putting them to bed. Usually, ministers don't give oxygen to debates because it gives their opponent equal standing with them. A bit of the Treasury bench rubs off and can make your opponent seem credible. Which is why you wouldn't see Luxon near Hipkins outside of a Bollywood dance off - except during mandatory campaign debates. So, sorry Chlöe and sorry Barbara, this is a Ruth thing. But there's also a smarter strategy going on here from Willis, I reckon. By debating somebody on the right, she makes herself seem more centrist in the public's eyes. She distances herself from the Scrooge argument. She highlights how much they are still spending and haven't cut. And will argue cuts now would mean job losses and less growth. It's basically framing the economic debate as one between the right, and even more right. Which leaves the left out in the cold. And also looking a little trigger happy on the country credit card. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Taxpayers' Union has raised concerns about Nicola Willis' skills as a Finance Minister - and one of her predecessors has expressed interest in a debate. Willis challenged Ruth Richardson to a debate yesterday, after Richardson criticised the Government's fiscal track. Richardson's agreed - but a date's yet to be set. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Falls for the Greens and Te Pati Maori in the latest 1 News Verian Poll - which gives the coalition more than enough seats to govern. National is on 36 percent, up two - while Act is also up two to 10 percent, and New Zealand First steady on nine. In the left bloc, Labour was up three to 35, but the Greens dropped four to seven, and Te Pati Maori - after weeks of infighting - fell two points to one percent. Finance Minister Nicola Willis told Ryan Bridge they're focused on doing things to make sure people are better off, can get ahead, and have strong public services. She says it's positive to see that most people, if given the chance to vote tomorrow - would re-elect the current Government. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us a textThe UK economy has been in the spotlight recently as Finance Minister - or Chancellor of the Exchequer as she's known in Britain - Rachel Reeves delivered the annual budget.With her Labour party languishing in the polls in spite of their landslide election victory 18 months ago, sluggish growth and a real cost of living crisis, the pressure was really on. And not everyone is happy as she delivered measures which mean British citizens will now face the highest tax take ever. So what does this say about the economics, and politics of the UK? And its standing on the world stage? Joining Juliet Mann on this edition of The Agenda are Vicky Pryce, Chief Economic Adviser at the Centre for Economics and Business Research, Iain Begg, Professorial Research Fellow at the European Institute, London School of Economics and Political Science and Chris Southworth, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce 

As expected, the Reserve Bank cut the OCR to 2.25% last week - but an unexpected side effect has been a lack of effect. The Reserve Bank announced that this would be the end of cuts, sending the wholesale market into a panic and, therefore, seeing no change in interest rates. Finance Minister Nicola Willis told Heather du Plessis-Allan, "my message to the banks is always the same, which is pass on as much as you possibly can because it's good for the economy." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hundreds of the Labour Party faithful gathered over the weekend in Auckland to begin the march back to Parliament's government benches. Council of Trade Unions head Sandra Gray was preaching to the converted when she told the crowd that New Zealand's Pavlova paradise has been eaten up by the rich. She said Labour needed to give workers a reason to vote for them and to deliver fundamental and systemic change. Yay! Cue loud rapturous applause. Barbara Edmonds, Labour's Finance Minister in waiting, stressed to the crowd, and the way the attendant media, that she would be a firm, fit and frugal Finance Minister. She and her husband have raised eight children. They have lived on one income. As a tax lawyer for small businesses, she knows, she said, how to manage money responsibly and make every dollar count. She repeated that ad nauseam throughout the day. Gone are the days of profligate spending. No, no, no. Not with Barbara at the helm. Not with Barbara in charge of the bank accounts. She knew how to be frugal. She knew the value of a dollar. She would make sure that money was spent wisely, judiciously, and not everybody who came knocking at the door with policies would get the money they wanted. And yesterday, Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins announced a future Labour government would offer doctors and nurse practitioners low interest loans to set up new practices or buy into existing ones. New Zealand, and this will come as no news to you, New Zealand currently has a GP shortage, which is expected to worsen. We have an aging GP workforce. GPs are looking to retire and they can't find anybody to take their place. A recent survey found two thirds of GPs are expected to retire in the next decade. Many in the sector have also warned of a an emerging duopoly, large primary healthcare providers buying up practices from the small family-owned GP practices. So Labour has announced that initially it will offer up to 50 loans per year, prioritizing areas that have no GPs or practices with closed or partially closed books. They will only be available for owner and or community operated general practices. The loan will have to be repaid over 10 years. They will be interest-free for the first two years. Novel. It aligns with Labour's messaging of health, jobs, homes, as it goes into next year's election. But just as the three free GP visits per year, is a gift that a lot of people don't need or want, is this what GPs and practice nurses want? Do you actually want to own your own practice? I'm sure there are some that do. But just because you're a brilliant GP, does that make you a brilliant manager? Running a business, a successful business, requires a very specific skill set. Times are tough for small businesses. And the problem for GPs practices doesn't appear to be having access to loans to buy into a business. It's that the business model doesn't seem to be working. You've got the very low cost access practices serving high needs populations. They face financial challenges, especially the community trust owned clinics that have been operating at a deficit. Increase costs for GPs, inabilities to raise fees, growing patient debt due to the cost of living. Those are the problems for GP practices, not necessarily the fact they haven't got the money to buy it. They've also got the problem of trying to recruit and retain healthcare professionals. There's a shortage of locums and a high level of burnout because there aren't enough people to replace them. They're working longer than they wanted to. They've got more difficult healthcare problems presenting because people put off going to the doctor because they can't afford it. Pay parity concerns are particularly severe for the very low cost access GP practices. They can't afford to pay the going rates in the employment market as they don't have the ability to increase fees. So is the ability to buy into a practice what's holding GPs back? I wouldn't have thought so. That poor little targeted capital gains tax is going to be working overtime, isn't it? As more and more policies are heaped upon it onto its little fragile base. And good luck with to Barbara Edmonds, the want to be Finance Minister, when she says not everybody who comes knocking on the door is going to get money. When you've got the Council of Trade Unions head Sandra Gray whipping everybody up in the front rows, you bet your bippy the firefighters and the police and the nurses and the teachers are going to be banging on the door saying, "Give me, we've been under a National-led coalition government for three years. Those bastards have screwed us down. We gave you support, we got you into power. Give us more". You can you can say what you want to get into Parliament, to get into government but once you're there, there will be expectations and obligations.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A mortgage advisor is joining the Finance Minister in urging banks to slash home loan rates. Nicola Willis is asking them to pass on “as much as possible” in the wake of the Reserve Bank cutting the Official Cash Rate to 2.25%. She says the banks have a stake in the economy, and passing the cuts on will make a significant difference. Loan Market Mortgage Advisor Bruce Patten told Mike Hosking the banks are holding onto some really good margins at the moment. He says he'd like to see them pass them on before Christmas – everyone needs it, so someone needs to make the move. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Canada's recent federal budget has been called generational and transformational. Of course, it's been called that by the government that passed it, but there's no question that this budget comes at a pivotal moment for Canada. Host Amanda Lang talks to Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne about changing the investment climate, affordability and following the German economic example.

The National Party could join coalition partner NZ First and campaign on repealing the Regulatory Standards Act at the next election, deputy leader Nicola Willis says. This is despite the law, which was pushed by the Act Party during coalition talks, being less than a month old, and having been passed into law with votes from both National and NZ First. Speaking to Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills on Newstalk ZB, Willis said National had not “come up with what our party position will be after the election”. “We haven't ruled out repealing it either. We haven't taken a position yet, but it's not impossible that we would go to the campaign trail saying, ‘yes, we met our coalition commitment, we supported that into law, but actually we agree with the concerns of some people, it hasn't operated as we'd hoped and we want to repeal it'. “We haven't come to a position yet, but we haven't ruled it out.” NZ First leader Winston Peters shocked the coalition last week when he said his party would campaign on repealing the law it had just helped to pass. His position is that the coalition obliged his party to pass the law, but his party is free to repeal it in the next Parliament. Willis said she was “comfortable” with this position. “They joined the Cabinet, they used their votes to ensure it is passed into law – they did their bit,” Willis said. Willis is not the only National MP to float repealing the law. Last week, when her colleague Chris Bishop was asked what the party was thinking, he replied, “you'll see our policy going into the election”. “I'm not going to give you a commitment on National policy,” he said. All three opposition parties say they will repeal the law if they have the numbers next term. Labour MP Duncan Webb has even submitted a member's bill to the ballot which, if drawn, would give NZ First the opportunity to repeal the law this term of parliament. Peters, however, described this as game-playing and said he would not be supporting the effort. Act leader David Seymour attacked Peters' about-turn on the law, saying it looked as though Peters was gearing up to join another Labour-led coalition, something Peters has said he would not do while Chris Hipkins was leader of the party. The Regulatory Standards Act is designed to improve the quality of government regulation by establishing a set of principles for what constitutes “good regulation”. Part of the controversy surrounding the law is the fact these principles are closely aligned to Act's political worldview and do not constitute more universally recognised principles of good regulation. The act is also controversial for the creation of a regulations board that acts as an assessor of compliance against these principles, although power to act on what the board says ultimately still rests with ministers and Parliament. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister believes the country is in a position to grow. The Reserve Bank believes the economy has now turned a corner after last month's 50-basis-point cut to the OCR. It's cut the cash rate a further 25-basis-points to 2.25%, but is signalling further cuts are unlikely. Nicola Willis told Ryan Bridge that while the data lags make things difficult, there is enough other information to give them a sense of where the economy is at. She says it's allowed the Reserve Bank to be confident in their forecast that the economy is growing and that growth will strengthen next year, and inflation will come down. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Tánaiste and newly-anointed Finance Minister was in Clare on Friday. On invitation from Bodyke Fine Gael TD Joe Cooney, Simon Harris visited Kilkishen where he had the honour of turning on the village's Christmas lights. The Wicklow native was treated to musical entertainment courtesy of children from Kilkishen National School before he attended a meeting of local Fine Gael branch members. Clare FM's Seán Lyons was at the event where he had the opportunity to speak to the Tánaiste on a number of local issues.

Quebec finance minister Eric Girard discusses his financial update Image: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

There's growing speculation that National is looking to oust Chris Luxon as leader ahead of the election, but Finance Minister Nicola Willis is disputing these rumours. Reports have claimed National is looking to replace Luxon with Chris Bishop, but this is mostly speculation. Nicola Willis says the party has a Prime Minister who's delivering significant reforms - and making good on the promises National campaigned on. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Majority in Parliament, during the post-budget debate today, posed a question that sparked a heated exchange between the leaders of both caucuses. The heated debate arose from a question by the Local Government Minister, Ahmed Ibrahim, who sought to know the whereabouts of the former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta

Zero or lots: the only two numerical concepts allowed to enter the immigration discourse Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Clement Manyathela speaks to former Finance Minister Trevor Manuel, discuss the importance of the B20 Summit as it shapes policy recommendations that influence jobs, trade, energy, investment and digital transformation across the world’s major economies. The Clement Manyathela Show is broadcast on 702, a Johannesburg based talk radio station, weekdays from 09:00 to 12:00 (SA Time). Clement Manyathela starts his show each weekday on 702 at 9 am taking your calls and voice notes on his Open Line. In the second hour of his show, he unpacks, explains, and makes sense of the news of the day. Clement has several features in his third hour from 11 am that provide you with information to help and guide you through your daily life. As your morning friend, he tackles the serious as well as the light-hearted, on your behalf. Thank you for listening to a podcast from The Clement Manyathela Show. Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 09:00 and 12:00 (SA Time) to The Clement Manyathela Show broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/XijPLtJ or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/p0gWuPE Subscribe to the 702 Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/v5mfetc Follow us on social media: 702 on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/Radio702 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another political giant departs Fine Gael... is this becoming a thing? Ivan Yates debates politicians over his influential pronouncements, all is not well at Peter McVerry's, Dáil rows and more from the political week in Leinster House.

The Finance Minister is joining the World Bank, PJ gets reaction from the Editor of The Phoenix Paddy Prendeville who also talks about the Phoenix annual out now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New polling data has revealed less Kiwis have faith the current Government can turn the economy around ahead of the upcoming election. A New Zealand Herald-Kantar poll has found voters are evenly split on Labour's proposed capital gains tax and about 45 percent of respondents in an IPSOS survey scored the Luxon-led Government below 3 out of 10. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says it's clear a significant number of people are still opposed to the capital gains tax and the Government has plenty of time to expose the negative impacts. "There's also a big, undecided group in the middle and those are the people that we will be speaking to between now and the election." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister's being urged to take urgent and decisive action on our banking sector. Ministers have accepted most of the recommendations of a select committee inquiry into the industry, including directing the Reserve Bank to focus on more competition. But banking expert Andrew Body says Nicola Willis needs to go further. He told Mike Hosking the Minister should be seeking law changes and a harmonisation of Australian and New Zealand banking rules. Body says the Minister should be ringing Treasury Secretary Ian Rennie, asking for a proposal for legislative change by 8am Monday. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In November 1975, a summit took place at Rambouillet, France, where the heads of six of the world's most industrialised nations and their finance ministers came together. The leaders of the US, France, Germany, Britain, Japan and Italy hoped to solve the ongoing economic crisis. The summit marked the birth of an institution now known as the G7. France's former Finance Minister, Jean-Pierre Fourcade, was at the conference. He speaks to Ben Henderson. Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron – Argentina's Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous ‘tear down this wall' speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler's List; and Jacques Derrida, France's ‘rock star' philosopher. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest; the disastrous D-Day rehearsal; and the death of one of the world's oldest languages.(Photo: The closing session of the summit at Rambouillet Castle. Credit: AFP via Getty images)

Vishal Rama of Prescient Investment Management considers SA's rising debt load and how realistic fiscal consolidation looks from here.

The Prime Minister has indicated trade talks with India are progressing well - and speculation claims both nations could have a trade deal by next year. Trade Minister Todd McClay has been hosting Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal in Auckland for a fifth round of talks on a trade deal. Finance Minister Nicola Willis won't disclose too much, but she says good progress is being made. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ahead of the presentation of the 2026 Budget, Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has engaged traders at Takoradi's Market Circle as part of his stakeholder consultations

Our panellists beg: please, Santa, do not bring us a Christmas election. Red, yellow and green traffic lights are outdated because a fourth colour might be added to intersections. There's a big innovation in menstrual products and thank god, it's not AI! Peanut allergies have fallen fast, yet the PB sandwich remains a schoolyard crime. Why no one's allowed to celebrateThe Great Peanut Comeback just yet. If you're too afraid to share your opinions on social media, that's okay! Fill out this listener questionnaire instead: www.cbc.ca/BecauseSurvey

Featuring Fernando Haddad on Brazilian political economy and where Brazil fits into a world capitalist system structured by relationships of domination and unequal exchange. Haddad is Finance Minister of Brazil. He served as mayor of São Paulo and in 2018 was the Workers' Party (PT) presidential candidate. Support The Dig at Patreon.com/TheDig Buy From Apartheid to Democracy at UCPress.com Read the latest issue from The Nation‘s Books & the Arts section TheNation.com/books-and-the-arts The Dig goes deep into politics everywhere, from labor struggles and political economy to imperialism and immigration. Hosted by Daniel Denvir.

Watch here: https://youtu.be/ybqWLEwL28Y  From economic reform and rising government spending to cultural shifts and the decline of liberalism, Costello reflects on the ideas that shaped the Howard years and what's needed to renew them today.

Featuring Fernando Haddad on Brazilian political economy and where Brazil fits into a world capitalist system structured by relationships of domination and unequal exchange. Haddad is Finance Minister of Brazil. He served as mayor of São Paulo and in 2018 was the Workers' Party (PT) presidential candidate. Support The Dig at Patreon.com/TheDig Buy From Apartheid to Democracy at UCPress.com Read the latest issue from The Nation's Books & the Arts section TheNation.com/books-and-the-arts

Amanda Lang, CTV News Chief Financial Correspondent; Don Davies, Interim NDP Leader; The Front Bench with: Brian Gallant, James Moore, Tom Mulcair & Stephanie Levitz; Andrew Scheer, Conservative House Leader; François-Philippe Champagne, Finance Minister.

It's been a busy time in Australia, with Kiwis flying over to see Oasis - prompting speculation about the future of events in New Zealand. The bed tax debate lingers, but the Finance Minister has promised discussions are taking place to bring more events to New Zealand. Nicola Willis says Minister Louise Upston has been working hard behind the scenes to draw in events and get the economy going. "There'll be announcements over the coming months, Louise Upston is in negotiations and there'll be some exciting events coming to a city near you." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mod Cárdenas (b. Guatemala 1982) is a contemporary visual artist and pioneer of Guatemalan street art. Alongside his art, Cardenas pursued a career in Clinical Psychology, that has informed his approach to art from a research and observational base. Cardenas has exhibited extensively around the world with 14 solo exhibitions and several group shows, in addition to his murals and public art installations locally and abroad. His work has received numerous honors including the Highly Commended Award from SAP in Australia, Honorific Mention by Fundación Rozas Botrán in Guatemala, and a finalist position at GAA in Dubai. He was also recognized by the Finance Minister of Guatemala for his contribution to Guatemalan culture and by the Congress of the Guatemalan Republic for his impactful contributions and elevation of the art and culture produced in their country. His work is included in collections such as the Guatemalan National Congress Collection, the Luciano Benetton Collection in Italy, and the Fundación Rozas-Botrán Museum in Guatemala. Watch this episode on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/6NqFcTrLYnM Learn more about him at: https://www.modcardenas.com Find him on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/mod77art/ Follow the Agents of Innovation podcast on: Instagram: / innovationradio Twitter: / agentinnovation Facebook: / agentsofinnovationpodcast You can support this podcast and our Fearless Journeys community on our Patreon account: www.patreon.com/fearlessjourneys Want us to host a Fearless Journey group trip to Memphis with Matt Stone? Email us at: fearlessjourneysLLC at gmail dot com You can also join our network -- and our group trips -- through the Fearless Journeys community at: https://www.fearlessjourneys.org and subscribe to our free newsletter at: https://fearlessjourneys.substack.com 00:00 Episode Introduction 00:50 How do we meet? 01:05 First time listening to an episode? // What is Fearless Journeys 3:08 Where did you get your name Mod? 04:39 At what time did you start doing graffiti? 07:04 Art is part of everybody's life 09:14 10 Characteristics of a successful entrepreneur Curious & creative 10:58 How did you start? Why were you anonymous 13:30 Education and other jobs 16:54 Why Mod became a top 5 Tattoo Artist in Guatemala City 18:17 How do people find you before Social Media? 19:15 What kind of art are you particularly known for now? 21:37 Mod's studio 24:00 Self education & Social media 27:44 How's a Guatemalan artist recognized internally and externally 30:03 The importance of telling your story 35:44 The Power of connections 41:05 How can an artist get income? 42:00 How to manage your income being an solo entrepreneur 42:52 Finding a partner that understands you 51:45 How did you get your own Studio 52:15 Not everything is smooth Sailing as an artist - The power of MKTNG 55:14 How to contact Mod 57:35 Commission art and work 59:42 How do you help other artists 1:05:30 Difference between the artist mind and the entrepreneurial mind 1:12:15 You need to sell yourself 1:16:15 Traveling & awards 1:22:30 How many countries have you been to now? 1:25:00 Wrap

Governing parties have been quick to condemn Labour's proposed capital gains tax policy. The opposition announced the policy for next year's election campaign, targeting commercial and investment properties, but not family homes. It would funnel the revenue into health. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has been quick to label this scheme as 'half-baked' - and it'll likely drive the country further into debt. "I'm just pleased that New Zealand today can see Labour's alternative for what it is. It's a Labour-Te Pāti Māori-Greens Government that will tax you more, drive the country further into debt and put the economy at risk." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finance Minister and National's deputy leader Nicola Willis stood in for Christopher Luxon for his weekly interview.

RNZ can reveal the Labour Party has agreed to campaign on a capital gains tax, or CGT, covering just property - excluding the family home and farms; Finance Minister and National's deputy leader Nicola Willis stood in for Christopher Luxon for his weekly interview; The new chief executive of Air New Zealand has suggested what he's calling a "situational subsidy" to support regional routes when the economy is not doing well and demand is low; Nearly two months after being stood down as Silver Ferns head coach, Dame Noeline Taurua is back in the top job; We crossed the ditch to Canberra to talk to our correspondent Kerry-Anne Walsh.

Next week, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit will be underway. President Trump is expected to meet with South Korea President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping for separate bilateral talks that may shape trade relations for years to come. In the states, senior South Korean officials visited Washington today to resume trade negotiations to bridge their differences over Seoul's $350 billion investment pledge under a bilateral trade deal struck in July. For more on what's ahead at the APEC Summit, we heard from Kang Kyung-hwa, South Korean Ambassador to the United States. She spoke to Bloomberg's Joe Mathieu and Julie Fine on Balance of Power. And - South Korea and the US are focusing on the structure of a $350 billion investment pledge by Seoul, rather than a currency swap, according to Finance Minister Koo Yun Cheol. Officials in Washington including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent now see the potential for a shock to Seoul's foreign-exchange market from an "upfront" deployment of funds, Koo told Bloomberg TV in an interview on Wednesday that also touched on weakness in the Korean won stemming from the unfinished deal, car tariffs and AI technology. He spoke exclusively with Bloomberg's Shery Ahn about the progress of talks, on the sidelines of the APEC Finance Ministers' Meeting in Incheon, South Korea. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What the former Finance Minister of Chile Andres Velasco has called the Deliveroo effect is most evident in Poland. Despite unprecedented economic growth and prosperity, Velasco explains, Poles remain miserable. The problem, he suggests, is that we've become so used to the magical efficiencies of the digital revolution, that we expect instant miracles in both our political and economic lives. That's one of the core issues Velasco, now Dean of Public Policy at the London School of Economics, and a group of leading public policy experts address in an intriguing collection of essays entitled The London Consensus. What the authors - who include Philippe Aghion, the 2025 Nobel Prize winner in economics - explore is how to come up with economic principles for the 21st Century that make us both happier and more prosperous, while confronting an existential challenge like climate change that didn't even register in last century's Washington Consensus. But democracy, Velasco warns, can't work like a delivery app. We've layered regulations and participatory processes that slow everything down—making it nearly impossible to build housing in California or infrastructure anywhere in the West—while personalized technology trains us to expect results immediately. This fundamental mismatch between our expectations and reality is fueling authoritarian populism, eroding trust in experts like Velasco, and Aghion, and leaving entire regions behind in a Deliveroo stew of economic failure and cultural resentment. 1. The “Deliveroo Effect” Is Breaking Democracy We've become so accustomed to instant digital gratification that we expect the same speed from politics and economics. But democracy requires deliberation, participation, and time—creating a dangerous mismatch between expectations and reality that fuels populism and dissatisfaction. Even prosperous countries like Poland, the second-fastest growing economy since 1990, remain bitterly divided.2. The Washington Consensus Got Politics Catastrophically Wrong The 1989 economic framework naively assumed you could “sort out the economics” and democracy would naturally follow. It ignored local ownership of policies and believed growth alone would create liberal democracies. China's experience—getting rich without democratizing—proved this assumption completely wrong. The London Consensus puts politics at the center.3. Markets Need States, Not “Free Markets” Versus Government The old ideological battle between markets and socialism was never productive. Markets can't function without capable states to enforce rules, regulate finance, and provide infrastructure. The real debate isn't whether to have government intervention, but what kind—finding the delicate balance between competition and regulation that fosters innovation without allowing excessive monopoly power.4. “Left-Behind Regions” Are Driving Political Upheaval Trade and technology create geographically concentrated losses—the Rust Belt, northern England—that go beyond economics. These regions experience social breakdown, population flight, and feelings of abandonment that translate directly into votes for demagogues and populists. Compensating losers from globalization wasn't just economically smart; it was politically essential.5. We Need a “Good Jobs Agenda,” Not Just Growth Following economists like Dani Rodrik and Daron Acemoglu, the London Consensus argues that policy should be evaluated through the lens of job quality, not just GDP growth. Technology isn't destiny—it can be directed toward complementing human skills rather than destroying jobs. Every policy, from trade to AI regulation, should ask: will this create quality jobs with decent pay, benefits, and worker agency?Keen On America is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

China has just concluded an important chapter, the "14th Five-Year Plan," marked by historic strides in technological innovation, a green transition, and high-quality development. As the nation unveils its "15th Five-Year Plan," former Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister of Poland, Professor Grzegorz W. Kołodko shares his assessment of China's economic resilience through the decades. What's his view on the prospects of China-Poland relations and China-EU dynamics amid a complex global landscape and Trump 2.0? What role can China's development model play in shaping inclusive globalization and the future of global governance?

① China and France have held a strategic dialogue in Hangzhou. How can the two sides deepen mutual trust and promote all-round cooperation? (00:52) ② South Korea has appointed Ro Jae-hun, the eldest son of former President Roh Tae-woo, as its new ambassador to China. What does this appointment tell about President Lee Jae Myung and his administration's China policy? (14:03) ③ Russian President Vladimir Putin has met Syrian interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in Moscow. We take a look at al-Sharaa's efforts to restore and redefine ties with Russia? (24:37) ④ A conversation with Professor Grzegorz Kolodko, former Finance Minister of Poland, on China's economy and China-EU dynamics. (34:46) ⑤ US President Donald Trump has confirmed a report that he authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela. What's his intention? (44:53)

- The National Coalition for Caymanians Government delivers the strategic policy statement in the House of Parliament today. Finance Minister the Honorable Rolston Anglin says the SPS outlines the policy objectives and fiscal strategy for next three financial years. - A grand court jury delivers its verdict in a firearms case that initially involved a former RCIPS civilian employee.- And the Cayman Islands Government has formed a new body to oversee the rollout of its updated National Energy Policy, which aims for a fully renewable and zero-emission energy future by 2045

Argentina's history is one of recurring promises and painful resets. Nicolas Dujovne has lived that cycle from the inside, serving as Finance Minister during a rare attempt at fiscal repair before markets and politics turned against it. Now, as CIO of Tenac Asset Management, he reflects with Alan Dunne on why economic reform so often falters, how short-term pain fuels long-term instability, and what it would take to finally break the trap. Beyond Argentina, the discussion widens to emerging markets at large - their hard-won stability, the new risks born of geopolitics and demographics, and the shifting fault lines of globalization.-----50 YEARS OF TREND FOLLOWING BOOK AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES VIDEO FOR ACCREDITED INVESTORS - CLICK HERE-----Follow Niels on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or via the TTU website.IT's TRUE ? – most CIO's read 50+ books each year – get your FREE copy of the Ultimate Guide to the Best Investment Books ever written here.And you can get a free copy of my latest book “Ten Reasons to Add Trend Following to Your Portfolio” here.Learn more about the Trend Barometer here.Send your questions to info@toptradersunplugged.comAnd please share this episode with a like-minded friend and leave an honest Rating & Review on iTunes or Spotify so more people can discover the podcast.Follow Alan on Twitter.Read more about Nicolas.Episode TimeStamps: 02:24 - Introduction to Nicolas Dujovne05:32 - Key reflections from Dujovne's former role as ministry of Treasury in Argentina11:43 - How dollarization could change the overall dynamic of the economy14:52 - How Dujovne's role as minister has shaped his investment process16:56 - The state and outlook of emerging markets21:13 - The relationship between central banks and emerging markets23:33 - How the current globalization impact the investing landscape27:43 - Evaluating the U.S from the lens of an emerging market investor33:25 - How markets respond to fiscal...

From the BBC World Service: India's Finance Minister has announced massive tax cuts on hundreds of everyday consumer items. The move is aimed at boosting domestic demand amid 50% American tariffs on Indian exports. Then, a group of English-speaking hackers claims to be behind a massive cyberattack that's halted global production lines at Jaguar Land Rover. And Texas has become the latest U.S. state to impose restrictions on some foreign-born people and businesses buying or renting property.

From the BBC World Service: India's Finance Minister has announced massive tax cuts on hundreds of everyday consumer items. The move is aimed at boosting domestic demand amid 50% American tariffs on Indian exports. Then, a group of English-speaking hackers claims to be behind a massive cyberattack that's halted global production lines at Jaguar Land Rover. And Texas has become the latest U.S. state to impose restrictions on some foreign-born people and businesses buying or renting property.