Podcasts about Kiwi

Recently, a woman sleeping in an alley was struck by a garbage truck and killed. The tragedy has raised the ire of homeless advocates against the state's ban on public camping. Is the law necessary or simply driving our most vulnerable into dark, dangerous places?Then, we talk about the role of the arts in commemorating Juneteenth. And, summer mosquito season is near — with our blood on the menu.Tragedy renews homeless debate(0:00) The recent death of a woman killed by a St. Petersburg garbage truck has renewed the debate over homelessness and Florida's public camping ban. Advocates for the unhoused say the case underscores concerns that enforcement without enough shelter beds can increase risks for people living outside.GUESTS: Jackie Azis, Southern Poverty Law Center Jesse Rabinowitz, National Homeless Law Center 'A melting pot experience'(12:02) As Juneteenth approaches, the Straz Center is hosting its annual commemoration in Tampa. The Arts Legacy Remix showcases the region's cultural diversity and preserves musical traditions through performance. We learn the origins and meaning of the celebration and get a preview of the event.GUEST:Frederick Johnson, visual artist, musician and artist in residence at the Straz CenterBeware of these June bugs(21:02) Mosquito control officials say summer rains will accelerate populations, raising concerns about disease transmission and prevention efforts. At the same time, researchers are evaluating a proposal to release sterilized mosquitoes for population control alongside traditional spraying. Experts say management will hinge on balancing innovation, public trust and stable local funding.GUESTS: Adriane Rogers, Pasco County Mosquito Control District Chris Meindl, USF geography professor Looking past Flori-duh(36:08) New Zealand's ambassador to the U.S. says diplomats need to get beyond stereotypes and see conditions on the ground. So, he's been on a fact-finding tour that recently took him to the Tampa Bay area for a clearer view of Florida's economy and culture. He says maintaining affordability and access for American consumers is key to the countries' relationship.GUEST:Chris Seed, New Zealand ambassador to the U.S.

An Iranian-born Kiwi says he hopes the deal between the US and Iran will hold, but says the military action has failed to result in regime change. Bahram Kargar spoke to John Campbell.

Small town. Big drama. Unbelievable mystery.

A Kiwi home cook is using the World Cup as an excuse to try meals from around the world, and is sharing them with followers online. Michelle Ip from @petitesweetsnz spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Kia ora. Welcome to Monday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news the imminent deal Trump talked up on Saturday seems to have faded, mainly because Israeli attacks on Beirut have undermined the situation. But if there was to be a deal, it is sure to dominate financial markets. In the meantime, war is the standard situation. These same markets are also contending the implications of the wildly successful SpaceX float. It was full of animal spirits, FOMO, and gambling fever, and more than a few observers are seeing this as evidence of a gigantic bubble. After all it values SpaceX at 100 times its current revenues, and the business operates at a loss. At a US$2 tln 'value', to be sustainable it would need to generate after-tax profits of at least 10% or US$200 bln per year. And that is about double what Aramco-plus-Google do now, #1 and #2 combined. In the real world, Thursday will bring the next US Fed policy meeting result, the first chaired by Kevin Warsh, Trump's replacement of Jerome Powell. Powell will still have a vote however. Most observers see them holding their key rate at 3.75%. The Fed has an inflation target of 2% for the PCE measure of inflation which is currently running at 3.8% with the CPI running at 4.2%, a three year high, with both rising sharply last time they were released. There will need to be some policy gymnastics to ignore those signals, but they may hope the fuel component reverses soon to save them. That is probably why markets think there will be no change on Thursday. The US Fed won't be the only central bank on action this week. We will get reviews from the Bank of Japan (+25 bps to 1.00% expected), Sweden's Riskbank, Norway's Norges Bank, the Swiss National Bank, the English central bank, even in Brazil. More importantly for us is that we will get the RBA's latest update on Tuesday, where no change from the current 4.35% is expected. And the New Zealand Q1-2026 GDP result will drop this week and it will be a surprise it it isn't a year-on-year growth rate of +1.1%. Of course, this will be very dated data. In fact the RBNZ's own Nowcast suggests GDP will drop -0.2% in Q2-2026 from the prior quarter after rising +0.6% in the March quarter. Markets see a March quarterly rise of +0.9%. In Japan, attention will focus on the Bank of Japan's policy meeting, where it is widely expected to raise the benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 1% amid persistent inflation and yen weakness. If delivered, it would mark the first rate increase since December last year and the highest policy rate since 1995. The country is also set to publish trade, inflation, and machinery orders data. In India, producer inflation is projected to rise to 9.1% in May from 8.3% in April, driven by rising energy costs. Other major releases include trade, unemployment, and passenger vehicle sales figures. In China, investors will monitor a series of key economic releases next week, including house prices, industrial production, retail sales, fixed asset investment, and their jobless data. After April's surprise decline, China's May new yuan loans resumed their growth in data out over the weekend, up +5.5% from a year ago with a modest +¥520 bln rise, about what was expected (+¥550 bln). Still, at that level it is the weakest May increase in eighteen years, as the usual suspect - the property market - continues to drag on bank lending. Across the Pacific, American consumers felt the cost of living pressure ease slightly in June as petrol prices came back off their recent war highs. The University of Michigan's Consumer Sentiment Index rose in early June, up from May's all-time low and a better than expected recovery. It was a modest recovery all the same with improvements seen across all age, education, and political groups. Lower-income consumers, for whom fuel represents a larger share of budgets, showed a particularly strong rebound even if it is still deeply negative and its second lowest of all time. And in Europe, Switzerland had another set of national referendums. One proposal, to cap its population at 10 mln, has been voted down. The UST 10yr yield is now just on 4.49%, up +1 bps from Saturday, down -5 bps for the week. The price of gold has recovered a very minor +US$4 from Saturday to US$4222/oz but down -US$102 for the week. Silver is little-changed US$67.50/oz and the same as last week at this time. Oil prices are up +50 USc from Saturday at just under US$85/bbl in the US, while the international Brent price is now just on US$87.50/bbl. A week ago these two prices were US$90.50 and US$93/bbl respectively. Hormuz transits have dried up again. And global oil reserves are draining into uncharted territory. The Kiwi dollar is down -10 bps from this time Saturday at just on 58.3 USc, up +30 bps for the week. Against the Aussie we are unchanged at 82.8 AUc. Against the euro we are holding at just on 50.4 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at just under 62 which is unchanged from Saturday, up +30 bps for the week. The bitcoin price starts today at US$63,655 and down a minor -0.3% from this time Saturday. That is a +5.8% rise from this time last week. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been low at just over +/- 0.8%. You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz. Kia ora. I'm David Chaston and we'll do this again tomorriow. Audio soundtrack opening is licensed from Shutterstock, Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI

Your ultimate Sunday morning companion! ☕✨ The team is looking back at a massive week of studio chaos, high-stakes investigations, and incredible Kiwi stories. From major retail crime to bizarre food confessions, grab a coffee, put your feet up, and catch up on everything you missed this week with Si, Lana, and Bondy. Inside this Sunday Bumper: 00:19 — Si's Jean Drama: Why he is absolutely not happy

The trailer for a new survival thriller starring Brad Pitt has just dropped, and it looks good. Possibly because it was filmed entirely in the South Island. That got us thinking about what goes into bringing a large international film production here, and what the Kiwi economy and tourism industries get out of it. Joining Jesse is New Zealand Film Commission's Head of International Attraction and Inbound Production Philippa Mossman.

A proposed new hotel set on the banks of the Waikato River could be Hamilton's first skyscraper standing at 25 storeys high. Kiwi high-rise developer Templeton Group presented the preliminary design for the Victoria Street Tower to Hamilton City Council on Thursday. Hamilton Mayor Tim Macindoe told Andrew Dickens he is 'fully on board' with the development. "There are all sorts of wonderful things happening in our city, and we need these beds and we need a, a top-quality hotel and I think this is really going to deliver in a spectacular way." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chinese officials are watching the 2026 election for a signal on whether New Zealand's more United States-aligned security posture will become a permanent fixture. If they assess that it is, the trade relationship might be at risk. That's the opinion of David Mahon, a Kiwi business consultant based in Beijing. “New Zealand–China relations are already at their worst stage since diplomatic recognition,” he told the Of Interest podcast. “At the moment, there's not some sword hanging over us, partly because China is so busy dealing with a massive geopolitical mess, as all great powers and smaller and medium sized powers are.” But Mahon sees two risks in the future: China could retaliate by blocking the import of some non-essential luxury goods, or it could simply become “indifferent” towards its relationship with New Zealand. “New Zealand sells a lot of things to China. None of them are irreplaceable. In the end, it's just milk. In the end, it's just fruit or honey. That's something that we need to acknowledge.” “If you look at our free trade agreement, the profit margin, the rationale for many of our companies trading with China is only based on the fact we pay no tax. If we lost that free trade agreement. We would lose much of our business with China”. Mahon doesn't think the Free Trade Agreement is currently at risk but there are signs Kiwi businesses in China are nervous about the deteriorating relationship. An article written by China trade consultant Anna-May Isbey in a report published by the NZ Business Roundtable in China warned there could be direct consequences for geopolitical policies. “The language used by governments when navigating geopolitical tensions can have real commercial consequences. Exporters consistently express the view that New Zealand's longstanding, pragmatic, and independent approach to international engagement should continue,” she wrote. This perspective contrasts against security analysts in Wellington and elsewhere who are increasingly concerned about China as a security risk, and want New Zealand to bolster its defence capabilities and diversify its export markets. Government agencies have linked China to both foreign interference and cyber espionage in New Zealand, such as hacking the Parliamentary Service network in 2021. But a political pivot towards the United States, which began while Jacinda Ardern was Prime Minister, has been complicated by the country's plunging popularity in New Zealand. The United States is now seen by Kiwis as more of a threat than China, according to an annual survey commissioned by the Asia NZ Foundation. Mahon believes New Zealand should “learn to do less” and avoid taking sides in geopolitical competition which doesn't directly affect it. “Stop seeking the approval of these big countries that impress you so much, including Beijing … If we do less, and our need for the approval of other nations is less, then I think the navigation is going to be a lot simpler,” he said. Audio soundtrack opening is licensed from Shutterstock, Track 1219389 Monetization ID TFGEPGEI0LHEIJAI

SummarySam is onsite at Fieldays 2026, chatting with Harry from PostMate about their clever invention that makes fence post removal safer and faster.We hear the backstory of how a Kiwi farmer turned a simple idea into a global product, and learn how a once potentially dangerous and time consuming job of fence post removal has been transformed into a fast and safe process, with examples of fence lines being pulled out in minutes.There's feedback from impressed farmers, talk of international expansion, and Harry answers one of our random questions.All this and much more in this week's episode.Linksthepostmate.comThe PostMate Facebook Page Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is peak Kane Williamson Last night New Zealand's greatest test batsmen called it a day. He scuppered the ship. The Kiwi batting GOAT decided, whilst sitting on the deck at Lords, that he'd put a fork in it. He's done. This is him to a tee. The Holy Grail of test batting, 10,000 runs, was beckoning. One last chance to topple the Ockers at their place was there. The opportunity to wind up an incredible career at home with a nationwide celebration against the might of India was right in front of him. Many reasons to soldier on. But that ain't Kane. He was never there to feather his own nest, to lord it up with dominant numbers, to wave his bat in the air and say look at me. He was almost embarrassed to celebrate his milestones. His personification of the humble Kiwi sportsman was all about what he could do for the team, how his contribution affected the greater good – which was always the Black Caps. He's moved on at the top of his game. His decision, not an enforced move, his call alone. No-one else. In his delightfully understated manner, he said “playing that last game at Lord's is kind of cool.” He goes quietly into the night, putting the team he has so much respect for, ahead of himself. Peak Kane Williamson. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

About 5 percent of the population is earning the minimum wage, but a lot of us still aren't earning a whole lot more. So, why aren't wages more generally shifting higher? Money correspondent Susan Edmunds spoke to John Campbell.

The deck is stacked with Kiwi teams rolling into the Super Rugby Pacific semi-finals. The Chiefs are taking on the Crusaders in Hamilton tonight, followed by the Hurricanes and “lucky loser” Blues' clash in Wellington tomorrow. Though many believe the outcome of the tournament is predictable, NZ Rugby CEO Steve Lancaster is pushing back against the sentiment. He told Heather du Plessis-Allan this is the first time in thirty years four New Zealand teams have been in the semi-finals. “Every year it throws us something new, and this year, I actually, as an All Blacks fan, I feel pretty excited that we've got four teams in the semis.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send Us A Message! Let us know what you think.In this post-budget episode, Paul and Debbie Roberts cut through the mainstream media noise to deliver the real data, strategies, and opportunities hiding in the current property market. We kick things off by breaking down groundbreaking economic research that challenges outdated council building targets and introduces "price signal planning". Then, we cast our eyes across the Tasman, where Australia's latest federal budget has left their property community deeply envious—with Aussie media openly calling New Zealand a real estate "tax haven". Finally, we unpack a structural social housing reform shifting hundreds of millions of dollars directly into the private rental market to boost tenant stability. 1. Ditching Arbitrary Council Quotas for Price SignalsThe New Zealand Initiative's Beyond Targets report demonstrates that hitting numeric council targets has historically failed to improve underlying housing affordability. Substantial price jumps right at invisible council zoning lines act as clear proof that development permissions are being treated as a rationed, scarce commodity rather than meeting actual demand. The Latest REINZ Figures: National median residential prices slipped a minor 0.6% year-on-year to $775,000, while sales volumes dropped 7.9% nationally—led by a 14.8% annual decline in Auckland as the market finds a stable footing. 2. Why Australia Thinks NZ is a Real Estate Tax HavenAustralia's new federal budget cuts their capital gains tax discount to a minimum 30% tax rate, targets legacy assets bought before 1985, and heavily restricts negative gearing. New Zealand stands in stark contrast with no general capital gains tax outside a 2-year bright-line test, no stamp duty, and no land tax. Because Australian buyers are completely exempt from our foreign buyer restrictions, a favorable exchange rate is setting the stage for an influx of trans-Tasman capital. Data reveals Kiwi investors care far more about monthly cash flow and loan serviceability than back-end capital gains taxes, making our market highly attractive. 3. The $387.5 Million Cash Injection for Private RentalsThe government's multi-year social housing reform package raises the minimum income-related rent contribution from 25% to 30%. This structural rebalancing unlocks $387.5 million in operating savings, which is being completely reinvested back into the private sector. Maximum weekly Accommodation Supplement rates will climb by $10 to $30 a week, leaving roughly 111,000 families renting in the private market better off by an average of $14.91 a week. For private landlords, this targeted support fundamentally lowers the risk of rent arrears and increases overall tenant stability. Want to discover how to navigate the current buyer's market, analyze local cash flow numbers, and purchase the right property for your personal financial goals? 

Kia ora. Welcome to Friday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz. Today we lead with news Trump cancelled his latest planned military strikes claiming negotiating progress. That has been enough to settle financial markets today. But first in the US, producer prices jumped +1.1% in May from April to be +6.5% higher than a year ago and to their highest since November 2022. And before the pandemic, their highest since this series began in 2009. Core PPI was up +5.1% and a similar high. These rises were more than expected. US initial jobless claims also rose more than expected last week.to 228,400 and more than seasonal factors would have indicated. There are now 1.69 mln people on these benefits, less than a year ago and marginally less than two years ago. In Canada, building consents were expected to fall back in April after the spurt in March, but they fell more than expected. Residential consents fell -5.5% and commercial consents fell an outsized -10.5%, both from the prior month. From a year ago, these consent levels were +2.5% high, but that is on a value basis and construction PPI rose +2.8% in that same time. In Europe, the ECB raised its policy interest rate by +25 bps to 2.4% as widely expected, it first increase since 2023. It also raised its inflation expectation to 3% in 2026 and cut its growth forecast slightly to +0.8% this year and to 1.2% in 2027. In Indonesia, their financial crisis is intensifying with their currency in freefall and their stock market too. The worry is it may drive a social crisis at our backdoor. In Australia, the Melbourne Institutes survey of inflation expectations dipped in June to 5.5% following a dip in May after they peaked at 5.9% in April. The June result was well below the 6.5% jump some expected. But remember, their fuel tax concession (50%) is expected to end at the end of this month. If it does, it could put upward pressure on consumer inflation. (April actual CPI came in at 4.2% and the May result will be released on June 24.) In contrast wage expectations have remained unchanged for the past seven months. The World Bank said overnight that global growth is leaking away due solely to the Middle East handbrake. It now sees 2026 expanding at 2.5%, and 2027 at 2.8%. These are slowdowns from 2025's +2.9% expansion and the prospect is slowest growth since the pandemic. Meanwhile OPEC bravely says that world oil demand will recover quickly after the current Persian Gulf issues are resolved. Global container freight rates rose another +3% last week to be level with the elevated rates of a year ago, when the Houthis were threatening the Red Sea access. It is all about outbound rates from China to Europe. In fact, China to the USWC rates are holding, but much lower on a year-ago basis. Bulk cargo rates fell -12% in the past week to be +68% higher than year-ago levels. And official forecasters are now certain enough to warn of a severe El Niño climate event starting soon. The US issued its official warning after Australia said the chances are rising. We are being warned to expect 2026-27 to bring global risks of intense heat waves, sharp drops in rainfall in some key areas but deluges in other parts. India is expected to get a weak monsoon. The UST 10yr yield is now just on 4.45%, down -9 bps for the day. The price of gold has recovered +US$54 from yesterday at US$4152/oz. Silver is up US$1.50 at US$66/oz. Oil prices are down -US$5 from yesterday at just under US$86.50/bbl in the US, while the international Brent price is now just on US$89.50/bbl. Hormuz transits are resuming today with 69 in the past 24 hours as owners rush to get their ships out. The Kiwi dollar is up +10 bps from this time yesterday at just under 58.2 USc. Against the Aussie we are down -20 bps at 82.7 AUc. Against the euro we are little-changed at just on 50.3 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at just over 61.8 which is also little-changed from yesterday. The bitcoin price starts today at US$63,223 and up +2.3% from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been moderate at just under +/- 2.0%. You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz. Kia ora. I'm David Chaston and we'll do this again on Monday.

Yes, this is real. New Zealand's Tree of the Year voting is officially open, and we couldn't resist taking a look at the contenders. From stunning native giants to trees with unusual stories, we explored the nominees and shared our own picks for who deserves the crown. Some of our choices made perfect sense... others, not so much. What makes a tree worthy of being named New Zealand's Tree of the Year? Beauty? History? Personality? We have thoughts. Join us as we celebrate one of the most delightfully Kiwi competitions around and reveal our weird and wonderful favourites.

One of New Zealand's most enduring sporting careers is set to reach another remarkable milestone. Twenty years on from making his Commonwealth Games debut, artistic gymnast Misha Koudinov has been named in the NZ team for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. It puts him on track become just the third Kiwi athlete to compete at six Commonwealth games. Sports editor Dana Johannsen spoke to Lisa Owen.

A New Zealand author has been nominated for best short story prize at the Nebulas Awards, which are considered some of the highest honours of science fiction and fantasy writing. In being considered, author E.M. Linden joins the likes of sci-fi luminaries like JG Ballard, Harlan Ellison and Frank Herbert. E.M. Linden's offering is called 'The Tawlish Island Songbook of the Dead', to tell us more about it, she joins Jesse.

Alan Davies is getting everything out into the open and bringing his new tour to Kiwi stages. The British comedian is best known for his regular spot on the long-running panel show QI and his portrayal of the titular role in Jonathan Creek. And now he's returning to New Zealand's shores for the first time in a decade – with ten performances of his new stand-up show over the span of two weeks. ‘Think Ahead' was written alongside the second volume of his memoir —White Male Stand-Up— which deals with the ongoing impacts of childhood abuse, the death of his mother, and navigating the world of comedy and television. “I started to work up, kind of alongside it, ideas for a stand-up show, and really wanting to talk about all the more difficult things I've experienced in that form,” he told Heather du Plessis-Allan. “Thinking, well, I've been doing this for 35 years, I'm able to turn my hand to it.” Davis knows he's not alone in his experiences, that there are people in the audience who've experienced similar things and are sitting there in silence – just as he did. “Let's get it out in the open.” “I try and be as funny as possible, and present a full version of who I am, really, and it's, I think it's really paying off, the response is really good, it's been very gratifying, I didn't know how it would go,” he told du Plessis-Allan. “I just think it's the best show I've ever done.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A charity focused on helping Kiwi youth get ahead is at risk of closure after losing out on required funding. Lower Hutt-based charity Youth Inspire missed out on $60,000 worth of funding for its driving school, which provides lessons and training for at-risk Kiwis looking to build up their skills. CEO Zainab Ali says they're not sure why the Government isn't offering them the funding, and they've turned to crowdfunding to fill the gap. "We got some feedback saying that they loved our proposal, but at this time, they had some questions around the budget - and that was pretty much it." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kia ora. Welcome to Thursday's Economy Watch where we follow the economic events and trends that affect Aotearoa/New Zealand. I'm David Chaston and this is the international edition from Interest.co.nz.  Today we lead with news the US is frustrated with Iran and is promising even more military strikes. The deal Trump thought was close, isn't. The escalation threat has oil and financial markets reacting badly. But first today, American CPI inflation jumped from 3.8% in April to 4.2% in May, largely as expected and largely based on higher fuel costs. This is its highest since April 2023. Today's geopolitical events and markets reactions probably mean it isn't finished with the current trajectory. Actually, for March, April and now May, their CPI index rose +2.0% in just those months, so the rate being experienced by consumers (annualised +8%?) is very much higher than the annual one reported. The White House reaction was very unexpected: Trump said, "You know, I love the inflation." Certainly, financial markets were unimpressed. There was a large jump in American mortgage applications last week even though benchmark home loan interest rates stayed elevated at about 6.6%. After six weeks of holding back, it seems borrowers are coming to accept that they have to pay these higher rates. Remember pre-war, these rates were under 6.1%. The jump in applications this week were from both new borrowers and those needing refinance. For a seventh straight week, and including stocks in their strategic reserve, American crude oil stocks dropped in the latest update, and by almost double the rate expected. Today's US Treasury 10yr bond auction was well supported and yield's rose only modestly for this one, coming in at 4.48% median (4.54% high bid), up from 4.41% at the prior equivalent event a month ago. In Canada, their central bank kept its policy rate unchanged at 2.25% as expected, and for the fifth consecutive time. They had inflation at 2.8% in April so, so far, there is little evidence higher energy prices are being passed on or embedded in their consumer cost base. Data out in Japan yesterday shows their May producer prices rose +6.3% from a year ago, up from 5.3% in April and the fastest rise since the end of the pandemic in March 2023. After the April spurt, they rose another +0.9% in May alone. China's CPI inflation level was low and stable in May, coming in at 1.2% from a year ago, unchanged from April. Beef prices were up +4.2% however and lamb prices up +6.2%. Egg prices are up +6.6% on the same basis and a five year high. These were more than offset by a -16% drop in Chinese pork prices though. And dairy prices fell -1.2% on the same year-ago basis. But China's producer prices are not so calm. In fact they rose an outsized +5.8% in May from a year ago for industrial products, up 3.9% overall when you broaden the categories to include food, clothing and other goods produced for consumers. Apart from the pandemic, the headline 3.9% is the highest they have had since August 2018. In Australia, we should note that their emergency petrol tax concession will end at the end of June. That will juice up their inflation if it isn't extended. The UST 10yr yield is now just on 4.54%, up +1 bp for the day.  The price of gold will start today down another -US$160 from yesterday at US$4098/oz. Silver is down -50 USc at US$64.50/oz. Oil prices are up +US$3 from yesterday at just under US$91.50/bbl in the US, while the international Brent price is now just on US$94.50/bbl. Hormuz transits are almost non-existent today, only 2 in the past 24 hours.. The Kiwi dollar is down -10 bps from this time yesterday at just on 58.1 USc. Against the Aussie we are up +10 bps at 82.9 AUc. Against the euro we are down -10 bps at just on 50.3 euro cents. That all means our TWI-5 starts today at just over 61.8 which is down -10 bps from yesterday. The bitcoin price starts today at just on US$61,781 and little-changed (up +0.3%) from this time yesterday. Volatility over the past 24 hours has been modest at just over +/- 1.7%. You can get more news affecting the economy in New Zealand from interest.co.nz. Kia ora. I'm David Chaston and we'll do this again tomorrow.

Labour has announced its first major policy in over six months: a proposal to cap public transport costs at $20 a week in major centres and $10 elsewhere. The party says the policy would help with the cost of living and make public transport more accessible. The announcement comes after the coalition government removed several public transport subsidies introduced under Labour, including half-price fares for young people and free fares for children. Alongside the fare cap, Labour has already announced a targeted capital gains tax to fund three free GP visits a year and a proposed Future Fund aimed at investing in infrastructure and innovative Kiwi businesses. For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, News Director Castor spoke with Shanan Halbert about these policies.

The Sidebars reunite with an old friend and attempt a very risky jailbreak.Also Granny is still a cloud sheep.** TRIGGER WARNING ** This episode contains themes of modern slavery, severe illness, and human(oid) sacrifice.Featuring:Erika Jayne as Taryn GrimSeverin Gourley as Dexter ClementineKasia Wayfinder as Granny Sabinkaand Julz Burgisser as DMVisit www.fateofisen.com to learn more.Fate of Isen is one of the Feedspot top D&D podcasts in the world! Check out Feedspot here.If you like the show, please feel free to follow us on social media (@fateofisen) or support us on Patreon! ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ Intro, outro, and recap music by freesound user, Tyops, and ambient sound by TabletopAudio.com

Most challenger founders assume international expansion should happen in neat, logical steps. New Zealand → Australia → UK → US. But Lisa's view was different, and that's why it's so interesting: In fact, conventional FMCG wisdom tells us to prove your business in nearby markets first. But founder Lisa King of Free AF Drinks ignored that advice!  After building a 40% share brand in New Zealand, Lisa decided to skip Australia entirely and went straight after the most competitive drinks market in the world...the USA!Why? --> If the ambition was always to build a globally valuable business, she asked herself why spend years proving the model somewhere that wasn't ultimately where the biggest opportunity sat?In this brilliant conversation with Kiwi female founder Lisa, you'll hear how today AF Drinks is stocked in more than 4,500 stores across the US, including Target, Walmart, Whole Foods and Kroger, and just HOW they're doing it. We discuss why she made they made the decision they did, how Pernod Ricard Ventures invested before the US launch, what it really takes to build a beverage brand in America, why alcohol-free RTD cocktails are outperforming expectations, and the lessons founders should understand before attempting to scale internationally.Lisa takes us through a masterclass in the realities of the beverage market in the United States; Why alcohol-free RTD cocktails are growing faster than many expected and finally, how she has approached fundraising, equity and scaling internationally!Key Topics Discussed Alcohol-free drinks category growth  Building challenger brands internationally  International expansion & export to USA   Listings with Target, Walmart, Whole Foods and Kroger  US grocery retail Walmart and Target listings  Fundraising and investor strategy  Pernod Ricard Ventures investment  Beverage category economics  Product innovation, IP & technology  Ready-to-drink cocktails  Scaling consumer brands globally  Founder leadership  Building brands from New Zealand USEFUL LINKSAF Drinks WebsiteAF Drinks InstagramLike this episode?PLEASE share the love by sharing this episode with another founder building a challenger brand, a colleague or a mate who loves brilliant non-alcoholic drinks, or anyone trying to work out how to build a consumer packaged goods business.Don't forget to FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to Brand Growth Heroes on your favourite podcast app, and even LEAVE A REVIEW - both of these actions make a MASSIVE difference to our mission to help more founders just like you.Follow usInstagram (https://www.instagram.com/brandgrowthheroes)LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/brand-growth-heroes/?viewAsMember=true)Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/@brandgrowthheroes)Find out more about the programmes and courses Fiona runs here (https://www.brandgrowthheroes.com/mini-mba-2026)Join the NextGen CPG WhatsApp group for founders leaning in to the value that a leadership approach to engaging with AI can unlock for businesses like yours.*** Thanks to Brand Growth Heroes' podcast sponsor - Joelson, the commercial law firm ***If you're a founder, you already know how much energy goes into building the perfect product, creating standout branding and connecting with consumers.But scaling a CPG business also brings legal complexities that can make or break your growth journey - from contracts and regulatory compliance to protecting your intellectual property.That's why I'm proud to partner with Joelson, the leading commercial law firm specialising in helping founders of scaling consumer brands.Joelson works with brands like Little Moons, Trip, Eat Natural, Bear Graze and Pulsin, and advised the innocent founders on their landmark sale to Coca-Cola - and still work with them at JamJar Investments today!Joelson is offering a FREE LEGAL CONSULTATION to all BGH listeners (mailto:hello@joelsonlaw.com) - I honestly recommend you take them up on it, they're brilliant.CREDITSThanks to our Sound Engineer Gyp Buggane at Ballagroove.com 

The final tower at Barcelona's Sagrada Familia will be blessed by Pope Leo later on Wednesday. Mark Burry is a New Zealand architect who worked at the Sagrada Familia from 1979 until 2016.

US President Trump said they are negotiating with Iran, and a victory will happen very soon, while he stated they will declare total victory in two weeks.US President Trump said Israel and Iran agreed to leave each other alone for another week.US equity futures continue to gain; FTSE 100 underperforms as Pharma giants fall. DXY returns below 100.00 handle, Kiwi outperforms while GBP gains following strong BRC sales. Fixed income benchmarks are tentatively firmer as geopolitical tensions ease.Crude continues to soften amid halted Iran-Israeli strikes; metals supported by softer dollar and positive risk toneLooking ahead, highlights include Mexican Inflation (May), US ADP Weekly Change, Exports/Imports, Atlanta Fed GDP, Existing Home Sales (May), Wholesale Inventories (Apr), Canadian Exports/Imports (Apr), EIA STEO (Jun), Comments from ECB President Lagarde, Supply from the US.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

US President Trump said they are negotiating regarding Iran and a victory will happen very soon; he stated they will declare total victory in two weeks; Brent Aug'26 -1.1%Trump was said to have warned Israeli PM Netanyahu that if he turns escalation into war, he will be left alone against Iran. He also told the Israeli PM that if he does not get an Iran deal within a few days, he would lead the strikes on Iran.A top Iranian official casted doubt on a deal being imminently reached between the US and Iran, telling CNN that major roadblocks persist on issues like Iran's nuclear program and uranium enrichment.Pentagon accused several Chinese tech-giants (Alibaba, Baidu, BYD, Tencent) of aiding the Chinese military.APAC stocks traded mixed; European equity futures are indicative of a slightly weaker open.DXY is incrementally lower with G10s broadly firmer, and the Kiwi outperforms.Looking ahead, highlights include German Balance of Trade, Exports, Imports (Apr), Mexican Inflation (May), US ADP Weekly Change, Exports/Imports, Atlanta Fed GDP, Existing Home Sales (May), Wholesale Inventories (Apr), Canadian Exports/Imports (Apr), EIA STEO (Jun), Comments from ECB President Lagarde, Supply from Netherlands, Germany & US.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

Last night we spoke with journalist and Trekka enthusiast Todd Niall about whether New Zealand's only mass-produced vehicle is now being seen as retro and cool. We also received a few texts from listeners sharing other New Zealand-made vehicles. One listener asked about the DuzGo, built by the Giles Bros in Whataroa on the West Coast. So to dig deeper into this side of the Kiwi number 8 wire mentality, Susana speaks to one of New Zealand's leading automotive historians Patrick Harlow.

Welcome back to another week of the Pick & Go. This week we look back at all the playoff action as the finals are confirmed to be all Kiwi teams. However, while appearing the same, all is not equal as the Blues are the only team in the playoffs who have got there off a loss. Is the lucky loser format a good or a bad thing for the competition? We start making some bold predictions about who will be taking out the comp, well is it bold to predict the Hurricanes at this point? Lastly, with a major international footballing tournament about to kick off, we compare Super Rugby teams with international football teams.

The computer science educator is based at ACG Sunderland and was shortlisted in this year's Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards, out of 12,000 nominations. 

Kiwi athletes have dominated the world competition in extreme timbersports, taking top spot on what was the most glamorous podium in sport at the weekend. Matthew Gower from Whangamomona won his first ever title in the Rookies Under 25 World Championship. Matt Gower spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

At what age do we stop saying somebody has fallen over and instead say they've had a fall? It's a quirk of language that points to the fact that in our later years, taking a tumble is likely to be that much more serious. And with an aging population, staying steady on our feet is a growing concern Well, a Kiwi research team is focused on tackling that issue and supporting healthy aging with a particular focus on solutions from kaupapa Maori. The Taurite Tu programme recently took two awards at the Asia Pacific Eldercare Innovation Awards in Singapore Joining us now is physiotherapist Katrina Potiki Bryant, who leads the programme

Tonight on The Huddle, Auckland Councillor Maurice Williamson and Child Fund CEO Josie Pagani joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! There's no policy out of Labour just yet, but the party's unveiled their list. What did we make of it? Who stood out? Should Rakesh Naidoo have been allowed to stand? New data shows Kiwi renters are better off than they were a year ago. Is this news encouraging? Do we need to outlaw run it straight? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is it just me, or did anyone else notice what a contrast it was watching Christopher Luxon cracking jokes with Anthony Albanese, compared to what it was like when Jacinda Ardern visited Australia? For all her kindness and communication when she was Prime Minister, she would use those trips to Australia to give then–Prime Minister Scott Morrison a tongue-lashing—usually over the 501 deportees, which was pointless because the Aussies weren't going to change their minds. This weekend, though, was a bit of a love-in. And that's despite the fact that we've done something that could genuinely have upset the Aussies. Because Nicola Willis has probably gone a bit too hard, having cracks at them for their capital gains tax changes in their budget—which they're very sensitive about, because they're copping huge blowback. And yet…it was no drama. Albanese wrote it off as cheekiness. And then, instead of yet another trans-Tasman drama, he was cracking jokes with Luxon about Kiwi immigrants. They were taking turns going first with the questions, and they were affirming each other—welcoming closer ties, strengthening shared resilience. It's turning into a bit of a cliché thing to say now, but Luxon is in his element overseas. He sounded every bit the statesman—someone who has thought deeply about the degrading state of international affairs and what New Zealand needs to do to weather the coming storm. And I thought, as I listened to him pitch how kick-ass Australia and New Zealand are going to be, that he was doing a better job of selling Australasia to the world than the Prime Minister of Australia was. He's a big-ideas guy—selling his country and his region and getting on with people is his party trick. Isn't that a better strategy, when you think about it, than always fighting with your only ally? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imogen Ayris has made another career breakthrough, clearing 4.81m in the women's pole vault at the Paavo Nurmi Games. Competing just days after her first Diamond League podium in Rabat, Morocco, Ayris returned to competition in Turku, Finland, overnight. Lining up in the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting proved fruitful for Ayris as she improved her previous best from 4.70m to 4.81m, winning and setting a new meet record. She joined Piney to discuss further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we're joined by Kiwi comedians Chris Parker and Brynley Stent! We talk Simcest, boobs being back, choir competitions, the irony of pegging and the Ninja Creamy. Follow Chris @chrisparker11 and Brynley @brynleystent Check out the bonus patreon exclusive episode with 40 minutes of extra content at https://www.patreon.com/posts/160059568 WE NOW HAVE MERCH! Get your Glue t-shirts, mugs and totes in time for Christmas here (discount code for Patrons is on the Patreon): https://visualanticsapparel.com/collections/glue-factory Olga's tour dates can be found here: https://www.rocknrolga.com/ Milo's tour dates can be found here: https://www.miloedwards.co.uk/liveshows Follow us online to get Glue-related clips and updates: https://linktr.ee/gluefactorypod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Black Caps series in England, Super Rugby, the All Whites in the United States, and Kiwi polevaulter Imogen Ayris has also had quite the week.

Are robots still a futuristic novelty, or have they officially become critical urban infrastructure? In this episode of The Edge of Show, host Josh Kriger sits down with Judah Longgrear , Co-Founder and President of Robot.com. Based in the AI epicenter of San Francisco, Robot.com is moving autonomous machines out of the laboratory and directly into real-world deployments across cities, events, and campuses worldwide.Discover how the company rebranded from Kiwi to Robot.com after securing one of the most powerful domains in tech history. Judah breaks down the massive, untapped opportunity of Robotic Media transforming friendly, smiling autonomous delivery units into localized, high-engagement branding platforms. He also explains how they blend street-level mobile fleets with programmatic Digital Out-Of-Home (DOOH) advertising boards to build a fully unified, multi-touch ad network.Tune in to learn about their latest agentic speaking robots and why seeing 5 to 10 robots a day will be completely normal within the next few years.Support us through our Sponsors! ☕ Want to make content like ours? Sign up with Castmagic to make your creative process easy: https://bit.ly/CastmagicReferral Work smarter, grow faster. Automate your SEO, get AI insights, and manage all your clients in one place with Helm. Start today 50% off your first month at helmseo.com

Kieran Read is one of the greatest All Blacks of the professional era. A two-time Rugby World Cup winner, four-time Super Rugby champion and former All Blacks captain, Kieran built a career defined by consistency, leadership and an incredible work ethic.From a typical Kiwi childhood in Papakura, to representing Counties in both rugby and cricket, Kieran's path to the top wasn't as straightforward as many would think. He wasn't a player who came through every representative system, and by his own admission was a shy kid who often kept to himself. Yet through hard work, resilience and a constant desire to improve, he became one of the most respected leaders New Zealand rugby has ever produced.Some parts that stood out for me in this episode were…* Why cricket was arguably his best sport growing up and how close he came to pursuing it professionally* The moment rugby went from being something he loved to something he wanted to chase seriously* Making New Zealand Secondary Schools despite not being part of the traditional rugby pathway* Playing 49 consecutive games at the start of his Crusaders career* Becoming Canterbury captain at just 22 years old* His memories of winning Rugby World Cups in 2011 and 2015* Taking over from Richie McCaw as All Blacks captain and learning to lead in his own way* The sacrifices that come with professional rugby and being away from family for long periods* The leadership lessons he's taken from rugby into business and life after retirementKieran is one of those rare people whose achievements speak for themselves, yet remains incredibly humble. This episode is packed with stories from one of rugby's greatest careers, along with plenty of lessons on leadership, resilience and personal growth.Let us know what you thought of this episode in the comments

In this episode of the Talk Design podcast, host Adrian sits down with Greg, a highly sought-after commercial photographer with over 36 years of experience. A fellow Kiwi now living on the Sunshine Coast, Greg brings a wealth of technical knowledge, a fantastic sense of humor, and a uniquely grounded perspective on the creative industry.Greg shares his origin story, from growing up in New Zealand with a fine artist father and a speech-and-drama teacher mother, to getting his first big break as a photography assistant (which included a memorable incident of falling asleep in the darkroom after a big rugby night out). They discuss the massive shift from the unforgiving days of film to the limitless possibilities of digital photography and post-production.The conversation takes a deep dive into the world of architectural and real estate photography. Greg explains how he finds the "hero shot" of a property, why he still looks through the viewfinder rather than the digital screen to stay immersed in the environment, and the challenges of shooting million-dollar homes (hint: architects, please include a ladder cupboard in your designs!).Adrian and Greg also trade their best "hacks" for the creative process. They discuss the power of taking 12-minute power naps, using essential oils like peppermint to spark afternoon energy, drawing inspiration from clear quartz crystals, and Adrian's genius trick for making nervous portrait subjects instantly relax. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vyhledávač letenek Kiwi.com je zpět v plné síle! V novém dílu podcastu Money Maker zakladatel a šéf firmy Oliver Dlouhý otevřeně popisuje, jak firmu po náročných letech opět stabilizoval, proč kompletně změnil byznys model a jak mu v tom pomáhá umělá inteligence.V rozhovoru se dozvíte:

The self-proclaimed People's Princess of Aotearoa, Chris Parker is bringing his latest tour back home. Though he came into many people's lives during lockdown, when his videos started going viral, he's been a part of the Kiwi comedy scene for a lot longer, winning multiple awards at the NZ International Comedy Festival. He's appeared on TV shows, podcasts, and performed a lot of comedy – selling out shows in New Zealand, Australia, London, and Edinburgh. And after taking his latest show ‘Take a Good Hard Look at Me' to three of the four aforementioned locations, Parker's finally bringing it back to New Zealand in September. The show is set on the 10th of February, 2026 – a deeply ordinary and uneventful day in the grand scheme of things. “I was trying to, I guess like, hit this feeling,” Parker explained to Heather du Plessis-Allan. “Where it does feel like, on one scale everything is really like... feels life-threatening and like, end of the movie sort of stakes, and then on the other end of the spectrum it's like our day to day lives... when you're 35, it can be quite boring.” “It's quite dizzying.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Paul Spain is joined by Sam Allen and Nick Walton, co-founders of NZ Boat Register, to explore how Kiwi innovation is improving marine visibility and asset tracking using AquaGPS, a Starlink-enabled GPS solution. The conversation also covers the latest in tech news, including:Game changing Nvidia chip coming to Windows laptops and PCsMSD Welfare decisions moving to AI Automated Decision-MakingNew Zealand's First Deepfake Porn ProsecutionOne New Zealand AI Trust Report (2026)New Zealand Government budget's impact on the tech sectorExperimental chip demo shows 1000x performance gainsSpecial thanks to our show partners: Fortinet, Workday, Spark New Zealand, One New Zealand, 2degrees, and Gorilla Technology.

A Kiwi foundation is helping combat infertility around New Zealand. Gingernut’s Angels, founded by Jaimee Lupton, was created with the goal of removing the financial barrier to starting a family. It has raised more than $3.5 million and funded 197 grants to help families access IVF and fertility treatments since it was founded in 2024. Lupton told Heather du Plessis-Allan that a single round of IVF can cost from $30 thousand to $50 thousand, which is just out of reach for so many families. She says it look them five rounds and $250 thousand just to get their daughter. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He's usually the one behind the microphone, helping tell the stories of the sport through data, insight, and conversation. This week, the spotlight is on Brayden Lissington. Nicole Brown welcomes the Kiwi sports marketer, Eventing Weekly co-host, and EquiRatings commercial lead into the Strawmax Stable for a conversation about storytelling, sport, and the people who have inspired him along the way. From why eventing deserves its own Drive to Survive to the guests he'd most like to interview, Brayden shares the ideas that have shaped his career and his connection to the sport. Highlights: Why eventing is made for a Netflix series The guests Brayden would most like to interview His dream job away from the sport The people on his ultimate dinner party guest list Summer Heights High and the stories he loves The menu for his perfect dinner party Guests: Brayden Lissington - EquiRatings commercial lead, Eventing Weekly co-host, and former New Zealand futsal international. To find out more about Strawmax bedding and how it could work in your yard, head to: https://www.strawmax.co.uk  EquiRatings Eventing Podcast Follow the EquiRatings Eventing Podcast for more data-led insight, top-tier guests, and everything you need to keep up with the 2026 season on Instagram and Facebook.

00.00: Intro 02.10: Man ripped down his house 06.00: Top 6 - Kiwi's robbed 13.10: Taylor Swift new song... 17.20: Have you hooked up with the same sex? 23.15: Unpredictable History 27.30: Queen Patsy 33.20: Tim Payne 38.25: Wholesome weekends 48.00: Hayley nearly left the movies 54.05: Rural dating app 57.40: Fact of the day 1.00.54: Did you marry into a better or worse last name? 1.09.45: Should Hayley's friends buy tickets 1.14.17: What we wrong with the pet sitter? 1.26.50: Younger siblings have it better See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

June's Sneak Attack!!! Maori Tattoos and Mountain Parrots in New ZealandJoin Sneak for facts about our next Storypillar destination and kid-approved jokes that will make you laugh your face off! Region: New ZealandFacts: Maori culture and Ta Moko tattoos; fjords; Animals: Alpine parrots, kiwi birds, lots and LOTS of sheepJokes: Keas and sheep!Links for Kids: -New Zealand Facts for Kids-Kea Facts for Kids-Kiwi Facts for Kids-Beginners' Guide to Rugby-Ta Moko: Maori TattooingMake a donation! Support Storypillar!https://ko-fi.com/storypillar Shop at: storypillarstore.threadless.comInfo/Get in Touch: Website: www.storypillar.com Instagram: @storypillar Join our mailing list. Created, Written, and Produced by: Meg Lewis Storypillar Theme Song: Lyrics by Meg Lewis Music by Meg Lewis, Andy Jobe, and Suzanna Bridges Produced by Andy Jobe Episode Cover Art: Mackenzie Allison and Meg LewisSound Effects and Additional Music: -https://freesound.org/ -Kiwi call: https://deadsounds.com/kiwi-bird-sound -Joke Time Song: https://freesound.org/people/BlondPanda/sounds/659889/ -Silly Country Rhyme Song: BackgroundMusicforVideo-Pixabay Artists: SunnyScy; AntipodeanWriterKnow a kid with great advice for Sticky Situations? Check out www.storypillar.com/unsticktricks.© 2026 PowerMouse Press, LLC

Alex and Ben welcome the Kiwi's back, to a brand new game of The Traitors New Zealand - This time, Madeleine takes the reigns from Paul Henry and we already have a shock exit and a surprise third Traitor, but who could it be? They also discuss the 'Turret' and who their favourites are so far in the game! The show would be no fun without your help so comment and find out more here: linktr.ee/faithfulto Also help with the show here: buymeacoffee.com/faithful Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ashley Andersen knows what romantasy readers want - because for years she's been one herself. 

Clare Kelly, the second New Zealander to be appointed as chair of the General Council of the World Trade Organisation, spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.