Podcasts about nicola willis

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.

Questions to Ministers TEANAU TUIONO to the Minister of Internal Affairs: How is the Government ensuring that New Zealand's firefighters are properly equipped and resourced to safely respond to fires happening across Aotearoa recently? Hon CARMEL SEPULONI to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? SUZE REDMAYNE to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has she seen on the economy? Dr LAWRENCE XU-NAN to the Minister of Education: E tautoko ana ia i nga korero me nga mahi katoa a tona Kawanatanga? Does she stand by all of the Government's statements and actions? DAN BIDOIS to the Minister of Transport: What announcements has he made about the Bikes in Schools programme? Hon WILLIE JACKSON to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Does she stand by her 50,000 jobseeker reduction target? SIMON COURT to the Minister for Children: What recent data has she seen on findings of harm in State care residences? GRANT McCALLUM to the Associate Minister of Housing: What recent announcements has he made on housing? Hon WILLOW-JEAN PRIME to the Minister of Education: Does she stand by her statement, "it's so disappointing that they are playing politics, that they are choosing to go on strike", and will she meet with the predicted over 40,000 striking educators to address their concerns? RICARDO MENÉNDEZ MARCH to the Minister of Health: Do nurses have safe staffing levels; if so, what evidence does he have to demonstrate that? CARL BATES to the Minister for Mental Health: What recent announcements has he made about crisis recovery cafés? Hon GINNY ANDERSEN to the Minister for Economic Growth: Does she agree with Nicola Willis that a National-led Government "will rebuild the economy to reduce the cost of living and help Kiwis get ahead"?

Participation in local elections is at a historic low and there's growing calls for reform. Turnout's been higher in rural areas and much lower in the main cities, but data shows under 40 percent of eligible voters made their voices heard. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says a simpler solution is needed, much like the general elections. "It might be simpler if it was just - turn up and vote. Turn up to the booth, turn up to the place just as you do for the general Government elections." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hopes for an economic recovery have been given a significant boost by yesterday's decision from the Reserve Bank to frontload cuts to the official cash rate. The RBNZ delivered a 50 basis point cut to the OCR and indicated it was prepared to cut again in November if required. After that, they're kind of starting to run out of ammo. Dropping mortgage interest rates though is not the panacea to cure all economic ills. Mortgage holders account for around a third of households. So of all the households in New Zealand, one third are paying mortgages. Two thirds, those who rent and those who've paid off their homes, and who are watching in horror as interest rates on their savings accounts plummet, do not have mortgages. Is the country's economy really going to be invigorated because a third of householders will see their mortgage reduced by a few hundred to a $1,000 a month? It'll be a good start, I suppose. And the 50 point cut will cut the costs of those with business loans, most of those are on floating rates, but what businesses really want to see is not reduced costs, but increased spending, increased revenue, and that is only going to come with confidence in the economy. I know a number of people who are seeing their mortgages coming onto a lower rate before the end of the year, but they're not planning a big spend up, even with Christmas on the horizon. They've been burned by the higher interest rates, and yes, yes, yes, I know Boomers had 22% and they managed and we don't know we're living, but it's all relative. It's much bigger mortgages. For many people seeing them go to 7 - 8% was a shock after mortgage interest rates were around 2%. So they are coming onto a a lower rate, but they have been burned, and the increased cost of living has also scared them. They've run down their savings, and over the next few months they're going to pay a few bills, get ahead of the bills, and start stashing some money away in case there's another economic shock. Which is probably not what businesses want to hear. Nor would the government be all that thrilled to hear that anecdotal story. They need people, they need us to start feeling better and soon, given the parlous state of the National Party's fortunes in the latest poll. They really need people to feel better. It's not good enough to say look at law and order, look at the ram raids, look at the changes we've made to education which are going to be the most positive thing we can do with our young people. Look at what we're doing with housing, increased housing which will bring the cost of first homes down. They can point to a whole lot of things that they have done and are doing and we're like, “ Still tough out there. It's really hard. You said we'd feel better. We don't." And that's what the polls are reflecting, so we need to start feeling better soon. It's a tricky balancing act with the Reserve Bank trying to stimulate the moribund economy while at the same time keeping a weather eye out for inflation. And there are no absolute answers about what is right and what is wrong. What is the best way to restore confidence? Look at the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research. Their members know a bit about how economies work, and they have a monetary policy shadow board. They look at the same figures as the Reserve Bank monetary policy committee and they make their own decisions. They look at monetary policy and come up with their reckons based on that. Their Monetary Policy Shadow Board recommended a 25 point basis cut, reflecting the view that excess capacity in the New Zealand economy provided scope for a small cut to support recovery and activity without affecting inflation. Several of their members said that because of the much weaker than expected June quarter GDP, there should be a 50 basis point cut now. One said it should stay on hold, given the recent spike in inflation and the fact that the OCR cuts to date have yet to work through the economy. Cities always recover last. Out on the farm, when they've got good prices, it slowly starts to trickle through, but the cities recover last. So stimulate but not too much. Nicola Willis has directed her pointy finger in the direction of councils and says rates are having a disproportionate effect on inflation. Other sectors are stabilising but really, it's a confidence game, isn't it? We've got to feel confident and that we're not clawing our way through each and every pay cycle before we can start spending and businesses can start making profits. And voters have to feel confident and businesses have to start doing better before National can be confident about not being a one-term government. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister says she's okay with a short spike in inflation. The Reserve Bank has slashed the cash rate 50-basis-points to 2.5% and is leaving the door open to further cuts. It expects inflation to reach or surpass 3% in the short term but believes the economy is weak enough to push inflation back down again next year. Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking we won't see another long-period of sustained much-higher inflation. She says a little blip's okay, but the three years of high inflation under the last government is not okay. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 9th of October, the Reserve Bank did what the market, and the Government, wanted and cut the OCR by 50 basis points. Is this the move Nicola Willis needs for growth? The CEO of the International Rugby Players' Association Omar Hassanein talks the threat of R360. Author and former member of Lord's, Jeffrey Archer is back to talk the last book in the William Warwick series and second last novel he will ever write. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's Nicola Willis and Labour's Megan Woods join Corin Dann for this week's political panel.

In today's episode, a new Education Review Office report recommends considering a move to regional school holiday dates to reduce the cost of travelling in the school holidays; National's Nicola Willis and Labour's Megan Woods join us for our weekly political panel; Why 3000 people across New Zealand are receiving NZ Super who are not yet 65; Four-thousand senior doctors and dentists have voted to join a mega strike action later this month.

Former Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr is in for a significant payday. He resigned in March, following a funding disagreement, with tensions between Treasury, the bank, and the Finance Minister. The central bank's annual report shows Orr will receive a $416,000 restraint of trade payment this month. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says she wasn't informed of this until today. "I had been assured that they had done those negotiations in accordance with the terms and conditions in his contract, which had already been agreed when he was reappointed as Governor in 2022." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr is in for a significant payday. He resigned in March, following a funding disagreement, with tensions between Treasury, the bank, and the Finance Minister. The central bank's annual report shows Orr will receive a $416,000 restraint of trade payment this month. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says she wasn't informed of this until today. "I had been assured that they had done those negotiations in accordance with the terms and conditions in his contract, which had already been agreed when he was reappointed as Governor in 2022." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a protracted process and plenty of speculation, Winston Peters has announced the cabinet decision on acknowledgement of Palestinian statehood in his address to the general assembly at the United Nations. Not now, he said. “We are not ready to make that gesture.” Variously received as a laudable assertion of independence in avoiding “performative” politics and a “day of shame” for New Zealand, what does the announcement tell us about New Zealand's foreign policy, our position on Israeli activity in Gaza and government decision-making processes? Annabelle, Ben and Toby gather to discuss the latest developments. Plus: the fallout from an unexpectedly large GDP contraction continues, with Nicola Willis enduring a “battering” that included a scolding from the Mood of the Boardroom. And what to make of the results just released from the review of New Zealand's struggling electricity market? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the weekend, the Government confirmed it wouldn't recognise Palestinian statehood - for the time being. Winston Peters made the announcement at the UN General Assembly, saying conditions weren't yet right. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has defended this move - and says no matter what happened, one side would have taken issue with their choice. "We, as a Cabinet, decided to do what we believed was an independent, New Zealand-based decision - based very much on the facts in front of us what we thought was the best thing." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister and Finance Minister are brushing off the bruising verdict of business leaders as sentiment sours on their performance. The Herald's annual Mood of the Boardroom survey has canvassed the views of 150 executives and chairs as the government battles to turn around the flagging economy. And despite holding the most pivotal Cabinet positions, neither Christopher Luxon, nor Nicola Willis, are ranked in the top 10. Acting political editor Craig McCulloch spoke to Lisa Owen.

Tonight on The Huddle, Phil O'Reilly from Iron Duke Partners and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The New Zealand Herald released its latest Mood of the Boardroom survey and Chris Luxon and Nicola Willis are out of Cabinet's top 10 performers. Can they turn things around? What do we think of our new Reserve Bank Governor? She seems very committed to transparency - do we think that's what our central bank needs? Tory Whanau has revealed she wants to run for Parliament. Do we think this is a good idea? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three hundred potential candidates were identified in the hunt for our new Reserve Bank Governor. The role has gone to Anna Breman, who was the First Deputy Governor of Sweden's central bank. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says it was a a tough competition amongst candidates. "The Reserve Bank went through a process of both advertising and also doing a large international search to consider people that could be qualified for the role." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicola Willis admits the economy isn't where the Government would like it to be. The Herald's annual Mood of the Boardroom survey shows business leaders are less optimistic about the economy than they were a year ago. Only a third of respondents back the Government's current growth agenda. The Finance Minister told Mike Hosking they're hearing the call for harder, faster action, loud and clear. She says business leaders broadly think the Government's doing the right things, but she accepts the Government isn't there yet when it comes to economic growth. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 24th of September, the promised Holiday Act changes have been announced. Who knew you accrued sick leave whilst on ACC or even if you only work an hour a week? The annual Mood of the Boardroom survey has been released and a majority of the Government has not been rated favourably – Nicola Willis responds. And on Politics Wednesday Ginny Andersen and Mark Mitchell talk the immigration changes, recognising Palestine, and who can give the best shout out. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicola Willis says there's been a clear message to all ministers - we don't want the billions recently allocated for infrastructure sitting in Government bank accounts. A small scale hospital project announcement yesterday and a school property maintenance announcement today have both talked up the boost they'll give the construction sector in the coming 12 months. The Finance Minister says they want signed contracts, spades in the ground, and jobs. "The instruction to all Government ministers has been - make sure you know where your maintenance contracts are at, where those construction projects are at, to get them out the door." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Featuring Bridie and Dylan discussing It's Alive for Stage Direction, Peter Lineham delves into the priests protesting outside Nicola Willis' office on That's The Spirit, and Matthew speaks with North Carolina band Wednesday about their new album Bleeds.  Thanks to The Beer Spot!

How is it that we are having a conversation today about whether Nicola Willis needs to quit her portfolio because of yesterday's shock GDP number? This is crazy. What happened yesterday is not Nicola Willis's fault. It is the Reserve Bank's fault. It is not a matter of opinion. It is a fact. The Reserve Bank ratcheted up the official cash rate to slow down the economy and engineer a recession, to quote Adrian Orr. It's what he wanted to do. It is what he has actually done successfully. We now have had an enormous recession, and we are struggling to come out of that. That is not Nicola Willis's fault. Now, sure, I can lay some blame at Nicola Willis's feet. I can blame Nicola Willis for not doing enough to fix the state of the government's books.Probably not doing enough to get rundown places like Auckland Central going again, but that GDP number, that is fair and square, largely the Reserve Bank's problem, so she should not quit over what happened yesterday. However, I am prepared to admit that the fact that this discussion is even happening does speak to the enormous political pressure that she is under at the moment, because it is enormous. She is under a lot of political pressure. She is very much playing at a political disadvantage because a lot has gone wrong for her this year. Buttergate was all Nicola Willis pulling in Miles Hurrell for a chat, Gavin the cameras run after him. She created that. She has only just managed to save herself from being accused of being all talk and no action over the supermarkets, redeemed with a Hail Mary at the last minute. And for all the criticism that she lobbed Grant Robertson for spending too much, she spends more than him every single budget, and here we are two years into this administration, still waiting for their big plan as to how we turn this economy around. That is as finance minister and economic growth minister, her job, but she doesn't need to quit over what happened yesterday. Look, the bar for any minister to quit is very high, but for a finance minister, even more so. Just have a look at how badly Rachel Reeves in the UK is stuffing things up and crying in public. She is still in her job. Nicola Willis is nowhere near that, mainly because the GDP figure out yesterday is not her fault. And the fact that this is actually a discussion is somewhat mind-blowing. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ruth Richardson does not want to see Nicola Willis resign. But the Former Finance Minister is calling on the current Minister to take a chainsaw to certain areas of spending. Recent GDP numbers have shown a worse-than expected economic picture - with a 0.9 percent dip in the June quarter. Ex Finance Minister Sir Roger Douglas is calling for the Minister's resignation. But Richardson says Superannuation's unsustainable and a bloated public service. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former finance minister Roger Douglas has called for current finance minister Nicola Willis to resign. He says that the decrease in the country's GDP is not in line with the global economic downturn and that Willis should be held accountable. Senior political correspondent Barry Soper told Heather duPlessis-Allan that a resignation is unlikely. 'You'd have to go back then to the 1930s to find a finance minister who has stood aside from the portfolio.' LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An economist and former finance minister are calling on Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis to resign. It comes in the wake of worse than expected GDP figures out today - which show our economy shrunk by nearly 1% last quarter. Nicola Willis said it is not the government's fault - and has instead put the blame on the economic turmoil caused by tariffs. Russell Palmer reports.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday 19th of September, Sir John Key has some advice for Finance Minister Nicola Willis, who has some tough questions to answer after that Q2 GDP result. The Government is flying the flag for the wool industry in China. Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson take a pop quiz and discuss school holidays plans as they Wrap the Week. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis says a new Reserve Bank Governor will be announced “very shortly” as she comes under growing pressure to tackle New Zealand's economic woes. Economists are calling on the Reserve Bank to cut the Official Cash Rate more aggressively after yesterday's shock GDP result. New Zealand's gross domestic product (GDP) fell by 0.9% in the June quarter, a reduction well over market expectations. Expectations were for a 0.4% decline in GDP, while Reserve Bank forecasts were for a 0.3% drop. The worse-than-expected outcome could mean the Reserve Bank will cut its Official Cash Rate (OCR) more aggressively than was previously thought, economists said. In an interview with Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking this morning, Willis was asked what she expects from the Reserve Bank to address the situation. “I will very shortly be announcing a new governor for the Reserve Bank. Obviously, we've had a chair change at the Reserve Bank. We are refreshing that institution and I think that is very good indeed,” Willis said. She would not give a specific date for the announcement, instead describing it as happening “very shortly”. She confirmed she knew who the new Governor is. Christian Hawkesby is the current Acting Governor of the Reserve Bank. He was appointed to a six-month term in April following Adrian Orr's resignation in March. Willis told Hosking Kiwis shouldn't get down about the latest drop in GDP and we mustn't talk our way into a recession. She says we shouldn't overreact to a bad quarter – we've got to keep playing the full game, dig in, and do the things that are needed to grow the economy. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicola Willis says uncertainty over Donald Trump's tariffs drove down GDP in the June quarter. But the Finance Minister admits has admitted she was surprised to see the economy's contracted 0.9 percent. She says there was consensus that GDP would drop, but most forecasts had it at 0.3 percent. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New GDP figures are set to be unveiled tomorrow, and there's concerns from experts that the economy is struggling. The upcoming GDP data is projected to show an economy under pressure, as earlier forecasts of an incoming rebound look less and less likely. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says the Finance Minister is trying to soften the blow and put things in perspective. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's Nicola Willis and Labour's Carmel Sepuloni spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

If it's any help to those chained to Nicola Willis' office, there is a decent piece I read yesterday asking whether Israel was heading towards a South Africa moment. In an interview this week, Netanyahu seemed to accept some sort of isolation was a price his country was, and is, paying for as a result of the war. But none of that has been brought about by people chaining themselves to door handles. Nor would the cause have been advanced in any way, shape, or form by Nicola taking communion with them. Nor indeed by the march that wandered through parts of Auckland over the weekend. What has led the war to the point it is, is severalfold. Firstly, Hamas started it. That is an indisputable fact. The raid of two years ago was entirely on them. What happened next has happened numerous times in one form or another. Hamas starts it, Israel responds. They have responded the way they have this time, once again, for a couple of reasons. 1) It was a particularly brazen attack. 2) America has a president that doesn't mind the sort of retaliation that has taken place. Never before have we seen drawings of a new Middle East, with millions of Gazans living in a Trump-like Floridian Eutopia. Now, it's fair to suggest events of the last few days i.e. the attack in Qatar, has pushed the Americans to the limit, if not beyond. But you will note that Rubio is currently in the Middle East and still shaking hands with Netanyahu and still happy to be in the photo. In the meantime, back here, nuns are chained to door handles, people wave flags and the angst in the media over whether we will recognise Palestine next month in New York is palpable. But to reiterate, at no point do any of our actions make a jot of difference. Once this particular chapter is over, in whatever form that takes, we will go back to a relatively stable period of co-existence. Until someone does something stupid all over again, which of course they will. This story has been told many, many times over. When hate drives the narrative nothing ever really changes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government is promising changes to the Commerce Act it says will prevent "creeping acquisitions and predatory pricing". The Economic Growth and Commerce Ministers, Nicola Willis and Scott Simpson, say the changes will set out clear rules for mergers, and streamline approvals for business collaboration. RNZ Business journalist Anan Zaki has more.

Nine clergy have been chained to the door of Nicola Willis' office in the Wellington suburb of Johnsonville since Monday morning. One of the Clergy taking part in the action, Father Gerard Burns, spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

In today's episode, the latest RNZ Reid Research poll has the political landscape in a deadlock -- the Labour Party still a nose ahead of National, but neither side able to govern alone; Nine clergy have been chained to the door of Nicola Willis' office in the Wellington suburb of Johnsonville since Monday morning; New Zealand middle distance runner Geordie Beamish has claimed a stunning world championship gold in the 3000 metres steeplechase in Tokyo; For the first time ever, a New Zealand woman has successfully co-skippered a yacht through the Northwest Passage.

Nicola Willis has responded to protesters chained to the outside of her Johnsonville electorate office. The group of Christian leaders want an urgent timeline from the Government for implementing sanctions against Israel over the war in Gaza. They're praying and fasting - and say they're prepared to stay overnight. Willis says she supports the right to protest, however they're getting in the way of people who want to get help from her office. She says security have been engaged by Parliamentary Services, and security have been engaging with the police. Five clergy were trespassed from Simeon Brown's Pakuranga electorate office earlier today. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Monday, 15 September 2025, Health NZ is backtracking its 24/7 visitor policy after a huge backlash. Al Dietschin from the nurses union is welcoming the review. Looks like Eden Park could start to host even more events in the future. The Government has launched a review into the current consenting rules. Anglican Vicar Mel McKenzie explains why she has chained herself to Nicola Willis' electorate office. Plus, the Huddle debates whether coach or captain should be blamed for the All Blacks' miserable loss. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A group of Christian leaders who have chained themselves to Nicola Willis' Johnsonville electorate office are vowing to stay there overnight. They want an urgent timeline from the Government for implementing sanctions against Israel over the war in Gaza. Reverend Mel McKenzie says they're fasting in solidarity with the people of Palestine. "We're just so focused on the suffering that's happening in Gaza and we're doing what Anglican and Catholic priests do - which is to pray and fast." Nicola Willis says she supports the right to peaceful protest - but adds their presence is blocking the public's access to her office and its staff members who would otherwise be able to provide help to the community. Five clergy were trespassed from Simeon Brown's Pakuranga electorate office earlier today. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jamie Mackay talks to Nicola Willis, Jane Smith, Hamish Marr, and Blake Holgate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Filling in for the Prime Minister, we ask the Minister of Finance if that’s a role she wants permanently. We also discuss the “Buttergate” beat-up and whether the noble goal of doubling exports in the next decade is achievable.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brigitte Morten is a director with public and commercial law firm Franks Ogilvie and a former senior ministerial advisor for the previous National-led government, a National Party member and currently volunteering for the party's deputy leader, Nicola Willis. Neale Jones was Chief of Staff to Labour Leader Jacinda Ardern, and prior to that was Chief of Staff to Andrew Little. He is the director of public affairs firm Capital. He is currently providing PR support for Andrew Little's Campaign for Mayor of Wellington, on a voluntary basis.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

New Zealand First is backing major changes to KiwiSaver ahead of the election and it's sparked discussion about what this could mean going forward. The party's announced it will campaign on compulsory employee and employer contributions rising to 10 percent, to be offset with tax cuts. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says this will likely be a significant issue ahead of the election, but she's voiced concerns about the tax cuts. "For context, our tax package that we delivered after the election was $3.7 billion - so that is a heck of a lot of tax cuts. So the question then becomes - how do we fund that?" LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National's Nicola Willis and Labour's Carmel Sepuloni spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Christopher Luxon doesn't think the Reserve Bank's reputation has suffered any long-term damage. Neil Quigley resigned as chair of the central bank on Friday night, after Nicola Willis raised concerns over its handling of Adrian Orr's resignation earlier this year. Willis has revealed to Newstalk ZB, she would have asked Quigley to resign, if he hadn't resigned of his own accord. The Prime Minister says Quigley has made the right decision. He doesn't think the current situation is a mess, but it would have been a shambles if it had carried out much longer. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. New Zealand: 7/10 We're the 3rd safest country in the world and about to outgrow Australia. How's that for openers? Horticulture NZ: 7/10 Their plan is to double export returns within 10 years. That's the sort of attitude that turns tides. More please. Sean O'Loughlin: 8/10 My hero of the week. He took Auckland Transport to court and won. Brains - 1. Arrogance - nil. Nicola vs Tory: 6/10 Who doesn't love a bitch slap? And who doesn't think Nicola has an excellent point? Principals: 4/10 Or at least the ones who wrote to the Education Minister asking for her to stop her reforms. In that letter is so much that's wrong with education – people overseeing failure and yet not wanting change. Putin: 3/10 You forgot that, didn't you? Where is the meeting? Where is the place? Where is the date? Did Trump get stiffed? LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEW See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Big box wholesale supermarket chain Costco has its eyes on expansion, and a new "express lane" for supermarket developments will help that happen, according to the Minister for Economic growth. Nicola Willis today unveiled policy changes that the government believes will help boost competition in the grocery market that's curently dominated by two chains; Woolworths and Foodstuffs. Minister for Economic Growth, Nicola Willis spoke to Lisa Owen.

Calls for certainty from the supermarket sector as Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis weighs more action. She's introduced fast track consenting to encourage new players into the market. Willis says she's looking carefully at the idea of breaking up the duopoly. Foodstuffs North Island Chief Executive Chris Quin told Mike Hosking the future of their business needs clarity on what regulations will be put in place. He says the individual owners are scratching their heads wondering what's going to happen. Quin also believes the amount of competition already in the market may be higher than people realise. He says 30% of the retail grocery market is third players in Auckland and 18% nationwide. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicola Willis says she's not bluffing with the idea of potentially breaking up the supermarket duopoly. The Economic Growth Minister has introduced a fast track consenting process for supermarkets encouraging more players into the market. She told Mike Hosking it's a welcome mat for international players that makes it very clear in law and regulation that opening stores in New Zealand is easier than elsewhere. Willis says this is a big issue for New Zealand, and she's going the things that are sensible to help. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Thursday 28th of August, Nicola Willis has her solution to the supermarket problem. Mike isn't convinced. Mike's offered the chance to fly to London and research a banking scam, however he's not sure there is one. Kiwi singer Georgia Lines is in for a song and a chat ahead of the release of her new EP and career move to Nashville. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicola Willis was back yesterday for another "guns at dawn" with the supermarkets. She had the results of the RFI, the Request for Information. The main takeaway was we are too tied up in red tape and we need to make it easier to do business. Now we know this of course, because before the RFI she told us this, and she told us she was going to do something about it. She told us she was going to do something about it again yesterday. Play another song Nicola. Then the bad news: ALDI and Lidl, a couple of large supermarket players who she had been courting, didn't even take part in the RFI. Why? Because, as I have said for about two years, we are too small and the scandal Nicola insists exists, actually doesn't. There is no scandal, they just can't be bothered with a country our size. Costco did take part though. But Costco isn't Nicola's answer. Why? Because Costco isn't going nationwide, even though Nicola said they may, may, have one or two more stores in the coming years. Then the worst bit of her greatest hits show, the finger wagging exercise, yet again, of threatening to break the industry up with regulation. She is awaiting a report. When? She doesn't have a date. Who's doing the report? The same company that did the same report for Labour. It's good work if you can get it, aye? So what did we actually end up with? A re-announcement of the fact we are hard to do business with. Fine, stop telling us and actually change the laws. The second issue is major players couldn't even be bothered taking part. And the third point, the thing that may bring real change. Do remember, I think all this is nonsense but in Nicola's mind it's a scandal. But the thing that can bring real change is no closer because we don't have the report and we don't even know when we are getting the report. Having got the report there is of course no reason to think such a major business-busting trigger by a so-called "business friendly" Government would even be pulled. So, is your trolley any cheaper? Has Nicola or her Grocery Commissioner, another game-changing pile of nonsense she referenced, actually achieved anything? Has a cent been saved? Has a law been changed? Has a new player arrived? Or is this just like the banks? No smoking gun to be found?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's episode, we have our weekly political panel with National's Nicola Willis and Labour's Carmel Sepuloni; There appears to be confusion over the rules governing when schools are considered open; Students at Lincoln University have been told to re-sit part of their course in person, after a lecturer questioned whether some had used AI tools to complete their work; A small town in rural Victoria is still in lockdown, while police continue the search for a man who shot two police officers dead on Tuesday; An iwi and construction consortium is proposing a public-private partnership for a multi-use ferry terminal and port at Marlborough's Clifford Bay.

National's Nicola Willis and Labour's Carmel Sepuloni spoke to Corin Dann.

National's Nicola Willis and Labour's Carmel Sepuloni spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.