Podcasts about nicola willis

Finance minister Nicola Willis has ended the year on a high with a surprise 1.1% increase in GDP for the most recent quarter; Gloriavale's leaders have announced they'll challenge the forced closure of its school; Auckland Council is securing more burial and cremation spaces as the city's cemeteries begin to run out of capacity; We crossed the ditch to Canberra to talk to our correspondent Kerry-Anne Walsh; One News Sports Editor Abby Wilson and former All Black captain Taine Randell discuss this weekend's sport action.

Finance minister Nicola Willis has ended the year on a high with a surprise 1.1% increase in GDP for the most recent quarter. Port of Auckland chief executive Roger Gray spoke to Corin Dann.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis joins Nick Mills live at Prefab for a look back on our economy this year. They reflect on the year that has been, and their hopes for the next year, election year. Why is the Willis v Richardson debate not happening? Is the GDP rise a sign of hope? Nick asks Nicola Willis the big questions. And they get in the Christmas spirit with some gift giving. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Confirmation that the economy grew strongly in the third quarter of the year is welcome news before Christmas”, Finance Minister Nicola Willis stated in the first line of her press release yesterday. ‘Welcome news' may be a bit of an understatement, given the context of recent attempts to undermine Nicola Willis and the Government's approach to righting the economy. Willis also needed the good GDP news after a disappointing Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update on Tuesday, in which almost every economic and fiscal indicator moved ever so slightly in the wrong direction. The GDP results showed the economy did better than expected in the September quarter, growing 1.1%. GDP per capita rose 0.9% for the quarter, if that's how you prefer to measure it. The increase in economic activity was broad based, with increases in 14 of the 16 industries that Stats NZ looks at. This is good news. But the problem with GDP figures is they're provisional and often revised. That's what has happened with the previous June quarter – which did worse than previously thought, falling one percent. If you look at it from an annual point of view, from September to September, the economy contracted 0.5%. These numbers provide an overview of what's going on. They are a sign of a gentle uptick rather than a booming recovery. But they don't give politicians a true sense of what is going on in New Zealanders day to day lives. As Liam Dann wrote recently, GDP doesn't capture wealth distribution, it doesn't tell us about the health of our nation, or the overall happiness of its people. As the end of the year approaches, Luxon and Willis survive ‘25 to enjoy a summer BBQ and a bevy or two and get to return to their leadership roles in 2026. But hopefully they and their politician colleagues will spend some time over the summer listening to ordinary Kiwis to get a sense of how New Zealanders are feeling about the cost of living, job security, and the challenges facing those running a business. Yesterday's GDP figures give Willis breathing room. But the pressure is on next year. Willis is excellent at sticking to her core messaging of fiscal discipline without causing misery to voters. It's a plan that holds some risk – there's little room to deal with the consequences of potential natural disasters or global financial crisis in the near future. The ‘steady as you go' message will remain next year, and yet there's a sense the hard yards haven't started yet. If we're going to meet the 2029 – 2030 surplus target, the ruler is likely going to have to come out again. Social services and public servants will most likely be the targets. In the meantime, we can head into the New Year with some cautious optimism that the economy may have peaked a look around the corner. I like the expression one of my listeners suggested to me on Sunday – ‘brick by brick in 26'. Maybe then we might have built something a more stable by 2027. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a tough run for the economy this year, but the Finance Minister is celebrating the progress that was made. Nicola Willis told Kerre Woodham the economy is growing, which means that when they look back on 2025, they'll be able to say it ended a lot better than it started. She says that looking into next year, it's set to grow much faster, with many more jobs being created. “People can look forward to their incomes rising faster than inflation and ongoing low interest rates – that's a positive way to start the next year.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicola Willis is doubling down on her strategy for getting the government's books back in order - even as new forecasts show yet another delay to that plan. Treasury officials unveiled their half-year update this afternoon - revealing a bleaker picture than last predicted - and no sign of a surplus this decade. A year ago they were predicting a surplus by 2029 - now they're picking 2030. Acting political editor Craig McCulloch spoke to Lisa Owen.

Nicola Willis and Carmel Sepuloni joined Morning Report this morning for the Weekly Political Panel; It has been a big year for the country's education sector with a number of major changes; Auckland Council has scrapped a trial of fortnightly rubbish collections after a backlash from affected residents; A local board election has been voided, and voters will have to go back to the polls, after a judge ruled fraudulent voting had "permeated or infected" the election.

Nicola Willis and Carmel Sepuloni joined Morning Report this morning for the Weekly Political Panel.

The Government insists it has a plan to turn the economy around. Treasury's Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows the country is first forecast to be in the black by 2029-2030. The Finance Minister has admitted the country is borrowing money to pay the interest bill on the debt. Nicola Willis told Heather du Plessis Allan that bill is about $9 billion a year. She says around 80% of borrowing over the next few years will be for capital assets like hospitals, schools, and roads. There may also be more cuts to the public service as they aim to get back down to surplus. Economic growth is expected to be just 1.7% next year, and Willis says there's still room for efficiency in the public service. She will be sending letters out to her cabinet colleagues to give them ideas on where they can make some savings. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today Heather du Plessis-Allan was joined by Labour's Ginny Andersen and National's Mark Mitchell to recap the highs and lows of 2025 on the final Politics Wednesday for the year. They also discussed the retail crime numbers, the state of the Government's books, the need for a social media ban, and the situation with Nicola Willis and Ruth Richardson. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's no surprise that Nicola Willis has pushed out surplus by another year. That now makes it three years in two years, as in she has delayed surplus by three years in just the space of the two years she's been at the Finance Minister's desk. Had she kept her pledge, the one she made about tidying up this country's books when asking for our votes in 2023, we would be seeing a surplus next year. Now it's 2029 at the earliest. Getting our books back in order is important if we don't want our kids to pack up and leave for Australia when they're old enough to. Nicola can blame everyone from Treasury to Trump if she wants, but she has not done enough to get us back to surplus. She has defended, and kept, Jacinda's wasteful policy of paying for one free year for university students. The policy has been repeatedly criticised as a flop that doesn't actually make anyone go to university. Cutting that would save us in the vicinity of $1 billion over four years. She has given welfare to households on more than $200,000 a year by giving them money for childcare. People on that kind of coin don't need benefits. Cutting that would save $1 billion in a little over five years. She still hasn't cut or income tested the Winter Energy Payment, which is going to people who are still in the workforce and being set aside for nice trips to Fiji. Cutting that would save $1 billion in less than two years. Trimming it would save less, but it would save something. She has cut 2000 public servants when Grant and Jacinda added 14,000. Be in no doubt - money is tight. But there is still a lot of waste that could be cut if Nicola Willis was brave enough. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast with Heather du Plessis-Allan Full Show Podcast for Wednesday 17th of December, Nicola Willis responds to the surplus being pushed out another year, the third blowout in her two years as the Finance Minister. Indycar champ Scott Dixon is on to talk his career and the launch of a new world class karting facility in Auckland. And Mark Mitchell and Ginny Andersen cover all the highs and lows of 2025 on the final Politics Wednesday for the year. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister's still aiming for a surplus this decade, despite today's bleak economic news. Treasury's Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows more delay to getting the books back to black. The deficit's expected to deepen more to a high of $16.9 billion and not narrow to $60 million dollars until 2029-30. Nicola Willis says a 2029 surplus is very achievable. "What that will take is just a small revision to the growth upwards, combined with fiscal discipline. And those are two things that our Government is committed to." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Treasury's Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update has painted a concerning picture for the Government books. It forecasted the deficit will peak at $16.9 billion dollars, and only drop to $60 million in the 2029-2030 financial year. Independent economist Cameron Bagrie says this forecast doesn't come with many surprises. "If you look at the bigger picture, we're now going to have a decade of deficits. And if you look at the last two years, the situation's actually been worsening." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Child Fund CEO Josie Pagani and Tim Wilson from the Maxim Institute joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The disgraced lawyer at the centre of the Russell McVeagh #MeToo scandal has been granted a new practising certificate by the Law Society, which says he's fit to return as a barrister. Do we believe in second chances? The Government has pushed out the return to surplus for another year - and Ruth Richardson has responded by calling off the debate between her and Nicola Willis. What do we make of this? Auckland Council has moved to scrap a proposed trial for fortnightly rubbish collection in some Auckland suburbs. Do we think this is the right move? Will the new MCERT mega-Ministry actually improve anything? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 16 December 2025, Finance Minister Nicola Willis defends the state of the Government books, despite surplus being pushed out and debt growing more than previously predicted. The Bondi hero who tried to stop the two terrorists is fighting for his own health in hospital. Ryan Bridge speaks to a woman who has been by his bedside. A lawyer convicted of groping law students at a Russell McVeagh Christmas Party has been cleared to return to practicing law. Ryan asks the victims' lawyer Steph Dyhrberg how she feels about James Gardner-Hopkins getting a second chance. Auckland Council has listened and voted down a trial to move to fortnightly rubbish collections. Plus, the Huddle reacts to news that Ruth Richardson has officially pulled out of the big debate against Nicola Willis. 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.

We're going to start this morning with the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update, which was actually the Three-quarter Year Economic and Fiscal Update. It delivered news we all expected, and that is that we're getting there as a country. It's just taking longer than we thought. Treasury's half-year update, published on Tuesday, predicted a return to surplus in 2029/30, a year later than it forecasted in May. Finance Minister Nicola Willis said she'd continue to aim for 2028/29 and said we're on target to return the books to surplus faster than they will in Australia, the UK, Canada, and many other advanced economies, while maintaining a prudent debt position. She's doubled down on what she calls her disciplined plan for returning the books to surplus, and says she's not willing to implement more brutal spending cuts, as the Taxpayers' Union have been advocating for, warning that their prescription would deliver human misery and hurt frontline public services and depress already weak demand in a recovering economy. She points out that the Taxpayer Union proposed, among other things, scrapping all Working for Families tax credits, reducing the average weekly income of the recipients by about $180. She said beneficiaries and low-income families would be at the brunt of any change like that, delivering a level of human misery she was not prepared to tolerate. She said of Labour's criticism, that their approach to spending is reckless and would further delay a return to surplus. She said that the Government had delivered about $11 billion a year in savings during its term. Without this disciplined approach, she says the year's deficit would be $25 billion, and debt would be on track to blow out to 59% of GDP. So, according to Finance Minister Willis, she and her government are on track, and that being castigated by the Taxpayers' Union for being too soft, too wimpy, and being criticized by Labour for being too harsh, means she's charting the right course. It is a fine balance she has to strike. You, me, everybody can see where she can make cuts. The winter energy payment, making it a needs-based payment, making a number of allowances needs-based, the fees free, that sort of thing. There's a lot of low-hanging fruit you could pluck off and save a few cents here and a few cents there. What a lot of households have done over the past few years. But she is bound by her agreements with coalition partners. There are some things she cannot touch. She's working in an MMP environment. There are plenty of things I'm sure she'd love to do, things that Ruth Richardson could do, but even allowing for the human misery factor, there are coalition partners she has to placate, and the Government wants to get re-elected. It is utterly pointless steering the right course, but only for three years. It is utterly pointless saving a few billion here, only for it to be squandered next time round. So what do you suggest she does? I'm sure she gets plenty of reckons from all sorts of people – the most recent and the most high profile was former Finance Minister Ruth Richardson, who really should pipe down. I'm glad that debate's off. That was just farcical. But Ruth Richardson needs to pipe down because she could do things, and did do things, that simply aren't possible for this Finance Minister to do under MMP. And also, it's a lot harder to get elected under MMP and to have a big say in the direction of the government unless you've got a big platform. So anything Nicola Willis does has to be with an eye to being the biggest party to form a government. So, I tend to think she's right, that if you've got the Taxpayers' Union going, you're too soft, you're too wet, you're too pathetic, you've got Labour going, you're too cruel, you're too harsh, you're too brutal, then she's pretty much on the right track. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister's still aiming for a surplus this decade, despite today's bleak economic news. Treasury's Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows more delay to getting the books back to black. The deficit's expected to deepen more to a high of $16.9 billion and not narrow to $60 million dollars until 2029-30. Nicola Willis says a 2029 surplus is very achievable. "What that will take is just a small revision to the growth upwards, combined with fiscal discipline. And those are two things that our Government is committed to." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

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

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

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

The war of words continues between Finance Minister Nicola Willis and former Finance Minister Ruth Richardson. Richardson - the chair of the Taxpayers' Union - has been fronting a new campaign against Willis's fiscal decisions. The pair have agreed to debate each other, but are yet to agree on when or where. Newstalk ZB political reporter Ethan Griffiths says the pair have expressed interest in having the debate on Newstalk ZB, with Heather du Plessis-Allan overseeing it from the Breakfast slot. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on the podcast... KING Homeboy give a little https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/king-home-boy-whip-round Stuff article from dec5: https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360910267/hip-hop-champ-hits-mute-beatboxing-after-brain-surgery Shubz on Willie Jackson and John Tamihere, Nicola Willis vs Ruth Richardson, and Chris Bishop's RMA reforms — a massive week in New Zealand politics and media, and Duncan's got the whole thing laid out. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSypyI8wbnZgJDYY0VCdwJQ/join Get in touch with Duncan - duncan@rova.nz and join us on the socials. Website: https://www.rova.nz/podcasts/duncan-garner-editor-in-chief-live Instagram: @DuncanGarnerpodcast TikTok: @DuncanGarnerpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

Friday has come and Heather du Plessis-Allan was joined by Kerre Woodham and Tim Wilson to Wrap the Week that Was. They discussed Air New Zealand's new safety video, the Willis v Richardson debate, the quote of the year, and artificial intelligence. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicola Willis is defending her economic track record in the face of a lobby-group's satirical campaign. The Taxpayers' Union has sent MPs Nicola Willis-branded fudge, claiming she favours treats today and taxes tomorrow. It suggests Willis should cut spending more. Willis says the Government has reduced taxes and delivered significant cost savings - while keeping frontline services. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper explained why Nicola Willis is keen on making the debate with Ruth Richardson happen. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 11 December 2025, the Health Minister reacts to a report that predicts the number of cancer diagnoses is expected to skyrocket - and why he wouldn't eat KFC. US Immigration lawyer Brian Hunt explains why travellers to the US will soon be asked to provide five years worth of social media history - and what border officials will look for. Jetstar has been rapped over the knuckles for using dodgy scales at Wellington Airport. Plus, the Huddle debates Nicola Willis' fudge and why the big debate against Ruth Richardson has taken on such a life of its own. 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.

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

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

Nicola Willis is defending her economic track record in the face of a lobby-group's satirical campaign. The Taxpayers' Union has sent MPs Nicola Willis-branded fudge, claiming she favours treats today and taxes tomorrow. It suggests Willis should cut spending more. Willis says the Government has reduced taxes and delivered significant cost savings while keeping frontline services. Kiwiblog author and co-founder of the Taxpayers' Union, David Farrar told Kerre Woodham that putting aside personalities, it's not a bad thing for people to realise we still have a real fiscal challenge in New Zealand. He says that while the Government has cut spending in a number of areas, we're still spending more than we're bringing in in taxes. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Taxpayers Union is taking aim at government spending with a campaign that has finance minister Nicola Willis at its centre. Taxpayers' Union chair and former finance minister Ruth Richardson spoke to Corin Dann.

The Taxpayers Union is taking aim at government spending with a campaign that has finance minister Nicola Willis at its centre; The latest State of Cancer report says treatments are better and death rates are falling - but we're crawling while other countries sprint; The Government has released a new app it says will make it easier and safer for people to access government services; The United States could soon ask travellers for their five-year social media history, as a condition to enter the country; As people tighten their spending in tough economic times, it seems live music is still something people will shell out for.

So, to the Nicola Willis v Ruth Richardson debate. Here's a challenge to Nicola Willis: do it this year. Do it next week. I'm hearing that having challenged Ruth Richardson to the debate, Willis' office would prefer to do it next year. I can understand why. By next year the momentum will be gone and we'll all have moved on to other things and it, probably, won't get as big of an audience. Next week though is a big week. The Government is opening its books. It sounds like Nicola might be pushing out surplus, again, for the second time in two years. Then we've got the GDP number and that's coming off the back of the Taxpayer's Union campaign calling her out for her big spending, which kicks off today. So next week there's much more energy around a debate. If it's pushed out to next year, I would read it as the first sign of losing courage. And if I was cynical, it's the first sign of them hoping this will fizzle and die because frankly, it was a political mistake to challenge Ruth Richardson to a debate. Regardless of what you think of her, Ruth can article all the problems with Nicola's big spending budgets and debt gathering in a way that most members of the media can't, which is to say she will mount a case that Nicola is spending too much and taking us down exactly the same path of economic trouble that Grant started us on. And I suspect that will convince a lot of voters that we have a problem here. And we do. We have a problem when we have a government that promised to cut spending and yet spends more than Grant and will, by mid next year, have taken on $45 billion more in debt, which will by then account for almost a quarter of our total debt. This is an important debate, because what is more important for a government to do well than run the country's books? So, next week? How about it? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

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

Nicola Willis has walked straight into a political trap, and tonight we get into why it matters. The finance minister didn't just respond to a provocation from the Taxpayers' Union and Ruth Richardson, she elevated them, turning a sideshow into a headline feud. We break down why that was a rookie mistake, and what she should have done instead. Then Chris Bishop joins us to unpack the biggest RMA shake-up in 30 years. He explains how the new system could cut consent times, strip out pointless red tape and finally make it faster and cheaper to build in New Zealand. Bishop talks land costs, simplified zones, digital planning, fast-track projects and the potential for real economic growth if we get this right. Plus we read your messages on government waste, council rates, and the frustration many feel about firearms rules. It's a lively one. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nicola Willis and Carmel Sepuloni joined Morning Report this morning for the Weekly Political Panel.

Nicola Willis and Carmel Sepuloni joined Morning Report this morning for the Weekly Political Panel; The Government has released its long-awaited overhaul of planning controls, saying it will save New Zealanders $13 billion over the next three decades; Conservation groups are warning the scrapping of the Resource Management Act could put environmental protections at risk. Drops in long term home loan rates could be at an end, with one major bank signalling they could even be on the way back up; As the school year starts to wind down and children begin the countdown to Christmas, there's one dilemma that creeps back into households across the motu; Christmas presents for your child's teacher.

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

Nicola Willis and Carmel Sepuloni joined Morning Report this morning for the Weekly Political Panel.

Nicola Willis and Carmel Sepuloni joined Morning Report this morning for the Weekly Political Panel; The Government says it's working with social media, tech, and telco companies to tackle scams targeting New Zealanders, after criticism the companies weren't doing enough; After three decades working at Women's Refuge, Dr Ang Jury is stepping down and handing over the mantle; A number of New Zealand authors whose books were used to train AI have found out they're getting a payout; Are our attitudes to drinking changing faster than we think? Destination Queenstown says a 9% boost in flights to the region is good news for the whole country.

We knew the rates cap was coming, but no one expected the government to drag it out this long. On today's episode, we dive into the plan to finally rein in council rate hikes… in 2029. That's six years after National took office. People need relief right now, not in the next political lifetime. Duncan reckons it's a great policy torpedoed by hopeless timing, and Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union joins us to break down why councils are already licking their chops. With spending up, payrolls swelling, and some councils proposing record increases, the delay effectively gives them three years to pump rates even higher. We also get into the government's wider economic credibility, the slow-walked reforms, Nicola Willis' spending story, and whether this National-led government is sleepwalking toward becoming a one-term wonder. Find out why Duncan says this delay is nothing short of a masterclass in political uselessness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

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

This one kicked off with a simple question: if Christopher Luxon really was facing a leadership challenge, who would you want running the National Party? So we put it to our YouTube audience, and nearly a thousand of you delivered a fascinating result. Chris Bishop edged out Erica Stanford by just a single point, with Luxon miles back and Nicola Willis taking a real hammering. Duncan digs into why Bishop and Stanford are resonating right now, what each brings to the table, and why Luxon's position suddenly looks a whole lot more fragile than the Beehive might like to admit. We talk momentum, credibility, and the difference between being a fixer and being a leader who can move the country. There's also your feedback on New Zealand's strange lack of mandatory third-party insurance, plus a few thoughts on why consequences on our roads feel far too soft. Another sharp, punchy episode of Editor in Chief. Find every episode and discover your next favourite podcast on the rova app or rova.nz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nicola Willis and Carmel Sepuloni joined Morning Report this morning for the Weekly Political Panel; Regional Development Minister and NZ First Deputy Leader Shane Jones has been one of the strongest critics of regional government, previously saying there is "less and less of a justifiable purpose" for keeping regional councils under the new RMA system; The owners of a property prone to severe flash flooding are taking Auckland Council to court for designating their house safe to live in; There's very little wiggle room when it comes to the rights and regulations around annual leave, according to an employment law expert; Kiwis are knocking back more lower-alcohol beers, but it's less about the alcohol and more about their waistlines, says one expert.

National's Nicola Willis and Labour's Carmel Sepuloni join Morning Report for the weekly political panel.

There's confidence the Social Investment Fund is assisting organisations that will effectively help at-risk youth. It's allocating $50 million into programmes for children with parents in prison, those who've grown up in care, and under-13s suspended from school. Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis told Mike Hosking they're taking a different approach to previous governments, which spent billions of dollars with no results. She says they're using data, measuring outcomes, and holding organisations accountable – adding the fund will be scaled up, if it works. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicola Willis and Tangi Utikere joined Morning Report this morning for the Weekly Political Panel; Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick says recent changes to the Zero Carbon Act and emissions reductions plans don't add up and will leave New Zealanders paying billions to meet international climate obligations. Swarbrick spoke to Corin Dann; The NZ Breakers have made a collective decision not to wear the rainbow Pride flag on their uniform during next year's NBL Pride Round. Ian Roberts, Australia's first openly gay NRL player and advocate spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss; A patient advocate has suggested many Kiwis would be willing to pay more tax, if it can be ring fenced to only be spent on health. Malcolm Mulholland spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss; A rare pink grasshopper has been spotted hopping through Canterbury's Mackenzie Basin. Department of Conservation ranger Jen Schori spoke to Corin Dann.