Podcasts about stats nz

New data shows a significant number of Kiwis are working past the retirement age. A new report from Stats NZ shows there are almost 200,000 New Zealanders aged 65 or older that are still in the workforce. This research also reveals at least 1200 Kiwis in their 90's are still working. Financial adviser Martin Hawes says many of these people will need the extra money - and plenty are just used to working. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New data shows a significant number of Kiwis are working past the retirement age. A new report from Stats NZ shows there are almost 200,000 New Zealanders aged 65 or older that are still in the workforce. This research also reveals at least 1200 Kiwis in their 90's are still working. Financial adviser Martin Hawes says many of these people will need the extra money - and plenty are just used to working. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand is officially out of the worst recession since 1991. New Zealand's gross domestic product (GDP) rose 0.7% in the December 2024 quarter, following a 1.1% decrease in the September 2024 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis talks to Tim Beveridge about the turning point. LISTEN ABOVE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An economist is warning not to expect big growth in GDP figures out today. Data —due out from Stats NZ just before 11 this morning— is expected to show the economy has been pulled out of recession, but is still crawling to recovery. Economists are predicting growth of between 0.3 and 0.5%. Westpac senior economist Michael Gordon told Ryan Bridge he's predicting flat growth in the fourth quarter. He says there have been signs things are turning, but it's likely to have happened in the beginning of this year. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand is believed to be crawling to economic recovery. Figures —due out from Stats NZ this morning— are expected to show the economy grew between 0.3 and 0.5% in the three months to December. That would lift New Zealand out of technical recession, but further growth will be slow. ASB chief economist Nick Tuffley told Francesca Rudkin an uplift in agriculture in quarter four will have helped. He says the sector —particularly dairy— had a strong lift into Christmas. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stats NZ says there were nearly 123,000 migrant departures in January which is the highest ever for an annual period. SBS Finance Editor finds out why, and where they are going with Mark Smith from ASB, plus a closer look at US markets with Isaac Poole Oreana Private Wealth.

Stats NZ says there were nearly 123,000 migrant departures in January which is the highest ever for an annual period. SBS Finance Editor finds out why, and where they are going with Mark Smith from ASB, plus a closer look at US markets with Isaac Poole Oreana Private Wealth.

The number of people leaving the country long-term hit another new record in the year to January - but monthly data suggests the brain drain has peaked. Stats NZ provisional data for the January 2025 year (compared with January 2024) showed migrant departures up 18 percent to 122,800, the highest on record for an annual period. Migrant arrivals, at 155,300 were down, 31 percent for the year. NZ Herald business editor at large, Liam Dann, explains what this means for the New Zealand economy. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The number of people leaving the country long-term hit another new record in the year to January - but monthly data suggests the brain drain has peaked. Stats NZ provisional data for the January 2025 year (compared with January 2024) showed migrant departures up 18 percent to 122,800, the highest on record for an annual period. Migrant arrivals, at 155,300 were down, 31 percent for the year. NZ Herald business editor at large, Liam Dann, explains what this means for the New Zealand economy. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just three years ago, the average price of a takeaway coffee was $4.33. Since then prices have marched north with Stats NZ officially recording the average to be $4.85 but good luck finding that in Auckland or Wellington. The reason: coffee beans. The price of the most popular bean, arabica, soared 70% in 2024 and nearly 20% so far this year to an all-time high.What's going on - is someone skimming a profit here, is it climate change? To help us through this bitter news Vincent was joined by Richard Goatly, one of the brothers from Altezano Brothers coffee roasters. https://altezanobrothers.co.nz/

The coalition Government wants more homes to be built cheaper and faster, yet official data shows an annual 7.2 percent drop in the sector. New data from Stats NZ shows that in the year ended January 2025, there were 33,812 new homes consented, down 7.2 percent compared with the year ended January 2024. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The coalition Government wants more homes to be built cheaper and faster, yet official data shows an annual 7.2 percent drop in the sector. New data from Stats NZ shows that in the year ended January 2025, there were 33,812 new homes consented, down 7.2 percent compared with the year ended January 2024. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Monday Wire... For our weekly catch up with the ACT Party, Producer Evie spoke to Simon Court about government legislation for a four year parliamentary term, and the government giving further powers for citizen arrests. News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, speaks to the Director of Advocacy at IHC New Zealand; an intellectual disability advocacy group, Tania Thomas, on the recently released Stats NZ figures showing a large number of individuals with a disability are needing better care in at least one aspect of their life. Joel speaks to an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Auckland, Marcelo Rodriguez Ferrere, on his doctoral research, calling for Aotearoa to adopt an animal welfare police unit. And Global Innovator, Matt Hart, joins us in studio to discuss students starting university for the year Whakarongo mai!

Recently, Stats NZ have released findings from the 2023 Household Disability Survey (HDS), collected during the 2023 Census, that found that 63% of those with a disability in Aotearoa have called for better care in at least one aspect of their lives, such as with better support, reasonable accommodation, home modifications and equipment, and medical care. The HDS found that in New Zealand, roughly 10% of children have a disability, with this being 18% of adults, equating to roughly 851,000 people. News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to the Director of Advocacy at IHC New Zealand; an intellectual disability advocacy group, Tania Thomas, about these recently released findings, specifically for those who have an intellectual disability. This comes as the organisation is set to release a report using these findings in the coming months, highlighting the significant hardship faced by those with an intellectual disability; reinforcing the need for urgent policy to address these concerns. Joel started off by asking her if these findings were surprising to her.

This week on the Monday Wire... For our weekly catch up with the ACT Party, Producer Evie spoke to Simon Court about government legislation for a four year parliamentary term, and the government giving further powers for citizen arrests. News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, speaks to the Director of Advocacy at IHC New Zealand; an intellectual disability advocacy group, Tania Thomas, on the recently released Stats NZ figures showing a large number of individuals with a disability are needing better care in at least one aspect of their life. Joel speaks to an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Auckland, Marcelo Rodriguez Ferrere, on his doctoral research, calling for Aotearoa to adopt an animal welfare police unit. And Global Innovator, Matt Hart, joins us in studio to discuss students starting university for the year Whakarongo mai!

Recently, Stats NZ have released findings from the 2023 Household Disability Survey (HDS), collected during the 2023 Census, that found that 63% of those with a disability in Aotearoa have called for better care in at least one aspect of their lives, such as with better support, reasonable accommodation, home modifications and equipment, and medical care. The HDS found that in New Zealand, roughly 10% of children have a disability, with this being 18% of adults, equating to roughly 851,000 people. News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to the Director of Advocacy at IHC New Zealand; an intellectual disability advocacy group, Tania Thomas, about these recently released findings, specifically for those who have an intellectual disability. This comes as the organisation is set to release a report using these findings in the coming months, highlighting the significant hardship faced by those with an intellectual disability; reinforcing the need for urgent policy to address these concerns. Joel started off by asking her if these findings were surprising to her.

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Labour's Carmel Sepuloni about the new Stats NZ child poverty stats, the government's proposed changes to citizens arrest laws, and the protests at Lake Rotokākahi.  For International Desk, they spoke to Red Tsounga, President of the Aotearoa Africa Foundation, about the ongoing conflict in the Congo. And they spoke to Carolyn Young, Chief Executive of Retail New Zealand, about the proposed expansion of citizen arrest laws. For City Counselling this week, Producer Sofia caught up with Councillor Julie Fairey about Auckland Council's proposal to move Kumeū due to flood risk and bed night visitor levy to fill a budget gap for major events.  She also spoke to Dr Annette Lasham from the University of Auckland Faculty of Medical and Health Science about new research from 185 countries showing New Zealand and Australia have the highest breast cancer incidence rates in the world. And Wednesday Wire Host Oto spoke to University of Auckland health researcher Dr Joanna Hikaka about a new study on older Māori experience with ACC.

On today's episode, Corin Dann speaks Ingrid Hipkiss from Beijing, a man from Havelock North has been banned from his local supermarket after raising concerns about trollies blocking the fire exit, Phil Pennington joins us on the topic of two firefighters wearing the wrong gear who suffered sulphuric acid burns, FENZ incident controller Corey Matchitt joins us for an update on the fire in Waipoua, meanwhle, the Police Association has slammed the beefed-up citizen arrest powers proposed by the Government, saying they are highly risky and could have unintended consequences, and we drank more beer last year but eased back on wine and spirit-based drinks. Those were the findings in Stats NZ data about alcohol consumption in 2024.

We drank more beer last year but eased back on wine and spirit-based drinks. Those were the findings in Stats NZ data about alcohol consumption in 2024, with beer having bounced back from a lean year preivously. Brian Watson, Chair of the Brewers Guild of New Zealand spoke with Alexa Cook.

Beer is reclaiming its popularity - in large part due to options with lower carbs and alcohol levels. Stats NZ has revealed the volume of beer for consumption has risen 5.4 percent to 296 million litres, after successive years of declines. Volumes of wine and spirits have fallen. Brewers Association Executive Director, Dylan Firth, says low-carb beer makes up about 20 percent of the market and is steadily becoming the drink of choice. "A lot of those brands are shifting, whether it's the mainstream stuff or craft. So it's really interesting to see, and a lot of that's driven by consumer preferences." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Beer is reclaiming its popularity - in large part due to options with lower carbs and alcohol levels. Stats NZ has revealed the volume of beer for consumption has risen 5.4 percent to 296 million litres, after successive years of declines. Volumes of wine and spirits have fallen. Brewers Association Executive Director, Dylan Firth, says low-carb beer makes up about 20 percent of the market and is steadily becoming the drink of choice. "A lot of those brands are shifting, whether it's the mainstream stuff or craft. So it's really interesting to see, and a lot of that's driven by consumer preferences." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Labour's Carmel Sepuloni about the new Stats NZ child poverty stats, the government's proposed changes to citizens arrest laws, and the protests at Lake Rotokākahi.  For International Desk, they spoke to Red Tsounga, President of the Aotearoa Africa Foundation, about the ongoing conflict in the Congo. And they spoke to Carolyn Young, Chief Executive of Retail New Zealand, about the proposed expansion of citizen arrest laws. For City Counselling this week, Producer Sofia caught up with Councillor Julie Fairey about Auckland Council's proposal to move Kumeū due to flood risk and bed night visitor levy to fill a budget gap for major events.  She also spoke to Dr Annette Lasham from the University of Auckland Faculty of Medical and Health Science about new research from 185 countries showing New Zealand and Australia have the highest breast cancer incidence rates in the world. And Wednesday Wire Host Oto spoke to University of Auckland health researcher Dr Joanna Hikaka about a new study on older Māori experience with ACC.

Retailers are hoping a sales rebound means an industry uptick has begun. Stats NZ data shows total retail sales increased 0.9 percent in the three months ending December - against the quarter before. Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly says this is a good sign for the economy - but warns companies not to get ahead of themselves. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Retailers are hoping a sales rebound means an industry uptick has begun. Stats NZ data shows total retail sales increased 0.9 percent in the three months ending December - against the quarter before. Harbour Asset Management's Shane Solly says this is a good sign for the economy - but warns companies not to get ahead of themselves. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stats boss has fallen on his sword over the handling of confidential personal data. Automatic pay rises for public servants under review. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has said the government will aim to spend two percent of GDP on defence. Is it doable? LISTEN ABOVE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Advocates for children are calling for urgent action as new data shows child poverty rates have stalled, and the government has missed all three of its targets. Stats NZ figures released this morning show hundreds of thousands of kids were living below the poverty line last year - and there was no improvement from the year before. Lauren Crimp reports.

The Reserve Bank is urging the Government to take a hard look at Stats NZ, with a view to improving the timeliness and accuracy of key economic data. The department has been put under the microscope, with the central bank highlighting dramatic revisions to GDP (gross domestic product) as one of the reasons for a controversial reversal in its rate track in 2024. NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank is urging the Government to take a hard look at Stats NZ, with a view to improving the timeliness and accuracy of key economic data. The department has been put under the microscope, with the central bank highlighting dramatic revisions to GDP (gross domestic product) as one of the reasons for a controversial reversal in its rate track in 2024. NZ Herald business editor at large Liam Dann explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Te Pāti Māori is calling a report into the handling of data at a marae linked to its candidate a 'hatchet job.' The report found Stats NZ raised concerns about conflict of interest and privacy risks at Manurewa marae - but those concerns were ignored. Health NZ and the Ministry of Health had no safeguards in place at all. Accusations the party misused the data are still being investigated. Political Reporter Russell Palmer has more.

Stats NZ's boss will step down after the release of a long-awaited report into Census and COVID-19 vaccination data collected at Manurewa Marae. It found that government agencies failed to put adequate safeguards in place to protect people's personal information, and manage conflicts of interest. Political reporter Giles Dexter spoke to Lisa Owen.

The head of StatsNZ is falling on his sword, after a long-awaited inquiry found the agency failed to put adequate safeguards in place to ensure Census information collected at Manurewa marae was not misused. Political reporter Giles Dexter has more.

You have to read it to believe it and even in reading it, it might well be you still can't believe it. A report, one of a number of investigations now underway, has reported back on whether personal Census and Covid intel collected at Manurewa Marae was misused for electoral purposes. It's important to point out that this particular report didn't have it within its scope to find out whether the marae did anything shonky. That's still to come. The marae, if you recall, was managed by Takutai Tarsh Kemp, who was also a Māori Party candidate, and she went on to win the electorate by a handful of votes. What this report does find is proof, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that even when you stack the public service full of people the way the Labour Government did, they are still incompetent. The head of Stats NZ is going. He won't be reappointed. Each of the departments looked into —Stats NZ, Health New Zealand, and the Ministry of Health— have all been found hopelessly wanting. It was a combination of not really having any oversight on information that may, or may not, be protected and that may, or may not, be inappropriately used, plus when concerns were raised still doing nothing about it. "High trust models" were in place. Remember the golden Ardern and Hipkins days of high trust models? It basically confirms the Public Service Commissioner's findings last week that the public service isn't fit for purpose. It has too many meetings, there are too many departments, we need a few gotten rid of, and if you designed it today it wouldn't be like it is. There are no safeguards, no regard for privacy, and the issues around privacy in the report shows it's just a litany of uselessness. Remember the alleged skullduggerous part of whether the Māori Party used some of this intel to help their election campaign? That outcome is still to surface. It's bad enough as it is. If they get pinged, it's a full-blown scandal. At least one head has rolled, but you can't make this stuff up. It's gliding on, it's worse than most would have thought and it's not even over. The worst may well still be to come. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The head of the Public Service Sector says the Government needs to do better with Kiwis' data. A report into claims Covid and Census data were misused during the 2023 election has been released today. It highlights significant shortcomings at Stats NZ and Health NZ - and concluded the agencies failed to ensure data provided to third-party providers was kept confidential. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says this isn't a good look for the wider public service sector. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new standard for Government agencies handling data will be set after today's bombshell report. The Public Service Commission has released a report detailing failures by Stats NZ, Health NZ and the Ministry of Health. It's after allegations surfaced in June that Census and Covid vaccination data was inappropriately used at Manurewa Marae. It's highlighted a lack of safeguards - even when concerns were raised within Stats NZ, whose acting head is now stepping down. It found agencies also failed to address conflicts-of-interest by providers working with Covid data. Commissioner Sir Brian Roche says contracting requirements for third-parties will change. "We are just being clear about the duty of care required on people who access public money to discharge services." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, former Labour MP Stuart Nash and Auckland Councillor Maurice Williamson joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The IPCA wants new rules on how to deal with protests - and what responsibilities lie with organisers. Do we think these changes are needed? A damning report was released, revealing how Government agencies shared New Zealanders' private information without making sure the data would be kept safe. The head of Stats NZ won't seek reappointment, but no other public servants will face punishment. Is there a risk people just won't trust the Government with their personal information anymore? Are we guilty of looking at our phones while we watch TV? Netflix is looking to create more 'second screen' shows to appeal to distracted viewers. What do we make of this? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I don't think this counts as breaking news, does it? An inquiry ordered by the Prime Minister has identified significant failures with public agencies' protection of New Zealanders' personal information and management of conflict of interests. The investigation, which focused on public agencies actions, was sparked by allegations last year that data provided to health and social services providers at Manurewa Marae for the census and for Covid-19 vaccinations was misused. Those murmurings were rumbling for some time before the investigation was sparked. It was claimed personal information was improperly used to favour Te Pati Māori and the Māori electorate of Tamaki Makaurau. The allegations have been denied, but the Government wanted assurances that Kiwis' data had been properly safeguarded. Spoiler alert, it wasn't. Among the findings of the report is that the Ministry of Health and Health New Zealand did not have control over data once it was downloaded by providers, had no means for ensuring providers were meeting contractual expectations, and had no safeguards for managing potential conflicts of interest. This really doesn't come as any surprise to me at all. Stats New Zealand was found to have insufficient arrangements to protect the shared data. The findings are so serious for Stats NZ that chief executive Mark Sowden has fallen on his sword and will leave at the end of his current term, something public services Commissioner Sir Brian Roche says is the right thing to do. Waipareira Trust chief executive and president of Te Pati Māori John Tamihere on the other hand, is defending the use of data at Manurewa Marae, saying there's no evidence of any wrongdoing. He says they're being targeted for being Māori, a Māori organisation attracting extra scrutiny over suspicions that Māori were somehow crooked. He said whistle blowers had not been able to provide evidence that data was actually misused. He said every political party used data and Waipareira Trust, which had existed for 40 years, had built up huge data sets. He denied that the census data from government agencies that had been shared with the Manurewa Marae was then handed over to Te Pati Māori. Labour leader Chris Hipkins on Three News last night seemed to suggest that he himself had raised eyebrows but would wait the findings of the police investigation. “I've certainly felt that the election in that seat was unfair and the result in that seat was unfair. I think the fact that our polling booth was held at the Manurewa Marae with very active Māori party presence really did draw into question the result there. It was such a close result.” Just to remind you of the result in the electorate of Tamaki Makaurau, Maurewa Marae CEO and Te Pāti Māori's representative Takutai Tarsh Kemp took the seat from Labour's Peeni Henare by four votes, just four. On recount, that went to 42 votes, because naturally, Peeni Henare said “I've held that seat since 2014. I find it very hard to believe I could have lost it. Oh, hang on a minute, no I don't.” Should there be a by-election? If Te Pati Māori believes they won the seat fair and square, that Labour was being rolled in plenty of other long held seats, would their member be willing to put it to the test in a by-election? Where there's absolutely no hint of wrongdoing on behalf of her party, that here we are fair and square, let's go mano o mano, go head-to-head and let's see who wins at this time. I mean, I suppose the horses bolted. If the data has been misused, and at the moment there are no individuals you can point the didgeridoo at and say they misused that information, but there is a police investigation ongoing. There is no clear evidence that could go before a court, that the data was misused. But if it looks like a rat, smells like a rat, and it's got a long tail like a rat, it does make you raise your eyebrows. You need a definitive answer: was the data misused or not? At the moment we have suspicions, we have rumblings. And while those rumblings continue, then it puts the whole judicial process and the whole electoral process in doubt. I mean, you look at the CEO of Manurewa Marae winning the seat and you think really, did she? Was it fair and square? I don't know. Labour was being rolled left, right and centre. She might just have got lucky. I smell rats. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Researchers are hoping to get a glimpse into the secret lives of Aotearoa's children in the school census. More than 200 schools have already registered to take part in the project that is a collaboration between Stats NZ, Auckland University and the Ministry of Education. The country's largest school survey happens every two years and has been going almost a quarter of a century. Rachel Cunliffe from Census at School spoke to Lisa Owen.

According to the latest Stats NZ employment data, unemployment rose 5.1 percent in the three months ended December - the highest level since 2020. That comes to about 156,000 people. Checkpoint discussed the plight of the country's unemployed with Finance Minister Nicola Willis last week, which prompted dozens of public sector workers to get in touch to tell us what it's been like since they lost their jobs. Louise Ternouth reports.

The New Zealand unemployment rate continues to climb, reaching 5.1% in the December 2024 quarter, according to the latest Stats NZ figures – the highest level it’s been since 2020. It’s up from 4.8% in the September 2024 quarter. Men accounted for 85% of the annual decrease in employment, reflecting substantial falls in the male-dominated … Continue reading "Kiwi Unemployment Rate Rises To 5.1%, Highest Since 2020!"

Young people continue to bear the brunt of job losses. The latest Stats NZ figures reveal the unemployment rate among those aged 15 to 19 hit 23%, the highest in more than a decade. The age group also lost more than 70% of the 32,000 net jobs lost last year. Former Reserve Bank economist Michael Reddell told Mike Hosking young people typically bear the brunt. He says it's never got below around 13% even when the economy is at its strongest. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Choosing between putting food on the table or paying essential bills, while applying for hundreds of jobs - and not hearing back. That's the reality for many of the people who've found themselves out of work, as they compete for a scarcity of available jobs. According to latest Stats NZ employment data, out today, unemployment rose to 5.1 percent in the three months ended December - the highest level since 2020. Among the 156,000 unemployed are thousands of workers culled in the coalition Government's programme of public-sector cuts. Louise Ternouth reports.

The unemployment queue just got a whole lot longer. Another 33,000 people, pretty much a capacity crowd at Wellington's Sky stadium, have joined the ranks of the unemployed in the past year. The unemployment rate has hit 5.1 percent; a four year high. That is 156,000 people out of work. The number of people who want more work but can't get it is also on the rise. Stats NZ said that reflects a a substantial fall in male dominated jobs like technicians, trade worke, machinery operatrs and drivers. Minister for finance and economic growth, Nicola Willis spoke to Lisa Owen.

Unemployment's expected to peak in the middle of the year. Stats NZ will release the labour market data for the final quarter of last year at 10.45 this morning. It's widely thought the unemployment rate will rise to about 5.1%. ANZ economist Henry Russell told Mike Hosking it's a lag statistic, so we'll see last year's economy reflected in the unemployment numbers today and into this year. He says their current forecast is for it to peak at 5.5% in the middle of this year. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Growing demand for burger meat has super-charged New Zealand's exports to the United States. The US has recently overtaken Australia as New Zealand's second-largest export market last year, according to new Stats NZ data. ANZ economist Henry Russell says this is good news for New Zealand's beef industry, which has been hit hard by decreased demand from China. "The US market has actually overtaken China for meat exports in the past year, so that's a very positive story in the sense that we've been able to pivot away from that market." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we discuss the latest inflation data from Stats NZ. This shows that inflation remains at 2.2% – firmly within the Reserve Bank's 1-3% target band. We go through what it means for interest rates and your mortgage. And also the latest house price data, including whether house prices are going up or down. For more from Opes Partners: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for the weekly Private Property newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠

The latest inflation rate is giving confidence to cut interest rates. Stats NZ figures show the inflation rate for the year to December hasn't changed, sticking at 2.2%, well within the Reserve Bank's target band. Kiwibank Chief Executive Steve Jurkovich told Ryan Bridge their two-year mortgage rate is expected to come down half a percent over the next few months. He says it'll vary by term, but he thinks we will see rates around 5%. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Finance Minister's fired a warning to local councils - saying it's time for spending discipline and restraint. Stats NZ data for the year to December shows the inflation rate remains unchanged at 2.2 percent. Simon Watts has picked up the Local Government portfolio from incoming Health Minister, Simeon Brown. Nicola Willis says in too many cases, rates have been out of control. "We are looking at this concept of putting some limits on the level of rate increases that councils can do." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Confidence another substantial Official Cash Rate cut's on the cards, with today's figures showing inflation is still under control. Stats NZ says the rate for the year to December remained unchanged at 2.2 percent. Inflation is well down from the 2022 high of 7.3 percent, but still higher than the 1.5 percent reached in 2021. Infometrics Chief Forecaster Gareth Kiernan says he's confident the Reserve Bank will slice 50 basis points from the OCR in February. "Non-tradeable inflation is still coming down - there's risks on the tradeable side, but I don't think there's enough there to sway the Reserve Bank towards going with a smaller 25 point cut." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cautious optimism from economists ahead of the latest inflation numbers. Stats NZ will deliver its latest inflation update on the year to December at 10.45 this morning. Many economists expect it to be slightly down, but ANZ predicts it will remain unchanged and BNZ is forecasting a slight rise. ASB Chief Economist Nick Tuffley told Ryan Bridge we need to still be cautious as domestic inflation remains relatively high. He says for inflation to stay around 2% the domestic rate needs to come down. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Economists have revealed retail spending numbers were better than expected for the month of December. The total value of electronic card spending, including in non-retail services and other non-retail categories, rose a seasonally adjusted 1.5 percent to $9.23 billion in December from November, according to Stats NZ. That brought total spending in line with levels last seen in November 2023. Infometrics Principal Economist Brad Olsen says this is a sign green shoots are returning to the economy. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.