Humans are wired to find the path of least resistance - but how can that be done when it comes to your finances?

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The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any opinions expressed in the podcasts are not necessarily shared by BNZ, or its related entities. BNZ is not liable for any losses resulting from the content of the podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If every time you have holiday at the beach you think ‘how can I just stay here fulltime and escape the rat race in the city’ - today’s episode is for you.

Dallas and Donna Gurney were two corporate high fliers hustling hard and enjoying city life – when a major life curveball prompted them to re-think everything.

They chucked in their Auckland jobs to take on a bold new adventure as the new owners of the General Store in Whananaki, an idyllic spot in Northland with a regular population of about 500 people

They join Nadine today to discuss why they made the move, what they've learned from it, and how a big change isn’t without its challenges.

If you have a question you want answered, or a financial story to share, get in touch at nadine.higgins@nzme.co.nz

The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any opinions expressed in the podcasts are not necessarily shared by BNZ, or its related entities. BNZ is not liable for any losses resulting from the content of the podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If the theme of 2024 was ‘cutting back’, then 2025 is all about ‘growth’.

The word appears 31 times in Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s State of the Nation speech – and for good reason.

Luxon said it’s the “key to brighter days ahead” after experiencing the “biggest recession since the early 1990s.”

Finance Minister Nicola Willis has been handed a revised Economic Growth portfolio as part of that planning, working on things like driving up tourism numbers, and international investment.

This week on The Front Page, we’ll be unpacking some of the Government’s plans for the economy, how they’ll work, and if they are right for New Zealand.

Later on, we’ll get some insight into how and whether New Zealand can actually stimulate growth from independent economist Cameron Bagrie.

First up today though, NZ Herald deputy political editor Thomas Coughlan is with to explain why growth is the topic of conversation.

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Chelsea Daniels
Sound Engineer/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Ethan Sills

The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any opinions expressed in the podcasts are not necessarily shared by BNZ, or its related entities. BNZ is not liable for any losses resulting from the content of the podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government has announced plans to double New Zealand's mineral exports to $3 billion in the next ten years.

The Critical Minerals List now includes 37 minerals, after the addition of gold and metallurgical coal.

NZ First's Shane Jones also took aim at big banks limiting lending to the fossil fuels industry, noting his support for the Australian Liberal-National Opposition's attempts to force banks to back the sector.

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The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any opinions expressed in the podcasts are not necessarily shared by BNZ, or its related entities. BNZ is not liable for any losses resulting from the content of the podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand’s “rockstar economy” seems to have become washed up.

HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham coined the term in 2014, and in an update last week confirmed that that’s far from the case at present.

He says that the economy had the largest decline in economic growth in the developed world last year, driven by interest rate increases in response to post-pandemic inflation.

Bloxham joined Kerre Woodham to dig into the data, and discuss what could be done to improve the economy.

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The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any opinions expressed in the podcasts are not necessarily shared by BNZ, or its related entities. BNZ is not liable for any losses resulting from the content of the podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's been plenty of volatility in the tech market this week off the back of the recent DeepSeek fiasco.

Despite things picking up after this week's crash, experts are still wondering what's set to happen next.

Sam Dickie from Fisher Funds explains further.

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The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any opinions expressed in the podcasts are not necessarily shared by BNZ, or its related entities. BNZ is not liable for any losses resulting from the content of the podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new report has found that beer makes up almost 1% of our country's GDP.

Brewing accounted for $3.6 billion of our GDP last year and 1.3% of the national workforce is employed in the brewing industry, but alcohol excise duties often outpace inflation, and this is having an effect on the industry.

Garage Project co-owner Jos Ruffell is calling for smaller hikes in excise tax to support the industry.

"Our single largest ingredient cost each month is excise tax to the government," he said.

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The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any opinions expressed in the podcasts are not necessarily shared by BNZ, or its related entities. BNZ is not liable for any losses resulting from the content of the podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump has imposed tariffs on goods coming from Canada, Mexico and China, sparking fears of a trade war.

China is facing 10% on imports, while Canada and Mexico will see 25%.

Canada has already hit back with retaliatory 25% tariffs for the US.

Geopolitical Analyst Geoffrey Miller talks to Andrew Dickens about what these decisions will mean for the US and if New Zealand has to be wary.

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The podcasts in the SME Stream contain general information only, not financial or professional advice. Any opinions expressed in the podcasts are not necessarily shared by BNZ, or its related entities. BNZ is not liable for any losses resulting from the content of the podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.