Shows / Best of Business
Best of Business
Best of Business is the home of all things business at Newstalk ZB, from morning market updates right through to incisive interviews with New Zealand’s top business leaders and decision makers.
Whether you’re a small business owner or interested in what’s going on in the Big End of Town, this podcast encompasses the sharpest voices and minds in the world of business.
Episodes
- Best of Business
Nicola Willis: Finance Minister on whether the Government can get a better deal from the Trump administration
The Finance Minister reckons New Zealand will eventually be able to work out a better deal with the Trump administration following last week's shock…
- Best of Business
James Schloeffel: co-author of 'Wankernomics' talks satirical look at modern office culture
White-collar workers will be familiar with workplace annoyances - including unnecessary meetings, corporate acronyms and an overuse of LinkedIn - and it's all…
- Best of Business
Felicity Roxburgh: International Business Forum director on whether the Government will change Trump's mind about the tariffs
The Prime Minister has claimed it's 'unlikely' that New Zealand will be able to make Trump change his mind about the tariffs - and many experts agree with that…
- Best of Business
Perspective with Heather duPlessis-Allan: Was our government too relaxed about the tariffs?
So, was our government too relaxed about the tariffs then? Cause this is a shock today – isn't it? To find out that we’ve just been bumped up to 15% while…
- Best of Business
John Weekes: Senior Business Journalist on what Trump's tariff increase means for NZ
US President Donald Trump has announced an increase to the current 10% tariff on NZ goods. As of today, the President has raised these tariffs to 15%, leaving…
- Best of Business
Sam Dickie: Fisher Funds expert on what investors can expect for the second half of 2025
2025 is nearly halfway over - and it's been a memorable one for the markets so far. Between new developments in AI, ongoing economic uncertainty and Donald…
- Best of Business
Hamish McKay: The Country spokesperson on the latest Farmer Confidence survey
The latest Farmer Confidence survey shows farmers are seeing one of the highest lifts in confidence in recent memory. The July survey shows the rural mood has…
- Best of Business
Dr Will Barker: Mint Innovation CEO on the company securing $18m to recycle EV batteries for Jaguar Land Rover
An Auckland company is part of a consortium which has secured nearly $18 million in UK Government funding to help Jaguar Land Rover recycle old EV batteries…
- Best of Business
Bridget Snelling: Xero Country Manager on the Small Business Insights report and the industry performances
Agriculture is leading the way as the country's top performing industry. Xero’s latest Insights report shows consistent under-performance in New Zealand’s…
- Best of Business
Brendan Larsen: Milford Asset Management expert on the US labour market softening
After years of a historically strong labour market, there are now growing signs of softening beneath the surface. Work opportunities in the US are dwindling…
- Best of Business
Simon Bridges: Auckland Business Chamber CEO voices concerns surcharge ban will harm small businesses
The New Zealand Chambers of Commerce have warned that the Government’s proposed ban on retail payment surcharges risks hitting small businesses with higher…
- Best of Business
Andy Bowley: Forsyth Barr Head of Research on Air NZ appointing Nikhil Ravishankar as new CEO
Air New Zealand's new CEO appointment isn't a shock within the sector, according to one expert. Chief Digital Officer Nikhil Ravishankar will step up to…
- Best of Business
Nicola Willis: Finance Minister on KiwiBank being given the green light to raise an additional $500 million
The Finance Minister's floating the idea of listing KiwiBank on the stock exchange. Cabinet has given KiwiBank's parent company the green light to raise an…
- Best of Business
Matt Ball: Property Investors Federation advocacy manager speaks in defence in investment properties
Jeremy Williamson, head of private wealth and markets at Craigs Investment Partners, recently claimed there was momentum building for Kiwis to move away from…
- Best of Business
Rachael Reed KC: lawyer defending claimants in the CCCFA case calls for investigation into multi-billion dollar impact
A top lawyer working with the plaintiffs in a large-scale banking class action is calling for a formal investigation into the 'serious civil service process…
- Best of Business
Murray Olds: Australian correspondent on Australia facing higher tariffs from the Trump administration
Australian exporters may face tariffs of up to 20 percent as US President Donald Trump keeps flagging higher baselines. Trump revealed the range for the new…
- Best of Business
Jeremy Williamson: head of private wealth and markets at Craigs Investment Partners on whether NZ needs to let go of property investing
One investment expert says New Zealand would be a lot better off if people sold off their property investments and put money into assets that helped boost the…
- Best of Business
Kerre Woodham: Yesterday was a day to forget for the Government
There is much that this coalition government is dealing with that is not of their own making – they are mopping up, cleaning up the mess. Then there are the…
- Best of Business
Jonathan Dale: BNZ Head of Payment Development on the surcharge ban, Payap
BNZ is taking advantage of the Government’s ban on in-store card surcharges to promote its new banking platform. Payap, an open banking platform, allows…
- Best of Business
Scott Simpson: Commerce Minister on the Government scrapping in-store card surcharges
The Commerce Minister says he's disappointed in businesses who say they will pass on the cost of surcharge scrapping. Most in-store surcharges on card payments…
- Best of Business
Shane Solly: Harbour Asset Management spokesperson on Trump confirming the US and EU reached potential trade deal
President Donald Trump recently announced that the United States and the European Union reached a framework for a trade deal. Trump reportedly had talks with…
- Best of Business
Brad Olsen: Infometrics principal economist on the shortage of available jobs for June 2025
Recent data shows there were 27,850 fewer jobs in New Zealand in June compared to the year before, and young Kiwis are being hit hard by a tightening labour…
- Best of Business
Nicola Willis: Finance Minister hints changes to come for supermarket sector
The Finance Minister has hinted changes are on the way for the supermarket sector, with a further update due out by the end of August. Speculation indicates…
- Best of Business
Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Here's why the surcharge ban will fix nothing
The news of the day, politically, is that surcharges are gone, as the Government's just banned them. You know what I'm talking about here, right? They're the…
- Best of Business
Ankit Bansal: Dairy and Business Owners Group chair on the Government banning in-store card surcharges
The Government's recent ban on on payment card surcharges has been met with criticism from the retail and hospitality sectors. The Government's announced it…
- Best of Business
Scott Simpson: Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister on the Government scrapping card surcharges at the till
The Government's scrapping card surcharges at the till, which collectively cost Kiwis $150 million each year. Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Scott…
- Best of Business
Mike's Minute: Who I'd have for the Governor of the Reserve Bank
Can I suggest Jarrod Kerr for Governor of the Reserve Bank? Jarrod is Kiwibank's Chief Economist. He has been completely consistent in his ongoing commentary…
- Best of Business
Business Panel: Hutt Valley chamber CEO Patrick McKibbon and Metco Engineering director Paul Jessup
It's a Hutt Valley special of the Wellington Morning's business panel this week, with a successful engineer and the man in charge of advocating for business in…
- Best of Business
Rob Clark: SEEK Country Manager says number of job ads posted to site continue to drop
The job market is slowly rebounding from last year's low point. SEEK's latest Employment Report shows job ads dropped for a second month, down three percent…
- Best of Business
Nic Gaviria: entrepreneur and Binge Free Bestie founder on winning the opportunity to be mentored by Steven Bartlett
Christchurch entrepreneur Nic Gaviria's business idea designed to address binge eating has landed a new major supporter - and a cash boost. Gaviria was…
- Best of Business
Jarrod Kerr: Kiwibank chief economist on the South Island's economy recovering quicker than the North's
The South Island seems to be pulling ahead of the North as New Zealand crawls out of the recession. Kiwibank’s latest report reveals economic activity is…
- Best of Business
Kevin Milne: Tough trading and the loss of iconic Kiwi enterprises
Times are tough, many businesses unable to survive the cost of living crisis and downturned economy. Cultural institutions and smaller businesses alike are…
- Best of Business
Mark Peterson: NZX chief executive on his decision to step down from the role
Stock exchange operator NZX chief executive Mark Peterson has resigned from the role - and will step down at the end of April 2026. Peterson explained that the…
- Best of Business
Jenee Tibshraeny: NZ Herald Wellington business editor on Treasury confirming concerns were raised about Adrian Orr's conduct
The Treasury has confirmed concerns were raised about former Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr’s conduct. Its comment comes as it responds to an allegation…
- Best of Business
Andrew Curtayne: Milford Asset Management on Fletcher Building's potential sale of their construction division
Fletcher Building is looking into possibly selling its construction arm. It's exploring divesting its main construction division - and the Higgins, Brian Perry…
- Best of Business
Bodo Lang: Massey University marketing professor on Tower Insurance getting rid of multi-policy discounts
Tower is ending its multi-policy discounts, with the insurer claiming the level of risk is unacceptable for meeting regulatory requirements. The insurer…
- Best of Business
Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Why did Nicola Willis hype the Fonterra meeting?
So guess what's happening after Nicola Willis' butter meeting with Fonterra last night? Nothing. After hyping the meeting, after Mikey chasing Miles down the…
- Best of Business
Carolyn Young: Retail NZ CEO on increasing business optimism despite economic challenges
Retailers across the country are surprisingly optimistic in the face of ongoing economic challenges. The latest Retail NZ report reveals nearly 70% of…
- Best of Business
Paul Bloxham: HSBC chief economist on what recent inflation data means for the market
Concerns have been raised among economists as inflation data suggests things may not be as on track as they seem. Inflation has hit 2.7 percent, with big food…
- Best of Business
Jamie Mackay: The Country host on NZ red meat exports bringing in more revenue
New Zealand red meat exports earned an extra $1.2 billion this year, due to good livestock pricing and tighter supplies. But the country's $10 billion-plus red…
- Best of Business
Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Sky's purchase of TV3 is good for everyone
The big news of the day is another $1 deal in the media, which probably tells you everything you need to know about the state of the industry. But this is, on…
- Best of Business
David Witburn: Whitburn Group Project Development on whether the Government's granny flat rule changes will lead to more homes being built
An Auckland property developer doesn't believe changes to rules on building granny flats will add the 13,000 extra dwellings claimed by the Government. Easing…
- Best of Business
D'Arcy Waldegrave: Sportstalk host on what Sky TV's purchase of TV3 means for NZ sport
Sky TV recently bought TV3 - and it's got experts speculating about what this could mean for the future of New Zealand sport. It's taking over Warner Brother…
- Best of Business
Sophie Moloney: Sky TV chief executive on the company buying out TV3 for $1
Sky TV is promising it won't shake the boat too soon after buying TV3 and ThreeNow - for a dollar. Warner Brothers Discovery has sold its Kiwi TV arm…
- Best of Business
Shane Solly: Harbour Asset Management spokesperson on whether the OCR will cut rates in August
Stats NZ recently reported annual inflation increased to 2.7 percent in the three months to the end of June, and it's sparked concerns among experts…
- Best of Business
Stephanie Cohen: Cloudflare chief strategy officer on the company's new strategy for AI scrapers
Website infrastructure company Cloudflare has announced moves designed to stop AI from scraping digital content for free. Going forward, website owners can…
- Best of Business
Mary Jo Vergara: Kiwibank senior economist on what latest CPI data says about the economy
Experts have offered reassurance our high inflation isn't a sign of things to come. Stats NZ figures show the Consumers Price Index reached 2.7 percent for the…
- Best of Business
Jon Duffy: Consumer NZ chief executive on the Commerce Commission filing charges against Noel Leeming over ‘Price Promise’ claims
Consumer NZ says complaints against Noel Leeming go beyond its price-matching policy. The tech retailer is facing criminal charges brought by the Commerce…
- Best of Business
Rudd Hughes: Deputy Secretary of Retail at Workers First Union on Kmart staff receiving a new 2-year pay deal
A win for Kmart workers, whose union says it's secured an industry-leading deal. Worker First Union says it's ratified a two-year pay deal matching the minimum…
- Best of Business
Liam Dann: NZ Herald business editor at large on the CPI rising to 2.7 percent in June
Inflation's cooling in many corners of the economy, but not headline inflation. Latest Stats NZ figures suggest core inflation and domestically-driven…
- Best of Business
Sam Dickie: Fisher Funds expert on what the current US earnings season says about American consumers
The US earnings season for the second quarter is under way - and one expert has revealed what this means for American households. Recent data shows households…
- Best of Business
Jamie Mackay: The Country host on demand for red meat shifting ahead of supply
Despite the current geopolitical environment, product prices have strongly recovered from their lows of the past couple of seasons as demand returned from key…
- Best of Business
Robbie Paul: Icehouse Ventures CEO on the company opening a seed fund to back NZ's latest emerging companies
The hunt is on for New Zealand's next big new start-up. Icehouse Ventures recently opened a $30 million seed round in an attempt to fund 30 new Kiwi-made…
- Best of Business
Carolyn Young: Retail NZ Chief Executive on the Commerce Commission announcing new regulations for interchange fees
Retail NZ is criticising the Commerce Commission's regulatory change to card payment fees. The Commission today announced new regulations on interchange fees…
- Best of Business
Jenee Tibshraeny: NZ Herald Wellington business editor on ANZ declining offer to settle class action lawsuit
ANZ has declined a proposed settlement by lawyers leading a massive class action against the bank for giving customers the wrong information about their loans…
- Best of Business
Jeremy Hutton: Milford Asset Management expert on Ryman Healthcare leading the NZX for July
Ryman Healthcare's share price has gone up for the first half of July, leading experts to speculate about the company's future. This follows a downturn from…
- Best of Business
Enda Brady: UK correspondent on billionaires fleeing the UK amid rising tax pressures
Britain has lost more billionaires than any other nation over the past two years, and there's fears a tougher wealth tax could drive these figures up. New…
- Best of Business
Jamie Mackay: The Country host on what record US beef prices mean for New Zealand's farmers
As the summer barbecue season continues in the US, Americans are paying record-setting prices for their beef. The price for New Zealand-produced beef has…
- Best of Business
Kirk Hope: Financial Services Commission CEO on the case for making changes to the Fringe Benefit Tax
New research from the Financial Services Council reveals that New Zealanders are quick to insure their cars, homes, and gadgets - but they're far less likely…
- Best of Business
Andy Matthews: competition lawyer on the Commerce Commission taking Foodstuffs North Island and Gilmours Wholesale to court
The Commerce Commission is taking Foodstuffs North Island and its subsidiary Gilmours Wholesale to court, citing what it labels 'cartel conduct'. The regulator…