NBR Podcasts

Podcast #29: NZ’s nuclear fusion future

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: Nuclear fusion has long been the Holy Grail of clean abundant energy. Now the physics of the sun, the Earth, and Kiwi tech have combined to create ‘first spark’ at New Zealand’s nuclear fusion startup OpenStar. Lead investor Angus Blair talks about reaching that milestone and what’s next. Plus another Kiwi venture capital fund, GD1, reveals why it’s investing in an American fusion startup.

Timestamps below: 

(01:10) - OpenStar Technologies

(09:20) - Investing in the fusion race

(17:10) - Where to from here?

 

Links to audio clips used here.

Weekly Wrap #15: Treaty Principles Bill, climate change, Northland

This is a wrap of the week's top business stories for the week ending 15 November. For today's top stories, head to NBR.co.nz. Proudly 100% subscriber funded.

Timestamps for this week's content:

(01:10) Thousands march across Auckland’s harbour bridge. For the full article click here.

(08:08) Simon Watts pushing for more global action on climate change. For the full article click here.

(16:31) Regional development crucial for Northland to thrive again. For the full article click here.

(28:24) Australia awaits the uncertainty of Trump 2.0. For the full article click here.

TRAILER - The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd

#28: US Elections – where to now for markets and trade?

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: US markets hit highs, crypto is still heading to the moon, but will the euphoria after Donald Trump’s victory continue? In the aftermath, countries are positioning themselves for possible tariffs while inflation and interest rates could rise. So, what happens next? For their insights we’re joined by Jarden director of global equities Felix Fok, Forsyth Barr investment strategist Zoe Wallis, and NZ International Business Forum trade expert Stephen Jacobi.

Links to audio clips used here.

#27: Australia to ban dynamic pricing, what’s NZ doing?

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: How annoying is it when the price of a product surges online while you are trying to buy it? Surge – or dynamic pricing – is a widespread pricing tactic designed to manage demand and maximise profit. It's also one of several techniques the Australian government has labelled as unfair. It's putting a ban in place, so what is New Zealand doing?

Timestamps below:

(05:22) - So what is dynamic pricing? 

(11:26) - Are they serving them, or they just trying to get the last bit of profitability out of that event?

(15:12) - I guess the business is trying to maximize revenue. Is that bad? 

Links to audio clips used here.

Weekly Wrap #14: Fiscal plan, creative accounting, unemployment stats

This is a wrap of the week's top business stories for the week ending 8 November. For today's top stories, head to NBR.co.nz. Proudly 100% subscriber funded.

Timestamps for this week's content:

(01:12) Labour’s fiscal plan likely to spend more on infrastructure. For the full article click here.

(12:11) Billions in revenue, no tax paid. How do corporates do it? For the full article click here.

(16:47) Unemployment unlikely to exceed forecasts of 5.5%. For the full article click here.

(23:14) Recorp seeks to foster Kiwi can-do attitude. For the full article click here.

(32:40) Labour’s hopes of avoiding capital gains tax pitfalls. For the full article click here.

 

#26: Green finance – should it be taxpayer funded?

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: NZ Green Investment Finance was created to address ‘market failure’ in the climate finance sector. Five years on, is it still needed or has the market fixed itself? New CEO Sarah Minhinnick argues the case that the zero carbon 2050 transition is such a huge job there‘s a role for everyone. 

Timestamps below:

(03:45) - The only way to have a real impact is to get larger scale projects underway, or larger scale investments in projects underway. Is that, and is that why you're there?

(09:26) - So the reason for nzgift being established in the first place seemed to be that there was market failure in the climate finance sector. That may have been the case then, but is that really the case now?

(12:43) -$700 million to invest. You've invested more than 400 million. So there's sort of just under 300 million left in the kitty. Is that correct? 

(15:46) - You reference bigger deals. Do you have bigger deals in the pipeline? 

Links to audio clips used here.

#25: US election – should NZ be terrified of tariffs?

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: Donald Trump says he loves the word tariff more than the word love itself. So if he's elected US President what could that mean for a small trading nation like New Zealand? Plus an American tariff expert explains why they believe Trump's policies could put the global economy in a dangerous place.

Timestamps below:

(02:29) - So on the political front, do you think that has the potential to damage the Trump campaign? 

(11:34) - How does the Harris plan compare to the Trump plan on tariffs?

(21:36) - So let's, let's talk about the potential opportunity to perhaps lessen the impact of what's going on in the United States. What is that opportunity? 

(23:54) - So here we are with the closing arguments and run down to next Tuesday. Where do they stand in the polls?

Links to audio clips used here.

 

Weekly Wrap #13: US election, naughty billionaires, casual employees

This is a wrap of the week's top business stories for the week ending 1 November. For today's top stories, head to NBR.co.nz. Proudly 100% subscriber funded.

Timestamps for this week's content:

(01:30)  New Zealand's challenge dealing with a new US president. For the full article click here.

(07:13) Aussie billionaires behaving badly. For the full article click here.

(12:19) Firing a casual employee more fraught than first thought. For the full article click here.

(18:53) Testing the balance between people and profit. For the full article click here.

(23:25) ‘Success to me is seeing patients eat again’ – Swaltech founder. For the full article click here.

 

#24: Brent Impey on media ‘carnage’

In this episode of The NBR Podcast with Simon Shepherd: The former TV3 boss and now RNZ board member Brent Impey gives his takes and predictions for the media landscape. He also reveals his love for the people of Ukraine and details his plan to develop rugby in the war-torn country along with his mate Sir Graham Henry.

Timestamps below:

(02:08) - So you can't tell me whether you think that Radio New Zealand should have merged with TVNZ?

(08:48) - Could we one day see no free to air TV news?

(18:51) - I want to talk about your walking group on Waiheke. Oh, yeah, who's in it? And what schemes do you come up with when you are walking?