PODCAST · news
Of Interest
by Gareth Vaughan
Longform interviews with key opinion makers about the New Zealand economy
Episodes
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Hamilton Confidential, the Worldclear podcast, Episode 4
Hamilton Confidential is a podcast about Worldclear Ltd, based on leaked documents from the New Zealand financial services provider. Obtained by Interest.co.nz and shared with the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, Lithuania's 15min.lt, the Belarusian Investigative Center, and...
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Hamilton Confidential, the Worldclear podcast, Episode 3
Hamilton Confidential is a podcast about Worldclear Ltd, based on leaked documents from the New Zealand financial services provider. Obtained by Interest.co.nz and shared with the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, Lithuania's 15min.lt, the Belarusian Investigative Center, and...
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Hamilton Confidential, the Worldclear podcast, Episode 2
Hamilton Confidential is a podcast about Worldclear Ltd, based on leaked documents from the New Zealand financial services provider. Obtained by Interest.co.nz and shared with the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, Lithuania's 15min.lt, the Belarusian Investigative Center, and...
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Hamilton Confidential, the Worldclear podcast, Episode 1
Hamilton Confidential is a podcast about Worldclear Ltd, based on leaked documents from the New Zealand financial services provider. Obtained by Interest.co.nz and shared with the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, Lithuania's 15min.lt, the Belarusian Investigative Center, and...
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David Mahon: China will watch Election 2026 closely
Chinese officials are watching the 2026 election for a signal on whether New Zealand’s more United States-aligned security posture will become a permanent fixture. If they assess that it is, the trade relationship might be at risk. That’s the opinion of David Mahon, a Kiwi business consultant…
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The Detail interview with Gareth Vaughan
IAn international collaboration and months of forensic investigation and fact-checking has helped a small Kiwi financial journalism website break a story involving a New Zealand company that moved massive amounts of money for multiple clients who were later convicted of financial crimes.…
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David Cay Johnston: NZ's objective with Trump should be 'to not become the focus of his wrath'
Under the leadership of President Donald Trump there's a danger the United States will become an autocratic nation, not unlike China, Saudi Arabia or Russia, and New Zealand should strive to avoid becoming the focus of Trump's wrath, suggests David Cay Johnston. Johnston, a Pulitzer Prize winning...
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Mark Laurence: 'Flabbergasted that AI hasn't become a political talking point'
Artificial intelligence (AI) should be a key election year issue especially given the technology has major potential to help improve New Zealand's productivity, says Mark Laurence. Laurence, founder and CEO of Ten Past Tomorrow which is an AI consultancy and education business, spoke to...
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Imre Speizer: Differing levels of 'assertiveness' between RBNZ & RBA the reason for big cash rate difference
By Gareth Vaughan The Reserve Bank of Australia's decision to lift its cash rate 25 basis points this week means it's now 160 basis points higher than the Reserve Bank of New Zealand's official cash rate highlighting differing levels of assertiveness between the two central banks, Imre Speizer,...
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Steve Symon: Following the money while playing whack-a-mole against the large commercial enterprises of organised crime
By Gareth Vaughan A new all-of-government strategy to tackle organised crime aims to make New Zealand the hardest place in the world for organised criminal groups to do business and following the money is key to the fight, says the Chairman of the Ministerial Advisory Group on Transnational,...
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Anna Breman: The new RBNZ Governor on inflation, being told off by Winston Peters & more
By Gareth Vaughan Governor Anna Breman has implied the Reserve Bank's Monetary Policy Committee will increase the Official Cash Rate (OCR) in the run-up to November's election if members believe this is what is required. "We are statutory independent. We are an independent central bank, like you...
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David Mahon: China, a country 'full of DeepSeeks,' now sees NZ as 'a country of diplomatic infidelity'
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon visiting India before China could be seen as an insult in China, Beijing-based New Zealander David Mahon says. But he says China's recently announced strategic partnership with the Cook Islands, through which NZ was kept in the dark, shouldn't be viewed as insult...
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Nicola Willis: Growing the economy without spending
Stats NZ’s final data release for the year revealed the economy has been shrinking at its fastest rate in three decades. While this may not be a very Merry Christmas, there is still hope for a Happy New Year. Treasury, the Reserve Bank, and most economists expect growth to resume in 2025 as...
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Andrew Coleman: Swapping NZ's gas guzzling Holden government retirement income system for an EV
The Government could run a second retirement income scheme alongside NZ Superannuation as part of a transition to a new system, but according to Andrew Coleman, this couldn't be done without an increase in taxes on older people, or more general tax increases. Fresh from his 13 part interest.co.nz...
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John Lyon: Why New Zealanders should be grateful insurers remain committed to their country
New Zealanders should be grateful insurance companies remain committed to New Zealand given the country's risk exposure, John Lyon of Ando Insurance says. In the latest episode of the Of Interest podcast I asked Lyon how well general insurers are serving New Zealanders, how competitive the market...
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Murray Harris: The case for higher KiwiSaver contributions
Milford Asset Management’s head of KiwiSaver says KiwiSaver – the country’s voluntary retirement savings scheme which is in its 17th year – is a teenager that’s about to head into adulthood. “I think it's the right time to have the discussions we were having at the [Financial Services Council]...
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Jonathan Shapiro: Why the integrity of bond markets on both sides of the Tasman is at stake
The integrity of bond markets on both sides of the Tasman is at stake as regulators probe issues of potential market manipulation, Australian Financial Review senior reporter Jonathan Shapiro says. Shapiro is covering the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) probe of the ANZ...
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Pierre van Heerden: How it costs twice as much to set up a supermarket in NZ than Australia
Grocery Commissioner Pierre van Heerden wants a third supermarket competitor to set up shop in New Zealand in order to tackle the country’s supermarket duopoly, but reducing the barriers to entry won’t happen overnight. “What we've been told by these players is when they come and they want to…
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Imre Speizer: What to expect from interest rates and the NZ dollar over coming months
With US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell signalling interest rate cuts ahead, the US dollar's likely to weaken with the Kiwi dollar rising against it, Imre Speizer, Head of NZ Markets Strategy at Westpac Institutional Bank, says. Speaking in a new episode of the Of Interest podcast, Speizer...
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John Small: The 'faster, safer, cheaper' banking experience of the future
The process of growth will be the main benefit from a scaled up Kiwibank, while public acclaim will be a key measure of open banking's success, Commerce Commission Chairman John Small says. Small spoke to interest.co.nz for the latest episode of the Of Interest podcast, which will be published...
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Christian Hawkesby: Accurate GDP forecast would’ve altered May RBNZ policy
Deputy Governor Christian Hawkesby says the Reserve Bank's (RBNZ) Monetary Policy Committee might have taken a different stance in May if the economic activity forecasts had been more accurate. In May, forecasts had anticipated 1% GDP growth for the calendar year. But by August, that had been...
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Shannon Barlow: Where the power sits in the labour market
The balance of power in the labour market sits firmly with employers, with a big rise in job applicants over the past year chasing a significantly diminished number of jobs, says Frog Recruitment Managing Director Shannon Barlow. "For our recruitment agency, we're probably experiencing around…
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John Bolton: Who might be attracted to shoebox apartments and why
The Government's push to have more apartments, including shoebox apartments, built should be welcomed over time by a range of buyers including first home buyers, property investors and retirees, suggests John Bolton, founder of mortgage broker, lender and savings product provider Squirrel.…
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Steven Hail: Transforming the discussion about government fiscal & economic policy
Mainstream economics courses teach students money is a scarce resource and nature has boundless capacity to be exploited when in fact it's the other way around, argues Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) economist Steven Hail. Advocates say you don't do MMT, rather it's a description of how the monetary...
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Will Carnachan of Aotea Asset Management unpacks the NZ private credit scene
New Zealand's nascent private credit industry could account for up to 5% of business lending to operating companies over time, suggests Aotea Asset Management (AAM) executive director Will Carnachan. AAM, which launched three years ago, is a corporate debt fund manager organising wholesale...
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Nick Tuffley: Why did ASB and RBNZ change their mind about rate cuts?
The Reserve Bank surprised the market on Wednesday by dropping hints it was open to cutting rates sooner than planned, due to signs the economy was getting too weak. While the tone shift was unexpected, the central bank was reacting to the same data which had caused ASB’s economics team to change...
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Stephen Jacobi: The US is a riskier trade partner than China
New Zealand exporters to the United States might be at greater risk of being disrupted than those exporting to China, according to one trade expert. Despite talk about the need to diversify away from China due to geopolitical differences, it may be the United States that hits Kiwi businesses with...
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James Foster - the New Zealand EV, or 'batteries on wheels', scene
The first New Zealand and international wave of electric vehicle (EV) uptake is probably over, with cheaper cars and better public charging infrastructure required for further major growth in the uptake of these "batteries on wheels," says James Foster. In a new episode of interest.co.nz's Of...
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Cameron Bagrie: Why and how the pricing of risk versus the taking of risk by banks needs to change
Ask Cameron Bagrie how to improve business and rural banking and some words reoccur in his answers. Three of them are "risk", "productivity", and "bankability." With two parliamentary select committees set to hold an inquiry into banking competition, the business and rural banking markets will...
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Fiona Hall & Martin Dilly: Frustrations with & war stories from the world of anti-money laundering compliance
By Gareth Vaughan How seriously is the public sector taking the fight against money laundering and terrorism financing? This question comes up in a new episode of interest.co.nz's Of Interest podcast, featuring barrister and solicitor Fiona Hall and anti-money laundering auditor and consultant...
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Kylie Walker: What the mission-driven Future Made in Australia approach is & what it could mean
The Australian Government's a Future Made in Australiainitiative could attract skilled migrants and potentially investment and entrepreneurs from New Zealand, and ultimately be a catalyst for a much more sustainable future, says Kylie Walker, the CEO of the Australian Academy of Technological...
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Geof Mortlock: Problems with NZ's depositor compensation scheme & bank failure tools
The fund backing New Zealand's incoming depositor compensation scheme is going to be small, it's going to take a long time to reach its target level, and the lack of depositor preference in the scheme is a mistake, according to a deposit insurance expert. Geof Mortlock, an international financial...
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Shamubeel Eaqub: Why institutional landlords should be better for renters than 'accidental' landlords
Renting in New Zealand today is more difficult than a decade ago, with fewer properties available, rents continuing to increase, and the quality of rental properties not much better, Shamubeel Eaqub says. However, the economist and co-author of the 2015 book Generation Rent, rethinking New...
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Jennifer Wilkins: making the case for degrowth
With economic growth no longer producing benefits seen in the past such as raising living standards for the middle class, and human activity having exceeded some planetary boundaries, it's time to embrace degrowth, argues Jennifer Wilkins. Wilkins is a researcher and advocate on sustainability in...
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Andrew Dentice on the competition, innovation & societal benefits of open banking, & its marketing problem
For open banking to really grab people's attention the focus needs to be on the services it can enable, rather than the technology behind it, says Andrew Dentice. In the latest episode of interest.co.nz's Of Interest podcast, Dentice, a technology lawyer and partner at HudsonGavinMartin…
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Barbara Edmonds: Rehabilitating Labour's economic credibility after the cost of living crisis
Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds says a re-elected Labour Government would have been willing to expand its planned public sector cuts to protect key programmes. The tax lawyer turned MP spoke on Interest.co.nz’s Of Interest podcast about the Coalition’s fiscal policy and her role in…
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Tim Grafton: 12 years at the coalface of the insurance industry
The departing Chief Executive of the Insurance Council of New Zealand says if Wellington is hit with an earthquake on a similar scale to the Canterbury quakes, it would “raise some questions” on whether NZ insurers would be able to continue to purchase reinsurance at an affordable cost. “I think...
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John Small: The Commerce Commission's recipe to tackle the banking oligopoly
In five years' time we would see things we can't imagine today if the Government adopts the Commerce Commission's recommendations to boost competition for personal banking services, Commission Chairman John Small says. Speaking about the Commission's draft report from its banking market study in...
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Patrick Watson: US voters 'living in their own realities' including on the economy
With a United States presidential election looming in November, Patrick Watson, Senior Economic Analyst at Mauldin Economics, says it's difficult to say what the key economic battleground will be because many voters are "living in their own realities." Speaking in a new episode of…
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Cameron Murray: The Great Housing Hijack
The "cheer squad" make it hard to have a proper debate on housing, especially when looking to address the question of what we want from the housing market from a public policy perspective. So says Cameron Murray, Chief Economist at Fresh Economic Thinking, a new Australian think-tank. In the…
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David Mahon: China's post-Covid hangover, NZ flirting with joining AUKUS & more
China's economy remains mired in a post-Covid hangover like much of the rest of the world, but the technology, catering and tourism sectors are encouraging, according to David Mahon. Mahon, the Beijing-based Managing Director of Mahon China Investment Management, spoke to interest.co.nz in the...
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Andrew Bayly: The select committee banking inquiry, Statistics NZ's challenges & more
The coalition government's select committee banking inquiry could look at how to encourage banks to lend more to "productive" sectors of the economy rather than having such a big focus on "unproductive" housing lending, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. The National-NZ…
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Geoff Cooper: Changing the perceptions of infrastructure planning to dynamic from bureaucratic
New Zealand should be working towards a 100-year planning horizon when it comes to infrastructure, and viewing planning as "an exercise in dynamism and inquisition" rather than a "bureaucratic exercise." That's the view of Geoff Cooper, General Manager of Strategy at the New Zealand…
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Jarrod Kerr: Why the RBNZ should move away from its 'overly hawkish commentary'
Although the war on inflation is being won, there are still battles to come and it's too soon to expect Reserve Bank interest rate cuts, says Kiwibank Chief Economist Jarrod Kerr. Speaking to interest.co.nz for the first 2024 episode of our Of Interest podcast, Kerr says the cost of living crisis...
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Rod Oram: The key test ahead now COP28 has agreed to a transition away from fossil fuels
Following COP28's call for a transition away from fossil fuels, a key test will be how quickly a rethink of the market capitalisation of oil and gas companies starts emerging, says Rod Oram. Fresh from attending COP28 in Dubai, Newsroom journalist Oram spoke to interest.co.nz for the latest…
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Stephen Toplis: Why the worst of the economic downturn is still to come
By Gareth Vaughan The first-half of 2024 is likely to be tough with rising unemployment and more businesses failing as the economy "bounces along the bottom," says BNZ Head of Research Stephen Toplis. In a new episode of interest.co.nz's Of Interest podcast, Toplis delves into the swathe of...
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Adrian Orr: Doing whatever it takes to achieve low and stable inflation, and his ideal scenario for monetary policy in a year's time
Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr says he's "extremely confident" the world is heading back to a period of low inflation, saying the central bank is prepared to do "whatever it takes" to achieve its mandate of low and stable inflation. Speaking in in the latest episode of interest.co.nz's Of...
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John Ballingall: Why the time is ripe for a new trade strategy
On the 22nd of November, while the National Party was putting the finishing touches on its coalition agreement, the European Union (EU) ratified a new trade deal with New Zealand. It was the latest in a long line of agreements NZ has struck since 1983, but it could be the last. Speaking in in the...
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Kelly Eckhold: Why the RBNZ's increased foreign currency intervention capacity makes sense
Although trading in foreign exchange markets is inherently very risky, the Reserve Bank (RBNZ) boosting its capacity to do so makes sense both from monetary policy and financial stability perspectives, Westpac New Zealand Chief Economist Kelly Eckhold says. Speaking in in the latest episode of...
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Christina Hood: Getting to net zero and what comes next
New Zealand should be one of the easiest places in the world to get to net zero greenhouse gas emissions and we should be planning for net negative, the next step after that, says Christina Hood. Hood, the head of energy and climate policy consultancy Compass Climate, spoke to interest.co.nz in a...
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Of Interest have?
Of Interest currently has 116 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Of Interest about?
Longform interviews with key opinion makers about the New Zealand economy
How often does Of Interest release new episodes?
Of Interest publishes regularly with 116 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Of Interest?
You can listen to Of Interest on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Of Interest?
Of Interest is created and hosted by Gareth Vaughan.
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