A mortgage broker is saying not to panic about rising mortgage rates.

Westpac has announced a 30 basis point increase to its 2-5 year fixed rates.

They claim the move reflects rising wholesale rates and higher costs for long-term funding.

Sue Tierney told Heather du Plessis-Allan that people do have the opportunity to negotiate rates.

She says the bank has an advertised rate, but that doesn’t mean you have to accept it.

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The length of New Zealand's summer holiday - isn't as bad for the economy as some may think.

Prime Minister Chris Luxon's weighed in on debate - saying after working overseas, he's used to returning to work about January 3 - which he'll probably do again this summer.

Infometrics Chief Executive, Brad Olsen, says supermarkets and tourism boom over the period.

He says the professional services industry shuts down longer, but that's not the entire economy.

Olsen says March quarterly GDP relative to average quarterly GDP - and it's only two percent below the average for the rest of the financial year.

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In this episode of the Make It Happen podcast, Iyia sits down with viral content expert Jony Lee Head of Growth at The Attention Seeker with over 1M followers and 30M+ monthly views.

To break down what actually makes content resonate online. Jony shares the emotional story behind the viral moment that launched her career, the framework she uses to create human-first content, and why building a brand people like will always outperform selling a product people forget. If you’re a business owner or creator wanting to grow online, this conversation will teach you why organic content matters more than ever and why your first posts don’t need to be perfect they just need to exist.

Follow Jony and the Attention Seeker here 👇

@jonymlee

@theattnseeker

👉 www.makeithappen.org.nz
📲 Socials: @makeithappen

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Signs of a brighter economy in the year to come.

ASB's forecasting annual growth of more than two-and a half percent in 2026.

It points to an accelerated housing market, more resilient exports, and a renewed willingness to spend.

Chief Economist Nick Tuffley told Heather du Plessis-Allan we can expect inflation to soften further, with the Reserve Bank seeing more stimulus in the pipeline.

He says it's in wait and see mode - but seems fairly confident it won't have to cut interest rates any further.

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Financial mentor David Very joins Nadine Higgins to unpack why 2025 hit so many New Zealanders so hard—and whether 2026 will bring any real relief. From high-income earners stretched by huge mortgages to pensioners squeezed by rising costs, he explains why financial stress is now cutting across every part of society. David breaks down where to start when you’re underwater, what actually works when tackling debt, the traps in consolidation and balance transfers, how to negotiate with lenders, and why KiwiSaver hardship should stay a last resort. If this year knocked you around, this episode helps you map a realistic way back to stability.

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Last week the Reserve Bank dropped the OCR 25 basis points to 2.25%, but their tone was a bit more hawkish than usual.

Some analysts are thinking it's a signal that rates have gone as low as the RBNZ is willing to drop them - and the new Governor may be wanting to turn a new leaf in 2026.

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This episode of Ask Me Anything with Paula Bennett features entrepreneur and philanthropist Charlotte Lockhart, co-founder of the 4 Day Week Global movement. Charlotte opens up about her life, her years living in the Middle East, and the ideas that helped spark a worldwide rethink of productivity and work. She also speaks candidly about receiving an incurable stage-four breast cancer diagnosis after 17 years cancer-free, and the clarity it’s given her about what really matters. From reshaping workplaces to reshaping her own life, Charlotte shares insight, humour, and hard-won wisdom on how to live with purpose, protect your time, and focus on what counts.

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