Was the 3% contribution rate always wrong? We sit down with Greg Smith from Generate KiwiSaver and Matt Macpherson from Sharesies to discuss the state of retirement. KiwiSaver membership is growing for both Generate and Sharesies, but Greg and Matt say that there’s a lot of work to do at the national level.

So why did the latest budget halve government incentives, and what’s happening with the higher contribution rates? Why are so many of us opting out of KiwiSaver altogether, while Australia sits on a $4.5 trillion retirement pool? Hear how more New Zealanders are actively switching their providers, and whether it’s time to close the "total remuneration" loophole. 

Plus, hear why a weakening US dollar might be making your balance look red even when the market seems to be up. 

For more or to watch on YouTube—check out http://linktr.ee/sharedlunch

Sharesies Investment Management Limited is the issuer of the Sharesies KiwiSaver Scheme. The product disclosure statement (PDS) for the Sharesies KiwiSaver Scheme has been lodged, and may be viewed on the Disclose Register or on our documents page.

Shared Lunch is brought to you by Sharesies Australia Limited (ABN 94 648 811 830; AFSL 529893) in Australia and Sharesies Limited (NZ) in New Zealand. It is not financial advice. Information provided is general only and current at the time it’s provided, and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation and needs. We do not provide recommendations and you should always read the disclosure documents available from the product issuer before making a financial decision. Our disclosure documents and terms and conditions—including a Target Market Determination and IDPS Guide for Sharesies Australian customers—can be found on our relevant Australian or NZ website.

Investing involves risk. You might lose the money you start with. If you require financial advice, you should consider speaking with a qualified financial advisor. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.

Appearance on Shared Lunch is not an endorsement by Sharesies of the views of the presenters, guests, or the entities they represent. Their views are their own.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CEO Naomi James joins us to discuss leading a critical reset for Ryman Healthcare. The healthcare and property hybrid holds over $12 billion in assets, but the post-covid era has exposed its over-reliance on the housing market. 

In this episode, Naomi reveals Ryman’s big shifts to achieve its first positive free cash flow in over a decade—and the tough calls along the way, including closing care centres and resetting the balance sheet. 

With the 80-plus population set to double by 2050, is our healthcare system ready for the Baby Boomers? What’s happening with urgent aged care funding reforms, and what can we learn from Australia? Naomi talks about balancing resident outcomes and shareholder returns, and why a well-functioning retirement sector is foundational to the entire public health system. 

For more or to watch on YouTube—check out http://linktr.ee/sharedlunch

Shared Lunch is brought to you by Sharesies Australia Limited (ABN 94 648 811 830; AFSL 529893) in Australia and Sharesies Limited (NZ) in New Zealand. It is not financial advice. Information provided is general only and current at the time it’s provided, and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation and needs. We do not provide recommendations and you should always read the disclosure documents available from the product issuer before making a financial decision. Our disclosure documents and terms and conditions—including a Target Market Determination and IDPS Guide for Sharesies Australian customers—can be found on our relevant Australian or NZ website.

Investing involves risk. You might lose the money you start with. If you require financial advice, you should consider speaking with a qualified financial advisor. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.

Appearance on Shared Lunch is not an endorsement by Sharesies of the views of the presenters, guests, or the entities they represent. Their views are their own.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand’s love affair with property investing might be entering a new era. Economist Tony Alexander joined us to unpack what’s changed — from the end of decades-long falling interest rates, to shifting tax rules, tighter lending restrictions, and rising costs that are reshaping investor behaviour.

He explains why fewer everyday Kiwis may see property as the default path to wealth, and why first-home buyers are now driving a bigger share of the market.

This bite is a bonus from our episode ‘The end of the property era?’.

For more or to watch on YouTube—check out http://linktr.ee/sharedlunch

Shared Lunch is brought to you by Sharesies Australia Limited (ABN 94 648 811 830; AFSL 529893) in Australia and Sharesies Limited (NZ) in New Zealand. It is not financial advice. Information provided is general only and current at the time it’s provided, and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation and needs. We do not provide recommendations and you should always read the disclosure documents available from the product issuer before making a financial decision. Our disclosure documents and terms and conditions—including a Target Market Determination and IDPS Guide for Sharesies Australian customers—can be found on our relevant Australian or NZ website.

Investing involves risk. You might lose the money you start with. If you require financial advice, you should consider speaking with a qualified financial advisor. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.

Appearance on Shared Lunch is not an endorsement by Sharesies of the views of the presenters, guests, or the entities they represent. Their views are their own.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Independent economist Tony Alexander explains why we’re moving away from housing as a primary retirement plan, as a thirty-year era of falling interest rates comes to an end. Get Tony’s take on the dominance of first-home buyers, and whether now’s the time to lock in a long-term mortgage rate. 

Why does Tony believe the Reserve Bank will hike rates again before the year is out? What’s behind the widening gap between the Kiwi and Australian economies? Why are we getting mixed signals from central bank forecasting, and what’s behind Tony’s theory that current inflation models might be fundamentally broken? 

Plus, why Tony calls your local council a “monopoly”—and why you can't escape it.

For more or to watch on YouTube—check out http://linktr.ee/sharedlunch

Shared Lunch is brought to you by Sharesies Australia Limited (ABN 94 648 811 830; AFSL 529893) in Australia and Sharesies Limited (NZ) in New Zealand. It is not financial advice. Information provided is general only and current at the time it’s provided, and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation and needs. We do not provide recommendations and you should always read the disclosure documents available from the product issuer before making a financial decision. Our disclosure documents and terms and conditions—including a Target Market Determination and IDPS Guide for Sharesies Australian customers—can be found on our relevant Australian or NZ website.

Investing involves risk. You might lose the money you start with. If you require financial advice, you should consider speaking with a qualified financial advisor. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.

Appearance on Shared Lunch is not an endorsement by Sharesies of the views of the presenters, guests, or the entities they represent. Their views are their own.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could the upcoming election mess with our economic recovery? Mark Lister reckons you should focus on "profits over politics" regardless of who wins. We’re joined by Mark, Director at Craigs Investment Partners, and Kiwibank Chief Economist Jarrod Kerr to break down what Kiwi investors can look for in 2026.

Find out how mortgage rates hitting 4% could finally wake up the property market and lure back investors. Jarrod questions whether the risk management departments in banks may have actually intensified our recession, and whether the power of the US dollar is changing. 

Plus, why Mark says the Kiwi share market is traditionally the "high income" choice compared to the US, and how to tell if you’re ready for the volatility of crypto. 

Shared Lunch is brought to you by Sharesies Australia Limited (ABN 94 648 811 830; AFSL 529893) in Australia and Sharesies Limited (NZ) in New Zealand. It is not financial advice. Information provided is general only and current at the time it’s provided, and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation and needs. We do not provide recommendations and you should always read the disclosure documents available from the product issuer before making a financial decision. Our disclosure documents and terms and conditions—including a Target Market Determination and IDPS Guide for Sharesies Australian customers—can be found on our relevant Australian or NZ website.

Investing involves risk. You might lose the money you start with. If you require financial advice, you should consider speaking with a qualified financial advisor. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.

Appearance on Shared Lunch is not an endorsement by Sharesies of the views of the presenters, guests, or the entities they represent. Their views are their own.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the first of two parts on what investors need to know in 2026, we discuss a world preoccupied with the Trump effect.

While markets like Japan and Europe outperformed the States last year, Craigs Investment Director Mark Lister and KiwiBank Chief Economist Jarrod Kerr explain why the US remains a major force. Closer to home, they outline how NZ is getting off its knees and into recovery mode. Is tech and AI concentration in the US S&P 500 something to be concerned about? Are lower interest rates leading to a broader recovery at home beyond dairy? What are the sectors to watch this year? Plus, investing in alternative assets as gold’s record-breaking run continues.

For more or to watch on YouTube—check out http://linktr.ee/sharedlunch

Shared Lunch is brought to you by Sharesies Australia Limited (ABN 94 648 811 830; AFSL 529893) in Australia and Sharesies Limited (NZ) in New Zealand. It is not financial advice. Information provided is general only and current at the time it’s provided, and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation and needs. We do not provide recommendations and you should always read the disclosure documents available from the product issuer before making a financial decision. Our disclosure documents and terms and conditions—including a Target Market Determination and IDPS Guide for Sharesies Australian customers—can be found on our relevant Australian or NZ website.

Investing involves risk. You might lose the money you start with. If you require financial advice, you should consider speaking with a qualified financial advisor. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.

Appearance on Shared Lunch is not an endorsement by Sharesies of the views of the presenters, guests, or the entities they represent. Their views are their own.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When do you stop going it alone with your money—and start getting advice? How do you know if you actually need a financial advisor, and how do you find one you can trust?

In the final episode of the Wealth Kick, we’re talking about what happens when DIY can only get you so far. We cover when it makes sense to bring in professional help, what green flags (and red flags) to look for in an advisor, and how good advice can give you clarity, confidence, and momentum.

Financial advisors Billy and Ed Glennie share what you should expect from a first meeting, Reagan White explains why an objective third set of eyes changed everything for him, and Sharesies co-CEO Brooke Roberts joins us to wrap up the series with a broader take on what “wealth” really means.

This is the seventh and final episode of the Wealth Kick, a limited series to change your perspective on money for the new year. Until the end of January, we’re serving up a little financial soul-searching, easy exercises you can use anywhere, and a few wacky stories.

The Wealth Kick podcast is brought to you by Sharesies Limited in New Zealand. It is not financial advice. Information provided is general only and current at the time it’s provided, and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation and needs. We do not provide recommendations and you should always read the disclosure documents available from the product issuer before making a financial decision. Our disclosure documents and terms and conditions can be found on our website.

Investing involves risk. You might lose the money you start with. If you require financial advice, you should consider speaking with a qualified financial advisor. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.

Appearance on the podcast is not an endorsement by Sharesies of the views of the presenters, guests, or the entities they represent. Their views are their own.

Sharesies Investment Management Limited is the issuer of the Sharesies KiwiSaver Scheme. The product disclosure statement (PDS) for the Sharesies KiwiSaver Scheme has been lodged, and may be viewed on the Disclose Register or on our documents page.

Sharesies Financial Limited provides the Spend service, including Investback. The Spend debit card is issued by Change Labs NZ Pty Ltd pursuant to license by Mastercard. Spend fees and Investback earn rate are subject to change.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Now what? You’re not a beginner anymore, but you’re not a trader either. You’ve been investing for a while, and you understand the fundamentals—what comes next? Is it time to get more complicated, or just set and forget?

In this episode of the Wealth Kick, we explore a new money problem: the question of how to progress your investing. We’re talking about research and risks, consistency vs. curiosity—and whether you should be getting hands-on or staying at arm’s length.

Financial advisor Ed Glennie, Ruth Henderson from The Happy Saver, and Sharesies co-CEO Brooke Roberts give us their takes on what it means to be a more “advanced” investor.

This is the sixth episode of the Wealth Kick, a limited series to change your perspective on money for the new year. Until the end of January, we’re serving up a little financial soul-searching, easy exercises you can use anywhere, and a few wacky stories.

The Wealth Kick podcast is brought to you by Sharesies Limited in New Zealand. It is not financial advice. Information provided is general only and current at the time it’s provided, and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation and needs. We do not provide recommendations and you should always read the disclosure documents available from the product issuer before making a financial decision. Our disclosure documents and terms and conditions can be found on our website.

Investing involves risk. You might lose the money you start with. If you require financial advice, you should consider speaking with a qualified financial advisor. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.

Appearance on the podcast is not an endorsement by Sharesies of the views of the presenters, guests, or the entities they represent. Their views are their own.

Sharesies Investment Management Limited is the issuer of the Sharesies KiwiSaver Scheme. The product disclosure statement (PDS) for the Sharesies KiwiSaver Scheme has been lodged, and may be viewed on the Disclose Register or on our documents page.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if you never had to work again? Well, you’ll get there someday—if you set yourself up for retirement. 

It can be hard to get excited about your KiwiSaver account when retirement feels distant, but it’s your ticket to freedom. In this episode, we try to bring that far-off future a bit closer to home, with actions you can take now that could pay off later on. Listen in to debunk some old myths and check if you’re on track for the day you knock off for good.

This is the fifth episode of the Wealth Kick, a limited series to change your perspective on money for the new year. Until the end of January, we’re serving up a little financial soul-searching, easy exercises you can use anywhere, and a few wacky stories.

The Wealth Kick podcast is brought to you by Sharesies Limited in New Zealand. It is not financial advice. Information provided is general only and current at the time it’s provided, and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation and needs. We do not provide recommendations and you should always read the disclosure documents available from the product issuer before making a financial decision. Our disclosure documents and terms and conditions can be found on our website.

Investing involves risk. You might lose the money you start with. If you require financial advice, you should consider speaking with a qualified financial advisor. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.

Appearance on the podcast is not an endorsement by Sharesies of the views of the presenters, guests, or the entities they represent. Their views are their own.

Sharesies Investment Management Limited is the issuer of the Sharesies KiwiSaver Scheme. The product disclosure statement (PDS) for the Sharesies KiwiSaver Scheme has been lodged, and may be viewed on the Disclose Register or on our documents page.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last time you heard from us, we talked budgets—how to stop feeling trapped and build a budget that suits you. Today’s episode is a little different: an extra chapter to tell one guy’s story.

We return to Reagan White from Where’s My Money with a tale of brutal interest rates and a mortgage that suddenly feels way less manageable. Reagan shares how close he came to losing everything—and how budgeting became a life raft to get back to safety.

This is the fourth episode of the Wealth Kick, a limited series to change your perspective on money for the new year. Until the end of January, we’re serving up a little financial soul-searching, easy exercises you can use anywhere, and a few wacky stories.

Disclaimer: Shared Lunch is brought to you by Sharesies Limited (NZ) in New Zealand. It is not financial advice. Information provided is general only and current at the time it’s provided, and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation and needs. We do not provide recommendations and you should always read the disclosure documents available from the product issuer before making a financial decision. Our disclosure documents and terms and conditions can be found on our NZ website.

Investing involves risk. You might lose the money you start with. If you require financial advice, you should consider speaking with a qualified financial advisor. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.

Appearance on Shared Lunch is not an endorsement by Sharesies of the views of the presenters, guests, or the entities they represent. Their views are their own.

Sharesies Investment Management Limited is the issuer of the Sharesies KiwiSaver Scheme. The product disclosure statement (PDS) for the Sharesies KiwiSaver Scheme has been lodged, and may be viewed on the Disclose Register or on our documents page.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.