Two Cents' Worth

By twocentsworthnz

Business

What's Two Cents' Worth about?

A series by Newsroom and RNZ, discussing the world of business in Aotearoa.

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Two Cents' Worth episodes:

08.07.2020
Episode 84 - The suburban solar conundrum
The combination of solar panels, electricity storage batteries, smart household gadgets, and a boring looking black box is set to change forever how our electricity system works.
07.31.2020
Episode 83 - Turning tripe into wound-healing 'crumpet'
This week on Two Cents' Worth: how tripe got the markets buzzing and what that can tell us about New Zealand's investment ecosystem.
07.24.2020
Episode 82 - Closed borders: Is the cure worse than the disease?
The closed borders protecting us from Covid-19 is keeping us healthy, but having unexpected consequences for our economy.
07.17.2020
Episode 81 - What becomes of the housing market?
In April, economists were predicting Covid could cause a 10-20 percent fall in house prices. In June, prices rose more than 9 percent - much more in some places. What is going on - and will it last?
07.10.2020
Episode 80 - Roundup: the landmark case and what it means for our economy and our health
Glyphosate is one of the most commonly used weedkillers in the world, but there’s huge pressure to phase it out. Find out why and what that might mean for our billion dollar agricultural sector.
07.03.2020
Episode 79 - The little ventilator that could - during Covid
How two multi-millionaires, two pandemic futurists, Air NZ’s former boss, a dairy executive on a break, a retired anaesthetist (and a few others) nearly saved New Zealand.
06.26.2020
Episode 78 - Worth a shot? The economics of the race for a vaccine
The race is on. Two Cents Worth investigates the economics of finding a vaccine for coronavirus.
06.19.2020
Episode 77 - The case for a modern debt jubilee
As the global economy spirals post-coronavirus and many people can no longer pay their debts or are being forced to take out new ones, is it time to wipe the slate clean?
06.12.2020
Episode 76 - Losing it all: a personal story of bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is something to be avoided - but maybe not at all costs. Two Cents' Worth follows a woman's journey into insolvency.
06.05.2020
Episode 75 - A Side Hustle Story
Forty percent of Millennials have one and increasing numbers of GenXers and Baby Boomers are getting in on the act too. Two Cents' Worth finds delves into the world of side hustles.
05.29.2020
Episode 74 - Rugby’s fight for survival
With million dollar losses and huge staff cutbacks, there are concerns that rugby is in its death throes. Two Cents Worth looks at the economics of our national sport.
05.22.2020
Episode 73 - The last mile
In our new germ-wary world online shopping has become more important than ever, but the road for reliable home delivery has always been a bit bumpy. Andrew Patterson considers how we might improve getting goods into the hands of customers.
05.15.2020
Episode 72 - Two Cents on "Once in a Generation" Budget
We're bracing for a major, global economic downturn. Will the government's historic 'once in a generation' budget be enough to insulate us from it.
05.08.2020
Episode 71 - Ready for the robot takeover?
Meet Bella, Jamie and Yumi. Just some of the robots taking over our jobs. But does this have to be as scary as it sounds? Peter Griffin finds out.
05.01.2020
Episode 70 - An apple harvest no one will ever forget
Apple growers have filled our fruit bowls and bolstered our export coffers, while harvesting a bumper crop and maintaining strict social distancing for their workforce. It’s been a nightmare.
04.24.2020
Episode 69 - Our giant 'Green Eggs and Ham' moment
The Covid-19 lockdown has forced a 'Green Eggs and Ham' moment on many businesses and government departments which could jumpstart our adoption of digital technology and productivity.
04.17.2020
Episode 68 - Coronavirus recovery: Lessons from the Christchurch quakes
New Zealand could emerge from level-4 lockdown next week and set off down the slow, uncertain road to recovery from the Covid-19 crisis. Peter Griffin looks at what we can learn from Christchurch's recovery from the 2011 earthquakes.
04.09.2020
Episode 67 - Where Covid-19 meets tourism, taps and nanotechnology
Two Cents Worth answers two listeners’ questions around how Covid-19 might change the world.
04.03.2020
Episode 66 - Riding the share market rollercoaster in the Covid-19 era
Fortunes can be lost or made in volatile markets. Peter Griffin looks at how amateur investors are navigating these troubled waters.
03.27.2020
Episode 65 - Business offers a helping hand
This week on Two Cents' Worth the team look at how Covid-19 has changed the way we work and live and what business might look like after the lock down is lifted.
03.20.2020
Episode 64 - Covid-19’s silver lining
As we face very uncertain times, the Two Cents' Worth team thought to try to find the economic positives out of the COVID-19 crisis.
03.13.2020
Episode 63 - SPECIAL: Covid19 and the economy
Fiona Acheson from New Zealand Trade and Enterprise joins the Two Cents' Worth team to discuss the economic ramifications of the coronavirus, covid-19.
03.06.2020
Episode 62 - The evolving e-commerce wars
Trade Me has been our favourite online marketplace for nearly two decades, but serious competition is on the way. Peter Griffen looks at our e-commerce options.
02.28.2020
Episode 61 - The workplace perk aiming to put payday lenders out of business
More than a million New Zealanders live paycheck to paycheck. Feeling terror trying to buy something two days before pay day. New technology could be the solution. Nikki Mandow investigates.
02.21.2020
Episode 60 - The Chain Gang: crypto's post-bubble potential
Peter Griffin looks past the rollercoaster ride that is cryptocurrency to find out its true potential.
02.14.2020
Episode 59 - Think Big: The Sequel?
In the '80s, "Think Big” became an insult; government spend-ups became a political no-no. Until now. In the light of Jacinda Ardern’s $12 billion infrastructure announcement, Nikki Mandow and Bernard Hickey look at why it has taken 40 years to get...
02.07.2020
Episode 58 - Subscription Creep
There's been a huge upswing in subscription businesses across the world and in New Zealand. Peter Griffen looks at what that means for consumers and the economy.
02.03.2020
Episode 57 - Beetle Mania
One man’s decades-long fight to deal with New Zealand’s farm effluent problems by bringing dung beetles to New Zealand.
12.20.2019
Episode 56 - The gift of economic knowledge
In the spirit of giving, the Two Cents' team is answering your economic questions on Kiwisaver, property prices and mortgage rates.
12.15.2019
Episode 55 - Banking on time
It's banking, yes, but not as we know it. A new movement is seeing the rejuvenation of an ancient economic model. Claire Crofton looks into the growing trend of time-banking.
12.08.2019
Episode 54 - Why we’re hung up and two-faced on debt
Debt – it’s deep in the heart of our society and our economy. But we have an odd relationship with it. Bernard Hickey asks why we both fear debt and love it so much.
11.29.2019
Episode 53 - The Pacific's contribution to the NZ Economy
The work of Pacific people has been noted in a Treasury report, but does it go far enough? And what is the impact of this on our wider economy?
11.22.2019
Episode 52 - A ticker tape tale
The New Zealand stock exchange (NZX) turns 150 this year. But the number of companies listed on it has been falling in recent times, begging the question - is still as relevant as it once was?
11.15.2019
Episode 51 - The banks, the swaps and the suicide box
The disastrous impact of banks selling risky financial derivatives to farmers is still being felt in rural communities more than a decade later. How did it happen and how can we stop banks doing it again?
11.09.2019
Episode 50 - Brentry: 48 hours in Luxembourg that changed NZ forever
New Zealand saw the UK’s ‘Brentry’ into the EEC in 1973 as an existential threat to our nation’s future. It preoccupied New Zealanders for a decade and eventually all hinged on 48 hours of intense trade negotiations.
11.01.2019
Episode 49 - Affordable Housing: A Goldilocks Story
House prices are on the rise again - but is that a good thing? The Two Cents' Worth team looks at the Goldilocks sweet spot for our housing market - do we want prices to go up, fall down or stay as they...
10.25.2019
Episode 48 - What is inflation?
Gyles Beckford looks at why inflation has gone walkabouts, why central banks are still so obsessed about taming it and - hold your hats - is it time to give away inflation targeting?
10.18.2019
Episode 47 - Terrible Tariffs
Donald Trump’s tariff war is hitting the world economy hard, and there's no sign of a truce. Nikki Mandow looks at how tariffs have played a major part in some serious, and often traumatic historical events.
10.13.2019
Episode 46 - How technology is changing our towns
Could an online bra fitting service be the final death knell for bricks and mortar stores? Claire Crofton finds out.
10.04.2019
Episode 45 - Banks on notice over 'No Paywave' dysfunction
New Zealand has fallen behind Australia and Britain in using contactless payments and retailers are revolting. The Government may have to regulate fees directly.
09.27.2019
Episode 44 - Two Cents' Worth turns 1
We're going back to where it all began... and finding out how far we've come. Spoiler alert: Not far.
09.20.2019
Episode 43 - The economics of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Come on a hilarious romp with some of New Zealand's best theatrical talents as Justin Gregory looks at the economics of taking a show to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
09.14.2019
Episode 42 - Stink Bugs: Be afraid, be very afraid
Our most feared pest could be starting its journey to New Zealand.
09.06.2019
Episode 41 - Wringing more than silverware from RWC 2019
Win or lose, the Rugby World Cup is being seen as a great opportunity to boost our economy.
08.31.2019
Episode 40 - The economic heavyweight bout of the year
We put Kate Raworth and Arthur Grimes in the ring together to debate the value of growth.
08.23.2019
Episode 39 - What if money really did fall from the sky?
If the government gave everyone an extra $1000 to spend would we all be better off? Bernard Hickey looks into the theory of helicopter money.
08.16.2019
Episode 38 - Social Procurement: A match made in heaven?
Nikki Mandow tells us why social procurement is way more exciting than it sounds - and how it might change the world.
08.09.2019
Episode 37 - A conversation with Kris
The Two Cents' Worth team is joined by the Honourable Kris Fa'afoi to discuss banks, interest rate caps and 5G.
08.02.2019
Episode 36 - Scam Scum: We're All Victims
New Zealanders lost 33 million dollars so scams last year. Madison Reidy looks at how that's impacting our economy and what we're doing to stop it.
07.26.2019
Episode 35 - Green Gold
Nikki Mandow looks at avocado economics and how this humble fruit became an underworld currency.

What's Two Cents' Worth about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Two Cents' Worth episodes:

Episode 84 - The suburban solar conundrum

Episode 83 - Turning tripe into wound-healing 'crumpet'

Episode 82 - Closed borders: Is the cure worse than the disease?

Episode 81 - What becomes of the housing market?

Episode 80 - Roundup: the landmark case and what it means for our economy and our health

Episode 79 - The little ventilator that could - during Covid

Episode 78 - Worth a shot? The economics of the race for a vaccine

Episode 77 - The case for a modern debt jubilee

Episode 76 - Losing it all: a personal story of bankruptcy

Episode 75 - A Side Hustle Story

Episode 74 - Rugby’s fight for survival

Episode 73 - The last mile

Episode 72 - Two Cents on "Once in a Generation" Budget

Episode 71 - Ready for the robot takeover?

Episode 70 - An apple harvest no one will ever forget

Episode 69 - Our giant 'Green Eggs and Ham' moment

Episode 68 - Coronavirus recovery: Lessons from the Christchurch quakes

Episode 67 - Where Covid-19 meets tourism, taps and nanotechnology

Episode 66 - Riding the share market rollercoaster in the Covid-19 era

Episode 65 - Business offers a helping hand

Episode 64 - Covid-19’s silver lining

Episode 63 - SPECIAL: Covid19 and the economy

Episode 62 - The evolving e-commerce wars

Episode 61 - The workplace perk aiming to put payday lenders out of business

Episode 60 - The Chain Gang: crypto's post-bubble potential

Episode 59 - Think Big: The Sequel?

Episode 58 - Subscription Creep

Episode 57 - Beetle Mania

Episode 56 - The gift of economic knowledge

Episode 55 - Banking on time

Episode 54 - Why we’re hung up and two-faced on debt

Episode 53 - The Pacific's contribution to the NZ Economy

Episode 52 - A ticker tape tale

Episode 51 - The banks, the swaps and the suicide box

Episode 50 - Brentry: 48 hours in Luxembourg that changed NZ forever

Episode 49 - Affordable Housing: A Goldilocks Story

Episode 48 - What is inflation?

Episode 47 - Terrible Tariffs

Episode 46 - How technology is changing our towns

Episode 45 - Banks on notice over 'No Paywave' dysfunction

Episode 44 - Two Cents' Worth turns 1

Episode 43 - The economics of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Episode 42 - Stink Bugs: Be afraid, be very afraid

Episode 41 - Wringing more than silverware from RWC 2019

Episode 40 - The economic heavyweight bout of the year

Episode 39 - What if money really did fall from the sky?

Episode 38 - Social Procurement: A match made in heaven?

Episode 37 - A conversation with Kris

Episode 36 - Scam Scum: We're All Victims

Episode 35 - Green Gold