
When the Facts Change
Hosted by journalist Bernard Hickey, When the Facts Change is your essential weekly guide to the intersection of economics, business and politics in Aotearoa New Zealand. Presented by The Spinoff together with Kiwibank.Visit kiwibank.co.nz to find out how Kiwibank are making Kiwi better off
Latest episodes

5 snips
Nov 16, 2023 • 48min
The state of the economy in Aotearoa with Steve Jurkovich
Steve Jurkovich, Kiwibank chief executive, discusses the state of the economy in Aotearoa, the pressures consumers are dealing with, and regulatory adjustments he hopes to see. The chapter also covers the current state of the housing market in Aotearoa, financing issues for home buyers, and the challenges of remote work.

Nov 9, 2023 • 43min
A new solution to the first-home deposit problem?
New fintech startup Aera says first-home buyers would need to save for an infinite number of years to secure a house deposit. Founder Derek Handley joins Bernard Hickey to discuss Aera's plan to help first-home buyers to get onto the property ladder, with a new take on the bank of mum and dad. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 2, 2023 • 31min
How leaders can learn from their mistakes
After leaving the CEO position at Z Energy, Mike Bennetts became an executive coach and has just published his own book: Being Extraordinary by confronting your ordinary. Mike talks to Bernard Hickey about how leadership is different from management, and how leaders can learn from their mistakes.You can find Mike's book at: https://www.taumataadvisory.com/beingextraordinary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 26, 2023 • 30min
How to defend yourself from tech-savvy scammers
In April and June of 2023, online scammers stole $4.2 million from New Zealanders. Bernard Hickey speaks to Kiwibank senior external fraud investigator Sareta Fraser about how bank customers and banks are in an arms race against increasingly ingenious and awful scammers. She lays out the tricks and schemes used by the scammers and offers tips and techniques that customers can use to protect themselves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 19, 2023 • 32min
The wind power revolution energising Aotearoa
What makes New Zealand one of the most geographically perfect places to harness the power of Tāwhirimātea? This week, Bernard Hickey talks with Giacomo Caleffi from Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners about how the NZ Super Fund could bolster their plan to build a massive offshore wind farm off the coast of South Taranaki. They discuss why offshore wind is so necessary in the transition to 100% renewable energy, and how renewable energy differs from renewable power. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 12, 2023 • 39min
Powering down to keep your savings up
Are we using our energy networks as efficiently as possible? Bernard Hickey interviews Octopus Energy’s UK-based head of systems change, Marcia Poletti, about innovative ways power companies can adapt their current system to better support the energy grid. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

4 snips
Oct 5, 2023 • 36min
Using LinkedIn to build your business better
In this discussion, Assia Salikhova, Managing Director of S Marketing Lab, shares her expertise in harnessing LinkedIn for business success. She dives into practical strategies for enhancing profiles and networking, including the intriguing concept of 'ghost LinkedIn networking.' Assia also emphasizes the importance of strong online presence and organized processes in navigating business sales. Plus, she offers valuable tips on avoiding scams and managing reputation effectively in the digital landscape.

Sep 28, 2023 • 49min
The post-pandemic office experience
It turns out many offices are empty now, particularly on Mondays and Fridays, and workers aren’t there to sit at their open-plan desks. They’re there to join Zoom or Teams calls in quiet spaces, or to meet each other in conference rooms. Bernard Hickey talks to XYSense co-founder and CEO Alex Birch about how building managers, planners and bean counters can understand the best way to run an office of the future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 21, 2023 • 42min
Melbourne City's carbon neutral apartment building
Liam Wallis, is the founder of HIP V HYPE, a design agency in Melbourne that helped design, fund and build the first Nightingale project apartments in Melbourne’s Brunswick. These apartments are designed from the start to be carbon neutral, healthier, and cheaper places to heat. He talks to Bernard Hickey about the number of times the air changes every hour in a normal house (20), and how often the air changes in a home like the ones built in the Nightingale projects. Liam is in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington this week delivering the annual Sir Ian Athfield Memorial Lecture for the New Zealand Institute of Architects in Auckland. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 14, 2023 • 26min
Is an economic summer on the horizon?
Kiwibank chief economist discusses rebound in confidence and hope for the summer despite interest rate hikes. Analysis of state of the economy, housing market and impact on mortgage holders. Predicted decline in housing market this year with gradual recovery in 2023. Comparison of mortgage practices and economic conditions between New Zealand and the United States. Regional economic performance in New Zealand and influence of housing market.