When the Facts Change – Details, episodes & analysis

Saul Griffith helped change the world a couple of years ago when he and a couple of "tech bro" mates convinced Joe Biden to rewrite the Democrats’ Green New Deal and pitch it as an Inflation Reduction Act to rewire America’s economy with renewable energy. Saul makes a pitch for Aotearoa to do the same, but much cheaper and much faster, instead of the government’s current plan to spend $1 billion importing gas over the next couple of years. He presents Rewiring Aotearoa’s paper on The Electrification Opportunity, which estimates cheaper power costs worth $10.7 billion per year by 2040. https://www.rewiring.nz/tomorrow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most actors don’t go straight from performing lunchtime school shows to landing the lead role in a big-budget Netflix series, but Jess Hong isn’t most actors. Since being cast as Jin Cheng in the blockbuster sci-fi series 3 Body Problem, life has been a whirlwind for the self-confessed introvert. Jess might be living the Hollywood dream, navigating global career success and financial freedom, but the core of who she is remains the same. Find out how an attempt to overcome her shyness as a teenager took Jess Hong from school stages to Tinseltown.  Stay tuned for new episodes each Monday: 5th August - TJ Perenara 12th August - Kirsten Dodgen 19th August - Jess Quinn 26th August - Taylor Roche 2nd September - Jess Hong 9th September - Dane & Stacey A Kiwibank series in collaboration with The Spinoff Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happened to the world’s supply chains during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, and how much of the damage caused is permanent? New York Times business journalist and author of ‘How the World Ran Out of Everything’ Peter Goodman joins Bernard Hickey to explain the complex international pathways of manufacturing and transportation that bring products to our doorsteps, through the example of one fledgling American toy startup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Auckland mayor Wayne Brown has embarked on a money saving scheme to plug a $295 million "fiscal black hole" in the council's finances, but is it true? A Better Budget for Auckland's India Logan-Riley talks with Bernard Hickey about the flaws in Brown's logic and suggests an alternative to the mayor's belt tightening that doesn't involve slashing social services. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is the environment changing faster than we can adapt to? The emissions trading scheme incentivised livestock farmers to rid their land of animals in favour of converting it for pine forestry. However, the silt and leftover slash used to make those forests are the same things that wrecked havoc on horticultural lands during Cyclone Gabrielle. Alison Dewes and John Burke are two farmers who feel they've adopted a much better, and more sustainable farming practice - converting some of their grass paddocks back into native forest and wetlands. They talk with Bernard Hickey about the benefits and hidden profits that have come with this decision, and how government could best write policy for farmers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who is really winning from skyrocketing inflation? National Party finance spokesperson Nicola Willis went head to head with Reserve Bank governor Adrian Orr this week, blaming him and the government for being an active contributor to inflation by printing mass amounts of money during the COVID response. However, another factor may be to blame - corporate price gouging. Bernard Hickey explores how widening company profit margins may be the real reason behind the countries inflation issues. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amongst the tragedy of Aotearoa's recent climate disasters is an opportunity to enact lasting legislation to prevent it happening again. Climate policy academic David Hall is tasked with finding the economically and politically sensible ways that we can adapt to the climate crisis. He talks with Bernard Hickey about gnarly politicking and the changes we need to make to avoid environmental disaster. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The effects of climate change are beginning to pool at the feet of New Zealand's coastal home owners. Climate Sigma managing director Belinda Storey says most beachfront properties will either need to be moved or demolished in the next 30 years. She and Bernard discuss the morally hazardous world of climate finance, the future cost of repairing mega-mansions, and how the taxpayer can avoid footing the full bill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How does Aotearoa stop relying so heavily on agriculture to prop up our economy? Online tax and accounting service Hnry just raised $35m to grow its software on-demand service across the globe. Bernard Hickey talks with AirTree partner Jackie Vullinghs about how venture capitalists are funding Aotearoa’s fastest growing, least-polluting and highest-wage export growth sector. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Parts of the nation's capital have turned into a wasteland of red stickers, and 'for lease' signs. WellingtonNZ CEO John Allen has been given the challenge of breathing new life into the city's economy, businesses, and image. He talks to Bernard about housing and hotel shortages, sewerage on the streets, a movie industry on the brink of collapse, and all the other challenges facing Te Whanganui-a-Tara in the coming decade. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices