On The Money: covid karma, Taylor Swift on the RMA, and more

Chris Hipkins, Australian high commissioner Annette King and MFAT head Chris Seed get a cleansing lungful in Canberra. (Image: BusinessDesk)

Pattrick Smellie

Sat, 11 Feb 2023

Smoking out bad karma The traditional “smoking ceremony” used to welcome visitors to Australia couldn’t come quickly enough for the newly anointed prime minister, Chris Hipkins, when he hopped across the Ditch last Tuesday to meet his counterpart, Anthony Albanese.The ritual involves burning eucalyptus gum leaves to produce smoke that is said to ward off bad spirits.Whether the tiny but noisy group of protestors outside the New Zealand High Commission would see themselves that way is probably a matter for a heated debate...

Subscribe to BusinessDesk

Stay informed on business, government and financial developments across New Zealand.

Deeply researched, twice-edited and fact-checked news
Annual subscribers also receive a complimentary subscription to The Wall Street Journal
Personalised email news alerts, plus gift up to 5 stories a month to non-subscribers

You can cancel anytime with two clicks, an email or a phone call.
Find out more.

We are serious about journalism.

Name {{ registerForm.errors.get('name') }}

Email address {{ registerForm.errors.get('email') }}

Phone Number {{ registerForm.errors.get('phone') }}

Job Title {{ registerForm.errors.get('title') }}

Password Minimum password length of 8 characters.
Require at least one upper and lowercase, numeric, and special character. {{ registerForm.errors.get('password') }}

Repeat password {{ registerForm.errors.get('password_confirmation') }}

We had trouble validating your card. It's possible your card provider is preventing us from charging the card. Please contact your card provider or customer support.

Credit Card

Cardholder's name

{{ __(plans[index].name) | capitalize }} {{ plans[index].attributes.old_price | currency }} {{ plans[index].price | currency }}

All subscriptions auto renew but are easy to cancel.

I Accept The Terms Of Service

{{ registerForm.errors.get('terms') }}

Tax: {{ taxAmount(selectedPlan) | currency }}

Total Price Including Tax: {{ priceWithTax(selectedPlan) | currency }} {{ selectedPlan.type == 'user' && spark.chargesUsersPerSeat ? '/ '+ spark.seatName : '' }} {{ selectedPlan.type == 'user' && spark.chargesUsersPerTeam ? '/ '+ __('teams.team') : '' }} / {{ __(selectedPlan.interval) | capitalize }}

Economy

NZ dollar benefiting from ‘sell US’ trade, more to come

The kiwi is at a five-month high.

Rebecca Howard 11:55am

Markets

Fed, tariff fears send Dow down over 900 points

Blue-chip index heads for its worst April since 1932.

The Wall Street Journal 10:30am

Fed, tariff fears send Dow down over 900 points

The Quiz Free

QuiznessDesk, Thursday, April 22

What type of animal is a sidewinder?Where in the human body would you find the Island of Reil?Where in Europe is Nicosia the capital of?Which city did the Romans call Eboracum? Originally called 40/50, what did Rolls-Royce's 1907 car later become known as?What was the surnam...

The Quizmaster 9:15am