The economy has been in an uncertain place for quite some time, and 2024 was no different.

Over the last year, we’ve seen some improvement. In October, the annual rate for inflation had fallen from 3.3 percent to 2.2 percent. The official cash rate ended the year on 4 point 25 percent.

Elsewhere, the news hasn’t been so positive. The country’s gross domestic product contracted 0.2 percent in the June quarter, only just missing out on a technical recession.

Job cuts across multiple sectors have seen Jobseeker benefit numbers surge to over 200,000.

And Government books released this week show that it’s unlikely we’ll return to a surplus until 2029 – about a year later than originally anticipated in this year’s Budget.

So what’s going on in our economy? And how soon until we start to see some change?

On this compilation episode of The Front Page, we revisit some of the discussions we've had to do with economy and the business sector throughout 2024, including post-Budget analysis, closures in the retail and hospitality sector, and the big scandal around Du Val Group.

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Chelsea Daniels
Sound Engineer/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While 2024 has been a big year of news in New Zealand, there’s been plenty happening around the world over the last 12 months.

From wars and conflicts to extreme-weather events -- new pandemic threats to cancer coming to Buckingham Palace -- we’ve seen it all over the last 12 months.

Today on The Front Page, we’ll be revisiting the many conversations we’ve had about the biggest stories from around the world in 2024, including the impacts of Donald Trump's re-election on New Zealand, the ongoing impacts of the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, and some of the biggest deaths and crime events from Australia.

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Chelsea Daniels
Sound Engineer/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Law and order is always a hot topic of debate amongst politicians.

The coalition government was elected in part on the back of years of ram raids and violent robberies post-Covid.

The last 12 months has seen delivery on promises to bring back boot camps for young offenders, a crackdown on gangs, and the return of Three Strikes legislation.

Today on The Front Page, we’ll be revisiting the many conversations we’ve had about crime and the justice system in 2024, looking at how effective some of those policies are and what we could be doing better.

Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Chelsea Daniels
Sound Engineer/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Ethan Sills

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.