logo
Financial literacy shouldn't be a privilege: Let's level the playing field for Kiwi small businesses

Financial literacy shouldn't be a privilege: Let's level the playing field for Kiwi small businesses

NZ Herald20-06-2025
Small businesses employ more than 630,000 people but struggle with financial literacy, impacting survival rates. Photo / 123rf
From the family-run dairy in Whangārei to the boutique design agency in Queenstown, small businesses knit our communities and our nation together.
Their owners share strengths in grit and entrepreneurial spirit, seeing them play through unwritten scripts like Covid and economic crisis to serve as the collective employers of over
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Warnings of dramatic increase in 'hidden homeless'
Warnings of dramatic increase in 'hidden homeless'

1News

time3 hours ago

  • 1News

Warnings of dramatic increase in 'hidden homeless'

Lifewise chief executive Haehaetu Barrett told Q+A's Maiki Sherman that extensive homelessness is now becoming a new normal, particularly among those who are either living on the streets or sleeping in their cars. "It has unfortunately become the look for Aotearoa, and not just in Tāmaki, Rotorua, Wellington, who hit the spotlight," said Barrett. "Last week we were contacted from the North Shore [of Auckland] Never in ten years has the city Lifewise been contacted from the North Shore that there was visible homelessness. So this tells us that the numbers aren't just central city anymore." She added that various policies aimed at addressing homelessness had not worked, including the use of motels by the Ministry of Social Development, and in some cases had made situations worse by re-traumatising homeless people. ADVERTISEMENT Barrett said Lifewise had warned at the beginning of that policy that housing people in motels for longer than three months would make it very difficult to then transition people out again. "It was too rushed – it was a time of reaction rather than response, and the suffering we see today is actually a result of how that wasn't managed appropriately." She criticised some of the motels and social service providers who participated in the policy, who in Barrett's opinion saw it as a chance to make quick money. "Longstanding providers could see the risk, but the newer providers kind of went for the gold. And unfortunately the whānau today, who are still experiencing the same trauma as when they went into the motels, is what we're all visibly seeing today in the streets." "The moteliers, out of all of that, they made the gold, they made the cash. Of course they were heavily funded by the government." The government recently announced they had hit their target of dramatically reducing the number of people living in motels five years ahead of schedule. Alternative accommodation has been found for a majority of those moved on from motels. But Barrett believes that has contributed to an increase in the number of people rough-sleeping, and in many cases people are no longer engaged with social service providers. ADVERTISEMENT "If you look at the stats we have – our data right now for Tāmaki is more than 700 sleeping rough in the streets. But there are hidden homeless – well hidden. So the data only comes when they come in to access services.' "Most of the numbers that we know are out there don't come in and access, and we only know about them by word of mouth." "So when I hear the targets have been met, you have to ask how and where. Because our numbers in the community context are heightening." Haehaetu Barrett recently announced her resignation as Lifewise chief executive, after 15 years with the organisation in various roles. She will be participating later this week in Lifewise's Big Sleepout, which the organisation has brought back this year to raise awareness of homelessness issues after suspending it at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Q+A with Jack Tame is made with the support of New Zealand On Air

Ruby opens recycled clothing store in Newmarket amid thrifting boom
Ruby opens recycled clothing store in Newmarket amid thrifting boom

NZ Herald

time3 hours ago

  • NZ Herald

Ruby opens recycled clothing store in Newmarket amid thrifting boom

Ruby general manager Emily Miller-Sharma said that its new Ruby Says Recycle forced it to adopt a new business model. Popular New Zealand clothing brand Ruby has entered into the growing and competitive recycled clothing market with a standalone store, a move its general manager hopes will lead to a continued thrifting expansion. During Covid the brand saw a desire within its community for recycled pieces from previous fashion seasons,

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store