There are currently some working groups, both here and in Australia, who are looking to ensure that advice relating to financial products and services is fair and transparent, no matter who provides it.

One of these investigations has been into the practices of banks in Australia (and NZ, by virtue of the fact our biggest banks are Australian owned), and its findings were released a couple of weeks ago. One of the recommendations related to Mortgage Brokers and their commission structure, potentially looking to take away the ability to offer services at no-cost to the borrower when lending from a trading bank is arranged. The problem with this – if implemented fully – could be that it would cost to get your lending through a Broker but not directly with a bank. This would result in a reduction in the choice that a borrower had in terms of advice they had access to (at no cost).

Since these recommendations were released in Australia there has be a ground swell of support for Brokers from everyone from advocacy groups to the Prime Minister. The fact is that Brokers do not work for the banks, but they do provide a great deal of business to the banks. More importantly for the consumer they provide a specialist service to help achieve financial goals and - being regulated and controlled - an invaluable source of choice, advice and support.

Many years ago, I worked for a number of banks, both local and international. What was common to every one of those banks was that they had their own, specific, credit policies. When I wanted to build a home, I went to a Broker because he had an overview of all funding options, not just the bank I worked for at the time. It turned out none of the trading banks could finance my deal and he found me funding through another source. That one deal started me on the road to financial success and without him that would not have happened.

That Broker changed the way I looked at lending and he went on to become my friend and my Business Partner.

The point is that everyone deserves as many options as possible. As a Mortgage Broker, I expect no favouritism from any working group nor advantages over any lender. What I do expect is that borrowers should continue to have the choice, in a regulated environment, and be able to use a Broker to go to a bank without being disadvantaged. Giving borrowers the right to choose, and as many options as possible, should be paramount.

The relatively small and isolated New Zealand economy is largely dependent on the rest of the world. Global trade conditions have become increasingly uncertain over recent months, with tariffs between the United States and China and Britain's divorce from the EU both having a negative impact on global sentiment. While favourable production conditions and strong commodity prices are great news for New Zealand farmers, the local economy continues to face a number of challenges.

First home buyers are on the rise across New Zealand, with new buyers enjoying a record share of mortgage money despite a recent drop in overall housing finance. According to figures from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ), national mortgage values were worth $5.371 billion in December 2018, which is $300 million more than a year ago and $850 million down from November. First home buyers made up 17.2 percent of the overall market with $924 million borrowed over the month, which is the highest level recorded since RBNZ started publishing data back in August 2014.

When it comes to the design and implementation of renewable energy solutions, not all countries are created equal. From solar and wind power through to hydro and geothermal energy solutions, some nations are doing much more than others in the movement towards a low-carbon future. According to the Climate Council, Sweden is aiming to be the world's first 100 percent renewable country when it comes to electricity generation, with other ambitious green nations including Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Scotland, Germany, and Uruguay.

For better and worse, humans have undoubtedly taken over planet Earth. Our use of tools and knack for self-awareness has given us an edge over the rest of the animal kingdom, to the point where many other species are under threat as the result of our existence. While our ability to learn, be creative, and solve problems is impressive and unsurpassed, a number of other species also show remarkable signs of intelligence. Let's take a look at the world's smartest animals and see how their intelligence differs from ours.

This is the first part of a two part discussion. What we eat has a huge effect on the world around us, with our diet closely linked with global farming practices and the health of environmental systems. With agriculture responsible for up to 30 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, and most of these emissions coming from red meat production, simple changes to our diet could have a huge impact on the world around us. According to a new report published in The Lancet, eating less meat is critical if we want better personal health and improved environmental outcomes. Let's analyse the rather persuasive environmental argument, and leave the health argument to part two of this article.