entry
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2006
(posted 21/12/2006)
NZ falls behind living standard target
The government's goal to lift the country's living standard to the top half of the OECD group disappeared further into the distance in 2006.
(posted 19/12/2006)
Minimum wage goes up 9.8pc
The Government announces a 9.8 per cent boost to the minimum wage
(posted 15/12/2006)
Economists tip rate rise
Higher interest rates are on the cards if New Zealand's economy is growing faster than expected or if forecast government spending is expanding too fast.
(posted 14/12/2006)
Tax break to keep business in NZ
Tied closely to the Government's business tax reform, the move would exempt foreign subsidiaries of Kiwi companies from domestic tax.
(posted 01/12/2006)
Avoid tax cuts or govt spending.
OECD prescribes further fiscal stimulus risks economy's recovery
(posted 29/11/2006)
Confidence hits two year high
Confidence continues to improve, and has hit a two-year high of 14% according to the latest National Bank business outlook.
(posted 28/11/2006)
Pulse of the economy: Beware of the false dawn
Some key indicators in the past month suggest the economy is over the worst for this downturn - but beware the false dawn.
(posted 17/11/2206)
Fledgling business gets more government aid
The Government is to increase its contribution to early-stage investments in young businesses in a bid to attract more private sector financing.
(posted 17/11/2006)
Growth rises across country
There is plenty to crow about with economic activity rising almost 1 per cent and Southland 2.3 per cent in the past three months.
(posted 09/11/2006)
Surplus grows but Cullen shy on tax
The Government is continuing to rake in the cash from an economy that just will not quit.
posted 08/11/2006)
NZ judged least corrupt
A new survey by Transparency International says New Zealand is the least corrupt country in the world.
(posted 08/11/2006)
Blueprint for growth
Economic Development released papers outlining the Government's economic transformation agenda.
(posted 07/11/2006)
Wages up as jobs boom, prices tumble
Merry Christmas - wages are up, petrol is down, there are plenty of jobs and the high dollar is making imports cheaper.
(posted 06/11/2006)
Cullen airs doubts on business tax cuts
The Government is talking down the advantages of a cut to the corporate tax rate, saying other tax breaks for business are better for the economy.
(posted 27/10/2006)
The risk of another interest rate rise this cycle may have passed:
The money markets and most economists believe the risk of another interest rate rise this cycle has passed after Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard left the official cash rate unchanged at 7.25 per cent yesterday.
(posted 17/10/2006)
Economist sounds growth rate alarm
The economy's sustainable growth rate may be weaker than policymakers have assumed, with implications for interest rates, debt levels and, potentially, New Zealand's credit rating.
(posted 17/10/2006)
Port deal will be three-way split
Ports of Auckland would probably end up owning just a third of the super-port to be created if it goes ahead with the planned merger with Port of Tauranga,
(posted 17/10/2006)
Freight carriers react to port merger plan
A merger between New Zealand's two biggest ports could be bad news for rail operator Toll.
New Zealand should eventually move to just one container port.
(Posted 10/10/2006)
Home-loan battle here to stay:
Competition between banks on home-loan interest rates will be an ongoing feature of a market reshaped by the rise in popularity of fixed-term loans.
(posted 05/10/2006
KiwiSaver – 11th Hour Changes
One important change involves giving employers the option to contribute.
(posted 01/09/2006)
NZ Consumer confidence unbowed
Despite growing concerns about the state of the local economy, New Zealand consumers have retained a top placing in global consumer confidence rankings.
(posted 25/08/2006)
Tax changes to KiwiSaver alarming say accountants
Finance Minister Michael Cullen is being accused of-
(posted 25/08/2006)
Oil prices drive down trade figures
Car imports are collapsing, but higher oil prices and the purchase of a big new aircraft pushed the July trade balance to a much worse than expected $745 million shortfall.
(posted 01/08/2006)
Petroleum rush in deep south Great South Basin bidding opens
Bidding for oil and gas exploration permits in the Great South Basin off the Otago/Southland coast has opened.
(Posted 25/07/2006)
Tax cut plan 'not enough'
Business groups and tax specialists say Finance Minister Michael Cullen is not going far enough with a proposal to cut the company tax rate to 30 cents in the dollar.
(Posted 25/07/2006)
'Is that it?' Govt is asked on tax review
Revenue Minister Peter Dunne says it is the "most significant review of business taxation since 1988" but businesses are wondering "is that it?".
(posted 25/07/2006)
Government puts tax-cuts back in spotlight
The Government has raised expectations of a corporate tax cut and is set to come under renewed pressure to deliver personal tax cuts as a result
(posted 18/07/2006)
Soaring NZ inflation a worrying sign.
New Zealand's consumer price index jumped a whopping 1.5 per cent in the June quarter - the biggest rise in 16 years - lifting the annual rate to 4 per cent.
(posted 17/7/2006)
Cullen kills hopes of large tax cut
Finance Minister Michael Cullen has again warned of the "folly" of sizeable tax cuts, just days ahead of the release of the eagerly awaited review of business tax.
(posted 17/07/2006)
Inflation knocks rate-cut prospects
The annual inflation rate probably accelerated to the highest in more than five years in the second quarter
(posted 03/07/2006)
Cycle slows but growth still respectable
Business confidence remains negative but firms are more upbeat about their own prospects.
(Posted 03/07/2006)
Volume of freight set to double
Freight volumes are expected to double over the next 15 years, with road transport tipped to pick up the lion's share of the increase.
(posted 20/06/2006)
Deficit forecast to hit $14 billion
New Zealand's current account deficit may have widened to a record in the year to March 31 as surging oil prices drove up the value of imports and export growth slowed.
(posted 16/06/2006)
Eyeball to eyeball over rail upgrade
Rail operator Toll New Zealand and government rail agency Ontrack are entering arbitration to decide how much money Toll should contribute toward upgrading the rail network.
(posted 13/06/2006)
NZ purchasing power climbs
New Zealand's purchasing power with the rest of the world has risen in the first three months of the year because of higher commodity prices and a lower New Zealand dollar.
(posted 09/06/2006)
Bollard warns of inflation till mid-2007
The Reserve Bank expects inflation to be stronger for longer, fuelled by rising oil prices and a sinking dollar.
(posted 07/06/2006)
Tax depreciation rates amended
The Inland Revenue has published new tax depreciation rates
(posted 31/05/2006)
World Bank: NZ easiest for business.
The World Bank says that New Zealand is still a top performing economy, by rating it the easiest country out of 155 to do business in, Australia ranked sixth.
(posted 29/05/2006)
Worst could be over for trade deficit.
Higher-than-expected exports and lower-than-expected imports in April are raising hopes that the worst may be over for the trade deficit.
(poasted 25/05/2006)
ANZ predicts dollar will fall to US53c
Further relief is on the way for exporters, with the ANZ predicting the exchange rate will fall to 53 US cents and 75 Australian cents in the next year.
(posted 23/05/2006)
N.Z. Will Review Competition Law, Allowing Bigger Mergers
New Zealand is reviewing its antitrust law to ensure local companies aren't restricted from mergers and takeovers that would give them scale to compete with global rivals.
(posted 22/05/2006)
N.Z. Dollar's Drop Reflects Economic Fundamentals
The currency is the world's worst-performing currency this year.
(posted 19/05/2006)
Budget 2006: Pledge To Clear Away Red-tape hurdles
The Government will conduct a review of business regulation, focusing on the views of business owners.
(posted 18/05/2006)
Growth slows as economy hits brakes
Economic growth is running at its slowest in five years, the National Bank says.
(posted 17/05/2006)
Oil giant in fight for Great South Basin
ExxonMobil, the world's biggest oil company, is trying to get its hands on exploration rights.
(posted 09/05/2006)
First Quarter stats show wage rise of 0.7%
(posted 02/05/2006)
No interest rate cuts this year – Bollard
The continuing world oil price "shock" will mean rising prices, according to Reserve Bank governor Alan Bollard, but some economists still expect interest rate cuts as early as September.
(posted 02/05/2006)
59 million trade surplus for March
The monthly trade balance for March 2006 is a surplus of $59 million (1.9 percent of exports), the first surplus since May 2004.
(posted 02/05/2006)
Union's punt for 7pc wage claim
New Zealand's biggest union's bid for a 7 per cent pay rise for its most influential collective agreement has been dismissed as "crazy" by the manufacturing sector.
(posted 01/05/2006)
Unions threaten industrial action:
If the probationary employment bill is not withdrawn in 90 days
(posted 27/04/2006)
Low dollar tipped to lure more Japanese
The falling number of Japanese tourists may be reversed later in the year, tourism industry figures say.
(posted 26/04/2006)
Business confidence has rebounded sharply
The National Bank's latest survey shows a sharp rebound with the lower dollar providing the most likely trampoline.
(posted 20/04/2006)
N.Z.'s Annual Inflation Rate Accelerates to 3.4%
New Zealand's annual inflation rate accelerated in the first quarter as fuel prices and the cost of house construction rose, dimming prospects the central bank will cut interest rates this year.
(posted 19/04/2006)
The Government moves to counter extreme use of salary sacrifice.
The government is to introduce legislation to minimise the use of excessive 'salary sacrifice'as a means of paying less tax,
(posted 13/04/2006)
Lower dollar gets manufacturing moving
The manufacturing sector has shifted out of reverse gear, the Business New Zealand performance of manufacturing index shows.
(posted 12/04/2006)
Tax overhaul started.
The tax overhaul has started off with the tax treatment of investment,
(posted 05/04/2006)
Flatter Tax Structure
Chamber of Commerce New Zealand, Business Round Table and Federated Farmers have joined forces in presenting to the Government a workable Tax strategy.
(posted 03/04/2006)
1 April marks new era for student loans
As from 1 April no further interest will be charged on student loans
(posted 24/03/2006)
Parliament passes a major tax bill
bringing tax cuts and implications to NZ business
(posted 14/03/2006)
Rising fuel costs drag down terms of trade index
Rising fuel costs caused New Zealand's purchasing power to fall more sharply than expected in the December quarter.
(posted 08/03/2006)
Telecom release statement on Broadband
There has been much discussion recently about Telecom’s broadband offerings just what will it be Telecom have released this statement to the Chamber more...
(posted 07/03/2006)
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