Property

• Christchurch Housing Accord announced (16 April 2014)
• Affordable Housing a couple of decades away - Minister (13 April 2014)
• Average prices in Auckland and Northland hit $697,454 (10 April 2014)
• First home buyers shut out as LVRs bite - Twyford (10 April 2014)

KiwiSaver & Saving

Concern increased retirement contributions could result in backdoor education cuts

The education sector union NZEI TE Riu Roa is calling on the government to come clean about how increased employer contributions to Kiwisaver and other retirement schemes will be funded for the education sector.

• Key --- for mandate read mockery (25 May 2011)
• KiwiSaver cuts put further pressure on Health budget (24 May 2011)
• Public mandates one of four major Budget policy proposals (22 May 2011)
• English takes Budget message to investors (20 May 2011)

Home Loans

• ASB offers one month interest free on new lending (25 March 2014)
• HSBC offers two-year fixed home loan rate of 5.79% (18 March 2014)
• Kiwibank increases home loan interest rates (14 March 2014)
• ASB offers special 18-month home loan fixed rate (21 February 2014)

Employment

• Work visa problems need monitoring - Fenton (17 April 2014)
• Workers can kiss goodbye to Easter Sunday off - Fenton (17 April 2014)
• English confirms he has no plan to raise wages - Little (16 April 2014)
• 'Rock star economy' throws hospital staff out the window - PSA (16 April 2014)

Tax

• Draft minimum requirements 'give taxpayers more certainty' (13 November 2013)
• 'English doesn't know' what sales are hit by tax on traders (12 November 2013)
• Changes to tax treatment of employee and accommodation (12 November 2013)
• Labour will simplify small business tax - Cunliffe (8 November 2013)

Prices & Spending

Discretionary spending increases

Figures released today by Paymark, which processes around 75% of all electronic transactions in New Zealand, show that Kiwis spent a total of just over $4.6 billion in December via Paymark's network, pushing the annual growth rate up slightly to 3.4 per cent.

• Electronic card spending up again in October (9 November 2011)
• Oily Rag by numbers (16 September 2011)
• Tomatoes and green vegetables lift food prices (25 August 2011)
• Core retail card spending up (9 August 2011)

Investing

• Akaroa Gallery to reopen once earthquake repairs completed (5 April 2013)
• Motorcyclist killed in Marlborough crash named (3 April 2013)
• Social housing is Chch Council's shame - Brownlee (14 March 2013)
• Sharples praises Taradale initiative to bring history alive (30 October 2012)

Business

• Retail and hospitality sector predicting strong year (24 April 2014)
• Microsoft Imagine Cup NZ winners announced (24 April 2014)
• Germany jumps to NZ's fifth largest market (23 April 2014)
• Fewer international travellers due to later Easter (23 April 2014)