Property

• Number of new homes consented in June drops from May’s high - Stats NZ (31 July 2018)
• Housing affordability at best-ever levels in Chc, improving in Akl (25 July 2018)
• Kapiti Coast real estate stats remain very strong (24 July 2018)
• House construction powers ahead with highest consent levels in 44 years (30 June 2018)

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

• Kiwibank cuts variable home loan rates (11 August 2016)
• BNZ cuts interest rates (10 December 2015)
• Kiwibank cuts floating interest rates (10 December 2015)
• ASB lowers 3-year fixed home loan rate (6 November 2015)

Employment

• Employment highest ever for women - Stats NZ (1 August 2018)
• Minimum wage pushes up private sector pay rates - Stats NZ (1 August 2018)
• Slight rise in unemployment and underutilisation rates - Stats NZ (1 August 2018)
• IR keen for bargaining to recommence (1 August 2018)

Tax

• Retail NZ asks Nash to stand by GST commitment (16 November 2017)
• Ditch the paper and file GST online - IRD (24 October 2017)
• Auckland builder gets 34 months’ jail for evading more than $500,000 in tax (26 September 2017)
• Tax law change needed to help rebuild and preserve buildings - NZ First (8 February 2017)

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

• Kiwibank switches home loan promotion (7 June 2013)
• 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)

Business

• Auckland CBD sites sells for $31m (3 August 2018)
• World's top architects compete to create new landmark Auckland building (31 July 2018)
• Feds offer thanks and best wishes to John Wilson (27 July 2018)
• NZ red meat sector strongly opposes EU and UK's WTO quota proposal (27 July 2018)