The Public Service Association and the Service and Food Workers Union have won a landmark case against a charitable trust which deliberately discriminated against its union employees.

TAG Oil said today it was pleased that central Government had engaged with local councils and other key stakeholders on the East Coast over oil and gas exploration. Chief Executive Garth Johnson said TAG - has long believed the region could hold significant oil and gas reserves.

Next weekend will be Phil Campbell's last chance at a Grand Final in the ANZ Young Farmer Contest.

Federated Farmers Manawatu-Rangitikei yesterday pressed for a medium scale adverse event to be declared due to drought. A formal declaration is anticipated next week.

Air New Zealand has appointed Calum Laming to the newly created role of General Manager Customer Experience.

Wholesale trade sales rose during the December 2012 quarter, after two quarters of falls, Statistics New Zealand said today. After adjusting for seasonal effects, total sales were up 1.9 percent, returning to $20.9 billion.

Proof that what gets measured gets done. At a ceremony in New York this week, BNZ CEO Andrew Thorburn is among five business leaders from around the world to be honoured by the United Nations for their success in promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women.

The Commerce Commission is advising the finance sector to take note of the lessons to be learned from its investigation into the marketing and sale of the failed investment product Credit SaILS.

The huge interest today in the sale of Mighty River Power shares demonstrates there are plenty of New Zealand investors looking for good opportunities, a University of Canterbury (UC) political scientist said today.

Google Enterprise named Fronde as the 2012 Enterprise Partner of the Year for Australia and New Zealand. The award was presented at the Google Enterprise Global Partner Summit in Mountain View, CA.

The Government is being pressured by environmental groups over the latest Resource Management Act reforms, Straterra says.

Inland Revenue has welcomed today's decision by the Court of Appeal which has further upheld the organisation’s approach to Alesco New Zealand’s use of optional convertible notes (OCN).

The appointment of liquidators to Mainzeal was another blow to the many sub-contractors owed money by the company, according to the Specialist Trade Contractors’ Federation (STCF).

February new vehicle registrations of 7,946 were up 10.6% (761 units) on February 2012 (7,185). Commercial vehicle registrations of 2,148 units were up a noteworthy 38.4% (596 units) on February 2012 and are the highest monthly February sales since 1982.

2degrees today announced it has won a major contract to provide all mobile voice and data services to the University of Waikato. Under the initial contract, 2degrees will provide the university with mobile services to over 450 connections, as part of a long-term partnership.

Third-generation Auckland printing company Soar Print has won the contract to provide Auckland Council’s external printing services for the next three years.

SmartPay (NZX: SPY), a leading provider of payments and transactional solutions in New Zealand and Australia, today announced two changes to its Board. John Nimmo will retire as Director effective 31 March 2013.

News Corporation announced that its News Limited subsidiary will divest its 44% stake in SKY Network Television Limited, New Zealand’s pre-eminent pay television broadcasting service.

New Zealand-based Fonterra and Netherlands-based A-ware Food Group have given the green light to develop a new cheese plant and dairy ingredients plant in Heerenveen in the north of the Netherlands.

Federated Farmers president Bruce Wills is urging all farmers in areas declared official drought zones to talk to their accountants following today’s announcement that Inland Revenue will exercise its income equalisation discretions to help affected famers meet their tax obligations.

More than 1 million people have already viewed Air New Zealand’s latest onboard safety video the Bear Essentials of Safety online.

Air New Zealand Link has been named Domestic Airline of the Year at the second annual Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Awards.

With more and more dairy farm staff entering the industry from urban backgrounds an animal husbandry expert says there has to be more emphasis placed on stockmanship skills, which start with managers and owners having farm policies that put animal welfare first.

Auckland based multidisciplinary design company, Alt Group, has won a German Design Award 2013, described as the international "award of award winners."

Ballance has taken a further step in its growth strategy, moving to full ownership of animal nutrition company Seales Winslow Limited and farm technology company Farmworks Systems Limited. It has held 51% shareholdings in both companies since 2011.

SUBWAY Restaurants has been voted New Zealand’s Quick Service Restaurant of the Year in the Roy Morgan Research Customer Satisfaction Awards for a consecutive year.

New Zealand Wool Services International Limited’s General Manager, Mr John Dawson reports that the 9,400 bales on offer in the South Island this week saw a 91 percent clearance and an overall stronger market.

By Frank and Muriel Newman

Taking a proactive approach to farm business management is critical to ensure success, according to farm owner Tony Buckingham, of ‘Wainui Hills’, in the Southern Southland, who completed Rabobank’s Farm Managers Program.

Statement from NZ King Salmon The EPA Board of Inquiry hearings are finished, the final decisions have been handed down and we have the green light to get on with bringing new prosperity to our region.