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| 2009 |
October |
Better frontline services -
THE public service is working constructively with the Government to
deliver better services to the public in what will remain a tight
fiscal and economic environment for years to come. more...
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Prisoner numbers reach a new high - THE number of prisoners in New Zealand is at its highest level ever. more...
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Small businesses still vital -
A NEW report which reconfirms the strong contribution made to the New
Zealand economy by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has been
released. more...
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Bureaucracy growth halted - THE growth in core government administration in New Zealand has been halted. more...
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Big rise in home injuries - THE
cost of looking after people injured in their own home rose to AU$640
million in the year ending June 30 - an increase of 36 per cent in just
two years. more...
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Residential market remains steady -
ACCORDING to the latest statistics released by the Real Estate
Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) the residential real estate marekt
continues the steady pattern seen over the last few months. more...
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Group to assist with digital transition -A JOINT Governement and industry Steering Group to assist with the transition to digital switchover has been established. more...
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No economy regulations -
THE New Zealand Government will not progress the development of a
regulated vehicle fuel economy standard. Transport Minister Steven
Joyce says the potential benefits of the scheme would have been
outweighed by the cost to motorists. more...
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NZ one of top five destinations -
FOR the sixth year in a row, New Zealand has been ranked in the world's
top five best destinations by readers of prestigious Conde Nast
Traveller magazine. The awards were announced last month in the UK. more...
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5-year low for account deficit - NEW Zealand's current account deficit has hit a five-year low. more...
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September |
NZ Gov't vows to remove red tape - GROWTH, international competitveness and living standards are being hampered by red tape. more...
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Helping hand for first time buyers - FIRST time buyers will be able to borrow more, under a new scheme announced by the Government. more...
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Government simplifies overseas investment -
THE New Zealand Government has simplified overseas investment rules to
make it easier for local firms to access scarce global funds. more...
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Jobless rate rise a concern - THERE'S been a larger than expected increase in the number of people look for work. more...
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More choice for students - A
NEW scholarship initiative has been announced that will allow students
from low-income families to attend independent secondary schools that
they and their families would previously not have been able to
afford. more...
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Power prices under review -
THE Ministerial Electricity Market Review released last month is an
opportunity for the New Zealand Government to address consumer concerns
about rising power bills and security of supply. more...
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Doctor training needs action -
NEW Zealand's junior doctor workforce is characterised by long standing
dissatisfaction, industrial conflict and many poor training experiences
according to the Resident Medical Officer (RMO) Commission Report
released by Health Minister, Tony Ryall. more...
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Property values rise again -
PROPERTY values have increased for the third month in a row according
to the Quotable Value (QV) national residential indices for July.
Values are now 5 per cent below the same time last year, an improvement
on the -7.1 per cent reported last month. more...
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Cycleway offers off-road appeal -
ENVIRONMENTALLY-aware tourists interested in off-the-beaten track
travel are monitoring progress on New Zealand's national cycleway, an
ambitious project that's due to begin development in November. more...
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Investor categories streamlined to two -
IN A bid to make New Zealand more attractive to business and
entrepreneurial migrants and thereby boost the economy, the Government
has launched a new business migration scheme. more...
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August |
New bill aims to align taxes -
THE alignment of certain investment tax rates with income tax rates is
the central feature of an omnibus taxation Bill table in Parliament. more...
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Consumers accept need for advertising -
DESPITE the odd grumble about advertisements interrupting our favourite
programmes and filling up letterboxes, New Zealanders like
advertisements and think they benefit the economy, according to a
global survey by the Nielsen Company. more...
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Residential market stays steady -
THE seasonal downturn expected in the residential real estate market
during the middle winter months has not been as marked as expected,
with median prices and days to sell properties during June on par
with May figures according to statistics released by the Real Estate
Institute of New Zealand (REINZ). more...
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NZ and UK agree to closer links
- STRONGER scientific links between NEw Zealand and Britain will result
from the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) signing an agreement
with its British counterpart. more...
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League tables only a sideline - "THE
debate on so-called league tables is a sideshow to the real issue of
meeting parents' desire to bring in National Standards that will help
lift student achievement," Education Minister, Anne Tolley, has
said. more...
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Less employer redundancy calls -
A FURTHER sign New Zealand may be through the worst of the recession,
barring another shock from offshore, is employers have been making far
fewer calls seeking advice and assistance on redundancies over the past
month or so, says David Lowe, Employment Services Manager for the
Northern Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA). more...
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Cardiac services reform -
NEW Zealand's leading heart surgeons have formed the National Cardiac
Clinical Network to lead much needed reform of the country's cardiac
surgical services. more...
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Early signs of global recovery -
HOUSEHOLD savings, investment in the tradable sector, and deeper
funding markets are the key to New Zealand's economic recovery, Reserve
Bank Governor Alan Bollard has told a Hawke's Bay business audience. more...
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30 minutes to contrasting worlds -
AUCKLAND'S dramatic coastal scenery is only the beginning of the
constasting landscapes found within a short distance of the city's
downtown business centre. more...
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Tunnel project to create jobs -
THERE is good news on the jobs front with the announcement of the
successful tenderer for the Auckland Victoria Park Tunnel project, one
of several roads of national significance. more...
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July |
Skills removed from shortgage list - FORTY four occupations have been removed from the Immediate Skills Shortage List (ISSL) following the list's biannual rewview. more...
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Additional financial dispute resolution - DISCUSSION papers on consumer complaints about financial services providers have been released. more...
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End of downturn does not assure recover -
HOUSEHOLDS, businesses, banks and policy-makers should be thinking how
they can influence recovery and ensure it's sustainable, Reserve Bank
Governor, Alan Bollard has said. more...
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Help your children to settle - STARTING school for the first time or beginning a new school is a big step in your child's life and for your family. more...
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DHBs to receive an extra NZ$2.1bn - DISTRICT Health Boards (DHBs) will receive an extra NZ$2.1 billion over four years in Budget 2009.
more...
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Values continue to stabilise -
THE Quotable Value (QV) national residential property indices for May
showed a 8.1 per cent decline in property values over the last year
(calculated using the QV index over the last year (calculated using the
QV index over the three months ending May 2009 in comparison to the
same period last year), an improvement on the 9.2 per cent decline
reported last month. more...
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Make the most of your skills -
THERE are plenty of opportunities for skilled workers in New Zealand.
However there are differences between the job markets in the UK and New
Zealand and not all qualifications from the UK are recognised so it
pays to do your research before arriving. more...
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NZ popular for luxury travel -
LIKE all the best kept secrets word eventually gets out, so it's no
surprise - with luxury travel now one of the country's fastest growing
tourism sectors - that the world is waking up to New Zealand's luxury
travel possibilities. more...
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Tackling swine flu reaches new stage - NEW Zealand health officials have moved H1N1 swin flu from a containment approach to one of managing the epidemic. more...
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June |
Qualifications boost for skilled migrants -
CHANGES to what qualifications are needed to emigrate to New Zealand
under the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC), and what evidence is needed
of those qualifications, took effect last month. more...
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Tax boost for oil and gas industry - NEW Zealand's offshore oil and gas exploration industry is to have its tax exemption extended for five years. more...
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New Tax Working Group to assist Government -
A NEW Tax Working Group, which will assist the government in
considering the key tax policy challenges facing New Zealand, has been
established. more...
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Electronic spending up in April
- THE seasonally adjusted value of electronic spending increased in
April 2009, with the total, retail, and core retail series all up from
March 2009, Statistics New Zealand said. more...
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Survey reveals slump in job confidence - NEW
Zealanders' job confidence has slumped in the past six months, with 71
per cent of consumers saying local job prospects in the next 12 months
looked not so good or bad compared to (38 per cent) six months ago,
according to Nielsen's latest Consumer Confidence and Sentiment survey.
more...
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New incentive to pay student loans early -
CHANGES to the Student Loan Scheme tabled in parliament are good news
for people who want to pay off their student loans sooner. more...
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Superbugs need to be addressed -
PLANS to give employees the choice to cash in the fourth week of their
annual holidays will eb included in the review of the Holiday's Act
this year. more...
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Confidence rises in real estate -
AN INCREASE in the mileage allowance that patients can claim under the
National Travel Assistance (NTA) policy - the first increase in 20
years - has been announced. more...
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Help for some applicants -
PROSPECTIVE migrants who may have been caught out by unlicensed New
Zealand based agents, are being supported by Immigration New Zealand. more...
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May |
Motivation in short supply -
ALMOST half the businesses that featured in a survey, reported that
skilled vacancies were hard to fill, Statistics New Zealand said last
month. more...
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Visitor numbers down but migration is up -
SHORT-term arrivals by overseas visitors and short-term departures by
New Zealand residents were both lower in March 2009 compared with the
previous March. more...
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900,000 New Zealanders get extra payments -
ALMOST a million superannuiants, veterans, beneficiaries and students
will get increased payments of at least 3.38 per cent under the Annual
General Adjustment. more...
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KiwiSaver hits magic million - More than one million New Zealanders are now saving for their retirement through KiwiSaver, just 21 months after it started. more...
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House values still dropping - QUOTABLE
Value's (QV) March statistics for the residential property market
report a 9.3 per cent decline in national property values over the past
year (calculated using the QV index over the three months ending March
2009 in comparison to the same period last year), down further from the
8.9 per cent decline reported last month. more...
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Be prepared for secondary school - GOING to secondary school can mean a new school, new routines, new teachers and new systems for you and your teenager. more...
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Holiday trade the employee's choice -
PLANS to give employees the choice to cash in the fourth week of their
annual holidays will eb included in the review of the Holiday's Act
this year. more...
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Increase in patient travel allowance -
AN INCREASE in the mileage allowance that patients can claim under the
National Travel Assistance (NTA) policy - the first increase in 20
years - has been announced. more...
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Construction jobs lifeline -
MORE than 900 people at a recent count were employed in state house
building and renovation under the government's Housing New Zealand
programmes. more...
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April |
Stiff fines follow recycling tragedy -
THE serious injuries suffered by a worker at a New Plymouth recycling
plant, highlight the importance of having appropriate guarding for
machinery and following sound safety procedures at all times. more...
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Bid to protect jobs -
PRIVATE sector businesses with more than 100 full-time staff, are to
receive Governmentaid to encourage them to retain workers. more...
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Nature harnessed for power - NEW Zealand's swift-flowing rivers dissect steep, broken country making them ideal for generating cheap hydro power. more...
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Survery to look into oral health
- ABOUT 2000 adults and 1000 children are expected to take part in the
2009 New Zealand Oral Health Survey that is being conducted between now
and November 2009. more...
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Minimum rights apply to all employees - THERE are two types of employment rights that apply to all employees. more...
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Rural market shows signs of stabilising -
FIGURES released by the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ)
for February indicate the rural real estate market is settling back to
its pre-2008 peak that was precipitated by the unprecedented Fonterra
payout of that year. more...
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School is compulsory for all -
ALL children in New Zealand must go to school from the age of six to 16
but most children start school when they turn five years old. more...
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Foreign investment screening review -
IN A bid to make foreign investment in New Zealand simpler and more
attractive, the government is reviewing overseas investment rules. more...
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Employers warned of obligations -
THE death of a construction worker, who was struck by a falling
concrete panel, has prompted a warning to be given to employers of
their obligations. more...
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March |
More support for victims -
A BILL aimed at helping to address the financial and emotional costs
that fall on victims of crime, passed its first reading in parliament
last month and was sent to select committee. more...
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Make the most of new life -
SETTLING in a new country is an exciting and stimulating experience. It
can also be complicated, confusing, and lonely at first. more...
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Monthly sales hit 17-year low -
THE Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) has recorded the
lowest number of monthly sales since 1992, January sales figures
released by REINZ reveal. more...
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Easy to open bank account - OPENING a bank account in New Zealand is easy - you do not need to be a resident of New Zealand, or to provide references. more...
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HPV immunisation starts in schools around NZ - THE new HPV immunisation programme has begun in participating schools in New Zealand. more...
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Fuel and vehicles pull down prices -
THE seasonally adjusted value of total retail sales fell 1.1 per cent
per cent (NZ$179 million) in the December 2008 quarter, the latest
figures from Statistics New Zealand reveal. more...
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Good working conditions for all - NEW Zealand provides good working environments for both government and private sectors. more...
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New Bill will give NZ businesses welcome boost -
GREATER certainty for business wanting to raise capital in today's
troubled markets, is in prospect if the Securities Disclosure and
Financial Advisers Amendment Bill becomes law. more...
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Landmark guide on workplace violence - A GUIDE which should reassure health sector migrants to New Zealand, about the safety of their jobs, has been published.
more...
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February |
Oil reserves secured to reach 2009 target -
NEW Zealand has secured oil reserves for 2009 that will ensure New
Zealand continues to meets its international Energy Agency (IEA)
obligation to hold 90 days of the previous year's net imports. more...
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Drivers warned not to be complacent - THERE were less road deaths last year in New Zealand than at any time for almost 50 years. more...
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In-work tax credit welcomed - THE decision in the Crown's favour in the Child Poverty Action Group's case against the in-work tax credit has been welcomed. more...
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Watch out for deadly fatigue - FATIGUE can be a killer at work, particularly in the summer months and in the agricultural sector. more...
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Digital divide - truth revealed - THE so-called digital divide between emerging and developed economies worldwide may not be that wide after all. more...
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Big challenges ahead for NZ health system -
NEW Zealand's Health Minister, Tony Ryall, said his briefing from the
Ministry of Health has confirmed the health system faces major
challenges: increasing demand for health services with worsening
finances and a workforce crisis. more...
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New Bill aims to raise standards in schools - MEASURES introduced into Parliament are set to raise standards of achievement and attendance in New Zealand schools. more...
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Property values down 7.4% -
2008 has been a pivotal year for the New Zealand property market with a
sustained drop in property values for the first time since 1998.
Quotable Value's (QV) December Residential Price Movement report shows
property values fell by 7.4 per cent during the year. more...
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Extra police as crime line opens -
PLANS to inject more police into Counties-Manukau district have got
underway. The move came following the government's promise tp commit
300 new officers to frontline roles in the district by the end of 2010.
more...
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January |
Occupational health needs more research - MORE research is needed to gain a better understanding of the neglected field of occupational health, specialists say. more...
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Bidding now open for gas permits -
BIDDING opened last month for the new petroleum exploration permits
across two large offshore areas, the Raukumara (East Cape) and
Northland basins. more...
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Changes make KiwiSaver more affordable for all -
KIWISAVER changes introduced to parliment will make the scheme more
affordable for members, employers and taxpayers, especially in the
current economic climate Finance Minister Bill English said. more...
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Reins pulled in on spending
- AS THE global credit crunch sets in, New Zealand consumers are making
significant changes to their spending habits according to a recent
Consumer Confidence survey released by The Nielsen Company which polled
26,202 consumers in 52 countries in the midst of the global financial
crisis in October. more...
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ACC payments are set to increase - OFFICIALS
are recommending an increase in earners levies of NZ$1.337 billion over
the next three years to cover significant increased costs of the
Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) Earners' Account that funds
non-work accidents involving employees. more...
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Latest figures show buyers remain cautious -
PRICES are stable in an unsurprisingly slow residential real estate
market, November sales figures released by the Real Estate Insititute
of New Zealand (REINZ) show. more...
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Increase in number of GP training places -
THE New Zealand Government has approved an increase in the number of GP
training places. There will be 25 additional GP trainee places in 2009,
with a further 25 places funded by 2010. more...
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Extra rungs on experience ladder -
NEW Zealand's National Party have laid out their plans to change the
country's education system to ensure every child reaches their maximum
potential. more...
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Skilled migrants to be welcomed -
STEMMING the exodus of Kiwis, attracting those living abroad back to
New Zealand, and encouraging skilled migrants from the UK and
elsewhere, are key priorities of the New Zealand Government. more...
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