The Hastings i-SITE (official visitor information centre) is now open for business in newly renovated premises. The facility has moved to the redeveloped Municipal Building in the Toitoi – Hawke’s Bay Arts and Events Centre. The redevelopment of the historical Municipal Building was the final stage in a $40m seven-year project that also included the […]

A project that aims to eradicate all major pests from Rakiura/Stewart Island will be the largest island-based predator eradication attempt in the world. The aim is to eliminate all possums, rats, feral cats and hedgehogs from the Island. The project is a partnership between Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research and Predator Free Rakiura. The two […]

A local pharmaceutical company, AFT Pharmaceuticals, has begun selling products into the Chinese market. The company will sell over-the-counter (OTC) drugs on the e-commerce platform Tmall Global. It is the first New Zealand company to be approved under China’s cross-border e-commerce pilot scheme. AFT is currently selling vitamin supplements, digestive products, eye drops and hay […]

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will lead a trade mission to Australia this week as part of the government’s strategy to boost export growth and the return of tourists after Covid-19. She will be joined by 32 New Zealand business leaders in an itinerary that includes stops in Sydney and Melbourne. Ardern will address the Australia-New […]

New Zealand is sending a medical team and medical supplies to Niue to help combat new cases of Covid-19, following the opening of its border to quarantine-free travel last week. The first quarantine-free passenger flight arrived in Niue on June 27 and positive Covid-19 cases were detected the following day by routine day-one testing of […]

Hundreds of people have signed up for a programme that aims to help Māori families into home ownership. The course, run through Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, the tribal council of the South Island ‘Ngāi Tahu’ iwi (people), offers financial literacy, education on home loans and tailored advice. Māori home ownership is disproportionally low, and […]

The government has approved new legislation that prevents supermarkets from blocking competitors from accessing land to set up new stores. The law will ban the use of restrictive covenants on land and exclusive covenants on leases, tools that have previously been used by major supermarkets to hinder competition by limiting land use and availability. This […]

New Zealand’s largest timber office building is due to be constructed in Tauranga. The plan aims for a net-zero carbon footprint during construction. The 10,000 sqm building will use timber in place of traditional concrete and steel, with a view to reducing carbon emissions. It will also feature a rainwater harvesting system and electric vehicle […]

New Zealand has secured a free trade agreement with the European Union. The deal is estimated to be worth $1.8 billion annually when it is fully implemented. Once actioned, the agreement will remove 91% of the duties on New Zealand products and will save exporters an estimated $100 million in tariffs. The deal has been […]

KiwiRail has secured a $350 million loan facility to fund the purchase of two new inter-island ferries. The loan is the first in the world to be certified by the Climate Bond Initiative. The Climate Bond Initiative is a global scheme that uses rigorous scientific criteria to determine whether loans and other debts are consistent […]