China is now New Zealand’s second-largest source of foreign investment. However, the investment relationship still lags behind trade and people-to-people links. A report by the New Zealand China Council shows that in 2017, China invested 8.25 billion New Zealand dollars across the country. Executive Director of New Zealand China Council Stephen Jacobi said that contrary […]

Westpac has lifted its 2020/21 farmgate milk price forecast by 50 cents to $7.50/kg – 20c above the upper end of Fonterra’s forecast range. A $7.50/kg milk price would be one of the highest in the co-op’s 20-year history. Westpac has increased its 2021/22 milk price forecast by 25 cents to $7.25/kg. The price increase […]

New Zealand kiwifruit company Zespri has launched a three-year trial program growing kiwi’s and promoting authorized plantations in Sichuan province. The vendor indicated that during the first year of the trial program, the company would gather an expert council consisting of Chinese scientists, scholars, and practitioners. The expert council aims to share experience and knowledge […]

This year, Captain Cook and Marsden Wharves will host the Auckland Lantern Festival. The festival will fun from the 24th to February 28. Auckland Domain previously hosted the lantern festival, however, was cancelled in 2020, due to Covid19. The annual event has become popular with both locals and visitors to the city. The lantern festival […]

The New Zealand crayfish industry is experiencing a boom, mostly thanks to increased demand from China. China accounts for two-thirds of New Zealand’s crayfish exports, employs 2500 people and earns $320 million a year. At the start of 2020, the industry experienced a significant shock when Covid-19 sent China into lockdown. With restaurants closed, the […]

The South Waikato’s growing tourism sector remains strong in spite of Covid-19. In March, prior to the country going into lockdown, the district had the Waikato’s second fastest growing tourism market. And South Waikato District Council economic development manager Paul Bowden said little has changed since. The Te Waihou Walkway/ Blue Spring, which has had […]

South Waikato’s main town Tokoroa will have a brand new $14 million trades training centre by 2022 catering for up to 500 students a year thanks to a Government grant of $10.84 million announced today. The new trades training centre is being co-funded with $1 million grants from each of Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, […]

For more than 30 years Tīrau’s Tapapa Marae sat vacant amongst farmland. Now it’s home to the South Waikato’s first rammed earth wharenui (meeting house). It comes after the Department of Internal Affairs granted $1.34 million for the first of three stages of the marae’s reconstruction earlier this year. A wharenui was built on the […]

Increasing house prices are a barrier to homeownership for many but buying in regional areas is one way to get on the ladder – and the strategy is growing in popularity. That’s because while prices in the big cities might be sky-high, in regional markets they are far more reasonable and that provides buyers with […]

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Environment Minister David Parker have announced three new projects to be fast-tracked past the Resource Management Act. Parker, speaking to media after the weekly post-Cabinet media briefing, says the projects include mixed use development on Dominion Road, a foam factory in Huntly and The Vines subdivision in Richmond, and have […]