October 30th, 2009
The Free Trade Agreement NZ and Malaysia have signed will help deepen ties with the southeast Asian nation which already takes $1bn of exports, making it NZ’s 8th biggest export destination. For New Zealand, the deal helps build momentum towards a broader Southeast Asian accord, which leaders signed up to at a meeting in Bangkok, [...]
October 30th, 2009
These practical tips are adapted from comments by personal branding consultant Alan Weiss.
• Don’t try to restore everything you cut, but do restore your highest priorities.
• Analyse some things you’re doing without to see if you really need them, even in better times.
• Start to treat yourself more. Make this a high priority.
• Learn the [...]
October 30th, 2009
The Energy Management Association (EMANZ) is lamenting the poor showing by NZ companies when it comes to sound energy efficiency and energy management practices. A survey carried out by Synovate on behalf of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) shows while 79% of businesses rate energy management as critical, only 23% are committed to [...]
October 28th, 2009
The Northern Employers and Manufacturers Association says employers are wary about the reintroduction of an open competitive market for ACC workplace accounts. It says the single year when there was a private market for ACC turned into a bun fight between insurers trying to capture business and employers trying get accident insurance within prescribed time [...]
October 23rd, 2009
Despite the country sliding into recession last year, figures for the 2008 year, the latest available, show it wasn’t all bad for NZ businesses. Statistics NZ says -
• Total income for all NZ businesses increased to $560.8bn for the 2008 financial year. Somwhat suprisingly, the 7.1% ($37.2 bn) rise is higher than the 6.4% [...]
October 23rd, 2009
For once something for manufacturers and unions to get excited about together - the Govt says there will no unilateral reduction of any tariffs until 2015 at the earliest. Unions welcome the move saying it will help protect jobs. Council of Trade Unions Secretary Peter Conway says while tariffs provide much less security for local [...]
October 23rd, 2009
The NZIER’s latest survey of the business mood has found firms are not expecting to lay off more staff in the December quarter, after chopping workers for the past 18 months. The survey also found businesses are not likely to boost wages either. Business confidence is now at its highest level for a decade, pointing [...]
October 21st, 2009
The NZ Institute of Chartered Accountants says the Govt’s tax review is ignoring small businesses, so it has come up with its own scheme to reduce compliance costs for SMEs, while increasing productivity through the tax base. In the first instance the Institute wants a special rate for very small businesses - those with no [...]
October 16th, 2009
The NZ Institute of Chartered Accountants says the Govt’s tax review is ignoring small businesses, so it has come up with its own scheme to reduce compliance costs for SMEs, while increasing productivity through the tax base. In the first instance the Institute wants a special rate for very small businesses - those with no [...]
October 16th, 2009
The importance of tourism and its business potential have been outlined in new figures from the Ministry of Tourism. They show international tourism expenditure (excluding airfares) is forecast to grow by an average of 4.7% a year to reach $8.2bn in 2015. This means inbound tourists will boost their spending by $2.3bn a year by [...]
October 16th, 2009
After last week’s optimism from Treasury, pessimism this week from forecasters BERL. The group says in the short term a boom in log sales to China and a recovery in the meat trade points to a better economy. But the medium-term picture is not great because a recovery based on the export sector is not [...]
October 14th, 2009
For once something for manufacturers and unions to get excited about together - the Govt says there will no unilateral reduction of any tariffs until 2015 at the earliest. Unions welcome the move saying it will help protect jobs. Council of Trade Unions Secretary Peter Conway says while tariffs provide much less security for local [...]
October 9th, 2009
Despite the country sliding into recession last year, figures for the 2008 year, the latest available, show it wasn’t all bad for NZ businesses. Statistics NZ says -
• Total income for all NZ businesses increased to $560.8bn for the 2008 financial year. Somwhat suprisingly, the 7.1% ($37.2 bn) rise is higher than the 6.4% rise [...]
October 9th, 2009
Human Resources professionals are warning businesses to be prepared for a possible return to a labour shortage. Trade Me is reporting a “significant” jump in job ads, and recruitment firm Hays says Seek and some newspapers are experiencing the same. Hays NZ MD Jason Walker says “the economy is starting to improve and the rise [...]
October 9th, 2009
After last week’s optimism from Treasury, pessimism this week from forecasters BERL. The group says in the short term a boom in log sales to China and a recovery in the meat trade points to a better economy. But the medium-term picture is not great because a recovery based on the export sector is not [...]
October 6th, 2009
Research by Westpac economists shows over time, the exchange rate has helped rather than harmed commodity producers. The bank’s economists say the Kiwi tends to move in the same direction as world prices for NZ export commodities.
This limits the hurt for commodity exporters’ when world prices fall, though it also limits some of the [...]
October 2nd, 2009
A review of NZ’s venture capital industry has recommended continued Govt involvement in the sector to build on “encouraging but modest” growth in the sector’s activity. The NZ Venture Investment Fund commissioned international consultancy firm LECG to review the sector’s development in NZ. Among the report’s conclusions are:
• Venture capital has the potential to contribute [...]
October 2nd, 2009
Labour’s small business spokesperson, Manukau East MP, Ross Robertson, has called on NZ businesses to set up a small business lobby group to represent their interests. He says “in the USA, the small business lobby group, the National Independent Business Federation, has a powerful voice among senators and Congress. Aust small businesses do too, [...]
October 2nd, 2009
The NZ Business Council for Sustainable Development says the ETS deal National has put together with the Maori Party and which will now go to a Select Committee means emissions are likely to increase and cost taxpayers a lot more than under the current law. At the same time, the prospect of a broadly based [...]
October 1st, 2009
Human Resources professionals are warning businesses to be prepared for a possible return to a labour shortage. Trade Me is reporting a “significant” jump in job ads, and recruitment firm Hays says Seek and some newspapers are experiencing the same. Hays NZ MD Jason Walker says “the economy is starting to improve and the rise [...]
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