Busy schedule for NZ property experts

Hundreds of property experts are gathering in Auckland today for their annual conference.

Property Council members will today tour the new Deloitte Centre at 80 Queen St, Britomart's new East building, the $240.5 million upgrade of Eden Park, the 10.8ha Smales Farm Technology Office Park at Takapuna and Sovereign House at Smales Farm.

Andrew Thorburn, BNZ managing director, will talk tomorrow about global financial institutions and review changes that have been made and whether enough has been done enough to ensure a failure of this type never happens again.

He will also review the banking sector's ability to raise corporate bonds, get money and how the Australian banks are dealing with the credit crunch.

He will respond to Reserve Bank statements about interest rates.

Scott St John, chief executive of First NZ Capital, will talk about the taskforce to develop New Zealand's capital markets, the options for improving the performance of this country's financial system and changes needed.

Craig Tyson, equity investment manager at ING (NZ), will talk about how listed property has performed in New Zealand and why Australian property stocks appear to have fared worse than ours.

He will look at issues facing the listed property companies.

Matt Whineray of the NZ Super Fund, Peter Coman of Morrison & Co Infratil Property, Tony van Ratt of Unitec's architecture department, former Prime Minister Mike Moore, Peter Sheahan from Australia and council chief executive Connal Townsend will also speak tomorrow.

The conference is at SkyCity Convention Centre and finishes on Thursday.