Latest from Economy

Economic growth expected to hit high
Economic growth is expected to average a historically high annual rate of 2.8 per cent over the next five years.

Growth in services slows down
The services sector slowed in November while remaining in expansion, adding to evidence the economy is adjusting to a more moderate pace of growth.

KiwiSaver: Tax number key to getting Oz super here
I've read a few articles about bringing Australian super across to KiwiSaver. I worked in Sydney for a year back in 2000.

Brian Fallow: Lima's main gain - We're all in it together
At least the global climate change conference at Lima was not a train wreck, like Copenhagen five years ago.

$3m bill for 100 meatworks job cuts
Silver Fern Farms faces a bill of up to $3 million after it was ruled it made more than 100 Dunedin seasonal meat workers redundant.

Henri Eliot: Joan Withers on being a professional director
Mighty River Power chairwoman Joan Withers talks to Henri Eliot on corporate governance.

Be alert for signs of burnout
As the end of the year approaches, deadlines get closer and the pressure starts to mount. It's easy to find ourselves working long coffee-fuelled hours and feeling near the end of our tether.

Starting at grass roots level paid off
Steve Saunders' initial exposure to the horticultural innovation that has been a hallmark of his career came in the 1990s.

Top public servants get pay packet rises
Embattled public service supremo Iain Rennie enjoyed a $50,000 salary bump last year, but it was eclipsed by several other public sector bosses.

Cheaper spring time veggies push food prices down
New Zealand food prices fell in November led by cheaper spring time vegetables and cheese prices.

Politicians squabble over inequality
John Key drew criticism over an OECD report which estimated that growth in income inequality over 20 years has knocked 10 percentage points off NZ's economic growth.

Manager fired for excessive net use
An account manager fired for her excessive internet use and who used work time to run her two small businesses has been awarded $5000 by the ERA.

Govt deficit bigger than expected
The New Zealand government's operating deficit was wider than expected in pre-election forecasts as income tax lagged.

Holidays essential to recharge yourself
Holidays. They should be a time to recharge, relax and enjoy a change of pace. But the hardest part can be the unwinding, breaking the routine ... and turning the mobile phone off.

Fuel drop skews card figures
Lower petrol prices contributed to a 0.1 per cent fall in the amount consumers charged to electronic cards last month.

Bank should keep OCR on hold
NZIER's monetary policy shadow board believes the Reserve Bank should keep its official cash rate on hold at 3.5 per cent tomorrow, as the financial markets are confident it will.

KiwiSaver: Holiday easily set up
One of the features of KiwiSaver is you can take a holiday from contributions.

Debbie Mayo-Smith: Is Xero the new Apple?
How many accountants will soon be out of a job because they are not tech-oriented, or open to redesigning their business?

Experts push out date of OCR increase
Interest rates lower for longer is expected to be the guidance from the Reserve Bank's quarterly monetary policy statement on Thursday.

Battle to close the pay gap
Low-paid women throughout New Zealand are lining up for what may be the biggest push in almost 40 years to close the pay gap with men - this time through the courts.

Career Coach: Celebrating small wins with the team
Don't minimise the importance of celebrating small wins with the entire team at work. It is more important than you think.

Brian Fallow: Will work keep working
The new leader of the party whose brand is to represent the interests of working people recognises that it needs to update its understanding of who working people are.

Angela Hunter: Opportunities needs careful plan
As the economy keeps growing steadily, many mid-market companies find themselves with an abundance of growth opportunities within New Zealand.

Director a first for Zespri
Teresa Ciprian, a former executive at French food giant Danone, is Zespri's first woman director.

Jane Kennelly: Tackling the "What are your weaknesses?" question
Designed to catch you out or trip you up, this age old interview probe can actually be taken as a positive question.