KEY POINTS:
Sir Richard Branson took his penchant for unusual entrances to new heights in Auckland last night by arriving at a cocktail party atop the 34m mast of a former America's Cup yacht.
The British entrepreneur was on a flying visit to New Zealand to celebrate his Pacific Blue airline's third birthday.
He was lowered down the mast of NZL41 after sailing into Viaduct Harbour for the cocktail party.
Earlier in the day Sir Richard made a splash in Christchurch.
He emerged from beneath the city's Bridge of Remembrance fully attired in boating uniform and punted down the Avon River with two of his red-coated airline staff on board.
As he struggled to manoeuvre the craft and lost his punting pole, he jumped into the waist-deep water and promptly pulled his screaming passengers in after him.
"We had five very peaceful minutes coming down [the river]. But the mud's not so good," Sir Richard said after dragging himself on to the riverbank.
"I have been fortunate enough to have punted in Oxford ... so it brought back some happy memories."
Sir Richard said Pacific Blue was providing good competition on the transtasman route and was in the region to stay. "We've captured 10 per cent of the market and we plan to put on more and more flights and more and more routes," he said.
Also yesterday, Sir Richard met Cabinet minister David Parker to discuss biofuels, climate change and how his money might help research in New Zealand.
Mr Parker, who is in charge of the Government's climate change policy, said he had asked for the meeting to discuss how New Zealand could help the world to fight climate change.
"Sir Richard has made a bold and visionary commitment to the challenge of tackling climate change," he said.
"I am providing him with information on some of the world-leading biofuels research and development being undertaken by New Zealand companies."
Mr Parker said Sir Richard had pledged to spend $4.5 billion over the next 10 years on projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including biofuels research. "New Zealand's established excellence in related scientific research make it an ideal place to invest," the minister said.
