John Key approved the Construction Minster's directorship of a company involved with Mainzeal but says any concerns about possible conflicts of interest are a "beat-up".

Waikato town planners are bracing for an overflow of Aucklanders from the Super City as it seeks to find living space for its booming population.

Mainzeal employees reacted with shock and anger to the news that around 200 staff had been made redundant in an effort to reduce costs.

The first cardboard cladding tubes, each weighing 120kg, were installed to shape the $5.3 million A-frame building.

A recent pick-up in Australian housing loan approvals has gone into reverse, suggesting a series of interest rate cuts is taking its time in percolating through the economy.

An Auckland construction boss has warned about the building resurgence, saying now can be the most perilous time for businesses.

The gigantic task of upgrading New Zealand's earthquake-prone building stock to a safe level has not yet sunk in, Housing and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson says.

The receivers of Mainzeal Property and Construction say about half of the failed firm's staff have been made redundant.

Imperilled are the jobs of hundreds of employees, and the financial future of numerous subcontractors, writes Brian Rudman. The latter are now at risk of being bankrupted for no fault of their own.

The collapse of Mainzeal has people worrying about who will construct the residential and commercial buildings required for Christchurch, writes Liam Dann.

The screech and hammer of tools returned to a Mainzeal construction site yesterday - but only as subcontractors were finally allowed to remove their equipment.

A mainzeal contractor has been issued with a trespass order after trying to remove $1 million worth of equipment from an apartment building yesterday morning.

New Zealand's commercial construction sector has been nailed into the ground by the recession, industry chiefs say, and Mainzeal Property and Construction's receivership came after a string of others.

The collapse of Mainzeal Property and Construction will cost Auckland ratepayers millions to settle a leaky-building claim.

Raja Sharma invested his life savings in an apartment in Hobson Gardens after falling in love with New Zealand and immigrating with his wife to Auckland.

Fallout from the Mainzeal receivership is hitting listed lines company, Horizon Energy.

Mainzeal Property and Construction - one of New Zealand's largest construction companies - has gone into receivership.

The Greens, not always practical in these policy areas, have come up with a solution that addresses the problem, writes Charles Waldegrave.

Consents for 127 retirement village units is one feature of strong building consents data for December.

One of New Zealand's largest mechanical engineering firms has expanded its presence in the mining equipment sector through its acquisition of a North Island manufacturer.

The entrance of a European building products giant into the Christchurch rebuild market will increase competition in the industry.

Economic activity in Canterbury is gathering pace, according to the January edition of the ASB Bank's Cantometer.