For the first time in over a year economic growth prospects have been revised upwards, an economic think-tank says.

An orchid grower driven to desperation after losing his entire crop and income to a new spray dumped thousands of his flowers in a public protest.

Farmer owners of the country's biggest company, Fonterra, have been asked to come up with the cash they forbid directors to go to the sharemarket for.

Fonterra's chairman 'totally disagrees' with any suggestion new 'dry shares' will soften up farmers for the idea of listing on the stock exchange.

Fonterra, New Zealand's biggest exporter, has unveiled its latest restructuring plan, which it promises will allow farmers to keep control of the co-operative.

The New Zealand dollar may be capped under US70 cents this week ahead of the central bank's monetary policy statement.