Workers who have relocated to Christchurch at their employers’ expense risk having their accommodation costs treated as income under a new tax department ruling described by one major accounting firm as “a significant and unwelcome change in approach”.… Full Story →
New Zealand labour costs rose in line with expectations in the final three months of 2012 as the gathering pace of Canterbury’s reconstruction effort saw the building and construction sector underpin gains.
A $40 million government procurement deal to supply wallboard for the Christchurch rebuild is being used as a way to inject competition into New Zealand’s high-cost home building market.
BusinessDesk Fletcher Building, the country’s biggest listed company, isn’t abusing its position as the Earthquake Commission’s go-to guy for home repairs in Canterbury, and is providing “satisfactory value for money.”
EQC chairman Michael Wintringham told Parliament’s finance and expenditure committee that Fletcher’s role managing the repair programme has met the government-backed natural disaster insurer’s criteria around cost, quality, timeliness and safety.
