Prime Minister John Key has welcomed the signing of an agreement which will see more Brazilian students studying in New Zealand, following a bilateral meeting with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff today in Brasilia. Key says New Zealand’s reputation as a welcoming country with high-quality qualifications makes it a natural fit for Brazilian students. “The Science Without Borders agreement, signed today, …

New Zealand house prices rose in February, edging back toward the record high set in December and highlighting the heating property market that’s likely to be concerning the central bank. The national median house price rose 7.6 percent in February to $382,000, still below the record $389,000 set in December, according to the Real Estate Institute. The median price for …

The government has agreed to stricter monitoring rules for financial service providers, giving regulators the ability to probe deeper into the affairs of firms and block anyone who doesn’t pass muster. Cabinet plans to strengthen the financial service providers registration (FSPR) scheme by granting regulators new investigative powers and the ability to remove providers from the register, Commerce Minister Craig …