Independent Liquor (NZ), the liquor company owned by Japan’s Asahi Group, wrote off its remaining goodwill, partly offsetting gains from a multi-million dollar settlement with the former private equity owners over the price paid for the booze empire. The Papakura-based company founded by the late Michael Erceg reported a loss of $52.6 million in calendar 2014 compared with a loss of $41.6 million …

The Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand (DCANZ) is firm in its view that a good deal on dairy in TPP is necessary for any deal to stack up for New Zealand. “The facts are that dairy accounts for 35% of NZ exports. You can’t even come close to achieving an acceptable deal for New Zealand without a good deal …

The disgraced former chief executive of Auckland’s Heart of the City, Alex Swney, has been sentenced to five years and seven months in jail for tax evasion and defrauding the business group. The 57-year-old, who admitted to charges laid by the Inland Revenue and the Serious Fraud Office, appeared in the Auckland District Court today. Swney was the founder and …