New Zealand’s government wants to trim “super profits” from land banking which it says is the biggest impediment to housing affordability in Auckland. New Zealand’s Reserve Bank is concerned rising house prices where supply is failing to meet demand, particularly in Auckland, is threatening financial stability. Housing Minister Nick Smith is relying on an accord with Auckland City Council to …

New Zealand’s ultra-fast broadband initiative is threatened by a regulatory process that is “weird” to foreign investors, could ultimately be redundant, and is producing the opposite of the intended effect of splitting Telecom in two, says Chorus chief executive Mark Ratcliffe. Ratcliffe used a speech to a Commerce Commission conference on proposals to regulate prices for unbundled bitstream access to …

Opus International Consultants, the NZX-listed engineering consultancy, has relented on plans to seek approval to make capital contributions to a Middle East joint venture in perpetuity. Chairman Kerry McDonald said Opus will seek approval from minority shareholders for any contributions to a JV with Opus International (M) Bhd (OIMB) that exceed 20 percent of its market capitalisation. The change of …