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For the first time NZ Defence Force health personnel are joining their counterparts from the People’s Liberation Army China and the Australian Defence Force to build linkages around humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations. Seven Defence Force personnel are participating in Exercise Cooperation Spirit 2012, which is being hosted by the Australian Defence Force (ADF) from 29 October to 2 …

The Fonterra Shareholders’ Fund will raise as much as $525 million selling shares in an indicative price range of $4.60 to $5.50 apiece, giving outside investors exposure to up to 7 percent of the dairy cooperative’s equity, offer documents show. The final price will be set by a bookbuild among institutions and NZX firms on about Nov. 27. Fonterra unveiled …

Australian Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Hon Joe Ludwig will visit New Zealand for bilateral and primary industries meetings over the next two days. Ludwig, who will be joined by Primary Industries Ministers from NSW, Victoria, Queensland and the Northern Territory, will meet with NZ Primary Industries Minister David Carter. “This visit is a valuable opportunity to discuss two-way …

Reserve Bank governor Graeme Wheeler kept the official cash rate at 2.5 percent in his debut review, and is keeping close tabs on the level of inflation after it dropped below the bank’s target band in the September quarter. Wheeler reintroduced the caveat that the record-low setting for the benchmark rate remains appropriate “for now” and brought inflation back in …

Finance Minister Bill English has welcomed strong investor demand today for the Government’s first issue of September 2025 inflation-indexed bonds. In the first issue of inflation-indexed bonds by the New Zealand Government since 1999, the Debt Management Office today issued $2.5 billion of the 2 per cent coupon bonds. The deal was heavily oversubscribed, with bids in excess of $4 …

State Services Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman and Women’s Affairs Minister Jo Goodhew welcomed the release of a new survey showing positive progress for women in the public sector. The State Services Commission has today released its 2012 Human Resources Capability Survey which has recorded in increase in the number of women appointed to senior leadership roles. At just over 42 …

Zespri Chairman John Loughlin will stand down as chairman and a director early next year. Loughlin joined the Zespri Board as one of three independent directors in 2002 (the other five directors are grower-directors) assuming the chairmanship in August 2008. |The  Zespri Board will now undertake a search for an independent director with the necessary commercial and financial skills and …

Haier New Zealand Investment Company Ltd (Haier) has received necessary approvals from China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) to proceed with its offer to acquire all the shares in Fisher & Paykel Appliances Holdings Ltd. The offer remains subject to other regulatory approvals, including from the New Zealand Overseas Investment Office. About Haier Group Haier Group is a global …

ANZ Banking Group, New Zealand’s biggest bank, increased gross loans and advances by more than any of its main banking rivals in the three months to June 30, ahead of the announcement of the demise of its National Bank of New Zealand brand. The 1.26 percent growth in its gross loans and advances was bettered only by minnow The Cooperative …

China’s $US6 billion a year nutritional powders market will have a new competitor  next year with the launch a2 branded ‘natural milk’ powders. To further its entry into the Chinese market which is growing around 12 per cent a year, A2 Corporation has appointed China State Farms (Shanghai) as its distributor. The powders will be produced in New Zealand by …