No longer a clean area…, 98% of New Zealand’s largest lakes are polluted   Cow numbers doubled in 30 years… serious impact of fertilizers and irrigation   Only 2% of New Zealand’s large lakes have good water quality, according to a survey. According to a report released by the New Zealand Ministry of Environment on…

Despite the economic downturn, salaries are rising   Kiwis’ salaries are soaring above average in nine regions, setting new record highs. Despite warnings and predictions from some economists that New Zealand is already in an economic downturn, salaries are generally soaring. According to the latest job data from Trademe, the average salary for the first…

Biggest bank moves interest rates after OCR hike   After the Reserve Bank increased the official cash rate to 5.25%, ANZ is raising interest rates on some home loans and deposits. At the time of the OCR announcement, the Reserve Bank announced that it had to raise cash rates in order to maintain retail interest…

Do 74,000 people really have to lose their jobs to save economy?   The Reserve Bank increased the official cash rate to 5.25% on Wednesday, a 50 basis point increase that was twice what economists had predicted. Many had thought weaker-than-expected local and international economic data would prompt the central bank to lift rates by only…