Prime Minister John Key stuck closely to the programme outlined during the election campaign in the speech from the Throne this morning which outlined the measures his Government would pursue in the next three years.
Dunedin South MP Clare Curran and National list MP Mike Woodhouse were sworn in yesterday to officially become Dunedin's two newest MPs.
Prime Minister John Key intended implementing his pre-election 100-day plan "by hell or high water", he said yesterday.
A significant rise in the amounts workers pay for ACC is likely from April 1 next year, Finance Minister Bill English says.
Prime Minister John Key has set a tight timetable of legislation he wants passed before Christmas, including the tax cut programme, changes to KiwiSaver and a return to previous bail laws.
Heavy rain in Wellington is causing some logistical problems for the state opening of Parliament this morning.
United Future leader Peter Dunne will chair the special select committee to consider changes the National-led Government wants to make to the controversial emissions trading scheme (ETS), Prime Minister John Key announced yesterday.
The New Zealand dollar fell across the board against other currencies, but dealers and brokers say it is unlikely that comments Prime Minister John Key made on Sunday and yesterday had any effect.
The Government is expected to announce after the Cabinet meets today that it will amend its earlier KiwiSaver proposal so as to not disadvantage lower and middle-income earners.
The new National-led Government will work quickly in the next two weeks to get some of its trademark policies passed before Christmas.
Next year would be challenging for all New Zealanders, including the Government, Finance Minister Bill English warned yesterday.
Bank mortgage rates fell yesterday just minutes after Reserve Bank governor Alan Bollard slashed the official cash rate 1.5% to 5%.
The Reserve Bank was being urged to cut its official cash rate by at least 0.5% next month just minutes after it slashed 1.5% off the influential interest rate yesterday.
Air New Zealand would be disappointed if British Airways could pull off a merger with Qantas Airways, ABN Amro Craigs broker Chris Timms said yesterday.
Prime Minister John Key has used his new status to give Reserve Bank governor Alan Bollard a clear message that he is expecting a "significant" cut in the official cash rate tomorrow.
World sharemarkets were yesterday bathed in red as the deepening economic slump wiped away the gains of the past five days.
Currency concerns are set to dominate the early part of the week with the expectation of a big rate cut on Thursday from the Reserve Bank likely to weigh heavy on the New Zealand dollar.
A rally late last week by United States sharemarkets helped lift the monthly performance of the NZX-50 index for November, Forsyth Barr broker Peter Young said yesterday.
A 2% cut in the Reserve Bank's official cash rate was justified, given aggressive cuts from other central banks, New Zealand Manufacturers and Exporters Association chief executive John Walley said.
Successful British businessman Geoffrey Davies is keep to extend the educational links between Otago Boys High School, the University of Otago and some of the 17 companies in his Alamo Group Europe.
