GREECE & FISCAL TENSIONS IN THE SPOTLIGHT. Yesterday we got news during the NZ trading day that the Greek parliament approved a package of austerity measures, seeing the 2013 budget pass by 167 votes to 128. However, as we warned on Friday, this is unlikely to trigger the next payment of the Troika’s bailout, as European Finance ministers have indicated that …

Video  The long goodbye to Bo Xilai continues as Chongqing Governor Zhang Dejiang, current leader of the southwestern Chinese city, seeks to bury the legacy of its disgraced former top official Bo Xilai. Bo arrived in Chongqing in 2007, pumping money into social housing schemes and advanced infrastructure. It became a bold, alternative mode of growth for China known as …

F0rmer National Party leader Don Brash’s chief of staff Richard Long has been appointed to the Television New Zealand board. Long has a career in journalism spanning more than thirty years. He has been elected to various newspaper industry roles, including chair of the NZ Press Association editors’ liaison committee. “Long’s media career will enable him to contribute his lengthy …

Auckland has put in a great showing at the 2012 International Sports Event Management (ISEM) Awards, finishing in an amazing second place in the prestigious Sport City Award. Held annually and now in its sixth year, the ISEM Awards are the only international awards to recognise excellence in the global sports event management industry. Auckland claimed second place behind London …

Industry leaders from across the Pacific and New Zealand are set to come together on 14th November for a one-day fisheries forum to discuss partnership opportunities for the future in an increasingly competitive region. The Pacific provides half of the world’s tuna catch, and the Pacific Islands nations’ have massive economic zones as does New Zealand, but how do they protect …

Auckland Chamber of Commerce CEO Michael Barnett was awarded the Supreme Award at the 2012 AUT Excellence in Business Support Awards. Barnett has been the “face of the chamber” for 21 years leading the talented chamber team  as it works to enable business members (large and small) to thrive. Under his leadership the chamber has been to the fore in …

Updated  Includes details of the NZ PM’s trip – The CSIS reports a Myanmar government source said president Barack Obama will visit the country and meet with Myanmar president Thein Sein later his month, as part of his trip to the region to attend the East Asia Summit (EAS) November 18-20. The Obama administration has initiated a policy of engagement with …

Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant General Rhys Jones and US Pacific Commander, Admiral Samuel J. Locklear III have signed an open-dated logistics agreement which will provide significant benefits for both countries. The Treaty-level Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement (ACSA) will continue the interoperability, readiness, and effectiveness of NZ and US military forces through increased logistic cooperation. The agreement is designed …

An HSBC survey has revealed widespread confidence in the future of RMB as a major global trade and investment currency amongst mainland Chinese corporates. The vast majority (77%) of Chinese corporates surveyed expect one-third of all Chinese trade (US$2 trillion) to be conducted in RMB by 2015 (versus 10% in the year to date and 30% plan to use RMB for investment-related …