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New Zealanders will now be able to get into houses sooner and at less cost. So claims Building Consent Approvals (BCA) – the country’s first fully independent residential building consent authority. The privately-owned company will operate nationally and promises to issue building consents within a week and a half for eligible residential projects.
The rise of GLP-1s is shifting the discussion of obesity from an intractable issue to a treatable medical condition. Obesity could affect global GDP negatively by more than NZ$4.5 trillion by 2050 or a positive of almost $9.5 trillion with priorities on prevention and metabolic health, says McKinsey. Nearly 900 million adults around the world are living with obesity today, a substantial risk factor for at least 20 diseases which includes diabetes, cardiovascular conditions and brain health disorders.
Cybersecurity is squarely an issue for the board room now, says Ross Thompson, Group CEO of sustainability, data management and technology asset lifecycle at Greenbox. Knowing the ‘what,’ ‘where,’ ‘how used,’ ‘how disposed,’ and applicable laws around data and devices is a core reputational issue. Directors need to head off unintentional breaches of sensitive information and its exploitation arising from failure to keep track and properly dispose of IT assets.
CBRE assesses the potential impact of tariffs on the Asia Pacific economy, industrial and logistics, office and investment markets. While Asia Pacific countries account for one-third of the total trade in goods with the US, Australia and New Zealand appear well insulated with exports to the US less than one percent of GDP across the ditch and under three percent in New Zealand.
The global micromobility market is on the upswing and McKinsey reckons will more than double to US$340 billion by 2030. Micromobility refers to transportation via lightweight vehicles—bicycles, e-bikes, e-scooters and electric mopeds—that are used for short-distance travel. If you live in a city, you will have seen evidence of micromobility’s rapid growth. Cities and their partners are offering micromobility vehicles as efficient, flexible, and environmentally friendly transportation options.
Levels of methane are now over 2.5 times higher than pre-industrial levels — two-thirds as much as CO₂. Understanding and quantifying the global methane budget is important for assessing realistic pathways to mitigate climate change. The little-known role of termites is part of insights on global methane sources and sinks by an international team of researchers including CMCC’s Sergio Noce.
A recent white paper by the World Economic Forum examines how gender gaps are shifting. Gender Parity in an Intelligent World explores workforce, skilling, and innovation scenarios where AI augmentation can support gender parity and inclusive growth. The paper provides strategic insights on how women and men are engaging with AI globally and sets the tone for further exploration of GenAI as an accelerant for gender parity.
Tech research and advisory giant Gartner predicts that by 2028, a quarter of job applicants globally will be fake, largely driven by AI-generated profiles. HR departments — many of them understaffed and working with outdated technology –have become prime targets. Fraudsters are deploying real-time deep fake video technology during virtual interviews that can match facial expressions and lip-sync with remarkable accuracy. Voice cloning technology can simulate accents and intonations.
The 2019 liquidation of Stanley Construction left about 200 subcontractors stranded. Master Electricians New Zealand, which represents around 10,000 individual electricians, is funding an application to seek a clear ruling from the High Court over the use of retention funds, in this case amounting to $2.1 million. Ford Sumner Lawyers has made an application for the court to review the liquidators’ actions and to appoint replacement liquidators to administer the retention monies.
A wide-ranging global report prepared by Cushman and Wakefield says the Asia-Pacific commercial property market is expected to remain sound in the face of US tariff and trade pressures. Nonetheless, despite support from the domestic market the region will not be exempt from the effects of a global slowdown as business increasingly adopt a more cautious approach to decision making. New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia buy more than they sell to the US market.
This AustRoad report compares significant developments in worker’s compensation schemes in Australia and New Zealand, which has a no-fault accident insurance scheme managed by ACC. The Kiwi scheme covers everyone who is injured in the country and replaces the right to sue for injury. Workers’ compensation in Australia is predominately jurisdictionally based, with coverage based on the location of employment. There are 11 state compensation schemes and three Commonwealth schemes.
Colliers’ latest survey results reveal a significant variation across the major asset classes. Industrial property continues to receive the highest rating. Views on the office sector have been broadly neutral with regional variations. Sentiment is particularly positive in Christchurch. Investors also maintain a generally positive outlook for the Auckland market while pessimism reigns in Wellington. Sentiment toward the retail sector remains broadly negative.
There is a plethora of politicians worldwide trying to sell mutton as lamb and we are not exempt. The reality is that most of New Zealand’s half million SME are struggling and falling over in increasingly large numbers. The BWA Insolvency Quarterly Market Report shows insolvency rates between January and March 2025 surged by 31 percent year on year. Liquidations rose by 40 percent. BWA Insolvency principal Bryan Williams outlines a path forward.
Tariffs and trade controls are reshaping the global business landscape, introducing new complexities to cost structures, demand patterns, and competitive positioning. A McKinsey report looks at the broader economic implications of these trade measures and how businesses can assess their positioning and adapt to the changing global trade environment.
Valuable research on the Commission’s site in the build up to the Looking Ahead Infrastructure Symposium ($49+GST for virtual attendance). The June event is itself an adjunct to the National Infrastructure Plan which is scheduled to go to the government in December. Read onsite a paper which points to failings in our current and traditional approaches to infrastructure delivery and suggests new ways to bring better value and outcomes.
Have you ever heard about the galvanic series and wondered what it is or how it affects you? Luke Stone, Technical Service Engineer at Cortec® Corporation, explains that the hierarchy of metals are the main culprit for galvanic corrosion.
As demand grows for this power-hungry technology, so does the need to accelerate the pace and scale of power creation. Data centres play a vital role in meeting this growing need. A McKinsey live event explored how business leaders can navigate this environment, and deliver on the opportunities presented by this unprecedented growth.
The International Water Association (IWA) is inviting applications for the Next Generation Sanitation Systems (NGSS) Project with support from a US$3 million fund from the Gates Foundation. IWA is seeking bold, innovative technology solutions—from integrated systems treating all household wastewater to impactful subsystems. Open to engineering and research teams, start ups and academic groups plus anyone working on non biological sanitation or water treatment technologies
