Business

Air New Zealand has posted a $242 million annual loss, its worst result in years, as fuel costs blown out by the Middle East conflict and a punishing run of engine problems overwhelmed solid gains in passenger revenue. The airline reported a pre-tax loss of $336 million for the year

PowerNet has been named Energy Distributor of the Year at the 2026 New Zealand Energy Excellence Awards — recognition built on one of the worst weeks in the company's history. The award was presented in Wellington on August 19, honouring PowerNet's response to the October 2025 wind

Fish curers and leather tanners are off the hook. The Government is scrapping the so-called 'offensive trades' registration requirement under the 1956 Health Act, ending annual paperwork and fees for hundreds of businesses that have been jumping through a 70-year-old regulatory hoop for no good reason. Regulation Minister

JB Hi-Fi's New Zealand operation had a very good year. A remarkably good one, actually. Total sales surged 26.0% to NZD499.5 million in the year to June 30, 2026, with comparable sales up 15.3%. That outpaced every other part of the group. Online sales jumped

Datagrid has locked in the equipment needed to build a substation that will power what it says will be New Zealand's largest AI data centre, on its Southland site. The company has signed a pre-purchase agreement with grid owner Transpower New Zealand covering four high-voltage power transformers, associated

Nearly $370,000 is heading into Southland communities after the first round of 2026 grants from the NZAS and Ngāi Tahu Community Development Fund was announced this week. Ten projects share $367,000 in the fourth annual round of the $500,000 fund, which is administered jointly by Rio Tinto

Invercargill City Council has successfully switched its payroll system to a cloud-based platform, processing its first live pay run for around 550 employees in early July 2026. The new system, built on TechnologyOne's Human Resources and Payroll platform and implemented by Australian technology firm Atturra, replaces a patchwork

Southland is getting a critical minerals and green hydrogen plant, backed by $15 million in government funding. Christchurch-based Aspiring Materials has secured the Regional Infrastructure Fund allocation to build a $31 million commercial facility in the region — its first at full commercial scale, following a successful pilot plant in Christchurch.