Business

PowerNet is installing solar panels at its Invercargill and Balclutha offices. More than 280 panels will generate about 158 MWh of electricity each year and avoid around 11 tonnes of emissions annually. PowerNet Chief Executive Paul Blue said the projects were a practical way to reduce emissions while gaining first-hand

Pilot programme builds workplace leadership capability A group of current and emerging leaders from Alliance Group's Lorneville Plant took part in an orientation class at Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) last week, marking the start of a pilot programme designed to help participants build their leadership capability and

Southland's new museum wants a café operator who can tell the region's food story. The Museum of Southland is calling for expressions of interest to run its 267-square-metre café, which will overlook Queens Park when the museum opens in 2027. Museum director Eloise Wallace said the

Businesses will pay $40 million less each year to accept commercial credit cards under new caps proposed by the Commerce Commission. The regulator wants to limit interchange fees on Mastercard and Visa commercial credit cards, which currently cost New Zealand businesses $125 million annually. "We expect our proposed interchange

SBS Bank has struck a technology partnership that will make it the first New Zealand bank to use a core banking platform powering millions of customers worldwide. The Invercargill-based bank announced a long-term deal with Engine by Starling, the cloud-native platform developed by UK digital bank Starling Bank. The technology

TSB is selling itself to Heartland Bank for $620 million in a deal that would create New Zealand's largest regional bank. The conditional agreement would see Heartland Group buy all of TSB's shares from the Toi Foundation to create TSB Heartland Bank. The combined bank would

New Zealand will return to budget surplus a year earlier than expected, with Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivering a disciplined Budget 2026 focused on getting the books back in order. Treasury now forecasts a $2.6 billion surplus in 2028-29 under the government's preferred measure, compared to a

Fonterra has lifted its profit forecast and narrowed next season's milk price range as strong demand offset global shipping disruption. The dairy co-operative posted year-to-date operating profit of $1.8 billion, up $103 million on last year. Underlying earnings per share rose to 57 cents from 53 cents.