Christopher Luxon raises Cook Islands impasse with Chinese Premier, disagrees with Nato boss that China in league with Russia to undermine West
Relations between New Zealand and the Cook Islands are strained after Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown signed a Comprehensive Strategic
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RNZ News
an hour ago
- RNZ News
Auckland business leader begs government for economic plan
Viv Beck. Photo: Supplied / HOTC Auckland CBD's business association is asking the government to collaborate on a plan to revive the city's economy. On Morning Report, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon shut down Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown's renewed calls to charge visitors a bed-night levy . "We just don't think a bed tax is the right way forward at this time and we're not looking at it this term." The levy would fund destination marketing and events to attract people to the city. Heart of the City chief executive Viv Beck said central city businesses suffering after Covid-19 and from ongoing construction due to the delayed City Rail Link needed a lifeline. "If the government doesn't want to do [a bed levy] what we need is a discussion about what the alternatives are. "If the prime minister had said, 'Look, we are not supporting a bed tax, but we are keen to talk to groups in Auckland concerned about the economic turnaround there,' that would be helpful so we could actually end up with a plan of attack. "We need a solution, and we're not going to get one if it keeps staying at a public stalemate." Beck said the government returning the GST it charged on rates would also help Auckland's economy. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
4 hours ago
- RNZ News
A2 Milk's profit soars to over $200m
The producer and exporter of the speciality products using a2 milk increased infant formula sales in the key Chinese market. Photo: Eiliv Aceron for Unsplash Infant formula maker and dairy products producer A2 Milk has had a solid profit lift on the back of increased sales, as it shakes up its production facilities, and plans a bonus payout to shareholders. Key numbers for the 12 months ended June compared with a year ago: The producer and exporter of the speciality products using a2 milk increased infant formula sales in the key Chinese market, while it stemmed losses at its Mataura Valley Milk plant and those in its export operation to the US. However, the company, which is reliant on Synlait Milk for much of its infant formula product, announced a major shake-up in operations. It will sell the loss making Mautaura Valley in Southland to Open Country Dairy, while it has bought the Chinese owned Yashili New Zealand Dairy Co owned by a subsidiary of the Mengniu Dairy Group for $282m. A2 said it would make a loss of about $130m on the Mataura sale, and intended to invest about $100m into the Pokeno plant to increase production. Overall, the transactions will give a2 Milk net proceeds of about $100m. "The acquisition of the Pokeno manufacturing facility and related products represents a pivotal moment for The a2 Milk Company and the execution of our supply chain transformation strategy," the company said. "The transactions enable the Company to build a better, higher growth, lower risk, end-to-end business and deliver substantial benefits to shareholders." Chair Pip Greenwood said the acquisition and divestment has allowed the company to look at its capital needs, and planned a $300m special dividend to shareholders after the deals were completed and it obtained the necessary Chinese approvals. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Otago Daily Times
5 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
'Focused 100%' on economy, not passport: Luxon
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon denies the government has lost its focus, as calls intensify for the government to take action to help pull Auckland out of its economic slump. Earlier this month Auckland Business Chamber boss Simon Bridges called on the government to do more to stimulate the economy in the supercity. The latest Stats NZ data showed Auckland's 6.1% unemployment rate for the June 2025 quarter was the worst of all regions, ahead of the national rate of 5.2%. An article in the the Sunday Star-Times at the weekend said "many business leaders and political insiders, including those from traditional centre-right bases of support for National, are beginning to doubt whether" Luxon's coalition has an economic plan. Heart of the City boss Viv Beck said "Rome is burning for some of our small businesses", and Newmarket Business Association head Mark Knoff-Thomas said it was "ludicrous" the government was spending its time reordering words on passport covers instead of focusing on the economy. Mayor Wayne Brown wants a bed night levy, which the government is not keen on. "They'll cave in. They want to be elected…. They'll cave in on this, mate. This is a third of New Zealand. This is the city that decides who's the government." Luxon said the government was "not focused on passport changes" but would not be implementing a bed tax. "We're actually focused 100% on actually growing this economy … We inherited the big recession. We've had a massive post-Covid hangover," he said. We've had a lot of international challenges with respect to tariffs, and what that's done for sentiment and confidence, but I just say to you, we're also seeing a recovery in New Zealand." Luxon said South Island primary industries were "growing strongly" but "we know we've got work to do in our cities". He pointed to the government's fast-track scheme for big projects, capital investment write-offs for small businesses and making it easier to get things built. "It's really tough in Auckland and also in Wellington, you know? If you're in Christchurch, it's different, as I said before, but, you know, there's no doubt about it," Luxon said "We're open to continuing to look at what more we can do. We're pretty dynamic and agile. We keep adjusting and doing things to adjust to the circumstances that we're in." One recent poll saw Labour surge ahead of National, and Luxon neck-and-neck with Labour's Chris Hipkins as preferred prime minister. Another had National and Labour in a statistical, ditto for Luxon and Hipkins, with just 1 percentage point separating the parties and leaders. When Bridges led the National Party, it regularly polled in the 40s. He was rolled as leader in 2020 after a collapse in the party's support as Covid-19 spread the world. Luxon said he would "absolutely" be leading National into the 2026 election. "For me it's actually staying focused on what New Zealanders care about and that is actually us fixing this economy. "I appreciate it's been difficult, you know, we've had a very difficult, you know, a poor inheritance, but, you know, our job is to fix it for New Zealanders and that's what we're going to do every day."
