PM Edition: Top 10 Business Articles on LiveNews.co.nz for April 22, 2026 – Full Text

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Receivables financing facility enables competitive open account terms and supports international growth

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Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealand’s Indian community has welcomed the government’s decision to sign a long-awaited free trade agreement with India next week in New Delhi, describing it as a major milestone in bilateral trade ties.

Trade Minister Todd McClay has confirmed that legal verification of the agreement has been completed, with both governments set to formally sign the deal on 27 April.

Negotiations concluded in December last year.

The government says the agreement will eliminate or reduce tariffs on 95 percent of New Zealand exports to India, one of the highest levels secured in any Indian trade deal.

The signing will now trigger a parliamentary process, with the full text and a national interest analysis to be submitted and reviewed by a select committee, alongside public submissions.

Business and community leaders say the deal has been a long time coming, potentially unlocking significant economic opportunities.

That said, some are urging caution around implementation and migration safeguards.

Veer Khar, president of the New Zealand Indian Central Association, said he remained confident the deal would ultimately gain cross-party backing.

“It’s an election year, so we understand political parties will make the most of the opportunity to take shots at each other and that’s fair and part of the process,” he said.

“But ultimately, we’re confident the deal will be signed because it offers so much benefit.”

Sudesh Jhunjhnuwala, chief executive of Sudima Hotels and Hind Management, described the agreement as a “once in a lifetime deal”.

Having been part of the prime minister’s delegation last year, he said India’s renewed interest in an FTA with New Zealand came as a surprise.

He added that establishing direct flight connections would be a natural next step.

“Whenever there’s a direct flight, tourism from India takes off, and at the same time it will send more tourists to India as well,” he said.

Jhunjhnuwala said stronger economic conditions driven by the FTA would also support domestic tourism.

“The exciting part about the FTA is that it brings economic benefits to New Zealand, he said.

“And when the economy is doing well, people spend more locally. Over 50 percent of our business comes from domestic tourism.”

Dame Ranjna Patel said the level of public debate around the agreement was disproportionate.

“When New Zealand signed the China free trade deal there wasn’t this much kerfuffle,” she said.

“We’re a very small cog in the system, and I don’t know what fearmongering is about the FTA. It’s such a good thing to happen.”

She said the political noise could be related to the upcoming election.

“We probably won’t get a second chance if we turn it down right now,” she said.

Sunil Kaushal, chief executive of the India New Zealand Business Council, called the signing “a momentous occasion” that had been decades in the making.

“It’s been a long time coming,” he said. “As the good old Mainland Cheese ad would say, ‘good things take time’.”

Kaushal said he believed Parliament would ultimately support the agreement.

“I think Labour will make the best decision for the country rather than the party because this deal will add more jobs and more money into the economy,” he said.

Arunima Dhingra, chief executive of immigration and education agency Aims Global, welcomed the signing but said attention must now turn to outcomes.

“For years we’ve talked about the potential, and now we’re keen to see what it actually delivers,” Dhingra said.

She said the agreement could strengthen collaboration in education, skilled talent and investment.

“There are parts of India that are world-leading at the moment,” she said.

“Better partnership and alignment could allow New Zealand to test ideas on a much larger global stage.”

Dhingra emphasised the need to focus on skilled migration.

Kush Bhargava, chief executive of the Aotearoa Bharat Economic Foundation, said the deal would boost New Zealand businesses by improving direct links with India and reducing tariffs, calling it a potential “game changer”.

Manu Lambai, manager of Indian jewellery giant Malabar Gold and Diamonds’ Auckland showroom, said the deal would also expand access to specialised products in New Zealand.

“Those who make these kinds of specialised, handcrafted jewellery are in India, and with the FTA we can bring them directly to New Zealand,” Lambai said.

The company entered the New Zealand market following the country’s comprehensive economic partnership agreement with the United Arab Emirates.

Mahesh Muralidhar, chief executive of Phase One Ventures and National Party candidate for Tāmaki, said the agreement would open up new opportunities.

“India is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world and will maintain that growth for many years,” he said.

“There is a highly engaged middle class that is growing rapidly and will demand more services, products and food.”

He said New Zealand was well placed to meet that demand through innovation and expertise, and that the deal would also hold significance for the Indian diaspora.

Labour MP for Maungakiekie Priyanca Radhakrishnan said any agreement must serve New Zealand’s long-term interests, raising concerns that still needed addressing.

“Labour has raised a number of concerns about the free trade agreement that still need to be clarified by the government,” she said.

“This includes wanting stronger safeguards against the exploitation of Indian migrants who come here for study, like we saw not long ago.”

She said Labour would review the full details before deciding whether to support the legislation.

“Signing a free trade agreement if you don’t have the majority support in Parliament – and, at this point, they don’t – is irresponsible and could damage our international reputation,” she said.

Mahesh Bindra, former New Zealand First MP and chair of the New Zealand Bharat Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the agreement would be “tremendously beneficial” but acknowledged debate was inevitable.

He said he understood concerns raised by Foreign Minister Winston Peters around immigration settings.

“His view that immigration should not be treated as an opportunity to bring in people we don’t need has some merit,” Bindra said.

“New Zealand needs migrants, but we need skilled migrants that the country requires, not mass migration or people using New Zealand as a stepping stone to other countries.”

ACT MP Parmjeet Parmar said a free trade deal with India is an exciting prospect for both New Zealand and the Indian community.

“Such opportunities go beyond individual benefit,” she said.

“Increased trade enables businesses to grow, lowers costs and opens new markets for Kiwi exporters, supporting jobs, lifting incomes and creating opportunities across the country.”

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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Circular Economy Giant Eyes Global Market, Launches International Headquarters in the City

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Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 April 2026 – The Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (HKICPA) and the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) successfully co-hosted the HKICPA x IFAC PAIB Conference on 18 April 2026 at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong. Under the theme “Forging what’s next – PAIBs at the helm of change,” the event featured star-studded lineup of guests and attracted over 300 financial leaders and professional accountants in business (PAIBs) from Europe, Asia, and other regions, including representatives from the UK, France, the Netherlands, Japan, and Indonesia, alongside those from our local community, to discuss the role of PAIBs in leading future transformation amidst rapid technological shifts and a complex geopolitical environment.

This landmark event gathered important stakeholders from multiple sectors, showcasing the depth of industry collaborations: The event marked the first visit of the IFAC Professional Accountants in Business Advisory Group to Hong Kong in over 20 years. Chaired by Stephen Law, the first PAIB to serve as President of the HKICPA in more than a decade, the event successfully established a high-level platform for international exchange. This further underscores the Institute’s unwavering commitment to bridging international standards with local business practices.

The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, attended the event as the Guest of Honour. He said that geopolitics, technological disruption and the green transition are reshaping global business and finance. They are key forces redefining competitiveness.

Mr. Chan noted that Hong Kong is well positioned to benefit under “one country, two systems,” offering stability and connectivity amid global uncertainty. He pointed to strong IPO activity, asset management growth, and deeper integration with the Chinese Mainland under the 15th Five-Year Plan.

He outlined two major strategies: “AI+” to integrate artificial intelligence across industries, supported by talent development initiatives; and “Finance+” to expand financial markets, strengthen the ecosystem, and support innovation and technology firms. Efforts include enhancing listing regimes, promoting green finance, and attracting global capital and enterprises.

Mr. Chan also stressed the need for accountants to enhance AI capabilities, understand geopolitical risks, and uphold professional integrity. He concluded that professional accountants will play a critical role in navigating change and sustaining trust in markets.

HKICPA President Stephen Law emphasized the unique “super connector” role of Hong Kong and the HKICPA’s nearly 50-year partnership with IFAC in his welcoming remarks. He remarked: “As the common language of the business world, accounting plays an indispensable role in international commercial activities. PAIBs are often uniquely positioned to help enterprises turn uncertainty into decisions and strategy into performance. Moreover, given our unique position—backed by the Motherland while staying deeply connected to global markets—allows Hong Kong to act as a ‘super value-adder’ for businesses and investors to create value and manage complexity. The Institute will continue to actively host more international conferences and professional exchange activities to expand the global network of Hong Kong’s accounting profession.”

The Conference gathered an impressive lineup of international and local leaders, including IFAC Chief Executive Officer Lee White, who delivered a video remarks, Josephine Okui Ossiya, Chair of the IFAC PAIB Advisory Group, Dr. Kelvin Wong, Chairman of the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) and Michael George Fitzgerald, Finance Director of the MTR Corporation.

SFC Chairman Dr. Kelvin Wong offered forward-looking insights into the future development of the financial center, while Finance Director of MTR Corporation Michael George Fitzgerald explored strategic leadership and the evolving responsibilities of finance leaders. Two panel discussions convened core financial leaders from sectors including the Government, infrastructure, real estate, hospitality, energy, and fintech. Senior financial and administration executives from InvestHK, MTR Corporation, Hang Lung Properties, Sino Group, State Grid Overseas Investment, Miramar Group and Floating Interest Corporation joined the stage to discuss strategic approaches to navigating uncertainty. The sessions underscored that PAIBs are at the forefront of addressing complex business challenges, driving innovation, and upholding robust corporate governance.

Looking ahead, the HKICPA will continue to promote accounting as international business language through multifaceted international collaborations. This includes deepening our partnership with IFAC and organizing further international conferences and professional exchanges, while enriching a suite of professional development resources. The HKICPA remains committed to fostering knowledge exchange between Hong Kong’s PAIB community and their global counterparts, with a strategic focus on empowering members with future-ready skills. By providing comprehensive support to PAIBs, the HKICPA aims to assist finance leaders in embracing innovation and strengthening organizational resilience.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

MPs are back in rainy Wellington for a two-week sitting block after a fortnight in their electorates during the Easter school holidays.

This week’s parliamentary business centres on the Annual Review Debate, with the addition of Treaty settlement bills, and bills returning from select committee, with an extra sitting on Thursday morning (9am rather than 2pm) in order to fit everything in.

Arguing about past spending

A part of Parliament’s odyssey of financial scrutiny, the Annual Review Debate takes place every year as one of the final stages in the retrospective review of government performance against budget allocations made over a year ago.

MPs have ten hours of debate in which to interrogate government ministers sector by sector, following earlier scrutiny at select committee hearings, another cog in the financial scrutiny cycle.

All of Tuesday and Wednesday’s sitting hours (other than Question Time and Wednesday’s General Debate) are dedicated to the Annual Review debate.

The debate acts as the committee stage of the Appropriation (Confirmation and Validation) Bill, so the process largely mirrors a standard committee stage format.

Across Tuesday’s sitting, MPs will scrutinise relevant ministers in the heavyweight sectors of finance, transport, and housing, followed by health, education, and workplace relations and safety after the dinner break.

On Wednesday, the House begins with a general debate, when MPs can take a lash at issues not tied to any particular piece of parliamentary business or legislation.

After an hour, the House returns to the Annual Review debate, covering energy, social development and employment, the environment (each roughly an hour), then climate change, Pacific peoples, and Māori development (about half an hour each).

Treaty Settlement Bills

Aside from the Annual Review, the other notable business this week includes two claims settlement bills concerning Ngāti Rāhiri Tumutumu (second reading and committee stage) and Ngāti Tara Tokanui (committee stage).

Treaty Claim settlement bills take years to come to fruition beginning with lengthy negotiations between iwi and the Crown. The legislation forms the statutory leg of settlements addressing historical breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi/The Treaty of Waitangi by the Crown.

These bills include accounts of the Crown’s actions and resulting grievances, along with an official apology and details of redress. When debating Treaty bills, MPs typically put aside the usual political approach to debating, and acknowledge these histories and speak to the specifics of financial and cultural redress as set out in the legislation.

MPs debate many bills to relatively sparse public gallery, but the importance of claims settlement bills means iwi, hapū, and whānau travel to Wellington to witness the passage of their bill in person – especially the final third reading. To mark the moment, the Speaker grants permission for waiata when the bill passes.

The Ngāti Rāhiri Tumutumu Claims Settlement Bill will receive its second reading on Thursday morning and its committee stage later in the day. The Ngāti Tara Tokanui Claims Settlement Bill will then move to its committee stage.

Other odds and ends bills

Thursday will also see a range of stages across a hodgepodge of bills, most returning to the House from select committee.

The Building and Construction Sector (Self-certification by Plumbers and Drainlayers) Amendment Bill returns from the Transport and Infrastructure Committee this week. It aims to remove some of the bureaucratic hurdles involved in plumbing and drainlaying work.

The Regulatory Systems (Transport) Amendment Bill is a technical piece of legislation that updates regulatory systems across the transport, maritime, and aviation sectors. Given its nature, it is relatively uncontroversial and should move smoothly through the House.

The Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (Supervisor, Levy, and Other Matters) Amendment Bill, aside from being a mouthful, is in the name of ACT’s Nicole McKee. It strengthens some of the regulatory systems used by government agencies enforcing anti-money laundering and financial crime laws. All three opposition parties supported this Bill at first reading, but both Labour and the Greens signalled that their continued support was not guaranteed, so the second reading will reveal whether this remains the case.

The Local Government (System Improvements) Amendment Bill is one of the government’s legislative attempts to curb rising council rates. To do so, it lays out purposes for local government and prioritises the provision of core services (water, rubbish collection etc). This bill is likely to be contentious as it would restricts what a council can and should do to quite specific and practical functions.

Finally, the Online Casino Gambling Amendment Bill receives its third reading this week and will likely become law by next Monday. It introduces a licensing regime for gambling platforms wanting to operate in New Zealand.

*RNZ’s The House, with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament’s Office of the Clerk. Enjoy our articles or podcast at RNZ.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

As margins tighten, some small and medium-sized businesses are turning to family members to help keep their operations running.

However, legal risks can arise when a family “helper” is later found to have effectively been an employee.

Employment lawyers say that when a family relationship unravels due to issues such as divorce, disputes, business failure or succession, a business can face substantial liability if an employment status claim is brought, including back pay and holiday pay owed to the family member.

So where is the line between a relative simply “helping out” and being treated as an employee, and what can business owners do to avoid disputes?

Is it legal to ask a family member to “help out” in a business without pay?

The answer is not straightforward and largely depends on the arrangement.

Jeanie Borsboom, manager of specialist inspection for the Labour Inspectorate at Employment New Zealand, said it was not unlawful to ask a family member to work for free.

But whether that arrangement was lawful depended largely on whether both sides clearly understood and accepted it as being voluntary, she said.

“To avoid disputes, people need to be really clear with each other what the arrangement is,” she said.

“It could be purely voluntary, with no expectation of reward, so the person who is working does not expect to be paid. If they agree to that, then that’s not an unlawful arrangement,” she said.

“But if they agree that the person will be paid [and] rewarded for it, then they need to comply with all of the employment laws,” she said.

“They’ll need to pay them the minimum wage, holiday pay and have an employment agreement.”

Borsboom advised people to watch for dynamics such as power imbalances, children helping out or any indication that family members were being made to work without pay.

She said those were situations that should raise concern and, in some cases, be reported.

“People should also be aware of that imbalance of power,” she said.

“It may seem like a voluntary relationship, but if the person who’s doing the work does not feel they are volunteering and has not been able to speak up about it, that can be a bit of a danger area.”

What is the line between a family member “helping out” and being treated as an employee?

Multiple employment lawyers RNZ spoke with agreed that there was no clear-cut line between “helping out” and being an employee.

Jessie Lapthorne, a partner at Duncan Cotterill, said the law assessed the real nature of the relationship.

If a family member was being treated as an employee in practice, they were likely to be treated as one in law, Lapthorne said.

“The Employment Court has recognised that family arrangements can differ from the norm,” she said.

“There is a presumption that family members do not intend to create legal relationships and instead rely on family ties and mutual trust.

“However, that presumption is not decisive and can be overridden where the reality of the arrangement points towards employment, particularly if there is an imbalance of power or a risk of exploitation.”

Lapthorne said each case would be assessed on its own facts, including the level of control exercised, whether there was payment or some other form of reward, how regular and essential the work was, and what the parties reasonably expected.

“If a restaurant owner’s daughter works at the counter every weekend, with an expectation that she will be there, is paid or receives some form of reward, and is subject to workplace control, for example by needing permission not to work on a particular weekend, that arrangement if tested could well be treated as one of employment, even if the business thought of it as their daughter simply ‘helping out’,” she said.

Rosie Judd, a senior associate at Wynn Williams, agreed.

Judd said a family relationship did not preclude an employment relationship under New Zealand law.

She said courts assessed the real nature of the relationship, using the same tests applied in any other employment status claim, including the control test, the integration test and the fundamental test.

The control test examined who directed the work, while the integration test looked at whether the individual was part of the business in the same way as other staff, she said.

The fundamental test examined whether the individual was working for the business or whether they were operating independently on their own account, she said.

The parties’ intentions were also relevant, she said, though they were not necessarily determinative.

If a family member only helps occasionally or irregularly, can they still be covered by employment law?

This depended on the situation, said Jennifer Mills, director of Jennifer Mills & Associates.

Mills said whether a family member who occasionally helped was covered by employment law depended on a range of factors, including whether they could decline a request for assistance, whether they were subject to direction over their duties and hours, and whether they received any form of benefit in return for the work performed, including non-monetary benefits.

“A family member may be covered by employment law even if they help occasionally or irregularly as a casual employee,” she said.

What should a family member think about before agreeing to “help out” in a family business?

Judd said a family member could legally agree to work without pay if they were genuinely doing so with no expectation of reward. In that case, they would be regarded in law as a volunteer rather than an employee.

However, family members should be alert to how that arrangement may change over time, Judd said.

What started as occasional unpaid help could become more frequent or turn into something more onerous, she said.

“A family member should think about whether they will be expected to turn up regularly, what sort of work they will be doing, how relationships might be affected if they no longer want to help out and whether they will feel that they can say ‘no’,” she said.

“If there is any uncertainty there, they might consider a written agreement so that expectations are clear.”

What are the main risks for family business owners?

Lapthorne said the main risk for employers was that a family “helper” might later be found to have been an employee, with all the legal obligations that followed, even where the arrangement was intended to be informal or voluntary.

She said such cases usually emerged after a relationship broke down, or where there was unacceptable conduct by either the family member or the business owner.

If a family member was deemed to be an employee, the employer must comply with employment law requirements, including minimum wage obligations, leave entitlements, and fair disciplinary and dismissal processes, she said.

“Failure to do so can expose the business to claims for unjustified dismissal, unpaid wages or other employment breaches,” she said.

What can business owners do to avoid later disputes?

Mills noted that an increasing number of businesses appeared to be relying on unpaid or underpaid family labour because of rising costs and economic pressures.

She said migrant families and family-run migrant businesses were particularly vulnerable to this kind of problem.

“Migrant families or family-run migrant businesses may be less familiar with New Zealand employment law,” she said.

“Cultural expectations and potential moral obligations of helping the family business can materially increase the risk that informal family labour unintentionally crosses the threshold into employment.”

Mills said business owners should clearly set out the arrangement with the family member in writing before any work was undertaken, whether as a genuine volunteer arrangement, a properly documented employment relationship or, in limited cases, an independent contractor engagement.

“A clear paper trail is strongly recommended to avoid later disputes as to expectation, hours, remuneration and role boundaries,” she said.

Judd agreed, saying business owners should discuss with family members the real nature of the arrangement from the outset.

“Does the business owner expect the family member to work regular hours, seek permission before taking time off and follow the business owner’s directions? If so, they are probably an employee,” Judd said.

“If they have more freedom and flexibility, and do not expect to be paid, they might be a volunteer.”

Judd said that business owners employing family members should ensure there was a written employment agreement, proper payroll and record-keeping were in place, and expectations were clearly understood.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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Joining Forces to Build a New Regional Value Chain and Drive Industrial Upgrading across ASEAN

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Modelling done for the government on its plans for an LNG terminal did not consider the effect of an international price spike, documents show.

A climate advocate said the decision not to model price volatility was “remarkable” and raised further questions about whether the planned facility was a good idea.

However, officials said although the current conflict in the Middle East had created volatility in LNG prices, longer-term price projections were still in line with the information the government based its decision on.

The government announced in February it would proceed with plans for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import facility in Taranaki, with the billion-dollar plus cost paid for through an electricity levy.

The proposal, widely criticised at the time, has attracted renewed opposition after Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz prompted the price of fossil fuels – including LNG – to spike.

Gentailer chief executives expressed doubts at the energy sector’s conference last month, prompting Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to say the government would not proceed if the business case did not stack up.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) said in a statement last month that the LNG terminal was selected from a shortlist of five options that it considered “timely, feasible and of sufficient scale to meet dry year needs”.

It would also be beneficial to major industrial gas users, who had been forced to limit production or shut up shop altogether in recent years as domestic gas supply dwindled, the ministry said.

The announcement had already had an effect on the prices electricity suppliers were paying for supply later this year, MBIE said.

“While forward prices will move around in response to a range of factors, electricity forward prices dropped substantially in the weeks following the government’s LNG announcement.”

Documents released to RNZ under the Official Information Act outline how consultants contracted by the ministry modelled the effect of an LNG facility on New Zealand energy prices.

The variables they tested included whether two or three coal- and diesel-burning Rankine turbines at Huntly are working over winter, how fast future renewable generation is built, and whether a private joint venture to build gas storage beneath the Tariki gas field in Taranaki goes ahead.

The model tested various scenarios with two international LNG prices: $20 and $25 per gigajoule.

It did not look at any higher pricing.

“[This] modelling has not considered the potential impact of international fuel price volatility,” the document said.

Undertaken before the current fuel crisis, the modelling said that, at the moment, New Zealand’s electricity system was currently “relatively insulated” from international energy prices.

That had been beneficial when international prices, especially LNG, spiked during 2021 and 2023 – when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine affected supply.

International natural gas prices have now increased again, after Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz, and Goldman Sachs recently said prices could increase by another 50 to 100 percent if the conflict with Israel and the US dragged on.

Lawyers for Climate Action executive director Jessica Palairet said the modelling reinforced “real questions about whether the LNG import facility is going to deliver”.

“The analysis did not consider the risk of international LNG price … which is quite remarkable.”

The model also assumed that supply of LNG would be unlimited and uninterrupted, an assumption that was being tested by the current situation, she said.

An MBIE spokesperson said the current conflict had created only “short-term volatility” in LNG markets,

“LNG futures prices for 2028/2029 remain consistent with the price assumptions that fed into earlier Cabinet analysis on LNG,” they said.

“Importantly, events in the Middle East do not impact the cost of the LNG import facility itself, nor the benefits of having reliable dry year cover in New Zealand.”

The modelling documents showed that having access to LNG had the greatest effect on New Zealand’s electricity system in scenarios where electricity demand was much greater than supply, the Tariki gas storage project did not go ahead, and LNG prices were low.

“If LNG is significantly higher priced than NZ gas, LNG will likely result in cost,” the documents said.

Savings were also much lower when supply and demand was in balance, and if there was additional gas storage available through Tariki – which emails between officials and consultants concluded would have a “high impact”.

An agreement to develop the Tariki project was signed by NZ Energy Corp and Genesis late last year, and early work has begun.

A Genesis spokesperson said there was no timeline yet for “this potential project”.

Significant parts of the documents were redacted, including the introductory pages of the final presentation outlining the results.

Jessica Palairet said what appeared to have been redacted was the full executive summary, including any conclusions the Concept Consulting consultants – who she said were “rell-regarded” – had drawn from the modelling.

“We don’t have the interpretation of the consultants of their own modelling, In some ways, they’re … the most important information in the entire analysis.”

“What’s been redacted appears to be what the modellers actually thought about their model.”

MBIE said those sections of the document, along with multiple smaller redactions, were held back to prevent the “free and frank exchange of opinions”.

Official Information laws allow for such redactions, provided that they are not outweighed by the public interest.

Palairet – who also received a redacted version of the same documents – said her organisation was challenging that decision with the Ombudsman.

“There’s a really strong public interest in releasing the full document. We’re talking about a huge expenditure in the middle of an energy crisis.”

RNZ has laid a separate complaint with the Ombudsman, asking for the redactions to be reconsidered.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

A Northland business leading the way back to the future by selling milk straight from the farm in glass bottles is the latest to fall victim to soaring fuel prices and global uncertainty.

Bella Vacca Jerseys, founded in 2016 by sharemilkers Gavin Hogarth and Jody Hansen, supplied homes, cafes and retailers as far away as Auckland from their farm near Moerewa.

Their milk was pasteurised on-farm and was sold in one-litre glass bottles that were washed and re-used up to 50 times.

The business also supplied cafes with milk in re-useable plastic pails, and claimed to have reduced New Zealand’s consumption of single-use plastic bottles by 250,000 per year.

However, the last bottles of Bella Vacca milk were delivered last Friday.

Hogarth said a combination of soaring fuel prices, global uncertainty caused by the Iran war, and challenging weather had forced the decision.

“The biggest thing that really pushed the button was the cost of fuel. The vehicles went from costing $90 to fill up to around $240,” he said.

“We always found it hard, having to increase prices. We worked out one day how much we’d need to put the price up. Well, a week later, it wasn’t enough, because fuel was just accelerating that fast.”

Northland’s wet summer and autumn also played a part.

The couple welcomed the rainy start to the season at first – recurring droughts are the bane of many a Northland dairy farmer – but then the rain kept coming.

“There’s just no way that we could milk cows during the winter. We’ve still got paddocks we’re trying to get grass seed back into after the maize came off. It’s just so wet.”

They had tried to find an alternative supply of Jersey milk but farmers in their area were tied up with contracts to big dairy companies.

Hogarth said the business was, in a way, a victim of its own success.

They needed to expand to meet demand but ageing power infrastructure, in particular a 90-year-old earth line, meant they couldn’t run any more machinery.

To expand or branch into new products, such as gelato, they would need to set up a new factory off-farm.

“A couple of buildings came up that we could have bought and fitted out. But it’s not the right time to be going out and raising that sort of money, given the crisis we’re looking at in the world right now.”

Hogarth said the business had built up a loyal following during the past 10 years, and had received many heart-felt messages, including hand-written notes from children, since the final delivery was announced.

Reading those was both gratifying and difficult, he said.

“Our milk was pretty popular in that respect. And it’s probably made more people aware of what real food is. That’s a blunt way of saying it, I suppose.

“It costs more than normal milk. But once people tried it, they realised why it costs more, because it was completely different.”

Hogarth said the large dairy companies had to pasteurise their milk quickly and at higher temperatures due to the volumes they were working with.

“Whereas we would do it at a much lower temperature for 10 minutes. And because of that, it retains so much more of the flavour and texture of real milk.”

The business was for sale and a few potential buyers had shown interest, so Hogarth was still hopeful it could be revived under new owners.

Even if the war on Iran ended tomorrow, he expected the costs faced by small Northland businesses to keep going up.

“Each day they’re getting closer to making the decision. It’s tough out there, and the unknown is probably the biggest thing.”

The final deliveries took place last Friday.

Bella Vacca’s milk was used by cafes across Northland and Auckland, and for making gelato sold at Devonport’s Victoria Cinema.

Home deliveries were focused on Auckland suburbs where initial orders were strongest.

In an earlier interview, co-founder Jody Hansen said they started Bella Vacca Jerseys after a drop in Fonterra’s milk payout in 2016.

That had forced her to seek accounting work off-farm to make ends meet, and prompted the couple to rethink the business.

They wanted some control over their income instead of being “price-takers”, but knew they could not compete with supermarkets on price.

Instead, they opted for glass bottles and on-farm production, both as a point of difference and to reduce plastic waste.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

A Northland business leading the way back to the future by selling milk straight from the farm in glass bottles is the latest to fall victim to soaring fuel prices and global uncertainty.

Bella Vacca Jerseys, founded in 2016 by sharemilkers Gavin Hogarth and Jody Hansen, supplied homes, cafes and retailers as far away as Auckland from their farm near Moerewa.

Their milk was pasteurised on-farm and was sold in one-litre glass bottles that were washed and re-used up to 50 times.

The business also supplied cafes with milk in re-useable plastic pails, and claimed to have reduced New Zealand’s consumption of single-use plastic bottles by 250,000 per year.

However, the last bottles of Bella Vacca milk were delivered last Friday.

Hogarth said a combination of soaring fuel prices, global uncertainty caused by the Iran war, and challenging weather had forced the decision.

“The biggest thing that really pushed the button was the cost of fuel. The vehicles went from costing $90 to fill up to around $240,” he said.

“We always found it hard, having to increase prices. We worked out one day how much we’d need to put the price up. Well, a week later, it wasn’t enough, because fuel was just accelerating that fast.”

Northland’s wet summer and autumn also played a part.

The couple welcomed the rainy start to the season at first – recurring droughts are the bane of many a Northland dairy farmer – but then the rain kept coming.

“There’s just no way that we could milk cows during the winter. We’ve still got paddocks we’re trying to get grass seed back into after the maize came off. It’s just so wet.”

They had tried to find an alternative supply of Jersey milk but farmers in their area were tied up with contracts to big dairy companies.

Hogarth said the business was, in a way, a victim of its own success.

They needed to expand to meet demand but ageing power infrastructure, in particular a 90-year-old earth line, meant they couldn’t run any more machinery.

To expand or branch into new products, such as gelato, they would need to set up a new factory off-farm.

“A couple of buildings came up that we could have bought and fitted out. But it’s not the right time to be going out and raising that sort of money, given the crisis we’re looking at in the world right now.”

Hogarth said the business had built up a loyal following during the past 10 years, and had received many heart-felt messages, including hand-written notes from children, since the final delivery was announced.

Reading those was both gratifying and difficult, he said.

“Our milk was pretty popular in that respect. And it’s probably made more people aware of what real food is. That’s a blunt way of saying it, I suppose.

“It costs more than normal milk. But once people tried it, they realised why it costs more, because it was completely different.”

Hogarth said the large dairy companies had to pasteurise their milk quickly and at higher temperatures due to the volumes they were working with.

“Whereas we would do it at a much lower temperature for 10 minutes. And because of that, it retains so much more of the flavour and texture of real milk.”

The business was for sale and a few potential buyers had shown interest, so Hogarth was still hopeful it could be revived under new owners.

Even if the war on Iran ended tomorrow, he expected the costs faced by small Northland businesses to keep going up.

“Each day they’re getting closer to making the decision. It’s tough out there, and the unknown is probably the biggest thing.”

The final deliveries took place last Friday.

Bella Vacca’s milk was used by cafes across Northland and Auckland, and for making gelato sold at Devonport’s Victoria Cinema.

Home deliveries were focused on Auckland suburbs where initial orders were strongest.

In an earlier interview, co-founder Jody Hansen said they started Bella Vacca Jerseys after a drop in Fonterra’s milk payout in 2016.

That had forced her to seek accounting work off-farm to make ends meet, and prompted the couple to rethink the business.

They wanted some control over their income instead of being “price-takers”, but knew they could not compete with supermarkets on price.

Instead, they opted for glass bottles and on-farm production, both as a point of difference and to reduce plastic waste.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand