Auckland desk

Filed from the Auckland desk — including multi-city pieces that also ran elsewhere.

Finance · 1 October 2026

Cash Still a Good Idea? Reserve Bank Adds Cones to the Conversation

Moss Harlow, Auckland desk

The Reserve Bank’s consultation on minimum cash‑service standards has sparked a national debate, with banks installing literal cones around ATMs to signal the future of physical money.

Business · 1 October 2026

Farmers' Land Tax Fiasco: Opportunity's Value Overlooked, Cones Take Centre Stage

Moss Harlow, Auckland desk

Federated Farmers decry the proposed land value tax as a blind spot on farm profitability, prompting a colourful, albeit temporary, roadblock outside a city bank. The move reflects wider unease about New Zealand’s fisc…

Business · 1 October 2026

Credit Scores, Cash Rates and Road Cones: Auckland Bank’s New ‘Score’ System

Moss Harlow, Auckland desk

When the Reserve Bank’s rate hike collides with a dairy price surge, one Auckland bank experiments with an odd mix of metrics—road cones, milk cartons and credit numbers—to assess customer risk. The result is a baf…

Business · 1 October 2026

Fuel Price Surge Turns Auckland Offices into Mobile Taxis

Moss Harlow, Auckland desk

The latest spike in petrol prices has businesses scrambling to keep their drivers on the road, while a growing number of entrepreneurs are opting to work from the nearest petrol station. Optimists still outnumber pessimi…

Business · 1 October 2026

Film Commission Folds 20‑Year Core Funding, Leaving Indie Studios to Hunt for Cash

Moss Harlow, Auckland desk

The NZ Film Commission has discontinued its Core Funding Programme, a staple of the industry for over two decades, sparking concern among independent producers and prompting a frantic search for new financing channels.

Sports · 30 September 2026

Paisami’s Appeal Could End Eden Park’s 53‑Game Streak — or Add Another Tackle to the List

Craig Pohutukawa, Auckland desk

New Zealand’s Hunter Paisami is set to appeal a four‑match suspension after a high tackle on South Africa, while the Wallabies see a rare opportunity to snap the All Blacks’ 53‑game winning streak at Eden Park.

Business · 30 September 2026

Lodestone Launches IPO – Will Kiwi Investors Catch the Spark or the Lag?

Moss Harlow, Auckland desk

Lodestone is floating shares at a modest $2.25 each, valuing the firm at around $450 million. The company’s public debut has sparked a mix of enthusiasm and skepticism across the Auckland business scene.

Business · 30 September 2026

Warehouse Group Turns the Tables: $11.2m Net Profit from a Flat‑Line Sales Floor

Moss Harlow, Auckland desk

Despite retail sales remaining broadly flat, The Warehouse Group turned a lean year into an 11.2m net profit by trimming costs and tightening margins, showing that a well‑executed cost‑cut can make a profit line as s…

Business · 30 September 2026

KiwiRail's $1.4 B Deficit: City Rail Link Impairment Leaves Track in a Tight Spot

Moss Harlow, Auckland desk

KiwiRail reports a $1.4 bn shortfall, largely due to an impairment charge on the Auckland City Rail Link, hinting that the nation’s rail ambitions may be running out of steam.