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NEWS
A variety of immigration, business and general news articles taken from New Zealand newspapers, websites and other sources (sources are mentioned at the bottom of each article) and selected by Terra Nova Consultancy Ltd. It may assist the reader being more or less up-to-date what is happening in Aotearoa, "the Land of the Long White Cloud". Happy reading, enjoy ... and if you have any questions on these updates - please contact us...
Newest article always on top.
07/10/10 - Property values decline through September
Property values continued to gradually decline in September, as sales remained low, latest QV figures show.
September values were 5.3 percent below the market peak of late 2007, after having been 5 percent below the peak in August.
The QV residential property index is 2 percent above the level of a year ago, but QV said the gap was closing.
The average sales price for the past three months, which QV considers a less reliable measure of value change than the index, dropped to $401,968 from the $407,900 reported last month.
QV.co.nz research director Jonno Ingerson today said the housing market was experiencing a "very low" level of sales, as had been the case for several months.
"QV valuers, particularly in Auckland and Wellington, are reporting that there is a general lack of well presented, quality properties on the market at present," Mr Ingerson said.
"Those that do come up are selling quickly and for good prices. Properties that are not well presented, lacking maintenance, or with perceived flaws are either failing to sell, or buyers are discounting their offers accordingly."
Main urban area values appeared to be stabilising, but there was variation between cities and across the price range, Mr Ingerson said.
Values in the provincial centres had been flat for several months now, while in the rural areas house values continued to slide back.
The September 4 Canterbury earthquake and aftershocks had led to a significant slowdown in the number of house sales in the region.
Banks, insurance companies and potential buyers were all doing careful due diligence and seeking reassurances about the structural integrity of properties, Mr Ingerson said.
That had slowed the sales process, even for properties under contract before the earthquake. Positive signs of normal market activity were beginning to return, especially in less affected areas of Christchurch.
Sales in Canterbury in September were insufficient to create statistically valid indices, so QV had been unable to gauge how house values had been affected.
The lack of Canterbury data would not have significantly affected the overall New Zealand index as before the earthquake values in Christchurch were showing similar trends to other main urban areas.
QV expected current trends to continue in coming months. While new listings were likely to increase through spring and summer, sales volumes were not expected to increase dramatically, Mr Ingerson said.
Nationwide values dropped 9.6 percent from the late 2007 peak to a low point in April 2009, before recovering throughout the rest of 2009 and early 2010. Between September last year and March values rose 3.4 percent, and had since eased back 1.4 percent.
Values in the Auckland area increased steadily through most of 2009 and early 2010 before falling slightly in April and May, and since then had been relatively stable. As a result values were still 4.3 percent above the same time last year but this gap was closing, QV said.
(Source NZPA)
07/10/10 - Real incomes falling
Median weekly incomes have stagnated in dollar terms since 2008, which means they have fallen over 4 percent in real terms (that is, after price rises have been taken into account), said the CTU today.
The median weekly income was $536 in June 2008, $538 in 2009, and $529 this year, according to the annual New Zealand Income Survey released today, which shows weekly income for the year to June. Half of people receive more and half receive less than the median. Household incomes showed a similar pattern.
“The survey shows that people’s living standards have fallen over the last two years,” said Bill Rosenberg, CTU Policy Director and Economist. “Those relying on wages and salaries have done least badly, but households still have lower incomes than both last year and 2008 when taking price rises into account. The self-employed have done worst of all, with a sizeable fall in income of 6.3 percent for the year. This shows the importance of wages and salaries not only to provide relatively secure incomes for people, but as a stabiliser in the economy in times of recession. It shows why workers have reason to resist actions like Telecom’s to push them out of regular employment into insecure self-employed contractor positions.”
The total median weekly income includes wage, investment and other income. However median weekly wage and salary income for those receiving it increased by 1.2 percent from the June 2009 quarter. This was the lowest recorded rise since the June 1999 quarter. Median hourly earnings rose $0.53 to $20.00, at 2.7 percent, the smallest increase since 2003.
“When looking at men and women separately, however, there are larger movements: for those receiving it, wage and salary income increased 4.0 percent for men and 4.3 percent for women. What appears to have happened is that households and the workforce have become more dependent on lower paid women’s work during the recession, so that both household income and the overall median wage and salary increase have not risen nearly as fast.”
As would be expected during the recession, people are more reliant on income from benefits from the Government. During the year the number of people receiving income from government transfers increased by 54,400 (4.9 percent), though income from that source (for those receiving it) fell slightly – by $4 to $269.
However, median weekly income from self-employment (for those receiving it) has fallen significantly since 2009 – it is down 6.3 percent or $38 to $575.
“We are also reminded of how few people receive significant income from investment: the median is only $12 per week for those who do receive it – down from $15 in 2009,” Rosenberg said.
(Source CTU)
07/10/10 - Impact on immigrants and refugees feared
English language teachers fear immigrants and refugees will suffer from changes to an unemployment education programme.
The Government is restricting the programme's foundation literacy courses to one year.
The courses used to run for up to two years.
The National Association of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages says one year is not long enough to teach both language and workplace skills.
(Source Radio New Zealand)
07/10/10 - Paul Henry's 'slur' prompts calls for ad ban
A migrant services group is calling on companies to withdraw advertising from TVNZ's Breakfast show after Paul Henry's on-air slur.
Henry was suspended for two weeks after asking Prime Minister John Key if Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand was "even a New Zealander" and whether the next governor-general would "look and sound like a New Zealander".
The comment has sparked a record number of complaints to TVNZ and drawn criticism from the Race Relations Commissioner, politicians, ethnic and community organisations and thousands of people who have posted comments on websites.
Complaints have also been received about another recent Breakfast episode where Henry worked himself up into a fit of laughter over the name of Delhi Commonwealth Games Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit
. In between laughter, Henry last week referred to the minister as "dickshit", despite having been told her name was pronounced "dixit". He also appeared to make a slur against Indians in general.
The Times of India website reported that when asked for a reaction to the controversy, Mrs Dikshit said she was "too busy to notice".
The Auckland Regional Migrant Services (ARMS) today said Henry's "insensitive and xenophobic comments" would be viewed negatively by many migrants to New Zealand.
Acting executive director Lawton Hakaraia called on people to write to companies that advertised on Breakfast, to ask them to withdraw their advertising if Paul Henry kept his job.
"TVNZ must take full responsibility for what has happened and investigate and address the comments made by Henry, to ensure that such bigoted, ethnocentric remarks have no place on state-funded television," Mr Hakaraia said.
He said Sir Anand had been a patron of the ARMS Charitable Trust since 2005, and had generously supported and contributed towards the services it provided to migrants and refugees across the Auckland region.
"This kind of statement is demeaning to the office of the Governor-General," he said.
Meanwhile, a TVNZ public relations manager has apologised to colleagues for her response to media after Henry's comments on Monday.
In a leaked email Andi Brotherston apologised and admitted she had "made an horrendous error of judgement".
Brotherston said Henry was prepared to say the things "we quietly think but are scared to say out loud".
In the leaked email she said, "In hindsight it seems unbelievable that I didn't seek a second opinion ... or even pause for breath but I didn't and only have myself to blame."
Brotherston said her comments were wrong and she accepted full responsibility.
She offered to resign but her boss declined to accept.
Messages streamed in to the TVNZ website yesterday, and while Henry has generally been taking a slating over his comments, there were also messages of support from people referring to complaining "do-gooders".
Some said people were being too politically correct and that they would not watch Breakfast until Henry returned, while others said they had already switched off and wouldn't tune in again if Henry returned.
Henry apologised on air after making the comment and, while he has shown some remorse, he lost his cool when he came across reporters waiting outside his North Shore property on Tuesday, directing a tirade of expletive-laden abuse at them.
Sir Anand, who was born, educated, worked and lived in Auckland, has been diplomatic about the incident, but agreed Henry had crossed the line.
(Source The Press)
06/10/10 - Overseas investment down on last year
Overseas investors won approval for 68 deals involving $11 billion of expensive or sensitive New Zealand assets in the nine months to August, down on the 104 deals worth $18 billion done by this time last year.
The Overseas Investment Office must appraise foreigners' applications to buy special land or assets worth more than $100 million.
The gross value of consideration this year was $1.1 billion, resulting in a net investment of $268 million, compared with a gross $7.3 billion and a net investment of $660 million from January to August last year.
This year's three biggest deals so far are Amalgamated Holdings' acquisition of SkyCity Cinema Holdings for $42.3 million, the Saint James Company's purchase of Bolitho Vineyards (Hope), Waimea Estates (Nelson) and 69ha of Hope and Appleby land for $34.5 million and CSG's purchase of Leasing Solutions and Onesource Group for $23.2 million.
In the office's latest monthly decisions, the biggest deal where the monetary value was not suppressed was consent for The Royal Bank of Scotland Group to do a deal involving $352 million and ABN Amro.
Singaporean-controlled Olam International obtained consent to take over NZ Farming Systems Uruguay, a deal involving assets worth $317.1 million.
"The investment is part of the applicant's long-term growth strategy to expand its reach into key dairy areas of Oceania and North and South America," the office said.
Asia Pacific Healthcare Group, fully American-owned, has been allowed to do a deal with foreign-owned Healthscope for assets worth $101 million.
Healthscope operates in New Zealand providing pathology services, the office said.
American paint and coatings manufacturer/distributor The Valspar (Australia) Paint Acquisition received consent for a $33 million deal to buy Australian-controlled Wattyl.
BNZ was the vendor of an rare slice of Bay of Islands real estate at Bill Birnie's Mataka Station on the Pererua Peninsula outside Kerikeri north of Waitangi.
A 26ha block of Mataka, a coastal subdivision tightly controlled by body corporate rules, can go to Switzerland's Maurice Dabbah for $2 million.
(Source Anne Gibson, NZ Herald)
03/10/10 - Kiwi kids fighting deportation await Minister's decision
An Indian family with three New Zealand-born children is fighting deportation claiming it will mean life in a Punjabi slum.
Sixty eight-year-old Mohammed Al-Isawi is one of an estimated 16,000 overstayers currently living in New Zealand.
He's been in the country illegally for three years helping care for his four grandkids after their mother struggled with serious vision problems.
His son, who's a New Zealand citizen, believes his father's presence has been a benefit to the country.
“Maybe I would stop working to look after my kids and get benefit all the time for that three years because my wife cannot control the house,” says Mr Al-Isawi.
The treatment of illegal migrants is in the spotlight tonight with an Indian family fighting deportation. Their three kids were born here and have citizenship but their father, an overstayer for seven years, is now in prison waiting for the Minister’s decision.
“I want the Prime Minister to come to my school in Hastings and tell me in front of my teachers why he wants to deport me and send me to poverty,” says eight-year-old Hemani Mall.
Advocates for the family fear they will have to swap Hastings for a slum with no running water or toilets and because they're not Indian citizens the children won't qualify for healthcare until they're 18.
“This is the only life they know,” says Mr Al-Isawi.
“It'll be shock horror for the children to go there. We try and save all the children but we can't but we are trying to save these three.”
A spokesman for associate Immigration Minister Kate Wilkinson said she hadn't made her mind up on the matter. Mr Al-Isawi believes in some cases New Zealand is too strict on overstayers.
“If they are staying here for a long time without any bad record why do you have to kick them out.”
However, while keeping a low profile in his three years living here illegally his father even had a gall bladder operation in North Shore Hospital which his son is in the process of paying off.
Mr Al-Isawi will bid a fond farewell to the country and his grandkids on Wednesday when he returns home to Jordan.
(Source 3 News)
02/10/10 - Korean visitors donate $47k to quake effort
Visitors from Korea have donated $47,000 for the Christchurch earthquake relief effort.
Reverend Tae-jin Bae, General Secretary of the Presbyterian Church of the Republic of Korea, is currently visiting New Zealand and brought with him a US$5,000 donation.
The Presbyterian Church of Korea has also gifted US$30,000.
New Zealand's Right Reverend Peter Cheyne says the donation will make a real difference to the 700-member Korean community in Christchurch.
(Source Newstalk ZB)
01/10/10 - Check visa requirements: high commissioner
The case of a Queenstown man who went to Britain to get married, only to be turned away at London's Heathrow airport, serves as a timely reminder for all New Zealand travellers to check visa requirements, the British High Commissioner says.
The man did not have a visa to cover his marriage and was turned away, Commissioner Vicki Treadell said.
When he returned to New Zealand he was issued with the correct visa, but not in time for the wedding.
Mrs Treadell said she wanted "to remind New Zealanders and travel agents that travellers must have the right visa if they going to marry in the United Kingdom".
The visa requirement was introduced in 2004 to stop arranged marriages.
(Source Otago Daily Times)
01/10/10 - More migrants calling NZ 'home'
It seems New Zealand's clean, green image is attracting more and more migrants to come settle on our shores.
A new survey initiated by the New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development shows 45 percent of migrants call our country home because of its better physical environment.
Council chief executive Peter Neilson says the results have signalled a change in focus.
"For the last 20 years there has been an aim of getting people to New Zealand that not only were more entrepreneurial but basically came from parts of the world who wanted to increase trade," he says. "But in fact the people who are turning up in New Zealand have values that very much align with New Zealand's."
Forty one percent of migrants believe New Zealand provides a safer society than their homeland, while 36 percent like the weather.
(Source RadioLIVE)
30/09/10 - AA supports change to give way rule
Changes to give way rules announced by the Government yesterday will bring New Zealand into line with other countries, eliminate uncertainty and make intersections safer, says the Automobile Association (AA).
The most significant change involves a reversal of the current situation where traffic turning left must give way to right turning traffic on the opposite side of intersections.
Changes are also planned at uncontrolled T-intersections where two vehicles are turning right. The current rule would be reversed so traffic turning right off the through road would have right of way.
Announcing the changes, Transport Minister Steven Joyce said they would be publicly consulted on next year and were likely to be in place by early 2012.
They were needed because the current system was confusing and out of step internationally, he said. The AA has been lobbying for the changes, and spokesman Mike Noon said they would make intersections safer.
He said the give way to your right when turning left rule was not well complied with in New Zealand, which is the only country where it still applies.
"There are also risks, such as when someone has a left-turning indicator on because they have forgotten to turn it off -- anyone turning right across their path will get a very nasty surprise," Mr Noon said. "Police attend 40 to 50 injury crashes of this type a year."
He said AA research had found the current give way rules were a factor in 6 percent to 7 percent of intersection crashes, and one or two deaths each year.
Mr Noon said the new rules would be better both for tourists travelling here, and New Zealanders driving in other countries.
Mr Joyce said an extensive education campaign would ensure drivers knew about the changes before they came into force.
"I think it's very important that the change is well managed, which is why we've decided to certainly take our time to do it."
Mr Joyce also announced changes yesterday aimed at improving motorcycle safety.
They include making motorcycle licence tests harder and motorcycle specific, removing the option for reduced time on a restricted licence, requiring all novice motorcyclists be subject to the same minimum time requirements, introducing a power-to-weight restriction for novice riders and promoting the benefits of wearing high-visibility clothing.
Moped riders would be required to complete a basic handling skills test along with motorcycle learner theory.
(Source Otago Daily Times)
29/09/10 - Skill Shortage in New Zealand
New Zealand is desperately seeking skilled British workers to fill vacancies in its workforce. The New Zealand Department of Labour has recently published some astonishing statistics stating only 54% of advertised jobs in New Zealand were filled within 10 weeks of advertising.
The occupations in which New Zealand has a significant shortage of skilled workers can be found on the Long Term Skill Shortage List (LTSSL). If you are bored of your currently circumstances there are some very good opportunities for migrants at the moment in New Zealand.
Similar to Australia, Canada and the UK, potential migrants applying for residency in New Zealand must qualify via a points system. Points are awarded to applicants who have a confirmed offer of employment which meets the specifications of the LTSSL and have either qualified or experienced in the given occupation.
There are definitely some very good opportunities in New Zealand at the moment. The country's workforce has grown substantially in the last few years and will continue to grow in the coming years. The current workforce is unable to match the strong growth in demand for skilled workers with labour shortages have reached record highs.
New adjustments to the LTSSL in September 2010 have been made to help the country fill the massive shortage of skilled workers in a wide range of industries and occupations.
If you are seriously considering immigrating to New Zealand, it would be sensible to contact a qualified and licensed migration agent. They will be able to ssist in or refer you for a suitable job in New Zealand and give you advice on the main obstacles on moving.
Contact Terra Nova Consultancy Ltd for peace of mind.
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