The biggest rises were in Queenstown-Lakes.

The building was badly damaged in the 2011 earthquake and has sat abandoned ever since.

The Restaurant Association is concerned about workforce shortages after many of its jobs were left off the list of new visas.

The economy is trying to shift out of low gear, as a key production indicator posted gains last month.

Telecommunications company Spark is selling a 75 percent stake in its data centre business for $705 million.

The rebound in export prices, improved farmer confidence and spending drove an improvement in PGG Wrightson sales and profits.

A subsidy scheme for homeowners to replace gas and inefficient heaters with heat pumps would save the country $1.5 billion a year, the Green Building Council says.

The Te Kuha project has raised environmental concerns and had already been rejected multiple times by the courts.