The new research and development tax incentive introduced today by the government will go a long way to helping inject even more growth into the tech sector, NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says.

Geneva – The global air transport sector supports 65.5 million jobs and $2.7 trillion in global economic activity, according to new research released today by the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG).

WorkSafe is reminding the logistics and transport sector that they need to be considering the health and safety of truck drivers coming on and off of their sites to pick up and deliver goods.

The proposal to decrease ACC levies by 6.9% for employers is one the EMA encourages the Minister to keep.

Air New Zealand is kicking off the design process for a new uniform for cabin crew and airport staff.

A University of Canterbury (UC) law professor warns that New Zealand’s limited enforcement of a global Anti-Bribery convention may leave us open to organised crime and corruption.

UC Law Professor John Hopkins warns that if New Zealand’s limited enforcement of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)’s Anti-Bribery convention continues, we may find ourselves targeted by organised crime and corruption.

In the new Transparency International report ‘Exporting corruption’, New Zealand was identified as one of 33 exporters (totalling 52% of world exports) that have limited to no enforcement against foreign bribery.

Professor Hopkins, a director of Transparency International New Zealand (TINZ) and one of the report’s authors, found that while New Zealand had a deserved reputation for integrity, there is much work still to do.

“We are still one of the countries that turns a blind eye to bribery when it occurs overseas.”

One example of this is that the law here continues to allow ‘facilitation payments’ – a practice which “undermines good practice and our good name”.

He encourages the government to tighten the law and better resource enforcement agencies to ensure overseas criminals cannot abuse New Zealand’s reputation.

“Although domestic corruption in New Zealand appears low, we really need to up our game in the way we respond to the threat of international corruption,” Professor Hopkins says.

“New Zealand is widely regarded as one of the least corrupt countries but we need to make sure our international approach lines up with that.”

Transparency International is the global civil society organisation against corruption. It is a non-political, non-partisan and not-for-profit incorporated society with charitable status.

PEPANZ says it is undemocratic and deeply unfair for the select committee considering changes to oil and gas legislation to have its consultation period slashed to just four weeks.

The apple and stonefruit industry members at the heart of the legal action against MPI over seized plants and plant material have welcomed MPI’s latest announcement, advising the release of 20,000 apple plants and 400 stonefruit plants from containment.

The Green Party does not support Labour Party Minister Woods allowing mining companies with existing offshore oil and gas exploration permits more time to consider if they will drill.

The Green Party welcome the introduction of the Crown Minerals Amendment Bill, which will legislate to officially stop new offshore oil and gas exploration permits.