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Would you pay $7 for a standard coffee? New Zealand's coffee sector is under pressure as volatile bean prices collide with a weaker New Zealand dollar, increased freight costs and higher costs of doing business. One roaster says if coffee prices had kept up with the increase in cafe costs, a flat white would now be selling for $7, not the more like $5 that most cafes price them at. Stats NZ data shows the cost of an average takeaway coffee has risen from $2.89 in June of 2006 to $3.72 in June of 2016 and $4.79 in June this year. In Wellington this week, a trim flat white with an extra shot cost $6.30 at Swimsuit. A medium flat white from French83 in Federal St, Auckland, cost $6, a regular trim flat white from Bleached in New Plymouth $4.40 and an Americano from Moore Wilson in Wellington ...

Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly A former Auckland Council building inspector has pleaded guilty to bribery and corruption charges in the form of cash and renovations on his home address. Nicholas Bright admitted to 21 charges of corruption and bribery of an official in the Manukau District Court, with sentencing scheduled for 20 November. The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) filed charges against Bright and a director of a construction company in March, who still faced 23 charges of corruption and bribery of an official. The director of the construction company, who has name suppression, has entered not guilty pleas, with a court hearing set down for 25 October. SFO director Karen Chang said bribery and corruption involving public officials was an area of focus, particularly where health an...

Photo: 123rf Employers are being urged to ensure staff promoted into management roles have the training and support needed to do their job. A survey by recruitment firm Robert Walters of more than 2000 white collar professionals found 44 percent of managers do not have the appropriate training to do their job. It also found more than 200 workers were required to assume unofficial management responsibilities, including mentoring and supervising, without any official announcement, job title modification, or increase in compensation.  "This trend appears to be more prominent in recent times due to businesses being forced to reduce headcount, and thrusting subject matter experts into management roles to fill gaps," Robert Walters Australia and New Zealand chief executive Shay Peters said. He...

Chief executive Gareth Edgecombe said weakness in New Zealand consumer activity and lower apple volumes drove business losses. Photo: Supplied Produce exporter T&G Global has reported another loss, with its half-year earnings down as its orchards continue to recover from Cyclone Gabrielle. Key numbers for the six months ended June compared with a year ago: Reported net loss $21.4m vs $17.7m loss. Revenue $820m vs $765.3m. Operating loss $2.6m vs $11.6m loss. T&G Global's reported net loss was 21 percent more than its loss for the same period last year. The loss includes a tax expense of $10.4 million due to government tax changes. Chief executive Gareth Edgecombe said weakness in New Zealand consumer activity and lower apple volumes drove business losses, but the outlook was m...

Photo: Work and Income A beneficiary who claimed Covid support for businesses that were not active is among three people who have been in court recently due to fraud-related pandemic payments, Inland Revenue says. Auckland woman Kesalina Hakaraia was sentenced to six months' community detention. She told IR in April 2020 that she was self-employed and had been since 2019. In May 2020, she filled out an income tax return for the 2020 income year, which included her benefit income, nearly $6000 in self-employed earnings and $25,000 in expenses, resulting in an income tax refund of $2528.43. On 14 June 2020, she amended her auto-calculated income tax return for the 2019 income year, claiming that she had earned $9800 and had incurred expenses of $22,800. This increased her tax refund by $17...