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Opinion stories

House buyers 'in the driver's seat' - QV
Real estate

House buyers 'in the driver's seat' - QV

Home sellers face weaker demand as QV says buyers have the upper hand and the average New Zealand house value has slipped to $892,580.

By Susan Edmunds • 3 min read • 2 days ago
Youth unemployment at 'crisis level' and AI may mean recovery is tough, NZIER says
Construction

Youth unemployment at 'crisis level' and AI may mean recovery is tough, NZIER says

Recovery alone may not ease youth joblessness, with 15 to 19-year-olds facing 25.3 percent unemployment and AI adding uncertainty.

By Susan Edmunds • 3 min read • Last week
Tiaki Wai spends $150m on 'dreadful' Seaview stench
Construction

Tiaki Wai spends $150m on 'dreadful' Seaview stench

Residents could face more foul odours for two weeks as Tiaki Wai replaces old sludge dryers at Seaview Wastewater Treatment Plant.

By Ellen O'Dwyer • 3 min read • Last week
'Enough is enough': New Zealand First wants to ban fireworks
New Zealand Labour Party

'Enough is enough': New Zealand First wants to ban fireworks

Animals, homes and emergency crews could be spared disruption if New Zealand First wins support for its proposed fireworks ban.

By Craig McCulloch • 3 min read • Last week
Will the election have an impact on rents?
Housing

Will the election have an impact on rents?

Rents are expected to stay subdued despite the election, as weak demand, ample supply and household finances continue to cap increases.

By Susan Edmunds • 4 min read • Last week

Global Stories

Opinion stories

Australia needs more skilled workers. It also needs to stop wasting their time
Construction

Australia needs more skilled workers. It also needs to stop wasting their time

Technicians are losing up to two hours a day to admin, squeezing capacity and worsening delays as labour shortages bite across essential industries.

By Andrew Wiltshire • 5 min read • Today
Designing for data sovereignty: Building architectures that keep control where it belongs
Software-as-a-Service

Designing for data sovereignty: Building architectures that keep control where it belongs

As AI pipelines spread data across jurisdictions, rigid architectures are turning compliance into a costly risk for enterprises.

By Craig Gravina • 5 min read • Today
Private 5G in Australia and New Zealand: a guide for industrial organisations
Manufacturing

Private 5G in Australia and New Zealand: a guide for industrial organisations

Industrial firms can use private 5G to cut downtime, improve safety and support automation where Wi-Fi and public mobile networks fall short.

By John Boladian • 5 min read • Yesterday
AI in Retail is Only as Good as its Data Foundation
Customer Relationship Management

AI in Retail is Only as Good as its Data Foundation

Retailers risk losing customer loyalty to AI agents unless they clean and enrich data, as BCG says GenAI browser traffic to US sites is up 4,700%.

By Greg Brown • 4 min read • Yesterday
AI isn't the problem, Australia's natural resources industry needs business orchestration
Digital Transformation

AI isn't the problem, Australia's natural resources industry needs business orchestration

Fragmented systems could blunt AI gains in Australian resources, leaving maintenance, finance and supply chains harder to coordinate safely.

By Justin Grose • 4 min read • Yesterday
Is your office pushing you into 'survival mode'?
Hybrid & Remote Work

Is your office pushing you into 'survival mode'?

Poorly designed offices can raise stress and sap concentration, with noise, glare and poor lighting pushing some staff into survival mode.

By Anna Chisholm Rob Kelly and Lisa Leong • 4 min read • 2 days ago
Plan the play, not just the placement
AFL

Plan the play, not just the placement

Marketers are shifting spend beyond the broadcast as fan attention now builds across commutes, pubs and stadium approaches before kick-off.

By Ben Baker • 4 min read • 2 days ago
AI will cost some jobs. Poor change management will cost more
Digital Transformation

AI will cost some jobs. Poor change management will cost more

Avoidable job losses could rise if leaders delay role redesign, even as one in four workers globally face some exposure to generative AI.

By Glen Maguire • 7 min read • Last week
Microdramas are booming. AI could make it even harder to stop binge‑watching
Generative AI

Microdramas are booming. AI could make it even harder to stop binge‑watching

Their rapid rise is prompting concerns that AI-made episodes and algorithmic recommendations will make microdramas even harder to stop watching.

By Johnny Chan • 4 min read • Last week

Stories from Other Regions

Opinion stories

Why your whole business needs to be investor-ready right now
Data Protection

Why your whole business needs to be investor-ready right now

Founders who wait to tidy up records risk costly delays when investors probe contracts, IP assignments and board minutes in due diligence.

By Rob Steele • 7 min read • Last week
UK piracy is scaling faster than enforcement can keep up
Artificial Intelligence

UK piracy is scaling faster than enforcement can keep up

Illegal streaming is stripping £1.35 billion a year from UK media firms, while 16.8 million adults use illicit streams within three months.

By Joanna Betts • 4 min read • Last week
Ecommerce needs to realise the role of inclusive finance as it adjusts to a new credit challenge
Buy Now Pay Later

Ecommerce needs to realise the role of inclusive finance as it adjusts to a new credit challenge

Affordability checks could turn away up to 30% of BNPL users, risking abandoned baskets and weaker sales for retailers.

By Andy Smith • 5 min read • Last week