Overall annual growth at 2.5%, in line with expectations.

The so-called master contract with Westpac "is no longer sufficient to meet the current and future banking needs of government".

The New Zealand dollar falls after being hit by a somewhat unexpected triple-whammy,

The financially stricken state-owned coal miner looks to exit the investment.

He is scheduled to stand trial in the High Court in Auckland next month.

It sees the lack of regulatory oversight of New Zealand's payment and settlement systems as a problem.