Bumper budget coverage, Fiji’s building boom, AMP Capital coy on selloff and Asia’s other billion

In the end, it was more of a chunky cheese cracker than a wafer thin surplus.

In today’s National Business Review print edition, NBR’s chief reporter Duncan Bridgeman, economics editor Rob Hosking and Grant Thornton’s Tim Downes and Greg Thompson analyse Budget 2014, as the government sticks to its plan to limit public spending while trying to create a more productive economy, including support for firms with offshore expansion plans.

In other news, business reporter David Williams details how Fiji is on the cusp of its biggest building boom for almost a decade. While Chinese investors are playing an increasing role, the bulk of developments are being backed by Fijian money.

Meanwhile, AMP Capital, one of New Zealand’s largest fund managers, is coy on a share selloff of at least $24 million within a week, leaving rival managers sniping from the sidelines about how AMP is losing mandates.

An NBR six-page special report tackles doing business with Asia’s “other billion,” the world’s most dynamic region boasting a huge 1.024 billion people. Trade Minister Tim Groser weighs in on New Zealand companies doing business beyond China, while other sections deal with not only the economic and trade prospects but, importantly, the immigration requirements of doing business in the region.

Technology editor Chris Keall talks to the visiting director of Microsoft’s Trustworthy Computing group, Tim Rains, about the merits of pulling support for XP users – and what those who haven’t updated their operating system should do now.

In Heartland, University of Waikato agribusiness professor Jacqueline Rowarth argues the impact of farming on the environment cannot be considered in isolation from economics, profit share and employment.

Shoeshine sniffs the bad air coming from the Perpetual/Guardian Trust merger and wonders if NZX and Financial Markets Authority should be taking a closer look at Pyne Gould Corporation’s disclosure statement.

Property editor Chris Hutching explores Augusta Capital’s breach of borrowing limits – what caused it and why one investment adviser is calling it a “red flag.”

Primary industries reporter Jamie Ball unpicks how NZAX-listed Livestock Improvement Corporation plans to lift its revenue to $1 billion by 2025.

Auckland Council is defending what one ad body executive is calling a “disrespectful” pitch process, media reporter Victoria Young reports.

Briefly:

• In Executive Health, Massey University’s Professor Paul McDonald says it’s time to have a serious discussion about the role of private and non-profit sectors in both health and healthcare.
• In Order Paper, economics editor Rob Hosking looks to private debt levels as to why the government has pushed so hard to achieve a surplus.
• The country’s spy chief exclusively opens his heart to business readers in our In Tray column.

All that and more in today’s National Business Review. Out now.