Opposition cheerleader’s faux pas, Kerr’s media punt and MRP’s bookbuild guests

The company which hosted an opposition parties’ “manufacturing inquiry” has trousered millions of dollars in taxpayer assistance in recent years.

Hamilton Jet Company hosted the leaders of Labour, Greens and New Zealand First this week to launch their manufacturing report, which is highly critical of a perceived lack of support from the government.

Today’s National Business Review reveals Hamilton Jet Company has been on the receiving end of numerous bursts of taxpayer help.

Business editor Duncan Bridgeman reports on George Kerr-controlled Pyne Gould Corporation’s latest investment, in a bold new UK media group – plus PGC’s censorship threat to a blogger.

Meanwhile, questions are being asked about whether the government over-egged the Mighty River Power offer price as it is revealed ministers were physically in the “bookbuild room” when the price was set.

A visiting American economics professor warns over potential financial shocks and says New Zealand needs to take urgent action to address potential vulnerabilities.

In Heartland, University of Waikato Professor Jacqueline Rowarth details why some farmers are suspicious of Fonterra's guaranteed milk price pilot programme, particularly those sold financially-damaging interest rate swaps.

Media reporter Victoria Young reports on supermarket chain Countdown’s latest action in its war of words with Veritas Investments-controlled Mad Butcher.

In NBR Property, Chris Hutching highlights the pace of residential property sales in the Central Otago Lakes district and explains what it means for its recovery from the last boom-and-bust cycle.

Executive Health outlines how New Zealand scientists have been involved in the latest breakthrough in treating Alzheimer’s.

Chapman Tripp senior associate Justin Graham warns that external data storage providers for schools might be advertising profiling students and he details what can be done about it.

A NBR Special Report on business law runs the rule over recent legislative and regulatory changes, which promise to usher in an era of far greater discipline and vigilance in New Zealand financial services, following the high-profile collapses of finance companies.

Also in today's print edition:

• Shoeshine suggests anyone believing it’s going to be business as usual at MediaWorks under bank ownership should flick through the Yellow Pages news file.
• Initiative Matters cuts through arguments about housing affordability and urban sprawl to outline what a sensible council’s housing policy should include.
• In Asia Watch, Nathan Smith says Turkey’s recent political and social demonstrations highlight the many hurdles to its search for reinvigorated clout.