The plain fact is that in industry after industry, Australians have a longer stride, writes Brian Fallow. As long as that remains true, they will outpace us and the gap in incomes and living standards will widen.

Asked about the KiwiSaver myths he has heard most often, Mercer's NZ managing director Martin Lewington comes up with five off the top of his head.

The economic omens for New Zealand this year are good.

John Key will probably get in a few more rounds of golf in Maui before he returns to New Zealand to get his election year planning under way in earnest.

I'm considering signing my kids up for KiwiSaver, in part to get the $1000 kickstart but will also make regular contributions.

Well, this was supposed to be the quirky, light-hearted year-ender column, full of whimsical reflections on the big business events of 2013.

So should we look on the TPP with hope or dread? Impossible to say until we know what "it" is, writes Brian Fallow. It doesn't help that these meetings are conducted with all the secrecy of a papal election.

Auditor-General Lyn Provost is keeping a watching brief on Auckland Council chief executive Doug McKay's review of Mayor Len Brown's possible use of council resources.

Australia's automotive and aviation industries appear to be on the brink of collapse, writes Liam Dann. Holden is considering pulling its manufacturing operations out of the lucky country.

Trade, trade facilitation, productive investment and movement of labour will be on the agenda and NZ will be able to play a constructive role, writes Fran O'Sullivan.

Liam Dann considers the extremely difficult diplomatic position NZ could face this century as China grows in economic strength and asserts its political muscle.

Air New Zealand has frequently been a political football for politicians of all stripes.

There's never been a better time to be a journalist or a news junkie, writes Liam Dann.

'Not really such a great idea" is senior actuary Geoff Rashbrooke's verdict on Peter Dunne's Flexi-Super proposal. writes Brian Fallow.

Auckland Mayor Len Brown made a reasonable fist of fronting up to key Auckland businesspeople yesterday at the Herald's annual Project Auckland luncheon.

I read your interesting recent article on the Welcome Home Loan and believe it might apply to our returning daughter

It may be six months or so before the Reserve Bank begins to raise the official cash rate, but monetary tightening is already under way, writes Brian Fallow.

The Financial Services Council has put up a proposal for tax reform which MPs on both sides of the House should be able to support.

First it was their banks that were "too big to fail" - now it's the United States Government itself which has been deemed to be so, writes Fran O'Sullivan.

The Labour Party under David Cunliffe already looks sharper than the David Shearer version, writes Liam Dann, when it comes to picking up on business and economic issues and turning them into ammunition for political attack.

People contemplating investment in Meridian Energy shares need to think long and hard about political risk, writes Brian Fallow.

Twitter.inc last week filed the documents for an initial public share offer that will see it raise US$1 billion.

Why are some companies extremely successful while others operating in the same industry struggle?

I had a brainwave recently and decided to cook up a batch of the traditional Chinese treats and fill them with various financial talking points for families.

The Government's refusal to do much of anything to curb New Zealand's emissions is as economically myopic as it is morally contemptible.

Let's start by acknowledging that New Zealand struggles to earn a First World living.