A group that helped to convince the Hamilton City Council to remove fluoride from its water supply says it will continue lobbying other councils throughout New Zealand to do the same.

Health advocates say a Hamilton City Council decision to drop fluoride from its water supply will mean a costly decline in oral health and the poor will suffer most.

Economists still expect a "bumper" season for New Zealand dairy , despite the first online auction for 2013/14 starting on a soft note.

More students are being asked - or told - to bring their own tablets, laptops or smartphones to class.

There has certainly been a lot of noise following the Government's announcement it will provide breakfast for children at school.

New Zealand has lost more ground in a world ranking of economic competitiveness, with corporate governance and R&D cited as major weaknesses.

An OECD study examining the quality of life in 36 countries puts NZ in the top bracket but the gap between the highest and lowest income earners stands out.

Editorial: Expectations about the Government's food-in-schools programme have waxed and waned in the past few weeks.

Rarotonga is positioning itself to become "Cookiwood" thanks to an international film challenge organised by an Auckland film-maker.

From the vantage point of a modern hotel in the heart of Beijing, it is tempting to admire the economic miracle around you and believe that this new world order is permanent. It isn't.

One in three New Zealanders can't afford to heat their homes properly in winter, an especially acute issue for younger people, a survey shows.

Hamilton has become the first city council in New Zealand to approve paying all staff a 'living wage', and Auckland and Wellington are considering following suit, a campaigner says.

Fonterra's Malaysian operation has doubled its revenue in local currency terms over the past five years.

John Key says it is possible the Government could get close to a surplus in the coming financial year - one year earlier than officially predicted in yesterday's Budget.

John Key is under absolutely no illusions about the difficulty he faces in securing a third victory at next year's election, writes John Armstrong.

In real terms, the median citizen and those below him or her on the income ladder are little better off than their parents were 40 years ago, writes Peter Lyons.

Lovers of yoghurt, chocolate and steak would have seen their grocery bills increase last month.

Auckland Council's draft Unitary Plan is under attack as people engage with its implications for their backyards and neighbourhoods, writes Joel Cayford. The question confronting city planners and councillors should be how to fix the plan,

Fearing that a generation of Europeans is doomed to joblessness, the European Union is quietly side-lining the doctrine of austerity and instead placing its bet on encouraging growth.

Prices have fallen more than 7 per cent in the latest global dairy auction held overnight. It comes after a slight dip in prices two weeks ago.

Capital projects worth more than $1 billion are either under way or on the drawing board as the dairy industry gears up for increased demand from Asia for our milk powder.