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Business Central, home of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, is backing Wellington businesses calling on Wellington City Council to take land-value rating off the table in its Rating Policies Review, warning a move would undermine investment, business confidence and the city’s economic recovery.

Following completion of its annual financial review and audit, Business Central has released its annual results for the 12 months ended 30 June 2026.

The total seasonally adjusted filled jobs for the September 2026 month (compared with the August 2026 month) went up 0.3% (7,227 jobs) to 2.36 million filled jobs. This was higher by 22,791 jobs (1%) than in September 2025. Men specifically attained 8,190 more jobs (0.7%), and women 8,597 jobs (0.7%), than in September 2025.

New Zealand exporters can start using the New Zealand-India Free Trade Agreement from 20 October, with tariffs removed on more than half of New Zealand’s exports to India, Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay says.

Regional communities are central to New Zealand’s economy. They produce much of what the country exports, connect national supply chains and support sectors including food and fibre, manufacturing, energy, tourism and logistics.

The Government has extended an agreement for a 550,000-barrel strategic diesel reserve until August 2027 to maintain New Zealand’s fuel resilience, Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones say.

Businesses tell us they want policy settings that build confidence, support long-term planning and encourage investment in growing the economy. That means making it easier to start, grow and invest in a business, while backing the people and industries that will drive future growth.

Wellington is not in decline. Wellington is in transition. Those are two different things, and they call for two different conversations.

The Government has completed the biggest overhaul of national direction in the history of the Resource Management Act – with the final changes making it faster, easier and more affordable to build and upgrade New Zealand’s electricity and telecommunications networks, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop says.

We’ve set out the small business policies announced by each party has announced so far and what they could mean for small businesses.

The Planning Act and Natural Environment Act have received Royal assent and are now law, marking the beginning of New Zealand’s transition to a new and fundamentally different planning system, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Parliamentary Under-Secretary Simon Court say.

The total volume of retail sales in New Zealand decreased by $138 million (0.5%) in the June 2026 quarter compared with the March 2026 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ.

The total volume of retail sales in New Zealand decreased by $138 million (0.5%) in the June 2026 quarter compared with the March 2026 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ.

Originally published: The Post, 12 September 2026. A few weeks ago, a bunch of Wellington business leaders came together for a night at The Gods, the beautifully restored venue inside Wellington's old Paramount Theatre on Courtenay Place. More than 130 business owners, retail leaders, wealth managers, tertiary representatives, property investors, hospitality operators, developers, community leaders and people who care about Wellington gathered on a cold winter evening. To me,

The total volume of retail sales in New Zealand decreased by $138 million (0.5%) in the June 2026 quarter compared with the March 2026 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ.

The total volume of retail sales in New Zealand decreased by $138 million (0.5%) in the June 2026 quarter compared with the March 2026 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ.

The total volume of retail sales in New Zealand decreased by $138 million (0.5%) in the June 2026 quarter compared with the March 2026 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ.

Business Central, home of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, has released its Wellington Business Election Priorities 2026, setting out what Wellington businesses want from the next Government. Chief Executive Hayley Horan said Wellington has the talent and ideas to help lead New Zealand’s next phase of economic growth. "Wellington businesses have shown remarkable resilience in recent years, and what we’re seeing now is that they are ready to invest, employ and grow. What w