Moody's Investors Service says in a new report today that its ratings outlook for Australian asset-backed commercial paper ("ABCP") in 2010 is stable.

Points of interest:

- "Several thousand" whales will be saved over ten years under new commercial whaling proposals

- New Zealand will only support proposal if it promises a "substantial reduction" in the number of whales killed

Students are concerned at signs that tuition fees may again start spiralling out of control, following Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce's comments in the Dominion Post suggesting various options for changing current fee policies and indicating the government is seriously considering allow

Wellington, March 12 NZPA - A man jailed for life for manufacturing methamphetamine has had his application for leave to appeal dismissed by the Supreme Court.

The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) has revealed damning evidence of continued welfare abuse of Australian sheep in the live export trade to the Middle East, despite Government and Meat and Livestock Australia claims of improving standards.

thl is tripling its investment in fleet and facilities for its Australian rentals business during the 2010 calendar year - from the original budget of A$13M to A$40M.

Fitch Ratings-Sydney-09 February 2010: On the 7th February 2010, the Australian government announced the removal of the wholesale funding guarantee, thereby expressing its confidence in the ability of Australian banks to access wholesale funding markets.

The silence by the Prime Minister today on tax rates requires reading between the lines to see where the Government is heading. From his statements, the Government has accepted the TWG's integrity and coherence concerns.

Qantas and Tourism Australia will launch three cooperative marketing campaigns throughout Asia in 2010 aimed at attracting visitors from across the region.

Economic Development Minister Gerry Brownlee says the filming of the Golden Globe Award winning movie Avatar in New Zealand delivered more than $307 million expenditure to the economy.