Protestors carrying signs saying 'Bugger Off Bunnings' have picketed Auckland Council this morning as a hearing on setting up a Grey Lynn branch continues.

Actress Tandi Wright and Seven Sharp presenter Jesse Mulligan want to stop the Bunnings Warehouse Grey Lynn.

One of Australasia's biggest infrastructure, resources and roading businesses wants to eliminate fatalities in the year ahead.

First-home buyers in the provinces will be given a subsidy of up to $20,000 to move into vacant state houses, Housing Minister Nick Smith announced today.

The Reserve Bank's new mortgage lending restrictions come into force today, restricting the number of high loan-to-value ratio mortgages banks can lend.

Prime Minister John Key has dismissed builders' concerns that new Reserve Bank mortgage lending limits will reduce the number of new homes being built.

Fletcher Building chief Mark Adamson says the changes being made at New Zealand's largest listed entity mirror the corporate recovery at Formica Group.

Alice, the Waterview Connection's tunnel boring machine, is lined up at the mouth of her first Mt Roskill wall, ready to dig the country's biggest roading job.

The tradesman's best friend and guardian of the ute toolbox - his dog - is going the way of the wolf whistle on building sites.

Auckland's first special housing areas earmarked for fast-tracked residential developments could be announced this month.

Auckland's property boom and renovation programmes such as The Block NZ have prompted a rush of DIY, but experts warn buyers not to get in over their heads.

Fletcher Building's Winstone Wallboards unit has temporarily closed a plasterboard factory in Christchurch after finding traces of asbestos in the building.

Building products giant Carter Holt Harvey is among companies battling a multimillion-dollar claim brought by the Ministry of Education over leaky schools.

Editorial: What exactly is the holdup in Christchurch? A year has passed since the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority drew up a plan for the rebuild of the city centre but nothing seems to be happening.

In what turned out to be a tale of two countries, Fletcher Building announced a lift in its annual net profit yesterday, with Australia's economic downturn detracting from a strong showing in New Zealand.

Australia has old-fashioned union arrangements and needs "a dose of Margaret Thatcher," says Mark Adamson, the British chief executive of Fletcher Building.

The 38m brick chimney at Victoria Park Market was considered a liability if Auckland was ever struck by a large earthquake.

Andrew Newman is remarkably relaxed about recent coverage in national media highlighting the risk to the central Hawkes Bay town of Waipawa if the dam his company is backing fails in an earthquake.

Vector's new technology could have far- reaching effects, reports Fran O'Sullivan.

Maori groups are engaging directly with businesses on major projects.

Beca has forged a new opening in the competitive Chinese construction market by leveraging New Zealand's reputation for designing and building first-class food and beverage manufacturing facilities.