OpinionFran O'SullivanChina being kept in loop with TPP briefingsIt would be a big step for powerhouse to accede to TPP agreement, with intellectual protection a thorny issue.03 Feb 06:10 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Body corp moves by Govt long overdueBody corporates are governed by executive committees elected by members (owners), writes Fran O'Sullivan. Their competency ranges from highly skilled professionals to the palpably incapable.20 Jan 09:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Time for a rethink on two-tier WTONew Zealand should have a critical rethink about whether it's time to join those that want to get the World Trade Organisation on to a two-tier system and reinvigorate global trade.16 Dec 08:29 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanCollins not the one to watch - it's PaulaCOMMENT: She doesn't have Tim Groser's intellectual subtlety and flair but Paula Bennett does have a strong opportunistic streak, writes Fran O'Sullivan.08 Dec 08:32 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Andrew Little's grab for territory is weakIf Andrew Little was hoping to craft a new Labour playbook, last weekend's sop to the party faithful at their annual conference was remarkably effete, writes Fran O'Sullivan.11 Nov 08:30 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanNew Zealand stands to gain more than EU from trade liberalisation with blocOne of the upsides of competitive trade liberalisation is that New Zealand is finally getting onto the runway to launch free trade talks with the EU.30 Oct 04:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: New jobs in Lochinver plan overlookedCabinet Minister Paula Bennett has played to the political gallery by jettisoning the $88 million Chinese bid to buy Lochinver Station because it did not provide enough new jobs.18 Sep 11:32 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Offer co-op can't refuseIt will put Silver Fern Farms in a strong position, writes Fran O'Sullivan. But that won't stop the emotion over the injection of Chinese ownership into a company that other players were endeavouring to keep NZ controlled.15 Sep 09:38 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Investor has $300m to spendShanghai Maling Aquarius is understood to have a $300 million war chest to back its bid for a slice of the Kiwi meat co-operative.13 Sep 05:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanNZ players can stymie Bright plan for Silver FernThere is already considerable foreign investment in New Zealand agribusiness, writes Fran O'Sullivan. Several Chinese companies have meat interests and there is major Japanese investment in Anzco.08 Sep 09:28 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Flag chance to mark identityIconic Kiwi businessman Lloyd Morrison would have been pleased to see New Zealanders now have four new options to weigh up should the vote be in favour of changing the flag, writes Fran O'Sullivan.01 Sep 09:37 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: CEO leaves mayor on sidelineAuckland Council chief executive Stephen Town is displaying all the hallmarks of a bureaucratic stealth bomber.28 Aug 05:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: TPP requires major sales effort to gain acceptanceThe country is not convinced a deal would have plenty of upside, writes Fran O'Sullivan.21 Aug 05:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Landcorp has better optionsLandcorp should be lined up for a partial privatisation to inject new private capital into the company instead of selling off farm assets at the bottom of the dairy cycle, writes Fran O'Sullivan.18 Aug 09:28 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Groser under pressure to cave on TPPJapan, Canada and the US are united in pushing NZ to ditch its demands for better dairy export access to their protected markets, writes Fran O'Sullivan.14 Aug 05:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Interest-free loans softens payout hitMuch of the available loans it will offer will likely pass straight to banks to meet debt-servicing costs, writes Fran O'Sullivan.07 Aug 05:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Fonterra chairman a force at TPP talksFonterra chairman John Wilson's verbal sharp-shooting skills were put to good effect at the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) ministerial negotiations in Maui.04 Aug 09:40 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Groser should walk away from TPP if no dealThe TPP has the potential to transform the economies of the 12 Asia-Pacific nations - but the devil, as always, is in the fine print, writes Fran O'Sullivan.31 Jul 05:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFonterra should look at optionsIs Fonterra on the right track? Or is it time for Plan B? Plan B would result in the company being split into a basic commodity player focused on growing the milk price.29 Jul 05:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Forthright English sets us straight on ChinaThe Finance Minister punctures dairy denials but needs an eye on recent boom and bust, writes Fran O'Sullivan.24 Jul 05:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Labour must dig deeper in foreign buyer dataIf the party's key researchers are made of stern stuff they will now further test their analysis, writes Fran O'Sullivan.17 Jul 05:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: China's woes spark fears instability could hit NZIf the turmoil knocks domestic confidence and with it internal domestic demand there will be a spillover effect, writes Fran O'Sullivan. The Chinese Government is a significant buyer of NZ Government bonds.08 Jul 09:34 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanNorgate - visionary deal-makerFran O'Sullivan reflects on Craig Norgate - a man with much more to him than mere business.07 Jul 10:15 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Kiwi firms must hold nerveNew Zealand businesses should keep their nerve as international markets are spooked by the Chinese sharemarket sell-off, the closure of Greek banks and even a signal by Puerto Rico that it cannot pay....30 Jun 09:29 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Cancer-stricken unionist deserves to see safety reformsIs it going to take the words of a dying unionist to shame John Key into pushing through long-overdue health and safety reforms, wonders Fran O'Sullivan.12 Jun 05:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Lay Saudi sheep deal carcass at Cabinet's doorIt’s difficult to see how Key can axe his foreign minister without also turning focus back on his entire Cabinet, writes Fran O'Sullivan.05 Jun 05:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Saudi deal lacked controlMurray McCully's controversial $10m deal bypassed the normal Govt control channels, writes Fran O'Sullivan. "The deal is now being challenged as an outright bribe."03 Jun 07:00 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanChanges in dairy call for a responseFran O'Sullivan asks, when is enough enough when it comes to Chinese investment in the New Zealand dairy sector?27 May 09:27 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: English still Mr Relia-BillBill English has basked in the NZ economy's rock star status but ironically unforeseen rocky conditions have denied him the satisfaction of unveiling his first Budget surplus.21 May 09:30 PM
OpinionFran O'Sullivan: Housing horse boltedFran O'Sullivan asks: Why is the Government holding back from stopping cashed-up foreigners from continuing to snap up homes at prices that mainly they can afford?19 May 09:49 PM
OpinionFran O'SullivanFran O'Sullivan: Fonterra targets velocityTim Groser's warning that the dairy sector would effectively have to guts it out during a period of low milk payouts was timely.05 May 09:27 PM
