Westpac, BNZ and ASB have been named as the latest banks to face legal action by a group claiming the banks charged unfair penalty fees.

A High Court insurance stoush has been parked to enable the Financial Markets Authority to enter into settlement talks with Hanover directors and promoters.

A group of six American business groups say they are "deeply disturbed" at the New Zealand Government's plans to introduce plain cigarette packets.

'We have to get police to take their buckets.' Auckland Council wants more power to ban and penalise windscreen washers at intersections.

Almost 39,000 people have now signed up to take part in legal action against alleged unfair penalty fees charged by New Zealand banks.

'We're not intimidated by wealthy individuals.' Opponents of a 160-berth marina plan for Waiheke Island are promising a 'David and Goliath' battle.

The "Don't be a 'cool' Dad" publicity campaign is a high-profile reminder currently on our televisions.

Carpet manufacturer Godfrey Hirst has complained to the Auditor-General that a $960,000 contract was not put out to tender.

Government-owned Kiwibank is next in the gun for the group targeting banks in a lawsuit alleging they're charging unfair fees.

Tokyo-listed liquor giant Asahi has written more than $500m off the carrying value of NZ's Independent Liquor, the brewing company it purchased for $1.5b in 2011.

Mark Lundy spent his first weekend of freedom watching Bathurst, catching up with friends and Skyping family.

Directors of failed finance companies are not off the hook yet and the Financial Markets Authority says it is likely to launch criminal proceedings.

Baby formula company Nutricia and anyone else considering legal action over the Fonterra contamination scare should wait until inquiries into the incident are completed, Prime Minister John Key says.

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

A specialist travel and hospitality company have applied for a High Court judge to strike out the claims they are facing.

A petrol company says it should not have to pay clean-up costs for decades of petrochemical pollution on prime waterfront land.

Mark Hotchin must bear any shortfall on the sale of a luxury Auckland mansion once others with claims on the property are paid out, the Chief High Court judge says.