@dileepafonseka.bsky.social
Reposted
📢 On the Money (OTM) is our column of general frippery we observed within the worlds of business and government this week. There are signs, if you know wher...
On the Money: Craig Stobo, Catherine McGrath, Wayne Brown, Simon Watts, Greg Foran, Wu Chihchung and more
businessdesk.co.nz
August 28, 2026 at 5:10 PM
📢 On the Money (OTM) is our column of general frippery we observed within the worlds of business and government this week. There are signs, if you know wher...
An unusual intervention from corporate New Zealand: the CEO of F&P Healthcare, the NZX’s largest non-bank company, arguing pretty bluntly that NZ needs to spend more on healthcare and that the “first world” quality of it is being eroded. businessdesk.co.nz/article/heal...
August 28, 2026 at 9:45 PM
An unusual intervention from corporate New Zealand: the CEO of F&P Healthcare, the NZX’s largest non-bank company, arguing pretty bluntly that NZ needs to spend more on healthcare and that the “first world” quality of it is being eroded. businessdesk.co.nz/article/heal...
Reposted
Extensive @dileepafonseka.bsky.social interview with Alain Bertaud at BusinessDesk.
Auckland's improved since Bertaud's last visit.
I hope it will be even better on his next visit.
businessdesk.co.nz/article/infr...
Auckland's improved since Bertaud's last visit.
I hope it will be even better on his next visit.
businessdesk.co.nz/article/infr...
March 25, 2026 at 9:01 PM
Extensive @dileepafonseka.bsky.social interview with Alain Bertaud at BusinessDesk.
Auckland's improved since Bertaud's last visit.
I hope it will be even better on his next visit.
businessdesk.co.nz/article/infr...
Auckland's improved since Bertaud's last visit.
I hope it will be even better on his next visit.
businessdesk.co.nz/article/infr...
Reposted
“Should LNG imports proceed, domestic gas pricing would increasingly be influenced by international energy markets as existing long-term contracts expire. This has the potential to place upward pressure on gas prices over time.” - LNG supplier.
@dileepafonseka.bsky.social (paywalled)
@dileepafonseka.bsky.social (paywalled)
Bidder’s message: Build LNG, expect upward pressure on gas prices
A Turkish company that participated in the Government’s hunt for Liquefied Natural Gas options says New Zealand faces “upward pressure” on gas...
businessdesk.co.nz
February 12, 2026 at 12:39 AM
“Should LNG imports proceed, domestic gas pricing would increasingly be influenced by international energy markets as existing long-term contracts expire. This has the potential to place upward pressure on gas prices over time.” - LNG supplier.
@dileepafonseka.bsky.social (paywalled)
@dileepafonseka.bsky.social (paywalled)
In one incident 41 students and 8 staff got sick, then there were the billing irregularities…
An Ombudsman decision means a memo about school lunch procurement concerns has now been released.
businessdesk.co.nz/article/inve...
An Ombudsman decision means a memo about school lunch procurement concerns has now been released.
businessdesk.co.nz/article/inve...
Officials urged exclusion of school lunch supplier over billing breaches and safety failings
The Ministry of Education has released a damning internal memo outlining serious concerns about school lunch suppliers Libelle and Compass, after the Ombudsman...
businessdesk.co.nz
July 3, 2025 at 5:45 AM
In one incident 41 students and 8 staff got sick, then there were the billing irregularities…
An Ombudsman decision means a memo about school lunch procurement concerns has now been released.
businessdesk.co.nz/article/inve...
An Ombudsman decision means a memo about school lunch procurement concerns has now been released.
businessdesk.co.nz/article/inve...
“Everything the Chinese have been whispering into the ears of Cambodia, Vietnam & Malaysia, that the US doesn’t care about them & won’t take their interests into account, has been confirmed with a single bad decision.” -Richard McGregor, Lowy Institute www.afr.com/politics/fed...
Trump’s tariff war sparks regional security concerns
Donald Trump’s tariff blitz will impoverish developing regional nations and drive them towards China’s bosom, the government fears.
www.afr.com
April 4, 2025 at 2:21 PM
“Everything the Chinese have been whispering into the ears of Cambodia, Vietnam & Malaysia, that the US doesn’t care about them & won’t take their interests into account, has been confirmed with a single bad decision.” -Richard McGregor, Lowy Institute www.afr.com/politics/fed...
Former head of the Australian Defence Force says Australia needs a plan B in case AUKUS falls apart… “The first six weeks of this administration has shown that no agreement is secure” www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
‘We need a plan B’: Admiral’s call for AUKUS rethink over unreliable Trump
Former Defence Force chief Chris Barrie says he has watched with alarm as the US president upends traditional alliances.
www.smh.com.au
March 12, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Former head of the Australian Defence Force says Australia needs a plan B in case AUKUS falls apart… “The first six weeks of this administration has shown that no agreement is secure” www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...
Mobile phones have surpassed diamonds as India’s biggest export as Apple quietly shifts its supply chain, via AFR www.afr.com/world/asia/a...
Apple’s quiet pivot to India
The iPhone maker wants to diversify its supply chain beyond China. Can the world’s largest democracy deliver?
www.afr.com
March 6, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Mobile phones have surpassed diamonds as India’s biggest export as Apple quietly shifts its supply chain, via AFR www.afr.com/world/asia/a...
A reminder that nationalism has ruined nations: “It's ideology: we can do it ourselves, we will put big tariff walls around the country, we will not enter into Free Trade Agreements…we have some 2500-year history [as] a bunch of bad-ass pig-headed Sinhala Buddhists” www.stuff.co.nz/business/131...
'A long time for a Sri Lankan to starve'
Child malnutrition is skyrocketing in Sri Lanka as the country encounters its worst economic crisis since independence, how did things get so bad?
www.stuff.co.nz
March 4, 2025 at 6:03 PM
A reminder that nationalism has ruined nations: “It's ideology: we can do it ourselves, we will put big tariff walls around the country, we will not enter into Free Trade Agreements…we have some 2500-year history [as] a bunch of bad-ass pig-headed Sinhala Buddhists” www.stuff.co.nz/business/131...
It’s nuclear, it’s political, and it might be difficult to progress the NZ-India relationship without resolving it. My article for BusinessDesk looks at a big nuclear issue India might find hard to look past: businessdesk.co.nz/article/poli...
The major nuclear 'irritant' to closer NZ-India relations
New Zealand is edging closer to a deeper diplomatic and trade relationship with India, but an old nuclear obstacle still looms.A former assistant secretary-gene...
businessdesk.co.nz
March 4, 2025 at 4:44 AM
It’s nuclear, it’s political, and it might be difficult to progress the NZ-India relationship without resolving it. My article for BusinessDesk looks at a big nuclear issue India might find hard to look past: businessdesk.co.nz/article/poli...
Britain’s Investments summits didn’t rescue Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak, or Keir Starmer in the polls. Will NZ’s version fare any better? More importantly, what do we want from the summit? businessdesk.co.nz/article/opin...
UK experience shows New Zealand Infrastructure Investment Summit needs more strategy and less secrecy
Like an episode of Coronation Street, the Investment Summit craze from Britain has arrived, but it’s a bit later for us. Britain has held three such...
businessdesk.co.nz
March 2, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Britain’s Investments summits didn’t rescue Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak, or Keir Starmer in the polls. Will NZ’s version fare any better? More importantly, what do we want from the summit? businessdesk.co.nz/article/opin...
When property value fears derail hazard assessments www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/3605...
The council, the law and the never-ending coastal hazards saga
OPINION: Council politicians and staff live in a purgatory between central government’s legislative factory and grumpy ratepayers who hold “the bloody council” responsible for all their woes.
www.thepost.co.nz
March 2, 2025 at 5:29 PM
When property value fears derail hazard assessments www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/3605...
“Singapore’s defence minister Ng Eng Hen said after hearing Vance’s speech at Munich …that America’s image in Asia ‘has changed from liberator to great disruptor to a landlord seeking rent’.” insidestory.org.au/the-unilater...
The unilateralist • Hamish McDonald
Just a month into the Trump presidency, America’s allies are being forced to think the once-unthinkable
insidestory.org.au
March 1, 2025 at 8:57 PM
“Singapore’s defence minister Ng Eng Hen said after hearing Vance’s speech at Munich …that America’s image in Asia ‘has changed from liberator to great disruptor to a landlord seeking rent’.” insidestory.org.au/the-unilater...
Reposted
Advanced data shows the US goods trade deficit spiked to record highs in January, with imports jumping by $34B as businesses and consumers rushed to buy foreign goods ahead of Trump's tariff hikes
February 28, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Advanced data shows the US goods trade deficit spiked to record highs in January, with imports jumping by $34B as businesses and consumers rushed to buy foreign goods ahead of Trump's tariff hikes
Reposted
📢 On the Money is our weekly newsletter of general frippery from the worlds of business and government.OTM is not quite sure why the Tall Blacks couldn’t ha...
On the Money: Tall Blacks, Neal Barclay, cockroaches, Andrew Reding, Wayne Brown and more...
businessdesk.co.nz
February 28, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Relevant to today’s events:
“If the US position is now to identify what you can do for the US and then use all its considerable leverage to ensure it is done, where does it leave our historical dependence on the US as the last resort defender of Australia?”
www.afr.com/policy/forei...
“If the US position is now to identify what you can do for the US and then use all its considerable leverage to ensure it is done, where does it leave our historical dependence on the US as the last resort defender of Australia?”
www.afr.com/policy/forei...
Trump’s Gaza grab shows America is no better than China
Australia’s former top diplomat says Donald Trump may achieve what 75 years of post-war anti-Americanism could not: concede the case for moral equivalence.
www.afr.com
February 28, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Relevant to today’s events:
“If the US position is now to identify what you can do for the US and then use all its considerable leverage to ensure it is done, where does it leave our historical dependence on the US as the last resort defender of Australia?”
www.afr.com/policy/forei...
“If the US position is now to identify what you can do for the US and then use all its considerable leverage to ensure it is done, where does it leave our historical dependence on the US as the last resort defender of Australia?”
www.afr.com/policy/forei...
Reposted
📢 Fletcher Building and SkyCity both say they are not responsible for the delay in opening the New Zealand International Convention Centre.In a statement to the N...
👉 Latest news bot: Palmy School News
👉 Latest news bot: Palmy School News
Fletcher Building says no change to NZICC date as SkyCity blames contractor delays for 2026 opening
businessdesk.co.nz
February 7, 2025 at 3:02 AM
📢 Fletcher Building and SkyCity both say they are not responsible for the delay in opening the New Zealand International Convention Centre.In a statement to the N...
👉 Latest news bot: Palmy School News
👉 Latest news bot: Palmy School News
At one point, NZ allegedly had just 50 artillery rounds. Not per gun. Total. businessdesk.co.nz/article/poli...
NZ Defence Force artillery stocks were allegedly run down to 50 rounds of ammo
The New Zealand Defence Force refuses to say whether artillery ammunition stocks were ever allowed to run so low that the whole country was left with 50 rounds...
businessdesk.co.nz
February 7, 2025 at 5:57 PM
At one point, NZ allegedly had just 50 artillery rounds. Not per gun. Total. businessdesk.co.nz/article/poli...
Reposted
📢 The head of the India New Zealand Business Council says the Indian Government has started sounding out some of India's largest businesses on their feelings...
India tests waters on free trade with NZ
businessdesk.co.nz
January 21, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Reposted
📢 Running NZ to failure (First published July 29)As hospitals in the United Kingdom reverted to pen and paper for part of last week, the New Zealand way of runnin...
👉 More news/weather bots
👉 More news/weather bots
Best of BusinessDesk: Dileepa Fonseka's top columns from 2024
businessdesk.co.nz
January 10, 2025 at 4:02 PM
📢 Running NZ to failure (First published July 29)As hospitals in the United Kingdom reverted to pen and paper for part of last week, the New Zealand way of runnin...
👉 More news/weather bots
👉 More news/weather bots
Reposted
📢 Australasian casinos appear to be doing their best to disprove the old gambling adage that the house always wins. One major Australian casino chain, Star,...
👉 Bot to check Bluesky account creation dates
👉 Bot to check Bluesky account creation dates
Star casino on a losing streak, but SkyCity is in a better place, analysts say
businessdesk.co.nz
January 13, 2025 at 4:02 PM
📢 Australasian casinos appear to be doing their best to disprove the old gambling adage that the house always wins. One major Australian casino chain, Star,...
👉 Bot to check Bluesky account creation dates
👉 Bot to check Bluesky account creation dates
Reposted
One of the most enjoyable jobs i have is writing #failfile for @businessdesk.nzcow.com
You can read the best of 2025 in this link. Warning! early ones were free, there is a paywall now.
#learning
#sharing
businessdesk.co.nz/article/fail...
You can read the best of 2025 in this link. Warning! early ones were free, there is a paywall now.
#learning
#sharing
businessdesk.co.nz/article/fail...
January 17, 2025 at 12:08 AM
One of the most enjoyable jobs i have is writing #failfile for @businessdesk.nzcow.com
You can read the best of 2025 in this link. Warning! early ones were free, there is a paywall now.
#learning
#sharing
businessdesk.co.nz/article/fail...
You can read the best of 2025 in this link. Warning! early ones were free, there is a paywall now.
#learning
#sharing
businessdesk.co.nz/article/fail...
Reposted
So as some of you know, I sued the board of Laura Fergusson and then ended up being Chair! It's been a busy year, we brought a house in Mt Albert for transitional accommodation for people leaving the Spinal Unit and began some gym programmes (🧵 1)
www.laurafergusson.co.nz
www.laurafergusson.co.nz
Laura Fergusson Trust Inc CC29785
Laura Fergusson, transitional home, rehabilitation for physically disabled community
www.laurafergusson.co.nz
January 17, 2025 at 3:41 AM
So as some of you know, I sued the board of Laura Fergusson and then ended up being Chair! It's been a busy year, we brought a house in Mt Albert for transitional accommodation for people leaving the Spinal Unit and began some gym programmes (🧵 1)
www.laurafergusson.co.nz
www.laurafergusson.co.nz
“The apex predator may rack up some impressive kills, but the jungle will grow deadlier and more savage for everyone – including, eventually, for the United States, too.” -Ian Bremmer open.substack.com/pub/gzeromed...
The Donroe Doctrine
In a G-Zero world, where no one country or group of countries is willing and able to provide global leadership, the law of the jungle prevails.
open.substack.com
January 17, 2025 at 7:38 PM
“The apex predator may rack up some impressive kills, but the jungle will grow deadlier and more savage for everyone – including, eventually, for the United States, too.” -Ian Bremmer open.substack.com/pub/gzeromed...