Trump tariffs
OPINION: Former politicians seem incapable of staying away from the limelight after they retire.
The National Party caucus meets next week to elect a new Prime Minister.
This follows the shock announcement by Prime Minister John Key that he is resigning from the top job.
He made the announcement at his weekly press conference this afternoon.
"This is the hardest decision I've ever made and I don't know what I'll do next,” Key told journalists in Wellington.
Key cited family reasons for leaving, saying the job had required great sacrifices "from those who are dearest to me".
Bill English is expected to take over as Prime Minister and Steven Joyce is expected to take on the finance role.
Key said he would support whoever the caucus chose, but he endorsed Bill English as his replacement.
"There's no way I could have served out a full fourth term," said Key.
Alliance Group has commissioned a new heat pump system at its Mataura processing plant in Southland.
Fonterra has slashed another 50c off its milk price forecast as global milk flows shows no sign of easing.
Meat processors are hopeful that the additional 15% tariff on lamb exports to the US will also come off.
Fears of a serious early drought in Hawke’s Bay have been allayed – for the moment at least.
There was much theatre in the Beehive before the Government's new Resource Management Act (RMA) reform bills were introduced into Parliament last week.
The government has unveiled yet another move which it claims will unlock the potential of the country’s cities and region.

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