Both publications illustrate the immense power and wealth that is concentrated amongst a miniscule group of businesspeople. According to the NBR, 'The rich continue to get richer'. Editor Nevil Gibson says 'This year's Rich List is bigger and richer than ever before, with the total minimum net worth of members now at $47.8 billion, an increase of $3.5 billion on last year's list. Add the small group of New Zealand-based international billionaires and the figure climbs to $60.4 billion, an all-time record' - see: How to be a millionaire - NBR Rich List.

This enrichment is because, Gibson says, 'The past year has been a good one financially', with record profitability: 'The surge in wealth is mainly due to the substantial gains of most investment classes; the New Zealand equity market returned 25.9% last year'.

Most of the 2013 NBR Rich List information is behind the NBR paywall online, but you can still see the summary Rich List at a Glance (Wealth order), as well as the individual entries for various rich-listers such as Graeme Hart, Richard Chandler, the Todd family, Owen Glenn, and Alan Gibbs. And of course there's some very political people on the list too - for example, both the National Party's leader and president - see: John Key and Peter Goodfellow's family. A good summary of the report can also be read in Steve Deane's Hart returns to top of wealthier NBR rich list.

Further evidence of growing wealth and profitability in New Zealand was also seen earlier this week via Hamish McNicol's Luxury car sales leave rest behind and Christopher Adams' Banks' profit jumps 12.9pc, nears $1b. Continue reading

Sources

• Bryce Edwards in The New Zealand Herald
• Image: IZ Quotes

Dr Bryce Edwards is a politics lecturer at University of Otago.

He says he is even more determined than ever that the inquiry into child abuse and domestic violence, which he is funding to the tune of $8 million, should continue."I'll carry on. I'm very stubborn," he said.

Last week Glenn withdrew his nomination to become an ambassador for anti-violence campaigners White Ribbon after revelations he was accused of physically abusing a young woman in Hawaii in 2002.

But he has reaffirmed his innocence saying he had done nothing wrong but would not spend the time and money suing those who claimed otherwise.

He said he would however, use pollsters to survey the public about whether the inquiry should continue.

Court documents show Glenn offered a plea of no contest in 2003. That means the charge was not contested or admitted. Glenn was put on probation and the charge was dismissed in 2004 when the probationary period ended.

Speaking on Campbell Live, Glenn said he had done nothing wrong, and court documents showed it.

Source

• Stuff.co.nz
• TV3
• Image: YahooNews