What's in The Independent Financial Review today

Main trunk line threatened
Toll New Zealand is threatening to shut down large chunks of the North Island rail network, including the main trunk line, unless it can speedily resolve the issue of track access fees with the government. The Toll board is also developing an alternative business model that would see rail freight move onto the road. Moving more freight by truck threatens to clog up the North Island's roads and would undermine the government's efforts to keep rail transport viable. Jenni McManus reports.

Auckland Airport eyes secret airport fees targeting families
Auckland International Airport has proposed a range of price hikes, including new fee increases aimed at families with young children. The proposals for new fees are expected to ignite the same furore as the last time the airport increased charges, when the Commerce Commission recommended price controls but the government decided not to regulate. Denise McNabb reports

Oil Companies reject regional tax idea
Oil Companies face heavy extra costs if the mooted introduction of regional fuel taxes goes ahead, and some say the proposal is unfair. The Auckland Regional Council has already requested just such a regional petrol tax to fund public transport, but any plan would create a logistics nightmare to impose the tax and then hope drivers don't try to get around the tax. Nick Stride reports.

Elsewhere, we look at New Zealand's high flying winemakers, how advertisers can avoid ambush marketing and look behind the politics of using proxies to attack rivals.

We also announce that Nick Stride, the Qantas award winning author of the Independent Financial Review's Chalkie column and former Business Editor of the National Business Review, has been appointed editor of the Independent Financial Review.

ENDS

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