Independent economist Shamubeel Eaqub said a difference of 25 basis points would have a marginal effect on investor borrowing in New Zealand. "It would take a bit of pressure off and it would tilt the field in favour of owner-occupiers." Eaqub said.

We like to play up our rivalry on the sports field and lampoon each other's cultural traits, but Australians and New Zealanders have a lot in common.

There's "plenty going on" to address Auckland housing pressures, but the Government will continue to look at the situation and consider doing more, Prime Minister John Key says.

Another 740 homes are going to be built in Auckland on surplus crown-owned land that has been freed up for development. New Zealand Housing Minister Nick Smith says negotiations for the three sites to be used for development have been concluded.

Thursday, as well as being Budget day, will also be the day when the average Kiwi will have earned enough money to cover their total taxes for the year, a lobby group says. The Taxpayer Union calculates the notional day on which New Zealanders are "free of tax" in order to draw attention to the level of taxation. Government spending equated to 40 per cent of the economy, it said. Taxpayer Union executive director Jordan Williams said that meant the average worker would "stop working for the Government" at 11.12am on Budget day.

This week I have been selling shares. Not a wholesale dumping of shares in a blind panic, but a trimming of my holdings to lower exposure and risk. I am a "balanced" investor and that means shares should make up 50 per cent of my portfolio. However, as a matter of tactics I have sold down, so that shares are now only about 40 per cent of the portfolio.

Would-be investors are being warned not to put too much faith in peer-to-peer lenders. There are now four platforms operating in the New Zealand market: Harmoney, Squirrel Money, LendMe and Lending Crowd.

House prices could start to fall by 2018 as debt-fuelled spending starts to catch up with the Kiwi economy, Westpac has forecast. The bank is forecasting that "real" house prices will drop by 1.4 per cent in 2018 as a tiny price rise fails to match the rising rate of inflation.

New Zealand's Reserve Bank will hold off introducing new measures to tackle the bubbling housing market for now, but says it will keep a close eye on things. The central bank has highlighted the rise in house prices and stubbornly low dairy prices as risks to the country's financial stability.

23-year-old who's nabbed himself a house in the hot Auckland property market has proven the masses wrong by "doing, not whinging", says his mortgage broker. Ryan Daum made a few sacrifices to put down his $50,000 deposit on the three-bedroom Papakura home, but it all became worth it when the house became his own five weeks ago.