Simon Moutter continues to be quite the political animal.

The Spark boss has already lobbied for off-shore companies like Netflix to charge GST (successfully), and for a government crack-down on profit-shifting by multinationals (a work in progress).

Now he’s challenging others to follow his company’s “Spark Pay” initiative – what many would call a living wage. Under the initiative, non-commission staff will get paid a minimum $40,000 per year, plus $2500 in benefits including free Spark services valued to the value of $150 a month and free life, trauma and income protection insurance.

Read more ($): http://www.nbr.co.nz/opinion/moutter-challenges-contractors-other-companies-adopt-spark-pay

Flight recovery drink maker 1Above is launching an equity crowdfund campaign as part of a $3 million capital raise, to increase branding efforts, build the customer base and do further scientific research.

Read/watch more ($): http://www.nbr.co.nz/opinion/moutter-challenges-contractors-other-companies-adopt-spark-pay

Trade Me says it isn’t giving up on its new ventures entirely but is reconcentrating on its core businesses.

In its latest results, the online auctions and classified advertising company writes off $8 million or two-thirds of the value of its dating service, FindSomeone, admits that sales volumes for Trade Me Insurance have been light and that TravelBug has a limited future.

Read more ($): http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/trade-me-returns-basics-and-shareholders-applaud-jr-p-193147

Despite the Green Party pushing the issue for more than six years, as Green Party co-leader James Shaw has noted, half its MPs are in default KiwiSaver schemes implicated for making unethical, even potentially illegal, passive investments – including Mr Shaw.

Read more ($): http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/half-green-party-mps-unethical-kiwisaver-schemes-ng-p-193181

Heartland's head of banking, Chris Flood, on the bank's strategies

Read more ($): http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/heartland-bucks-trend-expanding-profit-margins-jr-p-193037

“We live in a world where everyone is tech savvy and better educated." Domino's Scott Bush on his company's expansion

Read more ($): http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/dominos-encroaching-restaurant-brands-market-share-cs-p-193031

Vocus exec Taryn Hamilton takes shots at Stuff Fibre

Read/watch more ($): http://www.nbr.co.nz/opinion/ufb-will-lead-more-customers-switching-isps-vocus-exec

Television New Zealand has joined the chorus of skepticism about the adverse effects of the proposed merger between Sky TV and Vodafone.

Read more ($): http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/tvnz-comcom-force-sky-sell-prime-or-reject-vodafone-merger-ng-p-193042

Suddenly the government is keen on finding people’s luggage.

Read more ($): http://www.nbr.co.nz/opinion/frivolous-and-expensive-governments-lost-luggage-bill

Winston Churchill once described Russian politics in the following way: “Kremlin political intrigues are comparable to a bulldog fight under a rug. An outsider only hears the growling, and when he sees the bones fly out from beneath it is obvious who won.” Mr Churchill’s observations do little to help understand the strange movements in Russia this week.

Read more ($): http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/foreign-affairs-unrest-russia-nr-193053