-
Business valuations
We offer expert valuation advice in transactions, regulatory and administrative matters, and matters subject to dispute – valuing businesses, shares and intangible assets in a wide range of industries.
-
Capital markets
You need corporate finance specialists experienced in international capital markets on your side if you’re buying or selling financial securities.
-
Complex and international services
Our experience of multi-jurisdictional insolvencies coupled with our international reputation allows us to deliver the best possible outcome for all stakeholders.
-
Corporate insolvency
Our corporate investigation and recovery teams can help you manage insolvency situations and facilitate the best outcome.
-
Debt advisory
An optimal funding structure for your organisation presents unprecedented opportunities, but achieving this can be difficult without a trusted advisor.
-
Expert witness
Our expert witnesses analyse, interpret, summarise and present complex financial and business-related issues which are understandable and properly supported.
-
Financial models
A sound financial model will help you understand the impact of your decisions before you make them. Talk to us about our user-friendly models.
-
Forensic and investigation services
We provide investigative accounting and litigation support services for commercial, matrimonial, criminal, business valuation and insurance disputes.
-
Independent business review
Is your business viable? Will it remain viable in the future? A thorough independent business review can help your organisation answer these fundamental questions.
-
IT forensics
Effective ESI analysis is integral to the success of your business. Our IT forensics experts have the technical expertise to identify, preserve and interrogate electronic data.
-
Mergers and acquisitions
Grant Thornton provides strategic and execution support for mergers, acquisitions, sales and fundraising.
-
Raising finance
Raising finance - funders value partners who can deliver a robust financial model, a sound business strategy and rigorous planning. We can guide you through the challenges that these transactions can pose and help you build a foundation for long term success once the deal is done.
-
Relationship property services
Grant Thornton offers high quality independent advice on the many financial issues associated with relationship property from considering an individual financial issue to all aspects of a complex settlement.
-
Restructuring and turnaround
Grant Thornton’s restructuring and turnaround service capabilities include cash flow, liquidity management and forecasting; crisis and interim management; financial advisory services to companies and parties in transition and distress
-
Transaction advisory
Our depth of market knowledge will steer you through the transaction process. Grant Thornton’s dynamic teams offer range of financial, commercial and operational expertise.
-
Virtual asset advisory
Helping you navigate the world of virtual currencies and decentralised financial systems.
-
Corporate tax
Grant Thornton can identify tax issues, risks and opportunities in your organisation and implement strategies to improve your bottom line.
-
Employment tax
Grant Thornton’s advisers can help you with PAYE (payroll tax), Kiwisaver, fringe benefits tax (FBT), student loans, global mobility services, international tax
-
Global mobility services
Our team can help expatriates and their employers deal with tax and employment matters both in New Zealand and overseas. With the correct planning advice, employee allowances and benefits may be structured to avoid double taxation and achieve tax savings.
-
GST
GST has the potential to become a minefield and can be expensive when it goes wrong. Our technical knowledge can help you minimise the negative impact of GST
-
International tax
International tax rules are undergoing their biggest change in a generation. Tax authorities around the world are increasingly vigilant, especially when it comes to global operations.
-
Research and Development
R&D tax incentives are often underused and misunderstood – is your business maximising opportunities for making claims?
-
Tax compliance
Our advisers help clients manage the critical issue of compliance across accountancy regulations, corporation law and tax. We also offer business and wealth advisory services, which means we can provide a seamless and tax-effective offering to our clients.
-
Tax governance
Mitigate tax risks and implement best practice governance that will stand up to IRD scrutiny and audits.
-
Transfer pricing
Tax authorities are demanding transparency in international arrangements. We businesses comply with regulations and use transfer pricing as a strategic planning tool.
-
Audit methodology
Our five step audit methodology offers a high quality service wherever you are in the world and includes planning, risk assessment, testing internal controls, substantive testing, and concluding and reporting
-
Audit technology
We apply our audit methodology with an integrated set of software tools known as the Voyager suite. Our technology has been developed to produce quality audits that are effective and efficient.
-
Financial reporting advisory
Our financial reporting advisers have the expertise to help you deal with the constantly evolving regulatory environment.
-
Business architecture
Our business architects help businesses with disruptive conditions, business expansion and competitive challenges; the deployment of your strategy is critical to success.
-
Cloud services
Leverage the cloud to keep your data safe, operate more efficiently, reduce costs and create a better experience for your employees and clients.
-
Internal audit
Our internal audits deliver independent assurance over key controls within your riskiest processes, proving what works and what doesn’t and recommending improvements.
-
IT advisory
Our hands on product experience, extensive functional knowledge and industry insights help clients solve complex IT and technology issues
-
IT privacy and security
IT privacy and security should support your business strategy. Our pragmatic approach focuses on reducing cyber security risks specific to your organisation
-
Payroll assurance
Our specialist payroll assurance team can conduct a review of your payroll system configuration and processes, and then help you and your team to implement any necessary recalculations.
-
PCI DSS
Our information security specialists are approved Qualified Security Assessors (QSAs) that have been qualified by the PCI Security Standards Council to independently assess merchants and service providers.
-
Process improvement
As your organisation grows in size and complexity, processes that were once enabling often become cumbersome and inefficient. To maintain growth, your business must remain flexible, agile and profitable
-
Procurement/supply chain
Procurement and supply chain inputs will often dominate your balance sheet and constantly evolve for organisations to remain competitive and meet changing customer requirements
-
Project assurance
Major programmes and projects expose you to significant financial and reputational risk throughout their life cycle. Don’t let these risks become a reality.
-
Risk management
We understand that growing companies need to establish robust internal controls, and use information technology to effectively mitigate risk.
-
Robotic process automation (RPA)
RPA is emerging as the most sophisticated form of automation used to help businesses become more agile and remain competitive in the face of today’s ongoing digital disruption.
Budget 2013: Healthcare rationing by stealth?
Healthcare rationing by stealth?
Why the failure of Governments to fund private health insurance subsidies will ultimately mean healthcare rationing…
Whenever Treasury considers the long-term fiscal outlook for New Zealand, our high reliance on publicly funded healthcare gets questioned. Why? Because it represents roughly one fifth of core Crown expenditure and approximately 83% of the total healthcare spend is Government funded.
Unsurprisingly, this reliance is set to grow. The Treasury’s recently released long-term projections reported that the total health spend is forecast to increase from 6.9 % of GDP in 2011 to 11.1% of GDP in 2060.
The Affordable Healthcare Bill promoted by New Zealand First is advocating for a 25% health insurance rebate for people aged over 65 and the removal of fringe benefit tax (FBT) from health insurance contributions made by employers. It is hoped that these subsidies will encourage more people to take up private health insurance and divert scarce resources in the public health system away from elective procedures that could be delivered in the private sector.
The idea of introducing tax incentives to encourage private medical insurance has had limited airing in the public domain. But as the number of people cancelling or downsizing their health insurance policy is higher than ever, surely any wise Finance Minister would be seriously considering this as a tool to minimise net expenditure on health.
The latest statistics from the Health Funds Association of New Zealand show for the 12 months ending 31 December 2012, the number of lives covered by health insurance fell once again, by 0.8%. Over the past three years this figure has dropped by 3.2%, a decline of 45,000 lives covered.
The social risks of not stemming this tide are significant and the likely outcome will be healthcare rationing. New Zealand has tried this in various forms before and some of these controls already operate.
Rationing could mean extending the use of patient co-payments, which already exist when New Zealanders visit a GP or get a prescription filled. Health economists forecast that these measures help to manage over-consumption. But would the New Zealand public be ready for an extension of this existing arrangement?
Rationing might also include extending existing controls on funding and coverage of health services by limiting what benefits are provided and to whom. This may entail longer waiting lists for elective services and restrictions on access for people who don’t meet a certain criteria. The risk here is that restricting access in one area can increase needs in other more costly areas of care.
Fixed budget constraints around spending could be set by the Government on each aspect of healthcare as a way to increase rationing. Or the funding of certain procedures may be refused if there is insufficient evidence that certain new technology will improve health outcomes.
The alternative, put forward by New Zealand First, needs to be seriously considered by the Government. Bolstering investment in private health insurance via subsidies for elderly people and FBT relief for employers in relation to contributions to private health insurance schemes could turn things around.
The Treasury report referred to above indicates that if the level of private financing of health services increased from 17% to 25%, this would result in a saving for the Crown equal to 1% of GDP (about $2 billion in today’s terms).
Even a shared care model with partial consumer payment and partial private insurance coverage would be an improvement on the current outlook.
Economic forecasters are predicting that income growth and technology enhancements will have the greatest impact on our expectations for access to more advanced health services. Something needs to change, and soon, as an ageing population is unlikely to be satisfied with this outcome.
Further enquiries, please contact:
Pam Newlove
Grant Thornton New Zealand Partner and Co-Chair
T +64 (0)9 308 2570
E Pam.Newlove@nz.gt.com