Aussies sign up for Kiwi offering

The Just Group is among a host of Australian retailers lining up to pledge support for a new $319 million retail development in New Zealand.
The ASX-listed group has committed five of its fashion brands - Just Jeans, Jacqui E, Jay Jays, Dotti and Portmans - to the development, joining Australian-based chain Country Road and jewellery store Secrets in leasing space within the Auckland-based shopping compound.
The group joins New Zealand fashion brands Hallensteins, Glassons, Meccano, Max, Canterbury, Bendon, Line 7, Hartleys, Hannahs and Principals in the venture - most of which committed to the site nearly 12 months in advance to secure prime tenancies.
Dubbed Sylvia Park, the development is being touted as the country's largest retail shopping centre boasting more than 180 specialty stores, two major supermarkets, a Hoyts 10 cinema complex, restaurants and more than 3000 car spaces - each of which will be linked by an internal ring road.
Sylvia Park leasing manager Roy Stansfield said Sydney-based management company Colonial have been appointed to manage the centre which he termed the "most modern and largest retail and entertainment centre in the country".
The 62,000 metre square site on which the development is being housed was previously used as a military base during World War II but has been owned by the developers - Kiwi Income Property Trust (KIPT) - for the past 10 years.
The trust, ranked within the top 15 companies listed on the New Zealand stock exchange, also owns the Northlands Shopping Centre in Christchurch, Centreplace and Downtown Plaza in Hamilton, North City Shopping Centre in Porirua (Wellington) and the Plaza Shopping Centre in Palmerston North.
Stansfield said with stage one and two of the development more than 90 per cent leased, the leasing focus now would shift to stages three and four.
Construction of the centre is expected to be completed by mid-2007.