nzherald headlines Sydney: Global village Australia is, I believe, a leader in multicultural dining. And since it's been five years since I last hit the streets of Sydney, I decided it was time to head back and find out if that reputation is still justified.First stop... Firefighter who lied justifiably sacked - ERA A firefighter who didn't tell his employer about his history of treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder was justifiably sacked, the Employment Relations Authority says.Marc Lidiard was employed by the New Zealand Fire Service... An ugg-ly side to cheap boots They're a staple of celebrity wardrobes and one way to beat winter chills, but experts warn cheap ugg boots can be bad for your feet - not to mention your knees and back.Auckland podiatrist Simon Speight says low-cost versions... Another casualty of the recession Productivity can be counted among the casualties of the recession.Labour productivity fell 1.5 per cent in the year to last March, and multi-factor productivity (a measure of how effectively inputs of both labour and capital are... Minimum wage close to highest since late 1970s New Zealand's minimum wage is still close to the highest it has been, as a proportion of the average wage, since the late 1970s.It is also the second-highest of any developed country in relation to the median wage, although well... Serious Fraud Office probes failed finance company The Serious Fraud Office says it has started an investigation into failed finance company Capital+Merchant Finance, after a referral from its receiver Grant Thornton.SFO chief executive Adam Feeley said the investigation was focused... Underpaid vineyard workers win wage battle A company that paid vineyard workers as little as $2 an hour has lost a legal battle over unpaid wages.Six workers have been awarded backpay after the Department of Labour took a case against New Zealand Vines Ltd to the Employment... Kiwis' design starts to take shape in desert Construction work has started on Oman's imposing new parliament buildings, designed by New Zealand firm Moller Architects.The Auckland architecture firm scored one of the world's top international design competitions for the buildings... Trampers rescued after allergic reactions A Palmerston North man was flown to hospital today after suffering an allergic reaction to wasp stings while tramping in the Wairarapa.The 62-year-old man was being looked after by a small tramping party near the Waingawa River,... Telecom payouts could be cut: broker Telecom may be forced to cut its dividend payments, according to a hard hitting broker report written in the wake of Tuesday's rural broadband announcement.Australian-based Deutsche Bank analyst Sameer Chopra cut his target price... | 