LUCY Lawless, television's Warrior Princess Xena, has slashed and kicked her way on to the list of New Zealand's richest people with $NZ10 million ($A8.4 million) in her war chest, according to National Business
Review's annual Rich ListAnd Lion Nath chairman Douglas Myers, the country's richest person, has grown substantially wealthier over the past year. Mr Myers's fortune is now esimated to be at least $NZ500 million.
He cashed up most of his shareholding in Lion for $NZ473 million when Japan's Kirin Brewery bought into the company in May.
Merchant bankers Sir Michael Fay and David Richwhite, now based in Switzerland, were said to be worth $NZ300 million each, followed by businessman Alan Gibbs on $NZ250 million grabbed second, third and fouth
places on the list.
The list of 131 individuals and 32 families represented a total wealth of $NZ8.6 billion.
It contained 19 newcomers, headed by Murray Haszard with $NZ45 million. Mr Haszard designed a novel disk-cloning software package called Ghost.
The list of sporting rich showed that, while rugby may be New Zealand's national game, its players - headed by All Black Jonah Lomu with $NZ3 million- lag in the wealth stakes.
Yachtsman Chris Dickson remains on top with $NZ13 million, closely followed by veteran Bob Charles with $NZ12 million.