FEBRUARY 2024
Hooked on Māori Tania Te Rangingangana Simpson is an author, businessperson, professional director, gardener and mother of two. Senior writer Mary Anne Gill caught up with her after she was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year Honours for her services to governance and Māori.
At dinner he would generally tell us in Māori to pass the bread and butter, potatoes, salt and pepper. So, it just seemed normal.” potatoes, salt and pepper. So, it just seemed normal.” He was thrilled when she went to Waikato University to study languages but worried when she changed her major from Japanese to Māori as he was concerned it might not lead to employment. At that time, in the mid-1980s, there were not many options other than to teach the language at schools. Simpson had hoped languages would open the door to international travel but once she started studying Māori, she was hooked. She quickly discovered an interest and passion for the language, the history, its traditions and the Treaty of Waitangi. In 1988, after her graduation from the Māori department, she undertook translations of the letters the university had in its Bishop George Selwyn collection. The letters were written in Māori and sent from 1842 to 1872 to Bishop Selwyn, who spoke the language fluently. Simpson’s work was substantial and formed the basis of the comprehensive and historical background to the letters in the collection. Her next job was with the Housing Corporation which had offices around the country helping Māori to build on their land and to construct kaumātua housing on marae. CON TIN UED ON PAGE 2
In her spare time Tania Simpson enjoys gardening and checking out what is on offer at the local garden centres. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
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he has a five metre inflatable boat with an outboard motor and puts it out into Kāwhia Harbour. Tania Simpson calls the boat her little leisure tripper, something she and her friends can hop into, pull up in nearby bays, have a picnic and go fishing. It is an escape from the corporate world of governance which has been her norm for more than 25 years. “Kāwhia is like a big papakāinga. There’s a lot of family and friends out there.” When you look at the long list of boards and organisations she is and was involved with, it is a fair bet the opportunities for relaxing in Kāwhia are rare. Simpson, 58, who has a bach in Kāwhia but lives in Matangi, was born in Ōtorohanga, grew up in Te Kūiti – where she attended the high school – before leaving to study languages at Waikato University. Her father, a Pākehā, was a diesel mechanic in Te Kūiti and later opened a woodturning factory. Her Māori mother’s tribal affiliations were Tainui, Ngāi Tahu and Ngā Puhi. Accepting the Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year Honours for her services to governance and Māori from King Charles was a nice acknowledgement of her Pākehā side, she says. Ten years ago, Kīngi Tuheitia awarded her the rank of Commander in the Order of the Taniwha, a tikanga-based honour system he set up to celebrate the efforts of Māori. It was her father who encouraged she and her late brother to speak Māori at home. He grew up in a predominantly Māori community while her mother grew up in a similar environment in Ōtorohanga. “At dinner he would generally tell us in Māori to pass the bread and butter,
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CONTACTS Editor Roy Pilott 027 450 0115
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Hooked on Māori
She worked as an advisory officer out of the Hamilton branch and in 1989 moved to manage the Te Kūiti office covering Ōtorohanga, Te Awamutu and the rest of the King Country. In 1992 she joined Te Puni Kōkiri in Wellington as a policy analyst with secondments to the Office of Treaty Settlements and an Auckland merchant bank. She founded Kōwhai Consulting Ltd in 1995, and moved to Waitomo where her son and daughter were born. Now in their 20s, they work at Pūniu River Care a maraebased river care group near Te Awamutu and at Te Nehenehenui Trust in Te Kūiti, the post settlement governance entity for Maniapoto. Kōwhai was a Waikato based group of consultants advising on Māori business, environment, education and culture. “I identified pretty early that I did want to work in governance,” she says. “That’s where I felt I was best positioned in terms of my skill set and my interests.” What followed were appointments to various boards and trusts. “I like to do things related to my tribes and other things related to governance.” But even she was surprised when she went on the Reserve Bank board in 2014 – the first Māori director. She went on to become deputy chair before stepping down two years ago. “I told them I was not an economist. They felt they had enough economists around the table and they wanted someone with more of a grassroots perspective. “If you have too many of the same people, you’re getting too much of the same stuff.”
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Your MP for Waikato Backing Waikato Businesses
Simpson loves what she does. “Everyone knows my space is around iwi relationships and ensuring being that voice at the table can help the organisation think about how to engage well and effectively and where the mutual gains from having a mutually beneficial relationship are. There’s a lot to be gained. “It doesn’t feel like work. It just feels really interesting spaces to be. It’s diverse, I get to go in all kinds of spaces that’s meaningful for me.” Like the Waitangi Tribunal. She sits on the health subcommittee which is part way through a Health Services and Outcomes inquiry. She is also on the Meridian Energy board as an independent director. Her mother was affiliated to Ngāi Tahu who work with Meridian on projects in the South Island around green energy. Simpson’s passion for research and writing resulted 10 years ago in a book on her Ngāi Tahu great grandfather called The Last Maopo – the Life and First World War Sacrifice of Wiremu Maopo. It was published to mark the centenary of the start of World War I. Wiremu, who died in 1929, was unaware his girlfriend Phoebe had given birth to a daughter. The book reconnected the Maopo line with Simpson. Now she is working on her Pākehā grandmother’s memoirs and later this year will travel to Scotland – she also has English heritage - to gather more information.
FEBRUARY 2024
CO NT I NU ED FR O M PAGE 1
She looks surprised when The Business News ask whether she has any plans to slow down when she turns 60 in May next year. No way, she says. She will keep directorships like Waste Management, Meridian and Auckland Airport and possibly pick up more while continuing her work on the Waitangi Tribunal and the Waitangi National Trust. The garden on her small Matangi block still has a lot of area which needs developing too. Already in are a multitude of vegetables and fruit trees plus there are a couple of toys – a robot mower and a ride on. There is also a bicycle which she hopes to get more use on. “I enjoy all that sort of stuff, it’s a good counterbalance to work. “My focus is really just being there for my kids, even though they’re in their 20s and they have their own lives, I want to be as supportive as I can.” And with a new coalition government raising issues around all things Māori which it says reflects communities’ views, Simpson feels she is in a position to contribute to the debate citing her work on the Waitangi Tribunal. “It brings the tribunal into sharper focus. It is the Treaty conversation. We have the ability to put out reports that influence decisions.” That, says Simpson, is where her core interests lie – improving the lives of Māori.
Tania Simpson on the five-metre inflatable boat, she recently bought, heading out into Kāwhia Harbour. Photo: Supplied.
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A new goal for Lewis
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FEBRUARY 2024
Briefs… Another masthead
Good Local Media – the company which publishes Waikato Business News – has purchased the King Country News from Whakatane’s Beacon Media Group. The highly-respected community newspaper has been publishing for over 110 years in Te Kuiti and Ōtorohanga, formerly as Waitomo News. It joins Cambridge News and Te Awamutu News in the Good Local stable. Owner David Mackenzie has had a frenetic few weeks buying Waikato Business News in November and then launching Cambridge and Te Awamutu Apps last month.
The evolution of manuka honey to becoming a global success is something Ray Lewis looks back on with pride. Mary Anne Gill discovers why and checks out his footballing pedigree.
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Black Cap on board
Former Black Cap and Northern Districts left-arm spinner Matthew Hart has joined the Tīeke Golf Estate board as an appointed member for three years. Hart is a former owner operator of Foodstuffs supermarkets – most recently at New World Matamata – and a past board member of New Zealand Cricket Players Association. A keen golfer, and member at Tīeke, Hart has a Bachelor of Management Studies from Waikato University.
Business changes
Several recent law changes will impact small and medium business owners. The Fair Pay Agreements legislation has been repealed and 90-day trial periods reintroduced. From June other changes include mortgage interest deductibility reintroduced for rental properties and increased eligibility for the Independent Earner Tax Credit.
Volunteers wanted
Two members are wanted for a new Hamilton voluntary advisory group - the Welcoming Communities Advisory Group. The group will help allocate funds from the Welcoming Communities Fund and support initiatives that help newcomers, such as recent migrants, former refugees, international students, and anyone new to the city. Applications to the city council close on February 26.
Harkness Henry chief executive Ray Lewis.
ne of Waikato’s oldest legal firms has hired a familiar face as its new chief executive. English-born Liverpool Football Club supporter Ray Lewis, 59, has joined Harkness Henry having first come in contact 20 years ago when he was divisional manager at Comvita and then in 2006 when he took over as Waikato Chamber of Commerce chief executive. That relationship with the firm’s commercial team made it easy for him to get his feet under the desk at its central Hamilton offices in the KPMG Centre. “It’s an absolute pleasure to join an organisation in such robust health and with an already-established reputation of service excellence,” he said. And if the firm is looking for someone to play a part in any social football games, Lewis
has the pedigree. His grandfather Harry Lewis scored 57 goals in 101 wartime matches for Liverpool from 1916-1919 before joining the first team and going on to play 70 games and scoring 12 goals before he transferred to Hull City. His grandson Ray Lewis was born on the Wirral Peninsular between Liverpool and North Wales. He emigrated to New Zealand in 2002. A physicist originally, Lewis’ first job was as a consultant at AgResearch before joining Cambridge-based Comvita in 2004. He worked closely with Waikato University professor Peter Molan around his work researching the medicinal benefits of manuka honey. The technologies were at early patent, pre-commercialisation phase but the potential was clear. Lewis’ task was to take the technology beyond New Zealand. “To do this well we needed the very highest levels of legal counsel and support because of the complex deal negotiations across the globe.” Enter Harkness Henry. Two years later Comvita signed a global manufacturing and licensing deal.
“It is now a personal delight for me to know that manuka honey for wound care is now a mainstream offering in hospitals and wound care centres around the world, and all that was in no small part due to the excellent legal advice I was acquiring from Harkness Henry.” When he joined the chamber, Lewis proactively developed strong relationships with a broad range of legal firms on behalf of members. “I quickly came to realise how fortunate we are here in the Waikato with the high number of truly excellent legal companies available, and I firmly believe it is one of the drivers behind this region’s high performing economic growth across recent decades.” Lewis started with Harkness Henry last month. The firm, under other names, has been in the Waikato since 1875 and in 1945, when the practices of Phillip Harkness and Clive Henry merged, became Harkness Henry. The firm has offices in Paeroa and from April 1, 2002, in Cambridge when it merged with Cambridge Law Centre.
Raceway has eco-friendly solutions A
glass bottle crusher could solve two major problems for Cambridge Raceway – fixing potholes and recycling the thousands of bottles generated at the sports venue every year. And though an application to Waipā District Council’s Waste Minimisation Community Fund for help to buy the $7000 machine was unsuccessful, Raceway chief executive Dave Branch is determined to make it happen. Branch and his team have already introduced several initiatives which keep rubbish out of landfills. They grow their own produce on site to supply the onsite sports bar and catering company. Food waste is fed to their own worms to generate plant fertiliser made up of the worms’ wee - their own chickens produce eggs
and composted manure feeds the gardens. The Raceway has 30 race meetings a year and because they do not have beer on tap, they have thousands of empty glass bottles to get rid of. Recycling involves sorting the bottles into colours which is time consuming and the track has only 10 staff, all involved in race activities. A glass crusher machine would turn the glass bottles into sand which when mixed with an emulsion, can be used to fill potholes. It is common in Australia for training track surfaces to be made from glass, said Branch. “Success will be measured by the reduction in waste that goes to land fill,” he said. “We estimate we could instantly reduce our skip bins from two to one essentially
cutting our waste to land fill in half.” The bins are emptied once a week but twice after a big race meeting and glass bottles makes up most of it. Meanwhile the Raceway club is continuing with its financial recovery after reporting an operating deficit of $730,000 last year. The club secured a loan from Harness Racing New Zealand and members to bolster the bottom line. The sale of a 34-lot residential subdivision where the club’s stables currently are will generate revenue as will the upcoming Grins Night on April 12. The club’s upgraded kitchen now gives its in-house caterers the opportunity to cater for other events at Mystery Creek, Lake Karāpiro and the Velodrome.
– Mary Anne Gill
Cambridge Raceway chair Graham Bowen and chief executive Dave Branch (right). Photo: Mary Anne Gill
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FEBRUARY 2024
ADVERTORIAL
Lodge stay a huge relief for young cancer patient
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8-year-old lawyer, Ella Scown was preparing to move to Canada when she found a lump in her breast. The diagnosis – triplenegative breast cancer – came just two days before her flight to Vancouver. Her plans disrupted, Scown moved in with her parents and 20 weeks of chemotherapy soon followed. Then came surgery, radiation and egg retrieval to help with fertility preservation. Scown stayed at the Cancer Society’s Lions Lodge while receiving treatment at Waikato Hospital. The second round of chemotherapy, she says, was brutal. “They told me to ‘brace myself’. It was so bad. It was this red liquid they call the ‘red devil’ and it was pumped through a port into my chest. I was taking 30 tablets every day to stop feeling sick but it was just horrible. That lasted about eight weeks. “It took me about a month to get back to the 60% mark. Then I was dealing with the mental health side of things because I lost my hair, my eyelashes, my eyebrows, which is huge for a 28-year-old.” Staying at the Lodge was a relief for Ella, as its close location to the hospital saved long hours of travel time between appointments as well as the burden of asking a support person to take time off from work to drive her. “The shuttle service takes the stress out of getting there on time. The Lodge provides three meals a day, which is good as it’s forcing me to eat some
“It takes a lot of shaking buckets on street corners to run a place like the Lodge” vegetables. I was eating relatively poorly because I was too tired to cook. I’ve also got a view of the lake and a nice room with everything I need.” Over 800 people have stayed at the Lodge over the past four months. Demand has increased so dramatically that the Lodge is now open 7 days a week. Cancer cases are predicted to double by 2040. The Cancer Society, which is also the country’s largest private funder of cancer research, is not directly government-funded and relies on the community to continue its vital services. Businesses are urged to show their support for the Cancer Society by taking part in Relay For Life, an all-day fundraiser that inspires teams to relay in honour of loved ones with cancer. “It takes a lot of shaking buckets on street corners to run a place like the Lodge,” says Cancer Society Waikato/ Bay of Plenty CEO, Helen Carter. “Cancer affects us all and as more and
A shock cancer diagnosis meant months of chemotherapy and radiation for Ella Scown. more Kiwis are diagnosed, the demand for our services only increases. We need more businesses to support us so we can keep doing what we do.” For Scown, she is looking ahead to her future travels. “The outcome of the chemotherapy and surgery is good. Although my plans
had to change, I’m still hoping to move overseas. We’re just kind of waiting until we can press play.” To find out how your business can support the Cancer Society, please email Sharon at sharonrobertson@cancersociety.org.nz
From riverbed to roundabout
FEBRUARY 2024
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The ceremonial start of a major roading project at Piarere provided dignitaries with an opportunity to learn about Māori legend, reports senior writer Mary Anne Gill.
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s invited dignitaries dug their glistening spades into the ground signalling the start of construction on a new roundabout at Piarere last month, Ngāti Koroki Kahukura kaitiaki Poto Davies watched on ready to share an ancient story. When completed, the $43.5 million 60m wide roundabout will take 30,000 vehicles a day – 16 per cent of it freight – on what Waka Kotahi says is currently the unsafest stretch of SH1 in the country. Centuries ago they would have needed boats, and not cars and trucks, as Davies explained the cultural context of the site. Pointing to the hard ground where the spades made their marks, she revealed the Waikato River used to flow through the paddock where the roundabout will be. The river which now meets the sea at Port Waikato once flowed into the Thames estuary. The course change was one consequence of the
Oruanui eruption of the Taupō volcano more than 26,000 years ago. Davies explained that in Māori legend siblings Taupiri and Tongariro, grew up together in the central plateau but were separated when Taupiri became homesick after she migrated to the Waikato to become bethrothed to Pirongia, she explained. Taupiri believed the only way she would get better was for healing waters from home so she sent a message to Tongariro to bring the sacred water north to her. When the water reached what is now the SH1-SH29 intersection, the river changed course, cutting its way along SH29, ending up in Hauraki. Some of the sacred water was taken to Taupiri and she was instantly cured but when she was told the river had changed course she started an incantation to bring it to her. The land began to shake but the river did not know where to go. It heard a dog barking, followed that sound, and flowed right in front of
Ngāti Koroki Kahukura kaitiaki Poto Davies, watched by Tauranga MP Sam Uffindell, gives guests the cultural context of the site at the sod turning ceremony. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
Taupiri and out to the west coast. The roundabout will be built in the paddock away from the busy state highways and is already two metres lower than the roads to allow Downer Construction
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to build the approaches first. When finished the roundabout will be future proofed to fit in with plans to extend the Waikato Expressway from Cambridge to Piarere as part of the government’s 13 national
road of significance plans. Transport minister Simeon Brown confirmed the extension was back on after the Labour government froze it during its two terms. More details about funding and finance opportunities
– known as public-public partnerships - will be announced then. Brown has met officials from the NZ Super Fund to discuss their approach to infrastructure investment.
• See: Turning the sod, page 19.
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The village people
FEBRUARY 2024
Gary Cox accepts his gift box from regional construction manager Dave Gibson.
Gary Cox is a wellknown face at two Waikato retirement villages. For 15 years he has worked at several Ryman Healthcare construction sites including more recently at Linda Jones in Hamilton and Patrick Hogan in Cambridge. Regional construction manager Dave Gibson recently surprised Gary, affectionately known as Coxy, at a prestart meeting on site with a giftbox and letter of appreciation from head office. Coxy, now Ryman’s longest-serving project manager, began in 2008 when he worked at Jane Mander Retirement Village, in his hometown of Whangārei. This was followed by stints at New Plymouth
for Jean Sandel, Waikanae for Charles Fleming and Tauranga for Bob Owens. Then it was down to Petone for Bob Scott and last year he finally completed one of Ryman’s biggest villages, Linda Jones in Hamilton. It was during that build that he really got to grips with what his role as project manager was about. “I’m like a structural psychologist,” he said at the time. “I’ve got to get inside its head and visualise how A meets B and C.” The role has also enabled a fair amount of personal growth too. “If someone had said to me when I was backpacking around Europe that I would be doing this job now I would have laughed because I hated public speaking and
yet that’s a lot of what I do now. “When I first started doing our toolboxes on health and safety, I never used to sleep on a Monday night but now I don’t think anything of it.” Now, the focus is on completing Patrick Hogan Retirement Village, Ryman’s 8.6 hectare site in Cambridge which will eventually have 185 townhouses, 60 serviced apartments and an 80-bed care centre. Four stages have now been finished, so 66 townhouses, and they’re laying down the slabs for the next stage now. While he never believed he would be in the same job for 15 years at the start, the reason, he says, is simple. “I love building, it’s the only thing I’m knowledgeable and passionate about.”
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Walking the talk on zero carbon
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FEBRUARY 2024
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amilton Airport has achieved another goal in flight towards net zero carbon emissions. The airport, part of Waikato Regional Airport Ltd (WRAL), has been awarded Level 4 airport carbon accreditation from Airports Council International (ACI). The globally recognised accreditation programme measures how airports manage and reduce carbon emissions. Hamilton is one of only a handful of New Zealand airports to reach Level 4 -but chief executive Mark Morgan said it was just one initiative in WRAL’s sustainability agenda. WRAL established a formal carbon and sustainability programme in 2021 based on its three-pillar strategy – people, profit and planet, he said. “We’re aiming for net zero carbon emissions by 2050 – that is a very clear goal, set by our board with our emissions calculated and reported annually. We’ve seen a 20 per cent reduction in emissions since 2019 and we’re aiming for a 46 per cent reduction by 2030. We’re on the right track but we don’t underestimate how much more we can and should do.” He was proud to lead an organisation that sought sustainability, “rather than just tinkering around the edges”. “We’re absolutely committed to this from the board down and that’s reflected in our priorities and investments.” One of those investments was a $1.5 million solar energy farm,
We factor carbon emissions reduction into all our planning and the refurbishment of our terminal building in 2022 is a good example of that.”
commissioned before Christmas. The solar farm powers the airport terminal and ancillary buildings during the day. It has provided immediate energy savings of about $100,000 a year and that will ramp up when the next stage is completed over the next two to four years. Stage two will enable solar powering of EVs plus more energy. Other sustainability initiatives go right across WRAL, Morgan said. Jet Park Hamilton Airport hotel, part of the group, has a silver environmental accreditation from Qualmark, New Zealand’s tourism accreditation scheme, and is working towards gold. “We factor carbon emissions reduction into all our planning and the refurbishment of our terminal building in 2022 is a good example of that.” “Sustainability was a key driver for decision-making on that project. Energy saving measures have driven a five per cent reduction in energy use. During the build itself, 45 per cent of demolition materials were recycled and readied for reuse. Those were
Mark Morgan pictured with WRAL board chair Barry Harris (right).
deliberate choices.” WRAL was “laser-focused” on spotting opportunities thanks to in-house sustainability champions whose role is to drive and implement green initiatives. “Our café, for example, uses local Kaipaki Dairies milk on tap. We’re supporting a local business and we’re cutting back on plastic, so everyone wins.” If you’re going to be committed, you must walk the talk every day, Morgan said. The aviation industry, often criticised for its
carbon emissions, had even greater responsibility to act. “I think as a publicly owned regional airport company, we should show some leadership fiscally, socially and environmentally. Some initiatives like the solar farm will have a financial payback and others will provide different benefits over the long-term,” he said. “Fundamentally however, our driver is that reducing carbon is the right thing to do. We are kaitiaki and we have a
responsibility to play our part in protecting our environment for future generations.” As part of Level 4 accreditation, WRAL is now required to work with other stakeholders to help support their own emissions initiatives. “We’ve got some other projects in the pipeline alongside partners which are really exciting. We have a long-term commitment to a very clear goal and while we’re making progress, there’s a lot of work to do yet.”
ADVERTORIAL
Waikato and Bay of Plenty’s growing tech sector draws international experts’ home. Graham Howard
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he Waikato and Bay of Plenty’s burgeoning startup tech sector and lifestyle is drawing international experts back to the Waikato. Grayson Clements’ newest lawyer Graham Howard is the latest to make the move. Graham, who started his New Zealand career working as legal counsel at Buddle Findlay and then WaikatoLink as their general counsel, has been working in the United Kingdom and counts Fortune 500 companies, Barclays Bank and Saudi Aramco as previous clients. With a special interest in intellectual property and growing start-ups, he says he was drawn back to the Waikato by the growing start-up tech sector, the entrepreneurs and innovators based in the
Waikato and Bay of Plenty and the region’s enviable lifestyle. The Technology Investment Network’s annual TIN200 survey of New Zealand’s 200 largest and fastestgrowing tech exporters shows nationally the total revenue in the sector increased 11.8 per cent to $17.1 billion in the 2023 financial year. Export receipts jumped 13.1 per cent to $13.05 billion. “From my time at WaikatoLink I know the business landscape in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty reasonably well. The region has always been known for its tech and start-up landscape, we have a huge number of entrepreneurs and innovators and working with them is something I love,” says Graham. Returning to New
Zealand, Graham says he sees tremendous potential to support the local ecosystem, leveraging his skill set to aid entrepreneurs and innovators in navigating legal challenges to help them drive growth. “I’m not just about drafting documents; I’m about understanding the DNA of my clients’ businesses. Whether it’s a joint venture between a Kiwi firm and an overseas entity or aiding local ventures in international markets, I want to be the trusted advisor who foresees the opportunities and the pitfalls.” During his time overseas
Graham also worked for a leading private equity firm and family office based in Dubai and says his move back to the Waikato was driven by a desire to move away from big law and wrap his experience as a total service around businesses in New Zealand hunting for growth both nationally and internationally.
at Grayson Clements,” he says.
“Over my career I’ve had the privilege of working with businesses in diverse formats, from commercialising Intellectual Property to joint ventures and complex mergers and acquisitions and I’m keen to bring that experience to the fore for our clients
His interest areas focus on intellectual property, commercialisation strategies, mergers, acquisitions, and international joint ventures and he has a proven track record of shepherding businesses through the intricate landscapes
“We want to provide useful solutions for clients. I’m very keen to help clients build relationships not only in New Zealand, but out of New Zealand, so the joint venture side of my experience is important too,” says Graham.
Grayson Clements – Design, Deliver, Protect Grayson Clements was established in 2008 by lawyers Michael Grayson and Andrew Clements, who both had a desire to grow a firm that focused on designing solutions, delivering results and protecting people. Their work and reputation have gained traction and their client base has grown organically to a point where they now have a team of 28 staff across a range of practice areas.
of international collaborations and challenging regulatory compliance. “My focus is always on relationships. I want to understand a client’s ambitions, their challenges, and aspirations, providing personalised guidance tailored to each client’s unique journey.” “My career has been about understanding business and how it deals with modern risk. And that’s not just a question of a checklist, it’s just about experience and I’m excited to offer that to Grayson Clements’ clients,” he says.
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FEBRUARY 2024
The immigration challenges with labour hire companies
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he news of the ELE Group receivership just before Xmas came as an untimely shock to the 1,000 or so workers employed through the various ELE companies, many of whom were migrant workers from the Philippines. ELE was a major, and well established, labour hire and recruitment firm which contracted workers to the construction, manufacturing, healthcare and other sectors. The receivership and the subsequent plight of these migrant workers has prompted a call for a government review of the practices of labour hire companies. Such companies have grown significantly over the last few years due to the challenging and uncertain economic times faced by employers, and contracting workers on and as-required basis from a labour hire company made commercial sense. The previous Government overturning of the 90 day trial period may also have played a part in the decision to outsource some employment roles. Given that construction sector work is very much project-related, it also made sense for such employers to contract their labour requirements in line with project requirements. The continuing economic uncertainty and cash flow difficulties impact across the all businesses and this, most probably, contributed in part to the ELE collapse. The reality is that the labour hire option has made it easier for employers to have access to a pool of suitable workers and, as a consequence, it is the labour hire companies who carry all of the employee risk. This is a particularly high risk when it involves migrant workers as the conditions of their work visas require that they be employed, and paid, on an ongoing basis - whereas New Zealand workers can be employed on a casual basis. The logistical and cash flow challenges involved in managing a significant workforce across multiple worksites with dynamic and ever-
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changing demands is not for the faint-hearted! The ELE migrant workers, as with other redundant migrant workers, have no choice but to quickly find replacement jobs and to change their visas in order to begin work again. It is this process which carries uncertainty, takes time, and incurs costs - and could be avoided if work visas were not issued specific to employers as some organisations are now calling for. However, we cannot see this happening. Many employers make a significant investment in their workforce and without having this employer linkage there is no ability for Immigration New Zealand to check if workers are actually working in accordance with their visa conditions. A possible short- term option may be something like a “redundancy visa” which could be a 3 month open work visa to provide time to find a new job and obtain a replacement visa. Perhaps the best approach, and what INZ is now finally looking to do, is to ensure accredited employers are, from the outset, appropriately credentialled and capable of fulfilling their employment and accreditation obligations. The accreditation process has simply been too much of a “tickbox” exercise with very little rigour at all. Since the middle of last year INZ has received 1800 complaints against accredited employers, and some 200 employers have had their accreditation revoked or suspended, or such action is in process. INZ is also actively undertaking audit checks of accredited employers (including all labour hire employers) with some 3,100 checks completed or underway to date. We are seeing INZ being much more active and rigorous with these checks which, while it is a hassle for employers, is to be welcomed. Should INZ request to audit your business Pathways is available to provide you guidance.
OUR ENVIRONMENT
The time looks right By PHIL MACKAY
Midway through last year I wrote about some of the market conditions and suggested that it was a good time to initiate a new building project at that time. This month I’ve reviewed the factors at play that reinforce my previous conclusion – if you’re looking to build, now is a great time to start planning and design with a view to building in late 2024 or 2025. The latest inflation figures from Stats NZ show that inflation for the year ending December 2023 was 4.7 per cent, down from 5.6 per cent the previous quarter and the peak of 7.3 per cent in the June quarter 2022. This is still far too high and some way from the Reserve Bank’s target bracket, but moving in the right direction at least. According to Interest.co.nz, advertised interest rates for two years-plus peaked in December. While advertised rates for shorter terms have yet to fall, my personal experience has been that the six month rate my bank has offered me has fallen by nearly a full percentage point over the past two months. Construction costs are growing at the slowest rate since 2016. Corelogic recently reported an increase in their construction cost index of 2.4 per cent in 2023, down from 10.4 per cent in 2022, and significantly lower than the average for the last decade of 4.5 per cent. Demand and building activity have also dropped. A total of 38,209 building consents were issued in the year to November 2023, down 24 per cent from the 50,209 issued in the previous 12 months, and from a peak of 51,015 in the year ended May 2022 according
to Stats NZ. Consent numbers in the Waikato were down 26 per cent for the same period. Builders and tradespeople are looking for work. Suppliers are needing sales. Going by the conversations we are having with others in the industry, builders and tradespeople, and consultants are actively looking for work and willing to price potential jobs competitively. A recent development is the addition of material suppliers to that list, which suggests margins throughout the supply chain are now being trimmed to secure work. Construction costs may not actually drop, but it’s likely that the next year or so represents the best opportunity to get competitive pricing. House prices are also rising again. QV’s house price index suggests house prices are now recovering from the low-point in May 2023, though they remain approximately 15 per cent down from the previous peak at the end of 2021. While house prices don’t directly affect building costs, rising values may provide confidence in future resale values. Putting all of these factors together, as I suggested last year, the next 12 months look to be a great time to build. By the time you’ve worked with an architect to design your house or project there ought to be plenty of contractors eager to provide competitive pricing for you. Naturally, your first steps should be to talk with your accountant, mortgage broker, and a Registered Architect. • Phil Mackay is Business Development Manager for Paua Architects
THE JOB MARKET
What’s the focus in 2024? By SENGA ALLEN
Depending on who you talk to, this year is going to be a cracker, wobbly or terrible. More so, depending on what industry you’re working in. The reality is that every year brings challenges, some exceptionally rewarding and others exceptionally heartbreaking. As people and culture specialists, we are immersed in the ups and downs of workplace change, growth and contraction, and we are fortunate enough to take the pulse of a wide range of businesses across New Zealand. Market information helps us form trends and themes which help us story tell other businesses. The Everest People team have combined their thinking about the key people topics that business owners need to be vigilant about this year. Here’s their top tips: • Retention – it’s easy to lose sight of your key talent when you’re going through change. We often focus on cost savings and shaving headcount, increasing sales and process improvements - but remember to protect the nest – engage with your stars, find out their needs and wants, understand their hearts and minds and don’t punish their hard work by giving them more work. • Cashflow management – keep on top of those late payers and be the squeaky wheel. Money does make the world go around. Don’t forget to tap into your trusted advisors before matters get worse and focus on the bottom line. • Wellbeing – a word of caution here – many employers still need to truly embrace wellbeing in the workplace as it just makes good business sense. However in some cases we’re seeing the pendulum swing too far the other way. A small minority of employees
are using “wellbeing” as a reason for their unacceptable behaviour which may not be entirely truthful. • Behaviour in the workplace – this is an extension of my point above. Workplace relationships need to be mutually beneficial to both parties and good faith means being open and transparent in your communication. Some employers are avoiding dealing with poor performance and behaviours because they don’t have the skillset to hold people to account and some employees are taking advantage of that. • Workplace – where is that these days? Office, work from home, hybrid? Every workplace will be determined on the most productive environment for that business but remember, no matter your communication preferences, humans thrive on connections. Are you a transactional workplace or a relationship based workplace? • Candidate expectations – is it a buyer or seller marketplace yet? Do we have a talent shortage or not? What will unemployment do this year? Again, this really depends on who you talk to, but our take is that yes, there are more people coming to the market, but make sure you carry out your due diligence to hire the best talent for you team. Unemployment is expected to peak around 5 per cent, which will have a knock on effect on the talent pipeline. • AI – it’s not going away. Learn more about it – do you research – seek advice – give it a go (but please don’t write your cover letter solely with AI tools as we can tell), embrace it, manage it and protect your business from it if needed. • Senga Allen is Managing Director for Everest
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FEBRUARY 2024
BUSINESS SHOWCASE
Data for dummies and the dodgy data dilemma By Damian Bartolomucci Data is the new global currency. Infinite in its scale and application and priceless in its value. Done right, it’s more influential to businesses and markets than gold or oil.
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handful of datapoints can help leaders form a hypothesis on the current state of business affairs, but expanded exponentially, you can predict and influence a future that would make you the envy of Nostradamus and Marty McFly. Understanding Data Data, in its simplest form, is a singular point of information captured in a large storage space known as a database. To quote Sting from The Police… “Every breath you take (tracked by your heart rate app), Every move you make (tracked on your maps application), Every bond you break (tracked via your social media unfriend or unfollow actions), Every step you take (tracked via your smartwatch), [someone] is watching you (tracked across millions of databases)”…and trying to predict or influence what you’ll do, say, or purchase next. For data newbies, the response to this realisation is usually a mix of “how do I protect myself?” and “how can I use this to my advantage?”. Data Gone Bad For New Zealand’s $13.6 billion dollar agricultural, forestry, and fishing industry, good data can mean the difference between a bountiful harvest profit and a poor harvest peril. In 2012 the United States witnessed one of the worst droughts in 50 years. One third of US counties across 29 states were considered disaster areas. Water reservoirs were barren. The farming models didn’t anticipate the severity of the drought and farmers who followed the model’s recommendations were left with drastically reduced yields exacerbated by planted crops that were less drought resistant.
of disease outbreaks across the system, and enhanced electronic health records to improve hospital triaging and urgent care wait times. The opportunities are limited only by the few resources required and a little bit of imagination to see the potential outside of the routine. 8 Steps to good data management: Data Lifecycle 101 Navigating data management can feel like herding sheep with a chihuahua. Many organisations with a bit of legacy behind them are often herding that data via dozens of Microsoft Excel spreadsheets sitting across multiple Windows folders with very little connectivity between them. Now imagine if, instead of using a chihuahua, you could quickly build a pathway where every data point constantly evolves and gets properly positioned without the need of a yappy dog or a manager asking you where it is. That pathway is the data lifecycle and it consists of 8 stages. Stage 1: Data generation Figure out what data is important to help you make decisions right now, what will help make decisions later, and what data will only lead to analysis paralysis because it adds no value. If you have it already, great! Stage 2: Data collection Now that you know what you want, work with a partner or on your own to find the best way to collect it. This can be done through hardware (physical systems like point-of-sale devices), or software (programs).
with who has access, how they access, how thick the lock has to be, and how to continually ensure that the data you need is the data you’re getting. Stage 6: Data analysis Data analysis is about processing the data to look for patterns, correlations, anomalies, or trends. It has a quantitative focus centred around structure and exploration. This can be automated through iterations and machine learning (AI), or done manually with independent models.
Navigate the digital landscape with us
Opportunities in data While the drought may be an extreme example, Kiwis are neither immune to the detrimental impacts of bad data or the financial opportunities of good data. In manufacturing, a customised digital twin – aka a virtual copy that takes the data from the physical world and simulates it in a virtual one – can be used to predict when machines might fail or need maintenance, when to change inventory levels, and how to train staff on using complex machinery without risking breaking the machine, the person, or disrupting the supply chain. In agriculture, data can predict the best planting seasons, identify the most suitable crop varieties, and mitigate risks associated with the poor application of environmental data that leads to issues with water quality. In healthcare, the data opportunities are endless with automated and equalized resource allocation for rostering schedules, improved tracking
Stage 3: Data processing To use the sheep example, in data processing, you can check the total number of sheep herded by the chihuahua (validation), herd those sheep into their appropriate pens (sorting), wash the sheep to clear out the dirt you don’t need (data cleaning), shear the sheep to make it presentable (transformation), and finally drop all the good looking sheep wool together to create a fashionable cashmere sweater (aggregation). Stage 4: Data storage Simply put, it’s where it all gets saved. Best to have a backup in case you lose the key to the barn. Stage 5: Data management This is the governance portion. It deals
Stage 7: Data visualisation Data visualisation is the “user experience” side of the data lifecycle. It allows the decision maker to quickly visualize and communicate what is happening often in real time. Stage 8: Data interpretation The final stage is the piece that assigns meaning to it all. It combines the subjective with the objective. The goal here is to translate the findings and create actionable insights, conclusions, and decisions based on expertise, data, and external factors like domain knowledge (and sometimes politics). There’s no doubt that “data”, “machine learning”, and “artificial intelligence” are highly complex subjects that have created an industry out of the world’s most brilliant minds including those at Company-X. It doesn’t have to be complicated. You can work with people that make it simple. Good data creates an environment
for informed decisions, more time to focus, and the ability to run the world better and it all begins with a single cell. Managed correctly, you’ll find yourself unlocking a priceless value that takes you back to a profitable, predictable future. Interested in learning more about data? Contact damian.bartolomucci@ companyx.nz and let’s have a chat. About Company-X Data is the leading global currency and leadership belongs to those that can unlock the greatest value from it. At Company-X, we exist to empower those visionary leaders who want to run the world better. We create the software that enables change through datadriven insights and automation. For defence, manufacturing contractors, infrastructure asset managers, and CTOs, we integrate complex systems, advance safety through simulation training, and enhance efficiency with AI. Our exclusively senior level expertise works alongside your teams to code and design your next great innovation. But we don’t just deliver software. We forge paths to digital transformation and operational efficiencies that run the world better.
10
FEBRUARY 2024
MORTGAGE ADVICE
TOURISM
The tide is Rodney Stirling turning Rodney Stirling
By CLAIRE WILLIAMSON
The housing market is a very cyclical beast. It rises and falls as economic, social and political factors change, and just like the tides, over the last few years we’ve experienced some of the highs and lows. In 2023, it felt like we were in a bit of a holding pattern. There was uncertainty about interest rates, banks competed but no one was ever sure when that was going to happen, and property sales were slower than we had seen in several years. That’s all tipped to change in 2024, for several reasons. Interest rates have likely peaked, and there are cuts on their way. Even the most bearish of commentators are now in agreement that before the end of 2024, we’ll likely have lower rates than those we’re seeing now. That’s building confidence into the market and those who were worried about how they might maintain an 8-9 per cent interest rate are becoming more likely to make a property decision. The political changes following the formation of Government in late 2023 have now started to bring more investors and developers back into the market, a segment which has largely lain dormant for at least 18 months as they stared down the barrel of the removal of interest deductibility and a five-year Brightline test. Both of these things have now been reversed, and are likely to come into play mid-2024, which will pump more demand into the market.
First home buyers have enjoyed
Walking on sunshine
By NICOLA GREENWELL
love summer in the Waikato and this year to our region and a strong events line-up minimal competitionPOLISHING for properties in & I SEALANTS EXPERT CONCRETE GRINDING, / COATINGS FOR FLOORS & WALLS through until the end of March is adding to has been particularly good. 2022 and 2023 and will now start to face rising prices. But assistance tools like the First Home Grant, KiwiSaver and the likelihood of banks opening up more lower deposit lending (to over 20 per cent of their overall lending) is going to assist those buyers into homes and set them up at a time when interest rates will start dropping and lending will become more affordable. My advice to those who are in a position to buy is to take action in the first half of the year if they can. Prices will start to rise this year and with that brings challenges of deposit savings not keeping up with increasing costs of buying a home. In the lending world, it’s about understanding various policy and ensuring every client has the right fit for them. With bank policy and appetite for lending, especially for business owners, constantly changing, having the best options on the table is key. We’ve been here before when the tide has come in, and we’ll be here again when it goes out. It’s about finding the nuggets of gold in a sea of sand and having the right people around you to achieve your property goals. • Claire Williamson is a mortgage advisor for My Mortgage
The region has benefited from better weather Waikato’s magic. Foodies can head along New Zealand’s and more international and domestic visitors than last year, which, in addition to providing biggest barbeque festival, Meatstock, or the a boost to local tourism operators, adds extra New Zealand Cheese Festival; while families might like to check out Wharenui Harikoa – a vibrancy to our towns and city. We were already seeing evidence of a great meeting house entirely crocheted by hand – at summer for tourism back in October, with Waikato Museum. There’s also the Hamilton visitors spending $148 million across the Arts Festival Toi Ora ki Kirikiriroa, 10 days filled with performing arts from music to region during the month. While we don’t yet have the figures for theatre to comedy and cabaret. The Balloons over Waikato festival is coming November or December at the time of writing, the momentum appears to have continued to up too and sports fans are also well catered build, with tourism operators reporting strong for, with international cricket and polo, Waka Ama, showjumping and the Z Manu World numbers and a diverse range of visitors. Some attractions say they have exceeded daily Champs being held in the region in February, visitation records, while others are operating while March sees events like Motofest and the at capacity and many more reporting strong Middle-Earth Halfling Marathon. Each event contributes economically and bookings through to the end of the month. Many Waikato tourism operators also report socially to the community it takes place in – the that more locals than usual are enjoying dollars spent directly at the event, or pre and ‘staycations’ this year, making the most of our post on the likes of accommodation and eateries, activities and experiences, as well as enjoying help provide business income and employment the natural attractions, cycling and walking for our people with flow-on of expenditure going into our wider communities. Events also trails we have across the region. build local pride, develop legacy benefits and Hamilton & Waikato Tourism’s upcomingCertified Contractor campaign encourages domestic travellers to help promote our region’s brand while media make the most of the magic of the Waikato by opportunities presented by key events help to shineContractor a light on the region as an attractive extending their summer holidays into autumnCertified Superfloor destination for potential visitors and drive and right up to Easter and the April school HTCfuture travel. holidays. It targets people from some of our I’m looking forward to getting along to as key drive and fly markets, focusing on the wide Superfloor many of these events as possible and hope to range of things to see and do in the region and HTCsee many of you there. aims to help lengthen the summer season for • Nicole Greenwell is the Chief Executive of operators. Events are an important driver for visitation Hamilton and Waikato Tourism
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FEBRUARY 2024
If you’re developing Hamilton’s potential. We must say you’re doing a fine job, and it’s a fine place to do it. With improved transport links, abundant employment opportunities, and plenty of room to grow, it’s little wonder Hamilton is welcoming more new residents than ever before. The work you’re doing is enabling our city to flourish, and our people to thrive. If you need a hand we’d love to help.
You belong here.
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12
FEBRUARY 2024
ADVERTORIAL
Becoming A Commercial Agent – What A Career Looks Like Today
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am often asked what being a commercial agent looks like today, as opposed to what it was like when I started in the mid 2000’s. While some aspects are significantly different, many fundamentals haven’t changed at all. For those that have an interest and pondering a potential career in commercial real estate, I have one comment – it can fundamentally change yours and your families’ lives, as it has with mine. Occasionally I cast my mind back to how my life used to be – I don’t regret my 10 years at Telecom, but the leap of faith from a salaried role to an independent contractor where I get paid for my effectiveness, was very scary, but mind-blowing the transformation that has taken place. Commercial real estate is a competitive industry, so it’s important wherever you may choose to go, that you get genuine support and resources in order to succeed. For new agents it can often be a daunting process initially, hence the reason we like to get new agents working alongside experienced agents from day one. Being included on listings from the very outset and working as part of a team, befitting from its knowledge and experience, is critical to future success.
The Best Bits: • You get to meet and work with an amazing array of people from all walks of life. Clients and customers are looking for good credible advice and assistance from you in achieving their business and real estate goals. • Your time is completely flexible, but it must be used wisely. Effective and efficient use of time will ensure you get more completed each day than others around you. • You learn new skills, improve others and gain cutting edge market intel, every day. Every time you talk to someone you learn something you didn’t know before. The challenge is to talk to more people, ask more questions and then do something with that information, much like putting a jigsaw together. What we do is actually quite simple, but it certainly isn’t easy. On our wall in the office, we have “10 Things That Require Zero Talent”. 1. Being on Time 2. Work Ethic 3. Effort 4. Body Language 5. Energy 6. Attitude 7. Passion 8. Being Coachable 9. Doing Extra 10. Being Prepared The Hardest Bits: • Making mistakes and learning from them. My first boss said to me
on day one – “there is no issue with mistakes, we all make them, but if you continue to make the same mistakes, we both have a problem”. • Every day looking to improve what you do and how you do it, from the quality of photos, to wording of agreements and put simply, being able to find ways to make things happen. • Changing how you deal with people. Everyone is different and we need to be like a chameleon, to deal with them the way they need to be dealt with, not the way we want to be dealt with. • Delivering bad news. This is undoubtedly the one in life that people struggle with the most. None of us like doing it, but our ability to deliver bad news the right way, is often the very thing that sets the top performers apart from the rest. Don’t procrastinate and do it face to face, if at all possible.
“Success Leaves Clues, and if you sow the same seeds, you’ll reap the same rewards” – Brad Thor Commercial and industrial real estate is a very broad field and we decided early on that having specialist knowledge about a specific market segment or geographical area, might be a smart way to deal with this issue. Every agency is different, some agents like to cover retail, office, industrial and land all over the city and region. I work with two other agents within the CBD (we have others that cover the various industrial markets and suburban areas) and the amount of knowledge to do this well is significant – it’s an information game. We feel, and others may disagree, that having a team of specialists working together, gives us the opportunity to provide our clients and customers with the best possible advice. In summary, if you are enthusiastic and motivated, then a career in commercial real estate could be for you. Working hard, being focussed and keen to learn provides a unique career opportunity. Take the opportunity to talk to several different agencies, to see where you could fit in and how they will assist you. It’s very much a relationship game, so the longer you are doing it, the greater the number of relationships you have the opportunity to build. You definitely wont be bored and there’s always something to do.
Education through business
By Penny Thompson
A group of students who participate in the programme - from left, Anna Miles, Emma Sherburn, Helen de Vries, head girl Kate Monsma, Isabella McClean, Ashleigh Smith, Ella Tunnell, Kayla Westgate.
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hen four French nuns travelled to New Zealand from Lyon, France in 1884 and purchased two acres of land in Hamilton East, Catholic education in the Waikato was born. Today Sacred Heart Girls’ College staff and students are showing the same pioneering spirit on the land the four women bought by cultivating a relationships’ first approach with the community. Instead of spending time in the classrooms for the first week back at school, all 940 students and staff will challenge ‘educational norms’ by putting curriculum learning on hold and develop meaningful relationships with students, teachers and their whānau. Whanaungatanga, building relationships, starts with a whole of school p pōwhiri and continues with student mentoring activities, guest speakers, goal setting and learning conversations. It wraps up with competitive house events to lay the foundation for a supportive and nurturing environment. The school actively seeks opportunities to engage with local businesses to provide students with opportunities to transfer these skills beyond the school gates. Programmes like Gateway allow students to experience potential career pathways and through Smart Waikato Secondary School Employer Partnerships the school collaborates with Three Peaks Honey, Paua Architects, BCD Group, HD GEO, and Hamilton City Council. School principal Catherine Gunn said the nuns’ passion for education developed into the charism of communion, contemplation and mission is still prevalent in the school community today. Those manākitanga principles – showing respect, generosity and care for the people
who are part of the greater school community – are at the heart of the initiative. “We are not like other schools because of our Catholic character. Building community and nurturing positive connections is a core aspect of our faith formation and our culture of care. “The global skills students learn from a ‘relationships-first’ approach mean we are supporting our students to develop the confidence in our young women,” she said. “No robot or AI can do caring like we can.” Paua Architects business development manager Phil Mackay said his practice valued the opportunity to engage with the school and see students provided with realworld examples of the concepts they are learning. “They’re engaged and enthusiastic and are learning to build meaningful relationships; we value this as a business.” Deputy principal Caroline Gill, who leads the project, said research showed that strong relationships provided a foundation for student engagement, belonging and learning. “The more high-quality relationships students have with their peers and teachers, the better their engagement is in school.” The school will create space and opportunity to practice a radical inclusiveness which benefits everyone in the community, she said. Parent Abbie McCall of Te Awamutu supports the programme and working with businesses. “Our young wahine love building relationships with their teachers and community. “If the foundations of a sense of belonging and care are strong, this only builds them up and forward in their education.”
Sisters of Our Lady of the Mission standing outside the old Convent in Hamilton East in 1943.
13
FEBRUARY 2024
BUSINESS SHOWCASE
CooperAitken: A Century-Strong Legacy of Excellence in Chartered Accounting and Business Advisory in the Waikato Region
CooperAitken Partners from Left to Right: Grant Eddy, Carissa Cressy, Gavin Haddon, Amy Coombes, Rory Noorland, Deborah Hollands (CEO), Peter Hexter, Coral Phillips, Gerrie Jacobs, Anna Bennett, Megan Potter Absent: Rachel Robb Bottom Left: Rory Noorland | Bottom Right: Amy Coombes
CooperAitken are well-established Chartered Accountants & Business Advisors in the Waikato region, boasting a legacy spanning over a century and a proud tradition of community support. With 12 partners contributing a cumulative experience of over 200 years, our strength lies in our diversity, industry expertise, and specialised skills across various business facets. Our dynamic team of over 90 professionals, based across our four Waikato offices, represents a wealth of knowledge, diverse backgrounds, and unparalleled expertise. While accounting remains at our core, the evolving business landscape has expanded our focus to include business advisory services, ensuring that we assist our clients in navigating the future of their business. Complementing accounting & advisory, we offer a wide range of specialised services, which we believe form a seamless support system for our clients & their business journeys. These wrap-around services include dedicated teams such as Business Software Support, ACC Risk Management, Governance, Payroll, Trust Administration & Trusteeships, and our newest addition, Agri-compliance. With our clients needs at the forefront, these services have been crafted to alleviate the administrative burdens and complexities associated with various aspects of business operations. In addition to our services, CooperAitken specialises in succession and estate planning, specialist tax advice, handling complex tax issues, business training, and Waikato Dairy Farming benchmarking. Our commitment is evident – we want to support our clients with their business burdens and administrative hassles, allowing them more time to focus on the things they love doing. With our history spanning over a century, CooperAitken has grown through mergers and extensions, from it’s inception in Morrinsville to expanding to Matamata in 2009, Thames in 2014, and Hamilton, where we established an office in 2022. While we are known for our involvement in the rural agri-sector, our focus on the commercial landscape is robust. The establishment of our office in Innovation Park in Hamilton is a testament to our dedication to this focus. With 8 team members now situated in Hamilton, we are in a position to expand as a firm, and to collaborate closely with both new and existing Hamilton clients along with like-minded professionals in the area. Our Hamilton-based partners, Rory Noorland and Amy Coombes, bring years of experience and a strong commercial focus to the firm.
Helping you find your time, mind, and financial freedoms. Rory, a member of the Chartered Accountants National Tax Liaison Committee, specialises in complex and intricate tax issues, offering solutions and outcomes to help them prosper. He believes his role is first to provide services so clients can focus on what they’re passionate about, rather than carrying out core compliance activities. He also aims to give them knowledge about where their business is going, what they want to achieve, and how to get there. Amy brings a broad approach to working with her clients and as a member of the Institute of Directors, she has good experience in helping clients implement good governance practices. Having had previous ownership interests in Dairy Farming, Amy has a deep understanding of the agri-sector and the complexities of running a dairy farm. This first-hand experience combined with a drive to educate clients on the story their numbers are telling makes Amy a valuable advisor on her client’s team. Our core values—Progressive, Driven, Empathy, Community, and Approachable—reflect the deep pride we take in embodying these actions. They steer our efforts when collaborating with clients and as a team. In the realm of business advisory and support, consider us part of your team. Fueled by the mission of helping our clients reach their business success – however that looks to them – we dedicate ourselves to aiding clients reach their goals and objectives. If you’re looking for a dedicated team to support you on your business journey, give us a call. We would love to work alongside you & your business journey, to help you find your time, mind, and financial freedoms!
HELPING BUSINESSES THRIVE FOR OVER 100 YEARS
p: 0800 866 191 |
e: mail@cooperaitken.co.nz | www.cooperaitken.co.nz
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Paving the way
FEBRUARY 2024
FAMILY-BASED
Advertorial
RECRUITMENT AGENCY IS ONE OF A KIND A blend of personal experience and genuine concern for migrant workers has steered Hamilton-based Need4Skills to its current position as one of the country’s most diversitysensitive recruitment agencies. Managing director Karen Tan’s story gives a clear insight as to why.
S
ix years have passed since Karen started her then home-based agency to provide an integrated recruitment ‘bridge’ between employers and internationally based employees.
Work is underway on apartments at the Hamilton East site.
A
n apartment development in central Hamilton will come with improved public footpaths. Waikato-based building company Engas Development is building 27 apartments on the corner of Anzac Parade, Memorial Drive and Puutikitiki Street – formerly Von Tempsky St - in Hamilton East. Hamilton City Council is taking a one-off opportunity to widen an existing footpath outside the site. The current footpath is as little as 1.3m wide and close to a traffic lane. As a result of a co-operative approach between Engas and the council, the footpath will be widened as part of the development. The corner site was sold for $2.4 million as a potential site for high density housing in December 2021. At the time it was the site of a 100-year-old character home. It is near the Te Tara-ahi pā site of Ngāti Pakekirangi which was abandoned after Ngapuhi raids in the late 1700s and Moule’s Redoubt, the first European settlement in the Waikato. It also overlooks the Union Bridge built in 1878.
Photo: Catherine Gunn.
Heritage site investigation and discovery protocols are in place during works, mana whenua input during the design phase will be reflected in a design on a retaining wall, and a plaque on the existing wall will be saved. The new, wider, footpath will open in May. Last year Engas completed the threestorey Lakewood Townhouses in Cambridge and townhouses in Hukanui Road, Hamilton last year. Chris Allen, Hamilton City Council’s Executive Director Development, said one of the biggest benefits of doing the footpath work as part of the development will be the reduction in disruption for traffic. “This is one of our busiest central city intersections, beside one of our highesttraffic bridges. By doing the footpaths before the apartments are built, construction equipment can work from the development site, rather than from the road. This was a one-off opportunity as widening the footpaths once development is complete would have caused far more disruption and may have been economically unfeasible.”
Room to grow I
ndustrial businesses in Waipā have more land to call home following a decision to rezone additional land for development earlier than expected. The land was originally zoned rural but some consents had been granted for industrial activities. The rezoning to industrial became operative last month. The new industrial zone covers around 75ha and sits north and south of Hautapu Road and was originally set to become available after 2035. Strong growth over the past 10 years has created a demand for industrial land and driven the change. Group manager district growth and regulatory Wayne Allan said the council was paving the way for industry growth by opening the land up for businesses to operate from. “This is a positive outcome and better reflects what the area is used for. Hautapu will provide more options for businesses to relocate from Carters Flat, as that area changes from industrial to commercial.” “We’ve heard the calls from businesses and are making changes now. This is just one way that we’re creating opportunities for businesses to thrive in Waipā.” The site has the potential to cater for two of the district’s top industry sectors, construction and manufacturing. “We need to strike a balance between the infrastructure required and the need to open up more land for these types of activities, and we think we’ve got the balance right with this zone in Hautapu,” Allan said. Cambridge family-owned business, BO & CO Electrical have called Hautapu home for
Her focus was predominantly on workers coming in from the Philippines, not only because she knew they were a proven asset to any team, but also because Karen is herself a migrant from that part of the world. She and her mother arrived in New Zealand from the Philippines in 1993. In the years that followed, Karen worked across various sales, account management and business development sectors as well as in the NGO environment. “At one stage I was managing a staff of 50 for a software company. It didn’t take long for me to notice that a lot of New Zealand companies experienced challenges around diversity in the workplace. I wanted to find a way to help.” That rare mix of personal and professional experience as well as hands-on exposure to the Kiwi work environment provided her with a unique insight on how to optimise the experience for everyone involved in the recruitment process, both employers and migrant workers, and enhance retention levels. “It is important for us to make our employers feel valued as well ... to make both parties happy,” Karen says. “Our employers go way beyond what is expected of them, and this is vital for our workers. We are very grateful for their patience and understanding.” Today Need4Skills operates from the heart of Hamilton. It now draws its quality candidates from the Philippines and beyond, including the Gulf countries, Japan, Saipan, Singapore and Europe. Most have established skills of five years or more, and by working in alignment with New Zealand immigration requirements, the agency has earned a trusted reputation among local companies. It is now the ‘go-to’ agency for many top companies across the Waikato, in Auckland and in the South Island, predominantly across sectors that include fabrication and welding, painting, construction, mechanical engineering and early childhood teaching.
Economic development advisor Joy Mickleson with BO & CO Electrical owner Sam Bryant, whose business is reaping the rewards of Hautapu’s industrial zone. Photo: Supplied.
the past year. Business owner Sam Bryant said Hautapu is the ideal place to do business. “The location, being just out of Cambridge but close enough to rural areas and the city, means business operations are easier to achieve than we could have imagined. We’ve saved on overhead costs like transportation, as we’re now so close to the Waikato Expressway.” “The land size here and proximity to other services and our clients is unmatched. We’ve been able to grow without the pressures of limited space and resources. There just isn’t a lot of land that is this central to everything we need, and that is so accessible for our clients and staff as well,” Bryant said.
The fact that 80 percent of those recruited through the agency have become residents is powerful testimony to Karen and her team’s efforts, but she is mindful that such success comes only when workers feel secure in their employment and settle with their families into Kiwi life. To that end, Karen and Rommel organises English classes for the workers and together, they established The Filipino Connection, a not-for-profit outreach that is all about INFORMATION-INTEGRATION-IMMERSION. Aimed at smoothing to path for migrant workers, that arm of the operation delivers personalised ongoing care for incoming workers. They are given an initial settlement plan, pre-organised accommodation, orientation sessions around banking,
Karen Tan, managing director at Need4Skills, works out of a welcoming space in the heart of Hamilton.
Karen Tan with her husband Rommel, left, and son Elijah.
shopping, utilities, rules and regulations, and mentoring around how the Kiwi culture operates. They help bring workers’ families in and keep the lines of communication open as a conduit to avoiding potential pitfalls. The family-owned character of Need4Skills is other major advantage. Karen is managing director; her husband Rommel, is an operations director, left a corporate role of 26 years to come on board to help settle and mentor workers. Quite a bit of heavy work happens behind the scenes and Rommel pours relentless hours into this part. Their son Elijah works for the business too assisting his dad since he was 16, helping set up workers’ homes, utilities and furniture as well as airport pickups from any airport point. He often works nights and weekends and has become a permanent staff member. Their daughter Alpha, as well as other family members who works elsewhere, dips in and out when it gets very busy and for short-term projects needed. Karen’s Philippines-based sister, Khristine Narciso, co-ordinates things from that end. A valued part of Khristine’s function is running a comprehensive pre-departure course for migrating workers aimed at teaching them the basics of Kiwi life. It covers things such as understanding contracts and the New Zealand working culture, what is and isn’t appropriate, and coordinates applicant’s necessary documents for a smoother process. She coordinates with the visa team and local agencies in the Philippines. During the predeparture course, Rommel also shares his working knowledge and provides essential information around driving rules and other regulations that will seem foreign to them. “We understand the cultural differences and the difficulties workers might find here,” Karen says. “But I feel our responsibility goes beyond just finding and providing workers for New Zealand companies. By also ensuring that those workers settle well, we are not only helping them and their families, but we are making sure those companies get the very best from the workers they employ.”
For more information, visit www.needforskills.co.nz
FEBRUARY 2024
Human Resources and Recruitment
F E AT U R E 15
New HR/recruitments present challenges
T
he employment landscape is constantly evolving – you need to look no further than the changes brought about by the Covid pandemic to see just how much. Terms like hybrid working (splitting work time between the office and home), diversity and wellbeing are much more common today than they were in the pre-pandemic era. More consideration is given to encouraging a balance between work and lifestyle, promoting mental and physical wellbeing among employees, and creating a culture of trust and inclusion for everyone in the workplace. Recruitment has always been a key responsibility area of any human resources (HR) operation, but it is no longer simply a case of matching a job seeker with a suitable vacancy, or filling a client’s wish-list of requirements by finding an individual who might be a good fit. Today, sourcing talent comes with a raft of other considerations. Whether it’s done internally or externally, HR professionals must first identify and fully understand the needs of their client company and then craft an appropriate job description. Decisions are then made around the sort of advertising medium most likely to attract the best candidates, how to process applicants then narrow them down to a short-list, and then conduct interviews. At any stage, there are more options
There are more options than ever before – just one example is the interview process, which could be face-to-face, or via phone or video calls
than ever before – just one example is the interview process, which could be faceto-face, or via phone or video calls. Nor does a successful recruitment exercise end by ticking off the tasklist. Once an employee is selected, HR departments within companies remain engaged for as long as that individual is employed. They’re the ones negotiating
contracts, dealing with workplace orientation, relevant health and safety requirements, learning and development opportunities, performance and rewards, training processes, payroll matters, and more. The sweeping changes initiated by people working from home during long Covid lockdowns brought a suite of
challenges that demanded adaptation from both employers and employees. Both sides have found that the flexibility it demanded came with a new set of advantages that is benefiting both parties – making the role of HR professionals all the more important in a post-Covid working world.
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FEBRUARY 2024
Your guide to: Conference, V How to avoid the pitfalls of conference and event planning Thinking about hosting a conference or organising a special event? Why not? After all, they’re great for corporate networking or professional development for businesses of all shapes and sizes, and they can turn shindigs of a more personal nature into truly memorable occasions.
W
hatever your reason for considering it, the key to success is always going to be in the planning. There are a host of moving parts to organising a smooth operation, and how you drive those parts is key. The first step is to decide what sort of event you want, what size and scale you’re looking at. Start a comprehensive checklist that begins with a well-considered timeline and ticks every box along the way … anything less could mean costly mistakes and end up with
you wearing egg on your face, and no-one wants that. Here’s how to go about avoiding those pesky pitfalls. Whether you’re planning a corporate function, business conference or seminar, a wedding or a family soiree, the rules are pretty much the same. •
•
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Establish the purpose, anticipated numbers and costings for your conference or event, then visit venue options that could be a good fit in the area you are looking at. When there, check for breakout areas or rooms you might want to use if you are planning different conference sessions or workshops. Key in your date, but make sure it doesn’t clash with another industry conference or event that might negatively affect yours. Know your baseline needs in terms of technology, sound systems, live-streaming facilities, screens, graphics, Wi-Fi, music, bar and kitchen facilities. If they’re not offered as part of the venue booking deal, find out if they arrange for those requirements to
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FEBRUARY 2024
F E AT U R E
e, Venues and Events
•
be covered from outside, and how it might change costings. Factor in nearby accommodation, transport links and/or parking for those attending, and book ahead if you know your numbers.
Assuming all the in-house planning is already in hand – speakers, staff, volunteers and the like – create a schedule and then a programme to be handed out to attendees or invitations for guests. If you want to include things like goodie-bags, or have sponsored or promotional material available, make sure
they’re ordered well in advance of the event. Keep a check on logistics – things like catering plans, meal or break times and places – and remember, everyone’s view on the success or otherwise of a conference or event will depend on how seamlessly it went off. That comes down to how well you planned every step of it. If you feel insecure about doing it all yourself, there are tried and tested conference and event organisers out there who have it down pat.
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Covid’s disabling sting 18
FEBRUARY 2024
Disappearing work contracts spell tough times for disability employment agencies. Viv Posselt talks to one of them, Achievement House in Cambridge.
Ideally, however, we would like to have enough regular incoming work to ensure everyone is busy and engaged all day…able to feel that they are contributing members of the community.”
A
chievement House is feeling the post-Covid pinch as a drop in the number of contracts impact on its ability to provide a steady level of employment for people with disabilities. It has always been something of a struggle, says manager Neil Fynn, but the post-pandemic disruptions has exacerbated the problem. He said several contracts had ended in the past few years, and he wants to make 2024 all about bringing new ones on board. The reasons they fall away are not always made clear, he added. They lost a major contract in 2022 as a firm was bought out by an international player who closed it and moved offshore, while others were lost to post-pandemic changes made to the way companies operate.
Achievement House manager Neil Fynn and his assistant Shelby McClelland hope 2024 bring more work contracts.
Whatever the reason, the result for Achievement House, and for other facilities like it, is a shrinking and unpredictable workload with which to keep their staff fully occupied on a regular basis. Fynn said Achievement House has more than 40 people on its books. “Between 23 to 25 are here on any given day, but we now find there are times when there is simply not enough work for them to do. When that happens, they can choose to either stay here and do something of their own, or they can go home,” he said. “Ideally, however, we would like to have enough regular incoming work to ensure everyone is busy and engaged all day…able to feel that they are contributing members of the community.”
Hamilton’s Hone Paki adds new taps to plumbing fittings.
Achievement House is one of nine New Zealand disability enterprises that offer employment opportunities to people with a range of disabilities. They come from around the region, choosing to work the days and hours that best align with their lifestyle. Because of the range of disabilities they have, the tasks they do are varied, with some being understandably limited, Fynn said. They specialise in the assembly, collation, labelling and packaging of small, lightweight components for various industries, and contract arrangements can either be for one-offs or longterm. “Where the rest of the working world increases its use of mechanisation, we are exactly the opposite. We
Jeremy Piercy of Hamilton seals metal rods into plastic tubes.
need tasks that are as labour intensive as possible… our aim is to provide our staff with work they can do within their abilities. They do hand-assembled, repetitive tasks that fulfil a crucial component in the manufacturing process, with minimal use of machinery. “We don’t operate as your standard commercial workplace. We must accommodate the different requirements our staff bring, which means we are very time-tolerant with our workforce. Our quality control, however, is extremely rigid… there is no leeway given because we are a disability organisation.” Much of the short-term work they have done over the years has segued into larger contracts, some of them for well-known companies with
John Fayerman of Cambridge counts and packages plastic bottles.
international links. They do work for awardwinning company Shoof International, working on components for animal husbandry products such as leg straps and the like. Other projects have come from Houston-based MRC Global, a leading global distributor of pipes, vales, PVC fittings and the like that has a presence in Hamilton. Also on board is Holdfast in Hamilton, now operating under Soudal ownership, as well as Rukuhia-based Smiths Elements & Controls, and NZ Industrial Fittings out of Rotorua. The advantages to companies are many, Fynn said. By outsourcing to Achievement House the sort of work that would normally be done using a costly robotic system or a workers’
production line, companies can avoid having to factor in recruitment and training, or HR issues. Plus, many of today’s firms seek a strategic ‘add-on’ that reflects a philanthropic side – it is an arrangement of mutual benefit and one he hopes to tap into. “What is often not recognised in our case is that we are a serious notfor-profit enterprise whose sole purpose is to create and provide work for disabled persons. We fill an important function for all sorts of industries and can be utilised far more than at present,” Fynn said. “Much of our work comes via word of mouth, and I’m hoping that with the growth in industry in the Waikato, we will be able to find new contracts to take us into the future.”
Cambridge duo Jenna Tutbury and Carl Smith adding labels to bottles.
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FEBRUARY 2024
Out and about…
NZ National Fieldays Society volunteer Sandra Wrigley receives the 2023 John Kneebone Volunteer of the Year Award from life member Peter Carr. Photo: Stephen Barker.
Send us your contributions to Out and about – editor@goodlocal.nz
Celebration time for Linda Jones Retirement Village in Hamilton which was named Ryman’s fittest village for 2023. The 11 medallists in the Walking for Wellness event were honoured at a special ceremony, from left Les Christopher, Norma Kerr, Terry Brighouse, Dick Coventry, Susan Harper, village manager Neville Parkinson, chief experience and engagement officer Mary-Anne Stone, resident experience coordinator Kate Terry, Tony Watson, Anne Welsh, Birger Kirsten, Noreen Parsons, David Parsons.
Turning the sod at the Piarere roundabout, from left Sam Uffindell, Louise Upston, Transport minister Simeon Brown, Tim van de Molen, Tom Rutherford, Ryan Hamilton, Adrienne Wilcock and Susan O’Regan. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
New Zealand Defence Force petty officer Glen Hayes, left, and sergeant Texas Prima went to the Waka Ama champs at Karāpiro to discuss Defence careers. Photo: Jeremy Smith.
Te Radar, regarded as the face and voice of Fieldays receives the 2023 Rimmington Award for services to Fieldays from life member Barry Quayle. Photo: Stephen Barker.
Te Toki Voyaging Trust - Waka Hourua members Kiriwehi Grant, front, Hinemanu Barclay-Kerr, Te Ohomairangi-Putiputi Matakātea, Reiata Huata, Paige Rameka, Tevarn Mylove Bennion-Lindsay and Khloe Simon at Lake Karāpiro for the Waka Ama champs. Photo: Jeremy Smith.
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FEBRUARY 2024
This expansion recognises our communities need for quality affordable housing delivered at scale, and Fosters desire to contribute to this need. Fosters CEO Nigel Sun with GM Foster Residential Douw van der Merwe, who is a great fit for the Foster team, adding in-depth knowledge of the industry, and the supply chain and is a good fit for delivering ‘the Fosters way’.
Nigel Sun, Fosters CEO
Photo Credit: Waikato Times
FOSTERS GOES RESIDENTIAL! April 1, 2024 will see the launch of Foster Residential Limited. Adding to Fosters’ core offering of develop, construction, engineering and maintain, the new residential arm is both an opportunity to expand the business and do more for the community. Fosters CEO Nigel Sun says this development is significant to the Fosters business, but well aligned with the Fosters purpose of ‘great communities through strong foundations’. “This expansion recognises our communities need for quality affordable housing delivered at scale, and Fosters desire to contribute to this need” he said. “We have several quality residential building companies in the Waikato, and many are doing it tough in the current market. “Leveraging our size and strengths, Fosters’ focus is on delivering residential projects at scale. That being a minimum of 10 houses in one
location and concentrating on social, tribal, community and affordable housing. “We aim to add to the residential construction markets capacity to deliver the number of houses needed to address the current housing deficit and support the growing population in the coming years.” Foster Residential will focus on B2B partners, recognising the needs of organisations like Kainga Ora, Iwi, Community Housing Providers, retirement village operators and similar commercial residential developers. As members of the New Zealand Construction Alliance, Fosters have already secured their first residential project – 10 new units for Kainga Ora on Hukanui Road. Several other housing projects of scale are in the pipeline. To find out more about Foster Residential, call Douw on 027 250 0104.