After five years of planning, geotechnical preparation, Covid challenges and building, Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa in Rotorua is edging closer to completion, with the roof now in place on the significant development.
Set to open in mid-2023, the 4,453m2 development sits proudly on the shores of Lake Rotorua and will be a truly unique cultural wellness offering, unlike any other spa in the world.
Pukeroa Oruawhata Group deputy chairman, David Tapsell says the development of Wai Ariki has surpassed multiple obstacles, including Covid lockdowns, supply issues and the changing economy.
“However, the building is really taking shape and we are now able to see and feel the spaces that make this place so unique,” says Mr Tapsell.
Wai Ariki combines the region’s healing geothermal waters with the centuries-old legacy of Ngāti Whakaue cul-
ture, healing practices and manaakitanga (caring hospitality) to offer an authentic wellness and spa experience for manuhiri (visitors). Mr Tapsell says Wai Ariki takes manuhiri on a unique healing and relaxation journey, with every perfectly designed element contributing to a transformative experience to support total wellbeing.
The site has two main spa areas: Te Puna Kaukau Koruhuhū and Te Ahuru Mōwai l The Sanctuary – a premium space for bathing and spa treatments. There is also a café and gift shop.
Within Te Puna Kaukau Koruhuhū, manuhiri will experience Haumanu Haerenga, a restorative journey made up of
a series of hot and cold experiences designed to maximise therapeutic benefit.
The journey includes unique features such as a herb pool, which combines mineral water with the aromatherapy properties of native plants to support calmness and relaxation; a mud experience, and a frigidarium, historically the cold room in an ancient Roman bathhouse.
“Every part of this journey provides a connection to the Ngāti Whakaue people and places that have come to define us through time.
“In particular, the hot and cold experiences – while delivering proven therapeutic benefits – draw on the story of our ancestor, Ngātoroirangi, who
called on life-saving geothermal heat when he was close to perishing in the cold and ice on Mt Tongariro.
“This is a defining history for Ngāti Whakaue and this legacy is present throughout Wai Ariki and the wellness experiences that are available. This is part of what makes it truly unique – not just in Aotearoa New Zealand, but in the world.”
Mr Tapsell says Ngāti Whakaue not only own Wai Ariki, but have driven the concept and development, with a deep focus on authenticity.
“Every element of the building design, spa experience, and manuhiri journey are founded on Ngāti Whakaue principles, practices, and stories, reflecting our relationship with the natural environment from the heavens to the water and the earth.
“Wai Ariki is grounded in te
ao Māori, visible through the physical design of the building, its unique spa and wellness experiences, and authentic manaakitanga.”
Wai Ariki is Aotearoa New Zealand’s only spa and bathing facility developed and owned by mana whenua. It has been developed by Pukeroa Oruawhata Group (Ngāti Whakaue), with additional support from the Provincial Growth Fund.
Wai Ariki will be managed by Belgravia Leisure, an Australasian spa and wellness provider with more than 30 years experience in the industry.
Mr Tapsell says Wai Ariki is the living embodiment of the reason the geothermal city of Rotorua was first established.
“Since the 1800s, people have been visiting Rotorua to experience the region’s healing geothermal waters. Wai Ariki reclaims our city’s title
and re-positions Rotorua as an international spa and wellness destination.”
He says the development is not only transformative within the spa and wellness sector, but it is also a pivotal development for the wider tourism industry as well as Ngāti Whakaue, Te Arawa, Rotorua, and New Zealand as a whole.
“Wai Ariki will contribute to the ongoing growth of the local and international visitor economy, enhancing Rotorua’s existing spa, health, wellness and visitor experiences.
“The development will significantly support the economic recovery from Covid-19 by prompting manuhiri to stay longer and experience more, in our rohe.”
Once open, Wai Ariki will employ 40 staff in the first instance, increasing to over 60 staff in time. It is expected to open in mid-2023.
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Reading of the wreckage created following the collapse of Sam Bankman-Fried’s crypto currency empire, it is difficult to feel sorry for anyone involved in this dismal saga.
It is perhaps salutary that his “empire” was housed in slightly out of the way of jurisdiction, The Bahamas. And that SBF – as he prefers to be known – opted to be tried in New York, rather than continue to endure the reportedly primitive conditions of his Nassau holding cell.
According to news reports, SBF’s main vehicle FTX saw its value soar to US$32 billion on launch in 2019, and then virtually collapse. The company touted itself as “the safest and easiest way to buy and sell crypto.”
Until it wasn’t.
Wild fluctuations
It is worth keeping in mind that, as noted by Investopedia, the price changes in Bitcoin, the “currency” launched by its original anonymous creator have fluctuated wildly. And that situation has not changed.
8, 2021 and was at its cheapest when it began trading in 2010 priced at US$0.09. However, the introduction of a range of additional cryptos has complicated the picture.
There seems little doubt that the collapse of FTX and its related crypto company Alameda Research – which is now accused of participating in SBF’s alleged misdeeds –has dealt a blow to the crypto market. SEC investigators have accused SBF of directing billions in customer assets to Alameda to ensure that company continued its lending relationships.
The FTX founder’s former girlfriend Caroline Ellison, who was made CEO of Alameda, is reportedly prepared to testify against SBF. Ellison, 28, told a New York court recently: “I am truly sorry for what I did. I knew that it was wrong.”
interviews that FTX’s collapse was because of his poor management rather than deliberate wrongdoing. Does that matter?
Finally, and I write as a parent, I can appreciate that SBF’s parents are reportedly standing by him. The accused has been required to stay at his parents’ home while he awaits trial.
The parents, Joseph Bankman and Barbara Fried, live in a multimillion-dollar home in Stanford in the San Francisco Bay Area according to state records and news reports.
David Porter
ings on Capitol Hill, and advised his son as he prepared to testify before the House Financial Services Committee, The New York Times reported. Bankman also regularly flew to the Bahamas, per The Times.
However, a tax-policy class that Bankman was set to teach in the winter quarter was canceled, and The Wall Street Journal reported that he’d postponed the course to the spring. A reading group he was set to lead has also been canceled.
His mother Barbara Fried worked as a professor of law at Stanford until she retired from teaching in September. Her scholarly interests were ‘at the intersection of law, economics, and philosophy,’ according to the university’s website. No doubt.
In case you missed last month’s edition Scan to subscribe
According to Wikipedia’s online article, Bitcoin reached an all-time high price of US$67,566.83 on November
Allegedly not ‘deliberate wrongdoing’
SBF has denied criminal wrongdoing, asserting in public
Amazingly, given that Bankman reportedly enjoyed a salary from SBF for many months of his involvement with his son’s financial adventures, the father is a professor of law at Stanford University. He is described in his biography on Stanford’s website as a ‘leading scholar in the field of tax law’. He’s also a clinical psychologist, having earned a degree in the field from Palo Alto University.
Bankman personally helped FTX recruit its first lawyers, joined FTX executives in meet-
It can hardly be a surprise that some people are encouraged to participate in these alleged get-rich schemes that ultimately fail. But SBF’s parents are reportedly well-educated and respected academics. Oh why, oh why?
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By DAVID PORTER
MG has launched the PMG
PCharitable Trust in direct response to what it describes as “growing financial inequality in New Zealand”.
The trust is focused on enhancing the financial literacy of young New Zealanders and got underway last year. The company, which originated in Tauranga and is now a national property investor and developer, takes the view that it is only by improving financial literacy in young people that it can help create real societal change.
PMG chief executive officer Scott McKenzie noted that the core of the programme is to help enable people achieve the essence of PMG’s core premise in life, which is to create financial freedom for its members.
“Over the years we’ve become aware of the growing gap between those who have it and those who don’t,” he said.
“In essence we’ve now grown to a scale where we have the opportunity and the resources to help and do something about it.”
PMG argues that financial literacy education is severely lacking among New Zealanders. Financial inequality is one of the biggest challenges the country faces this century, it stated.
New Zealand has comparatively low compulsory financial education in schools (only 8 percent). Other OECD nations are at 38 percent, according to figures supplied by PMG.
The company stated that the research was clear there were three gaps in
the financial education of young New Zealanders currently.
• Secondary students aged 15 –students who are not voluntarily choosing subjects which may relate to financial topics, such as economics and accounting, and are now eligible to be in their first paid employment.
• Young adults – school leavers, students, apprentices aged 18 to 25 years.
• Young New Zealanders without access to education or employment i.e., those from disadvantaged backgrounds, living with disabilities or in material hardship.
McKenzie said that the awareness about the future of New Zealand and prosperity was now with the country’s youth.
But, he noted, young people don’t always have the tools, and that was not a great thing for New Zealand.
“Our responsibility as a national brand is to play a part in changing that,” he said. “Not so much being an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff, but influencing how we change that and empower change.”
McKenzie said the firm’s obligation was to provide knowledge through the medium of education, which, in its view, is one of the greatest tools to empower children and put them on a better pathway.
Critically important subject
Financial literacy was critically important to young Kiwis, said Brad Olsen, principal
economist and chief executive of Infometrics Ltd, who is working with PMG on the project.
“But it’s an area that’s neglected and unconnected to young people’s lives,” he said.
Olsen pointed out that he had always been passionate about finances and economics and that his parents had taught him a lot about finances that he never learnt at school.
“Having some financial capabilities allowed me to position myself strongly in life to go after the things I’m passionate about, and to have fun along the way, all the while building a stronger position for the future,” he said.
“I want to make sure that other Kiwis head down that path too, with financial literacy helping shape their money decisions to support them now and into the future.”
Olsen said that it took time to build that knowledge and ingrain it in people’s lives.
“I thoroughly support the work that the PMG Charitable Trust is doing to get more young Kiwis thinking about their finances and futures.”
Where do they start?
Olsen said data showed that only half of young Kiwis felt in control
It’s
only by taking a long-term approach to financial literacy education that we will be successful.”
– Bridget Lem
of their day-to-day finances, and 39 percent don’t know where to start to learn about finances.
“To create more capable Kiwis, we’ve got to have the smarts to look
Over the years we’ve become aware of the growing gap between those who have it and those who don’t. In essence we’ve now grown to a scale where we have the opportunity and the resources to help and do something about it.”
– Scott McKenzie
after our money and finances – the work of the PMG Charitable Trust is trying to achieve just that.”
Bridget Lem, who is general manager and trustee of the PMG Charitable Trust, said that it was only by taking a long-term approach to financial literacy education that the project would be successful.
“With the economic outlook for 2023 the way it is, next year more so than ever young New Zealanders need to know how to manage their money well,” said Lem.
“It’s only by taking a long-term approach to financial literacy education that we will be successful.
“That’s why the PMG Charitable Trust intends to be around for many years to come and is working to bring organisations, companies, and individuals in the financial literacy space together to ensure these fundamental life skills are accessible for all young Kiwis.”
Scott McKenzie noted that financial literacy needed to start with youngsters.
“We think through our network and by establishing the charitable trust we can connect people and make it a real fit.”
“There’s a national conversation to have around this – we’ve got to have the basis to even start the conversation around financial literacy.”
The elite of world mountain biking will gather in Rotorua from 18-26 March to take part in the first stop of the 2023 Crankworx World Tour.
The event will feature an impressive line-up of international athletes, as well as some of the best local and national mountain bike riders from New Zealand.
For the first time, fans will be able to watch the RockShox Taniwha Downhill race live on Red Bull TV, as it is broadcast from the renowned Whakarewarewa and Tītokorangi Forests.
This high-risk, high-adrenaline race on volcanic soil promises to be a thrilling start to the international mountain bike competition season.
Local Sam Blenkinsop experienced the full might of the Downhill track taking out the Elite Men’s Gold at Crankworx Rotorua 2022 just three months ago.
“We’re pretty lucky here in Rotorua, and everywhere in New Zealand now. Just how the trails are
evolving. It’s awesome.”
Crankworx Rotorua will also mark the start of the international mountain bike competition season, a role that Rotorua has played for six years before shifting to November during the pandemic-affected years.
“Having Crankworx as the kickstart of the season is always epic,” says Rotorua riding fan favourite, Jenna Hastings.
“Seeing all the pros come into my hometown and use it as the start to their season is always amazing to watch, and now being able to be a part of that and use it as the start of my season…it’s going to be epic.”
Athlete registration is now open for professionals and amateurs, and the full schedule of pro events can be found on the official Crankworx website.
Leading the charge of elite inter-
national riders confirmed to attend are Loris Vergier (FRA), Neko Mullaly (USA), and Red Bull’s Kade Edwards (GBR).
This marks the first time that Vergier will compete at Crankworx Rotorua since 2015, and the first time for Edwards and Mullaly.
Additionally, world-ranked New Zealand riders Jenna Hastings, Jess Blewitt and many other homegrown elite riders are expected to join the strongest global field to have competed on New Zealand soil since 2020.
This years schedule will include (events marked with an * will be live on Red Bull TV):
• RockShox Taniwha Downhill*
• Official New Zealand Whip Off Championships
• Specialised Dual Slalom Rotorua*
• Crankworx Rotorua Air DH (back in the mix!)
• Crankworx Rotorua Pump Track Challenge presented by Torpedo7*
• Speed & Style Rotorua*
• Maxxis Slopestyle in Memory of McGazza*
Jenna Hastings (Rotorua local, 7x Crankworx pro podiums, Junior DH World Champion):
“[My goals in 2023 are to] do my best and have fun…I want to try and do some, if not all, of the Speed & Style events this year and hopefully rack up some more points. I want to do all the stops this year and try to podium in the Queen of Crankworx standings. But the main goal is to have fun, and these events make it really easy to have fun.”
“I’ve come from a full blown grom, and managed to turn myself into one of the people I used to look up to. My first years at Crankworx I was a mega fan girl, I had a white shirt that I absolutely covered in signatures of all my heroes that I was so proud of, so to now be doing things like signing kids shirts, it’s a weird one for sure. It’s pretty cool though, to see myself start as a little kid racing Crankworx events and now I’m racing the Crankworx World Tour.
“I also think for a lot of up-and-coming kids, to be able to see someone from their hometown/country do what they want to do, I think it’s cool for them to see it and realise that they can do it too.”
Erik Fedko (2nd place in 2022 Crankworx FMBA Slopestyle World Championship standings, 7x Crankworx Slopestyle podiums):
“I’m feeling good. I’ve been riding loads. I’ve been in Spain the past couple weeks, and more riding’s coming up, so I’m feeling super good and ready for the upcoming season. With a start in Rotorua, it should be super good. The course should be ready and should be ridden in. I’m looking forward to a good time.”
“For sure, as always, having fun is one of my biggest goals, see all the boys and ride with them. But obviously I want to win a Crankworx stop once in my life. So, my goal for 2023 is a Crankworx win, in at least one contest. That would be sick. I’m motivated. I’m hyped. But I know the other riders are super strong as well, and training hard. So I’m just going to try my best and see where I end up.”
“This year the course was brand new. Some features we couldn’t really train on. So now, knowing what the course will be looking like, I have some other tricks in mind, especially after riding it a couple of months ago. I have some more ideas of what I could do on that course. So, I’m going to prepare some new tricks, and get back into it in Rotorua.”
“I’m looking forward to being there [in Rotorua] a couple weeks earlier. Go surfing with some of the other boys in Mount Manganui, maybe Queenstown for a week, just enjoying New Zealand. And super hyped to go sledging again. It was so fun in Rotorua. I can’t wait. Looking forward to the season, 2023.”
Tax reform has a history of influencing election outcomes and this will be especially true of the 2023 election.
It is useful to remember though that tax collection is just a means to an end, collecting funds to allow the Government of the day to implement its spending priorities.
The different parties’ policies on the big issues – climate change, crime, the cost of living crisis and housing affordability for example –will dictate how much money they need and then their individual approaches to income and other taxes will determine what, if any, tax changes become part of their campaign promises.
The unexpected resignation last month of Jacinda Ardern as leader of the Labour Party, coupled with the desire to win a further term in Government, should mean we see some degree of change in approach to tax policy for the Labour Party.
We may also see the other key parties flex the tax policies they have previously published
as a response to the big hikes in inflation and the cost of living. So let’s take a look at some of the key tax changes implemented or proposed by Labour in their terms in power, and whether they might survive following the election:
1. Personal tax rates – while previously very vocal about dropping the 39% tax rate introduced by Labour, National has now said current economic conditions mean this would not be possible under a National government, so this seems likely to stay regardless of the outcome of the election. We may see, though, movement in the tax brackets as a real way to counter tax bracket creep and deliver more money into the hands of the majority of New Zealanders.
2. Brightline test – while initially introduced by National, the brightline
period has been extended twice by Labour, to five and then 10 years (although new builds remain subject to a five year brightline period). National has indicated it will unwind only the most recent extension, taking the brightline period back to a consistent five years. At the same time it would also unwind the very unpopular interest deductibility rules.
3. Unemployment insurance –this is another proposal that is expected to be ditched by National who have been very vocal in opposition to the scheme. Even the Labour party under its new leadership may scale back, or do away with, the scheme.
4. Platform economy and GST – legislation currently before Parliament includes proposals to even the GST playing field for participants in the accom-
Following a successful trial earlier in 2022, Stratum Consultants, one of the Bay of Plenty’s leading land development and land utilisation consultancy firms, has implemented a reduced working week closing its offices every Friday at noon.
Chief Executive Officer to be leading the way with a true reduced working week
Believing that a level of flexibility is now expected in any workplace, and this approach not always supporting the creation of the ‘well’ workplace desired, Stratum trialled a reduction in working hours with its employees working 36 hours each week but being paid their full-
The six-month trial was successful, and the change has now been
Ms Lewis says, ‘the benefits of a ‘well’ workplace are widely known, with improvements in retention, productivity and There have been benefits from a recruitment perspective too, with Ms Lewis stating ‘we have experienced increases in
> BY ANDREA SCATCHARD
Andrea Scatchard is a Tax Partner at Deloitte, based in the Bay of Plenty. She can be contacted on ascatchard@deloitte.co.nz
modation and ride sharing/ delivery parts of the gig economy, by requiring the various platforms to return GST on transactions even though the underlying provider is not GST registered. This has become quite an emotive issue, especially for bach owners who rely on income from renting out the bach to help pay the mortgage on it. With the proposed implementation date being 1 April 2024, even if this is pushed through by Labour before
the election it could still be repealed by National before coming into force.
5. Public transport exemption from FBT – this is another current proposal, aimed at helping encourage employees away from personal car transport, but is so limited it is hard to see much value to all but a few employers. We do expect there may be a widening of the current proposals to make them more applicable, but personally I would hope that more emission friendly tax
changes could be made, such as no FBT on electric vehicles for example. Of course politics is an ever changing arena, so what the parties are signalling now as their tax policies could well change significantly before the election. But it goes without saying that it will be fascinating to watch over the next few months and it will particularly exciting for tax advisers as we endeavour to keep up to date on the various policies and what they mean for our clients.
applications for vacancies, and we’re contacted regularly about possible roles in the future.’
When asked about impacts on profitability, Ms Lewis advises “we have not seen a direct correlation in profitability, and our customers have not been impacted either, which is pleasing.
“The initiative does have a cost to the business, but the Directors see our reduced working week as an investment in the health and wellness of our people and their families, which supports better long-term results in an increasingly competitive marketplace.”
Stratum Consultants has a strong presence in the Bay of Plenty and the central North Island.
With approximately fifty team members based throughout Tauranga, Rotorua and Te Puke offices, comprising of Civil Engineers, Structural Engineers, Geotechnical Engineers, Resource Management Planners, Surveyors, Project Managers and Administrators.
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James Denyer
By JAMES DENYER, Western Bay Of Plenty Mayor
Connection. It’s something we’ve all missed and craved in recent times: being able to see friends and whānau, and attending special occasions and social events.
I’m sure many are with me when I say there’s only so much digital connection one can take.
So, as we begin 2023, I look forward positively and expectantly to the year ahead buoyed by what I experienced over the summer break.
Despite the mixed bag of weather, my family and I loved the freedom to be able to fill our holidays with all our favourite things to do.
Whether visiting treasured or new places, cooling off at the beach or nearest swimming hole or soaking up the good vibes of concerts, markets and fairs, our District really is awesome at this time of year.
And everywhere we went there was a real buzz in our community. A renewed confidence and energy to make up for lost time.
People are living in the moment, and enjoying what’s in front of them and around them. Friends and whānau are reconnecting, and much loved summer concerts and A&P shows are back on the summer programme.
> BY NICK KERR
• preliminary works getting started on the Ōmokoroa intersection. This intersection will unlock critical housing supply for the region by solving the existing safety and capacity issues at the intersection.
Once completed, more than 900 new homes will be built by 2029 - including a mix of standalone homes, affordable homes and medium density housing. the opening of the 89-hectare Waitekohekohe Reserve near Katikati. Dedicated to horse riding, mountain biking and walking, the development of the reserve is the result of Council and community working together following our Long Term Plan 2021-31.
• ticking off some longawaited road rehabs to help keep our local roads safe for everyone who uses them.
• the completion of our three star gazing platforms at Waihī Beach along the trig trails in time for Matariki –strengthen our relationships with tangata whenua and helping our communities celebrate the importance of Matariki for years to come. Which is why I want to build on this momentum by connecting, and staying in touch, with you, our communities.
Council is similarly catching up with mahi that has been put on hold either directly because of Covid-19 restrictions, or the resulting supply chain issues. I look forward to seeing:
Because often it is the casual conversations, on the street or at such events I’ve mentioned above, that are just as important – if not more beneficial than Council’s traditional methods.
So, in 2023 I want to be, and will be, connected with our District more.
We’ve got a big year ahead of us with some big conversations to be had.
• continuing our Your Place Tō wāhi (District Plan Review) kōrero – working with you to prioritise what’s important as we embark on a new journey to plan for change and growth
• beginning to develop a plan for where and how Te Puke should grow and develop in the future
• exploring what the next chapter in our waste minimisation story looks like.
And so, whether a current or future resident, a business operator, community group or mana whenua, your aspirations are important and we want to hear from you at certain times along the way.
Only by staying connected and working collaboratively
– Council and community together – can we deliver real benefits for the Western Bay now and into the future.
So, I encourage you to take part.
May 2023 be fantastic for you and let’s see what great outcomes we can achieve together.
DNick Kerr is regional manager for DebtFree NZ Ltd and director of International Private Investigations Ltd. He can be reached on 021 876 527 and Nick@debtfreenz.com
uring my career I have trained numerous consultants, credit management advisors and account managers in prospecting methods, lead gathering techniques and relationship building tools.
I’m always surprised at how many of them do not see the value of networking which I find absolutely astounding.
It is an absolute cornerstone of business – I don’t care if you are a biochemical engineer or you are a steward on a super yacht – networking is of huge benefit to you both.
Networking brings the ‘It takes a village to raise a child’ mentality to the business realm. Take the networking group that I am in, BNI Elite here in Tauranga.
I have seen the group members help each other with issues that they just cannot find the right help for anywhere else – they simply ask the group for advice and instantly they have 25 brains networking – individual’s experience and educations all working towards one common goal.
Now let’s get ridiculously simplistic here – if I asked you to either pull a truck 100m by yourself, or I said that you can use 25 of your peers to help you, it would be a pretty simple choice. Espe-
cially given that you may well have a champion truck pulling athlete in your peer group (but you would never have had reason to know this otherwise).
In my current work we have a case that needed an expert opinion in the realms of auditing, contract law, large equipment finance and very specific commercial insurance.
When conducting these types of cases it can take a week of research, vetting, calling-around and trying to find someone who is not snowed-under, with the right experience, and willing to be involved.
In this case it took 15 minutes in total to find an acclaimed accountant with years of audit and company restructure experience, a lawyer who specialises in complex commercial law and encumbered asset distribution and a financial advisor who specialises in commercial equipment financing and refinancing who then referred a top insurance advisor who understands the very specialised needs of my client.
Me being in this network saved my client thousands in extra time costs and they had instant access to some of the best advisors in their industries.
At another group I was in,
an accountant stood up and said, “I have a client that has been ripped-off for $1.3m by an advisor who stole their money and bought a house with it. The police won’t help and the client’s lawyer has quoted over $200k for legal costs. Does anyone know anyone who can help?”
As I was there, I explained that my investigations company does this kind of work. Within a month we had $900k worth of value back to the victim and handed on to an amazing lawyer we work with who finished off the case with a view to bankrupting the advisor.
In this case being at the right place at the right time was worth nearly a million dollars for the victims, at a cost that wasn’t even 20% of the quoted fees from the outof-town lawyer.
I will be an ardent networker until I retire (at which point I will probably just network all day with other old fogies talking absolute bollocks to each other).
I have seen the difference that having a group of trusted business peers on your side can make to a person, a business and the business community as a whole. Competition makes for winners and losers; collaboration makes everyone win.
Just a thought.
Aspirations are turning into reality as the region’s foodie industry prepares to host its second annual Flavours of Plenty Festival, starting next month.
The programme and tickets have just been released for the 40 festival events that will be held in the Coastal Bay of Plenty region from 24 March to 2 April. Tourism Bay of Plenty is organising the festival, which General Manager Oscar Nathan says will be double the size compared to its inaugural launch last year.
“We’re thrilled at the level of support that we’re getting from funders, eateries, event organisers, and food and beverage suppliers.
“We’re all collaborating to create an exciting array of festival events to ensure that the world-class horticultural and marine produce our region generously provides can be showcased on a local, national, and international scale by our innovative artisans and chefs,” he says.
“We ran the gauntlet through the tough Covid restrictions that were in place this time last year and some of the 2022 festival’s largest events had to be cancelled. We were vindicated when 75 per cent of the 12 ticketed events that we could hold sold out. That’s given everyone the confidence to aim much higher now. Last year, it was a four-day festival; this year, it will be a ten-day one.”
Approximately 12 per cent of last year’s ticket holders came from outside the coastal region, and Nathan expects that number will increase during this year’s festival now that everyone can travel freely.
He says this should create a noticeable flow-on effect to other parts of the region’s
visitor economy, such as accommodation providers, transport companies, and activity operators.
Flavours of Plenty Festival Director Rae Baker says she’s proud of the wide array of events the freshly released 2023 programme is offering.
“Our top eateries have been busy designing one-off experiences that we know will delight seasoned foodies. Local markets will feature in the festival, and there’ll be hands-on classes and behindthe-scenes tours.”
“Guests can see how premium chocolate is made, create their own gourmet sausages, tend to beehives, or master the latest BBQ techniques. Lots of different cuisines will also be showcased, with Japanese, French and Mediterranean-style food events all on offer,” Baker says.
Tourism Bay of Plenty and Cuisine Magazine will host their own ‘Battle of the Snack’ event, featuring three of the Bay’s top chefs as they mentor six promising future chefs to produce a range of innovative evening snacks.
The Coastal Bay of Plenty’s rich volcanic soils, horticultural provenance, and abundant marine life mean it consistently produces some of the freshest and finest flavours in Aotearoa. The region has also long been renowned for its manaakitanga (caring for people), which is often closely tied to food and special celebrations.
“As we strive to pair our abundant ingredients with a deeper cultural foundation, we can create unforgettable experiences that will become a stronger element of the festival over time, interconnecting our place to plate,” Nathan says.
“We’ve recognised the growing demand for culinary tourism events and experiences, and we trust that locals and visitors alike will seize the opportunity to try something new as they peruse this year’s programme.”
Tourism Bay of Plenty is grateful to this year’s key funders – Tauranga City Council, TECT and Bay Trust – and appreciates the additional support they’re receiving from Toi Ohomai | Te Pūkenga and Craigs Investment Partners.
Ticket and programme details are available at flavoursofplentyfestival.com
By ALAN NEBEN
In 2020 academic and self-confessed music evangelist Bronya Dean stepped into the role of chair of the Bay of Plenty Waikato Opus Orchestra – certainly not an environment she was unfamiliar with, having spent many years studying and working in music and performance in Europe as well as in New Zealand.
In this particular role the Waikato University music lecturer saw opportunity to bring a new vitality to the job – a focus on community education, participation and appreciation for orchestral music to the region.
“As well as enabling the public to experience the richness of the orchestra performance, we are able to provide talented up-and-coming student musicians the opportunity to be a part of a professional orchestra performance.”
“That opportunity is invaluable”, she says.
Bronya’s academic career in early childhood music education has influenced her approach. The Opus Orchestra Trust which she chairs encompasses far more than simply professional orchestra performances.
Opus Orchestra is the professional regional orchestra for the Bay of Plenty and Waikato. Founded in 1991 it presents concerts regularly in Hamilton, Tauranga and Rotorua.
It also oversees an education and outreach programme called Opus Pathways.
Opus Orchestra’s vision is to provide access to high quality musical performance for audiences in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato regions and the wider Central North Island through a varied programme of music each year.
The orchestra contributes to culture in our region by providing performance opportunities for experienced local musicians and younger players, including talented graduates from the
As
well as enabling the public to experience the richness of the orchestra performance, we are able to provide talented up-andcoming student musicians the opportunity to be a part of a professional orchestra performance.”
– Bronya Dean
Conservatorium of Music at the University of Waikato.
Opus has attracted nationally and internationally recognised musicians as conductors and soloists including Gemma New, Holly Matheson, Simon O’Neill, Michael Houston, Diedre Irons, Bianca Andrew, David Bremner, Samuel Jacobs and Madison Nonoa. Its music director since 2004 has been Peter Walls ONZM and its concertmaster is Lara Hall.
Many young Opus alumni have gone on to stellar professional careers. Cellists Matthias Balzat and Edward King, played in Opus as students, performed with soloists with Opus before establishing international reputations as performers. Double bass players Darija Anzokovich and Alexander Arai-Swaile went from Opus to performing in some of the world’s most renowned orchestras including Les Arts Florissants and the Berlin Philharmonic.
Opus has become renowned for its performances of New Zealand composition. Gareth Farr’s Marimba Concerto was commissioned by Opus for our Principal Percussionist, Yoshiko Tsuruta. Opus recently performed Ross Harris’s Chamber Symphony which he was inspired to write after hearing Opus Orchestra perform his Three Pieces for Orchestra. Opus has also just given the first live performances in Aotearoa of Lyell Cresswell’s Kaea (video recordings of these performances are available through the SOUNZ website).
As an adjunct to the Opus Pathways programme, Opus has been presenting annual family concerts. In 2021 this was Philip Norman’s settings of Margaret Mahy stories and poems with soprano Georgia Jamieson-Emms and baritone Robert Tucker as animateurs.
In 2022 the orchestra performed Jenny McLeod’s Emperor and the Nightingale and
the Poulenc Story of Babar with Mark Hadlow as narrator. The 2023 family programme is Hairy Maclary’s Greatest Hits with Jacqui Clarke as presenter and singer.
Opus plays a vital role in the cultural life of the region through collaborations with many high-profile musical entities such as Scholars Baroque Aotearoa, Hamilton Civic Choir, Rotorua District Choir, and the Hamilton Arts Festival.
With the endorsement of the board, Bronya announced the appointment in January 2023 of Gillian Houser as Opus Orchestra’s new general manager. Gillian brings with her a wealth of experience gained in more than 30 years in general management, performing arts, entertainment, event management, business events, marketing and hospitality.
She previously managed the Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington Town Hall, St James Theatre in Wellington, the Bruce Mason Centre Auckland, and managed hospitality businesses in Australia, and USA. She has owned and operated businesses in NZ and Australia across various industries.
More recently she has held the position of business development manager Bay Venues Ltd and is well-known in the entertainment and business community.
Gillian is passionate about the arts and is excited to be involved in the continuing growth of the Opus Orchestra in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato. Working with the chair and board she is keen to increase the community enjoyment and appreciation of quality Classical Music.
“I am relishing the opportunity to work with the orchestra. For me it feels like I’m going back to my roots in a way,” she said.
“Although much of my focus will be on planning, it will also be on promotion with the
aim of raising the profile of the Opus Orchestra in the three cities.”
“Professionalism is important to me – I will be seeking support from the commercial sector and generally to increase community engagement. To a degree we will be taking the music to the people.”
Gillian will also be actively seeking new sponsors to help fund the Orchestra’s on-going work. Both Bronya and Gillian are excited by the Orchestra’s 2023 program. The Covid restrictions of the last two years presented unique challenges in performing and working with the community.
“2023 offers a chance to really get moving again,” says Gillian.
The season commences from 17-19 March with performances in Hamilton, Tauranga and Rotorua. ‘Let your spirit fly’ (Tukua te wairua kia rere) is an Easter themed programme featuring works from Haydn and Mozart, as well as local composers. Performances will also feature conductor Peter Walls and soloist Chalium Poppy (Baritone), as well as performances by Hamilton Civic Choir, Tauranga Civic Choir and Rotorua District Choir.
Professionalism is important to me – I will be seeking support from the commercial sector and generally to increase community engagement. To a degree we will be taking the music to the people.” – Gillian Houser
If you would like to know more about the other 2023 programmes scheduled for May, July and October, go to www.opusorchestra.co.nz.
If you are interested in knowing more about sponsorship opportunities email gillian.houser@opusorchestra.co.nz.
A no-fuss approach to legal matters plus a friendly, open communication style is what you can expect when working with The Law Shop. The Law Shop team works with clients from around the Bay of Plenty who need advice on residential and commercial property law, relationship property, family law and everything related to business.
Paula Yakas has owned the Rotoruabased law firm since September 2008. She was joined in partnership by Stephanie Northey in 2014. Although they’ve seen plenty of changes since the beginning and a few men worked at The Law Shop over the years, it’s now again an all-female team of solicitors and admin staff.
“Nothing against men of course, but we do like it this way. For us, flexibility, supporting other women, and caring for each other is what matters,” Paula says.
Where Stephanie specialises in family law and mental health, Paula’s main areas of expertise are business and
property law. Due to the recent developments around investment properties and changes to lending criteria, preapprovals and tenancy laws, she’s been focused on helping local homeowners, investors, first-home buyers, renters and bach owners navigate it all.
“The law often changes, especially to do with property and business. We’re here to help you understand it all and deal with the complexities, then we’ll work out a solution,” she says.
“Our main point of difference is that we bring a holistic approach to legal matters. Every situation is different, so we carefully listen to the people behind
the business and ask lots of questions. We’re personable and look at everything on an individual basis.”
The Law Shop has a strong team of legal experts and experienced negotiators who genuinely care about their clients. They provide timely and accurate legal advice without the jargon, at a fair price, and you can always count on a no-nonsense and solution-focused approach.
Jade Maddox is the founder of Bloom Co, a well-appointed co-working premise in The Lakes providing space for meetings, small events and office-based working. Jade sits on the Tauranga Business Chamber board and is involved in several networking groups. She’s a board member of Hanmer Clinic Tauranga, works for Alcohol Action NZ, and is a professional mentor for women in business.
The path has happened organically for Jade, who says that she learned the hard way about the importance of separating work life from family life when running a home-based business.
“I wanted to create a warm and welcoming spot where small business owners or independent practitioners could thrive. I love seeing the connections and growth that happen when self-employed people meet and work in proximity to others,” she says.
Jade’s passion for networking and creating connections stems from her early career in executive recruitment, helping people build the careers they always dreamed of. Putting her psychology degree to good use, Jade spent years as a national HR manager before
jumping off the corporate ladder and into self-employment.
“Waking up in 2-3 different cities a week wasn’t conducive to parenting two small boys, so I bought a small business and worked successfully from home for many years. Self-employment created much joy in my life, and at that stage, it worked well for our family.”
“But I also learned that the things you least expect to strike in business (like earthquakes) are the things that nearly wipe you out,” she explains.
“In what is, unfortunately, a bit of a common story these days, I pushed through an extended period of near burnout. Although my energy reserves kept the business afloat, change was needed. A year later we relocated to
Tauranga and I introduced some very necessary changes to my life.”
Jade says that she chose to become happy, working hard to create the conditions for happiness to grow. Now, she uses what she learned personally to help to grow the happiness of others through Bloom Co and mentoring.
“Bloom Co is a happy place. I love coming here and providing a space where other people can be happy too. It’s a well-researched phenomenon that co-working creates connection and community. It offers flexibility, cost-effectiveness, collaboration opportunities and increased productivity. And networking does the same.”
Bloom Co hosts regular networking events, where it is hard to miss the
laughter and warmth in the room.
“Good networking is powerful. It brings me the greatest joy and job satisfaction when I’m in a group and can see that magic happening, when the right people seem to connect at just the right time. It’s just so inspiring,” says Jade.
Stratum Consultants has a long history in the Bay of Plenty supporting customers with their land development projects. With a growing team of more than fifty based at Tauranga, Rotorua and Te Puke offices, comprising Civil Engineers, Structural Engineers, Geotechnical Engineers, Resource Management Planners, and Surveyors, the business is proud of its role in the changing landscape of the Bay of Plenty region.
Mel joined Stratum Consultants in 2022, and the appeal of the business was instant. “The company had a great reputation for quality professional services, was progressive in their thinking and had established itself as being people centric” says Mel. “I had come from Quotable Value (QV) as the Chief Operating Officer, although also being a Registered Valuer meant I had a real passion for property.
Stratum Consultants was a great fit for me in so many ways, and I feel incredibly privileged to have been selected for the CEO role”.
Mel’s credits her time at QV to gaining exposure to a wide variety of roles and projects across operations, technology, marketing, and human resources, and was fortunate to have some excellent mentors to complement her formal qualifications but describes a steep learning curve since joining Stratum Consultants.
“The team at Stratum are impressive, with highly qualified technical professionals doing outstanding work in their field. I am learning a lot about different stages of the property lifecycle that I hadn’t been exposed to previously. However, what is abundantly clear is that their expertise combined with local knowledge is a definite strength.”
The breadth of services provided by Stratum across the engineering disciplines, planning, and surveying means there is also a wide range of customers and project types, but having grown up in the Bay of Plenty, spending her childhood in Maketū and Te Puke means Mel has a strong familiarity and appreciation for the region, its land, and its people.
Outside of Stratum Consultants Mel is a proud Mum to four daughters, including identical triplets, so the people centric approach at Stratum was extremely important, and this is something Mel feels passionate about nurturing as part of maintaining a strong employee value proposition in such a competitive marketplace for property professionals.
Further testament to Stratum’s people centric approach is the recently implemented 36-hour work week where
>> Mel Lewis – Chief Executive Officer
its three offices close at noon on Friday to give every employee a long weekend, every weekend. Mel says, “the willingness of the Directors to support the implementation of such an initiative is amazing.”
So, what’s next for Stratum Consultants? “We have an exciting time ahead of us as we continue to grow alongside our customers, and I am both grateful and excited to be part of it with our team.”
There is considerable purpose-led economic development work being accomplished throughout the region by Priority One, the Western Bay of Plenty’s economic development agency. The talented team have clear priorities; to drive an economy underpinned by skilled talent, innovation, and sustainability.
BY MELISSA MAE
Priority One provides the tools, develops connections, and delivers on an economic strategy to lift the prosperity of people within the region. The team collaborate with local businesses and communities to implement key projects, many of which are led by several remarkable women who are leading the charge across various strategic work areas including sustainability, education, and talent.
One of those women is Marissa Nikora, sustainability lead at Priority One. A strong sustainability position is essential for the Western Bay of Plenty economy to remain competitive.
By understanding the challenges in this space, Marissa is leading the educating and influencing of businesses to reduce carbon emissions and waste. With the support of the team, she is undertaking projects to deliver large scale impact on environmental, social, and economic sustainability across the region.
“It’s fantastic to see so many local business leaders committed to sustainability. However, we acknowledge it can be a challenging space. Climate change will have an impact on virtually every business in the region, so it’s essential we work together on a good plan to safeguard the sustainability of our environment, our people, and the economy,” says Marissa.
With Tauranga continuing to experience significant population and job growth, an ongoing challenge is the social sustainability of accessing the talent needed to fuel local business.
Priority One takes a leadership role in bridging the existing skills gap in the workforce and preparing the region for future demands.
To ensure employers can find the
>> Marissa Nikora, Melissa Gillingham, Meg Davis, Mary Stewart, Vee de Koster.
talent they need, a multi-pronged approach is being delivered by Priority One to support education, grow existing talent and to attract targeted skills to the gaps.
Vee de Koster leads Priority One’s INSTEP programme as Instep Manager and plays a key role in the education space by supporting local schools and students to understand future pathways and career options.
Vee and her team connect schools and students with local businesses, and provide information, pathways, and leadership opportunities that inspire youth about the future work opportunities that exist across Tauranga Moana. Their work continues to help students develop the work ready skills that local employers are looking for in talent.
“An important emphasis for our team is to become a valuable resource to youth and local schools, and ensure we highlight the many opportunities that are here on their doorstep,” says Vee.
From an education perspective, the Tauranga region is an attractive study destination for international students who are supported by Melissa Gillingham, the Regional Relationship Manager for Education Tauranga, which partners with Priority One to position the region as a high-quality study destination for the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors. Melissa is dedicated to ensuring the value of international education continues across the region.
“Our international student community provide rich experiences for local students to learn from and engage with different cultures, as well as helping local people make life-long connections with people and markets overseas,” says Melissa.
Another committed woman is Workforce Project Manager Meg Davis, who continues to lead in the talent space and delivers strategic projects to attract skilled talent and enable cross-sector collaboration to grow and retain local talent.
“Getting Tauranga Moana into the hearts and minds of local people and those from outside the region, is essential in ensuring we have a sustainable talent pipeline so the city, our people and businesses can prosper,” says Meg.
The Priority One team do this through the delivery of initiatives like the Young Innovators Awards yia! – helping create tomorrow’s innovators, collaborative Talent Action Plans which address the needs of specific industries, and the Future of Work programme.
The Future of Work programme is focused on creating engagement and education opportunities to connect, inform, and upskill local businesses on talent-related matters.
The soon to be launched Work Life Tauranga online hub, is also being led by Meg with the support of the team and will present Tauranga as a magnet city
to support the needs and attraction of domestic and international talent here locally.
Meanwhile, supporting local people to overcome potential barriers that may impact on their ability to participate in the local labour market, is the role of Priority One’s Ara Rau skills and employment hub, led by Operations Manager Mary Stewart.
Mary and her team are dedicated to helping people overcome any barriers and become work ready. As a skills and employment hub, Ara Rau’s focus is to prioritise those ‘Not in Education or Employment’ (NEETs) by creating customised training and work pathways and helping local employers to develop positive relationships for long-term success.
The passionate Priority One team work together to drive the many multifaceted projects and initiatives they deliver for the region.
The team have unashamedly lofty goals, and the hard mahi all these women and the wider team contribute to, aims to create positive change and an inclusive, empowering employment culture ensuring a sustainably prosperous region for generations to come.
For more information on Priority One and the strategic projects being delivered across the Western Bay of Plenty, visit www.priorityone.co.nz or call the team on 07 571 1401.
Adrienne Mikkelsen is the owner of Property Indepth Franchise,
After beginning my career with a long established Rotorua firm in the late 1990’s followed with the obligatory OE. In 2007 I returned to Rotorua. In 2009 I was offered the opportunity to purchase a Property InDepth franchise. As a young (ish) female valuer, this was a fantastic opportunity to own my own business. It is a successful combination of being my own boss, and being supported as a part of a vibrant progressive franchise.
Property Indepth broke the traditional valuation ownership model by offering the franchise opportunity, and without them I would have never become truly my own boss. I am still the only sole female valuation business owner across the Bay, and along with my colleague, the Bay of Plenty offers us the strategic position of being able to provide our valuation services across the Bay area, as well as the Coromandel.
Would you encourage women to
become valuers?
Absolutely. Like many other professions in New Zealand, valuation has been male dominated for so long, but in recent years there has been an increase in women coming into the profession. While it is a six- year process to become a registered valuer it is extremely rewarding. The journey starts with a three-year property degree, if studying fulltime, longer if doing extramural study. Then a further three years of supervision under a registered valuer before submitting an application to the Valuers Registration. A long road but I believe it’s worth it.
The benefits include:
• Not needing to be office bound, you can get out in the sunshine when it’s out, and then duck back inside when it’s raining. With today’s technology, working from home is a seamless option.
• Meetings in great cafes and working amongst our region’s great scenery.
• Above average income that we can manage around our family with flexible hours
• Working with great professional people from developers, real estate agents, mortgage brokers, architects Being a part of the process of supporting their property goals, whether it be their first home, an investment, or a move up the property ladder.
Obviously like many other professions, technology and systems have made setting up a home office easy. As a working mum, you could ensure your inspections are between school hours (in Tauranga traffic that’s best anyway!) and be home working on reports when the kids come home from school.
Valuation is a strong customer relations business, and in my opinion, women have certain strengths that can enhance our success in the profession. Valuation isn’t just about the bricks and mortar of a house, it’s about connecting with your customers, listening to what they may be trying to achieve in their property journey, and showing empathy and understanding as they explain their goals.
Creating sustainable urban developments that transform private and public spaces and tread lightly on the natural environment is what drives Bronwyn Rhynd. Bronwyn is a director of land development consultancy CKL.
An experienced chartered engineer and stormwater specialist, she has built an award-winning 25-year career as a leading water resource expert. Bronwyn became a director and shareholder of CKL following the company’s 2015 merger with her own company Stormwater Solutions Consulting Ltd. She is a natural people leader and has led the growth of CKL’s environmental service. In recognition of her influential work exemplifying best practice environmental management, Bronwyn became a Fellow of Engineering New Zealand in 2020. She was also awarded Stormwa-
ter Professional of the Year in 2018.
While the industry is shifting in terms of gender diversity, Bronwyn says female engineers are still a minority.
But she’s proud of the way CKL celebrates diversity. In fact, women across CKL’s business make up 29% of its total employees. “We’re actively working to increase female representation in engineering (currently 14% of engineers are women, according to the Diversity Agenda), but also understand there’s more than one way of looking at diversity. We encourage all of our team to embrace their own talents, and promote diversity of thought and life experience to stimulate ideas and contribute to better outcomes.”
CKL offers fully integrated land development solutions delivered by its team of surveyors, planners and engineers.
With offices in Auckland, Hamilton and Te Awamutu, the company’s central Tauranga base was established in October 2019. But CKL’s Bay of Plenty roots go back much further.
“Prior to opening, we had been providing land development services in the Bay for a number of years,” says Bronwyn. “As our list of clients and development projects in the region grew, the time felt right to establish a local office.
“Of course the Covid-19 storm hit shortly afterwards, but it demonstrated the strength of our team, with the whole company getting behind the office to support our local clients and projects.”
One such project is the Doncaster Housing Development in Papamoa. Bronwyn has worked on the environmental aspects, completing a stormwater assessment including flood effects
With 26 years in the residential valuation business, I have certainly seen the highs and lows of the market, and understand the uncertainty and challenges this market brings, and enjoy supporting clients as we head into this market cycle.
downstream and discharge to soakage.
“At CKL we’re also interested in how the Tauriko area will develop over the coming years, as local government provides for the city’s growth. The various councils’ support has injected confidence back into the development market, and our established clients are moving their plans forward rather than listening to the downturn rhetoric.
“As well as our involvement in the Tauranga Business Chamber, we keep abreast of legislative changes from central and local government, so we can identify and evaluate opportunities for developers both large and small.
“Solving problems for everyday people from flooding to boundary adjustments all supports our goal of ensuring Kiwis can live successfully in urban environments.”
You’ll often find Fiona McTavish climbing Mauao or visiting Pāpāmoa Hills Regional Park as the sun comes up, getting a fresh perspective ahead of a busy day. As Chief Executive at Bay of Plenty Regional Council Fiona is a vital connector, sitting on numerous regional and national economic and environmental boards while leading a team of 500 across the region.
Fiona brings a wealth of expertise to her role with a background in health and education and extensive experience working with central government. A natural leader and a champion for professional development, Fiona recently launched an organisation wide leadership programme and fostered a women in leadership series.
“There is so much we do as a Regional Council from protecting the
environment to helping create vibrant and resilient communities. I love my job, getting to help both the community and the environment. There’s a lot happening in our beautiful region, and my role at Regional Council is to deliver value for ratepayers while helping to shape and preserve our region for generations to come.”
The work Regional Council does is funded by a mix of rates, fees, charges, grants and investment income.
“It is gratifying to lead an organisation looking to ensure value for money in all we do for our communities which is one of the reasons why we’ve recently made changes to how our rates are invoiced and paid. For the first time since the Regional Council was formed in 1989, we are collecting our own rates. Until now, we’ve contracted this out to
transport trips
Sharp Tudhope Lawyers have been in business for over 125 years, upholding legal excellence and striving to build client relationships that last. During that time the partners have encouraged and supported female staff in their career aspirations. This is reflected today in the number of women employed in senior roles at the firm.
Shima Grice has been a Partner of Sharp Tudhope Lawyers since 2015. In this time, Shima and her team have helped our clients reach the best outcome in all aspects of employment law and health and safety. In 2016, Brooke Courtney joined the partnership, leading a team of 8 solicitors in both the public and private sectors of property. Together, Brooke and Shima have been leading the way for our female Senior Associates in their senior roles of the firm.
Sharp Tudhope have a strong team of
commercial experts. Senior Associates
Jessica Wilsher, Keryn Anderson and Tracy Tomsett have a wealth of experience acquired in New Zealand and in the UK – and in Tracy’s case, in Hong Kong. They advise on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, corporate structuring, general company law and governance, as well as commercial contracts and a range of commercial projects.
Aimee Edwards joined Sharp Tudhope with over 20 years in the legal industry, and has significant experience across a range of legal areas including business, property (commercial and residential), trusts, asset protection, and planning.
Barbara Mead joined Sharp Tudhope in 2022. She is an experienced facilitator with specialist knowledge in environmental law and relationship property with a background in litigation, including several recent appearances on behalf
the region’s city and district councils to do this on our behalf. This change is forecast to generate six million dollars in savings that can be used for other community services”.
In addition to her role of Chief Executive Fiona is a Director at Quayside Holdings Limited, the investment arm of the Regional Council which has a majority share in the Port of Tauranga. Quayside’s objective is to manage their investment assets for a commercial return, providing sustainable growth and income to the wider community.
“What a lot of ratepayers might not know is that through Regional Council’s investment in Quayside Holdings Limited, the average rates bill in 2021/22 was reduced by around $350 per property, that’s a significant saving for all Bay of Plenty Ratepayers.”
The Regional Council looks after the environmental management of the Bay of Plenty, including protection of the region’s land, air and water. They also respond to pollution events and take a lead role in animal and plant pest management. They have an active role in minimising risks from natural hazards, they look after navigational safety on the water along our coast, lakes and rivers, and they provide public transport.
Sharp Tudhope is delighted to announce the appointment of James commercial team as special counsel. James will join the firm’s partnership he has fulfilled the NZ Law Society’s regulatory requirements.
James’ career to date has been
of clients in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. Barbara is a committee member for Environmental Law Committee of the New Zealand Law Society as well as a Member of the Law Society’s Climate Change Committee. She is a Member of the Resource Management Law Association and holds Chair certi-
fication, Making Good Decisions (aka an accredited commissioner for Resource Management Act decision making).
Sharp Tudhope are proud to have such an amazing team of women as role models, and look forward to seeing more women flourish and their careers progress in years to come.
will add immeasurably
Get the best advice from the most experienced team of commercial lawyers Talk to James today on 07 928 0788 or jamesd@st.co.nz.
For more than a decade, the team at The Shine Collective has supported businesses to cut through the noise and connect with their audiences in an authentic and impactful way.
In a world inundated with information, consumers are on the hunt for trusted and reliable sources, making the value of great PR and communications crucial for businesses – and that’s where Shine excels.
The Shine Collective is a dynamic team with offices in Rotorua and Tauranga. The team is passionate about delivering measurable results for clients through strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, media relations and storytelling.
“Great PR is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s about building momentum and increasing credibility and trust with key
stakeholders and target audiences,” says Meg Jones, Partner of The Shine Collective.
The team works with organisations across various industries to strategically plan, implement and analyse communication and PR activities to build consistent messaging and achieve measurable results. “Over the past few years, it’s become increasingly clear how important great communication is,” Meg says.
“Businesses have been forced to step up their internal and external messaging to keep all their stakeholders informed, safe and satisfied. It’s reassuring to see more organisations understand the
value of their communications and the impact their messaging can have on the receiver, and on their balance sheet.”
The Shine Collective’s understanding of authentic engagement has been crucial in their ongoing partnerships with iwi. “We’re honoured to support a number of iwi entities to contribute to their whānau, hapū and community development,” Partner Jacky James says.
“We take pride in our understanding and practice of tikanga and culture to help iwi through their communications. That understanding and those partnerships are also key when helping busi-
nesses to engage authentically with iwi.”
Every team member brings a wealth of experience from Aotearoa and overseas but has a unique understanding of the special role that regional New Zealand plays in the economy. This has allowed The Shine Collective to foster successful working relationships with several regional economic development agencies across the motu.
“Supporting kaupapa as diverse as the future of work, infrastructure planning and international economic investment attraction is an exciting space for us to be in,“ Jacky says.
At the age of 23 I began my career as a corporate lawyer in a top firm in Auckland. I was the junior in the highest billing team in the firm and the first transaction I worked on saw me leaving work at 11pm or later most nights and returning at 4am or whenever the next turn of a document had come through.
I lived an unbalanced and pressured life, without passion for the work I did. I had always been a high achiever and part of me wanted to prove myself in this environment. But a greater part of me knew that I needed more out of life, so after two years I left corporate law and moved into PR.
I’m grateful for the early days of my
career. Although challenging, they taught me the kind of leader I want to be, the way I want to treat people, and the work I want to do. Fast forward 16 years and I have had a diverse and rich career across media, technology, and financial services, holding strategic marketing and leadership positions at TVNZ, Orion Health and ANZ bank.
In 2021 I joined New Zealand-founded small business platform, Xero; a company whose values align with my ownwhere we put our people and their wellbeing first, and where I feel passionate about our purpose to make life better for small businesses, their advisors and communities.
From Xero’s early days as a software startup born in Wellington New Zealand, the company has scaled globally, working closely with accountants, bookkeepers and advisors around the world to drive towards our clear vision to be the most insightful and trusted small business platform.
During the first pandemic lockdown in 2020 when shop doors were closed, I co-founded a side hustle to enable Kiwi small businesses to operate online. Even before joining Xero, I’ve been passionate about championing what small businesses need, along with the importance they play in our economy, and the crucial role of technology in helping them thrive.
I feel incredibly proud to be leading our Kiwi team in Xero’s home market, and I’m grateful for the opportunity I
have in my role to champion more equality for women in leadership.
It’s encouraging to see wāhine in positions of leadership becoming more commonplace - both in tech and more broadly - but we’ve still got a way to go. We need to continue championing this, for all Kiwi women and people of minority genders.
The perfect family entertainment to escape the end-of-summer-holiday blues is coming to Trustpower Baypark, with four monster trucks set to perform high-jumping aerial antics and car-crushing stunts.
The Monster Trucks & FMX Spectacular on February 25 will cap-off a month of high-oc tane energy at Trustpower Bay park Stadium.
There is plenty of speedway action on offer and the Bay Jamboree on February 11 will have it all – sprint cars, super saloons, six shooters, super stocks and stock cars.
Drivers from all over the country will also be heading to Baypark Speedway on February 18 for the Bays of Thunder North Island Sprintcar Championship.
Meanwhile, the month of March brings Magic netball, tattoos, and Armageddon.
The Monster Freestyle Mayhem show that is coming to town on February 25 has just completed a soldout tour of Australia and will have the Mount Maunganui crowd on its feet.
If giant trucks with oversized wheels aren’t enough, freestyle motocross riders will also add a fiery element to the Saturday night entertainment.
Some lucky kids will even get the chance to ride in a monster truck.
Corporate hospitality packages are available, with panoramic views overlooking the stadium from covered seating on the balcony, as well
as a comfortable indoor space, great food and drink options, and dedicated corporate entrance and lift access.
There is capacity for 20 guests in each private box.
Baypark Speedway has two events in March – the Bay51 Spectacular on March 4, and the Bay Invasion on March 25.
The Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic, meanwhile, in their second match of the 2023 ANZ Premiership season, will take on the Northern Stars at Trustpower Baypark Arena on March 11.
This will be followed by the
always-popular Tattoo Hui Aotearoa expo from March 17-19, and the Armageddon Expo on March 25 and 26.
Armageddon will be hosting its first high school Esports league event, as well as more free play gaming and a massive K-pop concert.
There will be contests, plenty of exhibitors from all around New Zealand, and a trim but powerful guest
line-up of in-person international stars.
These include cosplay superstar Alyson Tabbitha, animation voice actor Brian Beacock, and Amie Donald of M3GAN and Sweet Tooth fame.
Stadium Corporate Boxes
Enjoy Stadium events in comfort from our corporate Boxes. There are still several excellent boxes available for either an annual lease or casual bookings during the summer season.
Quality hospi tality is served to your box with an exclusive balcony and relaxed environment to entertain your guests.
For more information events@ bayvenues.co.nz
Tauranga’s Premier Venue
Trustpower Baypark is Tauranga’s Premier Venue for conferences, meetings, entertainment, and exhibitions.
Offering a complete package in one convenient location that features state of the art meeting rooms, in-house catering, audio visual services, marketing/promotional services.
Productivity is a key aspect of modern business, and technology has played a major role in helping organisations achieve their goals. IT (Information Technology) has revolutionised the way we work, allowing us to accomplish more in less time and with fewer resources. In this article, we will explore how IT can be used to improve productivity in the workplace.
> BY YVONNE BLANCH
Yvonne Blanch is an Account Manager at Stratus Blue. She can be contacted at yvonne@stratusblue.co.nz
ne of the most obvious ways that IT improves productivity is by automating repetitive tasks. For example, software applications can be used to automate data entry, schedule appointments, and manage customer relationships. These tools not only save time, but they also reduce the chance of human error, which can have a significant impact on productivity.
Another way that IT improves productivity is by facilitating communication and collaboration. With the rise of cloud computing, employees can now work together on
projects in real-time, regardless of their location.
This allows teams to be more productive, as they can share information, brainstorm ideas, and make decisions more quickly.
IT also helps to improve productivity by providing employees with the tools they need to work more effectively.
For example, productivity software like Microsoft Office and Google Docs allow employees to create and edit documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. Project management software like Trello and Asana help teams to organise
and track their progress on projects.
In addition, IT also enables remote working, which has become increasingly popular in recent years. With the help of VPN and collaboration tools, employees can work from anywhere and still be connected to the office. This can increase productivity by reducing the time and costs associated with commuting, and also by providing a better work-life balance.
In conclusion, IT has played a major role in improving productivity in the workplace.
By automating repetitive
tasks, facilitating communication and collaboration, providing employees with the right tools, and enabling remote working, IT has helped organisations to achieve their goals more efficiently and effectively.
As technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more ways in which IT will be used to improve productivity in the future.
Dear readers, the previous three hundred words were written in less than a minute by an Open AI tool called ChatGPT after I asked it to “write a 300 word article on productivity using IT”.
The above content is fairly tame, you probably haven’t learned anything new but with
some skilful editing, extra detail and applied bias some personal anecdotes (I prefer Microsoft applications over others!) I’m sure I could have produced written copy more speedily than usual.
I have yet to see if it will quote reputable sources and correctly attribute them and add any depth. I’ll certainly be exploring it and attempt to be clever in my requests.
The world is currently debating its usage, its potential usage/misuse in education and journalism and those are worthwhile debating.
Like the internet and the smart phone it is here and cannot be banned. We’re going to see its incorporation into IT tools that we use every day,
like Microsoft 365.
Productivity is not only about volume or speed – its increasingly about quality of work, output and content. I asked ChatGPT to write a haiku about IT and Productivity. It took a bit longer than the article to form this –IT tools aid us
Productivity skyrockets
Efficiency blooms
I counter with –IT does easy fast
But perception and class
Need the human touch
And finally, why did it not promote itself as an IT productivity tool!
Nobody likes a quitter. Unless, that is, everyone wants you to quit. Then everyone likes you very much indeed.
Jacinda Ardern’s Prime Ministerial seat has barely cooled, but the debate around her departure still rages on: Was this a bold and brave move from a leader who put the country’s needs before her own? Or the last timid convulsions of a kindness-based kingdom already in ruins?
Thankfully, I’m British, so I’m not qualified to comment on New Zealand politics. I’ve got food in the back of my fridge that lasted longer than some UK Prime Ministers. Watching yet another failed Great British Premier walk the sad departure from Downing Street became a more regular occurrence than a cruise ship of over-eager tourists pulling up at Pilot Bay.
However, I do know a thing or two about leadership. And I know a hell of a lot about quitting. And I am 100% certain that – in some cases – quitting can be the best thing you ever do. Don’t quit your daydream Resign. Step down. Call it a day. Hang up your hat. Toot it & Scoot it.
However you like to say it, quitting is something you never forget.
When we make the decision to quit something – when we finally push that big red button inside our minds – the scene
is etched upon our memory in glorious, high-definition detail for the rest of our lives.
When you got dumped. When you knew you couldn’t stay in that job any longer. When you realised they weren’t ‘the one’. When life gave you that big flashing neon sign, telling you it was time to pull the plug on that particular endeavour … You can close your eyes right now and picture the scene like it was yesterday.
No wonder quitting gets such bad press: We tend to ridicule that which we fear the most.
And because we also avoid the things we’re afraid of, we rarely know when it’s time to quit.
Exit strategy
There is no ‘I’ in ‘Team’. But there is most certainly an ‘I’ in ‘Quit’.
We’ve all had the sleepless nights, dwelling over the decision: “Do I really need to quit this situation … or am I just giving up when the going gets tough?”
It’s difficult to have this debate without falling into a shallow-talking business cliche – imagine some horrific mash-up of The Wolf of Wall Street, Donald Trump and LinkedIn – vomiting out motivational phrases like, “Pain is temporary, quitting lasts forever”.
I’ve quit jobs, leadership roles and business over the
The resignation of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern forces leaders across New Zealand to ask a difficult question: How tough must the going get before you decide ‘enough is enough’?
years. Usually, it was the right decision.
In my experience, quitting in the business world is no different to quitting any other relationship: Emotionally, you’ve already packed your bags. Quitting is when you walk out the door.
> BY FREDDIE BENNETT
Guinness World Record Holder, podcast host and bestselling author, Freddie is known as ‘The Profit Hunter’. He helps business owners enjoy more time, money and freedom by discovering and extracting hidden profits in their companies. Freddie@conqueryourmedia.com
know what to do, I wanted to quit. But I didn’t.
When I thought I could never be a good dad, I wanted to quit. But I didn’t.
It is the times we want to quit but choose to fight another day that truly make us who we are.
And it is only when we truly know who we are …
…that we can recognise the time is right to leave a situation with our heads held high.
lege degree didn’t work out too badly for Bill Gates.
Quitting Zurich Polytechnic School seemed to go alright for Albert Einstein.
Quitting the US Army probably wasn’t the worst idea Walt Disney ever had.
Quitting an abusive, controlling marriage was a great move by J K Rowling. Harry Potter would have been delighted. As would her bank manager. Calling time on a particular journey doesn’t have to mean failure. It can mean freedom. We don’t quit because we like to lose. We quit because we choose to win.
But as you’re strutting down the road Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I will survive’ blasting through your headphones, a nagging doubt is stalking you… What if I’ve made the wrong decision?
I just can’t quit you
I’ve run 300 kilometres across the scorching Sahara Desert.
When I was hallucinating, dehydrated and peeing blood, I wanted to quit. But I didn’t. I became a Guinness World Record holder and the fastest fisherman on the planet by running a marathon in waterproof clothing and gumboots. When my toenails fell off, I wanted to quit. But I didn’t.
When I thought I would never finish my first book, I wanted to quit. But I didn’t.
When I was launching a global business and didn’t
No-one wants to be Elvis on stage at the Vegas Hilton in 1976, mumbling through their greatest hits, watched by a sad crowd of onlookers, shaking their heads at a King who didn’t know when to quit their kingdom.
Because sometimes quitting can be the best – and bravest – thing an icon, boss or leader can ever do.
Quit lying to yourself
Quitting an uninspiring col-
Quitting doesn’t happen because we give up on our dreams. It’s when we decide to remove something from our lives because of our dreams.
Quitting is when we realise the time has come to focus on what we really want our future to be and remove what is stopping us from getting there.
Quitting is painful. But regret is more so. You can quit a job, a relationship, a business … even the leadership of a country. Just don’t quit on yourself.
> BY NATHAN BONNEY
Nathan Bonney is a director of Iridium Partners. He can be reached at nathan@iridium.net.nz or 0275-393-022
here were many, including those in the franchise sector were very glad to see the sun set on 2022. But, as we all know, the clock striking twelve on the 31st does not miraculously change the world, and the issues of 2022 were likely to rise again on 1st January.
However, I think three themes will impact the business sector generally in 2023 and the franchising sector more so, these are; labour supply, supply chain and the most critically, the political landscape.
Labour supply
We ended 2022 with critical labour across almost every sector, from retail and hospitality to the well-publicised health sector. The franchise sector was no different and access to staff and pressure on wages will continue to be a major concern.
The flow-on effect for franchised businesses is considerable; there is the immediate impact on services levels, with many businesses forced to reduce hours and capacity, and the pressure on wages, pre-Christmas McDonalds Queenstown offering to pay $28 an hour made national headlines.
But there is also an unique impact on the franchise sector versus businesses generally, and that’s on it’s core business mode – growth.
Very low unemployment rates and rising wages may retain workers in employment that were considering starting or entering entrepreneurship through franchising.
Additionally, franchise growth will be that much harder and more expensive on a business unit level as new franchise businesses seek to fill employment requirements. I’m aware of specific opening that have been delayed or even shelved due to concerns and challenges of staffing.
A third, longer term and lasting impact will be on what franchise growth looks like. Franchise systems or business structures that have relatively low labour requirements will have a comparative advantage and we’re likely to see these grow.
Whilst we may have seen a peak of inflation, it’s going to remain a major concern. Coupled with ongoing supply chain issues, access and pricing for inputs will remain challenging. The franchise business model has two superpowers which can provide advantages in this area.
The first is collective size and purchasing power. Individual, relatively small business units, or franchises when combined
together in a franchise system can create significant purchasing power. Additionally, in many systems the purchasing role will be centralised on a brand level, harnessing not only size, but negotiation and supply chain knowledge.
Some franchise systems will have a second super-power, and that’s the ability to supply or provide vertically integrated supply chains. Whether this be the café chain that imports and roasts it’s own coffee or the retail chain that manufactures, imports and or provides centralised shipping and logistics to supply individual businesses.
The political landscape
Whilst we have been repetitively told that international factors are
Labour governments are not known for their economic management skills, but Hipkins has recognised the importance of business to New Zealand. Will the government really start to re-engage with business, or is it empty rhetoric? Will business confidence lift?
driving inflation and supply chain issues, their management and mitigation is influenced by the government.
With an election later in 2023, the impact of politics on business was always going to involve interpretation and some guess work. But with a new Labour government, we are now in an immediate cycle of change.
At the time of writing, it’s too early to identify where, but unquestionably the razor will be applied to policy and legislation in the pipeline, and the government will change course on several fronts. Where and how remains to be answered.
Labour governments are not known for their economic management skills, but Hipkins has recognised the importance of business to New Zealand. Will the government really start to re-engage with business, or is it empty rhetoric? Will business confidence lift?
He has already hinted with tinkering with the taxation system. Will this help or hinder franchise-entrepreneurship?
Will the government make changes to immigration? This may impact franchising not only by flowing onto labour supply but potentially by re-igniting immigrant franchise-entrepreneurship which has all but vanished in the past 2-3 years.
And perhaps the greatest question raised now is, will it be enough to prevent a National government taking control?
House of Science announced in December it had been awarded an international Horizon Prize for Education from the Royal Society of Chemistry UK.
The group – led by House of Science Charitable Trust Resource Developer, Jane Hoggard, and including professionals from SCION, New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre, and the New Zealand Environmental Protection Authority – were winners of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Horizon Prize for Education, for their outstanding work in making science education more accessible.
The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) receives applicants from all over the world for their awards which acknowledge individuals, teams, and schools across primary, secondary, further education, and higher education, for their exceptional contributions to chemistry education.
‘House of Science New Zealand’ was chosen by the RSC’s prestigious panel of judges for the development of a vast library of hands-on, bilingual science resource kits that enable thousands of primary school teachers across New Zealand to deliver life-changing science lessons.
Dr. Helen Pain, Chief Executive of the Royal Society of Chemistry, said: “It’s of vital importance that we recognise the crucial role that educators play in the advancement of the sciences, and that we commend their ability to inspire and nurture the next generation of bright young minds so that they can go on to make new discoveries and innovations.
“The House of Science New Zealand team’s work to deliver engaging and accessible lessons that incorporate the curriculum demonstrates an outstanding commitment to chemistry education, and it is our honour to celebrate their considerable contribution.”
Reflecting on the award, Jane says it is both a surprise and an honour, to receive international recognition for the House of Science initiative. “I am proud of the work we are doing with both teachers and students throughout New Zealand fostering wonder and curiosity in the world around us. I consider it a privilege working alongside scientists to help them with the delivery of their outreach programmes to primary school students.”
The Boy & Joy Owens Scholarships have been awarded for 2022 at seven colleges and high schools across the Western Bay of Plenty.
These awards provide a $5,000 payment per annum for three years to the talented students selected.
The Owens Scholarship winners, along with students selected for 15 additional scholarships for tertiary education, were honoured at a celebration hosted by the Acorn Foundation on 12 December at The Kollective.
The Owens Scholarships have been supporting young people in the region for 29 years.
The award winners have shown a significant commitment to their schools and to the community, with a strong idea about their future goals.
The Acorn Foundation administers the awards while volunteer Owens Scholarship committees work with each school’s administrators to choose finalists who are then inter-
viewed by the panellists.
The 2022 Bob & Joy Owens Scholarship winners include:
• Aquinas College: Antony Death, who will attend the University of Canterbury to study Mechanical Engineering
• Bethlehem College: Jenna Warner intends to pursue a Chemistry degree at Auckland University
• Mt Maunganui College: Alex Thompson will study a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Canterbury majoring in Human Resource Management and Operation Supply Chain Management
• Otumoetai College: Ella Quarmby, who is pursuing a major in English Literature & Creative Writing at Victoria University
• Tauranga Boys’ College: Taine Larsen will study a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) degree at the University of Canterbury
• Tauranga Girls’ College: Ella Paterson will seek a career in Arts and Humanities, specialising in
English
• Te Puke High School: Emma
Howe is going to pursue a Bachelor of Food Technology at Massey University
Ella Quarmby of Otumoetai College was also awarded the Jann Medlicott Creative Arts Award from Acorn earlier this year.
The Owens panellists said, “Ella
presented as an incredibly creative and intelligent young lady.
“She is someone we expect to see great things from in the years to come.”
> BY MICHAEL SHAW
Michael Shaw is managing director of Dale Carnegie BOP Waikato (www.bop-waikato.dalecarnegie.com). He can be reached on Michael.shaw@dalecarengie.com
magine this: You’re driving to work, it’s raining, and you’re late. When you arrive, the team meeting has already started. After the meeting, you open your email to find two clients needing immediate help and an email from a colleague saying they’ll be late on their end of the project you’re working on together.
Even just one of those stressful events starting the day can easily put us in a negative mood at work. And adverse feelings can lead to thinking negatively.
Why do we think this way?
Out of the entire broad spectrum of human emotion, science has narrowed our feelings down to just five core basics:
• Enjoyment
• Anger
• Fear
• Disgust
• Sadness
Notice how only one positive emotion appears on the list. Unfortunately, unhappy emotions usually lead to negative thoughts, and this is just part of our biology. It’s called
the “negativity bias,” and it explains why humans are prewired to think more pessimistically than positively.
Every human since the cavemen has paid attention to the five basic emotions, perhaps heeding their fear instincts the most.
Listening to their thoughts is what kept our primitive ancestors from being eaten by sabre-toothed tigers. Fear and other “bad” emotions trigger the fight-or-flight response, which releases cortisol and other chemicals into the bloodstream, helping us deal with stressful situations.
In the modern-day jungle of the workplace, this instinct and these stress chemicals kick in just as they did for our ancestors. This can lead to negative thoughts at work.
Why do we get this way at work?
Work can be a place of many stressors. So, when we’re at work, it’s easy to drop into our negativity bias.
A person who doesn’t feel safe speaking up at work might
slip into unhelpful thinking, such as “no one will listen to me anyway,” or “I’ll get in trouble if I say the wrong thing”. This stems from a lack of psychological safety.
People who don’t feel confident in their skills or knowledge can easily fall into thoughts such as “I’ll never be able to finish this project” or “I’ll never make that deadline.”
Managers and leaders might lack self-confidence, leading to thoughts such as “no one will see me as a leader” or “they’ll never follow me.”
When we think negatively, we are less creative, less productive, and may even manifest health problems.
Whatever type of stressor we face at work, it’s likely to drop us into negative thinking. But if we know what to look out for, we can reframe our thoughts and move in a positive direction.
How to reframe negative thoughts
When we’re feeling good, there is little reason to analyse
our thoughts. Pessimistic thoughts, however, require a much closer look so we may reframe them into something useful – if not positive.
Reframing our thoughts isn’t about stopping negativity from occurring in the first place. As we’ve shown, it’s a part of our nature to think this way.
But often we overreact and imagine the worst when instead we can learn to reframe our negative thoughts to overcome them and become happy, confident people.
A great way to reframe negative thoughts and keep them away is to practice daily affirmations. Empower yourself
with your words and truly believe them. And say them in present tense because stating something about yourself as a fact can help make it so. Here are some simple positive affirmations for success.
For Employees:
• I know what I’m doing, and I do it well
• Things are always working out for me
For Managers:
I am a positive role model for others
• I am helping empower employees to be their best
For Senior Leaders:
• I inspire others with my words and actions
• I am a good leader who cares about my employees
These affirmations of success can lead to a more positive attitude at work and keep away negative thoughts. If you’re interested in learning more about managing your thoughts, then I invite you to explore the new Dale Carnegie book Take Command written by Joe Hart and Michael Crom that explains how to Take Command of our mindset, our relationships and our future.
Imagine being able to readily identify every plant and bird in your garden, on a hike or when showing off our beautiful country to visiting family and friends.
new app, developed by a group of New Zealand researchers can let you do just that.
Members of the TAIAO project at Waikato and Canterbury universities have used a data set of more than one million identified images to train Artificial Intelligence (AI) to identify Aotearoa’s plants, animals and fungi. It’s the first tool tailor-made for Aotearoa wildlife and plant species.
The programme recognises unique features in photos of species large and small, from Hector’s dolphins to striated ants, and returns the scientific name, common names, and other related classifications, including Māori names where available.
The Aotearoa Species Classifier app, available in the App store now and Google Play later this year, can identify wildlife wherever the user is, even without an
internet connection. An additional web classifier has more powerful models and tools for those who wish to delve deeper at home.
PhD student Hongyu Wang and research programmer Paul Schlumbom developed the models and software and are continuing to work on the project. Paul says they have discovered some unexpected benefits.
“Because we have drawn data from a range of sources, the app is also able to identify pests, which means action can be taken to remove or destroy dangerous pests straight away,” Paul says.
A probability prediction is included in the identification with alternatives if there is any doubt about the likelihood of the species identified. Hongyu says this ensures the integrity of the data. “We can say that normally the confidence is quite high, but with rare species the model might have more trouble. So you can check the top five possibilities if the confidence is not super high.”
He says when the model is highly confident, i.e., with a confidence score of over 95%, results show that we can expect high accuracy.
The online version also pro-
vides the ability to see the interpretation image which analyses which parts of the image the model is using for the prediction.
The impetus for the project came from Dr Varvara Vetrova, a Senior Lecturer in Statistics at the University of Canterbury and Professor Eibe Frank, Co-Director of the AI Institute based at the University of Waikato.
The team also included Associate Professor Michael Cree at Waikato, Landcare experts in systematics, Canterbury Masters student Sheldon Coup, and Waikato Honours student Jeff Mo.
A new research project is exploring the role the Baycourt Community and Arts Centre played in shaping the musical experiences of children and young people in Tauranga – and your memories are needed!
University of Waikato student, Sharna Steer is working with Dr Bronya Dean and Professor Lynda Johnston on the project and is putting the call out for participants to share their experiences.
Dr Dean says Sharna recently completed the second year of a Bachelor of Arts in political science and psychology and was awarded a Summer Research Scholarship to assist with the project ‘Growing up Arty’.
“Thanks to support from Tauranga City Council, this project aims to explore the influence experiences at Baycourt may have had on people’s life-long musical identities,” Dr Dean says.
“First hand recounts of childhood experiences as audience members or performers will be used to help us understand how children and young people have engaged with music events at Baycourt over the past 40 years. These experiences will help inform Council’s future strategy for children and young people in the arts.”
The research is dependent on people sharing their memories. People who have memories of performing or attending musical events at Baycourt as children are invited to share their memories in a series of face-to-face interviews which will take place at Baycourt during the first two weeks of February. Zoom interviews can be arranged for people now living outside of the region.
Please contact Dr Bronya Dean at Bronya.Dean@waikato.ac.nz for more information.
For those who are unable to attend the interviews, but still want to share memories, submissions in written or audio format can be emailed to Bronya at Bronya.dean@ waikato.ac.nz.
A partnership between Vertical Horizonz (VHNZ), and Meridian Energy is delivering life-saving emergency response training to the Meridian workforce in a bid to reduce serious workplace injuries.
As the largest workplace health and safety training provider in Aotearoa, VHNZ’s partnership and collaboration with Meridian Energy, adapts emergency training for some of New Zealand’s most highrisk workforce.
Marcus Bathan, VHNZ Chief Operating Officer, says the partnership between the two organisations reflects a deep, mutual commitment to the safety of their people.
“Our company was founded to empower individuals, organisations and industries. We want all New Zealanders to be able to access the tools they need to survive and thrive in their industry of choice. We play our part in this by delivering real training that saves lives,” he says.
“Our values greatly align with those of Meridian, and this has enabled us to work together to significantly upskill their workforce with a practical, purposeful training regime,
which includes real-time scenarios that put their learnings to the test,” says Bathan.
A recent training scenario saw Meridian employees perform a difficult rescue of a seriously injured worker requiring medical assistance, followed by a traumatic traffic incident with multiple casualties.
“Real-life accidents don’t follow the rules from a textbook. They’re dynamic, challenging events that require a high level of training and continuous practice. The most effective first responders are those who draw on their training while operating on instinct,” says Bathan.
Bobby Ball, Health and Safety Business Partner Meridian Energy and Principal Co-ordinator, said that Meridian needed quality training that was tailored and fit-for-purpose.
“Meridian identified targeted training as one of our top critical risk controls and VHNZ have proven they can
deliver quality training that can really make a difference in a real-life emergency,” he says.
“Through this training, we put a hefty focus on the unique set of problems a wind farm and a wind turbine pose. These problems range from
limited access, extreme weather conditions, restricted access to medical assistance, limited rescue team members, and height risk to name a few.
“Accidents happen. And when they happen in the workplace and involve high-risk work, we need to have the
best training to ensure our people can navigate a serious accident without causing further harm,” says Ball.
Ball believes that working in collaboration with VHNZ is an investment in the future of the company’s workforce.
“With the ongoing training support from VHNZ in place, we know our Meridian team will be going home safely to their whānau at the end of each day – that’s a huge comfort to every member of our organisation and a benefit that you can’t put a price on. This goes further beyond the workplace with our staff having the confidence to step up to use their first aid skills in their communities as well,” says Ball.
Trainee, Etienne Mostert says the training received and the final day out in the field practising the skills in a real-life situation was invaluable.
“I’m much more confident in my abilities to respond to a serious accident after our training scenario. You never know how you’ll act in a situation like that – but now I feel like I could not only handle the stress but also be an effective team member by providing life-saving help to someone in need,” he says.
> BY ALAN NEBEN
Alan Neben is a Mount Maunganui local and experienced New Zealand publisher. His columns provide a light-hearted perspective on social changes effecting New Zealanders.
he dairy: I’m not aware of any other country where I can say, “I’m just popping into the dairy”, and other people in my vicinity will know what I’m doing.
In the UK I’d be off to the ‘corner shop’; In the US, the ‘Seven-Eleven’; Australians, the ‘milk bar’; In other places, the ‘convenience store’. Only in New Zealand am I understood when I say, ‘the dairy’.
I know I can buy my milk at the gas station, and often do, and there are lots of items which will certainly be cheaper at the supermarket, but I couldn’t live without my dairy.
I have probably lived in seven or eight different homes in various cities in the last decade. While in some places I have gotten on well with the neighbours, in others, I’ve been underwhelmed by their welcome, their barking dog, their cars parked in the middle of the ‘shared’ driveway and their 3am heavy metal music appreciation group sharing ethos.
But in every case, at every location, there has been one consistent positive: I have built a relationship with the local dairy owner and come to rely on them.
I’m not sure if that’s just a ‘townie’ thing? … it probably is. I make no apology: I’m a townie, and proud to be so.
If I buy bread at the gas station, I can also buy a latte, and gas up. If I buy bread at the supermarket, I can sometimes get it ‘on special’, and I can buy my week’s groceries there at the same time.
But when I go to make toast and realise, ‘we’re out of bread’, and I race over to the dairy, I not only get convenience – and ultimately toast – but also a feeling of comfort and relief.
When something important is missing from your life, as my Mum would say, “They might have some at the dairy.”
In my experience most New Zealand dairies are owned and operated by families of Indian descent – their pervasive ethos of fair trading, hard work, long hours, customer service, family involvement and community support are all there on display at the dairy. If ever we need a positive example of good ethics and hard-work – for my money it’s staring us in the face every day: the dairy.
It is then with a sense of despair that I read daily of yet another ram raid, another armed robbery, another assault, and then, another death at another dairy somewhere in the country.
I was taken aback when I recently visited a dairy in the Hamilton suburb of Frankton.
The roller door was up so I knew it was open, but, I had to press a buzzer at the front door to be allowed in through the entrance cage.
Inside much of the stock was behind Perspex and the dairy worker was encased in a steel and Perspex-framed cage.
Another mesh frame enveloped the entire counter area. There were no windows in the store. I felt like I had walked onto the set of a 70s Scorsese movie set in a Brooklyn Heights liquor store.
Despite the imposing façade the service was warm and the conversation pleasant – how sad for the middle-aged shop keeper that she no longer gets to enjoy fresh air and a view of the street (other than via CCTV) and that she now only has an obstructed distant physical connection with customers from her community.
The question on my mind:
“What have we come to?” I wonder, if it was a bank that was ram-raided, if it was a hospital worker that was threatened with a weapon, if it was a school classroom that a disgruntled soul decided to wave a gun at, would the response from the authorities be as half-hearted as it sometimes seems to be when a dairy owner is threatened? I suspect not.
I pray we never let the response to threats of harm to those workers who are offended against be influenced by their race; That when a worker is threatened with a baseball bat the lights and siren are immediately turned on in the patrol car and they
are never again asked to wait for an hour.
The dairy is for me as much part of our community infrastructure as the public swimming pool, the library and the local primary school – only I use the dairy far more frequently.
How dare someone disrespect the institution that is the dairy so violently and offensively? I am angry.
As the saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child.”
A really important part of that village is the dairy. Let’s raise our children to respect and value the dairy and the hard-working people who run it.
To the Government I say,
“Thank you – thank you for excluding the humble dairy from lockdown trading restrictions during the Covid crisis.” At least someone in Wellington understands and appreciates the importance of the institution.
Pushpa and Vikram own our local Dairy. When I ask them for an obscure item that they don’t normally stock, that very item is miraculously in stock next time I visit – that’s customer service! Thank you to you both.
(BTW, how did you know I’d need pickled ginger urgently last week? … Now that’s not something the petrol station would have had, aye Mum?)
Hello 2023! Here we are at the beginning of a brand-new year and no doubt there is an abundance of planning and goal setting for the year ahead. As I write this article, whilst working remotely looking out to the beach, I reflect on how technology has progressed to allow me to work remotely, to have valuable extra time with family and friends and to have a little more balance in my own life.
It seems like only a few years ago there was no internet here, or mobile reception for that matter, and it made it difficult to be away from work for too long. Technology has certainly provided a lot of flexibility for me, my business, and my colleagues.
As we start the year, knowing it will be a difficult one economically, we have change within our current government with the news of Jacinda’s resignation, along with the upcoming election in October.
Political parties have much to prove and will campaign hard. The upcoming election
can stimulate a unique environment providing yet another challenge for businesses to navigate. Typically, the closer we come to the election businesses tend to take a deep breath and hold … the economy and business confidence tends to slow.
The Bay of Plenty employment market has started the year positively with recruitment and employment stats over the region remaining positive. As always, the New Year brings movement in the workforce – either those who are relocating to the region and looking for work, or those who
are currently employed and looking for a career move.
February is the time when we traditionally experience an influx of candidates which is extremely welcome and good for our local employers.
I urge employers to really consider hiring based on future anticipated demand rather than just present need. On average, it has been taking three months to hire, therefore my advice is, if you find someone good, hire them!
So as we plan for the year ahead keep in mind where is your business heading and how you can meet the needs of your
> BY KELLIE HAMLETT
Talent ID are Recruitment Specialists and can support you through your recruitment process. Please feel free to talk to us about this by calling 07 349 1081 or emailing kellie@talentid.co.nz
market through your human resource functions, keeping the focus on what will add value to your team and the business. Here are some of the current topics trending in Human Resources to help you put solid strategy in place for the year ahead:
• Remote work and flexible working arrangements: remote work and flexible schedules will continue to be high on the agenda.
• Diversity, equity and inclusion: focus on creating a more diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce.
• Employee engagement and retention: prioritise employee engagement and retention strategies to keep top talent.
• Mental health and well-being: as we learn more about the impact of these within the workforce, they will be a key focus for employers.
• Artificial intelligence and automation: streamline systems and processes.
• Emphasis on soft-skills: emotional intelligence, critical thinking and problem-solving will be in high demand.
• Talent management / development and training: focus on talent management strategies, including development and training programmes to identify and retain top performers.
• Data driven decision making: data analytics will become increasingly important for HR decision making.
• Compliance and regulations: stay up to date with changing laws and regulations related to HR such as equal pay, and health & safety.
Be part of the growing Omokoroa community! The Village is focused on providing a much-needed town centre experience and amenity for local Omokoroa residents and visitors to enjoy.
Premium retail, medical, office and hospitality spaces are available for lease or purchase.
Completion of the
services and
in mid-2023.
