SEPTEMBER 2024 VOLUME 8: ISSUE 9
A view from outside the NZ women’s prison system
Page 4
EDUCATION AND BUSINESS
Connecting the two communities
Page 11
TIME TO ORGANISE TAXES
Andrea Scatchard warns against complacency
Page 8
> By DAVID PORTER
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s (RBNZ’s) recent decision to cut the official cash rate (OCR) by 25 basis points has been generally welcomed by the Bay’s business community.
But observers have warned that the effects of the first OCR reduction in more than four years will take several months to work through the business community and the economy.
“What it brings us is a sense of hope really that the worst is behind us and we’ve turned
the corner,” said Todd Muller, a former longtime National MP and Priority One’s current chairman.
He said although it sounds like a cliché, that’s really the crux of it.
“But businesspeople understand the fiscal dynamics of how monetary policy’s been playing out. We’ve had a lot of money in the system that needed to be controlled. It’s been painful and now we’re starting to go down the other side.
“But that doesn’t mean the pain disappears immediately.”
In its statement, the RBNZ said consumer price inflation was easing.
The RBNZ agreed to ease the level of monetary policy restraint by reducing the OCR to 5.25 percent. Services inflation remains elevated, but is also expected to continue to decline, both at home and abroad, in line with increased spare economic capacity, the RBNZ said.
Consumer price inflation in
> Continuedonpage3
> What it brings us is a sense of hope really that the worst is behind us and we’ve turned the corner.”
– Todd Muller
> Frompage1
New Zealand was expected to remain near the target mid-point over the foreseeable future.
The pace of further easing will depend on the Committee’s confidence that pricing behaviour remain consistent with a low inflation environment, and that inflation expectations are anchored around the 2 percent target. In the aftermath of the cut, several New Zealand-based banks reduced various lending and deposit rates.
Andrew Watson, the Eastern Bay Chamber of Commerce’s general manager, said from their perspective it was going to be a while before they expected to see the impact of the cut.
“It’s positive, but it will probably be another three to six months before we see the impact,” he said.
“For us, the [previous] OCR has obviously affected spending, coupled with the high interest rates and that has had a flow-on effect on local business,” Watson said.
Many still
“I think it’s going to be pretty tough for the next six months. There will be a flow-on effect and I think a lot of our businesses are really struggling.”
Priority One CEO Nigel Tutt
> It’s positive, but it will probably be another three to six months before we see the impact. For us, the [previous] OCR has obviously affected spending, coupled with the high interest rates and that has had a flow-on effect on local business.”
– Andrew Watson
said the local economy has still maintained some economic growth, even though the country as a whole had gone backwards.
“In Tauranga and Western Bay we notice some industries are really hurting, namely retail construction and retail hospitality,” said Tutt.
“We would expect the cut to interest rates to help all businesses, but particularly those sectors,” he said.
“It’s been painful and now we’re starting to go down the other side. But I would expect that you won’t really start to feel that impact until maybe next year.
“The local economy could probably expect to see more people able to buy houses,” he said.
“You’ll see households feeling like they’ve got a bit more money in their pockets and I guess critically too you’ll get businesses able to borrow more money to grow money.”
Eastern Bay Chamber’s Watson said he had recently read in the local paper that a couple of businesses had to close their doors because debts had mounted to the point where they just couldn’t continue to trade.
“I think we’re looking three to six months out before we see any impact of the cut,” he said. “We have yet to see the tail end of all this. “
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Muller said that local businesspeople were now at least getting a sense that probably all things being equal, the economy would slowly improve.
“That should lead to more positive sentiment around employment and expansion and away we go again,” he said. “That’s certainly not the status quo, but we’re probably heading there.”
John McRae, a partner with Deloitte Rotorua, said the private sector had been struggling with high interest rates and hurting for some time.
“Certainly an easing in bor rowing costs helps, but there’s still a lot of struggle ahead of us,” he said.
A lot of businesses were using their balance sheets to keep their businesses going, he said. Which meant that for many, interest rates were still high compared to when they were doing their busi ness planning.
“This cut is more of a progress [move], but that’s not going to be significant enough [in itself] for businesses that have been hurting.
“My feeling is [the RBNZ] doesn’t want the economy to grow too much, because they don’t want to go through the pain of last time.”
> The local economy could probably expect to see more people able to buy houses. You’ll see households feeling like they’ve got a bit more money in their pockets and I guess critically too you’ll get businesses able to borrow more money to grow money.”
– Nigel Tutt
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Iwas born in Wellington and raised in the then smallish town of Tawa, about 15 minutes drive from the capital’s CBD. I vividly recall that my regular visits into Wellington usually involved passing by what was then known as the Arohata Borstal.
The Māori meaning of Arohata is “the Bridge” – i.e. meaning a bridge between past offending and a future in the wider community. Or as is often sadly the case, between youth and adult jail. Always intended for women, Arohata was opened in 1944 as a “borstal”. It then briefly became a “youth prison” in 1981, before assuming its present name of Arohata Prison in 1987.
As a child and teen, I found it a mysterious and somewhat foreboding place, adjacent to a main road, but simultaneously cut off, replete with barred windows and doors.
I left Tawa decades ago and travelled widely before my return to New Zealand. But to my surprise, Arohata – which I hadn’t thought of in years –has recently hit the news here.
Facing staff shortages, the
Corrections Department opted to shift large numbers of women prisoners in Arohata to New Zealand’s two other women’s prisons in Auckland and Christchurch.
In doing so, Wellington lawyer Amanda Hill told the Bay of Plenty Business News, they effectively cut off the prisoners from the contact and support they needed and depended upon from family and children. Most Arohata prisoners have been drawn from the lower North Island.
Hill – who acted as a co-prosecution counsel in successful High Court action against the Correction Department’s arbitrary decision – acknowledged the department had faced a problem with short staffing. And that this had worsened since the impact of Covid.
“The background to all of this is that the entire prison system from 2021 through to now really has been shortstaffed to a critical extent,” she said. “So, Corrections came up with a number of plans to keep the prison system from collapsing completely.”
One scheme was focused
on Rimutaka Prison for men in Upper Hutt, which had previously been closed.
“To reopen it, they took staff from Arohata to help run Rimutaka. And then shipped all the sentenced women from Arohata to the other two women’s prisons,” said Hill.
Corrections’ action to close Arohata to sentenced prisoners was triggered because Arohata then became short staffed. This action, in late 2022, eventually triggered the court action from Hill and her co-counsel on behalf of the women who had been separated from their family support. While the lawyers won their case against the Corrections Department, and some of the women have now been returned to Arohata, each outstanding New Zealand case is still being individually reviewed by the Corrections Department.
I have long been aware of data and reports demonstrating that New Zealand has a prison system that is essentially racist. In New Zealand a higher percentage of the jailed population is comprised of indigenous New Zealanders
than their percentage of the population would lead one to expect.
Somewhat surprisingly to me, New Zealand’s rate of female prison incarceration compared to males is higher than in many other countries, according to available data.
Hill added: “Research shows women [in prison] have a higher level of addiction issues and a higher level of trauma because most women in prisons have been a victim of some level of abuse.”
Hill said the lawyers were currently waiting for the Corrections Department to slowly work through previous problems.
“They have reopened some units at Arohata, but not many and it’s a work in progress,” said Hill. “It’s just very slow.
> Customer satisfaction is worthless. Customer loyalty is priceless.”
The current economic climate is not an excuse for poor customer service –especially when brand loyalty is being ditched for cheaper alternatives.2
Nor is technology an excuse for poor customer service –especially when the sole purpose of that technology is to acquire customers.
Now, I understand that the current economic climate is incredibly stressful for many businesses,3 and that technology can be far from perfect –but, despite these challenges, if you want to keep your customers and get new customers, then your customer service must be at the top of its game.
There is simply no alternative – customers at present are just too valuable.
Hang on … I thought this was supposed to be a column on intellectual property? What’s customer service got to do with IP? Well, it just so happens, quite a lot…
Intellectual property is not just about individual assets like trade marks, patents and plant variety rights. More broadly, it’s also about brand – in particular, brand reputation and goodwill. And one of the key drivers of brand reputation and goodwill is customer service.4
There surely wouldn’t be
BY BEN CAIN
a marketer in the country who would disagree that you can have the best product or service in the world but if your customer service is less than satisfactory, your chances of repeat sales and referral acquisitions will be significantly impacted.
As noted by Michael Summers-Gervai, a director of EY, in a piece entitled “Building loyalty for longevity”, one strategy brands can employ to retain existing clients is to focus on customer experience5:
People no longer head to the shops simply to purchase products. They go for the experience – and that explains why 61% of customers will switch to a competitor6 after just one bad experience.
– Jeffrey Gitomer 1
In fact, one survey found 60% customers7 would prefer to sit in a traffic jam than face a poor customer experience. If customer experience is everything, then even bad experiences can be turned around.
We know customers are 2.4 times more likely to remain loyal8 to a brand if problems are solved quickly.
The smart response for brands and retailers is to keep a very close eye on key customer experience metrics, and course correct with speed and purpose. Which brings me to the title of this article: “Sorry for the inconvenience.”
If you have cause to utter these words to a customer, then I really hope for the sake of your brand’s reputation and goodwill that you mean them – and, more importantly, your customer understands that you mean them.
I myself have heard these words, or words to this effect, a few times of late and I can honestly say I doubted their conveyers’ sincerity. I have yet to decide whether I will add to Mr Summers-Gervai’s 61%.
Ben Cain is a Partner at James & Wells. He can be contacted at 07 928 4470 (Tauranga), 07 957 5660 (Hamilton), and ben.cain@jamesandwells.com
1. Jeffrey Gitomer is an American salesperson, author, and speaker who writes and lectures on sales, customer loyalty, and personal development. 2. https://www. theaustralian.com.au/business/growth-agenda/consumer-brand-loyalty-declines-in-hard-times-research-finds/news-story/284ba9fa3b2584c9a3c53888b1a871e4. Accessed 19 August 2024. 3. Noting that although readers may not hear about it, the legal profession is also not immune to the effects of economic downturns. 4. For an example of discussion on this topic, see https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/brand-reputation-customer-experience-bytescare-ofsof/. Accessed 19 August 2024. 5. https:// www.ey.com/en_nz/future-consumer-index/are-recessions-the-best-times-to-redefine-brand-loyalty. Accessed 16 August 2024. 6. Above, citing cx-trends-report-2022. zendesk.com/opportunity. 7. Above at n 5, citing www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220418005087/en/Nearly-60-of-Consumers-Would-Prefer-Being-Stuck-in-a-TrafficJam-Over-Having-a-Bad-Customer-Experience. 8. Above at n 5, citing www.forrester.com/blogs/whats-the-roi-of-cx-transformation/.
Chartered Accountants ANZ’s latest investor confidence survey shows mum and dad investors are increasingly downbeat about New Zealand’s capital markets and listed businesses but have growing confidence in overseas capital markets.
Despite this, more than half of the 500 New Zealand retail investors surveyed say they will increase investment in the next 12 months – and that auditors are the most trusted group when it comes to protecting them as investors and strengthening market integrity.
“The result that jumps out is the lack of confidence in New Zealand’s domestic capital markets. The percentage of investors with some or more confidence in domestic capital markets dropped to 73 per cent from 77 per cent last year and 83 per cent at the height of Covid in 2020,” said CA ANZ Reporting and Assurance Leader Amir Ghandar.
“Similarly, the percentage of investors with some or more confidence in publicly listed companies has fallen to 76 per cent from 80 per cent last year and 86 per cent in 2021.
“In contrast, the percentage of investors with some or more confidence in overseas markets has climbed from 64 per cent in 2020 to 81 per cent in 2024.
“We asked investors what their key concerns were, and inflation by far was the biggest.
“Anxiety around interest rates, future pandemics, climate change, and tax policy have fallen off big time – it’s all about inflation in New Zealand.
“The survey indicates that kiwis perceive the rest of the world is doing much better in the fight against inflation, and that other global economies have broken through with rate cuts or positive central bank signals.
Despite the pessimism, 53 per cent of investors said they are likely to increase the scale of their investments in the next 12 months – down just three per cent from last year. Only 16 per cent said
Amir Ghandar
they wouldn’t increase investment in that period.
“Bear in mind, this is a survey of mum and dad investors who are looking at macro trends, rather than day traders whose confidence might bounce between rock bottom and sky high in a day, or an even hour.
When asked about what they have the most confidence in, investors responded that term deposits, KiwiSaver, property and bank savings were top of their list, with shares in private companies and on the stock market further down, followed by crypto as a distant last.
“It’s not surprising that despite recent market fluctuations, retail investors will continue to pitch into term deposits, their KiwiSaver or a property portfolio,” continued Mr Ghandar.
Pleasingly, investors continue to rank independent auditors above financial analysts, stock exchanges, investigative journalists and government regulators, when it comes to investor protection, with 86 per cent of respondents saying they have confidence in audited financial reports.
“While Reddit’s wallstreetbets and various discord channels may be the source du jour when it comes to investing, it’s audited financial reports that provide the bedrock for good decision making.”
The sixth annual Chartered Accountants ANZ’s latest Investor Confidence Survey was completed between 12 and 27 June by more than 500 New Zealand retail investors.
Powerhouse duo Alanah and Theresa Eagle of LINK Business Brokers (Waikato & Bay of Plenty, respectively) are setting an impressive standard through their ability to generate multi-offer situations for their clients.
This phenomenon, where numerous buyers submit offers on a business simultaneously, emphasises the strong demand within the current business market as well as the expertise of this seasoned pair of professionals.
A multi-offer situation in business sales occurs when a single business listing attracts multiple offers from different buyers. This competitive environment can drive up the sale price of the business, ensuring that vendors secure the best possible deal and terms.
“It’s a scenario where the principles of supply and demand play out to the seller’s advantage, and vendors should know that the market is highly favourable to them right now,” Alanah explains.
Creating a multi-offer situation is no small feat. It requires a strategic approach, deep market
BY ALANAH EAGLE AND THERESA EAGLE
knowledge, and excellent networking skills. The Eagles excel in these areas.
“Our process begins with an in-depth understanding of the business being sold, identifying its unique strengths and market position,” says Theresa.
Marketing also plays a crucial role. Alanah and Theresa leverage various channels, including industry networks, online platforms, and targeted advertising to reach a broad audience.
Their proactive approach ensures that the businesses they are selling receive maximum exposure. Importantly, the team have managed to achieve multi-offers on strictly confidential listings as well as fully disclosed ones, proving their knack for selling businesses while respecting individual preferences for confidentiality.
Theresa and Alanah’s track record truly speaks for itself. The majority of businesses they list attract extensive buyer enquiry, leading to competitive multi-offer situations. In fact, eight of their most recent deals were multi-offer situations – a testament to their effective strategies.
“Not only do multi-offer situations increase the final sale price, but they also provide vendors with certainty that they are receiving the best possible deal for their business,” says Alanah, emphasising the commitment to their clients.
Consider Flow State, a recent business sale conducted by the Eagles. The vendor was drawn to
The opening of a new radiology clinic in Fraser Cove, Tauranga will bring muchneeded capacity and choice to the Bay of Plenty region, giving patients and doctors improved access to medical imaging services.
Local MPs, stakeholders and staff gathered at an event on 15 August to formally open I-MED Radiology’s newest clinic.
In a first for the region, the clinic offers PET-CT and SPECT scans, important diagnostic tools used to help diagnose cancer and assess cancer treatment.
It also offers general radiology services, including MRI, x-ray, and ultrasound, providing the local community with access to shorter scan times.
Angus Brown, I-MED New Zealand general manager, spoke at the event and says the Fraser Cove clinic is a major boost to local health services, where, for the first time, patients and their requesting medical practitioners can access specialist diagnostic scans close to home.
“The clinic provides the local medical community and patients access to specialist scans that they otherwise would have had to travel to Auckland or Hamilton to receive,” he says.
“A clinic like this in Tauranga provides the local community with cutting edge diagnostic imaging technology at their doorstep. Patients undergoing cancer treatment who need specialist
scans are already under immense stress, travelling a long way for a scan adds to that stress. Now they can access these services in a familiar and welcoming environment.”
Roger Lysaght, I-MED Tauranga Regional Manager, says the new clinic also provides muchneeded capacity for radiology services in the region, and enables more choice of providers for the local medical community and patients.
“By offering a broad range of services, including those not previously available such as PET-CT and SPECT scans, it offers enhanced patient comfort due to shorter scan times. We’re thrilled we can offer the local community
the duo because of their far-reaching, professional reputation and long track record of success.
Flow State was placed on the market confidentially at the time, but that certainly didn’t stop it from accumulating excellent interest. Throughout the sale process, Theresa and Alanah’s dedication ensured the vendor met with a diverse pool of buyers.
“Our strong and varied buyer network is one of the biggest highlights for vendors working with us,” Theresa says.
“In the case of Flow State, and many others, having so many offers on the table kept the vendor in the driver’s seat.”
Unsurprisingly, the vendor was elated and received 100% of his asking price.
Business owners considering selling should take note of these successes. Listing with Alanah and Theresa means tapping into a proven process that maximises the potential of a business sale.
Selling means meeting the strong demand for quality businesses as Kiwis move towards
business ownership and away from the traditional 9-5 routine.
Commenting on this interesting market, Theresa says, “The business sales market stands in stark contrast to the current property market. While property sales may be experiencing a slowdown, the business sector remains robust, highlighting the resilience and attractiveness of businesses as investment opportunities.”
For business owners, this is an opportune moment to consider selling. The demand for businesses is undeniable as evidenced by the rise of multi-offer situations.
With experts like the Eagle sisters at the helm, sellers can be assured of a smooth and profitable transaction, where there is no room to ask, “what if?”
Alanah Eagle and Theresa Eagle are business brokers for LINK Waikato and Bay of Plenty respectively. They can be contacted: Alanah Eagle, 021 606 345, alanah.eagle@linkbusiness.co.nz Theresa Eagle, 021 289 0949, theresa.eagle@linkbusiness.co.nz
access to high-calibre medical services at their doorstep.”
The clinic’s opening also comes after Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced a $30 million
the inconsistent access to radiology services across
Technology in business can be a hard subject for management to tackle.
More often than not, management teams stand at the revolving door of receiving and signing-off recommended changes – that’s if you are lucky enough to have a competent Managed Service Provider (MSP) making you aware of them in the first place.
If you are left feeling uneasy or uncertain about your company’s use of technology then you’re in luck, there is a way to fix this!
From my experience providing and supporting solutions over the years, the most successful companies, in whatever their specialised field may be, have the steps mastered.
Let’s start from the top with identifying your needs and goals. Ah yes, goals, who could have guessed this would be first.
Defining your objectives and prioritising your needs is where your own expertise in your own specialised field makes you valuable in this process. No one knows your industry like you. Your focus here is determining what you want to achieve with your technology; this could be
BY JAMES HARRISON
anything from productivity to communication.
Once you have these locked down then prioritise and rank them while being as detailed as possible. Now you can use your defined goals to evaluate your current technology.
The first step in this evaluation is to discuss the performance of your current systems with your staff. Keep a keen ear out for words like “crashing”, “lagging” or any other repeating issues.
Now identify if there are key features missing from your sys-
tems that you have dreamed about. Features are what are built on top of the core functionality of your systems such as good, clean reporting, integrations with other systems or emailing directly from your system. Just like when setting goals, use your own expertise here too to determine what features are important to you and your business.
During this process, beware of confusing performance and features, with user experience, which is an important factor but does need to be discussed with your team separately.
User experience should be defined by how user-friendly the system is, does the layout make sense and how easy it is for people to do their daily tasks.
Now that you have armed yourself with clear goals and have carried out the evaluation, you can proceed with finding the right solution.
Start with doing your own research if you prefer. A good start is to look into user reviews as you may find that you are not the only one trying to achieve these
goals with the same systems.
Alternatively, you could investigate new systems as potential replacements to your own, to achieve the goals you set. Taking advantage of trial periods, demos, and looking into user reviews of alternatives are good ways to understand what else is out there.
Finally, seek professional advice. MSPs can guide you through this process, mediate with providers and give crucial advice in areas you may have not yet thought about. These can be areas like assessing support qual-
ity from the vendor. This is key to keeping uptime as close to 100% as possible.
MSPs can also help maintain licensing and access, certificates, domain records and provide maintenance, so you can focus on what’s more important in your business. Any good MSP’s goal, after all, is to help its customers achieve success.
James Harrison is a senior technical engineer at Stratus Blue. He can be contacted at support@stratusblue.co.nz
Technology industry leaders say the government’s decision to set up a biotech regulator will prove a major boost for industries using gene technologies while ensuring strong protection for human health and the environment.
BioTechNZ executive director Dr Zahra Champion welcomed today’s announcement by Hon. Judith Collins, Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology.
“Current regulations for genetic technologies are outdated and not fit for purpose. For years they have been hampering companies and researchers from keeping pace with scientific advancements and have been stifling innovation.
“This decision reflects the government’s commitment to enabling New Zealanders to responsibly and safely open up access to the benefits of gene
technology, which is crucial for addressing critical challenges in agriculture, healthcare, and environmental sustainability,” said Dr Champion.
NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller also welcomed the decision.
“Technology is a critical industry for New Zealand, creating thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in exports every year, yet the biotech sector has been ham-
strung by regulation, and New Zealand has been missing out,” noted Muller. “That’s why the announcement of a biotech regulator is great news as it demonstrates the government is serious about these technologies and the potential they offer for New Zealand’s future.”
However, government still has more work to do, according to Muller.
“To get the desired outcome
from the establishment of this regulatory regime, government will also need to consider how to stimulate a biotech sector that is science-heavy and which will need support with commercialisation and scale up. There is no point allowing the use of technologies that can cure cancer and help address climate issues if there is no investment in the ecosystem to support the transition of science to products.”
After what could be seen as a period of hibernation, two recent developments reinforce that Inland Revenue has awoken and taxpayers should not be complacent. The past few years have seen resources dedicated to both a technology system upgrade and providing Covid support services.
With these now largely dealt with, Inland Revenue has shifted its focus towards active compliance enforcement. Budget 2024 provided increased funding of $29m per annum for “investment in compliance activities” and this has been followed by press releases from both the Minister of Revenue and the Commissioner of Inland Revenue explicitly confirming that the funding will be used to crack down on those not meeting their tax obligations.
Recent examples of heightened Inland Revenue activity include an uptick in the number of requests for information, an increase in the amount of information being requested in those requests, as well as letters noti-
fying that matters have been sent straight to audit. Going forward, compliance focus areas announced to date are as follows:
• Hidden economy
• Trusts
• Retail sector (including liquor stores)
• Construction sector
• Property
• Cryptocurrency
• Electronic sale suppression software
• Corporate restructures
• Overseas student loan borrowers
• Small business cashflow loans
• Multinationals
In the event you are the subject of a tax audit, if errors are found not only will you have to pay any tax due but Inland Revenue will also consider whether to apply penalties. These penalties range from 20% to 150%, but can be reduced if you make a voluntary disclosure of the error.
Voluntary disclosures made before you’ve been notified of an audit materially improve the opportunity to secure a full penalty reduction. They also reduce
BY ANDREA SCATCHARD
the risk of being audited, as a voluntary disclosure demonstrates that you are undertaking some form of self-review, have governance processes in place, and are making efforts to voluntarily comply.
How do you know if you are complying with your tax obligations? To start with, you should seek professional advice and assistance with your tax returns where appropriate. You can also undergo regular tax “health checks”, especially for tax returns that you are preparing in house.
Following the advice of a specialist tax advisor is a mitigating factor when it comes to penalties if the IR subsequently disagrees with the approach taken. For complex commercial arrangements, the only way to get absolute certainty on how the tax rules apply is to apply for a binding ruling from Inland Revenue. As the name suggests, provided a taxpayer has been accurate (and not misleading) in the application and has complied with any conditions, the ruling will be binding on the IR for the stipulated timeframe (unless there is a law change).
With the increase in IR activity, you can consider the following for peace of mind:
• Check for outdated positions: If you’ve been relying on historical tax advice or rulings, it’s good to confirm the law has not changed and you are still complying with the rules. Frequent law changes mean you can’t assume a position taken years ago is still applicable today.
• Review any contentious posi-
> Following the advice of a specialist tax advisor is a mitigating factor when it comes to penalties if the IR subsequently disagrees with the approach taken.
tions: How comfortable are you that your position is reasonable and fully documented? Would obtaining more certainty via a binding ruling be a valuable investment?
• Undertake a review: Having an independent review is a good way to confirm that your ducks are in a row—or a good way to notice that they are not. Payroll, FBT, and GST reviews are the most common. To take the guesswork out of your tax preparation, seek advice from a tax professional.
Andrea Scatchard is a Tax Partner at Deloitte, based in the Bay of Plenty. She can be contacted on ascatchard@deloitte.co.nz
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Connectwithus tofindout moreabouthowwecanhelp. deloitte.co.nz
Effective hiring can be the difference between making and breaking a successful business.
Evaluating whether a candidate is a good fit for a position and organisation is an important step.
The average ‘cost to hire’ can be more than $4,000 per position and the cost of a bad hire can be over 75% of that position’s salary; this is not something that companies can afford to get wrong, particularly in our current economic climate.
Interviewing is standard practice to evaluate a candidates’ suitability for a position, but it may not always be the only option.
Whilst interviews provide valuable insights into a candidate’s personality, communication style, and team fit, they also have limitations, are prone to bias, and may not accurately reflect how candidates perform.
Evaluating applicants using an objective lens, data-driven methods are recommended, using statistics and facts to support decisions, rather than gut feelings.
Here are some alternative methods which can be useful evaluation tools to compliment your interview process.
Using psychometric testing in recruitment allows for more scientifically backed decision-making. These tests are designed to tap into a person’s psychology and determine the behavioural tendencies of applicants. Cognitive ability assessments use a wide range of mental processes, such as abstract thinking, working with numbers, problem-solving, and reading comprehension.
There are a range of testing options available which examine a candidate’s soft skills, offering an objective approach providing in-depth insights into the character and key attributes of your candidates.
These tests are commonly used to understand applicants’ behaviour and personality traits and sense-check to see if their values align.
Test projects test a candidate’s ability to perform a particular
task. They accurately reflect how the candidates will adjust to specific work environments, responsibilities and problems.
For example, a web designer could be asked to build a sample website or a chef may be asked to prepare a dish to sample, all offering further insight into the candidate’s actual skillset and knowledge.
Certain industries like journalism, graphic design and architecture for example, can benefit from portfolio-based assessments as they display an applicant’s technical expertise and performance. For instance, a journalist’s article or video report can showcase their writing and presenting abilities.
This approach tests the candidate’s critical thinking abilities, attitude and aptitude within a team, their communication skills and leadership capacity. Usually, this tactic requires the candidates to work together in a group-setting to solve a problem, all while a panel of assessors observes and evaluates each of them during the simulation.
BY KELLIE HAMLETT
While interviews can help assess a candidate’s fit with the team and company culture, involving other team members and peers throughout the selection process can provide a broader range of perspectives.
Recruitment is a real process, and there are many different ways to assess a candidate to get a full 360-degree view of their talents, motivations, strengths and weaknesses, along with accurately assessing where their skills sit in comparison with other candidates. The interview really is the first step.
People are the biggest asset in your business, therefore taking the time to accurately screen the people coming into your business, and therefore minimise costly mistakes, is a must-do in our experience.
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
Osteoporosis is a common condition that many New Zealanders might not be familiar with, but its impact is widely felt, especially among adults 50 years and older.
This chronic condition weakens bones, making them brittle and more susceptible to fractures from minor falls or bumps, known as fragility fractures.
Osteoporosis New Zealand (ONZ) estimates that 22,300 fragility fractures occur annually in New Zealand, including almost 4,000 hip fractures. This has a significant impact not only on those who sustain these fractures and their families and whānau, but also the healthcare system.
The total annual number of hospital bed days attributable to fragility fractures is equivalent to a 525-bed hospital being occupied every day of the year with someone recovering from a fragility fracture.
A comprehensive national programme is well underway to tackle this issue.
The Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) offer a coordinated approach that aims to deliver
world-class care to people who sustain a fragility fracture.
This service is crucial because half of the people who suffer a hip fracture have previously broken another bone, which should have triggered a fracture risk assessment and preventive measures. But in the absence of FLS, frequently does not.
ACC supports the funding of FLS as part of the Live Stronger for Longer programme.
“The goal of an FLS is to prevent future fractures by ensuring patients receive appropriate, timely diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care,” says James Whitaker, ACC Injury Prevention Programme Lead.
Over the past decade, there has been a progressive expansion of FLS across New Zealand.
By mid2024, each Health NZ region will have an FLS, thanks to the strategic partnership between ONZ and ACC.
These services are primarily based in hospital settings but rely on close coordination with primary care providers to deliver comprehensive longterm care. This includes patient assessment, initiation and con-
tinuation of treatment, and implementation of falls prevention strategies.
In 2023, ACC accepted over 173,000 new claims for fall-related injuries among adults over 65 years of age, costing $345 million. Without preventive measures, these costs are projected to soar to $720 million by 2035.
New Zealand’s FLS are genuinely world-class, as demonstrated by the fact that the majority of them feature on the International Osteoporosis Foundation’s Capture the Fracture Map of Best Practice.
The FLS create care plans and provide treatment recommendations to suit individual needs.
By focusing on future falls and fracture prevention, personalised treatment, and continuous care, FLS help individuals maintain stronger bones. This leads to a higher quality of life.
Someone who has already suffered a fragility fracture almost doubles their risk of further fractures. This is something FLS hopes to change, as FLS models are proven to be the most cost-effective way of pre-
venting secondary fractures.
Whitaker says public education around secondary fracture prevention is vital in reducing the number of fragility fractures across Aotearoa.
“If you think you might benefit from an FLS, speak with your healthcare provider about the options available to you in your district,” says Whitaker.
“Also, if you are surprised that you have a fracture after a seemingly minor incident it would be worth asking to have your bone density assessed. Taking these steps could help you to avoid other issues in the future.”
• Why FLS are needed: Fracture Liaison Services are vital for New Zealand because they close the care gap for people over 50 years of age who sustain fragility fractures, preventing future fractures and improving the quality of life for older adults.
• How FLS work: FLS are
organised in all Health NZ regions with support from ACC, ONZ and coordination with primary care providers. They ensure patients receive comprehensive care, including diagnosis, treatment, and falls prevention, benchmarked against national clinical standards informed by international best practices.
• What benefits FLS deliver: FLS achieve significant improvements in clinical care quality and outcomes for individuals aged 50 years and over who suffer an initial fragility fracture. They help reduce the risk of subsequent fractures, thereby lowering healthcare costs, enhancing the wellbeing of older New Zealanders, and freeing up thousands of hospital beds annually so that other serious conditions can be treated without delay.
> By MAHÉ DRYSDALE, MAYOR, TAURANGA CITY COUNCIL
Last month’s 25 basis-point relaxation of the Official Cash Rate (OCR) by the Reserve Bank, the first reduction in interest rates since late-2021, provides a glimmer of hope for long-suffering mortgage holders, and for business
The OCR is New Zealand’s primary tool for controlling inflation, which the Reserve Bank is now confident will be back inside the required 1-3%
Following the surge in inflation which resulted from the former Government’s moves to provide a Covid-related stimulus to the country’s economy, New Zealand has basically been forced into a recession to curb consumer spending. That was achieved by a series of OCR increases, from a low of 0.25% in 2021 to 5.5% in May 2023, where it stayed.
As we all know, higher interest rates have contributed to an already difficult economic climate and we’ve been waiting for a pivot point which provides some certainty that rates will continue to track down. Many individuals and businesses have been doing it tough, but assuming that inflation is now under control, we can look forward to better times ahead and a slow transition back to a growing economy.
That should see a gradual recovery in business and consumer confidence and in that regard, I note that last month also saw the first increase in job advertising on SEEK in the past year. Without ‘over-egging’ the significance of that, it does perhaps indicate that the business sector is starting to move out of survival mode and looking to dust-off its growth plans.
With the Government’s personal tax cuts now in place and lower residential mortgage rates starting to flow through, it would be natural to see a modest increase in consumer spending, which would be very welcome for the retail and hospitality sectors in particular. Let’s hope that does eventuate and that we can all build towards a more buoyant economy towards the end of 2024.
Tauranga City Council’s new governance ‘team-of-10’ are acutely aware that the industrial rate introduced for the start of the 2024/25 year has made a tough time even harder for some businesses. While that’s regrettable, the decision made by the Commissioners as part of the 202434 Long-term Plan was part of a progressive change in the city’s rates structure designed to make the overall rates approach fairer, aligning costs with the benefits different sectors derive from Council services and in particular the transportation activity.
I have no doubt that the timing of this has been unwelcome for some, and that it will be of little consolation that the recent changes in commercial and industrial rates are simply bringing Tauranga more into line with the rat-
ing policies that have long-existed in other metropolitan centres.
On a more positive note, Council has fixed the proportion of general rates to 65% residential, 15% commercial and 20% Industrial for the foreseeable future, which does provide certainty for each sector, and will moderate the impact on rates arising from large swings in future property market revaluations.
The team-of-10 is now charged with overseeing the delivery of the Long-term Plan and ensuring that all ratepayers see real benefits flow from the Council’s investments in new and improved infrastructure, which aim to create a more vibrant city that current and future residents will want to live, work, and play in, and businesses will want to invest in.
Nga mihi
So, what does it take to become one of the world’s richest and most respected investors?
For Warren Buffett, a 93-yearold American who lives in Omaha, Nebraska, in a house he bought back in 1958 for $31,500 the answer is simple: be a contrarian.
At the start of August, Buffett filed as having sold $50bn-worth of Apple shares, cutting his stake in the tech giant by around half. This has sparked interest and speculation around the market. While Buffett himself hasn’t provided a detailed explanation for these specific actions, we should expect the unexpected.
Buffett, known as the ‘Oracle of Omaha’, has built a personal fortune of more than $100 billion by going against the crowd and buying undervalued stocks that others shun. He is the epitome of a value investor, who believes the value of the market, or a stock is below its intrinsic value.
Buffett once said that it’s wise for investors ‘to be fearful when
others are greedy and to be greedy only when others are fearful.’
should investors
Often investors’ decisions are driven by human emotions such as fear and greed. For example, greed can result in investors buying and bidding up prices in the market, hoping for ever-larger returns and profits.
A value investor looks to purchase stocks that are trading below their intrinsic value – the perceived or true value of an underlying asset. This doesn’t always equate to the current market price because assets can be either over or undervalued. Price is what you pay for an asset and the value is what it’s worth. If an investor pays too high a price, then the potential returns can be severely impacted.
When making investment decisions, Buffett looks to invest at a
good price and takes advantage of opportunities when others are feeling fearful. As he has famously said in the past, ‘it is much better to buy a wonderful business at a good price than a good business at a wonderful price.’
Buffett and his long-time friend Charlie Munger, who served as Vice Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway until he passed away just shy of his hundredth birthday in late November 2023, began operating Berkshire in 1965. During that time, the stock has risen at an annualized pace of 19.8%. The S&P 500 has had an annualised return of 10.2% within the same timeframe.
Adopting a value-oriented mindset might mean looking beyond popular stocks or sectors and considering investments in areas that may be temporarily out of favour but have long-term potential. This requires patience, a deep understanding of the companies you invest in, and the ability to stay calm during market fluctuations.
BY SIMON BRADLEY
Buffett’s emphasis on holding cash to seize opportunities is also a valuable lesson. In a small market like New Zealand, where investment options may be limited, having a cash reserve can allow investors to act quickly when attractive opportunities arise, providing liquidity, income and diversification.
While the principles of value investing can be beneficial, it’s essential for investors to adapt
these strategies to their local market conditions and personal risk tolerance. For those looking to deepen their understanding of these concepts, Warren Buffett’s annual letters to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders are a goldmine of insights.
Additionally, reading The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham, Buffett’s mentor, can provide a solid foundation in value investing. By applying these timeless principles with a local perspective, New Zealanders can work towards building a robust and resilient investment portfolio.
Simon Bradley is a Wealth Management Advisor at Jarden. He can be contacted on 07 222 0674 or 027 427 3899 and simon.bradley@jarden.co.nz
Once upon a time, long ago in a faraway office a plague of uncontrollable tantrums began to reach epidemic proportions; the specialists could see what caused the outbursts of rage and set about inoculating office workers worldwide through technology improvement. The cause of that epidemic: printer connectivity.
The inoculation process was multi-faceted: reliable new printer technology, enhanced Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, and plugand-play (PnP) simplicity, all of which resulted in all but eliminating the frustrations that afflicted even the most mild-mannered of
office workers.
Nowadays we don’t need to print so much stuff because our smartphones are much smarter, and we’ve learned to read things on screen and save them to the cloud without needing a hardcopy – phewww. That heightened frustration, so often accompanied by the utterance, “I can’t get the ******* thing to print”, has now largely been eliminated.
Unfortunately, the elimination of printer rage left a void that has now been replaced by a new scourge: the password; In medical parlance you could say the ‘virus [non-IT] has mutated’.
Ask yourself: “How much of my time has been wasted recently by the following words: INCORRECT PASSWORD, or NO SUCH USERNAME”?
In my case the answer is, “lots”. And too often those words pop up at the most inconvenient time eg at the airport trying to transfer funds to pay for a flight change! Mmmmmm, no pressure.
“Passwords are no big deal, so what’s the problem?”, I hear some of you ask.
• Problem one: I have several email addresses – which one did I use when I signed up?
• Problem two: I have several
devices – my password manager is accessible on most of them most of the time – the word ‘most’ is the problem here.
• Problem three: Rules keep changing regarding password strength – does anyone else experience severe anxiety when informed your favourite app’s password now requires an extra 4 characters?
• Problem four: Never use the same password on different sites –yeah right!
BY ALAN NEBEN
• Problem five: Never write-down or share your passwords – my memory is pretty good, but even I have limits. We need a new vaccine for the password epidemic.
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. HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED?
The University of Waikato has been an anchor organisation of the Bay of Plenty community for over 20 years, and for the past five, we’ve been based in the Tauranga city Knowledge Precinct. In this time, we’ve put an emphasis on understanding the region and building strong relationships with a range of businesses and communities in this great place.
Waikato is ranked in the world’s top 250 universities and the top three in New Zealand, with Waikato Management School ranked in the top 1% globally. Waikato Management School’s connectivity with business is what sets us apart as a top tier business school in New Zealand.
We believe local relationships have benefits for both students and business – exposing our future business leaders to innovative ways of thinking, while connecting local employers with new talent. We appreciate the support and engagement we have consistently received from the business community and are proud of the strides we are continuing to make in the provision of our education offerings as a result.
This October, we’re bringing together local startups and businesses at our newest Executive Short Course on FinTech and AI. Local startups will pitch their innovative products to the enduser, our local businesses. This course will provide access to cutting-edge technologies and help foster connections.
New to our Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a guest speaker component, where wellknown senior executives from across the region will share their expertise and experienced views of future challenges for their industry. We’re teaming up with
leaders from economic development agencies, Māori business, investment firms and global commercial companies. By connecting with successful leaders, students can apply learnt knowledge directly to industry and build critical networks to support our region’s success.
Our annual MBA Connector Event brings together alumni, students and those interested in undertaking the MBA programme. The event features an alumni keynote speech and panel discussion. This event will be held at our Tauranga campus in October. Find out more by emailing
LLOYDRAKAUPAI
WaikatoMasterofBusinessAdministration(MBA)
Iwi:NgātiTūwharetoa,NgātiManiapoto,TeAtiawa,NgātiAwa Māori&PasifikaBusinessLeader,GHD,Tauranga ViceChairoftheTaurangaBusinessChamber, DeputyChairoftheTaurangaMāoriBusinessAssociation
“IchosetostartmyWaikatoMBAjourneybecauseIknewthatIwasready toamplifymyleadershipcapabilities,andbroadenmystrategicacumen. TheWaikatoMBAprogrammeoffersaprofoundunderstandingofbusiness strategiesandprocesses,anddeepinsightsthroughreal-worldexamples.
mba@waikato.ac.nz.
When it comes to our Bachelor of Business, students get the opportunity for real-world experience through our business partnerships and relationships. This degree is a key offering of our Tauranga campus and student numbers continue to grow.
The learning model allows students to connect with industry through workplace internships or consulting projects where they work directly with organisations to solve problems alongside staff.
Connecting industry and learning about your concerns is a critical part of our growth model.
We are pleased to partner with local business chambers for this year’s Regional Business Leaders events in Tauranga (31 October) and Rotorua (14 November). Co-hosted by Pro Vice-Chancellor Management Matt Bolger and the Hon. Steven Joyce, Chair of the Waikato Management School Advisory Board, the events allow the University to hear from business leaders about priorities, challenges and opportunities, ensuring we can continue to support you with programme and degree refinement and innovation.
Connection is critical to our collective success, so once again I extend my thanks to our business community for engaging with the University and our students at all levels to enhance the calibre of business education and innovation in our region.
If you’d like to study with us, email msc@waikato.ac.nz.
If you’re a business that would like to connect with the next generation of leaders, contact me leon.fourie@waikato.ac.nz.
Dr Leon de Wet Fourie is the Associate Dean at Waikato Management School www.waikato.ac.nz
It’snotjustabouttheoreticalknowledgethough.Ithassignificantly broadenedmyglobalperspective,andhelpedmetoevolveintothekind ofservantleaderwhoputstheneedsofotherpeoplefirst. MeetingindustryleadersandmyfellowMBAstudentshasbeenatruly enrichingexperience,helpingmetobuildrelationshipsacrossthewider businesscommunity.
IfeelconfidentthattheWaikatoMBAwillprovideasolidfoundationfor myfuturecareer,andtheinsightstohelpsteerthefast-growingMāori businesseconomy.”
TheWaikatoMBAisavailableattheUniversityofWaikato’sTauranga campus.Findoutmore waikato.ac.nz/mba
New Zealand’s annual rate of inflation has fallen to its lowest level in three years and now sits just outside the Reserve Bank’s target band, with cuts to the official cash rate looking likely before the end of the year.
The Cordell Construction
Cost Index shows that in the three months to June, New Zealand residential building construction costs fell for the first time in more than a decade.
Some of the contributing dynamics also apply to the industrial sector, with costs appearing to have plateaued and delivery timeframes for steel and concrete shortening.
Albeit tentative, any glimmers of positivity are good news for the wider economy, and will provide some confidence to the industrial sector which has been recalibrating in response to changed consumer buying patterns.
Light and heavy road traffic volumes have eased around New Zealand, which is a barometer of real-time economic activity, particularly when you consider how much freight is moved by road.
Infrastructure remains a gnarly bone of contention in both islands, with an underweight rail freight network and ongoing issues with Cook Strait ferry movements not helping roading challenges.
The regions look set to get a shot in the arm, with Regional
Development Minister Shane Jones holding nationwide summits to discuss progressing regional economic growth via the recently launched Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF). The nuts and bolts need to be finalised but we look forward to tangible progress in providing resilient and enabling infrastructure to help propel the regions forward. We could expect speculative development to remain in the back seat for a bit longer, as the
risk-reward fundamentals work themselves out. But there’s a distinct lack of ‘smaller’ 1,500sqm2,500sqm footprint A-grade warehousing planned in the Auckland market for willing medium-sized businesses which developers could address.
Regardless, there are some worldclass large-scale industrial buildings coming out of the ground such as Argosy Property’s $100 million-plus 6-Green Star complex in Onehunga, and its
high-spec Mt Richmond development in Mt Wellington. Also of note is the recently completed 23,000sqm development by largescale logistics property specialist LOGOS, in Wiri.
While there are some gaps on the new supply side, there’s currently a decent chunk of industrial inventory available for lease, and deals are being done despite market niggles and evidence of some downscaling.
Demand for logistics space,
mainly driven by e-commerce companies, has mellowed from the pandemic peak. The term cautious not only applies to consumer behaviour, but to businesses too as bottom-line efficiencies have been top of mind.
Right-sizing of space requirements by tenants has seen an increase in subleasing footprint come to the leasing market across the country. This is a prudent move as proactive operators opt to cut their cloth to suit their means, and allow other occupiers to do likewise by redistributing space.
Landlords are also rationalising their assets and we’re seeing some capital recycling as building owners rejig their property portfolios.
The market will continue to evolve as economic fundamentals change and consumer demand adapts accordingly.
Engaging with Bayleys’ nationwide industrial leasing team will give you market-relevant intel based on our broad reach and capability across the country – we look forward to connecting with you as your business flexes to a new normal.
ChargeNet unveiled New Zealand’s largest EV charging hub at Tauranga Crossing in August. The hub, capable of charging 10 vehicles simultaneously, will boost accessibility and meet growing EV demand in the region.
Host: ChargeNet Location: Tauranga Crossing Date: 2 August 2024
Photography: Greg Oosthuysen
Bay of Plenty Business News director of sales Pete Wales takes up a new role directing the group’s publishing operations and sales from 1 September. He steps into the senior executive role after seven years of managing print and digital sales for the group’s titles.
The new role encompasses content management, production and distribution as well as responsibility for overall sales.
Pete’s promotion follows the announcement that the group’s owner Alan Neben will be stepping down from day-to-day management while overseas from September.
“Most businesspeople in the Bay know Pete, and he has his finger on the pulse in the region. We are looking forward to a big year in 2025, and Pete is the right person to lead that charge,” said Alan.
“I’m delighted he has accepted the new role with his usual gusto.”
Pete brings with him a wealth of media, advertising and marketing experience from Australia, New Zealand and Canada, comple-
menting the reputation he has carved out for himself directing sales for Bay of Plenty Business News since 2017.
Having launched innovative new titles such as 100 People magazine in 2023, this year the company is introducing a range of new business columnists and boosting its digital subscriber base. Bay of Plenty Business News has also recently published the first edition of its new BOP PLENTY – Business + People 2024 magazine.
Although 2024 has generally been an extremely challenging year for most Bay businesses, the new magazine concept has been well received and marks a new era for the Bay of Plenty Business News publishing team.
Bay of Plenty Business News is now widely acknowledged to be the region’s leading source of business news.
“We are at an exciting point in the evolution of media and a resurgent business – I can’t think of a better place to be working with so many progressive businesses in this dynamic region,” said Pete.
First Mortgage Trust (FMT) is pleased to announce the appointment of Charlie Oscroft as Investment Relationship Manager. Charlie is well-known in New Zealand’s investment industry and brings a wealth of expertise to FMT.
Paul Bendall, CEO of First Mortgage Trust, says, “It’s great to welcome someone of Charlie’s calibre to the team. This is another new role we have recently created, demonstrating our growth and strategic vision to take FMT to the next level.”
Charlie has experience in investment management and capital raising across real estate markets in both New Zealand and overseas.
Tauranga Business Chamber has announced that Debbie Ireland has been elected as the new chair of the Chamber board. Debbie, a chartered member of the Institute of Directors, has successfully grown her Tauranga-based business, Digital Workplace Results into a leading Microsoft 365 training provider. Debbie’s clients include local and international businesses across multiple industries.
Debbie is well known for “making things happen”. Her experience as a small business owner brings valued perspective.
Chris Dever was officially sworn in as an Ōmokoroa Community Board Member at Council chambers, after being elected to the role last month. “I’ve been attend-
ing community board meetings for the last two years and I really look forward to working through the community board with the Council to improve the paradise we live in,” he said.
Chris has lived in Ōmokoroa for the past five years, having moved from Christchurch where he was the Chief Information Officer for the Canterbury District Health Board. The Ōmokoroa Community Board seat became vacant following the resignation of Greig Neilson in April.
Alex Russell joins Scottish Pacific Business Finance as business development manager after spending 1.5 years as a small business owner in the FMCG market, managing everything from importing and marketing to sales, manufacturing and relationship building.
He will be focusing on their new unsecured business loan product, bringing firsthand experience and a deep understanding of the challenges faced by business owners.
Alex’s practical knowledge and personal insight into business challenges will be invaluable in helping other business owners seize growth opportunities.
His role at Scottish Pacific aligns with the company’s commitment to empowering clients with tailored financial solutions, reinforcing its position as New Zealand’s most trusted non-bank lender.
Colliers Tauranga is thrilled to have Dan Rae joining the team.
Dan is a seasoned professional who specialises in commercial sales and leasing, with a strong background in the commercial property sector with his career spanning more than 7-years.
His extensive background includes commercial property management, where he managed a diverse and substantial portfolio of commercial and industrial properties across the Bay of Plenty region. He is highly skilled at building strong relationships with both Landlords and Tenants and optimising property performance through strategic thinking.
Holland Beckett is pleased to announce specialist property and commercial lawyer, Hilary Anderson, has joined the firm as Special Counsel.
Named as one of NZ Lawyer’s Rising Stars in 2022, Hilary’s enjoys a wide variety of property and commercial work for private clients, property developers and commercial clients. She also has trusts, estates and asset planning expertise.
“The appointment comes at a time of significant momentum for the firm as we grow our commercial and development practices,” says Dean Thompson, partner.
Laura Rae has officially taken her seat as a Western Bay of Plenty District Councillor
Officially sworn in as the new Maketu – Te Puke Ward Councillor at August’s full council meeting, Laura, of Ngati Whakaue, was accompanied by whānau and friends as she was welcomed into the role with a powhiri. Previously chair of the Maketu Community Board, Laura says, as a young Māori wahine, she brings diversity to the Council table.
A Climate Change Coordinator for Te Rūnunga O Ngāti Whakaue ki Maketū, Laura grew up in Maketu and is focused on bettering the place she calls home.
