BEES TO KIWI
Rick and Moira Haddrell are getting set to welcome new residents to their farm.
MOVE Patients transferring to other hospitals or home now have more privacy.
THE SPOT Four mayoral candidates face the audience and a former mayor asks what we want from the election.
7 PAINT WAIKATO PINK We celebrate 25 years of breast cancer research and share some tips from medical experts. Pages 12-15
Greg Foran returned to Hamilton last month on Air New Zealand’s first domestic jet service to the airport in 25 years. He spoke to senior writer Mary Anne Gill as his remarkable leadership journey with the airline comes to an end.
The two trainee pilots are ecstatic as they get their photos taken with outgoing Air New Zealand chief executive Greg Foran.
“I want to be like you one day,” says the male student in a reverential tone.
“I’m not a pilot,” says Foran.
“No in business, just like you,” the student says before disappearing into the crowd celebrating the arrival of Air New Zealand’s A320 at Hamilton Airport – the first domestic jet for 25 years.
Foran, 64 - who grew up in Hastings and Hamilton, attending St John’s College and Hillcrest High - has arguably been New Zealand’s most high profile CEO in recent years starting with Air NZ on February 3, 2020, only weeks before the Covid19 pandemic decimated the airline industry.
Previous Air NZ bosses had faced challenges. When now Prime Minister Chris Luxon took the reins in 2013, he wasn’t afraid to launch new routes and cut others. Before him, Rob Fyfe turned
the airline around after the government injected taxpayer funds in 2001.
But none of them dealt with anything as disastrous to the business as Covid.
Foran had to lay off staff, send planes to deserts in the US and Australia, cut back regional services and grapple with a cost-of-living crisis.
So it was no surprise earlier this year that despite the offer of a hefty pay increase,
I’m very pleased we’ve been able to pull this one together. It makes sense for us. I think it’s going to be good for tourism"
Foran decided his time at Air New Zealand was up. He leaves later this month with chief digital officer Nikhil Ravishankar taking over.
The News asked Foran what he plans to do next.
“I’m not retiring,” he says with a glint in his eyes when we suggest he might be returning to the United States where former Walmart chief executive Doug McMillon described him as “the greatest retailer on the planet.”
Retailing is where Foran started his career, stacking shelves in a Hamilton supermarket.
He was a store manager at 20 and by 48 was leading Woolworths’ supermarket division in Australia until he was passed over for the top job.
Foran joined Walmart, the giant American multinational retailer, initially running its Chinese operations before McMillon put him in charge of all US stores.
His Air New Zealand appointment came as a surprise. When he returned
to his homeland, he brought with him an American twang - now almost gone except when he says the word route.
It was a baptism of fire.
Five years and eight months later he knows a lot more than when he started.
“Hey, you’ve heard a bit from an old broken down shopkeeper, who’s had to
learn a bit about aviation,” he says.
Last month he popped over the Tasman to see son Kieran play his final professional rugby league match. The former Kiwi five eighth played 318 first grade matches and scored 60 tries in a 17 year career ending with a 36-28 win for the Gold Coast Titans against
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“Only about 0.5 of one percent of all players get to 300 games, so he’s had a great career and I’m really proud of him.”
Foran was part of an Air NZ and Waikato business contingent who made the trip south to Christchurch for a celebratory luncheon
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and then the return trip by A320 to Hamilton, where Foran helped deliver the Koru Hour service.
“I’m very pleased we’ve been able to pull this one together. It makes sense for us. I think it’s going to be good for tourism,” says Foran.
The association between Hamilton Airport – the tenth busiest by passenger traffic and owned by five Waikato local authorities – and Air NZ goes back 75 years when its predecessor NAC first flew Fokker Friendships commercially.
When the airline withdrew jet services from Hamilton 25 years ago, it did not go down well with businesspeople in particular who found the turbo-props - ATR and Bombardier (now de Havilland) Q300 – a bit too slow for their liking.
They’ve both been good servants for Hamilton, says Foran but the A320 with its 171 economy seats compared to the ATR’s 68, results in lower costs for Air NZ –“provided we can fill it.”
“What you tend to do is you look at your network and say, ‘where does it make the most sense to employ that asset. And that means that naturally airlines will go into routes and they’ll pull out of routes and they’ll adjust routes. That’s the nature of the business.”
The jets will operate five days a week –excluding Tuesday and Saturday – leaving Hamilton in the late afternoon.
Jetstar last month announced it too will run A320 jet services – with 186 seats –daily between the two cities from December with its service leaving Hamilton in the morning.
Foran said the Air NZ services would have a mixture of people on the planes.
“But at the end of the day you’re going to get greater connection between the north and the South Island.”
What about international connections now Hamilton is set up?
Air NZ wants to resume flights between London and New Zealand, but needs its new Boeing 787s. The first two of eight will arrive next year and will be able to carry more cargo.
“Our plan will probably be to take those planes and immediately put them between Auckland and New York, and then that will free up those planes for some other activity.”
That could mean an increase in short-haul services to Asia and Australia — and that’s where Hamilton Airport potentially comes into play.
Also coming to Hamilton in two years is a new electric plane built by Beta Technologies in the United States.
“We will be using Hamilton to fly all around the country. It’s a small plane but it will be the beginnings of everyone in the ecosystems planning to understand what it will take to electrify small gauge aircraft in New Zealand.”
At some point Air NZ will put some seats in it, six to start with as an experiment, he says.
As Greg Foran prepares to step away from the aisles, his journey from Hamilton shelf stacker to global CEO leaves a lasting imprint on Air New Zealand - and a new generation of dreamers inspired to follow in his footsteps.
Mary Anne Gill travelled from Hamilton
to Christchurch and back and had a twohour city cycle tour courtesy of Air New Zealand and Chill Explore.
• Mary Anne Gill travelled from Hamilton to Christchurch and back and had a twohour city cycle tour courtesy of Air New Zealand and Chill Explore.
Canine love
A new community festival celebrating dogs and their people will be held at Cambridge’s Lake Te Koo Utu next month. Barkfest will feature free competitions and master classes in the show ring, dog related stalls, as well as a number of animal advocacy groups with the flagship event likely to be the 50m Doggy Dash.
The King Country-based Lines Company reached grass roots communities by investing $256,000 in its sponsorship programme and provided $122,000 towards energy hardship funding in the financial year ended March 31.
signed Waipā Networks and WEL Networks have signed a multi-year extension to their ‘Control Services Agreement’, building on a partnership that has already spanned more than two decades. WEL’s Hamiltonbased control room provides support to Waipā Networks’ high-voltage 33kV and 11kV networks, delivering 24/7 control room services for fault response, planned switching, and permit management.
The author of last month’s column on handling work clashes was Sarah Lim of the Employers and Manufacturers Association, not Sara Lim.
Due to space constraints, our popular Out and About pages are not running this month but appear online –check out goodlocal.nz and search Out and About.
Carefore Global NZ’s innovative immune support product, ColosIgGold, has won the highly regarded Product of the Year: Immune Support category at the 2025 NutraIngredientsAsia Awards in Bangkok. The Hamilton company specialises in developing and distributing cuttingedge nutrition and health products.
Rick and Moira Haddrell are preparing to receive kiwi on their Waitomo farm.
Senior writer Chris Gardner catches up with the couple and finds out what the Waikato beekeepers are doing now.
The founders of premium mānuka honey brand
Haddrell’s of Cambridge have secured regional support to translocate kiwi to their retired sheep and beef farm near Waitomo.
Rick and Moira Haddrell, who sold the brand to Prolife Foods in 2015, later purchased the 470-hectare Mangatiti farm.
They are now working with the Department of Conservation (DOC) and Save the Kiwi to become the first private landowners in the region to translocate kiwi onto private land.
Save the Kiwi is backing their application to DOC to receive the first of up to 250 kiwi next year.
“Waitomo is one of our priority sites to get birds translocated to next season,” says Save the Kiwi operations manager Tineke Joustra.
“We are hoping to create a corridor leading to Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari.”
They also have the support of Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari and Ōtorohanga Kiwi House and Wildlife Park for the project.
Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari hosted the Haddrells for a kiwi handling course last year.
“It’s always exciting to see new conservation projects coming on,” says Sanctuary Mountain chief executive Helen Hughes.
“It’s great seeing others investing in getting prepared.”
“It will be fantastic to release kiwi in our back yard,” says Kiwi House operations manager Julian Phillips.
The Haddrells spent their first five years at Mangatiti retiring the land from sheep and beef farming and preparing it for beehives, and their second five years preparing the farm for kiwi.
Originally from Taihape - the Gumboot Capital of the World - Moira trained to be a teacher in Palmerston North before teaching in Matamata in the 1980s where
In October 1993 Rick came home with this cool idea of setting up a bee keeping business
she met her husband Rick who was farming.
Moira then taught at St Peter’s Catholic School, Cambridge, in the 1990s.
“In October 1993 Rick came home with this cool idea of setting up a bee keeping business,” Moira recalls.
“I gave him until Christmas.”
The business started with 15 bee hives.
“Little did I know it would morph and grow bigger than I thought it would,” Moira says.
By the time they sold in 1995, they had 5000 hives.
“I would have people ringing up saying I would like $1 million worth of honey.”
The couple hope to receive the first kiwi from either Maungatautari, near Cambridge, and Lake Rotokare Scenic Reservice in Taranaki.
“When Save the Kiwi brought its team to the farm, they said it was perfect,” says Moira.
“It’s summer safe.”
The farm, west of Waitomo village, receives about two and a half metres of rain per year, creating
ground conditions that kiwi can get their beaks into for feeding on invertebrates, native fruit, berries, leaves and shoots.
The area was known for a wild kiwi population, with kiwi song last heard in 2023.
The Haddrells held a community engagement day last year to get everyone on the same page, including councillors, iwi, and neighbours.
The project started with the couple putting bee hives on the farm and planting mānuka with funding from Waikato Regional Council to support the bees.
“They were so happy to have the land reclaimed and stop the farm animals from pooping into the headwaters of the Waipā,” says Rick.
The Mangatiti Stream feeds into the Waipā then Waikato rivers.
The couple built a DOC hut style hut, complete with internal bathroom, from which to base themselves from for a few days per week.
From there they have planted 350,000 mānuka bushes across the farm.
The beekeeping operation, managed by beekeepers Don and Amy Brill from Tīrau, has been what Moira describes as a “bit of a fizzer” with a sharp fall in honey prices.
“The price was nearly $100 per kg of unprocessed mānuka honey, now it’s $10 per kilogramme,” she says.
The land is currently earning them “a couple of hundred grand” in carbon credits through the Emissions Trading Scheme which they are
reinvesting back into it.
“It’s sort of our retirement thing; we don’t work for money anymore. It’s the right thing to do. The farm is regenerating back into native bush,” Rick says.
The couple have also dealt with the incursion of non native species.
“In the first three years we shot 700 goats,” he says.
They have placed countless traps to rid the farm from rats and stoats and soon noticed native birds and insects returning.
“It was silent before, but by destocking we soon started to see what the land could be,” Moira says.
“We have heard morepork and weta.”
“Little did we know that years of doing the right thing would create the ideal spot for kiwi,” Rick says.
Waikato Regional Airport has relocated its medical flight operations to the southern end of Hamilton Airport.
More than 3000 flights a year use the airport for critical aeromedical services across the central North Island. Until recently these flights shared landing space with commercial airlines.
Medical flights are carried
out by air ambulances and by medical staff transporting donor organs and patients.
Airport operations group general manager Ben Langley says the move improves patient privacy and brings flights closer to Waikato Hospital, where many patients are transferred to and from.
“In terms of security, they don’t have to worry
about conflicting with our international processes,” he said.
The aircraft used include turboprops, private jets, and specially outfitted planes equipped with medical equipment.
They now operate from the former L3 Airline Academy hangar - an aviation training facility the airport took over five years ago.
“We originally sought flight trainers for that but there’s a whole lot of complexity in that sector so for one reason or another, it sat vacant for some time and we saw the opportunity to use if for medical flights,” said Langley.
Common uses include transferring patients needing acute care at a tertiary hospital – such as Waikato, Middlemore and Auckland hospitals – or flying premature babies to one of the country’s six neonatal
intensive care units.
The facilities are also used by Life Flight, which operates the Wellingtonbased Westpac Rescue Helicopter and a growing fleet of air ambulances nationwide.
Life Flight, a non-profit organisation, has been a cornerstone in providing urgent aeromedical care for patients around the country for almost 50 years.
Last year it added a fourth air ambulance plane to its fleet of King Air
The New Zealand Media Council is investigating Good Local Media’s handling of a Waikato Chamber of Commerce meet the candidates gathering where the business group invited four Hamilton mayoral candidates to speak at the request of its members.
Rudi du Plooy – who was not among the invited candidates - has complained about a front page heading – Pick Three – referring to mayoral races in three local authorities, Hamilton, Waipā and Waikato.
A story inside teased to the meeting and questioned the four city candidates as well as three from Waipā and two from Waikato.
Du Plooy complained the headline was misleading, risked creating false expectations and could unduly influence voter behaviour.
He said “concern arises from an apparent coordinated influence between the Waikato Business News, the Waikato Times and the Waikato Chamber of Commerce”.
A neighbourhood created to enhance your everyday life, while investing in your future.
And he said the fact editor Roy Pilott and senior writer Mary Anne Gill once worked for the Waikato Times suggested an editorial alignment.
Pilott told the Media Council “I elect not to waste my time responding to this nonsense”. He earlier told du Plooy the fact a person chooses to seek election does not compel a news editor to provide him or her the same coverage as all other candidates.
However, the council has announced it thinks there are sufficient grounds for it to proceed and the matter will go before the next full council meeting.
Du Plooy had earlier asked for “a correction clarifying the FPP voting system and the headline’s inaccuracy; balanced coverage acknowledging all 12 candidates and clarification on candidate selection and any editorial ties to the Waikato Times or Chamber”.
- Roy Pilott
Last month I joined the NZInvest team, the Minister of Immigration Hon Erica Stanford, and a delegation of New Zealand professional advisers and investment managers on a promotional tour to New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco to showcase New Zealand’s Active Investor Plus (AIP) residence visa, and to engage with existing and prospective USA based migrant investors.
The response was overwhelmingly positive. Across three events, in three different cities over three consecutive evenings we welcomed over 300 attendees, including over 30 existing investor migrants and 140 investor prospects, wealth advisers and family office representatives. The atmosphere at each event was vibrant, welcoming and energizing, and many guests stayed mingling well after the events were due to end.
The AIP visa changes, introduced in April 2025, are designed to attract foreign direct investment into New Zealand’s growth sectors and there are two categories:
• Growth Category: NZ$5 million in active investments over three years, with a minimum stay of 21 days in New Zealand
• Balanced Category: NZ$10 million in more passive investments over five years, with a minimum stay of 105 days Both categories offer significantly reduced time-in-New-Zealand requirements and allow families to gain lifelong residence on completion of their investment. As of 31 August, 129 of the 308 AIP applications lodged have come from the USA. Interest in the USA clearly remains high, and growing, with one attendee remarking that he was surprised the number wasn’t ten times higher given the situation in the USA, the favourable visa settings and the current lack of competing similar visas elsewhere.
Immigration Minister Erica Stanford’s presence was a highlight. At each event she met with nearly every AIP holder and prospect and took every opportunity to reinforce the
Government’s commitment to attracting high-quality investment and talent. Her presentation, accessibility and genuine engagement with attendees left a lasting impression, while her leadership in reforming the AIP policy, through unprecedented collaboration with private sector advisers (including the writer) has been instrumental in the success of the AIP.
The events were extremely well organised by NZInvest with opening remarks from Anthony Mosse (ex NZ Olympian), who heads the USA investor attraction team, and insights from Ambassador Rosemary Banks or Consul General Katja Ackerley. This was followed by the Minister’s presentation and then I, and two other advisers, took turns to discuss all about the AIP, followed by a Q & A with existing investor migrants. The interest from USA investors is not just about residence - it is also about meaningful engagement with the New Zealand economy. Many expressed a desire to invest in innovative ventures and to support Kiwi businesses and it is helpful that USA investors are generally very “investment savvy” and able to quickly appreciate, and accept, investment risk. The AIP approved investment list, now featuring over 80 options, is growing steadily and includes funds focused on sustainability, technology, and regional development.
New Zealand’s appeal is also geopolitical. In a world marked by instability, our isolation is now seen as a strength. Families are seeking safe, inclusive societies with strong institutions and quality of life. The AIP visa offers just that—alongside efficient and timely processing, and now the ability to purchase or build a $5 million home.
The USA is clearly a key market for the AIP visa, and thanks to the efforts of NZInvest, the Minister, and a united front of Kiwi professionals, and with almost NZ$2 billion committed to date, we are well on our way to converting interest into impact. The future looks bright—for our AIP investors, for our economy, and for New Zealand.
Students from two Hamilton schools eagerly showcased what they have learned about sustainability at an Enviroschools event in Cambridge last month.
Vardon School and Waikato Montessori were with other Waikato schools at an event designed to bring students and multiple community experts from around the Waikato to celebrate together to be inspired by conservation and taking care of nature.
Enviroschools is an environmental action based programme where students design and lead sustainability projects in their schools and communities.
Community experts - including Anna Cunningham, Natalie Jessup, Sirri Smith, Sara Taylor, Faith Haakma, Phil Margetts, and Shelley Urlich - led engaging, hands-on workshops on bird banding, stream care,
kauri protection, and trapping. They came from Tuia te Ora –Endangered Species Foundation, Waikato Regional Council kauri protection, Smart Water, Taiea te Taiao Ecological Corridor, Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari and Kids in Nature – Hamilton City Council.
Waikato has 220 enviroschools – 50 of them early childhood centres – and 55,000 students involved.
The vision of creating healthy, peaceful, and more sustainable communities relies on bringing together diverse skills, perspectives, and resources.
Building and maintaining a collaborative support network – each collaborator bringing something different - has been essential to the development of Enviroschools. – Mary Anne Gill
The NZ Media Council has upheld a complaint against Waikato Business News over its article “The cost of canning greyhound racing”, published on 4 June 2025, citing a lack of balance in its coverage of the Government’s greyhound racing ban.
The article focused on the economic impact of the ban, quoting industry figures who described the decision as rushed and harmful to livelihoods. It included strong claims about the cost to the region and the challenges of rehoming thousands of dogs but failed to include any opposing views.
Kelly Bold, of the Greyhound Protection League of New Zealand, argued the article presented a one-sided narrative and omitted critical perspectives from animal welfare organisations, government officials, and independent experts. She said the piece ignored the reasons behind the ban and allowed industry representatives to make unchecked claims.
The Waikato Business News defended the article, saying this article and another on the issue covered the perspective of an industry that had considerable economic strength in its coverage area in response to the ban, which was well publicised at the time. Lobby groups were within their rights to encourage the media to write stories that suit their agenda.
The Media Council upheld the complaint under Principle (1) Accuracy, Fairness and Balance, stating the article fell short of the standard required for balanced reporting. It noted that while the article reflected industry concerns, it failed to include counterpoints or context about the Government’s rationale, including prior warnings and independent reviews.
The termination of greyhound racing was a long-running issue and so there was an element of balance over time, but in this article new matters of fact were put forward, and opposing comment should have been sought.
The Council also upheld a second article Ms Bold complained about published in the Cambridge News (owned by the same company as the Waikato Business News) “The killing of an industry” published on May 29. The rulings reinforce the need for media outlets to present diverse viewpoints, especially when reporting on divisive issues.
The Media Council said that both articles’ failure to include opposing voices amounted to a breach of editorial responsibility.
The full ruling can be found on the Media Council’s website.
Although the article came close to breaching Principle (4) Comment and Fact, the Council did not uphold that part of the complaint, presented as unattributed fact, they were clearly comments and did not meet the threshold for a breach. They were perspectives rather than misleading facts.
‘Stick to core business’ is a description thrown around like confetti as a solution when some people complain about the disastrous state of local government finances in New Zealand. It’s not that simple. And so put on your voter’s hat.
The coalition government seems intent on reform – the most significant since the 1989 local body amalgamations. The Local Government (System Improvements) Amendment Bill points the finger at ‘lack of fiscal discipline’ with rates rises ‘the fastest in 20 years’.
And some of us want the Public Service Amendment Bill expanded to local government ‘to drive improvements in performance’, to tackle ‘managerialism’ and the governance gulf between elected representatives and officials.
In this region, the new ‘waters’ council corporates are inheriting the old plans and the old problems with unsustainable costs ahead and splintered partnerships.
City debt is already more than $1 billion, with projections it will double despite rates up 30% in the past two years and still no balanced books. Pipe problems within Hamilton have halted housing development and the Peacocke growth cell has become another fiscal black hole.
There’s a $180 million bridge but an inability to repay the government loan, and recently a $2.9 million budget blow-out from the Melville ‘poo’ holding tank while locals are contemplating legal action over a $6 million land purchase in 2022 for a yetto-be approved sewage treatment plant.
Meanwhile, our streets are in a sorry state,
and we are still spending on over-designed pedestrian crossings and speed bumpsand paying for a $16 million entrance to Hamilton Gardens, and $3.7 million toilets in Steele Park. What’s gone so wrong?
And that’s what has me at the keyboard. Because our votes in this local body election give us a say.
Democracy enables us to discharge those councillors who have failed us, support those who have challenged that spending pattern, and also elect some new and hopefully more effective local leaders (and not there just for the $100,000 pay).
Dig deeply into your own judgment and think of Malcolm Gladwell. He’s a New Yorker columnist who enthuses about our abilities to analyse others (way beyond the fad of personality testing).
By MARGARET EVANS
Think about democracy and accountability and leadership. Councils operate with a core ‘cabinet’ of councillors who chair committees, somewhat like central government ministers, and (alongside the mayor) drive the annual budget reviews and the 10-year plan (Long Term Plan).
That means they are primarily responsible (and accountable) for the current state of affairs. Some are seeking re-election.
In Hamilton, this includes Sarah Thomson (Growth and District Plan), Maxine Van Oosten (Finance and Monitoring), Angela O’Leary (Infrastructure and Transport), and Louise Hutt (Regulatory and Hearings), with Anna Casey-Cox a deputy chair (Community and Natural Environment). Those councillors who voted against the current Long Term Plan in July 2024 and have been in the minority in their call for changes are Tim Macindoe, Andrew Bydder, Emma Pike and Geoff Taylor.
Under the Single Transferable Vote system, I will vote only No 1 for the mayoralty but rank up to eight candidates for my sixseat ward, which pushes down the ones I don’t want.
And my personal disclaimer: I know many of the candidates but that does not ensure my vote for them.
I’m not influenced by women, nor political party or family links. I will be voting only for those I think are sincere ‘reformers’ with the experience, wisdom, and determination to bring in the essential changes. And not those I hold responsible for the current mess. Margaret Evans was Hamilton mayor from 1989 to 1998 and first elected to the council in 1974. She was honoured in 1995 with a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for her services to local government.
The face of Hamilton’s CBD is changing rapidly. A new wave of office, retail and service related businesses are moving in, attracted by a combination of better amenity, greater market opportunity and a more vibrant environment. There has been a clear change over the last 8 weeks or so.
- City Fitness are moving into 308 Barton Street
- Hello World are moving into 1 Ward Street
- CKL are moving into 18 London Street
- Crew Cut are moving into 871 Victoria Street
- Tetra Pak are moving into Union Square
There are many more that come to mind…..
Large and small, these are all existing businesses and recognised brands, who very recently have committed to relocate into our CBD. The list is extensive and growing.
Development on a broad scale is clearly a major reason:
- 191 room Pullam Hotel at 42-48 Ward Street
- 1,300 seat Waikato Regional Theatre on Victoria Street & Sapper Moore-Jones Place
- Building B at Union Square on Anglesea/Hood/Alexandra Streets
- Extensive redevelopment of 500 Victoria Street by Prime Property and 18 London Street by Stark Property
- Medical developments at 121 Anglesea Street, 856 Victoria Street and 19 Knox Street
- Residential development of 42 apartments by Bridge Housing Trust at 340-360 Tristram Street, along with several high quality apartment developments in Hamilton East
Again, many more come to mind…..
Our recent Office Occupancy Survey indicated that in excess of 37,000sqm of space is currently under redevelopment or refurbishment, plus a growing number of new builds.
Businesses are increasingly viewing the CBD as the engine room of Hamilton and also the greater Waikato.
Our central city already supports approximately 21,400 jobs, houses around 2,650 businesses, and generates roughly $3.2 billion in GDP — about onequarter of the city’s total output.
Part of the pull is the growing availability of high-quality, modern office space. Increasingly, developments come with desirable features: end-of-trip facilities, parking, modern energy efficiency or sustainability credentials, and proximity to cafés, retail, and leisure options. This kind of amenity serves both employees and residents, making downtown living and working increasingly attractive. Workplaces are emphasising the importance of culture, in locations that help attract and retain staff. Furthermore, more foot traffic around shops and cafes helps to support the wider commercial ecosystem.
Challenges and Outlook
Hamilton faces the typical “flight to quality” pressures: tenants are seeking newer, more efficient offices, while less desirable spaces are lagging.
Development momentum is high, infrastructure, transport linkages and lifestyle amenity have to keep pace.
The Hamilton City Council understands the importance of investment and will clearly need to do more, but also faces the fiscal challenges of the fastest growing city in New Zealand, growth which seems likely to continue for some time yet.
Hamilton’s CBD has momentum and is experiencing what many commentators call a rejuvenation. More firms are choosing to locate in the heart of the city — drawn by modern work spaces, better amenities, and a changing culture of work that values accessibility and lifestyle. This clearly evident activity is broad based and suggests the CBD is becoming not just a place to work, but a destination to spend time in. If infrastructure, affordability, and amenity continue to improve, its inevitable that this trend will continue and only strengthen.
Mike Neale, Managing Director, NAI Harcourts Hamilton
By KATIE MAYES
I am proud to live and to recently return to work in the ‘Mighty Waikato’ – a region with deep strengths in people, land, and innovation. But, after observing the region from the ‘outside in’, I am more convinced than ever that being mighty is about how well we work together to manage growth, build communities, and attract investment.
Our growth trajectory is striking. In my district of Waipā alone, the population is projected to rise by more than 70 per cent by 2055. Across the region, growth is fuelling demand for housing, infrastructure, and health and education services at a rate few anticipated even a decade ago. For business and communities, that means new opportunities, but also pressure on infrastructure, services, and workforce pipelines.
The Waikato region has shown that collaboration can be our competitive advantage. The private sector, public sector, iwi, education and health providers, philanthropic funders, and community organisations each bring unique strengths. When aligned, we can deliver outcomes no single organisation can achieve alone – from resilient infrastructure and thriving communities, to a healthy environment and strong economy.
Future Proof, the joint spatial plan for the Hamilton metro area, is one example – aligning councils, iwi and government agencies to shape where growth should occur. This certainty has underpinned investment decisions from residential developers to major infrastructure providers.
Initiatives such as the Waikato Innovation Park and regional skills hubs demonstrate how aligning some of New Zealand’s most successful agritech and manufacturing companies with tertiary providers and iwi can accelerate skills, research and commercialisation.
Economic and social infrastructure collaboration is also delivering impact. Partnerships between councils and developers have unlocked thousands of new homes with quality community facilities. The Grassroots Trust Velodrome, Hauraki Rail Trail and Waikato Regional Theatre project are just three out of hundreds of examples of philanthropic funders, community organisations, local government, iwi and the private sector bringing shared aspirations to life. However, bigger opportunities exist if we work collectively sharpen our focus. That means agreeing on a few priorities and relentlessly chasing them down, consistently articulating our direction and opportunities in a way that resonates with investors, building on proven partnerships, moving together quickly from planning to execution, and aligning investment decisions across organisation boundaries – remembering that a rising tide lifts all boats.
For business, the payback is clear: collaboration brings more certainty, deeper talent pools, the ability to attract investment at scale, and a region that can compete nationally and internationally.
For all of us, the benefits are equally clear: collaboration helps our region thrive and good ideas turn into things everyone gets to enjoy faster.
The region is growing. Now is the time to double down on collaboration so we match that growth with courage and collective action so the ‘Mighty Waikato’ truly lives up to its name.
Katie Mayes is an executive director at Waipā District Council. The views expressed reflect her personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of her employer.
By JOSH MOORE
As artificial intelligence reshapes how people search online, SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is no longer only about getting found in search engines like Google. Tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini are changing the game - and if your website isn’t optimised for these models, you could be missing out on valuable visibility.
People are bandying around all sorts of names and acronyms for this new type of optimisation: AIO (AI Optimisation), LLMO (Large Language Model Optimisation), AISEO (Artificial Intelligence Search Engine Optimisation), GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) and more. But whatever you want to call it, how do you make sure your business is discoverable in this new landscape?
Firstly, AI models favour trustworthy sources. That means your website should feature original, well-written content that showcases your expertise. Think detailed guides, FAQs, case studies and thought leadership articles. The more useful and relevant your content is, the more likely it is to be referenced by AI tools.
Just like with traditional SEO, AI learns from patterns across the web. If your site is regularly linked or cited by respected domains - such as news outlets, industry blogs or educational platforms - it increases the chances your content will be surfaced in AI-generated responses. This means good SEO backlink strategies are still important in the world of AI.
Another key to remember is that AI thrives on clarity. Avoid overly technical or
jargon-heavy writing and focus on answering questions directly. Use headings, bullet points and schema markup to make your content easier to interpret. Think like a teacherexplain concepts simply and thoroughly. One thing that is different compared to traditional SEO is the usefulness of engaging and getting links from platforms like Reddit, Stack Overflow and Quora. These comments and links don’t help with SEO rankings, but AI models often train on the data on these platforms. Participating in these communities - and linking back to your site when relevantcan help your content get noticed. Just make sure your contributions are genuinely helpful. Spam won’t get you far.
Another difference is that people don’t talk to AI the same way they search Google. Instead of typing “best CRM software”, they ask longer questions like, “What’s a good CRM for an electrician?” Your content should reflect this shift. Using natural language and answering long-tail questions that mirror how people speak will help both your SEO and AI visibility.
In summary, good SEO will help you get found in AI answers too. The future of search is conversational, contextual and AI-driven. Investing in strong SEO today will position your business to be found not just by search engines, but by the intelligent AI assistants shaping the new way we interact with the web.
Josh Moore is the managing director of Hamilton-based digital marketing agency Duoplus.
Rodney Stirling
By PHIL MACKAY
I intended to write a column on how architecture and the design of urban spaces influence businesses and business success in our cities.
However, I’ve been drawn – against my better judgement – into the debate on parking. In particular the provision and management of on-street parking by local councils. In Hamilton, the city council changed the system for managing on-street parking in October 2024, and removed the two-hour free scheme, a move not welcomed by the local retail community.
This is a perennial issue; I remember that we found old meeting minutes in the Cambridge Business Chamber archive from 60 or 70 years ago, discussing the shortage of parking in town.
While times have changed, most Waikato towns still serve a significant rural population base, who have very little choice but to drive to town to do their shopping or business. And common opinion amongst retail businesses seems to be strongly in favour of free on-street parking provision for their customers.
However, when you look a little closer, there’s not a strong relationship between the provision of free parking and retail sales.
typically struggled to find any impact on retail spending.
Data for Hamilton from 2017 when the two hours free parking trial was introduced, and 2024 when the new smart meter management system was brought in, shows no noticeable deviation in the share of total retail spend for the CBD area.
Likewise, spending growth during a similar 2015 trial in Hastings was “strongest in hours outside of the initiative, at retailers with their own parking and by customers not directly affected by free parking” (Hawkes Bay Today, 20 February 2016).
Firstly, studies overseas have shown that retailers consistently overestimate, and by some margin, the proportion of their customers who drive to make a visit and purchase. Granted, there are some industries in particular where vehicle access to collect large items is certainly an advantage. But it is likely not as much of a factor for most retail businesses.
A range of studies overseas have found that, similar to Hamilton, free parking often results in longer stays and increased occupancy rates, but reduced turnover. So while people park for longer, it can be harder to find a park, in turn leading to more traffic congestion.
Secondly, research on free parking trials has
Several studies have actually found that “parking charges, rather than deterring shoppers, can generate economic benefits by increasing space turnover, easing congestion, and enhancing the shopping environment” (Transport Research Laboratory, 2010).
Returning to Hamilton again, it’s worth noting some of the negative experiences with the new system and fines. It’s likely this bad PR is more of a problem for CBD businesses than the change in charges itself.
I’d love to hear some other perspectives. If you disagree, send me an email - let’s have coffee.
Phil Mackay is Business Development Manager at Hamilton-based PAUA, Procuta Associates Urban + Architecture
Our team is Consistent, Reliable, Professional &
Our team is Consistent, Reliable, Professional & Considerate EXPERT
Rodney
Our team is Consistent, Reliable, EXPERT
Rodney Stirling EXPERT
Rodney Stirling
Rodney Stirling
Medical conditions like epilepsy, strokes, diabetes, and cardiac issues can pose serious risks in safetysensitive roles.
But exclusion isn’t the answer – risk management is.
The Health and Safety at Work Act requires business owners and leaders to protect workers “so far as reasonably practicable”, including when risks arise from fitness for work.
In addition, the Human Rights Act reminds us that workers must not be unfairly excluded due to disability.
Together, these duties require managing risk without eroding dignity, contribution or trust.
When a worker discloses a medical condition, the first step is communication.
Managers should engage directly, listen without judgment, and seek to understand how the condition affects the worker’s ability to do their jobs.
Workers must also play their part by following medical advice and reporting changes. Trust grows when both sides are transparent,
and that trust makes it easier to find workable solutions.
Once open dialogue is established, a task-based risk assessment should follow.
The focus is on understanding which tasks could become unsafe during a medical event, the likelihood and severity of harm, and what controls are realistically practicable.
For example, jobs involving driving, working at heights, or operating dangerous machinery can be directly impacted by epileptic seizures.
But many people with epilepsy are successfully employed in jobs where they are happy and fulfilled.
Health professionals can provide clarity on triggers, medication effects and any restrictions.
This medical input can then help managers and workers develop a Seizure Management Plan. Reduced hours, temporary duty changes, buddy systems, or enforced rest breaks can also be part of the solution.
Importantly, these controls must be documented, not only to show compliance but also to demonstrate that decisions were carefully considered and fair.
For employers, if the
worst happened tomorrow, what would you wish you had invested in?
If it’s updated manuals, training programmes, condition-specific management plans or clear emergency procedures, do these things now.
They show workers their employer has thought ahead, values their contribution, and is committed to safety for everyone.
When workers feel heard and supported, they are more likely to manage their condition responsibly.
When managers act with empathy and clarity, they meet their legal obligations and create a culture of confident, compassionate leadership.
Waipā District Council has approved its plan to transfer water and wastewater services to the new regional water services entity, Waikato Waters Ltd. The transition plan sets out how council will transfer staff, assets, contracts, and essential information to the newly formed Council Controlled Organisation ahead of its “Day 1” start on July 1, 2026.
Vocational Education minister Penny Simmonds met with members of Wintec’s newly appointed Establishment Advisory Group, tasked with overseeing the transition
Done well, this approach protects people, strengthens relationships, and models the kind of workplace culture that makes health and safety truly effective.
Rebekah Stephens is Health and Safety Advisor, Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA).
to autonomy from January 1 next year. The group will play a critical role in shaping Wintec’s future governance, supporting the appointment of a new chief executive, and ensuring the institute is ready to operate independently.
Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand has welcomed the decision to reinstate accounting as a standalone subject at NCEA Level 1 from 2028, calling it a vital move to nurture the next generation of Kiwi business leaders. Chief executive Ainslie van Onselen said it was a critical step forward to address a pending shortage.
Art goes live
Public Art Heritage Aotearoa New Zealand (PAHANZ) has added a further 71 works to its website - an online register of New Zealand’s 20th Century Public Art. Included are five works from Hamilton and six from Te Awamutu. The database now includes 43 works from the Waikato.
Best kitchens
Two kitchens by Waikato designer Jenny Holmes were honoured at the National Kitchen and Bathroom Association Excellence in Design Awards. Holmes from Cambridge won the Outstanding Kitchen Renovation Award for her work on Bruntwood Homestead while for Casa de playa de Verano, she received the Visual Impact Award and a Waikato Kitchen Design Recognition.
Students who have put so much love and care into their businesses, from early mornings attending local markets, hours spent rehearsing their mid-year pitches and of course many late nights producing their product will be recognised at the Smart Waikato Youth Enterprise awards this month.
The community surgery day, which took place at Braemar Hospital last month saw 32 eligible patients receive free procedures including dental and general surgery, colonoscopies, gynaecology, and children’s ear, nose and throat procedures such as grommets, tonsils and adenoids - all as part of the Braemar Charitable Trust’s goal to increase access to healthcare for those who need it most.
In a move to advance innovative health and nutrition solutions worldwide Carefore Global NZ – based in Hamilton - and Care For Vietnam have signed individual Memorandums of Understanding with GMP Dairy and Nutrizone Pharma - both leading manufacturers of health and wellness
products - establishing the ‘Global Expansion Partnership for Nutrition and Health’.
One of Waikato’s most anticipated intersection upgrades is complete, with work wrapped up at the new 60-metre roundabout in Piarere. NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi began construction to upgrade the existing T-intersection of SH1 and SH29 in January 2024, following consistent community calls for a safer solution.
Te Aroha farmer Kevin Cowley won Fieldays’ major giveaway - a high-spec JAC T9 ute (worth $49,990) complete with a tow bar and hard lid, and $10,000 worth of Stoney Creek gear. Entry was via the Fieldays Smart Band at the gate.
Youth health leaders, educators, and frontline practitioners from across New Zealand will gather later this month at The Pā, University of Waikato, for Te Tūhono Rangatahi – Connect and Collaborate for Youth Wellbeing. Hosted by Your Health NZ, the two-day conference will share insights, practical tools, and strategies to support the wellbeing of young people.
A rise in vehicle crashes into power poles across the Waipā district has prompted Waipā Networks to issue a public safety reminder: slow down, drive to the conditions, and stay alert. Replacing a damaged pole can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000. Repairs typically require a team of overhead line workers, traffic management, and sometimes underground crews, and can take anywhere from five to 10 hours to restore power.
Chartered Accountants ANZ’s (CA ANZ) seventh annual investor confidence survey shows that domestic investors have increasing confidence in New Zealand’s capital markets
and listed companies as more use AI to assist their decision making. The survey of nearly 550 New Zealand retail investors with more than $10,000 invested in the stock market and other investments showed that 79% of investors have confidence in New Zealand’s capital markets, up 6% on last year, and 80% have confidence in New Zealand companies that are publicly listed, up 4% on last year.
• Cambridge Resthaven Community Trust has appointed Michael Martin as its new chief executive from December 1 replacing David Hall who moves into a part time business advisory role.
• David J McCormack, Waikato University alum and cardiothoracic surgeon, has been appointed Interim Dean of Medicine. He will lead the development of the New Zealand Graduate School of Medicine, opening in 2028, with a focus on clinical placements across regional hospitals.
• Waikato University Student Health Service GP Prabani Wood has been appointed medical director of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners. With more than 16 years’ experience, she will play a key role in shaping the future of general practice in New Zealand.
• Ngira Simmonds (Ngāti Huri, Raukawa) is Waipā District Council’s new Kaihautū –Strategic Māori Partnerships Director. He most recently worked as chief of staff and private secretary to the Queen at Te Tari o te Kiingitanga, having also served her father, the late Kingi Tūheitia.
• Glen Tupuhi has been appointed co-chair of Te Tiratū Iwi Māori Partnership Board, replacing Hagen Tautari, which represents 121,000 Māori whānau across the Tainui waka region.
• Professional director Jen Crawford has been appointed to Waipā Networks board of directors. She brings a wealth of governance experience across infrastructure, environmental management, and regional development.
A major new industrial park development in Putāruru is expected to create dozens of construction roles and drive long-term employment growth.
The 40-hectare site is owned by the van der Heyden family known for their strong community support and sustainability leadership.
Better Eggs chief executive Gareth van der Heyden joined Raukawa iwi representatives and South Waikato mayor Gary Petley this week to officially break ground on the first stage of the Aanzien Development.
Better Eggs will be the first tenant with a new packing, processing, warehouse and distribution facility.
“The development underscores our region’s advantages: being on the edge of the Golden Triangle, a strong local workforce, affordable land, a supportive council environment, easy access to the Port of Tauranga, SH1 and the main trunk line,” says van der Heyden.
Waikato Chamber of Commerce CEO Don Good welcomed the initiative, calling it a prime example of the kind of forward-thinking investment the region needs.
“New business growth and job creation in Putāruru will benefit the wider Waikato and help set a new course for the district.”
Final consenting requirements are being worked through before earthworks begin by the end of the year. – Mary Anne Gill
October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and it’s time to paint Waikato pink. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among New Zealand women. Each year, over 400 Waikato women are diagnosed, alongside more than 3,500 women and 20–30 men nationwide. Sadly, more than 600 Kiwis lose their lives to this disease every year – more than the road toll. The impact of breast cancer touches every corner of our country, from families/whānau to workplaces and communities.
This year marks 25 years of research for the Waikato-based Breast Cancer Research Trust (BCRT). Over that time, the team has been changing outcomes through clinical trials that extend lives and improve quality of life with treatments tailored to each person and designed to reduce side effects.
An example of the Trust’s work is the international ‘POSNOC’ trial, which is testing whether women with a small amount of cancer spread to armpit lymph nodes still need surgery or radiotherapy if they are already receiving treatments such as chemotherapy or hormone therapy.
The trial is focused on the armpit because these treatments can bring lasting side effects, including swelling, pain, numbness and shoulder stiffness,
that affect women long after cancer care ends.
When Te Awamutu woman Kataraina was invited to join the POSNOC trial, she didn’t hesitate. For her, it was about more than her own treatment; she believed it was important for wāhine Māori like herself to get involved because she knew it could help others. Kataraina hopes that the knowledge gained from her participation in the trial will mean the next generation faces fewer side effects and more personalised treatments.
Treatments available today are made possible thanks to the bravery of those who joined clinical trials before her.
Waikato businesses can play a vital role in supporting the time and funding needed for breast cancer trials by ‘painting Waikato pink’ throughout Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Host a workplace morning tea, a bake sale, or gather a team for the annual Pink Walk and Run event at Hamilton Lake. Every effort supports the life-saving research happening in the Waikato, advancing breast cancer treatment for women here and across the country.
Learn more about the work of the Breast Cancer Research Trust at https:// www.breastcancerresearch.org.nz.
Visit our “Support Us” page for fundraising ideas, ways to support, or to make a donation.
Many of us will know someone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. The impact of a diagnosis can affect a woman’s ability to work, contribute to the community, care for children, maintain relationships, exercise, and socialise, all while coping with treatment side effects.
Offer emotional support:
• Reach out when you hear of their diagnosis.
• Acknowledge that what they’re going through is difficult.
• Check in regularly and continue to “be there”.
• Ask what they need.
• Be there to listen without judgment or
offering unsolicited solutions.
• Keep it normal. Remember that they’re still the same person. Discuss everyday topics, share a laugh, or watch a movie.
• Keep in touch and organise simple outings.
Offer practical advice:
• Offer specific, practical help like bringing meals or doing chores.
• Support with transportation by offering to drive to and from hospital appointments, tests, or treatments.
• Provide support with medical consultations by being a second pair of eyes and ears.
• Support with childcare or pet care.
Breast screening saves lives, and it’s free for women through BreastScreen Aotearoa. A mammogram – a simple breast X-ray – can detect cancer well before any signs or symptoms appear. Right now, women aged 45 to 69 are offered a free mammogram every two years. From October 2025, the service will begin extending to include women up to 74, giving thousands more the chance for early detection by the time the rollout is complete in 2029.
Early detection saves lives:
• Detect changes in the breast tissue months or years before they can be felt.
• Improve chances of a cure by finding cancer early.
• Use very small amounts of radiation, making two-yearly screening safe.
Early detection can lead to less invasive treatment, such as breastconserving surgery (lumpectomy) and sentinel node biopsy, rather than mastectomy and more extensive armpit lymph node removal.
Check your breasts regularly: Not all breast cancers are seen on a mammogram, so it’s important to be breast aware and know your normal! Look out for and report changes to your doctor, including:
• A new lump or thickening
• Changes in breast size or shape
• Skin reddening, dimpling, or puckering
• Nipple changes or discharge
• Rash, redness, or scaliness of the nipple
• Breast tenderness or pain
For more details on breast checks go to www.breastcancerfoundation.org. nz/breast-awareness/breast-changes/ check-your-breasts
Nine out of ten symptoms aren’t due to cancer. However, if you notice a change, see a doctor for a proper assessment.
BreastScreen Aotearoa is New Zealand’s free two-yearly screening programme. You can bring a support person, and the appointment takes about 20 minutes.
To enrol in BreastScreen Aotearoa, call 0800 270 200 or visit their website: www. info.health.nz/keepinghealthy/cancer-screening
When it comes to reducing breast cancer risk, some factors are beyond our control. The two biggest: being a woman and getting older.
But there are steps women can take to lower risk, like keeping a healthy weight, staying active and cutting back on alcohol. There is increasing evidence through many worldwide studies to support the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices to reduce risk for breast, and also other cancers.
Alcohol consumption is one of the lifestyle risks for breast cancer that can be changed. While not every woman who drinks will develop cancer, the risk increases the more alcohol you have. The
good news is that cutting back doesn’t just lower cancer risk - it also makes it easier to manage weight, reduces blood pressure, protects your liver, and even lowers the chance of accidents.
Staying active is another powerful way to protect your health. Regular exercise lowers the risk of developing breast cancer while also boosting your mental wellbeing, strength, and energy. The secret is finding something you actually enjoy — maybe it’s a gym workout, a hike on one of New Zealand’s scenic trails, or a Saturday morning parkrun. Exercising with friends, or setting yourself a challenge like training for a bike ride or big walk, keeps you motivated and makes it fun.
For 25 years, the Breast Cancer Research Trust (BCRT) has been pivotal in advancing breast cancer research in the Waikato region.
Neither Health NZ Te Whatu Ora Waikato District nor the BCRT receives direct government funding for research. Instead, the Trust relies on fundraising, grants, and donations to pursue its mission of gaining knowledge and saving lives.
Entertainment begins at 4:30 pm, with the walk/run starting at 5:30 pm at Innes Common, Hamilton Lake. Choose to walk the 3.8km route around Hamilton Lake or run the 5km course around the Lake and Innes Common.
Join the 20th annual Hamilton Pink Walk & Run, Thursday 30 October, Innes Common!
Mark your calendars for a funfilled event to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research.
There will be entertainment for all ages, from face painting and roaming performers on stilts to music, drumming and plenty of energy at the start and finish lines.
After crossing the finish line, enjoy fresh fruit, a sausage sizzle, tasty bites from local food vendors or a refreshing ice cream. Dress in pink to show your support for breast cancer awareness, with prizes for the best-dressed group, adult, child, under-five and even the best-dressed dog.
Proudly supported by The Brand Makers, APL Window Solutions, Te Kohao Health, SkyCity Hamilton and Brainchild — with thanks also to the many businesses who have donated spot prizes or lent their support.
Rally family, friends, and colleagues and register today at www.pinkwalk.co.nz
Your support will help women participating in clinical trials.
We provide custom-fitted compression sleeves to help manage lymphoedema and gentle post-surgery binders to support healing and comfort.
Our experienced orthotists offer personalised fittings and expert advice, helping you feel supported and confident every step of the way.
• Building B (1,950m2) due in Q3 2026
• 3 buildings open
• 14 businesses operational
• 1,000+ people through the precinct daily
• Business centre and café onsite
• Private car park
• End of trip facilities include bike parks, showers, change rooms and secure lockers
• Current NABERS NZ rating: 4.5 stars
Union Square is ‘the’ place for business, collaboration, and vibrant community in Hamilton’s CBD.
Construction of Building B, the fourth of five buildings planned for the precinct, is now underway. It is expected to open for business in Q3 2026.
Just 220m2 remains available in Building B. Tenants include leading food processing and packaging solutions company, Tetra Pak, and infrastructure consulting firm Aecom. It’s the ideal situation for a small to medium-size professional services firm, seeking to enhance their brand, as well as their staff and client experience.
Construction of Building C, the final office building, is imminent. There’s limited space available here, too.
Interested to know more? Contact Rhys Harvey. P. 021 246 2039 E. rhysh@fosters.co.nz