WIRED March 2025

President's Report

Welcome to the latest edition of WIRED magazine.

I hope you all had a great festive season and achieved everything you hoped to, whether that was resting, spending time with family or knocking off some of those jobs on the never-ending to-do list.

The weather over the ‘summer’ break was definitely a mixed bag, with some vast differences around the country.

Here at FCANZ, we are well into the year with the first quarter chocka block in the lead-up to events around the country, including the Rural Games, the National Fieldays at Mystery Creek and regional field day events.

We kicked off our event calendar by attending Northland Field Days in Dargaville from 27th February to 1st March, with the first-ever fencing industry hub. The idea of the hub is to collaborate with Partners so that we are all in one space within the field days. People can come and catch up on all things fencing-related and watch product demonstrations. The Northland Field Days fencing hub was a trial to see how it worked for Partners and attendees, and the potential for including fencing hubs at future field days. We will report back on how this event went in the June edition.

March (when you’ll be reading this edition of WIRED) sees us attend the

Rural Games in Palmerston North, the Central District Field Days in Fielding and then the South Island Agricultural Field Days in Kirwee. We hope these events run smoothly for everyone involved and wish the fencing competitors well in their lead-up to the major title events in June at Mystery Creek.

The Rural Games is a particular favourite for our team as it gives us a great chance to talk to a few hundred students about fencing as a career. Not only do we have our trailer at the AgriFutures career hub, but we also run a module for the Rural Games secondary school competition. These interactions with the next generation of fencers are important, especially since the most common comment we get from students and adults is “I didn’t know you could do fencing as a job”. It’s all about planting those seeds early for the good of our industry!

Have a look at the Board blog and the ED update for an overview of the behind-the-scenes action taking place for the Association, with operational and Conference updates.

I’d like to thank our members and partners for their continued support. We are seeing excellent feedback from new and long-standing partners, and good, honest feedback is what helps us do what we do better. With that, as always, if you want to have a yarn, don’t hesitate to give me, Jaime, or any of the Board a call.

Cheers, Phil

The FCANZ Mission

THE FCANZ MISSION: To raise the profile of fencing as a recognised trade that embraces best practice, adherence to quality standards and ongoing professional development.

Phil Cornelius President

The Board blog

Welcoming 2025: A year of growth, reflection, and new opportunities

As we bid farewell to 2024 and step into 2025, we’re feeling optimistic about the year ahead. With a softening of interest rates and key sectors showing promising returns, the winds of change seem to be in our favour. But while there’s reason for optimism, we must acknowledge that industries and consumers will continue to face pressures in the short term. This balance of challenges and opportunities will shape how we navigate the year.

A well-deserved break

The Board and Management took some much-needed time off during the festive season, and we trust you and your team did the same. Taking a break to recharge is crucial – whether it’s for rest, reflection, or recharging your batteries for what’s ahead. As we look forward to a busy year, particularly with a peak in fencing work expected during the drier months, it’s important to remain well-planned and focused. Taking care of yourselves and your team will ensure the best possible outcomes.

Planning for success

The start of a new year presents the perfect opportunity to revisit your business goals and plan for what’s ahead. Many businesses are gearing up for their financial year-end, just as the Board is doing the same. This is a critical time for reviewing budgets, making adjustments where necessary, and ensuring we’re aligned for success.

Board focus for 2025

As we begin 2025, the Board has been working hard to refine our strategies and plans. Much like every other industry, we’ve been reviewing our budgets, and our Management team, led by our talented treasurer, has been instrumental in this process. The work we do and aim to do comes at a cost, so fine-tuning our cash flow to manage outcomes is a priority. We want to take a moment to thank our incredible partners and our supporting members. Your continued involvement is vital to the success of FCANZ. We encourage everyone to spread the word and help us increase membership

in 2025. FCANZ provides a tight-knit network of like-minded great people, all striving for success, and more members will strengthen that community.

Professional development and training

One key aspect of growing the industry and ensuring its future success is supporting the professional development of our members and their teams. FCANZ has worked hard to ensure there are valuable training pathways, including Certificate in Fencing Level 3 and Level 4 qualifications via NorthTec. We urge you to encourage staff or colleagues to sign up for these courses. Higher education is an investment in an employee’s future career, no matter where that path leads. We’re also looking forward to audits beginning for the Accredited Fencing Contractor endorsement program, which has been in the works for some time. We acknowledge the time has been lengthy to achieve this, but a huge amount of time-consuming, meticulous work has been undertaken to make sure this is fit for purpose. This initiative aims to raise industry standards and provide our members with a clear path to accreditation. We’re excited that the first audits will be taking place in early March 2025.

Strengthening governance and values

Over the past year, the Board has focused on refining our policies and procedures. Now, we’re focusing on the core values and ethics underpinning FCANZ. Ensuring that our governance framework remains fit for purpose is essential, and we’re committed to providing a transparent and responsible experience for everyone who volunteers their time to lead the organisation now and in the future.

It’s tough out there

We know that many Kiwis are feeling the pressure, and we want to remind you that the Board is always available to listen. A problem shared is a problem halved, as the saying goes. If you ever need support, don’t hesitate to reach out - we’re here to help. There are so many organisations to help support when the going gets tough, including that of our wonderful Patron Craig ‘Wiggy’ Wiggins and his team at ‘Lean on a Gate, Talk to a Mate’.

Out and about with FCANZ

Disclaimer: This schedule is

New Bronze Partner

FCANZ is delighted to welcome beforeUdig as an Association Bronze Partner. beforeUdig is a FREE online service which enables anyone undertaking excavation works to obtain information on the location of cables, pipes and other utility assets in and around any proposed dig site, helping to protect themselves and valuable assets during these works. In most cases it provides a ‘one stop shop’ for contractors to communicate about their planned activities with member utilities and authorities. beforeudig.co.nz

Looking ahead: Conference and events

The 2025 Conference is shaping up to be an exciting event. Don’t forget to lock this in your calendars for 6-8 August in Taupō. We’re also looking forward to attending local field days and running best practice events throughout the year. These are fantastic opportunities to network, learn, and support the industry.

To those involved in other activities, such as Young Farmers and the NZ Fencing Competitions, we wish you all the best! These events are a great way to connect with industry members, take a breather, and enjoy some friendly competition.

We will also continue to publish our very popular WIRED magazines and develop material for the Members Only section of www.fcanz.org.nz. Please let us know if there is a topic you would like us to cover.

Webinar series

The 2025 webinar series will be held in winter this year so you can make the most of the long days between now and then.

See the website for the latest details or sign up to receive our emails here: www.fcanz.org.nz/newsletter

Wishing you a successful 2025

As we embark on this new year, we hope that 2025 is filled with growth, success, and new opportunities for all of us. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to any member of the Board with your questions, suggestions, or ideas—we’re here to support you.

Here’s to a year of great achievements, tight wires, and strong connections!

Happy fencing, The FCANZ Board

Written by Janine Swansson

Executive Director update

I usually avoid writing about the weather and the passing of time, but I am stunned that when this edition of WIRED comes out,

it will be March already!

I am so surprised because we have some big projects on the list for this calendar year, and I’m excited to think about how far these will have progressed by March.

Superb prizes up for grabs

We’ve squared away how we will use our retail partner product contributions for the year, and it’s going to be great! This has been split across thanking/rewarding existing members and encouraging new members to join. In February, we launched a monthly member competition on our Facebook page where the best photo shared wins $500 of vouchers. We hope to see some great photos and look forward to the banter that will undoubtedly come with them.

This month, we have an incredible ‘Join & Win’ prize up for grabs. Anyone who signs up as a General member in March will go in the draw to win $1,000 worth of Cyclone Wire vouchers thanks to PGG Wrightson. That’s a prize worth more than 3x the cost of membership, and we’re not talking huge numbers of entrants, so if you have mates who have been ‘getting

around’ to becoming members, now is the time!

(T&Cs: The prize winner will be randomly drawn from all new General memberships purchased between 27th February 2025 and 31st March 2025. Prize cannot be redeemed for cash. The judge’s decision is final.)

I’d like to thank Farmlands, PGG Wrightson and Bunnings Trade for being such good sports with these activities and providing some very cool prizes!

Come and see us in March March this year is incredibly busy, which means you have multiple opportunities to come and say hi. We will be at:

• Northland Field Days

Dargaville | 27 Feb - 1 Mar

• Rural Games

Palmerston North | 7-9 Mar

• Central Districts Field Days

Feilding | 13-15 Mar

• South Island Agricultural Field Days Kirwee | 26-28 Mar

April Best Practice Days

In April, we have our first Best Practice Days for 2025. Fencing-competition royalty Shane Bouskill is hosting the first Best Practice Day in Waipawa on Tuesday, 8 April. On Thursday 10 April, Ben Fisher from the FCANZ Board is hosting a Best Practice Day in Whakatāne, with Board member Debbie White hosting the last of the North Island series in Cambridge on Friday 11 April. Big thanks to Ben, Shane and Debbie for being happy to organise and host these events, which we, as a Board, consider essential to ensure knowledge sharing across the industry. Keep an eye out for more information about these events in your emails.

Taupō – gotta love it

I’ve travelled a lot around the country and have spent quite a bit of time in Taupō over the years. It’s a fantastic place to visit, and it doesn’t really matter what the weather is doing, there is always something to keep everyone entertained. Although Taupō is a town that is used to hosting some huge sporting events, large conferences like ours are less common. The logistics of planning for 100 conference delegates are always challenging, but even more so when in a town rather than a city. It allows us to be creative and mix things up, so we look forward to a slightly different Conference format. However, I’m confident it will still be a brilliant event.

If you haven’t attended an FCANZ Conference before, I highly recommend doing so. The chance to talk with others in the same industry is gold – particularly since so many of our members work in remote locations, often on their own. The feedback we get is that being able to have a yarn with fellow business owners who understand the pain points you might be feeling is priceless. Taupō is also a great place to hang out for a few days, so it’s a double-win – though I might be slightly biased!

Have a great March, and I look forward to seeing you out and about!

Jaime Bigwood Executive Director

021 284 8223 | exec@fcanz.org.nz

The Brand

You

Can Trust

To Get The Job Done.

- NZ Made for over 45 Years

- 350 Grade Mast for Unmatched Durability

- Custom Built Italian Valves

- Optional ‘Active Safety System’

- Local Service & Support

- 24-month Warranty

- Tried & Trusted Designs

Enjoy

INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICE

Meet

Industry Partners, FCANZ Board members and Fencing Contractors from across the region.

Who should attend Fencing contractors, fencer generals, horticulture workers, farmers and those starting or interested in a career in this fast-growing industry.

Time 9.30am to 3.00pm

Cost (includes lunch)

• FCANZ Members: $20.00

• FCANZ Employee Members: $10.00

• Non-Members: $40.00 (25% discount for two or more)

*Special Price for FCANZ Members! $15.00 – just pre-book and pay prior to the event.

Accredited Fencing Contractor audits underway

FCANZ is delighted to announce that the first Accredited Fencing Contractor on-site audits will take place around the North Island this month.

The individual Certified Fencer endorsement and Accredited Fencing Contractor business-level endorsement will raise the profile of fencing as a trade that widely commits to best-practice project delivery and business processes.

Over the years, the industry has faced significant challenges in the education space, from Industry Training Organisations folding and all records being unavailable, to system failures leading to the loss of records. FCANZ President Phil Cornelius says, “These situations have been hugely frustrating not only for the person who has put in all the hard work and literally has nothing to show for it, but for us as an Association. It’s really limited our ability to deliver consistent industry endorsements”.

After a long hiatus, the Association endorsements have been re-framed, and the new Accredited Fencing Contractor and Certified Fencer endorsements created. The initial application and assessment requirements are robust, and the re-assessment procedures are clear. FCANZ is confident that this new structure will ensure a consistent quality of fencer and fencing business across each of the endorsement levels. The previous endorsements that were issued a significant number of years ago by the Association were not maintained

“

As a Board, we 100% believe the Accredited Fencing Contractor endorsement is in the best interests of our members and the industry, and so we’re prepared to contribute financially to make sure it’s available to all of our members – regardless of where they are based

and have all lapsed, meaning that the appropriate solution was the creation of updated endorsements.

“I’ve been fencing for decades – I don’t need a piece of paper to prove I’m good” is something we frequently hear. We agree most of our members are excellent fencers and probably great business owners. The key is that the FCANZ endorsements are not for the benefit of other fencers. An average customer doesn’t know a good fencer from a poor fencer when in the initial selection stages. This is particularly apparent when the customer is a large organisation with a tender process. Having the endorsement allows FCANZ members to prove their expertise in a comparatively unregulated industry.

Members should also note that the Association does not financially benefit from the delivery of the endorsements. Indeed, it is often the opposite, with auditing costs being subsidised by the Association. The fees an applicant pays for the Accredited Fencing Contractor endorsement contribute to the cost of getting an auditor to site.

“As a Board, we 100% believe the Accredited Fencing Contractor endorsement is in the best interests of our members and the industry, and so we’re prepared to contribute financially to make sure it’s available to all of our members – regardless of where they are based,” says Phil.

As the national industry body, FCANZ will reach out later this year to each local and regional council around New Zealand to promote endorsed members and the level of confidence the endorsements can bring to their selection processes. The focus will be on education, including what ‘good’ looks like and how choosing the lowest price is not always the most cost-effective decision. Phil adds, “We’re playing the long game here for the good of our members and the industry. It’s time to weed out the cowboys undercutting us all and support those who consistently do great work.”

Currently, the endorsements are heavily focused on rural fencing, the sector that many of our members are involved in. However, both the Level 4 Certificate in Fencing and the Endorsements can be adjusted relatively easily to meet the needs of other sectors/types of fencing, particularly residential and security fencing.

We look forward to announcing our new Accredited Fencing Contractors in due course.

For more information on the Certificates in Fencing and the FCANZ endorsements, head to www.fcanz.org.nz/training

Written by Jaime Bigwood

Career Pathway

The individual Certified Fencer endorsement and Accredited Fencing Contractor business-level endorsement raise the profile of fencing as a trade that widely commits to best-practice project delivery and business processes.

Master Fencer

Details

• Proposed endorsement for future use

• Originally used by Fletcher Steel NZ Ltd, FCANZ has permission to use the term

Accredited Fencing Contractor

Details

• Business entity endorsement

• Subject to five-year renewal audit

• Not transferable on sale of the business, unless specific criteria are met

• Application process – refer to criteria list below

Requirements

• FCANZ current member for a minimum of 2 years

• One of the ‘Principals’ of the business must have NZQA National Certificate in Fencing Level 4

• Three client testimonials (including contact details)

• Signed declaration and agreement to comply with the Accredited Fencing Contractor programme, FCANZ Rules and Standards

• Must provide evidence of:

- A minimum of three years in business

- A current First Aid Certificate held by the Principal or nominated employee

- Health and Safety pre-qualification from SHE Docs, Sitewise, PREQUAL or other recognised industry pre-qualification system. Pre-qualification evidence must be a 75% or higher rating overall for health and safety systems and practice, and contain the report breaking down the rating.

- Employment contracts (if workers employed)

- Evidence of worker training

- Sub-contractor contracts (if used)

- Public Liability Insurance (minimum $2 Million)

- Attendance at two FCANZ Best Practice Days and/or FCANZ webinars and one FCANZ Conference within the previous five year period

Certified Fencer

Details

• Individual endorsement

• Foreman level or business owner

• Annually renewed

Requirements

• Individual or employer is a current FCANZ member

• NZQA National Certificate in Fencing Level 4

• Employer or client verification / testimonial confirming that the fencer is a foreman or capable of running a job

National Fencing Field Day

Best Practice Fencing Techniques | Practical Demonstrations | Competitions Tools, Machinery & Vehicles | Activities for all

Wednesday 6 August 2025

10.00am - 3.00pm

Taupō

FCANZ Conference delegates – Free

FCANZ members $10

Public: $20 | Students (5-18yrs) $5

Under 5s – Free

• Fencing technique demonstrations and discussions

• Fencing and machinery exhibitions – come along and talk to their reps

• New product releases

• Compete for great prizes in the FCANZ Games

• Be in to WIN the Best Ute Toolbox competition!

Taupō

Saturday, 5th April 2025 For

Round, Quarter Round Posts, and Strainers: 1.8m, 2.4m, and 2.7m mixed seconds.

Battens: 50 x 40 x 1.14m & 50 x 50 x 1.14m. WHAT’S ON

Registration:

EARLYBIRD TICKETS AVAILABLE

Planning is well underway for what looks to be yet another excellent FCANZ Conference this August.

Open to all current FCANZ members and their partners, this three-day event will once again provide delegates with unrivalled networking (aka socialising) opportunities, a forum in which to share ideas and learn new business-best practice tips, and the chance to have a say in how the Association operates. You’ll also meet key industry suppliers and see the latest and greatest fencing tools and techniques.

WEDNESDAY 6 AUGUST

National Fencing Field Day (NFFD)

Join us at the 5th annual NFFD to see the latest fencing gear, watch best practice demos, talk with exhibitors and challenge fellow fencing contractors to win great prizes in the FCANZ Games. If you are driving, enter your vehicle in the “Show Us Your Toolbox” competition and be in to win, thanks to the Milwaukee team. This competition is open to both FCANZ members and non-members, with prizes for each category.

Last year, we introduced the Secondary Schools Fencing Competition, and we’re delighted to confirm that it is returning this year. Watch the students duke it out against each other and see if the girls can outperform the boys for the quality awards - and whether anyone can knock Geraldine High School off the overall top spot! Travel to and from, and entry into the NFFD are complimentary with your Conference25 ticket.

For the long-suffering partners who aren’t keen on spending the day in the field with their other half, we’ll once again be running the popular Ladies Who Lunch outing. Your FCANZ ‘hostess with the mostest’ will take you on a fabulous day filled with delicious food, interesting activities, and wonderful company. Book early though, as spaces are limited!

Mix & Mingle Dinner*

Our ever-popular Mix & Mingle dinner is being held this year at Finn’s Bistro & Beer Garden, right in the middle of town. Come along, enjoy a casual catch-up with old acquaintances, and meet new people. We’ve got a space reserved just for us, so feel free to head down once you’re back from the National Fencing Field Day.

*Food and drinks at this event are not included in your Conference25 ticket.

THURSDAY 7 AUGUST

Conference25 & AGM – Lake Taupō Yacht Club

The National Fencing Field Day and the activities day on Friday have all come about from the need for FCANZ, as an Incorporated Society, to hold an Annual General Meeting every year, which means that Thursday is our “serious business” day. You’ll hear a report on what the Board has achieved in the previous 12 months and an update on what is planned for the next 12 months.

This is followed by the AGM, during which the Board will be decided, and any Association rule changes will be voted upon. Three of the seven Board positions will be up for renewal this year due to our retirement-by-rotation policy. If you have been considering being involved in the direction of the Association, then now is your chance. While the incumbents may look to stand again, this doesn’t stop others from standing. If there are more nominations than positions, it will go to a confidential vote, with the results notified later in the day. Nomination forms and role descriptions will be available on our website in April.

GETTING THERE

Taupō is a relatively easy drive from most cities in the North Island, and thankfully, State Highway 1 through the Desert Road will be open by the time delegates need to use it! Taupō also boasts a reasonably wellserviced airport. If you decide to fly, let us know when your flight lands, and we’ll see if we can arrange transport for you.

The learning part of the Conference programme follows the AGM. We’ve asked Infometrics Chief Economist Brad Olsen to come back again and update us on where the economy is at 12 months later. The day will also include our Member Feedback Forum, when you, as a member, are invited to comment on Association activities and contribute to the forward direction of FCANZ.

Gala Dinner & FCANZ Awards –Lake Taupō Yacht Club

FRIDAY 8 AUGUST

Activities Day

We love planning the activities day for our delegates – and this year is no exception! Once again, we’ve decided to keep the plans for the activities on the down-low until much closer to the day. Check out our Facebook page and the June edition of WIRED for more info about what we’ll be doing.

Dinner on the Lake

INDUSTRY AWARDS 2025

Once the Conference sessions have finished for the afternoon, you’ll have the chance to change into your glad rags and meet us in town for a well-earned beverage before heading back to the Yacht Club for our semi-formal dinner and awards ceremony.

There will be prizes for the best dressed, so make sure you put in a good effort! See page 22 about this year’s awards, and keep an eye on your emails and our website to find out when nominations open.

WHERE TO STAY

A stay in Taupō isn’t complete without some form of water activity. For the final dinner of our 2025 Conference programme, we’re heading out on the lake for a 3-hour charter cruise with the team from Chris Jolly Outdoors. We’ll raft up at the Ngātoroirangi Mine Bay Māori Rock Carvings and enjoy a tasty BBQ dinner before returning to shore. (If the weather isn’t great, we’ll head to a sheltered bay instead.)

There are hundreds of accommodation options in and around Taupō to suit every budget, from backpackers and B&Bs to motels, hotels, and lodges. Choose the option that works best for you. The Board will be staying at the Acacia Lake View Motel, right in the middle of town, so feel free to join us there.

We’ll let delegates know where the Board will meet each day for breakfast or evening beverages (when there isn’t a planned location), and you are more than welcome to join us.

EARLY BIRD TICKETS – AVAILABLE NOW!

• Early Bird tickets are $390+GST per person and are available until June 30th, 2024.

• From July 1st, tickets will be at full price - $450+GST per person.

• Book your ticket now and lock in your spot – numbers are strictly limited! www.fcanz.org.nz/conference

Learn more about Taupō at www.loveTaupō.com

*Please note that details are subject to change

Join us for Conference25 A rewarding experience awaits you!

Whether you’re a fencing contractor or a corporate partner, Conference25 is the perfect opportunity to connect with industry leaders, share knowledge, and explore the latest trends and innovations. Don’t miss out on the chance to network, learn, and grow your business.

Conference25 promises to be our best yet! Based on the incredible feedback we’ve received (shared below), we believe this event will provide you with a truly positive and rewarding experience.

Why attend National Fencing Field Day?

Corporate

Partners’ Feedback

“Steady flow of contractors throughout the day, so it was worth it.”

“Connecting with contractors and being able to display a range of products and discuss our product point of difference and channel-to-market strategies.”

“Getting to see the young fencers coming through – it shows that there are young people still willing to work coming through, which is positive for the industry.”

“Field Day was very good, great targeted marketing. Fantastic social networking at all functions.“

Why attend Conference?

Corporate Partners’ Feedback

“Meeting local contractors and understanding what’s happening in the industry.”

“Guest speakers were great and very relevant to the current market. Venue was good and food excellent.“

“I enjoyed all of it, especially Rodney Lonneker’s inspirational rags to riches speech. I equally enjoyed Brad Olsen and his update on our economics.”

“Enhancing current connections and making new ones.”

“Getting to meet FCANZ members and the FCANZ board.“

Members’ Feedback

“The layout, the weather, the range of products on display, the relaxed nature of the day, the live demonstrations of the post drivers being explained and then shown working.”

“Meeting people, both members and reps. Having something ‘fencing’ to see. It was great to see the schools’ involvement and that FCANZ recognises that sector.”

Members’ Feedback

“I enjoy how many opportunities there are to get to know people in easy, fun ways, like on the tours and with the activities you set up.”

“It flowed really well this year, all the speakers were very interesting, and the races were a lot of fun. It didn’t seem rushed and was well organised. Food was great, every meal.”

“For me, it was networking and meeting new members and reconnecting with others. The opportunity to have plenty of opportunities to mix and mingle is great.”

“The positive open vibe, the Thursday was well structured and ran very well.”

Why attend “Ladies Who Lunch”?

“It’s a great way to connect in a lowpressure way with a lot of activity and easy time together.”

“The company is great!”

INDUSTRY AWARDS 2025

The FCANZ Industry Awards are back for their third year! The awards recognise and acknowledge those who exemplify the Association’s mission of raising the profile of fencing as a professional trade, delivering high quality work, and adhering to best practice standards.

Trainee of the Year – Level 3

This award recognises an individual who undertakes fencing work as their primary form of employment and who completed the NZQA National Certificate in Fencing Level 3 course in 2024. They will have demonstrated to the tutor that through the course, they have obtained the skills and knowledge for excellent fence line installation.

Criteria

• Completed NZQA Level 3 course during 2024

• Employer is a FCANZ member (including during the period the trainee was enrolled in the course)

• Nominated by the course tutor

• Shows excellent knowledge of fence line practices, and it is evident that they have been trained well by their employer

Selection process

• 1 nominee per course, put forward by the course tutor

• FCANZ to facilitate the appointment of three independent judges

• Nominees are invited to attend the FCANZ Gala Dinner, where the winner is announced

Level 4 Excellence

This award recognises the graduate of the NZQA National Certificate in Fencing Level 4 who consistently displayed excellence across their coursework. Awarded to only one of the 2024 graduates, this award acknowledges the student who consistently produced excellent work, identifying them as a true asset to the fencing industry.

Criteria

To be considered for this award, students must have excellent attendance and consistently:

• Participate openly in all group discussions, assisting other members of the group by sharing their knowledge and experience while maintaining an open mind to the opinions and experience of other members,

• Complete all study and assessments within appropriate time frames while demonstrating a willingness to achieve and maintain consistent gains within their learning,

• Demonstrate a willingness to accept new and alternate methods and systems, and the ability to adapt their thinking to consider and apply gained knowledge where applicable into their

approach to the operational processes within their given business and working environment.

Selection process

• Nominees for this award will be identified by the NorthTec Course tutor.

• The recipient will also be determined by the tutor according to the criteria above.

2024 Level 4 Excellence Award winner Scott Heasley with FCANZ President Phil Cornelius

Emerging Talent – Youth

This award is for those in the industry who have demonstrated a commitment to fencing as a career opportunity and demonstrated growth and excellence in their workplace.

Criteria

• Under 25 years of age

• Employed in the industry by a FCANZ member

• Been employed by the employer for a minimum of two years

Signed Employer Declaration confirming worker:

• has demonstrated good work habits

• is punctual and reliable

• demonstrates interest in the job and a willingness to learn

• has demonstrated good uptake and understanding of fence line systems

• has good uptake of Health and Safety and demonstrates a willingness to engage

Selection process

Nominees will be expected to provide video evidence of their work, and to attend an online meeting with the independent judging panel, which will decide the winner.

Women in Fencing – Excellence

This award recognises a woman who supports and advances the New Zealand fencing industry. Recipients of this award are chosen by the Board to acknowledge the great work put in by women in a predominantly male environment, adding value on the fenceline or within the wider fencing industry.

Industry Contribution

This award recognises and acknowledges individuals who go above and beyond to champion and support the fencing industry’s growth and development. Recipients of this award are chosen by the Board for their commitment to the betterment of the fencing industry as a whole.

FCANZ Legacy Award

The FCANZ Legacy award (formerly known as the Lifetime Award) is the highest award that FCANZ can bestow. The achievements and contributions of the individual must truly be outstanding and significant, over a sustained period of time. Recipients must have contributed to the industry across several capacities, contributing significantly to the improvement of industry and supporting the Association to meet its goals. To be eligible to receive this award, the individual must have been an FCANZ member at some time in their career.

The FCANZ Legacy award is a special and infrequently awarded honour, with recipients receiving honorary Life Membership.

Nomination forms for the 2025 awards listed below can be found on the FCANZ website from 1 March 2025 (www.fcanz.org.nz/awards):

• Emerging Talent – Youth

• Women in Fencing – Excellence

• Industry Contribution

• FCANZ Legacy

The deadline for nominations is midnight Wednesday 30 April 2025.

2024 Industry Contribution Award winner Sarah Foley-Smith

2024 Emerging Talent – Youth Award winner Murray Graham

Wiggy’s World Mental well-being journeys

As I sit down to write this and think of the many topics we could discuss in this space, I am reminded that there is an amazing team behind the Lean on a Gate, Talk to a Mate campaign.

Slade McFarland and Jason Herrick are both founding Trustees of the Whatever with Wiggy Charity and have their own stories to tell around mental health and the effect it has had on their lives and those close to them.

Slade was one of the country’s original professional rugby players, with a career which included becoming a Māori All Black, and finishing his career in France. The fallout after returning back to New Zealand and adopting a ‘normal’ life of work without the high profile and income took its toll, leading to a heck of a mental health journey.

Jason is well known in rural New Zealand for his work in Federated Farmers and rural advocacy, but when his wife needed to ask the police to find him as she was concerned for his well-being, he realised life needed to change. Faced with many physical and mental health challenges, he too made changes in his life.

Both these men are an inspiration to me and support the cause of better rural mental and physical health to the point of an addiction. Please read from them their words on what they do now for their own well-being.

Slade McFarland

Personal Well-Being

Taking care of my personal well-being has become a priority in my life. I have realised that maintaining a balance between my physical, mental, and emotional health is essential for overall happiness. To achieve this, I have incorporated several practices into my daily routine.

Firstly, I engage in regular physical exercise, which not only keeps me fit but also boosts my mood and energy levels. I also prioritise a balanced diet, ensuring I consume nutritious foods that fuel my body and mind.

In addition to physical health, I focus on mental well-being by practicing mindfulness and meditation. These techniques help me stay present and manage stress effectively. I also make time for hobbies and activities that bring me joy, such as reading and spending time with loved ones.

Hobbies and Interests

One of my favourite hobbies is crosstraining with my wife. This not only keeps us both physically active but also strengthens our bond. I also love experiencing events like concerts during

the weekends, which provide a great way to unwind and enjoy live music. Planning holidays gives me something to look forward to, adding excitement and anticipation to my life. Lastly, riding my Harley Davidson motorbike offers me a sense of freedom and adventure that is unmatched. These hobbies play a crucial role in enhancing my overall well-being.

Lastly, I ensure I get enough sleep, as it is crucial for rejuvenation and overall health. By taking these steps, I am able to maintain a positive outlook on life and achieve a sense of well-being.

Jason Herrick

Taking care of my mental health is a priority, and I focus on a balanced approach that incorporates exercise, family, healthy eating, and positive personal development. Regular physical activity is one of the most effective ways I maintain my mental well-being. I make sure to engage in exercises like walking, jogging, or strength training at least every day. These activities help reduce stress, boost my mood, and increase my overall energy levels.

I also place great importance on spending quality time with my family.

Jason Herrick

Slade McFarland

Whether it’s spending more time together, engaging in meaningful conversations, or just enjoying each other’s company, my family provides emotional support and connection that nurtures my mental health. Additionally, I pay close attention to my diet, aiming to consume a balanced diet full of whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats and filling the gaps with nutritional supplements. This not only supports my physical health

but also has a significant impact on my mental clarity and emotional stability.

I engage in personal development by listening to educational podcasts and audio books. These resources help me learn new skills, gain fresh perspectives, and stay motivated, which all contribute to a positive mindset. Overall, by prioritising exercise, nurturing family bonds, maintaining a nutritious diet, and investing in my growth, I create a stable foundation for mental well-being.

Craig Wiggins

I often get asked what I do for my mental health and well-being. The answer is pretty simple; I give back!! The amount of positivity I get back from helping those who may need a kind word, hug or more in-depth support fills my cup.

The work I do on horseback at race meetings is a privilege to be able to do, and the joy people show when they touch their first horse, the adrenaline of catching a loose horse, and the connection I have with the horses I have under me, has such a positive effect and is a mile away from some of the hard stuff I see in the mental health support work, it’s a great release.

Deciding to prioritise family, and the work that really matters, selling the farm and downsizing to allow both, means that I can make what I do better for myself and those around me.

If it’s better mental or physical health you seek, my words of advice are simple: make a change for the positive, leave behind the negatives, and give to others!

Craig Wiggins

Maximum corrosion protection with Waratah Longlife Blue®

Good quality fence wire, whether plain, barbed, prefabricated or wire netting, is key to the life of a fence.

Waratah Longlife Blue® products stand out by offering maximum corrosion protection, which is essential for withstanding New Zealand’s diverse environment.

Farmers and contractors in New Zealand trust these products for their exceptional durability in coastal, high-humidity, and variable weather conditions. If you want a fence that lasts, you’ll need Australia’s leading fence wire, Waratah Longlife Blue®.

In addition to their corrosion resistance, Longlife Blue® products are highperformance and have been thoroughly tested for durability, making them perfect for the diverse and rugged terrains of New Zealand. Whether it’s for agricultural, rural, or commercial use, Waratah fence wire provides a long-lasting, low-maintenance solution that meets the demands of the New Zealand landscape.

Paul Baikie from Farmer Joe’s Fencing, is familiar with the hassle of poor-quality fencing materials making their way into NZ and has had firsthand experience of how costly it can be when the products are simply not made for NZ conditions.

“When you start talking to the other contractors, they were all having the same problem,” states Paul. Suppliers would make claims that their products could not support. Having had to re-visit many jobs due to poor quality products not holding up in the conditions, Paul went looking for a reliable fencing brand that could supply materials that would last.

Paul’s decision to fence with Waratah has given him confidence in his work, stating that “switching to Waratah was the best thing we have ever done.”

Waratah is the only Australian fencing manufacturer that control every step in the manufacturing process and comply to relevant consistency and quality standards, guaranteeing products are made for harsh conditions. Because of the Waratah guarantee, Paul is confident in using the

products, saying, “With Waratah, we know what we are getting, the product will be better. For years it has proven it can last in outback Australia. I know it will last here”.

Using Longlife Blue® ensures minimal maintenance when used in conjunction with all elements of the Waratah Fencing System. You will soon realise you can’t afford not to use Waratah Longlife Blue® wire.

For more information on Waratah products, visit www.waratahfencing.co.nz or call Brendon Crequer on: 021 393 010.

Supplied by:

Contact Brendon Crequer

RETAIL GOLD PARTNERS

Safe digging for fencing projects – a partnership for safety

A short video recently highlighted the serious consequences of hitting an underground electricity cable while installing a fence.

Last year, more than 6,500 excavation enquiries were received by beforeUdig from individuals installing fencing across New Zealand, a nearly 10% increase from the previous year. It is clear that fencing is becoming a more frequent activity.

As more homeowners seek to secure their properties, fencing projects in urban areas have become commonplace. However, these activities bring contractors and homeowners dangerously close to underground utilities, including cables and pipes located beneath footpaths and near property boundaries. Excavating without proper checks can result in costly damage, service disruptions, and serious safety risks.

and orchards up and down the country. It’s easy to forget there could also be cables and pipes running right under your feet as you get to work driving postholes into the ground. In many cases, the utilities present could be the riskiest to start work around, such as gas transmission pipelines that operate at extremely high pressure and the outcomes can be catastrophic if damaged.

Meanwhile, out in more rural locations, fencing is a common activity on farms

can identify the presence of underground utilities and take the necessary precautions to avoid damage.

To address this growing concern, beforeUdig has partnered with the Fencing Contractors Association NZ (FCANZ) to promote safe digging practices. This collaboration aims to raise awareness within the fencing industry about the importance of lodging a beforeUdig enquiry before starting any excavation work. By doing so, fencing contractors and homeowners

We are pleased to work alongside FCANZ in spreading the vital message of safe digging to members. Together, we can help prevent accidents, protect utilities, and keep everyone safe during fencing projects. Always remember to check before you dig by lodging your FREE excavation enquiry with www.beforeUdig.co.nz

Phil Cornforth Operations Manager And Utilities Damage Prevention Expert | beforeUdig

by:

Supplied

CCTV images of an electricity cable damaged by a person installing fencing

CCTV mages of a contractor striking a medium pressure gas pipe

EVERY DIG IS A CHANCE TO MAKE THE RIGHT MOVE DON’T PLAY AROUND

WITH YOUR SAFETY

Whether you're fencing on the field or building a fence in your backyard, preparation and precision are key. Use beforeUdig to make a free enquiry to check for utility cables and pipes and protect yourself, your community, and the environment.

SCAN TO WATCH OUR NEW SAFETY VIDEO

STOP PLAYING AROUND WITH YOUR SAFETY AND START DIGGING SMART.

Fencing Contractors working with industry to help farmers maximise tech

As fencing technology advances rapidly, fencing contractors play a critical role in assisting farmers in optimising their fencing systems, says Nick Terry, a Fencing Contractors Association New Zealand (FCANZ) member.

Nick has operated his own contracting business, Custom Fencing, from Waikouaiti in Otago for the past 13 years. He delivers projects ranging from largerscale farm fencing to smaller lifestyle blocks, security fencing, and industrial and urban work.

He says advancement in fencing technology has played a huge role in helping to drive efficiency for both his business and the customers he serves, but he believes farmers aren’t always getting the best out of their fencing systems.

“The technology is advancing so rapidly, and farmers are time poor, so in many cases they aren’t getting the most out of their systems to make their jobs easier,” says Nick.

With that in mind, Nick, through FCANZ, has been involved in a series of Best Practice Fencing days supported by industry, including Gallagher Animal Management, to upskill fencing contractors and the farmers they serve on the tech that’s now available to them.

“The days have been about helping fencing contractors and farmers keep up with the latest advancements in fencing technology to ensure they get the most out of their fencing systems,” says Nick.

Grounding issues and tech optimisation

One of the biggest issues Nick has seen recently is farmers not having their fencing systems running at full capacity, risking stock breakouts or stray voltage.

“I have been to a job recently where a farmer was only getting half the capacity out of his energizer because of improper grounding, that’s a really common issue we see,” says Nick.

“It was a sixty-joule unit, and the farmer only had three earth pegs because that’s what older units need. Many farmers don’t

know that today’s modern energizers need more earth pegs,” says Nick.

“It’s such a simple fix, but a poorly established earth system can lead to stock breakouts and stray voltage, which no one wants,” says Nick.

He was able to troubleshoot the issue and make sure the farmer’s stock stayed controlled.

Best Practice Days

Nick says FCANZ’s Best Practice Days are about highlighting issues just like this example, alongside showcasing new products and giving farmers the opportunity to ask questions and learn from industry experts like Gallagher.

Gallagher supported events in Te Anau and Invercargill with representatives on hand to provide advice and solve any issues farmers have been struggling with.

“Having the likes of Gallagher there was great for guys to be able to come along and ask about new products and troubleshoot any issues,” says Nick.

The increasing complexity of farm management and fencing systems

requires constant learning and adaptation, and events like these are vital for equipping farmers with the knowledge and tools they need, says Nick.

Simplifying Repairs with Gallagher’s Technology

Nick says advancements like Gallagher’s i-Series remote and fault finder have been critical in his business. He uses his own remotely controlled energizer on some jobs to save him time and hassle.

With the terrible weather experienced in the South Island last year, Nick had a job where he had to repair insulators on a farm’s boundary fence after flooding.

“I had used Gallagher insulators when we did the job, and they had held up extremely well in the conditions, but we did need to replace a few of them,” says Nick.

He used his own M6000i energizer and the i-Series remote and was able to move around the fence line, turning the energizer on and off as he fixed each insulator and moved to the next one.

“Fixing the boundary fence became a one-person job that only took a couple of hours to find all the issues along the fence line and fix them,” says Nick. “It’s this type of technology that we need to get into the hands of all farmers to make their jobs easier and more efficient,” says Nick.

Contractor Support

Gallagher Territory Manager for Otago, James Brown, says that by taking part in the FCANZ Best Practice Days, Gallagher was able to support fencing contractors and farmers to ensure they have the right tools and equipment to get the most out of their systems.

“With technology advancing at a rapid pace and farmers facing increasing pressures, the role of fencing contractors has never been more vital in helping

farmers get the most out of their fencing systems,” says James.

“At Gallagher, we want to help farmers get the most out of their fencing systems and ensure they are using the technology to the best of its ability. We appreciate working with industry and organisations like FCANZ so we can help educate farmers about what’s available to make their jobs easier.”

Supplied by:

Monitored fence lines, around

James Brown, Territory Manager for Otago

Revolution’s Double-sided Netmaster netting dispenser

Tony White, of White Fencing and designer of Revolution Postdrivers, is focused on efficient installation systems.

Using a Revolution Netmaster in Tony’s fencing business has impressed Tony with regards to speeding up the process of rolling out and tensioning off netting.

“We have used it in all sorts of netting applications, including the recent use on a barrier fence on a 4WD racetrack, making short work of putting netting on, where bottom wires were several metres above ground level”.

Customers have asked for a Double-sided Netmaster, which Revolution has recently released. The ability to roll out the netting from either side is an advantage over the Single-sided Netmaster and allows for more versatility. Says Tony, “You can pull either side, left or right, or both at once. Tare weight is light, only 380 kilos.”

Being able to be mounted onto a front-end loader or skid steer, the Revolution Netmaster is self-loading, side dispensing, and hydraulically clamps and strains/tensions from the tractor/ skid steer seat via a cam lock clamping system, allowing the opportunity to staple off in one pass under tension, using the Netmaster.

The Double-sided Netmaster will take standard height (900mm high) or deer height (1500/1900mm high) rolls. It will carry two x 500 metre rolls at a time.

Mark Brooker from Kaikoura recently purchased a Double-sided Netmaster and Revolution Telescopic SS post driver. Mark comments, “I’ve been using both sides a fair bit, [it’s] been really good for me to use, as we’re doing a lot of races and deer fences up against trees and old lines; the Double-sided Netmaster really speeds everything up.”

Supplied by:

Mark Brooker with his new Double-sided Netmaster and Revolution Telescopic SS Post Driver

Increased Efficiency

- 4.8m Mast (350 Grade Australian Steel)

- Custom Italian Valves (Ultra Smooth)

- Plastic Slide ActiveBlock® (Reduced Rope Whip)

- 130° Rotation (Ram Those Difficult Posts)

- 650mm Sliding Shift (With Plastic Wear Pads)

- 350mm Mastshift (Less Time Positioning the Tractor)

Reduced Downtime

- Reliable & Proven Designs (NZ Made for Over 20 years)

- Local Service & Support (Nationwide Dealers)

- Full After-Sales Team (Quick Access to Parts & Product Help)

- 2-Year Warranty (Quality Product Backed With Quality Service) March Deal

$3,250 off an Ultra G2S + PB650 Combo

PermaPine introduces innovative edged quarter pound posts

Traditionally, quarter round posts have been favoured by fencers and landowners for their strength and availability.

They are produced from larger logs compared to half rounds and rounds, which contributes to their robustness. However, the sharp edges of traditional quarter rounds can pose challenges in certain applications, such as vineyards, where fastening wires to both sides of the quarter round post is an advantage. In a traditional quarter round post the edges can also be prone to damage during handling and transportation.

PermaPine’s new edged quarter round post addresses these issues by machining off the usual 90-degree corner and adding smaller edges to the rounded face. This design allows for easier handling and more versatile wire fastening options on both the rounded face and the opposite face where the corner has been edged. Additionally, these posts offer an aesthetically pleasing appearance.

The new edged quarter round posts are available to order now through PermaPine’s nationwide network of resellers. Customers can choose from posts treated with CCA (Copper Chrome Arsenate) or MCA (Micronised

Copper Azole), and they are available in both pointed and unpointed options.

For more information or to find a stockist near you, contact PermaPine.

Supplied by:

Adapting and evolving –JB Fencing’s success story

In the face of tough economic times, many businesses are forced to adapt, innovate, and evolve to stay afloat. Our fencing business was no exception. While we have always been proud of the quality and reliability of our fencing services, the economic challenges pushed us to think outside the box and diversify.

Jesse Booker has been fencing since 2016, and in 2020, he decided to venture out on his own. Starting with nothing, working from the ground up and with a hefty loan from the bank he formed Jesse Booker Enterprises Ltd, AKA JB Fencing. Quickly realising, as the fencing jobs kept flowing, that he needed help, he employed a young labourer, and an old colleague who he had fenced with for four years prior also decided he would come and join the JB crew in 2021.

The year 2022 saw us rent a small gravel yard in Taupiri from friends, but very soon we outgrew this, as we needed to have more materials on hand, and increase productivity by being able to grab what we needed for our job the morning of, instead of waiting for our supplier to deliver to site. In 2023, the opportunity to purchase the property adjacent arose. Throwing everything we had at it, we were able to obtain a few acres, a house we

could rent out and sheds to develop into what is now known as the JB Yard. We haven’t looked back.

The last four years have been a whirlwind, battling COVID lockdowns, wild wet winters and summer storms, high staff turnover (fencing is not for the fainthearted) and most recently the change in economy. The arrival of a newborn in 2023 and another one in 2024 brought two children into the mix, with long and hard late-night hustles, it hasn’t been an easy road to get here.

We have spent hours developing the brand JB Fencing, as we believe it’s not only in the quality of work we produce, but backing it up by having a household name that people think of when they think of ‘quality fencing’.

We have had to brainstorm constantly, thinking about what’s next & how to move forward with the business when so many

others were failing or going backwards and when economic uncertainties began to affect demand for our fencing services, we knew we needed to act. While our fencing business was well-established, fluctuating demand meant we couldn’t rely solely on this service to sustain operations. It was a tough realisation, but it led us to explore additional ways to use our skills, equipment, and expertise.

“

We’re proud to say that we’ve expanded our offerings to include building pole sheds and tree felling, which in turn helps to produce firewood – a decision that not only will help to sustain us but has also opened exciting new doors for growth.

The JB Fencing team

The last year saw one of our toughest years work-wise yet, especially with having four staff members to keep busy and employed! Keeping our heads above the water was our main priority. So we sat down and planned what we could do in the wet months when the fencing cooled off. We came up with a plan to adapt the business to survive, and these plans involved still using our skillsets, but just slightly upskilling them.

Today, we’re proud to say that we’ve expanded our offerings to include building pole sheds and tree felling, which

in turn helps to produce firewood – a decision that not only will help to sustain us but has also opened exciting new doors for growth.

One of the first ideas we explored was building pole sheds. Our team already had a strong foundation in construction, and pole sheds presented an opportunity to put those skills to use in a new way. Whether it’s for agricultural storage, workshops, or garages, these structures are in high demand—and they’re a perfect fit for our skill set.

The transition required us to learn new techniques, source the right materials, and adjust our workflows, but it has been a rewarding experience. We’re proud to offer high-quality, durable pole sheds that meet the needs of our customers.

In addition to building pole sheds, we have begun to produce firewood from our new venture of tree felling which we started last winter. With rising energy costs, firewood has become an increasingly important resource for many households, especially during colder months. This venture not only allowed us to make use of wood byproducts from our tree felling projects but will also provide a steady revenue stream during slower periods. This didn’t come easy or cheap however, as we have had to employ a health and safety company to revise our policies to ensure we met the standards to keep our staff safe, as tree felling is quite a dangerous game. We have now completed our forestry tree felling course on top of our chainsaw courses; we’ve

brought a little truck to cart the firewood and built a 12x10 container shelter with concrete pad to keep our wood nice and dry ready for sale in the winter months.

Expanding into pole sheds and tree felling/firewood has been a gamechanger for our business. Diversifying will not only help us weather economic uncertainties, but it will also broaden our customer base and strengthen our reputation for versatility and innovation.

While the economic landscape still remains uncertain, we’re confident that our business is now better positioned to navigate challenges. We’ll continue to refine our services, explore new opportunities, and meet the needs of our customers with the same commitment to quality and reliability that has always defined us.

Currently, in 2025, we now have two crews, four full-time staff and Jesse running two John Deer tractor and rammer setups. Because we spent the last year with our heads down, grinding and figuring out ways to adapt to make sure we will get through, we can already see the changes we have made start to pay off – it is shaping up to be one of our busiest summers yet. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for us here at JB Fencing!

Article provided by JB Fencing

WIRE STRAINERS

NZ Distributor

From restructure to revival amidst market challenges

Bold decisions and some leaps of faith have carried post-driver manufacturer FENCEQUIP through tough times in recent years.

Based north of Auckland, the highly regarded company underwent a complete restructure following the economic downturn brought on by the COVID pandemic hangover and has come out the other side winning.

The company, founded by Troy Knudsen, came about from a lifetime of work and experience in the fencing, engineering, manufacturing and motorsport industries.

“(This) combined with a growing demand for a new driver in the market was where I could merge my experience of post driver manufacturing with my fencing experience and knowledge of high strength materials from the motorsport industry,” he told WIRED Magazine.

In the early days, it was just Troy with a few friends helping out for short periods of time. But it soon grew to two to three full-time staff.

“Then, before we knew it, we were at 8 to 10 staff.”

FENCEQUIP began with its flagship post driver, the HD (heavy duty), before moving into the MD (medium duty). It also produces HD skid steer drivers for the US market.

There were plans to make an economy model, the LD (light duty).

“However, we got a name for high-end machines, so we didn’t end up with that much demand for a light driver.”

But there was growing demand for an even larger driver.

“So, we made a SHD (Super Heavy Duty) that was designed for orchard and vineyard work.”

This was followed by its pile drivers for excavators and telescopic range, and

more recently, the skid steer specific machines for the North American market.

“We have dabbled in a range of other products and attachments, but I am finding it’s better to be really good at a few things than be okay at a lot of things.”

FENCEQUIP ran for several years with a core group of six highly-trained staff with a few contractors and seasonal staff. At the time, it was an extremely hard time to get labour, Troy said.

In April 2022, they lost three of the core team of six in one day, with one moving to another trade and another moving to another local engineer, giving just a day’s notice.

The third crashed their motorbike on their way home, breaking their femur and wrist.

This is where things got tricky, Troy said.

“We tried to rehire and get our staff numbers back up, but it proved very difficult rebuilding the team as the three core staff left now had to take on other people’s work, as well as help train any new staff where we could find them.

“It’s hard on a team environment when there are multiple new people that need training, let alone the personality clashes you get.”

This caused another of the core to leave at the end of 2022.

At the same time, FENCEQUIP was continuously growing in size, product range and sales.

And then in December 2022, the New Zealand market dried up almost overnight.

Container loaded and bound for the US. Any gaps are filled with plastic Future Posts.

“We went from selling one to two machines a week on average to one in six months,” Troy said.

They were fortunate to get some export orders over this period, as well as finishing machines on back order due to reduced productivity from running with a less experienced crew.

“Unfortunately, we had to let some of the newer staff go. This was one of the hardest things I have ever done, letting good staff go because I couldn’t sell enough to secure their job. It’s hard enough letting someone go for disciplinary reasons, but this was much harder.

“Obviously, I was not alone with this, as a lot of our New Zealand customers were experiencing similar things.”

In a lucky break, a contact in the USA reached out, giving the company a new market to focus on.

“It wasn’t as simple as sending what we already made. It was a new market with different ground and different needs. Getting the drivers right for the USA was not going to happen overnight.”

But, with the local market quiet, Troy was able to focus on getting the new product right.

“Every container load we sent was different from the last. Not only did we continually improve the performance of the product, we also tried to simplify the manufacturing process as well as the packaging process.”

But just as the team felt they were back on their feet, other cracks began to form.

“ It wasn’t as simple as sending what we already made. It was a new market with different ground and different needs. Getting the drivers right for the USA was not going to happen overnight

The cost of living was rising, and staff were needing more pay.

“We also still had a large workshop with only four staff, so our costs per machine had risen dramatically.”

And with a soft market, it didn’t feel possible to raise prices to cover this.

So, in early 2024, Troy made the decision to dramatically restructure the business.

The lease to the factory in town was released and the business moved to Troy’s home. The company went from working out of 700m2 to 200m2, and from four staff to one.

But the move has proved to be the right one.

“Now that we had refined our product and manufacturing processes, we no longer needed to raise our prices or have a large team to get machines out the door.”

It was then that the New Zealand market “turned back on”, along with the US market starting to take off.

“We now have enough work to keep 10 people busy, so we are once again changing how we do things,” Troy said.

Manual labour tasks are outsourced, and the team focuses only on doing the automation and highly technical parts and assembly, in order to keep complete control over the quality of the product.

Parts are sold on the website store to give Troy more time on the tools.

“We are also looking to try and implement lean manufacturing and focus on continual improvement of not only the product but also our processes and workspace.

Although the New Zealand market has come back, Troy feels it has changed.

“A lot of people are having to change how they work and sometimes where they work and with a different machine setup.

“It feels like what worked yesterday does not work today in business.”

Troy shares his story with many customers about what the company did to survive in the hopes it will help others.

He has also helped a number of contractors sell their specific setup and either buy another customer’s setup or re-invest in a new piece of equipment that better suits the current type of work.

“It’s definitely a mixed bag out there, but if you are willing to change and roll with the punches there is always a way through.

“We are looking forward to this new growth cycle and how we can grow to meet demand in a completely different way to last time.”

Article by Rosa Watson

The pre-existing shed already at the Knudsen home

Learning to be efficient in a smaller space

Business mentor catalyst for growth

North Canterbury fencing contractors Andrew and Claire Osgood are no strangers to change and believe being open to diversification within the industry and upskilling are key to maintaining a strong and viable business. They share their journey with Alice Scott...

Andrew Osgood has worked in various fields of fencing over the 30-plus years he has been in business. After leaving school, he worked for a fencing contractor in North Canterbury. He then moved to Western Australia where he ran his own fencing business. “I did about 100km of fencing on the Nullarbor Plain.”

The heat of the day dictated his working hours, often starting before dawn, knocking off when the temperature

got to 36 degrees and then going back to the job in the evening when it had cooled down again. “It definitely had its challenges, snakes and ants being some of them.” Andrew’s wife Claire was also working on the fence line and she laughs as she recalls a terrifying encounter with a tiger snake. “Instead of picking up what I thought was a black waratah, I nearly picked up the snake. It gave me a hell of a fright, much to the amusement of the guys working the line ahead of me.”

After 20 years in Australia, the couple decided to move home to North Canterbury and Andrew went farming for 10 years, “I found I could only get so far with farming though, so I moved on and worked for a silage and baleage contractor.”

When the Canterbury Earthquakes hit, Andrew could see there was an opportunity to get back into fencing, and

he and his business partner, also called Andrew, set up Andrews of Canterbury and focussed on residential and commercial fencing jobs around the city of Christchurch.

Starting a business from scratch meant the duo had to be proactive and motivated to find the work. “I always kept a high vis and a hard hat in my truck, and if I saw a worksite, I would stop in and introduce myself and give them my card.” While some find the hustle of cold calling a challenging aspect to drumming up business, Andrew says he never had any problem doing it, “it has never bothered me, I guess it comes down to how passionate and motivated you are about what you do,” he said.

Over the years, the business has continued to evolve to keep abreast of the different scope of work they have taken on. They now offer a broad range

Pictured from left, back row: Kaihi Rupene, Ollie Stanley, Andrew Osgood, Hamish Joblin, Tyson Barnes, Mikaere Ceson, Chris Conlan Front row: Wiremu Brown, Carlos Lancaster-Bartlett, Karika Tuake, Jonty Box, Reid Exton, James Wagstaff, Brock Brown and Claire Osgood Absent: Kruz Anderson, Deyell Turnbull.

of services: residential fencing, farm fencing, commercial and corporate fencing, retaining walls, pool and security fences and decking.

Staff personnel has also changed, growing from two to eight staff three years ago, and currently, they have 15 staff on the payroll. “The other Andrew has moved on, but we have grown quite rapidly in the last few years.”

Following the COVID pandemic, the shortage of building materials became a

well-known issue for many contractors in New Zealand. “We hadn’t lost our staff as we were classed as an essential service, but a lot of mills had been closed, and when they reopened, they had staff shortages.” A few phone calls later and Andrew managed to solve the problem with ITM Kaipoi, where a few of his workers would each take turns doing two or three weeks of making palings and other fencing materials. “It meant we had first dibs on the materials, and we also picked up a bit of work as well.” Working

at the mill wasn’t hugely enjoyable for his workers however, “they definitely found a new appreciation for fencing; working outside and having variety in their day,” he laughs.

Andrew also credits his business’s growth to engaging the services of Chris McBreen of Strategize. For those familiar with the television programme Clarkson’s Farm, Andrew jokes that Chris is the “Cheerful Charlie” to their business. “He got us to take a good look at our business model, improve the HR side of our operation and ensure we are fully compliant with all the health and safety requirements and a member of SiteSafe.” While it was an admin-heavy undertaking, it has given the business a strong level of professionalism. “We have been successful with tenders for the likes of Kāinga Ora, the Ministry of Education and Ōtautahi Community Housing Trust. Having all your ducks in a row gives you good clout when it comes to tendering to these types of organisations.”

They also travel South Island-wide. “We have done jobs all over such as Queenstown, Dunedin, Harihari on the West Coast and Havelock. “Most of our workers are in their 20s and don’t mind staying away the odd time.”

Andrew will also be called in to undertake small “tricky” jobs where security or vandalism might be an issue. “We recently had a job at Riccarton Mall where we needed to come up with a solution to prevent graffiti on an advertising screen outside the mall. That was quite an interesting job. I enjoy coming up with solutions to problems like that.”

While she did pull a few wires for Andrew when they were living in Australia, Claire has since been busy raising their family and worked as a registered school teacher. This year, she has finished in the classroom and taken on a full-time administrative role for the business. “She’s on a three-month trial period as my office lady”, Andrew jokes. The business has Andrew pulled in many directions on any given day, and Claire’s support will relieve some of that workload. “My strength is dealing with clients and being out on the jobs, not so much in the office and dealing with the paperwork side of things. Claire is much better at that than me,” he said.

Written by Alice Scott

Andrew and Claire Osgood

Andrew Osgood on a job with staff member Ollie Stanley

Macrocarpa creates new business specialty

Ruben and Heather Connelly only need to look out the window to see how land use in Central Otago is rapidly changing. They live with their growing young family on a four hectare lifestyle block on the outskirts of Cromwell.

Their property was part of a sheep farm, but a few years ago the farmer sold up and a developer divvied up the land for rural residential use.

Ruben and Heather’s business, Precise Fencing, is increasingly responding to the fencing preferences of new property owners like themselves. The pair are rapidly becoming the go-to local contractor for installing stylish and functional macrocarpa fencing. Their clients are happy with the result, and ongoing jobs largely locked in via wordof-mouth marketing is proof of that.

“It makes a statement and lets property owners add value,” Ruben says.

“People see it on the roadside, and they talk to their friends and ask ‘Who does that?’, so that’s the main driver.”

It all started with a cherry orchardist, who had some macrocarpa fencing on his land and asked Ruben if his team could put some more in. That was three years ago. Now, similar work accounts for roughly one-third of business, with the remainder split evenly between farming and viticulture work.

Ruben says the shift has involved a learning curve, but it hasn’t been as steep as it could have been thanks to the skillset of existing team members. While fencing crews are generally comfortable behind the wheel of a tractor, a digger with an auger attachment is needed to make short work of getting the square posts of a macrocarpa fence in the ground.

Despite having employees capable of operating the machinery, there was still a bit of trial and error to begin with, and Ruben says, “the installation process is a bit slower than for your traditional rural fence”. But it is worth the effort.

“The margins are better, it adds some variety to the work that our guys are doing, and it’s really satisfying work when you install it and look back on it.”

“ We’re wanting to have a more professional presence, so people recognise our logo and trust our brand

Developers are showing an increasing interest, and Ruben and Heather are optimistic that some bigger contracts are around the corner.

“A new subdivision could be six months of work at one site,” Ruben says.

Precise Fencing has developed a solid working relationship with Pankhurst Sawmilling – another husband-and-wifeled family business in the Deep South. This is not a ‘buy-off-the-shelf’ product, and Pankhurst Sawmilling produces the quality macrocarpa posts and rails Ruben and Heather need to get the job done.

It feels like the right time to invest further. To date, Heather and Ruben have been hiring a digger and auger, but they have just purchased their own machinery. It isn’t the only thing on the way – Heather is expecting the couple’s fourth child in a matter of months.

While she has been handling a chunk of the company’s administrative work, a contractor has recently been brought on board part-time to help out. The new role will involve some marketing work

too – Heather says business colleagues are reporting success with marketing on Facebook and Instagram, and she is keen for Precise Fencing to develop more of a presence online.

She is midway through a rebranding exercise – there are already uniforms with a refreshed logo, and company Utes and other kit will follow suit. Heather recalls breastfeeding baby number three as she played around sketching ideas for the logo. The result – a bold ‘P’ and ‘F’ that resemble the stout lines of a macrocarpa fence.

“We’re wanting to have a more professional presence, so people recognise our logo and trust our brand.”

Heather is confident diversification makes good business sense in a climate of change. She thinks tech innovations will continue to provide farmers with new options for retaining stock, and in some cases, traditional wire and strainer post fences may become obsolete.

Her plan is to future-proof the family business.

Macrocarpa installation

The Connelly family

The ability to upskill and pivot isn’t new for those behind Precise Fencing. Ruben moved to Cromwell from Canterbury close to a decade ago, after an opportunity to merge his business into an existing established fencing business arose. Ruben had been dairy farming, but the regular hours and business opportunities offered by fencing lured him away. At that time, the Central Otagobased business had built up steady work with the growing number of grape growers in the Cromwell basin, converting farmland to vineyards.

“They were creating the rows for the vines to grow up – a trellis type system,” Ruben says.

“So that was a big part of our work through the spring, and the rest of the work was mainly on farms, doing stock fencing.”

It wasn’t long before Ruben crossed paths with his new business partner’s cousin, Heather, who was working in the business. The rest, as they say, is history. Heather bought her cousin’s share of the business, and Ruben and Heather became more than just business partners.

According to Ruben, balancing business and family life is a work in progress.

“Sometimes, when I’m on my way home, I actually pull over on the side of the road and make a couple of calls or do some admin, so then when I’m at home, I’m not thinking ‘I need to do this, I need to do that’ and I can put my phone on the shelf and just forget about it and be present.”

This year, he would also like to shift the office from inside the family’s house – there is plenty of room for a prefab building on their section.

“I can have the kids coming in when I’m on the phone.”

“ We make sure they’ve always got the best machinery and tools, uniforms and good boots... electrolytes in summer. If they want time off, I’ll make it work. On weekends, I

want them to go out and have fun and do their hobbies, so then they come back ready to kick into it again for another week

Acknowledging that their employees also have lives outside of work is important for Heather and Ruben too. Staff numbers have grown from two to five during their time in charge of the business, and looking after employees is a priority.

Work Christmas parties are becoming the stuff of legend - this year’s involved whitewater rafting, with the challenge each year to top the adventure of the one before. But the small day-to-day things are just as important.

“I know how hard they work, especially through quite demanding conditions, whether it’s really hot or really cold,” Ruben says.

“We make sure they’ve always got the best machinery and tools, uniforms and good boots... electrolytes in summer. If they want time off, I’ll make it work. On weekends, I want them to go out and have fun and do their hobbies, so then they come back ready to kick into it again for another week.”

Looking back over his fencing career, Ruben acknowledges business opportunities have come from people he knows, so it is a no-brainer he places value on getting to know people.

He says when he heads out to meet a potential client or new supplier, he never treats it as just a business transaction.

“I always take the time to actually learn about the person and understand them. I get a bit of a kick out of meeting new people and just finding out about their lives a little bit.”

Written by Kim Bowden and provided by Precise Fencing

Xmas work do

The Precision Fencing team

Mitchpine celebrates 50 years of quality wood

Mitchpine has been supplying quality fencing products since 1975.

It’s seen its share of challenges in the last 50 years, tried new opportunities (including, in the late 90’s, shipping outdoor furniture to Japan) and made many changes to get the business to be where it is today.

Lee Mitchell, the third generation of Mitchell to lead the Mitchpine business, took over in 2019 and has prioritised keeping up with innovation within the industry.

“We try to stay up to date with what is happening overseas. We import technology to keep our plant and machinery efficient. By investing in technology, not only do we get better products and the ability to use the right part of the tree for the right product we are also reducing waste and creating a safer workplace.”

50 years in the industry has seen a lot of change. But that will not stop.

“The industry is constantly changing and we want to keep changing to meet demands to ensure wood is the first choice.”

“For the past few years’ a big project we have been working on is a new roundwood mill. We are excited to open this, this year. This will help us be much more efficient and keep up with demand.”

“We are proud to have been supplying quality wood for the past 50 years and look forward to being a trusted supplier for many more.” says Lee.

For more information about Mitchpine and its products head to www.mitchpine.co.nz

1st Mark Lambert & Tony Bouskill

2nd Tim Stafford & Jeff Joines 3rd Tim Garrick & Corey Twigley

Supplied by:

NZFC World Doubles Fencing Championship and overseas exchange programme

NZFC has been working on the development of a World Doubles Fencing Championship, bringing together fencers from different countries to compete at the National Fieldays at Mystery Creek, to help highlight the New Zealand fencing industry’s strong standing in fencing competitions, and connect fencers from across the globe.

Coupled with this initiative is an overseas competition exchange program, whereby representative competition winners from different countries come down and compete in the Fieldays Silver Spades® Doubles Championship. In exchange, the New Zealand winners, or highest placed New Zealand team, travel overseas to one of their competitions to represent New Zealand and our NZFC sponsors.

Work undertaken on behalf of NZFC by Nick Liefting with the U.K, and Debbie White with the USA can be attributed to the early development of the World Championship concept and connections.

At this years’ Fieldays, two overseas teams will be competing in the Fieldays Silver Spades® Doubles Championship. Representing the 2024 Tornado Fencing competition in the UK is Si Gibbs, from HVB Fencing, and John Morgan, from Morgan Fencing. Comments Si, “We are both looking forward to meeting the best of the best and giving it a good go. Best to get practising!”

The winners of the U.S Platinum Strainers Doubles Championship, which is run at the East Coast Fencing Rivalry in Galex Virginia, were Dylan Herndon (Georgia) and Deuce Brown (South Carolina). With Dylan unfortunately unable to make it for

family reasons, Ed Struna from Hickory Nut Fencing Ohio is coming over as Deuce’s doubles partner.

Says Deuce, “I’m looking forward to competing in NZ. I’m excited to meet the other competitors and learn all I can to hopefully bring knowledge back to the States. Being able to compete at Fieldays is a real honour, and something I don’t take lightly.

I think one of the most understated aspects of competitions is the camaraderie that comes with it. After I competed at the East Coast Fencing Rivalry, I feel that I’m a better fencer for doing it. The biggest value is paying more attention to details that I’ve overlooked in the past, being more appreciative of the value of techniques, and its helped me bring an overall higher quality of fence to my everyday customers.”

2025 Exchange

The winners of the Fieldays Silver Spades® Doubles Championship are travelling to the USA to compete in the US Platinum Strainers Doubles Championship, held at the East Coast Fencing Rivalry in Galax Virginia, on 15-16 August 2025.

Along with competing, they will be demonstrating New Zealand techniques to the other attendees during organised demonstration times, and promoting travelling to New Zealand to attend the Fieldays and to meet New Zealand fencing contractors.

Any New Zealand Fencing contractors and their partners who would like to attend either the Tornado Fencing Competition, held at the Malvern Sheep Show in England, or the East Coast Fencing Rivalry in Galex, Virginia, USA and then meet up with fellow fencing contractors and do factory tours, can email office@nzfencingcompetitons. co.nz for further information.

Written by Debbie White

Si Gibbs and John Morgan (left) with Mark Lambert and Jeff Joines at the 2024 Tornado fencing competition

Dylan Herndon and Deuce Brown

More than just a piece of paper

I’m Donna Upton, and like the rest of the FCANZ Board, I volunteer my time to guide the Association’s development for the industry’s good. In my day jobs, I help run CPC Fencing with my husband, and I’m the NorthTec Training Coordinator for Fencing qualifications. There are some issues I’ve been mulling over since taking on the roles of Training Coordinator and FCANZ Board member, and some questions I’d love to know the answers to.

The evolution of industry training

Industry training in the last four years has been a massive learning curve for the industry. The Association is doing its best to emulate other better-established (and regulated) trades by supporting and delivering training in trade skills and business acumen. The Certificate in Fencing Level 3 & 4 training is available nationwide. It is delivered under the NZQA framework to help better our members and anyone who wants to take up fencing as a career - bringing fencing from old traditional business methods into the now. Training and courses like this will always be evolving and changing, and it is our responsibility as an industry and an Association to navigate the challenges of the NZQA system and ensure the training reaches a standard all should aspire to.

Not just a piece of paper

I absolutely get that workmanship is your best advertising tool, and having clients call you back repeatedly is your best accolade for continued business. But what about the consumers who have no idea what good looks like? I have said it before, and I will say it again: a fencer knows a good fence, and a fencer knows what good workmanship looks like. The average consumer has no idea and is engaging your business to carry out the work they want done; they don’t necessarily know good from bad until it is too late. How do we reduce the complaints we see from these situations and educate the general public (including Councils and the like) on the difference, thereby improving the reputation of our industry?

Flipping the narrative

Speaking generally (not from a trainer’s perspective), it’s sad to see that a lot of the narrative has been negatively charged due to frustration. People are juggling the constantly fluctuating workstreams within their businesses, trying to better themselves, dealing with staff shortages, and managing their way through economic and global disruptions most of us have probably never seen in our lifetime.

Unsurprisingly, we often get caught up in a spiral of negativity, especially with so many aspects being beyond our control. My question is, how do we change that narrative? Having lived and worked in the rural sector all my life and, latterly, in the fencing industry, I have noticed that 9 out of 10 people you come across in the industry are brilliant and offer so much.

They are helpful, industrious, and forwardthinking, but they often don’t want anyone to know this about them. I’ve had many conversations with people regarding this, and they all agree.

So, how do we change the vibe around the fencing career and business pathway in New Zealand?

How do we change the direction of the industry so everyone is helping to make it better across all facets, not just the business side, but in its entirety?

How can we work together better? Our industry is the most underregulated, easy-to-enter industry there is. There is no problem with that, but how do we create an even playing field for our consumers to navigate?

What you think matters

Training has come on in leaps and bounds in the past three years, and we have achieved a lot in the very short time it has been properly available through NZQA. I am constantly working hard behind the scenes to tweak the Level 3 & 4 courses so that they work in and around your business better. We need help to help you, and for this, we need constructive feedback to keep the training tracking on a positive forward trajectory. We need

to know from fencers why they may not enrol, or enrol and have problems completing the courses.

What changes or suggestions do you have for the courses that will maintain the best practice standards required to demonstrate to consumers the correct way to fence?

Getting ahead of the game

We don’t want to create unnecessary regulation by any means, but as an Association, we want to be on the front foot regarding what regulation there is and help you navigate it as easily as possible. We are seeing more and more Local Government entities seeking advice, direction and education from us about what a good fence looks like. In the coming 12 months, this will expand into a proactive educational programme with large organisations – and holding any of the industry qualifications or endorsements will stand you in good stead.

An exciting future

The fencing community is huge nationally and internationally, I have never experienced anything like it elsewhere. There are some awesome opportunities and fantastic people within it. Imagine what

it would be like if we all helped each other to keep the industry on the right path and make it the best it can be, helping each other and anyone within it.

Level 3 and 4 courses are now open for enrolment (northtec.ac.nz/study/ fencing). These fencing courses have been leading the way within NorthTec’s primary industries pathway, and it would be awesome to see that continue.

If you have constructive feedback and ideas to improve what you already have in place, contact Jaime at FCANZ (exec@fcanz.org.nz, or 021 2848 223).

We are here for you and will work with you to make your industry what you want it to be.

Written by Donna Upton donna@fcanz.org.nz dupton@northtec.ac.nz

If you haven’t yet enrolled for either Certificate in Fencing Course, we want to know why!

Visit www.fcanz.org.nz/feedback, answer 4 simple questions and be in to

7 tips for parenting while running a business

Anyone who has kids and a small business deserves a medal. It’s not easy. Running a business takes a lot of focus and energy, so how do you juggle all this and still look after your family, especially if both of you are working in the business?

I have 6 kids, but I’m no expert on parenting. So I went looking for answers and found 7 proven ideas to help all of us balance work and home:

1. Pick and choose

To improve your business, taking stock is the first step.  If you’re feeling guilt, pinpoint the root cause. Did you miss a birthday? Left the kids hanging while you took a work call? Worked on Sunday instead of going to the beach together like you promised?

Get clarity around what you’re okay (and not okay) with missing out on. Figure out what’s important and let yourself off the hook for other stuff. What’s non-negotiable for you? Being there for Christmas Eve, the annual fishing trip, school performances,

their Saturday games, weekly movie nights, or maybe it’s just being home in time for dinner every night?

Once you know what it is, protect that time by having a “no” speech ready anytime something (or someone) else tries to encroach. Be aware that “yes” and “no” operate in balance. Just like dropping your price might have dire consequences later (especially in this environment), saying “yes” to a certain client, might mean saying “no” to your family for the next few weekends.

Make sure to let go of other people’s expectations. Weigh your own actions. Most people have no idea the amount of work and sacrifice it takes to run your own business. Just don’t miss the things that would gut you to miss.

2. Set the tone

What we expect is what we will see. Don’t buy into ‘terrible twos’ or ‘disrespectful teens’. Focus instead on the best things each season of parenting brings.

Likewise, focus on what is good about being in business. How you talk about your business = how your kids will feel about it. If you talk like you hate your business, your kids are probably going to internalise that, parrot it, and feel a bit septic about the time you spend working.

A good business makes you more money than a regular job would. Gives your kids better opportunities and a head-start in life. Heck, you’ve created flexibility to help out with the

kids more and spend more time with them. You’re providing for your family. That’s badass. Own it.

Talk this through with your kids, help them see the reasons you work so hard. Soon they will be grown and have their own careers (or business). Kids learn by watching (and mimicking) us. Are we modelling healthy behaviour in how we handle the curveballs and how we treat our clients and team?

3. Accept that it’s messy  You can’t do it all. Don’t try. Get help with the kids, the house, the business. As much as you can in the current scenario.

We’re not supposed to parent alone. Encourage healthy influences in your kids’ lives that are not you. Find childcare options your kids love and don’t feel guilty. Hire an online tutor, cleaner, lawn-mowing service, meal delivery, anything that makes it easier!

Work-wise, outsource and delegate as many of the $25/hour tasks as you can. To be a successful leader, spend your time on the high-level tasks. Save time by systemising and streamlining as much as you can in every area. Now is a great time to lean on technology.

4. Optimise the in-between

Research shows the in-between moments of regular family life (activities like chores or taking the car for a warrant) can do as much for family bonding as any planned ‘family fun’.

Here are the things studies have associated with improved outcomes:

Talking to and listening to your kids. Making it clear you have ambitions for their future. Being emotionally warm. Teaching them letters and numbers. Taking them on excursions. Reading to them daily (and encouraging them to read for pleasure). A regular bedtime.

Easy ways to make the most of things you’re doing anyway: Implement a ‘no screens at the dinner table’ rule. Turn your phone on silent - clients can wait an hour. In the car: practice times tables, ask your kids what problems they want to solve in the world, or listen to an audiobook

together. Cooking, doing dishes, folding laundry? Have the kids help; blast the family soundtrack or ask them about Minecraft. Going out to pick up supplies, or clear the PO Box? Take one kid along for some 1 on 1 every time you run an errand (if it’s safe). Bring the kids into the business. Give them simple jobs in the office, or begin teaching them your trade.

5. Make memories

For parents struggling with lack of time, Karthik Rajan shares this gem: Time doesn’t matter. Memories do.

Question: “What are some of your best memories of things your parents did for you?” In a FB group, this generated 286 comments. Most were about simple moments that didn’t cost money:

“My dad tucking me in at night and making up stories!”

“Chasing us around the house endlessly.”

“My mum would put her hand on my forehead when I was sick.”

“She always put notes in my lunch.”

“Working on projects with me.”

“Going fishing with my Dad.”

“Tuesdays was the day dad picked me up, it was our tradition to stop for chocolate on the way home.”

“Every Sunday he would make pancakes.”

“Work-wise, outsource and delegate as many of the $25/hour tasks as you can. To be a successful leader, spend your time on the high-level tasks.

“My mum used to make the bed with me in it.”

“She’d put towels in the dryer to warm them before we got out of the bath.”   I teach my clients the 80/20 rule to create more profit. Similarly - identify and focus on the 20% of daily activities, the simple moments that matter most to your kids.

6. Play at 100%

One study found children were better off when parents’ work was challenging and enjoyable, even if it limited time at home. However, this only held if, when Dad was home and off-duty, he was available, and not on his phone constantly or obsessively thinking about work.

Gary Vee is known as a workaholic. Yet he says: “I play in extremes. My daughter had a recital, I was the first parent in line for it. On weekends, I am all in - 100%. I’m not playing 4 hours of golf. I’m not doing things other people are doing. I’m all in on the kids.”

CEO Sharran Srivatsaa has a good tip: “On my way home, I pull over, I finish any calls, load my meditation app, change my state to ‘father and husband’. When I get home, I walk through the door present and joyful. This simple 6-minute state-change transformed my life”.

7. Love your work, or quit

It’s probably not possible to build a family business without your partner having some role. However, it’s important you’re both playing to your strengths and on the same page. It’s always helpful to take a step back and assess: “Is this working?”

A common scenario is when the female partner has agreed to do accounts and run the show behindthe-scenes, while he is on the tools, or with clients. If this isn’t her natural skillset, or she’s constantly overwhelmed, it may be time to look at another option. Not all couples can, or should, work together (especially if there’s an eroding baseline of respect).

It’s also wise to consider how much time she really has available,

especially if you have kids under 5 or still in primary. Factor in relentless interruptions and school (either at home or school pickups and drop-offs), sick days, and school holidays - and the required consistency in the role may be hard or impossible to achieve.

Research also showed kids are mentally healthier when mum feels she has control over what happens in her workday and also has time away for self-care (this increased her capacity, compared to using that same time on housework).

As we wrap up, here’s a sobering stat: 93% of the time we spend with our kids is over before they finish high school. Once they move out, we won’t see them nearly as much, and have less influence.

Time is short. Life has to be on your terms. Yes, your business is probably going to require more attention in this season. To avoid regrets, and your kids missing out, the key is to set your boundaries and schedule in advance. So work doesn’t encroach on family time.

If you need help to get your business in line with your family – or just want someone to talk strategy with – hit me up for a free 45-minute coaching session here:

https://nextleveltradie.co.nz/nextstep/ Daniel Fitzpatrick

New ACC Recovery at Work Resources

ACC has two new resources to help businesses support recovery if an employee is injured and needs time off work.

In many cases, and with some temporary adjustments, people can safely recover from injury while working and use work as an active part of their recovery and rehabilitation process.

The sooner an injured person can get reconnected back to work, the better it can be for their mental well-being and physical recovery. They'll also be more likely to return to their job, helping you and your team get back to business as usual. Each year, ACC receives almost two million new claims. Be prepared so you can play an early and active role in the recovery journey for your employers, regardless of whether they’re injured inside or outside of work.

The new ACC resources are:

1. Getting started guide for supporting your injured employee

This resource provides an overview of how employers can support their employee after an injury and help them return to work.

There’s more information and resources on ACC’s website acc.co.nz

2. Recovery at work guide

This one-page guide is for employees to help them identify key steps they can take if they are injured and how to work with their employer to return to work. Employers can share this with any employees who get injured.

https://www.acc.co.nz/assets/business/Supporting-your-injured-employee-getting-started-guide.pdf

https://www.acc.co.nz/assets/Uploads/Your-recovery-at-work-guide.pdf

Guilty: significant outcome in health and safety prosecution of former chief executive

The District Court found Tony Gibson, former chief executive of Ports of Auckland Limited (POAL), guilty of charges brought under section 48 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSW Act) in November 2024.

This judgment is of relevance to all officers of businesses and organisations across New Zealand, including directors, executives, and other leaders with significant influence over the management of that business or organisation.

In short, the District Court found that:

• Mr Gibson was an officer of a “person conducting a business or undertaking” (a PCBU) (i.e., POAL);

• who failed to exercise due diligence to ensure that POAL complied with its primary duty of care to ensure, so far as was reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers at work in POAL’s business or undertaking; and

• that failure exposed POAL’s workers to a risk of death or serious injury.

The decision includes detailed analysis regarding the elements of the officer’s due diligence duty, in explaining why Mr Gibson had not met the relevant standards in the particular facts of this case.

The judgment is significant as it is the first time that an officer of a large New Zealand company has been charged and found guilty of offences under the HSW Act.

Judge Bonnar recognised this significance in the judgment:

“A practical tension exists… between the purpose of the legislation, which is to sheet home the due diligence duty to those at the “apex of large hierarchical organisations” and the fact that officers in such organisations will be, by virtue of the nature of their role and the size of such organisations, removed from the day-to-day implementation of business

systems, processes and health and safety standards.”

Background

In August 2021, POAL and Mr Gibson were each charged with offences under the HSW Act, relating to the death of port worker, Mr Pala’amo (Amo) Kalati, on 30 August 2020. Mr Kalati died after being crushed when a container was dropped during a lifting operation.

POAL pleaded guilty to the charges laid against it. In doing so, it admitted that:

• it failed to ensure, so far as was reasonably practicable, the health and safety of its workers on the date of the incident leading to Mr Kalati’s death, and thereby exposed Mr Kalati and one other worker to a risk of death or serious injury; and

Photo credit: Ports of Auckland

• it had committed a series of systemic failures, which meant that it had failed to ensure, so far as was reasonably practicable, the health and safety of its workers over a period of 14 months, which exposed those workers to a risk of death or serious injury.

Maritime NZ charged Mr Gibson as an “officer” of a PCBU, with offences under sections 48 and 49 of the HSW Act.

Judgment: summary

In a previous article, Bell Gully anticipated that the District Court might follow or rely on the recent decision from the District Court of New South Wales (NSW), SafeWork NSW v Miller Logistics Pty Ltd; SafeWork NSW v Mitchell Doble [2024] NSWDC 58 (Doble)

In that case, the NSW District Court considered an officer’s due diligence duties under an equivalent provision applicable in NSW. SafeWork NSW (the NSW equivalent of WorkSafe New Zealand) alleged that the sole managing director of the company (the “officer”) breached his due diligence duties following an incident involving a worker being struck by a forklift. The NSW District Court held that, although there had been a failure by the PCBU, the officer had not failed to exercise due diligence. In particular, the NSW District Court held that the “duty on an officer to exercise due diligence does not mean that the officer must do everything that the PCBU must do to ensure compliance with its own duty and that a failure by the PCBU does not, of itself, demonstrate a failure by an officer to exercise due diligence.”

Judge Bonnar considered the Doble decision, as well as other Australian cases decided under previous statutes. However, Judge Bonnar recognised that the Australian precedents, including Doble, were not binding and that the charges faced by Mr Gibson needed to be determined on the facts of his own case.

Judge Bonnar’s analysis included reference to the following facts, which were material to the finding that Mr Gibson had failed to exercise the care, diligence and skills that a reasonable officer would have exercised in the same circumstances:

• Mr Gibson was ultimately responsible for health and safety at POAL. He was tasked with a number of key health and safety responsibilities and retained responsibility for monitoring and reviewing the performances of his subordinates and POAL’s systems. In this sense, he was a “hands on” CEO in relation to port operations and safety issues in many practical ways (as opposed to “acting remotely from actual port operations or acting simply as a ‘head office-based CEO’”)

• Mr Gibson had failed to adequately address recommendations to make changes to the structure of assigned responsibilities and accountability for the POAL executive team with regard to health and safety, despite being aware of the specific recommendations to do so.

• Mr Gibson failed to ensure that POAL’s Health and Safety Steering Committee (the functional body for overseeing occupational health and

safety management within POAL) was adequately performing its functions (Judge Bonnar found that it was not).

• Mr Gibson was aware that POAL’s assessments of critical risks were inadequate (or ought to have been aware of this, by reason of monthly safety and wellbeing reports).

• Mr Gibson was on notice to POAL’s ongoing difficulties in adequately monitoring work done on wharves, by virtue of POAL’s previous convictions. It was his responsibility to ensure that appropriate systems and processes were put in place to address those failures.

• Mr Gibson, with his knowledge and experience in all the circumstances, would have recognised the shortfalls in POAL’s management of the specific work that led to Mr Kalati’s

death and should have ensured that POAL utilised appropriate resources to address those shortfalls.

Judge Bonnar held that these circumstances made it materially more likely that POAL would breach its duty of care to ensure that stevedores were not exposed to the risk of death or serious harm. Mr Gibson’s failure to exercise due diligence as a result of these matters thereby exposed the stevedores to the risk of death or serious harm by being struck by objects from operating cranes. Accordingly, Mr Gibson was found guilty of charges under section 48.

Importantly, Judge Bonnar confirmed that the fact that POAL breached its primary duty of care to workers did not automatically lead to the conclusion that Mr Gibson failed in his personal duty:

“A PCBU can breach its duties despite proper efforts by its officer to do all that he or she could reasonably have been expected to do in the circumstances, having regard to what the officer knew, what they ought to have known, and their ability to make or influence decisions in relation to the relevant matter.”

Broader considerations

While each case turns on its own facts, it is important for New Zealand officers to carefully review this decision, and reflect on learnings for their own organisational contexts.

Some key reflections may include:

• How do I review the business’s health and safety systems and ensure that they adequately address health and safety risks – on an ongoing basis?

The decision confirms that compliance with the due diligence duty is not achieved through simply relying upon personnel with specific health and safety duties – rather, officers should ensure that they properly enquire into the organisation’s systems and are adequately addressing health and safety risks. This requires regular monitoring, review, and auditing of systems, and pro-active monitoring, verification, and interrogation of the information received.

• How am I demonstrating active engagement in my due diligence obligations, beyond “oversight”?

The decision emphasises that the duty to exercise due diligence is not met through “governance or directorial oversight functions” alone – it requires something more. The officer must personally acquire and maintain sufficient knowledge to be reasonably satisfied that the PCBU is complying with its duties under the HSW Act.

• Am I relying on the “best” expertise and advice in relation to health and safety matters in my industry?

Although evidence about the state of knowledge of health and safety matters within the relevant industry at the time, and practices of comparable businesses, may be relevant to an assessment of whether the required due diligence standard has been met, Judge Bonnar noted that “if the officer’s actions objectively fall below the standard required by the statute it does not assist the officer that comparator officers may also have routinely been falling below that standard.”

This decision confirms that due diligence duties apply to all officers across all PCBUs, large and small, with both flat and hierarchical structures: “the fact that an officer may operate at the head of a large, hierarchical organisation does not mean that the officer’s obligations are diminished.” However, we note that Judge Bonnar emphasised that each case is highly fact specific.

It is not known at this stage whether Mr Gibson will appeal this decision. The maximum penalty that Mr Gibson may face in respect of the charges upheld against him is a fine of NZ$300,000.

Article republished with permission

bellgully.com

“ A PCBU can breach its duties despite proper efforts by its officer to do all that he or she could reasonably have been expected to do in the circumstances, having regard to what the officer knew, what they ought to have known, and their ability to make or influence decisions in relation to the relevant matter

Photo credit: Ports of Auckland

Health and safety pre-start for plant and machinery

Welcome back, everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season filled with joy and relaxation. As we return to the fence line, ready to tackle the challenges of the hot sun and hard work, let’s remember your dedication and resilience are truly commendable.

Together, we'll continue to build and maintain the strong, reliable fences that our community and businesses depend on. Your hard work ensures the safety and productivity of our farms, supporting the backbone of our local economy. Here's to a productive and safe season ahead! And remember, as the saying goes: "The grass is always greener on the other side… unless you forget to water it!" Let's keep our spirits high and our water bottles handy!

Pre-start process

Ensuring health and safety in the fencing business is crucial, especially when dealing with plant and machinery. A well-structured pre-start process can help identify potential hazards, ensure equipment is in good working order, and protect workers from injury. By adhering to these guidelines, fencing businesses can ensure the safety and well-being of their workers while maintaining efficient and compliant operations.

1. Pre-start Meeting

Before starting any work, conduct a pre-start meeting with all team members. This meeting should cover:

• Job Overview: Outline the tasks for the day and the equipment to be used.

• Safety Briefing: Discuss potential hazards and safety measures.

• Roles and Responsibilities: Assign specific roles to team members, ensuring everyone knows their duties.

2. Equipment Inspection

Inspect all plant and machinery before use. This includes:

• Visual Inspection: Check for any visible damage or wear and tear.

• Operational Check: Test the equipment to ensure it is functioning correctly.

• Safety Features: Verify that all safety features, such as guards and emergency stops, are in place and operational.

3. Hazard Identification

Identify and assess potential hazards associated with the use of plant and machinery. Common hazards in the fencing business include:

• Mechanical Hazards: Moving parts that can cause injury.

• Electrical Hazards: Faulty wiring or exposed electrical components.

• Noise Hazards: High noise levels that can damage hearing.

• Manual Handling Hazards: Lifting and moving heavy materials.

4. Risk Assessment

Conduct a risk assessment to evaluate the likelihood and severity of identified hazards. Use the following steps:

• Identify Hazards: List all potential hazards.

• Assess Risks: Determine the likelihood and potential impact of each hazard.

• Control Measures: Implement measures to eliminate or reduce risks, such as using personal protective equipment (PPE) or modifying work practices.

5. Training and Competence

Ensure all workers are trained and competent in the use of plant and machinery. This includes:

• Formal Training: Provide training on the safe operation of equipment.

• On-the-Job Training: Offer handson training under the supervision of experienced operators.

• Certification: Ensure workers have the necessary certifications for the operation of machinery.

6. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Provide and enforce the use of appropriate PPE, including:

• Hard Hats: To protect against head injuries.

• Safety Glasses: To shield eyes from debris.

• Hearing Protection: To prevent hearing damage from loud machinery.

• Gloves: To protect hands from cuts and abrasions.

• High-Visibility Clothing: To ensure workers are easily seen if required.

7. Emergency Procedures

Establish and communicate emergency procedures, including:

• Emergency Stops: Ensure all workers know how to use emergency stop mechanisms on machinery.

• First Aid: Provide first aid kits and ensure trained first aiders are on site.

• Emergency Contacts: Display emergency contact numbers prominently.

8. Documentation and Reporting

Keep detailed records of all pre-start checks, training, and incidents. This includes:

• Pre-start Checklists: Document the results of equipment inspections.

• Training Records: Maintain records of all training sessions and certifications.

• Incident Reports: Record any incidents or near misses and investigate their causes.

9. Ensuring New or Modified Plant and Machinery Have Risk Assessment and Training

When introducing new or modified plant and machinery, it is essential to conduct a thorough risk assessment and provide adequate training for safe operation. Here’s how to ensure this process is effectively managed: Risk Assessment for New or Modified Equipment

• Initial Assessment: Conduct a comprehensive risk assessment before the equipment is used. Identify potential hazards and evaluate the risks associated with the new or modified machinery.

• Control Measures: Implement appropriate control measures to mitigate identified risks. This may include engineering controls, administrative controls, and PPE.

• Review and Update: Regularly review and update the risk assessment to ensure it remains relevant and effective as the equipment is used and as new information becomes available.

Training for Safe Operation

• Training Programs: Develop and implement training programs specifically tailored to the new or modified equipment. Ensure that all operators receive training on the safe use, maintenance, and emergency procedures related to the equipment.

• Ongoing Training: Provide ongoing training and refresher courses to keep operators updated on best practices and any changes to the equipment or procedures.

10. Ensuring Competency for Use of Plant and Machinery

Ensuring that all operators are competent in the use of plant and machinery is critical for safety and efficiency. Here’s how to manage this: Competency Assessment

• Initial Competency Check: Assess the competency of all operators before they use any plant or machinery. This includes verifying their qualifications, experience, and understanding of safety procedures.

• Practical Demonstrations: Require operators to demonstrate their ability to safely and effectively use the equipment under supervision.

• Regular Reassessments: Conduct regular reassessments to ensure ongoing competency, especially when new equipment or procedures are introduced.

Training and Development

• Continuous Training: Provide continuous training opportunities to keep operators updated on the latest safety practices and equipment advancements.

• Competency Verification: Verify the competency of operators through assessments and practical demonstrations. Ensure that operators understand the risks and safety measures associated with the equipment.

• Mentorship Programs: Implement mentorship programs where experienced operators can guide and support less experienced colleagues.

11. Keeping Maintenance Records

Maintaining detailed records of all maintenance activities is essential for ensuring the longevity and safety of plant and machinery. Here’s how to manage maintenance records effectively:

Maintenance Log

• Record Keeping: Keep a comprehensive maintenance log for each piece of equipment. This should include details of all inspections, repairs, and servicing activities.

• Scheduled Maintenance: Document all scheduled maintenance activities, including the date, time, and nature of the work performed.

• Unscheduled Repairs: Record any unscheduled repairs, including the cause of the issue and the corrective actions taken.

Benefits of Maintenance Records

• Preventive Maintenance: Regularly updated maintenance records help in planning and performing preventive maintenance, reducing the risk of equipment failure.

• Warranty Claims: Detailed records can support warranty claims by providing evidence of proper maintenance.

• Safety and Compliance: Keeping accurate maintenance records ensures compliance with safety regulations and helps in identifying potential safety issues before they become serious problems.

Maintenance Log Example:

Additional WorkSafe NZ Regulations

In addition to the guidelines mentioned above, here are some specific regulations and requirements from WorkSafe New Zealand that are relevant to the fencing business:

1. Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA)

• Primary Duty of Care: PCBUs (Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking) must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers while they are at work. This includes providing and maintaining a work environment that is without risks to health and safety.

2. Health and Safety at Work (General Risk and Workplace Management) Regulations 2016

• Risk Management: PCBUs must identify hazards that could give rise to reasonably foreseeable risks to health and safety and eliminate those risks so far as is reasonably practicable. If elimination is not possible, risks must be minimised.

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): PCBUs must provide PPE to workers unless it has been provided by another PCBU. PPE must be suitable for the nature of the work and any associated risks, and it must be maintained, repaired, and replaced as necessary.

3. Health and Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances) Regulations 2017

Hazardous Substances: PCBUs must manage the risks associated with hazardous substances, including ensuring that substances are correctly labelled, stored, and handled. Workers must be trained in the safe use of hazardous substances.

4. WorkSafe Guidelines for the Provision of Facilities and General Safety in the Construction Industry Site Safety: Guidelines include requirements for fencing and securing construction sites to protect the public and workers. This includes ensuring excavations are fenced, materials are stacked safely, and plant and machinery are immobilised when not in use.

• Public Safety: Adequate security measures must be in place during non-working periods to prevent unauthorised access and potential hazards.

5. Workplace and Facilities Requirements

• Workplace Conditions: Workplaces must be clean, healthy, safe, accessible, and wellmaintained to ensure work can be carried out without risks to worker health and safety.

By adhering to these regulations, fencing businesses can ensure they are providing a safe working environment and protecting their workers from potential hazards.

In conclusion, maintaining our equipment is crucial for ensuring the safety and efficiency of our rural operations. By keeping detailed maintenance logs and addressing repairs promptly, we can prevent downtime and extend the lifespan of our tools. Let's continue to prioritise safety and diligence in our daily tasks. Together, we can achieve a productive and successful fencing season. Stay safe and keep up the great work!

Best regards, Deb and the RuralSafe Team

‘Noksee’ reflects on a life of hard work, adventure, and mentorship

A long serving, and now retired, Board member for FCANZ, John Noakes (‘Noksee’) was the recipient of the inaugural FCANZ Legend Award at last year’s annual awards. The honour was a surprise that caught him off guard, but he was “stoked and very humbled”. He shares a yarn with Alice Scott …

They say variety is the spice of life and this could not be truer for John Noakes (or Noksee as he is known to most). An infectious laugh that lights up a room and a seemingly endless supply of positive energy, Noksee maintains people should do a job they enjoy. “When you’re doing something that gives you satisfaction, then you will be become very good at it,” he says.

Nearing the age of 70, the fencing contractor from Motueka reflects on a busy working life; up before the crack of dawn seven days a week, he thrives on getting stuck into a job – whatever that may be. “I was the eldest of six kids and I always seemed to have a strong work ethic. I was quite independent and very driven.”

He grew up on his family’s dairy farm at Pahiatua. He recalls always heading off on an adventure possuming and fishing. “As soon as I could walk, I was gone,” he laughs. He has memories driving tractors at around age eight and was tasked with building a permanent electric fence at the age of 11 or 12. In those days they made many of the fencing materials from scratch.

“We worked in a syndicate with our neighbours building fences and making hay.” He recalls helping pour concrete into moulds for posts and cutting and splitting totara trees with a black powder splitting gun, “they were very strong posts, some of them I am sure will still be standing today.”

“ I am a people person, but I also

find

I

need a good week or so walking a fence line to recalibrate and find my rhythm again

A caricature of Noksee and his foxy dog is signwritten on the back of Noksee’s ute

As a teenager Noksee had a strong numbers mind. He can recall getting in trouble at school when there was a change to the way maths was taught, moving from arithmetic to algebra. “XYZ doesn’t add up to me, I would bypass all that fill-in-the-blank stuff and just come back with the answer, which didn’t impress the teachers much.”

He left school part way through his fifth form year (year 11) at the age of 15 and got a job working on a sheep and beef farm. “I did all sorts of work; fencing, crutching, woolpressing and rousying and I learnt to shear; I was always doing pranks in the shearing shed and would get chased out of the shed with a shearer hot on my tail!” he laughs.

He then worked in Eketahuna cutting tracks, fence lines and airstrips on a

bulldozer as well as a wheel tractor doing ag work ploughing and discing. “The steeper it was the more interesting it got,” he says. Noksee worked big hours –usually around 110 machine hours in six days. “I didn’t need to operate on much sleep, back then I was usually running on about four hours a night.”

He’s found he needs a bit more than that these days, but he still wakes for his day around 3.30am. “I try to go back to sleep but that’s it, once I am awake my brain starts turning and I need to get up.”

In his late teens and early 20s he worked in cartage, transporting stock around the lower North Island as well as bulk cartage from the rail head in Pahiatua.

A cheese factory was next. A six on, two off working week had him making cheese and also driving a milk tanker. On his days off he was never short of something to do; cheese deliveries, carting hay, working for farmers or helping a fencing contractor.

Dairy farming then beckoned and saw Noksee progress up the dairy ladder, starting on wages, moving into management roles and then sharemilking for a couple of years. “Then I did something really out of left field and bought a lunch bar at Warkworth.”

The lunch bar was early starts and early finishes so if he wasn’t preparing food in the afternoons, he was working for

a small family abattoir. He was only a couple years into that business when he was approached to apply for a job working for former All Black Gary Knight on his dairy farm.

“What was just going to be nine months turned into three-and-a-half years”, recalls Noksee. He thoroughly enjoyed his time working for Gary and learnt a lot about business. “Gary had a very good business head and became quite a mentor to me in that respect.”

Dairying had him hooked this time and he spent more than a decade growing his holding with an equity partnership and then 50:50 sharemilking. It was also challenging times; he went through a marriage break up and “encountered a couple of ratbags” in his work, but he doesn’t dwell on these details for very long. “It is what it is, everything is a learning opportunity.”

Despite telling himself at the time of his breakup he “wouldn’t do that again”, fate had other plans. Two years later he met Carol on a blind date. “We’ve been married 29 years now; we are good friends; she is quite simply just a bloody great lady.”

Around the age of 50, when some are thinking about slowing down, Noksee decided he needed a change from dairying and made the move into fencing contracting. His work has seen him travel all over New Zealand and this writer needed to speed up when Noksee listed off what he has been kept busy with over the last two decades.

“Some stand out jobs have been down in Stewart Island, deer fencing to keep wild deer and other animals out; a dairy conversion over in Tasmania; and I have done a lot of work on the top of Takaka Hill and up the back of Nelson in the Grampians Reserve. I quite enjoy steep terrain; it gets a bit of adrenalin going and keeps you focussed on the job.”

He recalls putting in some house piles for a family that had lost their house to a fire.

“The family homeschooled their seven children and they were all involved in the job. They were very well-rounded kids that had an amazing ability to talk to adults.”

He also thrives in his involvement with the Best Practise Days and Field Days –helping out with the fencing competitions and networking with others.

Noksee enjoys quality time with his son Lynden and two of his grandchildren Benji (left) and Molly in Stewart Island

Taking time out is important to Noksee, and he is happy to take others along for the ride

Winning the inaugural FCANZ “Legend Award”, Noksee is presented the honour by FCANZ president Phil Cornelius. Photo: FCANZ

“ You can do whatever you put your mind to

“Those days stand out as I enjoy showcasing that side of the job. I am a people person, but I also find I need a good week or so walking a fence line to recalibrate and find my rhythm again,” he laughs.

Noksee jokes he has a PHD in fencing. “It’s called Post Hole Digging. Which I have to say to council engineers from time to time when they’ve never worked on the coal face. It shuts them up and they’ll walk away shaking their head”.

Purchasing a Revolution Telescopic 180 post driver was a “game changer” for Noksee – requiring only one labour unit to operate both tractor and driver.

“ We’ve been married 29 years now; we are good friends; she is quite simply just a bloody great lady

“And if I’m on a steep gradient, I can shift the weight very quickly.” Noksee laughs he probably does push the limits as to where he can get a post. “If someone starts questioning things, I tell them it must be time for them to go and have some lunch instead of worrying about what I am up to”.

He reckons it is a matter of gaining life experience and seeing a few mistakes to know the limits. “You can’t teach selfpreservation, that comes with time on the job.”

Working on his own suits Noksee, he has a couple of other contractors he will call on if he needs a hand, and vice versa. Going solo allows him flexibility to see to his other roles he has within the fencing industry. He was a Board member of FCANZ for 12 years and has been heavily involved in training with other tertiary education providers.

“I will tell young men and women that are keen to give fencing a go the first thing they need to do is head to one of the major Field Days and watch the fencing competitions. They will get a very good understanding of the level of skill and workmanship required. They may not want to go that far themselves, but it sets a standard in their minds from the start.”

It is always very satisfying for him to see young fencers he has had a hand in training come through the ranks of the competitions and do well.

Noksee doesn’t see any reason to put the toolbelt down just yet, he continues to be involved in training and sometimes a client might need to wait the odd day or two if a hunting trip beckons.

The Whatever With Wiggy Charitable Trust runs the “Lean on a Gate and Talk to a Mate” mental health campaign, something FCANZ fully backs and promotes to its members. This awareness sparked a desire within Noksee to do his bit. He regularly takes groups to Stewart Island for an adventure trip, a trip which has been informally titled by some as ‘Noksee’s Scenic Safari Trips’.

“We go hunting, fishing, snorkelling and take photos – it’s just as much about health and wellbeing as it is about catching anything.” He will organise, host and cook for around 12 people. “They come from all walks of life: young, old, men and women. Some of them go home a different person – realising what they want from life.” It isn’t a money-making exercise for Noksee. “I just love doing it”, he says.

Noksee’s advice for those entering the fencing industry is simple: “If you stuff up, fix it. It’s that simple. We are all human and we all make mistakes. No one likes going back to fix someone else’s job – it’s easier to just own it, go back and sort it out.”

Maintaining a positive perspective on life is also important. “You can’t control what life throws at you, but you can control how you handle it,” he says. “And if you don’t enjoy what you do, then go and do something else. You can do whatever you put your mind to.”

Written by Alice Scott

John Noakes is regarded by many as the “patriarch” of the industry.

Photo courtesy Goldpine

Fencing on the South Island’s West Coast... need we say more?

Noksee with a Future Farmer group cutting wood for a retirement home

Noksee and his wife Carol celebrate the graduation of their granddaughter Charlotte

Simple things make all the difference

All Rural Fencing Ltd started back in 2002 when we moved to Snells Beach after selling our 700-head dairy farm.

However, before going dairying, I realised I needed money to buy a herd, so, at the age of 18 years I went fencing in the Maungaturoto area. I built my first post driver during that time.

Both in dairy farming and fencing, I have always looked for ways to improve and make the way we do things easy. So many others just do what they have been taught and don’t improve.

So often, it’s the simple things that make a difference. I mounted a box on each side of the tractor bonnet to hold tools and things we need in our daily work. It saves having to either go back and forth to the Ute or drag a trailer over rough ground.

Wire spinners are mounted on pipes attached to a front-end loader bucket. The wires spin off these, go through guides down the side of the tractor to the post driver and run out behind the tractor.

When setting up to fence, we drive the strainer post in, then attach one wire and

drive down the fence line, putting in corners to the strainer at the other end.

We strain this tight, and it becomes the single guide wire. Next, we walk along the line, spacing out the post positions with the plumb bob string touching the wire. We allow the plumb bob to touch the ground and carefully spray a line which will indicate where the wire side of the post will go in. This allows us to take tension off the guide wire and drive along the line post driving without the guide wire getting in our way. This method is quick and efficient.

Once all the posts and stays are in, we attach three wires to the end strainer, drive

down the line to the other end, cut and tie them, then turn around and go back. All seven wires are ready to be put on.

Next, using a wire threading tool that I designed and made, we walk along the line, stapling all the wires in the correct position. Then, we strain in the middle of the line using a tension gauge and permanent wire strainers, which completes it ready for battening.

Over the years, my fencing has included deer and construction site netting, using my designed netting unroller/tensioner attached to the post driver.

We also pull out a lot of fences, some of them very rubbishy, using my designed V-lifter for lifting posts, and a hydraulically driven old fence winder, which winds up old fence with wires and battens still attached.

Using my specially designed drill bit, we put in and pull out vineyards, enabling the planting of new vines.

When pulling out vineyards, we use our wireless remote controlled tractor mover and a special lifter for lifting out vine plants and posts. As the tractor moves down the line, and when hanging gates, we use my counter sinking drill bit.

Our business has diversified in many ways and continues to do so. Over the years, we have fenced and/or developed a children’s playground, rose arbour (80m x 4m), wedding arbour with grape vines over top, retaining walls, cattle yards, the list goes on.

Written by Malcolm Webster

Old fence wire winder

First tractor set-up in the early 1970s

First tractor set-up – 1976

A Wife’s Tale

“Shall we hike the Queen Charlotte track during our summer break this year?” I kind of pleaded with Shaun.

It had been a hard year in business with the recession. I’d watched him work so hard, and stress so much and I knew he needed a damn good break.

Now, Shaun and I have very different ideas of what ‘taking a break’ looks like. He prefers the ‘Stay At Home’ model, where he still gets up at 5.30am and does his usual routine of cigarette, cup of tea, porridge, poo, and then has the freedom to do whatever spontaneously calls him that day.

I, on the other hand, class a good break as something fun; often with friends, making memories, usually away from the farm – our dear farm with relentless farm jobs, where there is always something to do, and from which Davies Fencing is run.

In our 28-year relationship, I have usually won when it comes to choosing what to do for our summer break. Except for last year when Shaun won, and we stayed home. It was incredibly boring (for me) because he ended up spending most of it spraying gorse – alone, which to be honest, he does enjoy.

This year, I chose the right moment to ask, put my best nightie on, and initiated a moment of passion. Not my finest moment of integrity I’ll admit. I thought I’d grown out of manipulation styles but there you go. He replied that it would probably be boring to walk in the bush and not see any deer or have a rifle but that yes, he’d come with me and our good friends.

I began training immediately.

The Queen Charlotte track consists of 17 km on day one, 10 km on day two and 27 km of mostly uphill on day three. Shaun’s training was zero.

“I’m fit as, I walk fence lines all day, I hunt, I’ll be fine.”

I’ll admit, I was worried about his lack of training, but this wasn’t your usual DOClike tramp with huts, bunkbeds, packets of dehydrated food, long drops and strangers snoring next to you. This was the créme de la créme of hiking. Staying in lodges, white linen, restaurants, and backpacks water-taxied for you to your next destination. This was a Shaun-Break of course; I wanted it to be as relaxing and enjoyable as possible for his first hike.

“ In our 28-year relationship, I have usually won when it comes to choosing what to do for our summer break. Except for last year when Shaun won, and we stayed home

We hopped on the ferry, met our friends and began our hike.

It didn’t disappoint. The tracks were phenomenal; stunning vista views around every corner, bluebird days, luxurious accommodation, beautiful food, soul filling laughs and banter with our mates. It was working! Shaun seemed at ease, happy, relaxed – in a ‘my body is sore, but I’m enjoying it, hiking’ kind of way. The break away was doing him good.

Towards the end of the third day, about 20kms in, we had reached the top of a mammoth hill, my friend and I pantchatting, I looked up and saw Shaun and his mate give us the ‘shhh’ sign. Initially, I thought Shaun had finally had enough of people talking and needed his quiet alone time, but then he then pointed to the bush. There, about 5 metres away, was a young red deer, casually chewing leaves. I was astounded. In 15 years of hiking, I

had never ever seen a deer on any track. But there it was. And there was Shaun, with the hugest smile. His tank was full.

On the ferry on the way home, he put his arm around me and whispered, “Thank you so much for organising this,” and kissed me on the cheek.

It’s easy to fall into thinking that a ‘good break’ has to be a certain way, but I think a break just needs to fill the gap in whatever you’re missing at the time. If you’re missing alone time, do that. If you’re missing rest, do that. If you’re missing fun, do that. If you’re missing exercise, do that. If you’re missing connection, go hang with people. And if you’re not sure, go ask your wife. She’ll know.

Written by Angelena Davies

also a coach, facilitator and author helping children and adults to access “flow” so their lives are easier and more fun.

Angelena Davies is a wife and mum who happens to have a Masters degree in Social Sciences. Alongside running Davies Fencing she is

FCANZ Board

PHIL CORNELIUS

PRESIDENT

m. 027 274 4188

e. phil@fcanz.org.nz

BEN FISHER

m. 027 337 7442

e. ben@fcanz.org.nz

DEBBIE WHITE

m. 027 495 7033

e. debbie@fcanz.org.nz

FCANZ Operations Team

JAIME BIGWOOD

Executive Director

m. 021 2848 223

e: exec@fcanz.org.nz

JANINE SWANSSON VICE-PRESIDENT

m. 027 381 2025

e. janine@fcanz.org.nz

CRAIG SINCLAIR

m. 027 418 7693 e. craig@fcanz.org.nz

DONNA UPTON TREASURER

m. 021 761 022

e. donna@fcanz.org.nz

NICK TERRY

m. 021 614 100 e. nick@fcanz.org.nz

Patron

CRAIG WIGGINS

m. 027 457 6694 e. wiggyswhatever@gmail.com

JEANETTE MILLER

Administration Manager

t. 0508 432 269

m. 027 432 2033

e: admin@fcanz.org.nz

HEATHER KAWAN

WIRED Editor

m: 022 630 8533

e: wired@fcanz.org.nz

FCANZ Certified Fencers

A1FenceworX

Wellsford

t. 09 423 7585

e. admin@a1fenceworx.co.nz

Shane Beets

m. 027 625 5383

Bozcut Ltd

Northland

e. jamie@bozcut.co.nz

James Rogers

m. 027 526 9288

Central Fencing

Canterbury

e. nigel@centralfencing.co.nz

w. centralfencing.co.nz

Nigel Broadbridge m. 021 433 623

Cooper & Spade Fencing Bay of Plenty / Tauranga

t. 027 4334678

e. cooperandspade@gmail.com

w. cooperandspade.co.nz

Benjamin Cooper

CPC Fencing Ltd

Northland

t. 09 4332644

e. cpc.fencing@yahoo.co.nz

Phil Cornelius (owner)

m. 027 274 4188

Glen Hobbs

Custom Fencing Ltd

Waikouaiti

t. 03 465 7212

e. nick@customfencing.net.nz

Nick Terry m. 021 614 100

Marcus McKean

Galen Monks

Ewing Fencing Contractors

Oamaru t. 03 431 3864

e. mark@ewingfencing.co.nz

Mark Ewing

m. 027 498 4049

Fensin Ltd

Taupō t. 07 825 5747

e. fensin56d@gmail.com

Neil Robertson m. 027 474 6335

Greg Burton Fencing

Cambridge

e. GregBurtonFencing@gmail.com

Greg Burton m. 027 427 8765

Jeff Joines Fencing Contractor Ltd

Kāpiti t. 06 364 2510

e. jeffjoinesfencing@gmail.com

Jeff Joines

m. 027 484 4481

Jones Agri Fencing

Tokoroa

e. office@jonesagri.co.nz

Cory Jones m. 027 805 6571

J W Fencing Ltd

Canterbury e. josh@jwfencing.co.nz

Josh Weaver

m. 027 317 7753

White Fencing Ltd

Papakura

t. 09 292 8064

e. admin@whitefencing.co.nz

w. whitefencing.co.nz

Tony White

m. 027 495 7868

Fencing Contractors Association NZ (FCANZ) is the industry body supporting and advancing the fencing industry of New Zealand.

Established in 2006, FCANZ aims to raise the profile and standards of the fencing industry, growing the market for fencing contractors and others associated with the industry, and ensuring Fencing Contractors Association NZ is the first port of call for those seeking a fencing contractor.

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

Member Exclusive Pricing

Enjoy FCANZ member exclusive pricing from many of our industry partners. Just let them know you are an FCANZ Member and see the benefit on your bottom line.

Business Directory Listing

Boost your business by being listed on the FCANZ ‘Find a Fencing Contractor’ directory, helping the public find contractors in their area. Enjoy free promotion through campaigns that attract potential clients to the directory which is visited more than 25,000 times each year!

Welcome Pack

Receive a new member Welcome Pack which includes a branded cooler bag, hi-viz vest, hat and other merchandise.

Federated Farmers Membership

FCANZ’s affiliation with Federated Farmers gives all members a complimentary Federated Farmers membership – worth $499, including access to free legal and employment advice, group purchasing opportunities and much, much more.

Quarterly WIRED Magazine

WIRED is the official quarterly publication of FCANZ, and is New Zealand’s only fencing industry magazine. Each issue contains a host of informative news, business and industry insights, human interest articles plus information and advice specific to the fencing industry.

FCANZ members also benefit from:

• Exclusive discounts and offers from Association Partners

• Regional fencing Best Practice Days

• Free business best practice webinars

• Use of the FCANZ logo to differentiate your business from your competitors

• Creating industry-wide connections through networking opportunities with members and Association partners

• 10% discount on Site Safe membership

• Free job, tool and equipment listings on the FCANZ classifieds web page

• Certified Fencer and Accredited Fencing Contractor industry endorsements