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Issue 79 July/August 2012

Issue 79 | July/August 2012

Contents

www.wellingtontoday.co.nz

ing the world The World of Wearable Arts has not only brought art to the everyday New Zealander, but is now spinning onto the global stage

The champions’ champion On the eve of his final Olympic mission, Dave Currie talks about the state of the Games and those who play them

A perfect storm

in this issue…

Viewpoints

Features

Business

6 Editorial

12 Real deals

29 Initiatives

Debt, austerity, low growth and high unemployment make for a gloomy forecast

Words of wisdom John Psathas and Mai Chen muse about motivation

Real deals Why commercial property investment is a better bet than residential

• Become a customer focused company • Make Google Adwords work for you

Getting back in black

• Simplifying small business tax • The hidden price of hiring • Are bonds a safe haven?

6 Management

Wellington Today

Issue 79

7,742

Become a customer focused company

7 Finance

7 Productivity

ABC circulation as at 31/03/12

www.wellingtontoday.co.nz HEAD OFFICE

What are you sharing online?

8 Business Online

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Gary Collins

Making Google Adwords work for you

Di Barclay

ADMINISTRATION Kylie Moore ADMIN MANAGER Kelly Clarke Kimberley Wells Judy Slater Stacey Coy Lucy Neill Rachel Cooper

SALES & ADVERTISING Miranda Telfer Grant Williams Mogens Petersen Rob Cochrane Evaon Watkins Melissa Kala Danielle Olivier Verne Williams

SALES EXECUTIVES

Is your work life balance in crisis?

9 Gadgets

Sweet sounds with a hot iPod dock

10 Society

Tax code ‘O’ for offender

Jonathon Taylor Corazon Miller Karen Pasco Marie Sherry

29

Phone: Fax: Email:

EDITOR

www.magazinestoday.co.nz

4 | July/August 2012 www.wellingtontoday.co.nz

Delights around the harbour capital

The World of Wearable Arts has not only brought art to the everyday New Zealander, but is now spinning it onto the global stage

18 Recruitment

The hidden price of hiring

On the eve of his final Olympic mission, Dave Currie talks about the state of the Games and those who play them

22 Lifestyles

03 940 4737 0800 555 054 production@academy.net.nz

ISSN 1173-1524 (Print) | ISSN 2230-634X (Online)

Ian Knott PRODUCTION MANAGER Carolynne Brown PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR Jenna Day

DESIGNERS Sarah Pritchard Janelle Pike Jarred Shakespeare

Disclaimer: This publication is provided on the basis that A-Mark Publishing is not responsible for the results of any actions taken on the basis of information in these articles, nor for any error or omission from these articles and that the firm is not hereby engaged in rendering advice or services. A-Mark Publishing expressly disclaim all and any liability and responsibility to any person in respect of anything and of the consequences of anything done, or omitted to be done, by any such a person in reliance, whether wholly or partially upon the whole or any part of the contents of this publication.

Advertising feature articles are classified as advertising content and as such, information contained in them is subject to the Advertising Standards Authority Codes of Practice. Contents Copyright 2012

by A-Mark Publishing (NZ) Ltd. All rights reserved. No article or advertisement may be reproduced without written permission.

A couple of warming winter drops, Samsung’s smartest phone, personalised gadget action, customisation for your face, cool clocks, hip heels, fab furniture and destinations to desire

A treasure trove of old, not-so-old and the much loved in need of a new home, Eva’s Attic is a shopping experience with a difference

30 Focus

Porirua’s Te Rauparaha Arena is more than netball’s local home, it hosts anything from art shows to business events and concerts, and is equipped to handle whatever’s thrown at it

31 Export

Serving the international automotive industry from down under demands Sanpro Industries delivers quality without exception

32 Property & Construction

AMC Electrical Services has the inside line on automation; Dews Construction’s role in the local civil works industry; and how Minimixers uses less to give you more

36 Goods & Services

In the centre of a small town in the Wairarapa, FreshChoice Greytown is bringing greater choice for shoppers and a raft of new jobs

38 Hospitality

Classic tastes in a wonderful space at Logan Brown; the White House Restaurant serves up two decades of decadence; at 17 stories up Whitby’s offers food with a view; and Pandoro bakes up an artisan style storm

24 A perfect storm

03 961 5050 0800 555 054 editor@academy.net.nz

PRODUCTION

Phone: Fax: Email:

The NZICA think tank’s plan to tackle taxation

20 The champions’ champion

Courses, events and seminars near you

NEWSROOM

10 Events Diary

14 Simplifying small business tax

16 Cover Story

9 Working Life

OPERATIONS MANAGER

How to build teams that can execute

15 Local hot spots

GENERAL MANAGER Rebecca Harris

John Psathas and Mai Chen muse about motivation

14 Quick business tips

Daily planning made simple

8 Online Life

Academy House 47B Birmingham Drive Middleton PO Box 1879 Christchurch

13 Words of wisdom

Are bonds really a safe haven?

Olly Newland explains why commercial property investment is a better bet than residential

The local waters may have calmed and optimism is in the air, but with the Eurozone crisis refusing to abate, experts warn the worst may not be over

15

38

Competition guidelines Conditions of entry: One entry only per person and must be sent on the official entry form or as otherwise stated. Entry is free and open to all residents of New Zealand. All entrants must be over the age of 18, proof of identity and date of birth may be requested. Employees and their immediate families of Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication are ineligible to enter. Winner(s) will be notified by email/phone. The judges’ decision is final, no correspondence will be entered into. No responsibility is accepted for late, lost or misdirected mail. Prizes are not transferable or redeemable for cash. Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication shall not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever suffered (including but not limited to direct or consequential loss) or personal injury suffered or sustained, during the course of prize winning travel or in connection with any other prizes won. Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication accept no responsibility for health, luggage, insurances, travel, personal expenses and transfers other than specified. Entries remain the property of Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication and cannot be returned. Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication reserves the right to photograph and publish winners. Entries may be used for further marketing purposes by Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication but are not made available to any third party.

This publication is printed on papers supplied by

All wood originates from sustainably managed forests or waste sources.

All mills utilise the Chain of Custody system to verify fibre source. The end product is recyclable.

All mills are ISO 14001 certified.

Viewpoints | Editorial/Management

Getting back in black

Become a customer focused company Kevin Vincent is a director of business improvement consultants Vincent and Nugent Limited - www.vincentnugent.co.nz

By Jonathon Taylor, editor for Magazines Today

John Key’s fourth budget has, as budgets tend to do, drawn more than its fair share of criticism.

Political opponents rarely get better ammunition, served up on cue, than a Government’s spreadsheet.

It’s the perfect opportunity to sink the boot in, decrying the lack of economic, social and moral nous the incumbent government’s numbers obviously represent.

But when it comes to this year’s little number cruncher, I think many may have protested too much, because the nay-sayers are ignoring how critical it is for New Zealand to get back in black.

The quest to balance the national books is, despite what the Government itself is saying, the prime motive behind this year’s budget.

The plan is to return the national budget to surplus in 2014/15. Although admitting Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard’s estimate that this date is two years premature might prove accurate, John Key has said it’s not a date Treasury intends to abandon easily.

The fly in our economic ointment is stuck in a European pickle. And when you look at how troublesome running massive deficits in less than predictable economic times is, then theory of returning to surplus quick sharp is sound.

Debt levels the US is now running is well into the realm of silly numbers and the union’s ability to effectively ‘make its way out of trouble’ vanished offshore with the thousands of manufacturing jobs lost to low wage nations. It’s now anyone’s guess when the Federal Reserve will require any black ink.

Although giving austerity the green light to avoid Eurozone excommunication, Greece’s ability to turn a blind eye to the trouble it was creating for itself is now the stuff of legend.

But it’s alright – they’ve got lots of big, shiny, barely used stadia all over the shop; so plenty of places to run around in circles wondering where it all went so horribly wrong then.

Unlimited Access

In stark contrast, National’s 2012 budget verges on self-imposed austerity; ensuring net debt remains below 35 percent of GDP and any new spending is matched by a combination of saving and revenue initiatives.

One topic the critics have been a little hesitant to mention is our national credit rating.

Credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s, which cut our sovereign rating to AA last September, announced on the release of the budget, that the rating would hold as long as the government continues to work towards a surplus.

Finance Minister Bill English stated that, “Returning to surplus is important because New Zealand is one of the most indebted countries in the world as measured by our net international investment position. We need to start rebuilding a buffer for when the next global crisis comes. Surpluses give us choices we simply don’t have while we’re running deficits.”

All bets still seem off as to what choices European states might end up with. But you can’t help but recognise the risk to any nation carrying crippling debt levels and this is why National’s belt tightening to get us back in black within three years is more than prudent, it’s vital.

In this issue we look at how The World of Wearable Arts really does intend to wow the world after having such an influence around town. Property guru Olly Newland explains why commercial property investment might be a better bet than residential and John Psathas and Mai Chen muse about motivation.

And with London 2012 only weeks away, we sit down and chat to our champions’ champion; New Zealand Olympic Games chef de mission Dave Currie, on the eve of his final Olympic mission, about the state of the Games and those who play them.

There’s plenty here for all.

In order for organisations to excel, they must do more than simply satisfy their customers.

They must differentiate themselves and their employees in significant ways that add value to the “customer experience”.

They must provide service that is unique, faster, more reliable, more responsive, and more caring than ever before.

This sentiment needs to be embraced by all in business, who by their very existence, pursue the exchange of goods and services for payment.

Organisations must:

My tips for the provision of best service include:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the customer’s needs and expectations 2. Exceed the customer’s needs and expectations.

Customer service is everyone’s responsibility. The secret is simple - make it easy and pleasant for your customers to do business with you.

2. Constantly seek ways to add value to the customer relationship

Customers are really everything. We all recognise the importance of the provision of best possible customer service and that adding value to the customer experience will enhance our chances of future growth.

Why then do we encounter and are subjected to shoddy, sloppy and thoroughly unprofessional service? When was the last time you felt neglected, frustrated and annoyed at the service you received? I expect it wasn’t that long ago.

Dr. Albert Schweitzer, the German (and then French) theologian, organist, philosopher, physician and medical missionary said, “I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve”.

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6 | July/August 2012 www.wellingtontoday.co.nz

3. Listen to your customers. Listen to hear, listen to understand and listen to communicate your understanding.

Everyone loves a listener 4. Do the right things for your customer.

Be empathetic and see things from their perspective. Have a real integrity and strong values with your customer. Treat your customer as you would like to be treated 5. Provide best possible service to your internal customers. Try it, the results will delight. As we treat each other better so we will all play our part in the provision of best service to our external customers.

Customer service is contagious 6. Trust your customer and be trusted. It is the foundation of relationship.

Enjoy.

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Viewpoints | Finance/Productivity

Are bonds a safe haven?

Alan Clarke is an authorised financial adviser with 24 years’ experience in the finance sector

With global economies and share markets remaining in a state of flux, investors have been increasingly turning to bonds for yield and/or as a safe haven.

What about gold as a safe haven? Gold prices have risen sharply during the past two years, but its price can also fall equally fast. Hardly a safe haven; rather a highly speculative asset. However, it may have a place as a hedge against all sorts of calamities, but it is probably best not to have more than five percent of your money in it.

So back to bonds. During the past two years bonds have been far and away the most popular asset class, because bonds – good quality bonds - have been solid and steady.

It is clear that they are popular for two somewhat different reasons: that of a safe haven and/or steady yields - albeit lowish and boring yields.

A bond is a usually a loan to a government, an SOE, or a big, corporate, company.

Bonds generally will be for a five year term, carry a fixed rate and have a rating. There are other bonds that reset the interest rate annually and some are perpetual and never mature. Unless you know the bond market well, it is better to stick to five year bonds that pay a fixed rate and have a known maturity date.

Bonds can be bought when issued, or can be bought from other investors. Global bond markets are twice the size of global sharemarkets and millions of bonds are traded daily around the world.

But as always there are very good bonds, good bonds, average bonds, and junk bonds.

Ratings might be AAA, AA, A, BBB, BB or B, and anything higher than BBB is investment grade. Don’t go below BBB or buy unrated bonds unless you really know what you are doing!

As with all investments, bonds do not offer a ‘free ride’ - the higher the return, the higher the risk. If you want a ‘safe haven’, you must seek quality first and put yield second.

Interest rates are impossible to predict, and since you don’t want all your money maturing at the same time, a bond portfolio should have differing maturity dates; some maturing in 2012, some in 2013, some in 2014, some in 2015 and so on.

Bond prices can rise and fall and the pricing mechanism mainly depends on interest rates: If interest rates rise, the price will fall*

If interest rates fall, the price will rise* * This only matters if you want to sell before maturity.

Bonds in NZ are currently expensive (lowish returns) due to high demand and a lack of new issues. Hence an investment in a $10,000 BNZ bank AA rated bond paying 8.675 percent and maturing in 2015 would cost about $11,000 today. This is a $1,000 premium you would not get back if held to maturity, although any such loss is tax deductible. The better option is new issues but very few are coming to the market.

What about global bonds?

The global economic infrastructure is in much better shape than it was in 2008.

When the GCC hit many companies restructured and became as ‘lean & mean’ as they could, and are now many are very profitable. In addition they have been very prudent and US companies are holding on an estimated $2 trillion in cash reserves.

With many corporates in such good shape, investors and fund managers are already tilting their bond portfolios away from shaky governments to corporate bonds, which makes a lot of sense.

But how do you access these from little old NZ? Our favoured global bond fund is the DFA 5 Year Fixed Interest Trust which is spread across 80 to 90 AAA and AA rated global bonds, so has excellent diversification and is very low risk.

The fund is hedged into NZ dollars, so is unaffected by the exchange rate. The average return has been 7.5 percent pa since inception in 2004, and has been about 6.5 percent during the past year or so. Whilst it is known as the five year fixed interest trust, this only relates to the maximum duration of the investments they hold, and funds can be withdrawn at any time.

Daily planning made simple

Robyn Pearce is a time management expert, helping people turn time challenges into high productivity and the life balance you desire.

Visit www.gettingagrip.com

Ask most people about how they manage their ‘to do’ lists and you’ll find that few use lists (if they have them), in a way that gets the best results. Most people begin with the easiest tasks. What this means is that, at the end of the day, they’ve run out of time for the big or more difficult jobs.

Why do people do it this way? ‘I like to cross things off,’ or ‘It gives a sense of satisfaction,’ or ‘I’m getting up momentum for the harder jobs’. The reasons are many.

The following very simple process has helped hundreds of thousands maintain focus and clarity.

1. At the beginning of the day (or the night before), make a list of everything you want to do, in no particular order 2. Then identify the top five tasks.

Number them one through five, wherever they are on the list. Don’t bother to number the rest - just the top five 3. Start at number one. Don’t stop until you’ve finished, gone as far as you wish to go (you may have set a time limit), or as far as you’re able to go 4. When interruptions come, as they always do, ask yourself, ‘Is this more important than the activity I’m working on?’ If not, add it to your list, put it out of eye-range so it doesn’t distract you and stay focused on the more important activity. However, if it is more important, put the other task aside, work on the new job, and when completed go back to your list (considered and thought about before the day started bossing you around!)

than the activity you’d planned to do, give it lead position. The others won’t go away, but because they’re on the list instead of jostling for mind space you can keep them under tight rein - they won’t distract you 6. If there’s any day left once the top five and relevant queue jumpers have been handled, go back to the list and number off another five. This saves time at the beginning of the day prioritising things you may never get to.

Another approach you can use is that of Innis, a young manager, who uses time slots instead of sequential numbers. He achieves great results too. He says his planning methods used to be poor.

“I kept everything in my head,” he says.

“I’d change priorities and activities as I went. Consequently things got a bit out of hand.”

These days, at the beginning of the day, he writes everything down he wants to do, allocates specific times, and keeps the list nearby as a prompt. The big benefit is clarity.

It’s easy now to prepare. He’s on the road a lot, so now makes sure he has all the paperwork and gear he expects to need for the day. There’s no more chasing around for forgotten items.

The benefit is he’s got more time to get on with things. However, if he’s underestimated the time needed or something really urgent comes up from left field, he doesn’t get stressed. He knows he’s done the best he could.

This simple planning technique has changed his previously somewhat haphazard management into an effective and profitable method. Just a small amount of thought at the beginning of the day has generated huge benefits.

Keep your planning simple, but most importantly, do it every day.

5. Each time you move down the list, review it quickly. If something that’s jumped on the list is of higher priority

Bonds in summary If bonds appeal to you, buy a mix of NZ bonds and the DFA fixed Interest funds. Take care in selecting a portfolio of bonds, as a properly designed portfolio will always be better than a portfolio put together in ad hoc manner.

As always - diversify widely, on and offshore.

www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2012 | 7

Viewpoints | Online Life/Business Online

What are you sharing online?

Tax code “O” for offender

Graeme Russell runs Adage Business; a marketing and communications agency that assists with the planning and implementation of communication strategies. Visit www.adagebusiness.co.nz

People in business are still concerned about their employees’ use of social media. But this concern is not about their use of it as a business tool, but what they are sharing on personal social media sites.

For some, the main concern is what is said about the business, followed by who the business is seen to be connected to; then there’s the concern about its staff, particularly the ‘tagging’ of staff in photo’s that could be seen as inappropriate to the business and its customers.

Maybe we need to accept that a business has no real control, or even any right, to try and control the activities of its staff outside of the business environment. But it is a concern and how this can be dealt with will be an issue that will continue to raise its head. It is an issue that probably can’t be solved in a ‘one size fits all’ approach.

Some of the concern is that any online activity could hamper its (the company’s) reputation; a valid concern for some, but perhaps an over cautious worry for others - but a concern nonetheless.

There have been reports of one business having spent considerable time and money on lawyers to see what action it could take to have images removed from the internet that breached not only the policies of the business, but potentially also breached the privacy of the people in them. This activity had the potential to cause substantial harm to the business, and the time and resources spent having the images removed took staff away from the core business activities.

A simple solution could have been to have had a sound social media/social networking

Rebecca Harris is the General Manager of the Academy Publishing Group.

policy that may well have prevented this situation occurring in the first place, but it didn’t; it hadn’t seen any need to be mindful of what, where and how it was being portrayed by others.

There’s likely to be others still grappling with the challenge of how they are seen, how they can ‘educate’ their staff on being mindful of their personal activity without impinging on the individual’s rights. What we should all be aware of - is that when we take to using social media we have to be mindful of what we’re saying, who we’re saying it to, and how far what we say and do can travel.

For example; when we post something on Facebook or Twitter it’s not just our immediate connections that may see it, but they have the opportunity to share it with their connections too, and those connections may in turn share it further.

It’s been reported recently organisations providing counseling to rape victims and their families are having difficulty dealing with the demand for services. The apparent rise in sexual assaults is driven mostly by an increasing number of people reporting family violence, and the increased national awareness of it being “ok” to speak up.

After an investigation into funding issues for sexual violence, ACC funding for victims was cut drastically in 2009. However, the need for counseling, education and awareness programmes, as well as emotional support for victims and families, no doubt extending to physical and financial support, has increased.

What is said to one, 100, or 1,000 connections can easily and quickly be seen and shared with many thousands of others, who in all probability wouldn’t have the foresight to think about the implications of what is being shared.

We have an offenders’ levy - a measly $50 automatic deduction that is required by law to be paid by anyone sentenced in the District or High Court. This levy is used to fund a range of new services for victims of serious crime and ensure that offenders contribute to addressing the harm that their crimes cause.

Don’t hamper your’s or your employee’s online activity, don’t even try – you likely won’t succeed, but do try and gain their understanding of the implications of the ‘wrong’ content being seen.

You want your employees to buy-in to your activity and, remember they are ambassadors for your business, so do let them talk, chat and share. If they know the potential implications you will both feel more comfortable and will yourself be more inclined to truly adopt social media as part of your communication processes.

Fifty whole dollars – wow; that’s a deterrent!

This levy is clearly not cutting the mustard if organisations are still struggling. This prompted an idea; what about a new tax code of “O” for offender. The idea grows on you - not only can the funds from this new tax be used for rape victims, but all victims of all crime.

Tobacco products are taxed heavily to help cover expenses incurred by smokers. This is not just a one off levy of $50, they are continually taxed. The question I ask is why not tax offenders to cover expenses incurred as well?

I’ve actually re-written the rest of this rant a number of times. Originally I had the idea of $1 a day tax for all offenders, but then there is petty crime at one end of the scale, and at the other end, the life sentences - these offenders would not have a taxable income for a number of years.

The other problem I came across was the poor payroll team. In many work places there are bound to be a number of employees who the proposed tax code O will apply to – so how then do you stop the payroll team assuming all O’s are mass murderers, or violent rapists, when they could just be a petty criminal from way back?

I guess it’s just too hard, but we’re still left with victim related organisations scraping for funding and relying on the support of philanthropists or the uncertainty of government funds.

There is currently M, SL, ME, ML, SB, S, SH, ST, WT, CAE, EDW, NSW and STC (possibly others…) and combinations of the above. So I pose the question - why not chuck in O and use it for the specific purpose of supporting victims of offenders?

How would it work? I guess we’ll leave that to the Government. Perhaps they could set up a sub-committee that can report to an executive committee, who then reports to the committee for… who knows what? I’ll leave that thought with you.

Just remember what’s said online – stays online.

Visit www.magazinestoday.co.nz to view a digital edition of the latest and previous editions of Wellington Today and our other publications.

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Viewpoints | Working Life/Gadgets

Is your work-life balance in crisis?

Sweet Sounds

Ian Knott has been commentating on various forms of technology for the last 16 years. He’s had columns on gadgets, gaming, computing and digital entertainment in many newspapers, magazines and websites in New Zealand and overseas.

Karen Degen is the owner of Set Free with EFT, a company that focuses on changing mindsets to create business success Email: karen@setfree.co.nz or visit www.setfree.co.nz

A government study on work-life balance in New Zealand noted that most people got so caught up in the day-to-day details of living that their life got out of balance without them realising it.

It found that most people would not seriously address work-life imbalance issues until they were in a crisis situation.

1. Learning to put yourself first Those who are the most stressed tend to be givers personality wise, and always putting others before themselves. In times of stress it’s essential to put yourself first and stop doing so much for other people. Unfortunately this type of person will have had a lifetime of being like this and it can be challenging to change without help. Professionals will look at the subconscious drivers for this behaviour.

Those who are under stress and don’t make this important life change may get worse.

2. Learn to say “no”

Those who don’t generally put themselves The study noted that most employees felt first often have the added problem of being some reticence raising work-life balance unable to say “no”. Because of this they will issues with their employer, because New Zealanders have a natural reserve and pride take on more and more workload, whether in their employment or in their personal life. with regard to discussing personal issues.

Therefore, by the time stress is reported, the They may feel resentful of this and may feel that they are being manipulated by others, situation is already critical. but in actual fact it’s usually an inability to set Under New Zealand law, employers have an appropriate boundaries, and to enforce them. obligation to prevent excessive stress that 3. Ensure there is something you love or could cause harm. Prudent employers have are passionate about in your life work-life balance initiatives permanently in place.

What enjoyment, fun, passion or interest do Employees are not the only ones to benefit you have in your life? People who are stressed and trying to simplify their lives often make from these initiatives. The 2003 NZ Dept the mistake of dropping out their hobbies of Labour study titled ‘Perceptions and or interests. These are a vital part of our life Attitudes Towards Work-Life Balance in and time must be made for these. Cut back New Zealand’ identified the key benefits to somewhere else but don’t cut back on that employers of implementation of work-life which gives you pleasure. balance initiatives as: 4. Ensure you have ‘you’ time • Retention of quality staff

• Happier workplaces

It’s vital to have time for yourself. Whether you want to spend that time getting exercise, relaxing and doing nothing, or treating yourself to something nice it’s essential for a well balanced life.

• More motivated staff

5. Add meaning to your life

• A closer relationship between staff and management.

An essential part of life is feeling that we are making a difference in the world, even if in a small way. We need to have meaning. Ask yourself what difference you make and if you can’t find an answer, look to add one. Do a little charity work, or contribute a little to your community, or just do something that makes you feel good about yourself.

• Being able to attract quality staff • Higher productivity

Among other lifestyle changes, a professional will assist in modifying the following behaviours necessary for work-life balance.

The iPod speaker dock market is a saturated one to say the least.

A glance in any garden-variety electronics store will see a bevy of low-end speakers designed for teenagers’ bedrooms and glorified alarm clock-radios for the bedsides of the more technologically savvy grown-ups among us.

The central gap also has a specific purpose apart from somewhere for your toddler to feed Matchbox cars and half-eaten biscuits.

It reduces interference between the left and right speakers, which in turn are covered by a standard black mesh. The front of the unit has proximity sensitive volume buttons that light up blue when a hand comes close to them and a spring-loaded, standard iPod connection. IPods or iPhones slot straight on to the connector, even with cases or bumpers attached, and will charge while playing your music.

But what about the higher-end of the market? I stop short of mentioning ‘audiophiles’ at this point, because a true ‘audiophile’ would shiver in their turtleneck sweater while hiding behind their purposebuilt rack system at the thought of listening to an MP3, let alone a speaker dock.

The DS9000 also accommodates iPads, and they look quite impressive, but attaching them isn’t an easy feat due to the curvature of the iPad’s edge where the charging port is. It takes a bit of patience to hold the spring-loaded connector forward while you slot the iPad onto it.

No, I’m talking about decent quality and stylish hardware that caters for those of us who love the convenience and portability of our digital music collection and want to utilise the content of our iDevice around home, for parties and chilling out on hazy Sunday mornings.

Philips might not be a brand that one might automatically gravitate to when it comes to audio equipment, but from a personal standpoint I can’t honestly say that I’ve ever had a Philips product break down on me or fail to live up to promises or expectations.

Philips has a new range of eye-catching (or should that be iCatching) speaker docks.

The big kahuna of the Philips Fidelio range is the DS9000 – and an impressive looking, and performing piece of kit it is too. The DS9000 is meant to be on display in your lounge – it’s a conversation starter, yet effortlessly blends in with any décor.

The smooth, wooden rear is made using a process called ‘veneer lamination’ which forms multiple layers of lacquered plywood together to produce a stiff and weighty structure, reducing any internal vibration.

The rounded shape also eliminates any internal sound reflection. Precisely tuned bass pipes at the rear deliver tight bass performance at any volume level.

While you don’t need it, there is a free downloadable app, DockStudio, which acts as an interface while your iDevice is attached. You can control your music and it will also display a clock and the local weather.

The DS9000 can envelop a room in balanced and detailed sound with impressive ease.

The high-grade passive crossovers between its dual 25mm tweeters and 100mm mid/ bass-drivers eliminate any distortion, even at organ-liquefying volume levels.

Strangely enough, the DS9000 does not support Bluetooth audio streaming like the other models in the Fidelio range, which seems out of place with the common ethos that the top-end product should include every possible feature. It’s not a dealbreaker though. The unit comes with a nicely crafted remote control that allows full control of any feature, but iPod Touches, iPhones and iPads will require the DockStudio app for this to work.

At $699.95, the DS9000 is up there in terms of luxury items, but as an alternative to an expensive component system and for pure convenience without sacrificing too much quality, this, along with the whole Fidelio range, is hard not to recommend.

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www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2012 | 9

Viewpoints | Society

News | Events Diary

Making Google Adwords work for you Suzanne Carter is the business development manager for website design and development company Limelight Online Ltd, and has 15 years website industry experience. For more information visit www.limelightonline.co.nz

Firstly, to explain exactly what Google Adwords is: it is a form of online advertising known as pay per click advertising (PPC). This advertising either displays on the right hand side column of your Google search results, or at the top of the page as sponsored ads.

Setting up a Google Adwords campaign is recommended for the following reasons: • You have a new website and want instant traffic to your website to boost your conversions e.g. sales, bookings, product enquiries • Not all of your products or services are doing well within the organic (natural) Google search results • You have a short-term promotion that you want to promote online • You sell or provide goods and services that are very popular and therefore have a lot of online competiton.

Google Adwords promotes your brand, products and services instantly and does so above or alongside the natural search results.

Like an auction system, you compete with other advertisers by bidding on a series of keyword phrases that are relevant to your product or service. But unlike an auction system, price alone will not determine which advertiser’s ads obtain the top positions.

Google Adwords strives to show the most relevant ads to users’ search queries - this means it evaluates an advertiser’s campaign (plus landing pages on your website) based on a number of relevance factors, rewarding those advertisers with relevant and targeted ads (to a user’s search query) with higher ad placements and lower cost per clicks.

Adwords accounts require a lot of care and attention as they need to be continually improved, so you need to allow time in your day to manage your campaign. You must continually work at it.

If you choose to outsource the setting up and management of a Google Adwords campaign, please do make sure that the consultant holds Google’s Adwords Qualified Certification (GAQC). This qualification can assure you that the people managing your campaign(s) have met the strict criteria set by AdWords and know what they are doing.

The most common mistakes If you are new to Google Adwords beginners mistakes can unfortunately be costly. Here is a list of some of the most common mistakes that are made. Hopefully you will avoid them.

• Increasing bids instead of quality score.

Before you increase a bid on a keyword it is important to improve your quality score first. This will help improve your ad rank and can lower your cost per click for the keyword.

• Poor quality landing pages.

Google gives weight to landing page quality, so producing effective landing pages will help with your quality score and ad rank.

A good landing page will have strong relevant content with targeted keywords and strong calls to action.

• Not using negative keywords.

These are keywords that you do not want your advert to show for. If you do not add in your negative keywords you will most definitely be wasting money.

• Bidding on broad match.

This is the default setting, so learn the difference between keyword match types: broad, phrase, exact.

• Targeting geographic locations too broadly.

If you are a small local business, then just target your own area and not the whole country. Setting up a different campaign for each location you are targeting is recommended.

Adwords is a fairly complex system, but once you do your research and understand how it works and the associated jargon that goes with it, then it can be relatively straightforward to set up.

• Failure to set up conversion tracking.

You need to know whether you are getting a positive return on your investment. You can set up conversion tracking on any actions people can take on your site – like making a purchase, completing an enquiry form, signing up to a newsletter, making a booking.

I must reiterate it is very important that you do learn how the system works, because if you don’t, then your campaign may not perform well at all. As you are paying each time someone clicks through your advert to your website, you really need to make sure you are targeting the traffic as best you can.

• Targeting the wrong keywords.

These are the basis of a successful campaign, so make sure you choose the right keywords for your campaign and for your business.

There are various tools to help you work out the right keywords for you. If a keyword is not working, then delete it or replace it.

Is it easy to set up a campaign?

10 | July/August 2012 www.wellingtontoday.co.nz

Events diary

What’s happening on the business and entertainment front

THURSDAY JULY 19 – 20

SATURDAY JULY 28

Exit and Succession Planning Workshop – Bank of New Zealand

Certificate of Marketing – Marketing Association

This two-day, future proofing through exit succession and protection planning, workshop will inspire and assist you in putting together a plan that will ensure you exit and sell your business with dignity at the right time and with a good profit. It will also help you to identify, groom and hand over the reins to a successor of your choice and a have a safety net to protect you when things go wrong. For more information go to www.bnz.co.nz/business-banking

Take your marketing to a more strategic level on this one day course. Taught at a marketing management level, this certificate has been developed for marketers who have recently moved into a management level position or are working towards taking this next step. Eight modules covering the full scope of marketing are taught by industry experts, each of whom are leaders in their chosen field. You will learn how to develop marketing strategies that align with business goals, develop the key components of a marketing plan that will achieve results and create and grow a dynamic robust brand that will attract loyal customers. For more information go to www.marketing.org.nz

FRIDAY JULY 20 – 22 Ultrafast Fibre TechEx 2012 Expo TechEx is an innovative and hands-on technology expo giving people the opportunity to find out what ultrafast broadband is and to see what it can do for them at work, out and about, at home and in all aspects of life. Take advantage of this opportunity to gather information and interact with the experts. For more information go to www.techex.co.nz

THURSDAY JULY 26 Certificate of Digital Marketing – Marketing Association It is time to embrace digital marketing in its full capacity. To be effective in today’s digital space marketers need to be able to integrate digital marketing into existing marketing and business strategies and execute it successfully. This comprehensive and practical course will teach you how to maximise your marketing opportunities through the essential elements of digital marketing from strategy to delivery and beyond. For more information go to www.marketing.org.nz

THURSDAY JULY 26 - 29 World Press Photo Exhibition 2012 – New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts With around 100 local exhibitions produced every year, the World Press Photo exhibition tour of prize-winning photographs is the most popular travelling photo event in the world. The exhibition is a selection of the world’s best photographs produced by eminent photojournalists from many different countries and nationalities.

Ensure you do not miss the opportunity to take this journey around the world through the lens of these talented people. For more information go to www.worldpressphoto.org

FRIDAY JULY 27 – 29 Start-up Weekend – Marketing Association This weekend is where entrepreneurs, developers, and designers get together to form new businesses in a 54-hour marathon of inspiration, perspiration and collaboration. The weekend attracts a range of people with all skill levels in a friendly, welcoming and challenging environment. Former participants have gone on to build thriving businesses which have launched into the global markets within months of conception, so come along – the rest is up to you. For more information go to www.marketing.org.nz

THURSDAY AUGUST 2 – 5 The New Zealand Art Show The New Zealand Art Show is a three day visual feast with artworks from hundreds of New Zealand artists on display. It is the largest art show of its kind in New Zealand.

Don’t miss out this opportunity to see what some of New Zealand’s creative minds have produced. For more information go to www.artshow.co.nz

THURSDAY AUGUST 2 Gala Evening – New Zealand Art Show This is the highlight of the art show with fabulous food, wonderful wine, exciting entertainment and a great range of affordable and original New Zealand Art. Buy your tickets now at www.artshow.co.nz

TUESDAY AUGUST 7 The Chamber Business Networking Forum – Wellington Chamber of Commerce Join in this boardroom style gathering and develop relationships with other chamber members and business leaders. Share your insights and learn from others by talking through a range of current business issues.

To register go to www.wecc.org.nz

SATURDAY AUGUST 11 – 12 Women’s Lifestyle Expo 2012 A must-see event for women, featuring more than 180 exhibitors featuring everything from jewellery and health products to business products and information, fitness and beauty products, food and wine sampling, homes wares, education providers, the list just goes on. Stop by indulge in some shopping, enjoy a relaxing massage or spoil yourself with a new haircut. For more information, go to the Women’s Lifestyle Expo’s facebook page.

FRIDAY AUGUST 17 – 18 Beervana 2012 Now in its 11th year this event showcases a range of over 200 brews of beer, food from Wellington’s best restaurants and twenty seminars making the case for a great beer.

For more information go to www.beervana.co.nz

E IN W r) all F oi c O ot n t o i n ple SE r p o A n o pe C no 11 E v ig st E (sau e fir FR r th

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THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE WAY OF FINDING STAFF WE GUARANTEE TO FIND YOU THE PERFECT CANDIDATE OR YOUR MONEY BACK! Would you like to have a steady flow of interested, high calibre candidates calling / emailing you? If you would like complete control over your recruiting process and not have to pay the thousands of dollars others may charge you to find the same person, then this is the solution for you.

It’s obvious that recruiting has become extremely tough over the last few years, and you have to talk to a lot more people than ever before to find the right one.

So why is recruiting getting so hard?

The biggest obstacle you face is marketing incest.

Everyone goes to the same seminars, reads the same publications and looks in the same places for staff.

Breakthroughs come from looking outside the rectangle and looking at new, proven methods of advertising for staff.

Imagine how easy your life would be with great staff.

Imagine if you were able to promote yourself and your company so people can actually see what it would be like to work at your place.

Imagine if you were actually able to view CVs, and actual work wanted ads, so you could see what job hunters want. This way you know when you employ them that you’ve got someone who wants to work in your environment. You’re not squeezing a round peg into a square hole, as many of us do, only to find they move on after a few months.

Our revolutionary job site only began the end of 2006 and this is growing rapidly. We also have more than 1500 businesses registered as employers, including some of the biggest companies in NZ with more than 9000 employees, right through to some of the smallest companies with only a couple of staff.

If you would like to see some of our clients please log on to our site and view. We also have over 16,000 registered jobhunters who are actively looking for new employment and many of them receive email alerts as soon as jobs are posted.

But our major benefit to you is that we only charge $595+gst per year for unlimited use. I’ll repeat that because it does sound too cheap. $595 for an entire year to advertise as many jobs as you like.

Your next question is no doubt, how can we do it so cheaply? We prefer the expression “cost effective.”

Because we don’t need to pay huge overheads or the over-the-top salaries.

In fact there’s only a handful of full time staff, and the rest are part time. Just shows you how much the foreign owned corporations are over-charging.

professional but friendly.

To give you a comparison, if you were to run five ads over a year and have a company profile next to your ad it would cost you a minimum of $3225 on one of these sites. On our site it is $595+gst. And of course if you don’t, or you’re not happy with any part of our service, we’ll refund you in full. There’s absolutely no risk! So we’ll at least make one expense low, constant and risk free.

• Requests are welcomed and actioned in a timely manner by staff that we have liaised with over time.

It’s been said you can be the greatest manager in the world – but that won’t do any good unless you can attract enough of the right people. www.myjobspace.co.nz may be the solution.

Gary Collins, Managing Director

Myjobspace was for employers and employees, the service was exceptional and it was a great way to capture our target audience”.

As the key contact person for our organisation I am pleased to provide the above information and please pass on to your colleagues.

Noho ora mai

Paula Parkin HR Manager Te Whanau o Waipareira Trust

MyJobSpace is their attention to service and after sale care. The entire staff has been willing to go above and beyond the call of duty to handle every issue and make sure things are right. In some cases, they’ve done MORE than I expected.

”

Steve Skobel — Marketing Manager

“Through an interest in advertising my new home based

”

Jessica Scott — Media Monitors

“After searching for a committed partner to advertise

my online jobs through I found the team at Myjobspace. co.nz to not only be super helpful, but competitive in pricing and best of all they have the best range of searchable locations, especially for a niche advertiser like me! Thanks team!”

”

Brad Stewart — Director Talent Capital

business and with previous business dealings in the New Zealand property market, I found the site My Job Space NZ. From my first contact with Zack Foreman and his team at My Job Space, I knew that I had made the right decision in spending my advertising dollars with them.

Zack is articulate, friendly, reliable, extremely helpful and patient given that I had minimal international advertising experience at that stage. He demonstrated interest and talent when guiding me through the formulation of my advertisement and I am proud to stand by the final result. I have no hesitation in recommending Zack and his professional advertising team at myjobspace.co.nz to other business owners.

”

– Belinda Smith

“I have been impressed with MyJobSpace’s level

of committment to finding the best solution for my business. Zack has always given me friendly, helpful customer service. He has been a pleasure to work with.

MyJobSpace’s committment to improving their service is impressive.

”

Glen Brooke-Anderson - perfectlifestyle.com.au

“From time to time we do an evaluation of our service providers. We have been working with your company since 18/12/08 and would like to advise the following: • Staff including yourself (Damien) are always

PROUD TO BE THE ONLY KIWI OWNED & OPERATED MAJOR JOB SITE! P.S. WE PROVIDE AN UNCONDITIONAL MONEY BACK GUARANTEE! P.P.S. Special offer! Mention this ad when you sign up for an advertiser account this month and receive two priority listings FREE (value $160.00). These will keep your ad at the top of the search page for seven days which will ensure your ad won’t be missed.

The launch site for every Kiwi career

LOG ON TO WWW.MYJOBSPACE.CO.NZ OR PHONE 0800 4 TODAY (0800 486 329)

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“One of the things that impresses me the most about

So if you’re ready to save time and money call now or log on to www.myjobspace.co.nz. In less than seven minutes you can have your first ad ready, and when/if you need to run your second ad in the future it will only take a few minutes. In fact many employers think our site is the easiest site for loading jobs.

“We were really surprised with how easy to use

• The can do attitude of customer service is a pleasure to work with.

*

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News | Property

Putting in the groundwork Commercial property, the alternative to residential

I have always been surprised by how some people react when I suggest they should investigate commercial property investment because it provides a very a good alternative to residential investment.

It’s “too complicated” they say. Or “too hard to understand” is another common response, as well as fear of vacancies with a consequent loss of income.

Yes, I agree, residential property is the more “liquid” of the two forms of investment, but successful residential investment is, in my view, the hardest subject to master by a country mile.

We all know the advantages of residential property and they are persuasive, that has to be said, but let me give you some of the disadvantages — just for the sake of the argument.

The main problem with residential is that it’s “political” in every sense of the word. From one day to the next there is a steady drum beat criticising those who own or invest in residential property. The media run one story after another on overcrowding, shortage of rentals, rising rents, unfair profits and lately pressure to introduce a capital gains tax or reduce so-called “tax rorts”.

It’s no wonder that there is a growing rental crisis and increasing homelessness, all aided and abetted by the recent tax disadvantages which have, as expected, had the exact opposite effect from what was intended.

All this was predicted by me for over a year or more. And let me quietly tell you something else, in the strictest confidence. As the rental crisis grows, especially with the approach of winter, be prepared for more headlines and yet more controls on residential rents. You have been warned.

On the subject of capital gains tax, I have yet to see a skerrick of evidence showing what a capital gains tax would achieve. Yes, it does exist in other countries but such taxes did absolutely nothing to stop runaway property booms (and busts) in the USA, Europe or Australia, just to name a few.

In the news at present time, we learn about the troubles in Spain and Greece where the foreclosures (mortgagee sales in our parlance)

are staggering and getting worse by the minute.

Spain already has a capital gains tax. To call it complex is a gross understatement. Or how about Greece, where matters are just as bad? They too have a capital gains tax, but it will likely only create tax credits for years to come. The call for a capital gains tax in this country is supposedly to encourage investors to put their spare funds into “more productive investments”. But again, I am still waiting to hear what, exactly, these more productive assets are.

Another problem with residential property as a landlord is the bothersome control over the market by bureaucracy and the well meaning but cumbersome Tenancy Tribunal. I would be the first to agree that tenants need some form of protection, and we probably do need some form of third party control by way of a tribunal, but the system should allow tenants and landlords to agree to opt out of the system if both parties so choose.

Why should expensive homes, for instance, be subject to government control in regard to bonds or rents? Parties to high-end properties hardly need a government watch-dog to breathe down their necks. And what law applies in the case where a property is rented out fully-furnished as many are? The current bond limitation is totally inadequate to cover damage in this instance.

There’s no doubt that, if done correctly and with due diligence and forethought, residential investment can be very profitable mainly because it’s (supposedly) understandable, easy to finance with the aid of mortgages and is happily used by banks as security when advancing other loans especially for further residential investments or business use. But there are great advantages for those who make the effort to understand commercial property.

The upsides Commercial property has become far more popular in recent years and rightly so for the following reasons: (a) There are no controls from any outside body so long as parties act reasonably. (b) You can charge whatever rent and whatever terms you and your tenant mutually agree upon. (c ) You can ask for any bond you like — again as may be mutually agreed upon. (d) You can evict bad tenants rapidly under

Olly Newland

Property Consultant Impartial, expert guidance

For an obligation-free session with Olly, call: 0800 66 22 80 12 | July/August 2012 www.wellingtontoday.co.nz

the terms of the lease with little or no outside interference. (e) The only control that exists is the lease that is agreed between you and the tenant and that can be varied as when it suits. (f) Depreciation allowances are often higher than on residential especially for fittings and fixtures.

Even more importantly, depending on the lease, your commercial tenant pays for all the out-goings as well, such as rates, water and insurance. Commonly these are spelt out in the lease (i.e. a net lease) but if not then these costs are built into the rent (i.e. a gross lease). Either way, the tenant pays, which makes your returns that much better.

A few years ago the traditional return on the average commercial property (whether retail, office or industrial) was around 10 percent.

For example a property valued at $500,000 would pay a net rental of $50,000 per annum after payment of all outgoings. Over the past few years this return has fallen dramatically, to as low as five percent plus. I suspect it will go even lower for prime properties in the future. In other words, lower and lower yields mean that investors are paying more and more to buy a certain income stream.

Where the net income is $50,000, investors could now well be prepared to pay almost twice as much as before, especially if the property was good. At a 5.5 percent yield the same property would be worth over $900,000.

Not a bad return if you play your cards right - and a darn sight easier than slogging away with a bunch of slum properties filled with druggies and misfits. The trick is to find commercial property which can genuinely be “improved” so that is goes up in value - no matter what inflation or deflation are doing.

A little study and perseverance can find these deals and often such value increases can be achieved in short order with little more than a stroke of a pen.

My team and I recently assisted a client buying a run-down block of shops. With a little expense, and our constant advice we pushed the value up from $1.4 million (being the purchase price) to an estimated value if $2 million - all done within six months from date of purchase and while collecting the rent at the same time. And just to prove the point that it wasn’t just wishful thinking on our part, this particular block was on-sold at auction for $1.95 million which was just a whisker under its estimated value.

By Olly Newland

These sales are further compelling evidence that prices have moved strongly upwards as compared with the more traditional values of a few years ago. They are a harbinger of things to come.

To me and others who follow the commercial market these results are truly astounding, but interestingly, so far there hasn’t been a peep about this in the media.

If residential sales results showed similar rises in values in today’s financial climate the headlines would be screaming and the calls would be coming in thick and fast to introduce new taxes and other “disincentives” (i.e. punishments) for investors who dare make such gains.

Interestingly, the prices obtained are not that far away from those achieved for average residential properties in the Auckland region (slum-boxes excepted), but as the subject is commercial, it has no sex appeal and it’s therefore not a headline grabber.

“Commercial Property Prices Rise Dramatically” will never be found on page three of any newspaper. That’s fine for us in the business, thank you very much. We prefer it that way actually.

There are more such deals out there just waiting to be found as many commercial property owners are still asleep at the wheel.

Before long investors will wake up to what is happening — so now is the time to start learning all about the subject.

If you are tired of the stress that residential tenants can give — not to mention poor returns, mounting repairs or vexatious complaints — then the commercial property market is just the right place for you.

You could become a part of this very fascinating multi-billion dollar investment niche — an area where big profits can be quietly made providing you know what you are looking for and obtain a good working knowledge in conjunction with impartial advice.

With more than 45 years in the property game, Olly Newland provides a consulting and mentoring service for people committed to make serious progress with property investments.

Whether it be buying, selling, holding or troubleshooting. If you’re interested in knowing more, visit Olly’s webpage at www.ollynewland.co.nz

Get skilled advice on residential and commercial property investment from Olly Newland, reknowned property expert, author & Authorised Financial Advisor.

Purchasing, selling & managing property.

‘No problems - only solutions.’

Personal, One-to-one, Confidential

www.ollynewland.co.nz

News | Insights

Words of

By Karen Pasco

wisdom

I remember some of the best advice I was ever given was from my sister.

I was about 28 years old, working in a job I didn’t particularly like and moaning to her about my situation. Her reply has had an ongoing impact.

“You have two choices; either you stay in your present career for the next 40 years and remain miserable, or you change it. Only you can change it.”

For someone who was only 20 years old herself at the time, the words were quite wise. It led me to where I am today and I have always appreciated how those words impacted at such a crucial time of my life.

There are other times in life when I have reflected on that very same conversation and recalled those sensible words. Whether it be relationships, other jobs or even after falling into a pattern of mediocrity, I have plucked those words from my memory banks and used them as a mantra “only you can change it” to modify my life or behaviours.

We have gathered together bits of advice that others have found poignant. Whether they are deep and philosophical or quite matter-of-fact, these words of wisdom have provided inspiration to those who received it and often influenced them in decisions they have made.

Mai Chen

Mai Chen is the founding partner of Chen Palmer, chair of New Zealand Global Women, president of the Harvard Law School Alumni Association (NZ), on lists of the most influential businesswomen in the country and writer of recently-published book Public Law Tool Box .

She has three pieces of advice that have stood her in good stead in her work and personal life.

John Psathas

John Psathas

John Psathas is one of New Zealand’s most internationally acclaimed composers, born in New Zealand to Greek immigrants in the mid 1960s. To date, his most notable accomplishment in the field of music was to write much of the ceremonial music for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

“I knew from a very young age (11 years) that I would be pursuing a career that put me in the public eye and, all things going well, would result in my being well-known.

This piece of advice profoundly influenced how I went about achieving my dream of becoming a successful composer. All of my adult decision-making has been shaped by considering that one piece of advice.”

One of the best pieces of advice he received was from his father Emmanuel Psathas. It was given to him constantly throughout his teenage years and still remains advice he reflects on.

He has shared this advice with others as well as the following which obviously impacts on the students he teaches.

“However successful, famous, or rich you become, it counts for nothing if you are not a fundamentally good person.”

“Don’t allow anyone but you to decide whether you pursue your dream.”

Other words of wisdom we like:

“The golden rule for every business man is this: ‘Put yourself in your customer’s place’.”

Orison Swett Marden

“Do or do not. There is no try.”

“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.”

Yoda

Bill Gates

Mai Chen

“The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the Winston Churchill efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will “Leadership has a harder job to do than just magnify the inefficiency.” choose sides. It must bring sides together.”

Bill Gates Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson “Sometimes when you innovate, you make “A revolutionary idea is usually one with its mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly sleeves rolled up.” and get on with improving your other innovations.”

Former Indian batsman, commentator and politian, Navjot Sidhu Steve Jobs

General Colin Powell’s rules of engagement:

“As a small business person, you have no greater leverage than the truth.”

“A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts.”

John Greenleaf Whittier

Richard Branson

“A business absolutely devoted to service will have only one worry about profits.

They will be embarrassingly large.”

“The conventional definition of management is getting work done through people, but real management is developing people through work.”

Henry Ford

Agha Hasan Abedi

“There is no such thing as work-life balance.”

“In the end, did you live life to the full, did you love deeply and did you learn truly to let go.”

“Your life is your message, get on and live it.”

1. It ain’t as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning

7. You can’t make someone else’s choices.

You shouldn’t let someone else make yours

2. Get mad, then get over it

8. Check small things

3. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it

9. Share credit

4. It can be done!

11. Have a vision. Be demanding

5. Be careful what you choose. You may get it

12. Don’t take counsel of your fears or naysayers

6.Don’t let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision

13. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.

10. Remain calm. Be kind

“If you have knowledge, let others light their candles with it.”

www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2012 | 13

News | Top tips

How to build teams that Stephen Lynch, chief operating officer of can execute ByGlobal Operations at RESULTS.com

How to prevent your company growth from stalling

to have their say and feel like they were Interesting research conducted by MIT measured the key factors that listened to in order to build a high trust, high performing team. are common to great teams - those which function effectively and Great teams have frequent achieve business execution success. informal communication too

It is common for firms of all sizes to reach a plateau where revenue growth seems to stall. This growth tip references research contained in the book Stall Points.

The best teams spend a lot of time discussing ideas outside of formal meetings.

Therefore it is important to create as many opportunities as you can for these “water cooler” chats. The more frequently this informal communication occurs, the better the team performs.

Political and Economic factors beyond our direct control have an impact on company growth of course, but surprisingly the research shows that 87 percent of growth stalls are preventable, and are related to the strategic decisions you made in the past.

Interestingly, the notion that you need to recruit the smartest people you can find, and assemble them into a team, matters much less than you think.

Here is our take on the research:

Great teams communicate frequently The more frequently a team communicates, the more successful the team is likely to be.

A lower frequency of communication leads to a decline in performance. This has implications for office layout and design, as well as your meeting cadence. For virtual teams, there needs to be a way for team members to quickly and easily share information with their colleagues - business execution software makes this easy.

Great teams talk and listen Lower performing teams have dominant members who do most of the talking (but who are not so good at listening). Open twoway communication is important for superior performance. Less dominant, introverted team members need to be encouraged

Great teams seek outside information The tendency for “group think” (where everyone thinks the same) is a trap to be guarded against. The best teams frequently connect with many different outside sources and bring what they learn back to the team for debate.

In summary, it seems that more communication is better (daily meetings), we need to ask everyone’s opinion (and learn to listen better), create more opportunities for informal discussions (when was the last time you took your team out for lunch?), and get out of the office more to expose ourselves to new ideas.

It is critical to measure the Key Performance Indicators that drive your current business model on a weekly and monthly basis.

However, these metrics may not register that a significant change is occurring in your industry.

If you are not vigilant about industry changes and do not take corrective action quickly, it can be extremely difficult to kick start things to get your company growing again. In fact, the research shows that the odds are against you ever returning to growth.

Most growth stalls occur because a strategic assumption that was once true, no longer applies to your business model. In fact, it is the assumptions that you hold most deeply – or have “known” so long that you no longer question them – that pose the greatest threat to your long-term growth and survival.

The tendency to cling to obsolete or incorrect ideas has been characterised as “groupthink”.

Typically the large incumbent company has enjoyed a long run of success with their existing business model. The leaders become closed-minded; there is peer pressure toward uniformity. Leaders overestimate their abilities based on their past success. They fail to consider alternatives, and filter out new information that does not match their existing view of the world.

They keep expanding the features of their current offerings, adding more costs, rather than more revenues. They become bloated and unfocused. They fail to realise their customers are increasingly attracted to new entrants, with disruptive new business models. They mistakenly think their brand name will protect them from these “inferior” competitors. This classic trap is called the “Innovator’s Dilemma”.

Industry change comes at you quicker than you think, and leaders have to be faster at responding. Questioning your strategic assumptions on a regular basis is critical, but seldom something that leaders do well (if at all). Every month we read about the death and decline of well-known brands who failed to adapt to new entrant upstarts with new business models.

Information kindly provided by RESULTS.com: www.results.com

Simplifying small business tax The New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants (NZICA) has released the second instalment of its thought leadership paper on ways to simplify taxation for New Zealand’s thousands of small businesses.

The intention is to raise awareness and promote debate on a fresh approach to tackling the ongoing issue of tax compliance for our many small businesses. The NZICA’s view is that a simplification of rules would create an environment that is more conducive to business growth and productivity.

The paper was written by the NZICA’s tax team and the NZICA Tax Advisory Group.

Summary of proposals

percent for businesses that trade in goods (such as retailers) will be paid on business turnover • Tax payments will be made monthly or at any time • No filing of returns • The micro tax of 14 percent and seven percent includes a component for ACC levies • Income for the purposes of social policy commitments (child support, student loans and working for families tax credits) is 50 percent of gross income • The income will be transferred to the taxpayer’s summary of earnings and no further income tax on this business income will be payable.

Small business tax • A business with turnover of $600,000, GST registered and may have employees.

• Income tax will be calculated on a cash basis on the GST return and will be essentially a final tax.

• A business with no employees, turnover of less than $60,000 and unregistered for GST.

• Small businesses that trade through a company or partnership will be taxed analogously to a sole trader by taxing the entity based on the personal marginal tax rate structure.

• A final income tax rate of 14 percent for businesses that are not traders and seven

• Transactions, such as dividends and salaries, between the business entity and its owners

Micro business tax

14 | July/August 2012 www.wellingtontoday.co.nz

are eliminated, as is the need to maintain an and their employees, with 66 percent of firms imputation credit account. saying their staff feel more energised and motivated. “Flexible working is also acting as • Income tax and GST will be calculated and a valuable employee attraction and retention paid two monthly. tool, helping businesses to minimise staff • Trading stock and plant equipment turnover and assist in finding new talent.” purchases are deducted on a cash basis.

• No provisional tax, no fringe benefit tax and The research also analysed the impact of working habits on both company performance no entertainment tax apply. and employee well-being. Among New • There are no balance date and square up Zealand businesses, results show: issues such as stocktakes.

• 68 percent of businesses work more on the For further information visit www.nzica.com move than they used to.

Flexibility boosts productivity Flexible working is directly linked to productivity and increased revenue A new study by workplace solutions provider Regus, has revealed that 63 percent of New Zealand companies are reporting higher levels of productivity as a result of flexible working practices. Sixty eight per cent also link increasing revenues directly to flexi-working.

The research, which surveyed some 16,000 senior business managers around the world, provides evidence on the positive connection between flexible working and improved productivity and revenue generation.

Regus regional vice president of South East Asia and Australasia, William Willems, says the results clearly demonstrate the positive benefits of flexible working on businesses

• The majority of New Zealand firms believe flexible working has a positive impact on employee health and morale, with 59 percent saying employees feel healthier.

• 87 percent of respondents expect a surge in the number of people that go part-time at some point in their career path.

• Globally, small businesses (81 percent) have embraced flexible working more readily than large companies (67 percent).

“As workforce expectations and demands continue to evolve, flexible work is becoming an attractive option for workers looking to achieve a better balance between work life and life. With the rapid developments in technology and network improvements helping to drive this demand, flexible working is now emerging as the norm rather than the exception,” William says.

Hot spots | Wellington

Delights of the

Harbour Capital

As the local saying goes - you can’t beat Wellington on a good day. True, Wellington has its fair share of less-than-good weather, but there are plenty of reasons why the weather won’t get in the way of a good day in the capital. There are numerous delights well within the central city; so pack an umbrella and pull on a pair of well-soled shoes and enjoy what Wellington has to offer – whatever the weather.

Local Wellingtonian Clare Bycroft shares her favourite city hot spots.

Relax in Wellington Central

Walk along the Wellington waterfront

If you’re feeling like a quiet read the Wellington Central Library is kept nice and cozy and contains a wide range of books, music and DVDs. Its mezzanine floor café (Clarke’s Café) has a prime view of Civic square, which itself contains a number of sculptures: monolithic, symbolic, and some down-right strange. On a sunny day the square is a geometric spectacle of shadow and light. Just across the Square is the City Gallery, well-known for its innovative and exciting range of art works and exhibitions, it is usually free to enter and always worth a visit.

A kilometre and a half, of the harbour-hugging waterfront, is pedestrian prioritised, so you can escape the car fumes and enjoy the refreshing harbour breeze, along with a bustling crowd of skaters, rowers, bikers, hipsters, baby buggies and fun-lovers.

On most days you can see as far out as the Tararua Ranges, but up-close don’t forget to look out for the poetry on slabs of stone, scattered along the wharf.

Every Saturday, the Frank Kitts underground market has a fantastic array of locally-made art and crafts to buy, and of course providing a perfect shelter if it rains. If the wind is up the water becomes wild, powerful and exhilarating to watch from under its shelter. On a sunny still day it’s calm and glassy. Either way the waterfront is a guaranteed fascinating walk.

For more information go to www.wellingtonwaterfront.co.nz or www.undergroundmarket.co.nz

For more information go to www.citygallery.org.nz

Drink a cocktail at the Good Luck bar Start your night off at this unique underground bar on Cuba St. where the cocktails are a rare combination of delicious and very well priced: from $10 Friday – Sunday. The setting is set in a dark and moody basement, a sultry den featuring Cambodian food alongside some fine cocktails. Take a sip and enjoy the atmosphere while listening to live DJ’s spinning their mix of jazzy sounds.

Email enquiries@goodluckbar.com

Listen to the buskers on Cuba Street Eat at Memphis Belle café Memphis Belle is a haven of hipster culture without a hint of pretentiousness. On the triangular corner of Manners and Dixon St enjoy coffee made by award-winning baristas and lunch served by super-cool wait-staff. “Chillax” in the heart of the city with the newspaper and watch shoppers wander by in their weekend-best. The variety of attire observed in central Wellington is remarkable - some passers-by have more success with their outfits than others, but without-a-doubt all of them are refreshingly interesting.

Memphis Belle Café Corner of Dixon St and Te Aro Park Te Aro Wellington 6021 T 021 244 8852 www.facebook.com/memphisbellecoffeehouse

Like the Wellington waterfront, most of Cuba St is pedestrian only; leaving plenty of room for buskers of a variety of instruments and talents. Listen to the sound of an accordion fade into a solo guitar as you wander through one of Wellington’s oldest thoroughfares. If it rains duck into one of the many vintage clothing stores or quirky cafes dotted along this delightful street.

Whatever you do, don’t miss the brightlypainted buckets perpetually tipping water as if by an unseen hand.

For more information go to www.cuba.co.nz www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2012 | 15

Cover Story | World of Wearable Arts

ing the world When art and fashion are woven around the human form it can entice, inspire and enrich. Spinning, twisting and twirling, this magical yarn has drawn audiences into an intricate sphere of artistic ingenuity.

The Brancott Estate World of Wearable Arts (WOW) has found a formula which has not only brought art to the everyday New Zealander, but is now spinning it onto the global stage.

Each spring, this magical extravaganza is held in Wellington to audiences of 50,000 people over a 12 show season. The preparations for this year’s show, which is set to be from September 27 to October 7, are already well underway.

Corazon Miller gains a glimpse into its workings and the new woman at its helm, CEO Meg Matthews.

More than just a dream Meg is a newcomer on WOW’s stage this year, coming onboard less than 100 days before the show. A once awestruck member of the audience at three WOW shows, Meg says as a viewer she found the show unforgettable. “I completely loved the dichotomy of how it really is hard to describe or define, yet so impossible to forget.”

Now, stepping into the shoes as CEO, the woman in charge of the overall management of the company, its strategic direction and fiscal performance, has left Meg feeling understandably privileged and excited to be given dream job. “I felt very honoured to be offered a position. WOW is now in its 25th year and has a very impressive track record, so I was very excited by the opportunity to work with a talented team of committed people.

“I respect every aspect of the organisation; WOW is inspiring and really encapsulates what it means to have a vision. Working in such a creative environment is a dream.

I could get lost for hours looking at the historic collection of garments that WOW has procured over the years.”

It is therefore no surprise to learn that Meg found it very easy to say yes and take on the job.

Wealth of knowledge However, despite her obvious love for the creative, Meg does not hail from an artistic background herself and as a result is the first to admit there is a steep learning curve.

However, her passion combined with her more than adequate track record in management has her in good stead for 16 | July/August 2012 www.wellingtontoday.co.nz

“

I respect every aspect of the organisation; WOW is inspiring and really encapsulates what it means to have a vision.

”

dealing with whatever challenges, running an artistic organisation may bring. As the former head of marketing, Australasia, for Air New Zealand, Meg has experience in the key disciplines of finance, human resource management, strategic planning and marketing.

event on the international design, fashion and costume calendar. With its beginnings back in 1987, in the small town of Nelson it has truly become a global phenomenon with entries from as far afield as the USA, UK, Australia, India, Thailand, Israel, Fiji, Canada, Japan, China, Korea and of course New Zealand.

The creative factor aside, Meg says the biggest difference she has found to any previous positions is that as WOW CEO she is fortunate to be able to work directly alongside the shareholders, Dame Suzie Moncrieff and Heather Palmer. “It is inspiring to have two enthusiastic entrepreneurs as my mentors providing the wealth of knowledge that can only be gained through working in the organisation for over the years.”

This year WOW was even shipped out to perform, for the first time, at an overseas festival in Hong Kong. The show, which was part of the Hong Kong Arts Festivals 40th anniversary, was a success with all the tickets selling out.

WOW wows Meg says WOW is already an “incredible brand” for New Zealand and as part of her new role she is looking forward to working with Dame Suzie Montcrieff and the rest of the team to identify and implement new strategies to build upon the brand’s success”.

WOW, which is now in its third decade, is considered by many to be the most creative

Meg says it is her wish to continue to develop this brand turning it into an everyday language and genre – around the world. “The high-energy show has an incredibly wide appeal and the broadest of audiences one can possible encounter...it has no language barriers.

“This provides many opportunities to develop the international status of the event. The success of WOW’s debut public show in the Hong Kong Arts Festival has given us great confidence in our international growth strategy.”

Cover Story | World of Wearable Arts

WOW Since 1987 • 4,500 WOW garments seen on the stage • 6,800 WOW garments created • $1 million handed out in prize money • 23 countries have entered the show • 340,230 people have seen the show • 8,862 cast & crew have worked on it • 36,376 total WOW Star package supper bags • 11,490 total WOW VIP Table dinners.

Local boost Meg says the last economic impact survey done by WOW emphasises just how relevant and vital the event has become to the local culture and community. Aside from adding to Wellington’s already vibrant reputation as one of New Zealand’s great artistic cities, it has, according to the survey, also injected $1 million per day into the local economy. Sixty percent of WOW’s audience come into Wellington just to see the cultural extravaganza.

Home sweet home Despite Wellington hosting the show, for the past eight years, Meg says Nelson remains, and always will be, WOW’s home. “Having the Nelson office has never hindered the show and it allows Dame Suzie to remain connected with all the influences that have made her show scripting ideas so creative and groundbreaking.

“The company’s owners reside in Nelson, the WOW art and the Classic Car Museum is in Nelson and the historic garment collection is kept in Nelson.”

Being based in Nelson has simply meant that the team behind WOW has learnt to run an efficient, “well-oiled” system. Meg says complexity is something that is inevitable

with any stage show of this size and magnitude - regardless of where it is run.

It’s certainly a huge show, with around 180 designer garments, $150,000 in prize money, more than 100 models, dancers and children - all of which takes a 12-18 month “labour of love” to get from conception to stage.

“The show relies on an extremely talented production, creative and administration team to ensure that around 200 garments and 400 cast and crew are in the right place at the right time.

“On average we pack and transport seven, twenty-foot containers between Nelson and Wellington for the show season. We have up to 15 Nelson staff move to Wellington for nearly six weeks depending on their role.

Fast WOW facts • First shown in 1987 as a promotion for a rural art gallery in Nelson • Dame Suzie Moncrieff’s original vision was to exhibit art in the form of a live theatrical show • It has since grown to international acclaim • Major contributor to NZ’s reputation as a creative and design led country • Every year the WOW judges select over 150 garments from designers from all over NZ and around the world to compete for around $150,000 in prize money • The garments are showcased in a two-hour theatrical extravaganza, that twists convention perceptions of both art and fashion and weaves them into a performance that has been described as Mardi Gras meets Haute Couture at a Peter Gabriel concert directed by Salvador Dali.

“Along with the obvious staging that is stored in Wellington we also store a lot of ‘support’ type equipment that we only use for the show…everything from the 400 pieces of front of house signage, to AV screens and TV’s to simple things like a coffee urn.

“Modern technology and good flights by our partner Air New Zealand between Nelson and Wellington mean our teams are very nimble. We like to think we have the best of both worlds, getting to live in beautiful rural Nelson and spend part of the year in the urban creative melting pot of Wellington.”

www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2012 | 17

News | Human resources

Recruitment vs retention ...the hidden price of hiring

Surprisingly there are company managers out there who take delight in a high staff turnover.

Every year they can march into their managing director’s office and point to how they have managed not to have to increase the company’s salary or wage bill and some may even be able to claim financial incentives for doing so.

The managing director will often be pleased his senior manager has been able to do this, given the often high percentage of the budget being taken by staff costs. They would feel it was a pointer toward a healthy bottom line.

But is it?

Even those managers and companies who accept that employee turnover hurts their organisation’s bottom line often fail to fully grasp the total extent to which it affects their business.

There are clearly a number of turnover costs that can be easily quantifiable in relation to staff turnover, but these costs are just the tip of the iceberg.

Human resources website HR.com has estimated that it costs two to three times more to replace a worker than to keep an existing employee - even when you’re replacing an unproductive employee with one who is more efficient. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) estimates that replacing a single employee costs roughly one and half times that employee’s annual salary.

Under the SHRM model, a junior employee on $30,000 per annum, who will only stay for a short time, say two years, will cost the company for their replacement $45,000, or an additional $22,500 in lost profits per year over those two years. If the same employee was encouraged to stay longer, say five years, it would only cost the company $8,000 a year.

There are numerous turnover costs which will never appear on any balance sheet or income statement which can have a serious impact on a firm’s bottom line. Some of the costs associated with employee turnover are unavoidable and must be expected to occur in the normal course of business.

The cost of recruiting new employees takes time and money; from advertising the open position to sifting through resumes, interviewing candidates and training; employee recruiting can be tedious and expensive.

reference checks, drug testing, cost of overtime pay, temporary help and much more.

And once a hiring decision is made, the costs of turnover don’t stop, but rather continue.

Sign on bonuses, relocation costs, and any increases in salary level necessary to attract new talent all add up quickly. The time spent

by HR managers to get onboard and train the new employee can also be costly and unnecessary. These are all tangible costs that could be avoided with a better employee retention strategy.

Consider the affects on productivity that are caused by turnover. It takes on average eight weeks to recruit and hire a new employee.

During this time production can seriously falter. Other employees have to pick up the slack in production, often taking on tasks and responsibilities they are unfamiliar with or untrained in. The negative affect on production caused by turnover doesn’t stop when a new employee is hired.

There is always a learning curve associated with any job; for some it can be short and insignificant, while for many others it can be a considerable period of time. During this time it takes a new employee to “get up to speed” with the rest of the team, production will never be as good as it could be.

in a machine. Many company managers are uncomfortable sharing important business and financial information however, truthfully presenting the facts can prevent panic.

Considering the years of layoffs and business closures, employees who are left in the dark tend to fear for their futures. Silence could send them job hunting.

There can also be a significant loss in business due to employee turnover. Many employees enjoy a loyal following of customers with whom they share a real connection. When these employees leave, particularly if they depart to a similar business, many of those loyal customers go too.

Another serious cost to companies when they lose employees is the loss of organisational knowledge. Many employees are able to become experts in the field they work in and when they leave, so does that knowledge.

These employees are no longer available to share this knowledge and mentor junior members in the company. Once again these costs are near impossible to quantify, but there is sure to be an affect on the bottom line.

How can a company retain staff and prevent that bottom line drain?

It could be something as simple and tangible as remuneration, or it may be something more intangible like job satisfaction.

Hard costs, such as recruiting, interviewing, and training are easy to quantify. However, there are other soft costs which are more difficult to quantify, but can have a huge impact on an organisation’s bottom line.

So if that junior employee was offered a slightly higher salary, say $40,000, the chances of that employee staying longer are much higher. If they were to stay five years, the loss of profit to the company would only be $12,000 annually, as compared to the annual cost of $22,500 if they left after two years on $30,000. It could also mean a more experienced or productive person could be employed.

Each time an employee is lost the hiring and selection cycle must start again. These costs can be significant: advertising costs, cost of recruitment agencies, background checks,

A fair and equitable wage and benefits package is the foundation for any successful employee retention programme, but the basic rule is ‘do not take employees for granted’.

18 | July/August 2012 www.wellingtontoday.co.nz

The recent recession has caused many employees to step up and take on more work for the same, or in some cases, less money.

Many of them might have been happy to still have a job, but that feeling will not last forever.

Valuing employees will increase employee retention. Invest in employees by training them and providing them with opportunities for advancement. No one wants to do the same thing forever. Companies would do well to try to advance from within whenever possible, and challenge employees to try new and innovative ideas. They might come up with some cost saving devices of their own.

A Harvard University study reported that 80 percent of employee turnover can be If there is no work-life balance and no extra attributed to mistakes made during the hiring pay to compensate for the added hours, it is process. The implications of this are huge: up just a matter of time before employees simply to 80 percent of your turnover can be blamed burnout or become bitter. Fear of losing a on hiring mistakes. The problem lies in the job will not motivate people indefinitely, employee selection process. Simply put, particularly when they may be able to find the wrong people are being hired for the better pay or a less demanding wrong jobs. work environment.

Think outside the box; while that junior Those in leadership often assume high employee who will work for $30,000 and performing employees are happy and will stay for just a couple of years looks good subsequently do not take the time to on the balance sheet, maybe a more senior communicate with them. Communication is employee who is looking for a longer term the key to every successful relationship and position, even though they may cost slightly employment relationships are no different. more, is better for business in the long run.

Problem employees demand attention, but There is no arguing with the fact that retaining high performers need attention as well. current employees is more cost effective Acknowledge and reward them for their than recruiting new ones. Taking the time hard work and loyalty. If you do not then a to invest in employees and make them feel competitor might! appreciated may not seem like a dire business Listen carefully to the ideas of employees and decision, but over time the money saved will treat them like individuals instead of cogs outweigh the time spent.

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Interview | Dave Currie

The

champions ’

champion

On the eve of his final Olympic mission, Dave Currie talks to Karen Pasco about the state of the Games and those who play them.

He is a former national wrestler and Black Cap team manager, granddad, mountain biker, cancer survivor and describes himself as having a “misplaced degree of optimism”.

New Zealand Olympic games chef de mission Dave Currie is enthralled with life.

It was September 2, 1960. On this particular early spring day, a momentous occasion was about to take place. Schoolboy Dave Currie was sitting at his desk along with the others in his class, tuned in to the radio which was transmitting the happenings in Rome.

This was the day New Zealand Olympic athletes Peter Snell (800m) and Murray Halberg (5000m) would win gold medals at the Rome Olympics within half an hour of each other – a momentous occasion in New Zealand’s sporting history. It is a day that is etched into the memory of Dave, now head of the New Zealand Olympic team in his role as chef de mission.

He describes it as his Olympic serendipity.

“It really had an impact on me. I remember going to the pictures and seeing it all.” What he didn’t realise then is that 40 years later, when in his role with the Murray Halberg Trust, he would accompany those two athletes to Rome when they returned to recount their memories of that very day.

The job Although many know what Currie’s present job title is, there are not many who understand what the role entails. “I remember when I got the job my granddaughter asked me what I was going to cook for everybody,” he jokes. The English translation is head of mission; how he describes it is general manager of the team, the “leader of the delegation”.

His role means he wears many hats; negotiator, diplomat, project manager, leader, decision maker, co-ordinator, team builder, communicator, motivator and liaison. His job is to ensure each athlete has the best possible environment to reach their goals and to bring the sporting codes together as a team. “What 20 | July/August 2012 www.wellingtontoday.co.nz

“

I’ve been privileged of to be at every medal performance of New Zealanders since the Sydney Paralympics. To be there and be with groups of New Zealanders when athletes perform is just extraordinary.

we’ve got is 17 sports. All of them come with their own culture and have distinct ways they operate. What we’ve got to do is wrap that all into a strong and secure New Zealand team.”

Currie had always wanted to attend an Olympic Games – as a competitor. It was as a marathon runner he thought he had the best chance, but not starting until he was about 40 and unable to crack the 2hr 20 minute mark, meant it was not achievable.

He arrived at the chef de mission position through a history of sporting roles. From 1987 to 1997 he was the race director of Ironman, for 17 years the executive director for the Murray Halberg Trust and latterly the Black Caps’ team manager.

In 1988 he was asked to run as a guide for a blind marathon runner at the Seoul Olympics.

Through this he became involved in sports for the disabled and got the job as president of New Zealand Paralympics and was asked to take the team to Sydney in 2000.

He had seen the chef de mission job advertised but didn’t apply. Aware that previous chef de missions Les Mills and Dave Gerrard had both been Olympians, he thought he would not meet the hiring criteria. Then someone strongly recommended to him that it might be worth his while. “I was pretty pragmatic they didn’t really have too many applicants so I got it.”

The lows

”

So for the past decade Currie has worked on developing a culture within the team, as well as carrying out a tremendous amount of behind-the-scenes work to ensure each campaign has run as smoothly as possible.

His biggest challenge, without a doubt, was the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India. The uncertainty of whether venues or accommodation would be ready in time was frustrating and caused much anxiety in the lead up.

“It was incredibly close to the wire that we just weren’t going to bring athletes and we were just going to pull out. I was on conference calls for an hour a day with the New Zealand diplomat in India in the leadup,” he says. “What is funny though is when the athletes arrived they kept saying ‘what was all the fuss about’.”

Currie believes that the Commonwealth Games need to return to the games of old and stop trying to replicate the Olympics, which is putting countries in huge debt. “There used to be 2000 athletes go to the Commonwealth’s, now there are between 6000 and 7000. We need to get it back to a manageable size. Very few countries can afford to hold them now because they’ve just become too huge and big and costly.”

Interview | Dave Currie

The highs The highlights of previous Olympic and Commonwealth Games is certainly seeing the medal-winning performances of athletes.

Currie has huge respect for athletes who have devoted 10, 15 or even 20 years to reach the point where they are on the world platform.

“I’ve been privileged to be at every medal performance of New Zealanders since the Sydney Paralympics. To be there and be with groups of New Zealanders when athletes perform is just extraordinary.”

He scrolls off the names of some of those athletes who provided the magic - Sarah Ulmer, Hamish Carter, Valerie Villi and the Evers-Swindell twins – those who showed the determination to dedicate their lives to their sport and also the courage to pit themselves against the world’s best with millions around the world watching – and still come first.

He vividly remembers Valerie Villi at Beijing, her strength and her absolute focus. “She walked into the stadium and stared down her competitors. She walked out almost knowing that she’d won. She had the appearance that it was her domain and her space and she really kicked butt. It was probably the most determined performance I’ve ever seen.”

The team There are 200 athletes and 100 support staff (including managers and coaches) in the New Zealand Olympic team travelling to London for this year’s Games. Currie has travelled to Old Blighty four times in the past two years to ensure the relationship between the organising committee and the New Zealand team is strong, to see the progress of the living and sport environments and understand what it will be like for athletes and staff when they arrive. He then conveys that information back to the athletes and staff. “Athletes will put up with anything as long as they know what to expect.”

One of this year’s challenges is having the New Zealanders split up around the United Kingdom. The Olympic Village is, for the first time, right next door to the Olympic Park in Stratford, East London, but the rowers will be based at Eton Dorney, the sailors at Weymouth and the men’s and women’s

football teams will be playing at different venues dotted around the UK. In order to make sure team unity is maintained Currie says it is important to make all athletes feel included. “It’s not easy but we will go to all the outlying venues and welcome them into the team separately.

We’ll also use newsletters, Facebook and Skype and texting. When they finish competition, they will come up to the main village anyway. Every member in the team wants to come and share and be part of that group.”

The village

“

I remember when I got the job my

granddaughter asked me what I was going to cook for everybody

of different immigrants during the past 800 years. We’ve all been brought together in a special way to create a united society with strong respect for each other.”

This year New Zealand has managed to secure its very own nine storey apartment block that will house just the Kiwis. Integral to the teambuilding, including the “One Team, One Spirit” ideal of the team, is the distinct decoration of the apartment block. In previous years the New Zealand athletes’ home away from home has been the envy of other nations. In Beijing it was banners of ferns and photos of previous New Zealand Olympic greats that adorned the walls and provided inspiration.

It is just not the nation which has changed since 1948 - the athletes also have a far different experience. As an example he tells the story of New Zealand backstroker Ngaire Galloway, who qualified for the 1948 London Games.

Currie remains tight-lipped about how Aotearoa will be reflected in the New Zealand camp. He does admit that in the 40ft container which is shipping sports equipment, supplements and special athlete requirements to the Games, there are also beanbags, coffee makers and “other” decorations.

After organising her chaperone, they arrived at the ship in Auckland only to find there was no swimming pool on board.

Although it is important to foster the team spirit, Currie says it’s a careful balance between that and getting the athletes hyped up. “What they want when they get there is to train, eat, rest, train, sleep. We don’t want people fired up. They’re in a supportive environment, we want them to focus and do the job they’re there to do. We can celebrate when it’s all over.”

The past He believes the evolution of New Zealand since the last London Games in 1948 is incredible. “In 1948 we were still pretty much an economy of Britain – we’re no longer like that. We’re a strong, united people, a country which has been forged by the arrival

About a week before she was due to leave she was told she would need a female chaperone, which would have to fund themselves, to accompany her to the Games – otherwise she couldn’t go.

The website also allows supporters to get a chance to mingle in the thoughts of competitors. Blogs are posted by athletes, and even Currie’s messages to the team are there for all to see – providing a window into a world normally closed off – a sharp marketing ploy to rouse the masses and engage them on what Currie and every New Zealander hopes will be a successful month of competition

The future He has come a long way from the boy who sat in that classroom and listened to the live broadcast of his sporting heroes. In a roundabout way he reached his goal of making it to the Olympics – but now he knows it is time for change. The London Olympics will be his last hoorah as chef de mission after three Olympics, one Paralympics and three Commonwealth Games, Currie is calling time – although he cheekily adds he may do a “David Lange”.

She had the builder create a paddling pool she could use during the six-week journey to at least give her legs a kick-out. Ngaire overcame the odds and although she didn’t win a medal, Currie says her story of determination is one that is used to motivate the team.

The campaign The 2012 New Zealand Olympic team is focussing its public campaign on the parochial conviction “Making us Proud”. To highlight this, the nz2012.com website invites ordinary and extraordinary people to tell their stories about how they are inspired by someone or something from their country; “When you were most proud to be a New Zealander”.

Some of the postings relate to sport others don’t, but it is the patriotism that Currie believes will get Joe Public stirred to support

”

the team. “New Zealanders are unique; we get out in the world and demand to do well.

Peter Jackson, our scientists, there’s so many people - we just want to carry on that strong tradition.”

“It’s an appropriate time. Most people only do one Olympics and Commonwealth Games.

You can go forever but it just seems like the right time. It’s been an extraordinary privilege really, a delight to do it. It’s just been fantastic.”

He is unsure yet of what the future holds but is confident that whatever he does, it will matter. “I’m keen to stay involved in sport.

Certainly carrying on and doing something that makes a difference afterwards. If you can’t make a difference in something there’s no point really.”

www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2012 | 21

News | Lifestyles

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Thai adventure Jungle Trek

It is not your typical beach holiday, but Northern Thailand is the perfect destination for holiday goers who don’t like to sit still. With its rough and mountainous scenery it has been a popular destination for many adventure seekers. The perfect gateway for an adventurer’s Thai holiday is the country’s northern city of Chiang Mai which leads straight into the Thai jungle. Rest up in this gorgeous city, which is the perfect blend of big city and small town, both before and after your trek.

Just an hour north out of town is a range of stunning jungle, waterfalls and wild rivers, Doi Chiang Dao national park, the Maetang River area and many other natural beauties. To the South West of Chaing Mai lies the Doi Intanon, the country’s tallest mountain with numerous waterfalls and jungle trails. It promises to be an adventure of a lifetime – just watch out for wild elephants and snakes.

Warm red

Two Degrees Pinot Noir 2009 For a nice red to warm you up this winter, this stunning Otago Two Degrees Pinot Noir is the one to savour. It was awarded this year’s Royal Easter Wine Show Champion Pinot Noir Trophy, overtaking 200 other contenders for the prize. This 2009 vintage has a wonderful purity of fruit; it is a fuller bodied pinot with an intense plum and dark cherry note. The tannins are silky smooth and the finish goes on and on. But be quick – stock won’t last forever, especially when it’s this good.

Read More at: www.intrepidtravel.com or www.gadventures.com

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RRP: $37 Available from: Selected wine stores and restaurants throughout the country or order online at www.2degrees.co.nz

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Halfway through a text you decide you want to call your mate instead? It couldn’t be easier, just lift your phone to your ear and the phone will dial your mate for you. The 8MP camera and 1.9MP front camera give users a range of intelligent camera features and face-recognition related options to ensure moments can be captured easily and shared rapidly.

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RRP: $199.90 Available from: www.overlandfootwear.co.nz or your nearest Overland retailer.

22 | July/August 2012 www.wellingtontoday.co.nz

News | Lifestyles

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Ripe for winter warming Hot Berry Cider With the chills of winter, just around the corner, Old Mout’s expert cider makers have created one of the hottest new drinks. A unique alternative to mulled wine, Old Mout Hot Berry Cider is the first ‘best served hot’ cider to hit the shelves in New Zealand. This winter warmer is a seasonal get-together of crisp apple cider and luscious summer berry wine, with a touch of fizz. It’s a bit like a perfectly balanced apple pie with berry compote - take some time to mull it over. For warming and spice suggestions visit www.oldmoutcider.com RRP: $15.99

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Andalucia Triangle Spain’s most southerly region is the true home of the authentic Spanish region. Bullfighting, tapas, flamenco, the guitar – all began in the beautiful area of Andalucia in the south of Spain. All this tradition blended into today’s modern Spain can be seen and celebrated in Andalucia’s golden triangle, which is made up of three cities, Granada, Cordoba and Sevilla. Its fiestas are notorious for being the noisiest and most colourful, its Easter processions are vibrant, the Spaniards lively and boisterous - it is a land of surprises and contradictions.

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Contemporary Andalucia is more cosmopolitan and fashionable with towns and cities full of hip boutiques and hip bars, stylish restaurants and pumping nightlife pulsating with life while maintaining their historic charm.

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One sparkling jewel in the vista of the Spanish countryside is Lake Iznajar. Anywhere around this coast are a range of places to stay and enjoy in the beauty and peace of these surrounds.

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A stylish wake-up call can be had anywhere you travel with this Louis Vuitton portable alarm clock and watch. Its quartz face is strikingly set in its silver backdrop. Light and chic, it can easily be packed away into its equally chic canvas case for protection, before slipping it into your pocket or purse.

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www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2012 | 23

Issue | Automatic Earth

The

perfect storm

The turbulent waters of the 2008 recession seem to be calming and there is optimism in the air that maybe, just maybe, things are getting back to normal. Yet as the Eurozone crisis continues to breach the otherwise calming surface, experts warn the worst may not be over.

Weather warning

A sign of things to come

She describes herself as a roving gypsy, travelling the globe – giving the unaware a heads up about the economic, environmental and energy “perfect storm” coming our way.

The Canadian “gypsy” and economic analyst, Nicole Foss, on a recent visit to New Zealand, labelled the financial crisis as a perfect storm, with its complex financial fronts that have converged into today’s present crisis.

Nicole takes it one-step further saying Europe is just the sign of worse things on the horizon. It’s the tip of the iceberg and the globe is perched precariously on the edge, about to fall into a deep dark depression that will be worse and longer lasting than that of the 1930s.

The European Union (EU) is at risk of being engulfed by the storm, as factors including international trade imbalances, high public and private debt, big real-estate bubbles, slow economic growth, governmental monetary policies and the early 2000s easy credit conditions, encouraged high-risk lending.

Media across the globe have quoted experts saying the crisis is at a boiling point and once it overflows the implications will be felt globally – the governments of Greece, Italy, Ireland, Portugal and Spain with their huge debt to GDP ratio and huge budgetary deficits are struggling to repay debts and may be left in the dust by the richer nations such as France and Germany.

Though recent reports from International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Christine Lagarde reported a positive outlook for the economy, Nicole claims such optimism will be shortlived.

On her recent visit to New Zealand, she stated it is a question of when, not if, the Euro falls. Greece will be the first of the Eurozone dominos to fall and default, followed by Portugal, Ireland, Spain and Italy with the potential for the rest of the Eurozone to follow.

She says when the Euro falls, the face of international relations as we see it will change forever. Nicole claims we are heading into an era of de-globalisation; as the economy fails things will no longer work on a large level, but on a small community level.

By Corazon Miller

Not crazy talk

Economic denial

Though Nicole aka Stoneleigh resembles somewhat the gypsy part she plays, with her stark blond windswept bob, flowing skirts and warm capes, this down to earth woman’s claims are not just wildly plucked out of the dark recesses of her mind.

Nicole says the governments have been papering over the cracks in the economic system for sometime now. “They are using public dollars to fill the gap between the buyer and the supplier, increasing the monetary value [for example the Greek government bonds] but in reality it is all fiction.”

Rather, they originate from an impressive list of qualifications; a degree in biology, focusing on neuroscience and psychology, a postgraduate diploma in air and water pollution control and a Masters in International Law development – there appears to be a reasonably broad knowledge base behind her speculative suspicions.

Other experts have also backed up her not-so-wild claims. The BBC’s Russel Hotten reported in 2011 that experts have long predicted the Euro’s demise. He quoted the British Labour Party MP Jack Straw who warned the United Kingdom to prepare for the Euro’s slow death.

Nicole and her travelling partner Raul “Ilargi” Meijer, first began their campaign to raise the awareness of the economic, environmental and energy storm through their website, which began in 2008, called The Automatic Earth. Two years later Nicole and Raul decided to take their work onto the road.

“There is no substitute about being there in person to motivate people to change, face to face enables us to find more opportunities,” she says. When challenged about the environmental cost of riding on so many planes, she laughs saying “you can’t tell me any one of those planes wouldn’t have taken off without me”.

In fact the cost of making and distributing a DVD would cost just as much – if not more – and would most likely be less effective. “We are able to tailor our presentations to match the local circumstances and help people identify to our message.”

The naked emperor “I prefer to warn people,” Nicole says.

“Our focus is not academics, rather we are interpreting complexity so anyone can understand it.”

She says at present it’s like the story of the emperor with no clothes. Everyone knows it, but no-one is willing to acknowledge it until the little boy points it out. “We are that little boy,” she says. “Not just to tell people there’s a problem, but to get people prepared.”

24 | July/August 2012 www.wellingtontoday.co.nz

She highlights how Greece is now worth so much less than all the public dollars that have gone into saving it, “But people aren’t being made aware”.

Travelling partner Raul chips in saying there was one point when Greece’s interest rates were up to 400 percent. Nicole says this compounds the problem, as rising interest rates increase the risk of default, the very thing the Eurozone is battling against. This risk of default in turn raises interest rates, which in turn increases the risk of default.

“It is all a spiral of fear, which is quickly spiralling contagion throughout all of Europe.”

The first domino - Greece Greece is the predominant face of the crisis.

Many experts are saying despite its two bailouts – a combined €240bn from the EU and IMF – it may still default.

The weight of its debt may simply make it impossible for the country to grow economically, causing Greece to default from the Euro, sending the financial markets into turmoil as they try to cope with the new unchartered territory – no-one has left the Euro before.

It is certainly a terrifying situation. Nicole points out if Greece does default it will shut itself out from the world with a worthless currency, unable to trade in or out of the country.

The exact value of the Drachma will be unknown. “Its currency won’t be able to buy a single unit,” she says “You can’t do business outside of the country if your currency is not worth anything. It will end up in a civil war, there will be no jobs and there will be no money.”

And once Greece defaults, the other dominos - Portugal, Ireland, Spain and Italy won’t be far behind. The BBC’s Hutton backs Nicole’s claims saying the financial markets would take a dim view on the default and refuse to lend to Athens for years. It’s a precarious situation, one which Greece and the EU are understandably trying their best to avoid.

Issue | Automatic Earth Continued from page 18 >

However, economist Mark Weisbrot says despite everyone’s dire predictions, some good could come out of a default. He says people should look to Argentina. The nation defaulted from the dollar in the early 2000s and has economically blossomed in the years since – thanks to being free from monetary policies stifling its growth – Greece could yet do the same.

The domino effect Nicole says despite Greece taking up most of centre stage, Portugal and Ireland are not far behind – they are kept alive only by the EU and its banks who are desperately trying to save face.

Despite the second bailout, market confidence in the struggling Eurozone remains fragile, long term prospects appear weaker, influenced by an ageing population and economic restrictions. A virtual economic standstill is predicted, with weakened banks, high unemployment and low growth – not just for Europe but all across the globe.

“The Euro as a common currency is dying, we are likely to see countries defaulting, the collapse of a single currency within the year is a likelihood. When it does fall the impact will be monumental, it is not clear how quickly the dominoes will fall – but one thing is certain shockwaves will be felt throughout the world.”

The shockwaves The Euro is one of the currencies which dominate trading relationships, once that is gone, Nicole says no-one will have any idea of what their currency is worth or how to do business with it.

“Once the Euro dies, so too will numerous trade relations, the economy will freeze, trade-relationships break down as the level of trust disappears, trade wars will occur, credit ratings will go down – or even worse won’t exist.”

She says there is no room for complacency – the shockwaves will come and when they do they will be huge.

Globalistion is at its peak, few corners of the world are unreachable, but it all comes at a cost as already people are feeling the crunch of the Eurozone crisis.

People have watched in bated breath for Greece to be saved, not for altruistic reasons, but out of fear. John Baylis in his 2011 edition of World Politics: An Introduction to Globalisation, summarises it in one succinct sentence; “The pace of economic transformation is so great a new world politics has been created, states are no longer closed, the world is more interdependent with trade and finances ever expanding.”

If Greece had defaulted, this interdependency would have meant all would have felt the cost of the default – not just Greece – as financial markets and governments tighten their hold on their wallets in response.

As the financial crisis hits its peak it is the essentials which will become the least affordable, as they are in high demand.

Affordability is what is important, Nicole says.

“It can cost $10,000 for a cup of coffee, but if everyone is a billionaire it doesn’t matter.

It can cost five cents for a cup of coffee but if no-one has five cents it doesn’t work.”

She points out even countries that currently appear well-off such as the Netherlands and Germany will not be safe. She illustrates the case of the Netherlands. Its bank holds 150

percent of the GDP, when the bank goes it will be too big for anyone to bail out.

In addition it has a huge housing bubble; no-one is paying off mortgages, real-estate debt is blowing out of control. Once this pops people will lose the value of their property, and since no-one has money, no-one will be able to buy homes at the value they are worth.

On our shores Nicole, who is Canadian-born, says she admires the strength of character New Zealand has a nation and as people. She says we appear to have an understanding that bad things can happen to good people.

In less than two years we were hit by the Pike River Mine disaster and shaken by the Christchurch earthquakes – yet we as a nation show resilience and tackle things as they come.

Our overall picture, though not on the edge of the cliff like Greece, is still not flash.

Auckland is the sixth least affordable place in the world for the housing market compared with income. There is a huge housing bubble waiting to burst. People are in debt – thanks to the relatively low interest rates which have trapped people into big mortgages, remortgages and loans.

Nicole prophesises when the economic depression really hits, the breakdown in trade relationships will hurt New Zealand.

“As a nation you rely heavily on trade. New Zealand imports 97 percent of its oil, it is virtually totally dependant on the outside for oil.”

In addition, New Zealand has a “huge moat” cutting it off from the rest of the world.

“Isolation creates an exaggerated period of boom and bust,” Nicole says. New Zealand may suffer more but recover quicker.

Another big problem is many of our banks are foreign-owned, so when the international banking system breaks up, we will be exposed to the risks associated with Europe and Australia, adding risks to our already local risk.

Action plan Nicole says there are three key things that can carry you over the financial hurdle.

1. Get out of debt Burgeoning debt is compounding the financial crisis.

How can we do this? Firstly try not to get into huge debt in the first place Nicole says. But if you’re already in debt – get rid of it. One idealistic, perhaps not realistic, idea is to use the wealth and pool it across the generations. “The older generation has a significant amount of savings sitting in the grip of the system, they could come together as a family and decide to wipe off everyone’s debt."

2. Hold liquid cash Because the banks are at risk of a systemic failure, it is important to have cash on hand.

“When the bank closes its doors people will go hungry – the money will go. Having a certain percentage of something is better than 100 percent of nothing.”

3. Gain control over your own existence It seems to be a monumental ask, considering many of us are unsure of what we are doing next week. But Nicole says it’s simple. Have supplies of water, be dependant on yourself as much as possible and look to the local community.”

It’s simple (if not entirely practical for all city dwellers) advice – not just for the potential economic wobbles, but for any disaster, be they earthquakes, floods or storms.

In the next issue of Canterbury Today we take on peak oil.

“New Zealand’s banking system can expect some disruption – so be prepared and do what you can to fix it.”

But on the plus side, New Zealand also has a more robust power system, and covers a land mass that is not overpopulated. It has good soil and good rain, all that we need to do now is learn how to live with the resources that we do have.

Never too early It’s never too early to prepare. If you don’t, Nicole says, “it’s like the rug will have been pulled out from under your feet”.

Though no-one can predict exactly when the system will go belly–up it is still important to prepare, because as the near-complete financial crash in 2008 showed, it can happen in one night.

“The Euro will die,” Nicole says, “In a year or two at the most. Credit will get tighter, we won’t be able to get the same credit for homes, it will become harder to borrow dollars – it could happen this year or the next - we simply don’t know." What is known, is there is a general risk out there – but once it does happen it will take some time to get out of it. www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2012 | 25

Air cycling As we head straight for the cold clutches of mid-winter nights, we all want nothing more than a warm, cosy and healthy home. But the reality is many New Zealand houses are both difficult and expensive to heat. Around 35 percent of the energy used in the average kiwi household goes towards heating the home.

As a solution, many people turn to insulation as the first step to keeping the heat in. It is true without adequate insulation a lot of your heat is just wasted; improving your home’s ability to keep in the heat and maintain the smart use of a clean efficient heating system will make your home more cost-effective to run and warmer and healthier to live in.

But what about the other culprit? Condensation? In a damp home insulation won’t be able to adequately keep the heat in, nor does it put the heat in the right places.

This is where Zephyr Pure Air Ventilation Ltd steps in, to help do the rest and tackle dampness at the source.

Heat Transfer You also have the option to add a heat transfer kit to your Zephyr Pure Air Ventilation system that will allow you to move warm air from a room with a radiant heat source like a fire, through the HEPA filter and existing ductwork, to other areas of the home, ensuring all are kept warm and toasty – wherever they may be.

Quick, easy savings Jay says the system works very efficiently and is very cheap at just 10c a day. “All you do is press a button to set the time and desired home temperature once during winter and again in summer, then just let the system work automatically and quietly in the background, 365 days of the year.”

The Zephyr system also helps the average household to save, as during winter, since the system filters the warm air in, the heater will only need to be dragged out at night – once the sun goes down. It monitors the temperature inside the house and limits cold air intake during the night hours to avoid over-cooling, minimising the unnecessary use of a heating system.

“

We have had our Zephyr unit four weeks now and from the second night it was installed the air felt cleaner and drier with no more lingering cooking smells. The condensation on the window is less and if we do have some moisture it is gone in no time. I’m impressed with the whole system. This is just the first month so we can’t wait to see what it will be like in a few months.

- Mr & Mrs Wilson, Waikato

How it works Zephyr Air’s managing director, Jay Randhawa says what ventilation does is transfer air from both in and out of the house distributing it where and when it is needed.

”

Keeping dry The average household can generate up to 30 litres of water per day inside the home. So when conditions that promote condensation arise, the system automatically brings in highly filtered air to slightly pressurise the home. The dry air displaces the damp air and condensation is heavily reduced. The system continues to dry out the home over time so furniture, drapes, bedding and carpets are slowly dried out too.

Fighting the cold Your roof space heats up through lost heat from the home and even more from the sun. The system automatically uses that free heat to bring the home temperature up to the desired temperature. By allowing the Zephyr system to heat the home all day, existing heating systems only need to be used a fraction of the time to top up the heat when the sun goes down.

Keeping it fresh The Zephyr Pure Air System is the only system that ensures the air in the home is replaced with highly filtered fresh air every 12 hours, 365 days of the year. This helps to purge out pollutants and odours, with fresh air being introduced day and night. There is no reason to wake up to last night’s cooking smells or come home to a damp house.

Summer cooling During the warmer months the Zephyr Pure Air Ventilation system will automatically bring cool outside air in to thermostatically reduce the temperature in the home to a comfortable level. While your roof space may still be very hot hours after the sun has gone down, by introducing air through from the outside grill, summer cooling can be achieved. Cool outside air gently moving through the home makes it much easier to sleep on those hot, humid nights.

Health Benefits Through employing the highest level of filtration in the domestic ventilation market, the HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter removes at least 99.99% of dust, pollen, bacteria and airborne particles 0.3 microns (human hair is approximately 150microns) and greater.

Superior condensation control means there is a significant reduction in mould spores and dust mites which contribute toward many respiratory conditions.

Jay points out that asthma and allergy sufferers will enjoy the health benefits of breathing drier, allergen free air.

All it takes is three hours and approximately $3,750, including GST, to get the average house fitted with a ventilation system that will last the distance.

Zephyr Pure Air Ventilation Ltd P. 0508 ZEPHYR (937 497) E. info@zephyrair.co.nz W. www.zephyrair.co.nz

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Initiatives | Eva’s Attic The rewards Theresa says it is rewarding to see the charities flourish thanks to proceeds reaped from Eva’s Attic. She points out many of these charities are not big institutions and have limited, if any, government funding. She points out due in part to their donations to HUHA, the animal shelter was able to move into bigger premises. “This could never have happened without the funding.”

Treasures

Margaret says it has been wonderful being able to see people come in and to find “just the right premium garment that they would not otherwise be able to afford”.

from the Attic

It’s a treasure trove of old, not-so-old, but much loved treasures in need of a new home, from funky hats, bags and boots to a quirky scarf, a ravishing dress, a woollen coat and a string of pearls.

Eva’s Attic is a fun shopping experience with a difference.

All the proceeds from this Wellington-born chain of three boutique vintage clothing and accessory stores go to worthy charities. Eva’s Attic which has three stores in Wellington, Tauranga and Otaki, was founded by long-time friends Theresa Gattung and Margaret Doucas.

Out of nothing The idea came about when Margaret, after her Mother Eva’s passing, was sorting through Eva’s closet of treasures.

Eva Doucas was born in Greece, during troubled times, after her mother had fled there, with her family, to escape the burning of Smyrna (now known as Izmir, Turkey) in 1922. Much of Eva’s childhood and early adulthood in the 1940s was spent in poverty, but she was fortunate enough to eventually come to New Zealand.

Perhaps, due to her own upbringing, Eva was very accepting of her lot in life and sympathetic of others in difficult circumstances – always giving something to charity. She valued beauty and generosity, setting a good example of valuing the earth’s resources and practiced recycling all her life.

In recognition of her mother’s own love for recycling, Margaret felt there must be something she could do with all her mother’s treasures. “Looking through her possessions, there was nothing particularly valuable, but there were some very nice vintage pieces, some from the 40s,” she says. “I thought if displayed nicely someone might want them.”

A niche Margaret says in looking for a place to give her mother’s clothes to she discovered there was no smaller op-shop’s that “cater for the smaller struggling charities that can’t afford to open up their own stores”.

After much discussion with Theresa they saw a need for a venue where premium clothing and other treasures could be sold at a good price to benefit charities in need of a helping hand. “There was a place for us, between the high-end vintage recyclables and the low-end second hand clothing stores.”

Margaret says once the idea was formed a site was needed. It was a struggle at first to find a low cost space in Wellington’s CBD. But Margaret struck gold after running into a fellow Greek friend of hers, whose father, coincidentally, came to New Zealand on the same ship as her father’s. He had a place on offer and thanks to his generosity Eva’s Attic was finally able to open in Easter 2010.

It went from being open three days a week to seven quickly outgrowing its original vision.

In September 2011, an Eva’s Attic sprung up in Tauranga and has quickly been followed by a new store in Otaki in January this year.

Theresa says they could have more stores, but what is needed is the impetus of other charities to jump onboard and be willing to take part. “It is a flexible concept and we could have more stores, we just need organisations with the energy, we need the impetus of people who want to make it happen.”

Social objective How it works is that people donate clothes to the stores. Volunteers from the charities, who want to take part, work on a rotating roster and every four months the money given to the charities – relative to the hours their volunteers worked in stores.

• Kaibosh – food rescue • Cambodia Charitable Trust But, Theresa points out, as much as they are running under the charity banner Eva’s Attic is a business. “Where we differ is that the profits don’t go back to the shareholders. We have a social objective rather than a profit objective.”

She says it is important for Eva’s Attic to maintain a competitive edge, especially in the busy Wellington Cuba St store, with the myriad of other vintage, fashion boutiques around.

Margaret and Theresa say what makes reaping the profits in easier is due to the support of the Wellington community, their generous and understanding landlords, their clothing donors, retailers in the community and their volunteers.

“It’s a collaborative effort that runs itself,” says Margaret. It was always a part of Margaret and Theresa’s original vision to have a charity business that was able to stand on its own two feet. “If it is worth doing, we will survive”.

And survive they have – what’s more they are simply flourishing.

The treasures But Eva’s Attic can certainly hold its own in the fashion world with its multitude of labels; Sophie Voon, Starfish, Trelise Cooper, Karen Walker, Saks 5th Avenue, Ashley Fogel, Liz Mitchell, WORLD, Armani, Versace and many more New Zealand and international designs and brands can be found hanging off the racks – all donated. And unlike the myriad of second-hand, but expensive, boutique designer stores around, Eva’s Attic still retails clothing at an affordable price starting from as little as $20 for one of these gorgeous preloved designer items.

So go and see it for yourself in the Cuba Street’s welcoming store; with its comfy lounge right next to the Olive café. Bring in your treasures to donate, or just come in, enjoy, browse and buy – you never know what you’ll find in this treasure trove of an attic.

Eva’s Attic 174 Cuba St Wellington E donate@evasattic.co.nz T (04) 381 3474 www.evasattic.co.nz — Advertising Feature

No woman stands alone Theresa, who is involved in a range of activities these days, both commercial and philanthropic says Kiwibank has played a role in many of these activities. “I have found their business banking team fantastic to work with – really flexible and responsive.”

Both Theresa and Margaret have a deep interest in a number of charities, local and international. They believe that a just and evolved society promotes empathy and compassion as core values. The absence of these values can sometimes be seen in the abhorrent treatment of the most defenceless members of our society: small children, the elderly and animals. Through their charitable work they hope to make a difference in the attitudes and actions towards the weakest.

During the two years that Eva’s Attic has been up and running it has raised $80,000 for the range of charities they provide for.

• Youthline • New Horizons for Women: a charity which provides women with the chance to start again • HUHA: helping you help animals • Wellington Rape Crisis

Recycling your treasures for charity...

Premium pre-loved and new clothing and other treasures.

The Attic is staffed by volunteers and all profits go to the charities we support: Youthline • New Horizons For Woman • HUHA - Helping You Help Animals Wellington Rape Crisis • Kaibosh Food Rescue • Cambodia Charitable Trust We will gratefully receive your unwanted wardrobe upstairs at 174 Cuba Street, Wellington | Open 7 Days 11am-5pm | Phone 04 381 3474 | www.evasattic.co.nz

www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2012 | 29

Focus | Te Rauparaha Arena

An

arena

It is the home of the Haier Pulse netball team, right in the heart of Porirua’s central business district and adjacent to the Pataka Museum of Arts and Culture.

But it’s more than just the home of netball, this large attractive venue is also the host of a range of events and activities from art shows, to business events, concerts and children’s holiday programmes. Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua is more than adequately equipped to handle whatever you throw at it.

On offer Te Rauparaha is home to two gymnasiums, a dance studio, a theatre, meeting room spaces, a café, a fitness gym and a sports medicine clinic. All the arena’s facilities are fitted with air-conditioning and excellent lighting.

Whatever your needs may be the arena’s team can help you with a solution.

for the people

The sports medicine clinic has a range of health professionals including physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, a podiatrist, nutritionist and massage therapists.

This multi-disciplinary group has a vision of providing premium level integrated care for a person’s mental and physical needs.

The Aquatic centre is a state of the art facility, with its heated indoor centre, swimming pools, toddlers’ pool, spa pools, sauna and steam rooms, as well as the children’s all-time favourite wave pool, hydro slide and lazy river.

It is any water-lover’s dream arena, from the competitive swimmer to the aqua joggers.

The arena fitness centre prides itself on being a “small gym with a big difference”. Not only does it have one of the best views in town, but being a gym member gives you access to the aquatic centre and a wide range of fun fitness classes to keep you pumping fit. Its range of state-of-the-art fitness equipment is great for individuals who prefer to do their own workouts.

Arena café

Thanks to its range of facilities, children in the area are able to partake in a range of quality holiday programmes, gymnastics, preschool programmes and an inter-primary school competition.

After a great workout there is nothing better than a bit of protein to help your muscles recover. Rather than waiting till you get home, there is always the arena café with its range of great food and drinks. Its menu includes a range of cabinet food and cooked meals as well coffee and cold drinks.

Keeping fit

Heart of the arena

Keeping healthy is easy at the arena, with its fitness gym, aquatic centre and sports medicine clinic all on-site.

However the true heart of the arena is the Mana Community Grants Foundation Stadium.

With its acoustic ceiling panels, a high quality audio system and two banks of retractable seating, it is the perfect place to host an event.

The Stadium has an impressive floor space of 2,495 square metres and three full-size courts that can be configured to cater for sporting events of up to 2,000 people, exhibitions with 420 booths, concerts that seat up to 3,000 people and banquets for up to 1,500 guests.

• Working to your requirements and budget • Using only top quality meats and ingredients • Cost effective catering • The Fine Touch experience!

Great tasting food - whether buffet, barbeque or any other choice.

Proud to be associated with Te Rauparaha arena W. www.finetouchcatering.co.nz P. 04 586 2239 E. finetouchcatering@xtra.co.nz

30 | July/August 2012 www.wellingtontoday.co.nz

The happenings The arena is fully equipped to offer a range of catering options for any special events, meetings, corporate functions and even kids birthday options.

Past events have included the Home, Living and Leisure Show, Maori art market, Dunkleys Great NZ Craft Show, the Youth in Local Government Conference and Kolohe Kai in concert.

Sporting fixtures at the arena have included the Silver Ferns, NZ Breakers, Exodus Saints, the NZ Tall Ferns, NZ Indoor Bowls Nationals and the Oceania World Qualifying Volleyball Championships.

And as the arena continues its role as Porirua’s premiere event centre there is promise of more to come.

Contributors to the arena • • • • • • • • • •

Porirua city ratepayers New Zealand lottery grants board Mana community grants foundation Perry foundation Community trust of wellington Hutt Mana energy trust New Zealand community trust Ebert construction Media works Kapi-mana News

Building greatness The Te Rauparaha arena is less than four years old, it officially opened in 2008. But the story to its formation is just a little bit older.

In 1975 the original Porirua Recreation Centre was opened, over the subsequent years it was managed and maintained by the community with backing by the city council. However in 1998 the community could no longer maintain the centre and handed the reins over to the council.

By the early 2000s the community began to call for a larger facility. It was obvious a makeover was necessary, but the cost of the required upgrades and replacement roof was set to cost millions – so it was decided a brand-new facility was going to be built.

Porirua City Council engaged architects Stephenson and Turner to prepare designs for a potential new complex.

The final decision was put forward to the community and following public meetings the proposal was approved.

Building commenced in January 2008 and a short 11 months later it opened with a bang; the grand opening was celebrated with a gala dinner and an exciting entertainment.

The arena was christened Te Rauparaha, after the original great chief of Ngāti Raukawa. In 1821 he played a prominent role in the migration of the Ngati Toa to the Kapati Coast and was one of the Maori chiefs that signed the Treaty of Waitangi.

· Design · Installation · Rentals Phone: 0274 496-862 or 04 232-4304 Preferred Audio Supplier to Te Rauparaha Arena When being heard matters • Conferences • Exhibitions • TV Press and Media • Theatre • Concerts • Stage Productions AND MUCH MORE!

Te Rauparaha Arena 17 Parumoana Street Porirua City T (04) 237 1521 F (04) 237 1519 E terauparaha-arena@pcc.govt.nz www.terauparaha-arena.co.nz — Advertising Feature

Export | Sanpro Industries

Delivering

International assurance Quality Being located in New Zealand means Sanpro Industries Limited has to be the best in order to successfully service its international automotive industry customers.

The company designs and manufactures machines that make parts for exhaust systems. It was formed in Wellington by the Sanderson family in 1995.

While Sanpro Industries was originally a general engineering workshop, the increase in Chinese imports prompted the business to begin specialising in the automotive industry.

It is headed by Malcolm Sanderson, who leads a small team of skilled employees. Malcolm is a fitter-turner by trade and began making mufflers in Petone in 1979.

Automotive machinery Today Sanpro Industries supplies machines to major automotive companies throughout the world. While the growth in this market came slowly for Sanpro, its machinery is now considered industry standard.

“We have a range of machines that we’ve designed. We’ve been in the industry long enough to know what’s required and we build machines to suit each customer’s different needs,” Malcolm says.

Sanpro Industries is a highly developed innovative team of experienced designers and manufacturing engineers with a proven track record of providing solutions to today’s automotive challenges.

The Sanpro Industries team, from left: Jay Lal, Glen Sanderson, Malcolm Sanderson, Shane Sanderson, Nigel Francis and Julia Sanderson.

The company operates leading design software and state-of-the-art machinery to produce its machines. It was recently named a finalist in the Global Gold category of the Wellington Gold Awards.

Local subcontracting work

International standards Sanderson says competing in the international automotive industry means Sanpro has to produce machines to the highest quality standards.

“It’s a long way to go from New Zealand to do the installation and to follow up on any technical issue,” he says.

“That makes us more determined to do things that are good quality, so they don’t come back. Generally our machines go out and we don’t hear from people. We have that motivation, because it’s so hard to rectify any problems. Our aim is to be the best at what we do, worldwide.”

Sanpro Industries is expanding its capabilities by undertaking subcontracting machining work for other New Zealand companies.

“That’s just to increase our capacity and will still be for making machinery for the automotive industry,” Malcolm Sanderson says.

Sanpro Industries Limited 58 Fitzherbert Street Petone, Wellington T (04) 939 7267 F (04) 939 7270 E info@sanpro.co.nz — Advertising Feature www.sanpro.co.nz

International relationships Sanpro Industries supplies machines to make automotive parts to customers such as Mercedes Benz and BMW. The company supplied a machine to make C-Class Mercedes Benz mufflers to a South African company.

“It’s pretty good to be supplying to Mercedes Benz,” Sanpro director Malcolm Sanderson says. “They’ve had that machine for 18 months.”

Sanpro Industries also manufactures machines for BMW in North Carolina.

“That is our mainstay business. I’ve just returned from a trip to Germany to install a machine there.”

Specialists in Structural Steel Fabricating and Installation Whatever the project, whether a long-span portal frame warehouse, a multi-storey towerblock or seismic strengthening upgrades MJH delivers on time and within budget

MJH are proud to be associated with Sanpro Industries www.mjh.co.nz | Ph: 04 5682050 E: enquiries@mjh.co.nz

www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2012 | 31

Property & Construction | AMC Electrical Services

Specialty

electrical services

AMC Electrical Services Limited is a leading provider to the commercial, industrial and residential markets.

Formed 11 years ago and owned by Darren Eales and Alan McCarthy, the company operates in a number of electrical fields including the tender market, industrial servicing and maintenance, communications and data, manufacture of door controllers for automated roller doors, heat pump installation and residential installations, repairs and maintenance.

Darren Eales heads up the contracts division which tenders small-to-large projects to a number of construction companies.

This includes working closely with main contractors, project managers, consultants and architects to meet and exceed all parties’ expectations.

Alan McCarthy, the service manager, works closely with clients to put together a turnkey electrical solution, tailor made to suit their

needs. Service work is done for a range of clients including many large companies within the Wellington region.

A unique area of AMC’s expertise is in developing custom-built electrical equipment.

“We have proven experience in design and manufacture of control systems for the automated door industry, plus general design and build of automated processes for the industrial sector,” McCarthy says.

Significant electrical contracts AMC Electrical has undertaken several major electrical projects, including the new ASB Indoor Sports Centre, Porirua College redevelopment stages 1, 2 and 3, Upper Hutt College redevelopment, Victoria University ecology laboratory and the refurbishment of Buddle Findlay levels 15, 16 and 17 of the State Tower Building.

ASB Indoor Sports Centre was a 12-month project which involved the supply and installation of electrical, communication and data services. The building’s electrical design incorporated the latest energy efficient lighting, monitored emergency lighting system, CAT 6 data structured cabling and fibre optics.

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PH: 04 568 3010 15 Petone Avenue, Petone 32 | July/August 2012 www.wellingtontoday.co.nz

“Our latest project is the Kapiti Aquatic Centre, where we are supplying electrical, data and communication services,” Eales says. This is a challenging project with a tight time frame and coordination between a number of specialist services required.

AMC Electrical’s strengths Eales says his staff is the reason for the company’s success. “Our people are our strengths. We have a vast array of experienced people - that’s one thing we really try and push. It’s our people that make the difference. When you get us involved, your electrical requirements will be met and exceeded. There’s a wide array of skills that we have including design and build, data communications and much more.”

AMC Electrical fact file: • AMC Electrical undertakes numerous electrical contracts in the tender market.

• The company offers clients a specific solution to their electrical issues. It can design and develop innovative electrical controls and equipment to match specifications.

• AMC staff have a wide range of skills and expertise.

• Customers benefit from the company’s 24-hour, seven-day call-out service.

Helping AMC Electrical grow AMC Electrical has worked closely with several businesses during its 11 years of operation.

Darren Eales says AMC has worked on a number of developments, working with the developers to assist with design-and-build options, cost analysis and completing projects on time and within budget. “We have been able to build on this experience and relationships with these clients to become their preferred electrical contractor,” he says.

AMC has designed many different control systems relating to a range of commercial roller doors, gates and industrial systems. This has included the development of a logic controller that a leading Wellington door company has used consistently for the past eight years.

AMC Electrical Services Limited 53 Sydney Street Petone, Lower Hutt T (04) 570 1642 Freephone (0800) 333 AMC F (04) 570 1643 www.amcelectrical.co.nz — Advertising Feature

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Proud to be associated with AMC Electrical Services Ltd 14 Victoria Street, Lower Hutt Ph 04 569 2267 | Fax 04 569 2650

Property and Construction | Dews Construction Limited

Infrastructure’s insiders

Working together Dews Construction has worked closely with the Upper Hutt City Council and the Hutt City Council, which have been instrumental in the company’s success.

Dave Dews began working with the councils in 2009, when his company was still small.

In four short years Dews Construction Limited has grown into a significant player in Wellington’s civil construction industry, holding major roading contracts with the region’s local authorities.

The business was formed in early 2008 by Dave and Mandy Dews, who have grown Dews Construction into a company that today employs 45 staff and runs 30 trucks and 10 excavators. Prior to establishing Dews Construction, the couple had recently moved to New Zealand from the United Kingdom, where Dave worked as a qualified civil engineer in his own business.

Roading maintenance and construction Dews Construction’s capabilities include complete roading construction and maintenance, including footpaths, roads and carparks, sewer and drainage construction, bridges, groundworks and all civil engineering work.

Company management are all fully qualified civil engineers with considerable experience in maintenance contracts, as well as design and problem solving.

Dews Construction has a five-year roading maintenance contract with the Upper Hutt City Council, as well as a kerb and channel contract.

“We carry out similar work with Hutt City Council upgrading traffic signals and roading maintenance. We also hire out equipment with an operator,” Dave says.

Dews Construction has been working closely with Hawkins Construction on the Muldoon’s

Dews Construction did a small gravedigging job for the councils, then gained a kerb and channel contract and it went from there. “The councils have been brilliant to work with. They gave us a go and gave us a chance.”

Corner project on Rimutaka Hill Road, which involved straightening out a sharp corner and included retaining walls, drainage, kerbing and guard rails.

Gold Awards recognition Dews Construction was named a finalist in the professional services and infrastructure section of the Wellington Gold Awards 2012, which aim to celebrate inspiring Wellington businesses.

Daves says being named a finalist means a lot to his staff and the company, which places a high value on health and safety in all of its work. The award recognises Dews Construction’s maintenance and emergency callout work for the local councils.

The hotbox means Dews Construction can lay asphalt at night without the need to open an asphalt plant for fresh product. It is also ideal for roading maintenance contracts and means the company has no wastage due to unexpected bad weather.

“It means cost savings for our customers.

The asphalt is also being laid at the right temperature, which means a better finish on the job.”

What Dews Construction can do for you • Full roading construction and maintenance capabilities

New heated asphalt service

• A professional and competitive service

Dews Construction’s customers are receiving huge benefits from the company’s new electronically heated asphalt hotbox - the first of its kind in New Zealand.

• A high standard of health and safety achieved on every job

Dave says the hotbox was brought over from the United Kingdom about six months ago and has opened up new possibilities for his company.

The hotbox goes on the back of a truck and can keep asphalt warm for several days.

Normally, asphalt is quite cold by the end of one day, making it unsuitable for use and resulting in wastage.

• Complete backup from the company’s qualified management • Extensive problem-solving abilities

Dews Construction Limited PO Box 40-217, Upper Hutt T/F (04) 527 7725 E dave.dews@dewsconstruction.co.nz www.dewsconstruction.co.nz — Advertising Feature

The preferred tyre suppliers for Dews Construction Proud to be part of the team and congratulate Dews Construction on being Finalists in the 2012 Wellington Gold awards

Proud to be associated with Dews Construction

Drop in or give us a call today

04 939 2284.

Workshops in Porirua and Seaview

www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2012 | 33

Property and Construction | Minimixers NZ

Using less to give you more

Minimixers is Wellington’s biggest little concrete delivery service, supplying small loads of ready mixed concrete, perfect for any small DIY or trade project.

Smaller trucks for smaller jobs Minimixers was formed in 2006 by Mike (Jacko) Jackson. Jackson had previously worked for a number of years in the building, contracting and roading industries and saw an opportunity for a business that serviced the need for small loads of concrete from small concrete trucks.

In the six years since starting out, Jackson has seen the business grow from strength to strength as customers realise the convenience of the Minimixers’ service.

Minimixers now has a fleet of four mini mixer concrete trucks to service the Wellington, Porirua and Hutt Valley regions.

“There is strong demand for small loads” Jackson says. “And it’s usually hard for

A total service offering Minimixers can supply concrete for a range of trade and DIY projects, including: customers to phone a large concrete company to get a small load of concrete delivered within their schedule.” With Minimixers, more often than not the customer can order concrete for next day delivery. “It means the customer doesn’t have to wait for a big truck to be available for a small load and we can also save people a huge amount of time and effort by not having to mix their own.”

• • • • • • •

Fences Decking Driveways Pathways Retaining Walls House and Garage Slabs Civil Construction

Providing a great service

Working together Minimixers runs its operation out of Firth Industries’ Plants at both Belmont and Aotea Quay, which provide the company with all its concrete needs. “They’ve been awesome,” Jackson says. “Without their full support Minimixers could not have grown into the business it is today.”

All the concrete Minimixers supplies is Firth-certified concrete, which means the customer is not only getting a great service, but also the best quality concrete around, meeting all industry standards for durability and strength.

Minimixers prides itself on offering a fast and flexible service to its Wellington customers.

The company’s ability to offer a quick service also makes it easier for customers to work around weather issues and utilise their time well.

The majority of its business comes from DIY and trade businesses, including local builders, landscapers, plumbers, road contractors, fencing and drainage companies - anyone who requires concrete for small jobs such as pathways, kerbs and edging, pile holes and fencing.

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Transport and General Engineering

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Proudly associated with Minimixers Tel (04) 5650 365 | Fax (04) 5650 356 364 Hebden Crescent, Lower Hutt

34 | July/August 2012 www.wellingtontoday.co.nz

Pleased to be associated with Minimixers

We are proud to be associated with Minimixers NZ Ltd

• 8 Goodshed Rd, Upper Hutt, Wgtn 5018 • P O Box 40842, Upper Hutt • P: (04) 5663071 or M: (021) 427 348 • F: (04) 5663081

Property and Construction | Minimixers NZ Projects of significance Minimixers has recently been involved in several larger projects around Wellington as the sole concrete supplier.

Director Mike (Jacko) Jackson says Minimixers supplied all the concreting needs for a new house built on a steep section in Westwood Road, in Tawa last year.

“The driveway leading up to the house was cut into the hill with three sharp bends, and was so steep in some parts that it wasn’t accessible for large concrete trucks.” he says.

During the course of the build Minimixers supplied over 200 cubic metres of concrete for the foundations and slabs of both the house and the garage, the block fill for all the blockwalls, and exposed aggregate for the driveway.

Minimixers is also supplying concrete for a new apartment block being built at the top of The Terrace, in Wellington. The site is extremely tight and is located right next to a busy intersection and traffic lights.

“There’s not enough room on-site for a large truck to back onto the pump, only just enough room for us,” says Jackson. “We are in the process of supplying over 400 cubic metres of concrete for the build.”

Accessing difficult sites

Minimixers delivers all standard mixes of concrete for residential and commercial projects, including pump mixes, block fill and exposed aggregate.

Minimixers’ small concrete trucks are ideal for getting into those hard-to-access sites around Wellington.

The company is in the process of launching a new website and plans to continue growing and expanding its business into the future.

With Minimixers’ fleet of trucks being half the size and weight of a standard concrete truck, the company is better suited to deal with Wellington’s many narrow lanes and tight driveways, accessing back sections with ease.

Jackson is always available to talk to anybody undertaking a small job or a project on a difficult site. He is backed up by a crew of hard-working, dependable and experienced drivers.

Owner Mike (Jacko) Jackson says Wellington is the perfect location for Minimixers.

“It’s not a big city but there are lots of areas in the city that are hard to access, especially up around the hills. Wellington is also running out of flat land to build on, so residential areas are becoming more congested.”

Minimixers can organise larger pours when required for house slabs and driveways.

“Having a larger fleet has opened up a whole new market for us now that we can service concrete pours of 20 cubic meters plus,” Jackson says.

“More and more we’re doing jobs that require a large amount of concrete and customers are choosing our service because of the difficulty of the site on which they are building.”

Ideal for large jobs

The Minimixer advantage earthquake strengthening for the Wellington City Council buildings.

“Because the weight of our mini mixer trucks is less than a standard concrete truck, we could access the site easily without ruining any of the paving in the Civic Square.”

The company has also been busy supplying contractors along the ‘Golden Mile’, from Courtney Place right through to Willis Street, with concrete required for kerbing, exposed aggregate pathways and post holes.

This work is perfect for Minimixers, as the small trucks do not create an issue in heavily congested areas.

• Narrow access and small load specialists Certified concrete • 0.4 - 2.4 cubic metres per load Small trucks don’t damage driveways or paved areas • Professional fast friendly service • Trades and DIY Minimixers NZ Limited PO Box 44 227 Lower Hutt 5040 T (027) 6070727 F (04) 976 5823 E info@minimixers.co.nz www.minimixers.co.nz — Advertising Feature

Minimixers was required to supply concrete for fencing and pathways in and around Wellington’s Wildlife Sanctuary during the building of the new Zealandia Complex, as larger concrete trucks could not gain access once the main building was completed.

Minimixers also helped out a large contractor to supply concrete for the first phase of

Proud to be associated with Mini Mixers

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Call for Fast Friendly Service! 027 60 70 727 • www.minimixers.co.nz • info@minimixers.co.nz www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2012 | 35

Goods & Services | FreshChoice Greytown

Opening up a

fresh market

In the centre of a small town in the Wairarapa, a new supermarket giant is stepping into the market, bringing greater choices for shoppers and new jobs in its wake. FreshChoice Greytown is set to fling open its doors on July 2, opening the way to a brand new full-service supermarket.

Its owners, Chris and Lindsay Ward say the supermarket will be well-equipped to service the needs of the approximately 2,000 strong population of Greytown,

Vital injection It’s not just a new place to shop, but the new store is also a means of injecting vitality into the Greytown’s job market, providing greater employment opportunities for the locals As Progressives Enterprises, who own the FreshChoice brand, makes it mark in the small but vibrant town, there are promises of at least 65 new jobs. Chris says he has already hired his managing team and together they are looking to employ the rest. “We are looking to employ around fifty more staff,” he says. “If things go well we may even look to hire more later.”

Taking root However, like all good things, these things take time. The whole process from purchase through to the grand-opening will have taken over a year. “On paper the supermarket was there,” Chris says. “But it was in space, waiting to become a reality. But a process needs to be taken to get there.”

The 12.5 thousand rows will include: • A bakery – where everything is made on-site from scratch • Wine shelves • Beer • An over-the-counter service deli • A butchery • Bulk foods aisle • 17 metres of a full-range of frozen food • 6 checkouts • A lotto counter • 75 car-parks.

Past to present FreshChoice Greytown’s foundations were once the old Bouzaid and Ballaben clothing factory, which closed its doors after its parent company, Lane Walker Rudkin, collapsed.

It has been made possible thanks to a collaboration between Progressives Enterprises and local developer Venture Consulting. Concept Construction have been responsible for the majority of the build, with various other sub-contractors appointed along the way.

Chris says the development has gone smoothly thanks to the developer, the landlord and the architects who collaborated in with Progressive Enterprises. “It’s a huge The construction of the building, which kicked role to facilitate and they all do a off in mid-2011, has taken almost nine months fantastic job.”

– but by the time it opens in early July, it will Chris points out the new store will be be well worth the wait. “It will be a brand unrecognisable from the factory it once was; new, fully-serviced supermarket,” he says. they have not demolished the old building completely. Instead they have simply stripped “With twelve and a half thousand rows it right down to its skeleton and used that of grocery.”

A work in progress

as the framework for the new, revamped supermarket. “Little of the old structure remains, we have stripped, rebuilt and remodelled.”

Chris adds the overall design of the store is reflective of Greytown’s heritage. The town is proud of its history and claims to have the most complete main street of Victorian architecture in the country. It also takes pride in being New Zealand’s first planned inland town – assets it has certainly played up, with many retailers, reverting to the Victorian influence on their storefronts.

Fresh and green In addition to maintaining a historic impression, Chris says a lot of effort has gone into ensuring the supermarket also looks and is “green”. “A lot of effort has gone into keeping it green, even down to the small

details, like how we use our power, the gases we use in the fridges and freezers and how we use the air conditioning.”

This effort is right in-line with the overarching goal of FreshChoice being environmentally friendly. The supermarket giant has been pushing to reduce waste through discouraging the use of plastic bags: • Pack Seven: Fresh Choice packs seven items in each checkout bag when possible.

Its trained checkout operators know how to do this neatly, efficiently and effectively • Three items or less: Checkout operators will confirm whether or not a checkout bag is needed • Reusable bags – Reusable bags are offered free of charge when customers spend $100 or more in one transaction. Reusable bags are also available for sale.

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Goods & Services | FreshChoice Greytown Keeping things green, healthy and fresh is the cornerstone of Fresh Choice’s philosophy.

“Fresh food is the cornerstone of a healthy and enjoyable life.”

It promises “to constantly look for ways to offer the customer the freshest food at a fair price”. It is able to achieve this, thanks to its teams, which under the FreshChoice brand, are trained and selected to “present the best fresh product at all times”.

“Our goal is to always maintain a high standard of quality and presentation and give great customer service. Fresh quality is so important to us that we support our quality with a 100 percent Fresh Guarantee. If you are not completely satisfied with the quality of your fresh food we will replace it and give you a refund. We also look to offer healthier options where possible, as we do with our recipes and free buyer’s guide,” it says on its website.

Building the brand FreshChoice has always been predominantly in the South Island, however Progressives Enterprises, which is the second-largest grocery company in New Zealand behind Foodstuffs, is carrying its mark up north. It also owns Countdown, Foodtown, Super Fresh and Gull.

The husband and wife team first came under the umbrella of the Progressives Enterprises chain in 2003 when they took over an ageing SuperValue store in Greymouth and turned it into a new FreshChoice.

For the next seven years Chris commuted every week between Christchurch and Greymouth; leaving the city on a Monday morning to return on the Friday evening. “We had two boys at school in Christchurch,” he says. “We didn’t want to uproot them so I just commuted.” However, after seven years of this, enough was enough and when the opportunity to sell came up in 2010 Chris says that was it – they sold the business.

This left them on the hunt for a new store to run, there were a few available around the country, but it was Greytown that won the couple and their youngest son over over. “I’m English, my family emigrated into Whakatane in 1975. Greytown reminded me of this. It is reminiscent of that small town feel, where people know each other. It took me back to my days in the Bay of Plenty and it looked quite relaxing.”

Despite initial reservations they decided to just go for it, “signing on the dotted line in February 2011”, moving to Greytown earlier this year.

FreshChoice Guides

Red ribbon cutting

Fruit and vegetables a user’s guide

The opening date is July 2, and Chris says things are well on track for the opening, with invites already sent to members of the community.

“We have a list of invitees from construction staff to the local mayor.”

“One of the reasons vegetables and fruit deteriorate is that they are alive and breathing. When they breathe they use their own stored foods such as sugar, and so begin to lose their food value.

The man with the scissors to snip the red ribbon, is Sir Brian Lochore, one of New Zealand’s rugby greats. A former rugby union footballer and coach, he captained the All Blacks 46 times and was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame in 1999 and knighted under the Knight Companion of New Zealand of Merit.

Once Sir Brian has cut the ribbon, officially opening the supermarket, things will be full swing ahead, at Greytown’s FreshChoice, which will be open 7 days a week.

FreshChoice Greytown will be the fourth to open in the North Island and is set to be by far the biggest store to be built in the town’s history. The new supermarket in Greytown is set to show off the new “refreshed and reinvented” FreshChoice logo. Chris says the whole look has been overhauled from the interior décor to the branding.

“As soon as possible after purchase and transit the produce should be transferred to the correct storage conditions; eg, greens refrigerated or potatoes put into a cool dark place.

Each hour sitting at inappropriate temperatures decreases shelf life.

“As we all know we need fresh fruit and vegetables for good health, and it has been recommended that we encourage 5 + a day.

“It is interesting to discover that the natural pigments that make fruit and vegetables so colourful can help protect your body too. With each passing year more evidence is discovered that supports the wisdom of eating a colour packed diet to protect from cancer, promote a healthy heart, reduce hypertension, preserve eyesight and protect the brain.

“We at FreshChoice ensure our range of fresh fruit and vegetables are sourced from top growers and suppliers and are the very best available.”

At the helm FreshChoice supermarkets are locally owned and operated by people who are passionate about providing the best fresh food, great customer service and value for money.

This passion is something that both Chris and Lindsey obviously have. Both originally from Christchurch, have taken the huge leap to move towns, and islands, to run the new Greytown venture.

While FreshChoice is new to Greytown, neither Chris nor Lindsey are new to the market.

Shelves ready to be filled

Healthy choice recipe

FreshChoice Greytown

FreshChoice regularly provides customers with a range of recipes that are quick, easy and healthy to make. Read below for a tasty winter feel-good dinner.

and West Street

Corner of Haswell Street

Apricot Roast Pork with Rosemary Ingredients: 1kg rolled or leg pork roast 6 Tbsp apricot jam salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Greytown www.freshchoice.co.nz — Advertising Feature

2 Tbsp chopped rosemary leaves 1 cup meat stock 1 Tbsp each: cornflour, water

Cooking Instructions: Preheat the oven to 160°C. Place the pork on a rack in a roasting dish. Cook for 30 minutes. Combine the apricot jam and rosemary leaves and spread over the pork. Return to the oven and cook until the juices run clear when pierced with the point of a knife, about 50 minutes. Remove to a warm plate. Stand tented in foil for 10 minutes before slicing. Add the stock and seasonings to the roasting dish. Simmer for 2 minutes. Thicken with a paste of cornflour and water. Serve with the roast.

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www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2012 | 37

Hospitality | Logan Brown Anniversary Special

Classic tastes in a

classic space The vision behind one of the capital’s best restaurants is not one of pretention, but of providing those in “little old-Welly” a world-class experience in a special, beautiful and relaxed environment.

Logan Brown Restaurant despite downplaying its ambitions has certainly made its mark both in Wellington and on the international stage.

It was the supreme winner of the 2009 cuisine restaurant of the year competition. RalphKyte Powell, an international guest judge, said at the time that if he had to select an international flagship for New Zealand cuisine, Logan Brown would be a top contender.

Managing director, Steve Logan says he wants people to come and enjoy a quality experience and have fun. “We want to provide a value for money experience.” He says it is a restaurant at the fine-dining end of the spectrum, but he doesn’t want the average Wellingtonian to be daunted by this.

“We are not pretentious, not formal and not expensive…we are providing an experience in a special place and a beautiful space.”

The team’s vision

On your plate

Outside the restaurant

The restaurant prides itself on being a Wellington restaurant and bar that serves more than just excellent food. “We continue to strive for perfection,” Steve says. “What creates great food is more than just its physical ingredients, it is the integrity and passion from the team that adds an intangible magic.”

Steve says they go to a lot of trouble to source “great ingredients that make our dishes special. We provide modern New Zealand cuisine with the best New Zealand produce.

We keep it clean simple and interesting – something that ma and pa don’t do at home”.

It’s not just his restaurant community that Steve has a rapport with but also the wider Wellington community. “We have developed networks,” he says. “We enjoy sponsoring sports as much as the arts and it is always gratifying to support many charities, social causes and local fundraisers.”

All of the team who choose to work at Logan Brown do so because they want to surround themselves with like-minded people, who are passionate about industry excellence.

“They are in the team for their natural hospitable instincts and know Logan Brown is an environment where they can share their talent for taking care of guests,”Steve says.

Fresh

168 Cuba Street, Te Aro, Wellington

Ph. 04 385 0634

E. cubafruit@gmail.com

Saving the planet Steve says as much as he is about good food, he is also about ensuring the food is eco-friendly. “There is no point complaining about global warming if we are not going to do anything about it. Our aim is to be an eco-friendly restaurant. This includes knowing what practices are used to catch fish or what goes into the ground where vegetables are grown. “Our recycling means that hardly any rubbish is sent to the landfill. “It’s got to be up to us, the little people, to change the world.”

The décor

Wholesale & Retail Produce Proud to be associated with Logan Brown!

He says the nurturing relationships that the restaurant has with producers from all over the country and beyond, enable guests to get a dish they deserve. “They can savour and be inspired by it.” Both the wine list and the menus are extensive with a full range of tasty dishes and divine wines that are simply too enticing to miss.

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The restaurant surrounds are just as divine as what is on your plate. It is set inside a Grecoroman architectural styled building. With its three-storey high ceiling and the beautifully styled wall panels, columns and arches, the light airy room gives off a warm welcoming vibe. The spacious dining room comfortably fits up to 70 guests on any given night.

Steve says he just loves working for the restaurant. “I’m here full-time, I just love being here and interacting with the community.”

Celebrating 16 years of fine dining In 1996 the creators of Logan Brown, Al Brown and Steve Logan had a vision.

They wanted to take the standard of fine dining in New Zealand to a new level.

Today, their award winning restaurant continues to set new standards, offering you the best in food, a stylish yet relaxed atmosphere, and dining integrity.

Logan Brown 192 Cuba Street Te Aro Wellington 6141 T (04) 801 5114 www.loganbrown.co.nz E enquiries@loganbrown.co.nz — Advertising Feature

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Three divine courses with choices within each course plus bread $45.00 Available Tuesday through Saturday from noon.

Ph: 04 801 5114 | Fax: 04 801 9776 Book on line www.loganbrown.co.nz 192 Cuba Street, Cnr of Cuba & Vivian Streets, Wellington

Hospitality | Pandoro Wellington

True

Artisan Golden brown, crunchy on the outside, warm, soft and fluffy, melt-inyour-mouth goodness on the inside, with golden butter melting into the mix - a chunky slice of Pandoro bakery’s own sourdough is simply the perfect partner to a bowl of piping hot soup in the cold winter months.

Baked fresh everyday, alongside Pandoro’s range of breads, pastries and sweet baked goods, these European sourdoughs are the bakery’s trademark. The Wellington-based bakery’s managing director, Tony Beazley, says it is the time and love put into the bread that makes it so special.

Hand-made “What you put into the loaf, makes great bread,” he says. “At Pandoro we are true artisan European bakers; we make everything by hand.” It’s by no means an easy process; on average a loaf of sour dough takes 24 hours to make and croissants take around 36 hours.

Every night of the week, kneading away in the bakery are eight to nine men, working through till the early hours of the morning to get the bread to perfection. “It is a 24-hours a day process,” Tony says.

Style

Products Bread Ciabatta, sourdough, panini, tramezzino, flatbreads (focaccia and pide), flats (gourmet burger buns), tinned (square) loaves (variety of flavours), filled breads, dinner rolls, sticks, hand shaped breads, mini loaves (a variety of flavours)

Breakfast breads Eight varieties of Danish, two sizes of brioche, croissants, chocolate rolls, cakes and biscuits, brownies, tarts, tartlets, cakes and desserts, crostini, biscotti and biscuits

Catering, Morning teas, lunches and functions

Lunch Sandwiches, savouries, muffins, coffee and cold drinks

Festive products Add a touch of sophistication to your celebrations. Treat family and friends to the delights of Pandoro Panetteria.

Indulge in season delights such as Christmas tarts, Christmas cake and hot cross buns

Best sellers Tony recommends the Vienna and San Francisco sourdoughs, the Turkish bread and the Paninis – all of which have been very popular with customers.

Completely natural Tony adds that, as well as everything being hand-made, the breads are also made with fully natural ingredients. Pandoro’s aim is to make specialty breads that are all additivefree, GM-free and made to a premium standard using traditional artisan methods.

“There are no ‘improvers’ used in the bread, everything uses a natural fermentation process,” he says. The starter, which helps raise the breads and creates the natural yeast needed for the perfect loaf, has been around since 1996 and continues to be used today.

Overnight the starter is fed every eight hours with flour and water, taking a total of 16 hours before this mixture becomes a workable dough. It is later kneaded and baked into a loaf of Sourdough. It sounds complex and time consuming, yet Tony says they makes loaves in the thousands every day.

Pandoro’s box Since the opening of its original Auckland bakery in 1992, Pandoro has been committed to being a world-class, artisan bakery, setup by its original founders to produce and retail the highest quality artisan breads and cakes.

Put simply Tony says Pandoro’s vision is to have “good bread made with good simple ingredients using old European artisan style baking”.

From humble beginnings as a small bakery at the top of Parnell Rise in Auckland, where the product was baked out of the back of the store and retailed out front, to its present form today as a family-owned, independent bakery with a focus on natural, organically-produced products.

The sourdoughs he describes as crusty and chewy, Italian-style sourdough. “They are just great toasted, with anything from just butter to salami and cheeses.”

The business grew, based on word of mouth and by the superb quality and differentiation that was offered by the handmade baker products. Its success enabled it to establish branches in both Auckland and Wellington.

Pandoro Wellington 5 Tyers Road Ngauranga Wellington 6035 T (04) 499 1121 E wellington@pandoro.co.nz — Advertising Feature www.pandoro.co.nz

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www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2012 | 39

Hospitality | Whitby’s Restaurant & Bar

Food with a view High up on the 17th floor of a Wellington central hotel is a pristine restaurant with spectacular harbour and city views. For the views alone this place is well worth the visit. But aside from the scenery, the history, the setting and the vast range of scrumptious food on offer makes Whitby’s Restaurant and Bar a must-taste.

Visual feast Located in the heart of the capital’s commercial and retail districts, as part of the four-star, 268-room, James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor, Whitby’s is as iconic as the hotel it’s housed in.

First opened in 1972, the restaurant has today grown into a classy buffet restaurant and bar that boasts of being one of the grandest buffets in town. With its live cooking station where the chef creates a dish from the range of top-quality ingredients, Whitby’s promises a visual feast.

Whether you’re a guest or just within the area, sight-seeing or shopping, Whitby’s

doors are welcomingly open for the famished guest to waltz in. Open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner there is ample choice for anyone. Restaurant and bar manager Phil Bak, says the restaurant’s service is always on-par. “Whitby’s offers a friendly and personable service, on offer is both a superb a-la-carte dining experience with an extensive international buffet.”

Man in the hat Behind the scenes is executive chef, Charles de Villiers who runs the kitchen alongside Phil. In March 2011 Charles joined the team on the restaurant floor as a recent immigrant from South Africa.

Charles brings with him his own unique flavours that he is using to take Whitby’s already high-standards to a new level, all of its own. Charles has infused “his little bit of Africa” into the menus giving them a unique and interesting twist.

buffet ranges from classic Kiwi cuisines to more exotic dishes such as curries and South American cuisine. From soups and salads, seafood to poultry and game and a variety of yummy desserts, the buffet provides a range of different foods.

The live cooking station also helps to satisfy the most discerning diner; for breakfast, the chef can cook your eggs just the way you like; for lunch enjoy freshly cooked meat and fish; and for dinner you can have a Spanish paella, Indian roti chenai, Mexican burrito, Chinese dumplings or Italian pasta, prepared to your liking.

International flavours

During the years Whitby’s has even hosted a vast range of international food festivals - from Korean to Sri Lankan. “We have been Charles’ focus in his role is to maintain the high standards at Whitby’s and inspire his staff very lucky in terms of the support received by the embassies and the high commissions from to improve and achieve more. His philosophy is to forever push the limits when it comes to the countries represented in the International Food Festival series, where in most instances, guest service and customer satisfaction. the high commissioner was in attendance From a purely culinary perspective, Charles and the official opened the food festival.” enjoys experimenting with new flavours Whitby’s was even featured on the television and is especially excited about working with programme, Asia Downunder as part of the wonderful New Zealand meats and produce.

Korean Food Festival and the Sri Lankan “The most challenging aspect about preparing Food Festival. a buffet is choosing foods that will appeal to This is the fourth year that Whitby’s plays host many people and will also present well on to an international food festival and there a buffet.” is an exciting array of food and culture that The high quality freshness of ingredients is set to be released on to the buffet. From and the careful, constant attention from Chinese, to Vietnamese, Mexican, Spanish, staff ensure the food on the buffet is always Korean and Indian; the food festival dishes are at its best. The variety presented on the presented alongside the regular dinner buffet

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Hospitality | Whitby’s Restaurant & Bar

Loyal servers

cuisine. “This is a great opportunity to show the cultural and ethnic diversity present in the Wellington community and one of the ways it can be celebrated,” Phil says.

High tea Another treat on offer at Whitby’s are its popular high teas. Simply pop in, sit back and relax and the staff will serve you a classic high tea. There are generous servings of fresh scones and cakes, traditional finger sandwiches, petite savouries and desserts and chocolate dipped strawberries which are all beautifully presented on a three tiered stand.

The High Tea has become a Wellington tradition and Whitby’s likes to keep it fresh with special High Teas for Easter, Mother’s Day and Christmas. Choose from a range of delicious Dilmah teas including Rose with French Vanilla, or Morrocan Mint Green Tea, or Galaxy coffee to accompany your nibbles.

There is also the additional option of adding a glass of bubbles in celebration of any special occasion – simply ideal for mother’s groups, family celebrations or a welcome treat after a day enjoying Wellington’s extensive list of attractions.

The Piano Bar For those wanting pre or post-dinner drinks, Whitby’s own Piano Bar is the place to go – with its range of top-class New Zealand wines and beers waiting to be sipped. Most evenings diners will be accompanied by the melodious tunes of Shaun Johnson, the hotel’s master pianist. His fingers simply dance across the keys, creating much surprise amongst the guests when they discover Shaun, who has been playing at the hotel for over 30 years now, is completely blind.

Children welcome

A great place to stay

Whitby’s understands children are part of the family package and as a result do all they can to cater for families and their children, from the special high chairs available for infants, to discount children’s meals and room aplenty – Whitby’s is the perfect place for any family gathering.

The James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor is located in the heart of Wellington City and features a unique thoroughfare between the leading retail district of Lambton Quay and business hub of The Terrace.

Menu sampler Entrees Salmon Mille Feulle Baked Mussels Beef Carpaccio Crab and Prawn Ravioli

Mains Signature dish: Lamb Rack Pork Fillet Red Snapper Fillet Cous Cous Towers Duck Salad

Desserts Date and Saffron Pudding Wellington Brownies Passionfruit Crème Brulee Strawberry Tart Mango Cheesecake

Dorothy Collis, functions coordination manager, has been with the Hotel since it opened in 1972. She describes Whitby’s Restaurant and Bar as a fine dining establishment where it, even back then, was considered the ‘place’ to be seen. Serving buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner with a very special a la carte dinner menu, Whitby’s fit in perfectly with the up-market status of the hotel.

The hotel features 268 accommodation rooms, two restaurants and bars, Bodyhaven Spa Style Boutique and a complimentary in-house gymnasium. High-speed internet connectivity is available throughout the hotel and the exclusive 26th floor Club Lounge offers the pinnacle of executive comfort with complimentary full buffet breakfasts, evening bar service and a business centre with spectacular harbour views.

For meetings and events, the hotel has a diverse selection of eight meeting and conference rooms, catering for up to 350 delegates. The entire conference floor and Whitby’s Restaurant can also be utilised for large events and tradeshows for up to 600 guests.

The hotel offers fresh, modern facilities along with a state of the art sound system. The dedicated functions team are on hand to provide advice, information and ideas along with professional and friendly assistance.

Experience the highest standards of service at Wellington’s definitive accommodation and conference venue; the James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor.

The James Cook Hotel is part of Grand Hotels International. Grand Hotels International owns and manages ten 4 – 4 ½ star Hotel Grand Chancellor properties throughout Australia and New Zealand. All hotels are in prime locations with a range of facilities offering accommodation for the most discerning guest as well as a host of conference and events facilities on a small to large scale, with two locations catering for over 1000 delegates.

Rose Vaa has worked at Whitby’s for the past 29 years. In charge of the breakfast team the chances are if you have dined at the restaurant in the morning, you would have come across Rosa’s friendly smile and more than personable service.

Lance Webster, a food and beverage attendant, has worked with Whitby’s for the past 21 years. He says during the years there have been many changes, but he loves the job. “I love working with the morning team,” he says. With low staff turnover Lance says there have been little changes within the team, despite changes in the wider restaurant setting. “The décor is more modern and up-to-date now.

The restaurant has changed from being quite up-market to more relaxed and family friendly.” But Lance is quick to point out that despite these changes the service is still as excellent as ever and the food “is tastier than ever”.

Whitby’s Restaurant and Bar Level 17, James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor 147 The Terrace, Wellington 6011 T (04) 499 9500 E whitbys@jamescookhotel.co.nz Wwww.grandchancellorhotels.com — Advertising Feature

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www.wellingtontoday.co.nz July/August 2012 | 41

Hospitality | The White House Restaurant

Unashamedly

First Class

Wellington has been described as the culinary capital of New Zealand with its diverse range of restaurants, cafés and more casual eateries.

The essence of success for a select number of these establishments is the genius of the chefs – the masterminds who pull together quality products and conjure up sensational cuisine.

The White House Restaurant owner and executive chef Paul Hoather is a one such mastermind. His devotion to provide dishes that create lasting memories for those that eat them, has seen his restaurant distinguish itself as one of the best in the capital.

Two decades of decadence The White House was first established 20 years ago in – in a little white cottage in Willis St. It now sits on the edge of the harbour, settled on Oriental Parade with the wonderful vista of the Wellington harbour a stunning backdrop for a wonderful get together.

Paul has forged his success from small beginnings. Like many kiwi kids his first tentative cooking attempts were courtesy of recipes from the pages of the Edmonds Cook Book. But his real inspiration came from his father.

“Growing up my father was often in the kitchen making Chinese dishes and other meals he learnt from his travels abroad.

One of his favourite dishes to make was pork pies like the ones he used to eat when he was a lad in the UK. Because of my father’s influence I learnt that it was okay to be a male in a kitchen.”

This early role modelling led him to a career in cuisine with his first job in the kitchen of the Rutherford Hotel in Nelson at age 15. After that came a sojourn overseas to the United Kingdom and Australia and on his return to New Zealand in the 1980s, he worked as the head chef at iconic restaurants such as Plimmer House, Champerelle and La Spaghettata.

Since it began, The White House has consistently ranked amongst the capital’s finest restaurants. It has gained both a national and international reputation, won numerous awards and was selected as a Cuisine New Zealand Restaurant of the Year finalist in 2011.

“What tells me are the plates coming back to the kitchen, if there’s something left over I always question it. I can’t help it; it becomes a habit from a life of working in kitchens.

For me every night is a live performance. My biggest pleasure at the restaurant is going out to see our guests, to talk with them and hear what they have to say about their experience with us.”

It is an experience which has thrilled and tantalised the most discerning taste buds – those of national and international reviewers.

The Sunday Star Times reviewer Tim Herbert described it succinctly; “the White House is For him, cooking for others is personal. “I put a place that we can confidently say is one of a lot into every meal at the restaurant and I take it to heart when something doesn’t work. the finest dining experiences we’ve ever had”.

Sometimes things go wrong, and it cuts me, I Cuisine’s David Burton gave the degustation get upset. But the buck stops with us. menu five stars.

Paul’s creativity, his unparalleled experience, and his passion for exceptionally fine food make every meal special. During many years the restaurant has expanded its menu through a keen interest in sourcing ingredients from people who also share a passion for what they create. Paul shows his reverence for the hard work and toil the others have put it in by showing the ingredients in their best light.

No restaurant can be successful without the support of exceptional staff who deliver front of house service – interacting with the clients. Paul’s team is professional yet not constrained. There is an element of theatre as bowls of sweet treats are delivered with a flourish to the table with dry ice pouring from the tops.

The delights The menu has bypassed the potentially embarrassing mispronunciation of meal names by calling them what they are. Your scallop entrée is seared scallops, red pepper harissa, smoked Warehou custard, fennel, date and orange salad.

If you order the pork as your main, you will be delivered a roasted pork loin, baked apple, pork rillettes, poached fillet, Black Ball black

Supplying the best customers in Wellington since 1904,

FINE FOODS ∑ QUALITY MEATS

Pleased to be associated with The Whitehouse Restaurant

34 Hopper Street, Mount Cook Phone: (04) 385 6118 42 | July/August 2012 www.wellingtontoday.co.nz

pudding crumbs, slow-cooked pork belly, puffed rind, apple puree and mustard fruits.

Paul’s self-confessed sweet tooth is reflected in the decadent and sumptuous finale options – the desserts. The Tahitian vanilla bean panna cotta with fresh raspberries, freezedried raspberries, raspberry puree and jelly or the date pudding with toffee apples, walnut praline and truffle, buttermilk ice cream are just two of the many tempting choices.

Open for lunch and dinner seven days.

The White House Upstairs at 232 Oriental Parade Oriental Bay T (04) 385 8555 www.whr.co.nz — Advertising Feature

Do you have a fussy dog?

All theNatural Goodness your pet deserves

in the palm of your hand Add to Dry Food for a Wholesome Meal Experience!

Imagine having dry, meat-flavoured cookies for dinner every day. While our pets may never have complained, it is only logical to think that having too much of the same thing ruins the joy a meal should bring.

FAQs 1.

Won’t feeding a Topper with normal food cause my pet to put on weight since he is eating more than his usual?

Canino Toppers help provide a more satisfying meal for your dog, and encourages your dog to finish up the kibble. Canino Toppers is an all-natural topper made only with fresh, wholesome ingredients. It provides nutrients in the best form available, with high digestibility. If you have been feeding your pet a dry diet exclusively, we encourage you to transition your pet by decreasing the amount of kibble slowly. Canino Toppers should make up an approximate 10% of the entire meal.

2.

If I’m feeding lamb and rice kibble, can I still mix it with Beef and Potato topper?

Canino Toppers is all about providing a healthy variety to nutrition.

Containing only fresh, whole ingredients of the best quality, our products strive to turn each mealtime into an event worth looking forward to. With bite-sized morsels of human grade real meat and vegetables, Canino Toppers can be mixed into your dog’s kibbles for a different texture and taste whenever you think your furry best friend deserves a better meal.

Believing that the best way to ensure our dogs gets the best nutrients is from consuming an assortment of proteins, Canino Toppers can be fed by rotating between the meat, poultry and fish varieties. This means your dogs receive everything they need for a pleasurable and healthy meal experience.

I cook my dog’s meals myself at home, why should I still feed Canino Toppers?

We think it’s really wonderful that you are able to be your dog’s veryown chef, but unfortunately, not every one can afford the time. What’s great about Canino Toppers is that we use the same natural and fresh ingredients, cooked perfectly, and served straight from the can. It is hassle-free, and can provide an extra source of protein on top of the original diet. It is convenient, economical, and adds variety to life!

There can never be too much of a good thing; treat your best friend to a hearty serving of prized Mackerel and Lobster. Turn that boring meal into a fancy occasion with DEEP SEA TREASURES, because every day should be a special day.

The connoisseurs love Canino’s freshly caught Tuna from the ocean, which is why they prefer eating it on its own. Simmered in simple gravy, BIG COAST TUNA is a wonderful addition to an everyday meal.

It’s difficult not to love a healthy and tasty meal of Tuna and Chicken, especially when they are freshly farmed and quaranteed of good quality. FISH AND FOWL is low-fat and nutritious perfect as a daily topper for your dog’s dry diet.

Give your dog something to howl about - a deeply satisfying TUNA AND BEEF JUMBO. The firmness of the choice cuts add extra bite to a simple dish. Mixed with kibble, this topper is a hot favorite.

should I switch to using a 4. Why topper instead of feeding an occasional canned food?

Unless your dog is allergic to a certain type of protein, Canino Toppers complement all dry diets. Providing your dog with different types of proteins in a single meal ensures that your dog receives nutrients in different forms, which is a good thing. Apart from being extremely convenient, Canino Toppers are created to give you and your dog more variety in life so each mealtime is worth looking forward to.

3.

For the delicate palate, this all-vegetable topper is light and chock-full of vitamins. With the colourful salad steamed and then simmered in gravy, GARDEN FIESTA can be used on its own or served with your dog’s usual dry or wet diet.

Most canned foods are designed to be complete meals, with added vitamins and minerals. In our efforts to keep nutrition simple and natural, you’ll find that “what you see is what you get” with Canino Toppers, which means there are no by-products or unnecessary vitamins. Our raw ingredients come in fresh every day, with no preliminary processing.

That’s because we believe in feeding our pets the best, naturally.

5.

Puppies have different nutrient needs from the adults; can I feed them Canino?

Unlike complete meals, Canino Toppers act as a topping to make your dog’s meals more satisfying.

Imagine the usual dry diet as a plain pizza and Canino Toppers as your ‘pepperoni’. A good quality kibble will properly nourish your puppy for its life stage, while Canino Toppers provides the fresh proteins that will make your dog a happy healthy one.

Perfect for staving off that meat craving, HOMESTYLE GOULASH is deliciously flavourful. Quality cuts of Beef combined with bite-sized Sweet Potatoes ensure your dog has a growlingly good time at dinner.

Ditch the “Chicken or Beef” dilemma and have them both! Pair the versatile Chicken chunks with the robust taste of gently cooked Beef for a delightful combo.

ROOS AND MOOS always hits the spot.

Sometimes, a Shrimp cocktail just isn’t enough. Pile the succulent OCEAN ENSEMBLE on top of his usual dry food and watch your doggie smacks his lips with appreciation. Bon Appetite!

Nothing beats the wholesome taste of tender Chicken, accompanied with soft-stewed Carrots and a thick, delicious gravy. CHICKEN STEW POT PIE is like a doggie cuddle on a cold day - heartwarming and comforting.

$39.95 + free delivery incl gst | Box of 24 Servings For more detailed information call on 0800 101 729 47b Birmingham Drive, Middleton, PO Box 1879, Christchurch. Fax 03 961 5112 - Email: info@canidae.co.nz - Web: www.canidae.co.nz

The Zephyr Pure Air Ventilation System creates a healthy home environment through lower relative humidity, fresh air introduction and a major reduction in airborne particles The system has a superior condensation control and the highest level of air filtration in the domestic ventilation category.

A major reduction in heating costs is achieved by reclaiming free heat from the ceiling space.

Condensation control, heat reclaim and highly filtered fresh air introduction is possible for less than an average daily cost of 10C.

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