Source: New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade – Safe Travel
Reviewed: 18 November 2022, 09:26 NZDT
Still current at: 17 October 2024
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If you are planning international travel at this time, please read our COVID-19 related travel advice here, alongside our destination specific travel advice below.
Exercise increased caution in Brunei Darussalam (level 2 of 4).
Brunei Darussalam
Crime Petty crime such as theft and burglary can occur in Brunei Darussalam. We advise New Zealanders to be alert to their surroundings at all times and take steps to safeguard and secure their personal belongings.
Civil unrest Civil unrest is extremely rare in Brunei Darussalam, but protests and demonstrations could have the potential to result in violence. We advise monitoring local media and following any instructions from local authorities.
General travel advice New Zealanders in Brunei Darussalam are strongly advised to familiarise themselves with and observe local laws and customs, which can be very different to New Zealand. This includes in relation to alcohol and tobacco, and public expression of political views.
Brunei Darussalam has a dual legal system with both civil law and syariah (sharia) law. Both laws include provisions for corporal and capital punishments. Penalties for possession, use or trafficking of illegal drugs are severe and can include the death penalty, physical punishment, and lengthy imprisonment.
Further information about the Syariah Penal Code can be found on Brunei Darussalam’s Attorney General’s Chambers website. A non-exhaustive list of illegal activities under syariah law includes blasphemy, sodomy, and adultery. Syariah law applies to Muslims, non-Muslims, and foreigners.
New Zealanders are advised to respect religious, social and cultural traditions in Brunei Darussalam to avoid offending local sensitivities (including around members of the Royal Family and during religious occasions). Modesty and discretion should be exercised in both dress and behaviour.
New Zealanders travelling or living in Brunei Darussalam should have a comprehensive travel insurance policy in place that includes provision for medical evacuation by air.
New Zealanders in Brunei Darussalam are encouraged to register their details with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The New Zealand High Commission Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is accredited to Brunei Darussalam
Street Address Level 21, Menara IMC, 8 Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur 50250 Telephone +60 3 2078 2533 Fax +60 3 2078 0387 Emailklinfo@mfat.govt.nzWeb Sitehttp://www.mfat.govt.nz/malaysiaHours Mon-Fri 0830am to 1230 hrs (reception); Mon-Thurs 0800-1630 hrs, Fri 0800-1600 hrs (telephone enquiries and pre-arranged appointments)
Newly released factsheet titled Ka Hua Mai Te Mate Pukupuku I Te Inu Waipiro – Alcohol Causes Cancer by the Royal Society Te Apārangi is a reminder that, like tobacco and asbestos, alcohol causes cancer.
Although the link between alcohol and cancer has been known for over 100 years and 4 in 5 New Zealanders drink alcohol, only 1 in 5 of us are aware that alcohol can cause cancer.
The factsheet also talks about how our environment can be improved to reduce alcohol-related cancers. This includes increasing the price of alcohol, reducing the availability of alcohol, and restricting its marketing.
“Drinking patterns are highly influenced by our environment,” says Alcohol Healthwatch Health Promotion Advisor Sarah Sneyd. “Alcohol is freely available on street corners and through a click of a button on your phone, it’s cheaper today than it ever has been before, and there is so much advertising that we even see alcohol billboards outside primary schools. There is enormous pressure to drink, and unfortunately every drink increases the risk of seven different types of cancer.”
Sneyd welcomes the report with hopes that it helps raise awareness of the links between alcohol and cancer, and how we can reduce the cancer burden.
“With increased environmental protections in our communities, not only will alcohol-related cancers decrease, we will also see fewer drink-driving accidents, less family violence, fewer children maltreated, and less violent crime. Everything we care about will start to improve.”
October 4, 2024 – Today, New Zealand-Canadian jazz trumpeter Lex French is proud to release his debut album, In the World’s First Summer, out now via Justin Time/Nettwerk. Traces of Miles Davis can be heard throughout the eight-song release, as French cites the seminal jazz trumpeter among his many inspirations. He also takes cues from poetry and paintings that add to the album’s artful nature. Listen to In the World’s First Summer on all digital retailers (herehttps://lexfrench.ffm.to/intheworldsfirstsummer )
Lex explains in his own words: “In the World’s First Summer is a setting of James K. Baxter’s poem On the Death of Her Body, while Colour Grid is inspired by Paul Klee’s painting New Harmony. Falling Up was a tune that floated around in my head for about 5 years before I figured out how to write it down and keep the spirit of the song intact. A number of the other pieces–Nana, Going Home, V’la L’bon Vent–are arrangements of folk songs from different traditions, while Huancavelica is a new composition inspired by such a tune. My arrangements of these songs are attempts to make sense of this music that reaches through time, and still manages to tell our stories. Bye Bye Blackbird brings us back to Miles and the end of his first quintet with John Coltrane… check out the version on Live from the Olympia and you’ll see the first glimmerings of his second quintet off in the distance, the same glimmering light that reached through time from 1967 to 1999, grabbed hold of me and never let go.”
LISTEN & SHARE LEX FRENCH’S ‘IN THE WORLD’S FIRST SUMMER’ HERE:
‘In the World’s First Summer’ marks the debut recording of New Zealand-Canadian jazz trumpet player Lex French on the Justin Time label. Hailed by Radio Canada jazz critic Stanley Pean as “an extraordinary trumpeter”, he is fast becoming a bright star on the Canadian jazz scene, and is a highly in-demand composer and arranger.
This project takes inspiration from Miles Davis’s seminal second quintet in its approach, a group that has influenced so many musicians over the last 50 years. “When I was about 16 years old, in 1998 or ’99, I bought a copy of Miles Davis’1967 album, Miles Smiles,” says French, “and was immediately captivated. Ever since that first listen, I’ve wanted to lead a group that followed in the footsteps of Miles’s seminal second quintet. His quintet was a band that prioritised communication and improvisation, embraced lush and open harmonic soundscapes, and above all, placed the spirit of spontaneity at the center of everything. In order to play with such spontaneity and open lines of communication, it is important that each musician in the group is an exceptional musician in their own right. François Bourassa (piano), Morgan Moore (bass), and Jim Doxas (drums) are all improvising musicians of the highest order who can bring their individual and personal approaches to the music but also function as members of the group in order to create a whole that is great than the sum of its parts.”
“We want this special place to be in great shape for visitors when it reopens,” says DOC’s Hauraki-Waikato-Taranaki Regional Director Tinaka Mearns.
“Alongside cyclone damage, the area is also under threat from introduced pest plants That stand to undermine the area’s unique beauty and native biodiversity.”
Globally recognised for its idyllic small beach and famous rock arch, Mautohe Cathedral Cove has been a marine-only experience since February 2023, when extreme weather events triggered landslides which significantly damaged the track and resulted in its closure.
The involvement of the Predator Free Hauraki Coromandel Community Trust (PFHCCT) in the Mautohe Cathedral Cove work programme is a great boost for the project, says Ms Mearns.
“They’ve done some excellent work removing pest plant and tidying up vegetation across the reserve during the last few weeks,” she says. “It’s been hard physical work and we’ve been impressed by the results.
“Involving an organisation like this trust to contribute to walking access reinstatement supports the local community and helps us build a partnership with a recognised conservation contributor in the area.”
Jude Hooson, CEO of PFHCCT says the Trust’s members recognise the importance of Mautohe Cathedral Cove – and the significance of opening it up to the public – and are thrilled to be working alongside DOC and Ngāti Hei.
“We’re really delighted to be part of the collaborative effort. In many ways this is an extension of the recovery support our Field Support Team has already provided to groups across the peninsula,” she says.
“In addition to helping to open up the main walkway, this is also an opportunity to remove problematic pest plants as a first step towards enhancing the native biodiversity of this very special place.”
Meanwhile, visitors to the site continue to be an issue for staff and contractors working to reinstate the track.
Members of the public accessing the track while it is closed are compromising the delivery of the work required to fully reopen it and are entering an active and hazardous worksite.
DOC staff and contractors turn away dozens of visitors every day.
Background information
The walking track to Mautohe Cathedral Cove was closed in February 2023 after it sustained significant damage during Cyclone Gabrielle. In July, funding of a work programme to reinstate walking access to the cove’s famous beach was announced by Conservation Minister Tama Potaka.
As the Council of Legal Education seeks to implement compulsory Tikanga Māori courses for all law students, ACT Tertiary Education spokesperson Dr Parmjeet Parmar is calling for a response.
“This week Gary Judd KC appeared before Parliament’s Regulations Review Committee to share concerns on the planned tikanga courses. He warned MPs that if Parliament does not act against the proposals, we will essentially be giving the green light to political activism from the unelected judiciary.
“While ACT does not have an MP on the Committee, we agree with the concerns raised by Gary Judd KC and I am writing to the Committee urging that it takes the steps available to it to see that the planned regulation disallowed.
“Attempts to make tikanga courses compulsory for all law students, along with a wider push to infuse every part of our legal system with tikanga, enables judicial activism. It is not the role of the judiciary to make law. That is the role of Parliament.
“Lawyers ought to understand the law and its principles. Instead, they are now being asked to understand the principles of a culture, and to incorporate them into law. Such cultural principles are inherently contested and subject to evolution and mixing. We do not ask that law students study the culture held by any other particular ethnic group in New Zealand, and rightly so.
“ACT is also concerned at these regulations’ implications for the rights and academic freedoms of law students seeking to forge their own understanding of the law and to test ideas at law school, which should be an environment of open debate.
“Ultimately, elevating the importance of customary beliefs relative to laws passed by our elected Parliament erodes our democracy.”
Responding to today’s confirmation that inflation has reduced to 2.2%, well within the official target range, ACT Leader David Seymour says:
“Annual inflation at last year’s election was 5.6% – and now it’s cut in half, and then some.
“This news is the beginning of real hope for Kiwis who’ve persevered through a cost-of-living crisis. We’ve turned the corner on interest rates, and now we’re returning to normalcy on inflation.
“While today’s inflation milestone is tremendous, price growth is still near the top of the target range and New Zealanders are still holding out for real relief. To turn hope into real prosperity the Government must keep saving, creating room for further interest rate cuts.
“We need to be ever vigilant of the inflation monster that Labour so recklessly let off the leash, so ACT will continue to push for the cancellation of spending programmes that do not generate real value for New Zealand.
“Of course, in the long run, reining in wasteful government spending means we do right by the Kiwis who pay the bills, letting them keep more of what they earn while paying down debt for future generations.”
The following is a statement from Southland-based MP and ACT Health spokesperson Todd Stephenson:
I love food trucks. They bring life, commerce, and tasty treats to our towns.
But in Invercargill, joyless food fascists are trying to crack down.
The city council asked for feedback from locals on food truck locations. Instead,they got a scoldingfrom the National Public Health Service.
These taxpayer-funded busybodies complained that Invercargill’s food trucks serve meals that‘tend to be processed, high in fat, and in some cases sugar’.
Heaven forbid someone burning calories on a worksite might want to buy a bacon buttie or a donut.
The bureaucrats told the council it should use licencing fees to push food trucks into offering healthy food options. That’s just ridiculous. The council needs to maintain pipes and roads, not hire compliance officers sticking their beaks into food truck menus.
The health service goes on to whinge that food trucks‘operate in locations where there are few or no other food options’.
In other words, if it weren’t for food trucks, some parts of town would have no food options at all. So why would we impose new rules that make it harder to open a food truck?
The NPHS needs to butt out. No-one is forced to buy nachos or a curry.
The good news is Invercargill City Council told the NPHS where to stick it, saying that so long as the food is safe, health concerns won’t be considered.
Meanwhile, with the Government looking to find savings, a new target may have presented itself.
A mystery animal has been identified as a species never documented in New Zealand waters.
Thousands of specimens were collected during NIWA’sthree-week Ocean Census voyageto the unexplored Bounty Trough earlier this year, done as part of a 10-year planetary census to discover life in our ocean.
Amongst the brilliant selection of fish and invertebrates collected from 3,500m deep, an unusual specimen stumped the experts. NIWA marine biologist and voyage leader Sadie Mills says she and her colleagues resulted to calling it ‘The Thing’.
“It looked kind of like a sea star, but we thought it could also be a sea anemone or octocoral. We had several world-leading experts onboard and none of us could place it, and initial DNA sequencing resulted in no close relationship with any known organism. So, it became known as ‘The Thing’,” said Sadie.
However, after further DNA sequencing, Sadie’s team got a positive result – a 98.9% match to Oligotrema lyra – an abyssal ascidian, or sea squirt. Identification was then morphologically confirmed by taxonomic expert, Dr Mike Page.
“It’s amazing that genetics could help us solve the mystery. We actually had two specimens, but it turned out they were both only parts of the whole creature, which is what threw us because we weren’t seeing the full picture. Our resident ascidian expert Mike thinks part of the body was buried in the sediment, and what we collected were the siphons that they use to feed and filter water, which protruded above the sand,” said Sadie.
While this species is already known to science, it is the first time it has been documented in New Zealand waters and expands our knowledge on the huge diversity of species that fall under our protection.
Ascidians are common in New Zealand’s coastal waters and in the deeper waters on our continental shelf. They are amongst the more colourful marine invertebrates that inhabit our coasts, harbours, and oceans.
When disturbed, sea squirts contract their siphons, expelling streams of water-hence their name.
The Ocean Census is a global alliance to accelerate the discovery and protection of life in the ocean founded byThe Nippon Foundationand UK ocean exploration foundationNekton, and endorsed as a Programme of theUN Ocean Decade.
Source: Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington
A new co-working space has opened that will see innovative local businesses based at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.
The shared work space is called Taiawa Wellington Tech Hub and is in Rutherford House on the University’s Pipitea campus. A range of high-growth, innovative companies have moved in to the 51-desk space—tenants include climate tech businesses Cogo and CarbonInvoice, botanical prescription drug developer Evithé Bio, and scientific literature review assistant Litmaps.
Taiawa was launched in early June, with tenant businesses officially welcomed to the new space at an event attended by Wellington mayor Tory Whanau along with leaders from the University and the business and entrepreneurial community.
Professor Stephen Cummings, co-director of the University’s innovation space The Atom—Te Kahu o Te Ao, says Taiawa is an exciting development. “It will allow us to better work with Wellington’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and create opportunities for sharing ideas between innovative businesses and our staff and students,” he explains.
“It comes from a recognition that Rutherford House is the ideal place in the perfect location to host a co-working space like this. Opening up our buildings to the City in this way can create great synergies and value, not just for our students and researchers, but for Wellington’s business community.”
The initiative is a collaboration with WellingtonNZ, the regional economic development agency. Rebekah Campbell, who leads the Technology Sector Group at WellingtonNZ, says the need for a space for co-working, tech sector education and community events became evident when devising a strategy to grow the region’s economy.
“Wellington has a lot of individually successful tech companies, but even though it’s a compact city, we can do a lot better at promoting collaboration and skill-sharing. Wellington needs its tech sector to thrive, and our mission is to create 30,000 new high-value jobs in the next decade,” she says.
“We looked at other cities that have successfully accelerated the growth of their tech sectors, and a key component of every strategy is the creation of a central place where companies can work together, learn from each other and create a shared culture of ambition and collaboration. The kinds of hubs that were most successful were centred around universities.”
Atom co-director Dr Jesse Pirini says the concept of hosting a co-working space at Te Herenga Waka is “the culmination of years of engagement with the entrepreneurial community through The Atom, and hosting events such as Slush’D and TedX”. “So when the opportunity arose to work with WellingtonNZ, we leapt at it. It’s great to be able to collaborate with them on this unique partnership.”
One of the tenants in Taiawa Wellington Tech Hub is Cogo, which partners with large companies to help businesses and consumers measure and improve their carbon impact. CEO Ben Gleisner, who is a Te Herenga Waka alumnus, describes the new space as a “win-win-win” for all parties.
“It will provide unparalleled opportunities for the companies, the wider tech industry, and for business school students that they can’t get at other institutions in Aotearoa—there is the potential to collaborate on research, internships or dedicated projects. Ultimately, as we are supported to grow, there will hopefully be real jobs for students too.”
University Vice Chancellor Nic Smith says it’s vital that universities are front and centre in supporting the wider science, technology and innovation sector. “The development of this hub is a vote of confidence in Wellington’s business community, especially in the face of bad news stories around public sector lay offs. We believe in the technology and innovation industry, and we’re delighted to have the chance to foster its growth.”
About the name
The name Taiawa is a combination of two words, tai (ocean) and awa (river), which reflects the collaborative elements of entities from different sources combining together to operate a shared space, support innovative ideas and create a safe space for creativity. Taiawa is the name of a type of pipi found at low tide just below the surface of a sandy harbour flat—the act of collecting pipi as a community, intergenerational activity signifies the collaboration that will take place in the tech hub, and the interaction between companies, staff and students. The name was endorsed by Kura Moeahu, Rangatira of Te Āti Awa and Taranaki.
The contributions of some of Wellington’s most prominent businesspeople were celebrated last night at the 2024 Wellington Address, hosted at Pipitea Marae.
The event recognised the mahi and relentless energy of three individuals and one business who have made outstanding contributions to our city. They are people who inspire others and help Wellington’s business community prosper and thrive.
The Address was jointly hosted Wellington Chamber of Commerce, Te Awe Māori Business Network and the Wellington Pasifika Business Network, together known as the Power of Three.
More than 240 people attended last night’s sold-out event, where Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters addressed honourees and guests.
The gala dinner was headlined by the Wellington Address, an ode to the city and a vision for its future. This year’s Address was delivered by John-Daniel Trask of tech company Raygun, who highlighted the importance of innovation, contribution and the role of business in the city’s success.
The event was made possible with the help of our sponsors and partners, including Mercury IT, Pōneke Bakery and principal sponsor 2degrees.
“These awards are a celebration of the very best of our business community – hard work, dedication, innovation and a commitment to improving our city,” said Wellington Chamber of Commerce CEO Simon Arcus.
“This year’s honourees all embody that spirit. We all better off for their work, and I extend my thanks to all the honourees. At times like these, it’s a powerful reminder of Wellington’s character and its potential in years to come,” he said.
The honourees for the 2024 Wellington Address were:
Nominated by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, sponsored by Mercury IT
Brian McGuinness
Nominated by Te Awe Māori Business Network, sponsored by Pōneke Bakery
Doug Hauraki
Nominated by the Wellington Pasifika Business Network
Adrian Orr
Company award, sponsored by 2degrees
The Wellington Company – Erskine Restoration
“The Wellington Chamber is delighted to recognise Brian McGuinness as an honouree of the 2024 Wellington Address,” said Simon Arcus.
“With over 50 years of commitment to the family business, LT McGuinness, Brian has shown exceptional leadership and made enduring contributions to the Wellington urban landscape. An award for Brian is, in a very real sense, a recognition of the contribution of the McGuiness family.
“The Wellington Address serves to recognise those who serve us beyond the call of their professional duty. We are humbled to be recognising such an outstanding contribution from more than 50 years of dedication to the capital; nobody else has literally built a legacy on Wellington’s footprint quite like Brian McGuinness,” Arcus said.
More information on the outstanding contributions of last night’s honourees is available below.
Brian McGuinness:With over 50 years of commitment to the family-founded construction company, LT McGuinness, Brian has shown exceptional leadership and made enduring contributions to the Wellington urban landscape.
Brian’s dedication to building excellence, his ability to develop long-standing local relationships, and his commitment to his word have contributed to the success of many of Wellington’s iconic buildings.
Doug Hauraki:Generations of Māori students, public servants and business owners will be delighted to know Doug Hauraki is this year’s Te Awe Wellington Māori Business Network honouree.
In bestowing this honour on Doug, Te Awe acknowledges his more than 55 years of service to Māori in both the private and public sectors and his lifelong devotion to better education and employment opportunities for Māori and Pasifika people.
Adrian Orr:The Wellington Pasifika Business Network us proud to recognise Adrian Orr as the Pasifika honouree for this year’s Wellington Address. The award celebrates Adrian’s 40 years of outstanding service to the banking and financial services sector, most recently as Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand and its role of ensuring the stability of our financial system.
Of Cook Island and Irish descent, Adrian has been a trailblazer in his chosen profession, with a strong intergenerational view of economic and social issues and solutions.
The Wellington Company – Erskine Restoration:
After undertaking a painstaking 23-year journey to develop a hilly, heritage-listed site in Island Bay, The Wellington Company delivered a premium medium-density housing development which restored and retained a unique part of our architectural history.
Many others would have shied away from the challenge of restoring the Category-1 listed Erskine Chapel. The 1929 landmark had been neglected, vandalised and red-stickered for many years, as well as being subject to a lengthy legal challenge, despite the desire to protect it. But rather than walking away from the project, The Wellington Company took the step many would not, privately funding the vast bulk of the $7 million restoration and strengthening project to preserve it for generations to come.
Note:
The Power of Three is a joint agreement between the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, the Wellington Pasifika Business Network, and Te Awe Māori Business Network. The three business membership organisations share knowledge, services and cultural expertise to help grow businesses in the Wellington region.
Greenpeace Aotearoa ishosting a public meeting in Rangiora this Saturdayto mobilise efforts to protect water quality in the region, just two weeks after the Government’s fast-track project list was revealed to include significant irrigation schemes.
The organisation will also be running two free nitrate contamination drinking water testing events: one in Amberley on October 18th, and one in Oxford on October 20th.
Greenpeace’s Canterbury-based freshwater campaigner, Will Appelbe, says, “Everyone should be able to take a dip in their local river or drink the water coming out of their tap without getting sick. But for many rural communities, particularly in Canterbury, that’s becoming less and less possible.
“Now, the Christopher Luxon Government is actively pushing through legislation that will worsen water quality in Canterbury, such as the fast-track bill. The irrigation schemes included in the fast-track schedule would suck the life out of already-fragile rivers and return polluted water back into the environment through further dairy intensification in the region.”
Greenpeace has been running free drinking water testing events across the country, as well as a free mail-in water testing service, for the last three years, to raise awareness of increasing levels of nitrate in drinking water.
The organisation says that many rural communities in Canterbury are seeing levels of nitrate in drinking water increasing, while a growing body of science has linked prolonged exposure to elevated levels of nitrate, to increased health risks including risks of bowel cancer and preterm birth.
“More irrigation means more intensive dairying, which is polluting lakes, rivers, and drinking water with high levels of nitrate,” says Appelbe.
“We’re hosting this public meeting to discuss the increasing threats to water quality in Canterbury and to provide a way for local communities to engage with efforts to prevent water pollution at the source.
“Greenpeace will continue to stand with communities and fight to end pollution of lakes, rivers, and drinking water. Ultimately, we need to reduce the dairy herd, end the use of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser, and stop big new irrigation schemes.”
The Greenpeace public meeting will be held at The Skurr Centre, Rangiora Showgrounds, on Saturday 19th October, from 6:30pm. The organisation is also running free drinking water testing inAmberley on the 18th Octoberfrom 1-5pm at the Holy Innocents Anglican Church, and inOxford on the 20th Octoberfrom 9:30am-3pm in the Oxford Town Hall A&P Room.
ASB has today announced adjustments to its mortgage rates, following the bank’s reductions across fixed and floating mortgage rates last week. ASB’s latest changes include a 36-basis point reduction to its 6-month term, down to a market-leading rate of 6.39%.
ASB’s Executive General Manager Personal Banking Adam Boyd says “We know there’s strong appetite for shorter-term mortgages at the moment. Our drops to 6-month, one year and 18-month terms in response to movement in wholesale rates should appeal to our customers refixing, as well as those looking to buy a property.”
ASB has also reduced some of its shorter-term term deposit rates by between 10 and 35 basis points, and increased its 4-and-5 year term deposits by 10 basis points each.
All rate adjustments are effective immediately for new and current customers.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has released its latestWorld Energy Outlookreport today, and Greenpeace Aotearoa executive director Russel Norman says it’s damning for Christopher Luxon and his ludicrous plans to restart oil and gas exploration and increase coal mining. (ref. https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-outlook-2024 )
“The IEA report affirms that global demand for oil, gas, and coal is on track to peak by the end of this decade and warns that failure to accelerate the end of fossil fuels now will put the world on course for a catastrophic global average temperature rise of 2.4oC by the end of the century.
“As floods, fires and storms ravage the world, and climate scientists run out of adjectives to describe how urgent the situation is, we have Christopher Luxon’s Government forging ahead with reckless plans to search for new oil and gas, dig up more coal and shelve every initiative to reduce emissions that they can.
“We have an incredible opportunity right now in Aotearoa to move away from fossil fuels to a clean energy future powered by wind and solar that would mean more affordable energy and cleaner, safer towns and cities for New Zealanders, but the Luxon Government is threatening to take us back to to the dark ages.”
The IEA report states that avoiding the worst impacts of the climate crisis will require at least doubling the global rate of energy efficiency improvements to provide larger emissions reductions by 2030, doubling current investment levels in renewable power, grids and battery storage, as well as implementing a fast and fair fossil fuel phaseout.
“A recent report by the Ministry of Business and Innovation confirms that there is no need for new fossil fuels to ‘keep the lights on’ in New Zealand. Wind and solar are the cheapest sources of new electricity generation, and New Zealand has an abundance of both.
“It’s time for the Government to step up and make the choice to lead Aotearoa into a clean energy future.”
News that 173 roles are being cut at Police will only put more pressure on the frontline.
“I am concerned about the lack of awareness the National Party has about the job police have to do,” Labour police spokesperson Ginny Andersen said.
“Cutting 173 roles will mean police officers spend more time behind a desk and less time on the beat.
“There is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes for a person to be found, charged and punished for a crime. Arresting someone is only one part of the job.
“Police Minister Mark Mitchell should front up, support the frontline and stop the cuts at Police,” Ginny Andersen said.
Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
1 day ago
Courtney Roff is currently studying for the NZ Certificate in Mechanical Engineering (Level 3) at EIT.
After leaving school early, Courtney Roff spent some time working in the wine industry, where she realised that the career for her was mechanical engineering, so she enrolled in EIT.
Courtney, 21, grew up in Hawke’s Bay and attended Napier Girls’ High, but decided to leave school midway through Year 12.
Not sure what she wanted to do, she worked for a time in hospitality, but soon found herself drawn to the wine industry.
She has spent the last three years working at the Hawke’s Bay Wine Company in Pandora and says that she has learnt a lot from the experience.
“I started not knowing anything and then worked my way up to being second in charge and running a night shift for all my last vintage.”
She considered studying Wine Science and Viticulture at EIT, but says she did not really want to be a winemaker. However, she received a wonderful opportunity when she was awarded a Woman in Winemaking Mentorship from the New Zealand Wine Association for six months.
“That paired me up with a lady who works at Wineworks in Hastings and I was catching up with her once a month for six months. I was in there to figure out what I wanted to do, and Sophie, my mentor, was really awesome.
“It was there that I decided that I wanted to do engineering, so Sophie got me into Wineworks for eight weeks, to see if I liked it. I did so I signed up for the programme at EIT in July.”
That programme is the NZ Certificate in Mechanical Engineering (Level 3) and it will set Courtney up to still work in the wine industry, where engineering is required in tank building, presses or working on machines.
She knows she is now in the right place and is enjoying the mechanical engineering programme.
She says that while she realises that mechanical engineering is still male-dominated, she is enjoying her classmates and says her tutors are “awesome”.
“You never will get stuck as there is always someone to help you.”
Courtney particularly enjoys the fabrication course and says she is looking forward to completing the second year of her apprenticeship next year.
She is currently working part-time as a petrol attendant in Greenmeadows while she studies, but she is looking forward to beginning her new career.
EIT Engineering Tutor Patrick Doohan said: “As Courtney’s tutor, I’m proud of her positive start in the mechanical engineering program at EIT.”
“Her transition from the wine industry to engineering shows her determination. She excels in her courses, especially fabrication, and she always bring a positive attitude to her work. Courtney’s initiative in seeking mentorship and hands-on experience reflects her commitment to her future.”
17 October 2024 – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua (RBNZ) has released its first voluntary Climate-related Disclosure – Ngā Whakapuaki e Pā ana ki te Āhuarangi for FY2023/24, outlining our progress in understanding, monitoring, and managing climate-related risks.
Assistant Governor Simone Robbers says climate change has the potential to present significant risks to both the financial system and the real economy, particularly during downturns.
“This disclosure details the steps we are taking to enhance RBNZ’s resilience to risks while supporting the transition to a climate-resilient, low-emissions economy,” Ms Robbers says.
Disclosing climate-related risks and opportunities is becoming a mainstream practice among private and public sector organisations globally, and we are committed to keep pace with industry best practice.
“We are kaitiaki (guardians) of New Zealand’s financial ecosystem,” says Ms Robbers.
“Anything that challenges the stability of the financial system and our economy, such as climate-related risks, is our core business. We will continue to demonstrate transparency in future disclosures, playing our part in building a climate resilient financial system.”
Our disclosures are guided by the Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS), which provides a framework tailored to meet the needs of central banks and supervisors. While the Aotearoa New Zealand Climate Standards (NZ CS) are well-suited for private sector entities, the NGFS approach allows us to address the distinct challenges we face.
Ms Robbers has co-chaired the NGFS workstream ‘Net Zero for Central Banks’ alongside Paolo Angelini, Deputy Director General for Financial Supervision and Regulation for Banca D’Italia since 2022, which includes the subgroup on disclosures for central banks that we now co-lead alongside the Bank of England.
Our inaugural disclosure is focused primarily on ‘baseline’ disclosures — the foundational information that the NGFS recommend central banks should provide. Going forward, we aim to incorporate more of the NGFS ‘building block’ disclosures, which relate to advanced components of central bank climate-related risk identification and management.
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua (RBNZ) has released its first voluntary Climate-related Disclosure – Ngā Whakapuaki e Pā ana ki te Āhuarangi for FY2023/24, outlining our progress in understanding, monitoring, and managing climate-related risks.
The Government’s relentless focus on welfare that works and holding job seekers accountable through sanctions saw a year-on-year increase in the number of people moving from benefits into work in the September quarter, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says.
“Despite the economic gloom the Government inherited, 16,071 people cancelled their Jobseeker Support benefits because they found work between July and September, an increase of 2457 people, or 18 per cent, on a year ago.
“This coincided with a 133.3 per cent increase in the number of benefit sanctions being issued. It’s clear that returning consequences for job seekers who don’t fulfil their obligations to prepare for or find work is having an impact.
“All up, 18,516 people cancelled a main benefit because they found workin the September quarter, an increase of 12.7 per cent, and I congratulate all of them.
“There is more to do as the lingering effects of the cost-of-living crisis continue to increase overall benefit numbers. But I’m pleased the greater focus on frontline case management, community job coaching, and more regular work seminars that our Welfare that Works reforms have delivered is helping job seekers.
“It is encouraging to see the amount of hardship assistance handed out by MSD reduce by 10.4 per cent, saving taxpayers $55.2 million, with fewer grants for food and emergency housing the main reason.
“The Government has worked hard to get inflation under control, return discipline to public spending, and get families out of emergency housing. Coupled with tax relief, falling interest rates and our FamilyBoost childcare payments, large numbers of New Zealanders are better off than they were a year ago.
“More work is needed to fix the damage that years of low growth has had on our employment market, but there are green shoots of change in these latest figures.”
Benefit Fact Sheets for the September 2024 quarter can be found here
Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
4 mins ago
James McKinley-Blake is currently in his second year of the Bachelor of Business Studies (Marketing and Management).
James McKinley-Blake always had a dream of starting his own business, so he decided to act on it by enrolling in a business programme at EIT.
James, who was born in Australia and grew up in Hawke’s Bay, decided to take a gap year to work in retail and ponder his future after completing his final year at Napier Boys’ High.
“I was really interested in the arts and science and thought that’s what I wanted to do, but when I got to the end of my final year at school, I was a bit unsure of where I wanted to go to.”
“I took a gap year to think about what I actually wanted to do before I hopped into making this decision. But during that time, I always had the passion to start up or eventually manage my own business.”
“I thought business studies would be perfect. I saw that it was advertised at EIT and I thought, why not? Let’s do it, see what happens and I’m really enjoying it.”
James, 20, is currently in his second year of the Bachelor of Business Studies (Marketing and Management) at EIT Hawke’s Bay and he is loving it.
However his time at EIT got off to a tough start because the programme started the day before Cyclone Gabrielle struck, and the campus had been closed as a precaution. The classes were moved online and then moved off campus.
“The lecturers were great. They handled it well and just got into it. But when we ended up getting back to campus, you could tell a significant difference with that interaction because, personally, I prefer that face-to-face interaction.”
“Personally, I didn’t know what to expect with the business studies. I did go to an open day and heard about it for a bit, but when I got into it, it was a lot more than what I thought.”
James says that he would have no hesitation in recommending the Bachelor of Business at EIT.
“I may explore the sciences or arts a bit later in life, but at the moment just to build a steady foundation for my business, the business studies course is really enjoyable.”
He says that he is interested in starting his own business within horticulture or agriculture, but is keeping his options open.
He says he is also open to continuing studying and may look to do the Postgraduate Diploma in Business at EIT after he finishes his degree.
“James has already proven himself to be a conscientious student who is focused on his goals and impressed his lecturers with a positive and mature attitude,” says Russell Booth, Programme Co-ordinator for the Bachelor of Business Studies at EIT.
“He has also been discussing with me ways he can expand his experience whilst at EIT through applying for the Prime Minister’s Scholarship and has volunteered his time to help other students as a valued peer mentor. James is already making his intentions clear that he intends on taking advantage of every opportunity he can whilst studying at EIT and for someone like James, we are more than happy to help in whatever way we can!” says Russell.
New Qualtrics study reveals top employee experience trends in New Zealand for 2025
Qualtrics today released the sixth annual Employee Experience Trends report, revealing critical insights into the state of employee experience and the modern workplace to help businesses and people leaders improve employee experience, boost productivity, and drive wellbeing in 2025.
Drawing on 35,000 responses across 23 countries – including 1,065 from New Zealand – the study reveals employees are being held back by chaotic workplaces, dispels common workplace stereotypes of younger workers, a concerning level of employee trust in leaders, the importance of first and last impressions to employee success and brand image, and how AI inertia is creating organisational and operational risk.
The 2025 Employee Experience Trends from Qualtrics:
2025’s best employers will make work less chaotic
Young employees ARE optimistic
Employee experiences are being ruined by entry and exit
As many companies have continued to change working models, systems, and processes for the modern workplace in the years since the pandemic, a disparity has emerged between business focuses and employee needs. Workers in New Zealand are more engaged when their employer’s culture and processes empower them to adapt to customer needs, and when there is a focus on having a positive impact in the world. However, more often than not organisations are failing to meet their employees’ expectations in these areas with workers rating these attributes as some of the lowest scoring areas. Growing pressure to increase productivity could also be having the opposite effect. Employees who feel under the pump are less engaged, have lower levels of well-being, and more likely to leave.
“Over the past few years workers in New Zealand and across the globe have been dealing with relentless change. It’s no surprise many have reached their breaking point,” said Dr. Cecelia Herbert, Workplace Behavioural Scientist, Qualtrics XM Institute.
“Work has somehow become even more chaotic since the pandemic as employers pursue short-term wins and try to adapt ways of working for modern realities. Yet for a number of years now the best employee experiences are about how and why work gets done – and these two aspects are the most impactful pathway to sustainable productivity and positive people outcomes.”
Top 5 drivers of employee engagement
% of employees favourable to driver
I am proud of this organisation’s efforts to have a positive impact on the world
66%
This organisation’s processes enable me to effectively meet my customers’ needs
72%
I am encouraged to develop new and better ways of serving customers
69%
Senior leadership responds to feedback from employees
60%
Overall, I feel that my career goals can be met at this organisation
65%
Young employees ARE often the most optimistic and driven
Contrary to popular belief, young employees are often a businesses’ most engaged, motivated, and optimistic. In fact, the only employee experience indicator where younger generations lag, unsurprisingly, is their intent to stay.
“It’s time to end the scapegoating of young employees for workplace woes. These mindsets are crushing the optimism and fresh thinking younger workers bring to the workplace, creating a scenario that benefits no-one,” adds Dr. Herbert. “Younger workers live in and will inherit a very different world than generations of the past. Rather than bemoan their low intent to stay, leaders should focus on ways to nurture their growth and creativity, stretch their skills, and ultimately capture the enthusiasm to set the workforce up for success for generations to come.”
Age
Engagement
Can challenge the traditional way of doing things
Believe the organisation has an outstanding future
Would recommend this organisation’s products / services
Feel they can meet their career goals
Feel paid fairly
Intent to stay 3+ years
18-24
70%
67%
81%
77%
68%
68%
49%
25-34
67%
64%
71%
73%
69%
62%
46%
35-44
70%
65%
73%
77%
65%
64%
52%
45-54
62%
55%
66%
74%
55%
58%
59%
55+
61%
48%
70%
75%
61%
63%
53%
Substandard first and last impressions hinder success
The candidate and entry experience is one of the lowest rated employee journeys, which sets us up for engagement, wellbeing, and intent-to-stay issues further down the line. For instance, just 28% of employees with less than one-year tenure with their current employer plan to stay for 3+ years, compared to 46% of workers with 1-5 years and 67% of those with 5+ years. Employees often report a similar poor employee experience at the exit stage, meaning they are leaving with a negative perception.
“Every organisation’s brand and reputation is heavily influenced by the stories people tell about applying for a job and what it was like working there. Getting these first and final impressions right are key strategic levers, but right now they are being overlooked, meaning employees are negatively impacted before they have even worked their first day,” said Dr. Herbert.
Slightly more than half of local workers (56%) believe their bosses will prioritise employee wellbeing over short-term business gains. This finding suggests a lack of trust in leaders by their employees, which needs critical attention if organisations are to positively influence employee experience indicators in 2025.
“The relationship between employees and their leaders is getting more and more tense, fuelled by decisions to roll-back investments in DEI or sustainability, poorly managed workplace change, and more. While trust is hard to earn and maintain during times of disruption and uncertainty, our study shows its impact is huge on both business and people-focused outcomes, which is why leaders need to know how to cultivate it in 2025,” said Dr. Herbert.
Agree 2025
Global
Senior leaders in my organisation prioritise people’s wellbeing above immediate profit or gains (benevolence)
56%
56%
Senior leaders in my organisation have the skills and knowledge needed to do their job well (competence)
67%
68%
The behaviour of senior leadership is consistent with this organisation’s values (integrity)
65%
67%
AI inertia creates risk as employees outpace companies on AI adoption
Despite touting AI as the solution to lifting productivity, only 44% of employees in New Zealand say their organisation is providing AI enablement and training. A similar number (49%) say their company has AI guidelines, ethics or principles. Compounding the issue, 63% of workers believe decision makers understand new technologies well enough to manage them effectively. This lack of AI enablement and trust to deliver the change creates significant operational and organisational risk, with more than half of employees opting to use AI tools they’ve found themselves, and 41% using them daily or weekly.
“It is not employee resistance holding back workplace progress with AI. The real inertia stems from the lack of the tools, training, and guidance employees need in the modern workplace. AI training and enablement must be a key strategic priority as its impact is exponential – from addressing security and operational risks, driving improved business outcomes, and ultimately creating an environment where employees and employers co-create the future of work,” said Dr. Herbert.
Agree
Global average
My organisation provides training and enablement on the use of AI tools
44%
52%
My organisation has clear principles, ethics or guidelines on the use of AI tools
49%
52%
I am involved in deciding how my job will be done in the future
Qualtrics, the leader of the experience management category, is a cloud-native software platform that empowers organizations to deliver exceptional experiences and build deep relationships with their customers and employees. With insights from Qualtrics, organizations can identify and resolve the greatest friction points in their business, retain and engage top talent, and bring the right products and services to market. Nearly 20,000 organizations around the world use Qualtrics’ advanced AI to listen, understand, and take action. Qualtrics uses its vast universe of experience data to form the largest database of human sentiment in the world. Qualtrics is co-headquartered in Provo, Utah and Seattle. To learn more, please visit qualtrics.com.
Source:Association of Salaried Medical Specialists
Doctors, nurses, practice owners and colleges have joined to express their strong reservations to the Government over plans to sanction and regulate the employment of physician associates in the New Zealand health system.
Health unions ASMS, NZRDA, NZNO and APEX, along with the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners and College of Nurses of Aotearoa New Zealand, and the General Practice Owners Association Aotearoa GENPRO have written to the Minister of Health Dr Shane Reti before he brings any formal proposal on physician associates to Cabinet.
“There is no task that a physician associate would potentially perform, that is not already being undertaken by a currently regulated health worker who is already trained and employed here in Aotearoa,” says ASMS Executive Director Sarah Dalton.
“Right now it appears the Government is not providing the funding to employ enough doctors and nurses. The last thing we should do is spend time and money setting up a new system of vocational registration for a whole new profession when the Government isn’t currently spending enough to fund the existing workforces.”
“All the signatories to this letter support growing the health workforce and want to ensure primary and secondary health care is staffed to safe levels, more people can train as healthcare professionals, and more patients get timely and equitable access to healthcare. It just makes sense to do that through existing occupations rather than inventing new ones.”
What is section 77? Section 77 of the Privacy Act says that at any time after receiving a complaint, and before investigating, the Commissioner may decide to use best endeavours to try to resolve a complaint and seek a reassurance from the agency concerned that the issue that led to the complaint has now been rectified. Usually, we do this by way of a conciliation meeting between the parties, facilitated by an OPC staff member. Whats a conciliation?
Conciliation is a form of alternative dispute resolution. It’s similar to mediation, except the third party neutral has expertise in the issue in dispute. We use conciliation to explore settlement of complaints where it appears an investigation may not be necessary, but there is a privacy issue to be resolved.
When your organisation receives a privacy complaint from someone you need to act quickly and decisively. Individuals need to try and work with
organisations first to resolve their complaint before they can complain to the Privacy Commissioner, so its important that you have a process to deal with complaints.
Read more detailed guidance on handling privacy complaints in our Poupou Matatapo guidance. Step one: acknowledge the complaint
Your organisation should do this as quickly as possible. Outline your understanding of the issue and say who at your organisation will be looking into the complaint (who is your privacy officer). Provide clear, reasonable timeframes and provide regular updates on progress if you cant meet the timeframes. Its always better to under promise and over deliver. Step two: listen to complainant
Understand the complainants main concerns so that you can address the right issue.
That is why Kāinga Ora is teaming up with New Zealand’s oldest and largest animal welfare charity, SPCA, and some Northland vet clinics to offer hundreds of customers in Whangarei and Kaitaia the opportunity to get their cats and dogs desexed at no charge.
The SPCA will cover the costs involved and the teams at Top Vets in Kaitaia and the Mog and Dog Desexing Clinic in Whangārei will carry out the procedures.
“Pets can be great companions and support people’s wellbeing, which is why Kāinga Ora is a pet-friendly landlord and happy to consider applications from customers who want to have pets in their home,” says Jordan Seymour, Manager Housing and Wellbeing Support for Northland.
“We have a partnership with SPCA because we want to encourage our customers to be responsible pet owners. Getting pets desexed is a responsible thing to do, but the costs can be a barrier for some of our customers because they are living on very low incomes.
“When SPCA approached us about taking part in a campaign aimed at getting more cats and dogs in Northland desexed, we were keen to jump onboard because we know some of our properties do have large numbers of un-desexed cats and dogs.
“With SPCA covering the cost of desexing for our customers pets, we’re hoping to avoid the problems caused by unwanted litters,’’ says Jordan.
Over the coming weeks, Top Vets in Kaitaia will desex up to 200 cats and 200 dogs belonging to local Kāinga Ora customers, and a similar number of cats and dogs from Kāinga Ora homes in Whangārei will be desexed by the Mog and Dog Desexing Clinic. Pets receiving the surgeries will also be microchipped at no cost.
“We’re pleased to be able to team up with Kāinga Ora to offer these important services to pet owners who may be struggling,” says Rebecca Dobson, National Desexing Programme Manager at SPCA. “Desexing is vital in bringing down the number of unwanted animals in these communities, and we know cost is often a barrier for pet owners especially during a cost-of-living crisis.
“We’re also covering the costs of microchipping, as we believe it’s an important part of responsible pet ownership. Microchipping gives pets the best possible chance at being reunited with their families if they’re ever lost,” says Ms Dobson.
New Zealand Tongan actor JP Foliaki has won TVNZ’s Celebrity Treasure Island and done it for his home in South Auckland, and for children and young people in the Pacific.
“As a charity, (ChildFund) provide fresh water to the Pacific. It’s one thing to be for your community here in New Zealand, but it’s another thing to look out for your people back home.”
“All of us at ChildFund, from our teams in Auckland, to the teams in Tarawa and the islands of Kiribati and Honiara and Temotu Province in Solomon Islands thank JP with all our hearts for his win tonight,” says CEO of ChildFund, Josie Pagani.
The $100k win will now go to ChildFund’s work in the Pacific, bringing clean water to children and their families who otherwise would not have easy access to drinking water.
“It is unacceptable in 2024 that 1 in 10 deaths for children under 5 years in parts of the Pacific is linked to diarrhea, vomiting and dirty water. This is a problem that is fixable. So let’s fix it,” says CEO of ChildFund Josie Pagani.
The Pacific has some of the highest rates of preventable deaths for children in the world, due largely to dirty water.
ChildFund is bringing clean water to children in Kiribati and Solomon Islands, and will expand its programmes across the region over the next year.
“The Pacific is our home and for many New Zealanders these children are our extended family. We can’t fix all the problems in the world but we can make a difference in the place we call home too.”
“This is how we can help to power the Pacific’s future by making sure children and young people have a decent chance at learning skills and getting an education – rather than getting sick or worse, says Josie Pagani.
Dirty water is linked to diarrhea and vomiting, and causes some of the highest numbers of preventable child deaths in the Pacific:
– 1 in 10 deaths for children under 5 years in Kiribati
– 1 in 14 deaths for children under 5 years in Solomon Islands
– Only 16% of school children In Solomon Islands, have clean, safe water
– Only 27% of households in Kiribati have access to clean, safe water
JP’s win will help to complete the following projects:
– Rebuild a water pipe and pump system that will provide water to 3,000 people in 18 communities as well as the local school the Temotu Province of Solomon Islands
– Provide families in some of the 33 islands and atolls of Kiribati with 10 litre Solvatten units that use solar energy to purify water in just a few hours. Each unit can provide 6,000 litres of safe drinking water every year.
– Install 75 litre solar powered distillation tanks at pre-schools, schools and community centres – giving children access to clean safe drinking water every day.
–Build rainwater harvesting infrastructure (roofs and gutters) to capture precious, albeit infrequent rain.
“We would also like to thank the teams and crew at Celebrity Treasure Island for making this possible, and all the New Zealanders who continue to support our work.”
For every dollar donated, the New Zealand government provides an additional $4
AUCKLAND, Thursday 17 October 2024: The countdown to Tuia 2024 has begun, and in less than a week Māori leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators will gather in Hamilton for an event focused on providing insights and mobilising action that will shape Māori business and industry for future generations.
There has been a transformative shift in the country’s population, with one million people identifying as Māori and nearly 30 per cent of New Zealanders under 25 as Māori. The Service sector contributes over $120 billion yearly to the GDP, which accounts for about 30 per cent of our country’s economic activity. Within the Service sector are an estimated 130,000 Māori, including around 7,000 Māori-owned businesses contributing over $14 billion in GDP. This represents a significant pillar of New Zealand businesses and the future workforce, with the Māori economy valued at $70 billion in GDP.
Tuia 2024 is hosted by Ringa Hora, one of six industry-led workforce development councils established to ensure that vocational education meets industry needs and gives a stronger voice to Māori business and iwi development through qualification development and skills leadership.
With sessions structured around the Māori economy, mobilising Māori business and mokopuna futures, the event will explore the journey of Māori industry, recognise excellence, and drive innovation to ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for our mokopuna.
Ringa Hora Poumatua, Ben Ngaia, says, “Tuia 2024 is an opportunity for attendees to celebrate the achievements of Māori, learn from our shared experiences, and mobilise for a prosperous future. We know vocational education plays an important part in building the skills of our future workforce to help our mokopuna achieve success.”
Ringa Hora will welcome the attendees and a premium lineup of speakers on the day: Tahu Kukutai, Professor of Demography at the National Institute of Demographic and Economic Analysis, University of Waikato, Tahana Tippet-Tapsell, General Manager of Culture and Legacy at Tūaropaki Trust, James Whetu, Consultant and Owner Operator of Durham Street Precinct in Ngāruawāhia, Brittany Teei, board member of Whāriki Māori business network and Poutama Trust, Anton Matthews, business owner of Hustle Group and advocate for Te Reo Māori, and Dan Te Whenua Walker, experienced business development leader for Microsoft and Deputy Chair of Māori Tourism.
Keynote speaker Tahu Kukutai says, “Our current data tells a powerful story of Māori resilience—today, with a population nearing one million, Māori are a thriving, youthful force in Aotearoa. With Māori comprising a growing share of those entering the workforce, the smart move is to plan for this future”.
Ringa Hora will also present a preview of their research, Tirohia ki Tua, which delves into the profound impact Māori have had on the Service sector and the success of Māori entrepreneurship through applying Te Ao Māori values, while capturing the aspirations of attendees for their mokopuna.
“As Māori, our potential within the Service sector is limitless, and Tirohia ki Tua offers an opportunity to reflect on our entrepreneurial legacy and envision the future we’re building for our mokopuna,” says Camilla Karehana, Strategic Advisor Māori.
Projectworks secures US$5m in Series A funding round
The round values the company at NZ$100m
New US-based CEO to turbocharge North American expansion
Funds will be used to build a Silicon Valley development team Wellington office to expand
17 October 2024 New Zealand-founded startup Projectworks is turbocharging its North American expansion after a successful USD$5 million (NZD$8.2 million) Series A capital raise and the appointment of a US-based chief executive Mark Orttung.
The latest round, which includes both existing and some new shareholders, values the company at NZ$100m – a stunning achievement in just five years. The management software company has experienced explosive growth since being founded in 2019 by Wellington entrepreneurs Julian Clarke, Matthew Hayter and Doug Taylor.
Projectworks’ capital raise was led by U.S.-based Bridgewest Group, with contributions from Orttung and existing shareholders including local venture capital firm Punakaiki Fund and the founders.
Dr. Masood Tayebi, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bridgewest Group said, “The growth that Projectworks has achieved is extraordinary and we look to continued success. They are well positioned in a market that is rapidly evolving, where opportunities are vast. They have a top-notch management team with their sights firmly set on growth and customer success. We are thrilled to have led and completed this Series A round to fuel its strategic expansion into the US.”
New CEO for U.S. growth
New CEO Mark Orttung joined Projectworks in March and says he came on board after being impressed with the founders and the company’s ambition.
“Joining Projectworks was a natural fit. Its founders are innovators who think about problems differently, creating entirely fit-for-purpose solutions.
“There is a huge opportunity for Projectworks in the US market and this injection of funding will fuel our expansion into the U.S., and meet significant demand in the mid-market services industries we serve.
“The funding will be used for a number of initiatives, including to drive global customer acquisition, increase our investment in R&D, and build out a Silicon Valley-based product and engineering team.
“This will all help create a powerful platform for Projectworks to expand throughout the U.S. and other markets.
Hayter, former CEO and now President and Chief Product Officer, says, “Orttung’s appointment was made after I came to realise we have the product, the team, the market, and the timing to build a truly significant, global software business.”
Orttung is well qualified, having held senior executive positions in many successful companies. His track record includes President and Chief Operating Officer of bill.com (now listed on the NYSE), founder and CEO of Nexient, one of America’s largest cloud-based services businesses (acquired by NTT Data in 2021) and leadership roles in GetThere and Genesys, both of which went to IPO.
Kiwi built
Projectworks’ exceptional performance won it 557th place in this year’s coveted Inc 5000 list, due to the company’s ~800% revenue growth within three years. Projectworks expects its growth to continue, with North America as its key future market.
The Wellington-founded company attracted strong investor support early, including Bridgewest Group and local VC, Punakaiki Fund.
Nadine Hill, partner at Punakaiki Fund, says: “Punakaiki Fund is a strong supporter of Projectworks. The team has done an incredible job of building momentum across the globe.
“They embody our distinct preference for teams relentlessly focused on building world-class solutions.”
Hayter, who remains in New Zealand, expects the Wellington team to expand to support the growth.
“We’re incredibly proud of the impact Projectworks has on the lives and businesses of our customers. Mark is at the helm, I’m running product development and management, and we have the resources and team to keep spreading that impact across the global consulting industry.”
Projectworks, which offers intuitive, innovative professional services automation software, is known for delivering fit-for-purpose solutions for service companies. It now provides over 500 mid-market consultancies around the world with a complete, easy-to-use platform that allows them to run more profitable projects and businesses.
Notes
About Projectworks
Projectworks is professional services automation software that was founded in 2019, after being created from within a software services firm. It now provides over 500 mid-market consultancies around the world. Projectworks recently completed a strategic move to relocate its NZ headquarters to the U.S. to meet increased demand in the North American markets.
What customers say
Cam Brookes, Founder and Managing Director of Kiandra says, “What we got with Projectworks was really aligned with the way we wanted our business to work. It’s truly a system built for services businesses. It is what we would have built if we were to have done it ourselves.”
About Mark Orttung
Mark Orttung joined Projectworks as CEO in March this year. Orttung, who is based in the San Francisco Bay Area, was previously COO at Bill.com, which builds fintech solutions for small and medium businesses, and CEO at Nexient, America’s largest 100% US-based software services partner, focused on Agile development and business acceleration. Orttung has been on the Projectworks board since January 2023.
The Government has today released targeted actions to improve road safety that are focused on increasing road policing and enforcement, targeting the highest contributing factors to fatal crashes, and delivering new and safe roading infrastructure, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.
Increased alcohol breath testing and introducing roadside drug testing
Reviewing penalties for traffic offences
Identifying opportunities to improve the driver licensing system
Building and maintaining our road network to a safe standard
“Motorists and freight should be able to travel around our road network, quickly and safely. Improving road safety is a priority for our Government to keep Kiwis safe and increase productivity to improve outcomes for all New Zealanders,” Mr Brown says.
The road safety objectives build on the Government Policy Statement on land transport 2024, outlining several road safety actions over the next three years that target the highest contributors to DSIs.
“Alcohol and drugs are the highest contributing factor to fatal crashes on our roads, and that’s why we have set clear targets to ensure Police are focussed on the most high-risk times, behaviours, and locationsto crack down on this reckless behaviour.
“Over 850,000 more alcohol breath tests were undertaken on our roads in 2023/24 compared to the previous year, saving 37 lives across the country. We know that alcohol breath testing and drug testing are incredibly effective at saving lives.
“We all have a part to play in improving road safety. While we are prioritising road policing and enforcement to improve road safety, road users also need to take personal responsibility for their actions on the road. That’s why this plan includes reviewing penalties for traffic offences to ensure they reflect the seriousness of putting other drivers at risk, and identifying opportunities to improve the driver licence system.”
Building new Roads of National Significance (RoNS) and increasing road maintenance through a proactive approach will also achieve a safer road network.
“The RoNS built by the previous National Government are some of New Zealand’s safest roads. Road fatalities in the Kāpiti District have reduced by 71 percent since the opening of the Mackays to Peka Peka section of the Kāpiti Expressway in 2017. We are continuing this track record with investment in 17 safe RoNS across the country to enable Kiwis to get where they want to go, quickly and safely.”
Police have completed all but one of the original requirements that were set out in a Compliance Notice issued by OPC in December 2021.
The notice was issued to require Police to stop unlawfully collecting photographs and biometric prints from members of the public, particularly young people, and to delete unlawfully collected material stored on their systems, including mobile phones. Privacy Commissioner Michael Webster says, Id like to acknowledge the significant work Police has done in the past two years to complete most of the notice requirements. I know from their regular reporting that theyve improved training and now have procedures and policies that help officers understand how sensitive these photos are.
Erosion-prone banks, sedimented estuaries and waterways smothered with all the worst weeds. This is the confronting riverscape in Doubtless Bay on Northland’s east coast.
Scratch below the surface though and you find secretive native fish, kōura and insects thriving in little pockets, excellent swimming holes, hapū who care deeply for their awa and whenua, and a community that totally supports work to restore the rivers. It’s for their children, mokopuna and future generations.
Climate change effects in the bay
DOC’s Ngā Awa river ranger Maddy Jopling lives in the area and has seen issues with flooding, erosion and pollution after storms and heavy rain first-hand. She’s not alone.
Farmers have come to fear heavy rain warnings, knowing they will be faced with costs to move and repair fences. Slips destabilise plantation forests and add to fine sediment being carried downstream. Hapū have noticed the loss of prime cockle beds near the Taipā River mouth in the last 20 years. Lifestyle block owners are concerned about the rivers nibbling away at their land and its value diminishing.
“We’re already seeing climate change happening here with more intense weather and more frequent, damaging floods,” says Maddy.
“And sadly, there are other things we’ll have to contend with in the future, such as worse droughts, increased risk of wildfires and sea-level rise affecting land around the coast.”
Taipā River estuary where hapū have noticed increased sediment and falling numbers of cockles in the last 20 years. Image credit: Sarah Wilcox.
Healthy rivers need healthy land
Maddy’s job as river ranger for Doubtless Bay is to work with hapū and community to restore the biodiversity of the rivers from source to sea. The bay’s three rivers and their tributaries are treated as a single catchment, so there’s a big area involved.
“It’s critical to think about the future when planting or restoring habitat for native species in Doubtless Bay. Otherwise we won’t get the improvements in river health and biodiversity that we all want.”
A local hapū collective and many local landowners, groups and agencies are interested in or are already involved in restoration work. There is also support from industry representatives.
“The hapū collective wanted to know more about how climate change is likely to affect their rohe and what they could do now to build resilience. I’d also heard a lot of people talk about how the trees they’d put in had collapsed or fencing that had been washed away by floods.”
River ranger Maddy Jopling pointing out locations of the day’s site visits. Image credit: Sarah Wilcox.
Equipping the community with best practice revegetation information
Maddy says she saw an opportunity for DOC to support future work by providing best-practice, practical information to help advise and prioritise restoration planting in the catchment.
“We wanted to help people make the best decisions about what to plant where and how to tackle the really difficult issues.
“People also told me about what had worked for them in the past. So when we were setting up the project, we knew it was going to be important to visit a whole range of different places, especially those that are typical of many places here. It makes sense that local people know their land better than anyone.”
Drawing on ecology and mapping expertise
The project started with hapū, community members and DOC science and technical staff taking forest ecologist Dr Adam Forbes and mapping specialist Dr Brad Case on a tour of the catchment. The group visited more than 20 diverse sites in the in the Awapoko, Oruru and Oruaiti subcatchments over 3 days in late summer.
Brad Case presenting maps at a community seminar before the site visits. Image credit: Sarah Wilcox.
Based on this information and the site visits, the pair have created treatments for 12 different types of habitat in the catchment. The treatments outline possible changes to the vegetation to take climate change and human preferences into account, protect the coast and freshwater and restore wetlands.
Adam says visiting all the different sites in Doubtless Bay was really important.
Adam Forbes discussing revegetation options on a site visit. Image credit: Sarah Wilcox.
“I couldn’t have done this without going to the sites and talking to everyone. It enabled me to find out what’s out there and what the issues are.”
He has mined a range of databases to create the treatments, drawing on list of plants for the area, planting densities, flammability ratings and listed options to tackle some of the catchment’s big issues.
“I’ve included a list of species that are relevant for restoration in these catchments for both the pioneer stage and the enrichment stage, once the canopy has been established. There are some neat regionally specific endemic species included, which provide options for people.”
Adam has helpfully provided information on timing, risks, management, maintenance and avenues of support.
Some examples of revegetation treatments
One suggested treatment is for sites in the lower rivers where īnanga spawn. The areas are currently open and weedy with willows and poplars that can keel over into the river during floods. Adam suggests getting light native forest established, including species that īnanga favour for spawning.
Alligator weed, crack willow and ginger are among the profilic weeds established at many sites in the lower rivers. Image credit: Sarah Wilcox.
Another treatment is for steep hill country with a tendency to slip. These areas are currently in pasture but establishing native vegetation would stabilise the hillsides and reduce erosion downstream.
Mapping reveals hotspots for priority work
Brad has created a series of catchment maps that show different information about the catchment such as susceptibility to erosion and flooding. Overlaying the maps highlights hotspots where multiple issues overlap.
Adam has included many of these areas in his 12 revegetation treatments.
Map of the Doubtless Bay catchment showing vulnerability to climate change effects from lowest (green) to highest (red).
Maddy continues, “When I saw the catchment mapping, I was really excited about the fact that it will help us prioritise restoration as a community at a landscape scale.”
“When you’re going out and doing your restoration work, the scale can be quite overwhelming. There’s so much to do! But the way Brad’s done the modelling makes it really obvious where we need to focus a bit more effort from a climate change perspective.”
“Adam and Brad have shared the report and discussed their findings with the community already. We’re really interested in feedback though and will continue to work with the community to put the information into practice.”
About Ngā Awa river restoration programme
Taking a whole catchment approach, Ngā Awa is working in partnership with iwi, hapū and communities to restore the biodiversity of 12 rivers from mountains to sea. The three rivers in Doubtless Bay are one of the restoration catchments.
The programme’s goal is to see river ecosystems and species thriving from mountains to sea, which enrich people’s lives. This is achieved by collaborating with others, co-designing and co-leading with iwi, hapū and whānau and recognising climate change. Planning the restoration work is underpinned by sound technical and scientific advice.
From left, Adam Forbes, Brad Case and Tiger Tukariri (Matarahurahu, Kenana) checking possible sites to visit in the upper Oruaiti catchment. Image credit: Sarah Wilcox.
