Qantas will launch daily direct flights between Melbourne and Tokyo’s Narita Airport from 16th December 2016,* responding to growing demand and marking the next step in its Asian growth strategy.
The new route will be operated by an upgraded, two-class A330-300 with 297 seats – the aircraft widely seen as best in class for the business market.
It adds to Qantas’ popular Sydney-Tokyo (Haneda) and Brisbane -Tokyo (Narita) services, launched in 2015, and will connect travellers with the broader Qantas Group network – including Jetstar’s extensive domestic network within Japan and the Group’s services across the Tasman.
United States is looking at a Restoration
“He was the heart, she was the head” confided a former Reagan-era cabinet member in a private conversation about the Clinton presidency. Yet otherwise Americans to any foreigner insist that Hillary Clinton will be new to the job. That she is running in fact as a first timer instead of running for re-election,.
Americans refuse to accept they are facing a Restoration.
The topic is taboo in the United States media all the way from the ultra-liberal East and West coast newspapers and television networks through to their right-leaning counterparts in the hinterland.
There are though several reasons for this code of utter silence writes our European correspondent:- *Americans are secretly ashamed at the re-appearance of exactly the same kind of monarchical political dynasties that their constitution was specifically designed to eliminate. They were reminded of this trend at the outset of this presidential series when Jeb Bush enlisted with a view to following in his own footsteps to the Oval Office those of his brother, and before that, those of his father. * Americans in fact cannot bring themselves to admit that a female, even in the role of a wife, was at least half the brain power in the Oval Office.*That even if the late Nancy Reagan was such a contender her influence was the accepted US apple pie role---that of supporting her husband in his work.
Hillary claims that there is a glass ceiling in regard to the Oval Office and given that for most of its existence half the United States population has been female the data supports her. It does indicate a mental block so reinforced that Americans cannot bring themselves even to think about the female politicians who have already led such nations as Britain, India, and Israel just to quote some examples.
Here is a pointer meanwhile to Hillary's participation in the last Clinton era..
In the run up to the first Clinton era Bill was against the North American Free Trade Agreement. Once installed as president, he actively and successfully sponsored NAFTA.
In the run up now to a second Clinton era Hillary has set herself against the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal.
Few doubt that if successful in her current campaign to restore a Clinton White House she will find good reasons to be positive about the deal once again.
A natural trade liberaliser, Mrs Clinton’s hand is surer when applied to politics in which practical considerations take precedence over ideology.
Her touch is less sure when applied to the abstract. An example remains the United States role in the democracy export business.
This became evident when as president Obama’s secretary of state she oversaw the US-sponsored Arab Spring. This turned out to be an example of the United States’ ability to turn a bad situation into something much worse.
Aside from NAFTA Mrs Clinton’s hand can be identified in a number of social shifts notably in the human rights category that were such a hallmark of the last Clinton era.
The reluctance of Americans to talk about their two-term Clinton co-presidency is however less of a mystery when viewed from a European stand point.
Europe has a history of executive queens. England’s Elizabeth 1 comes to mind. The United States does not.
The United States was founded by stern pilgrims with very definite views about the place of women in their society, and especially so in their government.
The influence of these wrathful religious founders is evident to this day to a European visiting the United States.
Yet it is not so clear cut for the Americans themselves steeped as they are in this un-bending puritan tradition. They still like to think that Bill, a man’s man if ever there was one, was the only decider. That Hillary somehow and for eight long years kept her own opinions, should she have had any, to herself.
From the MSCNewsWire reporters' desk - Monday 19 September 2016
Argenta, the New Zealand company dedicated to the creation, development and manufacture of products for the health of animals, is celebrating its 10th birthday this year.
Originally a small, South Auckland-based contract research company, Argenta is now a highly innovative and profitable international business with four locations in the US and New Zealand and 300 staff globally.
Argenta was borne out of a vision to create a company that could both invent, research and manufacture products for the global animal health industry – something that no other company was doing at the time. This specialty remains unique 10 years on.
“It’s quite unusual for a New Zealand company to find themselves in the position that Argenta finds itself in on its 10-year anniversary – it’s exciting and humbling, plus its pretty good going given there was a global financial crisis thrown in the mix,” says Argenta co-founder and managing director, Dr Doug Cleverly, who is based in Argenta’s South Auckland headquarters.
“We have matured as a company and are now being sought after by large American multinationals for both our research and manufacturing services, as well as for our intellectual property, which is pretty neat.
Argenta, the New Zealand company dedicated to the creation, development and manufacture of products for the health of animals, is celebrating its 10th birthday this year.
Originally a small, South Auckland-based contract research company, Argenta is now a highly innovative and profitable international business with four locations in the US and New Zealand and 300 staff globally.
Argenta was borne out of a vision to create a company that could both invent, research and manufacture products for the global animal health industry – something that no other company was doing at the time. This specialty remains unique 10 years on.
“It’s quite unusual for a New Zealand company to find themselves in the position that Argenta finds itself in on its 10-year anniversary – it’s exciting and humbling, plus its pretty good going given there was a global financial crisis thrown in the mix,” says Argenta co-founder and managing director, Dr Doug Cleverly, who is based in Argenta’s South Auckland headquarters.
“We have matured as a company and are now being sought after by large American multinationals for both our research and manufacturing services, as well as for our intellectual property, which is pretty neat.
“We have several IP license deals in play that increase the Mana of the business,” he says.
Earlier this year, the company opened a new, 13,500-square-metre manufacturing facility in Fort Dodge, Iowa, to complement its New Zealand operations and support continued growth in the US. The acquisition followed the company’s opening of a drug product research laboratory in the world-renowned science precinct of Kansas University, Lawrence, Kansas City in 2011, and the purchase of a New Jersey-based clinical contract research subsidiary, AlcheraBio, in 2008.
“Our latest expansion into the US has unleashed an unprecedented interest in our business, which is benefitting our American divisions, as well as bringing significantly more research business to New Zealand,” says Cleverly.
He says a key contributor to the company’s success story has been attracting a dedicated team of highly-skilled experts who are driven to excel.
“Argenta is a story of a collective vision to create exceptional products and do the right things by our clients. We take on projects that on the face of it are impossible, but we go out and do it. It’s a thinking and a culture that we strive to embrace as the company continues to grow”.
The engine behind Argenta’s growth and expansion has been research and innovation. Creating its own revenue streams, both in research, and subsequently in manufacturing, have a natural link to the company’s ability to innovate.
Cleverly comments: “Innovation has been a constant thread in the company’s development and we have invested heavily in this area, about $2 million per year, in particular over the past three or four years. It’s quite a commitment, but we believe it is important for sustainable growth and also one of the key reasons why clients want to talk to us.
“Like any investment into the unknown, innovation is a mix of trepidation and excitement. We find ourselves able to innovate with the world’s best but the leap into the research abyss is not taken without some anxiety,” he says.
Looking to the next 10 years, Argenta plans to focus on maximising investment in innovation, and to expand the business into the European market, and the Middle East or Asia.
Source: NZBIO
Auckland precision electro magnets manufacturer, Buckley Systems is involved in the development and manufacture of the nuBeam proton accelerator machine for an alternative cancer treatment that has been announced overnight in Helsinki, Finland.
Boron Neutron Capture Therapy is not a new treatment, but making it a practical proposition has only been possible as a result of co-operation between Buckley Systems and engineers who used to work for GT Advanced Technologies in Danvers, Massachusetts and a Helsinki medical team. A new company, Neutron Therapeutics, has been set up to make the technology viable as a compact, affordable and hospital ready source for a single neutron irradiation treatment.
"It’s a three way partnership," said Bill Buckley, the President of Buckley Systems. "We’re the machine experts, Danvers develops the equipment and the Finns have the medical knowledge and experience."
Wellington-based small business Method Recycling have won the $50,000 Westpac Growth Grant for 2016!
The company, co-founded by husband and wife team Steven and India Korner, creates stylish and functional recycling options for corporate offices.
Even though they’ve only been operating for a couple of years, they have already had great success, with customers in Australia,
“We’re a bit blown away to be honest”, Steven says. “We were privileged to being the top 6, but to take out the $50k, we’re pretty humbled by it.”
India agrees. “It will make such a difference to our business. We’ve got a good product and to really push it to the next level, it’s just amazing.”
Steven and India from Method
Steve and India spent three years designing the perfect rubbish bin for the modern and environmentally conscious corporate. Not only are the bins super stylish, but their stations are also easily customised so customers choose how many recycle bins they need, which recycling streams, and where they want them.
Steven says the Growth Grant will go towards their exporting goals to Australasia, and hopefully further afield too.
Source Westpac RedNews
Gross domestic product increased 0.9 percent in the June 2016 quarter, following a revised increase of 0.9 percent in the March 2016 quarter, Statistics New Zealand said today.
“Growth this quarter is being driven by strong domestic and export demand,” national accounts senior manager Gary Dunnet said. “Household spending was up 1.9 percent, with Kiwis spending more on going away, eating out, and furnishing their houses.”
Strong international demand saw exports increase 4.0 percent, with exports of goods posting its biggest quarterly increase in nearly 20 years. This increase was driven by exports of dairy products, meat, and fruit.
“Eleven of the 16 industries were up this quarter, with construction once again providing a boost to production.”
Construction grew 5.0 percent, with all construction sub-industries showing increases. This growth also reflected higher construction-related investment, with investment in residential building strongly increasing.
Service industries continued to grow, with a 0.7 percent increase. The main drivers were rental, hiring, and real estate services; retail trade; and health care.
GDP per capita increased 0.5 percent this quarter, following a 0.3 percent increase in the March quarter.
Annual GDP growth for the year ended June 2016 increased to 2.8 percent. The size of the economy in current prices was $252 billion.
The latest research shows the strength of manufacturing inNew Zealand – earning $22 billion in real GDP, employing 250,000 New Zealanders and growing regional economies around New Zealand. Manufacturing media weekly earnings are $959 per week, compared with the NZ economy as a whole - $882 per week. Manufacturing is expanding – and manufacturing is hiring.
Take a deep dive into the real story about manufacturing –recent growth stats... how NZ manufacturing is performing better than in Australia, USA, Europe and others... manufacturing is investing for future growth... manufacturing pumps over $12 billion in wages into NZ household each year... The importance of manufacturing to the New Zealand economy.
Houman Nikmanesh wanted a personal propulsion device to move himself or a small watercraft through the water. Along with his team at Bixpy he has developed the Bixpy Jet, a modular and portable water-jet propulsion system. The Bixpy Jet is currently running a Kickstarter campaign to fund their first five hundred production units.
The jet can be attached to a kayak or paddleboard to make their watercraft motorized, or an attachment will allow swimmers to be propelled through the water. The page says that an average adult can swim at a speed of 2.2 miles per hour with the jet, on a battery charge of 45 minutes.
The latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey shows Australian job seekers can expect to find the strongest employment opportunities in the Transport & Utilities sector as we head into the final quarter of 2016.
Of the 1,500 public and private employers surveyed, 20 per cent of Transport & Utilities employers indicated they intend to increase their headcount over the October and December timeframe, while the majority (76 per cent) said they would not make any change to their current workforce.
Palace of the Alhambra, Spain
By: Charles Nathaniel Worsley (1862-1923)
From the collection of Sir Heaton Rhodes
Oil on canvas - 118cm x 162cm
Valued $12,000 - $18,000
Offers invited over $9,000
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242
Mount Egmont with Lake
By: John Philemon Backhouse (1845-1908)
Oil on Sea Shell - 13cm x 14cm
Valued $2,000-$3,000
Offers invited over $1,500
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242