Singapore with Qantas
Price: From $899 return
Class: Economy
Departs: Auckland
Arrives: Singapore
Airline: Qantas
Travel Dates: Sunday 21st of January 2018 until Thursday 22nd of November 2018
Description: Fly to Singapore from $899* return - ex Auckland with Qantas.
Ex Wellington or Christchurch from $999* return.
Sales Until: 16 Jan 18.
Travel Dates: 21 Jan - 04 Apr, 26 Apr - 22 Jun, 16 Jul - 11 Sep, 13 Oct - 22 Nov 18.
Closeout and blackout periods apply over school holidays and peak holiday periods & availability of seats is likely to be very limited over this time.
Conditions: * It is our policy to present the cost of our flights & holidays inclusive of all airport and government charges. Please accept however that these charges are not within our control, therefore we reserve the right to pass on any increase. Travel agent professional service fees where charged, will be additional to the advertised prices.
Dec 22, 2017 - Changes have been made to the $4.5million Unreinforced Masonry Building Securing Fund (URM Fund) in response to constraints building owners were facing while attempting to secure buildings. “Changes to the initiative will increase the flexibility of the URM Fund and allow it to be used for more activities,” says Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa.
“I am also seeking to extend the time before penalties are applied and I’ll make a further announcement about this and seek feedback on potential changes in the New Year.”
From mid-February 2018, building owners will be able to apply for:
up to $25,000 to secure either a single parapet or façade, or both (instead of $10,000 for a parapet and $15,000 for a façade) funding for work to remove non-heritage unreinforced masonry parapets and facades raising the funding cap to secure large and complex unreinforced masonry buildings.
Building owners can also apply to MBIE for funding towards the cost of an engineering assessment as soon as they receive an invoice from their engineer, rather than once all work has been completed.
The Hurunui/Kaikōura Earthquakes Recovery (Unreinforced Masonry Buildings) Order 2017 was introduced in February 2017 in response to heightened earthquake risk following the November 2016 Kaikōura earthquakes.
Earlier this year councils in affected areas identified buildings with unreinforced masonry elements that need to be secured to manage life safety risks. Building owners with unreinforced masonry parapets and facades that face into busy thoroughfares in Wellington, Hutt City, Blenheim and Hurunui were given a year (through to March 2018) to get this securing work done.
At that time, heightened seismic risk was expected to continue until December 2017. Updated forecasting shows that the heightened risk is still present, and is expected to continue for at least another six months. Securing work remains the most effective means of managing the life safety risks during this period.
While the affected councils and engineers have actively supported building owners to get the necessary work done, engineering and contracting capacity is stretched, and some buildings are larger and/or more complex to secure than anticipated.
“There can be no doubt we need to get this work done quickly, to ensure we are meeting our safety requirements, however these amendments respond to the practical constraints building owners and councils are facing. We are looking to give building owners more support to get this vital work done,” says Ms Salesa.
| A beehive release || December 22, 2017 |||
Dec 21, 2017 - A coalition of tech start-ups is using blockchain to build a database of small tea farmers in Malawi to improve supply chain transparency. The tool, which is being piloted by both Unilever and Sainsbury’s as well as several international banks, uses a number of different technologies to gather and record standardised information on small farmers and producers, including quality and price.
Dec 21, 2017 - The continual stream of reports discussing the future of the Port of Auckland continue to highlight the value of the port to the city and to the wider economy, says EMA’s CEO Kim Campbell. "If anything, the current stream of reports show that we don’t need more reports," says Mr Campbell.
"What we need is a plan and that was outlined in the Port Future Study that was finally adopted by Council a couple of months ago.
"The Auckland Council’s continual asking for more reports because they don’t like the answer is not the solution; but it is a waste of money.
"For example, there have been two reports that found the right thing to do to accommodate the large cruise ships that we want in Auckland was the proposed dolphin structure with a fixed walkway.
"The first report was completed by the Port, but Council didn’t like the answer so commissioned an independent report from the Auckland Harbourmaster - same result and a waste of time and resources. "Just build the thing.
"Now we’ve got the anti-port groups complaining that there are two different reports placing different values on the worth of the cruise ships to Auckland. It doesn’t matter. The reports use different methodology, so come up with different answers. But both reports show the gains for the city are significant."
Mr Campbell said another report obtained under the Official Information Act by Radio New Zealand (RNZ) , also highlighted the value of the car industry to the Auckland Port and the cost of shifting it elsewhere.
"Do we really want Auckland to give away some or all of the 10,000 jobs highlighted in the report? Does Tauranga or Northland want to, or have the money to invest almost $200 million to take over the trade? And why did RNZ have to resort to the OIA to get the report out of Council?"
Mr Campbell pointed to the Port of Auckland’s recently-released plan to guide its investment for the next 30 years as the answer.
"The Board and the management of the Port of Auckland accept that a move will occur in the next 20-30 years but until a suitable alternative is found, funded and consented the Port must continue to operate as a key component of Auckland and New Zealand’s import and export infrastructure.
"The Port has a plan to put most of the cars in a multi-storey car park fronted by a concept for an outstanding legacy building. It has a plan to add just 13 metres to an existing wharf to accommodate the general cargo issues it currently faces and when that’s combined with the proposed dolphin structure, the cruise ships are also managed.
"And while we are getting on with that, can the Council and the Government please just get on and agree the solution for the America’s Cup bases, before that boat sails out of the harbour," Mr Campbell says.
| An EMA release || December 21, 2017 |||
Dec 21, 2017 - Taranaki engineering specialist Carac Group has beaten hundreds of other New Zealand companies to secure the Buy NZ Made Ultimate Hero Award for 2017 – confirming it as one of the most innovative and successful New Zealand Made companies in the country.
Each month over the past year, the Buy NZ Made Campaign has awarded monthly Hero status to 12 companies who have not only succeeded in doing a fantastic job promoting their NZ Made status but who have also excelled in other key commercial areas such as sustainability, employee satisfaction, innovation, domestic and international growth and diversification into new markets. All have stood out as outstanding New Zealand companies and represent the best of New Zealand Made business.
The 12 companies were voted on by the public over the month of November, with Carac Group securing the outright victory with remarkable results in taking its Kiwi-designed and engineered products to new markets all over the world, as well as domestically. Its innovative approach in designing ground-breaking trailer and towing products amongst other things was matched by an impressive ability to identify, define and exploit potential markets globally - something it has been doing with repeated success for the past three decades.
Of particular note was the remarkable story of its TrackGrip traction enhancer for vehicles which is now blazing a trail in the USA, Canada, UK and Australia as well as New Zealand and has massive further future potential.
“I am absolutely elated. We are so excited and I just didn’t believe it when we received the phone call," explained founder John Burling. "We have always been very proud of our NZ Made status and tell the world we are 100% Kiwi at every opportunity we can. It's especially rewarding to be recognised for our innovation, which we have always believed is a key ingredient for making any Kiwi company successful on the world stage."
As the Ultimate Hero, Carac will receive a trophy and certificate, artwork displaying their Ultimate Hero status and an advertorial in a magazine of their choice (from a selection of approved magazines) that includes information about their award, Buy NZ Made and other content of their choice.
Buy NZ Made announced 12 monthly winners during the past 12 months and will continue the initiative as a way to highlight and reward great New Zealand Made companies.
| A NZMade release || December 21, 2017 |||
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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