Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee has today announced three senior appointments to oversee New Zealand’s involvement in Expo 2020, being held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Ex-Chairman of Kensington Swan lawyers, Clayton Kimpton, has been appointed as New Zealand’s Commissioner-General to Expo 2020 and prominent business leaders, Dame Julie Christie and Christopher Luxon, have been appointed to a wider steering group.
“Expo 2020 presents a huge opportunity for New Zealand businesses to promote their goods and services into a region that has become one of New Zealand's fastest-growing markets outside China,” Mr Brownlee says.
“The value of our trade with the Gulf States region currently stands at $3.8 billion a year.
“Participating at Expo 2020 gives us a platform to increase this substantially, by positioning New Zealand businesses at the heart of where relationships are made, perceptions are formed and deals get done.
“Bringing Clayton Kimpton, Dame Julie Christie and Christopher Luxon into the fold will bring a wealth of real-world commercial experience.
“This experience will help guide the planning and direction we take with Expo 2020, ensuring decisions are made through a business lens, focused on what New Zealand companies need to maximise the significant economic and entrepreneurial opportunities on offer,” Mr Brownlee says.
| A Beehive release || June 20, 2017 |||
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China has approved formal access for New Zealand bovine blood products into the Chinese market, Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has announced today.
Access has been approved by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China (AQSIQ) for New Zealand premises to export bovine blood products, such as bovine protein and serum, to China. This follows successful negotiations by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).
“Formal access for New Zealand bovine blood products opens up enormous opportunities for our producers. These products represent a valuable market and we expect our exports will be in significant demand in China,” says Mr Guy.
“New Zealand now has market access for both finished and semi-finished products, which will mean exporters can attract a price-premium for these higher-value products. This is likely to be worth at least $50 million per year.
“We have an enviable disease status compared with many countries, which means our bovine blood products are widely sought after by a range of markets across the globe.”
Bovine serum and protein products are used in the animal pharmaceutical industry for manufacturing vaccines, diagnostic kits, laboratory testing media, and a range of specialised products.
New Zealand exported some bovine blood products to China prior to 2015, however formal access has now been negotiated providing more certainty.
Mr Guy made the announcement while visiting Proliant’s cattle blood product manufacturing plant in Feilding today.
Currently 16 premises have been registered by AQSIQ to export bovine blood products to China.
“This new access is a real bonus for the wider meat industry, the regions and our wider economy.”
| A Beehive release || June 22, 2017 |||
Engineering is a technical business with the specialised skills of engineers needed on projects all over the world.
Demonstrating the right qualifying titles at home and overseas is a necessity to working in this global industry, but titles should not hinder qualified engineers.
The presidents of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), Peter Wong and Engineers Australia's John McIntosh have taken steps to simplify the transfer of equivalent Australian and International titles and qualifications by renewing a longstanding agreement of mutual recognition last week.
The agreement was signed as part of celebrations at the CIBSE Australia and New Zealand 30th Anniversary function at the Melbourne Aquarium.
CIBSE ANZ chair, Paul Angus, said there is a mutual respect for the integrity of the registration process that both institutions adhere to. "This agreement gives our members equivalent footing in Australia and oversees,” he said.
Likewise, qualified Engineers Australia members will find gaining the international equivalent titles of IEng, CEng or EngTech simple through CIBSE.
Members of either Institution wishing to gain equivalent qualifications must apply though the host Institution.
Meanwhile, Thai Nguyen, a mechanical engineering (Hons) student of the University of New South Wales and Simon Green, a graduate building services rngineer from Arup specialising in mechanical engineering design have taken top prizes for the CIBSE ANZ Young Engineers Awards.
Thai was announced Mark Griffin Memorial Award – Student of the Year, having completed an outstanding brief for a sustainable retrofit of an old office building.
The Awards called on entries from engineering students from 17 Universities around the region; open to anyone studying BSc, BEng or MEng in Australia and New Zealand. It is part of CIBSE ANZ’s strategy to nurture and reward the brightest young engineering minds, directing their skills towards solving some of the industries greatest challenges.
The 2018 competition will re-open for entries in November 2017.
| A CCN release || june 22, 2017 |||
Victoria University of Wellington has become the first New Zealand university to sign up to a new international initiative known as the University Commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals.
The commitment is an initiative of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network Australia/Pacific to showcase the leadership role that universities can play in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 17 SDGs, agreed by all UN member countries in 2015, aim to tackle poverty, promote prosperity and well-being for all, protect the environment and address climate change, and encourage good governance and peace and security.
Victoria joins eight Australia universities as a signatory to the commitment. The universities agree to a number of measures, including undertaking research into sustainable development challenges and providing opportunities for students to learn about sustainable development.
“I am proud that Victoria is the first New Zealand university to pledge its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals,” says Victoria University Vice-Chancellor Professor Grant Guilford.
“As a world-leading capital city and global civic university, Victoria has much to contribute to this societal conversation. We are committed to building a sustainability culture across the University through leadership, research, teaching, our wider public engagement and in how we operate.”
Associate Professor Marjan van den Belt, who joined Victoria last year in the new role of Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Sustainability), says the commitment is significant. “While our Government has signed New Zealand up to the SDGs, it is important for business and civil society to also recognise the opportunity provided by the SDG lens to work together.
“The SDG framework gives us a 13-year Agenda—through to 2030—which we can get behind, as a University and as individuals, to bring about change.”
Associate Professor van den Belt is a speaker at the United Nations Association of New Zealand annual conference in Wellington next week, which has a theme of sustainable development.
| A Victoria University release || June 22, 2017 |||
Statement by Reserve Bank Governor Graeme Wheeler:
The Reserve Bank today left the Official Cash Rate (OCR) unchanged at 1.75 percent.
Global economic growth has increased and become more broad-based. However, major challenges remain with on-going surplus capacity and extensive political uncertainty.
Headline inflation has increased over the past year in several countries, but moderated recently with the fall in energy prices. Core inflation and long-term bond yields remain low. Monetary policy is expected to remain stimulatory in the advanced economies, but less so going forward.
The trade-weighted exchange rate has increased by around 3 percent since May, partly in response to higher export prices. A lower New Zealand dollar would help rebalance the growth outlook towards the tradables sector.
GDP growth in the March quarter was lower than expected, with weaker export volumes and residential construction partially offset by stronger consumption. Nevertheless, the growth outlook remains positive, supported by accommodative monetary policy, strong population growth, and high terms of trade. Recent changes announced in Budget 2017 should support the outlook for growth.
House price inflation has moderated further, especially in Auckland. The slowdown in house price inflation partly reflects loan-to-value ratio restrictions, and tighter lending conditions. This moderation is projected to continue, although there is a risk of resurgence given the on-going imbalance between supply and demand.
The increase in headline inflation in the March quarter was mainly due to higher tradables inflation, particularly petrol and food prices. These effects are temporary and may lead to some variability in headline inflation. Non-tradables and wage inflation remain moderate but are expected to increase gradually. This will bring future headline inflation to the midpoint of the target band over the medium term. Longer-term inflation expectations remain well-anchored at around 2 percent.
Monetary policy will remain accommodative for a considerable period. Numerous uncertainties remain and policy may need to adjust accordingly.
| A RBNZ release || June 22, 2017 |||
Millions of waste tyres each year are to be used to manufacture cement as part of a wider Government plan to address the environmental problems of end of life tyres, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith announced at the Golden Bay Cement works in Whangarei today.
“New Zealand has a long-standing problem, with five million waste tyres generated each year. We have dozens of tyre stockpiles around the country posing a fire risk, leaching contaminants, providing a breeding ground for rodents and insects, and blotting the landscape. This initiative proposes controls on new stockpiles, establishes a nationwide collection and shredding operation and provides a large scale end use by installing technology to enable waste tyres to be used in cement manufacture.
“The proposed National Environmental Standard will prohibit stockpiles of waste tyres of over 200m3 - 2500 car tyres - without a council consent dealing with the environmental issues of leachate, fire risk, vermin and insects, visual amenity and a bond for future disposal. These new restrictions are needed to protect the environment, prevent ratepayers having to pick up the bill of dealing with stockpiles and to help channel waste tyres into more sustainable recycling and disposal options.
“The Government has provided a grant of $3.8 million for Waste Management New Zealand to set up a nationwide tyre collection network and tyre shredding facilities in Auckland and Christchurch involving capital investment of $6.4 million. This is needed because the major barrier to re-use of waste tyres is their bulk, making transport and disposal uneconomic. The shredding machinery will be imported this year, operational in Auckland by the end of 2017 and in Christchurch in 2018.
“Golden Bay Cement, a subsidiary of Fletcher Building, is being provided with a grant of $13.6 million towards the $18.1 million cost of new equipment that will dispose of 3.1 million shredded tyres per year. This technology is globally one of the most common and economically viable solutions to waste tyres. The high temperature incineration minimises pollutants, the steel in the tyres contributes to the iron requirements of cement and the rubber provides a fuel substitute for coal. The major environmental gain from this initiative is a solution for millions of waste tyres but there is also a benefit in reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Golden Bay Cement is New Zealand’s fifth largest emitter and the substitution of rubber biofuel for coal reduces emissions by 13,000 tonnes per year, or the equivalent of 6000 cars.
“We are also providing grants of $1.2 million to another seven smaller tyre waste projects. Eco Rubber Industries Ltd is being provided with a grant of $600,000 towards $2.4 million of machinery to produce rubber granules for rubber underlay, with a capacity for 600,000 tyres per year. Nufuels Ltd is being provided a $90,000 grant for a $135,000 pilot pyrolysis plant for 150,000 tyres per year. Other grants to Scion and Fulton Hogan cover feasibility studies into using recycled rubber for sound proof building products, roading and cycleway construction that could develop into future end uses for New Zealand’s waste tyres.
“These Government grants of $19 million will enable $28 million of investment into tyre waste solutions. Combined with the new regulations restricting stockpiling, these measures will go a huge way towards a sustainable solution to New Zealand’s end of life tyre problem.”
More information on these of funded projects can be found on the Ministry for the Environment’s website at http://www.mfe.govt.nz/more/funding/waste-minimisation-fund-funded-projects
| A Beehive release || June 22, 2017 |||
World famous in Napier Wisey's Pies are for sale, thats the business not just the pies! ____________________________
Tony Alexander's Weekly report
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Napier Port continues to rely on Konecranes to further strengthen its important position on New Zealand’s North Island. In December 2017 six new lift trucks will be delivered to the terminal, situated in the rapidly growing Hawke’s Bay region.
The most recent order from Napier Port includes two Konecranes Liftace R 6-41 MS reach stackers, two Konecranes Liftace FDC 25 K7 DB empty container handlers, and lastly, two Konecranes Liftace FDC 480 G4 full container handlers. Another two FDC 480 G4 full container handlers have recently been put into operation in the terminal.
As the new reach stackers are foreseen to handle containers on both ship and rail side, Napier Port has deliberately opted for Liftace R 6-41 MS reach stackers. Being equipped with front side stabilizers, these machines feature up to 41 ton capacity in the second row and have a particularly low turning radius.
Warren Young, Container Operations Manager at Napier Port, explained:
“Our port is the logistic turnstile of the entire region. Technology from Konecranes has been a key element of our sustainable growth strategy and we are currently operating six Konecranes Gottwald mobile harbour cranes, four of which were delivered over the last four years. As these machines have become an integral part of our operation, it was logical to also opt for lift trucks from Konecranes. We are sure that relying on equipment and aftermarket support from one single supplier will enhance the efficiency of our operations.”
Tony Maxwell, Managing Director of Port Solution Ltd - distribution partner of Konecranes Lift Trucks concluded:
“Napier Port is situated in a region known as ‘the fruit bowl of New Zealand’ due to its high quality fruit production. The terminal is one of the country’s most important gateways to the world, with regard to both the export of goods such as food and timber, and the import of oil products, cement, fertilizers and general commodities, and Konecranes machines play a key role. In 2016, it was above all Napier’s container handling activities that grew significantly, and we are very pleased that this fast developping port decided to continue to benefit from Konecranes diversified offer.”
| A DryBulk release || June 21, 2017 |||
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