Auckland Airport today formally launched Ara, its South Auckland jobs and skills hub. Ara has connected 211 people living in the airport’s South Auckland neighbourhood with long-term employment and training since it began as a trial in November 2015, and will connect thousands more local people with employers based at the airport over the next 30 years as the company builds its ‘airport of the future’.
Adrian Littlewood, Auckland Airport’s Chief Executive, says: “People in the South Auckland community tell us that having stable work near their homes is important to them. Our location in South Auckland and our 30-year infrastructure development programme put us in a unique position to generate employment opportunities with businesses based here. We’ve set up Ara to connect local people with local jobs.”
Insight Economics has calculated that the benefits of the airport’s 30-year investment in infrastructure include creating around 27,000 more jobs.
“Long-term, local employment benefits everyone in South Auckland – people living here, students studying here and businesses based here, including our airport itself. We’re excited about Ara and what it means for South Auckland and Auckland Airport’s development plans.”
Ara is a charitable trust established by Auckland Airport. It is a partnership between Auckland Airport, the South Auckland community, Fletchers, Hawkins and other local employers, government agencies (the Ministries of Social Development, Business Innovation and Employment, and Education and the Tertiary Education Commission), Auckland Council, local schools and tertiary institutes, industry training organisations and training providers.
Since it began as a trial in November 2015, Ara has placed 227 people in jobs, 211 of whom come from South Auckland. One hundred and three of these 227 people were previously on benefits. Twenty-six people placed by Ara are building their skills through apprenticeships.
In addition, 1,068 people have successfully completed training through Ara. Sixty-eight students from five secondary schools near the airport have been or are currently involved in a work experience programme through Ara to support their NCEA studies.
“While Ara has to date focussed on placing people into construction jobs, that focus is now expanding to include the many industries located around the airport, including logistics, travel and tourism, retail and hospitality,” says Mr Littlewood.
Auckland Airport is investing more than $1 million every working day on core airport infrastructure and expects this level of investment will likely continue into the near future. The major upgrade of Auckland Airport’s international departure area is now well underway, as is the expansion of Pier B of the international terminal which will add two more contact gates that can each accommodate an A380 or two smaller aircraft. Auckland Airport is also progressing the design of the new domestic section of its future combined domestic and international terminal.
| An Auckland airport release || June 2, 2017 |||
Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee has today welcomed the appointment of a New Zealander to an important role at the United Nations.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has confirmed the appointment of New Zealander Jan Beagle to the position of Under-Secretary-General for Management for a term of four years.
“This is a significant role with the United Nations given the new Secretary-General‘s reform priorities. It is one of a handful of very senior roles within the UN Secretariat,” Mr Brownlee says.
“As the Secretary-General noted in making the appointment, Ms Beagle has had a distinguished career in the United Nations serving in a number of high-level roles in New York and Geneva, most recently as the Deputy Executive Director of UN AIDS.
“This appointment is a tribute to Ms Beagle’s abilities and her excellent performance in the United Nations.
“I’d like to congratulate Ms Beagle on her new role and we look forward to working with her,” Mr Brownlee says.
| A beehive release || June 02, 2017 |||
Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne says New Zealand is to remove restrictions around cannabidiol (CBD), in line with international developments.
CBD is a substance found in cannabis that has potential therapeutic value. It has little or no psychoactive properties, yet it is currently a controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
“At present CBD products for therapeutic use are only available if approval is given by the Ministry of Health.
“I have taken advice from the Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs (EACD) that CBD should not be a controlled drug and am pleased Cabinet has now accepted my recommendation to make this change. Therefore, I am now taking steps to remove restrictions accordingly.
“In practical terms, the changes mean CBD would be able to be prescribed by a doctor to their patient and supplied in a manner similar to any other prescription medicine.
“Australia has already taken a similar step while other countries are also responding to emerging evidence that CBD has a low risk of harm when used therapeutically.
“This change is about future-proofing access to CBD products, as the reality is that there will continue to be barriers beyond New Zealand’s control to people accessing such products from overseas,” says Mr Dunne.
Currently there is a limited range of CBD products made to a standard where prescribers can be sure the products contains what is claimed – and strict import and export restrictions on products sourced from other countries, which will continue to impact the supply of CBD products in New Zealand.
“However, we do know of at least one CBD product in development made to high manufacturing standards that will contain two per cent or less of the other cannabinoids found in cannabis,” said Mr Dunne.
The changes will include removing requirements for:
Prescriptions would be allowed for up to three months’ supply, rather than one month. These measures can be achieved by amending the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1977 in the first instance, pending any future amendment of the Misuse of Drugs Act.
| A Beehive release || June 2, 2017 |||
Construction on the new NZ$36m (US$25.5m) hotel at Wellington Airport is underway following a groundbreaking ceremony at the site, with an expected opening in late 2018.
The four-star 134-bed hotel at the northern end of the airport will be managed by Rydges and is to include a restaurant, bar and conference facilities. It will be fully integrated with the main terminal building, constructed above the international terminal and accessible from inside a newly redeveloped passenger lounge.
Steve Sanderson, Wellington Airport’s chief executive, said, “The hotel is part of the airport’s wider efforts to improve the experience of everyone who has to catch an early flight or arrive on a late one. Many travelers utilize these international flights and the airport’s particular focus is on improving its role as the gateway for central New Zealand.
“Grabbing a room and getting a good night’s rest will be a smart option for those that need to travel a fair distance home. We expect the airport hotel to be hugely popular with business travelers, families and those travelling internationally.”
Wellington Airport’s international market has experienced exceptional growth in recent years, welcoming new services from Singapore Airlines, Fiji Airways and Jetstar. International passenger numbers have more than doubled in the last 15 years to nearly 900,000, with the total passenger numbers traveling through Wellington Airport reaching almost 6 million.
| June 1, 2017 |||
Food sector magazine, Foodprocessing out of Australia report that post-harvest fresh and processed handling solutions company Wyma Solutions has announced a formal strategic partnership with North American supplier of fresh produce packaging and equipment automation solutions Volm Companies.
The partnership will allow the companies to work in a closely integrated manner resulting in turnkey solutions that leverage the global experience of both organisations. Both companies will be adding significant sales, engineering, technical service and manufacturing resources and select Wyma products will be manufactured for the North American market.
Continue to the full article here . . . || June 1, 2017 |||
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Entries are now open for New Zealand’s longest-running and pre-eminent sustainability awards.
The Awards are now in their 15th year. They recognise businesses, local government, social enterprises and individuals for success in sustainability.
Entry to the awards is free. It is open to all organisations and individuals in New Zealand.
Rachel Brown is CEO of the Sustainable Business Network.
She says, “Given the rather grim global climate, sharing stories of positive action addressing social and environmental issues is more important than ever. Entering these Awards is a quick and easy way to celebrate your achievements.”
This year the Awards have all new categories. They provide the chance to compete in key areas of sustainable business in New Zealand.
The supreme award is the NZI Greatest Contribution to a Sustainable New Zealand. This will be awarded to a business for outstanding performance in all aspects of sustainability. Air New Zealand was last year’s Supreme Winner. The 2015 Supreme Winner was Taupō Beef.
Travis Atkinson is Executive General Manager of NZI, the Principal Sponsor of the Awards.
He says, “We’ve been proud supporters of the Sustainable Business Network and national awards for the last 10 years. As an organisation that provides business insurance for a growing New Zealand, being sustainable is really important to us - it’s fundamental to the way we do business. We’re strong believers in the SBN’s mission to inspire change. We look forward to meeting the new sustainability leaders of 2017.”
Entries close on 4th August 2017.
To find out more or to enter the NZI Sustainable Business Network Awards go to sustainable.org.nz/awards.
| A Sustainable Business Network Award release | June 01, 2017 |||
Auckland Airport has today announced the details of four new transport projects as part of its longer term plan to improve travel around the airport over the next three years.
Adrian Littlewood, Auckland Airport’s chief executive, says, “We have a 30-year plan for developing Auckland Airport and as part of the plan, ensuring that passengers, staff and crew can easily access all parts of the airport precinct remains a priority. These new transport projects are an important investment in our infrastructure that will help to improve the way public transport users, motorists, pedestrians and cyclists move around our airport precinct.”
Auckland Airport’s new transport projects include:· upgrading Nixon Road by October 2017 to provide a new route to Auckland Airport’s Park&Ride on Verissimo Drive without the need for drivers to use the main intersection that connects the domestic and international terminals at Tom Pearce Drive and George Bolt Memorial Drive;· improving traffic flows and improving public transport access to the domestic terminal by Christmas 2017 through the provision of more space for buses on the terminal forecourt and a new and separate access road for taxis and buses;· construction of an iconic new gateway bridge over George Bolt Memorial Drive by the end of 2018 for pedestrians and cyclists to connect “the Quad” hotel and commercial precinct with the airport terminals and take cars off the main road network; and· implementing a transit lane system across the airport precinct between December 2017 and 2020 for buses and high occupancy vehicles.
“These new projects will help improve traffic flows and travel times around the airport, and help our transport network accommodate the increasing number of buses that will travel to and from the airport in the future.”
“Our new gateway bridge will be a spectacular sight as you enter and leave Auckland Airport to the north towards the city. Designed by architects Warren and Mahoney, the suspension bridge features a 40 metre high concrete mast that is inspired by the form of a huia feather with a white light tipped column and Māori motifs. It will be an urban beacon and precinct marker that will be visible across the airport, both during the day and at night. The bridge will also significantly improve the walking and cycling experience between our commercial precinct and the terminals.”
“This new investment in our precinct’s transport infrastructure also supports the ongoing and collaborative efforts of the New Zealand Transport Agency, Auckland Transport and Auckland Airport to improve travel times to and from the airport.”
“It also builds on other improvements we have made to our precinct’s transport infrastructure in the past year.”
In the first half of the 2017 financial year Auckland Airport fast-tracked a number of planned roading and transport upgrades on its transport network:· upgrading the Puhinui Road roundabout to help improve the eastern access to the airport from State Highway 20B/Puhinui Road;· adding 1,400 more car parks to our Park&Ride facility, mostly for use by staff working at the international terminal to remove staff traffic from the inner airport roads;· upgrading the traffic light phasing and lane configurations at the airport’s George Bolt Memorial Drive and Tom Pearce Drive intersection to improve traffic flows;· updating the lane configurations at the airport’s George Bolt Memorial Drive and Laurence Stevens Drive roundabout to improve traffic flows; and· developing new traffic management plans for use when the airport roading network is particularly busy.
“Auckland Airport is planning a number of additional infrastructure projects to upgrade our transport network and further improve journeys around the airport precinct. These will be announced in due course,” says Mr Littlewood.
| A n Auckland Airport release || June 01, 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