Items filtered by date: Tuesday, 02 December 2014

Jan 11, 2018 - Nelson-based power retailer NextGen Energy announces it is now accepting Bitcoin for payment of electricity bills. The social enterprise company operates as a not-for-profit, uniquely donating all net profits to local schools and charities.  “NextGen Energy is creating disruptive opportunities within the NZ electricity sector, and actively pursues the adoption of new technologies.” says Tom Wheatley, CEO, “NextGen is already supplying power to a number of crypto-currency mining operations, and the ability to pay for the power in Bitcoin simply makes sense. We are now extending this option to all our customers.”

Jan 12, 2018 - Emirates SkyCargo, the freight division of Emirates, completed a year of strong growth in 2017. The air cargo carrier’s robust performance, set against the backdrop of a resurgent global air cargo market, was underlined by the introduction of specialised customer focused air transportation solutions across a number of industry verticals and by continued investment in infrastructure.

Jan 12, 2018 - People are spending more online to rent a taxi, or a house for a night, and less on in-car satellite navigation and DVDs, Stats NZ said today. As a result of these changes in technology, the consumers price index (CPI) basket of goods and services used to measure inflation is changing after a three-yearly review.

"More people are going online to buy shared ride services, such as Uber, and shared accommodation services, like home-rental operators Airbnb and BookaBach," prices senior manager Jason Attewell said.

"We’re introducing the sharing economy to the CPI to keep it relevant for New Zealand."

"People are changing what they buy to keep up with changes in technology, and as a result, we’re removing several items from the CPI basket. These items are still available to buy, but New Zealanders just don’t spend as much on them."

As a result of the 2017 CPI review:

• in-car satellite navigation systems have been removed (they were added to the basket in 2008)
• DVDs and Blu-ray discs have gone (added to the basket in 2006 and 2011, respectively) along with the hire of DVDs, set-top boxes, and external computer drives
• MP3 players are out (they were added to the basket in 2006).

"At the same time, we’re seeing increased spending on technology accessories like headsets and cellphone cases. We’ve added these items to the CPI basket as part of the latest review."

"The CPI basket is really a reflection of New Zealand society and how it has changed over time," Mr Attewell said.

"We added the electric lightbulb to the basket in the 1920s, televisions and record players in the 1960s, microwaves and car stereos in the 1980s, and MP3 players and digital cameras in the 2000s. As these items go out of fashion they are removed from the basket."

Housing and food remain the most important items in the basket, accounting for almost half of people’s spending. Housing includes rent, new builds, and other house improvements.

Craft beer and massages join the inflation brew

People are also spending more on craft beer and massages, so these are joining the CPI basket too.

"New Zealand used to be called a country of rugby, racing, and beer – but spending patterns are changing and Kiwis are increasingly keen on craft beer, body massages at beauty spas, and football club memberships," Mr Attewell said.

At the same time, sewing machines are out of the inflation basket, but clothing alterations are now in.

"People don’t have as much time to do things themselves, and are prepared to pay others to do jobs for them," Mr Attewell said.

Stats NZ reviews the CPI basket of goods and services every three years to ensure it remains relevant. This is done by surveying people to find out what they spend their money on.

See Consumers price index review: 2017

View our Consumers price index review: 2017 video.

| A StatsNZ release  ||  January 12, 2018   |||

jan 12, 2018  -  A Belgian air passenger has been forced to leave New Zealand after attempting to smuggle three sausages into Auckland. Ministry for Primary Industries staff intercepted the sausages on Sunday after the passenger attempted to conceal them in a backpack when passing through biosecurity checks at Auckland Airport.

“One of our x-ray operators spotted the risk items. They turned out to be pork and salami sausages, both of which could have carried diseases with the potential to cause major harm to New Zealand agriculture,” says Craig Hughes, MPI North Passenger Manager.

The passenger was refused entry to New Zealand after the man admitted he intended to hide the sausages from biosecurity officials. He was returning to New Zealand on a work visa and confessed he was aware of New Zealand’s strict biosecurity requirements, says Mr Hughes. “Working closely with Immigration New Zealand, we take a very hard line on international travellers that deliberately ignore our biosecurity rules. “It is loud and clear that every arriving passenger is required to declare or dispose items that could pose biosecurity risk to New Zealand.”

| An MPI release  ||  January 12, 2018   |||

Jan 12, 2018  -  After failing to launch last month, US spaceflight startup Rocket Lab will try again at the end of January to get its experimental rocket to orbit. The company plans to launch the vehicle, called the Electron, from its New Zealand facility sometime during a nine-day window that begins on January 20th. If all goes well, it could be the last test flight before Rocket Lab begins commercial flights in the coming year.

Jan 12, 2018  -  WICHITA, Kan. – Koch-Glitsch and INVISTA Performance Technology (IPT), affiliates of Koch Industries, announced today a new partnership to offer innovative DTL™ process technology, allowing refineries to capture the value spread between replacement fuel costs and high-octane gasoline blend stock.  DTL process technology converts light olefins, present in fluidized-bed catalytic cracking (FCC) off-gas, coker off-gas and other refinery streams, into high-octane gasoline blend stock, significantly increasing their value.

Jan 12, 2018  - Panasonic Avionics Corporation has unveiled a major evolution of its satellite connectivity service with the launch of its third-generation communications network at CES 2018.  Panasonic Avionics’ third-generation network is built to meet the growing connectivity demands of airlines and their passengers. Throughout the first quarter of 2018, aircraft from a number of airlines will be transitioned to Panasonic Avionics’ new network. In addition, Panasonic subsidiary, ITC Global, will leverage the new broadband network to deliver connectivity to its energy, maritime and enterprise customers.

Jan 12, 2018  -  Statistics reveal the number of passengers through the terminal was the highest number for any month on record.  Chief Aeronautical and Commercial Officer Justin Watson says 638,043 passengers used the terminal during December, up 4.8% on the previous December. "This equates to more than the entire population of Canterbury and the West Coast through the terminal during the past month alone," he says.