Founded by Max Farndale 1947 - 2018
Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee has announced diplomat Jonathan Schwass as High Commissioner to Vanuatu.
“New Zealand and Vanuatu have close and long-standing ties,” Mr Brownlee says.
“In the last year, more than 4,000 Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) workers from Vanuatu were in New Zealand – representing about 40 per cent of the total workers in the scheme.
“The RSE scheme has been an enormous success over the last decade and, at an estimated $20 million a year for those 4,000 workers, the earnings have a significant effect on livelihoods in Vanuatu.
“Mr Schwass will lead the delivery of New Zealand’s Official Development Programme in Vanuatu, helping to oversee $82 million of investment over three years with a focus on tourism, agriculture, renewable energy and education,” Mr Brownlee says.
Mr Schwass is currently Unit Manager of the South East Asia Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was previously Ambassador to Timor-Leste.
| A Beehive release || July 18, 2017 |||
Corrections Minister Louise Upston says an initiative between Corrections and Horticulture New Zealand is proving beneficial to the department’s goal of turning offenders’ lives around.
Following the successful first year of a pilot programme in Hawke’s Bay that was established to help ex-prisoners and community-based offenders find sustainable employment in the horticulture industry, Corrections and Horticulture New Zealand are now looking to expand the initiative into the Bay of Plenty.
The agreement supports training packages that help prisoners become work-ready for employers and offer permanent career opportunities in horticulture to prisoners once released.
“This initiative has been a win-win and Corrections is appreciative of the support and leadership provided by the horticulture sector, which is helping change the lives of offenders and providing renewed hope for their families,” Ms Upston says.
“The pilot provides practical training for eligible prisoners who want a career in horticulture and will stay within the Hawke’s Bay area upon release. It allows prisoners to leave prison with meaningful skills and qualifications, it provides the industry with trained and qualified employees that will help fill continued labour shortages which will in turn benefit the community.
“Three ex-offenders have found employment through this partnership in the horticulture industry to date. While the number of placements appears small, new individual employer partnership agreements have been signed with four other large horticulture employers who want to support this initiative,” Ms Upston says.
Horticulture is New Zealand’s fourth largest export industry with a turnover of $5 billion. The industry has set itself a target of achieving an industry value of $10 billion by the year 2020. To achieve this target, the industry will need to attract a significant number of trained and qualified horticultural staff to fill a recognised shortage in permanent roles across the country, but especially around the East Coast, Bay of Plenty, Waikato, Northland, Manawatu, Nelson/ Marlborough, and Central Otago.
| A Beehive release || July 19, 2017 |||
A test for Callaghan Innovation - how will this one play out . . .
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Port Denarau Marina general manager Cynthia Rasch said: “It is a great opportunity for industry partners, marine businesses, yachts and agents to network and discuss one on one the latest marine products and services with leading marine operators under one roof.”
This year marks the second year running for this event featuring New Zealand based companies.
“We are expecting over 100 transient vessels to be present to take advantage of this information sharing event to assist them with their on-ward travel to New Zealand.”
Furthermore Peter Busfield, executive director of NZ Marine said the recent win of the America’s Cup promises significant gains for the wider South Pacific “and we expect it to be a topic of discussion whilst we are in Fiji.
“The New Zealand victory in the America’s Cup is a catalyst for South Pacific Superyachting including Fiji,” he said.
“The America’s Cup win will be a big benefit to New Zealand boating industry and the wider South Pacific region.
“During the 2000 defence Auckland hosted 95 superyachts and we would expect this number to exceed 120 for the next event. As many of these vessels will arrive via Fiji or Tahiti, there will be economic gain for each country.
“During the lead up we also expect to see more superyachts and charter companies focusing on the South Pacific as a cruising destination,” he said.
Emirates Team NZ dominated the final stage of the 35th America’s Cup, winning easily against Oracle Team USA.
The NZ marine industry built both finalists’ vessels – Oracle Team USA by Core Builders and ETNZ by Southern Spars.
Key suppliers to both teams have shown once again the capability of the New Zealand marine industry which is the country’s largest manufacturing sector outside of the primary producers.
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Auckland Airport has confirmed that a Mott MacDonald-led consortium will spearhead the design of its new integrated terminal.
The consortium, which also includes Grimshaw, Architectus and Holmes Consulting, has been appointed to concept design a combined domestic and international terminal at the New Zealand gateway.
The project forms part of the airport’s Terminal Development Plan, which aims to provide an expanded single terminal to accommodate further growth in international and domestic air travel.
Auckland Airport has experienced significant growth in passenger numbers over recent years and has committed to building a world-class airport that can serve New Zealand in the years to come.
The scope of the design project covers building works over the next 10 years. This includes the new integrated domestic terminal, a significant expansion of border processing and the integration of extensive new transport and car parking facilities.aucklandwebThe concept design of the terminal is expected to be completed in early 2018.
Mott MacDonald will be responsible for the overall airport planning and design leadership, as well as all engineering disciplines, with structural and fire engineering provided in partnership with Holmes Consulting.
Grimshaw and Architectus will act as a single architectural provider to the team.
Auckland Airport chief executive Adrian Littlewood, says: “The selected consortium’s experience covers over 1000 aviation projects in 120 countries across 260 airports.
"In addition to specialist experience and knowledge, the consortium’s architects have a proven record of successfully bringing local cultural influence into the fabric of their passenger focused design.
"This is a significant factor for us as we build a world class airport with a uniquely New Zealand feel.”image001 copyIan Guy, Mott MacDonald’s head of aviation for Australia and New Zealand, comments: “This is a tremendously exciting project that will further enhance Auckland Airport's standing as a key hub in the Asia-Pacific region and the gateway to New Zealand.
"To deliver this concept design, we will draw on our experience at other strategically important airports such as London Heathrow, Hong Kong International Airport and Changi Airport in Singapore.
"We have brought together a multitalented consortium that can’t wait to apply its collective creativity to design an airport that New Zealanders will be proud of and visitors will admire.”
This Auckland Airport commission builds on Mott MacDonald’s contribution to major projects in New Zealand over the last five years.
Major schemes the consultancy has worked on include Auckland City Rail Link, the 85 Customs Street mixed-use development and the Rosedale wastewater treatment plant upgrade.
| An Aviation media release || July 17, 2017 |||
The Minister of Trade will launch the first academic survey of New Zealand's trade negotiations from the 1970s to the present in Wellington on Thursday, 20 July.
Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations, Stephen Hoadley, from the Faculty of Arts, has reviewed trade diplomacy from early attempts to sell beef to Japan to current efforts to secure free trade agreements with Europe, Britain, and the United States.
His subsequent book New Zealand Trade Negotiations details the setting of precedent in Closer Economic Relations with Australia in 1983 and then how a dozen more free trade agreements were negotiated successfully, all of which boosted New Zealand producers’ access to overseas markets.
“New Zealand has been a leader in trade liberalisation since we negotiated privileged entry to the European Economic Community in 1971,” says Dr Hoadley.
His book traces New Zealand’s successful FTA initiatives with Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, ASEAN, South Korea and Chile and its achievement of trade ‘firsts’ with China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
After reviewing New Zealand’s participation in the World Trade Organisation, Dr Hoadley offers speculation regarding seven pending FTAs, the suspended Trans-Pacific Partnership, and the prospective Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
Both the Hon Todd McClay, Minister of Trade, and Stephen Jacobi, Executive Director of the New Zealand International Business Forum, will help launch New Zealand Trade Negotiations at the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Wellington.
Date: 20 July 2017, 5:30 – 7.30 pm
Venue: RHLT2, Rutherford House Victoria University of Wellington –
Pipitea Campus, 23 Lambton Quay, Wellington
Please register here
| A UOA release || July 18, 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
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