Items filtered by date: Tuesday, 02 December 2014

Trade Minister Todd McClay met International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox and Minister for Trade Policy Lord Price today to reaffirm their joint commitment to global trade liberalisation, and lay the foundations for the future trade relationship between the UK and New Zealand.

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox asserted the importance the UK places on its trading relationship with New Zealand, with total trade in goods and services between the two countries increasing by 13 per cent between 2014-15.

The ministers welcomed progress made during the inaugural Trade Policy Dialogue meeting earlier this month.

“Our dialogue will enable us to build on our existing trading framework, towards an agreement in the future,” Mr McClay says.

“Through the dialogue we will continue to push for greater global trade liberalisation and reform, share expertise, and identify ways to strengthen our trading relationship.”

Minister McClay also welcomed the UK’s ongoing commitment to be a champion of global free trade. Secretary Fox confirmed his intention to visit New Zealand in the coming months.

“During that visit we will hold a joint public event to highlight the importance and benefits of open markets to our citizens at a time when the global economy is facing a period of uncertainty”, Mr McClay says.

The Secretary of State confirmed that the UK would remain fully supportive of the New Zealand-EU FTA as long as it remained a member of the European Union, and that he was very pleased that the scoping phase had been finalised.

|  A Beehive release  |  March 10, 2017  ||

Quai D’Orsay and Lambton Quay share a nightmare

The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade must now begin the difficult and counter-ideological process of accepting that Marine Le Pen’s National Front Party might win the pending Presidential Election in France.

The reason is that Miss Le Pen has pledged to extricate France from both the EU and also the eurocurrency.

Miss Le Pen (pictured) and her party according to the polls is now the front runner to take over the Presidency and thus the government of France.

The former Prime Minister Francois Fillon has dropped in the polls following revelations that the leader of the Republican (i.e. Conservative) Party had while serving President Sarkozy put most of his family on the parliamentary payroll for performing duties that still remain unclear.

The second-line Republican Party candidate Alain Juppe has ruled himself out from succeeding the beleaguered Mr Fillon, partly because Mr Juppe, also a former premier, had also been mixed up in what the French describe as “fictitious employees.”

This leaves Miss Le Pen, followed by Emmanuel Macron the youthful former economics minister under President Francois Hollande.

Mr Macron in exiting the government of President Hollande did not wait to become adopted by an existing party. He simply formed his own France En Marche—France on the Move.

The Socialist Party led by Mr Hollande is simply not in the running, and does not feature in any of the polls as a realistic winner.

All this is bad news of course on Quay D’ Orsay and equally on Lambton Quay. On the quays the fervent hope was that while Miss Le Pen’s National Front might win the first round in the election, the once solid-seeming Mr Fillon would wash her away in the second round.

If the current polls hold water also washed away will be two years worth of negotiations in formal support of the EU-New Zealand trade liberalisation agreement.

Also swept aside will be the European Commission’s mandate to put the trade deal into action.

The reason is that France’s departure from the EU, and it is likely to be abrupt if Miss Le Pen takes charge, will invalidate the central axis of the union which is the German-French one.

France is the link between the Nordic/ Teutonic zone and the Mediterranean member countries.

It is uncertain if New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has charted a contingency plan in the now likely chance that Miss Le Pen and her party will emerge victorious from the imminent general election in France.

But given last year’s upsets in the US and the UK a suitable such contingency scheme would be to have ready a shrink-wrapped substitute deal with the EU’s northern nations.

The victory of President Donald Trump in the United States indicated that the New Zealand apparatus did not lay any groundwork, notably alternatives, for an event that it most ardently hoped would not in fact happen.

To an only slightly less extent the Brexit development is a similar indicator in an antipodean belief in the status quo.

|  From the MSCMewsWire reporters' desk  |  Thursday 9 March 2017  ||

'Right now Solar Gard worldwide including the New Zealand operation, are making a concerted effort to reach into those areas of industry where, for one reason or another, business owners have not given any thought to what benefits these products create,' local distributor Ross Eathorne told MSCNewsWire.

'Whilst the Solar Gard window film products are well know what isn't so well appreciated is how energy efficient effective these products are and how this can lead through to improvements on the client's bottom line.

Also many of our products have a role to play on the factory floor. For example metal shield is ideally suited to the operation of this type of machinery improving safety levels and easy replacement.

We are also very proud of our stainless steel film. A real gem that has so many applications. It's easily replaceable, very hard to tell apart from stainless itself, can be UV printed onto for example artwork, logo's, and promotional material. ‘The product can go on just about any flat surface, both inside and outside.

Great also to go on top of existing stainless steel which has been scratched or damaged without having the inconvenience and cost of replacing the sheet.

Why not come through to me with your questions on the stainless steel film and other products in our range The stainless steel film pictured here isbeing applied to a subway system in Los Angeles where there is a high volume pedestrian count so a sturdy graffiti proof product was essential.

Location: 3D/89 Ellice Road, Glenfield, Auckland Contact email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The University of Auckland and Victoria University of Wellington have been successful in their bids to host new Centres of Asia-Pacific Excellence (CAPEs), Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Paul Goldsmith has announced today at an event at Victoria University.

The CAPEs will be cross-institutional centres of excellence specialising in the language, culture, politics and economics of countries or groups of countries within the Asia-Pacific region.

“They are an important and strategic investment in New Zealand’s future. So much of our trade, tourism and migration is focused on the Asia-Pacific region. It makes sense to deepen our understanding of it,” Mr Goldsmith says.

As well as teaching about and researching these countries, each CAPE will be mandated to help learners, exporters, and government agencies improve their understanding of the countries and their languages.

“The new CAPEs will provide initiatives and programmes of use to small and medium enterprises wanting to grow their understanding of the Asian and Latin American markets.”

“The centres will also help individuals better prepare to do business and connect with the Asia-Pacific region.”

CAPEs will further develop New Zealand’s Asia-Pacific rim knowledge and language skills, facilitating collaboration between tertiary education providers and stakeholders to enhance our partnerships with the Asia-Pacific region.

The CAPEs programme was allocated $34.5 million over 4 years in Budget 2016. It is part of the Government’s comprehensive Business Growth Agenda, and a major initiative in the internationalisation stream of the Tertiary Education Strategy.

Notes:

Three CAPEs will be set up in total, the first led by the University of Auckland in partnership with the University of Otago, the University of Waikato and the Victoria University of Wellington. This CAPE will specialise in North Asia.

Two more centres will be led by Victoria University of Wellington in partnership with the University of Otago, the University of Auckland and the University of Waikato. These two CAPEs will specialise in countries or groups of countries in South East Asia and Latin America.

The North Asia and South East Asia focused CAPEs will utilise the expertise of the Asia New Zealand Foundation as one of their key delivery partners.

|  A Beehive release  |  March 09, 2017  ||

Qatar Airways has launched its revolutionary business class product – Qsuite. The patented, flexible suite can be adapted to suit the needs of different passenger types, ranging from individual travellers to families and groups.

The Qsuite features the industry’s first-ever double bed in business class. Privacy panels stow away, allowing passengers in adjoining seats to create their own private room. In addition, adjustable panels and movable TV monitors on the centre four seats allow colleagues, friends or families travelling together to transform their space into a private suite.

Speaking exclusively to Future Travel Experience, Rossen Dimitrov, Senior Vice President Customer Experience, Qatar Airways, said: “We’ve brought the elements of first class into business and that is not only in the service, but in the comfort we’re providing to our customers. We know what customers want today and we’ve looked at all the groups of travellers who travel with us in business class today.

“As you know, at Qatar Airways our premium focus has always been in business class, with the exception of the A380s (which also has a first class cabin). What is very important for us is what we’ve designed can cater to everyone, whether it’s a family, business travellers, people going on celebrations like honeymoons and so on, or whether it’s an individual who is travelling alone with us. It has been designed all around the different types of customers we know we have travelling with us in business class.”

> > > Continue to read full article and images here

Farmers, families and more than 550 agribusinesses and organisations are readying for ‘the best day off the farm’ as the opening of Central Districts Field Days, New Zealand’s largest regional agricultural field day event, approaches on Thursday 16 March.

Manfeild Park in Feilding will come to life as a temporary city during the three-day event. Set to host more than 30,000 visitors from across the country, it provides an opportunity to soak up a cross-section of heartland New Zealand farming all in one place.

Topically interesting attractions

For the first time, the event will feature the new ASB Innovation Zone offering a unique window into the future of New Zealand’s agri-industry. A collaboration with New Zealand AgriFood Investment Week and sponsor ASB, the new zone represents one of the ways focus in the industry is shifting.

Nathan Guy, Minister for Primary Industries, is set to open the ASB innovation zone on Thursday 16 March and it will come to life with exhibitors demonstrating their future-focused products and technology, while also playing host to thought-provoking discussions in the seminar room.

Argentine Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Ricardo Negri, will arrive later on Thursday morning ahead of signing an Agricultural Cooperation Agreement with Minister Nathan Guy. This will take place in the Manfeild media suite at Central Districts Field Days with an opportunity for questions and photos following the signing.

A seminar highlight will be the youth debate on genetic modification, scheduled for 10am, Friday 17 March. Led by four of the New Zealand’s brightest young minds and chaired by John Hart, an organic sheep and beef farmer, and the Green Party candidate for Wairarapa,they will explore the contentious topic and how there could be a future for genetically modified food in New Zealand.

Central Districts Field Days, in its 24th year, rounds out New Zealand AgriFood Investment Week. Held annually in the Manawatu, New Zealand AgriFood Investment Week

delivers a dedicated programme of events designed to connect, challenge and grow the agrifood industry.

Visually intriguing attractions

One of the exhibitors inside the innovation zone is Sheep Milk NZ, who will have a chef on Thursday cooking up three dishes using a range of different sheep milk products (yoghurt, cheese, ice cream and milk powder) sourced from specialised suppliers located in different regions across the country.

Visitors will also be attracted by the big farming machinery and tools that congregate competitively at the event. The CCNZ National excavator operator championship is guaranteed to wow spectators by performing tasks like pouring a cup of tea with the heavy machinery, and the tractor pull competitions draw crowds.

There will be more tricks performed at the ultimate canines dog show running daily, and the black falcons display from the NZ Air Force drawing attention to the sky around midday on Saturday 18 March.

Central Districts Field Days runs from Thursday 16 March - Saturday 18 March. For a full programme of events and guide to the seminar series, visit www.CDFieldDays.co.nz.

|  A Central districts Fieldays release  |  March 08, 2017  ||

ravellers flying with SWISS now have access to more than 250 digital newspapers and magazines. The digital content is available to all customers, regardless of travel class.

Available in multiple languages, the digital content can be downloaded from swiss.com/ejournals. Passengers just have to provide their booking or ticket number.

The number of downloads will vary per passenger, with premium customers able to download more free content than those travelling in economy. The passenger’s Miles & More frequent flyer status will also be taken into consideration.

SWISS’s new eJournal range will gradually replace the selection of print newspapers and magazines that are currently carried on board.

The airline said this “will produce tangible savings in the flight’s weight and, in turn, deliver further ecological benefits, including a reduction of some 450 tonnes in SWISS’ annual carbon dioxide emissions”.

|  A Future Travel Experience release  |  March 08, 2017

TeenAg, an agriculture sector youth programme run by New Zealand Young Farmers, will receive $146,000 of support under a new partnership announced today by Youth Minister Nikki Kaye.

“This is about supporting more young people to develop skills such as leadership and learn about potential career opportunities in the primary sector, which is such a vital part of our economy,” says Ms Kaye.

“TeenAg aims to promote a positive picture of agriculture and raise awareness of agricultural careers from an early age.

“The funding announced today will support around 500 more young people to participate in the programme.”

TeenAg consists of two core elements:

TeenAg Clubs, which provide a context to learn about agriculture and develop leadership and broader life skillsTeenAg Competitions, which extend and challenge competitors outside of their comfort zones to build character and leadership skills.

“It’s great to be able to support TeenAg to extend its reach, including into urban centres, and provide additional youth development opportunities for more young New Zealanders in such a pivotal sector as agriculture,” says Ms Kaye.

“This investment is being made under the Partnership Fund, which sees the Government co-invest with business, philanthropic, iwi and other partners to grow youth development opportunities.

“The Government is contributing $50,000 towards the programme, alongside $96,000 cash and in-kind support from partners including Red Meat Profit Partnership, DairyNZ, Lincoln University and Southfuels & Northfuels.

“More than $2 million of partnerships for a range of youth development opportunities have been announced so far in 2017, which shows the partnership model is delivering great results.”

|  A Beehive release  |  March 08, 2017  ||

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Air New Zealand Chief Executive Officer Christopher Luxon is today in Washington DC where he met with United States Secretary of Transport Elaine Chao, a member of President Trump’s Cabinet.

Mr Luxon also met senior officials in the Transport Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.

The meetings were an opportunity to identify the importance of the United States as a source market for visitors to New Zealand and as a destination for New Zealand travellers. United States visitors to New Zealand are up 19.8%, with almost 300,000 visitors arriving in the year to January 2017. The success of Air New Zealand’s new Houston service, which makes travel easier for visitors from the mid-west, east and south of the United States is a key factor in this growth.

Today’s high level meetings were also an opportunity for Air New Zealand to seek improvements to its customers’ experience in US airports. Particularly, the airline is seeking a streamlined process for its passengers transiting Los Angeles (LAX) to London on NZ1.

“Air New Zealand is one of only a very few airlines that have an international transit in the United States like NZ1. We think there’s room for an improved process that would benefit customers without compromising security, and would also reflect well on LAX as a major hub airport,” says Mr Luxon.

“It was a privilege to meet Secretary Chao today and to seek her sponsorship for our efforts. We are grateful to New Zealand’s United States Ambassador Tim Groser and his embassy team in Washington DC for facilitating today’s meetings. A great example of New Zealand punching above its weight on the international stage.”

|  An Air New Zealand release  |  March 8,2017  ||