Items filtered by date: Tuesday, 02 December 2014

Steel & Tube Holdings, whose shares have recovered from a 15-year low in the past two months, posted a 9.3 percent decline in full-year underlying profit as it faced increased costs including for substandard products and "intense" rivalry in the local steel market.

Underlying profit was $19.4 million in the year ended June 30, from $21.4 million a year earlier, the Wellington-based company said in a statement. Sales rose 3 percent to a record $516 million but the gain was swallowed up by selling and administration expenses and a one-off cost impact in the second half related to product quality issues.

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Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne has called on the New Zealand public to take the opportunity to have their say on the operation of Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ).

“New Zealand’s fire services have been operating under legislation that hasn’t seen significant change since the 1940’s. Our firefighters and the communities they serve deserve a fit for purpose, modern legislation that supports an integrated fire service to serve communities now and into the future. Fire and Emergency New Zealand, is a significant move towards strengthening, future-proofing and ensuring fire services remain connected to the communities they represent,” Mr Dunne said.

The Fire and Emergency New Zealand Bill was introduced to Parliament on 6 July 2016 to create one national fire service – bringing together more than 40 separate organisations, over 600 fire forces and brigades, more than 12,000 volunteers, and approximately 3000 paid staff.

A Discussion Document was released on the new fire services regulations and the public has until 18 August to make a submission. The regulations will contain the operational detail to enable the legislation.

“We want to hear from interested parties on the key elements within the regulations such as levy exemptions, property exemptions, establishment of local committees and fire control matters. This is your opportunity to ensure your community has the highest standard of service it needs to protect lives and property and I encourage you to have your say on the regulations that will shape how FENZ operates,” said Mr Dunne.

The discussion document is on the Department of Internal Affairs website (https://www.dia.govt.nz/Fire-Services-Transition), along with a submission form. Feedback should be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

A release from the Beehive, Thursday 11 August 2016

A new Sydney-based travel platform that aims to connect travellers with “been-there” travel agents has been set up by “a long term marketer and entrepreneur with successes in various industries over his time including bicycle manufacturing and wholesaling”, according to company publicity. 

The new platform, called Going.Expert, is currently inviting travel agents to register so they can be matched with clients wanting to travel.

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A new Sydney-based travel platform that aims to connect travellers with “been-there” travel agents has been set up by “a long term marketer and entrepreneur with successes in various industries over his time including bicycle manufacturing and wholesaling”, according to company publicity.

The new platform, called Going.Expert, is currently inviting travel agents to register so they can be matched with clients wanting to travel.

Company publicity disseminated yesterday through AAP Medianet described Going.Expert as “Sydney based with global reach”.

“Going.Expert is initially being launched to the Australian traveller to find Australian travel agents who have ‘been-there’. The database has also been populated with US travel agents and therefore nearly ready to launch into that market. Whilst Going.Expert is a web-based platform, and mobile optimized, we are putting final touches on an ios APP. This should be available September.”

Rogan Carroll, creator of the new connection tool for travellers, is quoted as follows:

“Everyone has written off the travel agent, saying the Online Travel Agents or OTA (the big online booking platforms) are taking over and there’s no need for travel agents any more. Well that couldn’t be further from the truth.”

“Travellers are spending way too long researching their holiday travel online – sometimes it takes days or weeks and ends up costing more than having a travel agent do it for them. The traveller is shifting back to using a travel agent, at the rate of about 5% per year, given the issues that can occur by booking with an online travel agent such as: missing out on the uniqueness of a destination, poor timing on connecting flights, sub-standard hotels, lack of travel insurance, incorrect or no visa, and so on; things an OTA just can’t correct mid trip.

“The OTA’s are aggregating available flight, hotel and packaged holiday data from multiple sources, they aren’t planning a vacation for the individual.

“If you want to pick up a quick inflexible, impersonal holiday package then go ahead and use an OTA, and pray that nothing goes wrong during your trip.

“But if you want a holiday that will be memorable for every last organised detail, and have someone to back you up even when you’re away, then you better use a travel agent.”

The publicity states: “Going.Expert doesn’t sell travel and doesn’t compare prices, we simply put you, the Traveller, in touch with Travel Agents who have been where you are going. And it’s not putting you in-touch with the travel agency office either, this is about one-to-one connections with the actual travel agent who has been there. We currently have destination experts covering 78 countries and growing daily.”

The statement said Going.Expert is Free to use and has “ no annoying backend advertising – just a pure tool to connect you, the traveller, with the travel agent who knows all about the destination(s) you are travelling to.”

Carroll is described as “a long term marketer and entrepreneur with successes in various industries over his time including bicycle manufacturing and wholesaling; educational toy retail stores, and childcare centres in the US”.

Agents wishing to check it out can visit the website at www.Going.Expert

Source: eGlobal Edited by Peter Needham - 12 August 2016

The University of Otago has appointed construction firm Leighs Cockram JV to build its new Dental School. Leighs Cockram JV, is a joint venture company made up of Christchurch-based Leigh’s Construction, and Australian-based Cockram’s Construction.

The appointment comes after a two-stage open tender process run via the Government tendering website over 12 weeks. At the conclusion of the process, which evaluated price and non-price attributes of tenders such as construction methodology, quality management, experience with similar projects and managing the links between the existing operations, services, and the new build, Leighs Cockram JV scored the highest and were recommended as contractor. The total value of the project, which includes demolition, the construction tender just announced, and then fit-out with all equipment and furnishings, has been estimated at around $125 million.

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The University of Otago has appointed construction firm Leighs Cockram JV to build its new Dental School.

The University’s Project Working Party approved the appointment of the contractor on Wednesday 3 August, and Leighs Cockram JV, a joint venture company made up of Christchurch-based Leigh’s Construction, and Australian-based Cockram’s Construction, was subsequently notified.

The appointment comes after a two-stage open tender process run via the Government tendering website over 12 weeks. At the conclusion of the process, which evaluated price and non-price attributes of tenders such as construction methodology, quality management, experience with similar projects and managing the links between the existing operations, services, and the new build, Leighs Cockram JV scored the highest and were recommended as contractor. The total value of the project, which includes demolition, the construction tender just announced, and then fit-out with all equipment and furnishings, has been estimated at around $125 million.

University Chief Operating Officer Stephen Willis says the joint venture of Leighs and Cockram brings a unique level of experience and appreciation for health-related facilities, and they are “among a few in New Zealand that we believe are capable of successfully delivering a project of this size and complexity.”

“Leighs Cockram JV brings with them recent relevant experience with a number of the team having just completed the Burwood Hospital project in Christchurch. We also know there will be significant engagement locally from the sub-contract and labour market, which is fantastic for Dunedin, and the local economy.

“It’s great to see all the hard work paying off to get to this stage. All the stakeholders, including the Faculty of Dentistry, the Division of Health Sciences, University Property Services and our students, are incredibly excited to finally be starting construction,” he says.

Work is expected to begin this month.

The project managers, Aurecon, who were appointed late last year have, in conjunction with the Dental School and University, re-thought the staging and decanting methodology resulting in a single-stage redevelopment of the Walsh Building. Previously this was going to be done in two stages, with half the building occupied during construction.

Now a new almost-finalised decant strategy will see research, dental technology, histology and some teaching temporarily relocated predominately to the northern end of the campus. The project team has focused on utilising existing space, as opposed to building new temporary space. It is likely the temporary facilities will be in use for 18 months to two years.

“This (strategy) will result in a shorter programme as well as making it safer and more comfortable for students, staff and patients during the works. The new clinical school building will be constructed first and is anticipated to be complete mid-2018, at which point the existing Walsh building will be vacated and refurbished with completion expected in mid-2019.”

Otogo University, Thursday 11 august 2016

JetBlue Technology Ventures has announced an investment in Mozio. The start-up technology company connects customers and local companies to provide information about how to travel to and from the airport. It covers all kinds of transportation such as taxi, shuttle or bus, and allows passengers to book their ground transportation of choice.

JetBlue Technology Ventures, which launched earlier this year, aims to work with and develop start-up companies in the technology, travel and hospitality sectors. This is the lab’s second investment, following an investment in FLYR.

Bonny Simi, President of JetBlue Technology Ventures, said: “We love to see technology like Mozio’s, delivering a consumer centric solution for travellers who are often left to search vainly for ‘last mile’ travel options in unfamiliar settings. Mozio’s technology helps take the guesswork out of that planning.

“While there are many on-demand car transportation options, Mozio’s solution aggregates multiple forms of ground transportation, delivering precisely what travellers are looking for, informed options. We see great potential in Mozio’s technology to move travel booking beyond flights, and are looking forward to being involved in further extending their platform.

David Litwak, CEO of Mozio, said: “JetBlue Technology Ventures will be a key partner for us as we make moves into developing more distribution partners.

“It can be hard for start-ups to break into the travel industry, but this vote of confidence by JetBlue Technology Ventures’ backing shows Mozio to be a great option for airlines, online travel agencies and corporate travel firms looking for a reliable and holistic ground transportation partner.”

Future Travel Experience August 12, 2016

A 10-year plan to address health risks in New Zealand’s workplaces was launched on the 10th of aust 2016  in Wellington by the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon Michael Woodhouse.

WorkSafe New Zealand’s strategic plan for work-related health, ‘Healthy Work’, outlines the approach WorkSafe will take over the coming ten years to support and enable businesses to better manage work-related health risks. Each year, these risks kill 600-900 people and lead to a further 30,000 New Zealand workers developing serious, but non-fatal, work-related health conditions.

“Each one of those figures is a real person who has died or has become unwell as a result of their work and for too long we’ve put work-related health in the ‘too hard basket’,” Mr Woodhouse said.

“We can’t fix the issues arising from past exposures, but with strong leadership from across the health and safety system, and everyone demonstrating greater accountability for managing work-related health risks, we can significantly improve health outcomes in our workplaces for the future,” he said.

The plan focuses on enabling greater leadership across the health and safety system by raising awareness of harm and risks, encouraging collaboration, minimising risks at source and influencing the education system to improve understanding of risks. It also guides WorkSafe’s approach to building the capability of its inspectors, improving data and intelligence, providing guidance and education resources, and enhancing the regulatory framework.

“We will address prioritised risks through a series of targeted intervention programmes so that we achieve a step change in performance,” the Chair of WorkSafe, Professor Gregor Coster, said.

“Beyond the high human cost to individuals, their families, whanau and communities, work-related diseases cost this country an estimated $2.4 billion per year. The human and financial costs are simply unacceptable,” he said.

Businesses looking for tips on how to succeed in today’s age of authenticity can learn from brand leaders at a one day conference in Auckland on 31 August.

Communicating in an Age of Authenticity, run by the Sustainable Business Network, will help businesses understand the two vital elements to authentic communication – purpose and proof.

“People now want to know the good being done by the businesses they buy from, work for and invest in. To succeed, your business will need a positive purpose at its core. You have to be able to prove it. And you must be able to express it in everything you do,” says Rachel Brown, CEO of the Sustainable Business Network.

“During this conference attendees will learn how to meet this challenge from business leaders in pioneering NZ and overseas companies. They’ll identify the enormous opportunities it creates, and they’ll work with you to help you make it happen in your organisation.”

The speakers are some of the top sustainability thinkers and business leaders from New Zealand and overseas. They include:

· Christopher Davis, The Body Shop International’s head of Corporate Social Responsibility (UK, by video);· Dom Thurbon, Founder and Chief Creative Officer of fast-growing multinational business Karrikins Group (Australia);· Josh Page, Global Brand Manager of NZ success story Blunt Umbrellas;· Jacqueline Farman, Founder of The Purpose Business, and creator of the Colmar Brunton Better Business reports;· Avram Deitch, Global Marketing Manager of multi award-winning Yealands Wine Group;· Associate Professor Niki Harré, Author of Psychology for a Better World from The University of Auckland;· Matt Dagger, General Manager of Kaibosh Food Rescue;· Lucy Kebbell, Chair of CommonSense Organics;· Dean Easterbrook, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Borderless;· Dave Williams, aiming to be the first in the world to climb the highest peak on every continent from sea level.

“The conference is relevant for any business looking to succeed in this age of authenticity. You’ll learn, collaborate and come back to work with a head full of fresh ideas to implement in your organisation,” says Rachel.

What: Conference: Communicating in an Age of AuthenticityWhen: Wednesday 31 August, 8.30am-5.30pmWhere: AUT Business School, AucklandCost: SBN members: $400; non-members $1100Find out more: www.sustainable.org.nz/conference2016

Food Price Index: July 2016: Food prices decreased 1.3 percent in the year to July 2016, Statistics New Zealand said today. This follows a decrease of 0.5 percent in the year to June 2016.

Grocery food prices decreased 2.9 percent in the year, influenced by all the main dairy products decreasing in price:

cheese (down 11 percent)fresh milk (down 3.2 percent)yoghurt (down 9.7 percent)butter (down 11 percent).

“The price of cheese has continued to fall in the year to July 2016, to its lowest price since October 2009," consumer prices manager Matt Haigh said. "The average price of a kilo block of the cheapest available mild cheddar cheese was $7.39 in July 2016, down from $9.07 in July 2015.”

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