Coastguard Northern Region - 2018 Performance Report

Coastguard
Northern
Region
2018
Performance
Report
THE CHARITY SAVING LIVES AT SEA

Our mission is
Saving lives at sea
Our vision is Everybody safe on the water
Who we are
We are Coastguard Northern Region – the charity saving lives at sea.
Every day of every year, people of all ages and backgrounds get into trouble
while enjoying the water.
It’s a challenge that we’re here to tackle.
We’re here to teach Kiwis how to make the most of our rivers and coastlines
safely and confidently through our education programmes and community
initiatives.
We’re here to save lives at sea through the provision of critical communications
infrastructure providing safety and information services.
We’re here to ensure a search and rescue capability ready at the drop of a hat.
We’re here to support our people to make a difference. They are everyday Kiwis
doing remarkable things in bringing people home to safety time after time.

It’s been a year of
outstanding teamwork
Graham Brown President
Governance
Board
PRESIDENT
Graham Brown
VICE PRESIDENT
Wally Hawken
The end of a financial year is a moment to
look back and reflect on all that has gone on
in the previous twelve months. Invariably that
reflection invokes a range of emotions, and
that is certainly the case this year. In the last 12
months Coastguard Northern Region has been
busier than usual both on and off the water, as
evidenced by the information in our Statement
of Service Performance (SSP) and the progress
against our Regional Strategy.
A look at our SSP shows that many of our
key operational metrics have increased. In
the last 12 months, our volunteers and staff
have responded to 2,121 incidents, helping
5,407 people to return home safely. These
figures shape an upward trend in the number
of incidents occurring around our region, most
likely reflecting the growing popularity of boating
around our coastline. Of those incidents, 261
were categorised as Search and Rescue events
where Coastguard and its partner agencies
have intervened to save lives. I am pleased
to say that we estimate that 11 people have
been saved by Coastguard Northern Region’s
volunteers and staff in the last year.
In May of this year we were reminded of how
dangerous our waterways can be with the
publication of the Transport Accident Investigation
Committee’s report into the MV Francie tragedy
on 26 November 2016. The report makes for
sobering reading, cataloguing the events and
decisions that led to the loss of eight lives on
the Kaipara Bar. The report is an essential read
for anyone connected with maritime safety in
New Zealand. Key messages from the report
include the need to understand the factors that
make a bar treacherous, the preparations to be
undertaken long before leaving dry land, and the
necessity to be ready to adjust plans based on
the conditions presented. Tragically the report
reinforces our regular message regarding the
need to wear a correctly fitted, secure lifejacket
in any situation where there is risk of immersion.
Thankfully we are able to reflect on the many
occasions when the actions of our volunteers
and staff result in a positive outcome, such as the
rescue of Amber Anderton and her sons in the
unforgiving surroundings of the Hokianga Harbour.
Amber’s bravery at the time and her subsequent
determination to share her experience with others
is an inspiration to us all.
We at Coastguard will not tire of taking actions
to reduce loss of life at sea. This year we have
once again seen an increase in the number of
bar crossing reports, and the popularity of our
Raising The Bar courses shows no sign of
diminishing. Off the water we have completed
yet another successful Old4New lifejacket
campaign, visiting boat ramps and communities
around the region trading out-of-date lifejackets
for the most appropriate, new lifejacket for
a boatie’s chosen activity. In addition to
exchanging lifejackets, the Old4New team have
a wealth of expert advice, and I encourage you
to watch out for this summer’s schedule.
As we say, it takes a team to save lives at sea
and this year has been one of outstanding
teamwork. It is a privilege to play a role in
this organisation and to work so closely with
Northern Region’s remarkable volunteers and
staff. All of their time and effort could not be
translated into results without the backing of our
team of funding partners and sponsors, and so
my heartfelt thanks go out to everyone in our
life-saving team, whatever role you play.
Graham Brown
President
IMMEDIATE PAST
PRESIDENT
Ron Lucca
BOARD MEMBERS
Roy Savage
Maureen Calkin
Guy Hornblow
Evelyn Davis
Bennett Medary
Ian Gibson
Neil Bradley
WE AT COASTGUARD WILL NOT TIRE OF TAKING
ACTIONS TO REDUCE LOSS OF LIFE AT SEA
3

Our vision is to have everybody safe on the water
Strategy on a page
How We
Save Lives
Search and Rescue Communications Education
We will achieve our vision by delivering on our strategy
Our
Strategy
Goals
Our People
Have the right people in the
right place at the right time
Our Partnerships
Achieve the very best
performance from our region by
playing to our combined strengths
Our Customers
Give people the skills, support &
resources to make the most of
their boating safely & effectively
Our
Foundations
Strong & effective
governance
The right tools &
infrastructure
The skills to shape
our business

Navigating a true course
Callum Gillespie Chief Executive Officer
A very warm welcome to members, volunteers
and supporters of Coastguard Northern Region.
My thanks to all of you for your contribution to
our activities over the last 12 months.
Here in our 2018 Report you will read about
the breadth of activities that our volunteers and
staff have been involved with over the last year.
We have responded to Calls for Assistance
where necessary, but we also aim to enable our
region’s residents and visitors to make the most
of our coastline, rivers and lakes safely and with
confidence.
As Graham stated in his summary, the last
12 months have been busy, and in fact our
on-water activity has been at its greatest
since 2013. A review of the types of incidents
attended shows the wide range of scenarios
that our volunteers need to be prepared for.
Mechanical failures top the list of events that our
rescue crews respond to, and in the last year we
have seen how a rudder failure can result in the
total loss of a vessel and real risk to the crew.
At the other end of the scale, we can see that
CNR volunteers responded to 22 vessel fires,
and while we are thankful that fires make up
only 1% of call-outs, all boaties will know that
dealing with a fire on board is one of the worst
scenarios they can find themselves in.
Coastguard Northern Region is powered by
more than 1,000 volunteers who give their
time in operational and support roles (and
often to both). Recruiting, training and retaining
volunteers is critical to maintaining our readiness
to respond. As committed to in our last report,
this year we have once again increased our
investment of energy and funding as we seek
to develop the trained strength of our units.
We are proud of the progress we have made as
we have tested new initiatives and embedded
successful ones. That said, there is more to
be done and we are grateful for the support of
Northland, Auckland and Waikato Councils for
their backing of our recruitment and training
activities.
Informed readers will know that as well as
owning and operating our rescue vessels and
search aircraft, successful achievement of
our mission requires Coastguard to operate a
wide range of technology and communications
systems. In March, CNR was very pleased to
sign a contract for the modernisation of our
VHF communications network with Kordia Ltd,
a project that has started and is due to complete
before summer. In June, Coastguard launched
our new ‘Boaties Best Mate’ app. The app not
only has all the weather and tidal information a
boatie needs to make good boating decisions,
but also enables boaties to log a trip as an
alternative to using VHF or making a phone call.
Delivery of the app was made possible with the
generous support of BayTrust who shared our
view that providing boaties with smart, easy ways
to stay in contact with Coastguard can make a
real contribution to their safety.
Having thanked our wonderful volunteers and
our external partners, it only remains for me to
thank the hard-working and dedicated staff of
Coastguard Northern Region who have achieved
so much this year.
Ngā mihi nui.
Callum Gillespie
Chief Executive Officer
RECRUITING, TRAINING AND RETAINING VOLUNTEERS IS
CRITICAL TO MAINTAINING OUR READINESS TO RESPOND
5

The difference we’ve made in the last year
Statement of Service Performance
Provision of critical safety, information
and communication services.
Search-and-rescue capability ready at a
moment’s notice.
6
114,738
58,764
Trip Reports logged
with Coastguard Radio
safety and information
services to boaties, including
live weather broadcasts and wind warnings
Over 4,500 downloads of our
new Coastguard app in first three weeks
after launch
17,805
Bar Crossing Reports
monitored
100% availability, 365 days of the year
2,121
Responded to calls for help
5,407 boaties helped home to safety
11
people are alive because Coastguard
was there*
1,004
127,121
trained and skilled
volunteers
volunteer hours dedicated
to saving lives at sea
*Source: NZ SAR Annual Report.

Delivery of boating education and
community initiatives.
Over 25,700 Coastguard
Members nationwide, administered by
the Northern Region
1,664
students on public courses
8
Bar
Safety events
delivered to
202 boaties
Over 3,000 old lifejackets traded
in for new through the Old4New campaign
5,841 training modules completed
by Northern Region volunteers
7

OUR CUSTOMERS
Badly burned and hypothermic,
he waited for rescue
Coastguard responds when fireball engulfs solo sailor
Hypothermic and huddled under a duvet in
the shower on his yacht, Peter Wills waited
for rescue and medical attention, hoping it
was coming.
Just minutes earlier, Peter had suffered
severe burns when an explosion in the engine
room of his yacht engulfed him in a fireball,
turning an overnight trip in early March into
an evening he would never forget.
Shortly before 2200 hours, Coastguard
Radio received a distress relay call from a
vessel reporting that someone was in trouble
on a boat near Huhuri Bay, Waiheke Island.
Realising the urgency of the situation, the
Operations Centre quickly tasked Coastguard
Auckland’s ASB and Lion Foundation Rescue
vessels to the incident. Responding as
quickly as they dared in dark and choppy
conditions, the rescue vessels reached
Peter’s badly damaged boat within twenty
minutes.
Coastguard volunteer Chris Griggs boarded
the yacht to find Peter in severe pain and
suffering from mild hypothermia.
“The fire had caused significant burns to
his lower body. He had done the right thing
in getting wet and sitting under the cold
water but in doing so he had started to go
hypothermic and was in immense pain.”
As a trained medic, Chris was able
to administer pain relief, enabling the
crew to move Peter to Lion Foundation
Rescue before transporting him to meet
the Auckland Rescue Helicopter team at
Kennedy Point.
Now attention turned to the fire-damaged
yacht. ASB Rescue stayed with the vessel
and awaited the return of Lion Foundation
Rescue with firefighters on board to ensure
any hot spots were dampened down.
ASB Rescue then stayed nearby overnight
with the unaccompanied yacht until friends
of Peter took responsibility.
Despite the severity of his burns, Peter, who
lives on board his vessel and was attending
to maintenance in his engine room when the
incident occurred, says he realises that the
outcome for him could have been a great
deal worse.
First responder Chris Giggs says, “Situations
like these certainly see your training kick
in. It’s huge credit to the volunteer crews
involved in the incident; we gave Peter
his best chance of survival and wish
him all the best with his recovery.”
8
WE GAVE PETER THE BEST
CHANCE OF SURVIVAL
Chris Griggs, Coastguard Auckland volunteer

Living to tell the tale
A cautionary message of survival shared far
and wide by a Hokianga mum
What started out as a pleasant September day on the water dredging for
scallops turned into a frightening three-hour ordeal for a young Hokianga mother
and her sons.
But thanks to their lifejackets, great presence of mind and a rapid response by
Coastguard Hokianga, Amber Anderton and her boys have not only lived to tell
the tale but are now helping to share their story and the lifejacket message with
thousands of New Zealand boaties.
It was nearly dark when the Coastguard Operations Centre in Auckland was
advised by Police that a small vessel had capsized on the northern side of the
Hokianga Harbour near Panguru.
A search was launched and the trio – mother Amber and her two children,
Mason (6) and James (4) were found, mildly hypothermic, sitting on the upturned
hull of their 5.5m boat, too scared to move in case they rocked the boat and
ended up in the water. With husband Robert swimming to shore to raise the
alarm, it was up to Amber to look after the boys and keep their spirits up.
Rescued after three hours by a crew from Coastguard Hokianga, Amber will
always be grateful to Coastguard and is determined to share her experience.
In the days since her ordeal, Amber has had many opportunities to spread the
word about the vital importance of lifejackets, appearing on national television
news and in newspapers, each time sharing the simple message that it’s
essential to wear your lifejacket because life-threatening events arise without
warning.
“She’s bigger than your
average tinny”
Volunteers complete a technically challenging rescue
The 294m long Norwegian Jewel is a regular sight in Auckland
during the summer cruise liner season. At 93,502 tonnes ‘the
Jewel’ contributes to the tally of more than 120 cruise liners that
visit Auckland each year, bringing $245m to our regional economy.
With her modern facilities and more than 1,000 staff on board it’s
rare for Coastguard crews to have to do anything other than stay
well clear of these giants as they enter and exit the Hauraki Gulf.
However, on 18 January, Coastguard was put to the test when
called upon to Medivac a critically ill passenger from the Jewel as
she left from Auckland.
In circumstances such as these, Coastguard Northern Region’s
larger rescue vessels come into their own and, using Lion
Foundation Rescue, Coastguard had a rescue team and paramedic
alongside the Jewel in the dark at 2130 hrs.
Transferring personnel between moving vessels is a challenging
task at the best of times, but in high winds and heavy seas it took
all of the skills and training of the Coastguard crew to complete the
task. With skillful use of her Hamilton Jet propulsion system, Lion’s
helmsman maintained position as the patient was stabilised, before
coming alongside a lifeboat lowered from the cruise liner with the
patient and his wife on board. Together they were brought on board
Lion before being transferred to a waiting ambulance ashore.
We are prepared
for any type of
incident
Incident type
2017-18
Mechanical failure accounts
for nearly 50% of incidents.
n Mechanical 977
n Electrical 263
n Person in water or medical 154
n Adrift/aground/lost 144
n Fuel 129
n Equipment failure 120
n Sinking or capsize 87
n Overdue 85
n Fire 22
n Collision 12
n Other 128
WEAR A LIFEJACKET, IT’S THAT SIMPLE
Amber Anderton, rescued mother
9

OUR PEOPLE
Banu’s story
Banu Pashutanizadeh
Role: In-Flight Coordinator, Coastguard Auckland Air Patrol
Age: 27
Time with Coastguard: 4 years
Banu Pashutanizadeh is flying high with Coastguard’s Auckland Air Patrol
as she aims to make a difference in her community.
Having discovered Coastguard in 2014 while studying mechatronics at
university, Banu initially joined the Auckland Air Patrol as a Flight Observer
while also taking lessons at a flying school near the unit’s Ardmore base.
For Banu, the reward of flying search missions and helping boaties in
distress is complemented by the thrill of flying privately.
With training and time in the air, Banu gained the experience and skills
necessary to grow her airborne responsibilities, moving forward in the
aircraft to the In-Flight Coordinator’s seat. As an In-Flight Coordinator she
is now responsible for mission planning and managing communications
between the aircraft, rescue vessels and the Coastguard Operations
Centre.
Keen to contribute further, Banu also gives her time and makes the most of
her organisational skills as the Air Patrol’s Equipment Officer, ensuring the
plane is mission ready at all times. As a member of the unit’s committee
she has gained yet another perspective on the challenges of leading a unit,
enabling people and ensuring high quality, consistent operations.
Banu enjoys the multi-faceted challenges she faces every day with
Coastguard; not only has volunteering with Coastguard given her
opportunities to grow and extend herself while pursuing her passion,
but she has also had the chance to give back to the community that
welcomed her so warmly 10 years ago.
10
IN FINDING THE PERFECT WAY TO
SUPPORT HER COMMUNITY, BANU
HAS TRULY FOUND HER WINGS

Accelerating trainee progress
Giving volunteers greater choice of training options
Increasing safety support in a boating haven
Investment in the North pays dividends for the community
When it comes to training, Coastguard units have often faced challenges
creating training schedules that meet the busy lives of their volunteers
and the availability of instructors and vessels. Faced with the need to
increase training capacity and find ways of giving volunteers greater
choice, the concept of the Trainee to Operational Course was developed
to offer an alternative means of training progress.
The first Trainee to Operational Course, modelled on approaches taken
by other rescue organisations around the world, took place in November
2016, allowing already skilled trainee volunteers to accelerate their
training to operational status through an intensive six-day course. Since
then, three more of these courses have been held across the Northern
Region, progressing the Coastguard careers of 60 volunteers.
The latest course, held in April 2018, brought together 16 volunteers at
the Auckland Marine Rescue Centre for a week of in-classroom theory
work, mixed with on-the-water development of their practical skills.
Students came together from units across the region and beyond it, with
a place taken by a trainee from Coastguard’s Eastern Region. Funding
for the course was provided by the Stevenson Trust, whose generosity
prevented cost being a barrier to our volunteers’ progress. At the end
of the intensive week, 13 attendees had passed outright, with the
remaining three needing only minor additional assessments to become
operational.
Darren Arthur, CNR’s Education Manager is pleased with the impact
the course is having. He says, “While the course isn’t a ‘one size fits
all’ solution, almost every volunteer who has undertaken the course
has embraced the immersive training style.” Darren observes that once
students return to their units, many of the attendees continue to commit
more voluntary time than those who haven’t undergone the intensive
course, indicating an extra commitment to Coastguard.
As a tool in the toolbox of getting volunteers to operational standard, the
Trainee to Operational Course has allowed volunteers to quickly hone
their skills, encouraged them to succeed, and enabled them to be better
prepared to save lives at sea. As a result, Coastguard Northern Region
has now adopted the course as a regular fixture in its training curriculum.
The picturesque Bay of Islands is one of many boating
hotspots in Northland enjoyed by tourists and locals
alike. The beauty of the area is a drawcard for those
wanting to get away from it all, and boating activity takes
off during summer months as tourists come from far and
wide to enjoy all that the area has to offer.
The combination of a small fixed population and large
seasonal variation in visitor activity presents challenges
for organisations such as Coastguard, placing a strain
on local volunteers to cope with increased call-outs
during summer months. Faced with the challenge of
meeting demand in 2017, Coastguard Northern Region
leadership has taken steps this year to address the
issue by increasing support for its Northland units,
including the Bay of Islands.
The training and assessment of Coastguard volunteers
is provided by Coastguard Instructors attached to units
or employed by a Coastguard region such as CNR.
Faced with the challenge of strengthening volunteer
numbers in Northland, veteran Coastguard volunteer
and experienced tutor Robb Henry has been seconded
to the region for the first six months of the year. With
only a handful of Coastguard Instructors in the area,
Robb’s first job was to assist units with analysing their
training plans, before working with volunteers to develop
quickly implemented training strategies to progress
their volunteer journey. A series of recruitment drives
led by the Region has helped bolster numbers across
Northland.
This drive to build capability has been reinforced with the
first combined training exercise to be held in Northland
in several years, bringing together Coastguard units from
Tutukaka, Bay of Islands, Whangaruru and Whangaroa.
The trainex was designed to test the response of
volunteers to a series of simulated incidents, as well as
developing teamwork between the units.
As well as people-focused activity, the smart use of
rescue assets around the region is helping to improve
Coastguard’s ability to save lives in Northland. With a
Coastguard vessel now permanently stationed at North
Kaipara and the former North Shore Rescue vessel
ready to deploy at Houhora, being smart with our onwater
assets will pay dividends in these more remote
communities.
By taking a collaborative approach that addresses all
aspects of the readiness process and working closely
with its units, Coastguard Northern Region aims to
better prepare its Northland volunteers to respond for
their communities when they’re needed.
WHILE THE COURSE ISN’T A ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL SOLUTION, ALMOST
EVERY VOLUNTEER HAS EMBRACED THE IMMERSIVE TRAINING STYLE
11
Darren Arthur, CNR Education Manager

OUR PARTNERSHIPS
Investing in smart ways to help boaties stay safe
Safety in your pocket
Kiwi boaties are now set to be safer on the
water with the launch of Coastguard’s new
smartphone app.
The culmination of nearly two years of intensive
design and development activity, the new
Coastguard app has been designed to be a
game changer for boaties and Coastguard,
providing boaties with both the information
they need to plan their outing and an
alternative means of telling Coastguard about
their plans.
For the first time, boaties can log a trip report
to Coastguard from their smart phone from
anywhere in the country. With Coastguard
receiving an average of 250,000 trip reports
each year via VHF and phone, development of
a solution to give boaties greater choice and
security, and to find efficiency in the service,
was an objective of CNR’s technology strategy.
More than just offering a new trip reporting
option, the Coastguard app has been
designed to be the ‘Boatie’s Best Mate’,
providing a five-day weather forecast,
Nowcasting and wave and tide information.
A neat extra feature is the ability for boaties to
save their favourite spots for quick access to
detailed forecasts at their chosen location.
The new app also provides users with
the technology at their fingertips to add
their boat details, including their callsign,
and and to nominate a designated
shore contact. Using the smartphone’s
functionality, the app will alert the boatie
when their trip report is overdue and send
an SMS message to their shore contact
if the trip hasn’t been closed after 90
minutes.
This game-changing app has been made
possible thanks to generous funding
from BayTrust and the Auckland Maritime
Foundation, and with advertising space
purchased by long-term partners Giltrap,
Hutchwilco and Rayglass. In particular,
BayTrust have worked closely with
Coastguard over the last two years to
create the app, contributing $100,000
towards its development and co-ordinating
a further $146,000 worth of contributions
from other community trusts nationwide.
With over 4,500 downloads in just the first
few weeks after launch, use of the app
is off to a good start and we aim to grow
its popularity in the run-up to the summer
boating season.
12
CREATING SAFE COMMUNITIES IS ONE OF
OUR KEY PRIORITIES. WE STRONGLY BELIEVE
IN THIS INITIATIVE AND ARE EXTREMELY
PROUD TO NOW SEE IT COME TO LIFE
Alastair Rhodes, BayTrust CEO

Lifejacket campaign still going
strong after four years
3,000 more people safer on the water
Thousands of old and unsafe lifejackets were taken out of circulation and replaced
with brand new lifejackets this summer thanks to Coastguard’s ever popular Old4New
Lifejacket Upgrade campaign.
The Old4New Lifejacket Upgrade has resulted in more than 10,000 lifejackets being
traded since the campaign started in the Northern Region in 2014.
Sue Tucker, Coastguard Community Ambassador, says, “The Old4New Lifejacket
Upgrade provides the opportunity for people to be responsible and take the safety
of themselves and their loved ones seriously.”
Over the course of this year’s 10-week campaign, more than 3,000 old, damaged
or obsolete lifejackets were traded in by boaties from 55 communities across New
Zealand as they came to meet the Old4New team at boat ramps from the Far North
to the Deep South.
The initiative, which is generously supported by Maritime New Zealand, Giltrap and
Hutchwilco, not only serves to replace outdated lifejackets, but also provides a
rich source of useful advice for boaties looking to use and maintain their lifejackets
correctly.
Business Giving
Programme
Businesses give over $8,500
Launched early in 2018, the Business
Giving Programme has been set up to
give corporate donors a range of specific
opportunities to contribute to Coastguard
Northern Region, while also allowing us to
maintain a strong dialogue with businesses
keen to support us.
The programme has revolved around crucial
needs for Coastguard, including the Train
a Volunteer and Build a Boat campaigns –
both of which pitch strong life-saving stories
and appeal to corporate audiences.
To the end of June 2018, the campaign had
raised over $8,500 and gained support from
a range of businesses large and small, all
keen to help Coastguard save lives at sea.
Great New Zealand
Shipping Ball
Shipping industry comes together to
support Coastguard
Companies and staff from across the shipping
industry came together to support Coastguard
in late June at the biennial Great New Zealand
Shipping Ball.
Held at Shed 10 on Auckland’s waterfront,
the sold-out Gala Ball featured a who’s-who
of the shipping industry among the invited
guests. Expertly MC’ed by Newshub reporter
Ryan Bridge and organised by a committee of
passionate and efficient industry volunteers,
the Ball raised over $88,000 for Coastguard
Northern Region, surpassing its previous
contribution by more than $20,000.
www.old4new.nz
CoastguardOld4New
WE’RE INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THE DIFFERENCE
THIS CAMPAIGN IS MAKING IN OUR COMMUNITIES
13
Sue Tucker, Coastguard Community Ambassador

Maintaining our upward momentum
We’ve made great progress with our strategy execution this year and are committed to maintaining that momentum over the next 12 months.
As seen on Page 4, we have identified six outcome areas (Our Strategy Goals and Our Foundations) that require our attention if we are to ensure that Coastguard
Northern Region can continue to successfully deliver on our vision and mission in the future. On these pages we share some of our priorities for the year ahead.
Our People
Having the right people in the right place at
the right time.
This goal remains our highest priority. In the last
year we have focused our energy and financial
resources on this goal with the aim of increasing
our trained strength across the region. We
recognise that this area will require both our longterm
attention and innovative thinking. Achieving
our aim will require us to improve the way we
tell our volunteer story and develop new means
of recruiting. It will require us to further invest in
training capacity and to find the most effective ways
to meet our volunteers’ training requirements. In the
next year, keen observers will see us invest further
in the people and tools necessary to achieve Our
People goal.
Our Partnerships
Working with our units and other partners is
essential to achieving the very best performance
from our region. In the last year we have worked
together with Coastguard New Zealand to develop a
nationwide ‘My Coastguard’ Sharepoint application
that will become the centre of our communications
in the future. My Coastguard has been developed
to enable units to store and share all of their
documentation under one digital roof, to be a place
to hear about what’s going on across Coastguard,
and to share thinking using the system’s online
conversation channels.
We believe that collectively these features can make
our units better connected and better informed,
and can reduce duplicated effort by our volunteers.
Our Customers
A highlight of the last year has been the launch of
our new Coastguard app and the replacement of
our aging trip reporting platform with a modern
cloud-based system. These improvements go to the
heart of our aim to give people the skills, support
and resources to make the most of their boating
safely and effectively.
As explained on page 12, the app has the potential
to improve both decision making and convenience
for our customers, and to improve safety outcomes
and efficiency for Coastguard. For these reasons we
plan to continue to invest in its development this year
and to encourage its widespread uptake.
14

Equipping our region with the right
tools and infrastructure
At Coastguard Northern Region we believe in the power of great
partnerships and we seek organisations with similar values to pursue
shared goals.
In March this year, we laid the foundations for just such a partnership with the signing of
the Coastguard Services Agreement with Kordia Limited.
Kordia is the New Zealand Government’s state-owned communications provider,
and together CNR and Kordia have embarked on an ambitious $1.5m programme to
upgrade Northern Region’s VHF communications infrastructure. The programme, which
launched in April, is scheduled to finish in late 2018 and will see CNR Communications
extensively modernised. Utilising Kordia’s digital network and expertise, CNR will be
able to improve its communications quality and reduce its operational risk. Importantly,
CNR will also gain the ability to access Channel 16 nationwide and to access Maritime
New Zealand’s working channels where appropriate, greatly improving our ability to
communicate with boaties and deliver on our life-saving mission.
Together we’re saving lives...
Thanks to our outstanding partners for their generosity and belief in
our mission – we simply couldn’t do it without them!
Community Partner
Supporting Partners
®
Funding Partners
Supporters
Blue Sky Community Trust
Dragon Community Trust
Fonterra Grassroots Trust
Four Winds Foundation
Grassroots Trust Limited
Infinity Foundation
Mt Wellington Foundation Limited
North & South Trust
Oxford Sports Trust
Pelorus Trust
Stevenson Village Trust
The Southern Trust
The Trusts Community Foundation
15

The cost of saving lives at sea
Finance Report
Coastguard Northern Region’s performance is laid out
through our Statement of Service Performance and in
the stories we tell throughout this report. Those outputs
and outcomes – lives saved and boaties assisted,
safety services delivered and volunteers and students
educated – are our true measures of success.
Such services come at a cost, and thankfully for
Coastguard and all who benefit from these services,
those costs are greatly reduced through the very
substantial contribution of our volunteers, who give
their labour and expertise for free. There is no doubt
that were this cost to be monetised and recorded in our
financial statements, it would be our most substantial
expense.
In the last financial year the cost of providing Coastguard
services to the approximately 2 million residents of the
Northland, Auckland and Waikato regions covered by CNR
was $5.51 million*.
Key expenses in the period included:
• $1.3m paid to units and the Auckland Air Patrol for
operational costs and equipment maintenance.
• $0.47m of costs to recruit and train the region’s
volunteers and to educate boaties on public courses.
• $0.87m spent telling our story, raising funds and taking
Old4New to our communities.
Movements on the previous year include:
• An increase in funds distributed to units for rescue asset
repairs and maintenance, and for fuel costs.
• An increase in marketing and fundraising costs including
the cost of the bi-annual NZ Shipping Ball.
• Increased salary costs including the cost of establishing
CNR’s Fundraising Team.
• Increased Operational expenses resulting from
CNR’s investment in technology including the VHF
Communications project and Sharepoint.
CNR is grateful for the support of the Auckland Marine
Rescue Centre Trust whose purpose is to support the
charities resident at the Marine Rescue Centre by providing
low-cost accommodation.
Our Costs
2017- 2018
The cost of saving lives
n Paid to units $1,303,755 23%
n Education COS $472,259 8%
n Air patrol expenses $48,570 1%
n Staff expenses $1,988,669 36%
n Marketing $871,150 16%
n AMRC expenses $82,377 1%
n Operational expenses $509,883 9%
n Amortisation $33,847 1%
n Depreciation $251,005 5%
n Loss on disposal $2,876 0%
*Does not include costs paid by units
16

Where does our funding come from?
Finance Report
Our Revenue
2017- 2018
Where our funding comes from
n Donations $78,981 1%
n Trust grants $148,374 3%
n SLA & LGB $341,938 6%
n ARAFA $712,000 12%
n Foundation North $285,379 5%
n Grants general $400,954 7%
n Subscriptions $2,189,017 38%
n SAR reimbursements $105,831 2%
n Sponsorship $61,304 1%
n Other income $677,623 12%
n Education $495,014 9%
n Finance income $231,991 4%
Coastguard Northern Region’s total revenue, including
finance income for the period July 17 – Jun 18 was
$5.72 million, an increase of $0.52m on the previous year.
Of note in the period was:
• An increase in grants, particularly due to one-off funding
from BayTrust and related community trusts for App and
Trip Reporting system development.
• Improved fundraising revenue, particularly from the
Shipping Ball.
• Achievement of 6.8% growth in membership subscriptions.
CNR wishes to specifically acknowledge the important
role of the following funders without whose support our
task would be immeasurably more difficult:
• The NZSAR Council for its support through SLA funding
• The Lotteries Grant Board
• Auckland City Council and Northland and Waikato
Regional Councils
• Coastguard New Zealand
• The generous and long-standing support of
Foundation North.
We acknowledge also the ongoing support of the Auckland
Volunteer Coastguard (AVCG) Trust whose accounts are
consolidated with CNR’s. The Trustees of the AVCG play
an important role overseeing an investment portfolio for the
benefit of the Region.
In the last year, CNR has appreciated the expertise of both
the Accountancy and Operational Advisory practices of
Grant Thornton New Zealand who continue to provide
excellent business and risk-management support and
advice to CNR.
Finally, we acknowledge the support of RSM Hayes Audit
whose guidance throughout the year and client support is
first-class.
At the end of FY1718, Northern Region’s net assets have
increased by $164,014. These resources will be required
in the year ahead as the organisation takes steps to
ensure that our staff and volunteers have the right tools
and infrastructure to deliver on our mission. These steps
include investment in the upgrade of the region’s VHF
communications infrastructure and the joint delivery
(with CNZ) of the Coastguard IT Strategy (see Page 15).
17

Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Revenue and Expense
Coastguard Northern Region Incorporated
For the Year ended 30 June 2018
Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity
Coastguard Northern Region Incorporated
For the Year ended 30 June 2018
Notes 2018 2017
$ $
Revenue from non-exchange transactions
Donations 78,981 110,686
Trust Grants 148,374 59,529
Coastguard NZ – SLA & LGB 341,938 362,468
ARAFA 712,000 698,000
Foundation North 12 285,379 306,776
Grants – General 400,954 251,302
1,967,626 1,788,761
Revenue from exchange transactions
Subscriptions 2,189,017 2,048,944
SAR Reimbursements 105,831 117,476
Sponsorship 61,304 80,252
Other Income 677,623 482,311
Education Income 495,014 505,968
3,528,789 3,234,951
Total revenue 5,496,415 5,023,712
Equity
Accumulated
comprehensive
revenue and expense
Total equity
$ $
Opening balance 1 July 2017 3,475,484 3,475,484
Surplus for the year 164,014 164,014
Closing equity 30 June 2018 3,639,498 3,639,498
Opening balance 1 July 2016 3,210,122 3,210,122
Surplus for the year 265,362 265,362
Closing equity 30 June 2017 3,475,484 3,475,484
18
Expenses 6
Paid to units 1,303,755 1,154,783
Education Cost of Sales 472,259 470,316
Air Patrol Expenses 48,570 52,294
Staff Expenses 1,988,669 1,758,312
Marketing Expenses 871,150 726,804
AMRC Expenses 82,377 78,079
Operational Expenses 509,883 435,798
Amortisation of intangible assets 10 33,847 30,704
Depreciation 11 251,005 229,615
Loss on Disposal/Sale of Fixed Asset 2,876 527
Total expenses 5,564,391 4,937,232
Finance income
Interest Income 105,370 91,842
Investment income 39,030 44,574
Unrealised Capital Gain/(Loss) on Investment 83.374 32,931
Realised Capital Gain/(Loss) on Investment 4,216 9,535
Total Finance income 231,990 178,882
Total surplus for the year 164,014 265,362
Other comprehensive revenue - -
Total comprehensive revenue and expense for the year 164,014 265,632
These statements are extracts from our full set of statutory financial statements
for the year, which contain other details such as accounting policies and detailed
notes to the financial statements. Our full financial statements have been audited
and contain an unmodified audit opinion from our independent auditors RSM
Hayes Audit.
Our full audited financial statements are available for viewing on our website
www.coastguard.org.nz/reports as well as on the DIA Charities Services
website www.charities.govt.nz
Alternatively, should you wish to have a copy of Finance Report sent to you,
please contact us at info@coastguard.org.nz or 09 303 4303.

Consolidated Statement of Financial Position
Coastguard Northern Region Incorporated
As at 30 June 2018
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
Coastguard Northern Region Incorporated
For the Year ended 30 June 2018
Notes 2018 2017
$ $
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents 7 1,088,974 1,201,542
Investments 8 2,802,944 2,506,922
Receivables from exchange transactions 41,301 116,642
Receivables from non-exchange transactions 106,607 89,578
Financial assets at fair value through surplus or deficit 8 450,388 289,961
Prepayments 75,140 47,973
Inventories 9 4,773 6,208
4,570,127 4,258,826
Non-current assets
Financial assets at fair value through surplus or deficit 8 863,673 897,515
Intangible assets 10 53,671 55,152
Property plant and equipment 11 1,193,217 937,874
2,110,561 1,890,541
Total assets 6,680,688 6,149,367
Current liabilities
Trade and other creditors from exchange transactions 299,814 305,859
Employee entitlements 98,852 98,586
Accrued Expenditure 125,735 117,831
Income in Advance – Operational 52,879 81,302
Income in Advance - Capital Fund 12 713,621 499,001
Subscription Revenue in Advance 827,193 914,459
2,118,094 2,017,038
Non-current liabilities
Subscription Revenue in Advance 923,095 656,845
Total liabilities 3,041,189 2,673,883
Net assets 3,639,499 3,475,484
Notes 2018 2017
$ $
Cash flows from operating activities
Receipts
Donations and Grants 2,165,251 1,917,470
Bequests - -
Subscriptions 2,368,001 2,192,654
Sponsorship 16,621 35,569
Education Income 547,893 536,402
Interest and Dividends Received 260,524 136,416
Other Income 749,634 588,788
Net GST received 22,980 -
6,130,904 5,407,299
Payments
Suppliers 2,188,178 1,416,120
Regional units 1,303,755 1,154,783
Payments to employees 1,935,631 1,775,918
Payments to beneficiaries - 17,088
Net GST paid - 49,631
5,428,104 4,413,540
Net cash flows from operating activities 702,800 993,759
Cash flows from investing activities
Receipts
Proceeds from sale of investments 349,402 158,561
349,402 158,561
Payments
Purchase of property, plant and equipment and intangibles (64,073) (314,081)
Payment for capital WIP (425,612) (51,445)
Investments in short term deposits (296,022) (369,607)
Purchase/(withdrawal) of Investments/Term Deposits (379,063) (181,584)
(1,164,770) (916,717)
Net cash flows from investing activities (815,368) (758,156)
Equity
Accumulated comprehensive revenue and expense 3,639,499 3,475,484
Total net assets attributable to the owners of the controlling entity 3,639,499 3,475,484
Net increase/ (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents (112,568) 235,603
Cash and cash equivalents at 1 July 1,201,542 965,939
Cash and cash equivalents at 30 June 7 1,088,974 1,201,542
19

Coastguard Northern Region
Postal Address
PO Box 2195
Shortland Street
Auckland 1140
Street Address
Level 1
Auckland Marine Rescue Centre
3 Solent Street, Mechanics Bay
Auckland 1010
Phone
09 303 4303
Email
info@coastguard.org.nz
Web
www.coastguard.org.nz
THE CHARITY SAVING LIVES AT SEA