January 2022 - Bay of Plenty Business News

4 BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS January 2022
The new Farmers building will make a significant
difference to the look and feel of the central city.
www.bopbusinessnews.co.nz
CONTACT INFORMATION
PUBLISHER
Alan Neben
Ph: 021 733 536
Email: alan@bopbusinessnews.co.nz
EDITOR
David Porter
Mob: 021 884 858
Email: david@bopbusinessnews.co.nz
PRODUCTION
Copy/Proofs/Graphic Design
Times Media – Clare McGillivray
Ph: (09) 271 8067
Email: clare@times.co.nz
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BUSINESS DIRECTOR
Pete Wales
Mob: 022 495 9248
Email: pete@bopbusinessnews.co.nz
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Bay of Plenty Business News has a circulation
of 8000, distributed throughout Bay of Plenty
between Waihi and Opotiki including Rotorua
and Taupo, and to a subscription base.
www.bopbusinessnews.co.nz
Bay of Plenty Business Publications
309/424 Maunganui Road,
Mount Maunganui, 3116
Bay of Plenty Business Publications specialises
in business publishing, advertising, design and
print media services.
From the editor
We are delighted to share with you our first issue of 2022. As is our
custom, we closed this January edition just before Christmas to meet
the needs of our printers.
We would like to thank
our readers and
advertisers for their
loyal support as we enter our
sixth year as an independent
business publication dedicated
to covering the interests and
concerns of the Bay of Plenty’s
business community.
As I write, the Bay is preparing
to receive an influx of
Auckland visitors released
after being locked down for
four months. While some will
undoubtedly go North, or to
the South Island, there can be
no doubt that hard-hit Bay hospitality
and tourist businesses
are hoping the northern influx
will provide some business
comfort.
Having spent much of my
international career travelling
with Kiwi politicians, I can
perhaps be excused if I detect
an element of cynicism in the
ways in which our political
leadership has approached this
remarkable pandemic.
I have yet to be convinced
of the merits of the “traffic
light” system and can’t help
feeling that Aucklanders have
been released because the
alternative was too dire to contemplate
as tempers were running
rather thin in our largest
city.
I am proud to say that I
have had my two jabs and even
managed to acquire my vaccination
certificate. I would add
that, I don’t necessarily believe
it works. And I have had only
one flu vaccine in my life.
But I see no reason not to
get jabbed. I do find it strange
that some people are citing
“freedom of choice” as a reason
for not getting jabbed.
They are often, I find, the same
people who happily accepted
free flu jabs for years.
What I do find a little odd
is that, when I asked the person
providing my Covid jabs
how long the vaccination was
good for, it became clear that
After years of delay
and indecision,
Tauranga’s civic
precinct is set to be
transformed, restoring the heart
and soul of the city centre.”
– Anne Tolley
Civic precinct transformation
on the way – p11
they actually had very little
idea. The best they could suggest,
was “about five or six
months”.
Perhaps I have misunderstood
something, but – in the
welter of rather patronising TV
and media pandemic advertising
we are surrounded by,
courtesy of the government -
this point of longevity does not
seem to have been made clear.
There are many exhortations
for a stated percentage
of the population to be jabbed,
but I have seen no clear messages
coming through as to
how long the jabs are good for.
Don’t get me wrong. In the
absence of a better alternative,
I see no reason not to have a
jab. But I do think our government
should front up and with
some honesty make it clear
that this is a short-term solution
that will soon have to be
repeated, if that is in fact the
case.
Surely it is far better to
David Porter
make this clear from the
outset?
On a final note, it is great to
see that Tauranga is beginning
to see the fruits of long-delayed
attempts to improve our
central business district. Yes,
it is annoying to find regular
routes cut off by changes in
roading as long overdue renovations
are attended to.
But we are also proud in
this issue to bring an update
on progress being made on the
new Farmers building, which
on completion will make a significant
difference to the look
and feel of the central city.
We wish you all the best for
the festive season.
There are also indications [kiwifruit]
employers are more in tune with the
requirements of workers, particularly around
flexible working hours.”
– Colin Bond
Bay’s primary sector
enjoys strong returns
at season’s mid-point
– pg15
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