June 2023 - Bay of Plenty Business News

JUNE 2023 VOLUME 7: ISSUE 6 

WWW.BOPBUSINESSNEWS.CO.NZ 

FACEBOOK.COM/BAYOFPLENTYBUSINESSNEWS 

SPECIAL 

FOCUS 

WEALTH 

BUILDERS 

2023 

For ideas on putting your money to 

work and building wealth in 2023 

see our Wealth Builders feature 

pages 7-10 

BUDGET REVIEW: FEW SURPRISES 

By DAVID PORTER 

The Labour Government’s recently 

announced budget contained few real 

surprises. 

In itself, that was hardly unusual – we are 

heading towards an ever-tightening national 

election campaign later this year, so perhaps 

understandably the government’s main aim 

was to exude calm. Or as Craigs Investment 

Partners’ economist Mark Lister said during a 

post-budget event analysis held in cooperation 

with the Tauranga Business Chamber, to put it 

cynically, members of the government would 

like to keep their jobs. 

“It was pitched as ‘no frills’,” said Lister. 

“But it was quite stimulating. There was less 

money to spend and more debt will be issued.” 

KPMG tax partner Rob Hill, who co-hosted 

the Craigs’ analysis, added Labour seemed to be 

retaining their post-election tax policies. 

Of course strictly speaking, not all members 

of the Labour government are guaranteed 

to keep their jobs. Labour has already seen two 

defections from their allied ranks, which is 

hardly an inspiring look for a government going 

into an election. 

Put your money to work 

The coming period was likely, Lister suggested, 

to be a good time to put your money to work. 

“You don’t want to buy when everything is at an 

all-time high.” 

Chartered Accountants New Zealand country 

head Peter Vial, in his summary, indicated that 

in his interpretation the Treasury was no longer 

forecasting a recession, but added that a return 

to a surplus had been deferred by one year to 

2025-26. “We were promised a ‘no frills, bread 

and butter’ Budget and that is what we have 

got,” he says. 

Dropping the $5.00 prescription charge was 

a no-brainer but let us not forget that several 

major pharmacy brands have already knocked 

off the charge in the interest of business-building; 

basically the charge is a small tax and 

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BUDGET REVIEW: VERY FEW SURPRISES 

From page 1 

removing it cannot be said to be making 

a huge contribution to improving 

the generally poor view held by many 

New Zealanders about their access 

to medical facilities or health care 

affordability. 

Having ruled out tax cuts on 

affordability and ‘inflation risk’ 

grounds, the government has focused 

on targeted support for families, students 

and young workers and others 

most affected by cost-of-living pressures, 

says Vial. 

Outguessing the opposition 

The lack of any major tax changes 

partly reflects an attempt to outguess 

National Party predictions, of course. 

However, the extension of Early 

Childhood Education subsidies will 

be welcomed, noted Lister. 

Free public transport for children 

under 13 and permanent half price 

fares for the under 25s reflects a more 

targeted approach. 

Generally, the budget was much 

more stimulating than expected, said 

Lister. But inflation remains stubbornly 

high and mortgage rates are 

going up. 

Pre-budget, and before the Reserve 

Bank of New Zealand’s latest Official 

Cash Rate (OCR) recent revision, 

economists had increasingly expected 

the RBNZ would indicate a peak of 

perhaps six percent. 

Instead, the central bank has 

issued forecasts for the future level 

of the OCR that are quite similar to 

those issued in its previous statements 

in February. It sees the OCR staying 

at 5.5 percent till the second half of 

next year before slowly declining. 

Dealing with damage 

Of key concern to whoever wins 

power this year is how to effectively 

respond to this year’s cyclone damage, 

reportedly the second-largest 

natural disaster New Zealand has 

experienced. 

The budget announced a further 

$859 million of operational expenditure 

allocated to cyclone and flood 

recovery, on top of the $889 million 

already provided. 

Importantly, the need to invest in 

immediate recovery measures has not 

come at the expense of significant 

allocations for medium- and longer-term 

capital infrastructure expenditure 

($71 billion over the next five 

years). To put it bluntly, we haven’t 

invested enough in this area. 

Infrastructure will remain a major 

preoccupation for whoever holds the 

government benches by the end of the 

year. 

Cowley to chair national Local Government Forum 

By DAVID PORTER 

Tauranga Chamber of Commerce 

chief executive officer 

Matt Cowley has been 

appointed the new chair of the Local 

Government Forum. 

The Forum is a group of major 

business organisations that aims to 

promote efficient and effective local 

government. Cowley, a former Tauranga 

councillor, is also a director 

of the New Zealand Chambers of 

Commerce and Industry. 

“I’ve spent a lot of my working 

career interacting with local government,” 

Cowley told the Bay of 

Plenty Business News. 

“I’ve been an elected member, 

an employee, a customer, and a 

commentator.” 

Cowley replaces Auckland’s 

Michael Barnett who stepped down 

from the role in March. Barnett 

recently retired as head of the Auckland 

Chamber of Commerce and 

was replaced by former Tauranga 

MP Simon Bridges. 

“As Forum Chair for the past 

12 years, Michael Barnett was a 

very credible and highly respected 

spokesperson on local government 

issues from a business and wider 

community perspective,” said 

Cowley. 

Cowley noted that the members 

of the Local Government Business 

Forum were significant representatives 

of ratepayers – businesses and 

farmers. 

“Local government is a vital part 

of the economic and social landscape 

and I see the Forum’s role as 

promoting policies that will maximise 

the sector’s contribution to 

New Zealanders’ wellbeing,” said 

Cowley. 

“The best way for local government 

to contribute to maximising 

wellbeing is for it to do its core 

activities well and keep its spending 

and rates under control.” 

According to a statement issued 

on behalf of the forum, it is comprised 

of organisations that have a 

vital interest in the activities of local 

government. Its members include 

Business New Zealand, the Electricity 

Networks Aotearoa, Federated 

Farmers of New Zealand, Hospitality 

New Zealand, New Zealand 

Chambers of Commerce and the 

New Zealand Initiative. The Forum 

Matt Cowley 

was established in 1994. 

Cowley told the BOP Business 

News the forum was made up of 

several nationwide business associations 

and that Chambers of Commerce 

have a wide variety of members 

covering all industries, which 

was why Michael Barnett was a logical 

choice of forum Chair for over 

a decade. 

“The forum believes in the power 

of unity across industries,” he said. 

“It identifies public policy matters 

that impact a range of industries 

to send a united business perspective 

to all political leaders. The 

forum champions the voice of rural 

and urban industries, recognising 

the importance of regional communities 

alongside New Zealand’s 

largest urban centres.” 

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4 BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS June 2023 

THE PORTER REPORT 

A monthly update on the business 

world from leading writer David Porter 

www.bopbusinessnews.co.nz 

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Appalling or enthralling? 

I 

observed a large portion of 

the British royal mania that 

preoccupied most media earlier 

this year. I have seldom 

been exposed to quite as much 

vapid repetition over so many 

days. 

I expected that the British 

Broadcasting Corporation 

(BBC) – whose work I generally 

respect – would be obliged 

to devote a large amount of 

coverage first to Queen Elizabeth’s 

funeral, and then King 

Charles’ official assumption of 

the head job. 

Charles, of course, automatically 

became King on the 

Queen’s death, so the procession 

of his golden coach and 

many of the Anglican pieties 

surrounding his coronation, 

were rather redundant to the 

global audience other than for 

tourist/informational purposes. 

Apparently, the funeral cost the 

country around £162 million 

and the coronation between 

£50-100 million. By way of 

a return, tourism monarchy 

returns are estimated by Brand 

Finance, in a “normal” year at 

around £2.5 billion. So we can 

assume returns were higher 

during these special events. 

What I wasn’t quite prepared 

for was the remarkable amount 

of air and print time devoted by 

other media around the world to 

these events, especially in the 

US. The funeral perhaps – but 

Charles’ coronation? It would 

seem that, despite parting from 

the United kingdom long ago, 

the US still can’t resist a bit of 

pomp and ceremony. 

To be clear, I have nothing 

against Charles. Indeed as a 

young reporter, I even spent a 

fortnight trailing around New 

Zealand reporting on him and 

the late Diana after they visited 

Australia. He was an interesting 

speaker and personally affable, 

and his then wife was publicly 

charming, and was just finding 

and relishing her media role on 

her first overseas tour. 

The royal press rat pack that 

travelled with him from the 

UK was a revelation to a junior 

journalist, extremely experienced 

and very funny. 

Sadly, since assuming the 

throne, Charles appears likely 

to be obliged to talk far less 

about those issues around climate 

change he presciently 

made his own. More to the 

point perhaps, latest polling 

suggests he is not exactly the 

most popular person to assume 

the throne, especially amongst 

the younger generations. 

However, there remain one 

or two issues that just won’t 

go away. Yes, the monarchy is 

a great tourist attraction for the 

UK, as well as the late Queen 

having provided a figure of stability 

and British reassurance 

for many decades. 

According to Brand 

Finance, while the average 

annual cost for UK taxpayers in 

royal upkeep comes to around 

David Porter 

£500 million a year, the monarchy’s 

brand contributes £2.5 

billion to British economy in 

the same timeframe. 

More distastefully – but 

increasingly coming into prominence 

– is the Royal Family’s 

wealth, and more significantly, 

its source, a good portion 

of which was reaped from 

exploiting its empire. Charles 

denounced the “atrocity of slavery” 

during a recent speech in 

Barbados when the island held 

a ceremony to swear in their 

first president after removing 

the Queen as head of state. 

The Queen was head of state 

for as many as 32 countries 

during her reign; by the time of 

her death just 14, other than the 

UK, remained. Charles’ accession 

provides an opportunity 

for many of his Commonwealth 

subjects to wonder if the time 

is right to install a less-remote 

head of state. 

Taking into account that the 

exact sources of royal wealth 

tend to be kept quiet and the 

figures are not easy to track, 

according to an Investopedia 

estimate: 

• Queen Elizabeth II had a 

separate personal fortune 

of £380.7 million, inherited 

by Charles. According 

to Forbes this inheritance 

has made his net worth over 

£1.8 billion. 

• Additionally, The Crown 

Estate, which manages the 

monarchy’s property holdings, 

is valued at about 

£15.6 billion and generated 

an estimated £312.7 

million in net revenue at 

the end of the 2022 fiscal 

year. It is understood many 

of the receipts for this go 

to the government and are 

returned in the form of royal 

salaries. 

• The royal family’s overall 

wealth is estimated at £21.3 

billion, according to Forbes. 

That is separate from Queen 

Elizabeth’s personal fortune 

and assets. (Let’s not forget 

those jewels, the royal collection, 

etc). 

Again, to stress, I’ve got 

nothing against Charles or his 

current wife. I lived in London 

for several years and greatly 

enjoyed it. I admire Charles’ 

efforts to slim down the royal 

presence on the balcony, and to 

despatch brother Andrew to the 

sidelines. But doesn’t it all feel 

a bit redundant now for the UK 

and its former colonies? 

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South Korea crosses fingers for 

Kiwi crop 

The slide in crop volumes experienced in this 

season’s kiwifruit harvest comes as a key 

emerging market is enjoying double digit 

growth and fears it will be left short should 

there not be enough fruit to go around this 

season. 

By RICHARD RENNIE 

Zespri has reported a 20% 

slide in kiwifruit volumes 

for this season’s 

harvest, representing a loss of 

35 million trays on last year’s 

harvest, in itself a lower yielding 

season. 

The 136 million tray estimate 

marks an exceptionally 

low volume for the kiwifruit 

marketer, one not seen for at 

least six years and one well 

short of the industry’s record 

setting 2021 season when 182 

million trays were harvested. 

Zespri CEO Dan Mathieson 

attributed the decline to an 

atrocious run of weather that 

kicked off with less-than-ideal 

conditions in winter. 

A vicious late frost in early 

October slammed may BoP 

orchards, floods from Cyclone 

Hale washed through Coromandel-Bay 

of Plenty in late 

January, then Cyclone Gabrielle 

laid waste to crops in Te 

Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay in 

February. 

Even as late as April, growers 

were also having to grapple 

with the aftermath of isolated 

hailstorms in the Te Puke 

district. 

While crop volumes are 

well down as a result, market 

feedback to Zespri executives 

is that consumer demand for 

the fruit is strong, and likely to 

outrun the stock available this 

season. The volume impact on 

a variety basis is significant. 

Green kiwifruit will be at 

their lowest volume for 20 

years at only 42 million trays, 

well down on last year’s 61 

million trays. 

A recent visit by Bay of 

Plenty Business News to 

Seoul South Korea confirmed 

the level of consumer interest 

in SunGold kiwifruit, in a market 

that has experienced double 

digit growth for the past 

seven years, peaking at 20% 

in 2021 at the height of Covid. 

South Korea accounted for 

12 million trays last year and 

generated quarter of a billion 

in income with SunGold kiwifruit 

proving increasingly popular 

in the densely populated 

country. Kiwifruit are only 

ranked ninth in fruit popularity 

there and consumers on average 

only purchase kiwifruit 2.1 

times in a year. 

South Koreans are major 

fruit consumers in a country 

that grows 80% of its own 

produce, and Zespri’s regional 

market manager Bokeun Kang 

is confident there is plenty of 

potential to push sales even 

to existing customers much 

further. 

“Purchasing penetration is 

only about 30% , compared 

to bananas at 90%, and we 

can see significant potential 

in encouraging existing consumers 

to simply buy more 

frequently during the year,” 

Kang said. 

Historically the Korean 

market has been almost a 

closed shop for New Zealand 

produce, thanks to a 40% tariff 

that has been progressively 

wound back since the signing 

BOP Business News journalist Richard Rennie in store 

in Seoul with Zespri key account manager Jusu Jung. 

of a Free Trade Agreement in 

2015. 

When it was in full force 

the tariff was regarded as one 

of the steepest in the world 

and was estimated to have cost 

growers about $8000 a year in 

lost income. 

Korea also grows its own 

kiwifruit, largely on Jeju Island 

off the South Korea coast. 

This includes fruit grown 

on contract for Zespri, with 

200ha of crop generating 

about 500,000 trays last year 

and expected to reach almost 

800,000 this season. 

This fruit integrates with 

Zespri’s global supply plan, 

with northern hemisphere 

fruit grown there, Japan, Italy, 

France, and Greece all contributing 

to off-season supply. 

Kang acknowledged the 

challenge of maintaining shelf 

space for the entire season this 

year, given the constraints on 

supply out of New Zealand due 

to the crop shortage. 

But it has left him undaunted 

in his goal to become the number 

one fruit company in Korea 

by 2027. 

This will require him to 

knock USA fruit giant Dole off 

its no.1 spot, requiring sales of 

over NZ$370 million a year to 

do so. He is confident Zespri 

will hit $300 million in sales 

by 2025. 

Korea offers a fascinating 

insight to multiple marketing 

platforms that are slogging it 

out via the internet and traditional 

bricks and mortar formats, 

with indications e-commerce 

is gradually winning 

more ground. 

Zespri’s sales comprise 

40% through retail, 50% 

through wholesale and 10% on 

e-comm platforms. These have 

doubled in share since Covid 

and continue to grow. 

Korea is shrinking in population 

size, losing 128,000 last 

year, but Kang still sees significant 

opportunity in increasing 

demand from young families. 

This has been aided by the 

“Kiwi Brothers”, animated 

kiwifruit holding strong appeal 

with young children, there and 

in Japan. 

– Richard Rennie’s trip was 

funded through the Asia-New 

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New season Zespri fruit on display in a Seoul supermarket.


Torturous intersection delays are 

impacting region 

Frustration at traffic delays within Tauranga have spilled over into 

Waikato region as lines of traffic grow ever longer at the vital Pairere 

SH29-SH1 intersection, with little indication things will improve in 

the short term. 

Transport operator Brett Marsh 

said the Waikato-BoP region is 

starting to grind to a halt with 

traffic impacting on operator 

productivity and timely 

port access. 

By RICHARD RENNIE 

Brett Marsh owns Brett 

Marsh Transport with 

wife Leonie and says 

transport operators in Waikato- 

Bay of Plenty have grown 

increasingly frustrated in the 

past year over the growing 

delays now experienced at the 

Pairere-SH1 intersection. 

“It has definitely got worse 

since the expressway was completed 

through the Waikato. 

“More drivers are opting to 

go via Cambridge to Auckland, 

rather than through Katikati.” 

He welcomed Waka Kotahi’s 

plans for a roundabout at 

the intersection, but knew it 

would be some time before 

that is completed. 

“You even have people opting 

to go through Morrinsville 

now, rather than deal with the 

intersection, and it is only 10 

minute’s slower that way, at 

least you are moving.” 

He said it was one of several 

pinch points for traffic that 

Bay of Plenty-Waikato seemed 

peppered with. 

Others included coming 

It is causing chaos. We cannot 

make the times booked at the port 

now, and you will be charged a late fee by 

Port of Tauranga, on top of your booking 

fee. Meantime we are being told by NZTA 

to wind our drivers’ hours driving per day 

down, yet trucks are sitting longer in 

traffic. The entire region is slowly grinding 

to a halt.” – Brett Marsh 

east into Tauranga, with traffic 

jams snarling up into Tauriko 

that often extended as far back 

as Ruahihi at the foot of the 

Kaimai ranges. 

His drivers could also 

expect to take an hour at times 

to travel the mere 11km from 

Te Puna to Tauriko, such were 

the delays on that corridor 

now. “And there is the eastern 

corridor which is still not 

completed.” 

Marsh said cumulatively 

the delays are causing major 

productivity problems for 

companies like his, and for the 

region as a whole given its role 

serving the country’s largest 

port. 

“It is causing chaos. We 

cannot make the times booked 

at the port now, and you will 

be charged a late fee by Port of 

Tauranga, on top of your booking 

fee. 

“Meantime we are being 

told by NZTA to wind our 

drivers’ hours driving per day 

down, yet trucks are sitting 

longer in traffic. The entire 

region is slowly grinding to a 

halt.” 

A Waka Kotahi spokesperson 

confirmed the new roundabout 

at the intersection was 

scheduled for commencement 

this October, with a two-year 

completion time. 

It was designed to allow 

connection with a potential 

future expressway between 

Cambridge and Piarere. 

The original Waikato 

Expressway plan had was 

intended to extend to the 

intersection but was shelved 

by Labour in 2018, and no 

time has been set for this to 

re-commence. 

The current intersection 

will continue to be used as 

the roundabout is being built 

on the Hamilton side of the 

current intersection, with complete 

new approaches from all 

routes feeding into it. 

Waka Kotahi traffic data 

shows the greatest increase in 

traffic volume has come from a 

11% growth between 2021 and 

2022 in traffic travelling north 

up SH1 past the intersection. 

Traffic travelling east on 

SH29 towards Tauranga has 

increased 6%, while westbound 

traffic on SH29 actually 

recorded a decline of 1%. 

Average daily traffic counts 

through the entire intersection 

are up 5.7% in the same 

period. 

One fatal accident has been 

recorded in the past eight years 

to late May this year killing 

two people, while three serious 

injury accidents have occurred 

over the same time, seriously 

injuring seven people. 

Transport organisation Ia 

Ara Aotearoa acting CEO Dom 

Kalasih said the intersection 

was one of several members 

had raised as being of concern. 

“The expressway (completion) 

has definitely increased 

the traffic going through that 

intersection. I understand a 

roundabout has been in the 

plan for quite a while, it is 

good to know it is coming.” 

Last year Tauranga City 

commissioner Stephen Sellwood 

said Waka Kotahi’s 

failure to deliver on transport 

infrastructure was causing 

serious frustration for the 

commission as it attempted to 

develop more land. 

Tauriko West, identified 

for 4000 homes, was dependent 

upon uncertain long-term 

transport plans, he said. 

Transport options were also 

based on decade-old traffic 

density figures. 

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A map of the new roundabout for the Pairere intersection, 

to commence in October.

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Mortgage Trust Group Investment Fund and 

First Mortgage PIE Trust. This combination Helping locals 

has enabled them to react quickly to market 

conditions that identify any areas of risk and 

areas of opportunity. 

How FMT works 

Investors invest in either Fund, then FMT 

lends the money out to Kiwis seeking property 

finance. FMT differs from some other 

investments as both funds are trusts. The trust 

structure means each fund is supervised by an 

Paul Bendall 

independent supervisor. The supervisor plays 

an integral role in the governance of FMT and 

they have oversight of lending decisions. “This 

gives our investors confidence that their money 

is being managed well,“ says Paul. 

The FMT lending and credit team have 

a thorough due diligence process for every 

loan application. If approved the lending team 

The money our clients 

invest with us helps 

New Zealanders achieve their 

property related goals. It 

builds homes, businesses and 

it helps shape communities. 

In return we are able to 

provide a stable return to our 

investors to help them achieve 

their investment goals.” 

% p.a. 

“We know these are uncertain times and 

people are cautious, especially when it comes 

to investing and deciding what to do with their 

nest egg and savings. Living costs and inflation 

are high and this can be hard for savers. We 

understand this and that’s why we are pleased 

to have been able to deliver increased investment 

returns for the last five quarters, and 

because of our consistent investment returns 

and the peace of mind we provide we’ve seen 

many of our investors invest more with us and 

recommend us to their friends and family,” 

says Paul. 

Increased Investment Return Rate 

FMT has showcased its expertise in wealth 

protection and generation by progressively 

increasing its investment return rate. Their 

March 2023 quarterly rate was a pre-tax return 

rate of 6.61% (annualised) which was well 

received by investors. 

FMT’s head office is based in First Avenue 

6 .61 

works with the borrowing clients to deliver a 

personalised, tailored solution which in turn 

delivers better outcomes for both borrowers 

and investors. 

FMT’s loans are spread across the whole country 

and are diverse to ensure the loan book is 

of high quality. One of the local projects FMT 

recently financed was the Vantage mixed-use 

development on Cameron Road which created 

27 apartments and commercial leases and is a 

welcome addition to Tauranga city. 

FMT has been involved in many local projects 

ranging from small to large and across residential, 

retail, commercial, rural and industrial 

sectors, contributing to Tauranga’s prosperity.” 

For many years, FMT has been involved 

with the Tauriko Business Estate, a significant 

commercial and industrial project that 

has already seen many businesses move into 

the business hub, attracting companies from 

around the country and Australia. 

Today FMT has over 6,000 investors and 

numbers are steadily growing largely through 

referrals and recommendations. 

If you are looking for an investment with 

consistent returns or property finance with a 

local team that understands the market, call on 

0800 321 113 or visit fmt.co.nz 

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future 

performance. 

First Mortgage Managers Limited, the manager of 

the First Mortgage Trust Group Investment Fund and 

the First Mortgage PIE Trust, is licensed under the 

Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013 as a manager of 

registered schemes and is not a registered bank under 

the Banking (Prudential Supervision) Act 1989. Professional 

investment advice should be taken before making 

an investment. Product Disclosure Statements are available 

at fmt.co.nz 

0800 321 113 fmt.co.nz



For advice in 

building wealth 

with property 

investment, talk 

to the best 

Simon Short, Regional Manager 

– Property Brokers Bay of Plenty and 

South Waikato 

Ian Morgan, Rural Specialist 

– Property Brokers 

For property investors interested in optimising their 

investments, the current economic environment is dishing 

up both challenges and opportunities in equal order. The 

specialist Property Brokers team has a wealth of knowledge 

and advice which can be incredibly helpful for property 

investors right now. 

We spoke to Property Brokers’ Bay of 

Plenty and South Waikato regional 

manager Simon Short for the December 

2022 Thought Leaders feature. At that time, 

we asked Simon, “Where is the real estate 

industry headed in 2023?” 

His response at the time was very direct: 

“With interest rates now elevating, as expected, 

to offset inflation, I sense, like many, next year 

will be a year of further pricing correction and 

calibration.” 

He felt interest rates would have the largest 

bearing on buyer confidence, stating, “Affordability 

is now a significant factor with capital 

gains no longer as prevalent.” 

Fast-forward six months to June 2023, and 

his read of the anticipated 2023 market was 

obviously pretty well ‘spot on’. 

Property Brokers’ story 

Property Brokers has grown rapidly from humble 

provincial beginnings to now be New Zealand’s 

largest, fastest-growing provincial real 

estate brand. 

As one of Heartland New Zealand’s largest 

real estate businesses, they list and sell an enormous 

amount of provincial property, whether 

residential, rural, lifestyle, commercial or 

industrial. 

Bay of Plenty Trends 2023 

Property Brokers now has offices across the 

Bay of Plenty in Whakatane, Rotorua, Te Puke, 

Papamoa, Tauranga, Tauriko, and Te Puna. 

The company has established seven offices 

across the Bay of Plenty region in the last 

three-and-a-half years. 

“We have great people who care about adding 

as much value as possible for our clients. 

Our number one objective is to give all Bay of 

Plenty property owners the very best service 

we have to offer.” 

Simon believes there is a real awareness of 

Property Brokers across the Bay of Plenty now. 

“We envisage that will continue as more 

people come to appreciate the strength we offer 

right across the nation. We are not franchised; 

therefore, our emphasis is always on connection 

and adding as much value as we can to 

benefit those around us. 

Rural property perspectives 

We asked Property Brokers’ Bay of Plenty and 

Northland rural manager Ian Morgan about the 

outlook for rural investors. 

He feels Property Brokers offers rural buyers 

and sellers a real advantage – “Property 

Brokers’ rural team brings a wealth of experience 

and understanding to the information 

required to make an informed decision to any 

farming investments.” 

His advice to those investors buying and 

those selling in the sector: “It is always about 

timing, and presently the Agri sector looks a 

very attractive proposition with quality produce 

diminishing globally. But rural is a long 

game, and the investor needs to be clear about 

this.” 

Regarding the challenges and opportunities 

for rural investors in the year ahead: “Although 

the immediate challenges, particularly the 

weather, have been uncontrollable, and that 

has and will continue to have a significant 

impact in terms of production in the near 

future, opportunities will be plenty, and the 

Agri sector is well poised to deliver results in 

the future. 

AIan Copeman, Commercial Specialist 


We’re a family of lateral 

thinkers, industry 

specialists and playmakers 

who know that commercial 

sales and leases are the result 

of helping businesses and 

individuals succeed. 

Commercial property investment 

potential 

When asked this week, “Why is Property Brokers 

a great choice for commercial property 

investors interested in optimising their investments 

today,” Waikato and Bay of Plenty commercial 

manager Alan Copeman was immediately 

forthcoming: “We’re a family of lateral 

thinkers, industry specialists and playmakers 

who know that commercial sales and leases are 

the result of helping businesses and individuals 

succeed. Our market intelligence and regional 

knowledge translate into real results for our 

clients.” 

His key advice to investors: Ensure that you 

allow for interest rate movements and that you 

are not over-committing in borrowing. 

Alan believes interest rates will continue to 

put pressure on the yields investors are looking 

for. He anticipates that as building costs start to 

Philip Hunt, Industrial Specialist 


level, this will improve the situation in the new 

build space, ensuring an easing of the upward 

pressures on rental rates. 

Industrial property investment update 

Philip Hunt, the company’s commercial 

and industrial consultant in Tauranga’s fastgrowing 

Tauriko industrial area, is adamant 

that although commercial retail is slow – a 

bi-product of changing consumer habits resulting 

from lockdowns and increased online shopping 

volumes – industrial remains the darling 

of the sectors. This can be evidenced by the 

doubling in size of his Tauriko team in the last 

year. 

“We’re getting 4-5 tenancy enquiries daily 

now that Tauriko can offer real economies of 

scale. Businesses are desperate to relocate to 

Tauriko now the roading and infrastructure are 

in place,” he says. 

“I’m loving being here – for me, it’s about 

the relationships, not the transactions. I just 

want to look after people.” 

Philip says that although there is limited 

support for investors from financial institutions 

unless they are well established, tenancy enquiries 

are booming at the moment. His advice to 

prospective tenants is, “Don’t take too long to 

commit – you risk missing out!” 

He estimates 60% of his clients are Portrelated 

businesses. He praises the Port of 

Tauranga for its foresight: “They have enabled 

us to build a bubble of positivity.” 

Plenty of PB in BOP 

Plenty of 

experience 


locations 


people 

REINZ 


awards 

Our family business has 

provided clients with full-service 

real estate solutions for over 

36 years. 

We have seven offices 

throughout the Bay of Plenty 

and are proud to call a further 

87 regional locations home. 

Our specialist team of more than 

880 strong work together to get 

you the very best result because 

you deserve nothing less. 

Over the years, we've received 

over nineteen REINZ awards 

and are consistently in the top 

1% of agencies year after year. 

Whether you’re looking to sell your property, buy a new one or join our exceptional team, get in 

touch - we’d love to be a part of your next step. Call us on 0800 367 5263 or visit pb.co.nz 

Property Brokers Ltd Licensed REAA 2008 | PB068097



Is this the end 

of OCR rises? 

By John Carran, Director, 

Wealth Research at 

Jarden. John is part of the 

team supporting Jarden’s 

Wealth Management 

Advisors in Tauranga. 

In its monetary policy announcement last 

month, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand 

(RBNZ) raised the Official Cash Rate (OCR) 

by 0.25% to 5.5%. To ensure inflation is 

curbed, the RBNZ expects the OCR to remain 

at 5.5% until the September quarter of 2024. 

The decision to raise the OCR was broadly 

in line with most economists’ expectations. 

However, after the previous week’s Budget and 

recent signs of surging net inward migration, 

market expectations had reflected the probability 

of a chunkier 0.5% OCR increase. In addition, 

many economists expected the RBNZ to 

signal further OCR rises in the future. 

Consequently, financial markets were surprised 

by the less aggressive OCR announcement, 

which caused short-term and long-term 

interest rates to fall materially immediately 

afterwards. The New Zealand dollar also fell 

significantly against major currencies. 

Things moving in the right direction 

In making the OCR decision, the RBNZ Monetary 

Policy Committee (MPC) expressed its 

view that inflation is likely to continue declining 

from here. 

While the MPC sees core inflation pressures 

remaining until capacity constraints ease 

further, it acknowledges there are signs labour 

shortages are easing and job vacancies are 

declining. 

In addition, the MPC notes consumer 

spending and residential construction activity 

are slowing down. Businesses have recently 

reported a lack of demand, rather than labour 

shortages, is now the main constraint on business 

activity. 

The RBNZ still see the economy slipping 

into recession later this year, but is expected to 

be milder than it previously predicted. It sees 

the unemployment rate peaking at 5.4% in the 

December quarter of 2024, which is lower than 

the peak it previously forecast. 

The RBNZ’s outlook remains softer than 

the Treasury forecast in the Budget. Although 

the Treasury see a weaker economy ahead it 

expects a recession to be avoided. 

After this year’s Budget, there was commentary 

that its near-term stimulatory effect 

on the economy may sway the MPC towards a 

higher OCR this year. 

Surging net inward migration was also 

seen as potentially leading the MPC along a 

tighter monetary policy path. However, the 

MPC downplayed these influences for several 

reasons. 

Net inward migration has risen rapidly in 

recent months, running at an annualised pace 

of around 130,000 in the three months to 

March. However, the MPC expects the surge in 

immigration to be temporary as it reflects the 

recent easing of immigration rules to alleviate 

labour shortages in some areas. Migration is 

something the RBNZ will watch carefully, as 

it notes the extent and impact of future migration 

on the economy and inflation pressures is 

uncertain. 

While the Budget adds 

stimulus to the 

economy this year, declining 

surpluses over the following 

three years mean the fiscal 

position will likely be 

contractionary for the 

economy over that period.” 

The MPC also noted that, while the Budget 

adds stimulus to the economy this year, declining 

surpluses over the following three years 

mean the fiscal position will likely be contractionary 

for the economy over that period. 

Another matter on the MPC’s radar is the 

potential impact of repair and rebuilding after 

the severe weather earlier this year in the North 

Island. The MPC noted that spending would 

occur over several years, which means pressures 

on resources would be spread over time. 

Overall government spending is expected to 

decline in inflation-adjusted terms and in proportion 

to the economy, which should help to 

dampen inflation 

Therefore, the MPC is confident that with 

interest rates remaining at a restrictive level 

for some time, consumer price inflation will 

return to within its target range of 1-3% per 

annum, while supporting maximum sustainable 

employment. 

The peak OCR has arrived 

Last month’s MPS and OCR decision signal 

the RBNZ is most likely done with raising 

the OCR in this cycle. It will be in “watch and 

wait” mode as it observes the lagged impact 

on the economy and inflation of the incredibly 

rapid OCR increases over the past 19 months. 

While the RBNZ do not see the need for 

OCR cuts until the second half of 2024, we 

think a slowing economy and fading inflation 

may persuade the MPC to decrease the OCR as 

early as the first quarter of 2024. 

For mortgage holders who are suffering 

from the rapid lifts in their interest costs, the 

RBNZ’s decision to rule out further OCR 

increases will provide some respite. Further 

mortgage relief, particularly for fixed term 

mortgages, may arrive toward the end of this 

year if inflation continues its downward trend 

as the RBNZ predicts. 

Disclaimer: 

John Carran is Director, Wealth Research at Jarden. The 

information and commentary in this article are provided 

for general information purposes only. It reflects views 

and research available at the time of publication, using 

external sources, systems and other data and information 

we believe to be accurate, complete and reliable at the 

time of preparation. We make no representation or warranty 

as to the accuracy, correctness and completeness 

of that information, and will not be liable or responsible 

for any error or omission. It is not to be relied upon as 

a basis for making any investment decision. Please seek 

specific investment advice before making any investment 

decision or taking any action. Jarden Securities Limited 

is an NZX Firm. A financial advice provider disclosure 

statement is available free of charge at https:// 

www.jarden.co.nz/our-services/wealth-management/ 

financial-advice-provider-disclosure-statement 

Strong investment decisions built on trust 

Jarden welcomes two new local wealth 

management experts to Tauranga, Sarah Ashby 

and Simon Bradley. 

Sarah and Simon will work with you to guide 

you toward your long term financial goals. 

Contact Sarah Ashby: +64 27 211 0760 

Contact Simon Bradley: +64 27 427 3899 

Or visit www.jarden.co.nz 

Jarden Securities Limited is an NZX Firm. Jarden Financial Advice Provider Disclosure statement is publicly available at www.Jarden.co.nz. Jarden is not a registered bank in New Zealand.

CIP-Tauranga Full Page Advertorial - BOP Business News-M366323-v4-OL.indd 1 

31/05/23 7:54 AM 



Firm


AUSTRALIAN CITIZENSHIP – BE 

CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR! 

Very soon, Kiwis who 

have been living in 

Australia for four years 

will be able to apply for citizenship 

through the recently 

announced fast track process. 

This will bring all the benefits 

of being an Australian citizen 

that have otherwise been 

unavailable for Kiwis, such 

as access to welfare support 

and student loans for example 

and will be a very compelling 

proposition for many Kiwis 

living over the ditch and those 

who are considering the leap. 

But as with most things 

in life, where there is a positive 

there is often a negative. 

Before rushing to apply for 

Australian citizenship, anyone 

eligible should ensure they 

consider the tax implications 

of doing so, especially if they 

have assets left behind in New 

Zealand. 

How are Kiwis taxed in 

Australia? 

Broadly speaking, Kiwis living 

in Australia typically qualify 

for some very concessionary 

income tax rules. Anyone tax 

resident in Australia is usually 

subject to Australian tax on 

their worldwide income. But 

Kiwis that are not permanent 

residents or Australian citizens 

often qualify to be “temporary” 

tax residents. 

The key benefits of being a 

temporary tax resident are: 

1. They can usually exclude 

their foreign investment 

income from their Australian 

tax returns, such as 

interest, dividend or rental 

income from New Zealand 

(or anywhere else); and 

2. Overseas assets are generally 

not subject to Australia’s 

capital gains tax 

(CGT). 

What happens at the 

moment when a temporary tax 

resident becomes an Australian 

permanent resident or citizen 

is that they lose the benefit of 

being a temporary tax resident. 

Their foreign income will 

become taxable in Australia, 

although they may get a foreign 

tax credit for tax paid in 

New Zealand or elsewhere on 

that income to help offset the 

Australian tax liability. 

But the biggie is CGT – if 

they have rental properties in 

New Zealand for example, or 

have kept their house or bach 

here, these could become subject 

to CGT on any gain in 

value from the date of losing 

their temporary tax resident 

status. 

The tax consequences of 

the policy change, or indeed 

whether there might also be 

tax law changes, were not 

commented on when the policy 

was announced. 

At the time of writing 

this article my colleagues in 

Deloitte Australia were still to 

receive clarification from the 

ATO as to how Kiwis applying 

for citizenship would be 

affected and, in particular, at 

what point they will cease to 

be temporary tax residents. 

Should New Zealanders 

apply for Australian 

citizenship? 

Obviously there is no single 

right answer here, as everybody’s 

circumstances are different. 

But some of the factors 

to consider include: 

1. The level of non-Australian 

income – how much tax 

is paid on that income in 

New Zealand or elsewhere, 

and the relative difference 

between the tax rates in 

TAXATION 

> BY ANDREA SCATCHARD 

Andrea Scatchard is a Tax Partner at Deloitte, based in the Bay of 

Plenty. She can be contacted on ascatchard@deloitte.co.nz 

the two countries will be 

important considerations; 

and 

2. The level of non-Australian 

assets – if a Kiwi has significant 

New Zealand assets 

that will become subject to 

Australian CGT, and which 

would not be taxed here, 

then becoming an Australian 

citizen could be quite 

costly in the long term. 

A word about trusts 

Australia taxes trusts and trust 

distributions are very differently 

to New Zealand. The 

first key difference is that if 

a trustee of a New Zealand 

trust moves to Australia, that 

trust may become subject to 

tax in Australia even if it has 

no income from Australia. Any 

Kiwis with family trusts here 

should get advice about what 

to do before moving to Australia 

– they may want to change 

trustees or move assets out of 

the trust. 

The second key difference 

is that a Kiwi in Australia 

may be taxed on distributions 

received from offshore trusts, 

even if these are capital distributions. 

It is really important 

to consider this before making 

any distributions from New 

Zealand trusts to beneficiaries 

in Australia. 

Parting words 

Applying for Australian citizenship 

really is a case of 

buyer beware – do your homework, 

get specialist and up 

to date Australian tax advice 

specific to your situation and 

weigh up the pros and cons. 

If you have significant 

assets in New Zealand, and 

don’t intend or expect to call 

on the welfare system in Australia, 

the answer may surprise 

you. 

See also: www.bopbusiness 

news.co.nz/news/oz-changescould-stress-kiwi-job-market/ 

ADVERTORIAL 

Danish Furniture, Tauranga’s 

best-kept furniture secret 

Danish Furniture Ltd’s flagship 

showroom at 53 Unutoto 

Place, Tauriko is Tauranga’s 

best-kept furniture secret – with 

managing director, Drew Copestake, 

only importing the highest 

quality, award-winning Danish furniture 

for commercial and residential 

use. 

The Danish design philosophy 

emphasizes clean lines, high-quality 

craftsmanship, and the use of 

natural materials such as wood, 

leather, and stone. It also values 

simplicity and functionality, with 

a focus on creating objects that are 

both beautiful and useful. 

We import two excellent Danish 

brands – HOUE and Skovby. 

Our HOUE & Skovby indoor & 

outdoor furniture are well suited to 

commercial environments such as 

offices or hospitality businesses. 

The design, material components, 

intelligent ergonomics and innovative 

styling will ensure these brand 

values are front and centre for your 

business too. 

HOUE has a fantastic range 

of award-winning, contemporary 

outdoor furniture. Their top-selling 

CLICK range has 13 standard 

colour options to fit any décor 

palate. 

The HOUE Project collection is 

a selection of high quality indoor 

& outdoor furniture suitable for 

commercial use. Robust powder 

coated aluminium, UV protected 

Drew Copestake, managing director, Danish Furniture 

polypropylene lamellas and environmentally 

sustainable bamboo 

components keep the maintenance 

to a minimum, and the lightweight 

aluminium frames make 

our furniture easy to handle. Their 

award-winning MyTrash range has 

components made from post-consumer 

plastic waste and includes 

a reassuring 5-year manufacturer’s 

warranty. 

Skovby, named after the village 

where the founder began making 

furniture in Denmark in 1933, 

is celebrating 90 years this year. 

Skovby literally means ‘forest village’, 

which is an appropriate brand 

name when you make beautifully 

crafted wooden furniture. 

Skovby’s tables feature patented 

innovative extension systems 

and superb wood craftsmanship. 

Their patented table extensions’ 

level of functionality is not found 

elsewhere. The #112 four-seater 

table can extend to accommodate 

14 seats. The top-selling #33 table 

seats four-six chairs. Turn a dial 

and out comes an extension that 

will accommodate nine chairs. A 

very practical feature for meeting 

rooms to accommodate small or 

large groups. 

Skovby chair designs are tested 

at the Danish Furnituremakers’ 

Quality Control facility, where 

among other rigorous tests they 

are subjected to 50,000 tilting 

pressures. 

Skovby’s chairs are approved 

for use in public spaces, with construction 

especially strong and 

durable, they at the highest quality 

level for commercial or residential 

use. 

There are many cheap furniture 

imitators in the market – made 

to look like the real thing – but at 

best, they’re a knock-off and readily 

break. The HOUE indoor furniture 

and the Skovby range are 

manufactured in Denmark. Skovby 

is one of only three Danish manufacturers 

who still make their furniture 

in their own factories in the 

village of Skovby – while most 

brands now outsource their manufacturing 

to Eastern Europe or 

China. So, you’re really getting the 

highest quality, authentic furniture 

available. 

Danish Furniture sells direct the 

public and trade from the Tauriko 

showroom, works closely with interior 

designers for commercial projects, 

and wholesales to 18 retailers 

nationwide. 

We will work with you to identify 

your unique requirements for 

your space to provide the most 

appropriate furniture solutions and 

can provide DWG 3D files for 

HOUE & Skovby for modelling 

the suitability, colour and quantity 

requirements for any commercial 

project. 

Born and bred in Tauranga, I’m 

proud to be in business here and 

to have brought these prestigious 

brands to New Zealand. 

Danish Furniture Ltd 

Showroom open 

10am-2pm, Tuesday-Saturday 

Monday-Sunday by appointment 

53 Unutoto Place, 

Tauriko, Tauranga 

Phone 07 573 8607 

sales@danishfurniture.nz 

www.danishfurniture.nz


Rotorua Business Pulse Survey: 

Optimism in 

the business 

community 

RotoruaNZ, in partnership with 

the Rotorua Business Chamber 

recently released the third 

Rotorua Business Pulse Report, 

providing the latest insights from 

Rotorua’s business leaders. 

The Rotorua Business Pulse initiative serves as 

a key barometer for local businesses, providing 

a platform for business leaders to share their 

perspectives on Rotorua’s economic health. The 

most recent survey, which ran from March 22 to 

April 14, collected responses from 93 Rotoruabased 

businesses. 

Andrew Wilson, RotoruaNZ Chief Executive, 

hailed the city’s economic resilience, reflected 

in a noticeable upswing in confidence, largely 

thanks to the recovery the tourism sector. 

“With the growth and resurgence of our vital 

tourism industry, we are witnessing renewed optimism 

in our business community”, said Wilson. 

Despite the rise in confidence, local businesses 

are navigating a complex economic landscape 

marked by escalating costs related to staffing, 

inflation, and debt. Businesses have shown 

innovation and adaptability in response to these 

challenges, with some exploring solutions within 

the artificial intelligence space and product innovation 

related to climate change. 

Wilson acknowledged these challenges, saying, 

“While we continue to remain optimistic 

about Rotorua’s economic future, there are significant 

economic headwinds around inflation, 

talent and borrowing costs which are leading to 

very real concerns around profitability and work 

pipelines.” 

Rotorua Chamber Chief Executive Bryce 

Heard also responded “the Rotorua business 

has confronted more setbacks than most NZ 

businesses over the past 3 years. This makes it 

even more remarkable that the survey partakers’ 

degree of confidence in themselves to navigate 

the next year, is way higher than their confidence 

in the national economy. We are justifiably proud 

of Rotorua’s business resilience and ability to 

bounce back. 

It is to be hoped that we can work closely with 

the new Council and the business community, to 

finally get the CBD recovery underway and step 

up the Rotorua Brand.” 

Participants voiced a need for investment 

in infrastructure, especially within the Central 

Business District (CBD), ensuring that Rotorua 

is vibrant and attractive to visitors and residents. 

Tied in closely with this, rebuilding reputation 

and restoring image also came through as top priorities 

for business leaders. 

Climate change emerged as a notable factor 

in operational expenses and supply chain disruptions 

for a third of the city’s businesses. Furthermore, 

one in five businesses cited issues with 

flight schedules and reliability as the reason for 

choosing not to use Rotorua Airport. 

See the full Rotorua Business Pulse Report at 

www.rotoruanz.com/business-pulse-survey. 

Digitalisation: Our multibillion-dollar 

opportunity 

It’s clear Aotearoa New Zealand has a big productivity issue. Small business owners and employees in 

the Bay of Plenty and across the country are working long hours with less to show for it. As a result, 

we placed 27th out of the 63 countries in the 2022 IMD World Digital Competitiveness Rankings, 

slipping down from 19th in 2018. There’s no doubt this is a problem which needs to be addressed – 

but the question is, how do we solve this? 

Xero recently worked with the New Zealand 

Institute of Economic Research 

to understand how digitalisation could 

impact our local economy, and the results 

were astounding. 

The research revealed a 20 percent 

increase in the uptake of cloud-based digital 

tools could increase New Zealand’s GDP by 

$7.8 billion through improved productivity. 

Digitalisation is instrumental when it 

comes to improving productivity, equipping 

businesses with the tools they need to thrive 

in the modern era. 

We need to be following in the footsteps 

of Denmark and Singapore, both of which 

are great examples of what strong, committed 

government investment into digitalisation 

can do for an economy. 

Aotearoa can become a world-leading 

digital nation, and better yet, businesses in 

the Bay of Plenty have the power to lead the 

charge. However, this is easier said than done. 

Digitalisation is no mean feat and it can be 

daunting to commit to overhauling processes 

without knowing the outcome. 

That’s why our Government needs to create 

policy and encourage digitalisation investment 

to strengthen our economy by billions. 

Looking at the research, there’s a clear 

roadmap for our Government to consider 

in the short term, which paves the way for 

improving the digitalisation of Aotearoa. 

This starts with developing a New Zealand 

Productivity Solutions Grant and foundation 

plan to set small businesses up for successful 

digitalisation. 

A trusted resource like a Chief Technology 

Officer-as-a-service is also a crucial step 

In the long term, the 

Government needs to 

actively invest in digital 

literacy at all levels of 

society, meaning everyone 

from primary schools to 

nursing homes will be 

equipped with basic digital 

skills.” 

to ensure business owners can engage with 

digital consultants who provide customised 

advice and guidance. 

This is followed by building an integrated 

public service system to boost productivity 

and trust amongst our local businesses. 

In the long term, the Government needs to 

actively invest in digital literacy at all levels 

WORKPLACE WELLBEING 

> BY BRIDGET SNELLING 

Bridget Snelling, 

Xero New Zealand Country Manager. 

of society, meaning everyone from primary 

schools to nursing homes will be equipped 

with basic digital skills. 

Government should then promote and subsidise 

gaining digital skills, as part of learning 

in the workforce and education. We also need 

to review the level of investment and regulatory 

frameworks of government research and 

development of digital technology. 

And lastly, improve the competitiveness 

of the tech sector immigration policy. 

Although digitalisation requires both an 

investment of money and time, the payback 

period is relatively short. It can take less than 

two or three years to see a positive return, 

helping rejuvenate the economy by billions. 

The reality is, all around the world economies 

are rapidly digitalising – if we don’t do 

the same, businesses in the Bay of Plenty and 

across Aotearoa New Zealand are at risk of 

being left behind. 

Our Government needs to show more support 

for our digital progress and introduce 

policies that support the expansion of New 

Zealand’s digital economy. 

Only then will we be able to unlock the 

full potential of our economy.


Talent to burn? 

Why staff training is good for 

your ego, but bad for your wallet 

The learning and development industry would have you believe 

investing in staff training is the perfect antidote to talent shortages 

and AI uneasiness. However, business leaders are about to learn a 

painful – and costly – lesson. 

Pity the human brain. It’s 

suffered more than a few 

headaches recently. 

First there was the lockdown 

lobotomy. Then it was 

given marching orders to 

drain across the ditch. Now, 

it’s under threat from Chat 

GPT, Google Bard, and their 

artificially intelligent digital 

nomads. 

Thankfully, a new saviour 

is on the horizon: A senior 

executive with an axe to grind 

and a staff training budget to 

spend. “Use it or lose it”, they 

like to say. But are they talking 

about the budget … or the 

workforce? 

Burning a hole in your 

pocket 

On the surface, everything 

looks fine: Businesses want to 

enhance their workforce capabilities, 

so they look to spend 

a bit of money on a skills 

upgrade. Good news, especially 

if you happen to run a 

training company. 

But the truth is more sinister: 

Something akin to a monkey 

pulling a fish out of a river 

and saying, “Here, let me put 

you up in this tree before you 

drown”. 

Although businesses have 

the best of intentions when it 

comes to employee training, 

all they’re really creating is an 

expensive exercise in suffocating 

their talent. 

Swimming against the tide 

Don’t believe me? When was 

the last time you TRULY 

learned something new in a 

training session at work. 

We all remember the flipcharts, 

the post-its, the awkward 

icebreaker exercises and 

coffee that tastes like Rangataua 

Bay after a downpour. 

But did you actually take 

anything away from the training 

… except a crushing anxiety 

that you had a days-worth 

of emails to catch up on? 

Sure, it might have been 

mildly useful. But you were 

unlikely to be standing on your 

chair, hugging your colleagues 

and giving it the full ‘Tony 

Robbins meets Jon Bon Jovi 

concert’, were you? 

Yet time and time again, 

we return to the training room, 

like walking back into a relationship 

we swore we’d left for 

good. 

A lose-lose deal 

Employee training is painful. 

It’s like going to the gym, but 

without the sunny upside of 

kidding yourself you might 

look good naked, if you go 

through enough torture. 

Business leaders don’t want 

to pay for it (not enough budget). 

Employees don’t want to 

do it (not enough time). Trainers 

don’t want to deliver it (not 

enough passion). 

Yet according to the New 

Zealand Productivity Commission, 

between $1.3 billion-$2 

billion is spent by Kiwi businesses 

every year on staff 

learning and development. 

That’s a lot of money to 

throw at something that generally 

produces an eye-rolling 

reaction akin to telling a child 

they’re on their way to the 

dentist. 

Employers won’t hear of 

it, however. Because they’re 

too busy telling the world how 

much they ‘value their people’. 

Learning a harsh lesson 

Time to face facts: your DISC 

profile was shoved in the 

drawer. Your Myers Briggs 

report (ENTP, in case you’re 

wondering) fell apart after 

being used as an emergency 

coffee cup coaster. 

But the world is changing 

fast. Employees need to 

develop new skills to help win 

at work and keep the Kiwi 

workforce competitive in the 

global economy. 

Training, however, is not 

the answer. 30 years ago, perhaps. 

But in 2023, the last 

thing people need is more 

MINING BUSINESS WEALTH 

> BY FREDDIE BENNETT 

Guinness World Record Holder, podcast host and bestselling author, 

Freddie is known as ‘The Profit Hunter’. He helps business owners 

enjoy more time, money and freedom by discovering and extracting 

hidden profits in their companies. Freddie@conqueryourmedia.com 

knowledge. Your teams have 

all the knowledge they could 

ever desire at their fingertips, 

for free. Why pay for it? 

Knowledge is a waste of 

time and money without two 

things: Mindset and Habits. 

If your people are lacking 

the right mindset, they won’t 

have the confidence and courage 

to think differently. 

If they don’t back-up their 

learning with the right habits, 

they will never apply the 

knowledge they obtain. 

It’s like you’re sending your 

workforce to a lecture about 

press-ups, and expecting them 

to get stronger. But they only 

develop true strength if they 

have the mindset to practice, 

and the habits to keep doing it. 

Taking the leap 

Training companies can pull 

out all the stats, psychometrics, 

and ‘tailored learning programmes’ 

they like, but they 

can’t hide the facts. 

Traditional training is terrifyingly 

ineffective. We learn 

through challenges, puzzles, 

trial and error, experimentation 

and (whisper it) failure. 

Which lesson do you 

remember from your childhood: 

The 100 times your 

mother told you not to touch 

the hot stove? Or the time you 

touched the hot stove? 

If you really want to 

develop a workforce that’s fit 

for the future, focus on their 

mindset and their habits. Let 

them get real. Allow them to 

screw up, laugh about it, and 

then screw up again. 

This is how we learn. 

But, as a leader, will you 

be brave enough to allow it to 

happen? 

Perhaps there’s a training 

course that might help … 

ADVERTORIAL 

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These days businesses expect 

to be in control when they 

consume digital services. 

They want to be able to dial up 

services when they need them. This 

is an everyday experience for consumers 

who can, say, log into their 

mobile phone account and change 

their plan, buy more data or organise 

international roaming. 

Typically, that’s not how most 

businesses order and organise network 

services. They must call a network 

operator, discuss their needs, 

negotiate options, then commit to a 

contract. 

But modern businesses want 

data and services when they need 

it, and want to be able to add it, 

remove it and change it, all quickly 

and seamlessly. 

It’s where the 2degrees business 

team is focussed; on its self-service 

platform for what’s known as software 

defined networks. 2degrees 

Chief Business Officer Andrew 

Fairgray says: “We are bringing the 

smarts we are all use to as consumers, 

to larger, more complex businesses, 

essentially to make their 

lives easier and more efficient.” 

Key to this for 2degrees is its 

platform called “Flex”, a front-end 

interface initially developed for 

Freightways, a major customer. 

Freightways wanted a digital 

platform which allowed it to manage 

a large fleet of mobile devices, 

and now that platform has been 

expanded to include more products, 

and is available to 2degrees business 

customers. 

“The goal is to provide customers 

with comprehensive on-demand 

network infrastructure”, says 

2degrees CIO Steve Kurzeja. 

“Everything on the network is 

software enriched. We have a network 

that reaches every data centre 

in the country and our network can 

reach anywhere on the UFB footprint, 

which covers close to every 

business in New Zealand.” 

“A customer from the top end 

of town might come to buy 100 

gigabit Ethernet ports if they need 

to shift a huge workload from one 

point to another, but smaller customers 

can also benefit.” 

Kurzeja says there’s nothing to 

stop customers with more modest 

needs ordering secure point-topoint 

links from any home or office 

on UFB to a data centre or a cloud 

on-ramp taking them to Australia, 

the USA or beyond. 

“It’s still early days, but if a 

Andrew Fairgray, Chief Business Officer, 2degrees 

customer wants to order, say, a circuit 

from London, we can do that 

now. We have partners from overseas 

coming to us in New Zealand 

wanting to set up circuits through 

our local ecosystem. Our network 

footprint already reaches across 

the UK, Australia and the US. We 

have other relationships connecting 

elsewhere, so if a customer needs a 

line to Singapore, we can connect 

through Australia and the ASC submarine 

cable.” 

He says that because 2degrees 

We have a 

network that 

reaches every data 

centre in the country 

and our network can 

reach anywhere on 

the UFB footprint, 

which covers close to 

every business in 

New Zealand.” 

is a software-led business, it can 

move fast, take customer feedback 

and iterate. “We learn from our customers 

and change. They can see 

us continually releasing new things 

and listening to their needs, which 

is exactly what it means to be customer 

centric.” 

Fairgray sums it up: “Software 

defined networks gives 2degrees 

customers a competitive edge putting 

customers in control of their 

agility, innovation and application 

needs and futureproofing their 

connectivity.”


Don’t lose hope, 

just be prepared 

“There is no bad weather, just bad choice of clothing” – a Norwegian 

saying which I think applies to the situation we currently find ourselves 

in as a business community. 

The financial landscape is 

a bit scary at the moment, 

let’s be fair. We have 

people living in $800k houses 

with $900k mortgages, emergency 

housing is heaving at the 

seams and there are homeless 

encampments all over the Bay. 

People are hurting and it’s 

evident. Being in the credit 

management, fraud investigation 

and repossession industries 

I see firsthand the realworld 

effects of the confusing 

and needlessly complicated 

economic data that spews from 

our devices daily. 

The number of commercial 

evictions, liquidations, collections 

and large commercial dispute 

cases that IPI, NZ REPOS 

and Debt Free NZ are being 

asked to become involved in 

are increasing, both in frequency 

and size. People that I 

know well as successful business 

owners are downsizing 

their businesses with an aim to 

mothballing them for the next 

few years. There is real fear in 

the business community, but 

all hope is not lost. 

Just like the GFC in 2008, 

there will be businesses that 

make it and there will be businesses 

that don’t. From my 

experience and research, the 

ones that survived back then 

were more systemised and 

process driven, with a better 

understanding of backcosting 

and an ability to respond to 

supply cost and quantity. Of 

course, a large part of surviving 

a credit crisis is credit control. 

Here are some tips that I 

recommend to get through the 

storm – a credit umbrella if 

you will. 

1. Meet with your accountant 

and financial advisor and 

do a full analysis of your 

business financial data, 

CREDIT CONTROL 

> BY NICK KERR 

Nick Kerr is regional manager for DebtFree NZ Ltd and director 

of International Private Investigations Ltd. He can be reached 

on 021 876 527 and Nick@debtfreenz.com 

make sure charged rates 

are adjusted with cost rises 

including indirect costs like 

fuel, etc. 

2. Do an analysis of your client 

/ customer list and make 

sure that all clients that pay 

on credit (20th of the month 

following, seven days etc) 

have agreed terms of trade 

and that these have been 

reviewed or updated within 

the last three years. 

3. Ensure all major accounts 

(any accounts that would 

seriously affect your business 

should they become 

unpaid or liquidated) are 

secured on the PPSR and 

have a credit monitor on 

them to alert you to any 

financial gremlins that pop 

out of the woodwork. 

4. Only give credit when you 

need to. If a client /customer 

is a one-off or private 

individual, then payment on 

completion or delivery is 

often more appropriate than 

offering credit. 

5. If you are in the construction 

industry, become very 

familiar with the Construction 

Contracts Act 2002 and 

the new Construction Contracts 

(Retention Money) 

Amendment Act 2023 – 

in this industry how you 

charge is very, very important. 

If you are reading 

this and do not know how 

important a payment claim 

vs an invoice is, please look 

into it asap. 

6. If money gets tight and 

you are considering debtor 

finance, factoring or otherwise 

borrowing against 

invoices, investigate it in 

depth with a trusted advisor. 

Like every tool, it has its 

uses but also has its risks. 

A solid collection campaign 

can sometimes be what you 

need to stitch the wound 

rather than applying a Band 

Aid. 

7. COMMUNICATE! If 

things get bad and you can’t 

pay, tell your suppliers what 

is going on. Make a payment 

plan and stick to it. If 

they call, answer the phone. 

People can deal with what 

they can understand. Keeping 

people in the dark can 

inflame an already stressful 

situation. 

The above is simply a guide 

based on my own experience 

of nearly two decades working 

with small businesses through 

some very tough times – this 

is not legal advice, just Nick’s 

advice. 

Keep safe everyone. If it’s 

raining, wear a jacket. 

Just a thought 

We need a paradigm 

shift in urban mobility 

The future of urban 

mobility is undergoing 

a significant transformation, 

driven by technological 

advancements, changing 

consumer preferences, and 

the urgent need for sustainable 

transportation solutions. 

In this article I want to 

explore the various options 

and what will become a dominant 

force in shaping the 

future of transportation and 

its impact on urban mobility. 

In any large fast growing 

city like Tauranga, urban 

mobility planning is equally 

exciting and daunting at 

the same time. A variety of 

organisations, ranging from 

technology companies, to 

vehicle manufacturers, to 

city leaders and planners, 

are currently in a race to find 

the best solutions that will 

transform the way we move 

around. Below are some 

solutions that could possibly 

solve some of the problems 

we are encountering. 

As autonomous vehicle 

technology continues to 

evolve, Shared Autonomous 

Vehicles (SAVs) will revolutionise 

the transportation 

landscape. SAVs will provide 

on-demand transportation 

services without the need for 

a human driver. This transformative 

shift will enhance 

convenience, efficiency, and 

affordability, making vehicle 

sharing even more appealing 

to urban dwellers. 

Mobility-as-a-Service 

SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION 

> BY STEVEN VINCENT 

Steven Vincent is the founder of GoTo Car Share. 

He can be reached on steven@goto.nz 

(MaaS) platforms will offer 

a seamless experience for 

users to access various transportation 

modes, such as 

public transit, shared bikes, 

scooters and cars, and even 

air taxis. MaaS integration 

will provide a comprehensive 

solution for urban mobility, 

allowing individuals to 

plan, book, and pay for their 

entire transportation journey 

through a single platform. 

Advanced technologies, 

such as artificial intelligence 

and machine learning, will 

enable platforms to learn user 

preferences, predict travel 

patterns, and offer tailored 

recommendations. From 

vehicle type to interior ambiance, 

users will have the ability 

to customise their mobility 

experience. 

With a growing emphasis 

on sustainability, future 

vehicle sharing will predominantly 

feature electric 

and low-emission vehicles. 

Providers will invest heavily 

in electric vehicle infrastructure, 

including fast-charging 

stations and vehicle-to-grid 

integration. By promoting 

the use of clean energy and 

reducing carbon emissions, 

electric vehicles will play a 

pivotal role in achieving sustainable 

urban transportation. 

Peer-to-peer (P2P) car 

sharing will become more 

prevalent, allowing individuals 

to rent out their personal 

vehicles when not in use. 

P2P car sharing will unlock 

a vast pool of underutilised 

vehicles, promoting efficient 

resource allocation and 

reducing the overall number 

of cars on the road. 

Car sharing will extend 

beyond traditional cars, 

embracing hyperlocal and 

micro-mobility solutions. 

This includes shared electric 

bikes, scooters, and 

even small electric pods 

designed for short-distance 

urban travel. These options 

will enhance accessibility 

and provide a diverse range 

of shared vehicles suited 

for specific use cases and 

distances. 

With advancements in 

autonomous technology, 

integration with MaaS platforms, 

customisation options, 

sustainable fleets, and the 

emergence of peer-to-peer 

and micro-mobility solutions, 

shared mobility will transform 

the way people move 

in cities. By prioritising convenience, 

sustainability, and 

affordability, car sharing will 

play a central role in creating 

smarter, greener, and more 

livable cities of the future. As 

we embrace this transformative 

shift, the possibilities for 

reimagining urban mobility 

are endless. 

I’m looking forward to 

delving deeper into this fascinating 

subject of sustainable 

transportation in the coming 

months and welcome any 

feedback or contributions 

you have to this topic.


SH29 the key to Tauranga’s 

immediate growth challenges 

Tauranga is a great place to live, which is one of the reasons it is 

New Zealand’s fastest-growing city. But as we all know, growth brings 

challenges – in our case, a housing shortage and affordability issues, 

traffic network congestion and high carbon emissions for a city of our 

size, which we will need to bring down. 

By ANNE TOLLEY, 

Tauranga Commission Chair 

Those challenges inevitably 

have an impact on 

business. Our shortage 

of affordable houses for renters 

and buyers makes it difficult 

for businesses to attract 

staff who are not already living 

in the city. 

Congested roads not only 

affect our lifestyle, but also 

reduce business productivity 

and the ability to deliver 

timely services. 

And of course, we have a 

responsibility to the planet, 

and a requirement to comply 

with the Government’s directive 

to reach carbon-zero status 

by 2050. 

Currently, more than 60% 

of the city’s carbon emissions 

are from transport activities 

Anne Tolley 

and most of that relates to road 

use. 

Multiple long-term solutions 

are required to deal with 

these issues, but in the shortto 

medium-term, accelerated 

investment in SH29 improvements 

will certainly help meet 

our immediate challenges. 

This would involve creating 

a grade-separated inter-regional 

highway connecting the 

productive base of the North 

Island to the Port of Tauranga, 

as well as a rapid transit corridor 

for vehicles, public 

transport and active transport 

modes (cycling and walking) 

from Tauriko through to 

the city centre and on to the 

Mount. 

The why for this investment 

is simple – it would enable 

residential development in 

Tauriko West and along the Te 

Papa peninsula which would 

allow up to 25,000 homes 

to be built over the coming 

years, connecting to around 

12,500 extra jobs and all of 

the city’s key facilities – hospital, 

supermarkets, shopping 

centres, high schools, the port, 

the CBD and Te Manawataki 

o Te Papa, the University of 

Waikato and on to Blake Park, 

Bay Oval and the Mount’s 

other attractions. 

An efficient rapid transport 

route with enhanced public 

transport services would also 

help us to lower carbon emissions, 

vehicle kilometres travelled 

and reduce congestion 

and facilitate housing intensification 

withing our existing 

city footprint, which makes 

this a winning proposition 

all-round. 

The Council and the Commission 

are working with 

Waka Kotahi, other Government 

agencies and Government 

ministers to facilitate this 

investment, but right now the 

SH29 upgrade we need is still 

too far down the priority list to 

offer the timely solutions we 

need. 

Our regional local government 

partners are right behind 

a reprioritisation of infrastructure 

investment, but to encourage 

the all-of-government 

approach we need to get things 

moving, we also need national 

political commitment. 

The business community 

could play a very helpful role 

in that, so when our political 

leaders drop by to drum up 

support in the lead-up to the 

October elections, tell them 

what the Western Bay of Plenty 

really needs – investment in 

an efficient SH29 connection, 

with all of the gains that will 

provide. 

SUPPORT REQUIRED FOR THE 

‘SUPERHEROES OF PRODUCTIVITY’ 

New Zealand has a well-documented and debated productivity issue. 

Productivity is broadly defined as the output produced per worker. In 

2019 The New Zealand Treasury commented that, “New Zealand’s low 

productivity growth is a long-term problem that has been an issue 

across a timeframe of generations, not general elections. Raising our 

productivity performance is the biggest economic challenge facing New 

Zealand and will require a sustained effort on a number of fronts.” 

FRANCHISING 

> BY NATHAN BONNEY 

Nathan Bonney is a director of Iridium Partners. He can be 

reached at nathan@iridium.net.nz or 0275-393-022 

It’s perhaps disturbing then 

that the Treasury website on 

productivity and the associated 

whitepapers on the topic 

has not been updated since 

2019! It’s clearly not been 

their priority to focus on what 

they defined as, ‘the biggest 

issue facing the economy’. 

But to be fair, it’s not Treasury’s 

sole responsibility to 

solve the productivity issue 

– picking up on the last part 

of the statement: “… it will 

require a sustained effort on a 

number of fronts”. 

There are many components 

and parties that contribute 

to productivity, it is not just 

a case of each worker working 

harder; there’s the ‘smarter, 

not harder’ cliché, as well as 

optimizing the use of technology 

and what (and how) products 

and services are produced. 

The franchising sector I 

would argue is well and truly 

pulling its weight in regard 

to productivity; often being 

industry-leading in terms 

of product offering, service 

delivery and, importantly, 

innovation. 

If we do however come 

back to a ‘per-worker’ view of 

productivity, all things being 

equal, we see the critical role 

that training and development 

of workers play in improving 

productivity. We can identify 

franchising as a superhero of 

productivity. 

Let’s look at some comparative 

data: In 2021 there were 

a total number of 151,975 

people engaged in apprenticeships. 

The New Zealand Franchising 

Survey covering the 

same period identified 156,820 

employed in New Zealand 

franchises. 

Every single one of those 

employees would have 

received training and development 

of some type, ranging 

from basic first-start employee 

training, through to complex, 

world-leading, best practice 

methods of providing a wide 

variety of goods and services. 

And then we can look at the 

franchisees themselves (who 

are not captured in that data): 

There are an estimated 32,357 

franchised business units operating 

in New Zealand. 

A Grant Thornton 2014 

report on productivity suggested, 

“One of the greatest 

opportunities for New Zealand 

to raise productivity lies 

in educating the owners and 

managers of SMEs in the fundamental 

principles of running 

and growing a successful 

business.” 

Well, it’s the core and 

essential role of every franchisor 

to successfully train their 

franchisees to grow and operate 

successful businesses. 

Government policy 

settings need to support 

franchising’s role in 

training and development 

Unfortunately, the current government 

and policy setting do 

little to support and encourage 

the training and development 

role played by franchising; in 

some circumstances policy settings 

such as taxation actually 

discourage it. 

For franchisees, if we look 

at the apprenticeship schemes, 

these play a critical role in generating 

productivity but are in 

many circumstances not suited 

to fit hand in glove with the 

SME business model of many 

franchise structures, rendering 

the schemes inaccessible. 

It’s the core and 

essential role of 

every franchisor to 

successfully train 

their franchisees 

to grow and 

operate successful 

businesses.” 

The same applies to training 

wages; they do not apply 

to employees who are being 

trained at work outside the 

parameters of an industry 

training programme. In a tight 

labour market, trying to pay 

less than minimum wage is 

unlikely to be very successful 

in attracting and retaining talent. 

There’s also a social implication 

that most brands would 

like to avoid. 

I would suggest subsidising 

training costs along the lines 

of an apprenticeship model. 

Alternatively, providing tax 

incentives would certainly 

reward and further encourage 

training and development 

within the franchise sector. 

These don’t necessarily need 

to be on a franchisee level 

– how about applying a tax 

credit for employees that complete 

accredited training? 

If we look at how initial 

franchisee training fees (what 

a franchisee pays a franchisor 

to learn and be trained in 

a system) are treated in terms 

of taxation, for the franchisor, 

training fees are at best usually 

cost recovery but treated as 

income. 

For a franchisee New Zealand 

tax policy is not as kind as 

in many other countries where 

initial training fees (and sometimes 

initial franchise fees) 

can generate tax offsets for the 

franchisee. 

Finally, if we look at the 

Government’s much self-applauded 

Apprenticeship Boost 

scheme in relation to boosting 

business productivity: as 

of March 2023, there were 

57,040 participants. 

I’m not sure of the return 

on investment overall of the 

Government’s $230 million 

allocation in the 2022 budget, 

but a total of 40 of these are in 

business and management.


Making an office fit-for-purpose 

As the pandemic’s tail whips its way through our 

work psyche and habits, business owners are being 

challenged on what constitutes a viable, marketrelevant 

workplace in the bid to retain staff and attract 

new recruits. 

Bayleys’ national director office 

leasing and real estate advisory, 

Steve Rendall says after an 

extended period of flux and staff routinely 

working from home, business 

owners are now grappling with what 

today’s office should ultimately look 

and feel like. 

“We’re seeing a distinct flight to 

quality with companies seeking better 

functioning spaces to help get staff 

back to the office to collaborate and 

build culture. 

“Some decision makers are trying 

to better understand likely working 

trends in the longer term before making 

wholesale changes, while others 

are reducing their footprints or clipping 

on flex space where required.” 

Jonas Brodie, director and head of 

client relations at workplace strategy, 

design and construct firm StudioDB, 

says before designing or refitting 

an office space, the questions to be 

asked of clients are: what are the 

overall project objectives, how would 

you define success and why have an 

office? 

“It’s a progressive journey and we 

encourage our clients to be transparent 

and share their business strategy 

which gives us considerable insight 

into how they may look to transition 

into a new way of working or remain 

status quo. 

“We need to have tools that measure 

efficiency and performance 

because what can be measured, can 

be managed, so for a project to be 

successful, it is vital to come up with 

a data set that does this. 

“We also delve into the roles of 

those within the office and ask what’s 

best for the individual, their team, and 

the business overall so we can take 

an unbiased balanced approach and 

understand how activities are best 

done across those pillars.” 

Brodie believes sustainability is the 

next big thing for office workplaces 

to nail and says, “our industry needs 

to be making measurable progress 

on sustainability while making it less 

complex and more affordable for all.” 

Tim Ray, commercial manager 

for Platform Consulting Group says 

every business it works with has a 

unique way of working in the hybrid 

environment and requires a purposeful 

space built around work flow and 

human connection. 

“The office environment now 

needs to be measurably better than 

the home office and be a place to 

reconnect with people so we design 

spaces with a welcoming entrance 

incorporating a high end hospitality 

experience for employees, and multiple 

collaboration points to make the 

commute worthwhile and to support 

the office day.” 

Ray says new and remodel 

fitouts are investing in more flexible, 

multi-functional spaces with 

adaptable furniture and integrated 

technology. 

“Think technology-enabled stand 

up/huddle spaces, digital whiteboard 

spaces for a visual connection in the 

open plan environment and smaller 

meeting rooms with better integration 

for video conferencing. 

“Equally important are spaces to 

disconnect from tech’, with informal 

collaborative lounge space, and open 

areas in the office with casual seating 

Equally important are 

spaces to disconnect 

from tech’, with 

informal collaborative 

lounge space, and 

open areas in the 

office with casual 

seating arrangements 

encouraging a playwork-rest 

workplace.” 

arrangements encouraging a playwork-rest 

workplace. 

“With a 70-80 percent occupancy 

rate, clients see that more space can 

be dedicated to a structure that’s best 

for a team approach rather than the 

individual.” 

Scott Compton, who leads interior 

design for architects Warren & 

Mahoney says the firm’s broad and 

connected team knows that every 

client group is a unique amalgam of 

many things. 

“The key questions we ask clients 

now are essentially the same as they 

always were, but are perhaps more 

relevant today and revolve around 

presence, purpose, and innovation. 

“Why will your people come to 

the office, what will the office need to 

do and provide for your people, and 

what is the unique aspiration for your 

workplace?” 

Compton says individual productivity, 

collaboration, team culture, and 

wellbeing are all inextricably linked 

and businesses need as much of each 

of those as they can get. 

“Collaboration is the pillar that’s 

still a work in progress, as virtual collaboration 

can be isolating for individuals 

and ideal hybrids do not yet 

exist. 

“We urge each client to think 

carefully about the big, aspirational, 

unique idea for their office environment 

that will excite, inspire and 

engage their people.” 

Source: https://www.bayleys.co.nz/ 

workplace/office/insights/ 

making-an-office-fit-for-purpose 

At Bayleys, we believe relationships are what businesses are built on and how they 

succeed. We understand that to maximise the return on your property you need: 

Professional property management 

A business partner that understands your views and goals 

Contact the Bayleys Tauranga Commercial Property Management team today. 

Bayleys Tauranga 

Commercial Property Management 

07 579 0609 

jan.cooney@bayleystauranga.co.nz 

SUCCESS REALTY LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008 

ALTOGETHER BETTER 

Residential / Commercial / Rural / Property Services


Two steps, too easy 

Ronald Reagan may very 

well have said that the most 

terrifying words in the English 

language were “I’m from the 

government and I’m here to 

help”, but believe me there are 

many government agencies 

out there providing fantastic 

tools, advice, and services 

for small and medium sized 

businesses. Real, tangible, and 

valuable help. 

In last month’s column I wrote about the 

resources and advice available from the 

Privacy Commissioner and this month it’s 

time to promote the services of CERT NZ. 

The Computer Emergency Response 

Team was set up in 2016 to receive cyber 

incident reports, track cyber security incidents 

or attacks and provide advice and 

alerts on how to respond and prevent further 

attacks. CERT NZ works with counterpart 

agencies across the world and other NZ 

agencies such as NetSafe, the Department 

of Internal Affairs and NZ Police. 

CERT NZ’s “Two Steps, Too Easy” campaign 

runs from 22 May 2023 to 22 June 

2023. This campaign supports SMBs by 

promoting examples of companies who are 

using Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) to 

protect their business and customer data. 

Visit their website at www.cert.govt.nz 

to view their resources and subscribe to their 

updates. You can customise the information 

that you are presented with by selecting 

Individual, Business or IT Specialists. 

This campaign includes advice from 

SMB owners who received dodgy invoices, 

fraudulent customer orders, contact from 

alleged suppliers who weren’t legitimate 

and suffered financial and/or data loss. 

They’re all saying that implementing 2FA 

plays an important part in reducing risk and 

relieving anxiety about future attacks. Their 

stories and experiences are relatable. 

2FA is a security system that requires two 

distinct forms of identification in order to 

access something. The first factor is a password, 

and the second factor may include a 

text sent to your smartphone or email and 

biometrics using your fingerprint, face or 

Clarity Distillery Company co-founders 

George White and Stephanie 

Downer only launched their first line 

of spirits in March, making a splash in the 

New Zealand market and entering the competition 

just three weeks later. 

The double gold designation announced 

in late April, is awarded to the few entries 

that receive gold medal ratings by all members 

of the judging panel. This year, there 

were more than 5500 entries from around 

the world. 

“Winning any award is amazing, but 

double gold is truly phenomenal and 

exceeded our expectations,” George says. 

George says despite feedback from 

friends and family that they should enter 

their more traditional 2023 gin, they had a 

gut feeling to go with their dry gin. “We created 

our dry gin to be enjoyed in both summer 

and winter, with warm and comforting 

notes for winter and the option to add a slice 

of lemon or tonic in the summer. 

Receiving an award in the competition 

not only helps brands stand out in international 

markets, but is a critical next step 

for any producer to earn recognition in the 

TECH TALK 

retina. While 2FA does improve security it 

is not fool proof. Not implementing 2FA is, 

however, foolish. 

Who are you going to call if you ever 

receive a message on your computer that 

reads something like, “Your network has 

been penetrated and your files are encrypted 

by x. If for some reason your read this 

text before the encryption ended, this can 

be understood by the fact that the computer 

slows down, and your heart rate has 

increased due to the inability to turn it off, 

then we recommend you move away from 

> BY YVONNE BLANCH 

Yvonne Blanch is an Account Manager at Stratus Blue. 

She can be contacted at yvonne@stratusblue.co.nz 

the computer and accept that you have been 

compromised.”? You’re going to need government 

help as well as the assistance of 

your trusted IT support company. 

You have a responsibility to your business, 

your staff, your clients and yourself 

to take cybersecurity seriously before you 

need it. 

Ronald Reagan also said, “To sit back 

hoping that someday, someway, someone 

will make things right is to go on feeding 

the crocodile, hoping he will eat you last – 

but eat you he will.” 

TAURANGA DISTILLERY 

MAKES GLOBAL HEADLINES 

A fledging Tauranga-based distillery has made global waves after taking out a double gold award 

for their dry gin at the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. 

industry and with consumers. 

George says while Clarity Distilling 

Company has just started out, they have big 

plans for the brand, branching out further in 

New Zealand and internationally. 

“We are immensely proud to showcase 

our gin to the world and it’s an honour to 

showcase it as a product of New Zealand.” 

With a background in business management 

and childcare, George and Stephanie 

decided 2023 was the year to take the leap 

with their distillery. 

Armed with a passion for gin and shrewd 

business acumen, the pair have poured all 

their efforts into the start-up and are thrilled 

to be recognised by one of the world’s most 

prestigious spirits competitions. 

Founded in 2000, the San Francisco 

World Spirits Competition is the oldest and 

largest competition of its kind. 

The San Francisco World Spirits Competition 

is one of the most respected and competitive 

spirits competitions in the world, 

with entries from more than 30 countries. 

The judges evaluate the entries blindly, 

based on a range of factors, including 

aroma, taste, finish, and overall quality. 

2023 winners 

selected for the Page/ 

Acorn Engineering 

Scholarship 

In May the Acorn Foundation announced the recipients 

of the 2023 Page/Acorn Engineering Scholarship. 

The scholarships are awarded annually to 

second-year apprentices at local engineering firms, 

thanks to local Acorn donors Bob and Pat Page. 

Recipients and their respective workplaces 

will receive funding for two years to assist with 

expenses and equipment. 

Recipients of the 2023 Page/Acorn Engineering 

Scholarship are: 

• Adriaan Meyer, Otūmoetai: Boshier 

Engineering 

• Bailey Snowling, Te Puke: Page Macrae 

Engineering 

• Eron Manabat, Ohauiti: Page Macrae 

Engineering 

• Ezra Keenan, Whakamarama: Robert Page 

Engineering Limited 

• Joshua Conroy, Te Puke: Page Macrae 

Engineering 

• Lewis Graham, Poike: Page Macrae 

Engineering 

• Te Mawae McAllister, Te Puke, Impact 

Engineering 

An evening awards ceremony is held every 

second year to celebrate scholarship winners with 

their families and workplace representative – this 

event will take place next year. 

The Page/Acorn Engineering Scholarship was 

established in 2008 by the late Bob and Pat Page to 

reward and encourage apprentices who go above 

and beyond expectations. Bob Page co founded 

local firm Page and Macrae Engineering in 1953 

and was passionate about seeing young people 

succeed. 

Nearly 70 apprentices and their workplaces 

across the Western Bay of Plenty have received 

support thanks to the generosity of Bob and Pat 

Page. Lori Luke, CEO of the Acorn Foundation, 

said “Every year we look forward to awarding 

these deserving apprentices this scholarship, and 

we get a lot of satisfaction from seeing them succeed 

in their chosen career. Bob and Pat Page 

would be absolutely thrilled that their dream of 

assisting local apprentices to achieve their goals 

has come so far.” 

Whakatane business 

Manuka Performance 

partners to expand 

into Asia 

Manuka Performance is a nutrition company 

located in Whakatane, New Zealand. The 

company develops and manufactures a 

range of natural nutrition products based around 

the globally recognized health properties of 

Manuka Honey. 

Many New Zealand start-up brands face challenges 

in connecting with global markets. However, 

Manuka Performance has powered through 

this challenge by partnering with Eastern Bridge 

Global, an experienced international expansion 

firm with dedicated expertise in Asia. 

By leveraging Eastern Bridge Global’s consumer 

research and market knowledge, Manuka 

Performance has positioned itself as a disruptive 

and standout brand in the supplement market. 

The partnership has allowed Manuka Performance 

to effectively localise its marketing strategies 

for its target consumers in Asia, including 

digital marketing tactics such as social activations 

with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and social 

media influencers. 

Eastern Bridge Global CEO Lewis O’Donnell 

has praised the partnership, stating: “Manuka 

honey has already gained popularity among consumers 

in China, who are aware of its numerous 

benefits. This has helped Manuka Performance 

mitigate barriers to entry and introduce its 

sports-specific Manuka Honey supplement into 

the market with success.” 

Manuka Performance Co-Founder and CEO 

Tristan Vine is excited about the partnership. 

“China presents a huge and exciting market for 

our nutraceutical products across all categories. It 

also presents many challenges to enter, maintain & 

grow. To execute successfully it’s crucial to partner 

with the right people who have experience, 

knowledge and established logistics & channels 

across the region,” he said. 

This partnership represents a significant milestone 

for Manuka Performance and its mission to 

provide premium functional supplements to athletes 

and health-conscious consumers worldwide.


STRONG ECONOMIC 

PERFORMANCE IN 

TAURANGA AND 

WESTERN BAY 

In May Priority One chief executive Nigel Tutt 

highlighted findings of the region’s latest quarterly 

economic data. 

According to Tutt, the economic results show 

Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty region 

remain in good economic shape, despite the 

impacts of inflation, higher interest rates and a 

weaker kiwifruit season. 

“While we might have expected some downturn, 

given the signalling by Government and the 

Reserve Bank, there has not been much evidence 

of that to date, both locally or nationally, with economic 

growth for Tauranga and Western Bay of 

Plenty at 3.9% vs the national rate of 2.9% for the 

latest quarter. The job market is still strong, with 

all employment indicators either the same or stronger 

quarter on quarter”, he noted. 

“Relatively strong economic data across the 

country means that we can expect inflation to stick 

around and monetary policy to be tight. While 

businesses will be more cautious than before due 

to harder conditions, the tight employment market 

and its effect on staff attraction and retention 

should be at the forefront of business thinking.” 

TARGETED BUDGET 

DELIVERS SMALL 

TAX SURPRISE 

The recent tightly targeted Budget delivers support 

for those who need it most, as well as a small 

tax surprise says Chartered Accountants ANZ NZ 

Country Head Peter Vial FCA. 

“Delivering support to those that need it without 

stoking inflation, while responding to the 

cyclone and flooding was always going to be the 

challenge in this Budget.” 

“Although this looks like one of those budgets 

where no one will be hugely happy, that’s an indication 

of the constrained situation the country is 

in.” 

“Unlike last year’s budget which included a 

heavily criticised one-off cost of living payment 

that went to a lot of people who didn’t need it, this 

year’s budget is much more targeted.” 

“Some measures such as removal of the prescription 

charge will benefit everyone, but most 

are aimed at those most in need. Public transport 

subsidies for children and young people have the 

added benefit of encouraging better environmental 

outcomes.” 

“Tax cuts were obviously unaffordable and 

would have stoked inflation, but there was a little 

tax surprise in the alignment of the trustee tax rate 

with the 39% top marginal tax rate.” 

“Whether this is a ‘major tax change’ is a moot 

point.” 

“The $5.7 billion spike in income taxed at the 

33% trustee rate in the first year of the 39% top 

marginal tax rate is all the evidence that the Government 

needed to respond.” 

“It is a relief to hear that the trustee rate change 

will be subject to full Select Committee scrutiny. 

This should allow the opportunity for any unexpected 

consequences and issues to be addressed.” 

“Not addressing other distortions in the tax 

system confirms that this Government, like others 

before it, has put broader issues with the tax system 

in the too hard basket.” 

Peter Vial 

CEO of New Zealand 

Avocado to step aside 

Linda Flegg, Chair of NZ Avocado 

Growers’ Association announced in 

May the resignation of their CEO Jen 

Scoular after 12 years in the role. 

“Jen has served us tirelessly over the 

past 12 years and her achievements along 

the way are many. When Jen took up the 

role after a four-year term as a trade diplomat 

in Hamburg, Germany, our industry 

was struggling and lacked engagement, 

communication and systems, which gave 

Jen a lot to focus on,” says Linda Flegg. 

Under her leadership industry value 

increased from $82m in 2011-12 to $231m 

in 2021, and the New Zealand market value 

from $19m to $62m in 2021-22. During her 

tenure the industry successfully achieved 

market access for avocados into both the 

China and India market, joined the biosecurity 

partnership with the government 

and achieved the first horticulture primary 

growth partnership in 2014, which finished 

in December 2022. 

The successful primary growth partnership 

with Crown investment allowed real 

change in how the industry operated, with 

strong external investment across a number 

of areas where investment from grower 

levies alone was not enough to make the 

required change. 

The PGP required the industry to put 

together a five-year plan, and later a business 

plan to extend the programme and 

funding for a further three years. 

Those strategic plans were reviewed 

and approved by an independent panel 

of experts, and the PGP itself had a MPI/ 

industry steering group with an independent 

chair. 

That external, independent contribution 

to the strategy and governance of our sector 

provided additional, independent thinking, 

Submissions prepared by Tauranga’s 

Urban Task Force highlight gaps 

between the desired outcomes of 

urban intensification and the reality of the 

planning policies proposed by the Bay of 

Plenty Regional Council (BOPRC). 

UTF Chairman, Scott Adams, says the 

two submissions on Plan Change 6 (PC6) 

which are due to be presented next month 

reveal the importance of getting the foundations 

right to ensure we can build a city that 

meets the needs of the community for many 

years to come. 

“We have no land available for development. 

PC6 is supposed to open up the 

opportunity to intensify building in current 

residential areas, providing the housing that 

the city so desperately needs. Unfortunately, 

we believe the current plan change drafted 

by the BOPRC has been worded in such a 

way that development of the scale needed 

won’t be viable,” says Adams. 

UTF support the aim of intensification 

in urban areas, but only if the changes are 

based on sound planning policy which 

offers a clear path to rectifying the region’s 

chronic housing shortage. 

“How is Tauranga supposed to move forward 

and build more capability and capacity 

for our community if the right plan changes 

and details have not been approved? 

“PC6 gives no consideration to a Future 

Development Strategy. The strategy is a 

crucial piece of work to define how our 

region should grow over the next 50 years 

and should have been a central element of 

the way in which this policy was developed. 

Jen Scoular 

and ensured the plan optimised delivery for 

the industry. 

Linda Flegg says that, “The 10 th World 

Avocado Congress here in New Zealand 

was a fitting finale for Jen and with five 

years in the planning, against the odds of 

Covid and border closures, it was a phenomenal 

success.” 

Eight keynote speakers from five countries, 

and 130 presentations from 16 countries 

allowed the global sector to discuss 

both opportunities and challenges. The 

sector is faced with significant increases in 

supply not yet matched by investment into 

market demand, and global media seeks 

How can long-term growth patterns be 

absent from this plan change? 

“It’s vital that plan changes such as this 

are based on sound planning policy which 

will rectify the capacity shortage, whilst 

also avoiding unnecessary and inefficient 

process and uncertainty,” he says. 

Plan Change 6 is one of several amendments 

to regional planning policy required 

by the government as part of the National 

Policy Statement-Urban Development 

(NPS-UD).* This new legislation directs 

regional councils to enable higher density 

housing to address nationwide shortages. 

One of concerns raised by UTF with 

BOPRC’s proposed changes is the exclusion 

of developments under 5 hectares. 

“There is no reason why smaller scale 

developments cannot be considered under 

this policy. The exclusion of sites under the 

5-hectare limit is contrary to guidelines set 

by the NPS-UD. 

“There are many smaller sites throughout 

the region which can play an important 

role in providing land for housing and business 

use,” says Adams. 

UTF also want the policy change to provide 

for intensification in smaller towns in 

the region. 

“As it’s currently worded, PC6 will 

exclude expansion in existing areas such as 

Paengaroa and parts of Te Puke. Ensuring 

we have sufficient supply of future land for 

urban development will rely on areas such 

as this becoming available for development. 

“The proposed policy acts to severely 

limit the opportunities for growth despite 

to challenge the sustainability of the sector. 

The congress shared some very strong 

actions being taken across sustainability, in 

most producing countries, and activated a 

call to collectively take back the narrative 

on sustainability. 

“With 1,160 delegates from 33 countries, 

the congress was a wonderful opportunity 

to put our industry and New Zealand on the 

world stage. Fieldays on the two days leading 

up to the congress took 760 delegates on 

18 buses to 10 different locations, allowing 

many of the 750 overseas delegates to see 

the innovation and passion on our avocado 

orchards. Delegates loved the open-hearted 

welcome from the kiwi hosts”, says Linda 

Flegg. 

Jen developed and led an amazing team 

who work strongly together to support 

growers, packers and marketers to grow the 

value of the NZ avocado sector. That team 

was instrumental in the success of the World 

Avocado Congress and the value created 

for the avocado sector from the visibility 

achieved. 

Jen will remain in the role until mid-August 

and will take the opportunity to farewell 

some of the 1,400 avocados growers 

across the growing regions. She has always 

loved the part of her role that is out on 

orchards meeting growers and seeing the 

innovation happening on our orchards. Jen 

remains an avocado grower and member of 

the organisation. 

Linda Flegg commented that “On behalf 

of the board, growers and industry parties 

we thank Jen for her commitment to delivering 

value to growers through a very strong 

growth period, and growing the visibility of 

our sector, and of avocados, both in New 

Zealand and globally. She has left a legacy 

that will require some big shoes to fill.” 

UTF says future Tauranga 

development relies on 

‘getting the basics right’ 

this being the desired outcome of the 

NPS-UD. The Bay of Plenty is crying out for 

sensible planning policy which addresses 

the years of poor growth management. 

“Now’s the time to get it right, and we’re 

encouraging the BOPRC to ensure this vital 

policy sets the scene for the kind of development 

the region so desperately needs,” 

says Adams. 

What is the NPS-UD? 

The National Policy Statement-Urban 

Development (2020) (NPS-UD) introduced 

requirements for regional councils to amend 

their Regional Policy Statement to be more 

responsive to urban development proposals 

and provide support to intensification 

of urban areas. Their purpose is to enable 

additional development capacity, regardless 

of whether it is planned in existing planning 

documents, and to contribute to well-functioning 

urban environments. The NPS-UD 

also requires local authorities to take into 

account the principles of the Treaty of 

Waitangi (Te Tiriti o Waitangi) in planning 

decisions relating to urban environments. 

Under the NPS-UD regional councils are 

required to: 

• Take into account Te Tiriti o Waitangi 

principles 

• Provide criteria for assessing private 

plan changes for un-anticipated or out of 

sequence urban development proposals 

for urban environments 

• Enable intensification of urban 

environments


Is it just me, or is everyone else also 

struggling to understand what he said? 

I 

know you can’t answer 

me directly, but this is not 

intended to be an entirely 

rhetorical question: Does anyone 

else have trouble deciphering 

important lines of dialogue 

in movies or TV shows 

nowadays? 

Be honest, has anyone 

replayed the crucial scene 4-5 

times and looked blankly at 

everyone else on the couch 

and said, “I haven’t got a clue 

what he just said … but I sense 

it was a really critical to the 

plot.” 

I’ve been curious to know 

if it’s just me. Have you ever 

noticed? seemed an obvious 

column in which to explore 

this problem further. 

I decided to do a little 

research. It appears it may not 

be ‘just me’. I’m not sure if 

this revelation makes me feel 

better of not – there appear to 

be some logical reasons why at 

the end of episode five, when 

all has been revealed, I’m still 

not sure who killed the dead 

HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED? 

> BY ALAN NEBEN 

Alan Neben is a Mount Maunganui local and experienced New Zealand 

publisher. His columns provide a light-hearted perspective on social 

changes effecting New Zealanders. 

guy – because, although all has 

apparently been revealed – and 

despite replaying the crucial 

frames when the ‘possible’ 

confession was delivered/ 

mumbled by the character I 

least expected to be a murderer 

– I still couldn’t make out what 

he said. 

According to Vox journalist 

Edward Vega, this poor-quality 

dialogue sound phenomenon is 

real and there are three main 

reasons: 

1. Dynamic range: in simple 

terms, if you are mixing the 

sound for a movie, you have 

to make sure the explosions 

are louder than the voices 

because, well, to be realistic, 

the sound of a bomb 

dropping in your neighbours 

backyard is in real 

life quite a bit louder than 

the volume of me talking 

to our dog – this is called 

dynamic sound range. 

2. Naturalism in performance: 

Warner Brothers 

dialogue editor Austen 

Olivia Kendrick explains 

that movie sound technology 

has evolved, and we 

now have wireless microphones 

which can be put 

on actors, so they no longer 

need stand in one place and 

project; they can now be 

more natural and go about 

their craft with a new-found 

technique – mumbling. 

Apparently re-recording 

dialogue (ADR) after the 

shoot is not so simple for 

actors either; trying to lip 

sync their original mumbling 

performance to be 

even remotely understandable 

is, in Hollywood parlance, 

non-viable (equals 

too expensive ‘cos we 

make our money in the theatre, 

not in your lounge). 

3. Downmixing: movies 

are mixed and optimised 

for hi-tech theatres – eg 

Dolby Atmos – say for 

theatres with 128 channel 

sound systems. Then the 

producers ‘downmix’ for 

television or phones … 

DANGER! … 128 channel 

sound down to 1-2 channels 

will invariably mean ‘not 

clear’ sound. 

As a friend recently pointed 

out to me, “you can’t even see 

the small speakers in your TV 

[or my phone either, I guess] – 

no wonder you couldn’t hear 

what the dude with the shooter 

was saying as he ran away. Get 

a home theatre surround sound 

system man.” 

Have we really advanced, 

or have we actually gone backwards? 

… I always knew what 

the killer said when I watched 

my PYE* black and white television 

back in the day – now I 

have to buy a home theatre to 

find out who the killer is! 

A recent survey of 1200 

Americans showed half of 

them are using closed captioning 

most of the time when 

viewing movies and TV (this 

figure is even higher for Gen- 

Z’s at close to 70%), not just 

hearing-impaired people. 

Although some are simply 

TikTok and Insta styles 

du jour – captions seem to be 

included by default on most 

posted video content I view 

daily – the biggest number of 

closed caption users use them 

because dialogue is just so 

hard to understand. 

Consider this: I can always 

hear what the guy from Harvey 

Norman is yelling at me in 

A recent survey of 

1200 Americans 

showed half of 

them are using 

closed captioning 

most of the time 

when viewing 

movies and TV.” 

their ads – even though I don’t 

want to know and it’s delivered 

with such lightning speed 

and incredible volume that I 

often feel a little bilious when 

I’m unexpectedly ambushed 

by him. 

I hate saying this, but 

maybe the Harvey Norman guy 

should be dubbing the BBCs 

drama series – I know that 

means Tom Hardy will always 

have a loud Australian accent 

from now on, but at least we’d 

know he was innocent. 

*Interesting local trivia: the 

PYE factory in Waihi was the 

first NZ company to commercially 

produce locally made 

NZ TVs in 1959. 

The multi-generational workforce 

challenge 

The dynamics of the workforce are everchanging 

and as employers we find ourselves 

often needing to understand, engage with 

and manage a multitude of generations 

within our workforce. 

Depending on the size 

of your company, it is 

possible you may have 

representation across four different 

generations within your 

workforce, and what works for 

one generation may simply not 

work for another. Each generation 

comes with its own intricacies 

and unique approach 

to work, and as employers, 

understanding these key drivers, 

motivations and strengths 

can help encourage a more 

engaged and harmonious work 

environment where each generation’s 

strengths are recognised 

and worked to. 

You may well have found 

yourself with staff from the 

Silent Generation (although 

most will be well into retirement 

age), Baby Boomers, 

Generation-X, Millennials and 

now, Generation-Z and Generation 

Alpha. 

But what are the general 

differences between them 

and how can business owners 

best utilise their strengths? 

Here’s a snapshot of the 

generations that you are likely 

to encounter within your workforce 

and some of the traits 

that each are renowned for. 

Firstly, we have “Baby 

Boomers”, known for their 

strong work ethic and dedication. 

They bring a wealth of 

knowledge and experience to 

the team, along with strong 

networking, mentoring, and 

problem-solving skills. 

Next is “Generation-X”, an 

independent and self-reliant 

generation who are adaptable 

and resourceful; again they 

have strong problem-solving 

skills, are comfortable with 

technology and value a good 

work-life balance. 

The “Millennials/Generation-Y” 

need no introduction. 

This generation is tech-savvy 

and adaptable to new technologies. 

They are capable 

multi-taskers, collaborative 

and team oriented. Also of note 

is their entrepreneurial mindset. 

Gen-Y embrace diversity 

and inclusion. 

“Generation-Z” are technologically 

fluent and are quick 

learners, usually incredibly 

comfortable with digital communication. 

They are creative 

and innovative thinkers and 

highly value work-life balance. 

Importantly – and as 

employers we are seeing this 

come through strongly – they 

seek meaningful and purpose-driven 

work. 

The latest generation, 

“Alpha”, are a little young to 

be in the workforce yet – but 

get ready as they are coming. 

This will be a technology 

driven generation. At a young 

age they have already seen 

massive changes in society – 

it will be interesting to see the 

traits that Alpha’s will bring to 

the workforce. 

HUMAN RESOURCES 

> BY KELLIE HAMLETT 

Talent ID are Recruitment Specialists and can support you through 

your recruitment process. Please feel free to talk to us about this by 

calling 07 349 1081 or emailing kellie@talentid.co.nz 

How do you manage 

the different generations 

to create a cohesive, stable, 

respectful and engaged 

workforce that caters to each 

generation’s needs? 

Baby Boomers will often 

tell you that “culture” within 

the company is of little importance 

to them, but then Gen Z 

and Millennials will generally 

tell you that it is one of the 

most important things and can 

often determine whether they 

will stay with the company or 

not. 

As a Gen X’er, I find myself 

right in the middle of this generation 

range, not afraid of 

hard work, but still able to 

adapt to change and embrace 

new technology. 

But for someone older, it 

can be intimidating coming 

face-to-face with so much 

change. 

One thing this blending of 

generations has shown us is 

that we have much to learn 

from each other. Each generation 

has unique experience, 

skills and perspectives to bring 

to the table, as long as we are 

open to learning. 

While it can be challenging 

to manage a workforce with 

multiple generations, if we 

understand and appreciate the 

unique qualities and strengths 

of each, we can create a cohesive, 

stable and respectful 

workplace for everyone. Each 

brings with them valuable 

perspectives, experience, and 

skills. 

By embracing these differences 

and creating a workforce 

that values diversity, businesses 

can leverage the collective 

strengths of a multi-generational 

workforce to create 

a strong, harmonious environment 

for their staff.


“ 

” 

“We had a lot of 

confidence they’d deliver 

what we needed within the 

required timeframe, stick to 

the budget and deliver 

a high-quality product.” 

Daniel Kirk, Black & Orange 

Development Manager 

Offering sweeping water views of the harbour and 

Mt Maunganui, Vantage is a premium mixed-use 

development positioned on the fringe of Tauranga’s 

CBD, at 359 Cameron Rd. 

A collaboration between Black & Orange Property, 

Edwards White Architects and BCD Group, it boasts 

four levels of luxurious apartment living, one level of 

commercial space – including a cafe – and two levels 

of basement car parking. 

Black & Orange Development Manager Daniel 

Kirk said his company recruited Fosters to oversee 

construction due to prior experience. 

“We like fact that Fosters are a local company, 

we can talk to senior management easily, as and 

when required, and we know they look after their 

subcontractors,” he said. 

“We had a lot of confidence they’d deliver what 

we needed within the required timeframe, stick 

to the budget and deliver a high-quality product.” 

In light of New Zealand’s current housing shortage 

and Tauranga’s recent population boom, Vantage 

was an opportunity to be part of the solution, 

creating somewhere people could live, work 

and play “bang in the heart of the city”. 

It came with “a heap of challenges” such as 

managing high-volume traffic, noise and dust 

impacts on surrounding homes and businesses, 

but Fosters impressed from the word go. 

“Right at the front end, when we were negotiating 

the contract and trying to hit the budget we needed 

to, they were easy to work with,” Daniel said. 

“And the way they managed the project on site was 

excellent. They were great, right down to dealing 

with neighbours and council, and always kept us 

informed of any potential issues.” 

Despite two full Covid lockdowns, supply issues and 

cost increases, Vantage was delivered on budget. 

“That’s no small feat,” Daniel said. 

“On the whole, Fosters’ management of the project 

has been a whole lot better than what we could 

have hoped for.” 

Fosters service offering is structured around the full 

cycle of commercial property. Talk to us about: 

Development solutions 

Commercial construction 

Engineering products 

Maintenance planning 

and delivery expertise 

to care for your property 

for years to come. 33 Oak Lane, Judea, Tauranga | 07 570 6000

June 2023 - Bay of Plenty Business News

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