December 2023 - Bay of Plenty Business News

J&W Quarter Page Advert.indd 1
BBN-July-2023.indd 1
Richard Rennie reports on Bay businesses in his
trade delegation trip to India
Page 5
LIC REA 2008
The event, organised by Fleet-
Partners and Drive Electric, and
held at Farmer Autovillage’s MG
showroom, updated attendees
on developments in the EV and
PHEV markets, both in New Zea-
Freddie Bennett considers how to
create a business of superheroes
Page 16
land and internationally.
Drive Electric board member
Dean Sheed spoke to the
approximately 100 guests about
emerging trends and changes in
attitude and consumer opinion
in relation to electric vehicles in
2023. In particular he contrasted
the enormous growth in EV sales
to the corresponding downturn
See photos from Tauranga Business
Chamber’s August BA5
Page 21
in demand and sales of internal
combustion engine (ICE)
vehicles.
He touched on the issue of
changing perceptions around the
practicality of investment in electric
vehicles in the last 12 months,
and suggested future considerations
for the road ahead.
FleetPartners Director Dennis
Kelly then addressed the
audience looking particularly at
trends in corporate investment
in fleet vehicles.
Dennis suggested although
there are significant aspects of
fleet EV investment that are front
of mind for business operators
now, there are also emerging
> Continued on page 7
doesn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.
education programmes, Bernice couldn’t
sit on her hands and look the other way.
– a tragedy. And the more I learned, the
more tragic and devastating it seemed.
gets tough.”
was brought up in the sma l town of
Tūrangi.
there alright.
confronting her and her whānau which
shocked her into action.
result, tragica ly under-achieving; while
my achievements were being branded
su ce ses, the young people I was seeing
at home in New Zealand were being
branded as ‘failures’ and ‘problems’.”
by OT.
year they were supporting young people
refe red by the Tauranga DHB an disability
services.
“Now the door had opened, we could
see a tsunami was heading in our direction,”
she reca ls.
2021-12-28 5:31 PM
28/06/2023 4:34:17 PM
lack of positive community interaction
what I ca l survival/defensive mode.”
luxurious waterfront destination
a sist profe sionals, schools and whānau
to understand cha lenging behaviours
and ca l for help.
“We decided to pilot this concept in
an alternative education space, Baypathways.
During our pilot w encountered
rangatahi disengaged from their work
who had decided their only pathway was
jail and a life on ‘the benefit’.
“They shared nothing of their dreams
or aspirations, only tha they were tough/
hard and how drugs, alcohol and crime
were a l they wanted to do.
di ferently from others.”
in their lives – and so the Whanaketanga
Programme was born.
BBN-August-2023.indd 1
night, a celebration with friends and
The Porter Report looks to responsibilities of key
players and ongoing Israel-Palestine tensions
Page 4
and corporate events.
With its delectable cuisine, captivating
scenery, and a tentive service, it
a lasting impre sion on every guest fortunate
enough to partake in this extraordinary
journey.
Anticipated tax policy changes and their
implications – Insights by Andrea Scatchard
Page 11
‘Now you’re speaking my language’: selfimprovement
suggestions for Kiwis
Page 22
Join us this Christmas for delicious food, drinks and good times by the water.
w w w. t r i n i t y w h a r f. c o . n z | e v e n t s @ t r i n i t y w h a r f. c o . n z
28/07/2023 1:47:55 PM
BBN-September-2023.indd 1
Alan Neben reviews the topsy-turvy year that was and
tracks the big Business News stories in 2023
Pages 6-7
For the glitz and glamour from the Tompkins Wake Rotorua
Business Awards 2023 and a full list of award winners
Page 20-21
Organisations ring in a swathe of changes across the Bay
as 2023 draws to a close
Pages 22-23
Back row: Freddie Bennett – Titan Sky, Andrea Scatchard – Deloitte, Steven Matthews – Link Business Brokers, Lyndon Settle – Quayside Holdings, Ryan Storm – Royal Wolf, Andy Martin – Cooney Lees Morgan,
Dr Wayne Beilby – PMG Funds. Front row: Kate Ashcroft – Copeland Ashcroft, Sarah Ashby – Jarden, Gareth Wallis – Tauranga City Council, Ezra Rentoul – Stratus Blue, Mark Wassung – Design Engine Architects.
30/08/2023 11:46:42 am
> www.businessnews.co.nz – STAY CONNECTED
December 2023 BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS 7
Last year BBN experienced what digital
services manager Petrina Wilson called ‘an
explosion’ in online subscriber numbers.
“That ‘explosion’ hasn’t eased in 2023,”
she says. “We have quality content, and the
numbers show me that’s what our users
demand.
“The growth in our Business News
subscriber base, our social channels
engagement and our web traffic has
continued its upward trajectory in 2023.
“Our subscribers sure let us know our
EDM newsletters are in demand – readers
want to be connected, and our exceptionally
high open rates prove it.”
The studio design team upgraded the
website to compliment the ‘new look’ print
edition in October. This has proven to be a
winner with increases to user numbers and
page views – a great finish to 2023.
7
YEARS OF PROGRESS
JULY 2023 VOLUME 7: ISSUE 7
WWW.BOPBUSINESSNEWS.CO.NZ
FACEBOOK.COM/BAYOFPLENTYBUSINESSNEWS
Bay of Plenty Business
News this month celebrates
seven years of publishing. We
had a look through the archives
to see what we’ve covered over
the seven years – the results
were surprising. We also invited a
selection of other successful Bay
businesses to talk to us about their
growth paths ... see pages 6-10
AUGUST 2023 VOLUME 7: ISSUE 8
SEE PAGE 5
WWW.BOPBUSINESSNEWS.CO.NZ
FACEBOOK.COM/BAYOFPLENTYBUSINESSNEWS
$70M INVESTMENT A
BOON FOR WHAKATANE
THE NEW WAVE OF UNDER 40'S
This month, Bay of Plenty Business News profiles a
group of Under 40’s from various industries who are
making their mark in the Bay of Plenty.
SEE PAGE 9-13
SEPTEMBER 2023 VOLUME 7: ISSUE 9 WWW.BOPBUSINESSNEWS.CO.NZ
FACEBOOK.COM/BAYOFPLENTYBUSINESSNEWS
DOWN TO THE WIRE
By David Porter
N
ew Zealanders will go to the
polls on 24 October in what is
predicted to be one of the closest
nationwide elections in the country’s
history.
The key concerns for Bay of
Plenty businesses, according to our
soundings, are that whoever wins the
government should show strong leadership
in such key areas as developing
effective infrastructure to service the
region’s continued growth.
Tauranga Priority One chief executive
Nigel Tutt told Bay of Plenty
Business News (BBN) that the Bay of
Plenty had an important role to play
in the country.
“But we lack the infrastructure to rate in its predictions. But as often A recent Taxpayers’ Union – Curia down 4 points to 27.1 per cent. Act
support that – we need to make sure noted, in politics the only poll that poll report in the New Zealand Herald
showed Labour crashing to below where most of the Labour supporters
was on 13 per cent and the Greens –
politicians provide the infrastructure really matters is the result on election
we need, and to support that infrastructure,”
he said. “Obviously that A Chinese friend of mine is cur-
with enough support, just, to form a ruled out the Greens’ proposed wealth
day.
30 per cent and National and Act appear to have moved after Labour
helps ease congestion and frees up the rently one of many people who has government.
tax, were up 3.1 points to 12 per cent.
need to spend all our time on travel.” been in jail without sentence for more It also showed the public re-emergence
of NZ First leader Winston Labour, was on 2.5 per cent. Both
Te Pati Māori, which also supports
than a year in Hong Kong – where
Polls narrowing
I lived for many years – because of Peters who elevated Labour to governing
in 2017. NZ First showed up were on 7 per cent in the leadership
Peters and Act leader David Seymour
their protests against mainland China’s
heavy-handed attempts to squash above five percent.
rankings.
As we went to press, the most that
could be said about the potential democracy in Hong Kong.
There are those who feel he lost Seymour is generally seen to have
result was that the outcome was still To reiterate a point I make in much of his political mana when he done a good job in building what was
uncertain, with polls on who might my opinion column this month, New sided with Labour, but Peters remains basically a one seat party into a political
force.
lead the country essentially showing Zealand media reflects a wide range a long-time favourite of many in the
the main parties were virtually level of views and, compared to many Bay.
Any of these manoeuvrings might
pegging.
countries, casting a vote here is easy The recent poll showed National succeed and could deliver a very slim
Election polling has become and fair. So make sure your vote up 1.6 percentage points from August majority government to either Labour
increasingly sophisticated and accu-
counts.
to 34.9 per cent, while Labour was or National. Continued on page 5
As you read this, our 12th and
final issue of 2023, I’d like to
take the opportunity to thank all
our advertisers, without who we
could not produce Bay of Plenty
Business News every month.
Ngā mihi nui.
And to you our loyal business
readers, have a safe Christmas
and enjoy a break. We look
forward to again bringing you
more BOP business news in 2024.
IP protection, simplified.
We’ve been championing innovation since 1979.
>
A safe JULY pair of hands delivering outstanding 2023
results.
From left: Joel Murphy – Holland Beckett Law; Ash Gee – Miss Gee's Bar & Eatery; Larissa Hodgson – Trimax; Brad Walker – Property Brokers; George Jackson – James & Wells;
Arpége Taratoa – Creative Bay of Plenty; Jeremy Sparrow – Holland Beckett Law; Paul Churchman, Xero New Zealand; Tom Rutherford – Bay of Plenty candidate for National.
Beyond reasonable
> doubt, AUGUST it’s the start of
2023
an exciting new era.
Tauranga’s Mackenzie Elvin
joins Tompkins Wake.
>
Bridging the gap.
Quayside funds $60M motorway
SEPTEMBER interchange, 2023
providing much-needed
infrastructure and regional benefit.
jamesandwells.com
July marked Bay of Plenty Business
News’ seventh birthday. We scoured
the archives to see just how much
had changed over those seven years
and we selected a shortlist of other
BOP businesses whose achievements
over the years we felt warranted
celebration. The accompanying
stories from The Law Shop, Enterprise
Angels, Copeland Ashcroft and ABC
Business Sales made interesting
reading, and hopefully provided some
real inspiration for the new crop of
up-and-coming firms in 2023.
tompkinswake.com
The August issue announced a massive
$70m investment decision for the
Whakatane Mill.
It also launched Business Under
40s profiling a selection of highperforming
local businesspeople under
the age of 40. We reached out to the
business community and asked them
to tell us about the new generation of
personnel in their organisations who
are really making a difference. We
spoke to lawyers, artists, politicians,
entrepreneurs and others – the takeout
message for us: the future of Bay business
is definitely in good hands.
www.rangiuru.co.nz
With the October General Election
date looming Bay of Plenty Business
News September led with a preelection
preview special – the front
page headline noted that the choice of
government would likely be, ‘Down to
the wire’.
We also zero’d in on transport and
infrastructure with background stories
on Quayside’s new Rangiuru Business
Park development and the welcoming
of the first goods trains at the Ruakura
Inland Port set to transform freight
moves across upper North Island.
2023
PEOPLE BEHIND BAY BUSINESS
OCTOBER 2023 VOLUME 7: ISSUE 10
TRADE DELEGATION HOPES
WWW.BOPBUSINESSNEWS.CO.NZ
MINING BUSINESS WEALTH
EV REVOLUTION:
The new Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV,
from Ingham-Sears, Mount Maunganui
n August Farmer Autovillage
hosted a FleetPartners EV
Ishowcase event – the Journey
to Carbon Zero.
With the marking of Bay of Plenty
Business News’ seventh birthday in
July, the team decided it was time for a
refresh. The result: a new design, new
recyclable paper stock, new page size,
new Culture, People and News sections
and a whole new feel for news stories
in the Bay.
Appropriately,
the first ‘new look’
edition featured
an investigation of
electric vehicles for
business and how
the advances in
EV technology are
impacting businesses
locally.
FACEBOOK.COM/BAYOFPLENTYBUSINESSNEWS
WERE YOU THERE?
EVs for business are here
now … and they are more
affordable and practical
than you think
> As the general election approaches and political parties roll out policy
SPECIAL REPORT announcements, many of which are focused on business and the environment,
a second wave of messaging is dominating the ad breaks: electric vehicle ads. Are electric vehicles finally a practical,
affordable option for businesses in New Zealand? This month we investigate and ask the experts for their analysis.
CROWD CHARGED BY EV SHOWCASE EVENT
> OCTOBER 2023
18 BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS November 2023
PEOPLE
Most people find it
cha lenging enough to
build a career while
raising a family, without
ever contemplating also
leading a crusade to
help the community’s
most disadvantaged. But
Bernice Breckon is not
most people.
> By ALAN NEBEN
D
on’t be fooled by the cheeky smile
and the infectious laugh – this lady
When she identified a ‘cavernous hole’
in her Tauranga community’s health and
“I saw first-hand young people fa ling
through gaps in our society. It was – it is
“But it doesn’t need to be that way –
we can be part of a change to help our
young, the rangatahi of our nation, to
not only survive, but ultimately thrive;
we just need the wi l, the knowledge and
the support. When there’s a need, I have
to respond. I’m not one to do things by
halves or to shy away when the going
She is of Ngāti Whawhakia and Mahanga
descent from Waikato Tainui but
This is a person who as a mother of
five and a grandmother of two knows
about hardship and disadvantage; yet
this is also a person who a the age of 41
decided she wanted to join the gli terati
and become a Ho lywood actre s and
screenwriter – so she did. Doubt those
credentials? Fact-check IMDB: yes, she’s
It was Bernice’s personal experience
of (litera ly) life and death cha lenges
“Although I was on a trajectory of high
achievement – ‘su ce s’ – I realised our
kids, our rangitahi, were increasingly
misunderstood, misdiagnosed and, as a
PEOPLE
> PROFILE
New Page Macrae
CEO focuses on
a people centric
culture.
Page 20
CULTURE
> AN INSIDER’S GUIDE
Tourism Bay of
Plenty previews
sumptuous delights
on offer in the Bay.
Page 18
> BUSINESS PROFILE TE RATONGA POUMANAAKI
BERNICE BRECKON
THE HUMAN DYNAMO
WHO CHARGED
FROM AOTEAROA TO
HOLLYWOOD...
AND BACK AGAIN
Te Ratonga Poumanaaki
In 2020 she started a company to work
with Oranga Tamariki (OT) providing
care and protection for kids with
extreme highly complex behaviours, disabilities
and neurodiversity. Her organisation,
Te Rotonga Poumanaaki (TRP)
supported kids in need, 24 hours a day,
7 days a week in hotel rooms provided
By 2021 she began working with the
Ministry of Education’s Intensive Wraparound
Service supporting rangatahi
with mentoring. By th end of the that
“By mid-2022 we were focusing on
rangatahi who were disengaged and
finding it di ficult to learn in a neurotypical
environment; this group was
often excluded from mainstream schools
because of their behaviour. Often this
indicated potential trauma, diagnosed
or undiagnosed conditions, criminal
o fending (or at risk of criminal o fending),
anti-social behaviours with peers,
> When there’s a need, I have
to respond … and I’m not
one to do things by halves
or to shy away when the
goin gets tough.”
and a tremendously distorted view of the
school environment and a l it represents;
rangatahi in thi space are operating in
flight, fright, fight and or flock mode –
At TRP’s one-year anniversary Bernice
presented The Gap – an approach to
learning ca led Neurodiverse Individualised
Learning (NIL). NIL is designed to
T
“Each se sion we were able to identify
what worked and what didn’t. We
discovered early on they were not interested
in schoolwork, so we opted to focus
them on ‘themselves’, their we lbeing
and to understand who they are, how
they think, why they think that way and
acknowledgemen that it’s okay to think
Te Rotonga Poumanaaki turned a corner
when they found rangatahi engaging
and participating. Focu switched to
empowering them to navigate anything
NOVEMBER 2023 VOLUME 7: ISSUE 11
PEOPLE
> PROFILE
Bernice Breckon –
A human dynamo
determined to
make a difference
Page 18-19
CULTURE
> LEISURE
Summer time, and
the cruisin’s easy –
Tauranga Harbour
beckons
Page 23
MIDDLE-EAST CONUNDRUM
WWW.BOPBUSINESSNEWS.CO.NZ
POST-ELECTION UPDATE
FACEBOOK.COM/BAYOFPLENTYBUSINESSNEWS
ALAN NEBEN NOTICES
Bay of Plenty MPs Scott Simpson, Tom Rutherford, Dana Kirkpatrick, Sam Uffinde l and Todd McClay represented the general countrywide trend to National.
NATS DECISIVE
CLEAN-SWEEP
ACROSS THE BAY
> We look at the general electorates that make up Bay of Plenty
SPECIAL ELECTION REPORT Business News’ circulation area and talk to the successful
candidates about the message they are taking from the results. Our political specialist David Porter also talks to local
business leaders about the National clean-sweep and what they believe BOP businesses can expect in the term ahead. Page 6
BOOK YOUR
>
CHRISTMAS FUNCTION
AT TRINITY WHAR F
Dinner & Harbour Cruise | The Great Gatsby Christmas Quiz
NOVEMBER 2023
Waterfront dining at the Restaurant | Private Function Spaces
While BBNs September pre-election
special headline ‘Down to the Wire’
suggested the results of the upcoming
election were going to be ‘no sure
thing’, the November post-election
issue headline told a different story:
CULTURE
> TRINITY WHARF TAURANGA
rinity Wharf, nestled in the heart
of Tauranga, New Zealand, is a
renowned for its stunning views and
exquisite dining experiences.
Among its standout o ferings is the
Dinner and Sunset Harbour Cruise, an
unforge table excursion that combines
gourmet cuisine with breathtaking
scenery.
The tranquil su roundings and contemporary
design of the hotel serves
as a perfect complement to the natural
beauty of Tauranga.
Guests are greeted in the elegant,
light-fi led Trinity Wharf lounge with
a welcome drink. Fo lowed by a delicious
bu fet menu featuring miso glazed
salmon, slow-cooked beef sirloin with
chimichu ri and lemon panna co ta
with macadamia crunch. Before being
whisked away by The Bay Explorer from
Trinity Wharf’s very own pontoon.
The intimate atmosphere of the cruise
a lows guests to connect with the natural
beauty of the region. The changing
hues of the sunset paint a mesmerising
backdrop for th evening, creating
an ambience that is both romantic and
awe-inspiring.
The Trinity Wharf Dinner and Sunset
Harbour Cruise is ideal for a variety of
o casions. Whether it be a romantic date
November 2023 BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS 23
> DINNER & SUNSET HARBOUR CRUISE
Enjoy a night ou to remember thi summer season
with Trinity Wharf’s Dinner and Harbour Cruise!
ABOARD FOR A CRUISY NIGHT
family, or special event, this experience
caters to a l. The cruise’ serene se ting
and impe cable service make it a popular
choice for girls’ nights, anniversaries,
promises an evening that wi l be cherished
for years to come. It’s an opportunity
to savour the beauty of New Zealand’s
Bay of Plenty in a way that leaves
“NATS DECISIVE
CLEAN-SWEEP
ACROSS THE
BAY”. Feedback
from Business
News readers was
overwhelmingly
positive – they
loved the new
design and
particularly the
People and Culture
sections.
DECEMBER 2023 VOLUME 7: ISSUE 12
BBN 2023: YEAR IN REVIEW
WWW.BOPBUSINESSNEWS.CO.NZ
ROTORUA 2023 BUSINESS AWARDS
FACEBOOK.COM/BAYOFPLENTYBUSINESSNEWS
NEW APPOINTMENTS
BUSINESS LEADERS
REVIEW 2023/2024
> Each December, Bay of Plenty Business News sits down with with members of the business
SPECIAL FOCUS community and asks them to talk about their experiences of the current environment. In this
December’s Thought Leaders edition we hear from 12 prominent business people as they consider the prospects for their own
businesses, their industry sectors and for the business community as a whole in 2023/2024. See pages 8-19.
WE WANT YOU!
>
TO BE PART OF 100 PEOPLE MAGAZINE 2024
BOOK YOUR PROFILE IN THE 2024 EDITION NOW FROM AS LITTLE AS $295 + GST
Booking deadline Friday, February 16, 2024 | Publishing March 2024
DECEMBER 2023
Don’t
miss
out
RECRUITING NOW!
For more information, please get in touch info@bopbusinessnews.co.nz
PEOPLE BEHIND BAY BUSINESS
As you will probably have noticed, the
Thought Leaders issue is back again this
month. We’ve changed things up again
this year for the December issue. We’ve
said to our regular columnists, “take a
break this month”, and we’ve focused the
issue almost exclusively on what we term
Thought Leaders.
As 2023 comes to a close Bay of Plenty
Business News has focused on industry
sector leaders and their thoughts on
where they see their industry, their
business and the Bay of Plenty business
community going in 2024 in addition
to reflecting on the year that’s been
2023. We think you’ll find their thoughts
interesting.
(Don’t worry, the columnists will be
back in January).
2024
NEW YEAR,
NEW PEOPLE,
NEW INSPIRATION
100 PEOPLE Behind Bay Business –
Bay of Plenty Business News’ newest
magazine title which launched in
2023, is due to hit the market again
with the second edition in 2024.
The magazine profiles the people
behind Bay business in an intelligent,
insightful and inspiring way so that
readers can learn more about them,
their expertise, their experience
and their business. Look out for 100
PEOPLE Behind Bay Business 2024,
coming your way soon.
> “We’re excited to tell these
stories. This magazine
offers a great opportunity
for everyone to find out
more about the people
behind our most successful
businesses. It’s quite a
unique concept – I think
it’s going to be a real
winner again in 2024.”
– PETE WALES,
BUSINESS DIRECTOR