Mar 14, 2018  -  BusinessNZ has welcomed the release of the Tax Working Group background paper The Future of Tax.

Mar 14, 2018  - New Zealand's seasonally adjusted current account deficit widened to $2.0 billion in the December 2017 quarter, Stats NZ said today. The $407 million increase in the deficit was mainly driven by New Zealand importing aircraft and other transport equipment, and crude oil.

Mar 13, 2018  -  Cleaning contractor, ISS has gagged the cleaners at Auckland Meat Processors, to stop them speaking out against cuts to a third of the plant’s cleaning staff.

AMP is owned by Wilson Hellaby which the cleaners have been told is behind the cuts.

Five of the 15-strong cleaning team received letters last week telling them they are now redundant and offering them redeployment options.

The cleaners believe the cuts will compromise hygiene standards at the plant and they want to go public.

However, they have been told not to speak to media, and they fear for their jobs.

Senior Organiser, Len Richards says most of Auckland’s beef supply is processed at the plant and Countdown is its major customer.

“This is a major meat supplier and it’s disgraceful that the cleaners have been muzzled to stop them airing legitimate worries about the safety of these cuts,” says Len.

He says the redundant workers have been offered casual work at the plant which suggests these are not genuine redundancies.

“It seems their real intention is to axe the secure, full-time jobs these workers had and to casualise them, so it can save money on decent conditions like sick leave and holiday pay.

“For this wealthy company to target its lowest paid, most vulnerable workers this way is miserable.”

Other jobs offered to the redundant cleaners are for only up to 25 hours a week, which the cleaners can’t live on.

“This whole episode is disgraceful,” says Len.

“We would urge Wilson Hellaby to advise ISS that the cuts are no longer required and to reinstate these workers.”

| An E tū release   || March 13, 2018   |||

Mar 13, 2018  -  LPC is very disappointed that the strike by the Rail and Maritime Union of New Zealand (RMTU) has shut Lyttelton Port which is a vital trade gateway for the South Island.

A world-first self-fitting hearing aid with a rechargeable battery and the ability to be set via a smartphone has been developed with the help of Australian Swinburne’s ARC Training Centre in Biodevices.

Mar 13, 2018  - Specialising in Compressed Natural Gas products servicing a range of industries, Oasis Engineering is a Tauranga-based company with a global vision.  A company renowned for its innovation, product development and customisation Oasis Engineering has been a staple in the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) industry since the 1980s. But it was when Andy Cameron brought the company in 2003, that the company really took off.

Mar 13, 2018  -  New Zealand cheese continues to turn heads on the international stage, with Fonterra named category runner-up for its NZMP three-to-six month Cheddar Cheese in the 2018 World Championship Cheese Contest. NZMP Unsalted Butter was also runner up in its category in the prestigious competition held in the United States over the last week.The bi-annual competition features the cream of the cheese and butter world, with products from 26 countries vying for top honours. This year’s competition attracted a record-breaking 3,402 entries in over 120 categories. The Fonterra NZMP Cheddar Cheese is crafted at Fonterra’s Stirling site in Otago. Fonterra Site Manager Stirling Dwayne Smith says his team was delighted with the judges’ evaluation of the cheese, scoring it an impressive 99.15 out of 100. “We are really proud to receive this award, which is testament to the expertise of our cheesemakers. Making NZMP cheese is a collaborative affair, with Fonterra cheesemakers working together to carefully guide a cheese through its development to maturity. We carefully select the best ingredients to make the very best natural cheese and we take great care to make sure that every block is perfectly made for its intended use before we bring it to the market.” Fonterra Plant Manager Matt Walton, who leads the production team for the NZMP Unsalted Butter at Fonterra’s Te Rapa site, also says the award reflects the quality of the ingredients. “Our butter is all natural, with no flavourings, no additives and no salt – the only ingredient is fresh cream. It’s just good, old-fashioned butter that’s great tasting and great quality. Credit belongs to our Fonterra farmers because top-quality milk from grass-fed cows makes top-quality butter.” Fonterra Dairy Foods Category Director Casey Thomas said “We are delighted to have won two awards in this world-class event, competing against top cheeses and butters from many countries. It’s a great way to independently confirm that we produce some of the best dairy in the world.” The World Championship Cheese Contest, initiated in 1957, is the largest technical cheese, butter, and yogurt competition in the world. A team of 56 internationally renowned judges technically evaluated all entries over the three-day competition and commended the winners for their innovation and commitment to their craft. NZMP natural cheese and cream ingredients are exported to food manufacturers in more than 130 countries, where they are used in a variety of products and applications such as meals, bakery, sauces and snacks.

| A Fonterra release  ||  March 13, 2018   |||

Mar 13, 2018  -  Lyttelton Port Company (LPC) is very disappointed that the Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU) today refused a generous salary increase offer during mediation and insists on striking from midnight tonight.  LPC has now received strike notices for 13 – 25 March inclusive.

Mar 13, 2018  -   The new system will help in power production and extend the life of solar panels.  To help companies establish new energy sources for their operations, Thailand-based Siam Cement Group (SCG) has developed a solar energy generating system that will stay afloat in reservoirs. These reservoirs supply mostly to factories that are located in Thailand’s flat central region.

Mar 13, 2018  - Kraft Heinz’s A$290m ($228.25m) acquisition of the food and instant coffee business of Cerebos Gregg's has been conditionally approved by the New Zealand competition authority.

Cerebos Gregg’s is owned by Suntory Beverage & Food, a food and beverage firm operating throughout Australasia.

The Commerce Commission ruled that Kraft Heinz should sell the licenses for the Gregg’s brand of tomato ketchup, steak sauce, barbecue sauce and the F. Whitlock Worcestershire sauce brand over competition concerns.

Heinz Wattie’s, a subsidiary of Kraft Heinz, had applied to New Zealand, Australian and Singaporean competition authorities in last November to buy Cerebos Gregg’s as part of a global transaction.

The Commerce Commission said that its decision was arrived at after mainly considering competition problems in the New Zealand market for the manufacture, import and wholesale supply of several table sauces to retailers and the food service industry.

The deal would not include Cerebos fresh coffee known as Suntory Coffee, a relatively new business unit, targeting the fast growing global fresh coffee market.

Commerce Commission chair Mark Berry said: “We believe the merger of the number one and two wholesale suppliers to supermarkets of red sauce, barbecue sauce, steak sauce and Worcestershire sauce would be likely to result in a substantial lessening of competition in each of these markets.

“However, we consider the divestment offered by Heinz Wattie’s is sufficient to remedy the competitive harm the merger would cause and we have given clearance to the merger subject to the divestment undertaking.”

The Commission also revealed that it is satisfied that are no competition issues in the national markets for Asian sauces, condiments, chilli sauce, soy sauce gravies and powdered beverages caused by the proposed transaction.

It said that this was because of various factors like insignificant levels of overlap and the existence of competitive constraint from other suppliers.

Cerebos Gregg’s supplies sauces under several brands including Gregg’s and F. Whitlock & Sons in New Zealand. The company produces the sauces at its manufacturing facility in Australia.

| A FBR release  ||  march 13, 2018   |||