7 Nov 2017  -  The first big test for the Government will be to get TPP over the line with New Zealand on board writes Catherine Beard in today's NZHerald. Why does this matter? Because free trade agreements translate into new income and jobs, and if the new Government wants to spend more we need to earn more. Every additional $1 billion in exports equates to 8500 new jobs.

Continue here to read the full article  ||  November 7,  2017   |||

6 Nov 2017  - Top New Zealand CEOs are leading the way in progressing to flexible workplaces and providing a roadmap for other business leaders to follow, thanks to the Champions for Change business group of 56 New Zealand CEOs and Chairs.  Champions for Change recently launched a Flexible Working Toolkit that collates CEOs’ insights in developing flexible workplaces to attract and retain top talent,increase productivity, and foster an agile response to changing market needs. The Flexible Working Toolkit provides templates, case studies, and specific suggestions of how flexibility can work for organisations.

With over half of the New Zealand workforce either currently working flexibly or wanting to in the future, a shift in leadership mindset and a plan to transition teams and employees to the “new normal” is critical to managing businesses of the future.

“We are seeing a fundamental transformation in the way we work,” says Alison Andrew, CEO of Transpower and a Champion for Change. “There are some very real challenges to overcome as we adapt from corporate traditions of set hours and locations to flexible hours and the ability to work remotely, whether at home or while travelling.”

New and constantly evolving technology, the 24 hours “open” global village, changing life styles, increased ethnic diversity, talent shortages and growth in female participation in the workforce are all trends driving the need for flexibility in the workforce, said Mark Verbiest, Chair of Spark and a Champion for Change.

“New Zealanders are famous for their ability to adapt and evolve, and having a flexible approach and mindset enables problems to be solved in new ways,” says Mark Verbiest.

Representing more than 100,000 direct employees in New Zealand across 44 leading organisations, Champions for Change is a group of 56 CEOs and Chairs from across the public and private sector who are committed to increasing diversity in the workplace.

The Champions for Change group reinforced that workforce flexibility is a much broader concept than “part time hours for new mums”; it is just as important for men as women. It encompasses caring for family members, embracing cultural commitments, and having the ability to participate in lifestyle activities such as sport, study and travel.

Under existing workplace law, employees have the right to request flexible work arrangements and employers have an obligation to consider the request.

“With the increasing pace of change including legislation that ratifies the importance of flexible work, an agile approach is essential,” says Alison Andrew. “We see flexibility as the biggest enabler for creating diverse and inclusive workplaces – and these businesses will be the most resilient and successful in the future.”

“When managed well, we’ve found that a flexible workplace will reduce staff turnover, lower absenteeism and increase how much satisfaction people get from their work. Plus, giving people flexibility has a real impact on morale,” said Mark Verbiest.

The Flexible Working Toolkit includes videos, info-graphics, fact sheets, templates and links to additional resources for company leaders. It is free to anyone looking for practical advice on how to develop a more flexible and inclusive workforce: http://flexibility.championsforchange.nz

| A Champion for Change release  ||  November 6,  2017    |||

6 Nov 2017  -  The Tappoo Group of Companies’ unique business strategy and its significant growth in re-exports was recognised during the Prime Minister’s International Business Awards as the company won the Re-Exporter of the Year Award. The Award recognises companies that have utilized Fiji’s strategic location in the Pacific and well established sea and air connections to manifest the country’s position as the true hub of the region. The company must have incorporated innovative business strategies in its growth plan that led to its significant progress both in re-export value and volume.DSC_3224

Established in 1941, the Group continues to strive for excellence and has successfully stamped its mark in the local and regional markets.

“We have recently ventured into re-exporting business and it has shown strong signs of growth. We are targeting the Pacific market together with New Zealand and Australia,” said the Executive Director of the Group, Kamlesh Tappoo.

The Group is the re-exporter of a number beverages to Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Samoa, Tonga and the Cook Islands. Exports to PNG and Vanuatu were under the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) agreement.

“We believe that we have successfully established an export market to PNG. We now aim to expand into other countries in the South Pacific region and subsequently to more develop neighbouring countries,” Mr. Tappoo said.

Investment Fiji Chief Executive Officer, Godo Mueller- Teut applauded the Group’s commitment towards enhancing Fiji’s position as the trading hub of the pacific.

“Re-exporters play a crucial role in the growth of the Fijian economy. They not only bring in wealth for the nation and create employment opportunities, but also make Fiji the centre of trade in the region. In 2016, Fiji’s total re-exports were valued at more than $814m, which represents 42 per cent of total exports.

Fiji has a positive balance of trade with the Pacific Island countries where re-exports were valued at more than $174m or 21 per cent of total re-exports last year,” Mr. Mueller- Teut said.

Mr. Mueller- Teut has urged the local businesses to take advantage of Fiji’s central location in the heart of the Pacific as it presents unique opportunities for them to expand their export footprints, especially in the regional markets.

| A FijiSun release  ||  November 5,  2017   |||

6 Nov  - The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has approved Teletrac Navman as an Electronic System Provider (ESP) and appointed it as an agent for the collection of Road User Charges (RUC) using its new RUC Manager platform and Electronic Distance Recorder.  Teletrac Navman RUC Manager along with the Electronic Distance Recorder will allow users to manage, purchase, display and update road user licences in real-time. RUC Manager automatically tracks vehicle distance and calculates off-road activity, enabling accurate, NZTA-approved RUC rebates.

“The work Teletrac Navman undertook to develop RUC Manager to meet specific New Zealand regulatory requirements and gain ESP approval is a mark of our commitment to our long-standing customers and to the transport industry as a whole,” says Ian Daniel, vice president and managing director Asia Pacific, Teletrac Navman.

In July 2017, Teletrac Navman reached the milestone of tracking 100,000 vehicles across Australia and New Zealand.

“Globally the transport market is highly competitive. Businesses must perform under pressure, so solutions which help them to better manage costs, improve service, address safety, capture and analyse data, and address compliance requirements are extremely important.”

To receive NZTA approval Electronic System Providers must go through a rigorous development and testing process to prove the quality and reliability of the system.

“Teletrac Navman has completed the NZTA testing process and meets the standards for recognition as an ESP. The standards are designed to ensure that the technologies and systems tested are robust, reliable, and make compliance easier across many industries including transport, agriculture, forestry, trade and civil services,” says John Freeman, manager revenue assessments, NZTA.

| A TeltracNavman release  ||  November 6,  2017   |||

6 Nov  _  Ingram Micro New Zealand and HP have teamed up in a deal which will see Kiwi resellers receiving an additional bonus for trade-ins when buying HP’s mobility offerings.  The Ingram Micro HP buy back deal will see resellers – and their customers – receiving ‘some really awesome buy-back rates’ on old equipment when upgrading to HP, with the vendor sweetening the deal even more with an added ‘top-up’.  The deal applies to HP’s Elite mobility range. A full list of eligible HP Elite devices can be found here.

Jamie Hall, Ingram Micro HP business development manager, says the buy back, which runs through to January, covers any PCs, regardless of the brand, along with accessories, and does not affect special pricing currently available to resellers.

Amit Jamnadas, Ingram Micro Life Cycle Services business solutions manager, says up to $1000 trade-in will be available, depending on the devices.

The HP bonus is added on top of the trade-in.

“When you take that trade-in value and add the bonus HP is going to put on top of that it is a great value towards purchasing new HP devices,” he says.

The HP top up will be sizeable, adding additional value to each buy back device linked to a new HP Elite sale.

Hall says the amount of money customers can receive from the trade-ins creates a compelling story.

“It’s helping them close sales,” Jamnadas adds.

“Customers never want to pay full price and they end up with a whole lot of old kit when they acquire new devices. A lot of that kit has real value, so rather than turning them into a spare machine for staff to take home or for kids to load computer games on, they can trade it in and put the value towards new device purchases.

“That’s where the value is.”

Hall says often customers will look at replacing a handful of devices, without considering that the rest of their fleet is aging and will require replacement soon.

“A buy-back option will see the existing value in the fleet they have and that if they do the buy-back now they will get more value out of the old kit and potentially be able to refresh more and get more value back.”

He says many businesses also have devices that while not old, are not appropriate for the business anymore – such as devices bought for cloud services, but now needing more grunt.

“If the devices don’t meet what they ultimately need, this is a perfect opportunity to get some amazing value back, and then move to a device that will give them the productivity they’re after,” Hall says.

To get the most out of a buy back process, Hall says resellers simply need to provide Ingram Micro with the model serial number, processor, hard drive and accessories details for the old equipment.

Accessories can bump up the value of the buy back because buyes like having the full package, he says.

The increased dollar value in turn makes the decision to switch or upgrade to new HP equipment easier for resellers’ customers, Jamnadas says.

Ingram Micro will be doing a secured three-pass data wipe on all devices returned, with certificates issued to confirm the process has been completed and help with insurance coverage.

The Blancco data wipe used by Ingram Micro is regarded as a gold standard of data wiping and is used by intelligence and government agencies around the world.

“It provides the peace of mind that none of the data will appear anywhere else,” Jamnadas says.

"Concerns about what will happen to data on devices that are traded in is a key issue for people considering buy-back schemes," Hall notes.

The HP buy-back promotion builds on Ingram Micro’s work in the buy-back arena over the past year.

“It’s an area of business we’ve seen ramp up over the past year,” Jamnadas says.

For more information on the buy-back offer, click here.

| A Channel release  ||  November 6,  2017   |||

3 Nov - In October, the internationally operating logistics company Logwin invested a one third stake in Supply Chain International Ltd (SCI). SCI was established at the beginning of 2017 as a subsidiary of the Auckland-based Supply Chain Solutions (NZ) Ltd (SCS). The subsidiary is being managed by another stakeholder, Peter Furlong, who has 30 years experience in international air and sea freight.

This investment by Logwin gives it entry into another attractive market with the deal also reinforcing its regional position in the Oceania region. In neighbouring Australia, whose economy is closely linked with New Zealand’s, the provider of logistics services has 5 branches and has been active there for more than 25 years. SCS is one of the leading providers of contract logistics and distribution services in New Zealand. Via the SCI subsidiary, customers will now also be linked to Logwin’s international network. Logwin is therefore continuing to expand its presence and with its global air and sea freight, it guarantees customers quick transport times and high-quality local services.

| A Logwin release  ||  November 3,  2017   |||

3 Nov - Plant & Food Research's John Mitchell has led a programme trialling wireless sensors in kiwifruit as a way of detecting abnormal fruit. Wireless sensor technology may one day be used in the horticulture industry to detect diseases or defects in stored fresh fruit.  A Plant & Food Research team developed a sensor at its Hamilton base at Ruakura, New Zealand and has been trialling it for green kiwifruit at a commercial cool store in the Bay of Plenty over the past two seasons.

Programme leader John Mitchell said the research unit wanted to find a scientifically sound way to detect any abnormal or undesirable fruit while in storage. At the peak of this season the team had 440 devices placed in 56 different pallets from 24 growers throughout the coolstore.

Mitchell said the sensors had functioned well over both seasons.

The bulk of New Zealand's kiwifruit is harvested from April-June when it is then graded, packed in pallets and stored in cool storage for up to six months.

Once stored, it was difficult to access individual packs of fruit to check its quality. If affected fruit was not identified and removed from packaging, it could spread throughout the stored crop and cause greater fruit loss, he said.

Continue here to read article on FreshPlaza  ||  November 3,  2017   |||

3 Nov - Australian telco giant Telstra has completed the purchase of MTData as it bids to strengthen its IoT capabilities.  Specialising in connected vehicle and fleet management technology, MTData, also Australian-owned, has around 70 staff and also operates in New Zealand, the US, Canada, the UK and the Middle East. The purchase price is yet to be disclosed.

Telstra already operates the largest mobile network in Australia, which is also one of the largest in the world, and is looking to diversify its portfolio of assets.

In a blog post, Telstra’s Executive Director of Global Products Michelle Bendschneider said: “MTData will bring fresh expertise to our business, including the technical know-how and software expertise to help fast track our Enterprise Connected Vehicle offerings.

“It’s part of our goal to build out our IoT ecosystem for our customers. It also supports Telstra’s focus on being a leading provider of innovative technology solutions for customers in Australia and globally.

“Since MTData began in 2003, the team has been built on a culture of innovation and a resolute focus on developing solutions that provide a tangible benefit to their customers’ business.”

MTData serves industries including transport and logistics, mining, oil and gas, agriculture and waste management. In 2009, 2010 and 2011, it was named on Deloitte’s Technology Fast 50 list.

| An AustraliaBusinessReview release  ||  Nov 3,  2017   |||

2 Nov -  The proposed Employment (Pay Equity and Equal Pay) Bill looks set to become law in the coming months. Max Whitehead, Managing Director of Whitehead Group, says that despite the Bill’s best intentions, it is practically inevitable that the Bill will place unbearable strain on some employers, especially small employers.

“The consequences of this could be a large shift in the workforce away from employees to contractors and will likely result in fewer jobs being available overall,” says Mr Whitehead. “There is also a chance for exponential inflation as the “wage envy revolution” gains momentum.”

Mr Whitehead says the Bill also runs the risk of encouraging men into a preferential position as the legislation brings with it much risk for employers, but only if the employee is female.“Our advice to employers is to brace themselves for soaring wages and ensure that they have legal advice ready for when this legislation takes hold and the floodgates open. Claims for backpay can extend up to six years, a burden many won’t be able to bear.”

Mr Whitehead expects a range of claims under this legislation in all sectors before precedent is established. “For those in higher earning brackets, we say get ready for extensive bargaining and make sure that when the increased salary wave hits you are ready to ride it.”

| A Whitehead Group release  ||  November 2,  2017   |||

2 Nov[] Ministers from APEC member economies are stepping up their push to salvage the majority of the world’s dwindling forests and the livelihoods of millions of people that depend on these resources as consumer demand in the region surges.

Ministers meeting in Seoul launched growth-friendly actions for realizing their ambitious goal of increasing forest cover by at least 20 million hectares by 2020 across APEC. Together, APEC economies account for half the world’s forests and 80 per cent of global timber trade.

A viable step towards mitigating climate change, the move sets the tone for the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in Da Nang on 6-11 November that will aim to improve trade-driven growth in the region and the sustainability and equity of its economic and social outcomes.

“The huge increase in the middle class in APEC made possible by greater connectivity and trade is driving a consumption-led growth recovery but also putting pressure on high demand resources like wood and timber products,” explained Dr Alan Bollard, Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat.

“APEC economies are enacting measures to boost legitimate trade flows that weed out illegally harvested wood before they hit consumer markets and undercut legal producers,” Dr Bollard continued. “Eliminating price distortions caused by illicit timber could have a major impact on forest preservation and the large numbers of jobs they support.”

Ministers are focused on raising governance and transparency standards among APEC economies for the trade of timber and wood products such as lumber, paper, flooring and furniture, in coordination with Interpol, industry and conservation groups.

This includes building on work administered by the APEC Experts Group on Illegal Logging and Associated Trade to enhance customs inspections of timber and wood products at borders, implement timber legality methodologies and establish efficient lines of communication with law enforcement agencies.

Parallel measures to be taken forward by APEC economies center on facilitating sustainable forest management practices and community support needed to help forests re-germinate and promote emerging business and employment opportunities.

“The growth potential of sectors such as agriculture, education, healthcare and tourism depends in no small part on forest resources in APEC,” concluded Dr Bollard. “The progress of efforts to create sustainable supply chains could go a long way to ensuring the future of the region’s forests.”

The Seoul Statement endorsed at the conclusion of the Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Forestry outlines the actions to be advanced by APEC member economies towards this objective.

| An APEC release  ||  November 1,  2017   |||