Founded by Max Farndale 1947 - 2018
New Zealand’s new Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Iran is Hamish MacMaster, Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee announced today.
“New Zealand has a long-standing trade and economic relationship with Iran, established with the opening of our Embassy in Tehran in 1975,” Mr Brownlee says.
“Since the easing of United Nations sanctions in 2016 there has been increased interest in the Iranian market by New Zealand exporters.
“Exports last year were $151 million and the first export of New Zealand lamb in decades was sent to Iran in May.
“There is real scope for the further diversification of our trade relationship with Iran and New Zealand’s new Ambassador will play a key role in supporting this,” Mr Brownlee says.
Mr MacMaster is currently the New Zealand Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and has previously been posted to Turkey and Iran.
Mr MacMaster will also be accredited to Pakistan and Afghanistan.
| A Beehive release || August 15, 2017 |||
New Zealand will host APEC in 2021, with Leaders’ Week to be held in Auckland from November 8 to 14, Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee says.
“With Auckland also set to host the America’s Cup, 2021 will be a big year for the country’s biggest city,” Mr Brownlee says.
“We are announcing the dates as early as possible to provide some clarity for planning, which is already under way.
“APEC 2021 will be the largest event ever hosted by the New Zealand government and is a wonderful opportunity for New Zealand to shine on the international stage.
“APEC will bring world leaders to New Zealand and create significant opportunities to promote our economic interests with trading nations including China, the US and Japan.
“The Asia-Pacific is the fastest growing economic region in the world and APEC is its leading economic forum.
“APEC member economies account for almost half of all global trade, and more than 70 per cent of New Zealand’s goods and services are exported to APEC economies.
“It is expected that APEC will attract up to 22,000 international attendees to the 12 significant APEC-related events held throughout the year, with around 10,000 attendees expected for Leaders’ Week.
“While Auckland is confirmed to host the Leaders’ Week, we intend to spread meetings and events across other large cities, including Christchurch, to showcase the very best of New Zealand’s capability, innovation, culture and amazing landscapes,” Mr Brownlee says
| A Beehive release || August 15, 2017 |||
The Government’s planned investment in Defence over the next 15 years represents a huge opportunity for New Zealand companies, says Defence Minister Mark Mitchell.
Mr Mitchell told Defence industry representatives last night that the country needs a Defence Force that is equipped and supported to respond to a rapidly changing strategic environment.
“This requires investment. Over the next 15 years, the Government will invest up to $20 billion in new and upgraded military capability, including replacement of all our major platforms and the regeneration of the Defence estate.
“We have many companies in the Defence sector who are themselves investing and innovating in their areas of expertise. The Government’s investment in Defence promotes growth in the sector, creates jobs and means that the industry will have every chance to build on its achievements.
“While we are not builders of warships or military aircraft, New Zealand companies can support those capabilities with world-class products and systems, and also support them through life,” Mr Mitchell says.
“For every dollar spent on a new capability, four is spent supporting it through life, the bulk of which is spent locally.
“Each year the New Zealand Defence Force spends $600 million on maintenance and repair, training, and other commercial services.
“The Government is committed to ensuring New Zealand companies are given every opportunity to compete for a share of the investment in Defence.
“The products and services New Zealand companies produce are recognised as world-class, and where they can reduce the cost ownership for the Government we need to support them,” Mr Mitchell says.
| A Beehive release || August 11, 2017 |||
Revenue Minister Judith Collins has welcomed a second round of negotiations between China and New Zealand tax officials aimed at updating the current double tax agreement signed between the two countries in 1986.
“The aim is to agree a new treaty, adopting modern treaty language and concepts, including agreed measures to deal with base erosion and profit shifting,” Ms Collins says.
New Zealand tax officials will meet with Chinese officials in Beijing next week for the second time since 2014, to discuss a new treaty.
Double tax agreements are an important facilitator of trade and investment between countries because they ensure businesses don’t get taxed twice.
They provide greater certainty for both taxpayers and tax administrators about how cross-border investment income will be taxed. They reduce compliance costs and lower tax on some income.
Tax agreements are also used in the global fight against tax evasion, with signatories agreeing to share more tax information under the global standard set by the G20 and OECD.
China is New Zealand’s largest trading partner in goods and second largest overall including trade in services.
“In this context, it is vital to ensure our double tax agreement with China is up to date and follows best practices,” Ms Collins says.
| A Beehive release || August 11, 2017 |||
Croatia’s President, Her Excellency Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, will make her first official visit to New Zealand next week, Prime Minister Bill English has announced.
“New Zealand has a warm and constructive relationship with Croatia. The large Croatian community that has made New Zealand home has made an important contribution to our business, cultural and political life over many years,” Mr English says.
President Grabar-Kitarović and her delegation arrive on Saturday 19 August for a series of events, including an official welcome at Government House in Auckland and a State luncheon hosted by the Governor-General.
“I am looking forward to discussing a number of issues with the President, including her perspective on recent developments in Europe and opportunities to enhance New Zealand’s relations with the region.”
The President will be accompanied by her husband Mr Jakov Kitarović. They will visit Auckland, Wellington, Rotorua and Taupo, and will meet with members of the Croatian community.
The delegation will visit New Zealand until Tuesday 22 August.
| A Beehive release || August 10, 2017 |||
Our panel takes the National Party election engine apart---and diagnoses a machine in full reverse thrust
The National government has no more than a 50-50 chance now of winning the pending general election. This has come as a surprise and most of all to the National Party which is scrambling around its faithful to put together an 11th hour war chest to avert what many of its adherents are beginning to suspect is the inevitable. How did it all come to this? It seems only yesterday that the National government would go on and on and on….There was the almost monarchical transfer of power, the abdication of King John and the accession of the crown prince, now King William. What could go wrong? Simple. The National government’s formula of being all things to all people started to lose compression. Then this loss of impetus became obvious. The MSC Newswire panel now takes apart, disassembles, National’s election machine, the one supposed to drive it into power again. This reveals that the engine is sputtering just because so much National government policy is influenced by a category that does not vote for it. We now present in this exploded voting component presentation analysis the self-destructive path that the National Party insists on following, the one that favours those who do not vote for it, at the expense of its own voting blocs. This component bloc analysis is on an ascending order of sector significance.
Category 1: The IntelligentsiaThis is the sector which most preoccupies the National Party, yet which delivers it the least quantity of votes. We are talking here of the broad picture of social “science” centred on universities. This sector has the ability to make the National Party feel unfashionable. So the National Party constantly seeks the approval of this vote-arrid sector, often to the detriment of its own conservative base.
An example was when under the persuasion of the university lobby the National government university-ised crucial artisan and technical vocations. This had to be unpicked by Jim Anderton MP, he of the far left, and the trade apprenticeship courses re-instated and revved up.
This one-sided infatuation between the National Party and the intelligentsia elites continues still in several forms now in the run-up to the pending general election.
For example, the National government is paralysed in the matter of articulating in any clear fashion at all, the doctrines of global educational bodies, themselves university based, to the effect that money invested in early education delivers a value far in excess of the money invested in later education.
2. Administrative ClassThis is the category once described as white collar. They slog away doggedly keeping the nation on its course. We are talking here of those who work for institutions such as banks, insurance companies, utilities, and of course the government itself. This bloc has a problem. They are not very exciting and in this mediatic age this counts for a great deal. National governments take this sector pretty much for granted. What this category wants more than anything is stability.
Again, we find the National government in its preoccupation with the flashy and the fashionable elites quite unable to make the obvious gesture to this solid sector.
This should be to the effect that National governments personify stability and the once-much quoted “steady as she goes” way of politics.
National must make it clear to this sector that it recognises it – and will not be subjecting it to any sudden changes of the social engineering variety and which will de-stabilise it.
3. Self employedNew Zealand First’s Winston Peters MP has singled out this sector for special attention – and no wonder. National government’s treat this sector with a disdain bordering on snobbery. It refuses to acknowledge the immense contribution of this sector which generates in three dimensional and practical terms the prosperity of the country. We are talking here of people such as owner-drivers, plumbers, electricians, builders, butchers, bakers. Also, and this is not widely understood, IT people.
These solid, dependable types once again tend to be rather unexciting and so once more we find the National Party taking them pretty much for granted, or did so, until Mr Peters singled them out for his special attention.
One of the problems of this sector is that in expanding, or “growing” their businesses, they need to employ staff, and in doing so run the risk of incurring the immense distraction, not to say cost, of a disaffected employee and the litigation that they can invoke.
The National Party should clearly set out its record in streamlining hiring/firing and state unreservedly that it intends to introduce further such work place measures.
4. FarmersNational governments over the past 30 years have found it increasingly hard to adjust around this sector due to pervasive dairy farming, and more recently and to a much lesser extent, bio-farming.
As a voting bloc it has lost its significance to the National Party. Worse still, the National Party has let this show.
Who outside the sector can instantly recall for example the name of the Minister of Agriculture or the relevant departmental permanent heads?
This weakness too has been identified by New Zealand First’s Winston Peters who has cast himself as the true champion of this once clearly defined and identified backbone of the National Party.
Mr Peters has correctly drawn the conclusion that the National government’s constant compromising with the unproductive but noisy ideological factions has driven farmers to distraction, and thus alienationThis is quite simply the most cruel and the most dangerous cut that Mr Peters has ever delivered to the National Party of which he was once a loyalist.
How exactly does the National government explain why it has been so pliant with these ideologues, who have no intention of casting a vote in its direction in any shape or form?
Even at this late stage the National government must embark upon a strident, very noisy, old style tub-thumping campaign to remind its once key constituency of the way in which it has held firm in the face of so much ideological fear-mongering.
Two of these self-induced panics worth signalling might be Food Miles and the animal respiration/global warming syndrome.
5. The Professionals.This is the class from which National members of Parliament tend themselves to be recruited from. We are talking here of accountants, lawyers, company directors, medical doctors. The traditional boss class in other words. The National government badly needs to re-vitalise this base. The reason is that it is precisely this voter category that is now restless. It continues to vote National, certainly. But it will hedge.
This will take the form of tossing its spare vote to one of the other parties which however dotty it nonetheless views as being forthright, and thus decisive.
This category is in the business of making clear-cut decisions and across a wide swathe. It is becoming increasingly disaffected by the National government’s failure to do the same thing.
6. The TradersThis is the vocational category that loves the National Party and from which the National government will draw its largest single occupational vote haul. This sector is made up of those in occupations not particularly admired by the rest of the working population on the grounds that practitioners are amply rewarded for a minimal contribution to society, a contribution that in the view of many even has an entirely negative impact.
This is why the National Party in or out of office prefers to put some distance between it and this voter category, the only one it can truly rely upon in this pending general election.
We are talking here of course about real estate agents, property “investors” and the money dealers of various descriptions.
The reason they support National is that the National Party prefers to leave them alone in their counting rooms.
Even so, in the sea-change that has gripped politics in the Western world since the beginning of the last year, even this group cannot be relied upon to deliver its vote unprompted.
It is exactly for the benefit of this somewhat unloved category that the National government can deliver a daring policy. More importantly still, it can clearly state the reason for putting it forward. There is another benefit. It will not cost anyone a single cent.
The National government can announce that it will not introduce a capital gains tax. Ever.
Reason A. It is unenforceable and will merely create a wave of unproductive work for Category 2 and Category 5.
Reason B. Countries which have a capital gains tax, which means most OECD countries, have had far worse property bubbles than has had New Zealand.
Ireland is one such example. Britain and the United States are two others.
| From This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. || Friday 11 August 2017 |||
Three quarters of New Zealanders believe more funding for health and medical research should be a government priority and that the government should invest more funding in health research, according to a survey just released.
The poll of more than 500 Kiwis was conducted by Roy Morgan Research for a national health umbrella organisation, New Zealanders for Health Research (NZHR).
Improving hospitals and the healthcare system was the most important issue for the government to focus on, the survey found.
NZHR chief executive Chris Higgins says Kiwis surveyed placed the highest priority on research to find ways to prevent illness and promote good health, and to improve the health system.
“We found 44 percent of Kiwis donate to health research; the main reason for not donating is because health research is considered to be the government’s responsibility.
“A total of 84 percent said that pharmaceutical companies should invest more in health research, and 78 percent expressed willingness to participate in any clinical trial of a new medicine if they had a condition it might be able to treat.
“Nobody knows exactly how much the government spent on health research in the last year because government research funding in channelled through a number of agencies, who then use their discretion as to whether it gets spent on health research or some other research. The best estimate is that about $300 million worth of government spending would have found its way to health research.
“NZHR has decided to focus on allocations which have to be spent exclusively on health research. In the last year this figure was $90.4 million. We believe this figure should increase to $108 million next year. The government has budgeted $98 million. We estimate the annual philanthropic support for health research is about $17 million.
“New Zealand’s ringfenced government investment in health research stands at just 0.6 percent of health care costs. New Zealanders for Health Research believes that the government should be adopting a 10-year investment target of 2.4 percent.
“Three quarters of New Zealanders said in the survey that the government should invest more funding in health research and such a target therefore is likely to have wide electoral support,” Higgins says.
NZHR is chaired by Graham Malaghan, of the Wellington-based Malaghan Institute of Medical Research.
| A MakeLemonade/NZHR release || August 9, 2017 |||
The USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) is a whole new class of aircraft carrier. Officially commissioned by the U.S. Navy and Newport News Ship Building Company, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier represents the first major redesign to a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier in over four decades.
When a warship is commissioned, it is legitimized under law, and placed in active service for the first time. Replacing what was known as the Nimitz class of aircraft carriers, the USS Ford will spend its first four years under scrutiny as builder’s sea trials get underway.
The trials test crucial systems and technologies aboard the ship, and will cost USD $780 million on top of its USD $12.9 billion manufacturing price tag. There were delays and overruns because of the complicated task of integrating whole new systems and an entirely new class of technology aboard the ship, which was originally supposed to be completed in 2015 for USD $10.5 billion.
Designing a new class of aircraft carrier means that expectations for improved performance are going to be set extremely high, and you’ll see that the features of the USS Ford make it a true marvel of modern weapons engineering.
Interestingly, the USS Ford also appears to be a minor milestone moment for 3D modeling technology, because this is the first ship to be fully designed as a 3D model. The USS Ford has its own nuclear plant inside of it, which generates a consistent and high enough rate of energy that affords the vessel a top speed of 30 knots (34.5 mph, 55.5 km/h).
Nuclear warships like the USS Ford are designed to be fully autonomous. The amount of nuclear energy produced by the USS Ford means that it could run without stopping to refuel for 20-25 years.
Nuclear Upgrade
There are two A1B reactor plants (“A” is for Aircraft Carrier, “1” is first-generation, and “B” is for Bechtel, the manufacturer) aboard the USS Ford, and they were specially developed by Bechtel for the new class of supercarrier. Bechtel normally handles engineering and construction for nuclear plants in the USA.
The A1B generates almost 3 times as much power as the A4W reactor plants on the active Nimitz-class carriers. The exact number is classified, but estimates have been made that the total increase in energy is 700 MW.
Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) Versus Steam Catapult System
The US Navy began experimenting with the design and production of a launch system that uses linear induction motors and electromagnets instead of steam-powered turbines because engineers realized that you could improve three things: eliminate the need for housing a separate steam boiler, increase the level of control during jet or drone takeoffs, and reduce the amount of maintenance in two ways—using solid state components and reducing wear and tear on the supercarrier from repeated launches.
Continue to view video, images and the full article on Engineering.com | August 10, 2017 |||
On Monday, the New Zealand Manufacturers and Exporters Association (NZMEA) hosted a forum to discuss policy issues of importance to manufacturers, featuring Hon Steven Joyce, National MP and Minister for Finance and Infrastructure, Grant Robertson, Labour's Finance Spokesperson, and James Shaw, Co-Leader of the Green Party. This was a great opportunity to hear three representatives from major parties engage with NZMEA members in a quality discussion on manufacturing, and today the NZMEA is releasing its list of policies for the 2017 election.
Mr Dieter Adam, CE, NZMEA said, “With the election only 7 weeks away, it’s important that all parties put forward their vision for creating a more prosperous and high-value economy, with manufacturing playing a key role.
"We believe the policies set out here will contribute to growing high value industries in New Zealand.
“We would like to see all parties include all or at least some of our 10 policy points in their election policies. These include working to develop a better understanding of manufacturing and its future potential through a Minister for Manufacturing, addressing skills shortages that hold back the industry from growth and changes to R&D settings to help increase business R&D spending.” Said Dieter.
The 10 NZMEA policy positions are outlined below. A full list can be found below and by clicking here.
”Our policies will help to create an environment where high value producers, particularly manufacturers, can thrive, grow exports and provide well-paid incomes so New Zealanders can have a more prosperous future. “ Said Dieter.
The NZMEA forum offered a robust conversation about the opportunities and challenges manufacturers face, focusing on the steady and growing contribution manufacturing is making to the goal of New Zealand exports reaching 40% of GDP, staying abreast of advancing technology and investing in a skilled workforce.
“Manufacturing has changed offering new opportunities for countries like New Zealand to grab and run with," says Mr Adam.
“Manufacturing is also entering a rich pipeline of innovations in materials and processes – from 3-D printing to advanced robotics, which promises to create efficiencies and speed to a global market.
“The future is more and more about innovation, increased productivity and global trade of high value components and we want to hear how our political leaders plan to support this.
“The forum was a positive step forward and we were pleased to hear politicians acknowledge the vital role both process and product innovation plays in growing our sector, " he says.
Prof Jane Goodyer, Head of School of Engineering and Technology, Massey University, moderated the event from a highly experienced perspective.
“The manufacturing sector is the backbone to NZ’s prosperity through taking our innovations to the world, " she shared.
“NZ has an opportunity to really add value to our economy. Industry, Government and education need to work closer together to make this happen,” says Prof Goodyer.
Prof Goodyer’s comments reiterate recommendations in a 2012 McKinsey report on the future of manufacturing, which concluded that two key priorities for both governments and businesses are education and the development of skills. They will need qualified, computer-savvy factory workers and agile managers for complex global supply chains. In addition to supporting ongoing efforts to improve public education—particularly the teaching of math and analytical skills—policy makers must work with industry and educational institutions to ensure that skills learned in school fit the needs of employers.
| An NZMEA release || August 9, 2017 |||
By Alex Tarrant
New Zealand’s manufacturers have issued a series of challenges to politicians on both sides of the aisle, saying leadership is needed on tertiary training to close skills shortage gaps, on research and development (R&D) incentives, and on readying the economy for the growth of automation.
In a Double Shot Interview with Interest.co.nz, New Zealand Manufacturers and Exporters Association (NZMEA) CEO Dieter Adam told Alex Tarrant that his organisation’s members were crying out to be heard on issues central to the future of the sector.
The NZMEA on Monday was set to host Finance Minister Steven Joyce, Labour’s finance spokesman Grant Robertson and Green Party co-leader James Shaw for a panel on how the various parties would help sustain and grow New Zealand’s manufacturing base.
From 26% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) 40 years ago, the manufacturing sector’s contribution to the overall economy has fallen to 10% of GDP today. Even over the past four years, the trend is evident, falling steadily each year from 10.5% of GDP in 2012 to 10% now despite the sector itself continuing to grow.
It may not seem much but we’re talking in the hundreds of millions of dollars as domestic consumption and the services sector, including services exports like tourism, jump up the list. While that’s all well and good for those industries, Adam argues government needs to focus on policies to allow his sector to flourish. “I’m not aware of any reasonably wealthy country that doesn’t have a strong manufacturing sector.”
Continue to read the complete article here || August 7, 2017 |||
Palace of the Alhambra, Spain
By: Charles Nathaniel Worsley (1862-1923)
From the collection of Sir Heaton Rhodes
Oil on canvas - 118cm x 162cm
Valued $12,000 - $18,000
Offers invited over $9,000
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242
Mount Egmont with Lake
By: John Philemon Backhouse (1845-1908)
Oil on Sea Shell - 13cm x 14cm
Valued $2,000-$3,000
Offers invited over $1,500
Contact: Henry Newrick – (+64 ) 27 471 2242
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