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Developers face significant pain points with access to finance just the latest hurdle

Commerce Commission recommendations to boost competition in the building materials industry is not enough to address the current pain facing developers, say nonbank lenders. Omega Capital General Manager Noni Martin, says New Zealand’s developers have battled the building supplies shortage and increasing costs, navigated one of the worst labour shortages in history and now many are against the wall, struggling to get finance to complete developments. “For a mix of reasons, including regulato...

Ruminant BioTech develops ‘game-changing’ technology to cut ruminant methane emissions by 70%

The New Zealand Government announced today it will commit $7.8 million to Ruminant BioTech’s CALM (Cut Agricultural Livestock Methane) programme, to develop a sustained release methane inhibitor technology for grass-fed animals. Ruminant BioTech investors will match the Crown’s cash injection. The company aims to develop a commercially viable bolus by 2025 that delivers at least a 70 percent reduction in ruminant animals’ methane emissions over six months. Ruminant BioTech Chief Executive...

Babich Wines puts coastal preservation to the fore with sponsorship of Sustainable Coastlines

As water quality and ocean pollution become two of New Zealand’s biggest issues, Babich Wines is sponsoring the Sustainable Coastlines Charitable Trust to support communities around New Zealand to clean and protect local beaches and waterways. Water is vital to a healthy wine industry and as one of New Zealand’s oldest wineries Babich Wines has a proud history of investing in water conservation initiatives, both here and internationally, says Babich Wines CEO David Babich. “Over our 100-ye...

Fonterra’s Wendy Paul appointed Growing Future Farmers’ new CEO

Growing Future Farmers is pleased to announce the appointment of its new CEO, Wendy Paul. Transitioning from her senior role as Director Culture and Wellbeing at Fonterra, Wendy has been chosen to lead the programme into the next phase of growth. In one sense, Wendy’s move from a corporate like Fonterra to a community-focused organisation represents a significant shift. In a deeper sense, leading the Growing Future Farmers (GFF) programme is the fulfilment of her passion for the sector. What a...

What a dag! Nadia Lim and Royalburn Station launch cheeky room fragrance to help fundraise for the Rural Support Trust

Nadia Lim of Royalburn Station has today launched a cheeky new room fragrance to fundraise for the Rural Support Trust and help raise awareness of the issues facing rural New Zealand. And it’s a bit of a dag! ‘Eau de Dagg’ was created using essential oils made from the wool dags of Nadia’s very own sheep. So, what does it smell like? “Yes, good question! It literally smells just like a woolshed. It is not overly offensive, but you wouldn’t wear it as a perfume – unless you wanted...

Dairy farmers encouraged to consider OAD milking to better cope with looming summer dry

With NIWA predicting a hot, dry summer, dairy farmers are being encouraged to consider once-a-day milking as a low-cost strategy to minimise the impact of dry conditions on next season while looking after their cows and their team. NIWA has recently released its predictions for the upcoming summer months, with the North Island in for above average temperatures, near or below average rainfall, and near or below average soil moisture. Perrin Ag senior consultant Rob Brazendale says while predict...

Leaders: hands-off social management is missing a trick

If you’re a business owner or leader, I have a few questions for you:  When’s the last time you visited your company’s social media sites?  Are you inputting into the content being shared?  Who makes the decision around what you share and do you trust them to represent your brand to the public?  Is the person responsible for posting and monitoring an integral part of your team or a junior staffer far removed from the heart of your business? I ask these questions becaus...

Number of home appraisals increasing in Hamilton market

An increasing number of homeowners are seeking property appraisals to find out what their homes are worth in the current market according to Hamilton real estate agency, Lodge Real Estate. Lodge Real Estate Managing Director, Jeremy O’Rourke, says October was a quiet month for Hamilton real estate agents, with school holidays affecting activity. But he says appraisal requests have increased considerably. “Residential property prices have decreased steadily this year and while they are stil...

Gear up now for new whistleblower law

By Tina Liu, Senior Associate Tompkins Wake...

Why bother entering awards?

Have you ever thought about putting in an application for an industry award? It can be daunting if you haven’t done it before.   What should you write? How can you tell your story in a way that will connect with the judges? From a public relations point of view, applying for select industry awards can be a great part of your business strategy. They can help you build your brand’s reputation as an industry leader and build your credibility among customers and peers. Being a finalist...

Experts share 5 rules for building business resilience as tough times bite

Economic indicators are pointing to tough times ahead as the inflation rate remains high and the Reserve Bank persists in lifting the official cash rate. Tough economic times are a stark reminder to all business leaders they need to build resilience to survive downturns. Tompkins Wake commercial partner Bryce Davey, Deloitte partner Jono Peart, and Backdoor Managing Director Geoff Hutchison have over 50 years’ experience between them. They know how to build a resilient business and share fiv...

Cashed up investors entering the rental market looking for positive returns

Cashed-up investors are being drawn to the Hamilton property market where rents in the mid to upper range increased 8 percent in the last 18 months and demand is outstripping supply. Lodge Real Estate Managing Director Jeremy O’Rourke says agents are meeting with an increasing number of investors who are cash buyers looking for a safe haven for their money and not wanting to buy more shares in the current volatile stock market. “Investors seem to be looking for a haven for their money amid s...

CRV’s industry-first NAIT accreditation good news for dairy farmers

CRV has become the first service provider to achieve NAIT accreditation under OSPRI’s more rigorous five-step process. Representatives from OSPRI today officially presented CRV with its accreditation certificate in Hamilton. myHERD Product Manager Andrew Fraser says the decision to become NAIT accredited means CRV can continue to help dairy farmers meet their obligations and protect their farm businesses. “Having an effective animal traceability system is like having car or house insurance,...

Babich Wines named Official Wine Sponsor for ASB Classic 2023

As the ASB Classic returns to centre court at Stanley Street this summer, tennis fans can take in all the tournament action while enjoying fine wines from Babich Wines, the official wine sponsor for the ASB Classic. The ASB Classic will take place from January 2 to 14, 2023, and the Babich Bar, situated in the tournament’s entertainment precinct, The Serve, will provide spectators the perfect off-court experience. Or for those lucky enough to be close to the action in a box or corporate lounge...

When brands should speak up on social issues

We've been talking about whether organisations should take a stand on social issues, and our team learnt more about how to strike a balance on this when we attended a recent webinar on the topic.  You’ll recall the situation earlier this year when seven Australian NRL players refused to wear a rainbow-detailed jersey, celebrating inclusion and the LGBTQ community. If you missed the story, check it out here: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/471893/pride-jersey-controversy-a-reckoning-for-a...

Heather Named Chair of PRINZ

If you didn’t catch the news on LinkedIn, our director Heather has taken up the helm of Chair of the PR Institute of NZ (PRINZ). PRINZ is the membership body for the public relations and strategic communications profession.  The organisation provides continuing professional development to members and non-members, advocates for the profession, runs the prestigious annual PRINZ Awards and promotes ethical practise. Heather says, “It’s an exciting time for people working in com...

HMC is hiring!

HMC is currently looking for people to fill two new positions, a Senior PR Account Manager and a Digital PR Content Creator. We offer : the opportunity to work for the 2018 and 2021 PRINZ agency of the yearWork from home (or the bach or lake!) every FridayFull home office set-upGenuine culture that values work/life balance (working past 5pm and weekends is rare!)Coolest office in the trendiest spot in Hamilton’s CBD, Panama Square50% of parking costs paidGenerous professional development ...

Hamilton real estate market waking up with renewed activity

The number of people attending Lodge Real Estate open homes in Hamilton jumped 35 percent in August, signaling the real estate market is waking up as first home buyers access finance and gain confidence. Lodge Real Estate Managing Director Jeremy O’Rourke says people have come to terms with the Reserve Bank Official Cash Rate increases and have more confidence in where the Hamilton market is heading. Moves allowing more lending to first home buyers with a low equity five percent deposit were a...

Babich organic wine sales more than double in 5 years

Sales of Babich Wines’ organic ranges have grown 242 per cent over the last five years, and 50 per cent in the last year alone, as consumers seek out sustainably produced organic wines for their quality and lighter environmental footprint. The family business’ sales reflect wider market trends. Almost one billion bottles of organic wine are expected to be consumed around the world by 2023, more than doubling from the 441 million bottles recorded in 2013, according to the organisers of the la...

Leadership vulnerability: striking a balance

Last month, the CEO of HyperSocial in the USA posted a selfie on LinkedIn.  The photo showed him crying and was accompanied by a post where he talked about staff redundancies and that laying people off was personally “the toughest thing I've ever had to do.”  If you missed it, take a look: https://cnb.cx/3AkgQ3I . While his intention to show vulnerability may have been genuine, there was worldwide backlash against him and the post.  He went a step too far, that is for sure. Yo...

Growing Future Farmers recruits new GM to support future growth

Growing Future Farmers is recruiting a new general manager to support its growth, with the number of students joining the programme skyrocketing by more than 700% in two years. GFF’s current general manager Cyn Smith has been instrumental in the programme’s success, supported by a team of 10 regional liaison managers and the GFF Board of Trustees. The original GFF pilot programme started in 2020 in the Wairarapa and Gisborne involving just 10 students and 10 sheep, beef and deer farms. This ...

Farmer demand for dairy beef grows by 15% in a year

CRV’s dairy beef sales have grown by 15% since last year as farmers take a more strategic approach to breeding and look to diversify their income streams. “In the past, farmers used dairy beef predominantly towards the end of the mating season,” says Genetics Product Manager (NZ Market) Mitchell Koot. “Now we are seeing more of them using it as part of a more strategic precision breeding approach to increase their herds’ genetic gain. “That involves using dairy beef strategically ov...

New Zealand tech company wins industry award as it helps primary industries reduce trucking footprint, emissions and improve animal welfare

A home-grown Kiwi tech company is helping New Zealand’s largest primary industries cut travel by millions of kilometres, reduce fuel emissions, and improve animal welfare, all from a computer and smartphone. M2X Transport Management System offers solutions for carriers and enterprise customers across industries such as livestock, milk, forestry, bulk, dairy and general freight. Its software uses advanced optimisation to improve the efficiency of transport across the supply chain. The innovativ...

New chair strengthens Tompkins Wake’s diverse team as the firm positions itself for further growth

The appointment of a new chair at Tompkins Wake is strengthening its already diverse team as the firm positions itself for further growth. (Joeli) Scott Ratuki (45) has taken over the reins as chair of the firm’s board from his predecessor Peter Fanning. Born and bred in the Waikato, Scott is of Pacific Island descent as his father is Fijian. He joined Tompkins Wake in 2003 and has been a partner for nearly 13 years. Leading the firm’s commercial property practice, Scott specialises in comm...

Nikki Wood steps into management position at Alpha First

Nikki Wood has been appointed as Manager, Loans and Lending for Alpha First Mortgage Investments. Alpha First provides opportunities for clients to invest in registered first mortgages and Nikki’s new role is a direct response to the growth in the company’s mortgage investment portfolio and the larger flow of loan applications they are receiving. Alpha First Director, Scott Massey says he is pleased to have Nikki on board as demand from borrowers for funds has grown 20% in the past six month...