Posts

Posted on

NZP (an ICE Pharma Company) named ExportNZ ASB Exporter of the Year 2025

Source: Business Central

NZP (an ICE Pharma Company) has been named Exporter of the Year at the 2025 ExportNZ ASB Central Region Export Awards.
NZP celebrated their win of the supreme award at the Palmy Conference + Function Centre in front of an exuberant crowd on Friday June 6 – the first time the gala dinner for the central region has been hosted in Manawatū.
In partnership with ASB, these prestigious awards honour the success of central region exporters in international markets.
The judges were impressed by NZP’s clarity of purpose and ongoing commitment to innovate, collaborate and progress their business. This steadfast vision also saw NZP win the Gallagher Insurance Best Established Business Award.
“Not only excelling in the Best -Established category, NZP were a dominant force in both the innovation and sustainability categories. We wish them every success at the NZTE International Business Awards later this year,” said the judges.
This year the ExportNZ ASB Central Region Export Awards debuted a new format, which will see Palmerston North and Wellington alternate hosting the awards biannually – reflecting the success of the exporting industry across the wider central region.
The choice of Palmerston North this year highlights their thriving export sector and the region’s role as a pivotal logistics ecosystem for New Zealand.
Palmerston North Mayor Grant Smith opened the event – followed by a virtual address from Hon .Todd McClay, Minister for Trade & Investment, Agriculture, Forestry and Associate Minister for Foreign Affairs.
ASB Head of International Trade Mike Atkins, who presented the Exporter of the Year award, said this year’s finalists covered a broad spectrum of industry and international markets.
“We were delighted to celebrate the achievements of the Central Region export sector in Palmerston North for the first time and were impressed by the large number of finalists. It was particularly inspiring to see the level of innovation being adopted by many exporters, including some world firsts. Congratulations to all finalists and award winners – the region should be proud of these amazing achievements,” said Atkins.
ExportNZ Central Regional Manager Amanda Liddle said: “ExportNZ is delighted to honour the wonderful calibre of finalists in these awards. The sheer number of businesses who have put themselves through the process of entering this year has blown us away and we are very proud to be celebrating their achievements.
“We would like to thank all the judges for their time and effort in selecting and awarding the nominees and winners. With such stiff competition, there is significant work that goes into making these final decisions and we are lucky to have such fantastic judges.
“Our special congratulations to NZP (an ICE Pharma Company) for picking up the ASB Exporter of the Year award. They are a prime example of the innovation and resilience exporters need to show in order to succeed in an increasingly volatile global market.
“We are also excited that the winners will automatically move to the final stage of the New Zealand International Business Awards in November. We congratulate all the finalists and winners for their contributions to the export community.”
ExportNZ Executive Director Joshua Tan said: “ExportNZ is proud to celebrate all of tonight’s winners and finalists. Despite ongoing uncertainty in the global trading environment, New Zealand exporters continue to rise to the challenge – innovating, seizing new opportunities, and driving economic growth. The exporters recognised tonight represent the very best of Kiwi enterprise, and we look forward to watching and supporting their continued success.”
The full list of winners is available below.
– 2025 ASB Exporter of the Year : NZP (an ICE Pharma Company)
– Gallagher Insurance Best Established Business Award: NZP (an ICE Pharma Company)
– DHL Best Emerging Business: DownUnder Honey
– Centrepoint Wellington Excellence in Innovation Award: The Village Goldsmith
– Business Central Excellence in Sustainability: BioLumic
– Judges’ Choice Award: IPU New Zealand and OBO
Notes:
Business Central delivers and supports ExportNZ in the Hawke’s Bay and wider Central New Zealand region. It represents 3,500 employers and exporters across the lower North Island, providing advice, training, support, and advocates for policies that reflect the interests of the business community.
Posted on

Road rage and abusive behaviour concerns road freight operators

Source: Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand

The 2025 National Road Freight Survey has raised concerns about truck drivers facing road rage and abuse while doing their jobs.
The survey of 194 industry participants across 128 road freight firms asked respondents to rank their three leading issues, ranging from health and wellbeing of drivers to the state of the roading network.
Of the survey respondents who identified public perception and industry reputation as one of their leading issues, 50 per cent said their drivers regularly experienced abuse from members of the public while working.
These findings were supported by results from a survey from AA Insurance earlier in the year, showing nearly half of respondents thought road rage had intensified over the past 12 months.
Billy Clemens, head of Transporting New Zealand’s Policy & Advocacy, says while most of the public view truck drivers positively, a small minority of road users were putting others at risk.
“Research NZ surveyed 1005 members of the public and found more than seven times as many people surveyed having a positive perception of road freight drivers compared to those taking a negative view (52 per cent to 7 per cent, the remainder being neutral).
“Transporting New Zealand’s concerns about road rage and abuse are focussed on a very small proportion of road users.”
“What worries us and our road freight members are truck drivers being harassed and abused while going about their work. Truck driving is challenging enough without drivers having to ignore insults and abuse, de-escalate disputes, and refer threatening behaviour onto Police.”
Clemens acknowledged that trucks could challenge people’s patience on the road, but encouraged all road users to show patience and consideration, and report poor driving to Police at -555.
“Trucks are limited to a maximum of 90 km/h on all roads, need additional time to speed up and slow down, and need to take particular care on narrow roads and corners.
“Drivers also need to park up their trucks to take mandated rest breaks. These factors can all contribute to frustration from other road users, but we encourage everyone to be considerate.”
Transporting New Zealand is also responding to these concerns by providing practical guidance to truck drivers on how to resolve incidents of road rage and abuse.
This includes a session on practical de-escalation and conflict resolution skills at its South Island Road Freight Seminar in Christchurch on 28 June. The session will be presented by Protect Self Defence, with supporting resources and videos to be shared publicly afterwards, supported by the E. J. Brenan Memorial Trust.
Transporting New Zealand also continues to advocate for roading improvements that reduce the risk of driver frustration and impatience, including additional passing lanes, widening narrow corners, and providing improved rest and parking facilities for trucks and other vehicles.
“With a combination of education, roading improvements, and considerate behaviour, we can make the roads safer for everyone.”
About Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand 
Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand is the peak national membership association representing the road freight transport industry. Our members operate urban, rural and inter- regional commercial freight transport services throughout the country.
Road is the dominant freight mode in New Zealand, transporting 92.8% of the freight task on a tonnage basis, and 75.1% on a tonne-km basis. The road freight transport industry employs over 34,000 people across more than 4700 businesses, with an annual turnover of $6 billion.
Posted on

Energy and Development – Cambridge is open for business with $45M energy boost

Source: Waipa Networks

This morning, Waipā Networks cut the ribbon on its newly commissioned 33kV zone substation alongside Transpower’s Grid Exit Point (GXP) – a combined investment of over $45 million.
With Waipā's population set to grow to around 75,000 over the next 25 years and another 13,200 homes to be built in and around the area, Waipā Networks’ new substation will significantly enhance resilience and future capacity to support our rapidly growing district.
Over 200 attendees gathered in Hautapu to mark the commissioning of the two projects, with the event opening with a karakia and the gifting of a special taonga by Ngāti Korokī-Kahukura and Ngāti Hauā mana whenua.
Waipā Networks Chief Executive Sean Horgan acknowledged everyone involved, including key partners, Transpower, and his team, for their mahi. He described the completion of this major infrastructure project as a landmark achievement and a first for Waipā Networks.
“This milestone represents a solid step forward for our business and the district's energy future, supporting our growing business community by enhancing our ability to connect large new electricity loads to the network.
“It’s more than a technical achievement – it’s a declaration of intent. It strengthens our network, enables growth within Waipā, and lays the foundation for a low-carbon, electrified future.”
Horgan noted the timing was especially meaningful as the company celebrates over a century of service to the Waipā district and its communities.
“We are 100% owned by our customers, and it is an honour to look back at 100 years of service, while at the same time looking ahead to the future. Our mission remains the same: to deliver safe, reliable, and affordable electricity and to do it in a way that unlocks opportunities for our community.
Located in one of Waikato’s fastest-growing industrial zones, the new substation is designed to power the future, enabling electrified transport, low-carbon agriculture, regional manufacturing, and greater integration of solar, battery, and smart grid technologies.
“This is modern infrastructure, designed for a modern district that’s ready for growth.”
Transpower Executive General Manager Grid Delivery Mark Ryall says that Waipa is just one of many regions where demand for electricity is rapidly growing.
“Across the motu, we expect demand to grow around 70% by 2050 as Kiwis increasingly electrify the way we live and work. Transpower has a key enabling role for this energy transition as the owner and operator of our electricity transmission grid, working with our electricity sector partners across Aotearoa to deliver the reliable power system that our communities need to thrive and prosper.”
Transpower has completed 20 customer projects to connect new demand or relocate existing assets to make way for development over the last 18 months, not including new generation. During the same time, a further 15 projects have progressed to delivery, which involves detailed design or construction, and 23 have entered the investigation stage.
“These projects mean our local lines company partners like Waipā Networks can provide more power to their communities and big industrial users can electrify their operations. The future is bright, renewable and affordable, but getting there will require a heap of investment from Transpower and our partners across the industry. That’s an investment in our prosperity and energy security, and the hard mahi is well underway.”
Waipā is growing faster than ever before, and so is the need for a reliable and resilient electricity network.
Waipā Mayor Susan O’Regan said it was a significant milestone not just for Cambridge, but for the entire Waipā district.
“It’s more than the completion of a critical infrastructure project, it’s a powerful symbol of growth, progress and foresight, and represents confidence in our district’s future,” she said.
“We’re building real communities – connected, thriving places where people can live and raise families, and where businesses can grow and succeed. Energy is a critical part and enabler of this.”
As the district steps into a new age of electricity, Horgan said the new substation is only the beginning.
“We’re also defining the design of our future network architecture for Te Awamutu and Kihikihi, harnessing new technology to provide practical and reliable solutions for our customers,” he adds.
“It’s about delivering for all of our communities; past, present, and future”.
Posted on

Men’s Health Week: Strong for Life, Not Just for Looks

Source: ExerciseNZ

As Men's Health Week (9–15 June) approaches, ExerciseNZ is calling on men across Aotearoa to rethink strength, not just in terms of muscle, but in how we care for our bodies, minds, and futures.

New global research published in European Heart Journal has raised concerns about the heart health of men who overindulge in strength-based training, especially those focused primarily on bodybuilding, often using extreme training methods or performance-enhancing substances. While the findings are serious, they also present a valuable opportunity to shine a light on a more sustainable and empowering path to health and fitness. Men's Health Week reminds us that small, consistent steps make a big difference. ExerciseNZ CEO Richard Beddie says: “It's not about pushing hard, it's about being consistent, staying safe, and building strength for the right reasons.”

Why Men's Health Week Matters

Men in Aotearoa face some sobering health statistics. A boy born today is likely to live nearly four years less than a girl born next door. He's also 20% more likely to die from a heart attack and 30% more likely to develop diabetes. Every day, eight Kiwi families lose a loved partner, father, or family member to an illness that could have been prevented.

Even more concerning, one in four men in New Zealand won't live to see retirement age. The picture is even more serious for Māori and Pasifika men, who experience lower life expectancy and higher rates of illness than other groups in Aotearoa.

But there is hope. Exercise is consistently recognised as one of the most effective forms of preventative medicine, often more powerful than pharmaceuticals for conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and depression. Moving more isn't just about fitness, it's about staying alive, connected, and well.

Strength Training: A Tool for Life

Strength training is one of the most powerful tools men can use to improve both physical and mental wellbeing. It supports stronger bones, better sleep, sharper minds, and a reduced risk of disease. However, as the new research shows, extremes come with risk. You don't need to overtrain to get results. Progress built on balance lasts longer. This Men's Health Week, ExerciseNZ encourages men to realign their training goals using the following tips:

Train with intention: Choose sustainable movement, not just maximum effort.
Seek support: If you're unsure, work with a registered REPs trainer or facility.
Connect to your why: Whether it's being there for your tamariki, managing stress, or simply feeling better, know what drives you.
Connect with others: Move with whānau, join a class, or share your journey. It's easier (and more fun) together.
Start small: Walk more. Stretch more. Move a little every day. Then build from there

Men's Health Week is about empowering men to take charge. You don't have to do everything, you just need to do something!

Posted on

Events – Fashionably late, but worth the wait! New opening date announced for DIVA at Auckland Museum

Source: Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum

Exclusive international exhibition brings global icons to Auckland from Saturday 28 June

This month, Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum welcomes the spectacular international exhibition DIVA, with a new opening date announced for Saturday 28 June 2025.

Exclusive to Auckland, DIVA is a bold celebration of iconic performers who have defined eras, challenged norms and changed the world through the power of performance.

Developed by London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), DIVA showcases over 280 objects, including fashion, photography, costumes, music, and design, featuring trailblazing performers who have made their voices heard from the 19th century to today.

DIVA © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Through theatrical staging and an immersive musical soundtrack experience, DIVA explores stories of the creativity, ambition, and resilience of some the world’s best-known divas, from opera goddesses and silent movie stars to Hollywood leg

Posted on

Transport – Transporting New Zealand welcomes opening of Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū-Tararua Highway

Source: Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand

National road freight organisation Transporting New Zealand says this Saturday’s official opening of the Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū-Tararua Highway is great news for the freight industry, and the region’s communities.
Chief executive Dom Kalasih says the highway will deliver a safe, reliable and resilient connection between the Manawatū and Tararua districts. [Traffic will be able to use the highway from next week.]
The highway replaces the Manawatū Gorge route, closed in 2017 due to slips.
The new 11.5km highway is a major milestone for the freight sector and regional communities. It will take about 13 minutes to drive by car, or around 18 minutes for freight vehicles, to move between the districts.
Kalasih says it will be a relief for people who have had to use the challenging Saddle Road detour for nearly 8 years.
“This new highway will make a real difference to the flow of freight and to the lives of drivers.”
“We also think it is a win that this is a non-tolled road,’ he says.
Transporting New Zealand strongly opposed a proposed toll, noting the Saddle Road was never fit for purpose and the region deserved a safe, free alternative.
“This is a replacement road, not a luxury upgrade,” Kalasih says. “Our members were clear – tolling this essential link would be unfair and would raise the cost of freight, hitting consumers across the board.”
Kalasih says all the engineering that’s gone into the build is impressive.
The project involved:
  • 6.5 million cubic metres of earthworks
  • 30,000 cubic metres of concrete
  • 3.5 million mahi hours
  • 2,500 workers
  • Nearly 2 million native plants planted for environmental
restoration.
The highway holds deep cultural importance, following a historic Māori travel route between the coasts and is named after Te Ahu a Turanga – the former resting place of Turanga-i-Mua, the son of the Aotea waka captain Turi who was killed in a battle there.
One of the standout physical features is the Parahaki Bridge near Ashhurst – at 300 metres long and 30 metres wide, it spans the fast-flowing Manawatū River on a fault line and in one of the windiest areas of the North Island.
“It’s taken years of commitment, coordination and skill to complete such a complex build in an ecologically sensitive and geologically challenging location,” says Kalasih.
“Well done to all who played a part in making this happen.”
In the linked video, project director Tony Adams, the project director for the Te Ahu a Turanga – Manawatū Tararua Highway, talks about the build.
Posted on

New Consumer NZ test reveals danger of unregulated online plumbing products

Source: Master Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers

Master Plumbers’ concerns that cheap online plumbing products will not comply with new regulations to make drinking water safer have proven justified.
A recent test undertaken by Consumer NZ showed that one of six kitchen tap mixers purchased from a variety of retailers resulted in lead levels in the water higher than is permitted in the Australian/New Zealand testing standard.
Lead is a cumulative toxin, which makes ongoing exposure through drinking water a particular concern.
“No level of lead is acceptable,” says Master Plumbers CEO Greg Wallace. “Young children are especially vulnerable to the toxin, with even low levels of exposure linked to learning disabilities and nervous system damage.”
The tap mixer that failed was purchased from global retailer Amazon, which ships a wide range of product to New Zealand. This highlights the dangers of buying tapware online where the market is largely unregulated and unpoliced.
From May 2026, new requirements for plumbing products that deliver drinking water come into force, in line with an update to the building code. These products, which include kitchen and bathroom tapware, as well as valves and fittings connected to domestic drinking water pipes, must not contain more than 0.25% lead.
Master Plumbers welcomes the transition to lead free plumbing products in New Zealand but wants more to be done to give consumers confidence.
“We want to see compulsory ‘lead free’ marking being placed either on the product or the packaging of relevant plumbing products, to allow consumers and tradespeople to easily identify that they are lead-free,” says Wallace. “It is the plumber installing the product who is held responsible, so installers should have a way to easily determine if the product is compliant.”
Compulsory marking would allow for the policing of non-compliant or falsely declared products through Commerce Commission regulations. As it stands, the current building product information requirement (BPIR) regulations rely on self-reporting and do not have a proactive enforcement system in place-which is particularly concerning for the regulation of online retailers that may be importing international products.
Master Plumbers has been raising the alarm about lead in tapware for years. In 2018, the organisation commissioned independent testing of five tapware products sold in this country and found the level of lead leaching from one product to be 70% higher than the allowable limit in drinking water product standard AS/NZS 4020.
The full details of the test conducted by Consumer NZ are included in their online report and published in the latest issue of Consumer magazine. (ref. https://www.consumer.org.nz/articles/is-the-water-from-cheap-imported-tapware-safe )
Master Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers NZ Inc (Master Plumbers) is the national membership organisation for plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying businesses, with 18 regional Associations and Branches across New Zealand. Companies go through a Quality Assurance programme in order to become a member. We provide members with a wide range of resources and training opportunities to support them in staying up with the latest technologies, products and compliance requirements. We advocate on behalf of our members and our industry.
About Masterlink:
Masterlink, a group training scheme owned by Master Plumbers, provides managed mentored apprenticeships across New Zealand, with Regional Managers supporting the apprentices and the businesses who host them during their training.
About NZ Plumber:
NZ Plumber is the award-winning, bi-monthly magazine for New Zealand's plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers. It is owned by Master Plumbers.
Posted on

Greenpeace activists disrupt industrial fishing operation ahead of UN Ocean Conference

Source: Greenpeace

PACIFIC OCEAN, Friday, 6 June 2025 – Greenpeace activists have disrupted an industrial longlining fishing operation in the South Pacific Ocean, seizing almost 20 kilometers of fishing gear and freeing nine sharks, including an endangered mako, near Australia and New Zealand.
With an expert team on a small boat releasing more than a dozen animals, crew aboard Greenpeace ship the Rainbow Warrior retrieved the entire longline and more than 210 baited hooks from a EU-flagged industrial fishing vessel, including an endangered longfin mako shark, eight near-threatened blue sharks and four swordfish. The crew also documented the vessel catching endangered sharks during its longlining operation.
The at-sea action follows new Greenpeace Australia Pacific analysis exposing the extent of shark catch from industrial longlining in parts of the Pacific Ocean. Latest fisheries data showed that almost 70% of EU vessels’ catch was blue shark in 2023 alone. It comes ahead of next week’s UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, where world leaders will discuss ocean protection and the Global Ocean Treaty.
Georgia Whitaker, Senior Campaigner, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said:
“These longliners are industrial killing machines. Greenpeace Australia Pacific took peaceful and direct action to disrupt this attack on marine life. We saved important species that would otherwise have been killed or left to die on hooks.”
“The scale of industrial fishing – still legal on the high seas – is astronomical. These vessels claim to be targeting swordfish or tuna, but we witnessed shark after shark being hauled up by these industrial fleets, including three endangered sharks in just half an hour. Greenpeace is calling on world leaders at the UN Ocean Conference to protect 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030 from this wanton destruction.”
GreenpeaceAotearoa is calling on the New Zealand Government to ratify the Global Ocean Treaty and help create global ocean sanctuaries, including in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand signed the agreement in 2023.
More than two-thirds of sharks worldwide are endangered, and a third of those are at risk of extinction from overfishing. Over the last three weeks, the Rainbow Warrior has been documenting longlining vessels and practices off Australia’s east coast, including from Spain and China.
Posted on

Northland News – CityLink, BusLink fares to increase from August

Source: Northland Regional Council

Prices will increase across Northland’s public transport network from Friday 01 August with authorities saying they have been left with little choice in the matter.
Northland Regional Council member Joe Carr, who chairs the Northland Regional Transport Committee, says fares on Whangārei’s CityLink service will revert to their 2018 level of $3 for adults and $2 for children, an increase of $1 per journey on the present fares.
Fares on the rural BusLink services will rise by 50 cents per journey from Friday 01 August.
Infants up to four years of age will continue to travel free of charge. Concessions for Community Service Card and Gold Card holders remain in place for CityLink and BusLink routes.
From 01 August these concessions will also apply for the first time to BusLink’s Bream Bay Link and Hikurangi Link, which had not previously been able to offer these discounts.
“Council recognises that cost of living pressures are impacting on Northlanders and has for many years made every effort to keep bus fares as low as possible,” Chair Carr says.
However, he says the council – which administers the services – had been left with very little option, but to review fares.
“Regional councils nationwide are having to find additional forms of funding to cover bus operational, infrastructure and administration costs in keeping with the Government Policy on Land Transport 2024.”.
During Covid and to assist with the cost-of-living crisis, the government had funded several fare reduction schemes across the country, but this funding had ceased in 2023.
Chair Carr says even with the increased fares, Northland’s charges are still largely in line with other parts of New Zealand.
He says over the past two years CityLink has also made several improvements to the service, including the introduction of the SchoolLink service and extension to Route 3, an online bus tracking system, and the Rose Street bus hub redevelopment currently underway with Whangarei District Council.
The council will run an awareness campaign shortly to inform passengers of the intended increases.
Posted on

Tech Security – Tax assessment period a prime time for scams, expert warns

Source: Botica Butler Raudon Partners & Passion PR

Inland Revenue (IR) has begun issuing income tax assessments to New Zealanders, kicking off the annual cycle of tax refunds and chasing up tax owned.

With cybercriminals known to exploit this period, Norton experts are warning that Kiwis will soon be targeted with a range of tax scams, from phishing emails to phone impersonations and fake refund promises.

“New Zealand is one of the most heavily impacted countries by a new wave of AI-driven, hyper-personalised cyber threats. That makes tax time an especially risky period,” says Mark Gorrie, Managing Director Norton APAC.

“Our latest Q1 2025 Threat Report points out that breached data and AI tools are giving cybercriminals just enough personal information and design sophistication to easily manipulate people.”

Key tips for protecting yourself:

  • IR never includes refund amounts or login links in emails or texts 
  • Watch for suspicious domains (e.g. ird.com.nz, ird.qovt.nz); the real one is ird.govt.nz 
  • Be wary of terms like “fiscal activity”, “excess payment” or “Department of Taxes” 
  • Never give out personal info over the phone unless you’ve verified the caller – hang up and call IR back using their official number 
  • Use strong passwords, enable two-factor authentication, and secure personal documents.

Limit what you share online. Scammers can use social media info to guess security questions or build convincing fake messages.

Consider enrolling in an identity protection service. These services can monitor your financial and personal data, alert you to unusual activity, and help you recover more quickly if your identity is compromised.

Common types of tax scams:

  • Phishing emails impersonating IR, often claiming issues with your refund or tax return 
  • Fake IR calls demanding immediate payment for tax debts that don’t exist 
  • Identity theft, with scammers using your IR number to lodge fraudulent returns 
  • Social media scams offering fake tax help or posing as IR reps 
  • Emails with fake tax documents that install malware when opened 
  • Bogus refund offers used to harvest personal or banking info 
  • Scam charities asking for “deductible” donations
  • Tax payment scams involving prepaid gift cards or unusual repayment methods.