New Zealand First is warning again that the forestry industry is heading for disaster.

“While New Zealand’s forests are being cleaned out mostly by foreign owners other nations, including China, are locking up their forests,” says New Zealand First Leader and Member of Parliament for Northland Rt Hon Winston Peters.

“One of our greatest former state assets – trees – are being felled too early, not enough new trees are being planted and raw logs are leaving ports when it is processed products we should be exporting.

“Mismanagement of the industry and turning a blind eye to the plunder of our trees will go down as one of the great failures of the Key government.

“Each month they tick off land and forestry blocks to foreign buyers – now eight of the top 10 forest companies are foreign controlled.

“The way things are going in the coming years, exotic forests planted by people of foresight through the 1980s and early 1990s will be gone.

“From December 2001 to March 2015 the total area of new forest area planted plummeted from 33,674 hectares down to 3051 hectares.

“In the next five years China, our biggest market for logs, will fully stop the commercial harvest in their government owned forests thereby locking up 70.5 million hectares because they have over-harvested,” says Mr Peters.

Speech to Wood Processors and Manufacturers’ Association, July 2016

This article was originally sourced from Scoop Media.

THE Farm Machinery Industry Association (FMIA) has been given clear air to promote ag apprenticeship education.

It comes as State government policy after years of frustrations and blocked doors as the FMIA, and under its old name FMDA, has championed ag education, particularly as it relates to ag apprentices. And it has a solid and influential backer in South Regional TAFE Bunbury director, business development, Chris Mayfield.

Mr Mayfield said the ag training sector is undergoing significant change away from a bureaucratic structure to a more streamlined TAFE structure involving three centres covering 95 per cent of WA.

"And only one regional TAFE will pick up the agricultural industry," he said. "That centre will be the first point of reference to get things done."

FMIA executive officer John Henchy said talks had already started with Mr Mayfield to discuss the association's needs with specific emphasis on the Agricultural qualification AUR 30416 - Certificate III in Agricultural Mechanical Technology.

"Not only will we be focusing on the qualification but on delivery options and those options will be determined by our members in consultation with the management of the TAFE colleges who pick up the challenge," Mr Henchy said.

Mr Mayfield said the Certificate III course would be a Just-In-Time module with less emphasis on certificates and scholarships and more emphasis on developing specialised skills to be job-ready.

"We'll establish a world class training facility to cater for ag mechanical technology at a dedicated machinery training hub," he said. "That hub will be at Muresk and recognised as a Centre of Excellence with industry input into the curriculum.

"We have in-principle support from OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) for unified, flexible delivery methods with protects OEM intellectual property so essentially we'll be teaching the same stuff throughout the State.

"If an employee can't send staff to us, we'll come to them.

"Our trainers can go on-site, to say an ag dealership, to train apprentices.

"We'll have a testing and proving ground at Muresk with on-site accommodation for apprentices and employers will have a 24/7 access to our online training platform to access monthly updates on their employees.

"A dealer can ask for training on-site with the occasional trip to Muresk for a specific component of the course and I would encourage dealers to pool apprentices in one town to get a more tailored package from our training providers."

Answering a question on TAFE colleges not teaching the basics to apprentices, such as drilling steel or flat-bending steel, Mr Mayfield said it would be up to the FMIA to drive needs to the TAFE training council to change training packages where needed.

"This supposedly will be asked for from industry," he said.

FMIA president Alan Fisher confirmed the association's desire to be a conduit to influence training packages required by association members.

Mr Mayfield also said there would be emphasis on training providers.

"For example, the models we are using for dairy traineeship are endorsed by Dairy Australia and I'm employing trainers from within the dairy industry," Mr Mayfield said.

"We can also train the trainers to keep pace with changing technology and there's no reason why OEMs can't work with TAFE colleges in WA."

Mr Henchy said the FMIA detected a desire in the TAFE system to help the ag industry and people were prepared to work with the association.

"We believe it can work and can work well," he said.

This article was originally sourced from Farm Weekly and was written by Ken Wilson. 

Local Government Business Forum has called the New Zealand Initiative’s latest report a breath of "fresh ideas" in the often stale debate about what is the right size for local authorities.

The Local Benchmark: When Smaller is Better highlights how out of step New Zealand is with the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. There central government has embraced the diversity of local government to boost the pace of economic growth.

The report also analysed Montreal’s municipal amalgamation, and found that not only did the merger of 28 municipalities fail to achieve the efficiencies, the process increased the annual cost of running the city by C$400 million.

"When it comes questions about local government efficiency, all too often the only response we hear from central government is the need to consolidate councils in fewer entities and to centralise decision-making," said Forum Chairman Michael Barnett.

"This report shows that bigger isn’t necessarily better. There are other ways of structuring local government that lead to better outcomes. And we need fresh ideas if we are to tackle some of the long-standing problems that drag on our economy, like high house prices, local bureaucracy, and poor democratic accountability."

"Ultimately, both central and local government have a shared interest in getting New Zealand’s governance arrangements right. Let’s use that as the basis for a partnership instead of getting hung up on structure," Barnett said.

The report is being launched today at Local Government New Zealand’s annual conference, where Initiative Research Fellow and author Jason Krupp will deliver a keynote address.

ABOUT THE FORUM

The Local Government Business Forum comprises organisations that have a vital interest in the activities of local government. Its members include BusinessNZ, the Electricity Networks Association, Federated Farmers of NZ, The New Zealand Initiative, NZ Chambers of Commerce, and NZ Retailers’ Association. The Forum was established in 1994 to promote greater efficiency in local government and to contribute to the debate on policy issues affecting it.

For more information on the Forum, see www.localgovtforum.org.nz

This Media Release was originally sourced from Scoop Media. 

All-of-sector meeting tackles housing issues

New Zealand’s building and construction sector is facing the largest challenge of a generation. Auckland housing, the Canterbury rebuild, booming house prices, a lack of resource supply and the aftermath of the global financial crisis are just a few of the issues calling for an all-of-sector forum next month.

The Registered Master Builders Association (RMBA) is leading Constructive, a forum held in Christchurch from21-23 September. Attendees will address New Zealand’s key issues with a view to improving outcomes and performance for all.

David Kelly, Chief Executive of RMBA says Constructive is a fantastic opportunity for the wider building and construction sector to engage with the issues as a whole. Those attending include economists, financiers, insurers, councils, regulators, engineers, builders, architects, quantity surveyors, planners and industry training organisations.

“Housing is New Zealand’s number one issue right now, the Government and the sector need to come together to tackle these challenges and discuss strategies to overcome them,” he says. “Constructive is the first time this broad group will come together. It will play a critical role in New Zealand’s development.”

Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Bill English, along with Building and Housing Minister Nick Smith, intend to discuss the importance of the construction sector to New Zealand’s economy and the challenges that we face ahead.

A number of speakers from a range of disciplines in the building and construction sector will also share their views and participate in discussions to develop strategies for New Zealand’s future success.

This Media Release was originally sourced from Scoop Media. 

The Australian Psychological Society (APS) welcomes the Victorian Government’s recent announcement of a new Multicultural and Social Cohesion Division.

“Maintaining harmony and promoting social cohesion without compromising our social and religious diversity is important to all of us,” said APS President Professor Michael Kyrios.

“Social divisions impact all the community at varying levels, including levels of wellbeing and mental health.”

He added: “At this time, there are forces trying to divide us. We are being bombarded by dangerous and divisive messages that are creating fear by singling out certain groups as threats. Victorians have traditionally embraced multiculturalism and it’s important for Government and community leaders to build on that history.”

As part of his Presidential Initiative, Professor Kyrios has prioritised addressing social cohesion as one of the major challenges facing Australian society in the 21st Century, along with climate change and community wellbeing. Earlier in the year, Professor Kyrios hosted a Social Cohesion Roundtable, inviting experts from key areas to consider what psychology can contribute to social cohesion.

“At the APS we are focusing on social cohesion as a key priority and in particular identifying evidence-based strategies that can help inform policy and programs.”

“We are delighted to see an agency being set up to take a strategic policy approach to promoting social cohesion and celebrating our multicultural society, and we would welcome the opportunity to collaborate as there are many learnings from psychology that can be applied to bring communities together,” Professor Kyrios emphasised.

This Media Release was originally sourced from APS. 

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE WORLD’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

On International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, the AMA is calling for a whole-of Government approach to close the health inequalities that exist for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

This year’s International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is dedicated to supporting the right to education.

AMA President, Dr Michael Gannon, said today that we need genuine collaborative action to

improve health and education outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. “There are clear links between education and health,” Dr Gannon said.

“We know closing the gap and improving the health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people also means closing the gap in education and literacy.

“Now is the time to develop a whole-of-Government approach to improve access to education and provide health services in culturally appropriate ways to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

“All current and future policies addressing education, employment, poverty, housing, taxation, transport, the environment, and social security should be assessed according to their impact on health and equity.

“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will not achieve equal health outcomes until their educational, economic, and social disadvantages have been eliminated.

“We still have much work to do as a nation to close the gap in life expectancy and the overall health of Indigenous Australians compared with the rest of the community.

“The AMA remains committed to improving the health outcomes for Indigenous people by working in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups to advocate for greater Government investment and cohesive coordinated strategies.”

The AMA strongly endorses the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People and the goal of equal access to all education and training for Indigenous peoples.

This Media Release was originally sourced from AMA. 

Grants for community leadership announced

[12/8/16] Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Jo Goodhew has today announced the first group of grant recipients from the new Community Leadership Fund – Hapori Whakatipu.

“It is fantastic to see such a range of recipients being assisted to improve the sustainability and resilience of the Community and Voluntary Sector,” says Mrs Goodhew.

The new fund has the express purpose of strengthening leadership and capability building across the community and voluntary sector and has priorities that support collaboration and connection across the sector, social enterprise, volunteering, and community led-development.

This year’s allocation of $500,000 was distributed among six organisations; Ara Taiohi Incorporated, Hui E! Community Aotearoa, Ākina Foundation, Inspiring Communities Trust, Volunteer Army Foundation and Volunteering New Zealand.

“Whether it be nurturing the capability and leadership of organisations working in youth development, growing social enterprise, promoting community led development or engaging the volunteers of the future, these efforts to strengthen collaboration and leadership across the sector will all contribute to the strong and resilient communities of the future,” Mrs Goodhew says.

Notes for Media - List of grant recipients:

Ara Taiohi Incorporated - $60,000

Ara Taiohi is an umbrella organisation focussed on building leadership and capability in a specific community and voluntary sub sector; youth development. Ara Taiohi does not work directly with youth, but with organisations and individuals who work with youth. The funding will support a Youth Sector Development Project.

Hui E! Community Aotearoa - $120,000

Hui E! is at the forefront of the community and voluntary sector and is recognised as a leader in growing sector capability. Hui E! has adopted a collaborative leadership approach and fostered strong relationships within the sector. The funding will support Hui E!’s core operations to continue its work.

The Ākina Foundation - $85,000

The Ākina Foundation is acknowledged as the lead organisation in a specific community and voluntary sub sector; social enterprise. The Ākina Foundation is achieving its purposes through growing emerging social enterprises across New Zealand. The funding will support the Ākina Foundation’s core operations.

The Inspiring Communities Trust - $120,000

The Inspiring Communities Trust is regarded as the lead organisation in a specific community and voluntary sub sector; community led-development. Nationally and internationally recognised, the Inspiring Communities Trust plays an enabling and hands on role in supporting community led-development across the country. The funding will support the Inspiring Communities Trust’s core operations.

The Volunteer Army Foundation - $50,000

The Volunteer Army Foundation is a national organisation focussed on the provision of leadership and capability building within a specific community and voluntary sub sector; volunteering. The funding will support the Foundation’s programme of working with schools to develop the volunteers of the future.

Volunteering New Zealand Incorporated - $65,000

Volunteering New Zealand Incorporated plays a significant leadership and capability building role within a specific community and voluntary sub sector; volunteering. The funding will support Volunteering New Zealand’s core operations.

This media release was originally sourced from Scoop Media. 

The New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Andrew Eagles to the position of Chief Executive.

Effective September 29, Eagles will step into the role currently held by Alex Cutler, who has led the organisation since May 2010. Ms Cutler’s final day with the NZGBC will be September 30.

Announcing the appointment, NZGBC Board Chair Mary-Jane Daly said that in a strong field of candidates, Eagles stood out for several reasons.

“Andrew has a breadth of technical skills relevant to the property, building and construction industries, and has been directly working in the field of sustainability for more than 13 years. His enthusiastic leadership and strategic experience will be an invaluable asset to our organisation.”

Taranaki-born Eagles is currently working in London as CEO of the Brick Development Association, and prior to that was the Managing Director of Sustainable Homes for nine years. He has an honours degree in public policy from Victoria University of Wellington.

“At Sustainable Homes, Andrew led a business focused on providing sustainability solutions for the built environment, with core services in consultancy and professional training. This is a perfect fit with NZGBC’s work, as we continue to work with the building and construction industries to create healthy, efficient and productive buildings,” adds Ms Daly.

“Andrew has demonstrated his abilities as a leader and a commercially minded public advocate for sustainability. He has enjoyed a successful track record of growing revenue, diversifying services and product offerings, and keeping the practice of sustainability relevant. We believe Andrew is well placed to continue to grow NZGBC on the back of Alex’s contribution over the past six years.”

Eagles has been living in the UK for more than 13 years, and says he’s keen to bring back his international experience to help influence the New Zealand market.

“I’m thrilled to have this opportunity, to lead the NZGBC and to return home to New Zealand with my family. I’ve seen the appetite for sustainability in residential and commercial buildings increase worldwide over the past decade, and I hope to inspire others to create the kind of sustainable built environment New Zealand deserves,” Eagles says.

“Last year the world committed to a historic climate agreement that is desperately needed; this year alone, we have seen record after record broken on temperature rises. As we heat up for a changing future, I am excited to assist home owners and landlords, office-building owners, renters and others to have buildings that are fit for the future.”

NZGBC is celebrating its 10th anniversary later in the year.

This Media Release was originally sourced from Scoop Media.

How did you first become involved with BioGro?

When BioGro New Zealand Ltd. was looking for a new CEO in September of 2014, they found me through LinkedIn. I have 20 years in the organic certification sector mainly based in Japan but doing work all over the world in my role as managing director of Quality Assurance International Japan Ltd. and Ecocert Japan Ltd. Some of their licensee members and councillors had met me while they had been attending trade shows in Japan and these connections are what helped me find this role.

Although I had visited New Zealand as an organic auditor for Ecocert SA, I didn’t have much connection with New Zealand. Being in the organic certification sector and knowing about the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements, which BioGro is a longstanding accredited member, I knew about BioGro. Also, BioGro New Zealand is one of the oldest certifiers in the world and certified Zespri. Since we eat a lot of kiwifruit, I knew about BioGro from the packaging being on our kitchen table. We also certified the repacker for Zespri’s fruit in Japan. When the opportunity to work for BioGro happened, we were thrilled. I still can’t believe how fortunate I am to be working in New Zealand in an organization like BioGro.

Can you share how the organisation came about and the benefits it presents to its members, and the wider public health workforce?

BioGro New Zealand Society is a membership organization that is the shareholder of BioGro New Zealand Ltd. the certifier. We work together to ensure a sustainable future for producers and consumers. Over 33 years ago the Soil and Health Association of New Zealand, the Henry Doubleday Research Foundation and the Biodynamic Association established the BioGro Society to create standards for organic production for New Zealand. BioGro was run from the Soil & Health offices for 10 years. Later the BioGro Society in May 1995 established the subsidiary BioGro New Zealand Ltd. to be a professional certification body.

The BioGro Society has certified licensee members and associate members who are not BioGro New Zealand Ltd. certified customers. Because we are a non-profit registered charity, we provide services to all our customers at reasonable cost. Members have a say in the role of the Society in promoting organics and sustainability. They also may have direct input into the standards and the technical committees. I think the real benefit to members is a feeling of supporting an organization committed to organics and sustainability like the producers and consumers are dedicated to supporting. Being members of organizations that share our values is what membership is all about.

What exciting projects are underway at BioGro?

BioGro is actually entering into a new era. At our AGM on 16 July 2016 the members unanimously voted to merge the Society with the Soil and Health Association. So we have come full circle. From 1 October the merged organization will be called the Soil and Heath Association and BioGro Society licensee members and associate members will become Soil and Health Association members.

BioGro New Zealand Ltd. will be owned by the Soil and Health Association as will the BioGro standards and trademark. This new era will mean that the assets will be combined and the mission of the BioGro Society to create standards and establish a certification body have largely been achieved, however it still remains to create a national standard and national regulation.

There is still a lot of work to do to make the agricultural sector more sustainable. We aim to be a big part of making this happen.

What would you say to someone starting out in the not-for-profit sector with a view to become a future leader?

Get your hands dirty. It is too easy just to sign up and not get involved. There are so many roles that need people who are passionate about the mission. If you find an organization that resonates with your values, get involved. Show up to the meetings and speak up about what you believe in. Perhaps this is the “American” way that I have used in many organizations, however I think people who consistently show up and speak up are the ones who can shape organisations for the better.

At BioGro we constantly need people to help us with our mission. Anywhere from board members to communications experts to people who can help us with fundraising. I think all not-for-profit organizations are challenged to deliver value to members without large overheads. This can translate into real challenges for attracting and keeping qualified people. If you want to be a leader in this sector, look to those already doing well and get involved with them.

I have found AuSAE membership to be a great way to meet leaders who have not only time to share but who have immense value to share as well for developing leaders.

All associations communicate with their members, but unfortunately that communication can often be ineffective. Why is that?

Ineffective communication is one of the big reasons that members feel disenfranchised from their association.

That’s because good communication is such an important part of any relationship, be it with your partner at home, or between members and their association.

Here are five sure-fire ways you can improve your communications to members, and enhance their relationship with you.

1. DON’T ‘BROADCAST’

Associations assume that all members want the same information all the time. They don’t. Members are individuals and will have differing content requirements. Content must be targeted. Yes, it takes a bit more time and effort but the alternative is to broadcast information that can be seen as unimportant, irrelevant or inconsequential and if that happens members will switch off. And nothing will spoil a relationship faster than poor communication.

2. FIX THE ‘NEWSLETTER PROBLEM’

Some associations publish newsletters that are almost impenetrable. Some fill the space with whatever is to hand come publication time. Often the business of producing the newsletter is so all-consuming that little thought goes into it anymore. However, it’s imperative that real care and attention is paid to newsletter content. Think about your newsletter and your social media platforms as a subscriber-based media. Ask yourself “would I pay to read this?” Because, effectively, your members are paying to read it and they may not always want to pay for it. This mindset might influence your choice of content. It might also enhance your member communications and engagement.

3. GIVE ‘EM NEWS THEY CAN USE

In line with the above, keep this thought in mind when casting about for content: Give them ‘news they can use’. This is how a journalist thinks. Most members don’t care about the administrivia of their association. They want content they will find interesting on a personal level or that impacts their business or other aspects of their life. So ask yourself – is it useful information, is it entertaining, is it meaningful to members in some way? Or is it space-filler?

4. USE THE RACSS FORMULA

When you construct content, use the RACSS formula. Write in such a way that your content is:

• Relevant to your audience
• Actionable in that the material motivates action or thought
• Compelling – it is difficult to ignore, forget, overlook
• Sticky – it is memorable
• Simple to understand

5. USE THE MEDIA TO ENGAGE WITH MEMBERS

Use the media whenever you can. Nearly 80% of NZers get their news from the 6pm news. Stuff is the most widely read site in NZ, closely followed by the Herald. Newstalk ZB 7am news rates off the scale. Your members are listening to, watching and reading those news outlets, among others. If your message is in the media, your members will get it. There are three key benefits to using the media to communicate with members.

• The media is distilling messages so they are accessible and digestible. Not all association newsletters do that. So using the media to deliver messages means members get relevant information in easy-to-understand chunks.
• You are being seen to be abreast topical issues. Members like the fact their association is on top of things and is respected enough by the media to have a voice. They take pride in that. It’s also important for stakeholders to see you in the media, for the same reasons. Being in the media gives you a cachet, some kudos.
• Members just want to feel that their association ‘matters’. They are paying you good money for an intangible service and part of keeping members happy is to make them feel they are paying their money to a worthwhile entity. Being quoted in the media reinforces that perception.

So there you have it. Five simple ideas to engage more effectively with your members. Why do you need to engage them as opposed to just communicate with them? Watch this space.

This article was written by: 

Daniel Paul

The PR Company

(021) 400-993

Theprcompany.co.nz

Daniel@theprcompany.co.nz