2019 issue 02 - mcoc.org.nz · natalie chief winemaker at yealands estate winery. the winery opened...

20 19 ISSUE 02

A visit from the Prime Minister

Local solutions to finding labour

V O I C E M A G A Z I N E2

F R O M T H E G E N E R A L M A N A G E R

The Chamber has enjoyed a very successful start to it's 2019 events programme with a range of speakers including our recent

event with the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister. It’s great to see our membership so engaged. Our region does better when we have active and engaged people in business and that starts with the Chamber. So keep it up, we love the conversations and seeing fresh faces joining familiar, breathing new life into the Chamber. The progress is undeniable and I am so thankful to our team, and to the wider business community been so supportive and getting stuck in behind us.

We are seeing investment in projects, workforce and development, and some great initiatives for Marlborough like Te Tauihi; an intergenerational vision and roadmap for the Top of The South driven by Wakatū Inc. This is just the type of

This year has been a time of significant growth for the Chamber supported by the inspiring people in business who form the beating heart of our community.

CONTENTS

From the General Manager ..............................2

Upcoming Chamber events .............................3

ASB Theatre Marlborough .................................4

Snapped with the Prime Minister ....................5

Domestic Violence Leave Policy .....................6

Regional Business Partner Network ............... 7

Meet the Chamber Board .................................8

Marching on in Marlborough ..........................10

Losses from rental property ............................ 12

2019 Business Excellence Awards .................. 13

NZX 50 pushes through 10,000 points ........ 15

Business Feature : Hortus ................................. 16

Meet our members ............................................. 18

From the MP’s desk ............................................. 19

For all enquiries please contact: Marlborough Chamber of Commerce Level 1, 82 Seymour StreetPO Box 658, Blenheim 7240Phone: 03 577 9575 Email: [email protected] Web: www.mcoc.org.nz

MarlboroughCOC

marlbchamberofcommerce

Marlborough Chamber of Commerce

Chamber Board:President: Nita van Grinsven Board members: Anthony Barnes, Jayden Duthie, Fiona Fenwick, Khalid Suleiman, Pete Coldwell,Nate Bainbridge, Nicky Simpson, Natalie Christensen.Design: Vanilla Hayes LtdPrint: Blenheim Print

From the General Manager

Meet your Chamber

team

bigger picture, aspirational thinking we need to be doing more of as a region.

The 2019 Business Excellence Awards are approaching so make sure you have the evening of the 18th October marked to join us. This is where we celebrate the best of the best that our region has to offer and I encourage you to get your entry in. If your goal is to promote, grow and become a better business, this is the way to do it.

Hans NeilsonGeneral Manager

L to R : Kathryn Stewart, Hans Neilson, Alice Parkinson

Looking to advertise in our Voice magazine?

Our next issue is due out October 2019 and we have various advertising

spaces available. Email [email protected] for further information.

Upcoming Chamber Events & Trainings

V O I C E M A G A Z I N E 3

U P C O M I N G C H A M B E R E V E N T S

JULY 2019

Wednesday 3 JulyBusiness Building Blocks Workshop hosted by Toastmasters

Thursday 4 JulyA networking evening hosted by Hortus and Graeme Dingle Foundation

Friday 5 July Voice Magazine Issue 02 Release

Wednesday 17 JulyDinner with The Right Honourable James Brendan Bolger, ONZ at the Taylor Bar & Eatery Restaurant

AUGUST 2019

Wednesday 7 AugustSave the date for a Business Building Blocks Workshop

Thursday 15 AugustA networking evening hosted by Air New Zealand

Wednesday 21 AugustAdvertising booking deadline for Voice Magazine Issue 03

Friday 23 August Business Excellence Awards entries and nominations close

Thursday 29 AugustLocal Candidates Debate Luncheon

SEPTEMBER 2019

Wednesday 4 SeptemberSave the date for a Business Building Blocks Workshop

Thursday 5 SeptemberA networking evening hosted by Rangitane at Business Trust Marlborough

Wednesday 11 SeptemberBusiness Luncheon with Wine Marlborough and KPMG

Friday 13 SeptemberBusiness Excellence Awards entrants announced and voting opens for Business Person and Young Business Person of the Year Awards

Tuesday 17 SeptemberBreakfast with Steve Schmidt, owner of Naiad Boat Design in Picton

OCTOBER 2019

Wednesday 2 OctoberSave the date for a Business Building Blocks Workshop

Thursday 3 OctoberVoice Magazine Issue 03 Release

Friday 4 OctoberVoting Closes for Business Person and Young Business Person of the Year Awards

Friday 18 October2019 Business Excellence Awards evening held at the Marlborough Convention Centre

- CROSSING BORDERS SEAMLESSLY -

• The intricacies of country specific requirements

• Going from national to international product reach

• MPI regulations

• Customs regulations

• Stock movements

• Shipping terms

• Incoterms

• Paperwork requirements

• Using a forwarder

• HC Codes

• The acronyms

• Trade Agreement implications

• FDA registration

• Deadline management

Heather Donachie+64 27 241 [email protected]

Overhead Solutions can help you in all of these areas and more. Whether you are starting out exporting, or you need expert help within your business on a contract or consultancy basis, we can make the process a logical and pain free one.

MARLBOROUGH BASED – NATIONWIDE REACH


A S B T H E AT R E M A R L B O R O U G H

As a business are you looking for ways to reward staff or thank clients?

They do it in the big cities, so why not in downtown Blenheim? Well that’s all about to change. Hosted Corporate show entertainment packages are now

coming to our beautiful region at the ASB Theatre Marlborough.

Whether you are looking to entertain some valued clients or acknowledge the

efforts of some hard working staff, we are working with our promoters to develop VIP packages which will be available for selected shows, offering a unique way in which to experience live performance right here at home.

Packages tailored for individual groups feature inclusions such as:

Got your tickets?

• A segregated VIP guest area for hosting• Catering and beverage packages• Preferential seating

These exclusive packages are being offered first to Chamber members. For more information or to take advantage of this new entertainment offering contact the theatre on [email protected] or phone 03 520 558.

So... Got your tickets?


Snapped with the Prime Minister

Marlburians gather to hear the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern in June


Since the implementation of the new Domestic Violence Victims’ Protection Act on 1 April 2019, a number of our clients have approached us for advice and support around how this new piece of legislation can be integrated into existing and revised leave policies and employment agreements. The most common questions we are fronting are “do I need to develop a new policy and how do I do this”, “how do I implement and maintain confidentiality for the victim” and “how do I know they’re being truthful”.

By Amanda Parish – Intepeople HR Partner

There is no doubt that this is a very sensitive and delicate area for employers to manage, especially in the absence of their own internal HR

team. For victims, understanding what their options are and what help is available from their employer, while having the confidence of knowing their privacy and rights won’t be compromised, is essential.

It is estimated that more than 500,000 New Zealanders are victims of family violence (defined as physical, sexual or psychological abuse), of which more than 40% are in paid employment. The impact of family violence is significant. The cost to NZ businesses in terms of lost productivity, recruitment, retraining and coverage for sick days is substantial and on the rise.

Implementing a Family Violence Policy in your workplace is more than just ‘the right thing to do’. It will help your employees feel safe and supported through an extremely stressful and difficult time and it will see workplace productivity improve. What is key is that no business

is exempt from offering its employees 10 days of paid domestic violence leave per year. All employees have the right to apply for this leave as they would with sick or bereavement leave. Employees are also eligible to request a short-term variation to their working arrangements (up to two months or shorter) to which the employer must respond to within 10 working days. This variation can include changes to hours of work, location and duties of work. Failure by the employer to consider and address these requests, including taking any action which is deemed discriminatory on the grounds of the employee being affected by domestic violence, will have very severe consequences.

While there are a number of resources for employers to tap into to support with the development of a Domestic Violence Leave Policy and plenty of articles available about ‘what and how’, this doesn’t need to be complicated or hard to do. Incorporating into your existing leave policy and employment agreements a reference to the

new policy and the employee’s entitlements is a good place to start.

In addition, work with your people managers and staff so they’re aware of the new policy and what it means. Work as a team to think about the support options you can offer employees so they feel safe in the workplace and know what assistance and services are available to them in addition to domestic violence leave and flexible working arrangements. Protect people’s privacy and make sure you have a process in place for managing domestic violence leave applications and financial reporting that is 100% confidential.

We know that every workplace is unique and one size doesn’t fit all. This is the same across company policies and procedures. Customising to meet the needs of your business and culture is important. Research the tools and options available across sites like business.govt.nz and the Human Rights Commission or if you would like one on one support and advice from an experienced HR specialist, please contact us on 579 4794.

Domestic Violence Leave Policy – what and how?


We partner with clients to build tailored investment portfolios based on their needs.

KENT WINSTANLEY & FELIX VAVASOUR BLENHEIM BRANCH

And it all starts with a conversation.Kent Winstanley 03 577 [email protected] Vavasour 03 577 [email protected]

craigsip.com

Craigs Investment Partners Limited is a NZX Participant Firm. Kent Winstanley and Felix Vavasour are Investment Advisers at Craigs Investment Partners. Adviser Disclosure Statements are available on request and free of charge. Please visit craigsip.com

Access the Regional Business Partner NetworkAs your Regional Business Partner, the Chamber has a specialist Growth Advisor who helps local business access support to innovate and grow.

Our Growth Adviser, Kathryn Stewart, is just a phone call away and can provide information, advice, funding and connections.

You don’t need to be a member of the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce to chat with Kathryn, but there are eligibility criteria for businesses who would like to receive Capability Voucher funding. This

funding focuses on helping owners and key managers build their business management capability in areas like business planning, governance, finance and operations. Eligible businesses may receive a subsidy of up to 50 percent towards third party training or coaching.

The Regional Business Partner programme also connects businesses who

are innovating new and novel technologies with innovation support through Callaghan Innovation.

To find out more, visit mcoc.org.nz/rbp or call the Chamber on 03 577 9575.


M E E T T H E C H A M B E R B O A R D

Fiona FenwickMentor and Coach fifteenminutes.org.nzVice President of Chamber Board

Natalie ChristensenChief Winemaker, Yealands Wine Group

Khalid SuleimanDirectorSeng Engineering Consultancy

What do you do and how long have you been doing so in Marlborough?

NATALIE Chief Winemaker at Yealands Estate Winery. The winery opened on 08-08-08, so we have been operating just over 10 years now.

KHALID Director of several small businesses, Chartered Professional Engineer operating my own business – Seng Engineering Consultancy for five years.

Our ‘meet the board’ series continues in our next issues of Voice Magazine with with Anthony Barnes (Vice President), Nicky Simpson and Jayden Duthie

Call us on 03 579 4794www.intepeople.co.nz

We understand business and people.

• Employment Agreements• Performance Management• Employment Relations• Restructuring

• Recruitment• Temporary Staff• Health and Safety

Your Marlborough Recruitment and HR Partners.

FIONA I am active in leadership development, focusing on reputation and influence and I regularly speak at conferences and events and have recently published a book on the topic. In addition, I mentor and coach as well as co-facilitate the New Zealand Female Leader Programme. I have been based in Marlborough for four years but my work is throughout New Zealand and overseas.


M E E T T H E C H A M B E R B O A R D

Why is having a strong business community in Marlborough important to you?

FIONA A thriving and dynamic business community is the heart of a successful region. Ensuring that Marlborough is creating sustainable employment and finding niche areas to innovate and lead is key to our developing success.

NATALIE Marlborough is an incredible region, which is home for a lot of talented and interesting New Zealanders doing great things. Having a strong business community directly contributes to creating a thriving and vibrant region.

KHALID A strong business community is a critical component in the community. When business is strong, there is low unemployment, there is positivity and growth.

How long have you been a member of the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce and why did you decide to become a board member?

FIONA I have been active in Chamber of Commerce throughout my career, starting in Europe and currently serving as a board member in Marlborough. I feel very strongly about each person playing a part in some way in developing the community in which they live - in whatever area is best suited to them.

NATALIE I have been a member for about three years and joined the board late last year. I decided to become a board member when I met another board member through the NZ Winegrowers Women in Wine mentoring programme. It sounded like a great way to get involved in the community and meet other Marlburians.

KHALID About five years (when I stated my business), I became a board member to make a difference to business in Marlborough.

What is your view of the current business landscape in Marlborough and how do you think it is going to look in the future?

FIONA I think it is an exciting time for many businesses in the area but a greater government spotlight on supporting the regions will definitely assist this.

NATALIE There are a lot of talented business people in Marlborough and there seem to be more and more people moving from the major centres for lifestyle reasons. In the future I think that the Marlborough business landscape will be diverse and full of people who are continuing and adding to making Marlborough an incredible place to live.

KHALID Marlborough’s current business landscape is strong in all sectors, the horticulture sector is only going to strengthen. With fast internet, I can see many more people being attracted to Marlborough’s lifestyle and landscape working remotely.

How would you like the business landscape to look in the future?

FIONA Thriving with more opportunities for innovation and support. Increased international awareness and usage of our research and development expertise.

NATALIE Full of people excited to be here; incredibly inclusive, vibrant, exciting and progressive.

KHALID More diverse, investment into new technologies and attracting high calibre people to this region for the lifestyle of working remotely.

What do you see as being the most valuable aspect of being a member of the Chamber of Commerce for local businesses?

FIONA The connectivity with other businesses and the ability to combine voices to make greater impact on driving positive change. We also have many small businesses in the area which can often be challenging in itself, so the ability to network can never be underestimated.

NATALIE Building relationships and getting to know the local business community.

KHALID Connectivity: being able to tap into the connections that the chamber has.

What do you love most about Marlborough and what it has to offer as a region?

FIONA Everything. But in particular the fact that we get to live and work in one of the most spectacular areas of the world. You can’t underestimate the impact of your environment on how you live and work. I think this is often taken for granted.

NATALIE I love the beauty of the region and the relaxed lifestyle.

KHALID The landscape, the people and the potential.

Describe yourself in less than five words:

FIONA A passionate Marlburian of choice.

NATALIE Attracted to all things vibrant!

NATE Honest, reliable, determined and focused.

Favourite Marlborough activity:

FIONA Wine and food - producing and consuming!

NATALIE Being in the Marlborough Sounds. I also love walking in the Withers, and spending time at Whites Bay.

KHALID Enjoying the Marlborough Sounds.

Tell us something we may not know about you?!

FIONA I am a marriage and civil union celebrant and a prolific jam maker!

NATALIE I have two chickens (Silver Laced Wyandottes) named Ellen and Portia.

KHALID I am half Palestinian.


Marching on in Marlborough

Experience has seen Marlborough Executive Broker, Wayne Wiffen, receive a top international award recently, with a trip to Chicago undertaken in March to receive the coveted Broker of the Year – New Zealand award at the Gallagher President’s Club Awards.

“We’re all very proud of Wayne’s achievement and it’s such a positive way to start the year for the entire team. Wayne is so passionate about people and it’s wonderful to see him receiving recognition at a global level,” continues Laura.

“There is more on the horizon for the Marlborough business too. Because the team has grown, we will soon be kicking off an office refit project to expand our available space; things have become a bit cramped over time,” she says of the branch’s current premises in Blenheim.

And on the subject of Blenheim itself, Laura believes there is definitely a positive mood within the town’s business community, with key local industries such as winemaking and tourism continuing to grow and innovate. Naturally, there remain challenges as well.

“I think we are enjoying a very buoyant economy in Blenheim and the Marlborough region. This is offset by a couple of key challenges though; due to the nature of some of our larger industries we have a very transient labour market. Finding and retaining labour isn’t easy for many employers. Underlying this is an aging population, as Blenheim’s climate, amenities and housing attract more retirees than in previous decades.

“Some of these issues aren’t specific to Marlborough of course, but they certainly have the ability to impact the economy here,” she says.

“Whatever the issues though, it’s great to be leading the team here in Blenheim and we’re making sure we’re focused on policy at a micro level, ensuring that clients within certain sectors have the ability to manage risk specific to those sectors, rather than a macro approach.

“Marlborough is a unique place, and Crombie Lockwood has a number of unique solutions for clients. It’s an exciting time to be working in this business.”

Crombielockwood.co.nz

In the last 18 months, Crombie Lockwood Marlborough has embarked on a business evolution triggered by the appointment of Branch Director Laura Kidd and has grown in tandem with the region’s economy and opportunities.

With three new faces joining the tight knit team in the last year, the branch, located at Rangitane House on Blenheim’s Main Street, now

has a team of 11 insurance experts. Each who are dedicated to ensuring their client’s needs are protected and their businesses positioned to survive any insurable event.

With the Marlborough region enjoying a relatively buoyant economy the branch journey couldn’t have come a better time and Laura is enthusiastic about what the future holds.

“We’re in a great position at present with a good mix of new people joining the industry, backed by knowledgeable staff who have been managing clients’ needs for many years. It’s the perfect mix of experience and enthusiasm which means there is more of an opportunity to be creative in how we approach things.”

Grow your career

nmit.ac.nz/viticulture

Study viticulture and winemaking in Marlborough, the heart of New Zealand’s wine industry.

Programme Lead Specialist, Viticulture and Winemaking

Introducing Pam Wood

Pam Wood brings a lifetime of horticulture and primary industries experience to the Viticulture and Winemaking programme at NMIT.

Her award-winning networking skills will be an asset to the programme, helping NMIT and our students to best meet the needs of industry.

Wood was raised in a farming family on a lifestyle property in rural Northland where growing organic fruit and vegetables was a way of life.

“This absolutely inspired my love of horticulture and awoke my curiosity around plants,” she says.

Since then, she has helped to teach horticulture courses in the community and has developed and managed horticulture programmes at tertiary institutions around the country, including Lincoln University and Manukau Institute of Technology.

Wood says she’s excited to apply her knowledge and passion to the Viticulture and Winemaking programme at NMIT.

“I’m looking forward to building on an already healthy programme that has the potential to be taken out to other areas of New Zealand and offshore using our online capabilities, along with the opportunity to create

something very special in our own vineyard going forward at NMIT.”

Wood’s strength is networking and making connections with industry and stakeholders and allowing this to inform NMIT’s programmes and develop “packages of learning” that are tailored to a particular employer or role.

She says Viticulture and Winemaking industry is ripe with opportunities for students and the NMIT programme is designed to prepare them for the workforce.

“It is an exciting time to be in this industry. The old perception of the industry having only hard, manual, repetitive labouring jobs is finally disappearing with the realisation that viticulture and winemaking is full of technology, science, business, logistics and more - there are so many opportunities. This is an industry in which you never stop learning and there can be great financial rewards for those who apply themselves and are not afraid to work hard.”

Wood says she hopes to provide students with “accessibility and flexibility”.

“I want them to have great access to a team of highly knowledgeable and well-regarded lecturers who are connected with this industry.

“I want each student to feel their learning journey is individually tailored to meet their needs and provides them with the flexibility to switch between full and part-time, on campus or online learning as their life journey dictates the need to change.”

She says she’s thrilled to relocate to the Marlborough region and plans to enjoy the climate, amazing local foods and wines, and the lack of traffic compared to Auckland.

To find out the range of Viticulture and Winemaking courses available at NMIT, see nmit.ac.nz/viticulture

> Bachelor of Viticulture and Winemaking

Full time, part time and online> Applied Viticulture NZ Certificate in Horticulture

Production (Fruit Production)

> New Zealand Certificate in Cellar Operations (Level 4)

Gain the skills and knowledge to carry out cellar work, supervise and mentor staff.

> New Zealand Certificate in Cellar Operations (Level 3)

Intensive programme on the basics of winemaking and finishing procedures


The losses can still not be claimed. Your only solution would be to buy another rental property. You would then be entitled to use those past losses as a deduction against profits on the new rental property. If you own several properties, you can treat each separately, if you wish. If you do nothing they will be treated as a “portfolio” and you will be entitled to set off profits and losses on each of them against the others. Any

surplus losses then get carried forward. There are occasional situations where your rental losses can be set off against the profit on the sale of the property (e.g. Brightline profits). This is only allowed if that profit on sale is taxable, i.e. not a tax-free capital gain.

The following is the proposed tax law, which has yet to be enacted. Some of it could be changed. As you will know, losses on residential rental properties

may no longer be claimed as a deduction in your annual tax return. They will have to be carried forward to the next year and set off against any rental profits in that year. Any surplus losses get carried forward again. What happens when you sell your property?

C O R N E R S T O N E P A R T N E R F E A T U R E — W A L L A C E D I A C K

For more informationplease contact:Wallace Diack03 578 7389

Losses from rental properties

Find the keys to business vitality with the Chamber


B U S I N E S S E X C E L L E N C E A W A R D S — E N T R I E S N O W O P E N

Have you entered yet?? KEY DATES

FRIDAY 23 AUGUST∙ Online entries close∙ Nominations close for Business and Young

Business Person of the Year

MONDAY 16 SEPTEMBER ∙ Business Excellence Awards entrants

announced∙ Finalists for Business Person and Young

Business Person of the Year announced; voting opens

FRIDAY 4 OCTOBER ∙ Online voting closes for Business Person

and Young Business Person of the Year finalists

FRIDAY 18 OCTOBER ∙ Business Excellence Awards evening at the

Marlborough Convention Centre

CELEBRATING BUSINESS EXCELLENCE & INNOVATION IN OUR COMMUNITY

Award Categories for 2019 are as follows:• Emerging, Small, Medium and Large

Business Awards• Community Impact Award• Clever Business Award• Young Business Person and Business

Person of the Year Award – by way of nomination

• Supreme Business Award Remember entries and nominations close Friday 23 August so there is plenty of time.

What does entering do for your business? • It captures your business plan with

the entry process making you critically evaluate your business and consider your future plans

• Fantastic exposure for your business through coverage in this magazine, our various social media platforms, media coverage in the lead up to the event, and a profile in the Awards programme on the night

∙ Award winner benefits with additional coverage in the Chamber’s communications channels and follow up media. You will of course also receive a winner’s trophy!

“Since first entering the MCOC Business Excellence Awards in 2017, we have found that our business has become more ‘in the faces’ of the business community as well as the general public and to have taken the Best Emerging Business Award was the ‘icing on the cake’. Everyone will tell you how much you learn about your business whilst completing an entry and yes, it is time consuming but the rewards are certainly getting to know your business better than ever. We were driven to enter for a second year and had success with collecting the Best Medium Business Award and along the journey, furthering our knowledge of what our business does, how it performs and what it needs moving ahead.

What does the 2019 Business Excellence Awards hold for us? Well, we still eye up that Supreme Award every year so we may be back to give it a go. Get in there and mix with some of the province’s best businesses and good luck.”

- Darrell & Tina BateMag & Turbo Blenheim

Winner of Medium Business Award 2018Winner of Emerging Business Award 2017

Our Business Excellence Awards are open to everyone in the Marlborough

business Community – you don’t have to be a Chamber member to enter!

Entries and Nominations now open www.mcoc.org.nz/awards

V O I C E M A G A Z I N E 15V O I C E M A G A Z I N E 15

NZX 50 pushes through 10,000 points

The NZX 50, the key sharemarket index in New Zealand, pushed through the 10,000 point level earlier this year for the first time ever. Is that cause for celebration, nervousness or is it just a meaningless number that shouldn’t matter to anyone?

if we go back to the mid 1980s (in order to pick up the devastation of the 1987 crash) it’s more like 7.5 per cent per annum.

Either way, we need to acknowledge returns over the last decade have been running well above normal. Consequently, investors should be wary of looking back over recent years and assuming this is what they can expect in the future.

Another important detail to keep in mind is that the NZX 50 accounts not just for share price changes, but also dividend payments.

Remember the earlier comment that the market is 130 per cent higher than the 2007 peak? When we look at share prices alone, it’s 41 per cent. While still significant, this is much less dramatic and doesn’t conjure up the same thoughts about a huge bubble in prices.

By comparison, the S&P 500 is 86 per cent above its 2007 peak, while Auckland median house prices are 77 per cent above those pre-GFC highs.

A sharemarket is simply a trading platform for many of the great companies doing business in our local economy and around the world. The level of the index is driven by the investment returns of these, which largely reflects the health of the underlying businesses as well as their future growth prospects.

In most cases, if the market is going higher it means our biggest companies are in good shape, which is a function of a strong economy. Despite the need for caution, that’s something we should be proud of, and it deserves a small celebration.

DISCLAIMERFelix Vavasour is an Investment Adviser at Craigs Investment Partners. His disclosure statement is available free of charge under his profile on craigsip.com. This column is general in nature and should not be regarded as specific investment advice.For investment advice please contact Felix Vavasour, Investment Adviser at Craigs Investment Partners by phoning 03 577 7410 or visit craigsip.com

The honest answer is “all of the above”. In terms of pure fundamentals, 10,000 points is no more relevant than any other number.

Nonetheless, it’s a good excuse to reflect on the state of the market, just like we did when the Dow Jones index hit 20,000 back in 2015, and as we will when the S&P 500 in the US gets to 3,000 (it’s got about 3.3 per cent to go before then, so who knows when that’ll be).

I’m an optimist, so I’m going to err on the side of celebration for our market milestone. However, it also serves as a reminder that the last decade has been nothing short of exceptional for investors.

The NZX 50 index is up more than 300 per cent since the March 2009 lows, when the world was in the depths of the GFC, and it’s about 130 per cent above the 2007 peak.

It has returned more than 14 per cent per annum over the past ten years. Over the past 25 years, the average annual return from NZ shares has been 9.5 per cent, and

C R A I G S I N V E S T M E N T P A R T N E R S


Successful Marlborough vineyard management business and Marlborough Chamber of Commerce member, Hortus, is working hard to aid locals into work.

was then increased to five days per week until the programme ends in August.

They would be working at least 25 hours per week throughout the programme.

“We’re doing the hours of 9am until 2.30pm so people that are returning to work after injuries or mental health issues, or they have family commitments, they can do it,” Lucy says.

“They’ve also got the support network and are encouraging each other; they’re not just thrown in with the RSE guys, who are very experienced at what they do.”

Marlborough mother Johanna Harper says having the ability to work within school hours enables her to care for her six-year-old son, while also working for her income.

She previously worked for Hortus during pruning season last year and was delighted to be asked to come back and join the programme this year.

“Hortus is a great company to work for, and the programme is good because I can still be a mum and work,” she says.

Hortus has three pick-up points in town for staff, saving Johanna and her colleagues money on transport and ensuring they are where they need to be, when they need to be there.

“I think they are just an overall great company. They are really supportive, and really family orientated; if you do have to have a day off they are pretty lenient about

it. They’re really supportive of you and your family,” Johanna says.

Prior to beginning work in May, employees in the programme had the opportunity to attend a series of pre-work workshops, where they heard from experts on a range of topics including physical health, nutrition, motivation and work expectations, Lucy says.

“It was about identifying their routines, commitments and still making time for

Hortus People and Performance Partner, Lucy MacLean, says the company recently launched The Reset Programme with help from the

Ministry of Social Development.The programme aims to provide New

Zealand-born job seekers with flexible options that allow them to ease into full time employment.

“We are an accredited RSE employer, we employ seasonal workers from overseas and of course we make every effort to get Kiwis into our business first,” Lucy says.

Hortus has been working with the Ministry and Social Development and Work and Income to aid local workers into employment for some time, but found that for various reasons, the transition into full time work was difficult for many.

“We find that we send them out into the vineyards for a couple of days and for many it is overwhelming and they haven’t got that support network to keep going, and that was very disheartening for them,” Lucy says.

“We recognised that there’s probably quite a few people out there, that if you could be a little bit flexible with the work, it might work.”

A crew of 10 employees began their journey with the Reset Programme in late May.

The team was required to work four days per week during the first two weeks, which

B U S I N E S S F E A T U R E — H O R T U S

Nick Corbett


themselves so they can show up to work feeling ready, prepared and organised.”

The group also spent time in the vineyard, practicing and learning about what would be expected of them during the four-month programme.

“We have got three work requirements that they are all really focusing on: turning up every day, getting better every day, and being open to learning. They are important work expectations that are relevant to any employer and workplace,” Lucy says.

A big part of the programme has been to provide the group with good supervisors and quality training, and the Ministry of Social Development has been instrumental in helping Hortus to get the initiative off the ground.

“We’ve been working really closely with them and they’re saying, ‘you want to get Kiwis into your business, let’s look at a different way of doing it’,” Lucy says.

“MSD helped us fund some of the pre-work sessions, lunches for the first two weeks, and staff are provided with clothing and transport … we are removing some of the obstacles that can make it tricky getting back into the workforce and things that actually make a difference .”

Such funding is enabling Nick Corbett, 25, to get to work with the crew at various locations throughout Marlborough.

Nick moved to live with his parents in rural Marlborough after studying at university in Christchurch, and has previously spent time doing vineyard work.

Nick is hoping the Reset Programme will help him into full time work and enable him to fund his dream of gaining his pilot’s licence.

“I was just interested in the way the scheme works … hopefully Hortus might hire me if I’m good enough at the end of the programme … my ultimate plan is to get my pilot’s licence; I can do that here in Blenheim but I need full time employment,” he says.

“It’s good for us.

Out of this there are going to

be some great people that we want to keep in the business ...

”

“We’re calling it the Reset Programme and it’s very much focused on ‘what has happened in the past happened in the past, and this is a chance to reset’,” Lucy says.

“At the start of August we will sit down with everyone individually and have a career session and ask them if this is the type of work they enjoy and would they like to stay on with us or is there something else they have realised they want to do. At the end of the programme they will either stay with us or we will help them transition into something else.”

The Reset Programme is a three-way partnership between the Ministry of Social Development, job seekers and Hortus, and is beneficial for all three parties, she adds.

“It’s good for us. Out of this there are going to be some great people that we want to keep in the business so it’s a nice way for us to recruit for the business as well.”

B U S I N E S S F E A T U R E — H O R T U S

Johanna Harper

Meet our members Every issue we profile some of our Chamber members

LandspecLandspec is a new locally owned landscaping company with a wealth of local knowledge and experience. They established in early 2018 and since then they have been making their mark in Marlborough, and happy customers to go with it.

Led by a professionally skilled local team, they specialise in hydroseeding (spray-on grass) and offer a full range of landscaping services to both residential and commercial clients from site clearing and excavations to complete landscape transformations, they can do it all.

They can manage your project within your budget from start to finish for any landscaping requirement, whether you already have a design or not. Take the stress out and make the process an enjoyable one.

Landspec pride themselves on long standing client relationships and reliability, backed by quality products and services.

They aim to achieve the best outcome for your next landscaping vision.

T: 03 577 9988 or 021 167 6376

E: [email protected]

W: landspec.co.nz

FB: Landspec

IG: landspec18

Montessori Blenheim

Wine Country Shuttles (Marlborough) LimitedIn 2017 Wine Country Shuttles (Marlborough) Limited, trading as Wine Country Connections, started operating as a Shuttle/Tour operator in Blenheim, servicing the Marlborough Region.

We offer the range of shuttle transfers, to and from the airport, restaurants for lunch or dinner and social functions. Tours are available, and these include wine tasting, visiting local artist and galleries, as well as sightseeing through the Marlborough Sounds and south along the Kaikoura Coast.

An online booking system, Book Rides Online, found on our website allows clients to book and pay for trips in advance.

For your corporate clients and VIP guests call Wine Country Connections, your personal driver offering an exclusive and dedicated service, connecting you, your clients and friends to all parts of Marlborough for business and pleasure.

Our Mercedes van, seats up to six in comfort with room to stretch. Complementary water is available.

Contact Joseph Kelly

T: 021 0818 3272


W: winecountryconnections.co.nz

Facebook, Instagram, WeChat,

LinkedIn


M E E T O U R M E M B E R S

Signs Now are “The Creative Crew”We started Signs Now back in 2006 in a small office space and have grown to our current commercial premises employing staff.

Our team has over 30 years' experience in all aspects of signage, including house for sale signs, boat names, full colour computer graphic prints, and full vehicle or boat wraps.

There have been extensive developments with wrapping film over the years. Vinyl wraps offer vehicle and boat owners the ability to preserve and customise their vehicle to suit their passion or follow trends. Wrapping is a great alternative to paint as they are more affordable, customisable and easily removable.

Offering you the best in signage design, construction and supply. Our dedicated, talented, and versatile team can service all your design and signage requirements. Allow us to streamline the whole process, from start to completion. Dealing with one company reduces the cost for you, maximising the effect of your image and promotion.

We are members of MCoC, NZ Sign & Display Association, and the 3M network.

Let Signs Now create your signage solution.

T: 03 579 5578


W: SignsNow.co.nz

FB: SignsNowMarlborough

2019 sees us celebrating our 25th year of providing top quality Montessori education in Marlborough.

Our beautiful prepared environment engages children from 2.5 through to 6 years old in a multi-age classroom, following the interests of the child and using our specific Montessori materials to develop skills for life.

Children love Montessori. In our school, they have the freedom to explore and learn through self-discovery of the materials. The calm, engaging and nurturing environment promotes self-initiated learning, respect, confidence and social development. Children become life-long learners through experiencing joy in their natural development. Montessori offers half or full-day programmes, and 20ECE hours for children over 3 years.

Our specially trained, dedicated team work one on one or in small groups. The high teacher:child ratio creates a personalised learning programme for each child. Come and visit our peaceful, engaging classroom and see the Montessori difference.

Rachel Roundhill

5 Francis Street, Blenheim

T: 03 577 8443

M: 027 332 9508

W: montessoriblenheim.co.nz

FB: MontessoriBlenheim

Accessman Blenheim BPComputersAccessman Blenheim are the local experts for all your working at height needs. With a fleet of over 70 EWPs (Elevating Work Platforms) we can provide a safe solution for almost any working at height scenario.

We can provide everything from compact electric scissor-lifts and booms with non-marking tyres (to get into even the tightest confined space, with no noise or fumes), to powerful diesel, all-wheel drive scissor-lifts and 21m knuckle-booms, which will handle even the toughest work site.

All our machines are serviced and maintained to the highest standard so you can be sure of a good quality machine every time with prompt and efficient service. If you need some advice, all our staff are HIANZ (Hire Industry Association New Zealand Inc) qualified and we can provide a free site inspection to ensure you get the correct machine for the job.

Accessman Blenheim take safety so seriously that we have our own accredited training centre offering EWP operator training to NZQA unit standards with our locally based trainer.

James Jenneson

7 Sutherland Terrace, Blenheim

T: 03 578 5600


W: accessman.co.nz

FB: AccessmanGroup

Running any business is hectic at the best of times. But your computers not doing their job will cost your business money! Time to talk to BPComputers. We're your completely local business computing experts. Office 365, reliable backup solutions, networking, cloud computing, virus removal, data recovery, remote work, new system sales, Windows or Apple devices. BPComputers can take care of everything, leaving you to concentrate on running your business.

Established over twenty two years ago, the team are able to tackle any IT issue you may have. A large team means it can be dealt with quickly and efficiently.

If your business suffered a data loss, how quickly could you be operating again? Don’t leave it to chance.

For peace of mind for your business or home IT, give the team at BPComputers a call today.

CHAMBER MEMBER OFFER : FREE BUSINESS IT HEALTH CHECK IN JULY

17 Kinross Street, Blenheim

T: 03 577 9498


W: bpcomputers.co.nz

Funded by Parliamentary Service. Authorised by Stuart Smith, 22 Scott Street, Blenheim.

[email protected] facebook.com/stuartsmith.national/

Blenheim office22 Scott Street, Blenheim03 579 3204

Contact

Amberley office103A Carters Road, Amberley03 314 7441

Stuart Smith MP for Kaikoura

E

Despite its much-publicised title of “wellbeing”, the budget does not appear to deserve that name. Instead, its contents offer more taxes including a tourist tax, which will impact business, and an increase in excise on fuels.

These are taxes that will hit all New Zealanders but particularly middle income earners – a bracket that includes many of our small business owners – as the cost of living continues to be driven up.

It goes without saying that this does nothing to support the wellbeing of New Zealanders, and it doesn’t support our economy.

This was a budget riddled with quite unbelievable examples of incompetency, including the process of its release.

The treasury secretary had a department with a website that wasn’t fit for purpose, with inadequate security in place. He chose to politicise this situation, and laid blame on others. In fact, it could have been incredibly serious if someone had profited quite significantly as a result of seeing market-sensitive Treasury papers ahead of the release date.

Opposition leader Simon Bridges called for the treasury secretary, Gabriel Makhlouf, to resign. This was quite right in my view – and he could be forced to if there is an investigation by the State Services Commissioner.

At the time of writing, Makhlouf only had a month until he leaves his role to become leader of Ireland’s Central Bank, a position he now will take up with a cloud over his head.

To blame National for this debacle, and significantly cut down the numbers we were allowed to bring into the pre-budget lockup, is nothing but petty and nasty.

Finding background information, challenging the Government and holding it to account is the opposition’s job. The release of budget information was their mistake, not ours.

There was more to come. The Prime Minister’s budget speech underlined her lack of understanding of economics and finance; the budget was not referred to during 20 minutes of speaking which was, frankly, embarrassing. Opposition leader Simon Bridges was an exercise in contrast as he, having only had an hour to digest the budget before it was read and prepare his 20 minute speech, gave a phenomenal talk.

It’s always easy to criticise, but this is a case where such criticism is completely deserved.

Governments have to be fit to govern, and Budget 2019 raises some very serious questions about this one’s capability to do so.

Budget 2019 was rushed, shoddy and disappointing.

From the MP’s desk

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2019 issue 02 - mcoc.org.nz · natalie chief winemaker at yealands estate winery. the winery opened...

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