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Let's GO Rotorua
Air New Zealand trans-Tasman campaign update
 Grant Kilby, Rotorua District Council's economic development general manager, reports that things are full steam ahead for the Let's GO Rotorua project team which he chairs. He says as Let's GO Rotorua branding becomes more visible and the information machine gets its message out, everyone will be in no doubt that Rotorua is truly an international city.
“In just under eight weeks our community will be feeling very proud of what we have achieved and we'll be standing up and shouting to all corners of the world that Rotorua is ready.
“Let's GO Rotorua is a statement that embraces our community and has a real call to action. I liken it to the successful 'Absolutely Positively Wellington' campaign that generated so much pride in place for the capital.
“The obvious target for us is the inaugural flight in from Sydney on 12 December but this is by no means the end of the Let's GO Rotorua programme. In reality it's just the start even though the slogan may become less prominent for a few months.”
According to Grant, the project's legacy will be a paradigm shift in the way Rotorua is seen, not only by residents and local businesses but by people in the rest of the country and overseas as well.
“Having been up close and personal with the campaign action, I get the distinct feeling that change is really happening, and for the better. Rotorua's community and business leaders have risen to the Let's GO Rotorua challenge and are doing their part to ensure the city is ready come launch day of our new trans-Tasman service.
Grant says the most recent Chamber of Commerce business confidence survey highlighted new confidence that the business sector is showing. He said the Let's GO Rotorua campaign appears to be helping to create a positive air in the community.
“I recently spent some time with the director of a medium sized enterprise here in Rotorua. The recession aftertaste was the discussion point and it was his observation that the economic downturn had really forced his business to lift its game by improving workplace and workforce productivity and focusing more on the needs of customers.
“He explained that for five years his company had been chasing turnover with no real game plan for productivity improvement while the cash just rolled in and the pie just got bigger. He was not really listening to his customers' needs nor changing his business to accommodate them.
“The bottom line was his second generation company could have folded if he hadn't taken the bold step of asking himself honestly why he was in business and what changes he had to make to survive.
“This company now has reduced turnover but improved profit, and it's looking to form a cluster of like businesses to develop a collective partnership approach to business.”
Grant urges businesses wanting to develop their productivity to talk to either the Chamber of Commerce or the Council's Economic Development unit for an independent steer in the right direction.
He said people making a business correction need to ask themselves what is their raison d'être - their reason for being. He says by taking the opportunity to look seriously at your business models, as this director did, you will be making change for the better in your business.
“The Let's GO Rotorua campaign is all about promoting excellence, pride in place and awareness.
“Our community 'pride in place' billboards are currently going up around the city. They are about people from all walks of life in our community who are proud of what they do and are ready for our trans-Tasman visitors. There is the 'six degrees of separation' concept at play here. With around 20 different billboards featuring locals who are proud and ready, everyone will know at least someone from these boards.
The website www.letsgorotorua.co.nz is now up and running, as is the Let's Go Rotorua headquarters on the corner Haupapa and Tutanekai Streets.
The Kia Ora Mai programme aims to lift service levels and offer visitors a quality and consistent service that will boost Rotorua businesses.
The programme has been a year in development, with funding from the Ministry of Tourism and Te Puni Kokiri. Grant sees it as a fantastic opportunity for businesses to work with their employees to lift service, and to take another step forward in business productivity improvement.
 “It was launched on 22 October by Prime Minister John Key and we - Chamber, Maori in Tourism Rotorua, Economic Development and Waiariki Institute of Technology - are pushing hard to have Rotorua as the first city to roll out Kia Ora Mai.
Rotorua District Council is about to send out quarterly rates invoices to around 27,000 property owners. Included with each envelope will be a window decal to be stuck on car window so people can show they are right behind the Let's GO Rotorua campaign. Listen out for radio station 'spot the sticker' prize draws with the chance to win tickets to Sydney, thanks to our friends at Air New Zealand.
Grant says one way Rotorua businesses can show their support to the new airline service is by adding a promotional banner and link as a footer to their emails. He says this is being made available to download from the Let's GO Rotorua website (see below).
And shop and office window strip posters are also available for those who want to show their support for the campaign.
“These are approximately 650mm long by 150mm high (see below) and we're hoping that with city retailers repeating these banners across the front of their premises, we might create something of a record for the longest ever banner. This should have a very impressive effect,” says Grant. “Let's GO Rotorua!”
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Local Photographer Earns Master Photographer Distinction
A gold award won by Rotorua commercial photographer Craig Robertson at the Epson/NZIPP Iris Awards held last week in Wellington has earned him the distinction of Master Photographer.
 Craig's photograph of a Maori warrior at Te Puia was one of four Golds awarded in the People Category from over 250 photographs entered and was only one of only 17 to receive Gold in over 1,200 entries across all eight categories.
“I was absolutely stunned to win a Gold award for the image. It was the second to last image judged for the day. I knew it had potential for a Silver award but Golds are nearly impossible to achieve. I was chasing credits for my Master Photographer distinction this year and to get there with a Gold is simply amazing.”
Craig also won a Silver award in the Commercial Category and a Bronze in Landscape.
The Epson/Iris Awards were judged and announced at the annual New Zealand Institute of Professional Photographers (NZIPP) Infocus conference which was held in Wellington in August.
To add to an exciting week, Craig was also elected to the role of National President of the NZIPP. “The event was a huge success this year with a record number of entries from over 150 professional photographers and 150 photography students,” he said.
The highly competitive Epson/Iris Professional Photography Awards have helped launch the careers of some of New Zealand's top photographers.
Peter Eastway, a professional photographer from Sydney, who judged at the awards, said New Zealand photographers imagery was world class. “I judge internationally and the one thing I tell other people is if they want an award, don't enter in NZ. The judging is tough - really tough, so the images that win are truly outstanding.”
During a gruelling three day judging process, images are assessed on whether they communicate emotion, demonstrate superior techniques and have appropriate colour and design elements. Credits earned at the awards contribute towards the distinctions of Associate, Master and Fellow of the NZIPP.
The NZIPP is the only qualifying body for professional photographers in New Zealand and covers wedding, portrait and commercial disciplines.
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Building Blocks of Success The Value of Delegation
If you never give your staff the chance to go solo – the chance to test their own ideas without a manager second-guessing and pre-approving every move – they will never find out how good they really are. Putting the responsibility back on your staff to find their own answers may slow things down a bit at first but it took you a while (and probably a few spectacular failures) to develop the skills you have today.
Don't deprive your staff of the opportunity to make their own mistakes. Besides, they couldn't mess it up any worse than you did when you were first learning, could they?
I am not suggesting the 'inmates should run the asylum'. The job of the Manager is still to assure the company is proceeding smoothly and in the right direction but this is not the same as the Manager doing all of it by him/herself.
Here is an example from my time as owner of a pub and restaurant that will help illustrate the point:
On taking over the Company I immediately realised that:
a) I didn't know how to order for this operation
b) I didn't want to do the ordering
c) I wasn't the best person to handle ordering, even if I had wanted to do it!
I asked my chef if he would like to handle it. I thought he was going to hug me! He said, “I spend half my day cleaning up the messes that [the old owner] makes because he doesn't know what I have and he doesn't know what I need.” I told him I had no problem with his taking over the ordering as long as we could maintain certain cost relationships.
In a flash, I was largely unemployed! Now that I had more time, I looked around for other opportunities and hit on catering.
I saw catering as an opportunity to provide a creative outlet for my kitchen staff to exploit so, together, we developed a catering programme. After a few months of successful operation and sensing a great opportunity to enhance the skills of my existing staff, I went to one of my supervisors and asked if she would like to take over the catering programme.
She very enthusiastically accepted the offer and we worked together for about six weeks until she was 'up to speed' then I turned the job over to her and left her alone. She went off and did a million things I had never even thought about!
I also handed over the catering bookings to the kitchen to enable contact between them and the client. Towards the end of my tenure at this company I was receiving glowing letters of commendation on parties that I didn't even know we had done!
Over the course of my four years there, I effectively gave my job away at least three times. Each period of self-created 'unemployment' allowed my staff to develop new skills. At the same time, it let me see possibilities that moved the Company in exciting new directions - and kept my own interest and enthusiasm high!
If they needed me, they knew they could always reach me. When I first arrived I'd receive calls at night and on the weekends. (Certainly if the place is on fire, I wanted to be perhaps the second call they make!) But most of the calls were pretty routine.
When they would call, I might say, “If I was at a movie and you couldn't find me, do you have an idea of what you might do?” They would usually respond that they did. My response was, “Well then, give it a try and see how it works. We'll talk about it Monday.” After a while they stopped calling. Your staff already know what to do when they call you – all they are trying to do is cover their butts!
You have hired your staff. You have trained your staff so trust that your staff can do the job to your satisfaction.
This step of faith is not new. Below, in quotations, is the complete 'Employee Policy and Procedures Manual' for Nordstrom's - arguably the finest department store chain in the United States:
“Always use your best judgement”
Do you really need a larger 'Policy and Procedures Manual' than that?
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Peter Stokes
Business Consultant
Bottomline
Peter Stokes is a partner in 'Bottom Line Consulting' in Rotorua and is dedicated to advising small and medium size businesses, specialising in company start-up, staff training, financial re-structuring and growth management.
Tied to the uncertain nature of business in 2009, Peter has created a number of short articles entitled 'Building Blocks of Success' designed to direct us to greater efficiency and, therefore, profitability during these challenging times.
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Clawing Our Way Back
Its official – the recession has ended! After five consecutive quarters of decline, the New Zealand economy finally managed to record some growth in the June 2009 quarter. It is a tenuous end mind you – GDP increased just 0.1% in the quarter, which is hardly spectacular. Still, it is hard not to get excited about the first positive growth figure since the final quarter of 2007, even if it is minuscule.
The support to growth came from a strong increase in real estate and business services as lower interest rates and net migration boosted house sales. Maari oil helped boost mining activity, and exceptionally cold weather saw electricity demand rise strongly.
Surprisingly, direct government spending made a negative growth contribution. Instead, expansionary fiscal policy showed up elsewhere, with infrastructure investment dampening the decline in the construction sector and the April tax cut helping lift consumer spending/retail trade by 0.4%.
However, there were still plenty of negatives, with large contractions in construction, manufacturing, wholesale trade, and transport and storage. The recovery, if we can call 0.1% growth that, is clearly not widespread. But perhaps the most encouraging aspect of the data is that the detail points to more growth to come.
A truly massive inventory unwind is a case in point. Production will need to lift to replenish depleted stockpiles, especially now consumer spending is rising again. That suggests we should see further growth in the third quarter (we expect 0.4%).
The GDP result isn't the only good news. Recent economic data releases have also revealed a whopping improvement in the current account deficit (what we owe the rest of the world), a big upward revision to Fonterra's dairy payout, and a huge leap in consumer and business confidence.
On the dairy payout, Fonterra revised its forecast for the current season from $4.55 to $5.10/kg of milksolids – even assuming a NZD near US$0.70. We estimate that this lifts farmer revenue by over $750m, the equivalent of 0.4% of GDP, and follows strong gains in USD dairy prices: up 56% in two months at Fonterra's global auctions.
We suspect the payout estimate includes a view that world prices will hold on to most of their recent gains as the world economy recovers. There are some supply-side positives too: US milk production is expected to keep contracting well into next year.
However, one of the most important developments has been the surge in consumer and business confidence. A precursor to any economic recovery is a return of confidence and, for the time being it seems, NZ has that in spades. Indeed, consumers, regardless of age, income group, gender, or region, are convinced that good times are on their way, with the Westpac McDermott Miller consumer confidence index reaching its highest level in four years in September. Meanwhile, in September, business confidence hit its highest level since April 1999!
All this happy news will have the RBNZ seriously questioning whether they can really hold off until late 2010 (as they reiterated in their September Monetary Policy Statement) to lift the OCR from its extreme lows. But the current degree of economic slack means an interest rate hike is not imminent – perhaps mid-2010 or a touch earlier.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Donna Purdue
Senior Economist
Westpac
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Chamber's concern: Lakes Rotorua and Rotoiti Action Plan fails to deliver
The Lakes Water Quality Society recently made a presentation to the Executive Board of the Chamber of Commerce on the Lakes Rotorua and Rotoiti Action Plan. The information provided regarding the strategy to address the water quality of Lake Rotorua and the long-term implications to the economy of the city are matters for grave concern for the business community.
The Lakes Water Quality Society is a community organisation that focuses on improving water quality in the Rotorua Lakes. The Society's activities include fostering research and education on lakes issues, and working with local and central government and community groups to restore the health of the lake water. The Rotorua Lakes comprise a dozen major lakes and some smaller ones. They are set in a glorious landscape of native bush, conifer forests, farmland, and scattered clusters of homes. Each is different, but human activities have damaged them all. The Society seeks to fix those that have deteriorated and prevent the best from suffering any further harm.
The Lakes Rotorua and Rotoiti Action Plan was written by the Rotorua Lakes Strategy Group made up of representatives of Environment Bay of Plenty (EBoP), Rotorua District Council (RDC) and Te Arawa Lakes Trust (TALT). The Action plan has been in consideration since 2004. After three years of scientific reports, research and working party meetings the Group released its draft plan in 2007. Since then further consultation has been undertaken to produce the version presented to RDC, EBoP and TALT.
At the core of the concern is that, if the action plan is adopted for the improvement of the water quality of Lake Rotorua it will take 240 years to return the water quality to where it was in the early 1960s.
RDC has adopted the Action Plan but has recognised that the strategy needs to be revisited to provide a more acceptable solution for Lake Rotorua. This pragmatic approach recognises the many acceptable strategies within the plan with the hope that initial acceptance of the plan will allow those to proceed. The Chamber acknowledges that there is justification for this approach and supports the Council in its move to have the Rotorua strategy and timeline revisited.
EBoP has debated the strategy and has similarly determined to seek more positive action. Successive meetings of EBoP's Council has elected to have the report 'lie on the table' (to require further discussion before it is either adopted or rejected) until further clearly identified action plans to achieve reduction of nutrient levels have been included in the strategy.
It is our understanding that Te Arawa Lakes Trust has adopted the strategy.
At the core of the challenge is the increasing levels of nitrogen, phosphate and other nutrients that are present in Lake Rotorua. This results in the increasing occurrence of algal blooms in the lake. This year these blooms resulted in public health warnings for Lake Rotorua. Tests undertaken by EBoP confirmed the bloom was toxic with the presence of cyanobacteria, a toxin dangerous to humans and animals. New algae species were also found this year and, although not toxic, they made the water unpleasant and appear contaminated. The blooms have an extremely detrimental visual impact, giving the water a dirty, contaminated look. The odour released is unpleasant and noticeable from the shore and in some cases to passengers in aircraft flying over the lake. These impacts are both a health risk to the residential population and a business risk to the tourism industry. The situation is projected to get worse unless something is done quickly.
The source of the nutrients is run-off from land and urban areas in the Rotorua volcanic basin. Research shows that by far the major nutrient contributor is land in agricultural and pastoral production: sheep, beef; and dairying. Of the total nutrient losses from the land, 79 per cent comes from farming sources.
Of the farmland in the Rotorua basin, 29% is used for dairying and 71% for sheep, beef or deer. However the nitrogen loss from dairying is 50 Kg per hectare whilst for beef it is 35 Kg per hectare and for mixed sheep and beef, or just sheep, it is 16 to 18 Kg per hectare.
There is little debate over the accuracy of these statistics, the discussion is about how to effectively and fairly reduce these levels.
Research also shows that in the immediate future the water quality in Rotorua is going to deteriorate further. There is a long time lag (an average of 80 years) between applying fertiliser to the land and the run-off containing some of this fertiliser reaching the lake. On-going increases in lake water nutrients are a result of farming practices of decades ago.
The Chamber agrees with the Lakes Water Quality Society that there needs to be an active strategy to achieve nutrient reductions. The action plan suggests a nutrient reduction target that will to get Lake Rotorua back to health in 240 years. This is not acceptable. Action is required to see an improvement in 10 years. The action plan is deficient because:
- It depends on voluntary action by farmers
- There is no mechanism to lock in nutrient reduction gains
- It fails to outline the process for achieving nutrient reduction targets
- It relies on hope
- It fails to clean up Lake Rotorua in an acceptable time frame.
- A much more forceful action plan is required. Further procrastination could lead to:
- Deterioration of Lake Rotorua for a long time to come
- Loss of our clean green image. This is a major risk for the city, its infrastructure, and the tourism industry
- Reduced growth opportunities for business, residential development, and employment
- A risk to the wealth of our community.
Ambitious and exciting plans have just been announced to develop the Rotorua Lakefront including the creation of a new pier extending further out in the lake. This development and investment would be jeopardised if the water quality was allowed to deteriorate further and it became a weed infested, algae ridden lake.
Lake water action plans being implemented include sewerage reticulation and upgrade, harvesting of lake weed, storm water treatment, flocculation of phosphorous and the programmed diversion of Tiketere. But the main course of the problem, land use and practices, in the Rotorua basin is not being addressed with enough vigour.
The Lakes Water Quality Society suggests:
- A regulatory approach to set and achieve nutrient reduction levels on farm land.
- The identification of best farming practices and incentives to encourage these.
- A strategy to achieve land use change. A scenario could be converting a portion of current dairying land in the Rotorua basin to lower intensity farming, forestry or lifestyle blocks. This may require the purchase of farms, conversion, and then resale. The net cost of this would probably be tens of millions of dollars – a small price to pay for a healthy Lake Rotorua and the resulting economic benefits.
- Appropriate resource processes and District Plan changes to enable and facilitate land use changes.
It is estimated that, of the 26 dairy farms currently operating in the Rotorua basin, 50 per cent would need to undergo land use change to forestry, a less intensive form of farming or a non-farming life style residential block use, for there to be a sufficient change to nutrient release.
The political acceptability of such a dramatic programme is an issue at both local and regional council level. Rural organisations and farming lobby groups have successfully voiced concern over the level of targeted rates to generate funding to effectively address this issue. RDC and EBoP targeted rates for lakes water quality have begun to create a financial resource to address the issue.
The views of urban residents on “Who should be paying for a water quality problem created largely by the farming sector?” should be heard. Urban businesses, whose general rates are loaded with a 380% differential above residential general rates, will also look at the general rates paid by the farming sector who enjoy a 76% differential.
Lakes water quality is an issue of vital importance to Rotorua. Hard decisions must be made now by our political leaders. The Rotorua community has dealt with big decisions in the past: the closing of thermal bores to save Whakarewarewa; the installation of sewage spray irrigation in Whaka forest; and the major upgrade of the city's pavements and parks are some examples. We need local government leadership now to turn the deterioration in Lake Rotorua's water quality around and to take the lake's water quality back to where it was when people swam in the lake in the 1960s.
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Comments On The Chamber's Views On Rotorua's Lake Water Quality
 Michelle Urquhart, rural ratepayer
There would be very few rural ratepayers who would deny that farming practices impact the state of Lake Rotorua. Indeed the vast majority of rural ratepayers would join their urban counterparts in wanting to ensure lake water quality is improved.
Planners and Councils are promoting two key strategies to reduce the nutrient content in groundwater inputs to the lake to acceptable levels from large rural businesses. The first is rural land use change. This “land use change” policy is targeted at the large dairy farms contained in the catchment area of Lake Rotorua. It is a policy that seeks to move these farms away from the primary land use of dairying to other, less nutrient intensive farming incomes, like forestry, or subdivision to lifestyle blocks.
The second strategy is encouraging farmers to improve their farming practices to methods that reduce their nutrient load on groundwater. These farming practices include how effluent discharge from milking sheds are dealt with, fertilising practices and access to natural bodies of water by stock.
While these strategies are necessary for improved lake water quality, and in reality are inevitable, the impact of these changes beyond the 20 or so dairy farming families in the rural community need to be considered. Rural communities have always been the backbone of New Zealand and its economy, yet seem to be the last body of people who are considered whenever long term 'town' planning and strategy are put in place, due to the low population numbers and perceived remoteness of their location.
Of particular note is the impact on infrastructure in the rural catchment areas. Significant levels of subdivision of large farms bring many new families into the area. This brings added strain onto systems that are already groaning under pressure. Schools are bursting at the seams, and do not have the space to take more children. Antiquated telephone exchanges cannot take the huge increase in line requirements, let alone fast broadband services. Many roads in these areas remain unsealed, with no plans to seal them in any long term \council plans. It is a symptom of the anticipated growth in the area that existing New Zealand Post rural delivery routes have already been split up to cope with postal demand.
All these issues require immediate solutions. Long term Government investment plans for services like broadband will eventually address some issues, but only with planning and focus now will these requirements get appropriate priority.
Local Councils also need to look more closely at how they supply rural communities with services. New subdivisions mean new addresses, increased demand on rubbish collection services, increased pressure on roads, draw on water schemes, and the need for effective sewerage treatment options.
For dairy farmers who are opting for better farming practices, the cost of this coupled with a drop in income from lower milk solid prices and strong exchange rates are starting to hurt. It will be of no benefit to anyone if these farming businesses fold. Livelihoods for these families should be given support to continue, particularly where they have made efforts to comply with the strategies set. There is also a flow-on effect to rural support services like fencing contractors and silage makers. These businesses will also need support to adapt to changing customer requirements and demands.
Change for Rotorua's rural communities is inevitable. What is not inevitable is how this change can be achieved. Urban based planners need to get their gumboots on and talk face to face with the people who live in beyond the city's limits. Many planning surveys that have been done previously have not had any particular rural focus. Many solutions found for urban planning issues have been given 'bolt on' badly thought out solutions for 'lifestyle block' or rural residential situations. A better understanding of all rural ratepayers needs will reflect better plans for achieving the required change at a lower cost.
 Lachlan McKenzie, dairy Farmer
The first point I would like to make is the dairy industry supports the community's aspiration for a healthier lake, a prosperous regional economy and inclusive leadership.
Lake Rotorua is nutrient enriched and susceptible to nuisance algal blooms. Growth of algae is dependent on the availability of nutrients, mostly nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), which are products of both rural and urban life. Changing practices on discharges into the lake have led to significant improving trends for many indicators, including water clarity and turbidity, algal biomass and total phosphorus levels, but not total nitrogen.
What may surprise people is that there are plenty of non-regulatory things the dairy industry is doing to improve its environmental footprint and farmers are also willing to sign up to a non-regulatory stewardship scheme to make a reduction in nutrient losses.
The dairy industry is currently funding a $9 million per annum programme of work in research, leadership and action, with a primary focus on water quality and quantity. This is funded by dairy farmers alone. They are also part of the Primary Sector Water Partnership and the Land and Water Forum, which are both cross-sector partnerships.
All Waikato farmers, and nationally 97%, have completed a nutrient budget as the first step in nutrient management planning, most of the Clean Streams Accord commitments are above targets, and DairyNZ and Fonterra have provided farmers with tools and incentives to manage their effluent.
To succeed, a non-regulatory stewardship scheme will have to involve realistic and measurable targets, independent and scientific analysis of the mitigation options that could be used, and research and development of what can be done at a farm system and catchment level from both industry and the regional council. Other principles include taking into account the social and economic implications for both the rural and urban communities, with costs being reasonably and fairly shared.
The timeframes for progress need to allow for the decades that will be required to reduce external nutrient inputs into the lakes. The current problem has been caused by decades of nutrient input from a variety of sources, and modelling clearly shows that decades will be required to reduce external nutrient inputs into the lakes. Addressing what is in the lake already may provide better short term outcomes.
Investigation into barriers to change would also be valuable, and EBOP needs to acknowledge that constraint on farming operations will cost farmers loss of capital and profitability.
Farmers need certainty so they can confidently invest in management change to achieve the community's aspirations for the lakes, as 20-30 years is required to support infrastructure investment.
 Neil Oppatt, Environment Bay of Plenty Councillor
I agree that the Rotorua Rotoiti Action Plan is deficient in setting an acceptable timeframe for reduction in nutrients from pastoral farming and is unacceptably quiet on how the reduction will be achieved. For that reason a majority of Regional Councillors are not prepared to adopt the present Plan.
Regional Councillors know that a clear strategy is required to spell out to both farmers and the general community how nutrient reductions from pastoral farming will be achieved and are working hard to develop a strategy that will state how the Council sees this being achieved.
For me there are four key areas of intervention required by Council:
Rules
The Regional Council needs to give a clear steer as to what the regulatory environment will be moving forward, to provide farmers with certainty and to show the community that Council has rules that will lock in the nutrient reduction gains achieved.
Best Farm Practice
All owners of land should be required to manage their land, as a bottom line requirement, in a way that minimises the adverse effects of their activities on the wider environment. The community expects all farmers to operate their business to the best recognised farming practices to minimise nutrient leaching into our lakes.
Land Management Change
Beyond best farm practice there is the potential with financial incentives for farmers to achieve lower nutrient losses from pastoral farming by adopting a change in farming practices. It is appropriate for the greater community to provide through the Regional Council financial incentives to assist willing farmers to change their farming practices by, for example, the introduction of a Herd Home, which can significantly reduce nutrient leaching.
Land Use Change
It is accepted that even if every farm were to operate under best farm practice and with land management changes adopted, Council will still fall short in the total nutrient reduction required in the catchment to meet Lake Rotorua's nutrient target to improve lake water quality. Waikato Regional Council is achieving this by financially assisting those farmers prepared to move out of pastoral farming into alternative land use activities.
This could, for example, be the planting of trees for either production or carbon sequestering. This is the simplest long term reliable way for Council to achieve the level of nutrient reduction required from existing pastoral farming land.
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Tackling The 'P' Epidemic
‘P' is a drug that has had a devastating effect on many parts of New Zealand's society. Rotorua in particular has seen huge effects on families and individuals. The drug is hugely damaging to those who take it and the people who share their lives. It comes hand in hand with violence. It allows gangs and organised crime to flourish. It entices young people into crime.
However 'P's effect resonates wider than just families. The trickle down effect to businesses in terms of down time, lost productivity and the cost of crime is not insignificant. Then there is the economic effect of an average 'P' user selling drugs worth an average of $5100 per month into communities, and stealing over $1800 worth of goods to fuel their habit.
As you MP I am committed to using every tool we have to fight P use. This month the Prime Minister announced our plan, “Tackling P, The Governments Action Plan on Methamphetamine”.
Firstly, we're going to make it harder for people to manufacture P by controlling the availability of precursor chemicals.
The main precursor – pseudoephedrine – can be bought over the pharmacy counter in a range of cold and flu medications. Up to a third of P labs busted by police each year have used cold and flu medication. Given that there is a clinically safe alternative for cold and flu relief – phenylephrine, we're making pseudoephedrine prescription only. It's an initiative driven by pharmacists in Rotorua, and is a small price to pay to save the lives of many young people.
Secondly, we're coming down on gangs and organised crime syndicates who peddle P for a business. Evidence suggests gangs in New Zealand are almost single-handedly responsible for the supply and sale of P.
Customs is establishing dedicated anti-drug taskforces aimed at increasing seizures of P and its precursors at the border. Police will have more tools at their disposal than ever before, and they will take profits of these criminals and use them to fund anti-P initiatives. These tools include the ability to target 'P' cooks, seize assets and cracking down on drugs.
Thirdly, we're committed to reducing demand for P, helping addicts quit and deterring new users.
We'll make treatment available for more than 3000 extra patients over the next three years. We're expanding specialist services where addicts can get the immediate support they need, and follow-up services to help them stay off the drug.
Police and the Courts have the power to divert users into treatment. We're also making sure frontline staff in government agencies knows how to provide P users with information and support. Most importantly, we'll help families and doctors get addicts into treatment.
Fourthly, we'll help our schools, whänau and clubs to support addicts and deter new users. We'll work with voluntary organisations, promote new drug guidelines for schools, and direct community programmes to focus on tackling P.
Finally, we'll make government chief executives accountable for getting results.
National is tackling P from all directions. We're cracking down on precursors, breaking supply chains, providing better routes into treatment, supporting families and communities, and strengthening leadership and accountability.
 There is a role for businesses in this fight too. Many of your employees will be directly affected by this drug, and your business could use many of the programmes that the Government will provide to support addicts off the drug, and to encourage borderline people who may use 'P' in the future along a different path.
This will make a difference for hundreds of families and make our community safer.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Todd McClay, MP for Rotorua
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Local Advisory Committees: ensuring the needs of business are met
 Waiariki Institute of Technology's School of Business and Tourism is committed to developing students who, upon successful completion of their courses or qualifications, will be immediately effective in the workplace. Local Advisory Committees (LACs), made up of business people in the region, are one way of ensuring this success. They form a vital link between the school and industry.
LAC members work on a voluntary basis as part of their commitment to students and to the School of Business and Tourism. Their role is to ensure that the qualifications offered by Waiariki will enable students to succeed in their learning and vocational goals. To do this, they assist the school in assessing the employment market and community needs, advise in developing qualifications that meet those needs effectively, and evaluate and moderate the quality of delivery of the qualifications.
The school has two LACs, one for tourism and one for business. Each committee has seven representatives from their respective industries, together with three staff members from the school. These two committees play an important role in ensuring that industry developments and current practices are reflected in teaching programmes.
Allison Lawton, director of the School of Business and Tourism, stresses the importance of LACs. “Without them we would not have accreditation to offer the New Zealand Diploma in Business. Partnership with local professional people is an absolute requirement of the New Zealand Qualification Authority (NZQA).”
NZQA stipulates a number of specific functions of LACs but there are perhaps two which stand out. Committees must make recommendations to NZQA on improvements to the structure and administration of the qualification. They must also review the standards and relevance of all qualifications offered against the needs of the business community. Ms. Lawton concludes, “I'm extremely grateful to the members of both our Local Advisory Committees for the time they willingly give up to ensure we deliver the qualifications to meet the needs of industry.”
The school's two LACs meet every three to four months to discuss matters which, regardless of their industry sector, are pertinent.
The members of the business LAC are: Damien Radesic (Rotorua Chamber of Commerce); Greg Brown (Tourism Board); Lee-Anne Thompson (Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust); Peter Breen (student representative and branch operator of PlaceMakers); Kim Ibberson (human resources); Grant Kilby (Rotorua District Council); and Fletcher Tabuteau (Rotorua Boys' High School).
The tourism LAC consists of: Don Gunn (tourism); Keith Kolver (tourism); Oscar Nathan (Maori tourism); Pipiana Whiston (hotels); Jason Wright (adventure tourism); Kay Clarke (attractions).
The members of the LACs bring a wealth of experience and offer many valuable insights into the requirements of industry. A number of the members are former students of the School of Business and Tourism and have, over the years, employed numerous Waiariki alumni – real proof that Local Advisory Committees work!
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Allison Lawton
Head of School
Business and Tourism
Waiariki Institute of Technology
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Getting your insurance needs 'Sorted'
 Retirement Commissioner Diana Crossan believes that getting the right insurance is an important part of managing your money.
But how do you know what is right for you and how much you should expect to pay?
The Commission's personal finance website, www.sorted.org.nz now has an insurance calculator to help you with the decision making. There is also a new booklet “Insurance – Protecting what's important to you”.
Getting the right amount of cover is a very personal thing so the new Sorted resources allow you to factor in your own circumstances. The outcome will depend on things like how much risk you are prepared to carry, what assets you want to insure, whether or not you have dependants and how much you can afford in premiums.
People with no insurance can work out what they might need and what it will cost. Those with insurance can check if their current cover, and what they're paying, is appropriate.
The new booklet is available from sorted.org.nz/ordering or by calling
0800 SORT MONEY (767 866).
http://www.sorted.org.nz/calculators/insurance/
Insurance tips
- It's a good idea to have an emergency fund to take some of the insurance risk yourself and keep your insurance costs down.
- Consider the excess. The higher the excess the lower the premium but you will have to pay more for each claim.
- Buying as much of your insurance as possible from one company can save you money.
- Seriously consider any insurance offered through your employer or attached to another saving or insurance product.
- Always tell your insurer everything. If you leave out information you risk a claim being turned down.
- Read the policy carefully so you understand what is and isn't covered.
- Review your insurances regularly.
- Pay your premiums on time.
- Know what insurance you have.
- Don't leave it too late. Premiums for life insurance and income replacement insurance increase as you get older.
- As with all good financial decisions, shop around.
- Get advice from a skilled insurer, broker or adviser.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Source: www.sorted.org.nz
Retirement Commission
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A Great Opportunity to experience the real advantages that Chamber Membership can bring to your business
October is Chamber Month
MEMBERSHIP SPECIAL
First Year Introductory Membership Fee
$100 plus GST
(ANY organisation of ANY size)
PLUS
Go into the draw to win Return Flights for TWO Rotorua Sydney
Plus
THREE nights accommodation at the Novotel Darling Harbour
Ring Karen on 349 8363 to join
Business After Five Networking Events
Twice a month – 5.30 pm to 7.30 pm
A great way to share business information and develop new contacts
KikStart Networking Breakfasts
Monthly – 7.00 am to 9.00 am
Speed networking for those intent on spreading the word about their business
How2 – Seminars and Information Sessions
5.30 pm to 7.30 pm
Presenting a variety of seminars and workshops on aspects for business development
Focus on Business Lunches
12 noon to 2.00 pm
Presenting a variety of interesting and informative over lunch speakers from the leaders and shakers of the world of business
The Export Club Networking Events
Bi-monthly – 5.30 pm to 7.30 pm
Particularly developed for those in the global marketplace. Providing information on what is happening on the world stage
The Member to Member
Purchasing Programme
Published every six months.
A directory of unique discounts and value adds offered by members to other members. A great opportunity to market to over 8,000 employees in the Chamber network
Member Email Promotions
Weekly
The opportunity for members to send a single page promotional flyer out by email to over 1,000 contacts on the Chamber database. An effective way to get your message out
The Westpac Rotorua Business Excellence Awards Annually
The search for Rotorua's top business. A great opportunity to benchmark your business against others across all sectors of Rotorua business
BIZ – Business Information
A free service to all businesses in Rotorua. Providing a wealth on information and resource to assist all businesses to be the best that they can be
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