Podcasting is the fastest growing media globally, creating fortunes and celebrity status for the likes of Joe Rogan, Bill Simmons, Karen Kilgraff and Georgia Hardstark (My favourite murder). There’s an oddity about sending questions to local podcasters for a written and published feature… Hawke’s Bay has some amazing podcast talent who enjoy sharing their experiences and knowledge in a particular interest area or interviewing influential people. Yvonne Lorkin is a well known wine writer, entrepreneur and for insuring her tastebuds for $1 million! She’s teamed up with wine maker Dan Brennan to interview interesting local identities on their Bays of Our Lives podcast.
What is its theme/focus areas?
A podcast that unrolls the vibrant tapestry of Hawke’s Bay through extraordinary people who call this region home. From creatives to community leaders, entrepreneurs and all-round excellent people, each episode is a conversation celebrating the spirit of Hawke’s Bay through the good folk who make this place shine.
When did you launch?
We started podcasting together in December 2022 under the name The YandDPodcast and then switched to our new name and format in September 2023. How often do you upload a podcast?Bays of our Lives is biodynamically produced, wild fermented, and recorded unfined and unfiltered by Daniel Brennan and Yvonne Lorkin at Decibel Wines in downtown Hastings. Episodes are usually uploaded every week (but sometimes it takes longer depending on how busy Dan is with the winery and travel).
What platforms are you on?
Apple, Spotify, everywhere you get good podcasts (and everywhere you get crap ones too). How do you promote it?
We have our own Bays of Our Lives Facebook and Instagram pages which I share across my own personal platforms as well. We’re also thinking of building a float for the Blossom Parade. Joking. Not joking.
How many followers?
No idea. But people we see out and about seem to comment very regularly ‘are you the podcast dudes?’ so that’s cool. Our followers are the BOOLers.
Why do you produce a podcast?
To put smiles on listeners’ faces and surprise people with the depth of talent and character we have here in Hawke’s Bay.
Are you aiming to create podcast revenue and/or drive new business for your business?
Absolutely. We are very focused on growing our audience and our listeners are highly engaged – so we are superkeen to bring in advertisers and sponsors from Hawke’s Bay and beyond.
What technology and software do you use?
We used to record in a studio with the amazing Aaron at Newsong Studio on Southampton Street in Hastings, but more recently Dan has gone back to working with Garageband (which is a free app you can download from Apple). He has a little mixer and a couple of mics. I bring along my Yeti mic as well. Dan likes that when you save a file in Garageband it automatically mixes it and he also highly rates Acast for their ability to polish the files really well before they’re published.
Who is the most interesting/inspiring person that you’ve had as a guest?
That’s a tough question because they all bring something really different to the conversation. Richard Brimer, was just so easy and loose. DJ, composer and artist Darryl Thomson (DLT) was
incredible, his life story, his outlook – that was a really cool and inspiring conversation. Getting the skinny on life inside the whirlwind of women’s magazine craziness with Fiona
Fraser was wild. World famous wine personality Oz Clark was ridiculously funny and outrageous, Gilly Lawrence’s life story about growing up as a BLERTA kid and being the son of NZ film royalty was eyepopping and the artist, cartoonist Andy Heyward (King Andy of Haumoana) was just absolute gold. Each guest just seems to accentuate the depth and richness our region has.
Who would be your ultimate interview talent?
We were desperate to get British comedian Bill Bailey on while he was here on tour last year, but that didn’t happen. He’s openly spoken about how much he LOVES coming to Hawke’s
Bay so one day it’d be super groovy to interview him.
Any tips for other budding podcasters?
We’re still very much budding, so our tips probably don’t hold much weight. Umm. Don’t forget to hit ‘record’. Don’t use squeaky chairs. If you have a co-host, bring them coffee regularly.
What does success as a podcaster look like to you?
Sex, cash and coke? Seriously though, success is when our guests message us saying they enjoyed their time with us and that they have ideas for other guests that they think would have fun with us too.
What podcasts do you regularly listen to?
Right now I can’t get enough of the New Zealand Today podcast by Guy Williams and Where There’s A Will, There’s A Wake by Kathy Burke. The fact that the My Dad Wrote A Porno team are releasing ‘best of’s’ episodes has me collapsing with laughter whilst on my dog walks. My mind is continually blown by the incredible Jon Ronson and his origins of the culture wars podcast Things Fell Apart. Plus I always listen to The Fold where Duncan Greive pulls apart the New Zealand mediascape, Girls that Invest, Pivot by tech journalist Kara Swisher and NYU Professor Scott Galloway for razor-sharp, unfiltered insights into the biggest stories in tech, business, and politics AND my week is not complete without my dose of Smartless and WTF with Marc Maron. Dan is a big fan of Fareed Zakaria’s GPS podcast for CNN, My Fugitive Dad, the Wall Street Journal, Tuesdays with Stories hosted by NYC comedians Joe List and Mark Normand, and What We’re Drinking with Dan Dunn. And we both regularly listen to Freakonomics, Your Mom’s House with Tom Segura & Christina P. and Bill Burr is always brilliant.
Three sport organisations at the forefront of increasing participation, health and wellbeing and supporting our top athletes to reach the pinnacle of their sport have new leaders at the helm. Sport Hawke’s Bay has promoted Ryan Hambleton to chief executive while the Regional Sports Park Trust (RSPT) has Glenn Lucas as its new chief executive and Hawke’s Bay Community Fitness Centre Trust (HBCFCT) has recruited experienced event manager Brendan Bourke.
The three men face big challenges, especially when it comes to funding, programme delivery and ongoing investment into facilities. RST and HBCFCT, both based at Mitre 10 Sports Park in Hastings also need to confront and come to a conclusion on a much touted merger that’s been stalled for some time. The Profit catches up with Ryan, Glenn and Brendan as they look to make an impression in their new roles.
Experienced event manager focusses on long-term financial sustainability
Brendan Bourke, originally from Taranaki has a background in the planning and delivery of Major Events both in NZ and around the world such as the Melbourne Commonwealth Games 2006 and Rugby World Cup’s in France 2007 and 2011 in NZ.
He was tournament director for the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup in 2018 and worked for leading event management company Lagardere Unlimited delivering the ITU Triathlon World Series, Queenstown International Marathon, Hawke’s Bay International Marathon and the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2015. He also spent nearly three years working for Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli on the 36th America’s Cup in Auckland, before his last major event role, as Head of Operations for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.
Brendan’s role with HBCFCT is to oversee the people and the programmes managed at the state-of-the-art facility at Mitre10 Sports Park that includes EIT Institute of Sport & Health, Hawke’s Bay Regional Aquatic Centre, powered by Pak’nSave, the Avery Hostel and in community outreach as far as Wairoa. HBCFCT has grown to become a significant player in the wellbeing, youth development and sport participation at grassroots and high performance levels.
Brendan says his key early focus is on ensuring the trust is financially viable, signalling both cost cuts and identifying new revenue streams. “I’m going to be looking into all avenues where revenue can be generated within our confines, and also taking a good look at where money is being spent, to ensure we are getting bang for our buck. “As a charitable trust, it’s critical for us to be spending money wisely, and at the same time ensuring we are delivering on our vision of creating a healthy Hawke’s Bay.
“Budget management plays a key part in a charitable trust like ours and I’m keen to do what we can here to operate as efficiently as possible, without taking away any of the good that we currently offer. We’re just greasing the wheels a little to make things run a little smoother.
HBCFCT will continue to deliver its Learn to Swim and Water Safety programmes throughout the year with local schools along with looking at growing gym membership by increasing fitness classes as well as trying to get greater use out of all facilities. “There is one or two other ideas in the pipeline but a little more work needs to be done before we discuss those openly.”
A big event for HBCFCT is the hosting of the back to back NZ Swimming Champs from 9-13 April, followed by the NZ Age Group Swimming Champs from 15-19 April which will see New Zealand’s top swimmers aiming to qualify for the Paris Olympics in July. HBCFCT is heavily reliant on sponsorship and user fee revenue and facilities such as the Pak’nSave Hastings Hawke’s Bay Regional Aquatic Centre are expensive to operate as is providing programmes for free or at a small fee. Brendan says having a strong relationship with the local business community is vital and is ongoing. As well as Pak’nSave Hastings, the trust is well supported by Apollo Projects, Royston Health Trust and Hurford Parker.
“As a charitable trust, sourcing funding and sponsorship is always going to keep us on our toes, so we’re putting in some good groundwork in early 2024 to ensure all our programmes can be delivered to the highest possible level. He says the more users of facilities and programmes, the greater appeal for businesses and other funding organisations to be a partner.
“We have over 700 aquatic members and in 2023 we delivered over 15,500 learn to swim lessons across the year. “Royston Health Trust are our major sponsor who, without their generosity we would not have been able to deliver almost 17,000 Learn to Swim lessons in 2023, which directly assisted over 2,100 local school children and Hurford Parker sponsor our Water Safety Programme, which delivered 1,068 lessons. TUMU Group is the lead sponsor for our Te Tūranga Athlete Development Programme and the Education Outside the Classroom Programme is supported by Baker Tilly Staples Rodway.
This year HBCFCT will launch Project Hope, initially in Central Hawke’s Bay, which will allow youth restricted by geography or socio-economic status to be exposed to similar opportunities as those based in Napier and Hastings.
“We are looking to diversify what we are currently delivering, so we do have some opportunities for local businesses to put their name alongside one of these, which is really going to benefit our youth.
Sport HB head sets sights on new strategy
Ryan Hambleton has hit the ground running as the new chief executive of the region’s lead sport trust, determined to lift its role as a key influencer when it comes to getting more people active.
He’s no new kid on the block, having started seven years ago with the trust in a commercial manager role and then appointed general manager in 2020 – developing strong relationships with local councils, businesses and sport code and club network. Despite great weather and sport infrastructure, Hawke’s Bay isn’t the most active region. 44% of Hawke’s Bay students do not participate in physical activity, 10.9% higher than nationally.
“It has been well documented the declining participation rates for rangatahi and while this will continue to be a challenge, I also have hope that with so many dedicated, passionate and knowledgeable people who often volunteer their time, young people have more opportunities than ever.
Sport New Zealand, the main funder of Sport HB is set to release a new active strategy, and SHB is also reviewing its strategy, providing Ryan with an opportunity to make his mark.
“We are in an exciting phase as we continue to work alongside Sport NZ and key contract partners to start to plan what the future looks like.
“I want to be advocating for this work with our partners which includes territorial authorities, health providers, sport organisations and post settlement groups and to ensure Sport HB is regarded as an influential partner across the region. “We have some great new and existing initiatives that will support the region in more ways than one.
The Sport NZ funded initiatives such as ‘Active As’ and ‘Health Active Learning’ are two in which Sport HB supports kura to get their young people more active and living a healthier lifestyle.
“We are working directly with 55 primary schools through Healthy Active Learning and an additional five secondary schools through Active As which works to support sport and physical activity and complement education and health outcomes. “This is an exciting development and one that will continue to have a lasting impact on tamariki and rangatahi across the Bay.”
Ryan has the pedigree to succeed. Born and bred in Hawke’s Bay, he was the commercial and marketing manager at Sport Wellington before returning to the region in 2016 for a similar role at SHB before moving into a general manager role in 2020, managing partnerships with Sport NZ, councils and community funders.
“I’ve always wanted to make a positive impact in a leadership role in Hawke’s Bay. Being local, I understand what makes Hawke’s Bay tick and look forward to continuing to support the sector going forward. “I’m very keen to take the organisation to a new level to ensure Sport HB is regarded as an influential partner with councils, health organisations and the play active recreation and sport sector.
The last three years have been far from normal. First COVID 19 saw limited participation in sport and events, then the cyclone damaged sport infrastructure as well as ease of access with some communities cut off from the wider region and today funding is tightening. “There are many challenges we face as a region, especially since the Cyclone.
“Play, active recreation, health and sport are fundamental to the overall wellbeing of our communities, so it is important organisation we continue to advocate for and promote the benefits of being physically active.
“We need to make sure that all people of all ages, ethnicities and communities in Hawke’s Bay have opportunities to participate in play, active recreation and sport. We acknowledge the financial pressure our partners will face in the The Regional Sports Park prior to the new aquatic centre years to come and the impact this will have on our sector.
Sport HB doesn’t get significant funding from local businesses but is eyeing new opportunities. It’s biggest connection is with the annual Hawke’s Bay Sport Awards, supported by lead sponsor Forsyth Barr. The event and a smaller scale awards in Central Hawke’s Bay provide a major platform for SHB and the sport sector to celebrate sport and recreation.
“These events attract close to a combined 1000 people and provide business and the active recreation and sport sector a chance to mix and mingle and celebrate success from across the region. “I have had experience in previous roles in partnering with local businesses to match business regional sports trust can offer and moving forward I am looking at ways in which we can expand our programmes to further support the business sector.
Challenges ahead for new GM
Glenn Lucas has several big challenges ahead as GM of the Hawke’s Bay Regional Sports Park Trust. Mitre 10 Sports park was established in 2007 as a replacement facility to Nelson Park as home for Hastings Athletics Club. Since then it has grown immensely with many sport codes using the expansive park including hockey, netball, canoe polo, rugby league, football, touch rugby, boxing and crossfit.
It’s also the home of Central Districts Cricket and the land is shared with the Hawke’s Bay Community Fitness Centre Trust, which has its three large facilities. Glenn has taken over at a challenging time as some assets start to show their wear and tear. In 2023, both netball and athletics raised concerns about the state of netball courts and the athletics track. Athletics is at risk of losing its status as a premier track, due to it needing to be replaced at a cost in excess of $750,000.
Athletics Hastings had hoped that this work would be underway in early 2024, but fundraising has been challenging. outcomes with what a It’s not lost on Glenn to the enormity of the challenge ahead. “We are in effect the landlord of the park. The role is managing relationships with our sporting partners and tenant management of the asset to deliver to the needs of our sports and events partners and users.
“We work with event promoters to put on all sorts of community and sporting events and management of the more strategic and future-focused aspects of the park.” He says other big priorities for 2024 include improvements to parking, traffic flow and wayfinding, which is cause for constant concerns by all users; establishing good relationships with all partners, funders and stakeholders, and building a sense of welcoming and belonging to the park across broad and diverse Hawke’s Bay community.
“One of the biggest challenges is the constant tension between making sport and recreation affordable and ensuring that our clubs and regional sporting organisations generate sufficient income to continue the amazing work that they do. “This is a constant tightrope walk for many of our sporting organisations and our role in this is to make our part of the equation affordable and works in partnership will all of our tenants, sports and events partners to identify where cost efficiencies can be accessed.
Glenn is keen to develop a closer relationship with HBCFCT to better tell the story of the overall park and to provide a seamless experience. “The HBCFCT is a critical partner for us. For the general public they have no idea that there are two separate trusts that are responsible for activities on the park, so the more that we can collaborate, tell a joined up story and providing a seamless interface to partners and users the better the service we will provide and the stronger the whole park will be.”
There has been discussions between the two trusts, Sport HB and Hastings District Council to explore a merger for more than two years but any plans seem to have fallen over. The Profit asked both trusts if this was likely to happen, with HBCFCT Trust chair Iain Taylor not wanting to comment while his counterpart Tania Kerr said “No discussions are currently taking place in relation to a merger. We are continuing to work with HBCFCT on operational matters, for the benefit of tenants, all park users and the Hawke’s Bay community”.
Glenn says he will look to build stronger partnerships and collaboration with all the partners and stakeholders in and around the park.
“We can share expertise, help each other and deliver a better and more tailored product to our community. “In addition to the organised sports participation that is our bread and butter and will continue to be a large part of what we do – looking to encourage more informal active participation at the park through the way we develop our asset, engage potentials partners to bridge into communities that do not use the facility and tell our story through promotions and media. Glenn is also keen to grow its sponsorship base.
“This is an area that for me beyond the relationships that we have with our sponsors is a real opportunity to get better at. We work with these sponsors to provide value matched to their outcomes sought – both commercial and social good outcomes.”
Proposed funding cuts to Hawke’s Bay Tourism will have a catastrophic effect on the region’s economy, with more than $250 million likely to disappear from local businesses, if the cuts go ahead.
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s proposal to defund visitor attraction over three years would, in reality, force Hawke’s Bay Tourism to shut up shop in July with the lights going out on many iconic events, the end of Hawke’s Bay’s off-shore profile, and a flow-on hit to many local businesses and workers – not just in tourism, says Hawke’s Bay Tourism Chairman and leading tourism expert George Hickton.
The region’s visitor economy will contract by at least 20 percent – or $260 million – over the three-year lifespan of the regional council’s Long Term Plan, if the regional tourism organisation is forced to close, says the former Chief Executive of Tourism New Zealand.
“Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s preferred option is not an option at all. It is simply not viable. It would see a closure of Hawke’s Bay Tourism on July 1, and along with it the end of a thriving visitor economy, one of the most important economic drivers for Hawke’s Bay,” says Hickton.
Hawke’s Bay Tourism is fighting to protect the region’s visitor economy, after Hawke’s Bay Regional Council this week sent their Long Term Plan (LTP) to community consultation.
Two options are being considered in the LTP for investment in visitor attraction:
HBRC’s “preferred” option proposes Hawke’s Bay Tourism is completely defunded over a period of two years, with significant funding cuts within the first year.
The second option – Option B – is Hawke’s Bay Tourism’s counter proposal, which is supported by the region’s mayors and sees funding maintained at its current level of $1.52 million for FY24/25, with local councils agreeing to step in and fund visitor attraction directly alongside HBRC for the final two years of the LTP period.
More is at risk than people realise if Hawke’s Bay Tourism is shut up shop, says Hickton, with many events and activities forced to cancel, including:
F.A.W.C!
The Great Wine Capitals Global Network programme
Hawke’s Bay Tourism’s support of the Hawke’s Bay Marathon
Significant out of region promotion for major events, including Art Deco Festival
Promotion of the region outside of Hawke’s Bay
Profiles of the region within media publications, online and on TV
Extensive travel trade programmes and relationships
“Simply put, other regions would snap up our market share and Hawke’s Bay would become a tourism backwater,” he says.
“The very Hawke’s Bay way-of-life that so many people come here for, would be at risk. The $1.3 billion of direct and indirect benefit to Hawke’s Bay spreads far and wide. Only 20 percent of this goes to tourism businesses, with the rest going into the community and helping fund the lifestyle of locals.
“Councillors say this is a plan of recovery and resilience and with eyes to the future . . . however it massively threatens the resilience of the region’s economy.
“Hawke’s Bay’s visitor economy is the third highest contributor to regional GDP, it employs one in 10 locals. What’s more, Hawke’s Bay Tourism is the only element of the Regional Council’s remit that drives economic revenue. The rest of their activity is about spend with no revenue.”
Supporting the sustainability and resilience of Hawke’s Bay’s visitor economy is not a luxury, says Hickton.
“If we take our foot off the accelerator now and long-term damage is done, it will take much more money and a very long time to catch up lost ground.
“So, we are vigorously advocating for Option B and are encouraged by the formal support from Napier City, Hastings District and Central Hawke’s Bay District mayors to make this happen.
“A vibrant visitor economy is not just good for tourism and hospitality businesses and their employees; it’s good for everyone,” says Hickton.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force in the business world, offering newfound opportunities for efficiency, innovation, and competitive advantage. However, along with these opportunities come legal implications and risks that must be carefully navigated.
AI algorithms can process vast amounts of data quickly and accurately, helping businesses identify trends, predict future outcomes, and make informed choices. This can lead to a more transparent and defensible decision-making processes.
AI technologies can automate routine tasks and processes, reducing the need for human labour and, consequently, labour-related costs. This cost reduction can translate into higher profits and increased competitiveness.
However, it’s crucial to consider the legal implications of workforce changes, such as potential labour disputes and employment law compliance. How often have you been on a webpage when a virtual assistant asks if there is anything they can help with? AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants can provide round-the-clock customer support, enhancing the overall customer experience.
Moreover, AI-driven personalization can tailor products and services to individual customer preferences, boosting customer satisfaction and loyalty. Before releasing this functionality on your website, it is crucial to ensure the privacy and security of customer data remains paramount. Legal frameworks, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe, require strict adherence to data protection principles. Failure to comply with these regulations can lead to significant fines and reputational damage.
The update to the Privacy Act in 2020 brought NZ law slightly closer to the European framework, and there are now 13 privacy principals to comply with. AI can help businesses identify and protect their intellectual property more effectively.
Machine learning algorithms can monitor the internet for potential trademark infringements, patent violations and can assist with copyright management and content protection. While AI can help protect intellectual property, it can also pose challenges related to patent eligibility. Courts around the world are still grappling with the question of whether AI-generated inventions can be patented, and these legal uncertainties can impact businesses’ innovation strategies.
For the benefit of many local business in the agricultural and horticultural sector, AI-powered predictive maintenance systems can monitor machinery and equipment in real-time, anticipating maintenance needs and preventing costly breakdowns. While this can result in substantial cost savings, businesses must consider health and safety compliance in the event of a malfunction or failure. AI applications in regulated industries must adhere to strict requirements.
Ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations or consumer protection laws, is essential to avoid legal penalties and reputational damage. AI algorithms are only as good as the data they are trained on, and biased data can result in discriminatory outcomes. Businesses that deploy AI systems must be vigilant in identifying and mitigating bias particularly in areas like hiring, lending, and criminal justice.
There have been many instances of AI bias around the globe – Amazon’s recruitment algorithm reflected a male dominant workforce; Twitter’s algorithm favoured white faces over all others when cropping pictures and closer to home the NZ Police decided to stop the use of their road policing algorithm after being warned against the system by an expert panel.
Determining liability in cases involving AI can be challenging. If an AI makes a faulty decision that causes harm, who is responsible—the developer, the user, or the AI itself? As is the case with many innovations, laws and regulations are often made reactively. AI presents a world of opportunities for businesses however, these opportunities are accompanied by legal risks and challenges that cannot be ignored.
To harness the full potential of AI while mitigating legal risks, businesses must adopt a proactive approach, and in this respect legal expertise is indispensable. Collaborations between legal professionals and AI experts are essential to navigate the complex legal terrain and unlock the full potential of AI while ensuring ethical and legal compliance.
As AI continues to evolve, businesses that embrace it responsibly and proactively to address legal considerations will be better positioned to thrive in the digital age, reaping the rewards of innovation while safeguarding against potential legal pitfalls.
About Amy Cowan – Amy has broad experience in property law, with a focus on subdivisions, property developments and commercial and residential conveyancing. She is a Conveyancing Practitioner and Registered Legal Executive and has extensive experience advising on Lending and Regulated Financial Services, and has provided high level advice to lenders, borrowers, and guarantors in all types of commercial and private transactions. Amy also serves as an Executive Board Member for the NZ Society of Conveyancers, a member of the Standards Committee, and an associate member of the NZ Law Society. Ph: 06 872 8210 Email: amy@bramwellbate.co.nz
When Matt Sanders returned home to Hastings in 2021 to lead global consultancy firm Beca’s Hawke’s Bay office, he was excited about the opportunities of being involved in the creation of new places and spaces.
He never expected that just two years later, he and the team would be switching from being involved in projects such as the HB Airport rebuild and 6 Wharf at Napier Port, to being called into a natural disaster response.
“It took a few days to come to terms with what had happened to our rohe, however, the team swung into gear quickly to support our communities.
“Within hours of the event, we had team members supporting the community in Civil Defence offices at Central Hawke’s Bay District Council and Napier City Council as well as supporting Higgins and Waka Kotahi on the State Highway network, the Regional Council on the stopbanks, and were beginning to make contact with clients and partners across the region to understand the impact of the cyclone.
As well as the local Beca team, Matt was able to call upon the wider New Zealand teams.
“Very early on, it became clear how unique and important the role of local government is during a localised emergency such as this.”
He says the initial response phase moved very quickly, as the impact was assessed and workable methods for reconnecting infrastructure to communities were identified. In that early stage, the response focused on restoring some level of service, fast and a cross-industry response was the only practical way to do that. “After an event such as this, connecting essential services and transport networks is vital to communities’ ability to recover.
“The communication void really tested us all and this will be a significant lesson as we build greater resilience.”
Notably one of the big obsevations was the impact on Māori communities with many marae damaged. “This is significant because the marae is the centre of Māori identity and wellbeing and holds communities together, much like a cultural infrastructure.
“My colleague John Blyth (who leads Te Ahi Tūtata, our Māori business team at Beca) says that when a marae is broken or closed, it affects the wairua – the spirit of that community.” Matt says rebuilding or even relocation may be a reality for some of these communities, but it has to be approached with great sensitivity.
“While some hapū may be prepared to relocate (indeed, some will have already explored relocation options), for others, the consideration of moving off or changing the relationship to whenua is deeply traumatic and takes considerable time.” Cyclone Gabrielle has forced us to focus on risk and resilience, and has started inevitable conversations about how, where and if we build in areas susceptible to hazard.
A question raised by Amelia Linzey, Beca’s Group Director – Advisory and sustainability champion, is how we move our conversations away from ‘better’ necessarily meaning more investment and bigger infrastructure, to a situation where better is more about ‘better able to repair’, ‘quicker to re-establish’ or ‘safer for residents to support themselves’ following extreme events.
“It’s a difficult conversation to get our heads around and as Amelia says the key is thinking about what and how we can rebuild in a way that empowers local communities to be better prepared for recovery. She suggests that concepts of ‘retreat’ should not just be about leaving land, but about where and what activities are able to be resilient to disruption.
Hawke’s Bay is renowned for award-winning wines, but super-sized table grapes grown on the Heretaunga Plains could fetch eye watering prices in high-end department stores in Tokyo, Japan.
In New Zealand 90 percent of grapes grown are for wine with 10 percent for eating, while in Japan it’s the opposite with a bunch of golf ball sized in-season grapes fetching over $100NZ. Shin Koizumi, is one of two Hawke’s Bay based table grape growers who are growing and exporting premium grape varieties to Japan, creating year round supply in the gift market sector.
For Shin he is reliving his childhood, when he spent summers picking grapes and cherries at his grandparents property in the grape growing region of Yamanashi. He would pick and pack the grapes and cherries into big crates to give to his junior school friends. “Gifting food makes people very happy, both for those that gift and those that receive and I loved giving my class mates freshly picked grapes and cherries.”
In Japan table grapes are like Bluff Oysters are to Kiwis – a luxury high-end seasonal product that excites consumers when they see them instore. Shin was looking for a career and lifestyle change, away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Tokyo.
As a successful real estate agent for Japan’s leading real estate firm Mitsui Fudosan, Shin was keen to go back to his family roots as a grape grower and put his talent for find a suitable property to use. He could see there was an opportunity for creating a year round supply of high-end table grapes by finding a suitable Southern Hemisphere growing climate for varieties such as Shine Muscat, Violet King and YuHo, all large seedless grapes under its Goku Shun brand to year round.
He first visited Hawke’s Bay in 2015 as part of researching potential southern hemisphere growing areas to complement the Japanese harvest season, spending time with Japanese grape master Tetsuya Higuchi who had established a table grape orchard in Clive.
Table grape growers Kumi and Shin Koizumi at their Maraekakaho property. Tetsuya is one of the top growers in Japan, producing table grapes for the high-end market, and like Shin wanted to supply grapes all year. Shin says after looking at South Africa, Chile, Australia and New Zealand, he and his business partners who established GREENCOLLAR decided on Hawke’s Bay.
“We wanted a more relaxing lifestyle away from commuting by train into Tokyo, spending all day in meetings and only making it home to get some sleep.” For Shin, it was about creating a new lifestyle – one that wasn’t blue nor white collar and instead a “green collar” lifestyle that his employers would also embody.
The core concept is living in a more human and humane way, in tandem with nature and the emblem of that idea is the GREENCOLLAR brand, which is a move away from notions of blue collar or white collar and advocating a new way of living balancing work, residential life and leisure. Shin and the GREENCOLLAR project team liked what they saw in Hawke’s Bay, it offered them the ideal outdoor lifestyle they yearend, after looking at many properties they settled on a 10 hectare Maraekakaho vineyard property in 2020. He convinced Mitsui Fudosan to go into partnership to launch Greencollar New Zealand Limited, the company that provides the cultivars, grows and markets table grapes under the brand name Goku Shun.
“We looked at South Africa, Chile and Australia too, but New Zealand as it is closer to the Asian market. The property purchase took until April 2021 to be finalised through the Overseas Investment Office and due to COVID19 and planting has been slower than planned due to labour availability and closed borders.
“We were very lucky that we had some kind neighbours that have helped us with the planting as well as introducing us to contractors to get posts in the ground.”
Hastings District Council economic development manager Lee Neville says the emergence of new food product and export market is exciting for the region. Council supported Shin’s OIO application with a supporting letter from Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst.
“We could see the potential of a new fruit product and brand into Japan, which is a relatively small market for our region up until now. Hastings and Hawke’s Bay have a reputation of growing apples, and producing quality wine but if we can diversify into new emerging markets, then this will have a positive impact on the economy. As well as table grapes being exported to Japan, the export of strawberries, which are being grown in a mega 22,000m2 glasshouse in Clive, by another Japanese-owned company Tatsumi NZ Limited. A glasshouse, which is about the size of three football fields can produce up to 10 tonnes of strawberries every month, equating to supplying millions of strawberries each year to Japan. Shin is confident that the Hawke’s Bay versions of grapes like Voilet King will be superior to the Japanese equivalent.
He says the Hawke’s Bay climate with higher sunshine hours, a wider range of high and low temperatures and ideal rainfall will see grapes that have 1.8 times more polyphenols and 50 – 70 times more resveratrol than Japanese-grown grapes. He also plans to use organic growing practices but needs to find an organic scientific solution for making the grapes seedless.
A noticeable visual difference of growing traditional style Japanese grapes, is the growing of each bunch of grapes within a waxed paper bag which is then covered by an individual weather proof umbrella.
“The secret to what makes our grapes so delicious is something not found in conventional grape plantations which sees the arrangement of grape branches carefully calculated during winter, and the leaves are scrupulously pruned and thinned to enable the grapes to obtain ample nutrients, creating a better flavour.
“Sunlight is allowed to trickle through gaps in the grape leaves making the grapes sweeter, more fragrant and darker colour. “It is a very old traditional growing practice that is very labour intensive, accounting for 70 percent of the production costs,” he says.
This coming harvest will see about 200 bunches grown as a trial test (will not be sold) and next year on peak harvest from (year) up to 180 tonne of grapes will be exported. Although currently hand-picked, Shin hasn’t ruled out robotics and has set out each row to be 4 metres apart, wide enough for automated picking units.
As production grows from both his vineyard and Tetsuya’s, Shin is already in talks with Hawke’s Bay Airport and air freight providers to fly fresh grapes direct to Tokyo within 24 hours. To make it financially feasible to export direct to Japan Shin has looked to extend the air freight service to include other Hawke’s Bay grown fresh fruit.
After 21 years leading the charge at Unison, Ken Sutherland is stepping down. As Ken looks to flick the switch off as chief executive of one of Hawke’s Bay’s largest companies, he took time out to reflect on what has been an incredibly successful tenure, building the community-owned business from a turnover of $33 million in 2002 to a turnover of $314 million in 2021/2022.
Ken initially planned to continue in the role until the company’s centenary celebrations in 2024 but has opted to call it a day after the next annual general meeting in July 2023. Unison started as the Hawke’s Bay Electric Power Board in 1924 and up until the early 2000s, the company was an electricity retailer as well as the network service provider.
When Ken came on board in 2002, the company was reinventing itself and starting to look for new ways of growth, following the government-regulated change that one company could not distribute and retail electricity. “The company was quite small back then, having just gone through the separation of retail and network. We had a small workforce that did faults repair, and we had contractors on the network providing capital construction for the business.”
The growth of the business commenced with being awarded a management service contract of Central Hawke’s Bay lines company Centralines Limited in October 2002, quickly followed
by acquiring the Taupo and Rotorua electricity distribution assets of United Networks Limited and Vector Limited.
The expansion out of Hawke’s Bay led to a change of name to Unison Networks Limited (trading as Unison) in 2003, becoming the fourth-largest electricity lines company in New Zealand.
“I think the board got me in to grow the business, and I had only just got my feet under the desk when the opportunity came about with Taupo and Rotorua, and that basically rewrote the strategy for the business going forward.”
By 2007, Ken had restructured the business, creating Unison Contracting Services, which would offer power, civil and vegetation services to its parent company, and then picking up a similar contract for services with Dunedin energy provider Aurora.
As Ken sits in his expansive office on the second floor of Unison’s headquarters in Omahu Road, he is quick to point out that it’s been a team effort, starting with a strong performing board well led by four chairs over his time – Forrie Miller, Bryan Martin, Kevin Atkinson and current chair Phil Hocquard – and some talented senior managers.
As well as Unison Contracting Services, Unison Group’s subsidiaries include fibre network business UnisonFibre; ETEL, which is New Zealand’s largest transformer manufacturing company specialising in the design and manufacture of distribution transformers; and specialist high-voltage business PBA Limited, which Unison bought in March 2022 from Australian owners. Unison Group now employs more than 1,000 people and has assets of $1 billion. “My view is there is a bit of a jigsaw puzzle you are trying to solve, and so a number of our acquisitions in recent times were the missing pieces that added to the capability of the entire group.
“We look to opportunities that run alongside what we do as a network business, so if it is relating to equipment or services that are related to electricity and networks, then we have an interest in those opportunities.
“Acquiring businesses has also developed and grown our talent and I take a lot of pride in the people we have working at Unison. I think we have a brilliant team and what distinguishes us from other lines businesses is actually our people, not the assets, and how we go about running the business.”
Ken says it has always been important to embrace the constant evolution within the energy sector, the most recent being sustainability and New Zealand’s transition to a zero-carbon future.
“Unison has a role to play in helping the country’s transition to a zero-carbon future in areas such as transport, industrial heating and housing.
“People still need energy to power their lives but how they get that energy and what they use it for is rapidly changing,” Ken says, pointing to the technologies of smart grid, solar, battery and electric vehicles.
“When we acquired ETEL it was at a time when we were looking at the transformation of the electricity network and we initiated a smart grid strategy, which was the beginning of moving the business away from a reactive way of asset management to a more predictive and dynamic asset management approach.
“We recognised we needed to have a smarter network to deal with the changes in use of an electricity network; this was a turning point for us and put as at the forefront of electricity networks in New Zealand, if not in Australasia.”
Being at the leading edge of sector innovations has brought with it a range of industry accolades – the most recent being in the sustainability space when Unison won the 2022 Low-Carbon Future Award at the New Zealand Energy Excellence Awards for its pioneering sustainability work on the recently operational Windsor Substation in Hastings.
As Ken prepares to hand over the reins, he says most Hawke’s Bay residents still think the company simply provides a service that “keeps their lights on” as well as returns them an annual dividend via the Hawke’s Bay Power Consumers’ Trust.
Ken is looking forward to the next stage of his life, which will involve spending more time with wife Debra, their four children and fifteen grandchildren while also exploring governance roles locally and nationally.
“Debs and I have been talking about there being more to life than being a chief executive. Debs has enabled me to dedicate 21 years to the job and it is now time for us to spend time together and with our large family.”
Visionary sport, community and business leader Sir Graeme Avery has been acknowledged for his immense contribution to developing over $80 million in high performance and community facilities, tackling community health issues and supporting youth to reach their potential.
The newly completed 72 bed hostel, part of a campus of sport and health facilities at the regional sports park in Hastings will be officially known as the Sir Graeme S. Avery House.
The announcement was made by the Hawke’s Bay Community Fitness Centre Trust (HBCFCT) and Hon. Stuart Nash, the Minister for Economic and Regional Development at a special event to open the hostel. The hostel was funded by the Government through a $5m Provincial Growth Fund grant, managed by Kānoa, the Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit.
Sir Graeme’s vision is for the hostel to be used by sport organisations as well as to be used for the delivery of programmes that bring about positive social change and enhance job prospects for Hawke’s Bay’s most disadvantaged young people across Waipukurau, Flaxmere, Maraenui, and Wairoa.
Sir Graeme was the founding chair of HBCFCT, establishing the Trust alongside Bruce Mactaggart in 2016 to develop community sport, education and health facilities and programmes in Hawke’s Bay. Since then the Trust has built the EIT Institute of Sport and Health that boasts the Royston Health and Fitness Centre, the new $32 million Hawke’s Bay Regional Aquatic Centre and now the Sir Graeme Avery Hostel.
“I don’t do things (for the community) to receive recognition or even a gong from the Queen or King. Gaby and I do it to help people to be the best they can be in sport or individually with their health and wellbeing, that’s all the recognition I need.
“I was very reluctant to accept this honour but having talked to my family, especially my son Nigel, I agreed that it would be a fantastic legacy for the family, as well as continue to tell the story of our vision to create opportunities for youth in sport and in life generally, as well as combat some of the poor health statistics in Hawke’s Bay.
“I have to stick around at least another decade to see some of that happen. There’s been some early success with athletes representing New Zealand from here but some of the health programmes are research based and the fruits of those are 10 plus years away,” Sir Graeme Avery said.
Minister Stuart Nash congratulated Sir Graeme, Bruce Mactaggart and the Trust for completing an impressive campus that benefits all Hawke’s Bay residents.
“I’d like to congratulate everyone involved in bringing the vision for this hostel to life and creating such a valuable asset for Hawke’s Bay. This is a magnificent facility that is already supporting our young people to realise their potential, develop leadership skills and build self-esteem through sports and physical fitness,” he says.
“This well-designed accommodation also adds another crucial and unique element to the set of sporting facilities that are strengthening Hawke’s Bay’s reputation for delivering and hosting great sport events alongside ground-breaking support for youth wellbeing and development.
“I would also like to sincerely thank Sir Graeme Avery for his visionary leadership and support for this community and New Zealand over many years. The naming of this facility in his honour is a fitting tribute to his drive for showing what can be achieved when communities work together to help a region and its people realise their full potential.
“The future lies in our young people. It’s up to all of us to help them make the most of opportunities to be the best they can be, in the regions and places they call home. That is a legacy we can all be proud of supporting.”
“A force of nature” is how Sir Graeme Avery is described by fellow founding Hawke’s Bay Community Fitness Centre Trust Trustee Bruce Mactaggart.
Bruce recalls a casual coffee catch up with Sir Graeme Avery in 2015 that sparked the vision of creating a regional version of Auckland’s AUT Millennium Sport Institute and National High Performance Training Centre.
“As I often say Sir Graeme is a force of nature with boundless energy and can easily do the work of at least four people.
“He’s proven time and again that he can bring dreams and visions to reality, never taking no for answer.”
Sir Graeme was knighted in 2014 for service to business and sport, having been involved at the time in athletics locally, nationally and internationally for over 45 years and leading the fundraising and development of AUT Millennium.
Bruce says Graeme saw the potential of creating quality local facilities and programmes that would benefit up and coming athletes as well as all improving community health and well-being outcomes along with youth development programmes.
“Ultimately for Hawke’s Bay Sir Graeme is driven to provide young and old, able or disabled, advantaged and disadvantaged with access to world class facilities and programmes. For Graeme it’s not just about building fantastic facilities for elite athletes but just as important is improving community health outcomes and tackling issues like obesity as well as developing inspirational programmes to ensure youth reach their potential.”
Sir Graeme has stepped down as chair of HBCFCT but remains actively involved, whether it be setting up new sports to the region such as water polo, which now has a schools competition and also recently hosted the national masters event, to sharing a coffee with Bruce, just like in 2015, and coming up with new ideas to improve sport opportunities and health and wellbeing outcomes.
New HBCFCT chair Iain Taylor said Hawke’s Bay wouldn’t have some of the best sport facilities in New Zealand if it wasn’t for Sir Graeme’s vision, commitment and energy.
“What makes it even more incredible is that in only six short years he and the Trust have created over $80 million in facilities that will benefit the health and well-being of Hawke’s Bay people of all ages, as well enabling athletes to be the best that they can be,” Iain said.
Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst says the people of Hastings and Hawke’s Bay are deeply indebted to the vision and commitment of Sir Graeme, backed by the support of wife Gaby and family, in creating facilities and programmes that will have a hugely positive impact for many years.
The facilities are on council land and have been instrumental in elevating the Sports Park to world class status and the envy of regions across New Zealand.
“Sir Graeme is a treasure for Hawke’s Bay and his contribution will create many future international sport stars, attract teams and events to compete, train and stay at the park as well as uplift our youth in the delivery of youth development programmes.”
Ma mua ka kite a muri, ma muri ka ora a mua. Those who lead give sight to those who follow, those who follow give life to those who lead
Through their kaupapa to support others, working out of their Maraenui base, Tipu Ake Tonu directors Theresa Carter and Sally Crown know firsthand the power of the whakataukī (proverb) above. The business has had a whirlwind two years in operation and both agree that the outcomes and impact their services deliver keep them driven to succeed.
“The whānau and organisations we have worked with, their success literally gives our pakihi (business) life. That’s the reciprocal nature of not just business, but Te Ao Māori. There’s a natural balance.” says Sally.
Established out of the 2020 Covid rāhui (lockdown) the business is serving a range of whānau, funders and businesses who all resonate with their approach.
“The indigenous Te Ao Māori framework that we apply to our business support services, incorporating concepts such as atua (deities), whenua (land) and whakapapa (lineage) work for all people. It’s win-win,” explains Theresa.
And it is working here in Hawke’s Bay as well as across the motu (country). One of more than ten providers locally their Whanake Ake service designed to assist those looking to pursue business start-up through the Ministry of Social Development’s (MSD) Flexi-Wage for Self-Employment product was responsible for 42 percent of successful applications regionally in the 21/22 year. The service has been picked up by both Tāmaki (Auckland) and Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington) regions too.
Helping applicants articulate their idea, research viability and present their case to vetters such as PwC, Tipu Ake Tonu have honed the process over the last 15 months. All the businesses they helped launch remain operational, with 12 of them now entirely independent of MSD assistance.
“For many of the whānau we work with it initially seems overwhelming. Whanake Ake is an intensive one-on-one service where we not only build their business capability but also their self-belief and resilience.”
Identifying ways to reduce barriers to start a business means Whanake Ake has provided a natural next-step for participants from their flagship business start-up programme Kurawaka that has been funded by Te Puni Kōkiri. The wāhine (women) focussed course continues to develop and has now delivered three cohorts. Sally says, “our 2022 cohort included a six-month mentoring component.
It’s a gap we continue to see in the market. Businesses get started with a bang but then what? Many just need someone to walk alongside them as they navigate the crucial first phase. We have been lucky to be able to build this into Kurawaka.”
The results of such support speak for themselves. Their 2022 cohort had a 100 percent completion rate, 40 percent of participants transitioned from being employees to full-time self-employment and all participants are operating in business. However, it is not just the success of the individual but also the ripple effect it has on the well-being of family and the wider community. Theresa adds, “one of our participants has now established two businesses, four of our wāhine are operating businesses with six-figure revenue and seven additional whānau have been employed in pakihi (businesses) established out of this cohort.”
Tis year they have also completed a covid related project working with 10 businesses to help them assess their current and future positions, with ongoing check-ins and recommendations all 10 are surviving despite a difficult couple of years. They also continue to work in business growth, community engagement and cultural capability, diversity and inclusion. “I had a client say the other day that I had said that when you authentically understand (Te Ao Māori) you will act differently; and now they are. It’s courageous and can be scary for some but once people get it, they just know it’s right,” says Sally.
The small team of contractors they work with are pivotal to their success and they are grateful to be connected to like-minded professionals who are one hundred percent committed to the kaupapa.
Sally praises their capabilities and work ethic, “we work in a perpetual state of change and innovation. Our team are flexible, knowledgeable and inspire us on the daily.” Collaboration and reciprocation are essential.
Theresa adds, “we couldn’t do this mahi on our own. Our partners and our team are key to the outcomes we are achieving. Mā whero, mā pango ka oti ai te mahi.” (With red and black the work will be complete.)
The doors shut to Hutchinson’s eight years ago, as well as the Municipal Building and beloved Assembly Hall, due to the building being earthquake prone.
Now the Municipal Building (‘Muni’) is springing back to life as part of the overall Toitoi – Hawke’s Bay Arts & Events Centre rebuild project that began in 2016, costing over $45 million.
The ground floor has been transformed into three hospitality offerings, as well as being home to Hastings District Council’s new i-site visitor centre and a contemporary art gallery. After a nationwide promotion to attract new hospitality offerings, three well respected local hospitality identities have stepped up to the main stage.
They will showcase the best of local food, wine and craft beer in modern, chic venues more commonly enjoyed while in the big smokes of Auckland, Wellington or Melbourne. As well as street frontage onto Heretaunga Street, the Muni also opens out onto a newly created outdoor laneway connecting to the Hawke’s Bay Opera House.
Kristy Isaacson’s Long Island Delicatessen is nestled on the corner of Hastings Street and Heretaunga Street, alongside Akina Gallery, a new entrance foyer, Master of Wine Michael Henley’s Cellar 495 boutique wine cellar and bar, and then Damon McGinniss’ Craft & Social at the western end.
Damon McGinniss is raring to go and share his passion and craftsmanship as the owner and chef of Craft & Social.
“I’m really passionate about my industry and always look at all aspects of it as a craft, whether that’s creating food or being front of house with customers. Ultimately, people get together to enjoy well-crafted food and drinks in a social environment.”
Damon says he was prepared to significantly invest in establishing a new hospitality style with the confidence of the CBD’s revitalisation and council’s investment in the stunning Municipal Building.
He has eyed a gap in the market and likens Craft & Social to well-known celebrity chef Al Brown’s Depot Eatery in Auckland.
“The food will be flavour-driven small plates to share; it’s a style that I love doing.
“The Hastings CBD is going forward big time; more and more is happening and people now have a much wider choice and I’m ready to give it my all.
“I wanted to create a cool place to enjoy some food, beer or wine, where people can chill and have a good time.”
Kristy Isaacson experience and success in ‘ready to go’ food has led her to creating the Long Island Delicatessen which will offer takeaway lunch options such as a fresh salad bar, proteins, baked goods and sandwiches along with Havana coffee, sodas and smoothies.
Kristy has established a couple of other café and food offerings in the past and says that the Municipal Building setting is like no other in the Bay, replicating funky hospitality precincts usually found in larger CBDs in Auckland and Melbourne.
Long Island Delicatessen opens in mid-July and Kristy says it will be a fun place to call into and pick up something fresh and tasty to eat or drink to take back to the office, or to enjoy in the window seating or in the laneway.
“The building is awesome, and I really bought into the vision of council and councillors to create a new place to gather in town. The brick laneway is a stunning addition and will be well utilised.”
She is also excited about the complementary offerings of the new wine bar and Craft & Social.
“We are all different but will benefit from each other. I’m not licenced but the other two hospo offerings are, so together we offer a mix of healthy takeaway food options through to places that you can sit back and enjoy a meal or drink.”
Council group manager corporate Bruce Allan, who was the project lead for the Municipal Building restoration, says council is delighted at the range and quality of the businesses that have signed up as foundation tenants.
“We have secured world-class businesses run by people who are experienced leaders in their fields and council looks forward to introducing them in detail in the coming months.”
Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst says the introduction of the new tenants heralded another fantastic step forward for Hastings.
“Our city centre already has a stellar line-up of hospitality and retail businesses and we know these exciting new additions in the Municipal Building will appeal to Hawke’s Bay locals and visitors, and further enhance our great central city offering.”
