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OCTOBER 2026
BAY OF PLENTY The voice of Bay of Plenty
Turning cargo away Page 3
Phoebe eyes title Page 5
Roots of growth Page 9
Royal honours Page 11
Games fuel growth The Aims Games are on track to deliver a record economic return for Tauranga as rising participation and visitor numbers cement its status as one of the city’s most valuable annual events, writes Monique Balvert-O’Connor.
T
he Aims Games are expected to generate a record economic return for Tauranga, with organisers forecasting the tournament’s net financial benefit will meet or exceed $6 million. At the very least, the financial benefit will equal last year’s, says tournament director Kelly Schischka. While final visitor and spending figures have yet to be compiled, strong growth in athlete numbers, participating schools and sporting codes has organisers confident this year’s event will at least match last year’s record contribution to the local economy. More than 14,500 athletes from 460 schools competed across nearly 30 sporting codes, drawing thousands of supporters, officials and family members to the region. Last year’s Aims Games, which involved a record-breaking 14,022 athletes from 431 schools, attracted 23,425 visitors to the city and generated $9.75 million in tourism expenditure. The net benefit to Tauranga was $5.8 million, up from $4.33 million recorded in the previous economic impact assessment. The tournament featured nearly 30 sporting codes across 30 venues, further cementing its status as Australasia’s largest multi-code youth sporting festival. For each of the past three years, athlete participation at the Aims Games has exceeded competitor numbers at the Olympic Games. “This year’s tournament was another resounding success, and also received significant national and international media attention, which is likely to have both immediate and long-term benefits to the local economy,” Schischka says. “Just as importantly, the way Tauranga Moana was showcased as a venue and as a destination was incredible - the city once again did an amazing job as a host, and each year, more and more people are embracing the tournament and what it stands for. It really is something we can be proud of.” The week-long event has grown
dramatically since its inception in 2004, when just 760 athletes from 17 schools entered across four sporting codes. Named for the Association of Intermediate and Middle Schools (Aims), the tournament has since evolved into Australasia’s largest multi-code youth sporting festival. Tauranga mayor Mahé Drysdale says the flagship intermediateaged showcase is indisputably a major highlight of the city’s annual events calendar. “The Zespri Aims Games delivers significant economic benefits for Tauranga. The tournament is great for business, great for our young people, and reinforces Tauranga as a hugely attractive destination for visitors and events. “One of the best parts is seeing thousands of kids giving it their all. “Their enthusiasm lifts the whole city, and our community really gets behind the event, showcasing the manaakitanga Tauranga is known for,” he says. The games last year won the New Zealand Events Association Award for best community or nonprofit event with more than 3000
participants. The tournament also secured support through the government’s Events Boost Fund - a one-off government fund, administered by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, designed to increase international visitors and ramp up economic activity by supporting key events. The fund was expected to help attract more competitors from Australia and Asia, backing local jobs and businesses. Schischka says the national recognition was hugely significant, not only from a financial standpoint, but also because it acknowledged the tournament’s growing importance on the national stage. The tournament itself is run by the Aims Games Trust, a strategic partnership of the event’s four founding intermediate schools Ōtūmoetai, Mount Maunganui, Tauranga and Te Puke - alongside Sport Bay of Plenty and Tauranga City Council, with national and regional sporting organisations also playing an integral role in the delivery of the event.
Moko shares a high five with a Havelock North Intermediate hockey player Austin Garside - who helped design the new Zespri Aims Games mascot - at Blake Park during this year's tournament in Tauranga. Moko, a native lizard, embodies the values of agility, fairness, perseverance and a love of sport. Photo: Dave Lintott/Aims Media
Sunset signals the end of another busy day at the Zespri Aims Games as the lights shine bright at Bay Oval beneath Mauao.
Photo: Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media
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OCTOBER 2026
REGIONAL VIEW
It’s up to you now … By TODD MULLER
So the signs are up and the election campaign is underway. As you would expect, it is neither appropriate nor my intention in this column to extol the virtues, or otherwise, of the choices in front of you. But I do want to make one plea: make a choice. Please vote. Having stood for Parliament three times, I know what the next six weeks look like from the other side of those billboards. The early starts, late nights, endless meetings, debates, street-corner conversations, door knocking and the occasional robust exchange with someone who has absolutely no intention of voting for you. It can be exhausting, it can also be exhilarating but underneath all the noise is something we perhaps take too much for granted. As a student of history, I have been somewhat stunned by how quickly institutional norms I assumed were baked in have eroded around the world. I was at university during the end of the Cold War. I remember the Berlin Wall falling, communism collapsing across Eastern Europe and globalisation taking hold. Like many, I assumed liberal democracy had won
the argument. That free elections, the rule of law, independent institutions and peaceful transfers of power were now simply part of the architecture of modern society. I couldn’t have been more wrong. History, it turns out, doesn’t move in a straight line. One of the world’s leading democracy research institutes now assesses the level of democracy experienced by the average global citizen as having fallen back to where it was in 1978. We are extraordinarily fortunate to live in New Zealand. The Economist Intelligence Unit currently ranks us the second strongest democracy in the world. Yet only 26 countries qualify as “full democracies”, representing barely seven per cent of humanity. Think about that. What feels completely normal to us is actually extraordinarily rare. Here you can criticise the Government, campaign against it, or for it, stand against it or vote it back. You can put a sign on your fence supporting one party while your neighbour supports another. And when the votes are counted, always in NZ, power changes hands peacefully. So over the next six weeks you are going to be bombarded with political noise.
Billboards, advertisements, debates, social media, candidates knocking on doors and politicians appearing everywhere. It will be tempting to tune it all out. Don’t. Listen. Question. Challenge. Read beyond the slogans. Ask someone seeking your vote why they deserve it. You don’t have to agree with them. Indeed, disagreement is rather the point. Because that noise is the sound of competing ideas and competing visions being freely expressed in a country where your vote is worth exactly the same as mine. Billions around the world can only wish they had the privilege of being annoyed by politicians asking for their vote. Democracy isn’t something we inherit and then put on the shelf. We keep it by using it. So whatever your politics, please vote. • Todd Muller is a long-term Tauranga resident, former National Party MP, current chair of Priority One and director of Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty’s joint water organisation. All views expressed are his own.
PEOPLE AND CULTURE
When employees contribute By MATT DEARING
CountryLife
Recent amendments to New Zealand’s employment law framework, particularly those introduced through the Employment Relations Amendment Act 2026, have fundamentally reshaped how the Employment Court and the Authority deal with employee misconduct in personal grievance claims. A central feature of these reforms is the transformation of “contribution”, where an employee contributes to the problem, from a secondary consideration into a decisive, outcome-determining rule. These changes significantly alter the balance between employer accountability and employee responsibility, with far-reaching implications for litigation strategy, workplace discipline, and access to remedies. Where the Authority or Court finds that an employee contributed to the situation, the amended framework provides a three-tiered approach: 1 Serious misconduct contribution: Where the employee’s conduct contributed to the situation and amounted to serious misconduct, no remedies are available at all (meaning no compensation, no reinstatement, no lost wages). 2 Contributory conduct (non-serious):
Where the employee’s actions contributed to the problem, but fell short of serious misconduct, the employee loses access to reinstatement and compensation for hurt and humiliation, as well as lost benefits, such as a bonus the employee may have expected to receive. These remedies often account for the most substantial awards. They may still claim limited remedies. However, lost wages are the only financial remedy still available in this situation, and this remedy remains vulnerable to further reduction. 3 Residual reduction power (up to 100%): Even where remedies remain available, the Authority or Court can now reduce them by up to 100%, effectively eliminating recovery altogether. This is a major shift from the earlier approach, where reductions were generally capped or applied far more conservatively. A major consequence of the reforms is that contribution will now be argued in almost every case. Previously, contribution was often a “quantum” issue: how much to reduce damages. Now, contribution is a threshold issue: whether remedies exist at all. This shifts the focus of disputes toward: • The nature and seriousness of employee
behaviour • Whether that behaviour “contributed” to the outcome • Whether it meets the undefined threshold of “serious misconduct”. The lack of a statutory definition of serious misconduct introduces significant legal uncertainty, meaning early case law will be critical in shaping outcomes. The 2026 reforms to contribution mark a profound shift in New Zealand employment law. What was once a discretionary reduction mechanism has become a determinative legal threshold capable of eliminating remedies entirely. For EMA members, the reforms provide a strong incentive to document employee misconduct carefully. Contribution arguments are likely to become a key defence strategy, and employers may face less pressure to settle weak claims. While the reforms aim to promote fairness and balance, they also introduce new risks, particularly around legal uncertainty and proportionality. • Matt Dearing is Head of Legal & General Counsel, at the Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA)
Family Concert
The Caretaker’s Guide to the Orchestra Sat 10 October, 3pm Baycourt, Tauranga Sun 11 October, 3pm Sir Howard Morrison Centre, Rotorua
BOOK NOW for some school holiday fun eventf inda.co.nz (TGA), ticketmaster.co.nz (ROT)
BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS
OCTOBER 2026
Briefs… Musical discovery
Tauranga music educator Jeremy Hantler will lead young audiences on an orchestral adventure when Opus Orchestra presents The Caretaker’s Guide to the Orchestra at Baycourt this month. The family concert features the New Zealand premiere of the work and concludes with children invited on stage to meet musicians and their instruments.
Regional success
Kirt Richards of Bayleys Real Estate Tauranga was recognised with the Multimedia Marketing Campaign Award at the 2026 Real Estate Institute of NZ Awards for Excellence, celebrating outstanding achievement in property marketing. Adding to the region’s success, Bayleys Real Estate Region Two, which encompasses Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Gisborne, was named REINZ Rural Region of the Year, recognising excellence across its rural real estate network.
Rail momentum
Strong demand for passenger rail between Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga has been highlighted by two sold-out Kaimai Express services carrying more than 900 passengers. Rail advocacy group The Future is Rail says the success, combined with Auckland’s new City Rail Link, strengthens the case for planning regular inter-regional and future metro rail services.
Turning cargo away
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New Zealand’s largest port says future growth depends on a long-awaited berth expansion as strong demand pushes existing infrastructure to its limits, writes David Porter.
P
ort of Tauranga has reached an unusual position. New Zealand’s biggest port says demand exceeds its ability to handle more cargo, forcing it to turn away business while it waits for long-sought berth expansion approvals. Despite reporting a record underlying profit of $155.3 million for the year ended June 30, Port of Tauranga says its biggest challenge is no longer finding customers but finding space to accommodate them. Trade throughput has sat at around 1.22 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) a year for the past five years, and chief executive Leonard Sampson says the port will struggle to increase that without additional capacity. “There’s certainly demand for more volume than that, but we are in the position of having to turn away more than that.” The situation highlights a significant question for Tauranga and New Zealand: can the country’s largest port maintain its dominant position without additional berth capacity? Port of Tauranga remains New Zealand’s largest port by both throughput and profitability. Sampson attributes that position to its proximity to major export industries, access to large consumer markets,
experienced staff and efficient infrastructure. Those advantages helped the company deliver strong financial results despite difficult economic conditions, lower trade volumes and ongoing capacity constraints. Underlying group net profit after tax rose 23 per cent to a record $155.3 million, while container volumes edged up 0.4 per cent despite ongoing capacity constraints. However, future growth is now closely tied to the Stella Passage project, recently approved under the Fasttrack Approvals Act, subject to conditions. The development would extend Sulphur Point’s container berth by 385 metres and Mount Maunganui wharves by a further 315 metres, while also including associated reclamation and dredging work. Port chief financial officer Simon Kebbell has described the project as nationally significant infrastructure that will improve supply chain resilience, support freight growth and lower costs for importers and exporters. Sampson says the project is less an expansion than the completion of a long-planned vision for the harbour. “We’re effectively finishing the berth we planned when the port was originally contemplated. We’re really
Extending Sulphur Point’s container berth by 385 metres and Mount Maunganui wharves by a further 315 metres is on the card to cope with demand. Photo: Chris Parker
going back to what has been in the regional plans for 30 years.” The expansion is expected to strengthen Port of Tauranga’s position at a time when competition among New Zealand ports remains intense and shipping lines continue to seek greater efficiency. The port also remains a critical economic asset for the Bay of Plenty and the wider New Zealand economy. Majority-owned by Bay of Plenty Regional Council investment arm Quayside
Interestingly, global geopolitical tensions have so far had little impact on operations. Despite disruption to international shipping routes caused by conflict in the Middle East, Sampson says the port’s current challenge remains capacity rather than demand. “We were very fortunate that demand is very strong,” he says. For New Zealand’s largest port, the issue is no longer attracting trade. It’s finding room for it.
Holdings, the port serves as one of the country’s most important trade gateways. Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale says its importance extends well beyond the city. “The Port of Tauranga is not just important to Tauranga and our local economy. It is a nationally significant asset and one of New Zealand’s most important trade gateways. “It connects our region to global markets, supports thousands of jobs and helps drive prosperity across communities.”
Coastal appeal
Two Bay of Plenty standout coastal destinations have earned global attention. Cathedral Cove was named New Zealand’s most Instagrammable beach, ranking 20th worldwide with 298 Instagram posts per metre of sand. Mount Maunganui also featured strongly, placing fourth nationally and 48th globally with 95 posts per metre, highlighting the region’s enduring appeal to visitors and photographers alike.
Cruise ships are another revenue gatherer for Port of Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty region.
Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Leonard Sampson
MARCH
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Briefs…
Market resilience
Bay of Plenty home values eased this quarter, with Tauranga dipping just 0.3% to an average of $1.05 million, while remaining above yearago levels. Rotorua values fell 1.9%. Demand remains strong among first-home buyers, particularly below $800,000, and Papamoa continues to see brisk sales, especially for modern homes. Tauranga is outperforming many North Island markets.
Voting system
Western Bay of Plenty District Council has voted to retain the First Past the Post electoral system for the 2028 local elections. Councillors said the familiar voting method provides certainty and is well understood by residents. The decision follows a mandatory sixyear review, although future local government reforms could still affect electoral arrangements.
BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS
Awards open doors W
inning the Tauranga Business Awards has delivered increased visibility, national media exposure and new opportunities for SYOS Aerospace, according to founder and chief executive Sam Vye. Vye is encouraging businesses of all sizes to enter the 2027 awards, saying the process helped sharpen the company’s story while elevating its profile locally and nationally. Entries close on October 12. Alongside the Supreme Business of the Year title, SYOS Aerospace also won Excellence in Innovation and Excellence in International Trade. The recognition reinforced the strength of the business and
Community funds
More than $116,000 in Western Bay of Plenty District Council funding will support upgrades to community facilities across the district, including sports clubs, schools, churches and youth groups. Seven organisations will benefit from projects ranging from cricket nets and pool improvements to building refurbishments, helping create stronger, more connected communities.
Sam Vye, left, after winning at the business awards with sponsor Michael Fox of Zespri. Photo: Salina Galvan
highlighted what can be achieved from a Tauranga base on the global stage, Vye says. The award process provides a valuable opportunity for businesses to step back and reflect on their achievements, measure their progress, and showcase the impact they are making within the region and beyond. “For SYOS the application process itself proved worthwhile, helping to articulate the company’s growth story, strategic direction, and contribution to advanced technology and manufacturing in New Zealand,” he says. The exposure gained from the awards has strengthened the SYOS brand locally, helping attract customers, partners, and prospective employees at a time of rapid growth. “As SYOS continues its recruitment drive across a range of engineering, manufacturing, software, and business support roles, the recognition provides a powerful platform to showcase the exciting opportunities available right here in Tauranga. “It demonstrates that world-class innovation, international success, and meaningful career opportunities can be built from the Bay of Plenty,” he says. In launching the 2027 award application process, Tauranga Business Chamber chief executive Matt Cowley says the awards have evolved to recognise the changing face of business with the introduction of an AI Adoption and Impact category. A new Excellence
OCTOBER 2026
SYOS’ SA200 UAS: engineered to lift more, go farther, and perform in the environments where reliability is non-negotiable. Photo: Supplied
in Professional Services category has also been added. “Artificial intelligence has gone from buzzword to business tool, transforming how organisations operate, serve customers and create value,” he says. “The awards evolve alongside the business community they celebrate. They recognise organisations shaping the next chapter for the Western Bay economy through innovation, bravery and measurable impact.” Cowley says businesses should not put off applying due to the current economic conditions.
“These awards aren’t about who’s biggest or who’s making the most money. Businesses across the Western Bay have been operating in challenging conditions, and success looks different for every organisation. “Don’t wait for the economy to improve to consider entering. The judges like celebrating those who have taken calculated risks and are building something special and enduring,” says Cowley. Winners will be announced at the Tauranga Business Awards in March next year. – Monique BalvertO’Connor
Sponsored Content
Tax shake up be prepared
TAXATION
BY ANDREA SCATCHARD
Introducing the latest omnibus Tax Bill was one of Parliament’s final acts before rising for the election. With broad cross-party support, this bumper Bill sets income tax rates for the 2026/27 tax year and packages a number of reforms announced at Budget 2026 with a large number of other changes and remedial amendments. The key theme of the Bill is taxpayer-friendly changes and many are aimed at reducing compliance costs. FBT on motor vehicles This is probably the most widely applicable change, affecting businesses with vehicles that are made available to staff for private use. The original proposals were covered in our July article and are largely unchanged, although there was a welcome surprise in that the quarterly rate in the calculation formula for petrol and diesel vehicles will stay at the 5%, rather than increasing to 5.7%. The reforms amend the focus of the FBT rules away from taxing the mere
availability of a vehicle for private use and instead seek to better quantify the actual private benefit provided, based on how the vehicle may be used. Rather than requiring logbooks to be completed continually, a vehicle will be categorised when it is provided to an employee, with the level of FBT payable changing only if there is a material change in the level of private use. The existing exemptions for work-related vehicles, business trips and emergency calls will be repealed. Now is the time to start
preparing for the change by analysing your current vehicle fleet, private use policies and restrictions, and mapping all of this to the new framework. This will allow you to forecast your updated FBT liability and make any changes that might be required if you want to reduce your FBT liability. This could be changing private use policies or branding vehicles for example. FIFs and financial arrangements There are also some very welcome changes that will be beneficial for immigrants
and returning Kiwis, as well as some others who have offshore investments. These include an amendment to the foreign investment fund (FIF) rules to increase the de minimis threshold, meaning more individuals will fall outside the regime. There is also a change to financial arrangement rules to allow income from offshore arrangements to be calculated in the foreign currency, removing the exposure to New Zealand tax on the movement against NZD. The Bill must still pass
through Parliament, with an expected date for enactment being some time in March 2027. As with any tax changes, preparation is key and your accountant or tax adviser will be able to help you identify the impact of these and the many other changes in the Bill so that you can be prepared for the changes when they become effective. Submissions on the changes are also open now if you want to share your thoughts on the changes. Andrea Scatchard is a Tax Partner at Deloitte, based in the Bay of Plenty. She can be contacted on ascatchard@deloitte.co.nz
BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS
OCTOBER 2026
Briefs… El Niño Alert
DairyNZ is warning that a very strong El Niño could significantly increase costs for dairy farmers, lifting the national breakeven milk price above $9/kgMS. Modelling suggests higher feed expenses, reduced pasture growth and lower milk production, with North Island farms expected to face the greatest impact. Farmers are being urged to review feed budgets and prepare early for potentially drier conditions.
Community backing
Thirty-nine Western Bay community groups have shared $170,000 through this year’s Community Matching Fund, supporting projects ranging from waka ama and food gardens to biodiversity restoration and wellbeing programmes. The fund helps communities turn volunteer effort and fundraising into action, with Council contributing up to half of eligible project costs.
Festival return
New Zealand’s Third Culture Film Festival has completed its first Hong Kong programme in almost a decade, hosting a three-day showcase that reconnected the festival with its origins. Founder Harry Oram says the event aims to create stronger opportunities for New Zealand filmmakers while fostering cultural exchange between Hong Kong and New Zealand.
Phoebe eyes title
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A passion for science, sustainability and helping growers improve productivity has earned Phoebe Scherer a place among the country’s top young horticultural professionals, writes Monique Balvert-O’Connor.
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science to help them improve their productivity, help them do things a little more sustainably without compromising productivity. I have found my niche,” Scherer says. Her horticulture career began at Fruition Horticulture where she began as a technician, working her way up to assistant consultant and then consultant over five years. Three kiwifruit harvests as a technical laboratory manager with Apata followed. She moved to Prospa two years ago. Scherer says she has developed strong analytical, research, and extension skills over the years, with her work involving translating technical information into practical outcomes for growers and operational teams. Both previous workplaces helped prepare Scherer for her Young Grower success, and not just in terms of technical experience. While at Fruition she had valuable exposure to the Young Grower Competition as the company had a table at the annual gala dinners where the success of young people in the industry is celebrated and a career in horticulture encouraged. Then, at Apata she had a supportive group of colleagues who “positively peer pressured” her into entering the competition. “It all worked out,” says Scherer,
auranga horticultural technical specialist Phoebe Scherer will fly the flag for the Bay of Plenty when she competes for the New Zealand Young Horticulturist of the Year title next month. The Prospa technical representative is one of five finalists from around the country and will represent the fruit and vegetable growing sector in the national competition. She earned her place in the national final after being crowned Young Grower of the Year in 2025 and also taking out the competition’s Best Technical Award. The 30-year-old works for Prospa, a company under the Eastpack umbrella. As technical representative she supports orchard managers and growers, plus colleagues, with technical kiwifruit growing advice. The former Aquinas College student has an evolutionary biology degree from The University of Auckland. “After uni, I wanted to come back to Tauranga and live here and find a science-based job. I ended up in horticulture as it’s such a big industry locally, and I soon realised I loved it and that it offers opportunity for career progression. “I love being able to go out and see growers on their orchards, see what’s going on and use the
who is now prepping for the competition. Day one will involve an interview, panel discussion, speeches, and presentation of an innovative project proposal that could add value to her sector (it’s currently under wraps). Day two will be focused on the practical – activities based around how things grow. Beyond the competition, Scherer looks forward to continuing a horticulture-focused career. She speaks of being excited by biosecurity, disease management, genetics and new cultivars, innovative land uses, and industrycritical issues. “I think horticulture is a forever place for me – bringing science to the growers and helping them continue to improve their crops and land use so everyone can benefit. Let’s feed the world with healthy, beautiful food grown in New Zealand.” It may be a pipe dream, she says, but orchard ownership is an aspiration. Scherer spoke to The News fresh from a master of ceremonies assignment at the 2026 Young Growers’ event won by James Blair of Pukekohe. It’s likely he will be in Scherer’s shoes this time next year facing the annual Young Horticulturist of the Year competition.
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For more information please contact
Find out more at fast50.co.nz
Phoebe Scherer
That national competition is managed and run by the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture Education Trust, a voluntary group of industry professionals. Its vision is to help seed the future now, through attracting the best people from across all horticultural industries to engage and invest in the competition.
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ADVERTORIAL
Meet The People Behind Clairsyn What inspired the creation of Clairsyn? We had seen organisations invest in visible symptoms while the systems underneath stayed unchanged. Clairsyn grew from this question: before a programme, restructure or technology investment begins, are we choosing what will set the organisation up for the years ahead?
What is most interesting about your work? The honest conversations that open when an organisation realises its groups see the same organisation differently. Each perspective can be valid because it reflects the lived reality of that group’s role. What makes your approach different? We provide grounded insights with no
TALKING ECONOMICS
Defining responsibility By PETER NICHOLL
What backgrounds and experience do you bring? Between us, we have worked across governance, executive leadership and workforce delivery in corporate, government and for-purpose organisations, spanning education, financial services, mining, technology, media and hospitality. We bring international experience, grounded in how organisations work in Aotearoa New Zealand.
OCTOBER 2026
Front Left to Right: Ben Ansel and Deserae Frisk, Co- Directors obligation to continue with us. Clairsyn Threshold uses fixed questions and deterministic scoring, so the same answers produce the same result. Diagnosis and delivery are separate decisions, leaving you in control of what you do with the insights. Ben and I work remote first, allowing us to support organisations wherever they are. We meet in person when it will add greater value to the outcome. This will keep costs down, respects people’s time and ensures the way we work is shaped around what the organisation needs. This helps us honour people’s time and budgets, keep our services as affordable as possible, and focus investment on the conversations and decisions most likely to create value.
Salaries in our public sector have risen tremendously since the days when I worked in the Reserve Bank. I was on a remuneration committee for the chief executive officer of a public agency a few years ago. We received reports that said based on the number of staff and the amount of assets the chief executive officer had ‘responsibility for’ their pay should be ‘x’ dollars – and x was a high number. Responsibility is defined in a number of ways. Three definitions I saw which describe what I think responsibility means are having a duty to make certain that specific things are done, being accountable for what happens and ‘accepting the blame and the consequences for something that goes wrong. We have seen a worrying series of events in our public sector this year where big errors have occurred, but the senior people have either not accepted responsibility or said ‘I am responsible’ but have not borne any consequences. One example was the fatal landslip at the Mt Maunganui campground. Tauranga City Council had commissioned a report which said the risks were high. The Tauranga chief executive officer did not accept responsibility – as he had not read the report. He is still in the job as he says he is the best person to solve the problem. It seems to me there is a contradiction between these two statements. A more recent event was the Head of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment who either misled or lied to a Minister and a Parliamentary Select
Committee. There is a difference between misleading and lying. For example, early in my career I attended a course at the Bank of England. Staff were trying to place the attendees in a box. They asked me where I was educated. I said Cambridge. It wasn’t a lie as I was educated at Cambridge High School. But I knew they would think I was referring to Cambridge University - so it was misleading. To lie to or mislead a Parliamentary Select Committee seems to me to be a very serious offence. The staggering thing about the MBIE case is that the ministry head did accept responsibility and offered his resignation. The head of the Public Service Commission, Sir Brian Roche, decided the ministry head didn’t need to resign. This situation is so serious that both the department head and the State Service Commission head should resign. If they don’t, the concept of responsibility in our public services will be meaningless and toothless. Senior public servants will continue to be well-paid because of the responsibility they bear - but if something goes wrong, they won’t have to take the blame or bear the consequences. Every small businessperson in the country would love to be in that position – but they aren’t. If something goes wrong for their business they bear the consequences whether or not they are to blame for the problem as it is their money that is at stake. • Peter Nicholl was formerly Reserve Bank of New Zealand deputy governor, World Bank Board executive director and Centre Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina governor. He is now retired.
Briefs… Nursing boost Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology nursing students will benefit from a new scholarship programme backed by Southern Cross Health Trust. Six scholarships a year will provide fee assistance, placement stipends, mentoring opportunities and support with Nursing Council costs. Southern Cross has committed a further $1 million to expand the initiative to more tertiary providers nationwide.
Highway upgrade A new $43 million transport gateway linking Ōmokoroa and State Highway 2 has officially opened. The project includes a new roundabout, four-laning into Ōmokoroa and wider road improvements designed to enhance safety and accommodate rapid population growth. Western Bay of Plenty mayor James Denyer says the investment supports the township’s future development.
Gallery growth Visitor numbers at Tauranga Art Gallery have surged following its redevelopment and reopening. Gallery leaders expect that momentum to continue as new facilities within the Te Manawataki o Te Papa civic precinct come online. The new library and community
hub is expected to open next month, followed by the museum and civic whare in 2028.
Senior struggles Older residents across an upper North Island region that includes the Bay of Plenty are facing growing financial pressure, according to a new survey. One-third say they are going backwards financially, while 15 per cent struggle to make ends meet. Nearly six in 10 find it harder to cover essential expenses, and concerns over future healthcare affordability are rising.
Credit Union First Credit Union, which has branches in Tauranga, Rotorua and Waikato, will join worldwide celebrations of International Credit Union Day on October 15. The member-owned financial cooperative says the annual event recognises the role credit unions play in supporting financial wellbeing, with in-branch activities, giveaways and competitions planned for members.
Cut from the top Aerial Arborists Limited has completed the country’s first live-line helisaw power line corridor clearance in
partnership with The Lines Company. The milestone was achieved on TLC’s 33kV Kuratau power line through Rotoaira Forest, where vegetation was cleared alongside a high-voltage line without turning power off to customers. Helisaw systems use saw blades suspended beneath a helicopter to trim trees along power line corridors.
Lung screening Rotorua and Taupō will be included in a new fouryear mobile lung cancer screening trial set to begin in mid-2027. The Cardiac and Respiratory Foundation NZ says the programme is a significant step towards a national screening service, with around 8,000 screenings expected and an estimated 50 to 60 lives saved each year.
Medieval Garden Hamilton Gardens has opened its new Medieval Garden, the 19th addition to its internationally recognised Enclosed Gardens collection. Inspired by monastery and apothecary gardens, the attraction features a working garden, 52-archway cloister and a 12-metre bell tower. Designers used 10,000 hand-finished tiles and aged materials to create the feel of a centuries-old landscape.
OCTOBER 2026
Briefs… Tauriko expansion
Ebbett Automotive will consolidate its Tauranga and Mount Maunganui dealership operations into a new purpose-built automotive village in Tauriko, expected to open late next year. The site will bring together nine vehicle brands under one roof, offering expanded showroom and service facilities, improved customer convenience, and capacity to support growing demand across the Bay of Plenty.
Seawall upgrade
Work will begin next week on a $576,000 project to renew sections of the seawall at MacMillan Reserve in Katikati. The upgrade is expected to take six to eight weeks and is designed to provide stronger coastal protection while safeguarding the popular reserve for future generations.
Birthday bonanza
Bay of Plenty woman Pua Taikato is celebrating after winning the Fieldays gate prize package worth more than $60,000. The prize includes a JAC T9 Double Cab 4WD ute valued at nearly $50,000 and $10,000 worth of Stoney Creek gear. Taikato said she never imagined her Smart Band entry would be the winning one.
Road rebuild
A major two-kilometre reconstruction of No. 1 Road in Te Puke has been completed, delivering a safer and more resilient transport route for a key horticultural and growth area. The project included road rebuilding, drainage upgrades and flood mitigation work, with further footpath improvements planned in the coming months.
Parking relief
Community cash boost M
ore than $3 million is already flowing back into local communities thanks to one of the Bay’s biggest charitable trusts. Tect has gifted $3,071,616 to 73 organisations across Tauranga and the Western Bay so far this financial year, supporting causes as diverse as maritime rescue, mental health, youth development, environmental projects and community wellbeing. Last year the trust distributed almost $5.9 million through the same fund and, with several months of funding still to be allocated, this year’s total is expected to rise well beyond $3 million by the end of the financial year on March 31. The range of recipients this year is as broad as ever, including Anxiety NZ Trust, BOP Youth Development Trust, Ōmokoroa Menzshed, Breast Cancer Support Service Tauranga Trust, Envirohub BOP, Headway Brain Injury Association BOP, Coastguard NZ, Poutiri Trust, Kia Mau Charitable Trust, Stand Tall Community Trust and many more. Beyond its Community Development Fund, Tect has also committed $612,000 to community events, $1,288,746 to community facilities, and $3,450,000 through its Catalyst for Change Fund this financial year. Community event recipients include Aims Games Trust, City of Tauranga Pipe Band, Tauranga Arts Festival Trust and Tauranga Squash Rackets Club. Community facilities recipients include Katikati Tennis Club for pickleball court and deck upgrades, Maungatapu Marae Committee for tornado rebuild costs and Ngamuwahine Camp Trust for an ablution block
Coastguard Maketū volunteers with rescue vessels Maketū Rescue and Gibby Rescue. Coastguard New Zealand is one of 73 organisations to benefit from Tect Community Trust community development funding in 2026-27.
upgrade and storage shed. Manaaki Kaimai Mamaku Trust and Sustainability Options are recipients under the Catalyst for Change Fund. Some TECT funding spans three years, as is the case for both organisations this year. Tect also supports events through collaborative funds, namely the Kaupapa Māori Event Fund and the Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund, in partnership with Acorn Foundation, BayTrust and local councils. The trust was established in 1993 as Tauranga Energy Consumer Trust following the corporatisation of the local power board and originally existed to manage electricity-related assets on behalf of local consumers. Tect chief executive Wayne Werder says behind every grant is a story of people working to make a positive difference in communities across the Western Bay.
Each investment reflects “community impact in action”, he says, whether that is supporting people in need, improving local facilities, strengthening community connections or enhancing wellbeing. “We are privileged to support these initiatives and the many organisations and volunteers helping make our region a better place for everyone,” Werder says. Werder is also encouraging the public to take part in the Tect trustee election and help determine who will guide future investment into local people, projects, events and organisations. Nine candidates are contesting this year’s election: Hori Ahomiro, Ray Anderson, Mark Arundel, Kate Barry-Piceno, Debbie Ireland, Mark Irving, Murray Lapworth, Fraser Lellman and Jon Murie. Voting closes at noon on Friday, October 23. – Monique Balvert-O’Connor
Parking in Tauranga’s city centre is becoming cheaper, with free parking now available in the Elizabeth Street and Spring Street parking buildings from 5pm to 6am on weekdays, as well as all weekend and on public holidays. Hourly weekday rates have also been reduced. Tauranga City Council hopes the changes will attract more visitors to the CBD and boost local businesses.
Workers paid
A Bay of Plenty horticultural labour hire company and its former director have been ordered to pay more than $400,000 after being found guilty of exploiting migrant workers. The Employment Relations Authority ordered penalties and repayments covering wage arrears, holiday pay and unlawful premiums. The case involved four former workers employed in the region’s kiwifruit sector.
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Young people take part in a Kia Mau Charitable Trust workshop. The organisation is among dozens of community groups supported through TECT Community Trust funding.
Builders eye new work
Bay of Plenty builders are reporting stronger forward workloads despite growing caution about the wider economy, according to the latest Master Builders State of the Sector survey. The survey, which included builders from Tauranga, Rotorua and Whakatāne, found 70 per cent had a strong or steady pipeline of work, up from 60 per cent a year ago. Only seven per cent said their workload had critically diminished, compared with 21 per cent in 2025. The results come as confidence in the broader economy has softened. Just 42 per cent of respondents believed economic conditions would improve over the next 12 months, down from 72 per cent last year. However, builders were more confident about their own prospects, with 57 per cent expecting their business performance to improve. Master Builders chief executive Ankit Sharma said the findings showed a sector adapting to difficult trading conditions rather than waiting for market conditions to improve. “Conditions are still difficult, but our members are holding their ground,” Sharma said. Consumer demand and rising construction costs remained the biggest pressures facing Bay of Plenty builders, while concerns about access to capital had eased compared with previous years. Obtaining consents continues to be a challenge. Nearly three-quarters of Midlands builders surveyed said projects had been
Ankit Sharma
affected by consenting delays, up from 62 per cent last year. At the same time, workforce availability appears to have improved, with 70 per cent saying they could access the skilled workers they needed and almost two-thirds employing apprentices. Nationally, the survey found 68 per cent of Master Builders had a strong or steady pipeline, while the proportion reporting critically diminished workloads had nearly halved from 11 per cent to six per cent. The survey also found homeowners remained highly positive about building. More than 600 recent customers took part, with 91 per cent saying they would recommend building to others and 75 per cent reporting no significant delays during their projects. Sharma said the results should give confidence to people considering building despite ongoing economic uncertainty. – Mary Anne Gill
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OCTOBER 2026
Giving back hope daily
Mobility advocate Andrew Short says people with disabilities in the Bay of Plenty and beyond are being held back by inadequate funding and support, reports Viv Posselt. Andrew Short laughs when he recalls being asked whether his Permobil jacket meant he could help someone buy cheap diesel. The Auckland-based executive spends his days focused on mobility, but of a very different kind: helping people with disabilities gain greater independence through better access to life-changing technology and support. As commercial vicepresident (Pacific) for Permobil, a global mobility solutions company, Short works across New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific to improve outcomes for people with mobility challenges. Among the initiatives he has championed are Eden Park Comfort Zones and Auckland’s Power in the Park, both designed to improve accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities and their families. “Everybody deserves to have joy in their lives,” he said. Despite advances in technology and support services, Short believes many people with disabilities are being
let down by persistent underfunding. “We have the technology to make people’s lives better,” he said. “I don’t want to be in a business that just sells wheelchairs. I want to be in a business that provides solutions for people with mobility challenges.” Speaking recently about the challenges facing the sector, Short said technologies available today can dramatically improve quality of life, but a lack of government funding continues to prevent many people from accessing them. One in four New Zealanders lives with a disability, and while funding for complex rehabilitation equipment has been declining by 12 per cent year-on-year over the past five years, demand has been increasing by 22 per cent annually over the same period, he said. Short said the consequences of underfunding are being felt in communities throughout New Zealand, including the Bay of Plenty, where access to equipment and support services can make
Permobil commercial vice-president (Pacific) Andrew Short speaking at at the Ōtorohanga Friendship Club where his parents are members. Photo: Viv Posselt
the difference between independence and isolation. “The disability sector has been constantly underfunded by successive governments,” he said. “As a result, more people are stuck at home, frustrated at being unable to live the life they want.”
Part of Short’s role is to advocate for the sector. He says people with mobility challenges want the same opportunities as anyone else to participate in their communities, contribute to society and live independently. “We are in the business of
giving back hope,” he said. “It is our job to ensure our government provides for these people. Not all halls of power understand that.” Before joining Permobil in 2021, Short spent more than three decades in education leadership roles across New Zealand, Asia,
the Pacific and the Middle East. Today, his focus is firmly on improving access, opportunity and quality of life for people with disabilities, and on ensuring their needs remain visible to those making funding decisions.
Charting a path to sustainability T
he Tauranga Club has spent the past 12 months doing something every organisation facing financial pressure hopes to achieve: turning itself around while keeping its community intact. At the club’s annual general meeting recently, members heard a consistent message from management and the board. The figures are improving, membership engagement is growing and functions are increasing, but there is still a long road ahead before the club can declare victory. General manager Kerry Bollen told members the club recognised a year ago that change was needed in both governance and financial performance. “There has been a lot of work done over the past year, and while we still have plenty to do, I genuinely believe we are moving in the right direction.” The club continues to carry an interest-only loan costing about $14,000 a month. Bollen said reducing that burden would be critical to the club’s future. “That is what we are working towards, not just surviving but building a financially sustainable club that we can all be proud of.” The loan arrangement has a two-year term which has provided breathing space while
management focused on rebuilding the operation. Club leaders are hopeful results to March 2027 will demonstrate sufficient cashflow strength to support a new lending arrangement with regular repayments. President David Stone praised Bollen and the club team for navigating a difficult year. “Tauranga Club is well served by an outstanding staff, exceptionally well led by our super general manager,” he said. Stone credited Bollen and functions and events manager Capri Bramley with introducing a range of events, membership benefits and reciprocal club arrangements designed to add value for members. Those reciprocal relationships now include clubs in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, as well as local partnerships such as the Tauranga Racing Club. Work continues to expand and formalise those connections after some previously listed arrangements had not been fully confirmed. One of the clearest signs of progress is the increase in the club’s activity levels. The number of functions held during the year more than doubled, excluding regular weekly meetings. Management sees events as a critical growth area and
The boardroom can be booked by members.
is encouraging members to make greater use of the facilities for business meetings, client catchups, celebrations and community gatherings. The club’s greatest strength remained its sense of community. “The club provides something that is becoming increasingly important, a safe, welcoming place where people can come together, socialise, build relationships and feel like they belong,” she said. Membership growth remains a priority. While membership records have been tidied up following discrepancies in previous reporting, club leaders are keen to attract new members and
The Water View Restaurant and Bar. Photos: Tauranga Club
increase facility usage. Members were repeatedly urged during the meeting to bring guests, hold meetings at the club and introduce prospective members to the organisation. The financial result for the year still showed a loss, but members were told performance is trending in the right direction. Committee members and management believe the foundations have been laid for further improvement during the coming year. There were also signs of stronger financial housekeeping. Members noted that all debentures have now been repaid, while the club has sold two car parks and retains another
that could be sold if required. The meeting approved an increase in the annual membership fee to $550 plus GST, although existing members who pay their subscriptions on time will not be affected. The current committee was also returned unopposed for another term. The turnaround is far from complete, but club leaders believe the foundations are in place. The club has spent the past year “righting the ship”, Stone said. “We now need to set the course for Tauranga’s premier meeting, greeting and event location.” – Mary Anne Gill
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Economic roots of growth BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS
OCTOBER 2026
Forestry remains a cornerstone of the regional economy and generates employment, reports David Porter.
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orestry remains one of the Bay of Plenty’s largest economic contributors, supporting thousands of jobs, sustaining export supply chains through the Port of Tauranga and underpinning business activity across Rotorua and the wider central North Island. Research by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER), commissioned by the New Zealand Forest Owners Association, highlights the significant role forestry continues to play in regional economies and warns that a decline in activity would have widespread economic consequences. New Zealand Forest Owners Association chief executive Elizabeth Heeg says the report confirms forestry’s importance extends well beyond forest boundaries. “Forestry contributes $5.4 billion to New Zealand’s GDP, and in many regions it is a major driver of economic activity,” she says. The report found forestry contributes more than some traditional farming sectors in a number of regions and remains one of New Zealand’s most significant export industries. It also found that reductions in forestry output flow quickly through regional economies, affecting employment, household spending, export earnings and local businesses that service the sector. Forestry’s contribution is
not confined to economics. NZIER estimates production forests provide environmental benefits worth about $1.6 billion annually through carbon sequestration and around $312 million in avoided soil erosion. Additional benefits include improved water quality, biodiversity protection and recreational opportunities such as walking, hunting and mountain biking. Heeg says decisions made today about forestry investment, planting and harvesting will shape regional economies for decades. Few regions illustrate that point better than the Bay of Plenty. Kaingaroa Tipu manages the vast Kaingaroa Forest Estate, centred on Rotorua and extending across the Bay of Plenty and central North Island. Sustainability general manager Colin Maunder says forestry remains one of the central North Island’s economic anchors, generating work throughout a network of contractors, transport companies, processors and service providers. During the 2025-26 financial year, Kaingaroa spent more than $400 million with 1065 businesses, with about 30 per cent of those suppliers based in Rotorua. The company directly employed about 160 staff and supported more than 1200 contractor workers during peak operations. Much of that economic
Logs stacked at Port of Tauranga highlight forestry’s role as one of the Bay of Plenty’s largest export industries. Photo: Kaingaroa Tipu
activity comes from the Kaingaroa Forest Estate, one of the largest planted production forests in the Southern Hemisphere. Around two-thirds of its 235,000-hectare managed estate lies within the Bay of Plenty region. The company plants about seven million trees annually and harvests approximately 4.8 million tonnes of logs each year. About 68 per cent of harvested volume is supplied to domestic processors, supporting manufacturing
activity and associated supply chains. The remainder feeds export markets through infrastructure such as the Port of Tauranga, helping maintain the Bay’s position as one of New Zealand’s key export gateways. Forestry’s role also extends into tourism and recreation. Whakarewarewa Forest attracts more than 800,000 visits annually and has become one of the country’s premier mountain biking destinations, generating significant spending for
Te Reo milestone A Rotorua-based te reo Māori immersion programme that has helped thousands of people learn the language over four decades is preparing to mark a major milestone. He Kāinga Mō Te Reo, believed to be New Zealand’s longest-running fulltime te reo Māori immersion course for adults, will celebrate its 40th anniversary next month with a threeday reunion expected to attract former students from around the country and overseas. Organisers are inviting graduates, current tauira and members of the wider Te Ataarangi movement to return to Rotorua for the celebrations, although attendance will be capped at 500 people. Founded in 1986, He Kāinga Mō Te Reo remains unique for offering a fulltime immersion programme at no cost to students. Pouako reo Whaea Tutu Kautai, who has taught at the kura for 30 years, says accessibility has been central to its success. “You can come here without any reo at all. It doesn’t matter what iwi you are from, or whether you are Māori or not, our doors are open to anyone who has a desire to learn,” she says. “And it’s free. We want people speaking te reo Māori, so we make it as
Coloured rods are a key part of the Te Ataarangi learning method used at Rotorua-based He Kāinga Mō Te Reo, where Pouako Reo Whaea Tutu Kautai helps learners develop spoken te reo Māori.
easy as we can.” The programme uses the Te Ataarangi method, which emphasises spoken language rather than written instruction. Students use coloured rods and conversation-based learning to develop fluency, with English no longer spoken in the classroom after the first few weeks. Kautai says the approach encourages people to learn language naturally. “Tauira pick it up the way a child
learns their first language, by hearing it, saying it, trying it and being OK with mistakes.” The anniversary comes as interest in learning te reo Māori continues to grow nationwide. Census data recorded 213,849 speakers of te reo Māori in 2023, representing 4.3 per cent of the population, while national language revitalisation goals aim for one million New Zealanders to be able to speak at least basic te reo Māori by 2040.
Rotorua businesses. Maunder says the industry’s long investment cycle makes it unique. “Forestry operates across decades rather than years, which means decisions made now around planting and replanting will influence jobs, investment
and regional prosperity for generations to come.” With the Bay of Plenty continuing to grow, forestry’s contribution to employment, exports, recreation and environmental outcomes is likely to remain a critical part of the region’s economic future.
Bay of Plenty renters are enjoying more choice, with rental listings up 23 per cent on a year ago while house prices remain largely unchanged. New data from Realestate. co.nz shows the region’s rental market is offering tenants more options at a time when the housing sales market remains subdued. Realestate.co.nz chief executive Sarah Wood says Bay of Plenty asking prices have shown little movement over the past year, while the number of rental properties available has risen significantly. “Looking at the data, maybe some properties that could have gone on the market have gone into rental stock. Or properties have been selling through and new rental properties have come on as well,” Wood says. The increase in available rentals is good news for tenants, providing greater choice and potentially easing some of the pressure that has characterised the rental market in recent years. At the same time, rental asking prices remain relatively stable, with rents
increasing by less than one per cent year-on-year. Wood says strong investment and development activity in the Tauranga area is expected to continue attracting people to the region, helping underpin housing demand. While new property listings for sale are down on a year ago, asking prices have remained largely flat, suggesting a market that is stabilising rather than experiencing significant growth or decline. For renters, however, the key takeaway is clear: there are more properties available and more choice than there was a year ago. – David Porter
Rental choice grows
Sarah Wood
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Apprentice tops region BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS
OCTOBER 2026
A Bay of Plenty apprentice builder has earned a shot at national honours after impressing judges with his technical ability, initiative and commitment to the trade, writes Chris Gardner.
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hat began as a chance to challenge himself has earned Mount Maunganui apprentice Logan CrawfordTeague the Bay of Plenty and Hawke’s Bay Master Builders Apprentice of the Year title. The 22-year-old will now represent the region at the national final in Auckland after standing out among this year’s entrants. “I’m still buzzing. I can’t believe I have won it,” the 22-year-old former Tauranga Boys’ College student told The News. “I thought it would be a fun experience. I am very satisfied with how I did.” The JBH Builders apprentice entered a twoyear building project on Marine Parade, Mount Maunganui. Judges praised his thoughtful approach, technical knowledge and pride in his work. “His site visit was particularly impressive.
Logan gave the judges a detailed walkthrough of what had happened on site, the work he had personally undertaken and what he had learned along the way,” judges said. Crawford-Teague also came prepared with answers to questions raised during the judges’ interview, showing initiative and a willingness to keep learning. He also showed strong time management in the practical challenge and arrived with a brand-new handmade saw stool. Crawford-Teague trained as a draughtsman after leaving school but soon realised he did not want a desk job. Building offered the mix of practical work, problem-solving and variety he wanted. He researched previous Bay of Plenty and Hawke’s Bay Master Builders Apprentice of the Year winners, then rang their
employers to ask about apprenticeships. He went on to train through Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology. He will represent the region at the national final in Auckland, where winners from around the country will compete for the national title. Georgia Rendall, 23, placed second this year after finishing third last year. Rendall, a former Western Heights High School student from Rotorua, entered a Waikite Valley renovation while apprenticed to Oswald Construction. She has since moved to Build Ltd in Tauranga. Judges said Rendall showed real growth from last year’s competition, particularly in the way she explained preparation, problem-solving and the requirements of the Building Code. “Her interview was equally strong, with Georgia
Calling local heroes Those thinking of nominating incredible individuals or organisations for the 2027 Western Bay Community Awards are urged to do so smartly. Nominations for the awards - which celebrate incredible local people, groups, organisations, events, projects and collaborations - close on October 9. The awards offer an opportunity to shine a light on those who make Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty a better place to live. This can be through volunteering, leadership, creativity, care, connection or service and can involve a person, organisation, initiative, or community effort making a real difference. The awards are divided into seven categories with the winners announced in March next year. The categories are: Community Event, Sustainable Future,Diversity and Inclusion, Heart of the Community, Youth Spirit, Volunteer of the Year and Best Collaboration awards. In addition, a People’s Choice Award will open in February for the general public to vote online for their favourite finalist, and A Lifetime Service Award winner will be selected from the Volunteer of the Year category finalists and announced on the awards evening. The 2026 winners were announced in March this year.
The Heart of the Community Award went to Hunt for Good.
Logan Crawford-Teague showed strong time management in the practical challenge and arrived with a brand-new handmade saw stool.
communicating confidently about her involvement in the project and what she had learned from it,” judges said. “She completed the practical challenge with a wellorganised and methodical approach.” The site visit was another highlight, with judges saying Rendall spoke clearly about the challenges of the project and the areas she had been directly involved in. “I didn’t want to be inside all the time,” Rendall said. “I really love being outside, and that’s what attracted me to building.” She eventually plans to build her own barndominium. Ross Pirie, 21, of Oceanside Builds in Pāpāmoa Beach and Tauranga, placed third. The former Mount Maunganui College student grew up with builder father
Paul. Rather than continuing with academic study, he started his building career in his father’s company, Saltire Builders. Pirie entered a Pukehina barn conversion in the competition, impressing judges with his strong understanding of the project scope, site responsibilities and structural challenges. Judges said Pirie showed a solid base of industry knowledge and a strong understanding of the work he had been involved in. They were also impressed that he was already trusted to run jobs on site and contribute ideas independently. “I was stoked to come third,” Pirie said. “It was a great experience.” Rendall and Pirie both trained through BCITO. Now in its 23rd year, Apprentice of the Year is
New Zealand’s leading competition for construction apprentices. Master Builders chief executive Ankit Sharma said the competition recognised apprentices who were building strong foundations for their careers. “As our sector continues to evolve, skilled apprentices remain at the heart of delivering the high-quality homes and buildings New Zealand needs. Apprentice of the Year gives emerging builders the chance to demonstrate not only their practical ability, but also the professionalism, knowledge and leadership they are developing throughout their training,” Sharma said. “The standard displayed throughout this year’s competition gives us real confidence in the next generation of builders.”
Barber Spence (Spencer McNeil) took out the Youth Spirit Award.
Regional Master Builders Apprentice of the Year winner Logan Crawford-Teague, centre, with second-place getter Georgia Rendall, left, and third-place getter Ross Pirie.
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BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS
OCTOBER 2026
Out and about…
More Out and about photos goodlocal.nz Send us your contributions to Out and about – editor@goodlocal.nz
Royal honours Investitures were held at Government House in Wellington last month and were presented to Bay of Plenty recipients by Dame Cynthia (Cindy) Kiro. The New Zealand Honours system recognises those whose actions, leadership and service have had a lasting impact on our communities and country.Every New Zealand Honours recipient has been nominated by someone who believed their contribution deserves to be recognised and celebrated. Photos: The Office of the Governor-General.
Mark Fraundorfer, of Mount Maunganui, MNZM for services to health, particularly men’s health.
Ian Blunt, of Ōmokoroa, KSM for services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand and the community.
Kathy Webb, of Tauranga, KSM for services to the community.
Warwick Wilshier, of Whakatāne, MNZM for services to the road freight industry.
Janice Kuka, of Tauranga, MNZM for services to Māori health.
Diane Turner, JP, of Whakatāne, MNZM for services to governance, seniors and Māori.
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BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS
PURPOSE-BUILT. FOR A-GRADE TENANTS
OCTOBER 2026
We have worked with Fosters on multiple projects because they are transparent, have good people and deliver to a high standard. David Baker, General Manager Focus On Property
Built in the early 80’s and once a printing factory, 36 First Avenue has been fully upgraded internally and externally to create A-grade office space, featuring two boardrooms, multiple meeting rooms and an open plan office space complete with staff amenities.
that would be attractive to national ‘blue chip’ tenants.
Focus On Property General Manager David Baker noted that this was the “sixth or seventh project” he’s worked on with Fosters.
Almost a new build, with a timeframe of six months, the programme was extremely tight and further exacerbated by a 25-working day delay to consent.
“We have worked with Fosters on multiple projects because they are transparent, have good people and deliver to a high standard,” said David.
“Fosters were creative in progressing pre-consent activities and procurement, the early procurement benefiting our open book arrangement,” said David.
“This building was old and rundown. We wanted to create a high-quality fitout
He noted numerous subcontractors were involved within a relatively short timeframe.
#BuiltByFosters FOSTERS.CO.NZ | 07 570 6000
“The value of working with Fosters on a project like this is that they understand our expectations, and we know their capabilities. This relationship of trust creates efficiencies.”
“Fosters have a remarkable ability to get subcontractors on site when needed. It speaks to the relationships they have in place there, too. “We also appreciate that Fosters employ their own carpenters and apprentices. For us, it means less chance of things being lost in translation and better control of the programme.” The project was delivered on the agreed deadline, enabling new tenants Aon to move in. “In short, we are really happy with another fantastic outcome and, again, would recommend working with Fosters” David said.