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Inspirational principal

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Rebuilding Cherrington Balancing the past with the future sits at the heart of an ambitious redevelopment project that will help shape the next chapter of one of Hamilton’s most historic schools, reports senior writer Mary Anne Gill.

ngee Robertson knew becoming principal of Waikato Diocesan School for Girls would bring challenges. She did not know she would also inherit a $14 million heritage rebuild. Less than a year after arriving, Robertson is overseeing plans to restore and reimagine Cherrington House, the school’s landmark former dormitory, which has stood empty since 2019 after being declared earthquakeprone. The prospect does not faze her. “Just another challenge,” she says. “It’s a beautiful challenge. What a wonderful, beautiful burden to bear.” Sitting beside a model for the future of Cherrington House on River Road, Robertson speaks confidently about the project. Before moving to Hamilton, she was involved in major building programmes in Christchurch following the earthquakes and later at St Kentigern in Auckland. “I’ve come from Christchurch. I’ve been a part of a master build there. And then my previous school was also a part of a master build. So I’m very familiar with bricks and mortar.” The historic brick building, constructed in 1930 when the

school moved to its permanent River Road site, was closed after a seismic assessment deemed it unsafe for occupancy. Now the school is preparing for an ambitious redevelopment expected to cost about $14 million. The project will preserve the much-loved western façade, including its distinctive arches and Juliet balcony, while creating a modern administration and student services hub behind it. For Robertson, whose career has included senior roles at St Kentigern College, St Margaret’s College and Shirley Boys’ High School, the project represents more than construction. “It gives us an opportunity to rethink and reimagine her, still keep her beautiful bones,” she says. The redevelopment is the first stage of a broader masterplan for the school. “It is the first piece of the puzzle,” Robertson says. The challenge facing Waikato Diocesan is delicate. While much of the existing structure will be dismantled and rebuilt, the school is determined to retain the character and history that generations of former students associate with the building. Old girls still share stories

of sliding down the wooden bannisters, hiding from the matron and spending their boarding school years within its walls. School foundation manager Heather Connelly believes preserving that history is vital. “The girls of today don’t know the history of yesterday, but the girls of tomorrow, once that building is reawakened, it is still going to have the history of yesterday in it and it’s going to be a place for tomorrow.” The completed building will reconnect the school community with a prominent structure many students have never been able to enter. Plans include separate entrances for visitors and students, with pastoral care teams, deans and support staff based in the building. Robertson sees that as symbolic. “Essentially every single student here at Waikato Dio is going to have a connection with this place,” she says. “We’ll create this sense of back to a heart.” The project also reflects the school’s commitment to honouring its heritage while preparing for the future. Founded in 1909, Waikato Waikato Diocesan School for Girls principal Angee Robertson with a model of the Diocesan School for Girls was the proposed redevelopment of Cherrington House, the historic former dormitory at the CON TIN UED ON PAGE 2

centre of a $14 million restoration project.

Photo: Mary Anne Gill

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The buildings may have changed, but the friendships, values and connections forged at Waikato Diocesan School for Girls continue to span generations, writes Mary Anne Gill.

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here is something special about watching a daughter walk the same path her mother did. For Susan O’Regan, a visit to Waikato Diocesan School for Girls is never just a trip down memory lane. These days it is also a glimpse into her daughter Lily Hayward’s future. As they stroll through the school, stopping to admire rowing memorabilia and old photographs, their conversation moves effortlessly between past and present. Susan remembers homesickness. Lily remembers her first day. Susan remembers strict matrons and months between visits home. Lily remembers arriving as a Year 9 boarder and quickly discovering she was never going to be alone. “I thought I would be away from my friends,” Lily says. “But you soon realise when you live with people, you make friends so quickly.” For Susan, those friendships have stood the test of time. “I’ve kept lifelong friends from my time there,” she says. After our interview, she was heading to Hawke’s Bay with two friends she first met at Dio. Those friendships were a large part of the reason she hoped Lily would one day attend the school. Growing up on a farm near Te Awamutu, Lily, 16, was not entirely sold on the idea. “I’d gone to public school my whole life and Mum was just like, ‘You’re going to go to Dio’,” she says. Boarding was the biggest worry. Not the school. Not the studies. Just leaving home. Susan understood that feeling better than most. She boarded there from her third form year, spending weeks at a time away from the family farm in Rukuhia. “I remember being so homesick,” she says. “I was very close to my mother and didn’t enjoy being separated from her.” Cherrington House holds a special place in her memories. It was the centre of boarding life. “We had terrible, terrible bunks we had to be in and these awful skinny little mattresses and dragons of matrons,” she says. Yet she remembers the building with affection.

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Past and present: Susan O’Regan and daughter Lily Hayward pause at Waikato Diocesan School for Girls’ rowing honours board. O’Regan, a former Waipā mayor, boarded at the school decades ago, while Hayward is writing her own chapter as a boarder and rower. Photo: Mary Anne Gill

“It’s a beautiful old building and it’s kind of the iconic picture that people have in their head of Dio,” she says. Yet the school she remembers with such affection helped shape the person she became. She talks about the Christian values instilled during her years there, values of kindness, gratitude and respect that remain important to her today. Lily sees those values reflected in a different way. She talks about the friendships, the support and the opportunities available to today’s students. She has thrown herself into school life through rowing and netball, and already has her sights set on studying medicine after

school. But some things have not changed. The friendships remain. The sense of belonging remains. And as Waikato Diocesan prepares to breathe new life into Cherrington House, Susan and Lily are a reminder that the school’s history is about far more than buildings. The boarding houses may be more comfortable. The girls head home more often. The opportunities are broader than ever. But as Susan looks at her daughter’s experience and remembers her own, she is convinced one thing has not changed. “The essence of the school is the same,” she says.

Rebuilding Cherrington CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

first Anglican girls’ school in the region and remains one of Hamilton’s most recognisable educational institutions. Robertson is clearly passionate about that legacy. “I’ve been all around New

A scale model shows the proposed redevelopment of Cherrington House at Waikato Diocesan School for Girls. Photo: Mary Anne Gill

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and highly visible. “I loved the story of how it really wanted to create a school for ordinary women to become extraordinary.” For Robertson, the challenge is as much about the future as it is about preserving the past.

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Briefs… Orchestra adventure

Families will get a rare chance to experience orchestral music up close when The Caretaker’s Guide to the Orchestra comes to Hamilton in October. The interactive Opus Orchestra concert includes the New Zealand premiere of the family-focused work, audience participation and opportunities for children to meet musicians and explore instruments after the performance.

Apprentice honours

Waikato apprentice Matt Strawbridge, of Foster Construction, has been named the region’s 2026 Master Builders Apprentice of the Year. Fellow BCITO-trained apprentices Jack Strawbridge and Kaden Wenham placed second and third respectively. Matt will represented Waikato at the national finals in Auckland last month.

Runway vision

An independent commissioner has approved 15-year extensions to three designations protecting land for a potential future runway extension at Hamilton Airport. The decision keeps options open for larger aircraft and expanded international services, while giving the airport time to explore longterm growth opportunities following Jetstar’s arrival and the current runway extension project.

Bringing Taonga home Curator Maree Mills spent 18 months working with iwi, museums and collectors nationwide to create Waikato Museum’s landmark Ngāti Hauā exhibition, writes Mary Anne Gill.

ringing together taonga scattered across museums, libraries and collections throughout New Zealand was never going to be a simple exercise. For Waikato Museum curator Maree Mills, creating Whakahokia! Ngāti Hauā, Our Taonga, Whakapapa and Kōrero became an 18-month journey of relationship building, negotiation, research and trust. The exhibition, which opened recently at Waikato Museum and runs until February 2028, brings together taonga, whakapapa and first-person voices. Behind the displays lies another story, one about how a museum worked alongside iwi to return their narratives to centre stage. Mills says the project emerged after Waikato

Museum reconsidered how it worked with iwi. Rather than asking iwi to fit their stories into existing museum narratives, she argued for a different approach: a dedicated exhibition designed, developed and led in partnership with iwi. “We decided we were going to commit to that,” she says. A Ngāti Hauā advisory group was established, bringing together historians, educators, language experts and community leaders. Every significant decision, from exhibition themes to graphic design, was discussed and signed off by the group. One of the earliest challenges was deciding where the story should begin. Discussions initially centred on Kingmaker Wiremu Tamihana, one of

Ai research

Hamilton-raised Dr Christopher Mayo, a University of Waikato graduate, is heading to the University of Cambridge on a prestigious Woolf Fisher Scholarship. His PhD research will use artificial intelligence to analyse routine blood-test data and uncover patterns that could help diagnose diseases earlier, bridging expertise in medicine, data science and machine learning.

Pink appeal

Waikato residents are being encouraged to volunteer for the Breast Cancer Foundation NZ Pink Ribbon Street Appeal this month. Long-time volunteer Shelley Martinovich, who has supported the fundraiser for a decade, is urging others to spare two hours to help raise vital funds for breast cancer research, education and patient support across New Zealand.

Paapita Pene sounds a pūtātara to mark the opening of Whakahokia! Ngāti Hauā, Our Taonga, Whakapapa and Kōrero at Waikato Museum. Photo: Mary Anne Gill

Kingmaker Hone Tamihana glances at a slide during the opening of Whakahokia! Ngāti Hauā, Our Taonga, Whakapapa and Kōrero, which explores the history and legacy of Ngāti Hauā and the Kīngitanga. Photo: Mary Anne Gill

the iwi’s most influential leaders. Mills challenged the group to look wider. “Is this exhibition about Wiremu Tamihana or is it about Ngāti Hauā?” she says. The answer, she discovered, was both. The exhibition’s title, Whakahokia! meaning “bring back” or “gather together again”, became a guiding principle. Rather than starting with a written history, Mills wanted the taonga themselves to shape the story. That meant tracking down significant Ngāti Hauā treasures held throughout the country. Museum staff approached institutions including Auckland War Memorial Museum, Auckland Libraries, Morrinsville Museum, Cambridge Museum and others. Some items had not been displayed publicly for years. Others required extensive conservation planning before they could travel. Among the most significant loans is the Bible used in Kīngitanga coronation ceremonies, a taonga regarded as highly tapu. Gaining approval for its display required careful negotiation and strict conditions around access and duration. A historic peace covenant signed by General Carey and Wiremu Tamihana is also displayed in a specially commissioned cabinet.

Other treasures came from closer to home. Cambridge Museum contributed a palisade post and a patu tuna recovered from Te Miro, while a rare 1905 cheque from the Maungatautari Bank, one of only three surviving examples, helps tell the story of Māori economic selfdetermination. Morrinsville Museum loaned pounamu taonga and heirloom items linked to descendants of Wiremu Tamihana. For Mills, however, the process extended far beyond paperwork and transport schedules. The movement of taonga involved karakia, cultural protocols and close collaboration with iwi representatives. “There is all this other mahi that goes on behind

the scenes that you wouldn’t think about,” she says. The team also faced a modern challenge: how to engage younger audiences. Instead of relying on dense panels of text, much of the exhibition content was converted into audio storytelling. Visitors can hear voices from within Ngāti Hauā, including kaumātua, weavers, rangatahi and leaders involved in the iwi’s development. Mills described it as creating both “static taonga” and “living taonga” within the exhibition. The result is an exhibition that not only reconnects Ngāti Hauā with important artefacts but demonstrates what can be achieved when museums and iwi work together to co-create cultural narratives.

Adam Whauwhau of Te Iti o Hauā Marae, Tauwhare, addresses guests at the opening of Whakahokia! Ngāti Hauā, Our Taonga, Whakapapa and Kōrero at Waikato Museum. Photo: Mary Anne Gill

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Wrapping up the business news

Cost of living

Older residents across an upper North Island region that includes the Waikato 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.

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. More: goodlocal.nz

Skyward skills

A major aviation engineering training initiative is set to launch in Hamilton, bringing specialist Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology training into NZ Aero’s aircraft manufacturing facility. The programme aims to help address a national shortage of around 500 engineers and could support up to 230 aviation engineering students annually, strengthening the workforce needed for New Zealand’s growing aviation and aerospace sectors.

Builder Confidence

Waikato builders remain optimistic about their own businesses despite growing concern about the wider economy. While confidence in economic improvement has fallen sharply, 57 per cent expect their businesses to improve over the next year. Strong workloads, better access to skilled workers, and resilient project pipelines are offset by concerns over rising costs, weaker demand, and increasing consenting delays.

Water progress

Iawai – Flowing Waters Ltd has met all water quality compliance requirements and service targets in its first two months managing water services for Hamilton city and Waikato district. The council-owned organisation is now preparing for the next phase of residential water metering in Hamilton and planning for a potentially dry El Niño summer, with a focus on drought readiness and water demand management.

Economic momentum

Hamilton City Council is investing $382,000 in central city improvements, including enhanced lighting and a new Garden Place sign, to boost safety and attract visitors. The investment supports wider economic momentum, with local businesses expressing confidence in growth across manufacturing, technology and logistics. Council is also developing a new Economic Development Strategy to help sustain investment and future prosperity.

per cent. Northeast and southeast areas have proved more resilient, supported by school zones, modern housing developments and strong buyer demand.

Quality of life

Three-quarters of Hamilton residents rate their quality of life positively, with healthcare, wellbeing and financial security key drivers of satisfaction. The latest Quality of Life Survey also found growing confidence in council decision-making and improved perceptions of the city. While most

residents feel safe during the day, safety in the central city at night remains a concern.

Planning update

Hamilton City Council will begin work on a proposed District Plan change after new data identified areas near gullies, streams and riverbanks that may be more sensitive to slope instability and erosion. The process will assess whether planning changes are needed, with any proposals subject to public consultation. Council says the information supports better-informed growth and

development decisions.

Surf return

The World Surf League has confirmed Raglan’s New Zealand Pro will return to the Championship Tour next year following a successful debut event this year. Manu Bay’s world-class waves, strong community support and international profile helped secure its place on the global surfing calendar, with organisers and Waikato District Council looking to build on the event’s economic and community benefits.

Suburb split

Hamilton’s housing downturn is not affecting all suburbs equally, according to Quotable Value. While average home values across the city have fallen 2.1 per cent this year, central suburbs have dropped 12

Hamilton Gardens director Lucy Ryan with members of the visitor services team, from left Asmita Neupane, Lorena Cintillo and James Guyton at the award-winning Hamilton Gardens visitor centre and shop, where sales of bespoke Hamilton Gardens products have exceeded expectations since paid entry was introduced. Photo: Mary Anne Gill

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ADVERTORIAL

Not All Commercial Tenants Add Up, Pay Attention!

or commercial property owners, finding a tenant and signing a lease can feel like the finish line. The premises are occupied, rent should start flowing and an empty building becomes an income-producing asset again. But signing the wrong tenant can be considerably more expensive than leaving a property vacant for a little longer. Due diligence on commercial tenants is not simply about whether they say they can afford the rent and are optimistic about their business. Landlords and property managers need to establish who they are actually dealing with, the track record of the business and/or its directors, and whether the information being provided stacks up. Sometimes, it is the small inconsistencies that should make you stop and ask further questions and request further information. Consider a recent situation involving a prospective commercial tenant. There had been no face-to-face meeting with either the tenant or guarantor, but someone purporting to represent the Tenants company. The company had apparently existed for 12 years, yet the email address being used did not correspond with the company name or its company director. The Tenant wanted to pay the deposit in cash. Individually, there might be an innocent explanation for each of these things. Collectively, they add up to a red flag. The lesson is simple: when something does not seem to add up, do not explain it away on the tenant’s behalf - verify it. Start with identity. Try to meet the tenant and, where there is a personal guarantor, independently verify that person too. Request a copy of their photo identification(s) and make sure the individual negotiating the lease is actually authorised to act for the entity. Then check the company itself. New Zealand’s Companies Register makes it relatively straightforward to confirm directors, shareholders, registered addresses and the history of a company. Compare that information with what the applicant has told you, including any phone numbers. Email addresses, phone numbers and websites deserve attention too. A Gmail address is not automatically suspicious, but if it’s an established company and the person corresponding with you is never identifying themselves properly, it is reasonable to ask why. Financial checks matter. Obtain appropriate credit information and references, understand the proposed business, and establish where the money to meet the lease obligations is coming from. If a tenant insists on unusual payment arrangements, including large cash payments or rental payments in advance of 6 months or more, ask questions rather than treating it as a convenience.

The consequences of getting this wrong extends well beyond unpaid rent. Case 1: 31 August 2026 it was announced in the Waikato Times that Police had uncovered 14 large scale cannabis grow houses linked to Vietnamese nationals across Waikato in recent months, seizing tonnes of cannabis and leading to multiple arrests. The Waikato Organised Crime Squad executed a number of search warrants, which included commercial premises in Frankton, Hamilton. The premises uncovered bespoke indoor commercial grow rooms with fake walls, water systems and diverted electricity. Case 2: An earlier West Auckland case involved an industrial warehouse in Glen Eden where Police discovered a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory. The laboratory caught fire, requiring emergency services and decontamination precautions. These examples demonstrate why inspections should not end when the lease is signed. Landlords should conduct regular inspections permitted under the lease and watch for unexplained alterations, unusual electrical work, covered windows, chemical smells, unusual deliveries or significant changes in electricity infrastructure. Police have specifically identified these items as indicators that led to the discovery of a commercial cannabis operation at an Ōtāhuhu warehouse in 2026. Due diligence will never eliminate every risk, but mitigating it is now a prudent requirement. Sophisticated offenders can present convincing documentation and seemingly plausible businesses. But commercial landlords do not need to become detectives. They simply need to be prepared to ask a few more questions, independently verify the answers and, most importantly, be willing to walk away when the story does not stack up – gut feelings are often right. While it’s a reasonable expectation that the leasing agent will have conducted initial due diligence on the Tenant, its also up to the Landlord and their solicitor or professional advisor(s) to do the same. In Summary, some easy initial due diligence requests: - Do they own any property ? - Request a statement of position from their accountant - Conduct a Credit Check, which is relatively cheap and easy to obtain, with the tenants written permission and a copy of their ID and current residential address If any red flags turn up: - Suggest requesting a bank bond guarantee - Request the contact details and permission to contact their previous / current Landlord(s) While vacancy can be expensive, the wrong tenant can be far more so.

COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

Metrics that matter By JOSH MOORE

Every month, thousands of business owners receive marketing reports full of colourful graphs, rising trend lines and industry jargon. Most glance at them briefly before moving on to more pressing matters. The problem is that many of these reports highlight activity rather than results. They talk about impressions, reach, clicks and engagement. While those metrics have their place, they’re not the reason most businesses hire a marketing agency. Business owners aren’t paying for impressions. They’re paying for enquiries, quote requests and new customers. When reviewing your next marketing report, there is one question that matters more than any other: How many leads did we generate, and what did each lead cost? Everything else is secondary. A lead might be a phone call, an online enquiry, a booked consultation or a quote request. Whatever form it takes, it represents a potential customer. If your report can’t clearly tell you how many leads were generated last month, you don’t have enough information to judge whether your marketing is working. Just as important is understanding your cost per lead (CPL). The calculation is simple: Cost Per Lead = Marketing Spend ÷ Leads Generated If you spend $3000 on Google Ads and receive 40 enquiries, your CPL is $75. This figure transforms marketing from something vague into something measurable. Once you know your average conversion rate

and the value of a typical customer, you can quickly determine whether your marketing investment is delivering a worthwhile return. Unfortunately, many agencies still bury these numbers deep in their reports, or avoid them altogether. When clients move to us we look at their previous reports and often find they focus on large “vanity metrics” that look impressive but don’t necessarily create business growth. A report showing 50,000 impressions sounds impressive, but hollow. A report showing 40 enquiries at $75 each is useful. The difference is accountability. Good reporting should also explain where leads came from, how performance compares with previous months, and what actions are being taken to improve results. If lead numbers fall or costs rise, your agency should be able to explain why and outline a plan to fix it. As a business owner or manager, you don’t need a marketing degree to evaluate a marketing report. You simply need to know which numbers matter. The next time a report lands in your inbox, go straight to the lead count and cost per lead (they should be on the first page). If those numbers aren’t clearly visible, it may be time to ask some hard questions. After all, marketing shouldn’t be measured by how busy an agency looks. It should be measured by the business it generates. • Josh Moore is the managing director of Hamilton-based digital marketing agency Duoplus.

Briefs… Reform consensus

Hamilton City Council and Federated Farmers have found rare common ground on local government reform, arguing that metropolitan and provincial communities require different governance approaches. Mayor Tim Macindoe says both groups recognise the need for structures, funding and planning tools tailored to distinct regional needs, even if their preferred solutions differ.

New leader

Waikato Waters has welcomed Sarah Sinclair as its new chief infrastructure officer. A Fellow of Engineering New Zealand, Sinclair brings extensive experience in infrastructure leadership, asset management and emergency management from roles in local and central government, including Fire and Emergency New Zealand.

Hamilton concert

Hamilton audiences will be among those sharing in the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra’s 80th anniversary celebrations next year. The season features international stars, a revival of the popular ENZSO concert, special collaborations with New Zealand artists and performances marking the 200th anniversary of Beethoven’s death.

Buyer advantage

Waikato residential property values continue to drift lower, falling 1.6% over the latest quarter, with Hamilton mirroring the regional trend. Buyers remain in a strong position thanks to high listing levels and improved affordability, while investors are more cautious. Early signs of recovery are emerging in parts of the wider region ahead of spring.

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OCTOBER 2026

STUDENT VIEW

Poetry project Rodney Stirling takes shape

TERM DEPOSITS

Rodney Stirling By CHLOE CADDY

Work-Integrated Learning is a compulsory component of all University of Waikato undergraduate degrees, designed to bridge the gap between classroom learning and workplace application. For students approaching the end of their degrees, Work-Integrated Learning provides an opportunity to put three years of university study into practice. With options ranging from work placements and internships to university-hosted projects and ‘Impact Labs’ addressing issues for community organisations and businesses, students are given different ways to apply the skills they have developed throughout their degrees. For undergraduate English Literature students, that opportunity looks a little different. Rather than entering a traditional workplace, a group of students are working together to create and deliver a live event on campus. From planning and fundraising to marketing, staffing and hosting, the students are responsible for building the event from the ground up, with limited assistance from teaching staff. ARTSW300 English students are currently in the fundraising stage of their chosen event, Te Reo o Te Pō, a late-night poetry evening celebrating local writers and talent from within the university’s English department. Eighteen students meet each Tuesday evening to work on the project, while smaller groups continue working throughout the week on individual aspects of the event. The result is a collaborative effort requiring students to use skills well beyond those traditionally associated with studying literature. Te Reo o Te Pō translates to The Voices of

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the Night and will POLISHING take place on October 16 EXPERT CONCRETE GRINDING, &atSEALANTS / COATINGS FOR FLOORS & WALLS the Gallagher Performing Arts Centre. The event will feature local authors, alongside original work from current English Literature students and public submissions. The students behind the event describe it as a family-friendly showcase of local creativity and talent, creating connection and inspiration through words and performance. Behind the scenes, students have taken responsibility for contracting the venue, developing the event’s underground poetryclub theme, designing promotional material and planning decorations. The class has been divided into teams, including design, communications, treasury, marketing and recruitment. For many students, this means learning skills that aren’t necessarily taught directly in a literature classroom. Writing and analysing literature may be familiar territory, but organising a public event requires communication, budgeting, promotion, teamwork and problem-solving. This shows that a degree built around words can involve much more than simply writing about them. The group recently held a bake sale on the University’s Village Green. Students promoted Te Reo o Te Pō through posters, speeches and conversations while raising money towards the event. Further fundraising efforts are planned, including sausage sizzles and approaching local businesses about potential sponsorship. On October 16, those words will leave the classroom and take the stage. • Chloe Caddy is a Waikato University student offering observations on university life and issues affecting students.

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OCTOBER 2026

D VEERRTTOORRI A I ALL AADV

Immigration: The Problem We Don’t Have

f you listened only to election rhetoric, you could be forgiven for thinking New Zealand has an immigration problem. The evidence suggests otherwise. Compared with many other developed countries, New Zealand’s immigration system is doing exactly what it was designed to do. Recent Statistics New Zealand figures show annual net migration of 20,300 people in the year to July, a dramatic reduction from the post-Covid surge. At the same time, the exodus of New Zealanders to Australia is easing, reducing one of the major concerns of recent years. Furthermore, much of today’s net migration is being driven by international students, who contribute billions of dollars to our economy through tuition fees, accommodation, living costs and regional spending. Far from being a problem, this is precisely the type of migration New Zealand wants. The same picture emerges when we examine resident visa approvals. Over the past two years, residence approvals have remained stable at around 50,000 people annually. Almost half of these approvals come through partnership and Straight to Residence (skills shortage) pathways. Many of these people were already living and working in New Zealand before becoming residents. We are granting residence for skilled workers filling critical shortages in healthcare, engineering, IT, education and other growth sectors. We are approving residence for partners and families of New Zealanders who are building their lives in New Zealand. These are not signs of a system under strain. They are signs of a system functioning as intended. The contrast with our closest neighbour is striking. Australia has spent much of the past year debating how to reduce migration levels and to restrict student pathways and has recently announced a significant tightening in visa settings. Canada has similarly been forced into significant

policy adjustments following rapid population growth and infrastructure pressures. New Zealand’s position is very different. Migration numbers are moderate and sustainable. Residence approvals remain stable. Skilled migrants continue to fill workforce needs. Investor migration is bringing significant new capital into the country. International education is recovering strongly. Families are reuniting. Most importantly, public confidence in our immigration system remains relatively high. New Zealand simply does not have the immigration problems facing many other countries. That is not to suggest the system is perfect. Maintaining the integrity of New Zealand’s immigration regime remains paramount. While progress has been made to combat migrant exploitation, too many migrant workers remain vulnerable to poor employment practices. Protecting migrants also protects good employers and the integrity of the wider labour market. There is also the ongoing problem of unscrupulous, mainly offshore, agents. New Zealand needs a more proactive approach to identifying these operators and holding them accountable for the harm they cause to students, education providers and employers. These are genuine issues deserving attention, but they sit at the margins of the system. As voters assess the immigration promises now being made by various political parties, it is worth remembering that good policy is not measured by the number of reforms announced. It is measured by outcomes. By that measure, New Zealand’s immigration system is performing well. Sometimes the most difficult thing for politicians to do is nothing at all. But after several years of significant immigration reform, the greatest risk may not be that we fail to change the system. It may be that we keep trying to fix a problem that does not exist.

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TOURISM

Have you ever wondered about the stories behind the places we visit, meals we enjoy and experiences we recommend across the Waikato? Chances are, there’s a story worth telling. It might be the story of a family business that started with an idea around the kitchen table and has grown into an experience welcoming thousands of visitors each year. It could be an operator restoring native habitat, a hospitality business championing local producers, or a business quietly contributing time and resources to their community. These stories are everywhere across our visitor sector. In many cases, they’re simply not told. This is the thinking behind Mighty Stories, Hamilton & Waikato Tourism’s newest domestic campaign, which shines a light on the people, places and stories making our region distinctive. As a regional tourism organisation, we spend a lot of time considering what motivates someone to choose the Waikato and what creates a meaningful experience once they’re here. Of course, what there is to see and do matters. But an experience can take on another dimension when you understand the story behind it. It’s knowing the people who bring an experience to life, understanding why something is done a certain way, or learning about the history, culture or environment shaping a place. Stories help create connection – to an experience, to its people and ultimately to

the place you’re visiting. They add another layer to the visitor experience and give people something to remember, talk about and share with others. For our visitor businesses, there’s an opportunity in that. When you live and breathe your business every day, it’s easy to overlook the stories that have become ordinary to you. Tell people how you started. Talk about the challenges you’ve overcome and how your business has evolved. Share what you’re doing for the environment, how you’re supporting your community, where your ingredients come from, or why you chose to build your business here in the mighty Waikato. What might feel ordinary to you can be fascinating to someone discovering your business for the first time – and become part of the story they take away with them. And there’s value in knowing these stories for those of us who call the Waikato home too. They give us a deeper appreciation of the people and businesses around us, and another reason to feel proud of what our region has to offer. Mighty Stories will tell just a handful of the wonderful stories we have in the Waikato. But it’s also a reminder that telling the Waikato story is something we can all participate in. Our region has plenty worth talking about. We just need to get better at telling people about it. • Nicola Greenwell is general manager of Hamilton and Waikato Tourism.

• Waikato Business News also likes telling those stories. Contact editor@goodlocal.nz

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Thinking the small stuff By MARGARET EVANS

Spring is here but so are potholes and crumbling street surfaces as those in charge focus on Big Stuff. Our nation’s transport challenges are also evident when navigating Waikato Expressway’s latest repairs or the Narrows Bridge to the airport or Peacocke’s grand gateway. So how do we achieve well-designed, costefficient, integrated and effective transport infrastructure - one of the Big Five public services alongside health, education, power, and water? I’m hoping Transport Minister Chris Bishop was thinking that last month when lamenting the 150 years to achieve Auckland’s underground City Rail Link (along with the cost). Public Service Minister Paul Goldsmith insists ‘fiscal and workforce restraint’ and I’d add effective (and beautiful) solutions, local leaders working together, integrating cross-silo thinking. Perhaps November’s election might shock whom-so-ever in the next coalition government to work on comprehensive solutions. Together. Take air, rail, road, and shipping (sea and river): The fuel crisis, technology leaps, and proposed new council structures enable an integrated multi-modal transport strategy with governance, design, and service delivery at national, regional and local level. While Air New Zealand struggles and airfares skyrocket, Hamilton Airport’s core business seems to be land development, and collecting landing and parking fees, with millions spent reinstating terminal facilities (from Kiwi Air days), runway lengthening plans requiring a shareholder push. Three decades ago, a Main Trunk rail line into the airport’s industrial area was stymied by

the Southern Links roading plan, still backed by Think Big highwaymen, and still problematic. Why not the Airport Road and Narrows Bridge redevelopment, on the wish list since adjoining land was purchased two decades ago? Rail versus road has influenced politics since the Main Trunk forged the partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto through the King Council 140 years ago. But road-lovers ousted early 20th century plans for rail to Raglan and Kāwhia when some early thinkers linked rail and road land connections with coastal shipping and waterways. Waikato River was an early food export route to Auckland, and a century ago Chambers of Commerce promoted a canal linking the river to Manukau Harbour, an interesting option to Watercare’s plans to spend $1.7 billion on a big pipe to carry that water north. Hamilton’s underground CBD railway station opened in 1964, closing in 1995 as passenger services faded until Te Huia’s current trial on the Auckland line - two returns a day and almost $100m spent on refurnishing carriages and a new station four minutes north from Frankton. Meanwhile, 50-70 Kiwi Rail freight trains pass through Frankton Junction daily, the nation’s heaviest flows at the apex of the Golden Triangle economic zone linking to the ports of Auckland and Tauranga ‘Mixed service trains’ with passenger carriages behind freight wagons, offer an easy addition to railcars. And using Beecards… not just for big buses. It’s certainly time for a serious multi-model transport review. • Margaret Evans was Hamilton mayor from 1989 to 1998 and honoured in 1995 with a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for her services to local government.

OCTOBER 2026

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OCTOBER 2026

OBITUARY: SISTER PAULINE LEONARD 1939-2026

Inspirational principal farewelled Sister Pauline Leonard CNZM, an innovative and highly-regarded educational leader – and the last nun to have served as principal at Sacred Heart Girls’ College in Hamilton – was farewelled last month in Wellington. She was the college’s principal from 1990 to 2003. A former colleague described her as a ‘respected leader who had high expectations of her students and staff’, someone who spent much of her life exploring new ideas and concepts in education while holding her ‘Catholic character’ as the foundation of her educational philosophy.

A younger Sister Pauline Leonard pictured at her university graduation.

Daisy Morris, currently acting deputy principal at the Hamilton-based college, described Sister Pauline as ‘a woman of great tenacity and a heart for social justice’. “She embodied the spirit of the Mission sisters … was always active, never afraid to roll up her sleeves and get stuck in – especially when it came to singing assemblies. She particularly loved the arts and sports and elevated the status of these aspects of school life at every opportunity,” Morris said. “The Sister Pauline Leonard Creative Arts Centre was officially opened in December 2002 and named in recognition of her dedication to the arts.” A painted portrait of the late nun was hung in the foyer of the centre. Wellington was where Sister Pauline had spent many earlier years and was where she died at Hutt Hospital on August 30. Many of those attending her requiem mass at Saints Peter and Paul’s Catholic Church in Lower Hutt were family members, former colleagues, fellow nuns and former students from around the country. Her two surviving sisters, Margaret and Patricia, watched the service’s livestream from their home in Christchurch. Born one of five girls in a Catholic family, Sister Pauline was raised in Christchurch. After secondary school, she entered the Sisters of Our Lady of the Mission in Ferry Road. She took her formal vows in 1961, then embarked on a teaching career that saw her work at schools in Nelson and Christchurch before teaching at Sacred Heart College Lower Hutt from 1967 to 1979. She took on the deputy principal role at Sacred Heart College Lower Hutt from 1980 to 1989 before moving north as principal of Sacred Heart Girls’ College Hamilton from 1990 to 2003.

During her tenure in Hamilton, she guided the college’s growth through her inspired leadership, established a caring culture, and initiated new courses that led to the school becoming an acknowledged leader in New Zealand. Recognition of her abilities came through the awarding of a Woolf Fisher Fellowship (a Fellowship started in the 1960s to send leading secondary teachers and principals overseas to examine different teaching practices), which led to Sister Pauline travelling extensively. In addition, she was made a Companion of the NZ Order of Merit in 2003 for her many decades of service to education. Sister Pauline felt called to teaching and often stated how she found it a rewarding vocation. While she found great satisfaction in the education of others, she went to some lengths to secure her own, completing a science degree in botany and zoology in the 1960s – teaching during the day and catching up on tutorials and lab sessions at night – then doing an honours degree in 1970. One recollection spoke to Sister Pauline’s announcement to the Mother Superior of the day that she was not going on field trips in the mountain wearing her habit … the upshot was that she was given permission to go and buy suitable clothing. Her nun’s attire came up in another tribute at the farewell service, one that made frequent mention of her sometimes ribald sense of humour and great religious jokes. There was a story of a generously poured gin and tonic followed by questions from the family about whether she should drive home. Sister Pauline assured them there was no need to worry … she would simply pop

Sister Pauline Leonard in her later years.

on her veil because the cops would never breathalyse her with her veil on. Others giving eulogies recalled that great sense of humour, her love of travel, and the many family gatherings characterised by her lively banter spliced with serious conversations around politics and social issues. – Viv Posselt

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OCTOBER 2026

Support breast cancer awareness, early detection and research

ctober marks breast cancer awareness month. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among New Zealand women. Each year, over 400 Waikato women are diagnosed, alongside more than 3,500 women and 20–30 men nationwide. Sadly, 600-700 Kiwis lose their lives to this disease every year. This is more than the road toll. The impact of breast cancer touches every corner of our country, from whānau to workplaces and communities. Early detection through mammograms and better treatments introduced through clinical trials and research, lead to improved breast cancer outcomes. Our local Waikatobased Breast Cancer Research Trust (BCRT) enables clinical trials and research in our region. Since 2000, the BCRT team have been improving outcomes through clinical trials that introduce new surgical techniques, drug treatments, and tailoring of radiotherapy treatments. BCRT led research has enabled the introduction of new technologies and devices. Through research lives are extended, quality of life is improved, and fewer treatment side effects are experienced. The BCRT has enabled the Waikato as a centre for international clinical trials. One example of this is the international “Optimal Personalised Treatment of early breast cancer using Multiparameter Analysis (OPTIMA)” trial coordinated through the University College London, United Kingdom. The initial results of this clinical trial show that, by using a gene test called Prosigna, many women with the most common type of breast cancer can safely avoid chemotherapy — potentially sparing them

physical and emotional side effects without increasing the risk of their cancer returning. The Prosigna test informs Oncologists and women whether a breast cancer is at high or low risk for recurrence. The OPTIMA clinical trial addresses a long-standing challenge in breast cancer care, that of identifying who benefits from chemotherapy and who does not. The findings show that women aged 40 and over, whose tumours have a low Prosigna gene test score, can be treated safely with hormone blocking therapy alone.

effect. With the beneficial results shown from the ABCpro study, this service has been established as standard care for Waikato patients living with ABC over the past year. Learn more about the work of the Breast Cancer Research Trust at https://www. breastcancerresearch.org.nz Neither Health NZ Waikato District nor the BCRT receives direct government funding for research. Instead, the Trust relies on fundraising, grants, and donations to pursue its mission of transforming breast cancer outcomes through research.

A New Zealand-led study called the “Advanced Breast Cancer Patient Reported Outcomes (ABCpro)” study was also supported by the BCRT at Waikato Hospital. This study introduced a new service to better support women living with advanced (incurable) breast cancer. The study involved a weekly online self-assessment completed by patients. This self-assessment allowed Oncologists and an ABC specialist nurse to monitor patients remotely and proactively intervene when assessments showed a worsening of a symptom or treatment side

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OCTOBER 2026

Step up for Waikato women

aikato businesses can play a vital role in supporting the time and funding needed for breast cancer trials by ‘painting Waikato pink’ throughout breast cancer awareness month. Host a workplace morning tea, a bake sale, or gather a team for the annual Pink Walk and Run event at Hamilton Lake. Your support will help women participating in clinical trials. Treatments available today are made possible thanks to the courage of those who have participated in clinical trials. Register now for the 20th annual Hamilton Pink Walk & Run, Thursday 29 October, Innes Common, Hamilton Lake Rally family, friends, and colleagues and register today at www.pinkwalk.co.nz After crossing the finish line, enjoy fresh fruit, a sausage sizzle, or a refreshing ice cream. Dress in pink to show your support for breast cancer awareness, with prizes for the best-dressed group, adult, child, under-five and even the best-dressed dog. Proudly supported by The Brand Makers, APL Window Solutions, Te Kohao Health, SkyCity Hamilton, LUMO Digital and Midas Diamond Jewellers. Thanks also go to the many businesses who have donated spot prizes or lent their support.

Early detection saves lives

reast screening saves lives and it’s free for women through Breast Screen Aotearoa. A mammogram – a simple breast x-ray – can detect cancer long before any signs or symptoms appear. Right now, women aged 45 to 69 are offered a free mammogram every two years. A phased rollout is extending eligibility up to age 74 by late 2029. Early detection by having a mammogram: • Detects changes in the breast tissue months or years before they can be felt.

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text or letter. You can enrol and book either: • online using the secure personalised link in your invitation • by free phoning: 0800 270 200 • via website: https://timetobreastscreen.nz Check your breasts regularly: Not all breast cancers are seen on a mammogram, so it’s important to be breast aware and know your normal. Look out for and report changes to your doctor, including: • A new lump or thickening

• Changes in breast size or shape • Skin reddening, dimpling, or puckering • Nipple changes or discharge • Rash, redness, or scaliness of the nipple • Breast tenderness or pain Nine out of ten changes aren’t due to cancer. However, if you notice a new breast symptom, see a doctor for a proper assessment. For more details go to https://www.breastcancerresearch.org.nz/ wellbeing-support-services/#BreastScreen

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OCTOBER 2026

ADVERTORIAL

Pacific-led Regionally Embedded Uplift Steele brings 10 years’ experience in education-sector marketing and communications. What is a usual day for the team? Our Business Navigator works at the coalface, meeting members, understanding their challenges and connecting them with practical pathways towards growth and sustainability.

Front Left to Right: Teuila Maggof, Business Advisor; Sina Steele, Marketing and Communications Manager What inspired the creation of your business? The growth of Pacific entrepreneurs and businesses across the Waikato highlighted the need for tailored, Pacific-led business support and economic capability building. What backgrounds and experience did the team bring? Our team brings strong entrepreneurial and specialist expertise. Business Navigator Teuila Maggof has 30 years’ experience as an owner-operator in the Waikato hospitality sector, while Marketing & Communications Manager Sina

What contributes to your success? Authentic relationships matter. Our point of difference is our Pacific worldview—delivering Pacificdesigned, Pacific-led and culturally grounded capability programmes that is accessible to all. What does the future look like? Our footprint has extended from Hamilton to Tokoroa, Putāruru, Ngāruawāhia and Auckland. There is a growing demand for our Pacific design and led business capability solutions. What support helps you succeed? We are a small, highly skilled team supported by an experienced board. Most importantly, we have been mandated by our Pacific peoples and strengthened by our Waikato business communities and Waikato Tainui relations.

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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 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. 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

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.

OCTOBER 2026

T E A MS I N BUS I NE S S

ADVERTORIAL

IP Plastics Closing The Loop What inspired the creation of your business? IP Plastics is a name synonymous with providing cost effective quality products across kitchen, laundry, storage and horticulture with an impressive track record of environmental awareness and action, producing much of the range in recycled and recyclable plastic. The acquisition by Pure Form and integration of both IP Plastics and Pure Cycle provides a closed loop circularity model for recycled material. What backgrounds and experience did the team bring before joining the business? With decades of experience across plastics manufacturing and the sale and supply of plastics equipment, the leadership team brings extensive industry knowledge spanning manufacturing processes, materials, recycling, product development and commercial applications. What has been the biggest achievement or proudest moment for the team? IP Plastics hold both Operation Clean Sweep (OCS) and Eco Choice Aotearoa certification, providing our customers with independent assurance that we are actively committed to responsible manufacturing, reducing plastic waste and preventing plastic material from entering New Zealand’s waterways and wider environment.

The IP Plastics Team What does the future look like for your team and business? With the recent acquisition and merger, the future for IP Plastics is extremely positive. Backed by renewed enthusiasm and commitment from our directors, we are entering an exciting new chapter with a clear focus on growth, innovation and expanding our reach. By building on our established manufacturing capability, strengthening our circular economy credentials and actively

pursuing new business opportunities and markets, we believe IP Plastics is well positioned for continued growth and long-term success.

strong teamwork, extensive industry knowledge and a shared commitment to quality, service and continuous improvement.

How long has your team been working together, and what do you think has been the key to their success? Many of our team have worked together for several years, with some bringing decades of experience to the business. The key to our success is simple:

As to the highlighted key quote; how about something like; “The integration with Pure Cycle strengthens our closed-loop model, combining plastics recovery, recycling and manufacturing.”

OCTOBER 2026

2026 WAIKATO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUSINESS AWARDS

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PEOPLE’S PEOPLE’S CHOICE CHOICE AWARD AWARD

VOTE FOR VOTE THEFOR THE

David Remmerswaal

A stronger airport.

A better connected Waikato. For almost a decade, we’ve been steadily building a stronger, more diverse Hamilton Airport. International flights are back. Domestic jet connectivity has grown. And we’re creating new opportunities across aviation, property and commercial development. And there’s plenty more to come.

FINALIST Business Growth & Strategy | Sustainability

Dimple Digital Dimple Digital

Emerging Leader of the Year - Finalist 2026 Waikato Chamber of Commerce Business Awards

Founder of Dimple Digital, David leads the team in helping Waikato businesses attract their ideal customers through digital marketing stratgey and delivery. www.dimple.nz

Where your story starts

OCTOBER 2026 PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY

2026 WAIKATO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUSINESS AWARDS

FOR PURPOSE AWARD

Sponsored by:

FINALISTS:

• • •

Sponsored by:

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Action Manufacturing Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari Satco

• •

Radix Nutrition Waratah NZ

Hamilton & Waikato Tourism New Zealand National Fieldays Society Waitomo Group

PEOPLE & CULTURE AWARD

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• • •

Complete Flooring JCC Build Waratah NZ

SERVICE EXCELLENCE AWARD

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Bettle–Associates JetPark Hamilton Montana Group

KIWIS FUELING KIWIS SINCE 1947 Waitomo is 100% whānau owned, with our head office right here in the Waikato. Over 105 Fuel and Diesel Stops nationwide – and growing fast! Fuel Delivery

• • •

Between Two Beers Sign Logic True Store

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Hamilton Airport New Zealand National Fieldays Society Pact Steel Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari Sponsored by:

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Fuel Cards

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Creative Waikato Dress for Success Hamilton St Vincent de Paul Hamilton

INNOVATION AWARD

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Fuel Storage

Ready to fuel your business, Kiwi to Kiwi? Kerri Gorrett - Account Manager 021913962 kerrig@waitomogroup.co.nz

2026 WAIKATO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUSINESS AWARDS

OCTOBER 2026 Connect - Inspire - Grow - Represent

Sign Logic

Tainui Group Holdings

Finalist Small Business Of The Year Award

Finalist Business Growth & Strategy Award

ign Logic has grown from a oneperson operation working out of a friend’s garage into a specialist signage manufacturer with a team of six and a fully equipped workshop in Frankton. It was founded in Hamilton by director Jeanette Krielen, The business delivers end-to-end signage solutions, managing everything from design and production through to installation. Working across architectural, industrial and commercial projects, Sign Logic combines manufacturing expertise with branding and design capability to create customised signage for clients throughout New Zealand. A key focus in recent years has been bringing production in-house through investment in specialist equipment,

technology and people. The team includes a production manager, graphic designer, qualified signwriter, apprentice and office administrator, giving the company the capability to deliver complex projects with precision and efficiency. Sign Logic’s work is visible nationwide, from real estate signage for brands including Lugtons, Bayleys and Manor Realty to large-scale fleet rollouts for NZ Post and The Rite Group. While firmly based in Waikato, the company has developed a national production and installation network that enables it to service clients across the country while maintaining consistent quality, strong customer relationships and a proud local culture.

ainui Group Holdings (TGH), the commercial arm of Waikato-Tainui, has transformed a $166 million settlement asset base into a diversified portfolio worth more than $2.1 billion. The organisation combines a tikangaled approach with disciplined commercial investment, generating returns that support more than 90,000 iwi members while reinvesting for future generations. Over the past four years, revenue has increased from $58.1 million to $103.8 million, while EBITDA has grown from $15.1 million to $46.4 million. Much of this growth has been driven by strategic investments, development projects and long-term partnerships. Its diverse portfolio includes commercial

and industrial property, hotels, shopping centres, residential developments, farms, forests, fishing assets, infrastructure, global equities and private equity investments. A cornerstone of its strategy is Ruakura Superhub, developed in partnership with Brookfield and linked to the Ruakura Inland Port joint venture with Port of Tauranga. Other major partnerships include Kiwi Property, Auckland Airport and Ngāi Tahu. The iwi’s 6389 hectares of strategically located whenua provides a development pipeline extending well into the future. Supported by a team of around 60 specialists, TGH continues to balance cultural values and commercial performance while building enduring prosperity for Waikato-Tainui.

THANK YOU, WAIKATO.

OCTOBER 2026 PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY

2026 WAIKATO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUSINESS AWARDS

Action Manufacturing Group

David Reemerfwaal

Finalist Innovation Award

Finalist Emerging Leader Of The Year Award

ction Manufacturing Group is one of New Zealand’s largest privately owned manufacturing businesses, employing more than 500 people across facilities in Hamilton, Auckland and Christchurch. Its headquarters are in Hamilton. Operating through four specialist brands, Action Manufacturing, Fairfax Industries, Freighter NZ and Transcold NZ, the group designs, engineers and manufactures a wide range of transport, refrigeration, emergency services and specialised vehicle solutions. Its products include refrigerated truck bodies, trailers, emergency response vehicles, mobile healthcare units, motorhomes and advanced refrigeration systems. A key strength of the business is its commitment to innovation. Rather than adapting overseas products, Action Manufacturing Group

develops solutions specifically designed for New Zealand conditions, investing heavily in research, engineering and advanced manufacturing technology. This has led to innovations in thermal efficiency, lightweight vehicle construction, fleet productivity and electrification. By bringing design, engineering, manufacturing and after-sales support together under one roof, the group delivers tailored solutions for industries including freight and logistics, healthcare, food distribution, construction and tourism. Alongside its manufacturing success, Action Manufacturing Group is committed to developing New Zealand’s future workforce through apprenticeships, cadetships and industry partnerships, while supporting communities and customers across New Zealand and Australia.

hat started as a oneperson freelance operation in 2019 has become one of the Waikato’s fastestgrowing digital marketing agencies. Founded by David Rimmerswaal, Dimple Digital helps small businesses generate more customers through websites, search engine optimisation, digital advertising and content marketing. The company works mainly with trades, home services and professional services businesses throughout New Zealand and Australia. The business has grown from a solo consultancy to a team of seven specialists, with revenue increasing from $423,000 in FY24 to $964,000 in FY26.

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To date, Dimple Digital has worked with 391 businesses, helping clients achieve measurable growth. Success stories include increasing peak-season sales for a Rotorua tourism operator, doubling the revenue of a Hamilton arborist and helping regional retailers significantly grow online sales. Customer satisfaction remains a key strength. The company has earned 78 five-star reviews, maintains long-term client relationships and consistently records strong Net Promoter Scores. Beyond commercial success, Dimple Digital has invested heavily in community initiatives, including charity events that have raised nearly $50,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters and $5000 for Kids in Need Waikato.

2026 WAIKATO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUSINESS AWARDS

Hamilton Airport

Waitomo Group

Finalist Business Growth & Strategy Award • Sustainability Award

Finalist Marketing Award

amilton Airport has grown from a regional transport hub into one of New Zealand’s most significant regional airports and a key gateway for the Central North Island. Owned by Waikato Regional Airport Ltd, the airport supports domestic and international passenger services, private aviation, flight training, aeromedical

operations and aircraft maintenance. It is also one of the country’s largest general aviation centres. A major milestone came with the return of scheduled international passenger flights after a 14-year absence, restoring direct connections to Australia and strengthening the airport’s role in New Zealand’s aviation network. Expanded domestic jet services have also increased travel options for Waikato residents and businesses. The airport’s success extends beyond aviation. Strategic investments in commercial property, infrastructure and renewable energy have created a diversified revenue base. Key developments include Titanium Park, Precinct North and New Zealand’s first airport solar farm. Hamilton Airport provides vital links to international markets, supporting tourism, business travel, trade and investment. Independent analysis estimates current international services contribute about $45 million annually to regional GDP and support around 300 jobs. With a focus on sustainability, connectivity and commercial growth, Hamilton Airport continues to create long-term value for the Waikato and wider Central North Island.

The Village Co Finalist Community Contribution Award

ounded by Waikato entrepreneurs Nikki Pak and Sophia Phieros, The Village Co was born from a challenge familiar to many parents: finding childcare they can genuinely trust. Launched in 2025, the business connects families with carefully vetted sitters across Auckland, Waikato, Wellington and Christchurch. Its trust-first approach sets it apart from traditional childcare marketplaces. Every sitter completes a six-step screening process that includes Ministry of Justice checks, identity verification, interviews, first aid certification, qualification reviews and parent feedback. All bookings are supported by $1 million in public liability insurance. Built on a custom platform developed with DO AI, the business uses AI-assisted matching, integrated payments and identity verification technology to simplify the process for families. Since launch, The Village Co has facilitated more than 220 bookings and delivered over $19,000 worth of childcare services nationwide while steadily expanding its network. The platform also provides opportunities

rom its beginnings in Te Kūiti in 1947, Waitomo has grown into one of New Zealand’s largest independent fuel suppliers while remaining 100 per cent Kiwi-owned and operated. Led by three generations of the Ormsby family, the Hamilton-headquartered company has built a reputation for challenging the status quo and increasing competition in the fuel sector. After a period of shared ownership with Mobil New Zealand, the business returned to full family ownership in 2003. Today Waitomo operates more than 95 fuel and diesel stops nationwide, stretching from Northland to Southland. Its customers range from everyday motorists to transport operators,

OCTOBER 2026 Connect - Inspire - Grow - Represent

farmers, forestry crews, contractors and large commercial users. The company’s purpose, “Kiwis Fuelling Kiwis”, reflects its commitment to delivering choice and competitive pricing to communities across the country. Waitomo’s unmanned retail model and investment in digital customer services have helped make fuelling more accessible and efficient while supporting rapid expansion. New sites continue to open regularly as the company grows its national footprint. With strong regional roots and a nationwide presence, Waitomo continues to challenge established industry players while providing practical fuel solutions for businesses and motorists throughout New Zealand.

2026

WAIKATO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

BUSINESS AWARDS Connect - Inspire - Grow - Represent

for young people seeking flexible employment. Many sitters are students gaining valuable work experience, references and professional development through first aid training and structured onboarding. The Village Co is creating a trusted support network for modern families while helping develop the next generation of caregivers.

Babysitting, matched for your family. Tell us what you need and we’ll find the perfect sitter for your family, with real support every step of the way.

“No parent should have to build their village alone.” Finalist, Community Contribution Award, 2026 Waikato Chamber of Commerce Business Awards.

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY

CONGRATULATIONS 2026 WAIKATO SMALL BUSINESS AWARD WINNERS!

S M A L L B U S I N E S S M A R K E T I N G AWA R D S P O N S O R E D BY:

C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S : B E T W E E N T W O B E E R S

S M A L L B U S I N E S S G R OWT H AWA R D C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S : S I G N L O G I C

S M A L L B U S I N E S S S E R VI C E E XC E L L E N C E AWA R D C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S : T R U E S T O R E

thevillageco.nz

OCTOBER 2026

PEOPLE AND CULTURE

REGIONAL VIEW

The door is open

Trusted voices needed

By MICHELLE NOORDERMEER

By ALAN McDONALD

must identify it, gather evidence and explain its impact. That brings me to the EMA’s Change the Act campaign, which was recognised with the Excellence in Member Engagement Award at the New Zealand Society of Association Executives Matter Awards. The campaign focused on long-standing employer concerns with the Holidays Act. Its success came from turning the experiences of thousands of employers into credible evidence and constructive dialogue with policymakers. It also demonstrated another important role associations play: bringing together stakeholders with different perspectives but a shared interest in practical solutions. The importance of that role will only increase as businesses confront new challenges such as artificial intelligence. There is no shortage of commentary about Ai. But most leaders are focused on practical questions. How will work change? What skills will be needed? How can organisations adopt new technology while maintaining capability, culture and performance? That thinking sits behind the EMA’s Workforce 2030 initiative. Workforce 2030 is helping organisations prepare for the workforce impacts of artificial intelligence and other transformative forces, with a focus on leadership, capability and workforce readiness. Businesses need trusted organisations that can provide expertise, convene informed conversations and help turn uncertainty into action. We know that people are increasingly choosing not to join organisations such as associations. Yet the need for trusted voices, practical guidance and informed advocacy has never been greater. • Alan McDonald is Head of Advovcacy & Strategy at the Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA)

Hamilton Airport has opened an international front door for the Waikato, Bay of Plenty and central North Island. While direct services make trans-Tasman travel quicker and easier for central North Island residents, the real economic value of the flights is in bringing visitors straight into our patch. Why start a holiday on the Southern Motorway? The new routes have started well. In their first year, Jetstar’s Sydney and Gold Coast services carried around 120,000 sector passengers, with approximately 40 per cent originating in Australia. Visitors are not just coming to Hamilton. They’re exploring the wider region. Our research shows Australian holiday visitors arriving through Hamilton Airport explored an average of 3.7 regions during their stay. Alongside the mighty Waikato, 73 per cent visited Rotorua, 63 per cent Taupō, 23 per cent the wider Bay of Plenty and 15 per cent Ruapehu. That’s the real value of having an international gateway closer to the heart of the central North Island. Visitors spend less time getting here, more time exploring the region and more money with local accommodation providers, attractions, hospitality, retailers and tourism operators. And the opportunity is much bigger. Market data shows around 1.4 million international passenger movements each year are made by residents of our catchment and visitors travelling specifically to the wider central North Island. That’s more than 10 times our current international capacity, with around half coming from international visitors. Yet much of it is effectively invisible to airlines because, without direct services, passengers travel through Auckland and are recorded as ‘Auckland’ demand. That strengthens the case

Reach the market that means

for more Auckland services, rather than direct services into the central North Island. We have a real opportunity to capture some of that demand. But enthusiasm alone doesn’t cut it. Our job at Hamilton Airport is to prove the demand and build strong commercial cases for airlines to serve it directly. Getting the flights is only half the job. We also need to make Hamilton Airport more visible as the international gateway to the central North Island, including in itineraries, trade conversations, destination websites, famils, convention bids, search content and, increasingly, AI-powered travel planning. Most importantly, we need to make the central North Island easier to understand and book as one connected destination. Visitors do not think in council or regional boundaries. They think about the holiday they want to have: geothermal landscapes, iconic attractions, lakes and mountains, beaches, outdoor experiences, Māori culture and great food. Collectively, we have an incredibly strong proposition. Initiatives such as the OneFlight campaign, supported through the Government’s Boost programme, are starting to connect those destinations and experiences into a more compelling visitor journey. The door is open. The demand is there. The challenge is to work together, bring more visitors through our gateway and build the case for the next international route. • Michelle Noordermeer is Group GM – Aeronautical Growth & Marketing, Hamilton Airport. She has 25 years’ aviation and strategy experience, including senior roles with Air New Zealand, Auckland Airport, BARNZ, and CarbonClick. She holds a commercial pilot’s licence, a degree in Aviation Management, and an MBA.

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2024

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In an era of information overload, the value of trusted guidance has never been greater. Every day, New Zealand business leaders are confronted by a flood of information. Policy announcements. Regulatory changes. Economic forecasts. International events. Industry commentary. Predictions about artificial intelligence and the future of work. The challenge is knowing what matters and what to do about it. That is one reason I believe business and industry associations are more important today than they were 20 years ago. In an increasingly complex world, associations help businesses navigate uncertainty. They provide context, expertise and trusted guidance when business leaders face Associations sit at the intersection of government, regulation and business. We work closely with policymakers and officials, but we also engage every day with businesses dealing with the practical consequences of policy decisions. As a result, associations help businesses understand government and help government understand business. Businesses need more than information. They need insight, perspective and practical guidance. Since the public sector reforms of the 1980s and 1990s, institutional memory within government has become more fragmented. Departments have changed, functions have been restructured and expertise has often been lost or diminished. That makes the longterm knowledge held by business and industry associations even more important. Associations retain expertise accumulated over decades, providing valuable continuity through policy and regulatory change. One of the misconceptions about advocacy is that it is simply about lobbying. In reality, effective advocacy starts with listening. Before policymakers can solve a problem, somebody

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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 Waikato 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.

Tony Egan, of Hamilton, ONZM for services to the agricultural industry and the community

Dame Susan Hassall, JP, of Cambridge, DNZM for services to education

Colin Groves, of Hamilton, MNZM for services to business, philanthropy and sport

Professor Marc Shaw, of Hamilton, MNZM for services to travel health

Brian Marcroft, JP, of Ōhaupō, KSM for services to the community

Group Captain John McWilliam, AFC, AE, of Hamilton, MNZM for services to the New Zealand Defence Force

Geoffrey Maber, of Hamilton, ONZM for services to agribusiness

Ros Corban, of Tokoroa, KSM for services to nursing

Honouring a legacy – The University of Waikato community came together across its Hamilton and Tauranga campuses for the annual Kīngitanga Day which honours the university’s connections with the Kīngitanga, Waikato-Tainui and iwi across the motu. This year’s theme, ‘Tīmatangia Te Puea: Honouring the legacy of service, excellence and collective responsibility’, drew inspiration from the vision and determination of Te Puea Hērangi, who was instrumental in the establishment of Tūrangawaewae Marae and a fierce advocate for the health and wellbeing of her people. Photos: Supplied

The day included kai, waiata and activities including poi and fried bread making workshops.

Kīngitanga Day performance in Hamilton.

Guided tours of the university’s library’s special collections, including the taonga Māori collection.

A highlight was an inaugural professorial lecture from Professor Te Kahautu Maxwell (Te Whakatōhea, Ngāi Tai, Ngāti Awa, Te Whānau a Apanui, Ngāti Porou, Tūhoe, and Ngāti Maniapoto) reflecting on more than 30 years of research, teaching and cultural leadership.

Poi making workshops were held to celebrate Kīngitanga Day.

OCTOBER 2026

Out and about…

More Out and about photos goodlocal.nz Send us your contributions to Out and about – editor@goodlocal.nz

Medical school update – Waikato Chamber of Commerce’s September BA4 was jointly hosted by Waikato University and Fosters. The university shared an update on the New Zealand Graduate School of Medicine. Fosters, the main contractor for the new facility, talked about the build and the wider construction market in the Waikato including the opportunities that lay ahead. Photos, from left, by Marcelo Mieres.

It was one of the largest gatherings for a BA4 event. Photo: Mary Anne Gill

Sharon Jeffries, Everest-All About People; Treasure McKinstry, Rodney Lewis Law

Ali Nation, PKF Hamilton; Peter Nation, Agbiz Consultants Limited

Chris Dare, AECOM New Zealand; Leonard Gardner, Foster Construction Group

Money raised – The Kids in Need Waikato Charitable Trust held their inaugural gala at the Sir Don Rowlands Event Centre. The trust raised $54,815 for The Legacy Project, its capital campaign to purchase the property at 118 Fencourt Road, Cambridge that Kids in Need Waikato operates from. Photos: Kids in Need, from left.

Kane and Kate Jacobson, Paulette and Justin Bell

Kevin and Andrea Deane (Harcourts Kevin Deane Real Estate)

Libby James (Bello Vida), Linda Roil (Kids in Need Waikato), Sarah Cowley Ross

Natasha Vincent, Amanda Vosper (Vosper Law)

Peta Taylor, SH Advisory Ltd.; Samir Harith, SH Advisory Ltd.

Leadership lessons – More than 150 Waikato business leaders gathered at MADE Hamilton last month for an exclusive Between 2 Beers live podcast breakfast event featuring former Black Caps captain Kane Williamson. The event provided a unique opportunity for attendees to hear firsthand from one of New Zealand’s most respected sporting leaders following his recent retirement from international cricket. Photos: DTI Lawyers, all from left to right. More goodlocal.nz

Back row: Trudi Smith (Associate, DTI Lawyers), Jaime Lomas (Director, DTI Lawyers), Andrea Twaddle (Director, DTI Lawyers), Seamus Marten (Between Two Beers), Kane Williamson, Steve Holloway (Between Two Beers), Jamie Powell (Director, PKF Hamilton), Nate Alley (Owner, Sentinel Homes Waikato) Front row: Nick Feast (Director, DTI Lawyers), Lance Wright (Account Manager, IT Partners), Chelsea Fleetwood (Business Advisory Manager, PKF Hamilton), Charlotte Chuen (Director, DTI Lawyers).

Seamus Marten, Kane Williamson and Steve Holloway.

PURPOSE-BUILT.

OCTOBER 2026

FOR ZEALONG

What stood out about Fosters was their willingness to properly understand the brief, rather than simply build to a set of drawings. Gigi Crawford CEO, Zealong Tea

In October 2016, Zealong Tea opened their new factory and visitor centre. 10 years later, this building is still fit-for-purpose and exceeding expectations. Zealong CEO Gigi Crawford noted there were two main objectives for the build: “We needed a factory that would meet the highest food safety standards in the world and ensure our organic standards were not compromised. And a retail and events space that reflected and built on the long-term vision and values that have underpinned everything Zealong stands for. “We knew it wasn’t just a building project; it was about giving people from wherever they came a place to learn and connect with Zealong, our tea, our people, and our region.” The building has exceeded expectations, “and that’s not a line offered lightly,” Gigi said.

#BuiltByFosters

“For our visitors, the retail shop remains their first genuine introduction to the brand and offers a calm and inviting area to begin their journey with Zealong. The events space has become one of the more sought-after venues of its kind in the Waikato.”

equally, the aesthetics, lighting, acoustics, and overall visitor experience. Every detail counted, down to how a space felt as much as how it functioned.”

Not much has changed in a decade. On the ground floor, the roof has been painted, with chandeliers and lighting changed. Upstairs was converted from an office into The Camellia Lounge, Piano Bar and Executive Lounge.

“The natural light and the flexibility of the space mean it still feels current rather than dated. Most importantly, our tea continues to win global recognition and meets the most stringent food safety standards.

Gigi’s reflection on the build project points to the importance of a good partnership for a successful outcome. “What stood out about (working with) Fosters was their willingness to properly understand the brief, rather than simply build to a set of drawings. They took the time to work alongside us on what mattered most: the highest food safety standards, and

The design has aged well, she added.

“The building gives the brand a unique physical presence that matches the calibre of the product. Less visibly, it has become central to how Zealong hosts distributors, international buyers and corporate partners, relationships that have opened doors both within New Zealand and abroad. “Our building doesn’t just represent a premium New Zealand brand. It does the commercial work of one.”