northland chamber

2011-09-14T10:03:00.003+12:00

LEADER COLUMN AUGUST 2011This month’s 20-20-Inner-City-Development-Subcommittee meeting did more than just outline the Whangarei District Councils vision for the commercial business district; it also provided an update on a number of key projects that the council intends to undertake to bring their vision to fruition. The community will see some highly visible physical elements that will do much

2011-09-14T10:03:00.001+12:00

LEADER COLUMN JULY 2011The Northland Chamber of Commerce is the Northland regional coordinator for Business Mentors New Zealand (BMNZ). This is an agency funded by patrons from the private sector and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and it has the capacity to combine the elements mentioned above. For a one-off registration fee of $100, BMNZ provide the service of putting client businesses in

2011-09-14T10:02:00.001+12:00

LEADER COLUMN SEPTEMBER 2011Following on from last month’s column regarding the recent changes to the Town Basin and the proposed future shape of our Commercial Business District, it might be appropriate to consider how we can benefit from these changes and what is still missing from the mix. There has been talk lately regarding the value of event or destination tourism and the role it can play

2011-09-14T10:01:00.004+12:00

ADVOCATE COLUMN 1st WEEK SEPTEMBER 2011It seems that every day there are results from some new survey or another being released to enlighten us on the state of the economy and New Zealand business. All have their value and the quarterly Chamber of Commerce Business Confidence Survey is an example of a survey that can provide information as to the business owner’s perspective. Recently there

2011-09-14T10:01:00.003+12:00

BUSINESS ADVOCATE COLUMN AUGUST 2011In the coming months if everything goes to plan, Northland through its role with the 2011 Rugby World Cup should have an early start to its summer season with an influx of overseas and domestic tourists ready to sample our products, service and scenery. With this event comes an opportunity to show the rest of the country and the world why we love it here. If

2011-09-14T10:01:00.001+12:00

ADVOCATE COLUMN 3rd WEEK AUGUST 2011On average New Zealand youth are more disadvantaged across a number of performance indicators than many other OECD countries and this disadvantage is strongly concentrated in Maori and Pacific Islanders. With 45% on New Zealand’s total unemployed being youth, this has significant impact on our future well-being. While our youth perform (comparatively) well in

2011-09-14T10:00:00.001+12:00

ADVOCATE COLUMN 1ST WEEK AUGUST 2011Recent events in Christchurch and elsewhere around New Zealand and the world have shown the devastating impact that natural or man-made disasters can have on businesses and the economy. Some statistics suggest that 3 out of 5 businesses do not have the resilience to survive a major disruption to their business and many cease operating within 5 years of such an

2011-09-14T09:59:00.000+12:00

BUSINESS ADVOCATE COLUMN JULY 2011If we consider innovation and creativity as being of importance to Northland’s future then it is appropriate to consider what elements are required for this to take place. What happens in a business on a day-to-day basis may require different processes from those needed to identify opportunities to be innovative or creative. Often opportunities to gain a

2011-09-14T09:58:00.000+12:00

ADVOCATE COLUMN 1st WEEK JULY 2011One thing the Northland Chamber of Commerce has struggled with in recent times – and possibly in the past – is engaging with certain sectors of the business community. I do not think we are unique in our failings and I imagine other organisations also have difficulties connecting with these same sectors of the community. The unfortunate thing is that while

2011-06-15T11:41:00.000+12:00

ADVOCATE COLUMN 3rd WEEK JUNE 2011Over the last 18 months or so, the Northland Chamber of Commerce has managed a Department of Labour funded project relating to workplace productivity. The study examined the importance of people and processes in a business’s performance. It involved Venture Group consultant Jill Hartles working with six different farming enterprises in Northland, ranging from a

2011-06-14T12:30:00.001+12:00

ADVOCATE COLUMN 3rd WEEK MAY 2011The roll out of ultra-fast broadband (UFB) in Whangarei is now well underway and the Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI) is also not far off being launched. One of the projects that the Northland Chamber of Commerce is involved in is chairing the Regional Digital Leadership Forum. Membership of this group comes from local government, industry representatives, the

2011-06-14T12:29:00.001+12:00

BUSINESS ADVOCATE COLUMN MAY 2011No matter the amount of planning, risk-management or sheer hard work, there is always the potential for things to go wrong with a business. It is often due to circumstances over which the individual has no control. This is evident in the number of businesses that cease trading every year. What is also evident is that there are many more who are willing to

2011-06-14T12:28:00.002+12:00

ADVOCATE COLUMN 1st WEEK JUNE 2011A recent news item on TV3’s The Nation (8th May) highlighted a number of Northland’s shortcomings particularly in the areas of economic and social performance. They identified a several factors contributing to this including, a low percentage of the working aged population engaged in paid employment, lack of productivity, political complacency and low literacy

2011-06-14T12:28:00.001+12:00

LEADER COLUMN MAY 2011Last year’s Westpac Northland Business Excellence Awards provided a great opportunity for Northland businesses to celebrate what they achieved to date and to plan where they want to be in the future. They are also an important business development tool. This year in recognition of the business development component of the Awards, all entrants will be eligible and

2011-06-14T12:27:00.000+12:00

LEADER COLUMN JUNE 2011Having had the opportunity to attend the Northland Chamber of Commerce’s recent Business After 5 event where the Whangarei District Council provided an opportunity for local business to view the model of the proposed Hundertwasser Museum that is currently the subject of consultation, I was surprised by the high level of support from attendee’s for this project. My surprise

2011-03-16T11:36:00.001+13:00

ADVOCATE COLUMN 3rd WEEK MARCH 2011The recently released “Local Government Options for Northland” report prepared by Sir Peter Trapski and Dr Don Brash makes interesting reading and offers something for everyone. It supports the Whangarei District Council in undertaking the study saying that it has been a timely exercise and one that will well place Northland for any future reviews around local

2011-03-15T12:33:00.001+13:00

LEADER COLUMN MARCH 2011How to create economic growth is not a new question. Since at least the late 1980’s (and probably at lot earlier), government, economists and the wider business community have given a great deal of time and energy examining ways to achieve growth. During this period, on average it would be hard to argue that any single policy has resulted in a quantum change in our

2011-03-03T12:16:00.001+13:00

ADVOCATE COLUMN 1st WEEK MARCH 2011When the performance of our regional economy is discussed, generally the importance of increasing Northland’s productivity is highlighted. Productivity is often measured in terms of gross domestic product per capita or income per capita. Looking at New Zealand’s economic and business profiles indicates what a challenge this presents. New Zealand’s low

2011-02-16T12:23:00.001+13:00

BUSINESS ADVOCATE ARTICLE JANUARY 2011The start of the new year may well herald in the first tangible signs of change in Northland’s economic environment. Treasury is predicting growth in excess of three per cent, together with higher wages and a reduction unemployment numbers. This is not to say that many businesses are still experiencing difficult times but this news is accompanied by

2011-02-16T08:41:00.000+13:00

ADVOCATE COLUMN 3rd WEEK FEBRUARY 2011Having someone to listen to you, occasionally challenge the way you do things and offer guidance based on their own experience can give a business owner the confidence that they are doing things the right way or at the very least are not missing out on potential opportunities to develop. Business Mentors New Zealand ( www.businessmentors.org.nz ) provides a

2011-02-16T08:39:00.000+13:00

LEADER COLUMN FEBRUARY 2011Who would want to be a local body politician? Having a relatively high level of debt and needing to make some significant investment in infrastructure has created classic economic dilemma. There will only ever be a limit number of sources of income for a council and not all of these will be popular with all sectors of the community.Obviously increased rates will

2011-02-02T12:08:00.001+13:00

ADVOCATE COLUMN 1st WEEK FEBRUARY 2011Northland’s 2010 Economic Profile (Infometrics Limited) makes interesting reading. Not for our poor economic performance when compared to other regions, but rather for the potential this report identifies. Surprisingly (to me) the largest contributor to regional GDP was not the agriculture, fishing and forestry sector as many would predict but rather the

2010-12-16T14:56:00.001+13:00

16 December 2010Media ReleaseBusiness Negative in Northland For the second quarter in a row the Chamber of Commerce business survey confirms confidence at levels lower than they have been for over a decade. Only a net 1% of business respondents in Northland believe business conditions will improve over the next six months. When you take in the view of businesses in the economic zone from Taupo to

2010-12-15T12:58:00.001+13:00

14 December 2010Media Release THE CHAMBERS YEAR 2010I would like to take this opportunity to thanks you for your support this year. The Chamber’s relationship with the Northland’s media is very important and we value your contribution. To give you of an indication of the work the Chamber has undertaken this year I have provided the following summary.As a membership organisation and rely on the

2010-12-01T11:29:00.001+13:00

LEADER COLUMN NOVEMBER 2010A recent brief conversation with Monty Knight of Okahu Estate Vineyard and Winery got me thinking about the role of the wine industry has to play in Northland’s regional economy. In many ways this industry captures all the opportunities and challenges that are faced by today’s business people. It can be a high risk enterprise requiring a large amount of optimism, an

2010-12-01T11:24:00.003+13:00

ADVOCATE COLUMN 1st WEEK DECEMBER 2010I would like to start by stating that in the past I have been very sceptical about whether the Whangarei District Council’s proposed Hundertwasser Museum was an appropriate development for our city. While I recognise the significant global contribution to art Friedensreich Hundertwasser has made, on a personal note my sense of aesthetic lie elsewhere. This

2010-11-18T10:25:00.000+13:00

ADVOCATE COLUMN 3rd WEEK NOVEMBER 2010Recently I was lucky to attend two entirely different presentations addressing aspects of leadership and organisational change. What was interesting about these two events was that although the businesses concerned came from opposite ends of the spectrum in regards to the scale, they both grappled with the same issues.The first of these events was a BNZ

2009-09-22T14:04:00.003+12:00

Hatea River Crossing In August of this year the Hatea Hub Group presented the council with an alternative harbour crossing option to that of the proposed bridge. This interest group consisting of business people, designers, engineers and ecologists proposed rather than spanning the upper harbour with a traditional bridge, a combination of a weir and drawbridge/lock was proposed to the council

2009-05-15T16:32:00.002+12:00

Stories and confessions from the Road.....Between 20th April and 20th May the Northland Chamber of commerce hit the road with Enterprise Northland to deliver a short sharp thriving in a recession message. The message is all about managing six fundamental sides of your business. Our premise is that if managed well then your business will not only survive but thrive through and beyond adverse

2009-04-20T13:20:00.002+12:00

Northland Chamber of Commerce…..Northland Economy no longer the land of Boom and Bust...good level of confidenceIt has been really interesting talking to business and business people over the last few months about how well they are faring. There is a definite two sided story. Some businesses have definitely been affected in that the recession has affected their demand and they have felt the need

2009-03-13T15:48:00.008+13:00

Northland Chamber of Commerce looking for the Big Idea for Northland!The Northland Chamber of Commerce is looking for the big idea to put forward the Northland Jobs Summit next week. Please enter your 'Big Idea' by clicking the comments link below

2009-03-06T09:16:00.018+13:00

Northland Chamber of Commerce in good hands for 2009... Following form this weeks AGM the Northland Chamber of Commerce board has three new board members to replace the five standing down. Once again there was a good mix of people standing for the board that reflects confidence in Northland and the business community. We now have a mix of small to large business represented along with

2009-02-17T12:26:00.001+13:00

Small to Medium Sized Businesses now have option of 90-day trialFrom 1 March employers in small to medium sized businesses will have the option of taking on new staff on a trial period for up to 90 days. This will allow employers to test a new employee’s suitability for permanent employment, without the risk of legal proceedings for unjustified dismissal if employment is terminated.Employers that

2009-02-04T15:34:00.006+13:00

Northland Business SME Relief Package – A Useful StartThe Small Business Relief Package is a welcome investment in the small-business (SME) sector, said Northland Chamber of Commerce head Jeff SmithThe Northland Chamber of Commerce today applauded the Government sponsored list of initiatives for small businesses saying that It was a good start and encouraged businesses to take a long term ‘

2009-02-03T10:51:00.007+13:00

Are you going to be at the Northland Business Expo?In these times of uncertainty, increasing marketing costs, the winners in business especially in the small and medium sized business sector will be those that adapt and try new marketing tactics and strategies.The first Northland Business Expo is being held in April 2009. The Expo provides an opportunity for a number of businesses to slash their

2009-01-22T15:55:00.001+13:00

Northland Chamber of Commerce 2009 Wish ListThe Northland Chamber of Commerce is all about business vitality. There has been a lot of crystal ball gazing and comment about recessions and financial crisis for the next 12 months. Our wish list for 2009 is;1. A steady rise in business strength and confidence throughout 2009 on the back of the many underlying strengths of the New Zealand economy,

2008-12-02T10:11:00.001+13:00

Be wary of the impending upturn….Its time to reflect on the year ahead. We have experienced huge changes in our economy this year. Here are some handy Chamber tips for navigating your business through the next 6 – 12 months. We have divvied these up into two sections cash and planningCashInstall a tight cash management system. Reduce and postpone spending and focus on cash flow. Also your

2008-12-02T10:10:00.001+13:00

Shop Local – More important today than ever!In these times of economic toughness and uncertainty we thought it may be useful to resurrect an issue we talked about some years ago on shopping locally. Lets attempt to keep it local as much as possible. This goes much wider than retail and includes using local services, Trades people and Professionals.The Chamber encourages all consumers to at least

2008-10-13T07:07:00.002+13:00

And now for the Good news…. Is there any good news from the events of the past few months? What an extraordinary series of events. The World financial markets ‘melting down’. As a provincial economy we should be under no illusions. The events unfolding at the moment will have a negative impact on our economy and employment growth. It also appears that the Impact of the ‘crisis’ will last

2008-10-06T10:36:00.000+13:00

Northland Top Businesses – The FinalistsThe Westpac Northland Business Excellence Awards winners will be announced on 31st October 2008 at a Gala ceremony at Forum North in WhangareiThis year every entry was sent to the Massey School of Business for an analysis of the entry form. The Massey Judging panel recommended finalists in each category and these were then sent to the Local judging team in

2008-09-09T11:37:00.000+12:00

Northland Chamber of Commerce – Climate Change, Emissions Trading and Tax It is possible to grow the economy without having detrimental effects on the environment. In fact, economic growth is good for the environment because a strong economy makes environmental care more affordable. Likewise, concern for the environment can often be good for the economy, for example, sustainable

2008-09-09T11:36:00.000+12:00

Government Spending and Taxes Following the release of the NZ Chamber of Commerce Election Manifesto we received comments on our position regarding Government Expenditure and Tax Policy. The NZ Chamber of Commerce is recommending that the incoming Government urgently undertake a review of all Government spending with a view to eliminating waste as soon as it takes office Since 1995

2008-08-25T12:04:00.000+12:00

2008 New Zealand Chamber election Wish List…………The Northland Chamber of Commerce is part of an umbrella organisation serving the interests of 30 chambers of commerce nationwide. These, in turn, represent over 24,000 businesses around the country. While many of our members are SMEs, our membership includes most of the largest corporations in New Zealand.The chambers exist to promote, support, and

2008-08-11T15:37:00.000+12:00

Want Motivated Loyal Ambitious staff??The Northland Chamber of Commerce has often bemoaned the lack of suitable staff available to Northland Business over the last few years. As the Economy has boomed the availability of staff has decreased accordingly.We were absolutely thrilled to be involved in the employers evening as part of the ‘our stories’ exhibition at Rathbone house.Employers were able

2008-07-28T15:17:00.000+12:00

More Compliance for Northland BusinessThe Flexible Working Arrangement Act came into effect on July 1st so if you haven’t already started thinking about the potential impact this could have on your business, now is a good time.This legislation allows employees responsible for caring for another person (whether that person be a child or an adult, a family member or a non-family member) the right

2008-07-18T16:26:00.000+12:00

Another National Park for New Zealand? In Northland!Imagine A marine national park that stretches from Whangarei Heads to the Poor Knights to Cape Brett.What reason could the Northland Chamber of Commerce possibly have for highlighting and encouraging discussion on this proposal? Lets look at the Goat Island Marine Reserve in Auckland. This brings in 16 million dollars of Economic Benefit to the

2008-06-16T13:14:00.000+12:00

Food for thought!Over the last few weeks community groups and ratepayers have had the opportunity to submit to District and Regional Council Draft Annual Plans.This is one of our privileges and responsibilities that come from living in a democracy.One of the interesting aspects of living in Northland is seeing District Councils and regional councils make submissions to each others annual plans.In

2008-05-30T15:47:00.000+12:00

10 Best Reasons for doing business in NorthlandThe First half of 2008 has started out as a bit of a shocker. Petrol Prices have skyrocketed, Interest rates have held their highs, basic food stuffs are increasing in price and the Housing market is slumping.The Northland Chambers own survey on business outlook has reported a drop in confidence over the coming 12 months which has been backed up

2008-05-19T12:00:00.000+12:00

While they are still talking about it – private enterprise has gone out and done itThe Northland Chamber of Commerce is a voluntary association of companies and individuals engaged in business activities in the Northland region.It is dedicated to the development of international, national and regional trade throughFreedom of enterprise for those who by their individual and corporate talents

2008-05-16T13:10:00.000+12:00

16 May 2008Submission to:Rodney District Council – by email to customerservice@rodney.govt.nzAuckland Regional Council – by email to consentsubmission@arc.govt.nzSubmission regarding:The Proposal to establish, operate, maintain, upgrade the Rodney Power Station and associated facilitiesSubmission by:The Northland Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.The Northland Chamber of CommerceThe Northland

2008-05-16T12:23:00.000+12:00

Submission to: Royal Commission on Auckland GovernanceSubmission regarding:The opportunity for a broader and independent assessment of what is needed to achieve Auckland’s potential to be a truly internationally competitive city to live, work and do business.Submission by:The Northland Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.The Northland Chamber of CommerceThe Northland Chamber of Commerce

2008-05-16T12:18:00.000+12:00

Submission to Northland Regional Council Draft Annual Plan 2008 / 2009Submission to:The Northland Regional Council.Submission regarding:Draft Annual Plan 2008 – 2009Submission by:The Northland Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.The Northland Chamber of CommerceThe Northland Chamber of Commerce currently has 410 financial members that employ the equivalent of 4000 full time employees.Since 1903,

2008-05-16T12:15:00.000+12:00

Submission to Whangarei District Council Draft Annual Plan 2008 / 98th May 2008The Whangarei District CouncilWhangarei.Submission to:The Whangarei District CouncilSubmission regarding:2008 – 2009 Draft Annual PlanSubmission by:The Northland Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.General Nature of SubmissionSuggestions for council to consider in Annual Plan and support for specific proposalsDecision

2008-05-16T11:58:00.004+12:00

Carbon....... is the new nuclear! Climate Change - What position should the Chamber take on behalf of Northland Business?Strongly Support all measures to eliminate Emissions at any costSupport measures to eliminate emissions considering the economic costNo Position - not enough informationSupport in principle but dont support any measures that result in

2008-05-05T10:36:00.000+12:00

2013 is looming….. I had the pleasure to attend the young farmers regional competition on Saturday Night in Whangarei. It was great to see an example of the talent represented by the 8 finalists. The finalists came from different parts of the rural economy. From farmers in the traditional sense to those servicing the farming sector. It was interesting to note the optimism in this sector.

2008-04-21T16:07:00.000+12:00

Small Business – The engine room of the economyThe Northland and NZ economy is primarily made up of Small Medium sized businesses.As of February 200696% of enterprises employed 19 or fewer people.87% of enterprises employed 5 or fewer people.64% of enterprises had no employees.The number of SMEs increased 4% in the year to 2006.SMEs accounted for 30% of all employees.Firms with 5 or fewer

2008-04-03T11:55:00.000+13:00

Northland business outlook weakensThe latest Northland Chamber of Commerce business opinion survey points to a general deterioration in a number of important performance indicators in Northland and the Northern Region of NZ.The Chamber’s quarterly survey provides an important snapshot of where small and medium northern region businesses think they are headed as 85% of the 500 surveyed employ 20

2008-03-31T10:08:00.000+13:00

Merchant of Doom and GloomThe Quarterly Northland Chamber of Commerce Business Confidence Survey is due out in a few days time.We have heard results from a number of Business Confidence Surveys lately all espousing doom and gloom. These are surveys carried out on a national basis. The Northland Survey is one of the only Northland Regional Surveys carried out and we await the results.I would like

2008-03-05T09:39:00.000+13:00

Media Release4 March 2008Overseas Investment Amendment Raises Questions as to what are Strategic AssetsUrgent clarification is required as to what is meant by strategically important infrastructure and sensitive land according to the New Zealand Chambers of Commerce (Inc).“The decision to amend the overseas investment regulation will further increase the uncertainty associated with our overseas

2008-02-29T13:11:00.000+13:00

Hundertwasser – an iconic Northland productWhat an interesting week it’s been. The Northland Chamber of Commerce has completed a submission to the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee regarding the Emissions Trading proposal as it stands, talk of a new Hunderwatsser museum in Whangarei and wholesale changes at the Northland Chamber Board.Climate Change Emissions trading amendmentOur

2008-02-28T15:41:00.000+13:00

Big Changes: Northland Chamber of Commerce BoardEight new board members were voted on to the Northland Chamber of commerce board at the Chamber AGM on Wednesday night.Chamber CEO Jeff Smith says ‘there was a lot of interest in standing for our board which concluded in a vote at the AGM on Wednesday’.‘We had a few retirements during the year so it was good that there was a keen level of interest

2008-02-27T14:57:00.001+13:00

Northland Chamber submission on the Climate Change Bill28th February 2008.Finance and Expenditure Select CommitteeC/o Parliament BuildingsWellingtonBy email carol.brouwer@parliament.govt.nz.Submission to:The Finance and Expenditure CommitteeSubmission regarding:Climate Change (Emissions Trading and Renewable Preference) Bill - Bill No 187-1Submission by:The Northland Chamber of Commerce and

2008-02-18T13:58:00.000+13:00

Graffiti crackdown fantastic but lets not forget the responsible retailers in NorthlandIts great to see central Government cracking down on those that wantonly and recklessly inflict their trash on private property and in doing so attempt to drag our regions public face and into the dysfunctional cesspits that these people appear to wallow in.We wonder about the wisdom in fining perpetrators

2008-02-14T10:10:00.000+13:00

2008 Budget Personal Tax Package – Northland Chamber of CommerceAs the Northland Chamber of Commerce we sometime s get quite pre-occupied with business issues….. and quite rightly so as we are a predominantly business group.Recently the Chamber of Commerce along with a number of other business groups submitted a proposal to the Government on their 2008 Budget statement which focussed heavily on

2008-02-14T10:07:00.000+13:00

Opportunities and Tax CutsLast week Michael Cullen gave a speech to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. Most of the Media comment around this has focused on Tax Cuts and Auckland Infrastructure. In dissecting Minister Cullen’s Speech we actually recognise a couple of positives and opportunities for Northland as well as recognizing some warning signs in the promise of tax cuts.The Positives The

2008-02-01T15:24:00.000+13:00

Competition for positions in Northlands biggest advocacy/networking group The Northland Chamber of Commerce has found for a second year running an ever increasing number of business people wanting to become involved in assisting the organisation with Governance and Direction.‘Subject to an audit on the nomination we have around 19 people vying for 14 positions on the Chamber of commerce’ said

2008-01-31T13:01:00.001+13:00

Northland Chamber Supports JV with OntrackThe Northland Chamber of Commerce sees the formation of a JV between the Regional Council and Ontrack NZ as a hugely positive step towards the regional vision of a rail link to the Marsden port.This is excellent news said the Chamber CEO Jeff Smith, we are aware that the Port industry is slowly consolidating in NZ for various reasons and it would be great

2007-12-19T11:45:00.000+13:00

2008 A New Year in business …………….begin at the end Well it’s nearly at an end. Christmas and New Years Eve has come and gone. Northlanders have been able to take time out and reflect on the year that has been and the year to come. Maybe there have been a few new years resolutions? Lose Weight? Give up smoking? Spend more time with family? Start a business?Some interesting facts on new years

2007-12-19T11:36:00.000+13:00

Chamber of Commerce Christmas Message Yesterday seemed like January, and now it’s almost Christmas. Hopefully time to spend some valuable hours with those who are close to you. Sit back, relax and prepare for another successful Northland year. If you can do something for someone who is less fortunate then yourself go for it?Our Region is up there ahead of the best. I was at the NZ Chamber of

2007-12-04T10:18:00.000+13:00

China or NZ? - if this was 2008 would I be able to write this column…………… The Electoral Finance act is currently going through the parliamentary process and is likely to be adopted before Xmas.Firstly what is it? According to Parliament the purpose is to strengthen the law governing electoral financing and broadcasting to maintain public confidence, promote public participation, prevent the

2007-11-06T13:15:00.000+13:00

Northland Region A Great Place To Be.Robbie Burns, the great Scottish poet, once wrote about having ``the gift to see ourselves as others see us''. And gift it is - bringing the ability to stand back from ourselves, take stock of the good and the bad and work on strengths and weaknesses in a constructive way. The key words here are ``in a constructive way'' - and if only a couple of recent letter

2007-11-05T16:25:00.000+13:00

FREE e-whitepaperDown load the first in a series of 8 e-whitepapers on how to make the most of your membership.Advocacy & Lobbying servicesWhat are they? How do i benefit?

2007-10-23T13:10:00.000+13:00

Why Good Privacy is Good Business?Next month New Zealand’s Privacy Commissioner Marie Schroff will be explaining to Northland Businesses and HR people how to ensure that they are complying with NZs Privacy regulations.Businesses that take privacy seriously have a competitive edge according to the Privacy Commissioner.Information and technology are increasingly the key to business success in the

2007-10-12T12:21:00.000+13:00

Whangarei Flood SubmissionSubmission to:The Whangarei District CouncilSubmission regarding:CBD Flood Management ConsultationSubmission by:The Northland Chamber of CommerceDecision sought from District CouncilConsideration to Vince Cocurullos Submission below and particularly the ‘Viable Options’ and then…To Commit exploring an extra option and gaining a professional opinion to the concept

2007-10-08T10:15:00.000+13:00

Chamber of Commerce Business ConfidenceOne of the great things about being part of an international oprganisation is the ability to benchmark your economy against other regions. The Chamber of Commerce carries out as quarterly survey on business confidence in regions from Taupo to Northland.Business Confidence measures how confident respondents are in the Economy and their own business

2007-10-02T11:27:00.000+13:00

Northland business confidence weakens but holding up better than AucklandNorthland business confidence has dropped for the first time in 18 months amidst signs that persistent skill shortages, impact of high interest rates, a continued fall in demand and concerns over margins are starting to impact on the local economy.However confidence in Northland about the immediate prospects for the economy

2007-10-02T10:59:00.000+13:00

Northland Chamber of Commerce reflects Transpowers concerns over Transmission line uprating.The Northland Chamber of Commerce today reiterated the concern by Transpower over the recent appeals lodged to the environment court on Auckland City Council’s decision to approve Transpower’s resource consent to uprate the Henderson – Otahuhu transmission line during forced outages.This line affects North

2007-09-26T15:22:00.000+12:00

Local Body ElectionsRelative to national politics, there is apathy towards local government in this country as evidenced by low voter turnouts and poor participation in the consultative process.Councils are also subject to much less scrutiny by the media and independent agencies than central government. This lack of interest in local government politics goes a long way to explaining the creeping

2007-08-27T10:12:00.000+12:00

Copy of Questions sent to all Candidates in this years district local body electionsQuestionnaire for District Council Mayoral and Councillor CandidatesThe Northland Chamber of Commerce believe the calibre of the local government candidates is an important issue in the coming local elections. We set to identify candidates who support and acknowledge various key actions and policies which will

2007-08-27T09:36:00.001+12:00

Northland Chamber of CommerceLocal Government Policy DocumentWith local government elections approaching in October this year, The Chamber of Commerce has issued this document containing policies on a range of local government areas which we consider promote the interests of Northlanders and New Zealand as a whole.As the elections approach, The Northland Chamber of Commerce intends to scrutinise

2007-08-27T09:36:00.000+12:00

2007-08-27T09:34:00.000+12:00

Local Elections – It’s vitally important that you have your say. In the Run up to the Local Body elections the Northland Chamber of Commerce has 20 questions to ask all candidates regarding their positions on various issues that directly affect Northland Business. These questions are available for viewing at the Northland Chamber website ( www.northchamber.co.nz )along with any answers received

2007-07-24T11:39:00.000+12:00

Climate Change and Opportunities!Climate Change - Should the Northland Chamber encourage business to get involved in the Climate Change issue?yesno Free polls from Pollhost.comTo my mind there is no doubt that New Zealand is taking the issue of climate change seriously. Government says that Climate Change is a

2007-06-25T10:27:00.000+12:00

Bridging the Skills Gap – Be part of the Solution! “Forty two percent of firms believe it will be harder to employ people with the right skills, compared to 37% a year ago. Those finding it difficult to recruit unskilled workers also increased, from 15% a year ago to 17%. Those sectors most affected are manufacturing, technology and trades…. Auckland Chamber of Commerce Business Confidence Survey

2007-06-07T11:46:00.000+12:00

7 June 2007“Another kick in the guts for growth….”Responding to the Reserve Bank announcement raising the Official Cash Rate (OCR) to 8%, Jeff Smith, Northland Chamber of Commerce CEO noted that part of the justification was that the rise in dairy sector incomes will add to inflation pressures.“Once again we are told that the more successful we are, the more we will be punished.”Meanwhile the

2007-05-29T16:14:00.000+12:00

Should the cost of running the NZ Fire Service be funded fromInsurance PremiumsRatesTaxationOther Free polls from Pollhost.comThanks once again Northland Businesses & property owners for subsidising those who choose not to contributeThe Government is looking at the way the Fire Service is funded.At the moment,

2007-05-17T16:13:00.000+12:00

“What should you do if your business is constrained by a skilled labour shortage: - Fester? Or Fix It?”The Northland Chamber of Commerce in Conjunction with Malcolm Pacific are holding a Short informative and interesting lunchtime Seminar on the 23rd may 2007 to assist businesses in recruiting skilled staff.Aussie Malcolm will present a short presentation on how painless and cost effective it can

2007-05-11T12:10:00.000+12:00

Submission to:The Whangarei District CouncilSubmission regarding:2007 – 2008 Draft Annual Plan – 20/20 planSubmission by:The Northland Chamber of CommerceDecision sought from District CouncilTo implement the 20/20 design principles in all decisions made regarding the future look and feel of the Whangarei CBDThe Whangarei Plus CBD Guideline Development 20/20 PlanThe Northland Chamber of Commerce

2007-05-11T12:06:00.000+12:00

Submission to:The Whangarei District CouncilSubmission regarding:2007 – 2008 Draft Annual PlanWDC Application NumberN/-Submission by:The Northland Chamber of CommerceDecision sought from District CouncilTo Commit to reducing and eventually removing the commercial differential rating systemTo budget a CBD Mainstreet Levy for the promotion and marketing of the CBD or allocate funding from the CBD

2007-04-30T11:37:00.000+12:00

Submission No 2 to NRC Annual Plan 2008Submission to: The Northland Regional Council. Submission regarding: Proposed Amendment in the Draft Annual Plan to the Northland Long Term Council Community Plan regarding the establishment of a council controlled trading organisation for the establishment of an infrastructure development authority NRC Application Number Nil Submission by: The

2007-04-30T11:31:00.000+12:00

www.northlandbusinessawards.co.nz “News of our win in 2006 reached suppliers & people well beyond Northland, boosting our profile within the industry as well.” – Sciadopities ‘Do it now… go to www.northlandbusinessawards.co.nz and register your interest in entering the 30th anniversary Northland naturally business awards!’ The 2007 Northland Chamber of Commerce Northland Naturally Business

2007-04-20T15:48:00.000+12:00

Northland Chamber Submission re - Marsden Rail Link Submission to: The Northland Regional Council. Submission regarding: Proposed Amendment in the Draft Annual Plan to the Northland Community Plan regarding the Marsden Rail link NRC Application Number Nil Submission by: The Northland Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. General Nature of Submission In support of immediate action to

2007-04-16T14:43:00.000+12:00

A Blueprint for Local Government…..“In the next 10 years local authorities plan to spend more than $31billion, which is 2.4 times as much as they spent in the 10 years to 2005”The Northland Chamber of Commerce through its accreditation to the NZ Chambers of Commerce and the Local Government Forum has recently released a manifesto for Local Government called ‘Democracy and Performance’.This was

2007-04-02T14:18:00.000+12:00

Provincial business optimism wavering…(see northland results below..)The ongoing difficulty provincial businesses are having recruiting skilled staff coupled with a massive increase in expectations of higher interest rates is threatening to put a brake on the rural economy.For the first time in more than a year the level of overall optimism in provincial centre businesses has slipped in how they

2007-04-02T14:16:00.000+12:00

Northland business confidence up but wavering....Northland business confidence is continuing to hold up against signs that persistent skill shortages, increased interest rates and a difficult terms of trade are starting to impact on the local economy.Optimism in Northland about the immediate prospects for the economy also continues to be higher than in urban Auckland.These are among findings of

2007-03-22T10:42:00.001+12:00

Wow have you seen what’s happening at NorthTec…I was privileged to attend the opening of the New North Tec Interactive Lecture Theatre and teaching Complex last Friday. This state of the Art complex provides Northtecs teaching staff and students a state of the art facility which is world class when comparing to regions of similar size.We were given a demonstration of some of the technology

2007-03-08T11:36:00.000+13:00

Marsden B.....The Northland Chamber of Commerce Acknowledged today’s decision by Mighty River Power the decision of MRP to not continue with the Marsden B projectChamber CEO Jeff Smith said that whilst this decision is obviously disappointing as this will mean the loss of potential direct consequences such as Job Creation and development opportunities as well as indirect opportunities - we

2007-03-06T12:25:00.000+13:00

Northport - Developing Trade Opportunities for NorthlandA new regular service linking Northland with Australia and the Arabian Gulf, operated by Pacific Basin Shipping, adds to a growing list of international destinations available through Northport at Marsden Point.Both Breakbulk and Containerised options are available to these markets for Northland’s Exporters/Importers.The Chamber of Commerce

2007-03-01T10:57:00.001+13:00

Northland Chamber Changes LeadershipAt the Northland Chamber AGM on Wednesday night a new board and leader was elected by members. Retiring Chairperson Stephen Gillingham is standing down to pursue ambitious business plans and has been replaced by new President Tony Savage. Tony brings to the Chamber both practical legal advice and knowledge, and hands on business experience.Tony is a solicitor

2007-03-01T10:57:00.000+13:00