Outgoing South Waikato District mayor Jenny Shattock, who is retiring in October, says she is proud of the council’s achievements. Shattock was the district’s first female mayor and has been with the council for 24 years, six of those as mayor. “We are on the rise … South Waikato has become a place of choice, […]

From July 13, an increased speed limit of 110 km/h will be applied to a 78-km stretch of the Waikato expressway, from Hampton Downs to south of Cambridge. According to Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, the higher speed limit will result in a time saving of 35 minutes when travelling between the bottom of the […]

Thirty-five foreign diplomats toured Hamilton and the Waikato region during an official visit earlier this month. The delegation was made up of New Zealand and Australian-based heads of mission from countries including Argentina, Canada, China, France, Japan, Singapore, South Africa and the United States. The group was able to network with businesses across a range […]

Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries had appointed three New Zealand-based Japanese Cuisine Goodwill Ambassadors. The role of the ambassadors is to promote Japanese cuisine and Japanese food culture. There are 173 Japanese Cuisine Goodwill Ambassadors around the world, however, this is the first time anyone has been appointed from New Zealand. The appointees […]

Education New Zealand has revealed a new marketing campaign designed to attract international students back to the country after the borders reopen on 31 July. The “I AM NEW” campaign centres on the stories of eight international students, from China, Colombia, Germany, India, Japan, Thailand, USA, and Vietnam, who share their experiences of study and […]

A new sushi restaurant opened in Queenstown last Saturday – the first in the country to include a miniature train for delivering orders. Soki Sushi Train, in Queenstown’s CBD, boasts a custom-made model of Japan’s bullet train, which travels around the tables of the restaurant to deliver food to the diners. Restaurant owner Ting Li […]

The Mount John observatory, which overlooks Lake Tekapo in the South Island of New Zealand, will be involved in a research collaboration with the United States’ National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The observatory has the largest telescopes in New Zealand and is operated by the University of Canterbury. The research collaboration aims to create […]

A new carbon credit market has launched in New Zealand to target the restoration of native forest. A large proportion of trees planted for carbon credits in New Zealand are non-native pine species. However, Carbonz, founded by PhD student Finn Ross, aims to bring together buyers and sellers of native forest carbon credits. “What we’re […]

A new initiative is helping Rotorua businesses become more sustainable and work towards carbon neutrality. The project, coordinated by RotoruaNZ and the Rotorua Sustainability Charter, includes support packages of more than $2000, tailored workshops and focused consulting. The businesses would commit to benchmarking and lowering their carbon emissions. Rotorua Sustainability Charter advisor Desirae Kirby said […]

The New Zealand government is supporting a three-year plan to help grow the ‘strong wool’ sector. Strong wool refers to a grade of wool with thick fibres. Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor said the government was backing the plan, called Wool Impact, with $4.5 million from the Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures Fund. The purpose […]