Singapore company Olam plans to build a dairy processing plant at Tokoroa in south Waikato. The milk processing site, which will be the 14th in the Waikato region, will begin operations in 2023. The company is still waiting on Overseas Investment Office and resource consent clearance, however, because Olam is already established in New Zealand, […]

The prime minister of Samoa Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa visited Hawke’s Bay yesterday as part of a three-day trip to New Zealand. She was welcomed to the region with an Ava ceremony, a significant custom in Samoan Culture, organised by members of the Samoan community, including seasonal workers and church leaders. In her address to horticultural […]

New Zealand red meat exports hit a record in April however ongoing volatility in China indicates head winds in the coming months, says the Meat Industry Association (MIA). New Zealand exported products worth $999.6 million during the month of April, up 16 per cent on April 2021 with the value of overall exports increasing to […]

More than 1000 signatures, from supporters in 40 countries, have been obtained on a petition to get a “white wine” emoji created. The petition, launched by New Zealand Wine Growers, will form part of a submission that the organisation plans to present to the Unicode Consortium, the body responsible for approving new emoji icons, this […]

A programme for improving the employment prospects of youth in the South Waikato region has received another year’s worth of funding. The WORKit programme, established in 2021, has already placed 25 young people in permanent employment and aims to provide another 50 jobs in the coming year. The programme is aimed at people under 25, […]

An award-winning documentary that follows the journey of a New Zealand man who searched for his missing son in Taiwan is now playing in theatres in Taiwan. The film, titled “Phil’s Journey”, covers the experiences of New Zealand sculptor Phil Tchernegovski, whose son Reuben went missing in the Alishan area in 1998 while he was […]

The New Zealand ambassador to Vietnam Tredene Dobson visited the south-central Vietnamese province of Binh Dinh on June 6. She commended the New Zealand-funded projects in the region, including healthcare projects at Binh Dinh Provincial General Hospital and an agricultural project that involves the safe production of vegetables. Doctors in Binh Dinh have been receiving […]

New Zealand and Japan are bolstering their security connections through a plan to increase the sharing of more information on international issues. The plan, which was confirmed during a meeting between the New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida earlier this year, involves an expansion in the “seamless” sharing of […]

Diplomats from 37 countries visited the Bay of Plenty last week for an event that showcased the economic assets and opportunities in the region. The delegation of foreign ambassadors, the largest to visit New Zealand in recent years, toured key organisations in the horticulture, education, agri-tech and marine biotechnology sectors. Their itinerary included a stop […]

A draft Masterplan that sets out Nelson City Council’s plans to transform Nelson Marina into a modern boating hub and place for everyone in our community to enjoy, goes out for public consultation on 20 June.   Proposed Marina Centre dedicated to marine sales and service-related businesses The Draft Marina Masterplan, recommended to go out […]