Senator Kate Lundy, Minister for Sport, Multicultural Affairs and Minister Assisting on Industry & Innovation, officially opened the Austech and National Manufacturing Week exhibitions on Tuesday 7th May at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Since the release of the NZ Power proposal there has not been a solid, logical debate about what NZ Power might mean, and the current problems inherent in the electricity market say New Zealand Manufacturers and Exporters Association (NZMEA). NZMEA Chief Executive John Walley says, “What we witnessed this month in New Zealand politics reminded me of a line from Bob Edlin in Management Magazine a few weeks ago, Bob said “If scorn is better than robust debate at shaping good policy, we are in good hands. ” That pretty well summed up the Government’s response to the NZ Power proposal from Labour and the Greens. Business New Zealand has urged Labour and the Greens to revoke the policy in an open letter. The letter reads to say that higher electricity prices would better serve New Zealand businesses incentives to innovate. Would this really be the case? These are echo’s of the comments made by the same group before the unbundling the local loop.” “Sadly scorn, distortions and exaggerated characterisations, heaped on ideas and individuals seem to be an ingrained response from many; dismissing any new ideas at odds with the status quo.” “Take a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_electricity_market you don’t have to read very far on that link to see there is already a single regulator that balances supply, demand and price. Not very different than NZ Power as we read the proposal. The key difference is the pricing mechanism, not the entire system. “Currently we have a Long Run Marginal Cost approach (LRMC), where the regulator balances the market in terms of supply and demand and pays all generators according to the highest cost generator required to supply in the market. Prices escalate based on the cost of new generation and fuel; higher electricity prices justify ever higher prices […]
More New Zealand workers are employed in highly skilled jobs than in any other type of work, new analysis from Statistics New Zealand shows. The Household Labour Force Survey information shows that over one-third of workers in the December 2012 quarter were in jobs categorised into the top of five skill groupings. That compares to one in six people in the lowest skilled grouping. The analysis shows the number of people in highly skilled jobs has increased by approximately 60,000 since 2009, mainly due to growth in the number of jobs in the health, professional, and agricultural industries. The number of people employed in highly skilled jobs differs by age and ethnicity, but that men and women work equally in both the most highly skilled jobs. Economic News also explores New Zealand’s direct investment relationship with Australia, and the effects that the global financial crisis had on whether companies chose to reinvest their profits, or return them to their overseas parent companies as dividends. We look at how company behaviour differs between the banking and corporate sectors, and how this has changed over time. Australian-owned banks, for example, reinvested most of their profits back in to New Zealand during 2011 and 2012, while corporates returned most of their profits to their parent companies in Australia as dividends.
A group of leading business organisations has sent an open letter to the Labour and Green parties (attached) urging them to withdraw their electricity policy. BusinessNZ, EMA, the Chambers of Commerce and others say the policy would harm jobs, growth and investment, causing interest rates to rise, reducing KiwiSaver retirement savings and making people less well off. BusinessNZ Chief Executive Phil O’Reilly says it is unusual for business to seek the withdrawal of party policies, but this particular policy if implemented would cause widespread damage. “Subsidies and state control are not the right answers to the issue of electricity pricing. While sounding superficially attractive, such policies would in practice destroy investment and jobs.” The signatories to the letter offer to work with the Labour and Green parties to help increase public understanding of the operation of the electricity market and in ensuring consumers have better choice as the electricity market becomes more competitive. “More price competition – rather than damaging price controls – is needed to drive down electricity prices,” Mr O’Reilly said.
Now more than ever before, Engel offers it’s customers clear advantages, in terms of innovative injection moulding machines, automation, processing technology – and value for money ! Engel injection moulding machines are offered in a range of sizes, from 25 tonne to 5,500 tonne clamp force. The machines are modular, and injection and clamp units can be configured to meet the requirements of the customer’s application. Fully hydraulic, hybrid, and fully electric machines are offered, as well as automation and ancilliary machine equipment, all supplied from one source. Engel is well known and respected for innovative design and engineering solutions. Engel’s tie-bar-less clamping system has been phenomenally successful. The tie-bar-less system is the ‘standard’ clamping system on the small to medium size Engel machine range. The tie-bar-less clamping system means complete freedom from traditional tiebars, enabling use of the entire platen area, unhindered access to the mould area, and easy clear access for robot and automation solutions. Engel’s continuous growth of market share in all clamping force sizes is based on the launch of new products and product lines. The introduction of the new Viper robot series has enabled Engel to secure further market share in automation. Almost every second automated manufacturing cell sold by a European injection moulding machine manufacturer is now supplied by Engel. Engel is also clearly the global leader in injection moulding machine automation. One in four robots sold to the European injection moulding industry is now manufactured by Engel. Since the launch of the Viper robot series – a growing number of Engel robots is also being sold on machines of other manufacturers… With the extension of the Engel duo pico series from 350 to 700 tonnes clamping force, Engel has substantially increased its global market share. In the past five years the market share […]
The Independent Taskforce on Workplace Health and Safety has built the wall and the need for change is written clearly on it, says Paul Jarvie, Manager of Health and Safety for the Employers and Manufacturers Association. “The report’s recommendations mirror much of what EMA hoped for, but the budget to achieve it is meagre,” Mr Jarvie said. “We have been promoting the need for a standalone agency for some years, and for the government to focus on helping businesses overhaul their workplace safety culture. “These recommendations are very welcome. “We will need the whole package to reform the pitiful state of workplace health and safety in New Zealand. “But the budget allocation to reverse the situation is meagre. “If we are to realise the stated vision – to become the best place in the world for people to go to work and come home safely – more investment by all stakeholders is needed. “Compare the just announced bonus investment for tourism of $150 million with the extra $32 million a year to be set aside for reforming workplace health and safety. “The stakes are high. Workplaces account for around 1000 deaths year at a cost of $3.5billion – two per cent of GDP. “On top of that there are unknown productivity and social costs. “Employers want to be deeply involved in the development and implementation of the new OH&S landscape.”
BusinessNZ has criticised unions taking industrial action over the issue of starting wages. This morning FIRST union members set up pickets outside a supermarket in Royal Oak in Auckland. “Picketing against a lawful activity is not what unions should be doing,” said BusinessNZ Chief Executive Phil O’Reilly. “Companies that contribute strongly to their communities, offering employment and career opportunities to young people while investing heavily in their training, deserve better than this. “Offering a first step on the employment ladder to a young person is one of the most valuable things a New Zealand company can do. “A young unskilled person is disadvantaged in competing against more experienced and trained people in the labour market. Starting wages help young people gain experience and better equip them to be able to compete on stronger terms. “Union activity against companies that support youth employment is ideologically motivated and is itself damaging to young people’s employment prospects,” Mr O’Reilly said.
Global CEOs rate China as the world’s top destination for foreign investment, which is consistent with its significantly expanding economy, according to a global survey by PwC and the China Development Research Foundation. The survey ‘Choosing China: Improving the investment environment for multinationals’ found more than half (56%) of CEOs surveyed chose China above other major and emerging economies including Brazil, Russia, India and the US. Worldwide CEOs say they were attracted to China’s expanding consumer markets, skilled talent pool and government incentives. “China attracted NZ$133.8 billion (US$111.7 billion) of foreign direct investment in 2012 from multinationals seeking to tap into ChinaÕs success,” says PwC New Zealand Partner and China Sector Leader Colum Rice. “China’s economic transformation is absolutely dependent on its ability to continue to attract foreign investment. Yet, it faces new challenges as emerging markets become more competitive. Over recent years, we have seen increasing levels of Chinese investments into New Zealand but what the survey highlights is the emphasis that China is placing on attracting inbound investment. This brings into sharp focus the increasing level of competition which New Zealand faces for foreign direct investment,” adds Mr Rice. The survey found less than 10% of CEOs from smaller companies (operating in less than five countries) have operations in China. “China now needs to promote itself as a place of opportunity for smaller and more specialised businesses to keep the investment renminbis flowing in. All the low hanging fruit is gone and this places Kiwi businesses in a strong position. “New Zealand needs to work hard at selling the benefits we can offer growth hungry China, in terms of the innovation we can bring and financial capital we can help attract. “For Kiwi companies with the IP, brands, relationships and knowledge Chinese businesses crave, a partnership could offer […]
I studied with interest the report out recently 2102 Smart Waikato Youth Employment Survey which was undertaken to gauge the work experience and employment situation for 15 to 24 year olds. Respondees to the survey were pretty mixed in their appreciation of what their youth have to offer. Comments from “They have no interest in working and a lack of aptitude or ethics” were common as was “expect top money for little or no return.” Another said: “While there are some stars out there, there are a lot of bad seeds. Too many young staff expect everything to be handed to them on a silver plate and the art of working for something has long been forgotten.” About 280 Waikato employers representing approximately 12,000 Waikato employees responded to the online survey. So how are you an employer, in other parts of the country finding the attitude of youth to work? Can you get, in your region, young staff when you need them? How do you find their attitude? Are there talented young people out there you are employing or considering employing? Let’s look at the whole thing. Young workers need training, they need leadership, they need inspiration and they need a light at the end of the tunnel. There are a lot of highly motivated young people doing good things in companies who have drive and ambition and want to get ahead in the world. They all don’t want to work for the youth wage; they want a fair return for a fair effort. As far as the unmotivated ones are concerned, well, there are always people like that. But at the same time the system is not meant to fail them; to cast them aside as the easiest thing to do. Being unmotivated and not self motivated may only […]
BusinessNZ has welcomed changes announced today to the Employment Relations Act. Most changes were announced prior to the 2011 election. Additional amendments to speed up processes Employment Relations Authority were also released today. BusinessNZ Chief Executive Phil O’Reilly says the overall effect will be to make the Employment Relations Act simpler and more efficient and enable more flexibility in the workplace. “Improving employees’ ability to seek flexible working arrangements and simpler arrangements around meal and rest breaks will be of general benefit. “Removing compulsion from parties involved in multi-employer bargaining, removing the compulsion to settle a collective agreement, and removing compulsion for new employees to join a collective agreement will allow for improved employment relationships.” Mr O’ Reilly said that the proposed change to the rules around transfer of employees when contracts change hands, to include exemptions for all businesses with fewer than 20 employees, would need to be studied carefully to ensure unintended consequences did not arise. “Overall, these changes will allow more flexibility and certainty for businesses, allowing for more growth and job creation,” Mr O’Reilly said.
