The world's only artificial gut manufacturer
Who knew that the world's only artificial gut manufacturer was based in Auckland? When we found out, we just had to learn more. Garth Sutherland is CEO at
The Insides Company
and tells Perlina Lau all about prosthetic intestines.
Photo:
The Insides Company
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RNZ News
3 hours ago
- RNZ News
New Zealand falls in latest global gender equality rankings
Parity in ministerial positions dropped from 81.8 percent to 53.8percent over the past two years. Photo: 123rf New Zealand has slipped a spot in global rankings for gender equality, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF). The WEF's latest Global Gender Gap Report , which benchmarks performance of individual nations across various economic and social indicators, said New Zealand maintained high standards globally, but that a downward trajectory loomed. Weaker economic opportunities and political representation for women had bumped New Zealand from fourth to fifth. The WEF report measured gender parity across four key dimensions - economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment. Each dimension was assessed using various indicators and weighted accordingly. In terms of economic participation, New Zealand ranked below 70 percent for the first time since 2007. "The subindex exhibits a downward trend, despite minor fluctuations over time. There is a further decline in executive perceptions of wage equality." The report also pointed to falling political empowerment, setting back "notable progress" from 2019-23. "Parity in ministerial positions has dropped by nearly 30 percentage points, from 81.8 percent in 2023 to 53.8 percent in 2025. "Similarly, parity in Parliamentary representation now stands at 83.6 percent, down from full parity achieved in 2023." Minister for Women Nicola Grigg. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon Minister for Women Nicola Grigg told RNZ that, despite the lower ranking, New Zealand remained in a strong position. "While New Zealand has dropped one place in the latest ranking, we remain in the top five globally, including maintaining first place in educational attainment. "This is a strong position, reflecting long-term commitment." The coalition government has not ruled out a mandatory pay gap reporting system, which the previous Labour government introduced in August 2023 . Cabinet has yet to make any decisions, with the focus for now on supporting businesses to build the capacity to measure and report their own gaps. If ministers were to push ahead with a mandatory pay gap reporting system, decisions would first be required around funding and resourcing the system. As such, the government has sought to ramp up data on the gap itself and its causes, Grigg said. "The gender pay gap is complex and nuanced, with around 80 percent of contributing factors being 'unexplained', like hiring bias. "That is why, last year, I launched the first-ever government-backed Gender Pay Gap Toolkit , which was designed by businesses themselves to help them address these complex issues. Since launching the calculator toolkit, we've had great engagement, with over 23,000 visits to the site." Grigg told RNZ that the government's recent pay equity changes, which changed the bargaining system, while scrapping all existing agreements and notifications, supports gender equality. "The changes will identify genuine sex-based discrimination in the workplace. New Zealand's system remains more liberal than many listed in the 2025 Gender Pay Gap Index, for example. "Having a fair-pay equity system and giving businesses resources to reduce the gender pay gap contributes towards achieving gender equality." Dame Marilyn Waring. Photo: Supplied In response to those changes, a cross-party group of female former MPs, led by Dame Marilyn Waring, formed the People's Select Committee on Pay Equity pressure group . Former equal employment opportunities commissioner and advisor to the group Saunoamaali'i Karanina Sumeo told RNZ that the changes would have come about too early to be counted in the WEF report. "The global ranking is something that makes us look great, but we've got to look underneath that," she said. "We know around 38.2 percent of households in New Zealand think that their income is either not enough or barely enough to get by - that should matter to us more." While progress had been made, Sumeo said underlying drivers of gender inequality still persisted. "I wouldn't feel comfortable that we're going to maintain it in the top five. I suspect that we're going to fall back." Sumeo said a mandatory system would be ideal and, while she hoped the government moved it forward, she wasn't holding out for it. "Unless it's mandatory, it won't go on a to-do list, so ultimately we'd like to go there, but also we need to support our businesses, so it's not a scary exercise to do and so we're all doing it for the right reason." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Techday NZ
4 hours ago
- Techday NZ
AI to create new roles as Nimbl predicts job growth not loss
New analysis from Nimbl Consulting has suggested that artificial intelligence (AI) is set to reshape the jobs landscape, but predicts that the new era will see job growth rather than redundancy. According to Nimbl Director Wyn Ackroyd, the advent of AI and its integration into core business activities will create opportunities for emerging roles and personalised products on a scale not previously possible. Jobs 'not fewer, but different' In a recent thought piece titled "Customer Service at the Speed of AI", Ackroyd highlights a future where AI enables businesses to deliver highly personalised, real-time services, shifting the emphasis from job losses to new types of employment. "We're not heading toward a future with fewer jobs. We're heading toward a future with different jobs, roles that don't exist yet, but will be essential to delivering the next generation of customer experiences," Ackroyd said. The report draws on industry examples such as the insurance and banking sectors. "Imagine a customer requests a complex mortgage involving KiwiSaver contributions, parental equity, and other non-traditional inputs. In the AI-powered future, financial institutions will be able to instantly generate a bespoke product, tailored to that individual's needs, in real time. Not just for them, but for others with similar profiles, before they even ask," Ackroyd said. This approach signals what Nimbl terms "Service at the Speed of AI", in which unique customer products could be created every hour, each tailored to specific individuals or niche groups. Ackroyd emphasises that rather than eliminating jobs, this will create a vacuum that will be filled by new services and corresponding employment opportunities. Emergence of new roles The analysis suggests that AI-native businesses will increasingly operate with remarkable speed, creating thousands of personalised products as AI tools become more sophisticated. Ackroyd foresees the emergence of new roles such as AI Interaction Designers, Personalisation Strategists, and Synthetic Data Curators. These positions, presently rare or non-existent, are expected to become vital as organisations seek to leverage data for tailored customer solutions. To realise these opportunities, Nimbl encourages investment in data quality, workforce retraining, and strategic redesign. Ackroyd notes that companies must now rethink their approach to workforce planning, prioritising skills that complement AI, like creativity and empathy. Strategic shift for businesses Businesses are also cautioned against viewing AI solely as a means to cut costs. Ackroyd advises that the greater potential lies in deploying AI as a tool to expand capacity and improve customer experience. "The real question isn't how many jobs AI will replace. It's how we'll use the capacity it creates to serve customers in ways we've never been able to before," Ackroyd said. "With some Nimbl footwork," Ackroyd concludes. "the future is full of opportunity." New Zealand-based consultancy, Nimbl, is helping organisations navigate change through a combination of agility, strategic insight, and purpose-driven transformation. Specialising in areas such as AI integration and customer experience design, the business transformation firm supports clients in adapting to an increasingly dynamic and competitive landscape.
1News
15 hours ago
- 1News
PM to visit China and Europe, will meet Xi Jinping
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will travel to the country's largest trading partner next week, before moving on to Europe. He will be joined by a delegation of senior New Zealand business leaders in China's Shanghai and Beijing from June 17 to June 20. He will meet senior officials including President Xi Jinping. The visit would focus on growing trade, which was worth over $38 billion last year, as well as also look to strengthen education and tourism links and to maximise opportunities for New Zealand businesses. Luxon said China was a "vital part of our economic story" as New Zealand's largest trading partner, source of international students and third-largest tourism market. "New Zealand is a trusted supplier of safe, high-quality food and beverage products to Chinese consumers. It is an important market, and I look forward to doing what I can to support Kiwi businesses to thrive. ADVERTISEMENT "This visit is about backing the recovery of international education and tourism and putting New Zealand front and centre as a world-class destination for travel, study, and long-term connection." The Prime Minister will meet China's top leadership, including President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, to discuss the comprehensive bilateral relationship and key regional and global issues. Their face-to-face meeting has been hailed a success by the PM as it concentrated on trade issues. (Source: 1News) "The challenging global outlook makes it vital that we are sharing perspectives and engaging China on issues that matter to New Zealand." The Prime Minister would be accompanied by the 2025 Te Matatini champions, Te Kapa Haka o Ngatī Whakaue. Europe Luxon will then travel on to Europe to undertake bilateral visits in Brussels and the Hague from June 21 to 25. ADVERTISEMENT He would be meeting meet with leaders, including from the European Union, to discuss trade, security, and the shifting geopolitical landscape. The morning's headlines in 90 seconds including Air India crash, ferry still out of action, and ignoring TikTok KiwiSaver hacks. (Source: 1News) 'We have a high-quality trade relationship with the European Union, and the Netherlands and Belgium are gateways for New Zealand's growing exports to Europe," he said. "Since the early entry into force of the New Zealand-European Union Free Trade Agreement, Kiwi goods exports have grown by over 25%, which is a more than $1 billion increase." In the Netherlands, the Prime Minister would participate in the NATO Summit and hold one-on-one talks with a number of NATO leaders. 'Prosperity is only possible with security, and our discussions will focus on connections between the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security environments,' Luxon said.
