Tourism: Luxon, Upston hope extra money gets more attention from China, Australia and the US
Tourism numbers have generally lagged behind pre-Covid peaks even with borders largely reopened for three years.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston today said
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NZ Herald
4 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Society Insider: East Imperial founder Tony Burt's new business with chef Peter Gordon; Sir Colin Giltrap's family motorsport legacy; Kylie Bax's model agent Kim Larking's new venture
The New Zealand-based business went on to sell some 33 million bottles of its products in more than 20 countries. Tony Burt pictured at a Viva event in 2019. Photo / Babiche Martens Then the Covid pandemic hit, dealing a heavy blow to trading, while mounting pressure on supply chains drove up its costs. And, in July 2024, the business went into liquidation after its parent company, Singapore's East Imperial Pte, defaulted on a loan to INL Investments Ltd. INL took over the international parent firm and decided to wind up the New Zealand subsidiary. A final report by liquidator Deloitte, released last month, showed the New Zealand branch of East Imperial was deregistered from the Companies Office, still owing $7.8 million. Tony Burt, pictured in 2014, with products from his East Imperial range. Photo / Babiche Martens Burt tells Society Insider he has learned a lot from losing East Imperial, and says the reality of the liquidation was more complex than it might have appeared. 'At the time, we were in advanced acquisition talks with a major international company,' says Burt. 'Our lawyers had requested a repayment statement to clear the INL Investments loan in full before [the liquidation]'. Burt also says most of the money reported as being owed was not trade debt in New Zealand but intercompany loans to East Imperial PLC, a British holding company. 'It was widely reported at one point that the company owed $23m, [which was] later revised to $7m. 'Neither figure reflected the true position; the overwhelming majority was intercompany balances rather than unpaid local creditors,' Burt says. The East Imperial brand was taken over after the liquidation by INL Investments' director, Horace Ngai, who is based in Hong Kong. Ngai told Society Insider INL wasn't aware of any proposal for East Imperial to pay the cash loan advanced to it. He also disputed comments that advanced acquisition talks were under way for East Imperial to be sold. Ngai says INL is committed to ensuring the long-term financial stability and success of East Imperial and strengthening its market position. Despite losing the brand he started, Burt said he is immensely proud of what the company achieved before the liquidation. 'We built an innovative, global-leading brand that connected New Zealand to the world,' he said of East Imperial. And now Burt is back with a new venture, this time in the food industry. He has teamed up with business partner Dana Johnston, well known for creating some of Auckland's most iconic hospitality spots, including 1885, 46 & York, and Pineapple on Parnell. Dana Johnston, Sir John Key and JP Schmidt at 46 & York in Parnell. Together, they are developing Maris Vitae, a Southland-based start-up focusing on exporting premium NZ seafood as high-end gourmet canned fish. They have also brought in NZ celebrity chef Peter Gordon as culinary director, the man behind restaurants including SkyCity's The Sugar Club, and Homeland, which closed last year. Burt and Johnston tell Society Insider that their Maris Vitae project is still in its early stages, but their ambition is significant. 'It will include a boutique, semi-automated canning facility in Southland producing a range of premium New Zealand seafood,' says Johnston. 'All sourced sustainably and transformed into gourmet products under the culinary direction of internationally renowned chef Peter Gordon,' he says. Chef Peter Gordon is among those working on Maris Vitae, a Southland-based start-up focusing on exporting premium NZ seafood as high-end gourmet canned fish. Photo / Jason Oxenham Gordon told Society Insider that working with Maris Vitae is 'an exciting opportunity' to showcase NZ seafood to the world, where 'canned seafood is held in high esteem'. 'I have always strongly advocated for New Zealand kaimoana,' he says. 'It's an incredible venture and I'm genuinely excited to be a part of it'. Burt and Johnston see an incredible opportunity to showcase New Zealand seafood in a completely new way. 'The response so far has been overwhelming. Iwi, quota holders, government agencies, chefs and distributors all see the potential to take this to the world,' says Johnston. Blair Wolfgram from Ocean Beach, Bluff, Tony Burt and Dana Johnston. The pair say Maris Vitae is supported by a heavyweight advisory board spanning seafood, Māori enterprise, governance and investment. Through the research Maris Vitae has conducted with Introspective Market Research, the team believes the venture could unlock new value chains, create year-round jobs in Southland, and position New Zealand as a serious player in the growing global gourmet seafood market, currently worth more than $50 billion. Dana Johnston, MP Jenny Marcroft and Tony Burt. In June, the pair had a meeting at parliament, introducing Maris Vitae to NZ First MP Jenny Marcroft, in her capacity as Under Secretary to the Oceans and Fisheries Ministry, along with Ministry of Primary Industries officials. 'This is about moving forward positively,' Johnston says. 'We want to prove, once again, that New Zealand can lead with premium, sustainable products that celebrate our provenance and create value for our people.' Burt and Johnston have formed a parent company, Rolf Ventures, which is both the holding company for Maris Vitae and a partner to several other FMCG brands. The pair aim to help with strategy, creativity and execution for brands looking to export to global markets. Sir Colin Giltrap's motorsport family legacy Marco Giltrap, the grandson of Sir Colin Giltrap. NZ Fashion Week: Kahuria begins on Monday, and this year's re-energised event will include a raft of off-runway activations. One of those gives attendees the chance to meet Kiwi motorsport racer Marco Giltrap, the grandson of the late, great Sir Colin Giltrap. Marco is the son of Richard Giltrap, who, along with his brother Michael, is the co-executive director of the family's Giltrap Group, with a family net worth of more than $400m. Sir Colin, known as much for his philanthropy as for the powerhouse motoring group he started in the 1960s, died in April last year aged 84. Giltrap Group announced in June that it had signed a three-year partnership deal with NZ Fashion Week, as the official naming rights sponsor of the event. Richard tells Society Insider his father had an incredible passion for helping Kiwis fly on the world stage, and it is something he and Michael have been proud to continue. Marco and his grandfather, Sir Colin Giltrap, at his investiture in 2012. Photo / Greg Bowker Marco Giltrap, 21, will be part of a meet-and-greet next Thursday morning at one of the Beyond the Runway speaking series, called Menswear Unfiltered, at the Giltrap Cupra showroom on Great North Rd. Richard tells Society Insider that his son Marco is part of a talented team of Kiwi drivers who have won international titles with Giltrap Group. Marco will be a special guest on the panel, alongside fellow Giltrap Group racers Clay Osborne and Liam Sceats. Marco started go-karting at the age of 10, with his family and beloved grandfather cheering him on. He quickly progressed through the ranks, winning championships. He then moved from karts to cars, where he competed in the NZ Toyota 86 Championship. After two years, he moved on to Porsche Cup cars. Giltrap won the Porsche Sprint Challenge Australia title at Supercheap Auto Bathurst International in 2023, and Marco secured a podium finish, claiming the Jim Richards Enduro Cup. The same year, he clinched the 2023 Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia PRO Championship. Marco has had Kiwi motor sport champion Simon Evans as a mentor, and looks to be following in Evans' steps as one of the hardest-working drivers from go-karts to cars. Marco Giltrap and Kiwi motor sport champion Simon Evans. As well as Giltrap Group, Marco has had sponsor and partner deals with streetwear label Huffer, UDC Finance, car and rental company SIXT, and Italian appliance giant Smeg. And as well as the racing stars, the speaking panel for Unfiltered features highly influential leaders in menswear: Rodd and Gunn CEO Mike Beagley, Longform Limited's Des Rusk, and Porter James Sports designer Joshua Heares. The following afternoon, Porsche is highlighting NZ's most compelling contemporary designers, with The New Guard: Rewriting the Rules of NZ Fashion taking place onsite at Shed 10. On the panel are Wynn Hamlyn founder Wynn Crawshaw; Harris Tapper co-founder Lauren Tapper; Rebe founder Rebe Burgess; and Georgia Alice and Flowers founder Georgia Currie. The other must-see panel is From Idea to Empire: Turning Creativity into Global Success, which features visiting Australian Ksubi Creative Director Pip Edwards with Karen Walker, who is showing at the week for the first time in 15 years, and Stolen Girlfriends' Marc Moore, who will feature onsite at Shed 10 on Wednesday. Designer Karen Walker is showing at Fashion Week for the first time in 15 years. Ksubi's Pip Edwards will be part of New Zealand Fashion Week 2025. NZ Fashion Week owner Feroz Ali tells Society Insider that after being away for two years, he and his team are looking forward to giving the fashion industry the jumpstart it needs. 'We've been overwhelmed with the way the industry has embraced the new direction for the event, and I look forward to seeing people experience it in real life,' says Feroz. NZ model and agency founder Kim Larking goes from fashion to philanthropy Former model and founder of Clyne Model Management, Kim Larking. For more than 25 years, Kim Larking was a giant in the fashion and modelling industry. His next chapter has focused on giving back to create a better world. Larking, 61, walked the top runways around the world in the mid-1980s and the early 1990s, going on to create one of New Zealand's top modelling agencies, Clyne Model Management, where Kylie Bax was one of his signings. He now runs a charitable organisation, Vision for Humanity, and has become an author. 'I've gradually redirected my life from the heights of the fashion world, while wishing to stay authentic to who I am,' Larking tells Society Insider. 'I try to use my fashion experience to create relatable, inspirational role model messages to make healthy, constructive habits fashionable.' Larking says that through social media, everyone now has a platform to magnify their beliefs, values, and interests, subtly influencing the direction of society. 'That should be used for constructive purposes,' he says. Kim Larking, 61, walked the top runways around the world in the mid-1980s and the early 1990s. Larking modelled around the world for six years in Milan, Paris, London, Tokyo, Canada, and Spain, and worked for designers Armani, Missoni, and Valentino in Milan. As an 18-year-old, Larking says, his education was travelling the developing world on a shoestring budget of 50 cents a day, which he says was an extreme contrast to being backstage at the haute couture runway shows of Jean Paul Gaultier with all the supermodels of the era. It was these extreme life perspectives that he says helped shape his unique view of the world. With a book filled with solid global industry contacts, Larking started Clyne Management in 1991. He credits the success of Kylie Bax as a key milestone in turning his agency into a powerhouse. 'Having discovered and managed Kylie, placing her globally, every door in the fashion world opened wider,' he says. Kylie Bax's success was key to turning Kim Larking's agency into a powerhouse. One of Larking's most significant moments for Bax was signing her with Woman Agency in New York, where she worked with photographer Steven Meisel – famous for his work in Vogue as well as for photographing Madonna for her controversial book Sex. 'Her stardom flowed from there,' Larking says. Other famous names on Clyne's books included Michelle Blanchard, who went on to feature on Real Housewives of Auckland, and Nicola Robinson, later known as Nicky Watson while married to Eric Watson, as well as Nick Bryant, Andrew Healy, Andrew Von Lochner, Jannette Williams, Racheal Millar, Peter Nolet, Chloe Hardy, Tia Woods, Jessica Clarke, and Emily Baker. The last thing Larking did at Clyne was to place Georgia Fowler with IMG New York, sparking her international career. Georgia Fowler's move to IMG New York, aided by Kim Larking, sparked her international career. He finished with the modelling industry in 2011, but retained the agency's offices in Auckland's Martin's Lane, turning them into his base to focus on his new business, Vision Products. Kim Larking at his St Martin's Lane home office. Photo / David Rowland The skin and body care range is made from natural, organic, wild-harvested ingredients, and presented in advanced eco-packaging. Vision Products also has a range of bamboo eco-apparel. Larking says he reinvests in "Biospherically Correct" systems. 'A Biospherically Correct system takes into account all eco-social aspects of how products and services can be ethically produced – as per the principles of how our biosphere works,' says Larking. Larking's goals are lofty. Vision Products generates funds and awareness to support its sister charity Vision for Humanity, which he says aims to 'elevate global consciousness and empower people to co-create a successful planet, with more peace, prosperity and joy in the world'. Larking says VFH is developing a wide range of resources to help people 'holistically advance their lives', and there are large-scale templates the charity is working on as initiatives to positively shape the world. When VFH officially launches, Larking says he will bring all of the services into a planned 'urban sanctuary' he hopes to open next year. Larking is also a self-published author, with his first book, Health Psychology: A Paradigm Shift to Greater Health Span, released last year. It includes techniques to assist people with life balance, authentic happiness, self-empowerment, and functional ageing. Kim Larking released his first book last year. 'The greatest satisfaction has come from the regular stream of people who have informed me how the book has helped them,' Larking says. He lives what he teaches, looking years younger than his 61 years, but he believes age is irrelevant anyway – it's your functional or biological age that counts. He says he has refined all his lifestyle habits for optimal well-being and health span, but likes to blend in at a party. 'I drink kombucha from a champagne glass and cranberry juice from a red wine glass to keep everyone feeling comfortable,' he says. Party people of the week Forever Auckland FC Sky TV teamed up with Auckland FC at Event Cinemas Newmarket on Friday night to celebrate the launch of its upcoming docuseries, Forever Auckland FC. AFC founders Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams were joined by a host of Black Knights players, including captain Hiroki Sakai, defenders Francis De Vries and Dan Hall, AFC's CEO Nick Becker and head coach Steve Corica (recently named Isuzu UTE A-League Coach of the Year). Dan Carter and Anna Mowbray at the premiere of Forever Auckland FC at Event Cinemas Newmarket. Photos / Michelle Hyslop and Kellie Blizzard Other guests included former All Black legend Dan Carter, former Olympian Steve Ferguson and his wife, TV personality Shelley Ferguson, Sky's chief corporate affairs officer Chris Major, Sky NZ Original's Nick Ward (senior commissioner and executive producer of the series), and head of sport content, Gary Burchett. Guests were treated to a preview of the first two episodes of the eight-part series, executive produced by a Kiwi television icon, NHNZ Worldwide's Dame Julie Christie. Newstalk ZB's Jason Pine MC-ed the event, leading a pre-screening Q&A with Christie, Mowbray, Becker, Corica, and De Vries. The AFC panel shared their experiences of inviting cameras into the club – an idea of Christie's, greenlit by AFC to honour their rapidly amassed and loyal fanbase. The series premieres on Sky Open and Neon on August 27. Nick Ward and Dame Julie Christie. Photos / Michelle Hyslop and Kellie Blizzard Ali Williams and Anna Mowbray with members of their families at the premiere of Forever Auckland FC. Photos / Michelle Hyslop and Kellie Blizzard Marlee François. Photos / Michelle Hyslop and Kellie Blizzard Anna Mowbray, Dame Julie Christie and Jason Pine. Photos / Michelle Hyslop and Kellie Blizzard Shelley and Steve Ferguson. Photos / Michelle Hyslop and Kellie Blizzard Logan Rogerson, Jordie Gibbens, Dan Hall and Lachlan Brook. Photos / Michelle Hyslop and Kellie Blizzard Megg Alexander. Photos / Michelle Hyslop and Kellie Blizzard Francis De Vries and Steve Corica. Photos / Michelle Hyslop and Kellie Blizzard Real Housewives of London preview The exclusive New Zealand preview of The Real Housewives of London took place in Auckland last Thursday. The show is reality streaming platform Hayu's first commission of an original series, expanding the global franchise that includes versions filmed in Beverly Hills, New York, Dubai and many other cities around the world. Guests watched the first episode, which introduced its six stars – Juliet Angus, Karen Loderick-Peace, Juliet Mayhew, Panthea Parker, Amanda Cronin and Nessie Welschinger – while enjoying prosecco and a British-inspired high tea at the Library boutique cinema at Westfield Newmarket. Guests included RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under Season 1 winner, Kita Mean, former reality stars Colin Mathura-Jeffree and entrepreneur lyia Liu, ZM host Georgia Burt and influencer Win Wolf. The Real Housewives of London is available to stream on Hayu, with episodes dropping weekly for a 10-episode run. The series will culminate with a reunion special hosted by London-based Canadian comedian Katherine Ryan. Tony Collins, Colin Mathura-Jeffree and Lucy Sharp at the Real Housewives of London premiere in the Library boutique cinema at Westfield Newmarket. Photo / 818 Carmen Tsoi and Bethany Pettengell. Photo / 818 Arii Jade. Photo / 818 Kita Mean. Photo / 818 Win Wolf. Photo / 818 Yasmina Coe. Photo / 818 Dominic Corry and Anna-Lisa Tombolato. Photo / 818 Flynn Adamson. Photo / 818 Ricardo Simich has been with the Herald since 2008 where he contributed to The Business Insider. In 2012 he took over Spy at the Herald on Sunday, which has since evolved into Society Insider. The weekly column gives a glimpse into the worlds of the rich and famous.
Otago Daily Times
5 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Piles of piles, and of problems
Just how difficult is it really to build a hospital, Dejan Mandich asks. Judging by efforts of successive governments in New Zealand, building a hospital is a Herculean task, bordering on impossible. Some years ago, Dunedin and the New Zealand populace were told Dunedin will get a new hospital and a new outpatient building. Almost immediately we were shown the artist's impression of the new buildings. Ratepayers were told the total cost will be $1.4 billion — eight years ago. We were told that the government formed a committee (what else than a good old money-wasting committee) with a task to decide the best location for the new hospital. Mind you, no public consultation, no experts' opinion, only the good old committee. And said committee, like any other formal group, has to have a leader. Who would be better suited than the trusting party cadre, a former minister? Like being a minister is a relevant occupation or guarantees expertise in the process of finding a location for a hospital. A few meetings down the track the location was revealed with fanfare — the former Cadbury site. Luckily, Mondelez decided to vacate the factory and warehouse, leaving potential buyers with the cost of demolishing the same. Officially $140 million was paid to Mondelez for the site (from $1.4b). The cost of demolition was not published. With possession of the precious and very expensive site, time came to look at the soil which will hold the proposed eight-floor hospital building. From then on unexplained delays kept pushing the beginning of the building further into the future. Yes, over the years the outpatient building was erected slowly but securely, the Cadbury factory and warehouse were demolished and piles were hammered into the ground. But the design of the main building has reportedly changed several times, seemingly always in response to public outcry to the cuts in promised services. The famous $1.4b figure was circulated from time to time — I think mainly to remind people that we cannot and should not be greedy. The Covid epidemic and lockdowns were used for a while as an excuse for delays — but actual lockdown in Dunedin was four weeks, and tradies returned to work after three weeks. The local lolly factory worked through lockdown because someone decided lollies are essential food. Further years passed. A new minister decided to appear on TV with the good news — the new hospital build was starting in earnest now. We were told the government (this one and the subsequent one) would be happy to pay $1.8b — no more. Well, some of initial $1.4b had already been spent on purchase of the site with buildings, demolition of the buildings, soil testing, consultations, consultations, projects, consultations, designs, consultations, business cases, consultations, redesigns, consultations, outpatient building, purchasing of material and equipment for outpatient building, consultations, wages for workers, water, power, workers' accommodation, food, consultation and I hope cheese rolls but not without consultation. After the minister's TV appearance bulldozers and diggers swarmed the main hospital building site, roamed between the piles, removed about half a metre depth of dirt, and in an orderly fashion created a mound on the same site and left. We were told through the news outlets that the contract with the earth-moving company was cancelled because, oh no, there are changes made to the original design. To return to the beginning. One would expect that someone in the Labour government of the time had experience in building and knew that the first step before design is to know what the soil is like. The quality and type of soil would determine the size and height of the building, but most importantly type and depth of foundation. One would expect that someone in the government of the day would have looked at locations and commission geologists to drill the soil and find out which site was adequate for a new hospital. One would expect that the government would have had the means to negotiate with owners of potential sites to let the geological surveys take place. Then there is a need to project population growth and utilisation of hospital beds 30 years into future. Then a decision should be made regarding the extent of regional health services (what diseases should be treated and what surgeries should be performed in Dunedin), how many clinicians should the hospital employ (all of this is hypothetical but necessary to help decide the size of future hospital). Then provisional design is sought — this should then inform the cost (or at least lowest and highest projected cost). Then the Treasury should, based on this information, advise on how much money is going to be available. Only then the minister could come in front of the public with a projected cost and time frames, location, foreseen problems (just to be on the safe side). Most importantly, this should have been, from the beginning, a bipartisan project, because it is not a single political party achievement; it is a project that benefits the whole of New Zealand not only Otago and Southland. • Dejan Mandich is a consultant psychiatrist.
Scoop
14 hours ago
- Scoop
Rotorua Lakes Council Calls For Fair Share Of Online Gambling Profits
Rotorua Lakes Council wants communities to get a share of the profits under the Government's Online Casino Gambling Bill. The controversial bill has sparked concerns from sporting organisations, who fear it will impact existing funding models. However, the minister presenting the bill has argued there is little evidence to support the case and warned that community funding provisions could do more harm than good. New Zealanders can currently gamble on offshore websites, but it is largely unregulated. The proposed bill, which passed its first reading in July, aims to regulate offshore online casino gambling and license up to 15 international operators. At present, the bill offers no obligation for operators to provide community funding. In its submission on Friday, Rotorua Lakes Council urged the select committee to consider adding a policy requiring a percentage of profit to be returned to communities. The council also wanted a proposed 12% online gambling duty to be reinvested into local problem gambling. 'It is only right that where possible, profits generated from gambling [are] reinvested into local communities through initiatives that aim to uplift and provide long-lasting change,' the council submission said. The submission also raised significant concerns around online and social media advertising and its impact on younger and inexperienced gamblers. At present, proceeds from Class 4 gaming machines, or pokies, are managed by community gaming trusts. Legislation requires they return at least 40% of net proceeds into the community in the form of grants, with more than $300 million distributed annually to community groups, including those involved in sport, education, health and the arts. Sporting organisations believe they are particularly vulnerable to the new bill, with gaming trust funding playing a huge role in grassroots activity. Last year, sport was by far the leading recipient of such grants in Rotorua, receiving $3.25m of the $7.4m available – more than double the next highest category received. Regional sport trust Sport Bay of Plenty received nearly $360,000 in grants from the Lion Foundation and the New Zealand Community Trust in the 2024 financial year. The trust is one of more than 50 sporting organisations nationwide that have formed a 'collective sport voice' urging the Government to ensure online casino profits return to communities. Sport Bay of Plenty said the organisation opposes the current form of the bill, which 'fails to uphold the long-standing principle that gambling profits should benefit the community'. It highlighted that roughly half of the funding from sport grants goes to clubs, covering expenses such as equipment, uniforms and coaching, with none going to high performance. Sport Bay of Plenty would not comment on the ethical concerns raised regarding gambling money largely funding community sport. A 2020 white paper by the Problem Gambling Foundation, Hāpai te Hauora and the Salvation Army warned that the current model is ethically and financially unstable, with funds disproportionately sourced from vulnerable, problem-gambling populations in deprived areas. Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden expressed concern this week in Parliament over repeating the same model with online gambling. 'When community groups are reliant on funding from the proceeds of gambling, there is an incentive to increase gambling in order to increase revenue for those organisations,' van Velden said. The Department of Internal Affairs had advised the minister that this model would make it harder to reduce gambling, because 'community organisations are dependent on the funding that they receive'. Van Velden also said there is 'no evidence' that regulation of online gambling will reduce the current funding pool, but remained 'open' to the idea of community returns. She will meet representatives from the sporting community this week. Rotorua has 24 Class 4 venues. This is higher than the national average by population proportion. The current Class 4 and TAB venue policy caps gaming machines at 350, but that is currently exceeded with 362, with 74% of pokies in the district's poorest areas. Annual gambling losses in Rotorua exceed $26m and in 2022-23, 5.33% of gambling interventions were in Rotorua, ranking third nationwide, above Wellington, Hamilton and Tauranga. Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell supported the council's submission but previously admitted deep concerns from the community 'around the morals' of the current model. 'Even though it benefits the community, we know it is being collected by an activity that causes significant harm in our community,' Tapsell said in a council meeting in late July. Submissions for the Online Casino Gambling Bill closed on Sunday, with a subsequent report due in November. Note: Mathew Nash was previously employed as communications manager at Sport Bay of Plenty.
