Latest news with #Hartwich
Scoop
3 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
The New Zealand Initiative Supports Resource Management Reform Package As Important Interim Step
Press Release – The New Zealand Initiative The reforms include proposed amendments to a suite of existing national direction instruments and several new instruments across three key areas: infrastructure and development, primary sector regulation, and freshwater management. The Government's announcement of sweeping reforms to national direction under the Resource Management Act represents an important interim step toward fixing New Zealand's broken planning system. The reforms include proposed amendments to a suite of existing national direction instruments and several new instruments across three key areas: infrastructure and development, primary sector regulation, and freshwater management. 'We applaud Ministers for stripping out unnecessary consenting hurdles and bringing forward an NPS on infrastructure to speed up investment and housing supply,' says Dr Oliver Hartwich, Executive Director of The New Zealand Initiative. 'But without similarly bold action to lower barriers in the grocery sector, New Zealanders risk missing out on the opportunity to open up the retail grocery sector to competition.' The reforms tackle multiple fronts simultaneously – from enabling granny flats and papakāinga housing to removing barriers for primary sector development and streamlining infrastructure projects. New national policy statements for infrastructure and renewable energy generation signal that the Government recognises infrastructure as vital to prosperity. 'We particularly welcome the focus on removing unnecessary consent requirements that have added cost and delay without meaningful environmental benefit,' Dr Hartwich said. The Government's commitment to removing certain types of land from the National Policy Statement on Highly Productive Land reflects common-sense priorities. 'These changes represent a philosophical shift from discretionary control to enabling development,' Dr Hartwich said. 'The new National Policy Statement for Infrastructure sends a clear message that infrastructure is critical to our prosperity, not an inconvenience to be managed.' However, The New Zealand Initiative believes the Government can do more. The organisation's recently released proposal on Fast-Track Supermarket Entry and Expansion would perfectly align with the suite of reforms the Government has put forward. 'By integrating our Fast-Track Supermarket Entry and Expansion framework into this package, Ministers would remove planning, consenting and investment barriers all at once,' the Initiative's Chief Economist Dr Eric Crampton added. 'That single, coordinated pathway would finally allow well-capitalised new entrants to open a network of supermarkets well in advance of the final phase of resource management reforms being implemented.' The proposal would enable the market to discover what is possible in grocery retail by removing regulatory bottlenecks that have historically protected incumbents from new competition. 'Nothing we do now under the existing RMA framework will ever be truly sufficient, given the fundamental structural problems with the current regime,' Dr Hartwich said. 'But the Government is making meaningful progress while we wait for Phase Three's complete overhaul – and our supermarket framework shows how they could go further.' The organisation noted that the reforms align with evidence-based approaches to urban development and economic growth, including enabling mixed-use development and reducing barriers to productive land use. 'These reforms demonstrate that good policy can advance environmental outcomes and economic development simultaneously,' Dr Hartwich said. 'The question was never environment versus economy – it was about creating systems that work for New Zealand families and businesses.'
Scoop
3 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
The New Zealand Initiative Supports Resource Management Reform Package As Important Interim Step
Press Release – The New Zealand Initiative The reforms include proposed amendments to a suite of existing national direction instruments and several new instruments across three key areas: infrastructure and development, primary sector regulation, and freshwater management. The Government's announcement of sweeping reforms to national direction under the Resource Management Act represents an important interim step toward fixing New Zealand's broken planning system. The reforms include proposed amendments to a suite of existing national direction instruments and several new instruments across three key areas: infrastructure and development, primary sector regulation, and freshwater management. 'We applaud Ministers for stripping out unnecessary consenting hurdles and bringing forward an NPS on infrastructure to speed up investment and housing supply,' says Dr Oliver Hartwich, Executive Director of The New Zealand Initiative. 'But without similarly bold action to lower barriers in the grocery sector, New Zealanders risk missing out on the opportunity to open up the retail grocery sector to competition.' The reforms tackle multiple fronts simultaneously – from enabling granny flats and papakāinga housing to removing barriers for primary sector development and streamlining infrastructure projects. New national policy statements for infrastructure and renewable energy generation signal that the Government recognises infrastructure as vital to prosperity. 'We particularly welcome the focus on removing unnecessary consent requirements that have added cost and delay without meaningful environmental benefit,' Dr Hartwich said. The Government's commitment to removing certain types of land from the National Policy Statement on Highly Productive Land reflects common-sense priorities. 'These changes represent a philosophical shift from discretionary control to enabling development,' Dr Hartwich said. 'The new National Policy Statement for Infrastructure sends a clear message that infrastructure is critical to our prosperity, not an inconvenience to be managed.' However, The New Zealand Initiative believes the Government can do more. The organisation's recently released proposal on Fast-Track Supermarket Entry and Expansion would perfectly align with the suite of reforms the Government has put forward. 'By integrating our Fast-Track Supermarket Entry and Expansion framework into this package, Ministers would remove planning, consenting and investment barriers all at once,' the Initiative's Chief Economist Dr Eric Crampton added. 'That single, coordinated pathway would finally allow well-capitalised new entrants to open a network of supermarkets well in advance of the final phase of resource management reforms being implemented.' The proposal would enable the market to discover what is possible in grocery retail by removing regulatory bottlenecks that have historically protected incumbents from new competition. 'Nothing we do now under the existing RMA framework will ever be truly sufficient, given the fundamental structural problems with the current regime,' Dr Hartwich said. 'But the Government is making meaningful progress while we wait for Phase Three's complete overhaul – and our supermarket framework shows how they could go further.' The organisation noted that the reforms align with evidence-based approaches to urban development and economic growth, including enabling mixed-use development and reducing barriers to productive land use. 'These reforms demonstrate that good policy can advance environmental outcomes and economic development simultaneously,' Dr Hartwich said. 'The question was never environment versus economy – it was about creating systems that work for New Zealand families and businesses.'
Scoop
3 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
The New Zealand Initiative Supports Resource Management Reform Package As Important Interim Step
The Government's announcement of sweeping reforms to national direction under the Resource Management Act represents an important interim step toward fixing New Zealand's broken planning system. The reforms include proposed amendments to a suite of existing national direction instruments and several new instruments across three key areas: infrastructure and development, primary sector regulation, and freshwater management. "We applaud Ministers for stripping out unnecessary consenting hurdles and bringing forward an NPS on infrastructure to speed up investment and housing supply," says Dr Oliver Hartwich, Executive Director of The New Zealand Initiative. "But without similarly bold action to lower barriers in the grocery sector, New Zealanders risk missing out on the opportunity to open up the retail grocery sector to competition." The reforms tackle multiple fronts simultaneously – from enabling granny flats and papakāinga housing to removing barriers for primary sector development and streamlining infrastructure projects. New national policy statements for infrastructure and renewable energy generation signal that the Government recognises infrastructure as vital to prosperity. "We particularly welcome the focus on removing unnecessary consent requirements that have added cost and delay without meaningful environmental benefit," Dr Hartwich said. The Government's commitment to removing certain types of land from the National Policy Statement on Highly Productive Land reflects common-sense priorities. "These changes represent a philosophical shift from discretionary control to enabling development," Dr Hartwich said. "The new National Policy Statement for Infrastructure sends a clear message that infrastructure is critical to our prosperity, not an inconvenience to be managed." However, The New Zealand Initiative believes the Government can do more. The organisation's recently released proposal on Fast-Track Supermarket Entry and Expansion would perfectly align with the suite of reforms the Government has put forward. "By integrating our Fast-Track Supermarket Entry and Expansion framework into this package, Ministers would remove planning, consenting and investment barriers all at once," the Initiative's Chief Economist Dr Eric Crampton added. "That single, coordinated pathway would finally allow well-capitalised new entrants to open a network of supermarkets well in advance of the final phase of resource management reforms being implemented." The proposal would enable the market to discover what is possible in grocery retail by removing regulatory bottlenecks that have historically protected incumbents from new competition. "Nothing we do now under the existing RMA framework will ever be truly sufficient, given the fundamental structural problems with the current regime," Dr Hartwich said. "But the Government is making meaningful progress while we wait for Phase Three's complete overhaul – and our supermarket framework shows how they could go further." The organisation noted that the reforms align with evidence-based approaches to urban development and economic growth, including enabling mixed-use development and reducing barriers to productive land use. "These reforms demonstrate that good policy can advance environmental outcomes and economic development simultaneously," Dr Hartwich said. "The question was never environment versus economy – it was about creating systems that work for New Zealand families and businesses."
NZ Herald
5 days ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
Budget 2025: Agriculture needs protection and investment
This is particularly the case when prebudget announcements have been used to generate interest and soften the blows. Memories return of pre-birthday decisions of whether the 'surprise' present would be a new school bag or boots. As a student, before loans were the norm, travelling home by train or bus for Easter was evaluated for affordability against staying in hostels. Now we see media coverage of decisions having to be made about which bill to pay, and what that means about feeding the children. Fixed income means making choices. It is a zero-sum game. The Green Party has offered its alternative budget. Analysis by The New Zealand Initiative's Dr Oliver Hartwich has revealed that the utopian vision for a different country 'is based on ludicrous assumptions and bad economics'. Dr Hartwich explains that the cornerstone of the Green revenue plan, a wealth tax raising $72.5 billion over four years, is optimistic. Germany, France and Sweden abandoned similar taxes because of capital flight, tax avoidance and administrative nightmares. The Opposition has also indicated that it would have made a different decision in order to keep the pay equity promise. When asked how, the answer was 'we'll have to find it'. This is less convincing than the leader's statement that they can't possibly yet say how any funding will be achieved. In launching her Budget, Finance Minister Hon Nicola Willis stated that without the savings from the pay-equity promise, 'new initiatives would need to be funded from extra taxes or more borrowing, both of which would put New Zealand's economic recovery at risk'. In contrast, the saved money will be used to stimulate the business that will, at least in theory, enable productivity gains and increased income for everybody in New Zealand. Dr Jacqueline Rowarth says there's not a lot in the budget for agriculture this year. Of note is that the primary sector, which is responsible for the bulk of the new money coming into the country from exports, was not given its own Budget package. Like other businesses, claims can be made on depreciation, which is important for capital items such as tractors. But the $4.95 billion over the next four years announced by Agriculture Minister Hon Todd McClay is continued baseline funding for the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). It is not new money. Its continuation is important in supporting the sector to lift on-farm productivity and profitability, strengthen rural communities, and drive higher returns at the farm and forest gate. The intention of past investment is being achieved. Stats NZ data published mid-May show that, yet again, agriculture, forestry, and fishing led the gains. Value-added output rose 7.4% and labour productivity rose 9.8%. Multi-factor productivity, which includes labour and capital productivity (ie hours worked per unit of output, and capital inputs such as land, machinery and equipment), increased by 8.3%. Stats NZ defines productivity as a 'measure of how efficiently capital and labour are used within the economy to produce outputs of goods and services. A higher productivity rate means a nation can either produce a higher level of goods and services with the same level of inputs or produce the same level of goods and services with a lower level of inputs'. Over the last economic cycle (2008-2024), agriculture has achieved 2.4% multifactor productivity gains a year (forestry, fishing and 'services to agriculture' achieved 0.2%). In considerable contrast, accommodation and food services achieved 0.9%. In the last year, output in the accommodation and food services sector fell 3.8%, and labour productivity fell 9.1%. More work for fewer gains. Tourism, holidays and eating out will not get New Zealand out of debt. But agriculture has continued to support the economy. According to Stats NZ, last month, the value of exports from New Zealand was greater than that of imports. Exports were driven by the value of meat and milk products – the sustainable pasture-based protein that New Zealand farmers produce so well. The agricultural powerhouse needs protection and investment for the future to ensure that it can continue to do what New Zealand needs. Doubling the value of the export economy is the Government's goal because it will benefit all New Zealanders through increased investment in health, education and infrastructure. With guidance and policy adjustments, it will also stimulate wage and salary growth equitably.
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc. Announces Leadership Promotions
TUSTIN, Calif., February 17, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc. ("Sabra," the "Company" or "we") (Nasdaq: SBRA) today announced three promotions within its leadership team. Lukas Hartwich has been promoted to Executive Vice President – Finance after previously serving as Senior Vice President – Finance. Since joining Sabra in October 2021, Mr. Hartwich has made notable contributions across the organization, including through his leadership of Sabra's financial planning and analysis, investor relations, and business intelligence functions. Prior to joining Sabra, Mr. Hartwich spent 15 years at Green Street, a leading independent research and advisory firm concentrated on the commercial real estate industry. Mr. Hartwich graduated summa cum laude from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and is a CFA charterholder. Kara Pappanduros has been promoted to Senior Vice President – Asset Management after previously serving as Vice President – Asset Management. Ms. Pappanduros joined Sabra in November 2019 and has a deep understanding of the unique financial and operational needs of healthcare organizations, having worked closely with multiple operators throughout the years. Prior to Sabra, she had the privilege of working in skilled nursing operations for over 24 years, beginning her career as a Certified Nursing Assistant with Beverly Enterprises and becoming a licensed Nursing Home Administrator in California. Ms. Pappanduros obtained a Bachelor of Science in Community Health and a Master's degree in Business Administration. Throughout her career, she has enjoyed staying an active member of the California Healthcare Association and is grateful for her time serving seniors learning from their experiences and working with so many caring individuals who are making a difference every day. Anna Mohr has been promoted to Vice President – Human Resources after previously serving as Director – Human Resources. Since joining Sabra in June 2020, Ms. Mohr has led the human resources department with a strategic and visionary approach. She holds certifications as a Senior HR Professional (SHRM-SCP) from the Society for Human Resource Management and as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) from PIHRA. With over 15 years of diverse HR experience, Ms. Mohr has been instrumental in driving HR strategies that align with Sabra's culture and long-term goals, while helping to cultivate a dynamic and inclusive workplace culture that fosters collaboration, creativity and growth. Before joining Sabra, she headed human resources functions in small to mid-size companies in the healthcare and legal services industries. Commenting on the leadership team promotions, Mr. Matros said, "We are truly fortunate to have such an amazing team here at Sabra. Lukas, Kara, and Anna have set incredibly high standards for themselves and continue to exceed them. They are smart, driven and just genuinely good people who contribute mightily not just to the business of Sabra but our culture as well." About Sabra Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc., a Maryland corporation, operates as a self-administered, self-managed real estate investment trust (a "REIT") that, through its subsidiaries, owns and invests in real estate serving the healthcare industry throughout the United States and Canada. View source version on Contacts Investor & Media Inquiries: 1-888-393-8248 or investorinquiries@
