Latest news with #Rotorua
RNZ News
2 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Rotorua tourism, hospo businesses concered about exchange rate fluctuations
The Rotorua Museum - Most survey respondents were from tourism, accommodation, or hospitality and food service. Photo: LDR / Laura Smith The latest Rotorua business sentiment survey shows local companies are not immune to global instability. Geopolitical volatility was the highest-ranked concern for business leaders, with 43 percent very or extremely concerned about its effect on their business. This was the first time global concerns had outweighed local issues, such as finding skilled staff, the survey showed. RotoruaNZ chief executive Andrew Wilson said this showed many business leaders were very connected with their global markets. Most respondents were from tourism, accommodation, or hospitality and food service. While these might be less affected by tariffs then export-led industries, Wilson said geopolitical volatility led to fluctuations in exchange rates, which effected the value of a visitor dollar. "Obviously, when we've got a weaker New Zealand dollar, we look very favourable for international tourism." He said the key for businesses riding out this volatility was having diversity in the markets they targeted. "Within those international markets, have you got a good spread in terms of the types of countries you are focused on, so you're not ending up in a scenario where you've got all your eggs in one basket." This was similar to other industries, like agriculture , which was also encouraged to look for new markets. Wilson said he wasn't completely surprised to see the survey result. "We've got a local economy, which is quite export-focused, so from that perspective, whether it is tourism or forest or wood processing, what's happening in that global environment is really important for local businesses." RotoruaNZ began the business sentiment survey three years ago to get a better view of what was happening in the city's economy. "A lot of banks do business confidence surveys, but we found a lot of the data was aggregated up at a regional or national level, so it was really about making sure we've got a view about what is going on in our local economy here in Rotorua," he said. Business sentiment was up 14 percent since the last survey in October 2024, but was still a net negative of minus-11 percent - higher than the national figure of minus-29 percent, but Wilson said the trend toward positivity was a good sign. "Certainly, that advance-metric of the positivity trend up is a really good signal in terms of what we will start to see over the next 12-24 months in terms of business activity." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
3 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
The Panel with Claire Amos and Alan McElroy (Part 2)
business environment about 1 hour ago Tonight on The Panel, Wallace Chapman is joined by panellists Claire Amos and Alan McElroy. They discuss the long-running success of Wellington's Green Parrot Cafe and speak to the man behind this weekends community-wide clean-up of Rotorua.
RNZ News
4 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Rotorua, Taupō, Timaru or Waimakariri - which council has the best tap water?
Judges marking water from four district councils in the 2025 Best Tasting Tap Water grand final in Nelson. Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee The North and South Islands are going head-to-head in a competition to see which region has the best tasting tap water. Four New Zealand district councils are vying for the coveted title, including the reigning champions, Rotorua Lakes District Council. Water Industry Operations Group of New Zealand chairperson Joshua McIndoe said the finalists were judged on four criteria: colour, clarity, odour and taste. He said the water from Rotorua and Taupō were both from surface water catchments, while Timaru and Waimakariri were both bore water supplies. "That just shows no matter what the source there is a great treatment process to produce really good quality water." He said the competition was a way of showcasing the work operations staff were doing to produce safe, compliant and good tasting, quality drinking water. McIndoe said it was a tough competition, as drinking water quality was high across New Zealand. Water Industry Operations Group of New Zealand chairperson Joshua McIndoe and Sprig + Fern Brewing co-owner and master brewer Tracy Banner. Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee One of the judges, IXOM technical specialist Rachel Oxtoby was impressed with each of the samples. "This is a tough call. They are all really clear, really crisp, not too much in the way of earth tones, chlorine, or odour. It's hard." It was also a difficult decision for judge Jean Calderon of Water Industry Operations Association of Australia. "They are all delicious, it's interesting. I thought there would be more differences in the odour. It's going to be a tough call." Water Industry Operations Group executive officer Craig Hiddleston identified at least one notable sample. "There's definitely three that are very similar and one that stands out, but not in a good way." Sprig and Fern Brewing Company owner Tracy Banner has been judging beers and ciders for several decades, but it's the first time she's judged water. "I've just literally come back from judging the World Beer Cup in Indianapolis and from there I went to Melbourne and judged the annual Australian International Beer Awards and I was so thrilled to be invited to come and judge water because it is actually a real interest of mine." Banner tasted the water in her Richmond brewery every day to check its quality and said while beer and water tasting were not dissimilar, the latter had proven more difficult. "It was so hard, there were four fantastic finalists who were deserving... it was more difficult than judging beer. "I think it's easier to score on the clarity and the colour than the aroma and the flavour, because they were so close." The district with the best tap water will be announced at the conference this evening, with the winner going on to represent New Zealand at the Trans-Tasman Water Taste Test, in New South Wales in July. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
7 days ago
- RNZ News
Rotorua council publicly notifies Pūwhakamua consent application amid investigation
What the proposed new site at Waikite Valley will look like. Photo: Supplied / LDR The public will have a say on a controversial plan to move a prisoner reintegration facility to a rural Rotorua valley. Rotorua Lakes Council has publicly notified a resource consent application for Pūwhakamua to operate in Waikite. A notice in the Rotorua Daily Post said submissions would close at 5pm on 25 June. It comes as the council investigates the existing Pūwhakamua facility, based near Rotorua Airport, after issuing, then cancelling, a notice ordering it to cease operations because of consent matters. Pūwhakamua is a tikanga Māori live-in reintegration service supporting men on parole to return and readapt into the community. It was the brainchild of reformed drug lord Billy Macfarlane, who works as general manager, and is run by Tikanga Aroro Charitable Trust, with a contract from the Department of Corrections. Pūwhakamua has been operating on the leased site since 2018 and Corrections has funded it at least $4.6 million since November 2022. The trust aimed to develop a new site on nearby Māori land behind Rotokawa Baths, but landowners successfully sought an injunction through the Māori Land Court, meaning it had to find another new home. The trust applied for resource consent in October to relocate to Waikite, about 40km south of Rotorua. It had requested limited notification be carried out for immediate neighbours and that submissions be invited through a formal process. Community members told councillors last year they opposed the facility relocation, fearing the rural setting increased safety and security risks. They called for full public notification, allowing wider submissions. The Rotorua Rural Community Board was advised in a meeting on Tuesday the application would be publicly notified. About 80 people attended a Rotorua Lakes Council meeting in November, most of them for a petition opposing a resource consent application. Photo: LDR / Laura Smith The trust's application said the rural environment meant a "focus on cultural values can be fostered away from the distractions of an urban environment". "Full support and care are provided through the programme via on-site resident staff and external agencies. Residents commit to pursuing lasting change through support with daily life tasks, upskilling programmes, vocational education, personal development and employment." The trust hit consent issues at its current site this year. On 5 March, the council sent an abatement notice ordering the "unconsented" facility to cease operations and take steps to gain consent. Rehabilitation centres could be considered community housing under the District Plan, but must only have up to eight residents, whose movements could not be legally restricted - including by parole conditions. Pūwhakamua was hosting 14 parolees in February when the council inspected after neighbours raised concerns. The abatement notice was cancelled on 24 March. Council destination development group manager Jean-Paul Gaston told Local Democracy Reporting an investigation into activities on the site was ongoing. He declined to comment further, saying the council did not intend to conduct the investigation through the media. Billy Macfarlane, founder of Rotorua based organisation Pūwhakamua. Photo: LDR / Aleyna Martinez Trust chairman Doug Macredie said the abatement notice was a "non-event based on incorrect information" and was quickly cancelled. "That said, we've taken the opportunity to review our land use in accordance with tikanga, and will continue in humility and thankfulness." Macredie said the Waikite Valley consent notification was for the council to decide. "We are progressing with the full support of our network and observing improved accuracy of information resulting in greater public support." He previously said no one who could not be safely managed in the community could live at Pūwhakamua and everyone referred was assessed while still in custody. Active gang members were not considered, community safety was the "No 1 priority" and Pūwhakamua staff were on-site at all times. A Corrections spokesperson said finding safe accommodation for people lawfully required to be released from prison was one of its "most significant challenges". "Without supported accommodation, they could be homeless and living on the streets or in cars. This would present an unacceptable safety risk to communities." According to Corrections statements, the number of men living on site at Pūwhakamua had fluctuated from eight when the notice was cancelled to nine about two weeks ago and six as of Wednesday. Eight other participants in the programme lived off-site. Corrections' communities, partnerships and pathways deputy chief executive Sean Mason told Local Democracy Reporting last month that it met with trust and council after the abatement notice. He understood the trust sought independent advice to ensure Pūwhakamua was compliant and was keeping Corrections informed. The department had developed a contingency plan in place to safely house the residents if they had needed to leave Pūwhakamua. Mason said reintegration services were important in reducing the risk of reoffending. A communication from the council to the trust, sent to Local Democracy Reporting by Corrections, said the abatement notice was cancelled to allow time for an independent planning consultant to consider an assessment undertaken on behalf of the trust.
RNZ News
23-05-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Rotorua finally shrugs off polluted air status
For the first time in twenty years, Rotorua residents can wake up and officially breath in clean air. Photo: RNZ/Sally Round For the first time in twenty years, Rotorua residents can wake up and officially breath in clean air. Bay of Plenty Regional Council councillor Lyall Thurston said it had taken a collective effort from the community, councils, government and public health officials for Rotorua to officially shed its 'polluted' air quality status. "It's a major day for Rotorua and New Zealand, in particular in terms of public health," he said. Rotorua has long struggled with poor winter-time air quality, due to smoke from wood burners getting trapped by Rotorua's unique landscape. Smoke contains tiny particles, called particulate matter, and there is a national standard for the amount of particulate matter with a diameter of 10 micrometres or less (called PM10) which can be in the air. For a time, Rotorua was the city with the worst winter-time air pollution in the country and in 2008 it recorded 37 days when PM10 air pollution exceeded the national standard. To remove the polluted status, Rotorua was required to have no more than one breach of the national standard a year, for five years in a row. In 2020 it recorded its first year with only one day exceeding the standard. The following four years it had no days exceeding the standard, meaning the 'polluted' status can finally be removed. Thurston said there had been a massive education campaign to inform people about the need to clean up the air in Rotorua. "The main issues have been to get people to install compliant wood burners because wood burners are clearly the main culprit that we have been dealing with," he said. Thurston said the regional council had "been more than generous" in helping residents replace dirty heating for a cleaner option. This included the Rotorua Hot Swap Scheme which ran from 2010 - 2021, giving low interest loans or grants to households who replaced their non-compliant burners with cleaner, more efficient heating methods, such as ultra-low emission burners and heat pumps. Thurston said while the milestone marked significant progress to improving the city's air quality, the journey towards cleaner air in Rotorua continued. "I think the battle will always be there, but through compliance and rules and the goodwill of the Rotorua community, we will be breathing clean air going forward for as long as we possibly can," he said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
