2019 ISSUE 01 - Marlborough Chamber of Commerce

Page created by Charlotte Mason
 
CONTINUE READING
2019 ISSUE 01 - Marlborough Chamber of Commerce
20 19 ISSUE 01

        Get to know        2019 Business
    the members of    Excellence Awards
The Chamber Board     - entries now open
2019 ISSUE 01 - Marlborough Chamber of Commerce
FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER

CONTENTS                                                               From the General Manager
From the General Manager ...............................2
                                                                       Again and again I am struck by the enthusiasm and ambition I
Upcoming Chamber Events .............................. 3               feel for – and from – business in Marlborough. Throughout the
Business Feature : Banjo Brews ........................5
                                                                       region there are numerous organisations and people who are
                                                                       totally committed to achieving success and continuing to work
2019 Business Excellence Awards.....................6
                                                                       hard to reach their goals.
The regions are where it’s at .............................9

                                                                       T
Meet the Chamber Board ................................10
                                                                              he Marlborough Chamber of            website, our e-newsletters, and our social
                                                                              Commerce is proud to help,           media and, of course, in the Voice Magazine.
ASB Theatre Marlborough ................................ 12                   connect, influence and support           If we want to attract new trade, keep
                                                                              the business community with a        existing customers, bring in new talent
Companies - tax exemptions for gifts........ 13                        determined and focused vision for a         and grow the region, it’s vital to show we
                                                                       successful local economy where buoyant,     mean business and demonstrate that by our
Meet our members .............................................. 14     profitable enterprises make Marlborough     actions. In the next few months you will see
                                                                       a world-class destination. A place          a strong programme of Chamber events,
From the MP’s desk .............................................. 15
                                                                       investors and visitors flock to and where   and a continued focus providing input
                                                                       our home-grown business talent wants to     into many of the key strategic economic
                                                                       stay and thrive.                            activities in the region.
    For all enquiries please contact:
    Marlborough Chamber of Commerce
                                                                           We have a collective duty to inform         I would like to say a huge thank you
    Level 1, 82 Seymour Street                                         the outside world of our achievements,      to our team who work hard to deliver a
    PO Box 658, Blenheim 7240                                          ambitions and goals; whether it’s an        strong programme of member engagement
    Phone: 03 577 9575 Email: info@mcoc.org.nz
                                                                       investment in your newest piece of          and support, allowing us to retain and
    Web: www.mcoc.org.nz
                                                                       machinery, an award your business           attract businesses and
         MarlboroughCOC
                                                                       or team member has received or a            grow the Chamber.
         marlbchamberofcommerce
         Marlborough Chamber of Commerce
                                                                       game-changing contract taking your          Alice and Kathryn
                                                                       organisation to the next level.             are a huge credit to
    Chamber Board:
    President: Nita van Grinsven                                           Some would say that as Kiwis it’s not   the Marlborough
    Board members: Anthony Barnes, Stephen Ryan,                       in our nature to blow our own trumpets.     Chamber of
    Fiona Fenwick, Khalid Suleiman, Pete Coldwell,
                                                                       I say, why on earth not! I’m extremely      Commerce.
    Nate Bainbridge, Nicky Simpson,
    Natalie Christensen.                                               proud of each and every achievement we
    Design: Vanilla Hayes Ltd                                          hear about at the Chamber. We need our             Hans Neilson
    Print: Blenheim Print                                              members to share their good news via our        General Manager

                                                                                                                              Meet your
                                                                                                                              Chamber
                                                                                                                                  team

L to R : Kathryn Stewart, Hans Neilson, Alice Parkinson

   2        VOICE MAGAZINE
2019 ISSUE 01 - Marlborough Chamber of Commerce
UPCOMING CHAMBER EVENTS

    Upcoming Chamber Events & Trainings

 MAY 2019                                                        JUNE 2019

Wednesday 1st May                                               Tuesday 4th June
SME Business Showcase in the foyer of the Marlborough           Morning Tea with NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Convention Centre
                                                                Wednesday 12th June
Thursday 2   nd
                  May                                           Business Building Blocks Workshop hosted by Well & Good Health
Business Afternoon Tea – An Overview of Marlborough’s Economy
with Mayor John Leggett and Brad Olsen, Senior Economist at     Thursday 13th June
Infometrics                                                     An evening hosted by Hortus and the Graeme Dingle Foundation

Friday 3rd May                                                  Thursday 20th May - TBC
Business Excellence Awards 2019 Entries Open                    What’s happening at Westwood Development Luncheon with guest
                                                                speakers from Big Box Retail
Wednesday 8th May
Building Blocks Workshop – Stand Out hosted by Fiona Fenwick    Wednesday 26th May
from Fifteen Minutes                                            Business Excellence Awards 2019 Entrants Seminar

Wednesday 22nd May
                                                                 JULY 2019
Business Excellence Awards 2019 Entrants Seminar
                                                                Wednesday 3rd July
Friday 24th May                                                 Business Building Blocks Workshop hosted by Toastmasters
Breakfast with Stuart Smith, Kaikoura MP at the Taylor Bar &
Eatery
                                                                Friday 5th July
                                                                Voice Magazine Issue #2 Release

    For more details on any of these events                     Wednesday 17th July
    please contact Alice at alice@mcoc.org.nz                   Dinner with The Right Honourable James Brendan Bolger, ONZ
    or visit mcoc.org.nz/events                                 at the Taylor Bar & Eatery Restaurant

                                                                                                  And it all starts with
                                                                                                  a conversation.
                                                                                                  Kent Winstanley 03 577 7410
                                                                                                  kent.winstanley@craigsip.com
                                                                                                  Felix Vavasour 03 577 7410
                                                                                                  felix.vavasour@craigsip.com
       We partner with clients to build                                                           craigsip.com
     tailored investment portfolios
     based on their needs.
                                                                                                  Craigs Investment Partners Limited is a NZX
                                                                                                  Participant Firm. Kent Winstanley and Felix Vavasour
                                                                                                  are Investment Advisers at Craigs Investment Partners.
                                                                                                  Adviser Disclosure Statements are available on request
     KENT WINSTANLEY & FELIX VAVASOUR BLENHEIM BRANCH
                                                                                                  and free of charge. Please visit craigsip.com

                                                                                                       VOICE MAGAZINE                                 3
2019 ISSUE 01 - Marlborough Chamber of Commerce
No more
    gobbledegook
    Feeling bamboozled by your insurance options?
    We can help you with that. And your claims too.
    Your insurance sorted.
    Find a broker
    0800 276 624 | crombielockwood.co.nz

4   VOICE MAGAZINE
2019 ISSUE 01 - Marlborough Chamber of Commerce
Banjo Brews
The Banjo Brews story began in the kitchen at Ritual café                                           for us and it’s been a real eye opener to see
                                                                                                    how competitive and ruthless companies
in Blenheim early one morning. As co-owner of Ritual I had                                          can be. We are, however, committed to
started brewing kombucha to offer to our customers as a                                             continue brewing an authentic kombucha
                                                                                                    that we can be proud of.
low sugar, healthy alternative to other drinks on the market.
                                                                                                        This summer we produced the first
It was an instant hit. I asked my friend and co-worker                                              of our low alcohol, low sugar, unfiltered
extraordinaire Sandie Judge if she’d like start a kombucha                                          kombucha ciders. They are delicious and we
                                                                                                    have some great new flavours which will be
business, and the rest is hard work and history.
                                                                                                    released in the spring.

I
   t was a steep learning curve for both of us.   with space and knew we had to move if we
   We had to find a place to brew (initially a    were to continue to grow. The new space
   converted shed at Sandie and Ben’s house       is wonderful and we have a lot of room for
   in Seddon) and learn how to scale the          expansion.
operation from the kitchen bench. There                Starting a business in Marlborough has
was also a lot time spent teaching people         been great. Locals are loyal. The council has
about kombucha, as at that time it was            been great to deal with and we feel really
relatively unheard of.                            lucky to have started here. The downside
     In the middle of all of that the Kaikoura    is that freight is really expensive for us and
earthquake hit and we lost almost                 makes it hard to be competitively priced,
everything. We managed to save some of            especially in the Auckland market.
our precious cultures, but had to rebuild the          Kombucha is now a mainstream drink
brewery itself and start all over again.          and of course that has really brought some
     We have since moved Banjo Brews from         big players into the arena; there are three big
our tiny brewery in Blind River to Old            Australian brands dominating the shelves
Renwick Road. We were really struggling           here. This has presented quite a challenge

                                                                                                                 VOICE MAGAZINE              5
2019 ISSUE 01 - Marlborough Chamber of Commerce
Celebrating
                                                                          KEY DATES

Business
                                                                           MONDAY 6 MAY
                                                                          ∙ Online entries open
                                                                          ∙ Nominations open for Business and

Excellence
                                                                            Young Business Person of the Year

                                                                           WEDNESDAY 22 MAY

and Innovation                                                             & WEDNESDAY 26 JUNE
                                                                          ∙ Business Excellence Awards entrant

in our Community
                                                                            seminars - tips and advice for helping
                                                                            you prepare your entry

                                                                           FRIDAY 23 AUGUST
                                                                          ∙ Online entries close
                                                                          ∙ Nominations close for Business and
Each year the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce                               Young Business Person of the Year
Business Excellence Awards are a highlight of the
                                                                           MONDAY 16 SEPTEMBER
local business events calendar.
                                                                          ∙ Business Excellence Awards entrants
The Business Excellence Awards are a showcase of the region’s               announced
business talent and capability, and a platform for paying tribute to      ∙ Finalists for Business Person and
those building our economy and community. The Awards deliver real           Young Business Person of the Year
                                                                            announced, voting opens
benefits to organisations entering, through self-assessment during
the entry process, the exposure they receive, the boost in staff morale
                                                                           FRIDAY 4 OCTOBER
and the public recognition of the organisation’s achievements
                                                                          ∙ Online voting closes for Business
                                                                            Person and Young Business Person of
                                                                            the Year finalists

                                                                           FRIDAY 18 OCTOBER
                                                                          ∙ Business Excellence Awards evening
                                                                            at the Marlborough Convention
                                                                            Centre

                           Entries now open visit mcoc.org.nz/awards

  6    VOICE MAGAZINE
2019 ISSUE 01 - Marlborough Chamber of Commerce
Award Categories
Emerging Business Award*                                    Young Business Person of the Year**                       “The interview with the judge prior
This is a business that has started trading                 This person must be aged 35 and under. This               to the awards opened my eyes to a
within the last 2 years. The criteria has less              award celebrates an extraordinary young                   couple of things in my business that I
emphasis on financials.                                     business person who exhibits qualities that               had overlooked & I found the judges
                                                            inspire our business community.                           opinions to be very helpful.
Small Business Award*                                       This person must exhibit an excellent level of            I thought because I was a sole trader
This is a business that has an annual turnover              business standards and ethics, have proven                with a little business that I ran
of less than $1 million.                                    business achievement, and plans for future                from home, I was out of my league
                                                            growth of the business.                                   entering the awards. When I saw the
Medium Business Award*                                                                                                other entries I did have a moment of
This is a business that has an annual turnover              ** Entrants for Business Person and Young Business        thinking, what am I doing! But I try to
of between $1 million and $3.5 million.                     Person of the Year will be accepted by way of online      live by the saying that great things don’t
                                                            nomination on the Chamber’s website, with voting of       come from living in comfort zones
Large Business Award*                                       finalists open to the Marlborough community.              To win Emerging business was
This is a business that has an annual turnover
                                                                                                                      unexpected & a great boost for my
of over $3.5 million.                                       Hall of Fame Business Award                               self belief in having a niche hair studio
                                                            Marlborough Chamber of Commerce                           without the glitzy high street salon.”
* Businesses entering the Emerging, Small, Medium and       recognise that the efforts of individual
Large Business categories can only enter one of these       business people are actually the fuel that                                  - Kalita Cresswell
categories. Businesses must demonstrate excellence                                                                    Two Small Rooms Organic Hair Studio
in management and strategy, sales and marketing,
                                                            keeps the economy running. Business
                                                            people through their individual efforts risk                 Winner of Emerging Business Award 2018
sustainability, investing in people, customer experience,
health and safety and overall success.                      capital, provide jobs, and oil the wheels of
                                                            the economy. The Business Hall of Fame
Community Impact Award                                      is therefore designed to recognise those

                                                                                                                      Why enter?
This award recognises a programme, project,                 who have, during their business career,
campaign or an overall business that has had,               demonstrated service both to their industry
or continues to have, a positive impact on                  and to the greater Marlborough community.”
the Marlborough community in a way that
inspires others and makes a difference.                     Supreme Business Award
                                                            All entries into the Emerging, Small, Medium           Capture your business plan
Clever Business Award                                       and Large Business Excellence Awards will              Past entrants say the entry process made
This award is for a business that demonstrates              be automatically entered into the Supreme              them critically evaluate their business and
innovation and responds to change. This                     Business Award. This is an overall winner              consider their future plans. Past business
could be an innovative or inventive approach                that scores highly in all aspects of the judging       entries have become working business plans
to people, products or processes. Entrants                  criteria and has an x-factor that inspires the         that are still referred to today.
need to prove how their clever business                     Marlborough business community.
                                                                                                                   Exposure for your business
story has contributed to the success of the
Marlborough economy.                                                                                               All businesses who enter the awards gain
                                                                                                                   valuable exposure, including coverage in
Business Person of the Year**                                   Our Business                                       the Chamber’s Voice magazine. Entrants
This award celebrates an extraordinary                                                                             also benefit from media coverage in the lead
business person who exhibits qualities that
                                                                Excellence Awards                                  up to the event, and a profile in the Awards
inspire our business community. This person                     are open to everyone                               programme on the night. It’s also a great way
must exhibit an excellent level of business                     in the Marlborough                                 of recognising your team’s achievements.
standards and ethics, demonstrate leadership,
vision and community involvement, have
                                                                business Community                                 Award winner benefits
proven business achievement, and foster                                                                            Winners will receive a trophy, as well as
                                                                – you don’t have to be                             coverage in the Chamber’s communications
awareness of the Marlborough business
community through their business dealings.                      a Chamber member                                   channels and follow up media. Previous
                                                                                                                   award winners regularly talk about how
                                                                to enter!
                                                                                                                   entering the Awards helped boost their
                                                                                                                   business profile.

                                                                                                                                 VOICE MAGAZINE                7
2019 ISSUE 01 - Marlborough Chamber of Commerce
NMIT continues
    to flourish in 2019
    While the Reform of Vocational Education
    works its way through the Ministry of
    Education and Parliament, it is full steam
    ahead for Nelson Marlborough Institute of
    Technology this year.
    NMIT’s financials, domestic           In the past year, NMIT set up
    student enrolments and graduate       a predator trapping short
    numbers are extremely healthy.        course to help conservation
    NMIT Council Chair, Daryl             businesses and groups involved
    Wehner, says the Government           with helping New Zealand
    proposals are positive for NMIT       reach the Predator Free 2050
    in that it supports the important     target. A collaboration has
    role tertiary institutions have in    also seen the launch of Project
    the regions. “We can see there        Moturoa earlier this year. It
    are opportunities to build on         involves ten iwi-supported
    our obvious national strengths        learners completing a
    in the region, such as viticulture,   modular conservation-based
    aquaculture, maritime and             Level 4 with an emphasis          DOC Partnership Manager, Matt Hippolite addressing
    aviation engineering,” he says.       on mātauranga Māori. It is        the gathering at the po-whiri for Project Moturoa.
                                          intended to build capacity
    Daryl also highlighted the                                              starting dates. The next intake
                                          within iwi for expertise in
    flexibility NMIT currently                                              for the Masters in Applied
                                          conservation.
    can employ “When regional                                               Management is in July. The
    employers’ needs change,              Other learning opportunities      Masters includes courses such
    community demographics                designed to meet regional         as Managing in a Digital World,
    change, or local opportunities        employers’ needs are: online      Critical Issues in Management
    arise that would benefit              programmes, including             and Finance for Managers.
    our students and Te Tau Ihu,          video production and
    we can move quickly and               graphic design for branding       nmit.ac.nz
    collaboratively.”                     and identity with flexible

        What is your brain up to?
        Add to your CV with a skills focused postgraduate qualification
        Take advantage of our 2019 $3,000 postgraduate study scholarship

        NMIT is where I need to be NMIT ko reira au!
                                 nmit.ac.nz/postgrad    0800 788 391

8     VOICE MAGAZINE
2019 ISSUE 01 - Marlborough Chamber of Commerce
The regions are
   where it’s at
It’s official. The regions are the place to be at the moment,                                       recount last week, while a fortnight ago
                                                                                                    there wasn’t a single room available in all of
looking far more upbeat and just as economically vibrant                                            Invercargill. That was on a Tuesday, by the
as our traditional growth engine of Auckland.                                                       way.

T
                                                                                                         While Auckland house prices are two
      he biggest city in New Zealand            This rose by six days to 57, the highest since      per cent lower than a year ago, prices are
      certainly isn’t in bad shape, but its     February 2009.                                      up more than 15 per cent in Dunedin,
      suffering in the wake of a housing             Meanwhile, many of our regions                 Invercargill, Palmerston North, Rotorua
      boom that’s over, waning migration        are booming. Confidence is very strong              and Hastings. There’s a steady stream of
and all sorts of infrastructure challenges.     across Bay of Plenty, Gisborne/Hawkes               people moving to the regions, prompting
    This dynamic came through loud and          Bay, Nelson/Marlborough and also at the             businesses to open and forcing big
clear in the latest Westpac-McDermott           bottom of the South Island, to name a few.          companies to get more open-minded about
Miller Regional Economic Confidence                  The unemployment rate declined in              staff working remotely.
report. Of the eleven regions covered,          most regional areas during 2018, most                    There’s also a positive export story
Auckland was by far the most pessimistic.       notably in Taranaki, while in contrast it           happening, from kiwifruit in the Bay of
It was the only one in negative territory,      increased slightly in Auckland. Similarly,          Plenty to apples in Hawke’s Bay to wine in
and it saw the sharpest decline from three      the biggest rises in retail sales during the last   Blenheim. Dairy prices are up 26 per cent
months ago (having already been the most        quarter came from Northland, Hawke’s Bay            since November, which should offset some
downbeat then too).                             and Nelson.                                         of the impact of recent dry weather on some
    The end of the house price party is              I haven’t needed to wait for any of these      of our dairying regions.
likely to be a big factor. Many Auckanders      data releases or surveys to tell me any                  For New Zealand to prosper, we need
will have got very accustomed to seeing         of this. I have the privilege of travelling         the Auckland economy to be strong. Our
steady double-digit annual gains in their       all around our great nation most weeks              biggest city will always be a powerhouse
biggest asset, and with prices now slipping     speaking to investors and clients, so I’ve          because of the sheer number of people
some homeowners will be feeling slightly        seen it first-hand.                                 it is home to, but for now it’s great to see
uncomfortable. If they’re looking across the                                                        regional New Zealand picking up some of
                                                     Nelson and Marlborough feel very
Tasman, they’ll be downright nervous.                                                               Auckland’s slack.
                                                buoyant, Tauranga and Whakatane are
    One telling indicator from the Real         humming, while half of Auckland seems to            Disclaimer: Kent Winstanley and Felix Vavasour are
Estate Institute housing report last month      have moved to Hawke’s Bay this past year.           Investment Advisers at Craigs Investment Partners.
was the number of days to sell for Auckland                                                         Their disclosure statements are available free of
                                                     The good people of Ashburton had               charge under their profiles on craigsip.com. This column
properties, for which a rising trend is often                                                       is general in nature and should not be regarded as
                                                nothing but positive business stories to
a precursor to further declines in prices.                                                          specific investment advice.

                                                                                                                     VOICE MAGAZINE                    9
2019 ISSUE 01 - Marlborough Chamber of Commerce
MEET THE CHAMBER BOARD

When the Kaikoura earthquake rattled the region,
Marlborough’s business community was forced into a
shake up of its own.

M
         arlborough Chamber of Commerce               Nita, general manager Hans Neilson
         president Nita van Grinsven says         and the wider Chamber of Commerce board
         the closure of state highway one for     have been busy working on new ways to

                                                                                                           We exist
         one year, one month and one day          strengthen Marlborough businesses in a
following the quake on November 14, 2016          fast paced and digital-centric landscape,
caused many local organisations to rethink
their approach to business.
                                                  providing them with tools and support they
                                                  need to thrive.                                         to unlock
    “Everybody was thinking about what
they could do once that road closed. There’s
                                                      “We are really working on trying to
                                                  help drive initiatives to help build up that
                                                                                                           business
a vibrancy in town now, a great buzz that is
really just starting to grow in town and it’s
                                                  vibrancy in the business community and
                                                  make it easier for people to do business and
                                                                                                            vitality
great to be a part of that with the chamber,”     unlock opportunities,” Nita says.
she says.                                             This month, we got to know some of our
                                                  board members a little better:

Nita van Grinsven                                     Pete Coldwell                                  Nate Bainbridge
Finance Manager, Marisco Vineyards                    Commercial Real Estate Agent,                  Owner Operator,
President of Chamber Board                            Bayleys Marlborough                            Bainbridge Building and Roofing

                                                                                                  NATE I’m a builder by trade, and am the
What do you do and how long                       PETE I’m a commercial real estate agent
                                                                                                  owner operator of Bainbridge Building
have you been doing so in                         for Bayleys. I’ve been in Marlborough
                                                  since 2007 primarily in the wine industry,      and Roofing. We have been operating in
Marlborough?
                                                  running Seresin and then as managing            Marlborough for eight years.
NITA I’ve worked in finance for the wine          director Highfield TerraVin where I’m still a
industry for the last 10 years and am currently   shareholder.
the Finance Manager for Marisco Vineyards.

  10    VOICE MAGAZINE
MEET THE CHAMBER BOARD

                                                 PETE Overall it’s in good health, with job
Why is having a strong business                                                                     What do you love most about
                                                 growth in a range of sectors, but the growth
community in Marlborough                         rates still lag behind many other regions and      Marlborough and what it has to
important to you?                                that needs to be improved.                         offer as a region?

NITA I enjoy being part of a vibrant and                                                            NITA Very relaxed place to live and work,
                                                 NATE Very positive, I think it will level out.
thriving community.                                                                                 beautiful countryside that most would be
                                                                                                    envious of living in that has opportunities to
PETE We all need a strong business               How would you like the                             work in a few different industries.
community to ensure that the region prospers     business landscape to look in
and that young business people see the region    the future?                                        PETE It’s a stunning region to bring kids
as one they would love to live and work in or                                                       up in, just so many opportunities for them
to relocate to.                                  NITA The current landscape is looking              to carry out such a wide range of sports
                                                 positive in Marlborough and it would be            and activities. With great facilities such as
NATE It’s important to us to supporting          great for this to continue with some further       Stadium 2000 and the ASB Theatre.
locals and create growth.                        developments in infrastructure with the port,
                                                 airport and innovative housing solutions to        NATE The landscape and what it has to offer.
                                                 support this.
How long have you been a
member of the Marlborough                                                                           Describe yourself in less than
                                                 PETE One where more young business
Chamber of Commerce and why                      people see it as a region to relocate to and set   five words:
did you decide to become a                       up businesses in.                                  NITA Approachable, focused, flexible,
board member?
                                                                                                    spontaneous and tall!
                                                 NATE Continue to grow.
NITA I joined the chamber four years ago
wanting to be more involved with the wider                                                          PETE Personable and driven family man.
business community of Marlborough and            What do you see as being the
meet more people in other industries and         most valuable aspect of being                      NATE Driven, Motivated, Passionate.
have really loved the challenge of being the     a member of the Chamber of
president for the chamber in the last three      Commerce for local businesses?                     Favourite Marlborough activity:
years.
                                                 NITA A great way to connect with other             NITA Walking in the Wither Hills.
PETE I’ve been a member for years and            members in different industries from the
decided to stand for the board to try and help   Marlborough Business community that you            PETE Skiing up at Rainbow with family and
make a difference in driving business of the     would not normally meet in your normal             friends.
region forward.                                  business operations.
                                                                                                    NATE Outdoors hunting fishing and diving.
NATE I’ve only been a member a short             PETE It gives you a real connection with
duration; I wanted to push myself and            businesses throughout the region and a             Tell us something we may not
be involved in something outside of              much better understanding of the various
                                                                                                    know about you?!
construction.                                    challenges facing those businesses and the
                                                 opportunity to help make business stronger         NITA I’m an open book and a down to earth
                                                 in the region.                                     talker, so there is not much that all don’t
What is your view of the
                                                                                                    know about me!
current business landscape in                    NATE Networking and advice from people
Marlborough and how do you                       in other sectors.                                  PETE I have four kids and I’m the chair of
think it is going to look in the                                                                    Springlands School Board of Trustees.
future?
                                                                                                    NATE I can’t play tennis but can play the sax.
NITA We are fortunate to have a few strong
industries supporting the Marlborough
economy: wine, tourism, aquaculture and
                                                     Our ‘meet the board’ series continues in our next issues of Voice
forestry. The retail industry supporting the
Marlborough community is working hard                Magazine with with Fiona Fenwick (Vice President), Khalid Suleiman,
to maintain the competitive edge against             Natalie Christensen, Anthony Barnes (Vice President), Nicky Simpson
e-commerce but still provide some vibrancy           and Stephen Ryan
to the CBD and town.

                                                                                                                   VOICE MAGAZINE                 11
A S B T H E AT R E M A R L B O R O U G H

ASB Theatre
Marlborough,
The Final Piece…
The newly completed Anderson Theatre within the ASB
Theatre Marlborough complex is the final piece in the capital
building project for the Marlborough Civic Theatre Trust, the
owners of the building.

T
        he technical term for this space is a       as another breakout space for larger
        Studio Theatre. What this means is          conferences. This was recently witnessed
        that it is a very flexible space which is   with the National Rural Health Conference,
        designed to host smaller events, for        which saw over 400 delegates attend a three-
example smaller theatre shows, cabarets             day conference in the region and utilised
and concerts which will attract smaller             all of the spaces within the ASB Theatre
audiences. It has no set stage or seating area      Marlborough, Marlborough Convention
and can be set up to the requirements of            Centre and the Main Hall at the Clubs of
each event.                                         Marlborough.
     More importantly, the Anderson                      So, if you are in need of a unique space
Theatre provides another space for use              which is very flexible and adaptable, or you
for other functions and events. Whether             are looking at bringing a larger conference
it is for a dinner, cocktail function, board        to our wonderful region, give Andrew
meeting or seminar.                                 Scott, General Manager of ASB Theatre
     What this space does do is add to the          Marlborough and Marlborough Light &
capacity to deliver higher value events to          Sound a call.
the Marlborough Conferencing landscape

  12     VOICE MAGAZINE
CORNERSTONE PARTNER FEATURE — WALL ACE DIACK

                                Companies – tax
                              exemption for gifts
If you operate through a company and are looking for ways to benefit employees without
them being liable to pay income tax on the benefit, and with the company being able to
claim a deduction for the expense, this may be the answer. This benefit can be given to
employees, including Shareholder-employees.

C
      ompanies who provide benefits to          FBT is not payable. The employee is not                Please be aware that if the value of
      employees are subject to Fringe           required to treat the $1,200 as income,            benefits for an employee goes over $300 in a
      Benefit tax (FBT), being a tax on         so not taxed on this (this can be a good           quarter, the company will be liable for FBT
      the benefit at the FBT rate of up         alternative to wages).                             on the full value for that employee for the
to 49%. However, if the benefit is a gift,      If you would like to follow this, it is best to:   quarter.
prize, subsidised or discounted good or                                                                If you are unsure about anything, your
                                                1. Register the company for FBT
service, there is a $300 FBT exemption per                                                         Accountant should be able to help you with
employee per quarter, being $1,200 per year.    2. File quarterly returns (IR427), and claim       this process.
    A common method of taking advantage            the maximum exemption per quarter
of this exemption is to give each employee      3. Keep tax receipts of the gifts or benefits
a $300 supermarket voucher each quarter.
For a full year, the employee receives $1,200   4. Ensure the gifts / benefits meet the             For more information
                                                                                                    please contact:
of vouchers. The $1,200 is a deductible            general principle for deductibility              Wallace Diack

expense for the company each year, and             expenditure                                      03 578 7389

                                                                                                                 VOICE MAGAZINE            13
MEET OUR MEMBERS

Meet our members                                                                      Every issue we profile some
                                                                                      of our Chamber members

 Kowhai Business                        helloworld Travel                     Scott Construction                           SWE – Southern Water
 Services Limited                       Blenheim                              Marlborough                                  Engineering
 Dealing with your bookkeeping,         helloworld Travel Blenheim            We are an established, award                 Electricity and water don’t
 administration and payroll             is an award-winning                   winning main contractor                      generally mix – except at SWE!
 can be a daunting and time             dedicated team of travel              with a strong reputation
                                                                                                                           Since 2007 SWE has
 consuming task, especially             professionals, with close to          in Marlborough. Our size,
                                                                                                                           continuously grown and is now
 when you are concentrating             50 years combined industry            experience, team and
                                                                                                                           one of the foremost water
 on running your business.              experience.                           relationships across the
                                                                                                                           engineering providers in the
 Business owners can get more                                                 wider Scott Group, make us
                                        In today’s digital society                                                         top of the South. Two years
 time to concentrate on their                                                 a dynamic force within the
                                        we understand you have                                                             ago, in response to client
 business by outsourcing their                                                industry. We are Registered
                                        a choice when booking                                                              demand, we developed our
 bookkeeping, administration                                                  Master Builders, Licensed
                                        travel, which is why our                                                           business further to include a
 and payroll to Kowhai                                                        Building Practitioners and Site
                                        friendly team enjoy building                                                       full-service electrical, security
 Business Services Limited.                                                   Safe Members.
                                        relationships with our clients                                                     and system integration
 We guarantee you peace of
                                        making it easier to find the          From renovations & alterations               division.
 mind, leaving you more time
                                        perfect recommendations               to new builds, we cover all
 to spend in your business and                                                                                             We have a dedicated team
                                        to suit your needs, to create         residential work, no matter
 doing what you enjoy.                                                                                                     of electricians taking care
                                        quality travel experiences            the size of the project. We can
                                                                                                                           of anything in the industrial
 Kowhai Business Services               and working together to               work with you to advise on
                                                                                                                           electrical services spectrum -
 Limited provides efficient,            deliver your dream holiday.           initial costings for your ideas,
                                                                                                                           from design, commissioning,
 flexible, friendly and reliable                                              be it a bathroom or kitchen
                                        As your trusted travel                                                             fault-finding and diagnostics,
 bookkeeping, administration                                                  upgrade or a new deck, and
                                        providers we pride                                                                 through to maintenance
 and payroll services. Kowhai                                                 manage through to
                                        ourselves on attention to                                                          and service. Specialised,
 Business Services Limited                                                    completion.
                                        detail, optimizing holiday                                                         experienced security staff
 provides their services remotely
                                        investments & we aim to                We have a proven track                      also offer integrated security
 from their own premises,
                                        make the process exciting             record of delivering complex                 systems and a comprehensive
 however we can visit your
                                        & stress-free. We also                commercial and industrial                    range of security products and
 premises whenever you like.
                                        understand things don’t               projects on time and on                      services.
 We have experience in                  always go to plan, so our             budget. We can get involved
                                                                                                                           From simple through to
 accounting software such as            commitment is we’re with you          at the earliest planning stages
                                                                                                                           complex integrated systems,
 Xero, MYOB, Quickbooks and             from the moment you book              of your project, assisting
                                                                                                                           with smart automation. All
 Quantum.                               with us, until returning home.        with the design and consent
                                                                                                                           with remote access, real-time
                                                                              process, spotting opportunities
 We are a Certified Green               Ready to be whisked away?                                                          connection and reporting
                                                                              to improve buildability and
 Badge Member of the Institute          You can book with us with                                                          functions, fully complemented
                                                                              reduce costs.
 of Certified New Zealand               confidence. Give us a call                                                         by back-up and proactive
                                                                              Our commitment to quality is
 Bookkeepers.                           or drop in and see our team                                                        maintenance schedules.
                                                                              evidenced by our continued
                                        today, 98 Market Street.
 If you want someone to take                                                  success at the Master Builders               CHAMBER MEMBER OFFER
 control of your bookkeeping,           For the Month of May, we are          Commercial Project Awards.                   Free security or electrical
 administration and payroll             donating $5 from every new                                                         consultation in May
                                        booking made, to our Pink Ribbon      T: 027 288 0155
 contact Kowhai Business                Breakfast with the NZ Breast Cancer   E: johnt@scotts.nz
                                        Foundation (01-31 May 2019 only)                                                   T: 03 579 3420
 Services Limited now.                                                        W:scottconstructionmarlborough.co.nz
                                                                                                                           E: info@swe.co.nz
 T: 021 109 7655                        T: 03 578 8575                        FB: ScottConstructionMarlborough
                                                                                                                           W: swe.co.nz
 E: info@kowhaibusinessservices.co.nz   E: blenheim@helloworld.co.nz          LI: company/scott-construction-marlborough
                                                                                                                           FB: southernwaterengineering
 W: kowhaibusinessservices.co.nz        W: helloworld.co.nz/Blenheim
                                                                                                                           LI: company/southern-water-engineering
                                        FB: helloworldblenheim

  14     VOICE MAGAZINE
From the MP’s desk
                                                                   Anyone who regularly uses areas of State
                                                                   Highway 1 through Blenheim, and has sat
                                                                   waiting in a line of traffic at one of the
                                                                   roundabouts, knows there is an increasing
                                                                   level of congestion at these intersections.

                                                                   T
                                                                            he traffic issues in and around Blenheim are, in my view,
                                                                            in need of review. While many have been calling for
Mag & Turbo                      CREW Blenheim                              State Highway 1 to bypass town altogether, it is unlikely
“Wheels & Tyres…. It’s what      The CREW! Mark and Susie
                                                                            that this will happen in the near future. A bypass of any
we do” used to be the catch      Witehira had always wanted
                                                                   description would have to be economic and sensible.
phrase for Mag & Turbo Tyre      to start their own business            While there are benefits to diverting traffic, in particular
& Service Centre but has         and when friends purchased        heavy vehicles, away from Blenheim, there are many other
since evolved into a one stop    a similar business in Nelson      factors that must be carefully considered, such as the economic
automotive shop offering         with their encouragement          impact on Blenheim, and of course the cost of the bypass
many services under one          they opened CREW in
                                                                   itself. It’s also worth noting who is using the current stretch of
roof. The 100% locally owned     October 2016. The overall aim
                                                                   highway in question.
franchise operation has fast     of CREW was to fill a gap in           When I wrote a column on this issue in 2016, car counting
become one of the province’s     Marlborough’s retail, offering    data clearly showed the vast majority of vehicles using the
most popular destinations for    good quality mid priced           Grove Rd bridge were those of locals coming to and from
consumers looking for advice     clothes and accessories for
                                                                   Blenheim, not visitors travelling further afield. Given this
on anything automotive.          men and women from world
                                                                   data, it was clear at that time that money was better spent on
                                                                   improving the narrow, century-old Grove Rd bridge, which is
                                 leading surf brands.
Although Mag & Turbo still                                         now well underway.
remain very much committed                                              All this is not to say a bypass will never happen, but in the
                                 Join the CREW! Last
to their origins, offering New                                     meantime, perhaps we should be looking at the design of our
                                 year CREW introduced a
Zealand’s largest range of                                         internal road network, and consider how we could divert local
                                 Loyalty programme where
wheel & tyre products in a                                         traffic away from the highway.
                                 customers were rewarded
‘bricks and mortar’ retail                                              Does all the traffic that passes through the current areas
                                 with Loyalty Dollars that
store, they are also the                                           of congestion – with particular mention of the complex
                                 can be spent on their next
team to see for servicing,                                         roundabout between Main St, Sinclair St, Redwood St and the
                                 purchase or saved up for a
brakes, suspension and many                                        railway – have to necessarily do so? Is there a way of diverting
                                 special purchase. This has
automotive accessories. The                                        traffic destined for central Blenheim in a more direct route?
                                 been extremely popular with
workshop is equipped with                                          And would that ultimately bring a better result to our local
                                 over 2,000 customers signing
leading edge equipment                                             businesses even when a bypass is built?
                                 up for rewards.
including state of the art 3D                                           Looking at what we currently have, it appears the road
Camera Wheel Alignment           Visit the CREW! If you are        network has evolved with the growth of the town, rather than
facilities.                      in the market for some new        been planned to accommodate that growth. And while the
                                 clothes, shoes or accessories     Grove Rd bridge upgrade is welcomed, and essential, it does
Agents for Lockon Towbars,
                                 at great prices from              mean traffic will now flow more freely to the choke points we
Cruz Roof Racks, EFS 4x4
                                 labels such as Roxy, Hurley,      are currently experiencing.
Suspension & Accessories and
                                 Quiksilver, Billabong, Rip Curl
AltTune ECU Remapping to                                                Another area that needs attention is, in my view, the state
                                 or boutique brands such as        of some of Blenheim’s rail crossings. Some of these are very
name a few, they have the
                                 Charlo or Augustine pop in        rough, and we would do well to improve these which would, in
brands and the people to sort
                                 and see them today at 75          turn, improve traffic flow and safety.
your motoring needs.
                                 Market Street.
27 Grove Road, Blenheim
                                                                        What we want is a safe and
(behind Coupland’s Bakeries)     T: 03 577 5980                    efficient traffic system that benefits
T: 03 579 1645                   E: crewblenheim@xtra.co.nz        those who pass through here as much
E: blenheim@magandturbo.com      W: crewblenheim.co.nz             as it does our local drivers and our
W: magandturbo.com               FB: crewblenheim                  businesses. Looking at what we have
FB: magandturboblenheim          IG: crewblenheim                  in place already and how we can make
IG: magandturboblenheim                                            it better may be a more worthwhile
                                                                   starting point in the long run, rather
                                                                   than removing Blenheim from New                           Stuart Smith
                                                                   Zealand’s main highway entirely.                          Kaikoura MP

                                                                                                      VOICE MAGAZINE               15
Cornerstone Sponsor

                       FIVE PROMISES WE MAKE OUR CLIENTS
1. We work to bring all the pieces of your accounting and business information into one tidy package
   so you (and your bank manager) know exactly where you are at and where you are headed to.
2. We build what we do around your needs not ours.
3. We deliver your annual accounts to an agreed date and make sure all your tax deadlines
   are taken care of too.
4. We’ll explain it all to you in plain and simple language.
5. We will charge you on a “no surprises” basis.

Call the team at Wallace Diack Chartered Accountants to talk about accounting with the human touch.

Making sense of your numbers - the way that best suits you - when you need it

Wallace Diack Chartered Accountants Ltd
Level 2, Youell House, 1 Hutcheson Street, Blenheim 7201
T: 03 578 7389 | E: wd@wallacediack.co.nz | www.wallacediack.co.nz
You can also read