News

Local Government Reorganisation
The Chamber recently wrote to all councils asking them to ‘get on ‘ with researching the options and issues local government reorganisation. in the meantime we questioned progress on shared services as an interim solution.
Read:

1. the Hawke’s Bay Today story about the HB Regional Council’s discussion on this matter,
2. the Hawke’s Bay Today story about the Hastings District Council discussion on this matter,
3. a letter from Mayor Barbara Arnott in regard to the Napier City position
4. A letter fromMayor Trish Giddens of the Central Hawke’s Bay District Council.

The Chamber takes the strong view that any issues and option analysis should be undertaken sooner than later and independent of the Councils. 

Latest property value report - QV suggests that there are early signs house prices are flattening

Property values are above the same time last year according to the QV residential property indices for February released today. While the year on year change has increased further to 5.5 percent, values in the last few months have flattened in many areas. Nationally, values are now 3.9 percent below the peak of the market in late 2007. View here for the latest property value map for Hawke’s Bay.

Dwelling Consents, HB bucks the trend - again!
Statistics New Zealand’s recently released report Building Consents Issued: January 2010 shows that in Hawke’s Bay for January residential building consent numbers increased by 21% over December 2009. This contrasts a national decline of 22%. While the numbers were still relatively small, the trend was now positive. Over the 2009 calendar year, the number of new dwellings approved in Hawke’s Bay increased13% and their combined grew by value 8.7%. Click here to read the full press release.

Hawke’s Bay quarterly Economic Trends Report
The Chamber commissions Economic Solutions Limited to undertake a quarterly economic trends report which is now available here. The key indicators as at September are
Population: 153,400
Estimated Household/Dwellings: 62,707
Nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP): $5.9 Billion
Annual Economic Growth (2009 Sept Yr) -1.7%
Annual Employment: 76,076
Annual Employment Growth: -0.6%
Quarterly Unemployment: 7,533
Quarterly Unemployment Rate (%): 9.5

Local Government Amalgamation
The Chamber recently wrote to all councils asking them to ‘get on ‘with researching the options and issues local government reorganisation. In the meantime we questioned progress on shared services as an interim solution.
Read here the Hawke’s Bay Today story about the HB Regional Council’s discussion on this matter.
The Chamber takes the strong view that any issues and option analysis should be independent of the Councils.

Director obligations and other commercial use
Gifford Devine have recently published some updates on:
• Directors' Duties: knowing your duties and obligations
• Review of the Credit Contracts & Consumer Finance Act 2003
• Business Briefs: Search and Surveillance Bill - Application of the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 to boat brokers: recent case - Section 92A of the Copyright Act revisited: a new internet copyright repeat infringer regime
Click here to view this note

HB Local Government Amalgamation
The Chamber has consistently favoured local government amalgamation as a more efficient and effective structural form for Hawke’s Bay. Following a meeting with the Chamber board last year, the councils agreed to write to the Minister for Local Government in regard to the HB situation. Click here to view Council's letter and click here for Minister Hide’s response.
Since then the Chamber has now written to ask the councils to ‘get on’ with preparing information on which citizens and ratepayers in Hawke’s Bay can judge the wisdom of such a move. Click here to view Chamber's letter.

Media Release: Household Labour Force Survey -
better news than expected for the Bay!
The latest Household Labour Force Survey (December 09) is actually good news for Hawke’s Bay. While unemployment nationwide has increased to 7.3%, in Hawke’s Bay/Gisborne- although still high- the number and percentage has come down by 1.4%.
‘This is a good surprise’ said Chamber CEO Murray Douglas, ‘Traditionally December is a high month with school leavers and tertiary students trying to enter the workforce at a slower employment time’. Click here to read more
 

 Media Release: Public Sector wages still rising
The just released Labour Cost Index (Salary and Wages) for the December 2009 quarter shows New Zealand had the lowest annual increase since one of 1.8 percent in the year to the June 2001 quarter.
Within these numbers there is a continuing trend showing the public sector salaries and wages increasing faster than the private sector and still faster than inflation.
Click here to read more.

Hawke's Bay Amalgamation

In August last year, at the request of the councils, the Chamber board met with the 4 mayors and regional council chair to discuss plans for local government amalgamation in Hawke’s Bay. The councils agreed to write to the Minister for Local Government in regard to the HB situation. Their joint letter has recently been released to the Chamber along with the Minister’s reply. The Chamber board is determining our next approach to ‘encourage’ the councils to get on with this task. Click here to view Councils letter and click here for Minister Hide’s response.


Chamber's Submission on HPUDS
Chamber submission on the Heretaunga Plains Urban Development Strategy scenarios is now available here. The Chamber is fully supportive of this important work although as you will see from the submission, is concerned that some of the background studies are less than convincing , lack sufficient integration with the scenarios or each other and are incomplete for a full appreciation of the scenarios or the strategy overall. Importantly there was no public information about the commercial or industrial land/growth strategies until the Chamber pointed this out last week which from both an economic and social point of view, are essential to understand this plan which is intended to guide development to 2045. The delay in this information from the councils means that unfortunately that the public process will be less informed and compromised.  Click here to read the Chamber Submission.


Latest QV data on property value growth in the region - November period
Property values are continuing to increase according to the QV residential property indices for November released today. Nationally, values are now 1.0 percent above the same time last year, up from the 0.2 percent reported last month.
According to the index, nationwide values are now 4.1 percent up from their low in April 2009, but are still 5.9 percent below the market peak of late 2007. This increase in nationwide values is largely driven by the main urban areas which have risen 4.7 percent since the low. In contrast the provincial centres have only risen 2.0 percent and rural residential areas only 0.4 percent. Click here to view Hawke’s Bay data.


Expansion of workplace rehabilitation to Hawke's Bay employers

Many workers in Hawke's Bay will soon be able to remain at work, or return quicker after an injury following the introduction of ACC’s Better@Work programme through a new partnership with Hawke's Bay PHO. Read more...


Nasty Surprise for Large Private Entities in Financial Reporting Review 
Large private companies and partnerships will be required to file public annual financial statements under a proposal from the Ministry of Economic Development (MED) in a discussion document released last month on the statutory framework for financial reporting. A similar idea was shot down when raised by MED in 2005. The recommendation is likely to be the most controversial among the suite of recommendations the MED is proposing, not least because it is the only one which will have the effect of increasing reporting requirements and compliance costs. Click here to read more. Submissions close on Friday, 29 January 2010. 


Privacy information for business 
Good privacy is good business- know your privacy rights and obligations.
Click here for the Privacy Commission’s e- brochure.


Hawke’s Bay Economic Trends Report for November 2009
The latest Hawke’s Bay Economic Trends Report for November 2009 is available- click here to view.

Region responds to challenging labour force figures
The recent Household Labour Force Survey showing a 10 percent unemployment rate for the East Coast is spurring various agencies and Government departments to further action as they strive to turn the situation around. Read more...


Public Holidays and Leave FAQ Guide - UPDATED
With some of the holidays following on weekends- there may be confusion about leave. Or what if an employee is sick on a holiday? Or many other questions about public holidays and leave. Click here to get a Chamber guide.


Latest QV Property Valuation Map for Hawke's Bay
For the latest property valuation changes for Napier/Hastings and Gisborne/Rotorua/Whakatane click here.


Further information on HBRC Investment Portfolio - just released
Following a request to the Ombudsman, further information has now been released which could have been public as it contains public information showing the current portfolio totals in excess of $256M consisting of shares, property, stock and $47M of term deposits. The Chamber will study this information and comment later. Click here to view the release.
NB this report is an addition to the previously released report, click here


Jet Capable Runway step closer for Hawke’s Bay Airport
A jet capable runway for Hawke’s Bay is under active consideration with the airport company today announcing it wants to tender the first stage of the extension project. Read more...


Southern Hawke’s Bay firm wins Westpac HB Chamber of Commerce Business Awards top award
Metalform took out the major award at last night’s Westpac Hawke’s Bay Chamber of Commerce Business Awards at the Hawke’s Bay Opera House. Read more...


Letter to Mayors re Hawke's Bay Local Government Re-Organisation
The Chamber president and board met with the 5 mayors to exchange views and for the Chamber to gain an understanding of the various perspectives on the question of a Hawke’s Bay local government reorganisation. After this meeting, the Chamber has send a letter to the mayors.  Read more....


Hawke's Bay Economic Trend Data    
A trend report recently provided to Napier City Council by Economic Solutions Ltd outlining economic and population trends and the results of a survey of Napier businesses is available here.
The latest  QV property value map of Hawke’s Bay residential property values and changes is available here.


Hawke’s Bay Maori Business Network 
The Chamber recently signed a collaboration agreement with the HBMBN to jointly undertake projects and support business growth in the Bay. Through this agreement members of the network effectively join the Chamber as full members. Click here for more information and here for the web page link.


Refunds on declined certificates of origin under the New Zealand-China FTA
The New Zealand Customs Service reminds exporters that the New Zealand-China Free Trade Agreement (FTA) allows importers to apply to China Customs for the refund of duties or return of deposits paid on New Zealand exports into China, where preferential entry under the New Zealand-China FTA has been declined due to the certificate of origin format in the changeover period at June/July 2009.
New Zealand Customs is offering to facilitate requests by the importer to China Customs for refunds or returned deposits. Please provide information to the New Zealand Customs Service by emailing trade.policy@customs.govt.nz by 15 October 2009.


Hawke’s Bay property value map August data- Quotable Values 
The latest QV property trends show property values nationally are rapidly returning to last year's levels. Values are now only 2.8% below this time last year, a further improvement from the -5.0% reported last month. In the various Hawke’s Bay towns the change is more subdued but the direction is similar. Click here to view the Hawke’s Bay map of property values and average house prices.


Chamber and HBMBN join forces
The Hawke’s Bay Chamber of Commerce and the Hawke’s Bay Māori Business Network have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work collaboratively to foster Māori enterprise in the region. Read more... 


Finalists announced for 2009 Westpac HB Chamber of Commerce Business Awards
Finalists in the 2009 Westpac Hawke’s Bay Chamber of Commerce Business Awards represent an extremely high standard of business success for the region says the award’s chief judge Rick Cranswick. Read more...


Chamber concerned over government taking over local road funds
The National Land Transport Programme released last week provided a ded