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Where are all the investors?

It’s the middle of 2019 and the property market seems to be slowing up. Both the high value houses and the lower have ground to a halt. This isn’t confined to Auckland either. According to the REINZ the total volume of residential property sales were down 8.5% compared to the first half of last year country wide. 

The monthly sales figures from the REINZ show that in the first half of this year A closer look at the figures shows that much of the decline was caused by lower sales of properties at the top end of the market, those selling for $1,000,000 plus.

We find it more surprising thought that there was an even bigger drop in the number of sales at the bottom of the market. Generally this has been a hot market to operate in if you’re catering to first home buyers. However, properties selling for  $500,000 have taken a tumble in sales, whilst percurlarity those in the middle, priced between $500,000 and $1 million were almost unchanged.

Now this is solely based on the data, so it’s hard to extrapolate why this. For example, it could be argued that first home buyers are purchasing more homes over $500,000 therefore, pushing up the sales statistics of that whole band. It’s hard to speculate. However, In the first half of this year, 4806 properties sold for $1,000,000 or more, which was 734 less -13.2% than were sold in the first half of last year.

Is this an Auckland phenomenon?

RENIZ have published that most of the decline was in Auckland, however this accounts for more than two thirds of all residential property sales in the 1mil plus bracket. The REINZ estimates that sales in this price range are down as much as 17.3% this year compared to the same time last year. In the below 500k bracket, the REINZ estimates that the slow down has caused a 16% drop in sales since this time last year. This is potentially good news for investors. With sales figures dropping it is perhaps now a good time to sniff out a bargain. With interest rates at an all time low, if you can leverage your existing equity, you could end up making a capital growth windfall over the next 5 years. 

But what about sales in the middle?

These are more or less the same as last year. In the first half of this year 11,254 properties were sold in the middle  price bracket, down just four compared to a year earlier, which pushed up that price segment’s share of total market sales from 28.4% to 31.0%.

In the 750k to 1mil price bracket, there were 5775 sales in the first half of this year which is  up just 2.3% compared to the same period of last year.

So what we can assume is that sales in the middle price brackets were more or less unchanged from the same period of last year.

 Is is getting harder to get a mortgage?

Worryingly for investors, yes, it does appear to be getting hard to borrow. The Reserve Bank of NZ figures show that there has been a sharp decline in lending to residential property investors and a strong growth in ledning to both existing home owners and first home buyers. In fact the figures show a 20% drop in investor lending from the same time last year. Our pick is that with the new bank capital regulations, banks are more reluctant to place money back into the market thus making it harder for investors to get their hands on cash. This is why we’d recommend you come have a quick chat with us if you’re considering investing. As the capital taps are so tight at the moment, it pays for us to have a look over your assets to structure it in a more favourable light for the banks. Bear in mind that they won’t do this for you. For the last 8 months they have shown a general reluctance to lend at all, other than to first home buyers. 

Summary:

Investors are much less active than they were a year ago, and anecdotal evidence suggests some are concentrating on reducing their debt levels rather than expanding their portfolios. This seems counterintuitive given that the interest rates are at historic lows and going lower, however the banks reluctance to lend is likely the culprit here,

Growth in first home buyer activity isn’t enough to make up for the loss of investors, leading to a net loss of buyers and an overall reduction in sales activity at the bottom of the market.

Increasing numbers of first home buyers are taking advantage of low interest rates and the absence of investors to take the leap and buy a home of their own. Whether this is a positive thing or not is yet to be seen. If you have been considering taking advantage of these market conditions, then contact us today for a free chat at Zebra Mortgages 

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What’s the plan when my fixed rate finishes?

We get this question asked all the time. To start, it’s important that you think about what might happen if interest rates rise. We can help you with a quick budget to plan what might happen if you lose your job, or something unforeseen happens.

In other words we believe it’s about making the best decision to match your current situation and future goals.

How interest rates work

The OCR is set by the Reserve Bank. The rate is set based on economic theory to either stimulate or slow down the economy. As the economy and business confidence are very low, the rate has never been lower,.

What happens in the future

The ANZ as well as many of the major banks bring out a fantastic monthly report that includes graphs at the end of it with indicators of what their team of economists see for the future of mortgage interest rates. Just remember there are many unforeseen events that can change this, so at the end of the day doing a budget and seeing how much room you have for movement is really important.

Whilst it is hard to predict what might happen in the future, the reserve bank have suggested that these rates may fall again. Whether this will translate to the consumer remains to be seen, however what we may see is consumer rates stay as they are for a very long.

So how can Zebra help

If you have a rate ready to expire then Zebra Mortgages can help with your refix. We have the ability with the bank to break down your lending and choose a structure of different rates to help balance any rate increases in the future. A standard structure of a 500k loan may see 100k fixed for 1 year and another 200k fixed for 2 years. It depends on your personal circumstances. That is why it is best to talk to us. We can tailor advice and structures specific to your needs. Contact us here if you have any questions.

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Did you know that Kiwis the third likely to hand in lost wallets?

This is the result from a new study. New Zealanders are the third most likely to hand over a lost wallet containing money than people from any other country.

The study undertook field experiments using 17,000 portfolios and was delivered to public and private institutions in 360 cities in 39 countries. Some wallets  and contained on average $14.

The most honest people was the Danes, who handed in all of the wallets containing money. Sweden was 2nd.

In terms of regions, the Scandinavian countries did best, whilst South America and Mexico were least likely to give a wallet back if it had no money.

People from China were the least likely to hand over an empty wallet for some reason

Whilst the survey wasn’t the most accurate, and was mainly a bit of fun, the results were interesting. In almost all the countries, people were more likely to return the wallet when their money increased.

These results are also correlated with the Corruption Perception Index (CPI), which ranks Denmark and New Zealand among the top two countries in the world in terms of perception of the least corrupt.

However, while this survey highlights the civic honesty of handing over small amounts of money, psychological research also shows that honest behavior is less likely when material incentives increase.

“Self-interest almost always dominates concerns about the well-being of others – we care about others but not as much as we care about ourselves.

Models in the study suggested that people will cheat for profit so long as their behavior does not force them to update their self-concept the report says.

The latest CPI ranks North Korea, Yemen and South Sudan as the three most corrupt countries in the world based on perception, which would come as no surprise to most. The CPI is a handy indicator that also correlates to life.

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Our reflection on real estate

The residential housing market in NZ has now entered a new 15-month cycle.

This cycle is less active in terms of turnover than in previous cycles, which generally began with the exit of the economy from the global financial crisis of 2007, and prices are more stable and have reached unprecedented highs.

This is more of a traditional cycle in which buyers have more time to review their decisions and where the parties involved need to negotiate and reach a compromise. The earthquakes had certainly caused a giant rise in price of real estate, however this quickly plateaued out, only to be overtaken by the steady rises in other centers.

There has however since been a downtrend in real estate recently, however if you reflect on what happened between 2008 and 2017 especially in the North Island and to question some of the claims made and the methods used to control price increases. They were probably a bit premature in predicting a housing crises, so the Government interventions may have actually had an unwanted desire as predicted by many pundits.

Historically what we experienced was a period of rapid price increases and high turnover which has been observed in countries with economies similar to ours such as Ireland, aggravated in our case by a population growing rapidly due to a decade under investment in housing, infrastructure and a global trend residential investment due to TV shows like the block or books like Rich Dad Poor Dad.

Back in 2007, one of the main contributors was the immediate availability of low interest funds. Right now, interest rates are the lowest ever. During the peak period of 2014 to 2019, the percentage of homes that changed hands more than once in six months was 9%, while 74% changed hands only once in this four month period.

There was however no to show that when prices rose, a large number of people made the decision to negotiate to the next level before this higher level was out of their range, while another group made the decision to become long-term investors. In essence, the theory did not play out in practice.

While many first-time buyers and people with limited incomes have struggled to penetrate the market over the years, this has not been the fault of wealthy foreign buyers and local market-dominating investors.

It was the regime that aimed to reduce the Reserve Bank’s rate of price increase, based on the ratio of deposits to loans. And throughout the cycle, their main competitors for the houses were the existing homeowners who traded.

It is our conclusion that the ban on foreign purchasers and the change from a 2 year bright line to 5 year bright line was not necessary, and all the talk about taxing capital gains was political.

It may be able to be inferred that the application of the Reserve Bank’s existing regulations did work and the positioning the traditional housing activity as being in crisis was more of a hype than reality.

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Living longer and longer

As New Zealanders turn 65, we are healthier, more energetic and more engaged than ever.

With potentially more than 30 years of life before us, more and more Kiwis continue to work into our golden years and further.

It seems unbearable to think that you are 65 if you feel good enough and that you may live three more decades without a plan on how you are going to finance yourself, stay happy and healthy.”

Working to old age, if your health permits, has a surprisingly wide range of benefits. Older workers stimulate the entire economy, provide billions of dollars of volunteer work in the community, increase their personal income, and can have health benefits.

Continuing to work can even reduce your risk of death. It is has long been known that loneliness is terrible for your health, and working in a meanigfull job can replace the work stress and boredom that can detrimental to your well-being . Not only that, greater consideration should be given to the source of your income during your twilight years. As people live longer and longer, they’ll need more and more income to sustain them right though until past 90 for a growing number of people.

As well, as considering a job change, to something less physically demanding work, while others want more meaningful careers or volunteer activities. It is discouraging to consider a career change at age 65, but a shortage of skilled labor is more and more an incentive for employers to hire older employees.

We recommend that people need to start investing early to ensure their wealth grows enough to support them. If you’re looking for a mortgage broker in christchurch to get you started in your investment journey then have a chat to us today.

The other investment to consider is KiwiSaver. New changes mean that people aged 65 and over can join as of July 1 of this year, which can be advantageous as these funds have lower management fees than comparable non-investment funds. KiwiSaver. That would still be 25 years of investing if you lived until 90.

If you decide you are physically fit enough to continue to work then you can take advantage of the fact that a large number of local employers also continue to pay KiwiSaver premiums to older workers. With the additional funds to supplement your retirement pension, as well as the benefits of ongoing work, you could end up enjoying the most rewarding part of your career knowing that you are only working to supplement your income.

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Battle of the thermostat. Mens productivity rises in lower temps

The thermostat battle is a common gender conflict in most New Zealand offices, but a new study has shown that women perform better in hot offices, while men’s cognitive performance peak in cold weather. I think anecdotally, we have all known this to be the case.

A laboratory experiment in Germany, supported by the University of Southern California, studied 543 students. All of them were given cognitive tasks such as maths, verbal and cognitive thinking, while the indoor temperature was manipulated for one hour.

Women performed better in mathematics and verbal tasks at higher temperatures than their low temperature results, and the study measuring “sex and the effect of temperature on cognitive performance” was found.

Men, on the other hand, had better test results at lower temperatures compared to the more heated room.

The standard office temperature was originally formulated in the 1960s and was based on the resting metabolic rate of the average man. However, a Dutch study in 2015 found that the metabolic rate of adult women working in an office is significantly lower than men doing the same activities. Some people may find this unfair, as men having to wear a suit may find themselves warmer than a woman in a skirt.

Even a one-degree increase in room temperature resulted in a 1.76% increase in women’s correct mathematics responses. In contrast, correct mathematics responses decreased by 0.63% in men when temperature increased by one degree.

The study states that a normal”body temperature is generally considered to be 37 degrees C. Some studies have shown that women’s hand temperatures are also lower than those of men. A study published in the Lancet medical journal in 1998 found that women’s hands were 2.8 degrees lower than men’s. One of the reasons for this phenomenon is the higher muscle mass that men usually have and the muscle produces about 25% of body temperature.

Office temperature is just one of many areas of life that has been designed for men. Nicknamed “the man of reference”, he is a white man aged 25 to 30 and weighing 70 kg. The man of reference is the representative for the data measuring everything from the average height of tablets to the design of cars, which puts women at greater risk in car accidents, the Guardian recently reported. An obvious disparity between men and women.

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Do you need to use your home equity to buy a rental?

When your home has gained value and you are reducing your debt every month, you can quickly find yourself with a lot of equity in your home.

It may be possible to access some of this equity to invest (keeping in mind that repaying your mortgage is the safest and least risky investment you can make).

The average Kiwi real estate investor starts using the equity in his house to buy his first rental property. Could it work for you? Before you start browsing the properties online, you need to ask yourself some important questions, says Tracy Creswell, one of Westpac’s most experienced mobile mortgage managers.

What is my long-term financial plan? Investing in the property is not an objective in itself. It’s a way to help you reach your money goals, and it may not be the best way for you.

Talk to an authorized financial advisor and suggest long-term financial goals, then think about how to achieve them. If the property suits your plan, using your equity to buy a rental could be the right choice for you.

What is your appetite for risk? Creswell says she has sometimes seen inexperienced investors buy their first rental, spend sleepless nights worrying about their tenants and their property, and then bailing out three years later, panicked, without earning a buck.

If you are not inclined to take risks, an installation in an inexpensive area may not be your best choice. Instead, you may prefer to pay more for a new build and employ a property manager. Or you may prefer to avoid all the stress and just repay your own mortgage.

Do you know how to structure your properties? Talk to your accountant before buying a rental. Good advice on structuring your loans and accounts can save you a lot of money and help you repay your mortgage faster.

Have you been realistic in your calculations? Using our calculator, you can determine the return and cash flows of a rental property. “Be realistic,” warns Creswell: “The bank is doing calculations by assuming vacancies and interest rate hikes. You will also be assessed to make sure you can pay the principal and interest, not just the interest.

“We need to be responsible for this, we make sure you have a safety margin so you can keep your investment.”

Are you ready to use your home as security? Say you have a million dollar house with a $ 700,000 loan. Provided your income supports the larger loan, you can borrow up to 80% of the value of your home, up to $ 800,000.

This means that you can potentially borrow an additional $ 100,000 from your home as a deposit in an investment property.

Investment properties currently require a down payment of 30%. With $ 100,000, you could therefore spend up to $ 333,000 on renting (again, assuming you and the property meet the loan criteria).

The loan would be secured on both the rental property and your home. “So, if something goes wrong and you do not repay the loan on your rental, the bank has the right to rent, but also to your home,” says Creswell.

“You have to be able to accept the risks, think long-term and have a plan. This is not a quick enrichment ploy, but ownership can be a great way to secure your financial future. “

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Peter Thompson: Loss of capital gains tax brings ‘security’

The government’s decision not to seek any form of capital gains tax and the Prime Minister’s commitment not to re-examine the imposition of such a tax is extremely positive news for the housing market.

This probably hides the shadow of a tax on capital gains on housing that will be taxed in the future for at least a generation.

It’s a powerful stimulus to “certainty” – a vital commodity when considering a large loan, which for most people is the biggest financial decision of their lives.

Although there was no suggestion that a capital gains tax would apply to owner-occupied dwellings, the uncertainty surrounding the potential tax affected the value of all properties.

Too many people have wondered whether the imposition of such a tax would lead to a significant drop in real estate prices.

Uncertainty contributed to caution and allowed us to develop an attitude of “let us wait”.

It’s now behind the market.

Although the government’s decision does not eliminate all concerns about the future direction of real estate prices, it certainly responded to what had become the elephant in the room.

There are still concerns and speculations about the evolution of real estate prices. At the moment, some of the most relevant are whether we will track Australia’s volatility, the strains on trading bank lending created by a potential increase in Reserve Bank reserve limits, and the slowdown in growth. Economic Growth.

These concerns are part of the normal background noise with which we all learned to live.

The Auckland market is currently a buyer’s market. While prices have either stalled or dropped by a few percentage points over the past two years, they have not fallen back much.

In many other urban centers, prices continue to rise primarily, but the price cycle is slowly coming to an end and is expected to soon turn into the dark conditions that Auckland had adopted at the end of 2017.

With human nature dictating that sellers want the best possible price for their property while buyers want to pay the lowest possible price, making progress in Auckland currently requires “realism” from both parties. Those with unrealistic expectations do not sell or buy.

When talking about the Auckland property, the size, diversity and cosmopolitan nature of the urban area are not often taken into account. These are not unique but multiple markets that can be confronted with different price signals at the same time.

In addition, attitudes toward what constitutes a desirable home in Auckland are also changing rapidly with the increasing popularity of apartments, townhouses and terraced housing, particularly if they offer convenient transportation options. , the opportunity to buy in places considered desirable or in a modern way of life.

Trying to choose when the rental real estate market will end is somehow an unsuccessful exercise and for homeowners (by far the most common form of real estate transaction), this is irrelevant.

If you sell and buy in the same market, you have to recover what you win or lose at one end of the deal.

If you only buy, you will probably own it for about seven years. If you paid close to the market price, the time will ensure that you will be reasonably successful.

With the threat of a capital gains tax now buried, the best thing that could happen to the housing market is to put aside speculation about what will probably happen to real estate prices and live with the reality what we have before us.

Peter Thompson

General Manager, Barfoot & Thompson

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How artificial intelligence helps small businesses

The evolution of artificial intelligence has led to the opening of unmanned convenience stores and self-service bank branches in China.

But AI also helps small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that work with lower budgets, which account for 97% of New Zealand businesses.

“Large companies can afford to invest in technology to maximize their efficiency, but SMEs can not use much in the market,” says Brendan Roberts, founder and CEO of Aider.

Roberts’ Artificial Intelligence software company has developed a digital assistant, Aider, that works alongside existing digital applications from a small business.

Westpac announced a partnership with Aider and offers its SME customers a free trial of three months.

“For example, if the SME leverages its accounting via Xero, uses Google Analytics, a point-of-sale system such as Kounta, and a list management tool such as Deputy, Aider integrates the software and reports it by conversational interaction,” Roberts said.

“People who work and run SMEs have so many hats to wear and this type of automation saves time. You can talk to Help via a voice assistant like Amazon’s Alexa or converse by text with it to view your data. You can ask Helping what your total expenses were last week or what were your best-selling products of the day, “he added.

Founder and CEO of Helping, Brendan Roberts

WORLD, one of Westpac’s SME customers, has been using Helping for two months to improve the efficiency of its fashion stores.

“We can see which stores or staff members are the busiest, which affects our membership,” said WORLD co-founder Benny Castles.

“Help will also tell me straight away:” This product sells well today “or” you should order more from this stock “, which means I do not have to spend three hours writing my own reports and consult data. ”

“As part of a small business, you can also be emotionally attached to your products. I had designed a dress that I felt very attached to, but after selling it on Instagram and selling it in stores, it just was not sold as well as others. Help was able to look at sales figures without emotion, tell us that he was not selling well and taking action in this regard, “added Castles.

Unlike Siri and other chatbots, who only respond to requests, Help proactively indicates what needs to be reviewed after analyzing the company’s data.

“We use our algorithms to look for patterns and changes, then Help will say,” Hey, you usually sell that amount and now you’ve lost this month, maybe you should look at that “or” hey, your feed Net cash is low, you should watch this, “says Roberts.

You can use Help to easily review your earnings and understand how you can do more. It helps you monitor your inventory and inventory to manage margins and people costs. Since its launch in late 2018, it has been very popular with hotels and retail businesses in Australasia.

Lewis Billinghurst, head of Westpac NZ’s Digital Ventures, acknowledges that the AI ​​is of great value to SMEs in an easy-to-use format.

“We have recommended Helping our small business customers in Westpac and offer them a free three-month trial because it’s a very effective tool to help small businesses grow,” said Billinghurst.

While Aid helps SMEs, other AI programs are helping New Zealand’s banking sector fight against fraud.

Alex Ferguson, senior intelligence officer for Westpac New Zealand, said the bank used AI primarily to detect credit card fraud.

“If a customer spends $ 40,000 on sneakers at four in the morning, the artificial intelligence will check his spending habits to see if it’s his normal behavior, which probably would not be the case in this case.

“We have proactive risk management programs in place for AI to detect certain types of suspicious behavior. This type of artificial intelligence has a much higher accuracy rate than a human because of the speed of data processing, “said Ferguson.

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Chopper Country: Tararua Forest Park

Rescue helicopters are usually associated with rescuing stranded climbers or removing dummies from the decks of their sinking ships.

A young family traveled to the Staglands Wildlife Preserve in the Wellington area for a family picnic when an unfortunate accident forced them to fly to the hospital.

“The mother was carrying the family picnic in a backpack when her son decided to get on his back for a ride. The blade of the picnic knife, coming out of the bag, stabbed the boy, “said Wendy Robinson of Staglands.

The Westpac rescue helicopter arrived from Wellington in a few minutes and took him to Wellington Hospital, where the boy completely recovered.

Staglands personnel are used to seeing the helicopter fly over their last mission.

“It’s hard to miss, because its distinctive sound attracts the attention of those underneath,” Robinson said.

“We often ask ourselves what is the story behind the call, hoping that it is not too serious and a little relieved when it does not concern us.”

The Tararua Forest Park, which extends from the Kapiti Coast to the Wairarapa, is another location frequented by the Wellington-based helicopter. The park may look like a docile woodland, but it can easily be misinterpreted by inexperienced walkers.

The weather conditions in the beaches can change quickly and drop to -20 ° C in winter.

“There is volcanic rock and tree roots in the ground, not for novice hikers,” says Julian Burn, Westpac winch operator and rescue helicopter.

“We are usually sent to the area about 15 times a year, especially in the fall, when the trampers have poorly assessed weather conditions and have an accident or are lost.”

Rescue of lost people who have left the lane is a common mission of the helicopter crew, which is sometimes accompanied by his pet.

“We had some rescues where the animals also had to be hoisted because there are only three places in the entire park where we can land,” Burn said.

“A man was with his dog when they went astray and went astray. The dog had to be sedated so we could both get them out with a winch and drop them off at our helicopter base in Wellington, “he added.

During search missions for lost hikers, the crew of the Westpac rescue helicopter board night vision goggles, infrared radar and mapping software to track people under trees and dense foliage.

Due to the lack of landing options, the helicopter usually floats about 150 feet when it needs to use its winch.

By the time the crew receives a call, it can take off within 10 minutes and the flight time between Wellington Hospital or the base of its helicopter is approximately 20 minutes.

Injured patients in the park also called for rescue after rolling their ankles or cutting their feet on a sharp rock.

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Within the high cost world of an ethical clothing brand

Many facets of the apparel industry can be inexpensive and easy, even if ethics and organic fabrics are not your priority.

Little Yellow Bird Founder and General Manager Samantha Jones has decided to take the hard way.

For Jones, raw materials and expensive suppliers on the other side of the world are just some of the costly challenges she faces with her sustainable and ethical clothing brand.

“We can not do quick sampling because we only source 100% rainfed organic cotton and our suppliers are in India. The minimum orders from our suppliers for organic tissue are huge, “she says.

Saying no to synthetic fabrics and cheap plastic packaging has earned the two-time finalist of Women of Influence in New Zealand’s garment industry, while leaving a positive impact on the environment.

“In the early years, all our products were individually wrapped in plastic. That’s how most brand products come in, which seems crazy.

“After many negotiations and deliberations from our suppliers on the assurance that the stock was not damaged, we agreed to send our tied products with twill tapes. That means that last year, more than 183 kilograms of plastic were prevented from entering New Zealand, “Jones said.

Samantha Jones

Jones was inspired by the creation of Little Yellow Bird, specializing in hospitality and corporate uniforms, after leaving the military.

“I was so excited to finally have the choice of what I was wearing for my corporate wardrobe but found out that the options were really limited,” she said.

She started the business in 2015 while studying at the University of Canterbury and now has more than 400 clients. The company has also diversified into baby clothing and an online e-commerce store offering basic t-shirts and dresses.

“I travel to India several times a year, but we have someone who works there full time as a quality controller. In New Zealand, there are only three of us working full time in the company and most of our team and advisory board are women, “said the Westpac client.

Inside the Samantha Jones factory in India

Little Yellow Bird is developing its business and is aiming to raise $ 300,000 for a PledgeMe campaign and has already raised more than half.

The company offers partial ownership of the brand for only $ 500 and full voting rights for all shareholder decisions for anyone investing $ 35,000 or more.

Jones said that there were times when she thought her business would not work, but said that it is the belief in her ethical product that makes her move forward.

“For those who are waiting for the perfect time in their lives to start a business, there will never be one. Start right now, “Jones advises other budding entrepreneurs.

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Dunedin leads New Zealand in EV ownership

Dunedin has the highest proportion of electric vehicle drivers in New Zealand, according to a recent study from the University of Otago.

The South Island city has the highest number of pure electric vehicles per capita, with 3.73 electric vehicles per 1,000 population, followed by Wellington with 3.19.

Auckland had less than one all-electric vehicle for every 1,000 people, but city-dwellers seem to prefer hybrid cars.

Aucklanders own just over 2.60 plug-in hybrid cars per 1,000 people, the highest number in the country.

However, considering the total number of adoptions combining both pure EVS and plug-in hybrids, Auckland has just over 3.50 per 1,000 inhabitants, which remains lower than Dunedin and Wellington respectively.

In Dunedin, the combined EVS and plug-in hybrid rate is 4.34 per 1,000 inhabitants, compared to 4.33 for Wellington.

Electric vehicles consume around 30 eurocents per liter of gasoline, emit no exhaust and reduce their dependence on imported fossil fuels.

There are also maintenance savings on electric vehicles because a fully electric electric vehicle has only about 20 moving parts, compared to about 2,000 for a gasoline vehicle.

Electric Battery Vehicles that run exclusively on electricity with batteries such as the Hyundai plug have a range of 200 km before needing to be recharged.

The Hyundai Hybrid Hybrid Rechargeable Hybrid Electric Car, which first uses the battery before switching to gasoline, has a range of 63 km before starting to use its gasoline reserves.

Westpac NZ, along with 30 other New Zealand organizations, is on the verge of converting 30% of its fleet into electric vehicles by the end of 2019. Their analysis suggests that each complete electric vehicle would reduce its carbon emissions by four tonnes per year. year.

The bank is inspired by the Norwegian model of transition to electric vehicles: its government has stimulated the industry by removing taxes on vehicles and investing in a charging infrastructure adapted. Norway also exempted electric vehicle drivers from the toll and offered them free parking.

“We learned a lot from talking to the Norwegian industry about their successful transition,” said Linda Keating, Westpac NZ’s senior sales manager.

“They told stories of people lining up in snowstorms to load their cars. If they can do it, we can do it. “

The post Dunedin leads New Zealand in EV ownership appeared first on Zebra Mortgages.

from https://www.zebramortgages.co.nz/dunedin-leads-new-zealand-in-ev-ownership-2/ from https://zebramortgages1.blogspot.com/2019/05/dunedin-leads-new-zealand-in-ev_21.html

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Dunedin leads New Zealand in EV ownership

Dunedin has the highest proportion of electric vehicle drivers in New Zealand, according to a recent study from the University of Otago.

The South Island city has the highest number of pure electric vehicles per capita, with 3.73 electric vehicles per 1,000 population, followed by Wellington with 3.19.

Auckland had less than one all-electric vehicle for every 1,000 people, but city-dwellers seem to prefer hybrid cars.

Aucklanders own just over 2.60 plug-in hybrid cars per 1,000 people, the highest number in the country.

However, considering the total number of adoptions combining both pure EVS and plug-in hybrids, Auckland has just over 3.50 per 1,000 inhabitants, which remains lower than Dunedin and Wellington respectively.

In Dunedin, the combined EVS and plug-in hybrid rate is 4.34 per 1,000 inhabitants, compared to 4.33 for Wellington.

Electric vehicles consume around 30 eurocents per liter of gasoline, emit no exhaust and reduce their dependence on imported fossil fuels.

There are also maintenance savings on electric vehicles because a fully electric electric vehicle has only about 20 moving parts, compared to about 2,000 for a gasoline vehicle.

Electric Battery Vehicles that run exclusively on electricity with batteries such as the Hyundai plug have a range of 200 km before needing to be recharged.

The Hyundai Hybrid Hybrid Rechargeable Hybrid Electric Car, which first uses the battery before switching to gasoline, has a range of 63 km before starting to use its gasoline reserves.

Westpac NZ, along with 30 other New Zealand organizations, is on the verge of converting 30% of its fleet into electric vehicles by the end of 2019. Their analysis suggests that each complete electric vehicle would reduce its carbon emissions by four tonnes per year. year.

The bank is inspired by the Norwegian model of transition to electric vehicles: its government has stimulated the industry by removing taxes on vehicles and investing in a charging infrastructure adapted. Norway also exempted electric vehicle drivers from the toll and offered them free parking.

“We learned a lot from talking to the Norwegian industry about their successful transition,” said Linda Keating, Westpac NZ’s senior sales manager.

“They told stories of people lining up in snowstorms to load their cars. If they can do it, we can do it. “

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Women of Influence Awards open up with the whole new Speaker Series

The national celebration of New Zealand’s most inspiring women begins today and applications for the annual Women of Influence Awards are now open.

Presented by Stuff and Westpac, this renowned event returns for the seventh year to recognize the kiwifruit women who make the difference, from the world level to the own backyard.

In addition to the gala dinner on Thursday, October 24th, this year’s program will include a brand new conference series, with five nationwide events in August.

World-renowned fashion designer Karen Walker will host the event in Auckland, while guests will also hear the many varied and stimulating speakers in Tauranga, Wellington, Nelson and Christchurch.

Dates of the lecture series

August 2nd

Tauranga

Zespri Headquarters

17:30 – 19:30

August 8

Nelson

The boathouse

17:30 – 19:30

August 19th

Christchurch

Town hall

7h to 9h

August 22

Auckland

Mercury Theater

7h to 9h

August 28

Wellington

Te Papa Museum

7h to 9h

Sinead Boucher, Managing Director of Stuff, said, “We are very pleased to be able to offer more people an extension of the prestigious and anticipated Women of Influence awards, with events in several regions this year.

“The conference series allows events to celebrate women and create a platform to connect, share and celebrate inspirational stories and achievements that transcend as much as possible, and hopefully encourage more power and greater inspiration than ever.

“We are also fortunate to welcome the lady Silvia Cartwright, former Governor General and pioneer jurist, to the head of the jury.”

Westpac NZ CEO David McLean said the bank was proud to support the Women of Influence program, including the lecture series, to introduce influential women to a wider audience across the country. country.

“The theme of this year’s series is” From the grassroots to globalization “. It presents the stories and ideas of women who make their mark not only nationally and internationally, but also in their own communities and regions, “said Mr. McLean.

“It also provides an excellent opportunity for women from all walks of life to connect and create their networks.

“A woman of influence is a person who creates real change and charts a path for others, at all levels. I encourage everyone to consider nominating someone, be it a friend, a colleague or a long-time acquaintance.

“From the farm to European fashion houses, each of us knows women who have inspired us with their words and deeds. These awards are your chance to give them the recognition and praise they deserve. ”

The ten award categories include: arts and culture, board and management, business, community / non-profit, diversity, global, innovation and science, public policy, rural and youth leaders.

For more information on Women of Influence and this year’s Lecture Series, as well as previous winners, how to nominate and purchase tickets, visit: www.womenofinfluence.co.nz

Key Dates of the Women of Influence 2019 Awards:

Wednesday, May 22 – Opening of applications

Monday, July 15 – closing of applications

Friday 2 – Wednesday, August 28 – Women of Influence Lecture Series, five theaters across the country

Sunday, September 1st – The finalists of the prizes are announced

Thursday October 24 – Awards Dinner, SKYCITY Auckland

2019 Women of Influence Partners, Stuff and Westpac are grateful for the following partners:

Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand – Diversity Category Sponsor

DLA Piper – sponsor of the Board and Management category

Massey University – sponsor of the Global category

Mastercard – sponsor of the Innovation and Science category

Ministry of Women – sponsor of the public policy category

Zespri – sponsor of the Rural category

SKYCITY – sponsor of the Community Hero category

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Waikato Rescue Helicopter Trust: Country Country Profile

“I hear it normally before seeing it. It’s very important to have this security and peace of mind so that if someone has a serious injury, it will not take hours to get to the hospital. ”

The South Waikato is home to some of New Zealand’s most scenic hills and burgeoning farming communities, but it’s all about Chopper Country – farm accidents in remote areas are part of the daily life of the region.

Andrew McGiven, president of Waikato, Federated Farmers of New Zealand, said the helicopter gave residents a sense of security in the rural landscape.

“The Waikato Westpac rescue helicopter spends a lot of time at the nearest hospital. As I live in the bush, it may take a few hours before an ambulance arrives here, “said McGiven.

The chopper is so important to local farmers that the Waikato Farmers Trust is one of its sponsors, alongside Westpac.

The Westpac Waikato Rescue Helicopter is renowned for transporting wounded patients to Waikato Hospital when ground ambulances can not get to the scene on time.

One winter afternoon, a 57-year-old woman suffered a pelvic injury and a broken wrist following a riding accident.

The horse fell and rolled over his body on a farm west of Putaruru.

The paramedics for the intensive care unit arrived at the Waikato Westpac rescue helicopter and transferred her to the hospital for successful treatment.

In 2017, a 12-year-old girl was also rescued by the helicopter crew after an altercation with a cow in Te Awamutu.

She was seriously injured after helping her parents move inventory. The animal attacked the girl and threw her against the trailer.

The young child had internal and external bruising, ligamentous lesions on the hips and pelvis and mild brain injury, but recovered well after the helicopter’s rapid response to his mother’s call.

A medical paramedic from the Waikato Westpac rescue helicopter, Simon Burrows, explains that a typical day for him and his crew could include a hospital transfer for local residents until an incident occurred in the back of a closed.

“Recently, we flew to a hut that had burned after a gas tank explosion. The only way to help these two people was to land at night using night vision goggles. Being able to help in this kind of situation is a satisfying part of the job, “said Burrows.

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Chopper Country: The Pinnacles

Robert Brouwer sees the Westpac rescue helicopter almost every month. With 20 years of experience in ground search and rescue, he is very familiar with the process.

Brouwer is the DoC ranger and goaltender on the Kauaeranga Kauri Trail in the Coromandel Forest Park – often known as Pinnacles Walk.

Robert Brouwer

“The most common rescue at Pinnacles is a sprained ankle or a fracture,” says Brouwer.

“The walk is 6 km long with lots of steps, making it almost impossible to get out. In the same vein, the realization of stretchers is also a challenge and could take five to six hours.

Brouwer’s role is often to be the first point of contact for injured people; he administers first aid and cares for the patient until the arrival of the helicopter.

He secures the platform at the Pinnacles cabin for landing and crowd control, which can often involve members of the public who interfere while trying to take pictures by helicopter.

“I have always appreciated the professionalism of helicopter crews and their good radio communication with me, which allows me to do my part more easily,” he said.

The Auckland rescue helicopter from Westpac has already been tasked with four rescue missions at the Pinnacles this year.

During the Easter weekend, a man in his twenties fell three meters while walking in this popular place.

“The patient was in an uncomfortable place where he could still fall,” said Lincoln Davies, Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust Communications Manager.

On this occasion, members of the public helped the man while the helicopter crew was fetching the terrestrial SAR cable.

In January, the crew also helped a fractured teenager with ankle. In February, he was a man in his 20s who was at risk of a broken leg. In March, they were summoned by a 40-year-old doctor.

The pilot of the Westpac rescue helicopter, Rob Arrowsmith, who has military experience in the air force, says that the main advantage of the helicopter lies in the speed with which it can arrive compared to the ambulances. Army.

“We can get to Pinnacles in 23 minutes, average rescues take 10 to 20 minutes, then it takes 25 minutes to fly to Auckland or Waikato Hospital,” said Arrowsmith.

“A month ago, a confident mountaineer near the Pinnacles had problems when his pack of camels was torn apart by a branch. He ran out of water and became dehydrated, so he called for help. We picked it up, took it to the Pinnacles cabin and hydrated it, “he explained.

“Most have suffered minor injuries, but the Pinnacles is a very remote area and is not where you want to be, even if you suffer from broken ankle,” added Lincoln Davies.

This year’s Easter weekend saw 12 rescues of the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust, nearly half as much as last year, but the busy Auckland service generates an average of 1,000 rescues a year, according to Davies.

Not only are New Zealand’s remote areas or adrenaline junkies benefiting from rescue helicopters, but Waiheke Island is Auckland’s most popular helicopter destination. The island accounts for almost a third of their annual missions and rescuers are mainly elderly people who need a medical mission to the hospital.

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Rescue the planet with donuts (kind)

“It’s probably the only time you hear about a healthy donut,” says economist Kate Raworth, explaining his business model, Donut Economics.

Raworth, from the Environmental Change Institute at Oxford University, rejects the conventional economy and, in particular, the design of GDP growth in the twentieth century. This is a model that was fundamentally damaging to ecology, she said.

In New Zealand, to speak at the Auckland Writers’ Festival, Raworth said that the 21st century must integrate human and global prosperity, not just the prosperity of balance sheets.

Donut Economics, explained in his 2017 book, Donut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st Century Economist Are Based on a Circular Figure (Donut-shaped).

“The hole in the middle shows the proportion of people who do not have access to essential resources such as health care, education, housing and income,” says Raworth.

The donut’s outer layer represents the ecological ceilings on which human life depends, such as fertile soil, biodiversity and freshwater.

“The limits around the limit are our prosperous balanced space where we can live. We know we have to use the Earth’s resources, but we have unbalanced our planet and are collapsing the ecosystem.

“Humanity can not cope with climate change, biodiversity loss, land conservation, and nitrogen and phosphorus loads. We are outside the donut on both sides, “continued the economist.

Raworth said the 20th century was based on extractive companies, in which companies would see what financial value they could extract from their business.

The 21st century should focus on generating companies that focus on the number of types of value they can generate for people and the environment.

Raworth, who has shown his diagram to various governments with a positive reaction, said companies can change their expectations and direction of business to have a positive impact on the planet.

It encourages all companies to make radical changes now, for example by setting scientific targets for reducing carbon dioxide emissions and by changing the ownership models in which employees can be small shareholders of large companies.

“Businesses should do what pays now. They should use ethical supply chains around the world, pay fair tax rates and restore the balance of the planet, “she said.

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