More and more I am asked to explain the seemingly irrational fuel pricing in our region. At this stage I have not had the opportunity to sit with representatives of the fuel companies and get direct insight into just how…

Media Release Northland Chamber of Commerce appoints new Chief Executive The Northland Chamber of Commerce is delighted to announce the appointment of Stephen Smith as its new CE, following the resignation of Tony Collins who has taken a new position…

ADVOCATE COLUMN 6th WEEK SEPTEMBER 2018 It was great to hear recently in the news that Northland had received a share of the latest increase in police recruits.  Obviously policing in Northland – like anywhere in New Zealand – is…

ADVOCATE COLUMN 4th WEEK SEPTEMBER 2018 When New Zealand hosted the 2011 Rugby world Cup, NZ Chambers of Commerce were fortunate enough to be a part of the regional coordinating group, with a particular interest in how businesses and community…

ADVOCATE COLUMN 2ND WEEK SEPTEMBER 2018 Sometimes, some things are just too good to ignore.  We often hear good news and immediately people start looking at the negatives, querying the facts or being downright miserable just for the sake of…

ADVOCATE COLUMN 4th WEEK AUGUST 2018 The recently celebrated Fair Trade Fortnight was a really good reminder of the changes that have taken place in our market place over the last decade, the increased emphasis on ethical trading and how…

ADVOCATE COLUMN 2nd WEEK AUGUST 2018 I underwent minor elective surgery recently, nothing too serious but enough to incapacitate me and seriously reduce my mobility and independence for a reasonable period of time.  The experience provided me with a reminder…

ADVOCATE COLUMN 4th WEEK JULY 2018 Intuitively most people would think that buying local must be the right thing to do.  This does not mean that consumers should be blindly loyal to local regardless of how good or bad their…

ADVOCATE COLUMN 2nd WEEK JULY 2018 The Westpac Northland Business Excellence Awards are in full swing at present and because it is open to all Northland businesses, we are often asked to explain what constitutes a Northland business.  Which leads…