In Coromandel, New Zealand, orchardist Allan Dickinson, who cultivates approximately 600 Hass avocado trees across 7 hectares, has expressed concerns regarding the current state of the avocado industry, citing an oversupply and diminished returns. Dickinson highlighted the industry's heavy reliance on the Australian market for exports, while noting a lack of marketing efforts to other global regions. The Avocado Growers Association's chief executive, Brad Siebert, acknowledged the challenges of the season, attributing them partly to extreme weather conditions affecting export quantities and leading to domestic market oversupply. Despite these challenges, efforts to diversify export markets have been underway, with exports to the US and Canada marking a shift from the traditional focus on Australia. Dickinson pointed out the competitive pressures from Australian avocados in international markets, underscoring the need for earlier market cultivation efforts by New Zealand's industry leaders.

Scott Robertson has been slammed by fans following the announcement of his first All Blacks squad, copping criticism for omitting Hoskin Sotutu. However, he was overlooked, with Robertson preferring Ardie Savea, Ethan Blackadder and Wallace Sititi as his options in the number eight jumper. Another fan was left perplexed by the number of Crusaders players in the squad, particularly in the forward pack, after a horrid season for the men from Canterbury. Unbelievable.”Scott Robertson addresses concerns around Crusaders bias ahead of first All Blacks squad announcementAnother fan agreed, adding: “Sotutu missing out is the worst call. All Blacks squad winners and losers as Scott Robertson makes ‘tight’ captaincy call and a ‘disgraceful’ decision up frontNew All Blacks’ captainWith Sam Whitelock announcing his retirement and Sam Cane sidelined through injury, Robertson had a big call to make as to who would captain the All Blacks in 2024.

Research from overseas has already raised concerns about the potential harms of introducing a social media ban. We have conducted research with culturally diverse young people (aged 13–18), and educators and policymakers in New South Wales and Victoria. They compared this to countries where media, including social media, is censored or banned by the state. This shows we need to move beyond only viewing social media as a source of harm to young people. Culturally diverse teens greatly benefit from social media – banning it would cause harm – https://theconversation.com/culturally-diverse-teens-greatly-benefit-from-social-media-banning-it-would-cause-harm-232906MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

The other South Island project currently underway and the second largest in Lodestone’s portfolio is the 97 MW Canterbury farms solar. Yet around the same time developer Far North Solar Farm put in an application nearby for a 420 MW project, closer to Lake Benmore which is also where the Haldon solar project is proposed for. These solar farms will be built using funds from a capital raise the company launched at the start of June. The 42 MW Te Herenga o Te Rā solar farm also in the Bay of Plenty is set to start generating later this year. Lodestone has two more projects set to start generating in mid-2025, a 32 MW solar farm in Whitianga and another 52 MW in Dargaville, both in Northland.

A man could pay dearly for playing possum this morning. Emergency services were called shortly before 8am in response to reports of an injured man on the Southern Motorway’s East Tāmaki overbridge. However, police say the man was feigning injury as part of a publicity stunt. “The was a significant and unnecessary incident that in no doubt will have impacted many people [due to] the disturbing sight,” Police Inspector Danny Meade says. “It is also incredibly lucky this man’s reckless actions did not cause injury to himself, or any other road users.”The incident caused major delays for motorists.

Housing affordability appears to be in a period of relative stability for first home buyers, with only slight changes in the main drivers of affordability, according to interest.co.nz's latest Home Loan Affordability Report. However most of that increase in after-tax pay occurred last year and incomes are now also flattening out. What all of this suggests is we are in a period of relative stability in terms of affordability for first home buyers. However, those who can afford to buy their own own home will probably be highly paid, because home ownership remains unaffordable for aspiring first home buyers on average pay in most parts of the country. The tables below give the main affordability measures for first home buyers with either a 10% or 20% deposit, in most of the main urban areas around the country.

Remember for instance, the fiasco of the consultation on the Purposes and Principles of the Social Security Act. I won’t even start on the Working for Families (WFF) review. The review produced multiple redacted documents at huge cost and like all the other reviews was a waste of everyone’s time. Last week we learnt that the consultative review on debt to government agencies was a total flop too. But even that ‘make work’ report will not go ahead until 2026.

(From left to right): MediaWorks Acting Commercial Director Gerhard Simanke, MediaWorks CEO Outdoor Mike Watkins, MediaWorks CEO Wendy Palmer, Stuff Group Chief Executive Laura Maxwell, Stuff Group Brand Connections Managing Director Matt Headland and MediaWorks Head of Agency Paul Hancox. From 24th June, Stuff and MediaWorks commercial teams will each offer customers access to unique sales opportunities across their joint range of media assets. The first new offering is a dynamic news product with Stuff breaking news headlines appearing on MediaWorks’ digital billboards across the motu. Stuff Group Chief Executive Laura Maxwell says the audience numbers of the two organisations speak for themselves and it’s also the data opportunities across brands that will provide the most opportunity. We’re thrilled to be working with Stuff on this innovative arrangement.”Content Sourced from scoop.co.nzOriginal url

“The punitive policies of this Government will fail our rangatahi and fail to address the core drivers of crime. Our rangatahi need opportunities, to learn, to do mahi, to contribute to their communities. This is what will see them reach their full potential,” says the Green Party spokesperson for justice, Tamatha Paul. Labelling children as young as 14 as serious offenders will only aggravate the vulnerable situations many of our youth find themselves in. What’s more, this government’s policies, such as cutting addiction support services and drug rehabilitation programmes, are exacerbating the drivers of crime.

NZ Marketing magazine and the NZ Marketing Association are thrilled to announce the finalists for the YouTube NZ Marketing Awards 2024. I look forward to seeing your work recognised at the Awards Night in September, it promises to be a wonderful celebration” says Penny Murray, Editor of NZ Marketing Magazine. Michael Friedberg, CEO of SwayTech and experienced Convenor of Judges, led this year’s rigorous judging process for the YouTube NZ Marketing Awards. The 2024 YouTube NZ Marketing Awards are proudly brought to you by premier sponsor YouTube, along with gold sponsors oOh!, NZME, Stuff and Cartology, plus supporters Vistar Media, TRA, Are Media and Magnetic Data. Producing the awards alongside NZ Marketing is long-time partner and industry body the Marketing Association.

The panel discussion was moderated by Qassem Naim, the Data, Privacy & Measurement Council Chair for IAB New Zealand. Similar to when data management platforms (DMPs) quietly faded away, replaced by customer data platforms (CDPs). What are your tips for optimising data while delivering on customers’ privacy expectations? While a lot of people are concerned about the changes, it’s exciting that the first-party data management and solutions are developing more quickly as a result. Panel moderator:Qassem Naim, Chair IAB New Zealand Data, Privacy & Measurement Council.

Stuff’s breaking news headlines will soon be appearing on MediaWorks’ billboards across the motu as part of the news group’s latest partnership within the media industry. This new collaboration with MediaWorks follows on from Stuff Group’s spate of recent partnerships with Brodie Kane Media and Warner Bros. In April, Stuff won the bid to become the new home of the 6pm daily news after the news Warner Bros. This month alone brought further partnership with WBD which will bring coverage of the America’s Cup live to Kiwis across the country, as well as a new relationship with Brodie Kane Media, home of popular podcast, Three Gals, One Beehive. And now from June 24, Stuff and MediaWorks’s commercial teams will start working together to offer customers unique sales opportunities across their joint range of media platforms and services, starting with having Stuff’s breaking news headlines appearing on MediaWorks’ digital billboards.

How to use data to get audience attentionIt’s time to start using attention data to better inform advertising campaigns and reduce wasted spend, says Magnetic Data CEO Phil Townend. Townend addressed members of the advertising industry during an event run by the data solutions startup at Te Papa Wellington last week. His keynote speech, Unlocking the attention economy, discussed how marketers can better capture audience attention, especially in a world where consumers are constantly overwhelmed with stimuli. First and foremost, understanding audience attention is key to reducing wasted advertising spend – defined as those moments in ads when less than 20% of viewers are still actively looking. Townend highlighted the need to use attention data to inform the role of each media channel and build creative content that maximises the limited attention available on different platforms.

However, the NZ dollar and the Australian dollar have not lost ground against the USD, remaining close to the middle of recent trading ranges at 0.6150 and 0.6650 respectively. The prospect of Australia increasing interest rates over coming months when everyone else (NZ excluded) is looking to cut interest rates is a real and growing probability. The Yen will remain under downward pressure until they actually make a decision to increase interest rates. New Zealand’s domestic inflation problem – identify causes and enact solutionsOver recent years this column has repeatedly highlighted and documented the “elephant in the room” problem New Zealand has with permanently high domestic/non-tradeable inflation. A stronger NZ dollar will only eventuate if you push NZ interest rates well above US interest rates.

By Jenna EdwardsTwo talented Pakuranga College dancers are off to Arizona in the United States to compete in the World Hip Hop Dance Championship from August 3-10. Emily Cooper, who’s in year 10, and year 12 pupil Emily Muir are performing in the Rangers crew from east Auckland’s Jaye’s Dance Studio, alongside former Pakuranga College pupil Alexia Hamilton. The Rangers crew has competed in the Hip Hop International New Zealand competition for the past three years, but this is the first time they’ve placed in the top five and qualified to take their talents to the world stage. We improved our result at the Hip Hop International New Zealand competition by six places this year, but we can do more in the lead-up to Arizona. Most of us have experience dancing in other international competitions, but this is the pinnacle.