Connecting people and businesses, and sharing information through events, are some of the key things that we do at the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce. At the start of 2022, I honestly did not think we would get an events programme up and running this year. Oh, how wrong I was!!
It was great over the last two weeks to host our largest events of the year so far. Last week we hosted over 100 business leaders, and our two Mayors, at our Christopher Luxon breakfast. The previous week we had over 100 business leaders seeing the brand new Lane Street Studios in Upper Hutt. The chatter and networking at these events were great to see and hear, both before and after the events. These events are great opportunities to meet new people, network, exchange ideas, and share your business. You might find some new customers.
And we are not done yet by any means. Next week we are hosting our first BNZ Technology & Innovation Series event with three fabulous Hutt Valley businesses who are all doing amazing innovation in our own backyard. And coming up we have some more politicians, a trade event, and more visits to existing and exciting new businesses. We are also having some great training events.
So, keep an eye out inside this and future issues of this Hutt Valley Business Weekly for details on our events. I think there is something for you, and you’ll meet some other great business leaders from our amazing community. Sign up for one and see for yourself.
We are always open to new ideas too. Just email me at patrick@hvchamber.org.nz or call me on 021 248 1203.
In this edition of our Hutt Valley Business Weekly:
- Hutt City Council and Upper Hutt City Council – Rates Increase Engagement
- Welcome News For Employers With The Apprenticeship Scheme Extended To The End Of 2023
- Have Your Say - Fair Pay Agreements Bill
- The Leader of the Opposition Visits Hutt Valley Business Leaders
- Our Upcoming 78th Annual General Meeting (AGM)
- Te Omanga Hospice Street Appeal - May 20th & 21st. Can You Help?
- Upcoming Events
- The Settlement UPPER HUTT Open Day - 13th May
- BNZ Tech Series - Tech & Innovation (May 2022)
- ACT's Plan To Support Businesses - David Seymour
- 2022 Budget Debrief With The Minister of Finance - Grant Robertson
- Upcoming Training
- Spotlight On Mental Health Week
- Time Management Mastery Workshop
- Social Media Marketing for Business Success
- Māori Engagement Capability - Introductory Workshop
- Mindset, Movement and Nutrition Workshop
- Member Offers
- Some Great Offers from Upper Hutt City Councils 'Shop & Win' Campaign, Kāpuhipuhi Wellington Uni-Professional, The Settlement and WellingtonNZ
- Employment Opportunities
- Production and Administration Roles
Hutt City Council and Upper Hutt City Council – Rates Increase Engagement
The Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce has recently taken the opportunity to provide feedback to our two local councils regarding their proposed rates increases.
The focus of our response has been based on the general feedback we have received from businesses that the Hutt Valley business community is against the proposed rates increases.
Our concerns included:
- Businesses are facing a ‘Perfect Storm’ – this includes the ongoing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, inflation, minimum wage increases, raw material costs and supply, and general wage pressures (both councils)
- The appearance that the rates increases were signaling businesses were being penalised (both councils)
- Increases to the business differential were not what was planned by the previous council (Hutt City Council only)
- Review of local government was underway (both councils)
- Differentials were not the right answer in determining what businesses should pay (both councils)
To read the rest of our engagement with the Upper Hutt and Hutt City Councils click here.
Welcome News For Employers With The Apprenticeship Scheme Extended To The End Of 2023
The Government has announced that they are extending support for trades training programmes as part of their pre-budget announcements. The announcement confirmed a $230 million investment for another 24,000 apprentices getting Apprenticeship Boost support and some 14,000 to keep being supported beyond August this year. There will also be support for the Mana in Mahi and Māori Trades Training. You can read more here.
Have Your Say - Fair Pay Agreements Bill
A Fair Pay Agreements (FPA) Bill was introduced into Parliament on 29 March 2022. Whilst the FPA is welcomed by unions, Business NZ have indicated they strongly oppose it stating "...compulsory FPAs are unlawful under current domestic and international employment laws, and not in the best interests of the workforce".
For an article summarising the FPA and its implications, click here.
The bill is not law, and employers and employees alike have the opportunity to air their views as part of the select committee’s public submission process, open until May 19.
Make a submission here.
The Leader of the Opposition Visits Hutt Valley Business Leaders
The Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce was very pleased to be able to host Christopher Luxon, Leader of the National Party, last week at our sold-out breakfast for business leaders from across the Hutt Valley. It was great to hear Christopher's story from business to politics, his many business experiences in New Zealand and around the world, his grounding around his family, and some of the key focus areas for the New Zealand National Party.
From left-to-right: Patrick McKibbin (CEO, Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce), Campbell Barry (Lower Hutt Mayor), Wayne Guppy (Upper Hutt Mayor), Christopher Luxon (National Party Leader), Chris Bishop (National MP), Mark Skelly ( President, Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce & CEO of Red Hot Business Coaching & Consultancy), Cameron Madgwick (CEO, Gibson Sheat Lawyers)
The event is one of our Political Series of events throughout 2022 to help engage our business community with politicians from all parties. We are delighted to have our Platinum partner Gibson Sheat Lawyers and their CEO Cameron Madgwick supporting these events.
It was also great to have Mayors from our two Hutt Valley Councils with Wayne Guppy and Campbell Barry in attendance, as well as Christopher Bishop who is such a great supporter of businesses in the Hutt Valley.
Thanks also to our Chamber President Mark Skelly and my team at the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, Annette Wasson, Andrew Dunne, Fiona Mawley, Amanda Walters and Raul Enrique who as always brought the event together so superbly.
We have two Gibson Sheat Political Series events coming up in June featuring David Seymour - ACT Party Leader and Grant Robertson - Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Finance. Book now to secure your spot.
Our Upcoming 78th Annual General Meeting (AGM)
We would like to invite you to attend our AGM on Tuesday, 24th May 2022. To get involved you can:
- Register to attend
- Vote
All the information you need including the agenda, nominees, proxy votes and how to register, can be found here.
We are voting for two Board Members, President, and Vice President.
If you are unable to attend and wish to cast your vote, please send in an Appointment of Proxy Vote. Please email the form to ceo@hvchamber.org.nz no later than 5pm on Monday, 23rd May 2022.
Please note, that to be able to vote, you need to be a financial member of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce at the time of the AGM.
Nominations for the Annual General Meeting are now closed. Thank you to all those who have been nominated and we wish you all the best!
See you at the AGM, Tuesday 24th May from 5.00pm – doors close promptly at 5.30pm.
Te Omanga Hospice Street Appeal -
May 20th and 21st. Can You Help?
Chamber member, Te Omanga Hospice, cares for 1/3 of all Hutt Valley residents that pass away.
Annually, the hospice must raise $3 million to keep Specialist Palliative Care free, to those in the community with a terminal or life-limiting illness.
This past year has been particularly difficult to raise funds to support the patients and families they care for. They estimate that fundraising has been impacted by at least $250,000 as events and fundraising activities haven’t been able to take place.
Despite the impact of COVID-19 the hospice services have continued to support those in the community 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Te Omanga Hospice is holding its Annual Street appeal on Friday, May 20 2022 and Saturday, May 21 2022.
We are in particular need of collectors in Upper Hutt and Petone on Saturday and would love the support at any of our locations from Chamber members and their teams.
Click the button below if you’d like to register a location and time which will assist the hospice team in coordinating the sites and volunteers.
Thank you again for supporting those in the community who will need the care and support of the hospice.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The Settlement UPPER HUTT Open Day - 13th May
Chamber member, The Settlement, is opening the doors to its second coworking and event space located in Brewtown, Upper Hutt.
Come and try The Settlement for size: They are going to have yoga for the early birds, breakfast bowls, a business-focused Lunch & Learn, and plenty of yummy treats to enjoy throughout the day!
Pop in to take a look, take a seat and work for a while, take a meeting room for a spin, have a coffee, or a wine, and meet our lovely, loyal community. Come and go as you please!
Registrations will be essential for yoga and the Lunch & Learn. To register your interest and learn more, book now below.
When: Friday 13 May
Time: 9am - 5pm
Where: Level 1, The Settlement, Brewtown
Price: No Cost
Our BNZ Tech Series Is Back For 2022
We're back alongside our Platinum Sponsor, BNZ, with Our Technology & Innovation Series.
Join us for our first of 3 evenings celebrating tech and innovation in the Hutt Valley featuring local businesses and hearing from 3 speakers from different industries.
Featured speakers on the night include:
- Audrea Topps Harjo - Chief Operations Officer at A44 Games,
- Marie-Claire Andrews - Head of Sales and Marketing at PaySauce
- Colin Robson - Branch Manager and Director at HTS Group Limited.
When: Thursday 19 May
Time: 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Where: BNZ Partners Centre, 45 Knights Road, Lower Hutt
Price: Members - Free | Non Members - $25 + GST
ACT's Plan To Support Businesses
As part of our Gibson Sheat Political Series, the Hutt Valley Chamber is hosting a breakfast with David Seymour, ACT Party Leader and MP for Epsom. He is also the spokesperson for the COVID-19 response and Finance.
This is an opportunity for the Business community to hear how ACT would support the business community and will talk to areas that our business community have identified as barriers to improving their confidence.
When: Wednesday 08 June
Time: 7:30am - 9:30am
Where: Boulcott's Farm Heritage Golf Club
Price: From $45 + GST
2022 Budget Debrief With The Minister of Finance
As part of the Gibson Sheat Political Series the Hutt Valley Chamber is hosting Hon Grant Robertson - Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, Infrastructure, Racing, Sport & Recreation for a lunch.
This is an opportunity for the Business community to hear an update on the 2022 Budget and what it means for business. This is also a chance to hear about what plan the Labour Government have to support the growth of business and the economy in coming years as NZ recovers from the effects of COVID-19 and addresses other challenges businesses are facing.
When: Tuesday 14 June
Time: 12pm - 2pm
Where: Silverstream Retreat
Price: From $45 + GST
UPCOMING TRAINING
Spotlight On Mental Health Week - Practical Health & Wellbeing Tools &
Businesses have been through a challenging time over the last two years, and it is important now more than ever to take the time to think about the mental health & wellbeing of yourself and others to help in your business and personal life.
During our spotlight on mental health week we have invited Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce members that are industry experts in various areas of health & wellbeing to share insight into some of their strategies to help maintain balance and cope with stress and anxiety.
Each day at 10am we will be releasing content created for our Mental Health Spotlight week.
Our lineup for Mental Health Spotlight Week:
➡️ Monday 09 May:
12pm Live - Ravi Ravendran from Heartfulness Institute in association with Savvy Up Limited
➡️ Tuesday 10 May:
Josie Askin from Spring Coaching
➡️ Wednesday 11 May:
Tony Yuile from Tony Yuile Coaching
➡️ Thursday 12 May:
Victoria Fraser from Victoria Fraser Business & Wellbeing Coach
➡️ Friday 13 May:
Andrew Hardwick from Andrew Hardwick Hypnotherapy
Follow us on our Facebook and LinkedIn pages @huttvalleychamber to keep up to date with our Spotlight On Mental Health week.
When: May 09 - May 13
Time: 10am Daily
Where: Online | On our Facebook & LinkedIn Pages
Price: No Cost
Time Management For The Rest Of Us - Time Management Mastery Workshop
Hutt Valley Chamber Member Jussi Lukkonen is offering two free online training events in May. These short, sharp lunch sessions are packed full of helpful tips & tricks.
Jussi can help you achieve more. He has 30+ years of experience in Coaching, Facilitation and Content Production. He has been working as a Leader, Strategist, and Creative Solutions Expert in Europe and New Zealand. Jussi’s core offering is coaching, mentoring and facilitating leaders, entrepreneurs and their teams to become more successful and results-driven. His motto is: Let’s Bring The Best Out In People!
In this 45 minute session you will:
- Learn to get more time and more done in time.
- If you struggle to manage your time, this micro-workshop will help you get on top of your time and tasks.
This is a fun and interactive masterclass of time management.
When: Tuesday 24 May 2022
Time: 12pm - 1pm
Where: Online
Price: No Cost
Social Media Marketing for Business Success - Marketing Training
Success in social marketing comes from understanding the channels that your customers are using and the types of messages that will connect with them.
At this session, Richard Smith and Brendan Martin from Synthesis Marketing will share the latest tips on how to use Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to drive customer interaction and increase enquiries and/or foot traffic.
Topics to be covered include:
- How New Zealanders are using different social media platforms
- Top features of each platform
- Content style options to maximise engagement
- How to integrate social media into your wider marketing
- Paid social media advertising, including Ads and boost options
When: Tuesday 31 May 2022
Time: 5pm - 7pm
Where: Hutt Valley Chamber, Level 3, 15 Daly Street
Price: No Cost
Māori Engagement Capability - Introductory Workshop
Kāpuhipuhi Wellington Uni-Professional is the Wellington region’s premier provider of contemporary skills and capability training.
In this introductory workshop, our Poutaki Māori, Marie Cocker, will introduce you to basic Māori pronunciation in a fun, interactive way with a focus on local place names and their meanings. We will discuss the importance of a mihi (greetings), how you might be able to build Maori cultural capability within your business/Organisation, and why this might be important to you.
In addition, you will learn some quick-fire facts around engagement with Māori, the Māori economy and the current Crown strategies that are supporting the use of te reo Māori for the future.
This workshop is for people looking to improve their understanding of the importance of Māori engagement and how to use this in their day to day business interactions
When: Wednesday 01 June
Time: 12pm - 2pm
Where: Hutt Valley Chamber Of Commerce, Level 3, 15 Daly St
Mindset, Movement & Nutrition Workshops
It's time to reconnect! Spring Coaching is offering three well-being in-person workshops focused on mindset, movement and nutrition to support the Wellington City Mission.
Achieving your health and wellbeing goals is 100% doable, even when it’s cold out! But they need to be tackled one small step at a time. Take the smarter path this winter with three bite-size classes that will introduce you to small steps of wisdom for success.
Classes cover:
- Tuesday 31 May
MINDSET: Making time for the things that matter. - Tuesday 7 June
MOVEMENT: You do have time to move. Let’s snack. - Tuesday 14 June
NUTRITION: The joy of just one. Eating mindfully.
When: Tuesday 31 May | Tuesday 7 June | Tuesday 14 June
Time: 5.30pm
Where: Wellington Chamber of Commerce, Level 3, 11 Hunter St
Price: $20 for each workshop | $50 for all three
Future Events & Training
We have several more events and training workshops coming up throughout the year. These will include:
- Business After Five networking events
- Gibson Sheat's Political Series
- BNZ Technology & Innovation Series
- Business Safaris
- Women in Business Events
- Learning & Development workshops from our partners
Plus many more!
To stay up to date with all our events & training, keep an eye out on future issues of the Hutt Valley Business Weekly. You can also follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook to see these events as they come up.
MEMBER OFFERS
Upper Hutt City Council Launches 'Shop & Win' Campaign - Starting 9th of May
This Saturday 9 May, Upper Hutt City Council launches a 'Shop & Win' promotion that celebrates the Upper Hutt-exclusive Carry Me: 100 Years of Handbags at Whirinaki Whare Taonga, and supports our retailers who have been hit hard by the pandemic.
Shop at any participating retailer between 14 May and 28 June to be in to win one of six shopping sprees — a $650 voucher pack plus a handbag. 32 Upper Hutt City centre retailers have combined forces for the promotion so be sure to hit the local shops when you visit Upper Hutt to see the exhibition.
View the shopping map, prize pack info, and online entry form at shopupperhutt.co.nz.
Kāpuhipuhi Wellington Uni‑Professional - Professional Development Offer
Chamber Members, Kāpuhipuhi Wellington Uni‑Professional help future-focused Kiwis build more rounded, relevant skill sets - that set them up for where New Zealand business is going and give them greater confidence and adaptability at work.
They are the next step in professional development – with a market-leading, constantly evolving range of modules that can be combined and tailored for any individual, in any industry, to address the full range of contemporary business needs.
Right now, WUP has an offer for Chamber members using discount code: HVCC2022. See here for their list of courses.
Lunch On Us at The Settlement
Trial The Settlement in Petone or Upper Hutt, for a fortnight for free!
Breathe life back into your work. Their premium co-working spaces are beautiful, intuitive, and filled with natural light, designer furniture, dedicated desks, and break-out spaces. Fully equipped meeting rooms mean you can be proud to meet your clients, host workshops, and so much more.
Their Petone space is located on bustling Jackson Street, and is a short stroll from the beach, cafes, bars, restaurants, supermarkets, public transport and boutique stores. Their Upper Hutt space is in the heart of the Brewtown precinct, with breweries and eateries on the doorstep, as well as essential amenities and shops just a couple of blocks away.
The Factory is our dedicated events space in Upper Hutt and is the perfect space to hire for your next team-building day, workshop, conference or away day.
Settle for more. Contact The Settlement today on 021 193 7570, work@thesettlement.co.nz or pop in for a look around.
Unlock Digital Marketing
Designed to support all businesses, learn the secret strategies these leaders used to grow with tools like Google, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Canva and Shopify.
Starting on 2 May 2022, every Monday at 12-1pm for six weeks, experts will cover topics including everything from retail online sales and digital marketing strategies, to content creation and social media.
Click here to register for this Digital Marketing Workshop.
Session details
Monday 2 May: Using digital to attract online and in-person sales -Monday 9 May: The secrets of successful online shops- Monday 16 May: Rethink your business model and grow in 2022
- Monday 23 May: Google for growth
- Monday 30 May: Secrets of brands and content that leads to sales
- Monday 13 June: Facebook and Instagram
EMPLOYMENT
Do You Want To Be Part Of A Growing, Industry Leading Tech Manufacturer?
Times-7 Research Ltd, from an unassuming premises in Petone are among the global leaders in research, development and manufacturing of fixed RAIN RFID Antennae for distribution around the world.
As this company grows, so do the opportunities to upskill and develop your own skill sets. Come along on this journey of growth by joining the Production Team as a Production Assistant.
Sound like you and want to find out more?
View the job description and show your expression of interest here.
Do You Have Experience In a Production Environment?
Nuenz is an advanced composite start-up company based in Petone, New Zealand. They manufacture advanced additives for composite materials and are currently on the lookout for a Production Technician / Operator to join there team.
The position involves working in their new manufacturing plant, operating various production equipment, and generally assisting the Production Team. Job tasks include:
- Prepare raw materials for production
- Operate machines to complete various technical processing of materials
- Following all safety requirements
- Follow quality processes procedures and standards
- Complete production records
- Carry out quality and testing checks
Sound like you and want to find out more?
View the job description and show your expression of interest here.
Are You An Admin Support Star?
Small Business Accounting Lower Hutt is looking for a friendly person to join their small team in an administrative role. In exchange, they are offering a flexible role.
SBA specialises in small to medium-sized businesses, sole trader, trust and rental properties.
You must be confident in person and on the phone with clients and should be able to bring your skills with Microsoft Excel, Word and Office 365.
Sound like you and want to find out more?
View the job description and show your expression of interest here.
Do You Have A Role That You'd Like To Get Filled?
Contact Andrew our Employment Coordinator. You can reach him on: andrew@hvchamber.org.nz or call 049399821.
If you have a job suitable for a student get in touch with our Education to Employment Coordinator Amanda Walters at amanda@hvchamber.org.nz or call 049399821.
To view our vacancies, click here.
Thank you to all our Partners
As always, special thanks to all our Members and Partners for your ongoing support.
