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We're excited to be launching two new free initiatives for our members.

If you have missed one of our events, you can now catch up on our events on-demand on our new video platform powered by Shift72! Most of our events will feature on here, and we’ll also be uploading interviews with experts to keep you informed on important issues and help you & your business grow.All videos will be free to view for our members, so create an account today at connect.waikatochamber.co.nz.  Want to save money? You can now access our alliance partners' and member...

New Zealand’s first Parental Leave register launched by Crayon

The register allows businesses and parents-to-be to have a common place to find parental leave policies from over 180 companies, covering 1 in 6 employed New Zealanders. This is the first register globally to have verified information at a level of detail that can truly help expecting Kiwis plan for one of life’s biggest changes.Crayon Founder, Stephanie Pow understands the importance of transparency between employers and parents to be. "We have always been clear that the register would not be...

The rise of electric vehicles continues

What is mind boggling is the commitment by major brands to lead a paradigm shift from oil burners to electric power. History will judge the speed with which the industry has pivoted, and note the speed of technological advancement. It is a speed that has been fired along by aggressive new brands building EV options from the ground up not hampered by the demands of continuing old technology to satisfy their shareholders.With range anxiety reducing as battery technology advances, what has cau...

Economic growth from investing in arterial routes

Like a lot of Waka Kotahi’s projects, the idea for Southern Links has been around for decades. With the huge success of the Waikato Expressway and the prosperity it conferred on Cambridge and Ruakura, this project delivers similar opportunity for the Waikato, unlocking as it does the Southwest of our region to Te Awamutu and potentially the King Country.The current government has not achieved any significant economic growth from its focus on trains; perhaps a pivot to Southern Links is long ov...

Event reacp: Inspire with Jane Searle

We are grateful for the sponsorship of our Inspire series by Vision Complete Earthworks and the hosting by Ryan Hamilton.Watch a replay of the full interview with Jane on our video platform, or read a summary of the interview below.It's an incredibly sobering fact, but a child dies from abuse every five weeks on average in New Zealand – one of the highest rates in the OECD.This was one of the many insights Jane provided to the audience on the state of child abuse and protection in Aotearo...

Update on The Sleepyhead Estate development at Ohinewai

Earthworks for stage one of The Comfort Group’s Sleepyhead Estate at Ohinewai are now complete, and construction of the company’s foam manufacturing facility on site is well underway and set to be complete in Q3 2023.The 6076m² factory will be New Zealand’s largest foam manufacturing plant and will be operational in early 2024, at which point it will employ 15 people. It will supply 100% of The Comfort Group’s foam for the company’s bedding manufacturing operations in New Zealand.&nbs...

Welcome to the Chamber: Danielle Quigg

Hey Danielle, welcome to the team, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?Originally from the Bay of Plenty, growing up in Rotorua and Te Puke, I moved to Hamilton to attend The University of Waikato in 2017. Graduating with a Bachelor of Communications, majoring in Public Relations and specialising in Event Management at the end of 2019. I enjoy being challenged, keeping busy and creative tasks. Over the last year, a large portion of my spare time has been spent running my own small busine...

Event recap: Westpac Smarts – end-of-year financial focus on the Waikato region

We were fortunate to have two economic experts speak to our members, one from the academic world and the other a familiar face on our TV screens: Michael Cameron, Professor of Economics at The University of Waikato, and Brad Olsen CE and Principal Economist at Infometrics.Many topics were squeezed in to the 45-minute session, so instead of attempting to provide a summary of what was discussed, you can see in bullet point form below all the key points from the event.You can also watch a replay of...

The three “diseases” that are destroying our once world class health sector

Doctors & nurses. We do not have enough, and they are disappearing.When the NZ Rural Health Network chair Dr Fiona Bolden claims “it is not too dramatic to say we are seeing a collapse of health services in rural areas,” we need to wake up and take notice and act.AgeThe numbers tell a stark story of age:·         Median age of all GPs is 54 with 14% over 65.·         One third plan to retire within five sho...

Event recap: Emerge with Shane Marsh from Dosh

With a lot of talk recently in the news about banking, digital disruption, crypto and blockchain, it was very timely to have Shane Marsh, co-founder of New Zealand’s first digital wallet Dosh, talk at our latest Emerge event for Waikato young professionals on March 23.The global trends in financial innovation and how far behind New Zealand is, how Dosh is disrupting financial services in New Zealand, and Dosh’s startup journey and what it takes to challenge a market, were all covered off.Wat...

The A word. Amalgamation

The Waikato Chamber has advocated for a serious discussion about the potential for amalgamation of our region’s councils for years now. A rational discussion grounded in data and driven by a desire for better productivity, reduced bureaucracy, and the drive to do better by the community as a whole. A discussion that considers evidence-based information from the likes of Auckland’s Supercity merger where we drill into what’s worked there – and what hasn’t.In 2018, then-Chamber CEO Chris...

Rebuilding our highways for tomorrow’s needs

As we start to turn our minds to the long and very difficult rebuild effort following the terrible weather events of recent weeks, one of the most pressing questions is: how can we ensure that we are better prepared in the future?Because the depressing consensus is, these events will be a more regular feature of our lives, and those of our children and grandchildren.I’ve spent a lot of time discussing this question with colleagues in the Business Chamber network in the Upper North Island and, ...

Event recap: Westpac Smarts – Building workplaces where women thrive

We are grateful for the sponsorship of Westpac of the Westpac Smarts series. And to our MC for this event, Senga Allen, Founder and Managing Director of Everest People, and the panelists, Reuben Tucker, General Manager of Institutional and Business Banking at Westpac, Rachel Karalus, Chief Executive, K'aute Pasifika Trust and Vanessa Richmond, General Manager, Philips Search and Rescue Trust.Watch a replay of the panel discussion on our video platform, or read a summary of the event below....

Local Government rates and investment for our future

As always local councils debate furiously the percentage increase in rates they need to fund their activities. For years a toxic combination of pet project spending and a need to be re-elected have compromised business-like sensible rate setting.This is the first year of a new electoral cycle; it is a year when councillors should have a razor-sharp approach to council overheads and the funding of non-essential operational spending. In the Waikato’s case it is also a year when they should look ...

Event recap: Inspire with Erana Severne

We are grateful for the sponsorship of our Inspire series by Vision Complete Earthworks and the hosting by Ryan Hamilton.Watch a replay of the full interview with Erana on our video platform, or read a summary of the interview below....

Once the water recedes

Seeing the pictures of the devastation to Hawke’s Bay, it is easy to forget the cyclones also hit Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, Gisborne, Port Waikato, Matamata-Piako, Waitomo, Waihi Beach and many other parts of New ZealandOne of the first responses of many of our members was “How can we help?” those affected by the cyclones. In short, the first responders do a magnificent job, and letting them get on with what they are trained and resourced to do is sensible. This Government has been ...

Interview with Cathan Bowler, host of The Story Hub podcast

The Chamber loves shining a spotlight on inspiring Waikato stories, which is why we’re proud to support The Story Hub Podcast by Chamber member Cathan Bowler of BNZ. Check out our interview with him below.The Story Hub Podcast helps you be inspired & learn from the journeys of successful kiwi professionals. Check it out on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts....

Updates from Hawke’s Bay businesses following Cyclone Gabrielle

There is a lot of speculation currently on the condition of Hawke's Bay, so here’s a summary of the situation:Only pockets of Hawke's Bay were devastated.  These pockets were primarily homes and growers situated near rivers and surrounding hills.Part of the reason for the devastation was due to our river banks (stop banks) giving way.Bridges were swept away between parts of Napier and Hastings and surrounding rural areas;Eskdale – our road to Auckland is closed (this is our artery for m...

Hamilton – the capital of New Zealand?

Media opinion writers are debating Hamilton’s promotion to being our capital city. Why Wellington should no longer be the capital of New ZealandWhat Wellington needs to do if it wants to be a credible capital Christmas and January is traditionally a slow news month so we can’t let this debate slide past without notice.Flattered as we are by the depth of logic in the first Stuff article, we do not want the beltway to shift to Hamilton. A government’s conservative, constrained and burea...

Has Michael Wood been handed three poisoned chalices by the Prime Minister?

As the immigration Minister he controls a complex, sprawling, humanitarian portfolio. Balancing the requirements of the various factions within the Labour Party and a disgruntled business sector crying out for staff, will require a great deal of time, political capital and perseverance.Being the Minister for Auckland will take a lot of time and energy. Auckland has been neglected by Wellington even before the floods. There are so many issues. Choosing which ones to tackle in the meagre nine mont...

Whatever Happened to the CBD?

The Central Business District, as we have known it, is quite probably a thing of the past. The Covid-19 pandemic has merely accelerated the changing character of downtowns amidst poorly rented lower-grade commercial buildings, infrastructure under-investment, cheaper land elsewhere and remote working practices. Prior to the pandemic we were seeing an increase in work mobility, (planned) residential sprawl to the fringe (requiring services and amenities), but we also experienced the redevelopment...

Welcome to our blog!

Welcome to the Waikato Chamber of Commerce blog! Here you can find news about the Chamber, updates on our events, news about our members or the Waikato region, commentary from us or our members, information on our advocacy work and more.If you’re a member and would like to submit something for consideration to be published, or if there’s a good news story in the Waikato you think we should be highlighting, please email us.To find out more about what the Chamber is up to, subscribe to our new...