It’s landlords who are finding themselves out in the cold as property managers begin to walk away from clients who haven’t insulated their rentals, reports Don Rowe. Two weeks after the first of New Zealand’s healthy homes deadlines, property managers are dropping landlords who refuse to insulate. David Faulkner, director of property management consulting firm … Read more
A vulnerability has hit users everywhere, New Zealand included, and it reveals something very troubling about the way the tech world works New Zealand Schools, district health boards and even perhaps the halls of power have found themselves compromised by a vulnerability in a video conference app called Zoom. The exploit allows any user to … Read more
The Lightbulb asks innovators and entrepreneurs how they turned their ideas into reality. This week we talk to Huski co-founder Simon Huesser about developing vacuum insulated ‘coolers’ that keep beer and wine cold for hours on end. First of all, give us your elevator pitch for Huski. Huski is all about creating better drinking experiences … Read more
Will we ever really adopt electric vehicles? Should we believe oil companies that say they want to help? Clean energy expert Michael Liebreich gives his two cents. Not that long ago, the concept of “clean energy” seemed like a wildly radical idea. Few people cared or even knew about the dangers of climate change and … Read more
Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand, with the interview available as both audio and a transcribed excerpt. This week he talks to HoneyLab co-founder Dr Shaun Holt, creator of … Read more
Quotas of women at the top are creating a backlash; an ‘opt-out’ system of considering all suitably qualified females for promotion is a better way forward, argues an expert. For years women have been told that to break through the glass ceiling they need to be proactive, find mentors, deconstruct the barriers they create for … Read more
Don Rowe speaks to the founder of a new chatbot connecting tenants with the rental information they need. In a world where Facebook is culpable in genocides, sham elections and the corrosion of trust in the media, it’s nice to know it can be used for good, too. Rentbot is a new chatbot from Citizen … Read more
One startup was banned by the government. Another founder was thrown in prison. Duncan Greive describes what he found on two trips to Asia earlier this year. The moment I realised where I really was is etched into my mind. Kirsten Han, the editor-in-chief of New Naratif, was explaining the constraints under which her news … Read more
An online shopping platform that lets you see with one click how healthy and sustainable a product is and whether it’s locally made is on the way, reports Maria Slade. Peanut butter choice is a deeply personal thing and the wrong brand at breakfast is a bad start to anyone’s day. Left to my own … Read more
He was one of the first employees at NZ tech icons TradeMe, Xero and Vend. He’s just started his first company since the ‘90s. So why does Rowan Simpson want out already? The itch started in Cuba. Rowan Simpson was in the midst of a yearlong trip around the world with his still-young family when … Read more
The Lightbulb asks innovators and entrepreneurs how they turned their ideas into reality. This week we talk to Socius VR’s Anzel Singh who’s working to create VR videos for people with autism to practice social interaction. First of all, give us your elevator pitch for Socius VR. Socius VR is virtual reality system for people … Read more
Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand, with the interview available as both audio and a transcribed excerpt. This week he talks to Ben Nathan, CEO and founder of Container … Read more
If your property manager tries to charge you a ridiculous ‘cleaning’ charge when you leave your place, there’s something you can do, writes Sam Grover – and he should know, because he did it. The other week, I saw a story about a property manager named Whittle Knight and Boatwood Estate Agents who took a … Read more
In our Q&A series, The Lightbulb, we ask innovators and entrepreneurs to tell us about how they turned their ideas into reality. This week we talk to The Curator’s Marica Frost who went from dealing with refugee law to building a free virtual wedding planner from scratch. First of all, give us your elevator pitch for … Read more
‘Fail fast’ has gone from an intriguing idea to mainstream business orthodoxy in just a few short years. Jihee Junn went along to the pricey business event dedicated entirely to ‘falling forward’. It was about 9am by the time I arrived and instantly my senses were overloaded. One moment I’m wading through rush hour traffic making … Read more
Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand, with the interview available as both audio and a transcribed excerpt. This week he talks to Angela Lim, co-founder and CEO of a … Read more
The incoming R&D tax credits scheme makes government research and development incentives available to a much wider range of Kiwi businesses. But there are caveats to be aware of, reports Jihee Junn. You don’t need to know a whole lot about business to understand the value of R&D. It’s what keeps businesses competitive, sustainable and … Read more
Why are so many companies having to pay out extra holiday pay? Here’s all you need to know. A long list of companies are being forced to pay out extra holiday pay to their employees after failing to interpret the Holidays Act correctly. The latest is Restaurant Brands, which joins the likes of NZ Police, … Read more
Air conditioning company Airtech has developed a safety app and is making a video in lieu of punishment after two of its workers became seriously ill from carbon monoxide poisoning. Brian Stokes reckons paying for health and safety advice is a “ripoff”. The owner of Auckland air conditioning and refrigeration company Airtech has learned this … Read more
The red, yellow, and black trikes are everywhere. But where did they come from and how did they get here? Madeleine Chapman investigates. Walk past any daycare centre or kindy in New Zealand and you’ll hear the sound of plastic wheels on concrete, or plastic wheels on decking. That’s the Triang A.T. Cycle, and if … Read more
In the same week as Steve Brooks placed an unorthodox election ad for National his fringe lending business has called for looser restrictions on its activities. The businessman behind a bizarre unauthorised ad for the National Party runs a payday lending operation that has opposed government efforts to limit the amount vulnerable borrowers must pay. … Read more
Over 2.8 million New Zealanders are signed up for Kiwisaver, but not many are aware of where that money is going. Weaponry, fossil fuels and gambling services are all being invested in from some of the most popular funds, and a new charity tool is making it one step easier to change what you’re investing … Read more
While bargain hunters get excited that cut-price retailer Costco is on the way, across the Tasman opportunity lurks for New Zealand firms targeting the other end of the shopping spectrum, writes Bella Katz. Luxury. It’s a New Zealand brand’s friend in Australia. If New Zealand companies don’t position their consumer products at the high end … Read more
In our Q&A series, The Lightbulb, we ask innovators and entrepreneurs to tell us about how they turned their ideas into reality. This week we talk to Honeywrap co-founder Tara McQuinn, makers of organic fabric beeswax wraps. First of all, give us your elevator pitch for Honeywrap. Honeywrap is a beeswax wrap made with organic cotton. … Read more
Not calling it ‘Facebucks’ might be a lost opportunity but the giant social media platform’s new form of money could offer benefits to New Zealanders, writes Aaron McDonald. Facebook’s foray into cryptocurrency has a lot of people shaking their heads in unequal parts of confusion, disbelief and misunderstanding. Blockchain is an emerging technology, one that … Read more
Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand, with the interview available as both audio and a transcribed excerpt. This week he talks to John Henderson, a partner at one of … Read more
Public service chief executives are now more interested in making their mark than providing government ministers with decent advice – and it’s having disastrous consequences, a former senior Treasury official writes. Sometimes on a Tuesday morning you may hear a low, vaguely rhythmic rumble coming from a Treasury meeting room. A handful of its middle-aged … Read more
John Key insisted that the CEO of the bank had been treated in the same way a junior teller would be. Can anyone take that seriously, asks Cat MacLennan When I was a lawyer at Manukau, we used to sit in the lawyers’ room and marvel at the lenient sentences given to the rich, to … Read more
AliExpo 2019 proved New Zealand’s ‘clean, green’ image remains as strong as ever, reports Jihee Junn. At Alibaba’s e-commerce expo on Friday, ‘brand New Zealand’ was at its sales-pitch best. There were face masks, eye masks, hand creams and serums made from the most natural of ingredients this side of the world had to offer. … Read more