If you cannot read this email correctly click HERE or copy and paste the web address below into your browser
http://www.nztcc.org/newsletters/feb2010.html Click here
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
to email any comments to us
|
 |
 NEW ZEALAND THAI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
NEWSLETTER
February 2010 |
|
|
 |
Feb 25th
|
Corporate Knight
Sponsored by
Imaginative Growth
Sheraton Grande Hotel
|
| Feb 25th |
Hedge Funds Revealed
Grande Millenium |
| Mar. 6th |
NZI 2010 NZ Black & White Ball
Amari Watergate Hotel |
Mar 25th
|
Corporate Knight
Sheraton Grande Hotel |
|
|
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
 Dear Members
I hope you are all enjoying the winter Olympics despite the terrible luge accident. Even though New Zealand hasn’t won any medals so far, it is still early days and we can hope our athletes come through.
I am sure we are all waiting with baited breath to see the outcome of the court case on 26th February. Let’s hope the date comes and goes peacefully no matter what the outcome. On 10th February I attended a briefing given by Foreign Minister Khun Kasit Piromya during which he sought to reassure us that the security situation was under control.
Last year, the government introduced the One Start One Stop Shop initiative as part of a drive to facilitate investment in Thailand with the intention of offering a range of investment related services. We would like to get some feedback from any of our members that have had an opportunity to use these services and their experiences so far. The JFCCT is planning to arrange a visit to the centre in the near future to help promote it amongst foreign investors and we will keep you posted on that.
The new customs law that has been passed by cabinet recently effecting penalties charged and limiting the bounty that can be paid to customs officials is a positive step. I’m sure it will be welcomed by those of you that import goods into Thailand.
Unfortunately it is unlikely we will have the list of permitted employment under the revised Foreign Employment Act by 23rd February when it is due to come into effect. What this means in practice is uncertain and it is of concern to us all, particularly those of you who will need to renew work permits in the near future. Despite reassurances that the new regulations will be less restrictive than the old ones, in the absence of concrete information, rumours are bound to circulate. Let’s hope the situation is clarified soon so we know where we stand.
This month our Corporate Knight is sponsored by Imaginative Growth who is the distributor of the Boskke sky planter. This is another great example of New Zealand creativity and ingenuity; only a Kiwi could come up with the concept of an upside down plant and make it work. Many thanks to Dave Littlejohn, Imaginative Growth and the Boskke Team.
Another creative New Zealand mind, artist Wendy Grace Allen, is in Bangkok right now as part of a collaborative art exhibition with Thai and Australian artists. She also has her own solo exhibition and further details are given in this newsletter. I encourage you to support this talented artist.
Last but definitely not least we have the NZI Black and White Ball on the 6th of March. Both the NZ Society and the NZ Chamber have ensured that the planning and organizing that has taken place behind the scenes will make this an outstanding evening. For those who have not yet purchased tickets there a still a few remaining.
We look forward to seeing you all at our friendly networking evening on 25th and the NZI Black & White Ball on the 6th.
Kind regards,
Nikki Cox
President
JANUARY CHAMBER NETWORKING EVENTS
Corporate Knight Networking Event
Thursday, 25th February 2010 6.30pm
@ Sheraton Grande
Kindly sponsored by
Imaginative growth is a product/service provider operating in the Asia/pacific region.
The main business is driven by sales and representation of a range of high quality, innovative products.
Their goal is to offer an attractive range of affordably priced consumer products that will enhance both personal environment and lifestyle …with a little imagination.
They are the distributor in Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong and Malaysia for the Boskke Sky Planter.
Country Manager
Imaginative Growth
Thailand
+662 870752194
Hedge Funds Revealed
Date: Friday 26th February
Time: 12:30
Venue: Grand Millenium, Sukhumvit
3 things you never knew about hedge funds:
i) Alfred Winslow Jones, generally recognised as the father of the hedge fund, was born in Melbourne!
ii) Although Connecticut is the capital of the hedge funds industry, both New Zealand and Australia have outstanding reputations as hedge fund jurisdictions
iii) Hedge funds, which are often seen as a major risk to the financial system, were originally designed with the main aim of reducing risk.
Phil Crotty of NZAM, one of the world's leading hedge fund managers, will be explaining how hedge funds actually work and the secrets of what goes on behind those hedges.
MBMG Group in association with the New Zealand Chamber and Australian Chamber of Commerce will host a lunch at the Grand Millenium on 26th February at 12:00 noon.
Location: Grand Millennium Sukhumvit Bangkok
Click on HERE to see a map of this location:
Duration: 2 hours
Member Cost: THB 750.00
Non-member Cost:THB 950.00
Saturday 6th March 2010 @ 6.30pm
Amari Watergate Hotel
Ticket Price: 3,600 baht Black Tie
The Border Crossing Art Project.
Border Crossing is an art education program art experiments to find ways of collaborating artists. Where each trial collaboration and creative thinking processes with many overlapping layer on the work re-print works of artists from other people within the group.
Curator: Wendy Grace Allen (former surname Dawson).
Co-Curator in Thailand: Dr. Prasert Apichart national army.
Artist: Wendy Grace Allen (original surname Dawson), Dr. Prasert Apichart national army and Helen Stacey.
F Exhibition Gallery at the Art Resources. Institute Resources Center. Chulalongkorn University.
on February 5th - March 6th, 2010.
Exhibition opening Friday, February 5, 2553 at 18.00-20.00 hrs
Tel: 0-2218-2965, Fax: 0-2218-2907.
Email: info.artcenterchula @ gmail.com.
Web: www.car.chula.ac.th / art.
Monday-Friday 9am-7pm, Saturday 9am-4pm.
Closed on Sunday & Public Holidays.
Wendy also has a Solo Art Exhibition - Rural Go Go,
of Glass & Bronze Sculpture- Photography- Painting
At the Jamjuree Art Gallery, Jamjuree 8 Bldg, Chulalongkorn University, Phayathai Road
From the 24th February to the 15th March.
KIWI CORNER
Some recent Kiwi Snippets and Kiwis in the news:
New Zealand WinsTop Travel Spot for 2010
New Zealand has been named one of the top ten countries in the world to visit in 2010.
Australia didn't make the grade in the Lonely Planet's new popular Best in Travel guide, although the southwest of Western Australia won a spot in the top ten regions worldwide.
The travel bible named New Zealand on the basis of the adage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". The authors said the last time they checked "the land of Maori and hobbits certainly didn't need repairing".
Thumbs up for green power scheme on West Coast
A green friendly hydro-electric power scheme on the West Coast has won resource consent. Hydro Development Ltd (HDL) said it had received a formal decision on its Stockton Plateau hydro scheme allowing the company to harness tributaries of the Ngakawau River. The plan consists of using polluted water from the coal mines on the Stockton Plateau and channelling it through tunnels, reservoirs and power stations, to generate power before discarding it in an ocean outfall offshore.
Commissioners, appointed by West Coast Regional Council and Buller District Council, said the project met Resource Management Act tests. The scheme "enables the use, development, or protection of natural and physical resources in a way and at a rate to enable communities to provide for their social and economic well being and their health and safety", they said. They added that it would stop a large volume of acid mine drainage from entering the Ngakawau River which should improve water quality, while using that contaminated water to generate "a much needed local supply of electricity".
Ray Avery: New Zealander of the Year
Aucklander Ray Avery, 62, a scientist, inventor and social entrepreneur was announced New Zealander of the Year by Prime Minister John Key.
The award recognises Kiwis who make a major contribution to the nation and inspire through their achievements.
An estimated 30 million people by 2020 will benefit from Mr Avery's development of intraocular lenses implanted into the eyes of those suffering cataract blindness.
But Mr Avery is self-deprecating, saying: “I am not particularly clever, I’m just a focusing mechanism for the endeavours of a lot of other clever people. What I do is come up with a basic idea in a very Burt Muro way.”
An Englishman by birth, he says he loves the number eight wire Kiwi ‘can do’ attitude. It is what made him decide to settle here.
He says New Zealanders do not understand how phenomenally clever they are.
“If Aussie is the lucky country, then New Zealand is the clever country,” he says.
Rugged good looks as a passport to All Blacks?
An idea that could revolutionise All Blacks selection emerged from the Papa Aroha camping ground, north of Coromandel. Amid the exotic fumes of mosquito repellent, in the gentle light of a gas lantern, a group of women, ranging from the teenaged to the grandmotherly, suggested that, to attract more women to the game, the NZRU should ignore form as a criteria for All Blacks selection, and instead pick purely on looks.
This is how some of team panned out.
Mils Muliaina came close with his "sweetness", but Cory Jane took the fullback spot on the grounds of being more edgy. Zac Guildford romped one wing ("lovely" was the most common description), but for the other the NZRU was urged to move heaven and earth to get Doug Howlett back. No shock at centre. Conrad Smith may be likeable and have a law degree, but Richard Kahui was the unanimous choice. Ma'a Nonu was the second-five, for what was described as his teddy bear qualities.
With just one dissenting vote from the grandmother corner ("he's a bit too perfect") Dan Carter for first-five was passed by acclaim. Halfback saw a sharp division between Andy Ellis ("nice hair") and Jimmy Cowan, who won support from the "we like bad boys" voting bloc. In the end, nice hair won the day.
Training ground shots of Rodney So'oialo without a shirt sealed his selection at No8, and Richie McCaw fans will be pleased to hear he apparently ticked all the boxes, from looks to good manners.
John Mitchell will probably not be delighted that he was picked as coach, given that the selling point was how he's got "lovely soft eyes, sort of like a jersey cow".
Fonterra to Invest in More Farms in China
Fonterra announced it intends to invest in two more dairy farms in China, to continue growing a high quality and secure supply of milk on the ground.
Philip Turner, Managing Director for Fonterra China, said that the Chinese dairy industry is continuing to develop quickly but that the current supply of high quality fresh milk cannot keep up with demand.
“We are looking to help grow a safe, secure and sustainable milk supply in China in order to meet this demand and expand our customer base.”
The China dairy market is set to become the world’s largest dairy market in the next few decades and is forecast to experience double digit annual growth over the next 10 years. The Chinese Government has acknowledged that the development of the dairy farming industry is not only crucial for meeting the growth in demand, but also for developing rural communities and their livelihoods.
Digital Literacy Productivity Gain Valued
A research report released today by the New Zealand Computer Society Inc (NZCS) found that tackling digital literacy and core computing skills formally, via en masse implementation of a digital literacy standard, would increase New Zealand’s productivity by $1.7 Billion per year.
The report, completed by research consultants analysed the findings of research conducted throughout the world then applied the result to New Zealand’s environment to find the expected outcome of implementing similar programmes en masse in New Zealand.
“In terms of improved productivity, the report conservatively projects average savings per worker in New Zealand of $1820 per annum as a direct result of improved ICT skills and confidence after implementing a digital literacy standard. Projected across 70% of the country’s working population, this results in a net productivity improvement across New Zealand of $1.7 billion per year,” NZCS Chief Executive Paul Matthews said.
A copy of the full report can be downloaded at http://bit.ly/diglit
NEW ZEALAND AUSTRALIA INVESTMENT FORUM
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, in partnership with Australian Trade Commission, invite you to attend the inaugural New Zealand-Australia Investment Forum:
This not-to-be-missed event will provide you with:
- introductions to New Zealand and Australian investment-ready targets
- insights and access to leaders from some of the region's most successful companies, opinion makers and thought leaders
- connections to key targets through our "business connections program"
- a head start to explore the exciting new investment opportunities both countries have to offer
This is a unique chance to fast-track the development of strategic investment relationships, build your investment pipeline, and hear from some of the region's top corporate leaders. You will hear how New Zealand and Australia have responded to the new international economic environment and find out first hand where some of the new investment opportunities are.
For more information visit www.investmentnz.govt.nz/investmentforum.
We look forward to seeing you in Auckland in 2010.
Tim Gibson
Chief Executive
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise
NEW ZEALAND'S ROLE IN THE MOVIE 'AVATAR'
 The futuristic world and blue creatures in the hit movie Avatar have their roots in an unusual data center situated in Miramar, a suburb of Wellington, New Zealand.
The stunning images in the James Cameron movie were created by Weta Digital Ltd., a visual effects company co-founded by filmmaker Peter Jackson that was also responsible for the computer-rendered scenes in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
The company's digital artists transformed the director's vision into screen reality using 3-D imaging software, fine-tuning every frame multiple times. Each minute of Avatar represents 17.28GB of data, according to Weta Digital.
At the heart of the data-intensive process is a 10,000-square-foot server farm that's packed with 34 racks and more than 4,000 blade servers.
Because the servers run 24 hours at full capacity when a deadline looms, typical air conditioning techniques couldn't keep up with the heat generated by the servers. So the center uses water-cooled racks from Rittal Corp. and "free cooling" courtesy of the area's chilly climate.
Footnote: NZ taxpayers gave $45m to make Avatar
Much of the digital post-production work was done in New Zealand via Weta Digital, and the makers received $44.69 million from the Large Budget Screen Production Grant (LBSPG).
This earned the wrath of Green Party co-leader Russel Norman, who said the grant was "excessive" and that the subsidy should be capped.
But Economic Development Minister Gerry Brownlee said today the grant delivered more than $307 million in expenditure to the New Zealand economy.
CHAMBER UPDATES
One Start One Stop Investment Center
The One Start One Stop Investment Center (OSOS) opened for business on November 23rd 2009. The following investment-related agencies are some of those represented at OSOS:
- Department of Business Development
- Customs, Revenue and Excise Departments
- Department of Labor Protection and Welfare
- Office of the Board of Investment
- Department of Industrial Works
- Department of Lands
- Food and Drug Administration
In total, 21 Thai government departments are housed at the OSOS. The services provided at the OSOS will include registering a company, obtaining investment promotion privileges, arranging for the newly-broadened Environmental Impact Assessments to be completed, obtaining licenses for foreign business, and obtaining utilities to a new business site.
We are looking for feedback from members who have used the service, or for input on why members might not have used it. It is viewed as a good initiative from the government and we would like to make sure it provides benefits to as many as possible.
Keep Up to Date with Kiwi Regional Events
Check out whats going on with Kea – New Zealand’s global talent network around the region HERE or New Zealand Chamber of Commerce Singapore HERE
|
|
| © 2010 New Zealand Thai Chamber of Commerce www.nztcc.org
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
|
If you cannot read this email correctly click HERE or copy and paste the web address below into your browser
http://www.nztcc.org/newsletters/feb2010.html Click here
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
to email any comments to us
|
 |
 NEW ZEALAND THAI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
NEWSLETTER
February 2010 |
|
|
 |
Feb 25th
|
Corporate Knight
Sponsored by
Imaginative Growth
Sheraton Grande Hotel
|
| Feb 25th |
Hedge Funds Revealed
Grande Millenium |
| Mar. 6th |
NZI 2010 NZ Black & White Ball
Amari Watergate Hotel |
Mar 25th
|
Corporate Knight
Sheraton Grande Hotel |
|
|
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
 Dear Members
I hope you are all enjoying the winter Olympics despite the terrible luge accident. Even though New Zealand hasn’t won any medals so far, it is still early days and we can hope our athletes come through.
I am sure we are all waiting with baited breath to see the outcome of the court case on 26th February. Let’s hope the date comes and goes peacefully no matter what the outcome. On 10th February I attended a briefing given by Foreign Minister Khun Kasit Piromya during which he sought to reassure us that the security situation was under control.
Last year, the government introduced the One Start One Stop Shop initiative as part of a drive to facilitate investment in Thailand with the intention of offering a range of investment related services. We would like to get some feedback from any of our members that have had an opportunity to use these services and their experiences so far. The JFCCT is planning to arrange a visit to the centre in the near future to help promote it amongst foreign investors and we will keep you posted on that.
The new customs law that has been passed by cabinet recently effecting penalties charged and limiting the bounty that can be paid to customs officials is a positive step. I’m sure it will be welcomed by those of you that import goods into Thailand.
Unfortunately it is unlikely we will have the list of permitted employment under the revised Foreign Employment Act by 23rd February when it is due to come into effect. What this means in practice is uncertain and it is of concern to us all, particularly those of you who will need to renew work permits in the near future. Despite reassurances that the new regulations will be less restrictive than the old ones, in the absence of concrete information, rumours are bound to circulate. Let’s hope the situation is clarified soon so we know where we stand.
This month our Corporate Knight is sponsored by Imaginative Growth who is the distributor of the Boskke sky planter. This is another great example of New Zealand creativity and ingenuity; only a Kiwi could come up with the concept of an upside down plant and make it work. Many thanks to Dave Littlejohn, Imaginative Growth and the Boskke Team.
Another creative New Zealand mind, artist Wendy Grace Allen, is in Bangkok right now as part of a collaborative art exhibition with Thai and Australian artists. She also has her own solo exhibition and further details are given in this newsletter. I encourage you to support this talented artist.
Last but definitely not least we have the NZI Black and White Ball on the 6th of March. Both the NZ Society and the NZ Chamber have ensured that the planning and organizing that has taken place behind the scenes will make this an outstanding evening. For those who have not yet purchased tickets there a still a few remaining.
We look forward to seeing you all at our friendly networking evening on 25th and the NZI Black & White Ball on the 6th.
Kind regards,
Nikki Cox
President
JANUARY CHAMBER NETWORKING EVENTS
Corporate Knight Networking Event
Thursday, 25th February 2010 6.30pm
@ Sheraton Grande
Kindly sponsored by
Imaginative growth is a product/service provider operating in the Asia/pacific region.
The main business is driven by sales and representation of a range of high quality, innovative products.
Their goal is to offer an attractive range of affordably priced consumer products that will enhance both personal environment and lifestyle …with a little imagination.
They are the distributor in Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong and Malaysia for the Boskke Sky Planter.
Country Manager
Imaginative Growth
Thailand
+662 870752194
Hedge Funds Revealed
Date: Friday 26th February
Time: 12:30
Venue: Grand Millenium, Sukhumvit
3 things you never knew about hedge funds:
i) Alfred Winslow Jones, generally recognised as the father of the hedge fund, was born in Melbourne!
ii) Although Connecticut is the capital of the hedge funds industry, both New Zealand and Australia have outstanding reputations as hedge fund jurisdictions
iii) Hedge funds, which are often seen as a major risk to the financial system, were originally designed with the main aim of reducing risk.
Phil Crotty of NZAM, one of the world's leading hedge fund managers, will be explaining how hedge funds actually work and the secrets of what goes on behind those hedges.
MBMG Group in association with the New Zealand Chamber and Australian Chamber of Commerce will host a lunch at the Grand Millenium on 26th February at 12:00 noon.
Location: Grand Millennium Sukhumvit Bangkok
Click on HERE to see a map of this location:
Duration: 2 hours
Member Cost: THB 750.00
Non-member Cost:THB 950.00
Saturday 6th March 2010 @ 6.30pm
Amari Watergate Hotel
Ticket Price: 3,600 baht Black Tie
The Border Crossing Art Project.
Border Crossing is an art education program art experiments to find ways of collaborating artists. Where each trial collaboration and creative thinking processes with many overlapping layer on the work re-print works of artists from other people within the group.
Curator: Wendy Grace Allen (former surname Dawson).
Co-Curator in Thailand: Dr. Prasert Apichart national army.
Artist: Wendy Grace Allen (original surname Dawson), Dr. Prasert Apichart national army and Helen Stacey.
F Exhibition Gallery at the Art Resources. Institute Resources Center. Chulalongkorn University.
on February 5th - March 6th, 2010.
Exhibition opening Friday, February 5, 2553 at 18.00-20.00 hrs
Tel: 0-2218-2965, Fax: 0-2218-2907.
Email: info.artcenterchula @ gmail.com.
Web: www.car.chula.ac.th / art.
Monday-Friday 9am-7pm, Saturday 9am-4pm.
Closed on Sunday & Public Holidays.
Wendy also has a Solo Art Exhibition - Rural Go Go,
of Glass & Bronze Sculpture- Photography- Painting
At the Jamjuree Art Gallery, Jamjuree 8 Bldg, Chulalongkorn University, Phayathai Road
From the 24th February to the 15th March.
KIWI CORNER
Some recent Kiwi Snippets and Kiwis in the news:
New Zealand WinsTop Travel Spot for 2010
New Zealand has been named one of the top ten countries in the world to visit in 2010.
Australia didn't make the grade in the Lonely Planet's new popular Best in Travel guide, although the southwest of Western Australia won a spot in the top ten regions worldwide.
The travel bible named New Zealand on the basis of the adage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". The authors said the last time they checked "the land of Maori and hobbits certainly didn't need repairing".
Thumbs up for green power scheme on West Coast
A green friendly hydro-electric power scheme on the West Coast has won resource consent. Hydro Development Ltd (HDL) said it had received a formal decision on its Stockton Plateau hydro scheme allowing the company to harness tributaries of the Ngakawau River. The plan consists of using polluted water from the coal mines on the Stockton Plateau and channelling it through tunnels, reservoirs and power stations, to generate power before discarding it in an ocean outfall offshore.
Commissioners, appointed by West Coast Regional Council and Buller District Council, said the project met Resource Management Act tests. The scheme "enables the use, development, or protection of natural and physical resources in a way and at a rate to enable communities to provide for their social and economic well being and their health and safety", they said. They added that it would stop a large volume of acid mine drainage from entering the Ngakawau River which should improve water quality, while using that contaminated water to generate "a much needed local supply of electricity".
Ray Avery: New Zealander of the Year
Aucklander Ray Avery, 62, a scientist, inventor and social entrepreneur was announced New Zealander of the Year by Prime Minister John Key.
The award recognises Kiwis who make a major contribution to the nation and inspire through their achievements.
An estimated 30 million people by 2020 will benefit from Mr Avery's development of intraocular lenses implanted into the eyes of those suffering cataract blindness.
But Mr Avery is self-deprecating, saying: “I am not particularly clever, I’m just a focusing mechanism for the endeavours of a lot of other clever people. What I do is come up with a basic idea in a very Burt Muro way.”
An Englishman by birth, he says he loves the number eight wire Kiwi ‘can do’ attitude. It is what made him decide to settle here.
He says New Zealanders do not understand how phenomenally clever they are.
“If Aussie is the lucky country, then New Zealand is the clever country,” he says.
Rugged good looks as a passport to All Blacks?
An idea that could revolutionise All Blacks selection emerged from the Papa Aroha camping ground, north of Coromandel. Amid the exotic fumes of mosquito repellent, in the gentle light of a gas lantern, a group of women, ranging from the teenaged to the grandmotherly, suggested that, to attract more women to the game, the NZRU should ignore form as a criteria for All Blacks selection, and instead pick purely on looks.
This is how some of team panned out.
Mils Muliaina came close with his "sweetness", but Cory Jane took the fullback spot on the grounds of being more edgy. Zac Guildford romped one wing ("lovely" was the most common description), but for the other the NZRU was urged to move heaven and earth to get Doug Howlett back. No shock at centre. Conrad Smith may be likeable and have a law degree, but Richard Kahui was the unanimous choice. Ma'a Nonu was the second-five, for what was described as his teddy bear qualities.
With just one dissenting vote from the grandmother corner ("he's a bit too perfect") Dan Carter for first-five was passed by acclaim. Halfback saw a sharp division between Andy Ellis ("nice hair") and Jimmy Cowan, who won support from the "we like bad boys" voting bloc. In the end, nice hair won the day.
Training ground shots of Rodney So'oialo without a shirt sealed his selection at No8, and Richie McCaw fans will be pleased to hear he apparently ticked all the boxes, from looks to good manners.
John Mitchell will probably not be delighted that he was picked as coach, given that the selling point was how he's got "lovely soft eyes, sort of like a jersey cow".
Fonterra to Invest in More Farms in China
Fonterra announced it intends to invest in two more dairy farms in China, to continue growing a high quality and secure supply of milk on the ground.
Philip Turner, Managing Director for Fonterra China, said that the Chinese dairy industry is continuing to develop quickly but that the current supply of high quality fresh milk cannot keep up with demand.
“We are looking to help grow a safe, secure and sustainable milk supply in China in order to meet this demand and expand our customer base.”
The China dairy market is set to become the world’s largest dairy market in the next few decades and is forecast to experience double digit annual growth over the next 10 years. The Chinese Government has acknowledged that the development of the dairy farming industry is not only crucial for meeting the growth in demand, but also for developing rural communities and their livelihoods.
Digital Literacy Productivity Gain Valued
A research report released today by the New Zealand Computer Society Inc (NZCS) found that tackling digital literacy and core computing skills formally, via en masse implementation of a digital literacy standard, would increase New Zealand’s productivity by $1.7 Billion per year.
The report, completed by research consultants analysed the findings of research conducted throughout the world then applied the result to New Zealand’s environment to find the expected outcome of implementing similar programmes en masse in New Zealand.
“In terms of improved productivity, the report conservatively projects average savings per worker in New Zealand of $1820 per annum as a direct result of improved ICT skills and confidence after implementing a digital literacy standard. Projected across 70% of the country’s working population, this results in a net productivity improvement across New Zealand of $1.7 billion per year,” NZCS Chief Executive Paul Matthews said.
A copy of the full report can be downloaded at http://bit.ly/diglit
NEW ZEALAND AUSTRALIA INVESTMENT FORUM
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, in partnership with Australian Trade Commission, invite you to attend the inaugural New Zealand-Australia Investment Forum:
This not-to-be-missed event will provide you with:
- introductions to New Zealand and Australian investment-ready targets
- insights and access to leaders from some of the region's most successful companies, opinion makers and thought leaders
- connections to key targets through our "business connections program"
- a head start to explore the exciting new investment opportunities both countries have to offer
This is a unique chance to fast-track the development of strategic investment relationships, build your investment pipeline, and hear from some of the region's top corporate leaders. You will hear how New Zealand and Australia have responded to the new international economic environment and find out first hand where some of the new investment opportunities are.
For more information visit www.investmentnz.govt.nz/investmentforum.
We look forward to seeing you in Auckland in 2010.
Tim Gibson
Chief Executive
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise
NEW ZEALAND'S ROLE IN THE MOVIE 'AVATAR'
 The futuristic world and blue creatures in the hit movie Avatar have their roots in an unusual data center situated in Miramar, a suburb of Wellington, New Zealand.
The stunning images in the James Cameron movie were created by Weta Digital Ltd., a visual effects company co-founded by filmmaker Peter Jackson that was also responsible for the computer-rendered scenes in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
The company's digital artists transformed the director's vision into screen reality using 3-D imaging software, fine-tuning every frame multiple times. Each minute of Avatar represents 17.28GB of data, according to Weta Digital.
At the heart of the data-intensive process is a 10,000-square-foot server farm that's packed with 34 racks and more than 4,000 blade servers.
Because the servers run 24 hours at full capacity when a deadline looms, typical air conditioning techniques couldn't keep up with the heat generated by the servers. So the center uses water-cooled racks from Rittal Corp. and "free cooling" courtesy of the area's chilly climate.
Footnote: NZ taxpayers gave $45m to make Avatar
Much of the digital post-production work was done in New Zealand via Weta Digital, and the makers received $44.69 million from the Large Budget Screen Production Grant (LBSPG).
This earned the wrath of Green Party co-leader Russel Norman, who said the grant was "excessive" and that the subsidy should be capped.
But Economic Development Minister Gerry Brownlee said today the grant delivered more than $307 million in expenditure to the New Zealand economy.
CHAMBER UPDATES
One Start One Stop Investment Center
The One Start One Stop Investment Center (OSOS) opened for business on November 23rd 2009. The following investment-related agencies are some of those represented at OSOS:
- Department of Business Development
- Customs, Revenue and Excise Departments
- Department of Labor Protection and Welfare
- Office of the Board of Investment
- Department of Industrial Works
- Department of Lands
- Food and Drug Administration
In total, 21 Thai government departments are housed at the OSOS. The services provided at the OSOS will include registering a company, obtaining investment promotion privileges, arranging for the newly-broadened Environmental Impact Assessments to be completed, obtaining licenses for foreign business, and obtaining utilities to a new business site.
We are looking for feedback from members who have used the service, or for input on why members might not have used it. It is viewed as a good initiative from the government and we would like to make sure it provides benefits to as many as possible.
Keep Up to Date with Kiwi Regional Events
Check out whats going on with Kea – New Zealand’s global talent network around the region HERE or New Zealand Chamber of Commerce Singapore HERE
|
|
| © 2010 New Zealand Thai Chamber of Commerce www.nztcc.org
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
|
|
Chamber News 
