WANANGA JOINS TERTIARY PARTNERSHIP
Whakatane-based Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi has joined the University of Waikato and Bay of Plenty Polytechnic partnership which delivers education solutions for the wider Bay of Plenty. In 2008, the polytechnic and university formalised their relationship by signing a partnership agreement to meet the growing needs of the region. The agreement allows students to staircase seamlessly between the institutions, and it delivers research and education solutions that will ultimately help address skill shortages in the region. On August 24 Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi was brought into the agreement. The widening of the partnership is one result from the region’s Tertiary Action Plan which suggested broadening it would better meet the needs of Māori and the Eastern Bay of Plenty region.
AIR NZ DOUBLES CHRISTCHURCH FLIGHTS
Air New Zealand is now doubling flights between Tauranga and Christchurch. The airline has had to increase capacity to its domestic operations, in particular additional flights at peak times, as a response to customer feedback. Regional capacity between the two cities has increased by 120 percent. Group General Manager Australasia Bruce Parton says there's definitely a demand now for domestic travel. He says there's now between five and eleven return services per week.
BOOST FOR PORT
Port of Tauranga's bid to become an international hub port has just received a major boost. The Shippers Council has recommended the port as a logical choice to accommodate larger container ships. Most international container ships now carry 7 thousand 'twenty foot equivalent' containers onboard. That means ports around the world are having to expand to accommodate. Port of Tauranga CEO Mark Cairns says his port is already New Zealand's largest by volume. He says the port could take on the extra work without adding debt. And Zespri says upgrading shipping ports for larger ships is the way to go. Shipping Manager Mike Knowles says that'll be the deciding factor for export industries securing international supply. He says they cannot afford to turn the bigger ships away from our ports, and risk having shipping services become increasingly ‘boutique’ in nature.
TAURANGA YOUNG PROFESSIONALS NOW ONLINE
A new website has been created to profile the Western Bay of Plenty's premier networks for young professional people. The Priority One Young Professional's forum and the Tauranga Chamber of Commerce Rocket network have partnered in the initiative to make it easy for the sub-regions younger professionals to meet one another and get involved in local business and civic issues. To view the website visit
www.taurangayp.org.nz