Author Rachel Loo
Across the infrastructure and construction sectors, material passports are emerging as a promising tool for enabling circularity. They’re often described as a “bank of materials. After all, they catalogue the materials embedded within a building so they can be withdrawn at the end of life and reused elsewhere. I now see material passports as closer in spirit to a donor organ registry than to a financial ledger, say HERA’s Troy Coyle
Back in 2018, Whangārei Airport had a problem — its aging runway was starting to unravel like a well-worn jersey, thanks to heavy oxidation. A full asphalt resurface? That was way out of the budget. In Whangarei that meant extending the life of the runway by improving its watertightness and slowing oxidation. Comprehensive reviews were conducted in year two and year six. EnviroShield provided faster, more cost-effective alternative to conventional resurfacing — delivering long-lasting protection without the hefty price tag
The Health & Safety Event Asia
Date: 10 – 12 November 2026
Venue: Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Singapore
Writeup:
The Health & Safety Event Asia, part of Safety & Security Asia 2026, is the premier gathering for health and safety professionals in APAC. Continue →
WorkSafe finally stirs on industry supported ACOP
It is heartening to see that shortly after the 2026 Yearbook of Industrial Safety News (ISN) appeared, WorkSafe launched three draft Approved Codes of Practice (ACOP). Continue →
Employers recognise benefits but don’t know where to start
Employers see the value in employee health and well-being. The case for action is clear, but many employers still ask, “Where do we start?” Continue →
Buckle up, relax and and enjoy the ride
The age of autonomous vehicles is no longer a distant promise. Continue →
A deep dive into RMA reform
On 9 December 2025, the New Zealand Government released the Natural Environment Bill and the Planning Bill. Continue →
Driving the future of mobility. Mobility is changing, and with it comes a new era of fleet management, technology, and sustainable transport solutions. The Fleet, Tech & e-Mobility Conference & Expo 2026 is where New Zealand’s fleet leaders, automotive industry & transport system innovators, and policymakers come together to explore the future of movement and the transition to smarter, cleaner, and more connected mobility.
Yes minister, and selective hearing
WorkSafe New Zealand has issued a new four-year Statement of Intent 2025-2029, in part reflecting a government directive that will significantly refocus the crown agency from prosecution to support. Continue →
Cannabis, cocaine and the workplace drug landscape
Workplace drug and alcohol risks were a health and safety challenge for employers throughout 2025. Continue →
Build our readiness for emergencies, together. Recent floods and cyclones have underscored the critical need for emergency planning. This conference will bring together the emergency management and civil defence professional community with first responder agencies and other key stakeholders, providing an opportunity for the broad audience to hear the latest developments in emergency management and catastrophic event planning.
Join a community of forward-thinking leaders in March and uncover next-generation strategies and insights to enhance the workplace safety and wellbeing landscape. This summit is not just about keeping up with the pace; it is about shaping your and everyone else’s future.
Australia’s toll roads are mainly built and operated by public–private partnership contracts to shift financial risk from government . The New Zealand government is actively encouraging the same funding model here — a private operator finances, builds and maintains a road in return for the right to collect tolls — often for decades at a time. The problem is that investors build these risks back into the contracts they have with governments.
A Future Fund would secure New Zealand’s infrastructure pipeline, a positive step towards long-term, non partisan infrastructure planning, says a member association which promotes best practice for transport, energy, water, telecommunications and social infrastructure. “Labour’s proposed New Zealand Future Fund could also depoliticise key aspects of the funding process – a long overdue move,” says Infrastructure New Zealand chief Nick Leggett. The Future Fund should complement, not replace, other investment tools.
A survey by Content Partner McKinsey reports that nearly nine out of 10 survey respondents say their organizations are regularly using AI although most have not yet embedded them deeply enough into their workflows and processes to realize material enterprise-level benefits. Organizations are also beginning to explore opportunities with AI agents — systems based on foundation models capable of acting in the real world, planning and executing multiple steps in a workflow.
Height safety basics missed in preventable fall from pole
WorkSafe is cautioning all businesses that work at height to review their safety systems, following sentencing for a fall that nearly killed a KiwiRail employee. Continue →
Election year brinksmanship games are underway early with voters promised free doctor visits from one side and now a call for rate caps in 2027 from the incumbent government. Infrastructure New Zealand’s Nick Leggett warns that the Government’s proposed rate capping policy risks weakening councils at a time when the country urgently needs stronger, better-resourced local government to maintain and build the infrastructure that communities rely upon.
Link Financial has partnered with AI technology company Afterburner to transform the workday for hundreds of advisers, loan writers and administrators in Link’s network. Afterburner automates administrative tasks including mortgage recommendations, analysing business financial statements, bank handover forms, compliance documentation and client interview notes, drafting mortgage applications and writing up expert-level communications to clients and banks. Tasks that previously could take up to a couple of hours can now be completed in seconds.
