The danger we still do not see
Asbestos is often seen as a problem of the past. New Zealand banned imports of asbestos products in 2016, but the truth is more confronting says Site Safe NZ Chief Executive Brett Murray. Continue →
Author Rachel Loo
Hazardous dust is dangerous but easily controllable
Some of the most common construction and manufacturing jobs can create high levels of hazardous dust. Continue →
For more than a century, Alzheimer’s disease has been defined by its tragic endpoint: the slow, heartbreaking erosion of memory, cognition and self. Scientists are redefining Alzheimer’s disease, with new tools that can measure biological signals before late-stage cognitive symptoms appear. This new understanding is leading to a generation of therapies designed to intercept the disease before it takes hold.
Ashburton mayoral candidate Jeff Ryan doorsteps the finance minister asking for road user charges to stay in the region – and gets firmly turned down. Nicola Willis says the government needs to money for new state highways. To add insult to injury he gets flak from his own townmates as well. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained,” says Ryan.
Tyre-to-tyre recycling is still very much the exception rather than the rule. However, innovative technologies do exist. The EU-funded BlackCycle project established a full circular value chain from collection to tyre production. Jean-Michel Douarre, BlackCycle Consortium Director and research programme leader on sustainable raw materials at Michelin, talked with WMW about the project’s outcome, the future of tyre recycling and how 100 percent sustainability is possible.
Forward planning for excavation
Digging into the ground might seem straightforward, but excavation work is actually one of the most dangerous parts of construction. Continue →
Hamilton Council has plans to introduce a bylaw with $20K fines for sleeping on park benches but it’s OK to sleep on the grass alongside. Funny, if it wasn’t so tragic for the homeless. Whakatane district councillors question why cemeteries, public toilets, animal control, liquor licenses and consents are not considered core services for councils in the Government (Systems Improvement) Amendment bill. Minister Simon Watts says the government is “refocusing” councils to prioritise essential services first, rather than nice-to-haves”. So much for toilets and cemeteries.
While momentum for enterprise AI is building in Australia and New Zealand, businesses are increasingly relying on external experts to address skills shortages and develop scalable AI infrastructure. Dell Tech and NVIDIA commissioned a comprehensive analysis on AI adoption by enterprises, with specific insights for Australia and New Zealand. The full report outlines how organisations can overcome adoption challenges and includes trends in enterprise AI, how to drive AI, GenAI and machine learning adoption or see reports on home pages.
Life sciences, or biology as many older readers know it, is crucial for advancement in medicine and agriculture. It is the study of living organisms, their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, and distribution. Capital expenditures grew 13 percent a year from 2022 to 2024 as biopharma and medtech firms committed billions of dollars to expand production capacity and improve supply chain resilience. But capital alone doesn’t drive outcomes and McKinsey outlines what traditions need to be broken.
Healthcare hurries to get ahead of AI disruption
The Asia Pacific region holds immense potential to lead the way in AI adoption and innovation. Continue →
Safety & compliance prequalification guidance for WorkSafe
As part of wider health and safety reforms, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden is consulting with builders and construction professionals. Continue →
Nothing is surer than the fact the AVs are coming, like it or not. So says Russell King in an article on AVs and how cities will remain sustainable. The nightmare scenario is that we privately owned vehicles with privately owned AVs, inducing demand for more car use and creating more congestion in our cities. There is a way to coexist if we get the planning right.
Managers already use generative AI tools more than anyone else, and it’s boosting confidence in their ability to lead. But what makes for a good AI coach – versus one that may lead you astray? From spotting the difference between an evidence-based AI coach and one that just says yes, to leveraging conversational AI to practice tricky conversations before they happen, Culture Amp has put together insights to help you proceed with confidence.
NZX listed Property for Industry Ltd has delivered a strong result for the 12 months ended 30 June, posting a $106.5 million after-tax profit on its $2.17 billion portfolio. It reflects the company’s “strategic positioning and the resilience of its core industrial portfolio,” says Chief Executive Officer, Simon Woodhams.” With the valuation cycle turning and floating interest rates now nearing projected cycle-lows, the operating environment has become increasingly supportive.” Read the Annual Report
A solution to crippling project inefficiency
It is a narrative familiar in the construction sector. An infrastructure project gradually succumbs to a cascade of delays and budget overruns. Continue →
Heat pumps to save commercial business
With fossil gas supplies in terminal decline and electricity demand rising, the country faces increasing energy costs, business closures and job losses. Continue →
Ducan Cotterill looks into the proposed new income threshold for unjustified dismissal claims and what this will mean in practice. There are also reports on the proposed reinstatement of pay deductions for partial strike action and the call for submissions on the full suite of employment law changes under consideration.
This research report provides guidance to road agencies on potential approaches for implementing Automatic Crash Notification (ACN) systems, such as eCall, in Australia and New Zealand. Several decisions will influence the scale and effectiveness of ACN deployment, with each pathway differing in government involvement, costs, and impacts on ACN uptake. The report outlines factors affecting large-scale deployment, including the roles of key stakeholders, technological considerations, and implementation pathways
New Focus on Psychosocial Risk: Moving from Awareness to Action in NZ Workplaces. As awareness of psychosocial risks is growing, businesses are asking: what can we do now? A new approach centres on turning current guidance into real-world action through better risk assessment, leadership engagement, and meaningful controls that go beyond surface-level fixes.
Good practice guide for asbestos surveys
The latest good practice guide for conducting an asbestos survey was published by WorkSafe in a 100 page plus manual of step-by-step guidance. Continue →