Oceania News August 2017

OCEANIA news

Oceania News / August 2017

In this Issue: New Benefits for Electric Vehicle Owners Growing Number of Communities of Learning Statue Honouring Legendary Hawaiian Musician and Entertainer

Matson Signs Contracts for Honolulu Terminal Cranes

Editor’s Note

, Welcome to this Bumper Summer Edition of Oceania News Magazine!

Across the Oceania region, there are a myriad of fascinating cultures, societies and businesses all working to showcase the true beauty and hard working spirit of this exceptional collection of countries.

Culture is a particularly important aspect of life for many in the Oceania region, and as such we turn the spotlight on a number of traditions, cultural phenomena and organisations working to preserve and showcase the historical significance of the area, including the Polynesian Cultural Center, which has recently been voted as the number one must-see attraction in Hawaii

by USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Poll.

Our article on the cultural significance of Don Ho, who was the must-see musician at International Market Place in Waikīkī, drawing record-number audiences of both Hawaii’s residents and international visitors, examines the importance of a new statue created in his honour.

Whilst preserving cultural heritage is vital for any country, change is also critical to ensuring the continued safety and support of its citizens. As such, we are proud to share our discussion on the news that the Turnbull Government has recently announced the first comprehensive review into the family law system since the commencement of the Family Law Act in 1976, paving the way for long-term fundamental reform to better meet the needs of modern Australian families.

There are also new benefits for the owners of electric cars in New Zealand, as the country seeks to usher in a new era of eco-friendly, sustainable and effective transport.

We hope you enjoy this issue, and any feedback is greatly appreciated, so please feel free to get in touch if you have any queries or comments on the magazine.

Jessica Daykin, Editor Phone: +44 (0) 203 725 6842 Email: jessica.daykin@aiglobalmedialtd.com Website: www.business-news.eu

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Contents

, 4. News 8.

Auckland Making Its Mark at World’s Largest Luxury Travel Event

*

Online Hiring Assistant Vervoe Launches

with $1 Million in Funding- page 30

10. Statue Honouring Legendary Hawaiian Musician and Entertainer 12. Polynesian Culture and Its People 14. Matson Signs Contracts for

Honolulu Terminal Cranes 16. New Benefits for Electric Vehicle Owners 18. New Transport App for Queenstown 20. Improving Intellectual Property Arrangements 22. Hawaii’s Economy Continues to

Grow at a Slower Pace 24. Growing Number of Communities of Learning 26. Transforming the Family Law System 28. Marine Adventures - Cruising & Sailing in Fiji 30. Online Hiring Assistant Vervoe Launches

with $1 Million in Funding

OCEANIA NEWS / August 2017 3

NEWS

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Optimizely Continues Global Growth with New Office in Sydney, Australia Optimizely, the world’s leading Experimentation Platform, on August 14th announced its expansion into the Asia Pacific region with the opening of its first Australian base and regional headquarters in Sydney.

The new Sydney office, in the heart of the CBD on George Street, is Optimizely’s fifth global location outside of the U.S.

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NEWS

, Optimizely enables businesses, across sectors, to completely personalise websites, mobile apps and connected devices using statistically-significant data. With Optimizely’s technology and platform customers can experiment at scale on all parts of their business including marketing, product, engineering and customer service leading to faster and better decisions.

The new APAC office will be led

by Managing Director of Australia and New Zealand, Dan Ross, who previously led the Customer and Sales Operations for Optimizely’s Headquarters in San Francisco.

Mr. Ross will play a key role in continuing to drive the company’s international growth. The company is actively hiring a full go-to-market team - with roles in Sydney and Melbourne - to support its push into the region and to better accommodate the needs of its growing customer base.

Optimizely, which has raised a total of USD $146 million from investors including Index Ventures, Benchmark Capital and Andreessen Horowitz, is seeing continued momentum with leading Australian customers including Atlassian, Optus, AGL Energy, Chemist Warehouse and Fox Sports. The company has experienced 257 percent year-on-year growth in product usage in Australia alone, improving customer experiences for more than 28 million users a month - that’s more than the Australian population.

The new regional office and local team will further this momentum and empower more Australian businesses to adopt an experimentation culture to drive innovation and exceptional customers experiences across all their digital channels, both on and offline.

Optimizely’s first APAC office will allow the company to provide greater support to local customers, while also enhancing its 24/7 global customer support offering.

Dan Ross, Managing Director of Optimizely A/NZ, said the company chose Australia to be its APAC home because of the increasing demand for innovation from

business across sectors, strong organic growth in the market and talent density throughout the region.

“We are thrilled to launch Optimizely in the APAC region, a market where we have already been active for several years. This new home brings us much closer to our growing customer base where we already have strong relationships with businesses in the retail, media and travel sectors.

We are also seeing considerable uptake by businesses in industries with more traditional business models such as, utilities, superannuation, health insurance and telecommunications. These industries are under threat by increased competition from new and more agile players, which is why they’re turning to Optimizely to innovate at speed.

“Increasingly, we are experiencing what we call, ‘the Amazon effect’, which is resulting in a sharp lift in the number of experiments being conducted by local retailers to strengthen their position ahead of Amazon’s arrival - a company whose culture is built on endless experimentation,” said Mr. Ross.

Optimizely is seeing an increasing number of businesses who are using their products to experiment in multi-channel environments. One such customer is Fox Sports, who turned to Optimizely to help manage the customer experience across 54 digital touch points.

New Zealand Agritech Wildeye Wins London Trip The UK Department for International Trade Awards New Zealand agritech Wildeye a business trip to London to support their global expansion.

The UK Department for International Trade is delighted to announce that innovative New Zealand company Wildeye is the successful entry into our agritech competition to promote trade and investment opportunities between the UK and New Zealand.

Wildeye is a farm monitoring solution for irrigation management which was established in New Zealand in 2002. Now with offices in Australia and the US, Wildeye has delivered tens of thousands of cellular, cloud connected devices globally to help farmers and large organisations easily and accurately monitor soil moisture, flow, tank levels and pressure.

Optimizely’s expansion into the region further highlights the success of the last 12 months in which the company has launched its Optimizely X platform, acquired Experiment Engine to enable enterprises to manage experiments at scale and been recognised for its superior products on lists such as Forbes Cloud 100.

Wildeye is seeking to expand their footprint to include the UK to help build their global business and better service their growing European customer base.

To learn more, visit: www.optimizely.com

James Riddell, Wildeye co-founder and CEO said: The UK is a

A representative from Wildeye will fly business class direct to London courtesy of Qatar Airways to attend the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit on 17 to 18 October, Europe’s largest agri-tech meeting with over 250 agribusiness leaders, farmers, tech startups and investors. They will also participate in a wider business programme.

market with great potential for Wildeye and with DIT’s support, this trip will allow us to make connections and lay the foundations to expand our network. We are very thankful to DIT and Qatar Airways for the opportunity and we look forward to seeing Wildeye helping more UK farmers.

British Consul General to New Zealand, Robin Shackell said: “Fantastic job Wildeye. You have a terrific product which should do extremely well in the UK. Looking forward to reports on your progress.

“We had 55 agritech companies take part in the competition. It was impressive to see the depth of innovation in New Zealand agritech companies. Whilst we can only award one winner, we are excited about the potential for UK-Australia partnerships in this space and look forward to working with New Zealand agritech companies to support their business growth.”

Adam Radwanski, senior manager Australasia for Qatar Airways said: “Congratulations to Wildeye.

We are delighted to support their global expansion plans and to help foster trade and investment links between New Zealand and Britain. We look forward to welcoming them on board Qatar Airways.”

OCEANIA NEWS / August 2017 5

NEWS

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‘Hackathon’ to Bring Rapid Innovation to New South Wales’ Government Motorola Solutions will host its first ever ‘hackathon’ in New South Wales – an event that will be a fast-paced, 48-hour challenge to develop technology solutions to overcome complex operational challenges faced by the state’s government and public safety agencies.

The event will take place in Sydney from 13-15 September and starts with participating agencies and organisations, including government and public safety agencies in New South Wales, describing daily operational challenges they hope to solve with new, data-driven applications.

In response, external application developers and teams from Motorola Solutions will apply the principles of agile software development to develop new technology solutions.

The objective of the event is to develop new technologies that strengthen situational awareness, collaboration, safety and emergency response for Australia’s government and public safety organisations. This includes the development of solutions that harness and share critical information with and between first responders and the community, providing public safety agencies with better access to information, where and when they need it most.

The winning app development team will receive an AUD $25,000 prize. All solutions developed dur-

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NEWS

, ing the hackathon will remain the intellectual property of app developers, meaning participants will be free to develop their solutions further after the hackathon, with support from Motorola Solutions if they wish.

Motorola Solutions vice president and managing director for Australia and New Zealand, Steve Crutchfield, said hackathons help to generate fresh ideas to overcome complex challenges: “As a company that develops technologies to serve the emergency services sector, we have long understood how important mission-critical voice communications are to achieving the right outcomes. Now, in this new environment, we also understand that software can help to save a life or a business.

“Hackathons help us to enrich our approach to innovation, enabling us to work with a variety of experts to develop much-needed technology solutions,” Crutchfield said.

Motorola Solutions held a 2016 hackathon in Brisbane, which was won by Perth-based start-up Fleetsu. The company’s founder and CEO, Jakub Felinski, said the victory was a “turning point” for his business.

“Since the win our business has grown at a phenomenal rate, almost tripling in size,” Felinski said. “The hackathon helped us to grow and become more competent and mature as a business and we have used the victory as a reference point to secure several new contracts.

“Since last year’s win, we have narrowed our focus, becoming more niche and pursuing the right business opportunities to enable our long-term growth and success,” Felinski said.

Fleetsu’s winning solution from the 2016 event, a fleet asset management app, helps organisations to optimise and coordinate the use of its vehicles, machinery and other equipment. www.motorolasolutions.com

Australia’s Chief of Air Force Completes First Flight in the AIR 5428 PC-21 In a recent ceremony that marked a significant milestone for the AIR 5428 Pilot Training System, Lockheed Martin celebrated the Chief of Air Force first flight of the in-service PC-21 aircraft.

The occasion was celebrated at a media event hosted by Australian Minister for Defence Senator the Hon Marise Payne, in East Sale, Australia. Also in attendance was the Hon Darren Chester MP, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, highlighting the significance of the programme to the Australian Government.

Vince Di Pietro, chief executive for Lockheed Martin Australia attended the event along with AIR 5428 partners Pilatus Aircraft and Hawker Pacific.

“We are excited to celebrate this momentous occasion with the CAF and recognise this marks the beginning of training for Australia’s fifth-generation air capability,” said Vince di Pietro. “This milestone is a great achievement to all involved and we celebrate the Australian Defence Force’s first flight in service and acceptance of the first six of 49 PC-21 aircraft, as the mainstay trainer for Australia’s pilot training programme for decades to come.”

“Combining the PC-21 turboprop training aircraft with state-of-theart training simulations and an electronic learning environment, Australia’s new Pilot Training System will prepare Australia’s next-generation pilots for mission success.”

The AIR 5428 Pilot Training System is an integrated solution tai-

lored for all future pilots of the Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army.

“Lockheed Martin Australia leads the delivery of integrated solutions for all future pilots of the Australian Defence Force,” said Amy Gowder, vice president of Training and Logistics Solutions for Lockheed Martin’s Rotary and Mission Systems business.

“This milestone is an important achievement and confirms the Lockheed Martin-led team is on track to deliver a world-class pilot training solution to the Australian Defence Force.”

Under the AIR 5428 contract, Lockheed Martin is providing overall project management for the pilot training system and delivering a family of integrated ground-based training technologies. Pilatus Aircraft is providing

49 PC-21 turboprop training aircraft and through-life engineering and airworthiness support, while Hawker Pacific is providing maintenance services and fleet support and leveraging its established supply chain in Australia.

Signed in December 2015, the initial seven-year AIR 5428 Pilot Training System is valued at AU$1.2 billion, with performance-based options to extend the value and length of the contract for up to 25 years.

For additional information, visit: www.lockheedmartin.com/ AIR5428 For additional information, visit these websites: www.lockheedmartin.com.au www.pilatus-aircraft.com www.hawkerpacific.com.au www.lockheedmartin.com

OCEANIA NEWS / August 2017 7

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Auckland Making Its Mark at World’s Largest Luxury Travel Event Auckland Tourism, Events & Economic Development (ATEED) has been named the most innovative tourism board at the Virtuoso Alliance Partner Awards, which are held annually as part of Virtuoso Travel Week.

ATEED has been a member of the invite-only Virtuoso travel network since 2014. Virtuoso is an experiential, luxury-focused travel organisation providing premium travellers with customised travel experiences.

Virtuoso travellers spend approximately three times more than the average visitors from the United States, between $9,000 and $15,000 per trip.

Based on the latest figures from Statistics New Zealand, Auckland has welcomed more than 262,000 visitors from the US in the year ending June 2017 -up 31.6 per cent on the previous year -- and who contributed $480 million to the regional economy.

ATEED’s Brett O’Riley says there has been consistent growth from the Virtuoso market since Auckland’s inclusion as a destination in the network.

“Data from Virtuoso group shows that Auckland transactions in 2016 were valued at more than USD 30.6 million, which was 5 per cent up on 2015, or the equivalent of USD 29.1 million,” he says. “Virtuoso travellers want unique experiences in everything from food and wine, culture and nature, with a strong focus on sustainable tourism.”

“We’ve been working with the network to develop our Auckland offering and have introduced new products for itineraries to meet these needs. This has included creating an experience

where visitors can name and release native birds on islands in the harbours. We’ve also worked with Staples, a tenant from ATEED’s AR/VR Garage to turn this into a virtual reality experience. This, along with an augmented reality experience wine tasting on Waiheke Island, is being shown for the first time at Virtuoso Travel Week.”

The annual Virtuoso Travel Week, attracts more than 4,700 of the world’s top luxury travel advisors, travel providers and luxury and lifestyle media. In 2017, Auckland was invited to be involved with the opening night of the world’s largest luxury travel event, with supermodel Rachel Hunter talking to attendees about the merits of Auckland as a visitor destination.

This was Rachel’s first appearance in her new role as an international ambassador for Auckland, working in conjunction with ATEED, where she is lending her name and support to the place she calls home. “I’m a proud Kiwi.

Auckland is where I was born and will always be home,” she says.

“It’s a beautiful place. The immediate connection you can have with nature, the city and the diversity of the people makes me proud of who we are as New Zealanders and this is something I want to share with the world.”

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Attracting premium, high-value visitors from the likes of the US and China markets is a key strategic priority for ATEED in delivering on the aspirations of the Auckland Visitor Plan.

“Air connections between Auckland and the US have never been better. We are in a prime position to keep boosting visitor numbers and drive more value. Our membership with Virtuoso has become a valuable platform for ATEED in attracting high-net worth visitors, investor migrants and business people to Auckland,” says O’Riley.

“We are excited to be working with Rachel Hunter to promote Auckland to our third largest visitor market. Rachel is wellknown on the international stage for her long modelling career as well her passion for the environment and from her Los Angeles base is in a prime position to influence the premium US visitor market.

“Rachel’s invitation to appear at Virtuoso Travel Week has provided us with an unparalleled opportunity to showcase Auckland to such an influential group which will then be followed up with networking and the business that takes place on the tradeshow floor throughout the week.” www.aucklandnz.com

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Statue Honouring Legendary Hawaiian Musician and Entertainer During his prolific career in the 1960s, Don Ho was the must-see musician at International Market Place in Waikīkī, drawing record-number audiences of both Hawai‘i residents and international visitors.

To commemorate Ho’s tremendous contributions to Hawaiian music and history, the reimagined International Market Place, set to celebrate its one-year anniversary on August 25, unveiled a one-of-a-kind bronze statue of the performer on Sunday, Aug. 13.

“We are incredibly grateful to all who were involved in the creation of a timeless piece that honours Don’s legacy at International Market Place,” said Ron Loch, vice president of planning and design for Taubman. “Careful consideration went into where the statue would be displayed, so we positioned it to welcome guests with warmest aloha as they enter the centre from Kalākaua Avenue.”

The statue debuted on what would have marked the entertainer’s 87th birthday.

Together with members of the Ho family, hundreds of admirers gathered beneath the 160-year-old banyan tree at International Market Place.

Long-time friends and fellow musicians including Henry Kapono, Melveen Leed, Marlene Sai, Nina Keali‘iwahamana, Kimo Kahoano, Nathan Aweau, Joe Mundo, Angel Pablo and James Dela Cruz performed in a kanikapila jam session and

musical tributes to Ho. Ho’s family members also joined the festivities, which were attended by his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Governor David Y. Ige and First Lady Dawn Amano-Ige were also in attendance.

“Don was the essence of Hawai‘i, the embodiment of aloha. He won the world over with his passion for community, his fellow servicemen and of course his love for music and his charming charisma. We are incredibly proud of his legacy,” said his wife Haumea Ho. “This is Don’s homecoming, to a place he loved dearly and we are honoured that through this memorial he will continue to share his aloha for decades to come.”

Designed by O‘ahu-based artist Kim Duffett, the 6-foot-4-inch, 300-pound bronze sculpture depicts Ho in the 1970s and was created to convey his warmth, charisma and carefree aloha that charmed audiences. Duffett conducted substantial research on Ho’s life, gathered historic photos and talked story with the singer’s family members and countless friends to gain inspiration. “I wanted to create a signature performance pose as if Don was beckoning someone in the audience to join him on stage, as he often did,” said

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Duffett, who also is a musician and participated in the kanikapila.

During his International Market Place residency at Duke Kahanamoku’s lounge, Ho revolutionised the Waikiki showroom scene with a simple, good-time lounge show that spotlighted his laid-back and affable personality. He scored a worldwide hit with “Tiny Bubbles,” earning him a national recording contract and an assemblage of best-selling albums, television appearances and his own namesake network variety series.

Don Ho’s statue dedication is part of the month-long celebration of International Market Place’s one-year anniversary (August 25). Other events and promotions include the Island Vibes Summer Concert Series, Waikiki Nights: Duke Kahanamoku Movie Night in partnership with the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku and Duke’s OceanFest, a chance to earn HawaiianMiles and a special performance by the Royal Hawaiian Band.

For more information visit www. shopinternationalmarketplace. com/events, shopinternationalmarketplace. com

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Statue Honouring Legendary Hawaiian Musician and Entertainer

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Polynesian Culture and Its People The Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC), a non-profit organisation that protects and preserves Polynesian culture to share with visitors from around the world, has been voted as the number one must-see attraction in Hawaii by USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Poll.

The survey asked USA Today readers to vote on a list of 20 attractions put forth as the best of Hawaii by a panel of local travel experts.

in each island experience and we look forward to fulfilling our ongoing mission of preserving and perpetuating Polynesia’s many unique cultures and traditions.”

The Polynesian Cultural Center is well known for its ability to recreate authentic cultural experiences that include fire knife dancing, fishing, traditional slap dance, spear throwing, etc. Cultural ambassadors take visitors through accurate recreations of six villages that represent the islands of Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Tahiti, Hawaii and Aotearoa (New Zealand). Each island village is designed to make visitors feel as though they are in a village on the island being represented. The centre also contains the Hukilau Marketplace where visitors can shop for souvenirs and enjoy authentic island cuisine.

The Polynesian Cultural Centre’s award-winning stage show, HA! Breath of Life, captivates audiences nightly. This visually stunning spectacle along with the PCC’s Ali’i Luau, which locals have identified as the most authentic luau experience and presentation of Polynesian culture anywhere in Hawaii, are just some of the many one-of-akind island experiences that the Polynesian Cultural Center offers and visitors have come to love.

“We are pleased that USA Today readers have recognised the quality experience we strive to provide at the Polynesian Cultural Center. We want to inspire our visitors to share the special connection we have to Polynesia so we utilise our guests feedback to help shape the most exceptional and memorable island experience imaginable,” said P. Alfred Grace, CEO of the Polynesian Cultural Center. “The cultures and history of these great peoples can be felt

“Over our 54-year history, our goal has always been to entertain our guests through the accurate portrayal of Polynesian culture and its people in our high-quality theatre performances,” said Eric Workman, vice president and chief marketing officer for the Polynesian Cultural Center.

“Additionally, many visitors have expressed appreciation of the fact that many of our workers and performers are getting a university education paid for by the work they do here at the Polynesian Cultural Center.”

To learn more about the Polynesian Cultural Center or to schedule a visit, please view our website at www.Polynesia.com

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Matson Signs Contracts for Honolulu Terminal Cranes Matson, Inc. announced on August 23rd that a subsidiary of Matson Navigation Company, Inc., a leading U.S. carrier in the Pacific, has signed contracts with Paceco Corporation for the purchase of three new 65 long-tonne capacity cranes and modifications to upgrade three existing cranes at its Sand Island Terminal in Honolulu Harbor.

The investments are part of a broader $60 million terminal expansion and modernisation program Matson is undertaking to prepare its operational hub in Hawaii for the arrival of four new ships the company has on order with a combined value of approximately $930 million and deliveries starting next year.

The new cranes will be built

by Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding (MES), delivered next year and installed at Matson’s Sand Island Terminal in Honolulu in early 2019. They will have greater lifting capacity, height and reach than Matson’s existing cranes, enabling full service of the company’s new larger Hawaii vessels going into service over the next three years.

They are also more energy efficient, easier to maintain and will be equipped with fibre-optic cabling, enabling faster and more accurate communication of data used in Matson’s container tracking system.

Matson will use the new cranes to replace three older and smaller cranes, while upgrading three other existing 40 longton cranes to the same 11.5 kv electrical system and fibre-optic cabling as the new cranes.

Matson’s investments in these terminal improvements are

a cornerstone of the State of Hawaii’s Harbor Modernization Plan, which includes the reinforcement of berths in Honolulu Harbor to support the expansion of Matson’s Sand Island Terminal.

“Having just marked our 135th year in Hawaii, these latest investments in our fleet and terminal infrastructure underscore Matson’s longstanding commitment to serving our island communities with the most reliable, efficient and environmentally friendly operations in Hawaii for the longterm,” said Matt Cox, chairman and chief executive officer. “Our new Aloha Class and Kanaloa Class ships are being built specifically to meet Hawaii’s freight needs into the future while reducing our environmental impact and improving our efficiency for decades to come.”

Matson has two Aloha Class ships under construction at Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia with deliveries scheduled for the third quarter of 2018 and first quarter of 2019, respectively. The 850foot long, 3,600 TEU* vessels will be Matson’s largest ships and the largest containerships ever built in the U.S. They will also be faster than any of Matson’s current vessels, designed to operate at speeds in excess of 23 knots, helping ensure timely delivery of goods in Hawaii.

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Matson has also ordered two Kanaloa Class vessels from General Dynamics NASSCO in San Diego with deliveries scheduled for the end of 2019 and mid-year 2020. These ships will be combination container and roll-on/roll-off (‘Con-Ro’) vessels built on a 3,500 TEU vessel platform 870 feet long and 115 feet wide, with enclosed garage space for up to 800 vehicles.

In addition, all four new vessels will have state-of-the-art green technology features, including a fuel-efficient hull design, environmentally safe double hull fuel tanks, fresh water ballast systems and dual-fuel engines, meaning that they will be able to operate on either conventional fuel oils or liquefied natural gas (LNG) with some adaptation for LNG. These advancements are important to Hawaii to reduce fuel consumption and will result in significant emissions reductions over time.

The larger capacity of the Aloha Class and Kanaloa Class vessels will allow Matson to return to an optimal nine-ship fleet deployment in Hawaii, increasing efficiency and lowering operating costs, a key objective of the company’s infrastructure investments.

With delivery of the Kanaloa Class ships, along with its two new Aloha Class ships, Matson

will have completed the renewal of its Hawaii fleet, allowing it to retire seven older vessels that will no longer comply with environmental regulations in 2020 without substantial modification. * Twenty-foot Equivalent Units, the standard unit of measurement for container capacity

Additional information about Matson, Inc. is available at www.matson.com

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New Benefits for Electric Vehicle Owners Operators of electric vehicles (EVs) are set to benefit from rule changes which will see heavy electric vehicles exempt from road user charges and potentially allow drivers of electric vehicles to use bus and high occupancy vehicle lanes, New Zealand’s Transport Minister Simon Bridges says.

From 1 September 2017, heavy EVs will be exempt from road user charges, which otherwise apply to vehicles that do not pay for petrol at the pump, until they make up two per cent of New Zealand’s heavy vehicle fleet.

“Light EVs are already exempt from paying road user charges until 31st December 2021. On top of all the other benefits that EVs generate, extending this exemption to heavy EVs will offer a significant cost reduction to the operators of these vehicles,” Mr Bridges says.

Changes have also been made to Land Transport rules, which from 1st September, will enable road controlling authorities, such as the NZ Transport Agency and local and regional councils, to make bylaws to allow EVs access to special vehicle lanes, such as those dedicated to buses and high occupancy vehicles.

“The positive acceptance of EVs in New Zealand is having real benefits. We are now offering more choice in new EVs than ever before. We are also seeing an increase in the number of used EVs importers are bringing into the country,” Mr Bridges says.

“It is great that both private and public sector organisations are

helping uptake by choosing EVs over conventional petrol or diesel vehicles for their fleets.

“Over the past year, we’ve also seen an increase in businesses opting for EVs as non-passenger vehicles, including light vans for food delivery, public transport and refuse trucks, all of which are great uses for EVs. We want to see this extend to operators of heavy vehicles as well with these latest changes designed to encourage this growth.

“Going electric is not only good for business, but makes best use of New Zealand’s plentiful renewable energy supply, improves air quality and minimises greenhouse gas emissions,” Mr Bridges says.

In May 2016, the New Zealand Government announced its Electric Vehicle Programme, a wide-ranging package of measures to encourage the uptake of EVs in New Zealand.

The target is to double the fleet each year, reaching 64,000 EV registrations by the end of 2021.

For more information about electric vehicles visit www. electricvehicles.govt.nz For more information about the special vehicle lanes visit www. nzta.govt.nz/ev-special-vehiclelanes

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New Benefits for Electric Vehicle Owners

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New Transport App for Queenstown The first free and open Mobility as a Service (MaaS) Marketplace app, Choice, has been launched in Queenstown on 24th August.

On the first free and open Mobility as a Service (MaaS) Marketplace app, Transport Minister Simon Bridges said: “Mobility as a Service is a new approach to transport that combines journey options from all transport providers into a single mobile service.”

“The Choice app connects users with services through an online marketplace, so they can pick what they want to do, use the live transport information to help get them there and easily book their journey – all from one application. This new service will improve transport options for residents and tourists, enabling new mobility options and providing a better travel experience.

“Choice is available in three languages and will be a boost for the tourism industry, reducing the language barriers for tourists using the local transport system.

With nearly 2 million tourists visiting Queenstown annually, the Choice app will provide visitors with all the information they need to know about exploring, relaxing and enjoying Queenstown and the surrounding area,” Mr Bridges says.

New Zealand’s small size and Queenstown’s popularity over the snow season have been the drivers for the first MaaS Marketplace pilot in New Zealand. The pilot will contribute

to the testing of digital solutions to help solve congestion and road safety issues.

Mr Bridges says the Queenstown pilot is a new approach to transport to improve the timeliness and accessibility of New Zealand’s transport information, with a focus on improving the experience of anyone who chooses to move around the region.

“Enabling the utilisation of improved transport information alongside technology like the MaaS Marketplace is a real game changer,” Mr Bridges says.

“With this approach, New Zealand’s current transport infrastructure will change to a future transport system of effective journey planning, live information and greater choices for individuals and communities giving them back time to do what’s important.”

The pilot has been a collaboration between the NZTA, Otago Regional Council, Queenstown Lakes District Council and Auckland Transport, supported by Destination Queenstown and Queenstown’s local transport providers. The next phase of the pilot will be bringing the marketplace concept to Auckland.

The initial version of the MaaS Marketplace will target the winter Queenstown experience;

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with later versions focusing on exploring the region during the summer months. The Queenstown pilot will also inform a second stage in Auckland later in the year. www.beehive.govt.nz

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Improving Intellectual Property Arrangements The Turnbull Government is improving Australia’s intellectual property (IP) arrangements by ensuring they provide the flexibility needed for our 21st century economy.

The Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Senator Arthur Sinodinos and Minister for Communications, Senator Mitch Fifield, said the proposed Australian Government changes responded to a recent Productivity Commission review of IP. The government will engage with industry and stakeholders through consultation to determine how best to implement the reforms.

As recommended by the Productivity Commission, IP policy will be monitored by a new IP Policy Group. A key priority will be to align Australian inventive step law with international best practice to ensure that the necessary protections are available to deserving inventions. The government has also accepted the Productivity Commission’s recommendation to phase out the Innovation Patent System.

The government supports recommendations aimed at facilitating fairer access for Australians to copyright material, including orphan works and ensuring technological protection measures do not restrict

legitimate contractual rights. The government is mindful in this process of the position of rights holders and of the economic value generated by copyright material.

It is important copyright reform is considered in a holistic context rather than focused on individual issues. We will continue to work closely with stakeholders over the next 12 months to develop effective options for copyright reform. The government is also considering the merits of several other recommendations and will work on these further.

Ministers Sinodinos and Fifield said that Australia’s IP system is well regarded and consistently ranks in the top tiers of international comparisons and that these reform measures will ensure that Australia remains competitive in domestic and global marketplaces.

The government’s response to the Productivity Commission review, including the planned consultation process, is available at www.industry.gov.au/ innovation/Intellectual-Property/ Pages/default.aspx

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OCEANIA NEWS / August 2017 21

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Hawaii’s Economy Continues to Grow at a Slower Pace Hawaii’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) released its third quarter 2017 Statistical and Economic Report, which shows Hawaii’s economy continues positive growth, but at a slower pace this year and the next few years.

After two years of consecutive growth above 2%, Hawaii’s economy, as measured by the real (inflation adjusted) gross domestic product (GDP), grew by 0.9% during the first quarter of 2017, according to data released by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. This is the lowest quarterly growth rate since the first quarter of 2015.

“Hawaii’s economic fundamentals are still positive, although growth has slowed down,” said DBEDT Director Luis P. Salaveria.

“We have the second lowest unemployment rate in the nation during the first half of 2017 and our visitor industry is performing well, with 4.6 million visitor arrivals during the first half of the year.”

There were 7,200 non-agriculture payroll jobs added during the first half of 2017, 78% of them were added by tourismrelated industries such as accommodation, food services, retail trade and recreation.

Labour force and employment created new record high levels during the first half year of 2017 and non-farm payroll jobs showed a historical best first six months. Hawaii’s unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted)

was the second lowest among all the states in the nation. Visitor arrivals increased 4.3% and visitor expenditures jumped 8.7% during the first half of the year.

However, the economic growth is not evenly allocated to all the industries. There are still a few industries that lost jobs during the first half of 2017. Construction lost 500 jobs, manufacturing and health care each lost 400 jobs and the wholesale trade lost 300 jobs.

The job loss in construction is mainly due to the decrease in the value of building permits issued during the first half of 2016, which usually shows about one year from the time building permits are issued and the start of construction. During the first half of 2016, total value of private building permits decreased by 29.6% from the same period in 2015 and that decrease is reflected in the actual construction activities in the first half of this year.

After five years of continuous job growth, the manufacturing industry started to lose jobs since the fourth quarter of 2016 and during the first half of 2017, this industry lost 2.9% of its jobs from the same time a year ago.

Compared with the job count

22 OCEANIA NEWS / August 2017

from 1990 in the manufacturing industry, the first half of 2017 job count was 66% of what it was then.

and alterations decreased by 14.2%. The increase in building permit value will be reflected in construction activities next year.

Wholesale trade is another industry struggling during this business cycle. In its peak year of 2008, this industry had 18,750 payroll jobs. During the first half of 2017, this industry averaged 17,400 jobs. Wholesale trade is one of the industries that has not recovered to its pre-recession job level.

The most recent economic forecast for the U.S. and the world indicates that most of the economies of the world, especially those where our visitors are coming from, will experience continued economic growth in 2017 and 2018. The U.S. economy is expected to grow by 2.2 % in 2017 and 2.4% in 2018, both are higher than the growth rate of 2016.

The private health care and social assistance sector had been continuously adding jobs for the last three decades, however, this sector started to lose jobs since the first quarter of this year. Though the magnitude is small, this is the first showing of a decrease in these areas since 1996. As an indicator of the unparalleled growth across the industries, initial unemployment claims increased by 1.7 % during the first seven months of 2017.

The good news in the construction industry is that the value of private building permits increased 15.6% during the first half of 2017. The value of residential permits increased 32.8%, commercial and industrial permit value increased 120.1% and value of additions

DBEDT revised the visitor industry forecast upwards with visitor arrivals now growing at 3.2% for 2017, 1.4% for 2018 and 1.5 % for 2019 and 2020.

Visitor expenditures will be at 6.5% for 2017, 2.2% for 2018 and 3.6% for 2019 and 2020.

DBEDT revised its projection on Hawaii’s economic growth downward for 2017, from 1.9% projected in the previous quarter to 1.4 % and between 1.3% to 1.5% between 2018 and 2020.

“The increase in visitor spending is mainly due to the price increase. For example, during the first half of 2017, hotel room rates increased 6.0%. Apparel prices increased 5.8% and gasoline prices increase 20.4%.

g Hawaii’s Economy Continues to Grow at a Slower Pace

Visitors spent much of their money on these items while visiting Hawaii,” said Chief State Economist Dr. Eugene Tian.

“When calculating the economic growth, the price effect is removed, so you end up seeing the visitor industry booming, while economic growth is slowing down. The real growth in the tourism industry is not large enough to offset the downturn of the few industries.”

DBEDT kept its projection on non-farm payroll job count unchanged at 1.0% in 2017

and falling to 0.8% in 2020. The unemployment rate projection is also kept unchanged at 2.9% in 2017 and will gradually increase to 3.4% by 2020. DBEDT revised the nominal personal income growth rates downward from the previous quarter forecast in the neighbourhood of 3.3 and 3.5%.

Real personal income projections were also revised downward to below 2% for the next few years.

DBEDT kept its projections on the Honolulu consumer inflation rates unchanged from the forecast in the previous quarter

at 2.5% for 2017 and 2.3% for the outer years. Consumer inflation rate for Honolulu during the first half of 2017 was 2.5%.

The DBEDT Quarterly Statistical and Economic Report contains more than 120 tables of the most recent quarterly data on Hawaii’s economy as well as narrative explanations of the trends in these data.

The full report is available at: http://dbedt.hawaii.gov/economic/ qser/

OCEANIA NEWS / August 2017 23

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Growing Number of Communities of Learning New Zealand’s Education Minister Nikki Kaye says two thirds of children and young people are benefiting from their schools and early childhood education providers working together as Communities of Learning.

“I’m pleased to announce that another 13 Communities of Learning have formed, taking the total number of Communities across the country to 210,” says Ms Kaye.

“More than 580,000 children and young people are now in a Community of Learning.

Communities bring together early learning services, primary and secondary schools as well as tertiary providers to work together to raise achievement for all their children and young people.

We’re starting to see some really innovative ways of working at all levels in Communities to better support children and young people as they move through the education system.

“It’s particularly pleasing to see the growing momentum in early learning with nearly 100 more providers joining Communities in just four months.

We now have 279 early learning services working more closely with schools to better support children, particularly with their move to primary school.”

The number of tertiary providers has also increased to eight and across the country there is now a total of 1734 primary and

secondary schools involved. The 13 new Communities of Learning announced on 21st August are in Tai Tokerau, Auckland, Waikato, Hawke’s Bay, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago.

“Given the first Communities only started forming in late 2014 it is phenomenal that so many education providers have embraced this collaborative way of working,” says Ms Kaye.

with expert partners in this way is what the initiative is all about,” says Ms Kaye.

Examples of what Communities of Learning are doing include:

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“New Zealand has come a long way since the competitive model of Tomorrow’s Schools was established in 1989. We now have an education system that is much more focused on the achievement of every child and young person at both a system level and in every school and early learning service. We have around1400 teachers and leaders in the new leadership roles sharing best practice both within their own school or early learning provider and across all members of the Community.

“100 communities are now working with expert partners to analyse their student data to set achievement challenges and action plans to ensure the success of more and more of their children and young people.

Seeing talented, experienced principals and teachers working

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schools are collaborating with the Marlborough Kindergarten Association to make sure students are academically and emotionally ready to move to school and to help prepare new entrants to meet the community’s achievement challenges in areas like maths and writing.

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The Lynfield (Auckland) community is using new higher quality student data to set clear achievement challenges for students.

Using this data, along with changes to classroom practice, increased student engagement and more effective teacher parent partnerships, Lynfield has set targets to raise achievement in writing and mathematics, for Māori, Pasifika, boys and English as Second Language (ESOL) students in particular. Lynfield has aligned all its primary student data by using one student management system. This enables easier transfer of student information as children move between schools and allows the community to develop a joint understanding of student progress.

Blenheim’s Piritahi Community of Learning is giving their kids the best start to primary school. 21

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Southern Area Schools (Otago Southland) is using digital technologies to bridge the large distances between the schools in this Community. It has a Google community for all the teachers to use to develop strategies and share good practice around raising writing performance.

Cohort teacher groups are being set up across the community, based on the age of the students being taught. Each will be coordinated by an educator in one of the new inschool teaching positions.

The groups will organise professional learning and development opportunities for staff and collaborate to raise progress and achievement for students using Google community and Google hangouts.

g Growing Number of Communities of Learning

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Palmerston North East is using the new across and within school teaching roles to develop more consistent assessments of student ability and to help teachers become more confident to teach subjects in which they have previously lacked training or experience. It has an across (secondary) school teacher working with 11 primary and intermediate teachers to develop a consistent understanding of students’ maths progress and achievement across the schools. Another across school teacher is helping improve science teaching for primary teachers, with help from the Ministry of

Education and the Royal Society Te Apārangi. The Ministry recently funded 800 hours of science training over two years for teachers in the community.

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Alongside targets in areas like writing and maths Te Waka o Māramatanga (Flaxmere) is setting innovative targets to meet the wider needs of its students and their local community. It has targets for improving hauora (health and wellbeing) as part of its action plan. These include improving student fitness and encouraging healthy eating habits for all its students. These plans are being incorporated

into teaching and learning in all its schools, as the foundation for improving progress and achievement across the community.

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Northern Porirua (Wellington) This Community shows how the Ministry of Education funded Expert Partners are helping communities accelerate their development and define priority areas for lifting their children and young people’s progress and achievement. With the help of their Expert Partner, the nine schools in this community have developed achievement challenges focused on STEAM (science, technology,

engineering, arts and mathematics). Using their student data, the Expert Partner also worked with these schools to define clear achievement targets for their Pasifika and Māori students.

“These examples demonstrate how education practices are changing in New Zealand. We’re seeing increasing interest from other countries about what we’re doing here and the differences that we hope Communities of Learning will make to not only the quality of education that our children and young people receive but also the opportunities they have to achieve”, says Ms Kaye.

OCEANIA NEWS / August 2017 25

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Transforming the Family Law System The Turnbull Government on 9th May announces the first comprehensive review into the family law system since the commencement of the Family Law Act in 1976, paving the way for long-term fundamental reform to better meet the needs of modern Australian families.

As well, the government announces an $80 million funding boost to frontline family law and family violence services.

This additional investment includes:

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$12.7 million to establish Parenting Management Hearings; $10.7 million for additional family consultants to deal with family law cases; $3.4 million for additional domestic violence units and; $55.7 million boost to Community Legal Centres and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (announced on 24 April 2017).

It has now been over 40 years since the framework of the family law system was established under the Family Law Act 1975.

I will direct the Australian Law Reform Commission to conduct the comprehensive review with a view to making necessary reforms to ensure the family law system meets the contemporary needs of families and effectively addresses family violence and child abuse.

This review will report by the end of 2018 with interim reports to be delivered on key issues,

providing a long overdue roadmap to contemporise the system.

The government will also soon release, for public consultation, amendments to the Family Law Act to ensure that victims of family violence are not put in a position where they are personally cross-examined by alleged perpetrators, or required themselves to cross-examine their alleged perpetrator. This follows close collaboration with stakeholders to respond to concerns that family violence victims may experience further trauma from being directly crossexamined.

As well, the government announces important changes to assist with the resolution of parenting disputes and to improve the ability of courts to make faster and higher quality decisions.

Firstly, the Turnbull Government will invest $12.7 million to establish parenting management hearings – an innovative forum for resolving simpler family law disputes between selfrepresented litigants. Unlike the traditional system where two opposing sides present their cases, those managing the hearings will run inquiries and gather evidence to inform their decisions. This new approach will be initially rolled out in Parramatta, with a second

26 OCEANIA NEWS / August 2017

early site to be identified in consultation with stakeholders.

Secondly, to assist having cases involving vulnerable families dealt with sooner, $10.7 million will be directed to the Federal Circuit Court of Australia, the Family Court of Australia and the Family Court of Western Australia to engage more family consultants. Family consultants are qualified social workers and psychologists who specialise in child and family issues after separation or divorce. This will give courts earlier access to independent assessments of family issues, including the best interests of children.

The government is also injecting a further $3.4 million over two years to expand the domestic violence unit pilot, established as part of the Women’s Safety Package in September 2015.

This new funding will establish up to six new domestic violence units that deliver integrated specialist legal and social support to women experiencing, or at risk of, domestic and family violence.

www.attorneygeneral.gov.au

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Transforming the Family Law System

OCEANIA NEWS / August 2017 27

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Marine Adventures Cruising & Sailing in Fiji Part of what makes Fiji so unique is its many groups of islands. With 333 islands to discover, each with their own heritage and attractions, taking to the sea is one of the best ways to get around and experience what Fiji offers.

Whether tourists want to stay close to the main land, or to venture further into uncharted waters, there is over 50 sea-friendly activities available to choose from. If you’re seeking luxury or more easy-going experiences, there is something for everyone.

Blue lagoon cruises Blue Lagoon Cruises are one of the most incredible experiences available. Guests are treated to the winning formula of a luxurious ship sailing to beautiful locations, making it hard to find a better way to explore Fiji.

Priding themselves on giving guests the best possible insight into this wonderful pacific island nation, Blue Lagoon Cruises offer exploration of uninhabited islands, the chance to luxuriate in the warm tropical sea and discover the colourful world below. Meet local Yasawan villagers, savour traditional Fijian food, enjoy island walks, marvel at the most sacred of caves and of course, bask on the palmfringed beaches!

Blue Lagoon itineraries have a maximum of four hours cruising time per day, meaning there is plenty of time for all these activities and more! Due to the nature of cruising, the scenic vista changes daily and travellers spend many mornings waking

up to a new view, even more spectacular than the last.

of equipment such as finishing, snorkelling and surfing gear.

most adventurous souls seeking to explore all corners of Fiji.

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Explorer cruise - 3 nights;

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Wanderer cruise - 4 nights;

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Escape to paradise cruise 7 nights and; Adult prices run from £1,132– £3,242 pp.

All excluding flights and mainland transfers. For more information visit www.bluelagooncruises.com Safari charters Fiji Whether you are looking for a prime surfing spot or an adventure with a loved one, Safari Charters offer a range of charters ideal for everyone. With over 20 years of experience of Fijian waters, their knowledge of the waves, wind and surfing conditions in Fiji is vast. Offering stays for up to 10 days surfing in the most stunning remote regions, Safari Charters offers day trips to deserted islands with beautiful white sandy beaches dotted with swaying palms all set amongst crystal blue clear water.

The climate is perfect for lazing in the warmth of the tropical sun and sipping on Champagne basking in the most romantic place on earth.

With all yachts being fully crewed Safari Charters are also able to offer on board meals, fresh towels and linens and the use

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AUD $1200.00 per night pp and; AUD $900.00 for exclusive 1 day charters.

All excluding flights and mainland transfers. For more information visit www.fijisafari.com Helicopter daytrip & adventure combos The breath-taking scenic views of Fiji are now more accessible than ever. Helicopter daytrips and adventure combos fly guests to the exclusive Savala Island, where tourists can spend the day swimming, snorkelling and enjoying the on-board catering of a sumptuous lunch, before cruising back to Denarau aboard Storck Cruises “Oolala”. There are also flights available to the picturesque Tivua Island where visitors can spend the day involved in cultural and environmental activities, BBQ lunches and participate in guided snorkelling, before setting sail on a 90-minute cruise back to Port Denarau on board Captain Cook’s ‘Ra Marama’.

Other packages available include flying over the majestic mountains and into the Sigatoka River Valley, the Magical Seaview Submarine Tour and many more that will cater to the

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Savala island luxury helidaytrip combo: $625pp; Tivua heli-sailing daytrip combo: $495pp; Sigatoka heli-safari combos: $795pp and; Flyboard and/or submarine day package: from $445pp.

For more information visit www. helitoursfiji.com Adventure sailing Fiji One of the most comfortable ways of exploring Fiji is on board of a 42’ Simpson Sailing Catamaran called “Moale”, a well-designed 17metre Catamaran which now operates under ‘Adventure Sailing Fiji’.

It is ideal for both live aboard and day charters and offers the opportunity to experience and explore Fiji at a slower pace, whilst relaxing in complete comfort. The itineraries are tailor-made to ensure that guests feel safe, secure and at home.

‘Adventure Sailing Fiji’ offers a variety of experiences for the guests. The most popular are between three to seven days sailing the Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands with a variety of exciting water sports available such as snorkelling, surfing and diving. The overnight charters

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offer an on-board chef and a great selection of Fijian cuisine where all dishes are made with fresh, seasonal and local ingredients so meals will vary but are nutritious and tasty.

For more information visit www. adventuresailingfiji.com.fj Awesome adventures Fiji For those looking for the ultimate experience and have a lot of time in Fiji there is the Tropical Island Explorer package offered by Awesome Adventures. Lasting 12 days and 11 nights, all guests will explore the Mamanuca Islands before cruising up through the mountainous southern Yasawa Islands to the divine Blue Lagoon region.

Guests can kick back with more swimming and non-motorised water sports such as paddle

boarding, surfing or snorkelling.

The less adventurous ones will also be able to enjoy sunbathing with multiple beach outings.

Also available are the Full Monty upgrade packages, which offer a variety of extra VIP activities available on each island.

For more information visit www. awesomefiji.com Captain Cook - Fiji sunset dinner cruise Guests who are looking for breath taking sea vessels then Captain Cook and their Fiji One should be considered. Fiji One is Fiji’s most prestigious charter vessel and one of the largest sailing catamarans in the Southern Hemisphere, where local chefs will prepare a sumptuous fresh barbeque dinner with a complimentary welcome drink to take in the

Marine Adventures - Cruising & Sailing in Fiji

views. For a truly luxurious experience, guests can upgrade the dinner cruise to include a full lobster!

Fijian cultural entertainment and the spectacular scenery of the Mamanuca islands round off your perfect evening on the water.

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Sunset Dinner Cruise departs 5.30pm to 8.30pm Tuesday to Sunday (5pm to 8pm Jun/Jul/Aug/Sept).

For more information on Captain Cook’s Fiji One visit www. captaincookcruisesfiji.com/daycruises/sunset-dinner-cruise/ Swimming with sharks For the ultimate adrenaline junkies, there are several opportunities to dive with sharks in Fiji. The most popular is the Beqa Adventure Divers and

Aquatreck, where visitors will be able to experience the breathtaking sights with of up to eight species of sharks and more than 400 species of tropical reef fish.

Both are perfectly safe offering an exhilarating adventure and are located near the world famous Pacific Harbour in Beqa Lagoon.

What’s more, the shark dive is run in conjunction with the local community in promoting shark awareness and conservation with the Barefoot Collection resorts (Kuata and Manta) now has a resident biologist, which is a very exciting development for Fiji and makes this experience more affordable for backpacking travellers.

For more information on Fiji please visit www.fiji.travel

OCEANIA NEWS / August 2017 29

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Online Hiring Assistant Vervoe Launches with $1 Million in Funding Vervoe, the online hiring assistant for start-ups and small to medium sized businesses, launched in the U.S. today with a funding round of $1 million.

Co-founded

by Australian entrepreneurs Omer Molad and David Weinberg, Vervoe seamlessly automates the interviewing process, allowing candidates to show their skills and style through online simulations.

The pair developed Vervoe in response to their own frustrations with outdated hiring processes and models. Vervoe is designed to bring fairness and speed to the hiring process by replacing traditional interviews with on-thejob tasks created by experts.

Targeted at small to medium sized businesses without a human resources department or recruiter, Vervoe’s goal is to enable companies to fill a position within a few days, instead of expending resources over multiple weeks. The platform provides companies with confidence that they are asking candidates the right questions, even for roles they do not have expertise in. Prior to launch, Vervoe has been working with several fast-growing start-ups as well as traditional businesses in the U.S. to solve their hiring needs and its customer base is growing rapidly.

Vervoe solves the burden of hiring by:

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Interviewing everyone automatically, levelling the playing field and bringing fairness to hiring; Keeping candidates updated with where they are in the hiring process, improving the hiring experience for the candidate as well as the employer; Offering interviews with video, work samples and interview questions written by experts for a more comprehensive assessment and; Making the process more personal by allowing customisable interview questions, focusing on the candidates’ journey.

“Every CEO I spoke to nominates hiring as the number one reason for losing sleep. Building a team is the most sacred activity a CEO can do,” said Omer Molad, CEO of Vervoe. “Having been through the pain ourselves, we felt so strongly that we needed to rise to the challenge and build a solution that business leaders would enjoy using.

“Other recruitment solutions are focused on getting better at driving candidates away with more screening and more filtering, whereas we believe

30 OCEANIA NEWS / August 2017

every candidate should get a chance. We want businesses to have a simple solution to build their entire team, whether they’re testing a candidate’s technical skills or trying to understand how someone will contribute to their culture. Already we have helped the non-technical founder of a fashion start-up hire a data scientist and a venture-backed augmented reality start-up hire a developer, as well as working with more traditional businesses to hire sales reps, finance partners and graphic designers.”

Vervoe recognises that today it is less significant which university the candidate attended or how many LinkedIn connections they have. It strives to remove conscious and unconscious bias from the hiring process to make the recruiting experience effective and enjoyable for both employers and candidates.

For more information on Vervoe, please visit www.vervoe.com

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Online Hiring Assistant Vervoe Launches with $1 Million in Funding

OCEANIA NEWS / August 2017 31

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