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2178 days ago

Northland takes two top awards

Annette Lambly-Robinson Reporter from Whangārei Leader

Helping bring a $445 million super fibre-optic submarine cable to Northland has earned the region's economic development agency a top honour in this year's Economic Development NZ Awards by winning Best Practice in Inward Investment.

The 15,000km super fibre-optic Hawaiki Cable project which connects New Zealand with Australia, mainland United States, Hawaii and the Pacific is expected to future-proof New Zealand's internet capacity for the next 25 years.

The cable landed at Mangawhai in February 2018, and was turned on in July.

Northland Inc's General Manager of investment and Infrastructure,Vaughan Cooper, said the initial contact with Hawaiki founder and chief executive Remi Galasso began in 2013 after a group of local businessmen learned the Hawaiki team was looking for a suitable landing site in New Zealand and contacted the agency.

"The cable is now operational, which means Northland now has a digital sector, we have underlying infrastructure to support it, we are creating a digital strategy, and we're underway.

Northland Inc also won the Best Practice in Sustainable Development Award for its Extension 350 project, a farmer-led farmer-focused programme aiming to transform farming practice in Northland.

The project started in November 2016, and over five years will involve 350 farmers throughout Northland.

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More messages from your neighbours
1 day ago

What workplace change would you like to see most?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

This coming Monday is Labour Day in New Zealand. This public holiday marks when the eight-hour workday and 48-hour workweek became law in 1899. The idea started with Samuel Parnell, a carpenter in Wellington, who in 1840 refused to work more than eight hours a day. Since skilled workers were in short supply, his employer had to agree.

As more skilled workers arrived, employers tried to change working conditions, but Parnell and others kept pushing for better rights. In 1890, Parnell led a Labour Day parade of 1,500 people to promote the eight-hour day. He passed away shortly after, and nine years later, Labour Day became an official public holiday.

Do you feel that we have reached the ideal in working environments yet? What rights are you passionate about relating to employment? Share your thoughts!

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9 days ago

Poll: Does grocery bagging affect where you shop?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

There's only a few differences between our larger chain supermarkets here in New Zealand. Having someone bag your groceries is one of them.

Does having your groceries packed for you at the checkout influence where you do your grocery shop? If so, tell us why.

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Does grocery bagging affect where you shop?
  • 23.9% Yes
    23.9% Complete
  • 75.4% No
    75.4% Complete
  • 0.7% Other - I'll share below
    0.7% Complete
3339 votes
6 hours ago

Your Daily Brain Workout: Ready to Riddle?

Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

What is 3/7 chicken, 2/3 cat, and 1/2 goat?

Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.

Want to stop seeing riddles in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.

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