Waikato Business News

Cruising underway Waiting to greet tourists off the cruise ship Anthem of the Sea. Photo: Mary Anne Gill The arrival of Celebrity Edge and Celebrity Solstice has launched Tauranga’s cruise season, with 82 ships expected by early May. Tourism Bay of Plenty estimates up to 230,000 passengers and crew will visit, supporting a sector that contributed $111.8 million to the regional economy in 2023/24.

The growing use of drone technology in forestry highlights how innovation is reshaping some of New Zealand’s traditional primary industries. The use of drones in agriculture is well established, but a recent Bay of Plenty project suggests the technology is increasingly finding a place in commercial forestry operations as well. Agrodrone gorse spraying near Tauranga.

A Tauranga apprentice has emerged as one of New Zealand’s most promising young tradies after winning the inaugural Apprentice Young Plumber of the Year regional title and securing a place in the national final. Paige Samuel, a third-year apprentice with Tauranga Hardware & Plumbing Limited, claimed top honours at the Waikato/King Country Regional Final, edging out strong competition in a series of practical and theory-based challenges.

Cambridge’s Dr James ‘Jim’ Goodrich spoke last week on his connection with a lost Marine. Dental surgeon and forensic odontologist James Goodrich unveiled his ties to an American World War Two war hero at a presentation given in his hometown last week. The internationally recognised dentist spoke to a Cambridge U3A (University of the Third Age) meeting last Tuesday.

Matt Strawbridge and Jack Strawbridge share more than a surname. Both Cambridge-based carpentry apprentices placed highly in the Waikato 2026 Master Builders Apprentice of the Year competition. Matt, 20, who works for Foster Construction Group, of Arthur Porter Drive, Hamilton, won first place in the competition, pipping Jack, 23, who works for G.D. Pringle Building, of Oliver Street, Cambridge, to the post. Jack finished second in the 23rd annual regional awards.

They have some of Cambridge’s best views across the Waikato River. They also have a front-row seat to what they describe as one of the town’s biggest eyesores. St Peter’s School, 3MS of Cambridge and Te Awa Lifecare have joined forces to oppose ResourceCo’s application for a managed fill site at 3831 Cambridge Rd, lodging submissions with Waipā District Council this week calling for the proposal to be declined.

Bay of Plenty’s kiwifruit industry is proving once again why it remains one of the region’s economic heavyweights, with a record harvest delivering strong returns despite tougher trading conditions offshore. Kiwifruit going through the conveyor line.

Event Name: Westpac Smarts Breakfast with the Prime Minister Date: Friday 31 July 2026 Location: Novotel Rotorua Lakeside Photographer: Michelle Cutelli Photography Rotorua’s business community turned out in force for the Westpac Smarts Breakfast with the Prime Minister Christopher Luxon who joined Rotorua Business Chamber CEO Melanie Short for a fireside chat covering the issues shaping New Zealand’s business landscape and priorities for economic growth, while Todd McClay provided a local...

Fresh from a major UN biodiversity gathering, Papamoa’s Ian Herbert is advocating practical financial solutions to support nature and future generations, writes Monique Balvert-O’Connor. Ian Herbert with The Convention on Biological Diversity executive secretary Astrid Schomaker. Biodiversity champion and economist Ian Herbert has just returned from a United Nations gathering in Kenya where he spoke of the urgent need for investment in biodiversity.

Two of New Zealand’s most trusted money experts will be amongst speakers presenting at next month’s Tauranga Arts Festival. Mary Holm and Susan Edmunds will join an impressive array of speakers at the Craigs Investment Partners Escape literary sessions. Both will be ready to answer cash-related questions. Holm, appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2020, is one of the country’s most trusted personal finance experts. Her books include Rich Enough?