Prime Minister to visit India

March 10, 2025

Source: New Zealand Government

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will travel to India next week, visiting New Delhi and Mumbai.

Mr Luxon will be accompanied by one of the largest delegations a New Zealand Prime Minister has ever travelled with, comprising senior New Zealand business leaders, a community delegation of prominent Kiwi Indians, representatives from across Parliament, and the Ministers for Tourism and Hospitality, Trade and Investment, and Ethnic Communities: Hons Louise Upston, Todd McClay and Mark Mitchell.

“Since coming into office, I have signalled that strengthening our relationship with India is a key priority for my Government,” Mr Luxon says.

“We’ve already made incredible progress over the last year as we invest in building a broad-based, sustainable relationship with India, the world’s fastest-growing major economy, and the place from which six per cent of New Zealand’s population claim their heritage. I hope my visit will further strengthen the close links between us.”

While in India, Mr Luxon will meet with Prime Minister Modi to explore areas of cooperation, deepen political and security ties and strengthen the economic relationship.

“India is an important power in the Indo-Pacific and I will discuss with Prime Minister Modi what more we can do together to maintain peace and prosperity in our region.”

India is the fifth largest economy in the world and is expected to become the third largest. Mr Luxon says travelling with a senior business delegation will help increase trade and business opportunities and promote New Zealand as an investment destination.

“The large and growing Indian diaspora make significant contributions to New Zealand. I am pleased to be travelling with a first-of-its-kind community delegation, to highlight the importance of the people to people links we share, and to profile the best and brightest among Kiwi-Indians.”

Mr Luxon will give the inaugural address at the Raisina Dialogue, India’s premier defence and security dialogue. He will also travel to Mumbai to meet with senior business leaders.

“New Zealand’s relationship with India is more important than ever at this time of geopolitical uncertainty. I am confident my visit will achieve a step change in our engagement, as we continue to strengthen our mutual security and prosperity,” Mr Luxon says.

Mr Luxon and the delegation will depart New Zealand on 15 March.

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WRISE Group Charts New Growth Path with Office Launch for WRISE Academy in Shenzhen

MIL OSI

March 10, 2025

Source: Media Outreach

Aims to achieve wealth inheritance and nurture industry talent as well as tap the growth opportunities of the GBA

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 10 March 2025 – WRISE Group (“WRISE” or “the Group”), one of the fastest-growing wealth management firms, is proud to announce the opening of its Shenzhen office and the official launch of WRISE Academy in Shenzhen. This milestone event marks the beginning of a new chapter in WRISE’s commitment to empowering its independent wealth consultants (IWCs) and clients across Asia.

WRISE Academy: empower next-generation wealth leaders

WRISE Academy, a flagship initiative under WRISE Prestige, serves as a cornerstone in developing the next generation of wealth management professionals. WRISE Academy provides comprehensive programmess tailored for Independent Wealth Consultants (IWCs) and family office practitioners, while offering specialised programs for the next generation of affluent clients. This dual approach ensures both professional development and successful wealth inheritance, addressing the growing complexity of modern wealth management needs.

Drawing on WRISE Group’s global presence, WRISE Academy brings together seasoned financial experts from top-tier investment banks, private banks, consulting firms, and other renowned financial institutions armed with profound theoretical knowledge and extensive experience in international financial markets to offer participants with unique practical insights and forward-looking perspectives. The curriculum combines theoretical knowledge with practical application, covering essential areas such as family governance, asset allocation, and risk management. WRISE Academy’s unique approach integrates WRISE Group’s professional service experience with extensive partner resources, providing students with unparalleled learning opportunities and industry connections.

In the family governance courses, WRISE Academy will delve into a wide array of case studies from renowned family businesses globally, with a particular focus on Asia. This approach is designed to equip participants with a deep understanding of family wealth inheritance and governance. By doing so, it aims to prepare them to address challenges in family business succession and transform theoretical knowledge into practical solutions.

Stephen Yan, Chairman of WRISE Prestige in Hong Kong, said: “The establishment of WRISE Academy marks a crucial step in our mission to elevate the standards of professionalism within the wealth management industry. By bringing together a faculty of globally renowned financial experts, we are dedicated to equipping our trainees with cutting-edge knowledge and skills, while also nurturing them as future leaders in wealth management.”

Targeting the Greater Bay Area (GBA) through strategic location and talent selection

The strategic location in Shenzhen positions WRISE Academy at the heart of the GBA’s financial innovation hub. According to a recent market research[1], GBA is home to approximately 1.24 million affluent, 510,000 high-net-worth families, and 30,000 ultra-high-net-worth families, demonstrating its strong potential as a global wealth management hub. In 2024, the region’s financial services sector grew by 6%, with policy initiatives like the Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect Scheme significantly driving the market demand. These developments have created substantial growth opportunities for the wealth management industry in the GBA.

As part of the GBA strategy, WRISE Group also actively recruits IANG (Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates) talent in Hong Kong to become IWCs. WRISE Academy supports these individuals by offering workshops covering finance, economics, and management and creating pathways for emerging professionals to access international opportunities across global financial centers.

Hashtag: #WRISE #WRISEAcademny #WRISEPrestige

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Economy – Reserve Bank of New Zealand Welcomes the Release of Te Ōhanga Māori 2023 Report

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March 10, 2025

Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand

10 March 2025 – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua welcomes the release of Te Ōhanga Māori 2023 report from the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment and Business and Economic Research Limited. The report highlights that the Māori Economy continues to be a strong, growing, unique, and diversified component of the New Zealand economy.

“The ongoing development of the Māori economy is an essential component to the future growth and resilience of New Zealand. We recognise the economic potential of the Māori economy and are collaborating with others on improving Māori access to capital to help fully realise this potential,” Simone Robbers says.

The Māori economy had contributed $32 billion to Aotearoa New Zealand’s GDP in 2023, up from $17 billion in 2018, with the Māori asset base growing to $126 billion. The Māori economy is diversifying beyond traditional sectors such as agriculture, forestry, and fishing, with real estate, property services, and professional services now leading growth. It also highlights progress in Māori entrepreneurship, high-skilled employment, and workforce participation.

Te Ōhanga Māori 2023 report builds on a series of reports that deepen our collective understanding of the Māori economy, and will inform and shape ongoing RBNZ initiatives, including Māori access to capital research and dashboard, facilitating lending on whenua Māori, the Māori data pilot, Te Waka Hourua, our Te Ao Māori strategy, and related financial inclusion workstreams.

“The RBNZ is committed to uplifting the Māori economy to support the continued economic growth, wellbeing, and prosperity for Māori and all New Zealanders,” Ms Robbers says.

The Reserve Bank played a supporting role in the creation of the report, participating on the steering committee and working groups. MBIE led the development of the 2023 report based on the latest census.

More information

Read the full Te Ōhanga Māori 2023 Report on the MBIE website https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=30a4e7e885&e=f3c68946f8
Improving access to capital for Māori https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=0c5aced902&e=f3c68946f8

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A Majority of Businesses Intrigued by the Potential of AI in Achieving Sustainability Goals Whilst Energy Consumption Concerns Persist

MIL OSI

March 10, 2025

Source: Media Outreach

More than one in two organizations acknowledge gap in understanding how digital technology can facilitate achieving sustainability goals

HANGZHOU, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 10 March 2025 – Over three quarters of businesses (76%) across Asia, Europe and the Middle East are intrigued by the potential of digital technologies, including AI and cloud computing in driving sustainable development, according to the latest survey report titled “Tech-Driven Sustainability Trends and Index 2024”, commissioned by Alibaba Cloud, the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group. However, the substantial energy consumption associated with these technologies is still reflecting a key barrier to broader adoption, as 61% of respondents still express concerns over the matter.

This interest in the potential of AI, cloud computing and other advanced digital technologies to support sustainable development varies across regions, with emerging Asian markets leading the way (83%), followed closely by the Middle East (78%), Europe (74%), and developed Asian markets (72%). Notably, the Philippines (91%), Singapore (84%), Indonesia (81%), and Thailand (81%), demonstrate particularly high interest.

Regional Variations in AI Adoption and Sustainability Efforts

Despite this optimism, 59% businesses acknowledge gap in understanding how digital technology can assist in achieving sustainability goals with Asia leading at 63%, followed by Europe at 61% and the Middle East at 45%. Around two thirds (62%) of executives believe their organizations are lagging in adopting cloud computing and AI to accelerate progress towards sustainability goals. This concern is particularly noted in Singapore (80%), the Philippines (77%), and Japan (75%) and Hong Kong SAR (75%), indicating a pressing need for organizations to accelerate their technological adoption to advance sustainability.

Overall, 82% of businesses agree that sustainable development in technology is paramount for their companies, with markets like Singapore (93%), the Philippines (91%), and Indonesia (89%) leading the charge. Companies increasingly recognize the multifaceted benefits of adopting digital technologies for sustainability including cost savings, improved operational efficiencies, and enhanced compliance with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) regulations.

AI and machine learning are viewed as the most crucial digital technologies for advancing corporate sustainability, with businesses in the Middle East (52%) placing greater emphasis on their importance compared to Europe (41%), emerging Asian markets (40%) and developed Asian markets (36%). Meanwhile, 81% of businesses feel human oversight is needed in guiding the development of digital technologies, including AI tools with the Middle East feel the strongest at 91%, followed by emerging Asian markets at 83%, Europe at 82% and developed Asian markets at 74%.

However, the survey reveals a notable concern: 61% of respondents fear that the high energy consumption associated with digital technologies may hinder widespread AI adoption. This concern is even higher in Singapore (85%), the Philippines (77%) and Hong Kong SAR (75%). Furthermore, 71% of businesses believe that the substantial energy consumption of digital technologies such as powering AI may outweigh its benefits with the highest concerns from Singapore (86%), the Philippines (84%) and Malaysia (81%).

The report also highlights the importance of selecting technology providers that prioritize sustainability. When selecting a “green” cloud provider, approximately half of businesses prioritize those that use renewable energy (51%), maintain energy-efficient data centers (46%), and implement carbon footprint reduction initiatives (42%).

Commitment to Green AI and Open-source Innovation

“With feedback from decision-makers across 13 markets, the survey report sheds light on the current attitudes and challenges businesses face in adopting AI and cloud computing for sustainability,” said Selina Yuan, President of International Business, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence. “At Alibaba Cloud, we are committed to supporting businesses on their sustainability journeys with scalable and sustainable solutions. By pledging to use 100% clean energy by 2030 and improving the energy efficiency at our global data centers, as well as optimizing Generative AI capabilities such as large language models (LLMs) performance, AI can be a powerful tool to improve efficiency and optimize energy consumption.”

Alibaba Cloud has made notable progress in its green cloud initiatives. In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, the average power usage effectiveness (PUE) of the company’s self-built data centers improved to 1.200 from 1.215 the year before, with 56% of the electricity consumed coming from clean sources. Additionally, Alibaba’s green computing infrastructure has enabled clients to reduce their emissions by 9.884 million tons, a remarkable increase of 44% year-on-year.

In addition, Alibaba Cloud is at the forefront of democratizing AI through its open-source initiatives, making advanced AI technologies accessible and affordable for businesses of all sizes. By releasing cutting-edge open-source models from its proprietary large language model Qwen family, including Qwen2.5-VL and Qwen2.5-1M and its video foundation model Tongyi Wanxiang (Wan), Alibaba Cloud empowers developers to create task-specific AI applications that are both efficient and cost-effective. These open-source models have already inspired over 100,000 derivative models on Hugging Face, showcasing their global adoption and versatility. By promoting smaller parameter models, Alibaba Cloud reduces the cost and energy consumption of AI training and deployment, fostering a collaborative ecosystem that drives energy-efficient innovation.

Surveying 1,300 decision-makers across 13 markets, “Tech-Driven Sustainability Trends and Index 2024” aims to provide valuable insights into the evolving landscape of corporate sustainability. The survey report underscores the essential role of technology in driving impactful change, while highlighting the need for businesses to adopt AI and cloud computing responsibly to address energy consumption concerns and bridge the gap in sustainability efforts.

About the Survey

Alibaba Cloud’s “Tech-Driven Sustainability Trends and Index 2024” was independently conducted by Yonder Consulting, a business consulting firm, with advisory, design and analytical support from The Purpose Business, a sustainability consultancy. The survey collected feedback from May 10 to June 19, 2024, involving 1,300 business leaders and senior management from various industries, including technology and communications, finance, infrastructure, renewable resources, healthcare, transportation, retail, and manufacturing.

Respondents were located across 13 markets in Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Singapore and South Korea), Europe (France, Germany, and United Kingdom), and the Middle East (Saudi Arabia and the UAE). In this survey, developed Asian markets refer to Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea, while emerging Asian markets include Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand.

Hashtag: #AlibabaCloud

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Open for business: new funding to attract international business events

LiveNews Publisher

March 10, 2025

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government is investing an additional $3 million from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy to secure more business events for New Zealand, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says.

“On top of my recent Tourism Boost announcements for a new Australia campaign and a regional fund, we’re giving business events a boost.

“We know business event participants spend $175 more per day than other visitors on average, and importantly they often visit in the off-peak period between March and November.

“This funding will allow Tourism New Zealand to increase their annual conference bid development from 90 to 110 bids, attract high-value incentive programmes, and enhance New Zealand’s presence at key international trade events.”

The additional activity aims to secure business events for New Zealand that will deliver more than $30 million in incremental spend to the economy.

“This is a chance to showcase our new conference facilities, fantastic hotels, and experiences, and pitch New Zealand as a world class location for business events.

“To boost conference visitor numbers, it makes sense to supercharge the Conference Assistance Programme work that is already happening in Tourism New Zealand.”

The funding is available to any organisation, including universities, to bid to host an international conference in New Zealand. Support is also available to attract high-value incentive business to New Zealand.

This funding is part of the Tourism Boost package, developed by the Government in partnership with industry to support immediate growth in visitor numbers, drive export activity and deliver economic growth.

“My message is clear, New Zealand is open for business and we are looking forward to welcoming more business visitors soon,” Louise Upston says.

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OPPO Awards Media OutReach Newswire “Partner of the Year 2024” for Excellence in Global Press Release Distribution Services

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March 10, 2025

Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 10 March 2025 – Media OutReach Newswire, Asia Pacific’s first global newswire, has been honoured with OPPO’s prestigious ‘Partner of the Year’ award for the second time, following its exemplary performance in OPPO’s rigorous annual vendor evaluation system. Media OutReach Newswire achieved an exceptional rating exceeding 90% in OPPO’s evaluation matrix—an A-tier classification that OPPO’s Global Procurement team characterises as ‘extremely difficult to achieve.’ This distinguished OPPO award further solidifies Media OutReach Newswire’s position as a trusted global press release distribution partner. In their formal commendation accompanying the award, OPPO acknowledged the partnership’s strategic value, stating: “You have demonstrated a deep understanding of client requirements and consistently delivered outstanding results.”

Media OutReach Newswire’s Founder and CEO Jennifer Kok with the prestigious OPPO ‘Partner of the Year 2024’ award

Since 2019, Media OutReach Newswire has been a trusted newswire partner of OPPO, the world’s leading smart device brand known for combining aesthetic excellence with innovative technology. Media OutReach Newswire has supported OPPO by distributing the company’s press releases across Asia Pacific, Southeast Asia, the USA & Canada, the Middle East, Africa, Europe & the UK, and Latin America.

“Being recognised as the ‘OPPO Partner of the Year’ for the second time is a proud moment for Media OutReach Newswire and a testament to the excellence of our distribution network and customer services,” said Jennifer Kok, Founder and CEO of Media OutReach Newswire. “This award reflects our deep understanding of clients’ needs and our commitment to delivering results that exceed expectations globally. It highlights our expertise in connecting OPPO’s press releases with journalists, securing guaranteed news postings on high-quality media outlets globally, and providing post-release reports with data insights and PR Campaign Intelligence. Our continuous investment in press release distribution network ensures OPPO’s PR and marketing teams achieve impactful results in their global communications campaigns. Media OutReach Newswire is the trusted partner for corporations and governments looking to elevate their global brand trust and recognition.”

Through its comprehensive database of more than 200,000 journalists and editors over 500 trade categories, Media OutReach Newswire ensured OPPO’s press releases reached both general news (newspapers) and targeted trade media such as telecommunications & mobile, general technology, business, finance, ESG, retail and lifestyle which are key to OPPO’s business communications. By delivering OPPO’s press release directly to the inbox of targeted journalists and editors, Media OutReach Newswire’s press release distribution service has generated write-ups from trade media such as Gadgets 360, GMSArena, Phone Arena, Hardware Zone, Tech Edition as well as from tier one media outlets like CNBC, Forbes and South China Morning Post.

Featured OPPO Write-ups on CNBC, Hardware Zone, Phone Arena and South China Morning Post.

Media OutReach Newswire offers a Total Communications Solution that addresses the full requirements of PR and IR professionals, which includes a comprehensive global network of editors and journalists, guaranteed online news postings on quality and real media, and multiformat ready to use post release report with data insights and pioneering PR Campaign Intelligence to facilitate C-Suite’s reporting.

Hashtag: #MediaOutReachNewswire #OPPO #PartneroftheYear

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Green Party launches petition to allow Pacific whānau visa-free access

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March 10, 2025

Source: Green Party

The Green Party is launching a petition calling on the Government to extend visa-free travel to visitors from Pacific Island nations.

“Aotearoa is part of the family of Pacific nations, and we must remove unfair barriers to entry for our Pacific whānau,” says Green Party spokesperson for Pacific Peoples Teanau Tuiono.

“We are a Pacific nation, as will be shown by the rich cultural expression and coming together of peoples at this weekend’s Pasifika festival in Tāmaki Makaurau.”

“Despite our country’s many bonds with the region, people from Pacific countries have to jump through bureaucratic hoops to get a visitor visa approved, and often see their visas unfairly declined.”

“Visitors from 60 countries are currently able to access Aotearoa without a visa – not a single one of those countries is a Pacific Island country.”

“Our petition calls on the Government to demonstrate that Aotearoa values our relationship with Pacific countries, and start to build an immigration system that values community, connection, and fairness.”

“The Green Party wants to give our whānau, āiga and communities certainty to visit Aotearoa,” says Teanau Tuiono.

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Update: SH1 at Marton has reopened following earlier crash

LiveNews Publisher

March 10, 2025

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

A stretch of State Highway 1, just north of Makirikiri Road, has reopened.

The road closed following a 2-vehicle crash just after midday.

Detours were available.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi is thanking drivers for their support during the closure and is advising people to drive to the conditions and expect delays while congestion through the area eases.

Crash closes SH1 at Marton

1:30pm update: A stretch of State Highway 1, just north of Makirikiri Road, has closed, following a 2-vehicle crash after midday.

Detours are available. Northbound traffic will be directed left onto turn left onto Makirikiri Road, then right onto Pukepapa Road, onto Skerman Street, right onto Bond Street, onto Calico Line, before returning to SH1.

The reverse will apply for southbound traffic.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi is advising people to delay travel in possible or expect delays.

Visit NZTA’s Journey Planner for updates.

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Takitimu North Link Open Day – Come And Meet The Team

LiveNews Publisher

March 10, 2025

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Interested in what’s happening on the Takitimu North Link project? You’re invited to a community open day to find out about current construction progress and get all the latest news.

The Takitimu North Link project team are opening their doors to the public on Saturday 29 March between 10.30am and 1.30pm at the Bethlehem Hall, 239 State Highway 2.

“The team is really keen to share updates with the community and answer any questions you may have,” says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) Regional Manager Infrastructure Delivery, Darryl Coalter.

“We’ve passed the halfway point in building this road now and when you’ve got good news – you just want to share it – so we’re hoping for a good turnout,” Mr Coalter says.

Takitimu North Link is a Road of National Significance, a new 4-lane expressway that’ll provide a more reliable, resilient, and safe connection between Tauranga and Te Puna.

The open day is a chance to meet the team building this major infrastructure, and learn about:

progress on building a major interchange at SH29/Takitimu Drive Toll Road, including a 363-metre flyover bridge between Tauriko and the Tauranga city centre,
progress on the layout and construction of 2 roundabouts to form the diamond interchange at Minden,
work to build a new bridge connection towards Te Puna, Tauriko and Lower Kaimai at SH2/Fifteenth Ave,
how Takitimu North Link Stage 2 is progressing.

And so much more…

Stage 1 between Tauranga and Te Puna is due for completion 2028. The designation process for Stage 2 between Te Puna and Ōmokoroa is underway.

“NZTA and the project team couldn’t get this road built without the support of the community, so the open day is a day to say thank you and connect with you all,” Mr Coalter says.

Open day details:

When: Saturday 29 March 2025 between 10.30am and 1.30pm

Where: Bethlehem Hall, 239 State Highway 2, Bethlehem, Tauranga

For more information and to sign up for updates visit: nzta.govt.nz/takitimunorth(external link)

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Overnight works to connect temporary road for SH22 Paerātā roundabout construction

LiveNews Publisher

March 10, 2025

Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

Overnight stop/go and lane changes on State Highway 22 between Pukekohe and Paerātā Rise got underway last night, as NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) contractors complete works to connect a temporary road bypassing construction of the SH22 Paerātā roundabout.

Work to connect the temporary road to the existing state highway will take place overnight between 9pm and 5am through to Thursday (14 March) under stop/go traffic management.

People will still be able to travel in both directions during the works. However, road users are encouraged to plan ahead and expect delays.

Northbound traffic will move to the new temporary road first, followed by southbound road users.

A 50km/h speed limit will be in place on the temporary road during roundabout construction.

The new single lane roundabout will enable access to the future Paerātā Railway Station and new housing developments. It’s one of several infrastructure upgrades in the area to future proof for the estimated population growth of 120,000 people in South Auckland over the next 30 years.

This temporary bypass road allows the roundabout to be built offline without significant disruption to people and freight travelling on SH22.

Please be patient and treat our crews with kindness and respect. Reduce your speed, adhere to the temporary speed limits and follow the traffic management directions at our work sites. 

This work is weather dependent and there may be changes to the planned works in the case of unsuitable weather. Please visit the NZTA Journey Planner website (journeys.nzta.govt.nz(external link)) for up-to-date information on these works, including any changes due to weather.

Construction of the SH22 Paerātā roundabout is expected to be complete by the end of the year.

NZTA thanks everyone for their patience while we complete this important work.

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