Waikato Business News | March 1, 2024

2 MARCH 2024
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Roy Pilott
027 450 0115
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Teens get down
to business
Almost 200 secondary
school students were at
Wintec’s Atrium for the
annual Lion Foundation
Young Enterprise Scheme’s
– Yes - Kickstart Tīmatanga
event.
They were given
information about the
programme and time with
about 40 speed coaches –
and almost 50 companies
were created.
Yes is a long running
programme which gives
Year 12 and 13 students an
opportunity to set up and
run their own businesses.
Their companies complete
challenges throughout
the year for regional and
national awards and tertiary
scholarships.
Regional co-ordinator
Maddie Walker said students
were brimming with ideas,
from unique products and
twists on familiar ones to
new services developed to
turn a profit.
It was excellent to see
business leaders offering
feedback, she said.
“Yes is a fantastic
experience for students and
being able to connect with
these mentors really sets
them on the right track for
the year.”
Letters…
Sky fall?
I was amused at the photo of the “sod
turning” collective (Waikato Business News,
February). It seems it may have come right
out of Monty Python’s Department of Silly
Walks. It is amazing that the group all have
to wear safety helmets, protective glasses
and high visibility jackets when they are, (all
but one) simply symbolically putting a foot
on a spade in the ground. One would have
thought the greater risk is for a foot injury -
so therefore why not heavy duty footwear?
Having driven through the junction many,
many times over 30 years, the only potential
danger I see from above is the sky falling on
my head. Might I conclude that the photo
smacks of health and safety gone mad?
Greg Dunn
Fairfield, Hamilton
Also publishers of
National MPs, from left Louise Upston, Simeon
Brown, Tim van de Molen and Tom Rutherford
at the sod turning.
Maddie Walker pictured with Lincoln Drent and Eddie Stocks from Kiwibank.
Fight or flight?
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correspondence with the publication.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
more if we were ever in the position to.”
Ōtorohanga mayor Max Baxter said his
council had no intention of selling its shares
while Matamata-Piako mayor Adrienne
Wilcock said it had not even been discussed,
so its current position was to retain them as
a strategic investment.
Waikato mayor Jacqui Church said
the airport company had worked hard to
be the best regional airport and council
would retain its shareholding as a strategic
investment.
“It (airport company) is well managed
and governed,” she said. “It has diversified
and strengthened over the past few years.
The council is supportive of the airport as a
regional asset and will continue to support
the airport through its shareholding for the
foreseeable future.”
Outspoken Waikato district councillor
Mike Keir recently advocated for 20 per cent
plus rate increases to maintain the district’s
“tired and non-compliant infrastructure.”
But he would not sell the airport shares
despite Waikato’s percentage being worth
$36.5 million.
“This council asset is likely to see some
good growth in value over the medium term
and should also be able to pay dividends so
council should hold to maximise its return.
“That is not to say divestment should not
be considered in the future but in my book,
now is not the time,” said Keir.
• See: Not enough value out of airport,
page 12
Tim van de Molen
Your MP for Waikato
Backing Waikato Businesses
Tim.vandeMolenMP@parliament.govt.nz
0800 GET TIM (0800 438 846)
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