on mas feb 2013

February 2013

The magazine for MAS Members

MAS ingenuityBrainstorm

PLUSBusiness: Taking the leap

Travel: Shanghai

Technology: Broadband packages

publisherMAS 19-21 Broderick Rd Johnsonville Wellington 6037

websitewww.mas.co.nz

mailing addressOn MAS PO Box 13042 Johnsonville Wellington 6440

phone0800 800 627

head off ice+64 4 478 8863

fax+64 4 477 0109

[email protected]

managing editorLindsay Huthnance

The information contained in On MAS is of a general nature and should not be used or relied upon as a substitute for detailed advice or as a basis for formulating business decisions.

The opinions of contributors are their own and not necessarily those of the publisher or editor.

2013. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or part without the prior permission of the publisher.

ISSN 2230-5823

Printed on environmentally responsible paper that complies with the requirements of environmental systems EMAS and ISO14001, using vegetable-based inks.

On MAS

CALLING ALL BLOGGERSWE WANT yOuR STORIES

Februaryx2013

15 TechnologyBroadband packages

24 TravelShanghai

10 BusinessTaking the leap

1 From Your Chairman

2 Member story: Brainstorm MAS ingenuity

6 Your space

8 MAS updates

10 Business: Taking the leap

13 Personal finance: Shop green

15 Technology: Broadband packages

18 Life: Making the transition

21 Family: Standing up for your school

24 Travel: Shanghai

28 Music: The Golden Days

29 Motoring

30 MAS news

32 Student news

34 Wine

36 Great reads

Are you a MAS Member who writes a regular blog that has a dedicated following? You might be a doctor writing about the latest trends in medical technology, a green thumb extolling the most tried-and-true gardening methods, or a traveller chronicling your adventures for friends and family.

If so, and youd be interested in being profiled in an upcoming issue of On MAS, wed love to hear from you. Please let us know by emailing [email protected] or writing to On MAS at Freepost 884, MAS, PO Box 13042, Johnsonville, Wellington 6440.

*All material is edited and published at the editors discretion.

2

Summer lovingWelcome to 2013, on the heels of the longest run of fair weather weve had nationwide in recent years. On behalf of MAS, I hope youve all had a festive holiday season and the time to soak up some of that classic Kiwi summer fun and relaxation. With ample opportunities to make the most of the beach and the barbie, this summer should make for some lasting memories as we dive into the business end of the year.

FrOM yOur ChAirMAn

Kiwi saversWith financial year end approaching, wed like to remind you of some recent changes to the Medical Assurance Society KiwiSaver Plan. Under new legislation, a KiwiSaver scheme can either be a retail scheme (open to all) or a restricted scheme (with certain entry conditions on who can join). From 21 September 2012 the Medical Assurance Society KiwiSaver Plan became a restricted scheme.

There are certain advantages to restricted status, notably we can have an independent trustee rather than a corporate trustee. This means we are exempt from a number of regulatory requirements that are likely to involve significant time and expense. As compared to having a corporate trustee, having an independent trustee of the Medical Assurance Society KiwiSaver Plan and Retirement Savings Plan will mean a savings of over $200,000 in annual cost charged back to the schemes and ultimately to Members.

It is my pleasure to welcome our new independent trustee Mr Brendan ODonovan, who was previously Chief Economist at Westpac, and before that Chief Economist at The National Bank. Brendan will work with the trustees of the MAS Investment Committee to oversee our investment plans.

You should also be aware that if youre an employee, the KiwiSaver contribution rates change from the first pay period starting on or after 1 April 2013. This means that if you are currently contributing the minimum of 2%, your rate will automatically change to 3%. However, youll still be able to select a higher employee contribution rate of 4% or 8%.

We wish you all the best for a successful 2013,

Richard Tyler, Chairman

The New Zealand Olympic medical team members that featured in the article entitled At the top of her game in the November 2012 issue are (from left): Auckland massage therapist Clint Knox, Wellington GP Sports Doctor Chan Dassanayake, Hamilton Sports Physician Dr Chris Milne, Dunedin massage therapist Yvette Latta, Dunedin physiotherapist Helen Littleworth, Auckland Sports Physician (attached to womens football for London Olympics) Dr Chris Hanna, Auckland GP Sport Doctor Lynne Coleman, Auckland physiotherapist Jordan Salsea, and Auckland Sports Physician Dr Graham Paterson.

1On MAS The magazine for MAS Members

MEMBEr STOry

Have you ever had a truly great idea? Something so innovative or unorthodox that you knew it was worth a fortune, if only you had the time and energy to turn it into a reality? Meet seven Members whove had eureka! moments and turned their ideas into something more.

Martin rooke MorfitAs an osteopath, Martin Rooke knows lower back pain is an endemic problem. In the United States alone, it costs over $100 billion in lost revenue and disability per year, which rivals cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease and diabetes.

Sitting in and driving a car have been shown to be major aggravating factors for lower back pain, particularly if the car seat is not a perfect fit.

The problem that car designers face is that people come in all shapes and sizes, says Martin. So how do you make one car seat that fits everyone? The answer is that you cant.

He says that there are more than 100 driver supports in the market, but none of those he tried was ever a perfect fit for his patients. So

he began to think about a way to mimic the perfect-fit moulded seats used by racing car drivers, and the idea for Morfit was born.

The technology has been used before, but for a lumbar support device, he says. Morfit is essentially a collection of small beads in an airtight bag. To begin with, there is air in the bag, so the beads are able to move about freely and the shape of the bag is malleable. You then mould it to your back and evacuate the air to solidify the bag, effectively giving you a made-to-fit back brace. It will hold rock solid in that position, but if you change cars or use a different driver, you can release the vacuum and remould the support.

Martin sources parts for Morfit from all over the world. The pump and body are manufactured in the Netherlands, the medical luer valves come from the United States, the tubing is made in Australia, the cover is made in China, and the polyurethane

MAS ingenuity By Nick Helm

Brainstorm

Martin Rooke.

2 February 2013

bag is manufactured in Auckland and sewn to an internal skeleton in Wellington. And finally, Martin assembles all the parts in his attic.

We have already manufactured one run of 500 units, but we plan to sell more than 1,000 units in our first year, says Martin. Foundation for Research, Science and Technology grants helped us to refine the concept, validate the design and carry out preliminary trials. The results of these trials have been better than we had hoped for in reducing back pain while driving. It really works incredibly well.

He says the next step is to find a strategic partner to help distribute the product and approach organisations with a record of lower back pain in their industries, such as taxi companies and trucking associations.

If we can just find the right partner, the whole thing will take off.

Tim Smithells First CareersWith a proliferation of new occupations, many parents struggle to advise their teenagers and young adults on their next step.

Tim Smithells, a registered psychologist, and his wife Juliana, a career professional, saw an opportunity to make a difference.

They set up First Careers to provide independent career planning services to 15-30 year olds seeking first, clear career directions. Central to First Careers operation are the Smithells System and a nationwide network of Smithells Professionals, handpicked career specialists licensed and trained by First Careers to use the Smithells System with young people.

The Smithells System combines online interactive self-report questionnaires, a software-generated summary and personalized career planning.

Smithells Professionals interpret and explain summary data, identify in demand career paths that best suit each young persons unique mix of skills, interests, values and strengths, outline next step options, create a realistic action plan and provide feedback to parent(s) or partner.

In one 2.5 hour session, you have to win their respect, confidence and trust, says Tim. We do this by giving young people a

clearer picture of who they are as people and learning about what really matters to them.

We took a lot of advice from young clients and their families to figure out exactly what information they wanted, to learn more about themselves and make sound decisions for their future.

80% of clients are at secondary school. The remaining 20% are tertiary students, apprentices and others in the workforce.

Behind the Smithells System is an educational, psychological and vocational model derived from the ideas and methods of Alfred Adler, a psychiatrist and contemporary of Freuds.

Despite small beginnings, First Careers has grown steadily. In 2012 more than 1,300 young people experienced the System. The Smithells System was described by Emeritus Professor Betty Newlon, international career educator, as a world first.

Terry Mixter Mixter CatheterThe brainchild of surgeon Terry Mixter, the Mixter Catheter is a small implement used to aid the diagnosis of gallstones during a cholangiogram.

The device uses a small stylet that can be inserted like a needle before the catheter is slipped into the cystic duct. Its designed to be a quality device that is cheap to make, robust and easy to use.

Like many inventors, Terry was dismayed by the limitations of many products on the market at the time and had an idea for a simpler device that would work a great deal more effectively. Unlike other inventors, he opted not to patent the idea himself, instead doing the unthinkable offering his idea to an established manufacturer.

Everyone told me I should patent the catheter, but that was the worst thing I could have done, says Terry. It wouldve taken a lot of time, been prohibitively expensive and probably would not have led anywhere.

Terrys logic flies in the face of conventional wisdom many inventors believe that you have to patent an idea in order to protect it. But according to Terry, patenting could be the very thing that prevents a great idea becoming a viable commercial venture.

There are better ways to have a medical device commercially manufactured. In my case, I approached a medical devices manufacturer with my idea and, under a non-disclosure agreement, allowed them to refine and develop it into a saleable product. They worked on it for a long time before it finally went into production and it has been selling well now for several years, he says.

The product is far better than anything I could have created on my own and I didnt have to take on any of the risk or personal expense, which made the whole process much more enjoyable. The non-disclosure agreement means they cant steal your idea while they develop it, and if it works out, both parties benefit financially. Each year, Terry receives a royalty cheque from the device manufacturer.

Many countries also have stringent regulatory approval processes that restrict the sale and manufacture of medical devices, which are enforced by powerful agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration in the United States.

Most inventors dont have anywhere near the resources required to take that kind of thing on and, in some ways, theyd be foolish to try when clearly better options are available.

Steve August BackpodI sometimes see scientific advancements where someone works hard and releases a true innovation into the world. Well, this is nothing like that, laughs Steve August. It is more a case of me standing back and looking at the big picture of a 30-year career in physiotherapy.

Steve is the inventor of the Backpod, a small biomechanical device that patients can use at home for the treatment and prevention of upper back pain.


Most of the neck and back problems I see in my clinic are caused by people leaning forward into their work, whether its sitting at a computer or lifting objects, he says. These problems have become much worse in the past 5-10 years because, on a desktop computer, you can usually adjust the screen, keyboard and chair appropriately for the user, but you simply cannot do that with laptops, tablets and smartphones. I dont think weve ever had a more hunched generation, and neck problems follow on from that.

He says most patients middle and upper backs become too tight to free through their own movements, so they need an external force to correct the misalignment. This force can come from a physiotherapist or chiropractor directly manipulating the joints, or by lying on a fulcrum to leverage the patients body weight.

The Backpod itself consists of an unyielding polycarbonate core shaped to suit the contours of the spine, with a cushioned outer shell. Patients lie back on the device and it provides leverage to stretch their joints back into place and realign their backs.

That is essentially the Backpod a high-tech product based on a very low-tech concept, but one that seems to have been largely missed or not addressed effectively, and we think it fills a gap in an enormous market, Steve says. Its a combination of practical New Zealand common sense, thorough clinical understanding and cool technology and a chance to do some good.

Steve and his business partners, including award-winning industrial designer Andrew Wallace, established Bodystance Ltd as a way to develop and commercialise the idea.

I talked over the idea with several colleagues, but it was a chance discussion

that got it all started. A friend introduced me to Andrew, who understood what I wanted in a clinical sense and could convert that into a product. Its a combination that has worked very well, he says.

And thats really the best advice I could give someone who has an idea they would like to develop dont try to do it all yourself. Gather people around you who have the right skills and make sure they have just as much interest in the products success as you do.

Ted Bealing Dent-O-TorqAuckland dentist Ted Bealings interest in dental implants began when the devices became popular in the late 1980s, but the more he worked with them, the more frustrated he became.

Dental implant manufacturers listed the correct tightening torques for their devices, but didnt provide tools to do the job. To make matters worse, most implant designers set their tightening torques for the superstructure screws in the Newton-centimetre (N-cm) range. Spanners in this range were difficult, if not impossible, to source in the 1980s, and the tools that did exist were all measured in Newton-metres.

After hearing stories of many implant screws coming loose, I decided to sit down and design a torque wrench that would do the job, says Ted. My hobby is engineering, so I based the design on an old automotive bar torque wrench I used in my workshop many years ago. What I came up with was a scaled-down version of that tool with a sector scale at the base. It covered a range of 10-35 N-cm, making it suitable for several different implant systems at the time.

In 1990 Ted set up a small company, Dent-O-Torq, to manage and manufacture the mini torque wrench using machine dies that he made at home.

I made the wrenches in batches of 10 and sold most of them in New Zealand, but I did have sales as far away as Belgium and England, he says.

By 1995, implant manufacturers had wised up and begun producing their own custom torque wrenches to suit their products, so I ceased production, but I sold more than 60 wrenches in those years and it became known to some dentists and orthodontists as the Ted Torq.

Ted says he still uses his wrench when faced with some older implant variants and occasionally meets a dentist who happily describes the place the wrench still holds in their dental toolkit.

A while back I took some wrenches across to Australia to see if there was any interest in them there, but they have very tight controls on how medical tools can be manufactured, says Ted. After being hassled by customs for a couple of hours, the tools were counted and I was told to make sure I left with exactly the same number.

I also gave a sample to a visiting colleague from the United States, with the idea that I might be able to have it made and distributed there, but I never heard any more about it, he says. A few years later, a very similar wrench appeared on the market in the US.

He says in a way, he was quite happy about that.

I made a modest profit making and selling the wrenches, as the material cost was only a few dollars, but the labour was quite substantial. I guess I really did it to satisfy my own interest in engineering.

David Woodnorth ComplyWithAs a lawyer, David Woodnorth knows that regulatory compliance can be a real headache for some organisations. Large oil exploration companies, for example, which operate within a highly regulated environment, must always be acutely aware of their legal and regulatory obligations. For instance, working out what specifically applies to exploration drilling can be a very difficult and time-consuming process.

4 February 2013

This is where Davids ComplyWith software comes in. ComplyWith is a regulatory compliance tool that allows businesses and organisations to identify and monitor their legal compliance obligations. It translates complex legal content into simple compliance questions and commentary, written to be easily accessible by ordinary businesspeople without the need for legal training.

The tool maintains a central database of legislative compliance content which is always up to date, says David. Many of our clients are large corporations and government organisations, which are often under a great deal of scrutiny.

Before the tool existed, he knew of chief executives, auditors and risk committees all asking for something to fill the gap, but there was nothing available in the market. He says a small group in government with similar interests got together. They approached me and a software developer, who is now my business partner, with a wish list of product features and asked if we would be interested in developing the product, he says. We accepted and worked with them for 18 months to map out and develop the compliance content and software functionality they were looking for.

When the finished product was delivered, the first organisation to approach them was the Office of the Auditor-General and it liked what it saw and bought it.

It really grew from there, going from a part-time project while I continued to work in law, to the point where I gave up practising about four years ago to focus on ComplyWith full

time. We now have over 70 organisations subscribing to ComplyWith and a great team of software developers and lawyers working on enhancements and new products. Last year we delivered a new regulatory change tracking program called ComplyWatch, and this year is off with a bang with the launch of an online risk register, he says.

It was a pretty amazing feeling when I realised my future was no longer as a lawyer in the conventional sense. Suddenly, I was a software entrepreneur who had been blessed with some fantastic opportunities and the right people to make them happen.

Patrick Meffan BicyclebungeeUrologist Patrick Meffan has been a serious cyclist for years so serious that in 2008 he and a friend decided to compete in the Trans-Alp mountain bike race in Europe. The Trans-Alp is a two-person event where riders must stay together for the entire eight-day race through Northern Italy.

Competitors try to spread their skills across the team, and one way to do that is to attach a tow line between the riders. When one rider is tired, the other can take up the slack. That was really the first time I began to think about ways of connecting bikes together, says Patrick. It occurred to me that a logical solution would be to use a retractable cord attached directly to the lead bike, and that is how I developed the first prototype of the Bicyclebungee.

The cord is sufficiently long that the trailing bike doesnt have to ride directly behind the wheel of the lead bike; its stretchy enough that if the trailing bike stops, the lead bike can stop in time, and the trailing rider doesnt feel as if their only view is the backside of the lead rider. For the lead rider, the effect is like riding up a slight incline or into a light headwind, rather than a sudden dead weight that comes on as the rear rider falls behind.

Patrick says it soon became apparent that not only was it suitable for racing situations, but it was a fantastic way to cycle recreationally with people of varying skills.

Even though I was usually the faster rider, I was still able to have a decent bike ride without going too slowly or waiting for my riding partner to catch up, he says. I suddenly discovered that there was a much greater opportunity than Id first thought.

After that revelation, he spent a lot of time developing the idea and working on several prototypes until the design evolved into the Bicyclebungee as it is now.

We reached a key moment where we had to decide if we were targeting a mass-produced device with a relatively low unit price but a substantial investment in tooling, or a significantly higher-spec product with a much higher unit price, but where most of the cost would be tied up in producing our initial samples. That was a difficult choice to make, but in the end I want to make the highest-quality product I can.


Professor is New Zealander of the year Award finalist

MEMBEr nEWS

Christchurch photographer sees life imitate art

Melanie Mason, photographer and MAS Member, never planned to make a book out of the nearly 8,000 photos she took during 40 weeks in 26 countries with her partner and three young children in 2006, but she realised shortly upon her return to New Zealand that many of her images conveyed feelings of serenity and peace.

And so the idea for Goodbye: For times of sadness and loss, a collection of photographs, poetry and prose to bring comfort to readers experiencing difficult times, was born. A few years into the project, the Christchurch earthquakes hit and, In an ironic twist of life imitating art, she says, the book ended up supporting me through my own journey of challenges and changes.

Goodbye was selected for the Frankfurt Book Fair last October and has since been endorsed by the National Association for Loss & Grief and by Skylight, a Wellington-based non-profit organisation specialising in grief counselling and support in times of loss. It is available at Whitcoulls and Paper Plus stores nationwide and by direct order from www.thecreatrix.co.nz.

SOMETHING yOu WOuLD LIKE uS TO KNOW?This is Your space a forum for you to talk with other Members. So if youre fundraising, promoting an event, looking for a long-lost friend or simply want to congratulate someone, this is the space for you. On MAS goes to more than 24,000 Members, so its a great way to get your message out there. We also welcome your feedback and suggestions, so please keep them coming. You can email us at [email protected]. All material is edited and published at the editors discretion.

your spa

ce Professor and MAS Member Swee Tan is a finalist for the 2013 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Award. Swees research into the origin of strawberry birthmarks and their treatment has had exciting implications for the treatment of cancer and regenerative medicine.

Swee is Professor in Plastic Surgery at the University of Otago and Director of Surgery in the Wellington Regional Plastic, Maxillofacial & Burns Unit, which sees more than 12,000 patients per year at Hutt Hospital in Wellington. His clinical leadership has been instrumental in establishing the Gillies McIndoe Research Institute for Reconstructive Plastic Surgery to conduct research into all areas of reconstructive plastic surgery to improve patients quality of life.

The distinguished award honours the contributions of an inspirational Kiwi who has achieved excellence in science, business, the arts, cultural or community involvement, sport, education or health. Swee is one of three finalists for the award, which is to be announced on 28 February.

Professor Swee Tan is Director of the Gillies McIndoe Research Institute.

6 February 2013

Hamilton dentist and daughter of MAS Member Amir Russell, Assil Russell has been selected as a finalist for the Young New Zealander of the Year Award for her work in community dentistry. At just 23 years of age, she has already established and runs the Revive a Smile programme, providing Hamiltons homeless and disadvantaged people with free dental care.

Assils contributions extend beyond helping those in her immediate community. During her final years at university she established ICARE (Iraqi Childrens Aid & Repair Endeavour), New Zealands first and only registered medical and dental charity for Iraqi orphans. She not only is the founder of this charity but also leads a team of more than 150 volunteers.

The award recognises outstanding New Zealanders aged 15-30 to promote youth leadership and encourage the development of future leaders. Assil will join London Paralympics gold and silver medallist Sophie Pascoe as a finalist for the award at the Auckland gala dinner on 28 February. The winner will receive $5,000 towards their chosen project.

Dentist up for young New Zealander of the year Award

Dr Patrick McCarthy, MAS Member, has released the first two books with accompanying CDs in a series that teaches self-hypnosis methods to treat a range of conditions such as panic attacks, insomnia, chronic pain and addiction to smoking.

A Fellow of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners, Patrick is a former president of the New Zealand Society of Hypnosis and has conducted workshops with clinical audiences throughout New Zealand, Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom. I have been using hypnosis for 20 years and have become the most experienced medical hypnotist in New Zealand. I want to help people who would find it difficult to come to Wellington for help, he says.

Relax Say Goodbye to Anxiety and Panic explains how anxiety occurs and offers a simple three-step process to prevent it, while Quit Say Goodbye to Smoking looks at why people smoke and offers a hypnosis method to help them to give up for good. Both books are available from most national retailers or directly from www.huia.co.nz/bookstore.

Doctor teaches self-hypnosis in new book series

Assil Russell runs the Revive a Smile programme in Hamilton.


MAS uPDATES

Are you claiming all of your tax credits?The end of the financial year is approaching and that means its time to review your tax commitments, including any tax credits to which you may be entitled. Few Kiwis are claiming all, if any, of their available tax credits and as such are missing out on significant refunds.

DonationsIf you have donated $5 or more to an approved charitable organisation, for example SPCA, an approved New Zealand religious organisation such as your church, a medical research school or university, or an approved overseas aid fund, you can claim the lesser of 33.33% of the total donations you have made or 33.33% of your taxable income. You can also claim a 33.3% donation tax credit on school or state-run kindergarten fees, as long as the fees paid go into the general fund and the receipt reads donation.

Childcare and housekeeper feesPreviously a 33.33% tax credit could be claimed in certain circumstances for childcare. You could also claim 33.33% of

payments made for housekeeper services required because you or your spouse were disabled. These credits have been removed from 1 April 2012. However, if you have receipts to show payment of these amounts before 1 April 2012, you may still be able to claim a credit for the relevant income year.

Payroll givingIf your employer offers payroll giving, you can donate to approved organisations directly from your pay and receive immediate tax credits that reduce your PAYE payable. More information is available at www.ird.govt.nz/income-tax-individual/tax-credits/payroll-giving.

Tax credit for employed school childrenPreviously a credit was available for individuals who in any tax year were 14 years-old or younger; 15, 16, or 17 and still attending school; or turned 18 on or after 1 January in the previous tax year and continued to attend school. This credit covered the first $2,340 of income from employment. As this credit was withdrawn part-way through the tax year (in May 2012), individuals may be able to claim a partial or reduced credit amount in the year ending 31 March 2013 or the full credit (if not already claimed) for tax years up to 31 March 2012.

To be eligible for any tax credit, you must have earned taxable income during the

year for which you are claiming and been a New Zealand resident for tax purposes at any time during that tax year.

To get started, you will need a receipt for each credit you intend to claim for and an IR526 Tax Credit Claim Form, downloadable at www.ird.govt.nz/tax2012/campaign-tax-2012-credits.html?id=tax2012 or available by request on 0800 227 774.

Please note this article only describes some of the types of tax credits you may be able to claim. This article is of a general nature and is not a substitute for professional and individually tailored advice.

8 February 2013

ATTn Employers: recruit for attitude, train for skillsHave you ever regretted a recruitment decision? One where you were initially delighted to sign up that superstar candidate with all the skills and experience you were looking for, but forgot to consider their personal attributes, such as:

Were they a team player and would they fit well in your team?

Did their personal ethos suit the professional culture you expect in your practice?

Were they capable of accepting change and learning new skills?

Could they transition from their previous working environment to yours? For example, from a large practice with shared roles and workspaces and mentoring with peer support readily available to a solo position, or vice versa?

You are not alone if you have made a poor recruitment decision. Many MAS HealthyPractice helpdesk solutions focus on managing poor staff attitudes or behaviours, rather than inability to perform due to lack of skills.

Look at the reason for the vacancy and for any opportunities to make positive change in your practice. Taking the time to develop a recruitment plan will greatly increase the chance of a successful outcome. You should consider:

If the vacancy came about due to a resignation was dissatisfaction or boredom a factor? If so, are there remedies you can put in place to prevent this happening again?

Have the needs of the practice changed? Look at your future needs are there any developments on the horizon that will affect the role that should be considered now? For example, more (or fewer) working hours, a change in tasks or the ability to develop specialised skills, or restructure of other roles to cope with potential skill or knowledge losses?

Person specifications whats essential and whats negotiable in terms of the key attributes you are looking for?

Skills the essentials you require and the nice to haves. Having preferred candidates complete a role-based self-analysis will help in assessing their current skill fit for the role, in addition to their future training needs.

MASs HealthyPractice subscribers have access to a detailed recruitment process that includes downloadable templates tailored to the various roles in general medical, dental, veterinary and specialist practice, the last including allied health professions such as pharmacy and physiotherapy practices. The key resources available to ensure a successful recruitment include:

Position descriptions and employment agreement templates with tips on selecting the correct agreement type and how to apply 90-day trial periods.

Tips on advertising to attract the right candidate.

A sample employment application form for screening and shortlisting, together with required statements from the

candidate related to their fitness to undertake the role, any criminal and bankruptcy history and their right to work in New Zealand, as well as an authority to complete credit and reference checks.

Tips on how to run the interview process and a selection of interview questions.

Skill assessment and person specification templates for most health practice roles.

Risk management information to help you comply with legislation including the Employment Relations, Holidays, Privacy and Human Rights Acts.

A template for evaluating applicants, shortlisting and replying to unsuccessful candidates.

Tips on undertaking authorised reference checks with a list of probing questions to ask.

Tips on what to include in the offer of employment, with sample letter templates.

Tailored induction plans to get the new employee up to speed and productive as quickly as possible.

Want to know more? To find out more about successful recruitment and other employment issues, phone our Business Advisory team on 0800 800 627 or email [email protected]. This article is of a general nature and is not a substitute for professional and individually tailored business or legal advice.

healthyPracticeIf you own or manage a practice, our HealthyPractice online business support service has been designed especially for you. It provides information on and templates for all areas of business ownership, employment and management all backed by our business hours helpdesk support. Visit www.healthypractice.co.nz to find out more or call our HealthyPractice team on 0800 800 627 for a free trial.


BuSinESS

An article in The Dominion Post in early January reported on the number of past and present All Blacks whod started up new businesses, from B&Bs to furniture shops to clothing lines, only to have them fail a year or so later. The recession took most of the blame, but there was a suggestion that a lack of market research and basic business skills also played a part.Of course you dont have to be an All Black to lose your shirt or bedroom furniture in a failed venture. Its widely reported that just starting a (small to medium-sized) business gives you a one in three chance of losing it in

the next five to eight years. With those sorts of odds, why bother?

You bother because you have a vision, because you want to be your own boss and because theres money to be made.

Taking the

leap

By Doug Coutts

10 February 2013

But apparently theres only so much money in the pot. Dr Peter Sun of the University of Waikatos Management Systems faculty suggested in a recent paper that a possible reason for new businesses falling over is theyre all competing for slices of a static-sized pie. The only way a business can survive and grow, he says, is to be better than average it needs to operate its business superiorly to other businesses, and continue to do this sustainably.

This means you need to know what youre doing. Research is vital, and it has to be taken seriously. The internet is awash with sites offering 10 tips to starting a business these could be a starting point, until you realise that no-one has the same 10 points. It is best, and safest, to consult a professional.

To do that, youll need a business plan. That will begin the paper trail, giving you something to show the accountant, wholl help prepare the business case for the bank, which will help the lawyers draw up the contracts. And then, of course, government agencies like paperwork as well.

The business plan, though, is more than a piece of paper. Its the distillation of your ideas, aspirations, methods and systems. And while its all yours, you might need some help. Luckily theres a lot of it about.

There is a wide range of organisations that offer assistance to new businesses, in both the public and private sectors. Services run from business mentoring through to full-on incubators for periods of up to two years. Some accounting and law firms can, and will, offer advice to first-timers. At the other end of the spectrum, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, a Crown entity and business development agency, has engaged with local bodies and other groups to actively encourage and mentor businesses.

All it takes is the desire to succeed.

Auckland dentist and MAS Member Scott Waghorn had barely graduated before he started thinking about setting up his own business.

After a couple of years you see how other people run things and you think, possibly naively, that you can do it better, he says. So I bought a practice with five associate dentists. It was really to control my own destiny and do things the way I wanted.

Hed always had an entrepreneurial bent but acknowledges there was a bit of a learning curve. Id been a graduate for two years and

all of a sudden I had five experienced associate dentists, so there was a lot I had to learn.

Scott quickly joined some business mentoring groups, but then looked for mentors within the dental industry. There are a lot of differences between dental practice and other businesses, Scott says. I found it more useful to talk to someone who had run a dental business because a lot of the skills are quite specific.

Scotts been running DentalCare West for five years now and is still looking for new ideas. One that really took off was a free day. Its been going for two years and has proved wildly popular, with patients able to choose either a filling or an extraction, free of charge. In the first year we had 104 people come through; the first one was in line at 3am, he says. Last year we had a similar situation in terms of numbers, but our first person arrived at 9pm for the following day. Scott sees the free days as a chance to give something back to the community.

He also performs full orthodontics free of charge for the young clients of Child, Youth and Family, and hoped the free days would encourage others to get involved. And it looks like they have. Lumino has been in touch it has 70 practices around the country and its interested in doing something this year, Scott says. A lot of Kiwis would benefit if every dental practice in New Zealand did one free day a year.

Scott travels overseas each year to seek out new ideas. Last year he spent a week in Texas with the owner of 350 dental practices. He taught me a lot about systemising a practice to make it predictable, efficient and fun, he says. I enjoy travelling to meet industry leaders, it is great to exchange ideas and bring back a few pearls! MAS Member Scott Waghorn.

Its widely reported that just starting a (small to medium-sized) business gives you a one in three chance of losing it in the next five to eight years. With those sorts of odds, why bother?


He is convinced that there are lots of patients for everyone! My practice has grown by being affordable, accessible and convenient for our local area, he says. With that in mind, DentalCare West has signed on to provide SmilePlan, a scheme tackling affordability by allowing members to pay a low weekly amount for their dental treatment, along the lines of a supermarkets Christmas club.

SmilePlan has opened up the market to people who havent been able to afford to look after their teeth until now, Scott says. For the price of a cup of coffee a week, they are able to have a check-up and a clean at the dentist, and plan any future treatment. Scott expects payment plans to start working with other health professions, including cosmetic medicine. Instead of all dentists targeting the 5% of the population who can afford care, SmilePlan will target the majority who want good teeth, and want to feel good, but cant afford the big outlay all at once.

Scott is opening another practice later in the year, and is looking forward to testing some novel technology. One of the things I have learnt is the importance of systems the optimum number of practitioners, start-up marketing, and staffing levels, he says, and cautions others against leaping in. Statistics

show that many dentists do one practice well, and a second one stretches them too thinly.

Dentistry is a stressful occupation at the best of times and Scott is adamant that keeping a life balance is important. Thats why I go to the gym and enjoy hobbies outside dentistry, he says. You might not think thats important, but its a physically difficult job. The most happy and fulfilled dentists Ive met are really fit.

The name of the game is caring for your staff and patients, Scott says. If you care for your patients, theyll care for you, and everyone benefits.

Success is all about doing the groundwork, and doing it well. Deciding your priorities and getting the best advice. And always providing the best service your patients need!

12 February 2013

PErSOnAl FinAnCE

Most New Zealanders think of the environment as one of the motivations for their choices and actions, yet many say the biggest barrier to living more sustainably is the prohibitive cost. Can we shop with the planet in mind without breaking the bank? Just over half of the respondents to a 2008 survey by the Ministry for the Environment to measure attitudes and behaviour towards sustainable living were deeply concerned that we arent doing enough to protect our environment for future generations. The same study found that most Kiwis were not fully informed as to what they could do to be more environmentally conscious.

Rhys Taylor, National Coordinator of the Sustainable Living Education Trust, says its a matter of how we define cost and that means understanding the carbon footprints of our living costs and purchases. Devised by local councils, the Trusts education programmes offer useful tips on what areas of household spending make the most difference to the planet.

By Lindsay Huthnance

Shop green


Efficiency is the keyThe most significant cost area is your mortgage or rental and its energy consumption, says Rhys. Think about how much space you need the larger your house, the higher that your running costs and your environmental impacts will be as a result. New Zealand houses often have poor insulation, which makes the problem worse. In general, a smaller floor area will give you better energy performance.

If moving to a smaller home is not an option, Rhys recommends a number of energy-saving solutions that are most relevant for houses built before the 1980s. First make sure that your ceiling is insulated, then insulate under your floor if possible, and consider a vapour barrier to keep it dry. Next make sure you have thermal curtains to prevent heat energy escaping. Insulating your walls will also make heating more efficient.

If the cost of insulating is an issue, homeowners (including landlords) with houses built before the year 2000 can access up to $1,300 through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) ENERGYWISE programme. The EECA home insulation subsidy is applied to the purchase and installation costs of ceiling and underfloor insulation, and can be paid back gradually through your mortgage or rates bill. There are also regional insulation subsidies offered in some areas such as Wellington and Dunedin.

Transform your transitThe next major household cost to consider is your daily commute. If you cant walk or take a bus to work, you probably live too far away, says Rhys. Driving a car to work every day on your own, only to have it sit most of the time incurring the capital cost of garage storage and/or parking, is the least cost-effective option.

And thats before you consider the wider impacts that driving has on the environment. We tend not to consider the environmental impacts of a vehicle in terms of its full life cycle. There are mining and manufacturing costs to produce, fuel and maintain our cars, he says.

For many, taking the bus can be a highly cost-effective alternative, especially in urban areas. For others, carpooling or car sharing is a simple solution that can make a big difference to fuel and maintenance costs, while also reducing emissions.

But no option is better for your wallet and your health than walking or cycling to work. Practising a load-bearing exercise as your daily means of commuting can save you a lot of money in the short term on fuel or transit costs, and it can also help to reduce your long-term healthcare costs. This is an especially important consideration for women as they age and become more susceptible to osteoporosis.

Think global, shop localLast but not least of our household costs are our grocery choices. If you shop at a large supermarket chain, you know that organic foods (produced by certified eco-friendly methods) are significantly more expensive thats because youre paying a premium for the store to carry those product ranges. Rhys says going to a local farmers market means your produce will be of equal or higher quality, and will put the fun back into shopping. Its what shopping used to be, he says.

Buying local is also a good alternative to help reduce the considerable environmental impacts of buying produce from overseas. Most of us do not think of the carbon footprint of a piece of fruit we buy that travelled here from Australia, the United States or even Europe, says Rhys.

Whats more, around 40% of farm food is wasted, either rejected by the supermarket chain or the consumer in the shop, or thrown away at home. You can avoid a lot of waste and save money upfront by maintaining a vege garden. If you can pick it from your garden, youre only going to take what you need for that meal, he says, but it means that your menu will be seasonal and will vary a lot throughout the year. This can be a challenge for people who expect all varieties at their fingertips year-round, but a lot of fun if youre into cooking and coming up with new recipes.

In addition, buying products with less packaging means that less plastic will end up in landfills. And remember that sustainable shopping will sometimes mean higher price tags, but much lower impacts. There are certainly some sustainable products that cost slightly more on the shelf, like recycled toilet paper and eco-friendly detergents, says Rhys, but in choosing them you are greatly reducing the levels of bleach, parabens, phosphates and other harmful substances in the environment.

Thinking greenThe New Zealand Sustainable Living Education Trust has been working on sustainable living solutions for more than a decade and as such has expert resources to help you reduce your impacts on the environment. Sustainability becomes a habit if you ask yourself three questions, and use your answers to guide your choice and find alternatives:

1. Will it make me healthy?

2. Will it save me money?

3. Is it kind to the planet?

Here are a few ways you can get on the path to more sustainable living today:

Visit www.carbonzero.co.nz to assess your greenhouse gas emissions use the tips provided to create an action plan for reducing your emissions.

Find out where you can buy groceries with minimal packaging, such as Bin Inn www.bininn.co.nz/locations or a local farmers market www.farmersmarket.org.nz.

Explore the resources available and sign up for the Trusts newsletter at www.sustainableliving.org.nz.

14 February 2013

TEChnOlOgy

Talk about a moving target! Few things change more quickly, or more dramatically, than broadband plans. There are fixed-price plans, monthly plans and prepaid plans that top up automatically out in todays market. Some plans include mobile, TV and telephone usage, and/or free national or international calling. So how do you choose?Last November Telecom upped the data allowance on its $75 per month plan, measured in gigabytes (GB), from 5GB to 30GB a six-fold increase. Several other providers began offering one-terabyte (1TB) options thats 1,000GB per month. Not sure if you need 1TB? What you need will depend on what you use.

A survey last year in the United Kingdom reckoned that two million people were paying up to 40 ($78) a month in excess data charges because they were on the wrong plans, while millions more were paying for download capacity they never used. So how do you make sense of it all, let alone ensure youre getting a good deal?

By Geoff Palmer

BroadBand

Who can deliver the best package?


Actually its pretty straightforward. Having some understanding of the technology and its limitations helps; see Tech terms on the next page. A little bit of hindsight is useful too as it gives an indication of where were all heading and what were likely to need.

Each year Statistics New Zealand releases a survey of internet service providers (ISPs). Last Octobers showed that the average Kiwi household now uses 16GB of data per month almost double the previous years figure while the number of high-end users who consume more than 50GB of data per month jumped a staggering 800%. The number of broadband subscribers rose 11% to 1.6 million, but more than half of us now access the internet from our mobile phones. Subscriptions to mobile plans increased more than a third, to 2.5 million.

The first step is to define your needs. What do you actually want from a broadband connection? If its just email access and a bit of web browsing, the cheapest plan around will probably suffice, but there are other considerations. For example, sites like Dropbox, Flickr and Google Cloud allow you to store photos, files, video and music online so you can access them anywhere, any time, from any device but you have to get them up there first.

Upload speeds can be considerably slower than download speeds, so if youre moving a lot of data around that may be a consideration. On the other hand, if you stream a lot of music and video, your main concern will be a good and reliable download speed.

Another thing worth considering is your landline. Do you still need it? Many people are mobile-only or use internet telephony programs such as Skype to keep in touch with friends and family. And what of your future plans? Is there an iPad or a tablet PC on the horizon? They all come with Wi-Fi, but for true flexibility you might want to consider a device with a 3G (mobile phone) connection. That means you can use it anywhere, but you should also factor in mobile data usage.

The first step is to define your needs. What do you actually want from a broadband connection?

16 February 2013

Struggling already? Feel like you need a computer to work all this out? Well dont worry, there is one! Before you break out the spreadsheet, visit Consumer NZs TelMe website (www.telme.org.nz) to find and compare the best telecommunications deal to suit your needs. The site compares landline, mobile, internet and TV packages based on some of the questions weve already posed. At the end of the process youll get a list of possible plans, ordered by price.

The site works extremely well and is regularly updated, but there are a couple of caveats. It doesnt include special offers, although there is a link to allow you to check your selected providers latest deals. Its biggest limitation, however, is that it doesnt rate service quality or support. More than a quarter of the people who change ISPs each year do so citing poor support as the main reason.

Once you have a list of possible candidates, crowd-source the options provided. Ask friends or post a message online. Whos better, X, Y or Z? Youll get some pretty clear, and often outspoken, answers. Alternatively, visit Consumer NZs annual ISP survey www.consumer.org.nz/reports/internet-providers/survey-results. Each year it polls thousands of its members and comes up with a league table of ISPs ordered best to worst. The results are often surprising. (Note that this site contains paid content.)

Now that youre almost there, double-check the fine print. Are there any one-off costs in setting up? Can you switch plans easily? What if you exceed your monthly data allocation? Some plans charge by the gigabyte, others cost nothing but dramatically drop their speeds.

If youre new to the broadband market, start slow and low and keep your options for expansion open. And try to avoid long-term contracts anything over 12 months. Flexibility is the key in a rapidly changing marketplace.

Tech termsThere are a variety of broadband connection types. Heres a quick guide to whats what.

ADSL, or Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line, is the way most of us currently connect to the internet. Its convenient because it uses the conventional copper telephone lines. Data traffic uses different frequencies from voice traffic, with the two being separated by a simple splitter plugged in to the line.

There are a couple of problems with using whats known as POTS (the Plain Old Telephone System) for data traffic. It works fastest close to a telephone exchange or street-side cabinet, and there are big differences between upload and download speeds. Under ideal conditions (rarely achieved!) ADSL2+ will give you 24 megabits per second (Mbps) down, but just 1.1Mbps up.

Naked DSL is DSL without the telephony component. That means you can squeeze a little more out of the connection an extra 256 kilobits per second of upstream traffic for a start but more importantly you dont have to pay a surcharge for the landline. Most providers offer naked connections, with the exception of Telecom.

VDSL, or Very-high-bit-rate DSL, offers faster speeds both up and down. Whats more it can be deployed over existing copper wire networks.

VDSL is available around the country as part of Choruss Next Generation Network roll-out, with either 50Mbps or 100Mbps download and 10Mbps upload. There are, however, a couple of catches. About half of us live too far from an exchange or street-side cabinet to get any real speed boost from it, and around half the broadband-using population connects via Telecoms retail network, which doesnt currently offer a VDSL option.

Cable. If youre lucky enough to live in Wellington, the Kapiti Coast or Christchurch you may be able to access TelstraClears cable internet service. The addition of a dedicated coaxial cable to your property (and associated cable modem) will give you connection speeds up to 15Mbps down and 2Mbps up, or for larger data plans (100GB per month or more), 100Mbps down and 10Mbps up.

Satellite connections use geostationary satellites and can provide internet connections virtually anywhere. All you need is a small (84-centimetre) satellite dish pointed in the right direction.

The biggest problem with satellite is latency the delay between requesting data and receiving a response caused by the distance the signal has to travel to and from the satellite. This makes it unsuitable for applications requiring real-time responses such as Skype. Theres a one-off installation fee for the dish, and its also relatively expensive. A 4GB plan (3Mbps up, 1Mbps down) costs around $99 per month. Still, for people in remote areas its often the only option.

Wireless networks operate on the same principle as two-way radios, using an encoded radio spectrum for uploading and downloading data. Theres no need for cabling the wireless modem and booster antenna are generally supplied free but speeds are modest and wireless networks are usually restricted to metropolitan areas.

Fibre, or fibre-optic cable, has huge advantages over conventional copper cables. Data is sent as pulses of light and each fibre can carry many independent streams by using different wavelengths. While copper wire is limited to a maximum transmission speed of around 10 gigabits per second, the physical limitations of fibre-optics have not yet been reached.

Fibre is basically what the Governments ultra-fast broadband (UFB) plan is all about. Through its $1.5 billion investment in Crown Fibre Holdings Limited, it aims to provide at least 75% of New Zealanders with access to internet services at speeds of at least 100Mbps down and 50Mbps up. The first UFB residential plans should be rolling out about now...


liFE

From student to professional

transitionMaking the

18 February 2013

By Rosemary Ann Ogilvie

WardrobeChances are your uni clothes wont cut it for work. Dress in a suit and check out the way people are dressed when you go for an interview (make notes). When you get the job, call the HR manager to confirm your impressions and ask if there is a specific dress code.

Typically, the basic office wardrobe for a woman includes black pants, black pencil (knee-length) skirt, black blazer, several shirts or blouses, a smart dress, and a good sweater or cardigan.

Men need at least five shirts and ties, and two or three pairs of dress pants that match the shirts. More formal offices may require suits for men and women. A good way to get value for money is to choose pieces that coordinate and interchange well with one other.

And a great way to build a quality wardrobe is to buy during sales, whether in-store or online.

You have graduated fantastic achievement, without question. Now its time to start hunting for your first professional job. Youll need to prepare for the transition from the casual and less-structured study environment to the more formal, structured work environment. Its going to involve some significant changes.University is essentially a rite of passage where you push everything to the limit, which means doing the occasional irresponsible or maybe slightly insane act. At worst, these actions may provoke a lecture or a bad grade. In the workplace, careless behaviour can mean termination.

Your employer and colleagues will be judging you from the moment you sit down at your desk: they expect you to be responsible and professional. Professionalism encompasses a range of characteristics at work, including dependability and being a self-starter. Youll also need the ability to collaborate and cooperate with colleagues with diverse personalities drawn from different cultures and backgrounds, to be a team player, and to respect deadlines.

Be proactive and learn everything you can about your role. Make notes about what youre learning, no matter how simple it appears: this way you wont be the irritating incomer who has to ask for help every time they log in to the computer system!

Workplace constraintsA reality of working life is that the workplace brings constraints, not least of which is time. Youre expected to be at your desk raring to go at the nominated starting time. You take your lunch break at a certain time, and go home at a set time. And you have a mere four weeks annual leave, which some companies may insist you take during specific months.

While life at uni was probably incredibly hectic at times especially if you worked part-time its hallmark was variety and constant change. Now, variety is no longer guaranteed. Certainly, some jobs will be full of new things to master and experience, but others will have short learning curves, followed by months on end of doing the same thing. These types

of job typical of entry-level positions can quickly become monotonous.

Its up to you to make your work life more interesting. Learn everything possible about the organisation and its operations. Identify where youd like to be in the future. Seek out opportunities to take on new and different tasks. Offer to help others who are clearly

under pressure. Demonstrate that youre capable of completing the work youve been assigned while contributing to, or observing, other areas. Let it be known

that you want to stretch your horizons, but at the same time make it clear that you value your current role.

During these flat periods, have projects at home designed to excite and re-energise you. Read, write, play a sport, learn a language, play an instrument, learn new skills, visit museums and art galleries, and go to movies and live shows with friends.

If it appears that opportunities to do more with your talents and skills are thin on the ground, start strategising your next job search. Chances are your first job wont be the ideal fit, and thats fine. Statistics show that students graduating from university today will change careers not just jobs multiple times in the course of their working lives.

Support networkYour network of close family and friends becomes more vital than ever during your transition to work, as these are the people who will encourage you through

the rough spots and advise and support you. Stay in contact with your friends

from university, as their experiences are probably similar to yours.

Get to know your colleagues as well. The most helpful people will be those who

are willing to provide support and training. They can also fill you in on company culture, such as behavioural expectations, whether office dating is permitted, and whether everyone is expected to chip in for gifts when someone is getting married, leaving, having a baby and so on.

Your employer and colleagues will be judging you from the moment you sit down at your desk: they expect you to be responsible and professional.


Understanding the little details of working life will help you feel more comfortable, and youll also fit in better with your co-workers. They can explain the background of why things run the way they do, so you understand the organisational mechanics and office politics before sharing your ideas for change!

Inevitably there will be some overlap of your work and social lives, such as going for drinks on Friday afternoon. Be sure to exercise good judgement: drink only in moderation, reserve the cutting impersonations of your boss for your closest (non-work) friends, and dont feel you need to share every detail of your love life. The person youre confiding in may use this information against you or share it with their colleagues.

And dont get involved in office gossip. Certainly, pay attention to the grapevine as it can be helpful to understand the dynamics of the workplace, but never contribute to it.

good habitsFrom the beginning, form good health habits:

Build a workout routine into your schedule.

Make healthy food choices.

Get plenty of sleep. Workdays seem incredibly long when youre sleep-deprived!

And from your first payday, practise good financial management:

Aim to save at least 10% of your gross salary.

Work out a reasonable budget for living expenses, and for the major purchases you wanted to make during your university years.

Keep track of expenses; little things like going out to lunch can really add up. Keep some groceries in your workspace or put meals in the fridge if there is one available. The healthiest lunch option is often the one you prepare yourself at home.

Pay your credit card balance in full each month to create a good credit history and avoid debt you cant afford.

Build an emergency cash fund of two to three months salary.

Another good habit is to make sure you maintain a healthy personal life. Many experts advise new hires to give it their all, get to work early and stay late. However, if you start out as the person who works late every night, then later pull back as you try to reclaim some personal life, the impression will be that youre no longer as dedicated as you once were.

The key is to achieve balance. Of course you want to impress your boss and colleagues, especially if you enjoy your job and seek promotion. So willingly go above and beyond when necessary: if your company needs support on the occasional late night or weekend to meet deadlines, volunteer, but dont make it a habit that will eventually become an expectation of you. Aim to maintain a balanced pattern through your working life.

Social mediaExpect prospective employers to check out your social media pages and to factor what they see into their hiring decisions.

Before submitting job applications, review your Facebook page. You may need to change privacy settings on www.facebook.com/help/privacy, or delete certain posts, such as photos of parties over Christmas and New Year that you may not even remember posing for, by following the steps on www.facebook.com/help/252986458110193.

Some good advice can be found on http://thenextweb.com/facebook/ 2012/09/24/how-hide-old-wall-posts-public-private-facebook-timeline.

Finally, when you start work, never bag your employer on Facebook or any other social media site. Not only should you take pride in your position, but if your employer finds out, you can expect the sack.

20 February 2013

FAMily

Every three years, parents of children in state schools have an opportunity to influence directly the way their schools are run. Volunteering as a school trustee can be a rewarding way to become involved in your childs education.By voting in a schools board of trustee elections, parents can help determine who sets the schools strategic objectives and represents the interests of the pupils at the highest level. Its one of the most important democratic processes in New Zealand, second only to the General Election.

For most parents, a vote is enough. Theyre happy to make their choice and trust in

the elected board to lead their school appropriately. But for others, the school trustee elections are a chance to have a greater say in their childrens education. These parents choose to stand for election and become school trustees.

Ray Newport, General Manager of the New Zealand School Trustees Association (NZSTA), an organisation that exists to support school

Standing up for your school

By Nick Helm


boards and trustees, encourages any parent who feels they have something to offer to stand for election.

Schools are always looking for trustees with skills, he says. That might be someone who is trained in finance or law, or has an understanding of strategic planning, management or governance, or simply someone who understands the school or local community. But the single most important trait in a school trustee is the courage to ask the hard questions.

responsible and accountable A school board of trustees doesnt manage the day-to-day happenings of the school thats the responsibility of the principal and staff. The board sets a policy framework within which the school operates and monitors the schools finances and performance against the strategic and annual plans, which the principal is responsible for delivering.

For example, if the school identifies a group of students that are not doing well, the board would want to know how the school plans to bring them up to speed in the coming year. The trustees and the board as an entity would also expect to monitor the plan as progress was being made, says Ray.

The bottom line for any trustee is that its about improving student outcomes. Yes, you have to concern yourself with finance, policy and so on, but establishing objectives and targets related to positive student outcomes is essentially why youre there.

Ray says that a board should work with its principal on the basis of trust, but not blind trust. Both parties must recognise that the board, not the principal, is ultimately responsible for the school. Trustees, therefore, need to be persistent and ensure that they receive the information they need to monitor accurately how the school and its staff are performing.

Unlike the private sector, where it is unusual for a chief executive the principals corporate equivalent to be a member of the board, the principal is almost always a voting member of the school board.

Ideally, a board will have a well rounded set of skills in its trustees, but of course its an election process, so it cant control who is elected and therefore cant guarantee the individual skills of its trustees, says Ray. However, a school can approach people who have shown an interest or who have skills that it thinks would add value to the board and encourage them to stand for election.

The NZSTA also encourages cultural diversity within school boards. While the government does not stipulate any diversity targets, Ray says that a boards mix of trustees should reflect the cultural mix of the community and, therefore, of the student body.

Community commitmentNew Zealand currently has 2,460 state and state-integrated schools and, with a few odd exceptions where one board represents more than one school, there is usually one board per school. With an average of seven or eight trustees per board, there are approximately 18,000 elected school trustees in New Zealand.

Thats a lot of people volunteering their time, but Rays says that if a school has its governance structure and processes in place, being a trustee neednt be a huge commitment.

We would expect that a normal trustee would not put in more than three or four hours per month. However, the boards chair, who is elected by the board itself, will usually put in a lot more time. They might have a weekly chat with the principal to see how things are going. However, if there is a review underway or the board has set up a committee and tasked the trustees with working on policy, for example, clearly everyones time commitment will increase, he says.

We also encourage boards to put a time limit on meetings. Most boards do not need to meet for longer than two hours per month, but trustees must have received the relevant

A good school board will talk to the community ahead of time and act as its representative.

The single most important trait in a school trustee is the courage to ask the hard questions.

22 February 2013

reports and board notes and had a chance to read them before they meet.

By its function, a school board is a consultative entity. When it reviews school policies and proposes changes, particularly if they are likely to be contentious, the board should consult the local community.

Issues like school uniforms are always hot topics for parents, so if a board decides to change the colour of the uniform and its going to involve cost for the parents, it would be unwise to plough ahead without the support of the local community, says Ray.

A good school board will talk to the community ahead of time and act as its representative. It does not necessarily have to reach a unanimous decision and it can take a majority vote on contentious issues, but its unusual for trustees not to reach a common viewpoint or compromise on most things.

Making leadersEvery school runs its own election and appoints a returning officer who manages the process. Parents, guardians and caregivers of children enrolled in the school can nominate anyone for election including themselves. Each candidates details will be circulated to the voting community the same group of parents, guardians and caregivers so it can make an informed decision.

There is no maximum length of time an individual can serve as a trustee and its not unusual to serve two or three terms back to back. Some trustees remain in office for decades, while a significant number go on to other governance roles.

School trustees acquire very desirable and marketable skills. Theyre trained to understand financial reports, annual and strategic planning, and the key differences between governance and management. There are trustees who have gone on to become directors of major corporations and public sector organisations, High Court judges, members of Parliament and top business people, says Ray.

Now, is a top business person a better school trustee than the average parent? I dont think so. Schools exist for our children and a trustees primary purpose is to ensure that all our children receive a good education. Sometimes I think we tend to forget that.

2013 school trustee electionsIf youre interested in standing in the 2013 school trustee elections, the following deadlines apply:

Nominations open: 12pm 15 April

Nominations close: 12pm 16 May

Voting closes: 30 May

Schools can set their own election schedules, so be sure to contact your local school for detailed election instructions and information on candidate events.

Schools exist for our children and a trustees primary purpose is to ensure that all our children receive a good education.

School trustees acquire very desirable and marketable skills.


TrAvEl

Welcome to the Future says the sign at Shanghais Pudong Airport. It isnt lying. Or even slightly exaggerating.Chinas largest city is a vortex of neon and glass, more cranes than Ive ever seen, and 23 million people, all of whom seem to be engaged in a brash and relentless race to make Shanghai the most fast-forward city on the planet.

The journey to the future starts the moment we step into the Jetson-esque magnetic levitation train, which is powered by giant electromagnets. With a top speed of 431 kilometres per hour, the MagLev, as its affectionately known, is the worlds fastest operating train, whisking us from the airport to the city in about seven

minutes. Its over far too soon, but it must be one of the worlds most fun commutes even the staid businessmen in our carriage whipped out their iPhones to photograph the speedometer at the front of the train when we hit top speed.

Once in the city centre, it appears as though our visit has coincided with the Construction Olympics: apparently there are more cranes in Shanghai than in the whole of the United States, and were told that roughly every month, a high-rise of more than 30 storeys is completed.

Youve been

By Sharon Stephenson

Shanghaied

24 February 2013

What makes it so astonishing is that 15 years ago most of this didnt exist. The Pudong area, which sits on the east bank of the murky Huangpu River, used to be paddy fields and wasteland. Today it boasts not only the World Financial Centre, a vertiginous black high-rise nicknamed the bottle opener, but also the famous Oriental Peal Tower, the bulbous coloured TV centre thats supposed to represent twin dragons playing with pearls. It isnt what youd call a looker, but the views from the 350-metre-high viewing platform are well worth the overdose of kitsch.

When youre trafficking in this very fast-paced development, you need the transport network to keep pace and, accordingly, Shanghais metro system is fast, clean, efficient and cheap. Astonishingly, it didnt even exist 15 years ago. But two years ago it surpassed Londons Underground as the worlds longest (by track length), and thats not even taking into account future extension plans.

However, our guide suggests that we forgo the metro for the Bund Tourist Tunnel, which couldnt be more different from the MagLev train if it tried. Featuring hologram displays and 1970s sci-fi music it is, to be honest, a pretty bonkers experience.

Today theres little of the old Shanghai left, but what there is can be found on the Bund side of the Huangpu River. Rhyming with fund, this Euro-styled boulevard, which recently underwent a large-scale facelift, is one of the prettiest places in the city. Back in the 1920s, Shanghai was known as the Whore of the East, thanks to the opium, prostitution and bad behaviour that ran through its veins. The Bund was where foreign banks and trading houses set up camp to cater for the trade in legal and not-so-legal substances. The grand old colonnaded buildings still stand, but these days theyre home to posh restaurants and high-end shops that disregard a sensible budget, such as Gucci, Armani and Hermes. Interestingly for a nation where, only a few decades ago, everyone dressed in identical Chairman Mao uniforms, China is now the second largest spender on luxury goods, including fashion items, in the world.

But unless your surname is Hilton, shopping on the Bund is kind of silly. Shanghai is a bargain-hunters paradise and with 90% of the worlds fake goods originating in China, this is a great place to haggle for clothes, bags and shoes. A good place to start is Fengshine Plaza, a credit cards throw from Peoples Square, which contains three storeys of tiny

shops. If youre not opposed to goods of unknown origin or if you just love haggling and cant resist a bargain drop by here to exceed your luggage allowance.

I snag a North Face jacket for $40, some black leather gloves for $10 and a pair of Converse sneakers for $18. A day later, at the Yatai Xinyang Fashion Market, which squats at the entrance to the Science and Technology subway station, I add a sleek black Louis Vuitton wallet for $20 and some Chanel earrings for $8. Im told designer Giorgio Armani visited this market and was so impressed with the quality he bought two of his own designs. Im not sure how true that is, but if it is, then I can understand Mr Armanis admiration.

Its important to note that not everything for sale is fake: many items are a result of Chinas famous grey market where factories make in excess of their orders then sell the extra stock. These excess items, together with samples and factory seconds, find their way to markets and outlet stores all over the city.

If, by now, you havent fully scratched the Shanghai shopping itch, then Dongtai Lu Antiques Market is a good place to visit. Three blocks of small stores where the word antique is very loosely applied to anything from dusty old books, vinyl and furniture to watches, posters and statues (a good portion of them featuring the severe expression of Chairman Mao), its lots of fun, and we find some cheap and quirky souvenirs to take home.

By now were in need of some time out, so we head to the gracious, tree-lined streets of the Former French Concession. Popular with expats, the low-rise neighbourhood is lined with

Photos courtesy of Martin Haughey.


elegant villas, boutiques and cafes. Planned and built by French colonists in the early 20th century, this neighbourhood has a distinctly Parisian feel (but without the dog poop).

It is also a good place to explore Shanghais cuisine. One of the great joys of this increasingly cosmopolitan city is its food, and the headline act is undoubtedly Xiaolongbao dumplings (pronounced shaow-long-bow), steamed parcels of pork or prawn that come encased in hand-rolled pastry. Be warned though, these dumplings are not as innocent as they appear, and conceal a scalding soup between the layers of pastry. Many an unsuspecting diner has risked third-degree burns by biting into one, only to have the gelatinous liquid squirt all over their face and clothes. Our guide tells us that the trick is to pick up the dumpling at the neck with chopsticks without piercing the skin, then poke a little hole in the top to suck out the soup. Using a spoon for extra manoeuvrability is advisable.

Although you do have to exercise some caution when eating at street stalls, it would be a shame not to experience authentic Shanghai cuisine. We tuck into jian bing, crispy flat pancakes that come slathered with egg, soy paste and a slab of crispy wonton, before being rolled up. They dont sound like much, and look even less impressive, but they are so delicious that we gobble them as though a famine were nipping at our heels.

Our guide tells us that food in Shanghai is usually oilier and sweeter than elsewhere in China and, as if to illustrate his point, he steers us towards another street stall where we try steamed bread coated in a red bean paste and

fried blocks of rice which, again, wouldnt win any beauty contests but are strangely addictive.

As youd expect, eating the way the locals do is cheap. At Henana Lamain, a tiny hole-in-the-wall cafe with rickety steps that would cause occupational health and safety inspectors to have heart palpitations, we watch the chef pull fresh noodles before dunking them in hot oil and adding chunks of dried tofu and vinegar. Its simple, tasty and at $5 for three bowls, is kind on our wallets and waists.

Being an animal-loving semi-vegetarian, and with horror stories of chicken beheadings ringing in my ears, Im not too keen to visit a traditional wet market. Fortunately we stumble upon Donghu Lu, a wet market that contains row upon row of pretty standard fruit and veg, and some more unusual items such as tea eggs, small turtles and duck feet thankfully the process of separating the birds from their feet has already occurred somewhere else. We try a range of pickled vegetables and scoff fat, juicy cherries that taste the way they used to when we were kids.

If simple but tasty food is Shanghais punch, then tea is its jab. At Tianshan Tea City, all the tea in China is packed into 23,000 square metres, ranged across five floors. We wander mesmerised as more than 150 stalls grade, sell and brew tea from all over China. Although were the only foreigners around, and many of the stallholders dont speak English, we manage to sample tiny cups of black, green and delicate white teas; for a green tea obsessive like me, it is heaven. We also buy sealed packets that cost less than half what I pay at my local supermarket for the weak teabag version, and make room in our overstuffed suitcases for an authentic clay teapot, which has become my new best friend.

Shanghai isnt restful or sentimental or always an easy place to visit. But if you like your holidays served with a side order of excitement, fun and wackiness, this is the place to come...

Sharon Stephenson travelled to Shanghai as a guest of Air New Zealand. For more information visit www.airnewzealand.co.nz.

26 February 2013

As a MAS Member you can enjoy great discounts on our standard home loan rates 0.30% p.a. off fixed, 0.74% p.a. off floating and 0.85% p.a. off the flexible rate. And you can receive up to $1000 towards your legal fees.

You can also take advantage of special benefits on your credit card and everyday accounts.

Plus youll be looked after by one of our specialist MAS team. To find out more give them a call on 0800 112 212, or talk to your MAS adviser.

anz.co.nz

MAS Member? You can get a discount of up to 0.85% p.a. on your home loan rate from our specialist MAS team.

Interest rate discounts and MAS benefits are subject to change. ANZ lending criteria, terms, conditions and fees apply. Maximum of $1,000 contribution towards legal fees upon confirmation of legal costs. A copy of terms, conditions, fees and our Reserve Bank Disclosure Statement are available by calling 0800 112 212, or at any ANZ Branch. ANZ Bank New Zealand Limited. 01/13 13854

MuSiC

Ill bet the barbie that the past couple of months have earned you some wonderful memories.

Its weird, but most of our memories seem to be associated with summer. Apart from the occasional ski holiday or Wahine storm, the past feels like one long, hot summer.

It seems that nostalgia has no winter and it always wears rose-tinted glasses. Hide and seek in the park, cricket against the garage door with a 10-litre paint pail as the wickets, hula hoops, handstands, bullrush. The Saturday morning melody of Masports and the smell of sun-heated, freshly cut grass.

Flagons in Dads special bag with secret compartments; your first-ever shandy on the back step.

Toasties. Orange squash gums. Mr Whippys bells ringing while you chased him around the block.

Two bobs worth of chips from the local fish and chip shop fed eight people.

Every suburb had a butchers shop always two guys who cracked jokes and saved the very best cuts especially for Mum (later she found out it was every mum). Dog bones were free.

Being upset when you botched putting on the temporary tattoo from the chewing gum packet. Watching Saturday morning cartoons and the Goodnight Kiwi on the telly wow, we had two channels now!

Sunday bread, half eaten by the time you walked it home. Milk in bottles at the gate (and the milk money was never stolen). Goodies and Baddies, Cops and Robbers, Cowboys and Indians. Catching tadpoles in horse troughs on a farm. Going down to the school and sneaking into the swimming pool on Saturdays (the caretaker pretended not to see you). Building huts out of every sheet Mum had in the cupboard (and never putting them back folded).

Weet-Bix cards taped onto the front wheel spokes transformed any bike into a motorcycle.

It was magic when Dad would remove his thumb. Being sent to the principals office was nothing compared to the fate that was waiting at home. (We were in fear for our lives, not because of drive-by shootings, drugs or gangs our parents and grandparents were a much bigger threat!)

Terrorism was when the older kids were at the end of your street with pea-shooters, waiting to ambush you after school. Having a weapon in school meant being caught with a home-made slingshot. Scrapes and bruises were kissed and made better. Ice cream was considered a basic food group.

New abilities were discovered because of double dares. Older siblings were our worst

tormentors, and our fiercest protectors. No PlayStations, no smartphones, no emails, no texting. No worries. Yep, those were the days, my friend and they were accompanied by an amazing soundtrack.

This months music mix is a nostalgic collection of songs from the golden days. It will take you back to everything from those after-school

games of Spin the Bottle through to legendary New Years Eve parties at the local surf club. To download the mix go to http://tinyurl.com/onmasretro.

You will need a New Zealand iTunes account to view and purchase this collection.

Written and compiled by David Collinge, creative director and erstwhile musician, [email protected].

The G lden Days

28 February 2013

MOTOring

Andrew Kerr has literally spent the past 15 years on the road writing

about new and classic cars for media in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand and attending all of the

major international motor shows.

MOTOring rEviEWS By Andrew Kerr

vehicle licensing reform Since 1937 most Kiwi cars have been required to pass warrant of fitness tests every six months. In January the Ministry of Transport announced a number of changes to vehicle licensing requirements that are likely to be implemented on or before 1 July 2014. The new regulations will change the required frequency of some vehicle checks:

After an initial inspection, new vehicles will require no further inspections until

on mas feb 2013

Documents