Caption: Wayne Scott, AQA; Charlotte Buxton-Blue; Charlotte Harrison; Tara Edwards-Tusa; and Josie Vidal, Straterra. The Komatsu Women in Extractives lunch and awards ceremony, celebrating diversity and inclusion, was hosted by the AQA, MinEx and Straterra in Hamilton. “We were blown away by the strength of nominations for these awards,” says AQA and MinEx CEO Wayne Scott. “Some of these women are trail blazers who have paved the way for others to join the industry and we thank them for that. Accepting diversity and valuing inclusion is important to a healthy and safe workplace.” Straterra CEO ..read more

There is a lot of uncertainty at this moment in time, but one thing can’t be argued, the importance of the aggregate industry to our national health. By Andy Loader, First Rock Consultancy. There has been a lot of talk recently about the supply of natural sand in the Auckland region in the face of public opposition (rational or not) and the dredging of natural beach sand. Not surprisingly, existing and future manufactured sand operations have been receiving a lot of press as an alternative. However, manufacturing sand, with very fine crushing, is energy intensive so it is more costly to produc ..read more

Mike Doesburg, Partner, Wynn Williams, looks at stone, sand and streamlined approvals. The Covid-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Act 2020 (the Act) was a short-term measure implemented to stimulate the economy following the pandemic The sped-up consenting process that it introduced has largely been viewed as a success, and while the Act has since been repealed, the Government has now introduced a Bill that will capitalise on the appetite for a faster consenting process. The Act established new and faster processes, allowing expert consenting panels to make decisions on environmental approv ..read more

The country’s first major manufactured sand operation is due to start operation within weeks to supply Auckland and Waikato concrete manufacturers. From AQA News/Q&M magazine February 2024. Kaipara’s Brookby Quarry announced its plans in late November, by which time it already had crushing equipment from the US and Northern Ireland on site and specifications that met concrete market requirements. Steve Riddell, Kaipara’s managing director, says $12.1 million will have been spent when stage one of the project starts seeing 300,000 tonnes of sand being produced each year using greywacke from ..read more

Mike Doesburg, Partner at Wyn Williams, reflects on resource management law and the quarrying and mining sector over the next year. As I wrote this article, 2023 was drawing to a close. The year delivered a smorgasbord of change in the resource management space, some elements more palatable than others. Most notable was the passing of the Natural and Built Environment and Spatial Planning Acts, followed by the formation of a government that has promised their repeal. Other significant developments have included the Gazettal of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity and advan ..read more

Q&M magazine talks to Ian Rodger about his long career in the extraction industry, and his fortuitous involvement in our greatest contribution to global aggregates – the Barmac crusher. Ian Rodger got his start in the aggregate extraction and production industry as manager of the aggregate production plant of Ashby Brothers Christchurch through his rugby connections. “I had no previous involvement in aggregate production, nor any type of extraction or construction industry,” recalls Ian. “I was selected for the job through John Ashby who was the President of the Rugby Club where I was the ..read more

The country’s first major manufactured sand operation is due to start operation within weeks to supply Auckland and Waikato concrete manufacturers. From AQA News/Q&M magazine February 2024. Kaipara’s Brookby Quarry announced its plans in late November, by which time it already had crushing equipment from the US and Northern Ireland on site and specifications that met concrete market requirements. Steve Riddell, Kaipara’s managing director, says $12.1 million will have been spent when stage one of the project starts seeing 300,000 tonnes of sand being produced each year using greywacke from ..read more

Mike Doesburg, Partner at Wyn Williams, reflects on resource management law and the quarrying and mining sector over the next year. As I wrote this article, 2023 was drawing to a close. The year delivered a smorgasbord of change in the resource management space, some elements more palatable than others. Most notable was the passing of the Natural and Built Environment and Spatial Planning Acts, followed by the formation of a government that has promised their repeal. Other significant developments have included the Gazettal of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity and advan ..read more

Q&M magazine talks to Ian Rodger about his long career in the extraction industry, and his fortuitous involvement in our greatest contribution to global aggregates – the Barmac crusher. Ian Rodger got his start in the aggregate extraction and production industry as manager of the aggregate production plant of Ashby Brothers Christchurch through his rugby connections. “I had no previous involvement in aggregate production, nor any type of extraction or construction industry,” recalls Ian. “I was selected for the job through John Ashby who was the President of the Rugby Club where I was the ..read more

Our first three-party coalition Government involves a cabinet where all parties are represented and with a balance of party polices and promises. NZ First Leader Winston Peters will be Deputy Prime Minister for the first half of the three-year parliamentary term, and ACT Leader David Seymour for the second half. Peters is Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Seymour, Minister for Regulation. A 20-strong Cabinet has 14 National Ministers, three ACT Ministers and three NZ First Ministers. Nicola Willis is Minister of Finance, Brooke van Velden Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety, a ..read more