NZ underspending on cyber security
NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says it was great to see an increase in spending on cyber security in the Budget but more is needed as the economy rapidly becomes more digital.
The risk of not investing enough in cyber security is an increasing amount of financial loss by businesses, risk of catastrophic infrastructure shutdowns, like the Waikato hospital last year, and identity theft of Kiwis, he says.
The government agency tasked with providing cyber resilience support to private sector organisations and individuals, Cert NZ, was provided $30 million in the Budget.
This funding, over four years, will support the completion of work on the cyber resilience measurement framework, uplift the cyber smart programme, pilot a victim remediation service and fund the development of a technology solution to make it easier for individuals and organisations to report and respond to cyber incidents.
Cert NZ has just released its first quarterly report for 2022 providing an overview of the 2333 reported cyber security incidents impacting New Zealand.
The report shows that phishing and credential harvesting continue to grow and be the most common means of entry for cyber attacks.
Phishing (pronounced: fishing) is an attack that attempts to steal your money, or your identity, by getting you to reveal personal information, such as credit card numbers, bank information, or passwords, on websites that pretend to be legitimate.
There were seven incidents where people were scammed out of more than $100,000, including unauthorised access to business emails, a romance scam and an investment scam.
The Budget also included cyber security investment of $18 million over four years for the government communications security bureau (GCSB) to allow the national cyber security centre to maintain and improve its cyber security and information security services that help protect New Zealand’s most significant information infrastructures from the increasing frequency and severity of cyber attacks.
Other government agencies also received multiyear budget funding to increase cyber security including the Ministry of Education ($27 million), the Ministry of Justice ($12 million), the Department of Corrections ($59 million), the New Zealand police ($24 million) and the Serious Fraud Office ($1 million).
In comparison, the Australian government announced a $9.9 billion investment in cyber security in their federal budget and the US president’s budget request lifted cyber security spending 11% for 2022, spending $10.9 billion on civilian cyber security alone, Muller says.
“While you could argue that they are much larger countries, our cyber security investment is in millions not billions.
New ferries’ electric propulsion system will help KiwiRail meet emission goals
KiwiRail has selected Siemens Energy to supply the integrated Electric Propulsion System (EPS) for Interislander’s new rail-enabled, more environmentally-friendly ferries.
The EPS includes the alternators, switchboards, batteries, azimuth thrusters, power and battery management systems and integrated alarm system. In addition, Hyundai Mipo Dockyard and Siemens Energy entered into a contract to design, supply, install, and commission the EPS for the two new Interislander ferries.
The Interisland Resilience Connection (iReX) project is a $1.45 billion investment which will see two new, rail-enabled ferries coming into service in 2025 and 2026. The project also includes modernised ferry precincts in Waitohi Picton and Kaiwharawhara in Wellington, including ferry berths, terminals and both rail and road connections.
Selecting Siemens Energy as the maker for the EPS is another step towards the 40 per cent reduction in emissions that the new fleet will bring to Interislander operations and KiwiRail’s goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Massimo Soprano, iReX ships programme manager, says the Siemens Energy system selected will deliver performance improvements in safety, manoeuvrability as well as in reducing environmental impact for the Interislander operations.
The hybrid technology selected to drive the new ferries will use electrical propulsion from generators fuelled by diesel and batteries recharged by electrical shore power.
Batteries will power 30% of the three-hour journey. Under normal conditions the ferries will be operating on batteries only while manoeuvring and in port, using a combination of battery and shore power. Any surplus energy produced by the generators during sailing can also be battery stored.
The selected propulsion system uses ‘pods’, which are mounted outside the hull of the vessel, and contain an electric motor which drives the external propellor. The pods can rotate through 360 degrees independently or working together providing greater manoeuvrability, particularly during berthing, and greater fuel efficiency, compared to the current ferries which use a conventional shaft line/twin propellors to drive the ships.
Podded propulsion can deliver power to any direction, which enables a much higher level of control in prevailing conditions. They are quieter under water and create little or no vibrations. The pods are powered by electricity and the combination of diesel generators and hybrid battery systems means operators have more control over consumption, power supply options, redundancy, and resilience.
Other significant makers selections by KiwiRail to date include the selection of Kawasaki Heavy Industries of Japan to supply four 2800 Kw bow thrusters for each of the new ferries and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan to supply fin stabilisers.
Partnering with Gates – Design Power
Gates Australia has announced the launch of its new specialised industrial power transmission drive design software, Design Power to further increase the support the company offers to its clients.
A new proprietary software platform from Gates, Design Power offers multiple digital design tools to support the engineering and specification of belt-drive systems across a broad array of applications, making the process easier and more precise than ever before. Gates Design Power features updated and upgraded versions of Gates Design IQ and Design Flex Pro applications.
In addition to the user-friendly functionality of each of the specialised design modules, Design Power includes a state-of-the-art knowledge base with design guidance and the most sophisticated belt performance models.
Automatic synching with the Gates catalog streamlines and empowers the design process with direct access to the latest products, specifications and ratings. Design Power also adds new organisational features on par with the best digital collaboration tools, holding multiple designs in a single project file, tracking design derivatives and iterations, and noting who made what changes along the way.
Design Power has a number of features and benefits including:
- Quickly, easily, and accurately design industrial synchronous or V-belt drive systems that fit your specific design parameters
- Ability to layout complicated belt drives and determine appropriate belt widths
- Easily determine proper belt installation tension
- Calculate belt pull
- Determine the belt power transmission capacity
- Estimate the energy savings of a synchronous belt drive compared to a V-belt drive
- Estimate the cost savings of replacing roller chain with a Poly Chain GT belt drive
To learn more and download the Design Power software, go to visit.gates.com/Design-Power.
Late knowledge date: when can you get an extra three years to file a claim?
By Stuart Robertson, partner and Victoria Bortsova, solicitor
The right to sue someone must be utilised within the appropriate limitation period. Under the Limitation Act 2010 (Act) this has been standardised to no more than six years from the act or omission, being the breach. If the claimant was not initially aware of the act or omission, they may file a claim up to three years after the date on which they gained knowledge, even if this is outside the usual six-year timeframe.
Overlaying this ‘late knowledge’ period is an absolute long-stop of 15 years from the act or omission (there is also the Building Act 2004 long-stop of 10 years, but was not relevant for this case). The High Court decision in REA v 360 Degrees Ltd [2022] NZHC 916 provides useful guidance into how the courts determine whether to allow the extra three years to file a claim.
Mr and Mrs Rea (plaintiffs) owned a residential house in Te Atatu, Auckland. They brought a claim against four defendants in relation to a number of building defects. The plaintiffs’ claim against the Auckland Council (Council) was for negligent processing of the building consent and issuing of the Code Compliance Certificate (CCC), which was issued on October 18, 2013. A number of expert reports were prepared for the plaintiffs, in March 2016, May 2016 and a third in 2019.
The plaintiffs filed a claim on September 9, 2021. Under the Act, this was outside the usual 6-year timeframe as the CCC was issued in October 2013 (being almost 8 years). The plaintiffs argued that the late knowledge period started when they received the March 2019 report. This is because that report outlined defects that had not (arguably) been identified in the earlier two reports. If so, their claim was filed in time.
The Council argued the plaintiffs became aware of the defects via the 2016 reports. Because of this, the plaintiffs claim was statute barred as their September 9, 2021 proceedings were more than six years since the CCC was issued (in October 2013) and more than three years since the May 2016 report (when they gained the late knowledge).
The decision
The High Court agreed with the Council and found that the late knowledge period began on receipt of the May 2016 report. Although the 2019 report did alert the plaintiffs to the magnitude of the defects, the defects and the loss they caused was already known after receipt of the earlier (2016) reports.
Therefore, the plaintiff’s claim against the Council was struck out.
Key takeaway
The first question a claimant, expert or legal advisor should ask is when did this occur? Always take a conservative approach when checking the six-year initial limitation period. If you suspect you could be outside this period, ensure that you file as soon as possible and within the three-year period after you became aware of the relevant facts.
Disclaimer: This article is not a substitute for specific professional advice on any matter. No warrant or guarantee whatsoever is given as to the accuracy of any information contained in the article, nor is any liability accepted for any actions taken based on this information.
Managing maintenance safety
By Craig Carlyle, director at Maintenance Transformations
An awkward gap exists between our health and safety responsibilities and the reality in many traditional maintenance workshops across the country.
Our responsibilities extend to maintenance departments having safe work instructions for reasonably predictable maintenance tasks, and safe work tools such as JSA’s for unplanned events. The theory is entirely sensible; if our experience shows that dangers exist in a task, we need to pass that learning onto the next person to keep them safe. If we are scheduling maintenance activities, then surely, we should include the safe work instructions in that schedule.
In fact, MBIE and WorkSafe see it as a no-brainer, with a (perhaps rose tinted) expectation that this is the norm in the industrial world.
The reality is far removed from that, with too few seriously including pre-prepared safe work instructions into planned work packs. If your maintenance department can claim to be doing this, good on you, but our machine safety auditing across New Zealand reveals that most traditional workshops have their heads buried firmly in the sand. While they may be aware of the dangers if pushed, the answers reside in heads or are passed on by word of mouth at the best. It’s all too hard.
The issue is even more prevalent if the maintenance department is not using maintenance planning systems. Modern computerised maintenance management systems enable the bundling of task resources against a planned preventative maintenance task. These resources can include safe work instructions, permits, JSA’s etc. The capability exists in these systems but often comprehension and application take a back seat.
Whatever your 3-letter acronym for your safe work instrument (SWP, SOP, JEH, JSA, etc) the intent should be to highlight the known potential hazards in the task and lay out the controls required to protect the worker. Check your safe work instruments carefully to ensure that they do in fact address these basic requirements.
Being confronted by the need to document safe work instructions for every maintenance task can be a daunting task, the nett result being to bury your head deeper in the sand. There is however a simpler path to take; set yourself the task of addressing the safe work instructions one at a time, as you tackle each planned maintenance task. Draft out the instructions prior to the task and review after the event. Involve your tradesmen before and afterwards. Frame the dialogue as understanding what they need to be safe, and what learning they wish to pass on to the next person. Before you know it, you will have a working set of documents, your confidence will be up, and you will be well on the path to a compliant maintenance role.
Craig Carlyle is director at Maintenance Transformations. His expertise lies in the practical application of maintenance and health and safety management systems in the workplace. He is also a life member of the Maintenance Engineering Society of NZ.
The information and opinions within this column are not necessarily the views or opinions of Xpress Engineer NZ, NZ Engineering News or the parent company, Hayley Media.
Quanton signs ANZ deal to provide ‘game change’ in automation
Quanton, New Zealand digital transformation and business process automation specialists, has signed a deal with UK-headquartered Enate Ltd, to bring the next generation process orchestration platform to the ANZ market. This alliance marks the first and only partner focused on Australia and New Zealand for Enate.
Garry Green, managing director/founder for Quanton, says: “The deal will help businesses resolve a key challenge of rapidly improving their workforce productivity, while future proofing their operations. Using the innovative workflow tool, Enate provides end-to-end visibility of your operations and orchestrates work, so that the right work goes to the right resources, at the right time.”
Green says he has known Enate for several years and acknowledges that they have been thought leaders and pioneers in this space. The time is right to launch this innovative workflow product in the ANZ region.
“Covid has accelerated the need for tools like Enate to enable businesses to track their operations. With a distributed workforce there is a need to be more agile and responsive, whilst focusing on improving the customer journey and experience.
“More importantly, a good team differentiates a business; however, they hard to come by and even harder to retain. So, it is important that they are working on interesting activities, whilst feeling empowered and valued. Supporting them to do their best work will with the right tools, like Enate, be essential. If businesses don’t, their competitors certainly will be,” he says.
“For many companies using automation, the deployments have been very tactical and scaling has been a challenge. Enate is a game changer, the platform democratises orchestration and workflow, enabling rapid deployment in weeks rather than months. This plays to the demand for greater organisational agility and ability to pivot quickly. The solution also provides rapid payback and high ROI; Organisations using Enate typically see a 15-20% increase in operational efficiency gain.”
James Hall, Enate CEO, says: “Enate provides great operational flexibility and control, and is enabling the future of work because it has a people and competency view. Enate reaches the parts that other IBPM tools can’t reach because it is rapid and user deployed, with lower implementation costs compared to other tools.
“Quanton has a long heritage of delivering intelligent automation. They recognise the broader mission here, that it’s not just about putting a bot in, it’s about understanding what a customer is trying to achieve to improve the customer and employee experience. Quanton are one of the few consultancies in the global intelligent automation space that can transform clients at scale,” says Hall.
Enate’s no-code solution can enhance your digital transformation journey by helping businesses understand which processes to automate and why, guiding constant improvement and agility for businesses, enabling them to rapidly integrate bot technologies like RPA, OCR, ML and AI. Enate provides the data and insight that is so crucial in driving transformation for businesses.
Founded by automation industry expert Kit Cox and launched in 2017, the Enate process orchestration platform has four core modules—work manager, builder, dashboarding and self-service—designed to help various roles within an organisation create better, faster processes to streamline operations and enhance customer service.
Organisations can use Enate to capture, route and manage all inbound requests, measure service level agreements, track productivity and utilisation across teams, reduce compliance risks and failures and accelerate automation with analytics that show which processes to automate, what savings to expect and which technology to deploy.
Virtual reality training targets $24 million cost of fall from heights
A new state-of-the-art virtual reality training package aims to tackle New Zealand’s poor safety record for working at height.
The package, launched by Christchurch-based immersive tech company Cortiical, has been developed in collaboration with education and subject matter experts and is the first of its kind specifically designed to reinforce NZQA legislation.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment estimates the annual cost of injuries from falls while working at height to be $24 million, with approximately 70% of falls occurring from ladders or roofs.
Elliot Newton, Cortiical co-founder, says the comprehensive height safety training package, comprising safe working at Heights and safe working with ladders virtual reality modules, is a first for New Zealand.
“New Zealand has a $24 million a year problem when it comes to accidents in the workplace resulting from working at height. At Cortiical we looked at this cost and all the money that could be better spent elsewhere – and looked at how best to cut to the heart of the problem, the training,” says Newton.
Virtual reality offers unique advantages in memorable, effective training and retention for all types of learners, and for remote workers.
“The beauty of VR is that it is an extremely engaging visual medium that offers hyper realistic simulations to dramatically illustrate risks and how to mitigate them. In addition, it breaks down barriers to information for people with learning differences, English as a second language and so on. And it provides a cost-effective way to connect with remote workers.”
Newton says the modules themselves act as an unequivocal competency assessment.
“Time for a refresher course for your heights training? Grab a VR headset and get going. Got full marks? You’re good to go back out on the tools. Failed to achieve full marks? You must further discuss your answers with a trained professional and/or attend real world training depending on your results,” he says.
“Whether it was a question of not enough training or not often enough training, we set out to design an enhanced training system to accompany the traditional methods and ultimately save New Zealand not only money but lives too,” Newton says.
Safe Working at Heights has been specifically developed as a refresher course for NZQA legislation. It reinforces the learning outcomes of standards 15757, 17600 and 23229 in an innovative and engaging way. This covers everything from hazard identification to risk management to equipment inspections.
Laser cutting machinery that helps the business grow
Finding and investing in the best laser cutting metals manufacturing machinery is often just the first step in reaping the rewards of a sound purchase in this rapidly expanding and competitive business.
The even more important process afterwards is making the purchase pay by expanding your business using it, ideally by freeing up the time of skilled staff to produce more work for it by producing quotes faster and better tailored to customer needs – thus improving service and response to customer needs.
This was the situation in which Melbourne sheet metal building product manufacturer Jonda Pty Ltd found itself after buying a top-line laser cutting machine that enabled it to do the job of cutting material more speedily and accurately – but then finding that was only part of the solution to expanding their business in custom flashing and rainwater goods.
“After purchasing a fibre laser machine, we quickly ran into the issue of not being able to get quotes back to our customers in a timely manner. The manual quoting process was just too time-consuming, which slowed down productivity,” says Jonda manager, Jake Nikolopoulos.
Jonda’s solution was the online quotation software, ToolBox, from ipCompute (which includes Tempus Tools and ipLaser), which replaces the painfully slow process of manual inputting of data.
ToolBox was developed by laser industry professionals who have a combined 100 years of experience in the laser industry, extending from hands-on work on the cutting floor through to international commercialisation of their technology.
To meet the needs of their global industry, ipCompute’s CEO and co-founder, Ivan Cooper, and product executive, Bruce Thomas, designed ToolBox to more than halve the time and manual input currently required by laser cutting companies to prepare and deliver precise estimates to their own customers.
The Australian-developed laser cutting and fabrication quoting software ToolBox is used by laser cutting and metal manufacturing companies throughout Australia, Europe and the USA to save job shops’ time, and keep quotes accurate and consistent, no matter who is preparing them.
“Getting the fastest and best machine is only half the equation,” says Cooper. “If you just buy the best machine and stop there, you have only improved half the business. If you let the old manual quotation output method continue to plod along at the same slow pace, you are doing only half the job of growing the business, or less.”
Nikolopoulos agrees 100% – “Using ToolBox, we’re now able to get a personalised and professional looking quote to our customers within minutes, not days,” he says.
“Having our material database and secondary processes like folding, welding, powder coating, electro plating and more all integrated within ToolBox is super-efficient. The whole process from importing drawings to exporting the finished quotes is absolutely effortless.”
“ToolBox has brought our company to a new level of professionalism and efficiency,” says Nikolopoulos, whose customer response comments reflect the benefits and service the online technology has brought to them.
Cooper says the latest versions of ToolBox technology can turn a CAD drawing into an accurate quote in seconds. The time saved can be used to allow laser job shop staff and resources to be reallocated into areas such as business growth.
“The technology is not just a time-saving tool it is essentially a business growth tool, because the time saved allows the energy and knowledge of the business to be transferred into expanding the business.
“There’s no need to spend hours manually quoting jobs. ToolBox creates estimates in an instant. It enhances customer service by improving response time for estimate requests and increase conversions.
“It facilitates consistent and predictable quotes to particular customers, so they can rely on prompt and easily comparable prices for the same type of work, which is important in building trust and developing ongoing business.”
Senior Geotechnical Engineer & Geotechnical Engineer
- Come join a newly created team in our Regulatory Department
- Flexible and friendly working environment
- Opportunities for growth and development
We have 2 newly created opportunities for a Senior Geotechnical Engineer and Geotechnical Engineer to join our Regulatory Engineering Department!
Auckland Council has developed a new Geotechnical team within our Regulatory Engineering Department and is actively looking for Senior Geotech Engineer and Geotech Engineer ready to take up the challenge and make their mark on the future of the Auckland landscape.
Auckland Council’s Regulatory Engineering unit plays a critical role in ensuring land and housing development across the region is in line with local and national standards and is achieving the right outcomes for both our customers and our environment.
He angitūtanga: The opportunity
We are looking for 2 great skilful techs to join the team! You will provide sound geotechnical advice to ensure we meet the needs of Aucklanders. This includes assisting in the operation and assessment of consents, including building consents, resource consents and engineering plan approval applications by providing sound geotechnical engineering advice and assessment within required timeframes.
You will also provide professional assessments of compliance matters enabling effective decision making, and work collaboratively with other stakeholders to ensure positive outcomes.
As a developing competency, within our Regulatory Engineering department you will be able to help us ensure the processes, systems and approach are fit for purpose for the rate payers and industry.
He kōrero mōu: About you
You will hold a bachelor’s degree (or higher) in Geotechnical Engineering or similar related subject and have a minimum 5 years of relevant geotechnical engineering experience working with residential, commercial, and industrial designs.
You will have sound knowledge of relevant New Zealand legislation, and experience in Geotechnical investigations, land development and building activities in New Zealand.
You will also be someone who enjoys working in a collaborative team environment and working with a range of internal and external stakeholders. You will be results driven, with a focus on providing a positive and supportive customer experience.
As this role requires occasional driving around the region using Council vehicles, you will also hold a valid full NZ driver’s license.
Ngā āhuatanga kei a mātou: What we offer
As a Geotech Engineer with Auckland Council, you will be working on some of Auckland’s largest developments, and will be working collaboratively with a team of experts and designers to deliver high quality consent applications and buildings for all Aucklanders. Our division facilitates a wide range of development projects, from nationally significant infrastructure projects to houses, apartment buildings and shopping centres.
We offer flexible working arrangements, competitive salary, and varied learning and career progression opportunities across the wider Council group. We are committed to diversity, have a culture built on trust and valuing individual contributions, and are driven to provide the right outcomes for our customers and our environment.
Click here for the position description.
This role is deemed safety sensitive and will require a drug & alcohol test prior to any offer.
If you are ready to take the next step up in your career, we would love to hear from you!
Applications close 24th June 2022
Auckland Council is an equal opportunity employer (EOE) and we are committed to providing a working environment that embraces and values diversity and inclusion. If you have any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of application to assist you through the recruitment process.
Auckland Council strongly encourages our employees to be fully vaccinated.
A partner that values your customers as much as you do
Watson Marlow has come a far way since their inception some 65 years ago. Today, this FTSE100 powerhouse comprises 10 leading brands, each a specialist in niche fluid transfer technologies. The company services an array of industries including mining, wastewater, and food and beverage.
Beyond its market share and concise understanding of fluid technologies, Watson Marlow’s clear differentiator is its customer-centric approach
“We are problem solvers. Our people around the world are specialists in the work they do, and the company is structured to empower and support our customers,” says Elie Elazar, regional sales manager (ANZ).
In its search for a trusted partner, Elazar says that Watson Marlow looks for companies that treat its customers “as their own”, and adds that quick turnaround, exceptional service, and quality products are crucial to ensuring a successful partnership.
Enter Bonfiglioli.
A partnership is born
Among its portfolio of premium brands is Bredel. Bredel hose pumps and hose elements offer high reliability and low maintenance for high-flow, high-pressure duties.
“We were in search of a second partner for Bredel to diversify our database. We were looking for a partner that offered local assembly and expertise,” he says.
This led Watson Marlow to Bonfiglioli. One of the world’s prominent gear box suppliers, Bonfiglioli caught Bredel’s attention because of its established footprint and ability to service customers across the globe.
Harry Singh, NSW sales manager for Bonfiglioli Australia believes that the partnership was solidified by closely aligned values and a customer-centric approach to business.
“We both focus on quality and customer service. We treat Watson Marlow’s reputation as our own and always go the extra mile. Customers can rest assured that when they deal with us, their gearbox is backed by a dedicated team, superior service and a warranty.”
The brief was to assemble Bredel pumps on behalf of Watson Marlow in various sizes (40, 50, 65, 80 and 100).
“After assembly, we supply and install our 300 series planetary gearmotor to drive these pumps. These particular pumps can be found in various sectors that require pumping application such as mining, construction and water treatment plants.”
Singh adds that the 300 planetary series was specifically selected to align to an international agreement that the companies already had in place. “This product is tried and tested around the world and delivers a seamless roll-out for maintenance, spares and repairs.”
Due to its high torque output and long service life, Bonfiglioli also supplies an inline planetary HD gearbox to drive the pump.
“Selections can be made by size without changes to the pump. The product is available on various rations from a .37 to 15kW motor and speeds can be easily set depending on the pump requirement.”
When the partnership began, the Bonfiglioli team was thoroughly trained and supervised by Watson Marlow’s engineering services manager; however, it soon became apparent that Bonfiglioli could operate efficiently on their own.
Elezar says: “The Bonfiglioli team can independently assemble and perform the necessary quality tests to ensure that the customer receives a fully operational product with all guarantees and warrantees in place. Customers can rest assured that we can validate their warranty and service their product. This is exactly why quality is so important to Watson Marlow. We need to trust our partners to deliver work to the same quality standards that we subscribe to, to ensure continuous operation for our customers.”
Moving forward
“We look forward to maintaining and strengthening our partnership as we continue to grow our local market share” says Singh.
Elazar adds: “Bonfiglioli were quick to deliver and keen to assist. They offer good service, product availability and the technical expertise required to deliver a complete pump solution for our customers.”
NZ underspending on cyber security
NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says it was great to see an increase in spending on cyber security in the Budget but more is needed as the economy rapidly becomes more digital.
The risk of not investing enough in cyber security is an increasing amount of financial loss by businesses, risk of catastrophic infrastructure shutdowns, like the Waikato hospital last year, and identity theft of Kiwis, he says.
The government agency tasked with providing cyber resilience support to private sector organisations and individuals, Cert NZ, was provided $30 million in the Budget.
This funding, over four years, will support the completion of work on the cyber resilience measurement framework, uplift the cyber smart programme, pilot a victim remediation service and fund the development of a technology solution to make it easier for individuals and organisations to report and respond to cyber incidents.
Cert NZ has just released its first quarterly report for 2022 providing an overview of the 2333 reported cyber security incidents impacting New Zealand.
The report shows that phishing and credential harvesting continue to grow and be the most common means of entry for cyber attacks.
Phishing (pronounced: fishing) is an attack that attempts to steal your money, or your identity, by getting you to reveal personal information, such as credit card numbers, bank information, or passwords, on websites that pretend to be legitimate.
There were seven incidents where people were scammed out of more than $100,000, including unauthorised access to business emails, a romance scam and an investment scam.
The Budget also included cyber security investment of $18 million over four years for the government communications security bureau (GCSB) to allow the national cyber security centre to maintain and improve its cyber security and information security services that help protect New Zealand’s most significant information infrastructures from the increasing frequency and severity of cyber attacks.
Other government agencies also received multiyear budget funding to increase cyber security including the Ministry of Education ($27 million), the Ministry of Justice ($12 million), the Department of Corrections ($59 million), the New Zealand police ($24 million) and the Serious Fraud Office ($1 million).
In comparison, the Australian government announced a $9.9 billion investment in cyber security in their federal budget and the US president’s budget request lifted cyber security spending 11% for 2022, spending $10.9 billion on civilian cyber security alone, Muller says.
“While you could argue that they are much larger countries, our cyber security investment is in millions not billions.
New ferries’ electric propulsion system will help KiwiRail meet emission goals
KiwiRail has selected Siemens Energy to supply the integrated Electric Propulsion System (EPS) for Interislander’s new rail-enabled, more environmentally-friendly ferries.
The EPS includes the alternators, switchboards, batteries, azimuth thrusters, power and battery management systems and integrated alarm system. In addition, Hyundai Mipo Dockyard and Siemens Energy entered into a contract to design, supply, install, and commission the EPS for the two new Interislander ferries.
The Interisland Resilience Connection (iReX) project is a $1.45 billion investment which will see two new, rail-enabled ferries coming into service in 2025 and 2026. The project also includes modernised ferry precincts in Waitohi Picton and Kaiwharawhara in Wellington, including ferry berths, terminals and both rail and road connections.
Selecting Siemens Energy as the maker for the EPS is another step towards the 40 per cent reduction in emissions that the new fleet will bring to Interislander operations and KiwiRail’s goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Massimo Soprano, iReX ships programme manager, says the Siemens Energy system selected will deliver performance improvements in safety, manoeuvrability as well as in reducing environmental impact for the Interislander operations.
The hybrid technology selected to drive the new ferries will use electrical propulsion from generators fuelled by diesel and batteries recharged by electrical shore power.
Batteries will power 30% of the three-hour journey. Under normal conditions the ferries will be operating on batteries only while manoeuvring and in port, using a combination of battery and shore power. Any surplus energy produced by the generators during sailing can also be battery stored.
The selected propulsion system uses ‘pods’, which are mounted outside the hull of the vessel, and contain an electric motor which drives the external propellor. The pods can rotate through 360 degrees independently or working together providing greater manoeuvrability, particularly during berthing, and greater fuel efficiency, compared to the current ferries which use a conventional shaft line/twin propellors to drive the ships.
Podded propulsion can deliver power to any direction, which enables a much higher level of control in prevailing conditions. They are quieter under water and create little or no vibrations. The pods are powered by electricity and the combination of diesel generators and hybrid battery systems means operators have more control over consumption, power supply options, redundancy, and resilience.
Other significant makers selections by KiwiRail to date include the selection of Kawasaki Heavy Industries of Japan to supply four 2800 Kw bow thrusters for each of the new ferries and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan to supply fin stabilisers.
Partnering with Gates – Design Power
Gates Australia has announced the launch of its new specialised industrial power transmission drive design software, Design Power to further increase the support the company offers to its clients.
A new proprietary software platform from Gates, Design Power offers multiple digital design tools to support the engineering and specification of belt-drive systems across a broad array of applications, making the process easier and more precise than ever before. Gates Design Power features updated and upgraded versions of Gates Design IQ and Design Flex Pro applications.
In addition to the user-friendly functionality of each of the specialised design modules, Design Power includes a state-of-the-art knowledge base with design guidance and the most sophisticated belt performance models.
Automatic synching with the Gates catalog streamlines and empowers the design process with direct access to the latest products, specifications and ratings. Design Power also adds new organisational features on par with the best digital collaboration tools, holding multiple designs in a single project file, tracking design derivatives and iterations, and noting who made what changes along the way.
Design Power has a number of features and benefits including:
To learn more and download the Design Power software, go to visit.gates.com/Design-Power.
Late knowledge date: when can you get an extra three years to file a claim?
By Stuart Robertson, partner and Victoria Bortsova, solicitor
The right to sue someone must be utilised within the appropriate limitation period. Under the Limitation Act 2010 (Act) this has been standardised to no more than six years from the act or omission, being the breach. If the claimant was not initially aware of the act or omission, they may file a claim up to three years after the date on which they gained knowledge, even if this is outside the usual six-year timeframe.
Overlaying this ‘late knowledge’ period is an absolute long-stop of 15 years from the act or omission (there is also the Building Act 2004 long-stop of 10 years, but was not relevant for this case). The High Court decision in REA v 360 Degrees Ltd [2022] NZHC 916 provides useful guidance into how the courts determine whether to allow the extra three years to file a claim.
Mr and Mrs Rea (plaintiffs) owned a residential house in Te Atatu, Auckland. They brought a claim against four defendants in relation to a number of building defects. The plaintiffs’ claim against the Auckland Council (Council) was for negligent processing of the building consent and issuing of the Code Compliance Certificate (CCC), which was issued on October 18, 2013. A number of expert reports were prepared for the plaintiffs, in March 2016, May 2016 and a third in 2019.
The plaintiffs filed a claim on September 9, 2021. Under the Act, this was outside the usual 6-year timeframe as the CCC was issued in October 2013 (being almost 8 years). The plaintiffs argued that the late knowledge period started when they received the March 2019 report. This is because that report outlined defects that had not (arguably) been identified in the earlier two reports. If so, their claim was filed in time.
The Council argued the plaintiffs became aware of the defects via the 2016 reports. Because of this, the plaintiffs claim was statute barred as their September 9, 2021 proceedings were more than six years since the CCC was issued (in October 2013) and more than three years since the May 2016 report (when they gained the late knowledge).
The decision
The High Court agreed with the Council and found that the late knowledge period began on receipt of the May 2016 report. Although the 2019 report did alert the plaintiffs to the magnitude of the defects, the defects and the loss they caused was already known after receipt of the earlier (2016) reports.
Therefore, the plaintiff’s claim against the Council was struck out.
Key takeaway
The first question a claimant, expert or legal advisor should ask is when did this occur? Always take a conservative approach when checking the six-year initial limitation period. If you suspect you could be outside this period, ensure that you file as soon as possible and within the three-year period after you became aware of the relevant facts.
Disclaimer: This article is not a substitute for specific professional advice on any matter. No warrant or guarantee whatsoever is given as to the accuracy of any information contained in the article, nor is any liability accepted for any actions taken based on this information.
Managing maintenance safety
By Craig Carlyle, director at Maintenance Transformations
An awkward gap exists between our health and safety responsibilities and the reality in many traditional maintenance workshops across the country.
Our responsibilities extend to maintenance departments having safe work instructions for reasonably predictable maintenance tasks, and safe work tools such as JSA’s for unplanned events. The theory is entirely sensible; if our experience shows that dangers exist in a task, we need to pass that learning onto the next person to keep them safe. If we are scheduling maintenance activities, then surely, we should include the safe work instructions in that schedule.
In fact, MBIE and WorkSafe see it as a no-brainer, with a (perhaps rose tinted) expectation that this is the norm in the industrial world.
The reality is far removed from that, with too few seriously including pre-prepared safe work instructions into planned work packs. If your maintenance department can claim to be doing this, good on you, but our machine safety auditing across New Zealand reveals that most traditional workshops have their heads buried firmly in the sand. While they may be aware of the dangers if pushed, the answers reside in heads or are passed on by word of mouth at the best. It’s all too hard.
The issue is even more prevalent if the maintenance department is not using maintenance planning systems. Modern computerised maintenance management systems enable the bundling of task resources against a planned preventative maintenance task. These resources can include safe work instructions, permits, JSA’s etc. The capability exists in these systems but often comprehension and application take a back seat.
Whatever your 3-letter acronym for your safe work instrument (SWP, SOP, JEH, JSA, etc) the intent should be to highlight the known potential hazards in the task and lay out the controls required to protect the worker. Check your safe work instruments carefully to ensure that they do in fact address these basic requirements.
Being confronted by the need to document safe work instructions for every maintenance task can be a daunting task, the nett result being to bury your head deeper in the sand. There is however a simpler path to take; set yourself the task of addressing the safe work instructions one at a time, as you tackle each planned maintenance task. Draft out the instructions prior to the task and review after the event. Involve your tradesmen before and afterwards. Frame the dialogue as understanding what they need to be safe, and what learning they wish to pass on to the next person. Before you know it, you will have a working set of documents, your confidence will be up, and you will be well on the path to a compliant maintenance role.
Craig Carlyle is director at Maintenance Transformations. His expertise lies in the practical application of maintenance and health and safety management systems in the workplace. He is also a life member of the Maintenance Engineering Society of NZ.
The information and opinions within this column are not necessarily the views or opinions of Xpress Engineer NZ, NZ Engineering News or the parent company, Hayley Media.
Quanton signs ANZ deal to provide ‘game change’ in automation
Quanton, New Zealand digital transformation and business process automation specialists, has signed a deal with UK-headquartered Enate Ltd, to bring the next generation process orchestration platform to the ANZ market. This alliance marks the first and only partner focused on Australia and New Zealand for Enate.
Garry Green, managing director/founder for Quanton, says: “The deal will help businesses resolve a key challenge of rapidly improving their workforce productivity, while future proofing their operations. Using the innovative workflow tool, Enate provides end-to-end visibility of your operations and orchestrates work, so that the right work goes to the right resources, at the right time.”
Green says he has known Enate for several years and acknowledges that they have been thought leaders and pioneers in this space. The time is right to launch this innovative workflow product in the ANZ region.
“Covid has accelerated the need for tools like Enate to enable businesses to track their operations. With a distributed workforce there is a need to be more agile and responsive, whilst focusing on improving the customer journey and experience.
“More importantly, a good team differentiates a business; however, they hard to come by and even harder to retain. So, it is important that they are working on interesting activities, whilst feeling empowered and valued. Supporting them to do their best work will with the right tools, like Enate, be essential. If businesses don’t, their competitors certainly will be,” he says.
“For many companies using automation, the deployments have been very tactical and scaling has been a challenge. Enate is a game changer, the platform democratises orchestration and workflow, enabling rapid deployment in weeks rather than months. This plays to the demand for greater organisational agility and ability to pivot quickly. The solution also provides rapid payback and high ROI; Organisations using Enate typically see a 15-20% increase in operational efficiency gain.”
James Hall, Enate CEO, says: “Enate provides great operational flexibility and control, and is enabling the future of work because it has a people and competency view. Enate reaches the parts that other IBPM tools can’t reach because it is rapid and user deployed, with lower implementation costs compared to other tools.
“Quanton has a long heritage of delivering intelligent automation. They recognise the broader mission here, that it’s not just about putting a bot in, it’s about understanding what a customer is trying to achieve to improve the customer and employee experience. Quanton are one of the few consultancies in the global intelligent automation space that can transform clients at scale,” says Hall.
Enate’s no-code solution can enhance your digital transformation journey by helping businesses understand which processes to automate and why, guiding constant improvement and agility for businesses, enabling them to rapidly integrate bot technologies like RPA, OCR, ML and AI. Enate provides the data and insight that is so crucial in driving transformation for businesses.
Founded by automation industry expert Kit Cox and launched in 2017, the Enate process orchestration platform has four core modules—work manager, builder, dashboarding and self-service—designed to help various roles within an organisation create better, faster processes to streamline operations and enhance customer service.
Organisations can use Enate to capture, route and manage all inbound requests, measure service level agreements, track productivity and utilisation across teams, reduce compliance risks and failures and accelerate automation with analytics that show which processes to automate, what savings to expect and which technology to deploy.
Virtual reality training targets $24 million cost of fall from heights
A new state-of-the-art virtual reality training package aims to tackle New Zealand’s poor safety record for working at height.
The package, launched by Christchurch-based immersive tech company Cortiical, has been developed in collaboration with education and subject matter experts and is the first of its kind specifically designed to reinforce NZQA legislation.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment estimates the annual cost of injuries from falls while working at height to be $24 million, with approximately 70% of falls occurring from ladders or roofs.
Elliot Newton, Cortiical co-founder, says the comprehensive height safety training package, comprising safe working at Heights and safe working with ladders virtual reality modules, is a first for New Zealand.
“New Zealand has a $24 million a year problem when it comes to accidents in the workplace resulting from working at height. At Cortiical we looked at this cost and all the money that could be better spent elsewhere – and looked at how best to cut to the heart of the problem, the training,” says Newton.
Virtual reality offers unique advantages in memorable, effective training and retention for all types of learners, and for remote workers.
“The beauty of VR is that it is an extremely engaging visual medium that offers hyper realistic simulations to dramatically illustrate risks and how to mitigate them. In addition, it breaks down barriers to information for people with learning differences, English as a second language and so on. And it provides a cost-effective way to connect with remote workers.”
Newton says the modules themselves act as an unequivocal competency assessment.
“Time for a refresher course for your heights training? Grab a VR headset and get going. Got full marks? You’re good to go back out on the tools. Failed to achieve full marks? You must further discuss your answers with a trained professional and/or attend real world training depending on your results,” he says.
“Whether it was a question of not enough training or not often enough training, we set out to design an enhanced training system to accompany the traditional methods and ultimately save New Zealand not only money but lives too,” Newton says.
Safe Working at Heights has been specifically developed as a refresher course for NZQA legislation. It reinforces the learning outcomes of standards 15757, 17600 and 23229 in an innovative and engaging way. This covers everything from hazard identification to risk management to equipment inspections.
Laser cutting machinery that helps the business grow
Finding and investing in the best laser cutting metals manufacturing machinery is often just the first step in reaping the rewards of a sound purchase in this rapidly expanding and competitive business.
The even more important process afterwards is making the purchase pay by expanding your business using it, ideally by freeing up the time of skilled staff to produce more work for it by producing quotes faster and better tailored to customer needs – thus improving service and response to customer needs.
This was the situation in which Melbourne sheet metal building product manufacturer Jonda Pty Ltd found itself after buying a top-line laser cutting machine that enabled it to do the job of cutting material more speedily and accurately – but then finding that was only part of the solution to expanding their business in custom flashing and rainwater goods.
“After purchasing a fibre laser machine, we quickly ran into the issue of not being able to get quotes back to our customers in a timely manner. The manual quoting process was just too time-consuming, which slowed down productivity,” says Jonda manager, Jake Nikolopoulos.
Jonda’s solution was the online quotation software, ToolBox, from ipCompute (which includes Tempus Tools and ipLaser), which replaces the painfully slow process of manual inputting of data.
ToolBox was developed by laser industry professionals who have a combined 100 years of experience in the laser industry, extending from hands-on work on the cutting floor through to international commercialisation of their technology.
To meet the needs of their global industry, ipCompute’s CEO and co-founder, Ivan Cooper, and product executive, Bruce Thomas, designed ToolBox to more than halve the time and manual input currently required by laser cutting companies to prepare and deliver precise estimates to their own customers.
The Australian-developed laser cutting and fabrication quoting software ToolBox is used by laser cutting and metal manufacturing companies throughout Australia, Europe and the USA to save job shops’ time, and keep quotes accurate and consistent, no matter who is preparing them.
“Getting the fastest and best machine is only half the equation,” says Cooper. “If you just buy the best machine and stop there, you have only improved half the business. If you let the old manual quotation output method continue to plod along at the same slow pace, you are doing only half the job of growing the business, or less.”
Nikolopoulos agrees 100% – “Using ToolBox, we’re now able to get a personalised and professional looking quote to our customers within minutes, not days,” he says.
“Having our material database and secondary processes like folding, welding, powder coating, electro plating and more all integrated within ToolBox is super-efficient. The whole process from importing drawings to exporting the finished quotes is absolutely effortless.”
“ToolBox has brought our company to a new level of professionalism and efficiency,” says Nikolopoulos, whose customer response comments reflect the benefits and service the online technology has brought to them.
Cooper says the latest versions of ToolBox technology can turn a CAD drawing into an accurate quote in seconds. The time saved can be used to allow laser job shop staff and resources to be reallocated into areas such as business growth.
“The technology is not just a time-saving tool it is essentially a business growth tool, because the time saved allows the energy and knowledge of the business to be transferred into expanding the business.
“There’s no need to spend hours manually quoting jobs. ToolBox creates estimates in an instant. It enhances customer service by improving response time for estimate requests and increase conversions.
“It facilitates consistent and predictable quotes to particular customers, so they can rely on prompt and easily comparable prices for the same type of work, which is important in building trust and developing ongoing business.”
Senior Geotechnical Engineer & Geotechnical Engineer
We have 2 newly created opportunities for a Senior Geotechnical Engineer and Geotechnical Engineer to join our Regulatory Engineering Department!
Auckland Council has developed a new Geotechnical team within our Regulatory Engineering Department and is actively looking for Senior Geotech Engineer and Geotech Engineer ready to take up the challenge and make their mark on the future of the Auckland landscape.
Auckland Council’s Regulatory Engineering unit plays a critical role in ensuring land and housing development across the region is in line with local and national standards and is achieving the right outcomes for both our customers and our environment.
He angitūtanga: The opportunity
We are looking for 2 great skilful techs to join the team! You will provide sound geotechnical advice to ensure we meet the needs of Aucklanders. This includes assisting in the operation and assessment of consents, including building consents, resource consents and engineering plan approval applications by providing sound geotechnical engineering advice and assessment within required timeframes.
You will also provide professional assessments of compliance matters enabling effective decision making, and work collaboratively with other stakeholders to ensure positive outcomes.
As a developing competency, within our Regulatory Engineering department you will be able to help us ensure the processes, systems and approach are fit for purpose for the rate payers and industry.
He kōrero mōu: About you
You will hold a bachelor’s degree (or higher) in Geotechnical Engineering or similar related subject and have a minimum 5 years of relevant geotechnical engineering experience working with residential, commercial, and industrial designs.
You will have sound knowledge of relevant New Zealand legislation, and experience in Geotechnical investigations, land development and building activities in New Zealand.
You will also be someone who enjoys working in a collaborative team environment and working with a range of internal and external stakeholders. You will be results driven, with a focus on providing a positive and supportive customer experience.
As this role requires occasional driving around the region using Council vehicles, you will also hold a valid full NZ driver’s license.
Ngā āhuatanga kei a mātou: What we offer
As a Geotech Engineer with Auckland Council, you will be working on some of Auckland’s largest developments, and will be working collaboratively with a team of experts and designers to deliver high quality consent applications and buildings for all Aucklanders. Our division facilitates a wide range of development projects, from nationally significant infrastructure projects to houses, apartment buildings and shopping centres.
We offer flexible working arrangements, competitive salary, and varied learning and career progression opportunities across the wider Council group. We are committed to diversity, have a culture built on trust and valuing individual contributions, and are driven to provide the right outcomes for our customers and our environment.
Click here for the position description.
This role is deemed safety sensitive and will require a drug & alcohol test prior to any offer.
If you are ready to take the next step up in your career, we would love to hear from you!
Applications close 24th June 2022
Auckland Council is an equal opportunity employer (EOE) and we are committed to providing a working environment that embraces and values diversity and inclusion. If you have any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of application to assist you through the recruitment process.
Auckland Council strongly encourages our employees to be fully vaccinated.
A partner that values your customers as much as you do
Watson Marlow has come a far way since their inception some 65 years ago. Today, this FTSE100 powerhouse comprises 10 leading brands, each a specialist in niche fluid transfer technologies. The company services an array of industries including mining, wastewater, and food and beverage.
Beyond its market share and concise understanding of fluid technologies, Watson Marlow’s clear differentiator is its customer-centric approach
“We are problem solvers. Our people around the world are specialists in the work they do, and the company is structured to empower and support our customers,” says Elie Elazar, regional sales manager (ANZ).
In its search for a trusted partner, Elazar says that Watson Marlow looks for companies that treat its customers “as their own”, and adds that quick turnaround, exceptional service, and quality products are crucial to ensuring a successful partnership.
Enter Bonfiglioli.
A partnership is born
Among its portfolio of premium brands is Bredel. Bredel hose pumps and hose elements offer high reliability and low maintenance for high-flow, high-pressure duties.
“We were in search of a second partner for Bredel to diversify our database. We were looking for a partner that offered local assembly and expertise,” he says.
This led Watson Marlow to Bonfiglioli. One of the world’s prominent gear box suppliers, Bonfiglioli caught Bredel’s attention because of its established footprint and ability to service customers across the globe.
Harry Singh, NSW sales manager for Bonfiglioli Australia believes that the partnership was solidified by closely aligned values and a customer-centric approach to business.
“We both focus on quality and customer service. We treat Watson Marlow’s reputation as our own and always go the extra mile. Customers can rest assured that when they deal with us, their gearbox is backed by a dedicated team, superior service and a warranty.”
The brief was to assemble Bredel pumps on behalf of Watson Marlow in various sizes (40, 50, 65, 80 and 100).
“After assembly, we supply and install our 300 series planetary gearmotor to drive these pumps. These particular pumps can be found in various sectors that require pumping application such as mining, construction and water treatment plants.”
Singh adds that the 300 planetary series was specifically selected to align to an international agreement that the companies already had in place. “This product is tried and tested around the world and delivers a seamless roll-out for maintenance, spares and repairs.”
Due to its high torque output and long service life, Bonfiglioli also supplies an inline planetary HD gearbox to drive the pump.
“Selections can be made by size without changes to the pump. The product is available on various rations from a .37 to 15kW motor and speeds can be easily set depending on the pump requirement.”
When the partnership began, the Bonfiglioli team was thoroughly trained and supervised by Watson Marlow’s engineering services manager; however, it soon became apparent that Bonfiglioli could operate efficiently on their own.
Elezar says: “The Bonfiglioli team can independently assemble and perform the necessary quality tests to ensure that the customer receives a fully operational product with all guarantees and warrantees in place. Customers can rest assured that we can validate their warranty and service their product. This is exactly why quality is so important to Watson Marlow. We need to trust our partners to deliver work to the same quality standards that we subscribe to, to ensure continuous operation for our customers.”
Moving forward
“We look forward to maintaining and strengthening our partnership as we continue to grow our local market share” says Singh.
Elazar adds: “Bonfiglioli were quick to deliver and keen to assist. They offer good service, product availability and the technical expertise required to deliver a complete pump solution for our customers.”
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