November 2013

The magazine for MAS Members

PLUSPersonal finance: Investing in property

Family: Finding a way through

Life: See yourself in print

Hitting his

stride

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

emailonmas@mas.co.nz

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

On MAs

ENTREPRENEURSWE WANT yoUR SToRIES

Novemberx2013

19 LifeSee yourself in print

22 FamilyFinding a way through

13 Personal financeInvesting in property

1 From the CEO

2 Member story: Hitting his stride

6 Your space

8 MAS updates

10 Business: Fire. Fighter.

13 Personal finance: Investing in property

16 Technology: Data backup & disaster

recovery

19 Life: See yourself in print

22 Family: Finding a way through

25 Travel: Out of the blue

28 Music: Stevie Ray stole my girl!

29 MAS news

31 Student news

33 Motoring

34 Wine

36 Great reads

Are you a MAS Member who has started a business that is separate from your profession? Maybe you’ve turned what started as a hobby into a viable business venture – or you might have opened a shop of some kind – and you have valuable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.

If so, and you’d be interested in being profiled in an upcoming issue of On MAS, we’d love to hear from you. Please let us know by emailing onmas@mas.co.nz or writing to On MAS at Freepost 884, MAS, PO Box 13042, Johnsonville, Wellington 6440.

*All material is edited and published at the editor’s discretion.

On MAS is produced on New Zealand’s first CO2-neutral printing installation, using no alcohol-based pollutants.

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

2

Crisis, reputation and opportunity

FrOM tHe CeO

Almost a hundred years ago Will Rogers said, “It takes a lifetime to build a good reputation, but you can lose it in a minute.” Headlines since August such as ‘Fonterra bungles crisis management’ and ‘Fonterra fronts up to address failings’ remind us about the potential for a seemingly isolated and controllable incident to unravel into an international media crisis with profound reputational effects for the company and the New Zealand economy.

Taking a page from Rogers’s book, business magnate Warren Buffet has said, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” This ‘doing things differently’ implies foresight and effective risk management, but what about when crisis strikes without warning or worse, without planning?

‘Crisis management’ – an area of study that emerged in the 1980s in the face of large-scale global industrial and environmental incidents – involves dealing with threats before, during, and after they’ve occurred. It is a set of management skills and techniques to identify, assess, understand, and cope with a serious incident.

Crisis situations can be sudden, without warning and beyond an organisation’s control (such as natural disasters) – or ‘smouldering’, where a minor internal issue develops into a crisis due to a manager’s negligence. In the latter scenario, the organisation’s corporate reputation is on the line. In 2009, global management consulting firm McKinsey highlighted that growth in media technologies and outlets, especially online, has given way to a new meaning for crises and their impact on corporate reputation:

“The breadth and depth of today’s reputational challenge is a consequence not just of the speed, severity, and unexpectedness of recent economic events but also of underlying shifts in the reputation environment that have been under way for some time. Those changes include the growing importance of web-based participatory media, the increasing significance of NGOs and other third parties, and declining trust in advertising. Together, these forces are promoting wider, faster scrutiny of companies and rendering traditional public-relations tools less effective in addressing reputational challenges…What formerly were operational risks resulting from failed or inadequate processes, people, or systems, now often manifest themselves as reputational risks whose costs far exceed those of the original missteps.”1

What is clear following the Fonterra and other crises is the paramount value of early and open communication. The inquiry report and subsequent press articles have pointed to Fonterra’s failure to

1 http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/corporate_social_responsibility/rebuilding_corporate_reputations

realise early enough that it relied too heavily on an external PR firm to manage its communications. A strategy often cited for effective crisis communication is ‘Tell it early, tell it all, tell it yourself’. Any organisation should have its own planned and nimble approach to crisis communication.

That said, it’s not just what you say. As mentioned by McKinsey above, stakeholders can see through PR efforts that aren’t backed up by real and consistent actions. Corporate reputations are built on a foundation of communication and deeds, so any external activity should be treated as vital to an organisation’s corporate reputation.

Graeme Dowling’s influential book Creating Corporate Reputations shows that a good reputation, in addition to helping customers choose between products and services, will provide stakeholder support when needed and can provide a ‘second chance’ in the event of a crisis. But reputations must be built, and maintained, by understanding stakeholders and investing in a ‘goodwill bank’. This means proactively managing stakeholder relationships when things are going well – and taking ownership when things go wrong – because reputation never sleeps.

A final important lesson is the approach to leadership in a crisis. Research into the literature suggests that executives must adopt a proactive ‘crisis as opportunity’ mindset. Leaders can guide an organisation through a crisis effectively by building an environment of trust, identifying vulnerabilities, making wise and rapid decisions using trusted external advice, taking courageous action, and most importantly, learning from crisis to effect positive change.

In this issue we cover a few of business and technological aspects of crisis management – I hope you find it useful.

Martin Stokes Chief Executive Officer

1On MAS The magazine for MAS Members

Hitting his

stride

MeMBer stOry

On MAS talks to Member Dougal Thorburn, GP and competitive long-distance runner, about racing, the outdoors and breaking a Guinness World Record.

Wellington GP Dougal Thorburn has a passion for running. His impressive line-up of athletic achievements spans three decades and includes winning or top-three finishes in such iconic events as the Speight’s Coast to Coast, the Crazyman multi-sport event and the New Zealand Mountain Running Championships. Throw in the 2013 New Zealand Marathon title and record-breaking appearances at arduous events like the Papatowai Challenge, Three Peaks Mountain Race, and the aptly named Capital Punishment Race, and you begin to realise how big a role running plays in Dougal’s life.

record breakersIn October last year, Dougal and his two-year-old daughter Audrey took part in an event with a bit of a difference. Together, they broke the Guinness World Record for running 10 kilometres while pushing a buggy. Competing

at the New Balance Hill Free Race on the rural outskirts of Dunedin, the pair placed an official time of 32 minutes and 26 seconds, beating the previous Australian record-holder by almost two minutes.

“The world record attempt was a brilliant thing to be involved with because it was a celebration of the great times we’ve had with the kids,” says Dougal.

“When I started working part time in Dunedin, I was probably running 50km per week with the buggy. We clocked up around 15,000km in five years, mostly around the hills and tracks of Dunedin,” he says. “My wife Amy Revell also clocked a few kilometres of her own, including while training for a half marathon.

“Initially our eldest daughter Lucy was the passenger and then it was Audrey’s turn. They really enjoyed their rides and we had

By Nick Helm

2 November 2013

a great time relishing the fresh air, bush and sheer pleasure of moving through our beautiful environment.”

He says there were a few spots that particularly inspired him.

“There is one track in particular in the Leith Valley that winds up through the bush to the Leith Saddle. I would take the buggy up there with the river running along beside me and I would feel completely free. It was just beautiful,” he says.

Organising his attempt on the record took some doing. He had to work out the race requirements, apply to Guinness World Records to register the attempt and adhere to a strict protocol in order for his time to be deemed valid. Once word got out, his attempt attracted national media attention and assistance from around the country.

“The New Zealand 10km champion offered to be my pacer for the run and I received a great deal of support from the athletics community,” he says. “The event itself wasn’t the biggest physical challenge when compared to, say, the Tararua Crossing or the Coast to Coast, but getting the community involved in such a positive way made it a very special thing to do.”

the great outdoorsDespite a clear talent for competitive sport, Dougal isn’t motivated by a desire to beat other runners or overcome mountainous obstacles.

“I run because I love it, and I don’t feel my competitive achievements mean that much,” he says. “Although I enjoy racing, the process of running is a lot more important to me than the outcome. For me, running and being outdoors is a form of meditation. It releases my body and mind and creates a wonderful sense of freedom.”

But he adds that there are several co-benefits that also motivate him.

“Climate change is an enormous problem and it is very important to me to do my bit and not use too much fossil fuel. It is quite convenient that I love running and cycling as I can use them as a form of transport, while doing my bit to look after the environment and setting a good example for others,” he says.

“At the moment, I combine running or cycling with my commute. If I take the car, it takes me about 45 minutes to get to work, but if I run and take the train, it doesn’t usually take more than an hour,” he says.

There is a lively social element to his running as well, which may come as a surprise to non-athletes.

“I spend a lot of time running with like-minded characters and we can spend hours philosophising over the intricacies of life and the human condition. Those kinds of meaty discussion are one of the greatest pleasures of long-distance running,” he says.

“Runners build up great friendships over time. We’re like a bunch of parakeets out there sometimes, especially when there are 15 or more of us all out on a big Sunday run.”

First stepsRunning has always been a very large and important part of Dougal’s life. He even remembers loving running and the outdoors as far back as his early preschool days.

“Some of my earliest and fondest memories are of spending time camping with my family, and running and riding my bike as fast as I could,” he says. “At school I was always very excited when the teacher would let us out to run around the field. For some kids it was a punishment, but I absolutely revelled in it.”

As time went on, his interest was tempered by a desire to learn to run faster and better, but he says it has always remained a very pleasurable experience.

“I dabbled in a few other things, rugby for example, but it was always my love of running that I came back to,” he says.

“I run because I love it, and I don’t feel my competitive achievements mean that much.”

3On MAS The magazine for MAS Members

His interest in the medical profession also stems back to his early days.

“My father is a dentist and even as early as primary school, I knew I wanted to be a doctor. So when it was time to go to university, I moved down to Dunedin to study medicine,” he says. “I chose to do some zoology papers as options in my first year. I absolutely loved them because I have always felt a sense of kaitiakitanga towards our natural environment; it’s a feeling of affinity and responsibility.”

He says that quickly presented him with a difficult decision – continue to study medicine or pursue zoology and ecology.

“Eventually I decided to continue with medicine,” he says. “Around that time I also learned about the opportunities that were available in public health. I discovered there might be a chance to do some environmental advocacy work that would let me bridge my interests in medicine and the environment.”

Finding his balanceAfter a stint working as a doctor in Masterton and some time on the East Coast and in Invercargill, Dougal, Amy and Lucy returned to Dunedin where they stayed for several years. There, Dougal completed his Master of Public Health, and worked as Public Health Registrar at Wakari Hospital and the Maori Health Workforce Development Unit, University of Otago. But after four years down south he and his family knew it was time for a change.

“We’ve recently moved to Wellington. It has been a great move for all of us and coincided with my deciding to broaden my scope toward more clinical work,” he says. “Being a GP is a lot of fun and I am settling into it nicely. I have great support and some fantastic people to learn from, and it gives me a brilliant opportunity to access the worlds, lives and narratives of my patients.”

He says his role with Ora Toa Health Services in Porirua is particularly meaningful to him.

“I have Maori whakapapa [Tainui] and I have become increasingly involved with Te Ao Maori since I was at university, so the chance to work for a Maori health provider is wonderful,” he says. “I’ve also had a chance to be involved with things like co-convening the 2013 Maori Medical Practitioners Association Conference. So being a GP is really working out well for me.”

It might seem that running would have to take a back seat as his other responsibilities increase, but Dougal finds ways to integrate his passion into his life.

time trials“I like to combine running with other things I need to do, whether this be getting myself or the children from point A to B or helping them to get their rests. That’s how I managed to train for the record attempt, for example

– I ran with the buggy while the baby was asleep,” he says.

It’s an arrangement that works well. He says running is one of those unusual sports where you can compete at the national level on only about 10–12 hours per week of training.

“However, multi-sport is a different story entirely. Each of the three events requires about three times as much training if you want to compete at the same level. And if you want to take it to international level, the time commitment rises dramatically,” he says.

“The key to success is making sure the healthy choice is the easiest choice.”

4 November 2013

“As I take on more responsibilities, I’m increasingly adopting the attitude that if I only have a few minutes per day, then that is what I have and I just need to get on with it. As I get older, I’ve also realised that I can only do so many things really well at any one time.”

Advocating active transport

Dougal says he would like to get more involved in conservation and environmental advocacy work.

“I try my best to be the change I wish to see in the world,” he says. “I don’t mean trying to be a role model, that’s not my primary motivation, but if what I do has any kind of positive influence on really important issues, such as reducing our use of fossil fuels, living a healthy life and being fit and healthy, then that is great.”

As you might guess, he is a particularly keen proponent for measures that improve active transport, such as walking, running and cycling.

“That means urban design and making cycleways and walkways that encourage and enable healthy behaviours. We need a lot more of that kind of thing in New Zealand and I think all doctors in this country should be pushing hard to help make it happen,” he says.

He sees the rebuild effort in Christchurch as a prime opportunity and says that developers and officials should try to guarantee that the new Garden City is a truly liveable city.

“Research tells us that if you have a lot of people able to get about on foot and by bike, it increases community cohesion, creates a healthier population in terms of their physical and mental wellbeing, and offers a range of economic benefits,” he says. “We should look closely at other countries, in Europe especially, that have excellent evidence-based urban design and practices and import them to use here. London, New York and the Netherlands all have great guidelines on how to design cities to facilitate active and enjoyable transport. Basically, the key to success is making sure the healthy choice is the easiest choice.

“We also need to ensure we have people in leadership positions with the vision to address these issues properly,” he adds. With so many ideas about the way things should be done, he jokes that he might just have to plan for a career in politics one day. He’s only half joking.

He believes that this is just one of several related problems facing New Zealand and the international community right now.

“I don’t think we’re doing nearly enough with any of these types of issue. Take the obesity and diabetes epidemics for example. The World Health Organization has made it pretty clear we are not going to solve these via the health system alone. We need high-level policy leadership and interventions to manage these challenges that include improvements in our urban design, transportation and food policies,” he says.

“As my old running coach used to say, ‘Concentrate on the process and the outcome will take care of itself’. I think about that concept in many aspects of my life now.”

“Concentrate on the process and the outcome will take care of itself.”

5On MAS The magazine for MAS Members

Auckland doctor wins award for clinical research

MeMBer NeWs

New app offers free investment insights

SoMETHING yoU WoULD LIKE US To KNoW?This is Your space – a forum for you to talk with other Members. So if you’re 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 it’s 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 onmas@mas.co.nz. All material is edited and published at the editor’s discretion.

your

spa

ce MAS Member Dr Conroy Wong has won the ‘Value of Medicines Award’ for clinical research on bronchiectasis, a debilitating disorder with few evidence-based treatments. Conroy is the clinical head of respiratory medicine at Middlemore Hospital and Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland.

The award, which showcases innovative research projects that have the potential to improve health outcomes for New Zealanders through the use of medicines or vaccines, was presented by Associate Minister of Health Hon Todd McClay at the ‘Medicines New Zealand: Medicines Transform Lives Conference’ on 9 October in Auckland.

Conroy’s study found for the first time that azithromycin is an effective treatment for bronchiectasis. “I could not have undertaken our study without the support of a fabulous group of researchers from Middlemore, Auckland and Waikato Hospitals,” he says.

“The study also would not have been possible without funding support from the Health Research Council of New Zealand.”

Corporate Member Forsyth Barr has launched an investment ‘app’ that lets you create and monitor a watchlist of shares, chart Australian and New Zealand securities and stay informed of important market news.

The app provides access to investment views (Buy/Accumulate/Hold/Reduce/Sell) from the Forsyth Barr research department, one of New Zealand’s largest dedicated research operations. The department regularly publishes reports on more than 60 NZX-listed companies, as well as research on Australian and global companies, investment strategy and fixed interest issues.

“Markets are dynamic and they don’t stop when you are on holiday or tied up in business meetings for a day,” says Managing Director Neil Paviour-Smith. “We designed this app to ensure our clients and the public can be connected to key information on the go. As we know, context matters, and in addition to market pricing and news we have included our investment view for all to see.”

Since its release in December 2012, the app has enjoyed success in maintaining a high rating on Apple’s ‘What’s hot’ list in the finance apps category. You can download it by searching ‘Forsyth Barr’ in the Apple App Store.

Forsyth Barr’s new investment application on screen.

Dr Conroy Wong, winner of the $20,000 Value of Medicines Award.

6 November 2013

Massey opens pet emergency room

The Massey University School of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences has opened New Zealand’s first dedicated, 24-hour, seven-day-a-week emergency centre for pets at the university’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

The Pet Emergency Centre provides round-the-clock care for companion animals from across the Manawatu-Whanganui region. In addition to treating the hospital’s patients, the centre provides 24-hour emergency care, overnight and/or weekend management and observation for animals transferred to the centre while their own veterinary clinics are closed.

The new facilities will allow the centre to take on more complicated cases, and in greater numbers, offering cages with controlled oxygen, temperature and humidity levels. Since October Massey has employed a qualified veterinary critical care specialist – also a New Zealand first – adding to the team of medical and surgical specialists caring for the pets in the hospital.

During normal working hours, animals will be referred to the emergency centre by the clients’ own vets, and for clinics where after-hours care is covered by Massey, owners can ring in or come straight to the centre at any time.

7On MAS The magazine for MAS Members

MAs UPdAtes

Credit card payments updateYou may be interested to know that from 2 December 2013, credit card payments made to MAS will be processed in real time, enhancing the security of personal information and ensuring same-day payments.

You should be aware that a 1.75% surcharge will also apply to credit card payments from this date. In line with standard industry

practice, we are introducing this surcharge to offset the merchant fees that we are charged when we receive credit card payments.

In the past, we have absorbed these fees, meaning that other Members have effectively subsidised the credit card payment facility. However, as a mutual that aims to act in the best interests of all Members, we believe that it is fairest

for those who choose to make credit card payments to pay the full cost of this facility moving forward.

There are a number of alternative payment options available to Members that do not incur surcharges or other administrative fees. Please phone 0800 800 627 or email info@mas.co.nz to discuss these options with one of our call centre advisers.

MAs House insurance Most New Zealand insurers began discontinuing house insurance policies based on the floor area of a property this year. This means that for most homeowners, house insurance cover will be provided on a specified capped ‘sum insured’ amount.

We don’t think it is reasonable to expect you to accurately calculate the cost to replace your home – so we take on that responsibility and risk for you. In the event of a total loss, your policy will respond by rebuilding the house to the same floor area, with the same or modern equivalent materials and to the same level of quality – and if that costs more than expected, that’s our problem, not yours.

Now more than ever, we want to offer our Members the option of full cover in the event of a disaster – so we will continue to provide you with cover on an area replacement basis*.

If you’d like more information about MAS House insurance, or to get a quote, please call 0800 800 627 or email info@mas.co.nz.

*In limited situations we will not be able to offer replacement cover where the property does not meet our standard underwriting criteria. Currently this applies to less than 1% of houses insured by MAS. However, in these situations, we are usually able to offer agreed value cover.For full terms and conditions please refer to the policy document which is available by phoning 0800 800 627. Normal underwriting criteria apply.

8 November 2013

secure your loan before our rate runs outSince 2008 we’ve experienced a low interest rate environment in New Zealand that has seen lending at historically low rates – but the Reserve Bank suggests that change is coming, as rates are likely to increase in 2014.

Our competitive vehicle and equipment loan rate of 8.45% p.a. will end on 15 January 2014. If you’re in the market for a new car or piece of equipment for your practice, make sure your loan is in place before this rate goes up.

Pre-approved financing with MAS is easily arranged over the phone and helps you to negotiate like a cash buyer. You’ll also benefit from:

■■ no hidden costs

■■ no application fees

■■ no early repayment penalty.

For more information or to draw down a loan today, call 0800 800 627 or email info@mas.co.nz.

Interest rates are subject to change. Medical Securities Limited’s (MSL’s) normal lending criteria apply for all credit and loans, and your application is subject to acceptance by MSL. This offer is available for new loans only. Finance is subject to satisfactory security being provided and the necessary documentation being completed to the satisfaction of MSL.

IT’S OUR TURN TO MAKE A CLAIM.

MAS is honoured to be named a fi nalist in the Direct Insurance Company of the Year category at the 2013 Insurance Industry Awards.

We have been serving our Members for more than 90 years and are very proud of our talented team.

FINALIST DIRECT INSURANCE COMPANY OF THE YEAR 2013

9On MAS The magazine for MAS Members

BUsiNess

starting overA short phone call at 9:11pm on Saturday 6 May 2012 dramatically changed the course of Dr Lorna Buhler’s life for the next 15 months. Seven minutes later, Lorna was confronted with the scene of her Tuakau Health Centre ablaze and 13 fire appliances in attendance.

“I received the phone call from our accounts person who is a volunteer firefighter in the rural fire brigade. She had been paged to say the health centre was on fire. It was a tragic scene to arrive to but we were lucky – the building was unoccupied and no-one was hurt,” Lorna says.

The health centre’s smoke alarm was connected to the burglar alarm, which it activated. “I’m grateful to the police officer who responded to the burglar alarm,” Lorna adds. “She took the time to walk around the building, smelled smoke and raised the fire alarm. Otherwise it could have been so much worse.”

She describes the several hours that followed as like “operating in autopilot”. After the fire had been extinguished and dangerous equipment such as nitrogen and oxygen cylinders removed from the scene, Lorna and her husband donned fire suits and breathing

apparatus and formed a human chain, together with the fire fighters, in an effort to salvage what they could in the dark.

Although the building was badly smoke and water damaged, they were fortunate to be able to salvage the server, spirometer and ECG equipment, defibrillators and cabinets of procedure equipment. Their landlord kindly offered space next door for storage. “The good old bush telegraph was in full operation,” recalls Lorna. “90% of our staff were on the side of the road in their pyjamas helping – it was very humbling.”

At 6am on Sunday she was back at the scene to meet the insurance assessor. By 8am a vacant building adjacent to the car park had been identified and a decision made that, together with the space offered by the landlord, they could operate a temporary surgery. MAS claims were notified, insurance

By Julie Connal

“We were lucky – the building was unoccupied and no-one was hurt.”

Firefighters attending the blaze at the health centre (below and below right). A fire-damaged ceiling (below far right).

10 November 2013

transferred to cover the temporary premises, and business interruption insurance activated.

“We signed the lease on the car bonnet,” Lorna adds. “We knew that the temporary premises would be fragmented to say the least, but it was the best we could do.”

The rest of Sunday passed in a blur as IT, wheelchair ramp access, internet, Wifi, the telephone system, curtains and a myriad of other essentials were organised.

At 8am on Monday Tuakau Health Centre opened for business as usual, albeit limping and operating out of temporary premises following the dramatic fire.

“It certainly wasn’t attractive and pretty – but it was functional,” Lorna says.

rural uniquenessTuakau Health Centre is a rural teaching practice about 50 minutes south of Auckland that has enjoyed huge growth with the population boom in South Auckland. Today, as the sole health centre in Tuakau, it has more than 8,000 registered patients and 26 staff, including two GP directors, four other part-time GPs and one GP registrar.

Lorna credits the special character of the rural community of Tuakau as a major contributor to the health centre being able to operate so quickly after the fire. “Health centres, especially in rural areas, are very much part of the communities in which they operate. It is a privilege to serve in a rural community and be let into people’s personal lives. With our service so compromised we were amazed at the support we received.

“There’s no public transport in Tuakau,” she continues. “Without us our patients would have had to go to Pukekohe, 10 kilometres away. We knew this wasn’t logistically possible and that they were vulnerable and dependent on us for their healthcare needs. For so many reasons, we had to get back up and running in as short a time as possible.

“Looking back, what we achieved during that time was incredible. It says a lot about life in a rural community and the support you receive. It also says a lot about teamwork and a hugely loyal staff.”

Long rebuilding processLorna says that the 15 months it took to rebuild felt like an eternity at times.

“We knew that the temporary premises would be fragmented to say the least, but it was the best we could do.”

The temporary health centre (below). The power board where the fire started (below left). Fire damage to computer equipment (below far left).

11On MAS The magazine for MAS Members

“Morale did take a big dip after the high of getting the temporary surgery operating,” she says. “Especially because for six months it seemed as if nothing was happening

– certainly nothing visible – which was frustrating at times.”

During that time, MAS and the landlord’s insurance company were working out how to move things along, the council was going through a building approval process, forensics was looking into the cause of the fire and the architects were working on plans.

“We were cramped and operating in less than ideal conditions. But I said to my colleagues,

‘You can choose to view this as a tragedy or as a challenge and an opportunity to improve

– we must not be victims in all this’. We had been saying for years that we had to expand. The fire forced us to. If one member of staff was having a bad day the others would build them up, because they knew that the next day it could be them having a bad day,” says Lorna.

The rebuild eventually started in November/December 2012.

During that time, Lorna was humbled not only by the support of the community, but by the support and compassion of her staff.

“It brought me to tears on more than one occasion and really brought home to me the importance of valuing staff and telling them they’re valued too!” She also credits the support of MAS throughout the process, especially when things started moving. “They’ve been supportive and excellent in replacing things that are missing. We’re grateful.

“But credit where credit’s due, because we were up and running so quickly, the claim was minimised,” she adds.

Better than everFifteen months to the day after the fire, the team at Tuakau Health Centre moved back into their rebuilt premises, which are bigger and better than they were before the fire. The administration function has been moved upstairs, there is a beautiful and relaxing

staff area, a designated server and file room, a special consultation area for visiting specialists and the treatment room area has been doubled in size. Importantly, the practice has been future proofed with space available to expand into when the need arises.

“We’ve already had a few celebrations and we’re in the process of planning our grand opening!” Lorna says.

time to reflectShe describes the process they’ve been through as like “returning to your amazing home after an unpleasant road trip”. Now, with the benefit of hindsight and with the hard work behind them, Lorna and MAS Senior Adviser Tim Crawley agree that it’s a good time to reflect on the experience and lessons learned.

“We’ve had a relationship with Lorna on her business and personal insurances for about 13 years,” says Tim. “It’s devastating when something like this happens, but it’s the reason why we’re here and to be able to support is very important.”

Tim’s advice is to plan for and be as prepared as you can be when disaster strikes or the unexpected happens. “It’s an oldie but a goodie, and a well used phrase for a reason,” Tim continues. “The moral of this story really is ‘be prepared’ – or at least be as prepared as you can be.”

That means making sure your practice has adequate contents cover and business interruption insurance. “With Lorna back in the rebuilt premises, we’ve just sat down and reviewed her insurances to make sure the business interruption and contents cover is adequate,” he says.

“It’s important to follow up, reflect and make sure plans are in place, insurances are adequate and everything has been done to secure the business,” says Lorna. “Our CORNERSTONE pandemic planning helped, but really, opportunity and luck played a big part and had an impact on the outcome,” she adds.

And the culprit of the blaze? A freak spark from the switchboard that travelled into the ceiling space. Unforeseeable, say the forensics experts, and with no-one to blame. “I really don’t think the process of the temporary operating premises and rebuild could have run more smoothly – everyone had a role and stuck to it. No one person was doing everything.”

dr Lorna Buhler’s top tips for disaster preparedness■■ Always have a plan. The team at the

health centre asked themselves what they could have done if the temporary premises hadn’t been available – portacoms in the car park next door, or operating (very temporarily) out of the Town Hall were two options.

■■ CORNERSTONE pandemic planning helped Tuakau Health Centre deal with the fire.

■■ Always make sure there is a backup system for electronic files. The health centre was fortunate enough to retrieve its server from the fire, but the information was backed up remotely away from the surgery anyway.

■■ The health centre’s historical paper files were water damaged, but able to be dried out. The health centre is now scanning these files and transitioning to a paperless environment.

■■ Personal computers and printers are now all labelled ,so it’s clear which PCs belong to which printers for certain things such as spirometry printouts.

■■ Make sure business interruption insurance covers an adequate period of time – and then some.

And finally…■■ Never say never – the outcome is often

determined by your approach and attitude.

■■ Value your staff.

■■ Seize the moment and don’t become a victim.

Below and below right: the rebuilt premises, bigger and better than before the fire.

12 November 2013

PersONAL FiNANCe

There is a natural Kiwi inclination towards investing in property. While perceived as safer than other types of investment because of its tangible nature, property investment does come with risks and considerations.

When to investAndrew King, President of the New Zealand Property Investors Federation, says that generally people look to invest in their first property when they’ve got a bit of equity in their own house. “If you’ve got 40% of equity in your own home, that’s an ideal time to invest in another property,” he says. “You can take 20% out and use it as a deposit on the investment – and effectively have 20% equity in each property.”

Capital gain“A capital gain, or loss, is the difference between the price you paid for an investment (in this case property) and what you received when you sold it,” says Simone Robbers, acting Head of Primary Regulatory Operations at the

Financial Markets Authority (FMA). “The price you receive is decided by the market.”

Most people use borrowed money or ‘leverage’ when hoping for capital gain in a property. “Leverage accentuates market movements,” says MAS Lending Product Manager Bryce Pullan. “The lender doesn’t gain from a property’s value increase – you only pay back what you borrowed (plus interest). On the downside, if your property goes down in value, you still owe the lender the borrowed amount. The bank doesn’t make gains or losses – that’s on you.”

Several capital gain calculators are available online, such as the ANZ Bank calculator here: www.anz.co.nz/common/calculators/capitalgainsnz/capitalgains.asp.

By Lee Suckling

InvestIng In property

13On MAS The magazine for MAS Members

inform yourselfFMA’s advice on beginning your investment journey is, ‘Be an informed investor’. Brush up on your knowledge of mortgages and how they work, decide how to structure your loan and plan how you’ll use your equity. Start with the guide on the popular Sorted website: www.sorted.org.nz/a-z-guides/mortgage-types. The mortgage chart at interest.co.nz offers information about all New Zealand lenders in one place, so you can easily find out the current interest rates and conditions at: www.interest.co.nz/borrowing.

Next, find out about the housing market in the area where you might like to buy an investment property. You’ll need to know what kinds of price properties are selling for in that area, and for how much they’re renting. Comparisons are easiest to find online – try TradeMe Property: www.trademe.co.nz/property.

Simone Robbers advises that it’s important to remember that council valuations on properties are used for setting rates, and are not intended for other purposes such as for marketing or mortgages. “The Auckland Council, for example, recommends that private registered valuations be obtained for these purposes.

“Real estate agents and news media tend to track the capital gains that are occurring in any given suburb, town, city or region. If you need assistance interpreting market data, you can ask a financial adviser,” she adds.

Quotable Value (www.qv.co.nz) and the New Zealand Property Investors Federation (www.nzpif.org.nz) also offer online resources to assist with making smart property decisions.

return on investment

A ‘yield’ is a good starting measure to estimate a property’s earning potential.

Take the annual income from a proposed property and divide it by the purchase price, then multiply by 100 to get a rate of return in percentage form. For instance, if a property costs $450,000 and you could rent it for $500 a week, that property would yield $26,000 per annum – giving it an annual gross yield of 5.7%.

Now factor in the costs of investment, because yields don’t include borrowing costs and other expenses. Start with Sorted’s Mortgage Calculator: www.sorted.org.nz/calculators/mortgage-repayment.

“Property investment is not a passive way to make money.”

14 November 2013

Get an insurance quote from your preferred provider, and find out the cost of rates on your council’s website. Don’t forget maintenance/upkeep costs, property management fees, body corporate fees and so on. Other cost considerations are legal fees, inspection fees and vacancy costs (lost rent and advertising).

Combine these annual expenses and subtract them from your annual rent from tenants. You’re left with your net operating income. Divide this by your equity – the total amount you want to invest up front – and multiply that by 100 to get your rental return on investment (ROI).

Do this for several properties in different areas – and remember to consider both houses and apartments – to find the best ROI for your first investment property. You should also note that the above calculations exclude any capital gain (or loss) you may make if you sell the property.

risksFMA advises that there are several risks involved with property investment. “Interest rate changes, currency movements and changes in the law can all affect how your investments perform,” says Simone Robbers.

“When interest rates rise after you lock in your money, you don’t earn as much on your money as you would have… interest rates will not stay this low forever.”

Andrew King advises potential investors to plan for higher interest rates from next year.

“Take out a five-year rate if you’re planning on buying now and want certainty in your mortgage costs. Political changes in 2014 may affect us all too – there’s talk of a capital gains tax [currently absent in New Zealand law].” Rather than relying on market increases, he suggests creating your own equity. “The classic example is buying the worst house on the best street and adding real value to it.”

Liquidity risk presents itself frequently to property investors. If house prices remain stagnant, or fall, your investment may be in jeopardy. “There might not be buyers interested in your investment when you want to sell,” Simone says. “Property is just one asset class, and New Zealanders should not expect house prices to always go up.”

If your investment property is mortgaged with the same lender as your own home and you fail to make payments on either mortgage, your lender could sell both properties to recover debt. Additionally, if

and when your property is vacant for a period of time, or you get ‘bad’ tenants who cause damage exceeding their bond or financial arrears, your investment could fall into the red.

The 2011 Canterbury earthquakes (and 2013 central New Zealand earthquakes) have also resulted in new considerations for property investors nationwide. It’s now necessary to have not only the condition of a property inspected but also the land it sits on before considering it as an investment.

Before you signANZ Bank advises that property investment is not a passive way to make money. Before you buy your investment property, there are several considerations to take into account.

First go to the Department of Building and Housing (www.dbh.govt.nz) and find out all your potential responsibilities as a landlord. Consider the cost of getting a property manager (usually around 10% of the weekly rent price) to alleviate the regular stresses of tenant management. Ensure you have preferred tradesmen on hand, know how much they charge, and put aside cash for maintenance and repairs. Consider the cost of whiteware and other chattels to increase the property’s rent yield.

You must also include rental income on your tax return, and you can make several tax deductions for expenses. Rental income document IR264, available at www.ird.govt.nz, explains this in full.

It’s difficult for first-time property investors to know when it’s the ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ time to buy. “The best thing you can do is join your local property investors’ association,” says Andrew King. “You’ll meet people who know the market cycles, and know the signs. They’ll help you gain the confidence you need when investing. Importantly, they’re not trying to sell you anything – they’re just other investors.” Find your local association at www.nzpif.org.nz.

Once you’re comfortable with each of these aspects of property investment, you’ll be ready for your first buy.

Don’t forget, property is only one option in investing. “If you are buying property as an investment, you should also be investing in other asset classes,” says Simone Robbers.

“You need to spread your risk. Otherwise if the bubble bursts and all your money is locked up in property, you will be left exposed.”

MAS Lending Product Manager Bryce Pullan offers advice on becoming an informed investor.

An investment property loan is different from a standard home loan

“Because the interest costs are tax deductible, more people are comfortable with longer-term loans on investment properties. Look at the weekly rental income and decide how important being cash neutral is – a fixed rate structure might be preferred because rent income is fixed. Cash flow stops and starts investments.”

One key thing will tell you if you’re ready to invest in property

“You need to ask yourself, ‘Can I afford to carry a vacancy? What if my property is empty for a period of time?’.”

Overcapitalising is a key mistake for first-time property investors

“Remember to think of your investment property like a renter would, not as an owner. New carpet, curtains and insulation might get you more rent per week, but will re-doing the bathroom really increase the property’s value? Be careful with the money you put into your investment property for improvements.”

Figure out your debt-servicing ratio

“This is your income ratio allocated to debt. Most banks will want a 30% (or less) debt-servicing ratio from borrowers on gross income. Take your gross income, then minus tax, and take off debts (principal plus interest). Then ensure you still have enough to live on at the end.”

This article is a general guide only and is not a substitute for professional and individually tailored advice.

15On MAS The magazine for MAS Members

By Alan Chew

teCHNOLOgy

At some stage in the now-distant past many organisations felt that if they did data backups regularly, they could tick the disaster recovery box. It wasn’t true then, and it most definitely is not true now. Recent earthquakes have put the spotlight on the resilience of businesses’ ability to recover from disasters.

Your data keeps your business going. If your computers disappeared overnight, how long could you continue to trade? How would you ensure that your clients paid their bills? Do you have a legal requirement to keep data for a certain period of time?

Your backup and disaster recovery strategies are the methods by which you ensure you can continue trading in the event of a problem with your computers. With the proper protocols in place, your data can be retrieved in the event of a catastrophic failure, and data that has been accidentally deleted or overwritten can be recovered.

When coming up with your strategies, you should consider these questions:

■■ How much data do you need to back up?

■■ How far back do you need to keep your data?

■■ How often do you need to back up during the day?

■■ Is there any data not on your servers that you need to keep (e.g. a salesperson’s laptop or tablet)?

■■ Are there any legal requirements as to how long and what sort of data must be kept?

■■ Where will the backups be kept?

■■ Who is in charge of ensuring the off-site copy is taken off-site?

■■ What happens if the building or town is destroyed?

What’s the difference?Many people do not understand the fundamental differences between data backup, disaster recovery and archiving:

Data backup

& disaster recovery

16 November 2013

■■ Archiving is storing old data in a readable format to meet legal requirements.

■■ Backup is the process of taking copies of data to allow it to be recovered from a specific moment in time – it requires the systems that use the data to be still operating. This process is ideal for simple office-based applications, but it assumes that complex database-driven applications will still exist in order to read their data. Some software and strategies used for backup can also act as part of disaster recovery systems.

■■ Disaster recovery allows complete data systems to be restored to a specific point in time, and subsequently use backup to restore newer data. This process is designed to cover the catastrophic loss of servers and systems rather than to recover individual data. Where complex customer relationship management (CRM) or database-driven systems are used, newer versions of the systems may not be backwards compatible, so a full system recovery would be required to recover the old data into a working system.

What should i back up?Most medical, vet and legal practices now aspire to the paperless office, with electronic client records, digital reports and results, and data exchanged with other organisations over the internet. Take away IT, and external data communications and many professional service organisations simply grind to a halt.

As a minimum, you should back up all your business-related data. Important items to back up include:

■■ office documents

■■ email

■■ databases for line-of-business applications (e.g. CRM software)

■■ accounts/PC banking/payroll data

■■ any data you use for your business

■■ computer system data (active directory).

It is important to be discerning in your backup selections. For example, do you really need to back up that PowerPoint from 2007? You should also bear in mind that the more you back up, the slower the process – and the more expensive the hardware that may be required. To implement an effective disaster recovery solution, however, you should be taking regular full system images of all your critical servers.

Where should i keep it?Once you’ve determined what to back up, the next question is where to keep the data. The options include on-site storage – kept in the same building as the server or in a different building – and off-site storage – kept at home or another secure location such as a bank, or in a public or private Cloud.

No matter what strategy you choose, it should combine both on-site and off-site storage locations. You should also consider security. Is the data protected by a password or other security either on the individual files or on the compressed backup file? Is the backup media kept in a secure location?

What should i keep it on?There are several hardware options for capturing and storing data:

■■ USB thumb drives (flash drives). Manually copying data to a thumb drive can be a quick solution, but you should be aware that these drives have a limited capacity and are easily lost or damaged.

■■ Tape. This solution requires a tape drive and backup software. Tape is usually only for backing up data, as full system backups (disaster recovery) can take a long time and will require a lot of space. Tapes can also wear out or become unreadable if not stored correctly. In addition, tape drives require regular cleaning and can also wear out after a number of years. Recovering data will require a tape drive and the correct software. Recovering data from old tapes can be problematic, as some tape drives are no longer available and there is a lack of suitable drivers for modern server operating systems.

■■ Removable disk (USB). This solution is generally faster than tape and can be used for disaster recovery as well as backup by storing full system images and incremental backups. Disks can be swapped regularly for off-site storage.

■■ Network attached storage (NAS). This solution is a mini server with a large capacity and is used for on-site backup, ideally in another building. Backups are done to the NAS and copies of the backups are then replicated, either onto USB drives for off-site storage or to another location such as the Cloud. NAS is suitable for combined backup and disaster recovery software.

17On MAS The magazine for MAS Members

■■ The Cloud. This solution uses your internet connection to back up data in a hosted environment and is suitable where there is only a small amount of data or changes to data. However, if you try to back up a lot of data to a Cloud-based server overnight, you may exceed your internet data cap. Some other factors to consider are the speed and location of backup and recovery

– Cloud recovery will be relatively slow, and you’ll need to think about where your data is kept; is it in New Zealand or offshore?

restoring dataIn a backup environment, systems must be up and running to recover data. This is fine for recovering an older version of a file from a running system, such as a Word document, but it will require a lot of additional work if your server gets stolen or destroyed.

In a disaster recovery environment, images allow for servers to be rebuilt virtually or onto different hardware very quickly. This may require the data to be restored from backups to get the very latest copy of your data, unless regular incremental backups (see sidebar) are included in your disaster recovery plan.

There are a number of software packages that can be used to back up data and data systems. Depending on the volume of data and your backup location, you might use SyncToy, BackupAssist, Windows Server Backup, Ahsay, Vembu, Symantec Backup Exec, CA ArcServe, ShadowProtect or Veeam.

The choice of software for your backup and disaster recovery strategies should be taken in consultation with your IT provider to make sure you have the right one for your business. Backup and disaster recovery solutions are not cheap – but what is the cost of losing all your data?

Alan Chew is a chartered accountant and founder of 27-year-old IT consultancy company Houston Technology Group. HTG employs 30 staff and is based in Waikato/Bay of Plenty. Alan is contactable at alan@htg.co.nz.

Common backup strategiesUnless the amount of data you need to back up is small and you don’t need to keep multiple backups over time, you will have to look at having a system for keeping multiple copies of your data.

A typical 10-tape rotation (can also be used with USB drives) looks like this:

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 1 Tuesday1

2 Wednesday1

3 Thursday1

4 Friday1

7 Monday2

8 Tuesday2

9 Wednesday2

10 Thursday2

11 Friday2

14 Monday1

15 Tuesday1

16 Wednesday1

17 Thursday1

18 Friday1

21 Monday2

22 Tuesday2

23 Wednesday2

24 Thursday2

25 Friday2

28 Monday1

29 Tuesday1

30 Wednesday1

You can restore data from any of these tapes/USB drives, but you can only go back for two weeks.

A similar strategy can use disk-based backups, with full backups on a Sunday and incremental images taken throughout the week during the day. After a specified time (for example, four weeks) the old backups are deleted:

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday1 Increment1

2 Increment1

3 Increment1

4 Increment1

5 6 Full2

7 Increment2

8 Increment2

9 Increment2

10 Increment2

11 Increment2

12 13 Full3

14 Increment3

15 Increment3

16 Increment3

17 Increment3

18 Increment3

19 20 Full4

21 Increment4

22 Increment4

23 Increment4

24 Increment4

25 Increment4

26 27 Full1

28 Increment1

29 Increment1

30 Increment1

Grandfather, father, son (GFS)

8 x daily tapes (son) 4 (or 5) x weekly tapes (father) 12 x monthly tapes (grandfather)

24 tapes (or USB drives) allow you to go back to any day in the previous two weeks, any Friday in the last month and any month end in the past year. Either the GFS rotation can be extended to add one tape per year end, or all the monthly tapes can be retired each year to provide a single backup point per month for every year the system is in operation.

Continuous incremental

With disk or NAS backups, a system image is taken and then incremental images (things that are new or have changed since the last backup) are taken on a regular basis – this can be as frequent as every 15 minutes. This allows data restoration to be very granular, as a file can be restored to a point 15 minutes before it was deleted or altered. To avoid the NAS or disk filling up with incremental data, the software combines the daily increments into a weekly increment after a specified time period (such as 90 days). These weekly increments are further combined into monthly increments in due process, leaving the data in a similar state to the GFS tape system, but with the advantage of a full system image.

18 November 2013

LiFe

Every writer knows it takes time and dedication to write a book. Some do it for love, others for money, but all writers have a story they want to tell the world. Yet, even if you’re sufficiently inspired to complete your magnum opus, if you can’t get it published all your hard work has been in vain.

Many factors can influence a publisher’s decision to reject your work. Budget constraints, poor quality, an unoriginal or derivative storyline, or simply having a bad day can all be grounds for a publisher to say no. Good books are rejected all the time – and less than 2% of all manuscripts ever find their way to bookshelves.

At least that used to be the case, when writers’ choices were limited to a few monolithic publishing houses. With the rise of e-books and small, portable reading devices, a growing number of writers now forgo the traditional route altogether, opting to self-publish their work. Last year in the United States, more e-books were sold than printed books.

Published writer and President of the New Zealand Society of Authors (NZSA), Kyle Mewburn, says that as traditional bricks-and-mortar publishers shut up shop or move offshore, self-publishing has become de rigueur in this country, mainly due to a lack of any other option.

“It is a massive growth industry and there is a tidal wave of new, self-published digital and print books constantly hitting the market,” he says. “It is a real opportunity for new writers to get their work out there – but think carefully about what you want, because to get anywhere, even with a self-published book, you have to invest a great deal of time, energy and often money.”

By Nick Helm

See yourself in print

19On MAS The magazine for MAS Members

take control of your wordsBy choosing to self-publish, authors take on the creative burden for their work, and they also accept responsibility for preparing, promoting and distributing their books – parts of the process usually reserved for the publisher. Exactly what this entails and how much it costs depends on the book, but once a manuscript is complete, most self-publishing authors must think carefully about professionally editing, proofreading, typesetting, designing and marketing their work. If they opt to self-publish a physical book, they must add printing, binding, physical distribution, retailing and all the associated costs to the list of considerations.

It is a complex mix of things to get right, yet there are significant benefits to self-publishing. The writer maintains complete control of their work and walks away with a much larger slice of the profits if they manage to hit the bestseller list.

Potentially, you can get a greater return by self-publishing. For every book sold, you get a lot more in royalties than you do with traditional publishers. While it’s commonplace for traditional publishers to offer less than 10%, a typical e-book can return 70% or more of the cover price per sale. This is one reason authors can afford the much lower prices for their digital books.

“But if you’re convinced you are the next JK Rowling or EL James, you are in trouble. Self-publishing a physical book is a big investment and you need to think very carefully about whether you can justify the expense, because there’s a good chance you will never get it back,” says Kyle.

“Publishing an e-book is not such a big investment – in fact you can produce and publish one for virtually nothing. But of course the question then becomes, how do you get people to notice your work among the plethora of titles out there?”

Quality is keyOne of the most important things you can do to make any book stand out is produce a high-quality product. Make sure your work looks and reads as if it were professionally produced, even if you opt for an e-book format or only print a few physical copies. Nothing should look cheap, and your text should be completely free of errors. It doesn’t matter how compelling your story is, nothing puts off a prospective reader more than an amateurish cover illustration or careless spelling and grammatical mistakes.

“Authors no longer have the gatekeeper (the publisher) to ensure their work is of acceptable quality, so the reality is that unless you have some external editing and design work done, you can easily end up with a very flawed product,” says Kyle. “That makes it even harder to market, because people will look at it online and see all those obvious mistakes and not buy it.”

think like a proHe says that the first step is to have your manuscript professionally assessed. The NZSA offers a list of reputable local assessors and editors, but websites like Authonomy, WorthyofPublishing and Crowdscribed also offer simple ways to get feedback on your book.

“A lot of writers get very precious about their work, but you need to learn to let it go,” he says. “Your work will only ever get better by having professional input from editors and other writers. Try not to get personally involved or upset if they suggest changes. You should listen to professional advice. You might not agree with it, but you should listen.”

Engage a designer to ensure that the layout, typesetting and illustrations in your book are just as high quality as your text. Be clear about what you want – and what you expect your readers will want – from your book. An appealing cover illustration is just as important to the success of an e-book as it is to its print counterparts and, despite what you might think, everyone judges a book by its cover. The same goes for any drawings and artwork used in your book.

“Last year in the United States, more e-books were sold than printed books.”

20 November 2013

Print, digital or a mix of both?If you choose to self-publish in print, think carefully about your choice of paper stock, the physical dimensions of your book (there are some common standards), the type of binding you want and the print process that will suit your work. A book of photographs would use a different paper and print process than a novel, for instance. Consumers are likely to spot any shortcuts you take with your production quality, as will booksellers, who may even refuse to stock a book unless it comes from a mainstream publisher or distributor.

Publishing an e-book can reach a much wider international audience and greatly extend the life of your work. There are more than a dozen digital e-book formats to choose from, but the two most important types are Amazon’s Mobipocket, KF8 and AZW range of formats (used exclusively by Kindle) and the open EPUB standard, which is used by almost everyone else, including Android, iOS, Kobo, Nook and several other devices and digital marketplaces. The format you choose depends largely on how you want your work to be made available. If you want to sell on Amazon, for example, you’ll need to use one or more of Amazon’s formats.

Remember there is nothing to prevent you producing your book in several formats at once (including print) and selling in more than one marketplace, although some organisations (Amazon included) may require you to distribute through them exclusively for a short period, typically around 90 days. Unless you agree to those terms, you are free to distribute and sell your work any way you see fit, so do read the fine print before you upload. The NZSA recommends services like Smashwords, Kobo Writing Life, Lulu, Bookbaby and Kindle Direct Publishing to convert your work between different formats.

Find your voice Regardless of the format, once your book hits shelves or the digital marketplace, you cannot simply sit back and expect it to be a success.

“In a bookshop, people can stumble past your book and pick it up as they’re hunting for something else. Yet that will only get you a few sales – and how do you do that with an e-book?” says Kyle. “You have to actively push yourself out there and, as there are literally millions of titles, it is a matter of encouraging people to search out and buy your book. That kind of marketing takes work.”

He says you need to be active on websites, forums and social media, building interest

and creating a network of people online, in print and through word of mouth.

“Learn to be a good public speaker and find places to talk about your book. Write reviews of other people’s work and encourage them to review yours. Get out there and press the flesh to promote yourself in any way you can,” he says. “Many self-publishers will give their work away for free as a way to get their names out there, especially in the beginning. The idea is to gather a large following of people who are interested in your work for when you publish your next book.”

Many self-publishing writers employ agents to help manage the marketing and promotional work. A good agent is worth every cent of their commission, but Kyle warns that there are some sharks in the publishing tank.

“If anyone offers to help publish your book but asks for money up front – or if an agent says they are willing to represent your work but want to be paid to read it first

– chances are it’s a scam and you should move on,” he says. “There are legitimate agents out there, but you have to look carefully.”

Writers who bring all the elements together – who not only create compelling content but also pull together a quality product and market it effectively – have a chance to stand out from the crowd. The self-publishing revolution has freed writers from the whims of the traditional publishing houses and given them the opportunity to tell their stories to the world.

“It doesn’t matter how compelling your story is, nothing puts off a prospective reader more than an amateurish cover illustration or careless spelling and grammatical mistakes.”

21On MAS The magazine for MAS Members

FAMiLy

dealing with depressionAccording to recent statistics, one in six New Zealand adults will struggle with depression at some point in their life, and one in seven young people will experience a major depressive episode before they turn 24. Often family members find it hard to understand what’s bothering a loved one and struggle to find ways to support them.

Because depression often does not have any physical symptoms, and due to the stigma that many people attach to mental illness, it can be difficult to convince a family member to see a professional. When it’s time to have the conversation about seeking treatment, it’s important to reinforce that just as you’d see a doctor if you had an ailment that wouldn’t go away, you need help to get rid of feelings and behaviour that won’t go away. Professional help is the absolutely crucial first step for anyone struggling with depression.

Psychologist Veronika Isler, PhD, treats depression using an approach called cognitive

behavioural therapy (CBT)1. As evidenced in several studies, it is at least as effective as antidepressant medication for treating mild and moderate Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in adolescents and adults. According to other studies, MDD, which is diagnosed in the presence of major depressive episodes, can be helped with a combination of antidepressants and CBT.

The short-term CBT or ‘talking’ treatment combines cognitive and behavioural therapies,

1 http://www.mind.org.uk/media/42898/making_sense_of_cbt_2012.pdf

By Rosemary Ann Ogilvie

Finding a way

tHrougH

22 November 2013

with the objective of changing the thinking patterns and behaviour behind the person’s difficulties and consequently changing the way they feel. “Within this approach, depression is equated to helplessness, because at the end when everything else has been tried, people feel stuck – they don’t know where to go. Eventually they give up, and this is where the depression comes in,” Veronika explains.

Four areas for wellbeingCBT focuses on four areas. The first is to become physiologically/physically safe, which means eating well, getting adequate sleep, taking regular exercise, and having a network of good friends. “All four lifestyle factors must be in place, because each helps create the right chemical balance in the body,” explains Veronika. “We know, for example, that exercise releases endorphins, and that oxytocin (the so-called ‘love hormone’) is created when you interact with people you love.”

Part of this first step is ‘mindfulness’ or relaxing: it’s very important to have a mechanism to switch off the worry and let go of the negative thoughts through techniques such as deep breathing, meditation and yoga.

The second area is problem solving: how to change the environment that may be causing you to feel stuck. So, for example, what can you do in terms of problem solving about

the job/school where you are bullied, or an abusive relationship? How can you change those environmental conditions?

Of course, some situations don’t have a solution – perhaps an accident or an illness has left you compromised in some way. “Life throws us many things that aren’t solvable, and this is where the third area, cognitive reframing

– the core of CBT – comes in,” says Veronika.

Cognitive reframing teaches you to restructure your thinking about a situation for which there is no solution so you become more accepting of it, and learn to go with the flow. “Reframing is about moving through the grief process,” Veronika explains. “So instead of being stuck in the sadness, or the anger, or the ‘why me?’ or the ‘I wish it hadn’t happened’, you move to acceptance. ‘How can I integrate this into who I am and move on and have a future vision, despite everything?’.”

The fourth stage addresses ‘mal-adaptive’ coping behaviours that have developed, such as heavy drinking, gambling or overeating – these behaviours will not solve the problem or help with the low mood; quite the contrary, in fact.

Working on all four stages as an ongoing process puts you in charge of your life. “And when you’re in charge of your life, you will not end up feeling helpless and stuck – and this prevents and/or deals with depressive episodes.”

grief and depressionGrief following a major loss is perfectly normal, and everyone needs to be given the space to express their grief. Pioneering psychiatrist Dr Elisabeth Kübler-Ross identified the five stages of grief that people transit after a loss: denial and isolation; anger; bargaining; depression; and acceptance – depression is a natural part of the grieving process.

“The grief process is not linear: you cycle up and down until you eventually reach the point where you spend more and more time in acceptance,” says Veronika. “The main thing defining depression is helplessness, and the main thing that helps people out of depression is when they see a way to take charge.” Medications may facilitate this process by providing initial relief.

23On MAS The magazine for MAS Members

supportPeople require a lot of support as they go through the four stages. “One of the things I find in working with someone suffering depression is that they need a network of people to share the support. It can be quite a long process, given that depression is always the tail end of a long process, and unravelling that backwards takes time,” says Veronika. “If it’s just one person, there’s a strong chance they’ll burn out.”

Members of the support network can help the depressed person to see that they can take charge, and how they can take charge. They can remind them as they go through the process about the regular self-care things they need to do, such as going for a walk or eating properly. They can also point out the mal-adaptive behaviours that maintain low mood. When the psychologist starts teaching cognitive reframing, they might remind them what they’ve learned about this.

“However, supporters can find it becomes too hard because the process can be very unrewarding, as results can take so long to manifest,” cautions Veronika. “So they need to be able to deal with their own helplessness. Instead of saying, ‘You’re not doing what I’m telling you, so I’m off’, or getting annoyed or

frustrated or low in mood themselves, it’s important to be able to step back and say, ‘I can’t hold this on my own. I need others to take turns with me’.

“So it really is about the supporter saying, ‘I’m trying to help, but at the moment I’m feeling a bit frustrated because I’m feeling helpless myself, so I’ll just take a break right now and go for a walk’. It’s about owning it, instead of putting it on to the depressed person.”

MDD certainly will never be cured by some bracing advice to get over it, get on with it and stop wallowing. Supporters should be on the alert for people anxious to share such advice, as the words can severely affect someone suffering depression.

“Nobody wants to be depressed,” says Veronika. “Nobody likes to be depressed. It’s not a choice. So when they’re told to pull up their socks and everything will be fine, they feel like a failure. This adds to the feeling of being helpless, so they might not talk about their feelings, or might pretend everything is fine, which only makes everything much, much worse.”

Registered clinical psychologist Veronika Isler PhD can be contacted at www.isler.co.nz. email: veronika@isler.co.nz. Phone 07 823 8190.

Warning signsThe following signs and symptoms are associated with depression – identifying with several of these could be an indication of clinical depression:

■■ Feeling helpless and hopeless, that nothing will ever get better and nothing can be done to improve the situation.

■■ Loss of interest in daily activities once enjoyed. Loss of the ability to feel joy and pleasure.

■■ Change of appetite, eating more or less than usual, with a gain or loss of weight.

■■ Altered sleep patterns: insomnia, especially waking in the early hours of the morning; or oversleeping, also known as hypersomnia.

■■ Anger or irritability. Feeling agitated, restless, or even violent. Low tolerance level, short temper, irritated by almost everything and everyone. (These are the main symptoms for children and adolescents, as children often don’t show sadness.)

■■ Loss of energy. Feeling fatigued, sluggish, heavy and physically drained. Even the smallest task is exhausting or takes longer than usual to complete.

■■ Self-loathing. Strong feelings of worthlessness or guilt, harsh self-criticism for perceived faults and mistakes.

■■ Reckless behaviour, typically substance abuse, compulsive gambling, reckless driving or extreme sports.

■■ Problems with concentration. Difficulty focusing, making decisions and remembering things.

■■ An increase in unexplained physical complaints such as headaches, back pain, aching muscles and stomach pain.

24 November 2013

trAveL

Cruising the western MediterraneanThe Italian owners of MSC Cruises were on to a sure thing when they chose the mother of all ‘godmothers’ for their fleet. At 79, Sophia Loren’s face could still launch a thousand ships – and journalists young enough to be her grandchildren clamour for front-row seats at the press conference when she launches a new member of the fleet.

For the launch of the fleet’s latest luxury liner, MSC Preziosa, I scrambled for a second row seat and was so busy trying to work out where the glamorous film legend may have been surgically enhanced that I don’t remember a sultry word she said. But in her sculpturing Chanel suit and stiletto ankle boots, she didn’t need to do much more than blink her almond eyes.

The godmother reappeared in a gorgeous gown later that evening at MSC Preziosa’s glittering launch party, which took place on the dock of the fleet’s home port of Genoa. And after cracking champagne over the bow, Sophia was spirited away by the captain’s entourage, probably to the elegant restaurant

in the section of the ship reserved for its premium-paying passengers.

Up on the bow with an uninterrupted view of the ocean, Preziosa’s equivalent of first class is called the Yacht Club and has its own lounge, restaurant, swimming pool, spa pools and superior suites. Our cabin on Deck 13 didn’t come with the Yacht Club’s unlimited access to canapés, alcohol and personal butler service, but more than fit the bill with its own balcony, en suite, television and comfortable bed.

From the balcony we watched the lights of the ancient city of Genoa dance on the water as the sun sank below the horizon. Strange to think that more than 500 years earlier Genoa’s famous son Christopher Columbus left this very

out of the blue

By Susan Buckland

The MSC Preziosa’s ‘godmother’ Sophia Loren at its launch press conference (above). The luxury liner itself (below).

25On MAS The magazine for MAS Members

port on the voyage that led to his discovery of the Americas. The modest house believed to be his birthplace sits above the port in the shadows of the 11th-century cloisters of San Andrea.

Preziosa’s voyage around the western Mediterranean sails for Naples, Messina, Tunis, Barcelona and Marseille before returning to Genoa a week later. There are day-long ports of call, and one full day at sea, which leaves plenty of time to enjoy the ship. When your transport is 18 decks high and 333 metres long, it helps to get to know it from a central point – the soaring atrium rising from reception on the fifth deck is such a place. There are lifts that float up the sides the way they do in swanky hotels, and stairs embedded with crystals that ascend to several of the ship’s 21 bars and restaurants.

On your way to the top deck you’ll encounter more restaurants and bars, a library, four swimming pools (one of them indoors), and a spa, gym, shopping mall, 120-metre-long waterslide, children’s playground, teen disco, Formula One simulator, bowling alley, 4-D cinema, massive theatre and cabins to accommodate almost 4,000 passengers. Thankfully, crew are on hand to reorient passengers forward, aft, port or starboard.

Pack your cocktail gear because there are occasions to dress up. Nights are active with live music and dancing, shops open with half-price offers on brand name products, punters in the casino and professional shows attract packed houses in the ship’s theatre.

During the week’s dining indulgence it helps to counteract calories by shunning the elevators in favour of the stairs – and enrolling in rumba classes, discoing until dawn or pacing around the promenade deck. However, even those with the best intentions

can’t ignore the aromas that waft out of Eataly, one of a small group of haute cuisine Italian restaurants specialising in ‘slow food’ dishes made by culinary experts from artisan-produced ingredients. You’ll pay extra to dine at Eataly and adjacent Ristorante Italiano, but it’s worth every mouth- and sip-ful. Imagine blackcurrant and cherry-flavoured wines from Piedmont, cured hams from Parma, piquant cheeses from Calabria, fresh pesto from Genova, pasta from Campania and handmade pistachio ice cream from heaven.

Our intentions to freewheel in each of the ports of call were mostly ditched in favour of organised tours that can be booked on the ship. With only one day to explore in each place, it made sense to jump on a bus to cover more ground, yet the interesting selection of tours made choosing a challenge. Dive into Naples or explore the Roman ruins of nearby Pompeii, excavated from the ashes of Mt Vesuvius? Become acquainted with Sicily’s ancient port of Messina, or spend the day in the exquisite hillside town of Taormina where the Romans built an amphitheatre on the 7th century BC Greek foundations?

Night was closing in on the Sicilian port of Messina when MSC Preziosa headed out through the narrow straits and turned towards North Africa. By the following morning passengers were out on deck watching a gutsy Tunisian tug boat guide our Goliath of a ship into the port of La Goulette. Spreading beyond massive fuel tanks, cargo vessels and fishing boats was the city of Tunis. And on its northern flank lay Carthage, the ancient Phoenician city founded in the 9th century BC that controlled the western Mediterranean until conquered by the Romans in the Punic wars. We opted for the tour that went first to Tunis’s Bardo Museum before tracing the coast around the Gulf of Tunis to Carthage. In the Bardo Museum are superb mosaics, painstakingly pieced together from the excavated ruins of ancient dwellings.

Tunisia’s relationship with the Mediterranean is embedded in its history. Looking out from Carthage over the water towards Italy, I conjured images of its brilliant general

Sailing away from Genoa (above).

The port of Messina in Italy (below) and the ancient Roman amphitheatre in the nearby town of Taormina (below right).

Pasta with Ligurian pesto, an Eataly favourite (above). Pompeii ruins (below).

26 November 2013

Hannibal galloping to battle the Romans on one of his elephants. He occupied much of Italy for 15 years before the Romans finally got the better of Carthage in 146 BC and proceeded to build it into the breadbasket of North Africa. Today visitors to the once-great seafaring civilisation of Carthage find themselves wandering among forlorn Roman ruins.

En route back to Tunis we stopped at Sidi Bou Said, an enchanting town of white houses with blue-framed windows and doors, colours that mirror the shining Mediterranean. Later in the old market (souk) in Tunis I fell for a camel hair rug of similar colours that reflected the white sail boats on the aquamarine sea that had accompanied most of our day’s journey in the Gulf of Tunis.

In Barcelona Antonio Gaudi’s masterpiece, the Familia Sagrada topped our sightseeing list and we opted to explore on our own. A mistake. Buying a ticket and waiting in the queue that snaked around the block took almost two hours. Fellow passengers who had booked a Gaudi tour on the ship sailed past us and through the doors of the famous church.

A walk down Las Ramblas, Barcelona’s central avenue, helped restore our humour, as did a side street tapas bar jammed with locals (always a good sign). But the marathon queue at the start of the day meant we had to sacrifice a visit to the acclaimed Miro Museum in Montjuic Park.

Before docking at Marseille, we shot back to the ship’s excursion desk to book a morning tour to Aix en Provence, only 30 kilometres inland from Marseille. It meant half the day could be spent in the fine old city where the post-impressionist painter Paul Cezanne was born in 1839. The afternoon was then free to explore Marseille. We kicked off in the colourful old port with a fish-laden bouillabaisse, a speciality of this city on the western shores of the Mediterranean. Warmed by the regional wine, we settled into what felt like front-row seats at endless theatre. The restaurant looked out on a constant passing parade and the dramatic backdrop of the spires of Notre-Dame de la Garde.

With trips ashore and on-board recreational pursuits to fill every waking hour, it was a challenge to sample all on offer on MSC Preziosa. And on a big ship that feels like a small city, it’s good to slope off occasionally. Our cabin, with its balcony for communing with the sea, was a sanctuary. The open upper decks were our other favourite retreats for watching wheeling birds and the sea melt into the horizon.

The end of the voyage held the promise of several more days in the warmth of the Mediterranean. We had a hotel booked in Genoa to get to know this ancient and cultivated city in the heart of the Italian Riviera.

tipsMSC Preziosa’s seven-day cruises of the western Mediterranean operate each year from March until the Northern Hemisphere autumn.

www.msccruises.com.au

Freephone 0508 4 278473

Emirates Airlines flies from Auckland to Milan’s Malpensa Airport. Trains and buses depart from Malpensa and Milan Central Station to Genoa.

Scenes from Marseille’s lively harbour front (above and below).

Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia church in Barcelona – exterior (above) and interior (below).

Tunisian dancer and accompanist.

Minaret and vase in old Tunis.

27On MAS The magazine for MAS Members

MUsiC

NZ concert 1984, photo by Lindsay Keats.

When the kids were young, we were fortunate to have the Very Best Babysitter In The Whole Of The World. Janna was always punctual, polite, perfect in every way. In the 7th form then, she went on to a fairly successful international modelling and acting career. These days – married with two kids and based in New York last I heard – I hope she has found a good babysitter.

Janna meant that we could enjoy an occasional evening out with not a worry in the world. A favoured haunt was the wonderful Armadillo Tex/Mex restaurant. When the kids were a bit older, we took them there for a dinner out. This proved to be an interesting night on several levels.

Firstly there was the dark, interesting woman with a ferret on a leash.

Secondly, one of my all-time guitar heroes was there, window seat. Stevie Ray Vaughan.

It was nice that the Armadillo clientele were giving him space and not hassling for autographs or a yarn.

Everyone except me, that is. Come on, I was feeling the bromance and when a man who can perform impossible things with a guitar is in my local, it calls for a chat.

Then, suddenly, he was distracted. Not by the dark, interesting woman with the ferret, but by Janna, who was standing just outside.

“Crikey, she was my babysitter a few years ago,” I exclaimed.

“I need a babysitter,” came the reply, a twinkle in his eye.

So I dashed out and said hi to Janna, got the latest news then casually added “Oh, by the way, Stevie Ray Vaughan wants to meet you.” She said, “Oh my god” five times in a row.

From that moment, they never separated. That night, her life changed. Dramatically. Her career was about to get underway with a starring role in an epic television commercial

– remember that wonderful ‘Travelin’ On’ ad for Europa? (Actually, whatever happened to Europa petrol?) Stevie even agreed to appear in it briefly, playing a couple of trademark

licks. He loved New Zealand and his soon-to-be-fiancée.

And having overcome his demons (the usual rock clichés) life was good for Stevie Ray.

On 27 August 1990, Vaughan had just performed with his band Double Trouble in Wisconsin. The musicians boarded four helicopters bound for Chicago. Stevie Ray Vaughan never made it. Everyone on that Bell Ranger died that night. So much talent. Lost.

Who better to head up this month’s ‘Rock Heaven’ mix? This collection features the best of the best from artists who are no longer with us, many taken far too young.

To listen to this mix (free) go to http://tinyurl.com/onmasheaven. You will need a Spotify account to access this collection.

Written and compiled by David Collinge, david@cognitonz.com.

stole my girl!

28 November 2013

MAs NeWs

More than 100 Members attended the MAS AGM at Te Papa Tongarewa and were given exclusive access to the latest exhibition Colour & Light: Impressionism from France & America.

MAS Members’ Trust Annual General Meeting – 28 AUGUST – WELLINGToN

Members were treated to a fun market evening with more than 15 top-notch suppliers providing a wide selection of wine, craft beers and delicious food while mingling with the MAS Executive and local branch teams.

MAS Executive cocktail function – 5 SEPTEMbER – PALMERSToN NoRTH

35 young lawyers attended this seminar at the Russell McVeagh offices with speakers from MAS, ANZ and Tommy’s Real Estate.

Wellington young Lawyers’ Committee First Home buyers’ Seminar – 19 SEPTEMbER – WELLINGToN

Five teams of five – one from each vet student academic year – competed against each other to reach the ‘island’ first and claim the skull cup. This year the third-years won!

Massey University vet students’ raft race – 20 SEPTEMbER – PALMERSToN NoRTH

29On MAS The magazine for MAS Members

Junior doctors and their partners from the Hawke’s Bay DHB attended The Great Gatsby-themed event held at the National Aquarium of New Zealand.

Resident Medical officer ball – 28 SEPTEMbER – NAPIER

Members mingled with Dunedin branch staff and the Executive team over drinks and canapés at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, where an exclusive preview of the Hotere and Culbert exhibition was available for viewing.

MAS Executive cocktail function – 10 oCTobER – DUNEDIN

NZDA Vice President Bob Begg hosted and MAS supported this annual educational event for the Canterbury branch of the association at Clearwater Resort.

Great Dental Day out – 11 oCTobER – CHRISTCHURCH

Since returning to New Zealand following a highly successful career in the United Kingdom as Head of IT & Telecoms/equity partner of large global law firm DLA Piper, Danelle Dinsdale has served as director of several New Zealand boards – in IT and telecoms, infrastructure and the health sector.

She is a Director of Crown Fibre Holdings Ltd, a Crown Entity dedicated to implementing Government ultra-fast broadband objectives, and Ultrafast Fibre Ltd, a fibre company delivering ultra-fast broadband in Waikato and the Bay of Plenty. Danelle is also a partner in Watergreen Tourere Partnership, a corporate-model sheep and beef farming enterprise, and Advisor to the Hawke’s Bay Regional Investment

Committee on the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme. She was a Director of PHO Te Oranga Hawke’s Bay, as well as an independent Director of Medical Securities Ltd, prior to joining the wider MAS Board as a Commercial Trustee in August this year.

Danelle holds a BA/LLB from the University of Otago and an LLM (Merit) from the University of London, QMW College.

She says that family, work and the farm have been the focus for the past five years, but now that her young son has started school she hopes to dust off the golf clubs, tune the piano...and start playing both!

Meet your Director – DANELLE DINSDALE

30 November 2013

stUdeNt NeWs

Meet your Student &Graduate Advisers

WELLINGTON

ALISON SNOOKalison.snook@mas.co.nz

NEVILLE SAUNDERSneville.saunders@mas.co.nz

DANIEL JOHNSONdaniel.johnson@mas.co.nz

PETER BULOGpeter.bulog@mas.co.nz

LEIGH WOTHERSPOONleigh.wotherspoon@mas.co.nz

CHRISTCHURCH

RAJ NAIDUraj.naidu@mas.co.nz

HAMILTON

DEBBIE GUESTdebbie.guest@mas.co.nz

PALMERSTON NORTH

DUNEDIN

ANGIE BROWNangie.brown@mas.co.nz

This time of year is busy and exciting for all – those of us graduating this year are preparing case presentations, finalising research reports and making plans for next year, and returning students are preparing for exams and looking forward to taking a much-needed break. Our executive committee has done a fantastic job this year, putting a lot of hard work into all the services and support we offer students and making their mark in NZDSA history. We recently elected a new team eager

to take over the reins of the NZDSA and wish them luck.

On behalf of the NZDSA, I want to thank MAS for their continued support, especially Angie Brown who has always done a fantastic job of being our point of contact, and is well known for going the extra mile to help us, even setting up some of our events! All I can say now is good luck graduating students, with where you will end up, what you will achieve and who you will become.

DENTAL TALK from New Zealand Dental Students’ Association President ELLIoT STEVENS

It has been a busy time for NZMSA and all medical students wrapping up the year. We engaged with stakeholders such as the National Health Board and Health Workforce New Zealand to ensure that all New Zealand domestic graduates were placed with PGY1 jobs. We also strongly advocated for international students graduating in New Zealand.

We also continued to engage with the ACE Reference Group to ensure more transparency and improved

information for applications in 2014. We hosted a successful Beyond the Medical School Gates (BMSG), kindly sponsored by MAS and others. BMSG went to six centres around New Zealand with more than 200 students in attendance. At the end of October we met with Minister of Tertiary Education Steven Joyce to discuss the seven EFTS lifetime limit on access to student loans and are waiting to hear back from him. Best wishes for a fun and safe summer!

MEDICAL NoTES from New Zealand Medical Students’ Association President PHILLIP CHAo

The second semester has been packed full of fun activities at Massey. Skull Cup weekend started with the second-ever raft race. The BVSc 4s made some awesome modifications to last year’s winning raft, but were edged out by the powerful BVSc 3s. The fun continued the next day despite the rainy weather as the classes competed in a variety of sports. The fourth-years were victorious as usual and celebrated by drinking from the ceremonial skull cap that evening.

Skull Cup also marked the beginning of a very exciting election week for MUVSA executive committee positions. Last year’s elections really raised the bar and this year the candidates didn’t disappoint. They have some big shoes to fill replacing this year’s crew – congratulations to next year’s exec! There is a lot to look forward to in the year to come, but before we can look too far ahead, we all have to buckle down and get focused for our upcoming exams.

VET CHAT from Massey University Veterinary Students’ Association President KEVIN FRAME

AUCKLAND

31On MAS The magazine for MAS Members

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 you’ll 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

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

volvo v40 t5 r-designFast facts: 2.5L turbo-petrol; 187kW/400Nm; 6-spd auto; FWD; 8.1L/100km; length 4.37m; $64,990

If you’re after a practical and robust alternative to the popular Golf GTi, Volvo offers a characterful T5 hot-hatch option in its appealing V40 range. A key point of difference is its turbocharged 2.5-litre engine, which has five cylinders in line-astern formation and pumps out 187kW, with a conventional six-speed auto making crisp gear shifts.

A slightly off-beat engine note, especially from cold, hints at the odd number of cylinders, but acceleration is generally smooth

and relentless with an exhaust bark dominating as the revs rise. Even in slippery conditions, electronic driver aids allow plenty of power to be deployed through the driven front wheels without hyperactivity at the helm.

Exterior styling is on the confrontational side, with the T5 straining to make a statement. No complaints about the nicely crafted and tech-laden interior though. The floating centre console is distinctively styled, all controls are well weighted, and switchgear is nicely damped. And the leather sports seats are powered and

heated, offering the right balance between comfort and support.

Verdict: Entertaining option for the keen (but safety-conscious) driver with kids. 4/5

Audi A3 sportback tFsiFast facts: 1.8L turbo-petrol; 132kW/250Nm; 7-spd dual-clutch; FWD; 5.6L/100km; length 4.45m; $55,400

Compared with its predecessor, the exterior design of the new A3 looks more dynamic from every angle. A tornado line running from each headlight to the slim, stretched tail lights accentuates the broad shoulders and there’s extra emotion at the front, with the pinched headlight design and ‘eyebrows’ of LED running lights.

All A3 engines are polished and proven performers, especially the 132kW 1.8 TFSI. It

accelerates smoothly and briskly and can still return 5.6L/100km if coaxed along, with the seven-speed S-tronic left to do its own thing. Thoughtful drivers will benefit from adding the optional Drive Select, which allows different driving modes to be set, and excellent parking assistance systems should be considered as carefully as the tasteful range of upholstery and cabin inlay materials.

Convenient, fixed-price Technology and Styling packages are so tempting at $3,500 each that many buyers will opt for both. Cars fitted with sat-nav receive a very slim seven-inch display screen that retracts into

the dashboard, and the rotary controller on the console works brilliantly with surrounding buttons and rocker switches.

Verdict: Extra style and refinement from practical but pricey all-rounder. 4.5/5

Liability in an accident Accidents are unfortunate, but they do happen every day.

It’s important to know what steps to take if you get into an accident, as these can make the process of determining liability and sorting the insurance claims much easier for all parties involved.

Here are a few tips to help make the moments following an accident run as smoothly as possible:

■■ Calmly exit your vehicle and approach the other party to exchange details. Do not get into a discussion or argument about liability on the scene.

■■ Get the other party’s full details: name, phone (mobile and landline), registration number, and the name and contact details of their insurer.

■■ Take photos of any damage to either or both cars, as well as the vehicle registration plates of both cars at the scene, if possible.

■■ If the other party flees the scene, focus on getting the vehicle registration plate number.

Finally, once you have left the scene of the accident with the above information, do not pursue the other party yourself. MAS can do all the chasing for you as long as we have a vehicle registration number.

33On MAS The magazine for MAS Members

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 you’ll 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

WiNe

There is a worldwide trend in grape growing and winemaking variously called ‘organic’, ‘natural’ or ‘sustainable’ – where very few or no chemicals are used in the process. However, defining these three categories is subject to a lot of discussion both within and outside the winemaking fraternity.

The word organic is obviously not copyrighted, but in New Zealand BioGro trademarked organic wines are made from grapes grown under strict regulation and monitoring by BioGro’s certification process. A more extreme approach follows the biodynamic winemaking principles established by philosopher Rudolph Steiner, and certified by international agency Demeter. Yet many BioGro and Demeter certified wines contain sulphur dioxide (S02) as a preservative. SO2 (preservative 220) has been used since Roman times. Egg white has been added as a clarifying (fining agent) for hundreds of years – it is essentially natural, also possibly organic – but does it make a wine unnatural if you add an animal product?

The Natural Wine movement is credited to French winemaker Jules Chauvet, who posited that there must be as little human intervention as possible in growing and making wine. Organic and/or biodynamic viticulture means that no insecticides, artificial fertilisers and/or herbicides should ever be used on the vines. Grapes must be hand-harvested, and only ‘indigenous’ or naturally occurring vineyard yeasts are permitted to ferment the pressed juice (as opposed to more reliable commercial yeasts).

Then there is the vexed issue of whether or not to add SO2 to stabilise and get rid of any remaining yeasts or bacteria in the wine. Within the Natural Wine movement there is wide discussion and disagreement. Some regard this as forbidden territory, others say it is vital to give the wine longevity and preserve its purity of flavour. Finally, when the wine is bottled, there is generally no filtering or fining, so your wine may end up slightly cloudy or with some crust of sediment.

Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) aims to provide a ‘best practice’ model of environmental practices in both the vineyard and the winery. This means using very low levels of spraying, low sulphite levels and more environmental friendly vineyard management. Many of our top vineyards are SWNZ accredited, including Pernod Ricard (Montana), Nobilo, Villa Maria, Delegats, Oyster Bay, Hunter’s, Mudbrick and Matua.

Here’s a selection of organically grown New Zealand wines:

By Phil ParkerMAS Member, wine writer and operator

of Auckland Fine Wine and Food Tours www.finewinetours.co.nz.

Catch up on all the latest wines and more at Phil’s wine blog

www.nzwineblogger.blogspot.com.

Greenwine?

34 November 2013

Demeter Biodynamic Certified • Additives – none other than a minimal level of SO2 • $79.00Savoury, seductively soft and generously fruity. Flavours and aromas of ripe black berry fruits, with a spicy richness on the palate. Winemaker Blair Walter began the journey to biodynamics with a philosophy of gravity-fed minimal grape and juice handling technology. The vineyard uses biodynamic Steiner methods, including planting cover crops and wild flowers within the vineyard itself.

Not certified but adheres to strict organic practices • Additives – SO2 at 25 parts per million • $85.00Unfiltered, the wine is dense and dark Bordeaux style with aromas of pot pourri, herbs, spice and blackcurrant. A big wine in the mouth, with flavours of fruit cake, black, ripe cherry, Black Doris plums and cassis. Te Whau has just 2.5 hectares planted in Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Owners Tony and Moira Forsyth produced their first wine in 1999.

Demeter Biodynamic Certified • Additives – none other than a minimal level of SO2 • $22.00Aromas of toasted almond and apple sauce. Flavours of peach and nectarine with a hint of grapefruit citrus. The grapes were hand-sorted before being whole-bunch pressed (reducing green stemmy flavours) then sent straight to French oak barrels to age for 11 months. The wine was then lightly filtered and bottled without further intervention.

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carboNZero Certified • Additives – none other than a minimal level SO2 • $19.95Passionfruit, blackcurrant, green capsicum and grapefruit aromas. Ripe flavours of the above with a crisp citrus finish. The grapes were sourced from Marlborough’s Awatere Valley, and wine made by chief winemaker Tamra Washington. Yealands has a commitment to sustainable winemaking with initiatives such as wetland planting and biodiversity, carboNZero certification, energy efficiency and recycling – it also uses low-density-glass wine bottles.

Demeter Biodynamic Certified • Additives – a tiny amount of SO2 at a max of 15 parts per million • $29.00Yeasty bread aromas, fine, persistent bubbles and flavours of stone fruit, with a dry, crisp, clean finish. Austrian expat Rudi Bauer makes wine in an unpretentious building in a Cromwell industrial estate. The winery is named after New Zealand’s largest quartz deposit that lies beneath the vineyards at Bendigo. Bauer adheres to the Rudolph Steiner principles of vineyard management that include planting according to a lunar calendar. Pinot Noir (crushed and used as a clear juice) and Chardonnay go into the mix that is Quartz Reef’s signature traditional bottle-fermented bubbly.

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BioGro and Demeter Biodynamic Certified • Additives – minimal level of SO2, may contain traces of fish products • $25.00Aromas of rose petal and candied fruit. Full and soft mouth-filling flavours of Turkish delight and lychee, with a long finish. Mike and Claire Allan started Huia Vineyards in 1996 with the intention of producing small quantities of premium wines. The grapes for this wine were grown on Huia’s organic Winsome vineyard on the seaward side of the Wairau Valley.

BioGro Certified • Additives – bentonite, SO2, may contain traces of fish products • $26Handpicked from the vineyard in the Brancott Valley, the aromas are delicate – with hints of honeysuckle and white peach. In the mouth, pear, quince and pineapple with a dry, lengthy palate. Odyssey’s Marlborough vineyard has been managed organically for several years and has just achieved BioGro organic certification. Rebecca Salmond launched Odyssey in 1994, and it now exports overseas under the Salmond label.

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BioGro Certified • Additives – none other than a minimal level of SO2 • $27.00Aromas of citrus blossom. In the mouth – medium sweet, mineral and stone fruit flavours with balanced, crisp, mouth-watering acidity. Te Whare Ra’s 11-hectare vineyard is managed with a combination of organic and biodynamic practices. The wines are made with minimal intervention in a small winery that has been specifically set up for small batch winemaking.

35On MAS The magazine for MAS Members

BOOks

By acclaimed New Zealand author Kate De Goldi greAt reAdsMax gate By Damien Wilkins

VUP $30

It is 1928 and Thomas Hardy lies dying at his home in Dorset. Upstairs, he is attended by family and literary friends. Below stairs, in the engine of the house, the novel’s narrator, housemaid Nellie Titterington, reflects on the carnival of unfolding emotions and motives that will prompt the infamous battle over Hardy’s remains. The substance of the story is over just a few weeks but through Nellie’s lens we are privy to the near past and her own widowhood years. With Nellie we enter the heart and head of every

character, elevated and lowly. We are immersed in the beauty and intensity of Hardy’s beloved natural world: the animals, wild and domesticated, the flora, the seasons, all seem to mirror and heighten the humans’ brooding concerns. Wilkins’s considerable gifts are on brilliant display: his matchless dialogue; eye for the small, potent exchanges between people; beautiful, freighted sentences; mordant comedy. There is, too, an abundance of wry compassion for the human frailties under consideration. Like its eponymous house, Max Gate seems to hold a world of human experience: love and duty, greed, generosity, lust, longing, exultation and despair. I finished the last paragraph and headed straight back to the beginning.

Beautiful ruins By Jess Walter

Penguin $26

This charming novel opens in 1962 in the imaginary Italian coastal town of Porto Vegogna, where the utterly loveable Pasquale Tursi is trying to build a cliff-side tennis court. This Quixotic act of filial devotion (his late father dreamt of the town as a tourist mecca) is a perfect metaphor for all the vaulting dreams and hapless excursions experienced over 50 years and several continents by the multiple characters in this rollicking narrative. While Pasquale toils on the west

coast, the great blunderbuss movie Cleopatra is being filmed in Rome. When, in the first pages, Pasquale meets a beautiful, young – and perhaps dying – actress, an exile from the film-set, a tender love story begins; its unlikely apotheosis is in the American Midwest five decades later. The narrative oscillates between ’60s Italy and contemporary Hollywood, and between the apparently simple virtues of Italian rustics and the cynical self-interests of Tinseltown players. But no-one is quite as they seem. Everyone is propelled by past mistakes and secret yearnings, and all are driven to comically desperate gestures. This is Walter’s sixth novel – inventive, thoughtful and richly funny. I’ll certainly be checking out his earlier titles.

One summer; America, 1927 By Bill Bryson

Doubleday $55

One tends to think of 1927 – if at all – as merely a date two years prior to the Crash of ’29. But Bill Bryson digs deeper than most. 1927, it turns out, had a number of crucial events and deeds occurring in quick succession. Cumulatively, Bryson argues, these spelled an America emerging to full maturity, ready to dominate the world – as it has done for the past 70 years. The master of exuberant social history has done it again. Zeroing in on the summer of ’27 as the crux of the paradigm-change, Bryson follows the

doings of a cast of flawed heroes (Lindberg, Babe Ruth, Herbert Hoover), curiously entertaining villains (Capone, Ponzi), opportunists (President Coolidge, countless others) and diagnosable lunatics (mostly Henry Ford) to suggest the key elements of America’s economic, social and political future. The cast is masterfully controlled, the character studies pungent. And with each player come potted histories – of early aviation, film and baseball; media and broadcasting; organised crime, political anarchism; celebrity culture and bigotry. All are enthralling. As is the weather, which is a kind of bad fairy haunting the summer: operatic, heartless and deadly. The glorious saga is more than 500 pages, but you’ll never notice.

36 November 2013

greAt reAds By doctor, poet and MAS Member Rae Varcoe

Being a doctor: Understanding medical practiceBy Hamish Wilson and Wayne CunninghamOUP $35

How to teach doctors to engage compassionately with people and their suffering (rather than simply diagnose and treat their illnesses) is a challenge that has occupied the thinking and writing of these two senior lecturers in general practice at the University of Otago for years. This book encapsulates some of their considerable wisdom and experience. I wish it had been available to me before I began doctoring in what was then a landscape devoid of opportunities

for reflection, communality, vulnerability and guided self-scrutiny. Their writing steers a course between the energy of patient vignettes and the intellectual rigour of comprehensive literature review as it addresses issues such as suffering and healing, the wounded doctor, the ill person without evident disease, the doctor’s health and wellbeing, and the ‘heartsink’ experience. It is less an instruction manual than an invitation to reflection and to thoughtful, dispassionate analysis. It arose from, and is mainly addressed to, those working in general practice (there is a whole chapter on the place of general practice in primary healthcare) but its messages and insights are just as valid and valuable for any specialist doctor or medical student. This book is a gem. I will be buying copies for fortunate friends.

the yellow BirdsBy Kevin PowersSceptre $30

All Quiet on the Western Front deserves its place as the classic novel of World War I. The Yellow Birds deserves a similar place in the writing arising from modern wars.

John Bartle is a foot soldier in Iraq. In a moment of misplaced compassion at the farewells before leaving the United States, he promises his new comrade’s mother that he will make sure her son comes home – thus setting the themes of responsibility, powerlessness, estrangement, endurance and guilt.

All this is set in the active battlegrounds in Iraq and in the homecoming aftermath.

The writing is beautiful and the descriptions invoke all the senses. So much so that the reader feels that they too have been present in Tal Afar. The main characters are John, Murphy, the Sergeant and the LT, all of whom are marvellously realised and far from stereotypical. Sergeant Sterling is so real that the reader joins Bartle in trying to decide whether he warrants being loved or hated, and whether he is a hero or a lunatic. Bartle himself will remain in my mind as neither hero nor madman, but as an ordinary individual overwhelmed by circumstance. This book is a must read.

BenedictionBy Kent HarufPicador $38

Gentle, quiet novels that are character driven seldom leave such a lasting impression as does Haruf’s Benediction.

Ostensibly it is about the impending death of Dad Lewis, the owner of a hardware store in Colorado. This process is the central pivot of a book that draws together the stories of many people whose lives have intersected with his. From the estranged gay son to the employee sacked for theft who expects forgiveness and does not receive it, we are led

to understand and care about a range of people including Dad Lewis himself. He is variously proud, disappointed, regretful and accepting of his life and those who have featured in it. He is an upright man, but is also undemonstrative, inarticulate and clumsy in his interactions. His daughter and wife are much more sensitive to his needs than he to theirs as they attend to him in his final months.

There are other vivid characters, including a minister compelled to speak from the heart rather than from doctrine, and a potential redemption figure embodied in the young girl who comes to live next door with her grandmother. This novel is neither sad nor sweet but is a masterpiece.

37On MAS The magazine for MAS Members

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