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S W

Staff Writer

Former TechDay team member

Read the latest stories by Staff Writer across the TechDay network.

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Stories from Other Regions

Written by Staff

Supply Chain

Cost growth slows across both commercial and residential bands

Construction costs eased as diesel prices fell, though plumbing and carpentry still rose and Middle East tensions could keep volatility in play.

By Staff Writer • 2 min read • Last month

Human Capital Management

Non-expert contributions look increasingly similar

Generative AI is driving experienced Stack Overflow contributors away as expert answers become harder to distinguish from chatbot replies.

By Staff Writer • 3 min read • Last month

Robotics

Hawkes Bay gets storm ready and looking forward to major growth

Storm losses are accelerating investment in automation as Hawkes Bay orchards prepare to lift fruit throughput and exports amid rising demand.

By Staff Writer • 5 min read • Last month

Agricultural Technology

New Zealand needs to follow suit or risk being outbid and cut out of export sales

New rules in the EU could leave New Zealand growers outbid in export markets unless Parliament loosens gene-editing restrictions soon.

By Staff Writer • 3 min read • Last month

Data centers

Just how expensive could it be if we get electricity demand wrong

Miscalculating AI-driven power demand could leave ratepayers funding stranded assets or, worse, expose households to blackouts and higher bills.

By Staff Writer • 8 min read • Last month

Data Protection

From biometrics to zero trust secures physical-digital divide

Organisations are pairing biometrics with layered access controls as cyber and physical threats converge inside data centres and other sensitive facilities.

By Staff Writer • 11 min read • Sun, 28th Jun 2026

Disaster Recovery

QBE provides support for the growth of a resilience culture

Grant funding will back New Zealand groups tackling climate risk and inclusion, as QBE links recovery support to stronger resilience.

By Staff Writer • 4 min read • Sat, 27th Jun 2026

Sustainability

Australasia and the Pacific Islands lead as rising tide sinks all coasts

Nearly half of the shorelines studied now see floods that once struck annually only every century, as greenhouse gases reshape coastal risk.

By Staff Writer • 2 min read • Sun, 21st Jun 2026

Software-as-a-Service

Gentrack scales its global leadership across strategy, product and tech

Its expansion across energy and water markets has been backed by two acquisitions and three senior hires to drive an AI-first push.

By Staff Writer • 5 min read • Sun, 21st Jun 2026

Partner Programmes

KiwiRail drops the ball tracking bridge risk, relies on general procedures

A flood-scoured pier collapse left the Main South Line exposed because bridge-specific controls were missing and general procedures proved inadequate.

By Staff Writer • 3 min read • Sun, 14th Jun 2026

Climate change

Steel Council sets before parliament an achievable path to cut steel emissions

New Zealand builders could cut steel emissions by more than 90 percent by 2050 through smarter design, reuse and cleaner production.

By Staff Writer • 6 min read • Sun, 14th Jun 2026

Health Technologies

Add years to life and life to years by investing in primary care

Patients face longer waits and higher costs as underfunded primary care strains health systems and worsens preventable disease.

By Staff Writer • 5 min read • Sat, 30th May 2026

Robotics

Faster, accurate and scalable fulfilment caters for demand

New Zealand shoppers will get faster online order collection as IKEA’s Sylvia Park store adopts the country’s first retail AutoStore system.

By Staff Writer • 3 min read • Sun, 24th May 2026

Disaster Recovery

Physical security guidance for New Zealand data centre hopes

New government guidance warns mega data centres are now critical infrastructure, with a single breach risking banking, logistics and communications.

By Staff Writer • 7 min read • Sun, 24th May 2026

Robotics

Downer gets the mix right for maximum productivity

The expanded partnership will push robotic inspections into more rail networks while keeping technicians central to safer, faster maintenance work.

By Staff Writer • 4 min read • Sat, 16th May 2026

Robotics

High tech operation attracts graduates to the packing shed

Automation in New Zealand packhouses is opening up graduate careers and strengthening the horticulture sector's resilience against global shocks.

By Staff Writer • 6 min read • Sat, 16th May 2026

Higher education

Solutions favour system thinkers but linear thinkers control the vote

Transport policies are still failing because voters and policymakers default to linear thinking, despite predictable knock-on effects on congestion and costs.

By Staff Writer • 13 min read • Sat, 16th May 2026