Auckland gets taste of In-N-Out Burger with one day pop-up event
The Californian burger chain posted to their Instagram confirming they would be holding a pop-up at Wynyard Pavilion, 17 Jellicoe Street in Wynyard Quarter from 9am until 3pm today.
An image posted to Reddit
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Otago Daily Times
2 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Farming in Catlins calls again after stint steering Oritain
Otago businessman Grant Cochrane was always going to return to farming, he just got side-tracked a little on the way. Business and rural editor Sally Rae reports. It's family farming at its finest. After a career in currency trading and business, most recently as the globe-trotting chief executive of Dunedin success story Oritain, Grant Cochrane is looking forward to being grounded — literally. Mr Cochrane has stepped back from his role at Oritain, the global leader in using forensic science to determine product provenance of food, beverages, fibres and pharmaceuticals. After 13 years' involvement, first as an investor and then chief executive and director, it was time to focus on the next chapter. A large chunk of that included his family's farming business Tōtara Hills, a South Otago sheep, beef, deer and carbon operation, near Owaka, and to involve their children was very gratifying for Mr Cochrane and his wife Andrea. From growing up on a block of land on the Taieri, Mr Cochrane always wanted to be a farmer. Back when he left school and saw a programme which featured John Key as a currency trader, he decided to get into currency trading. Ironically, a few decades later, he managed to persuade Sir John — who by then had added Prime Minister and a knighthood to his CV — to join the board of Oritain. But throughout his career, farming was always the vision and, while Mr Cochrane might have got side-tracked with other things, it was something he was always going to return to. After completing a bachelor of commerce (finance) degree at the University of Otago, Mr Cochrane headed to London to start a career in currency trading. He spent 11 years primarily in London, with stints in Zurich, Singapore, Tokyo and New York, working for various European and American institutions including Credit Suisse, Citibank and Royal Bank of Canada. He and his wife later decided to return New Zealand to raise a family and to farm. Mr Cochrane bought the home farm in the Catlins in 1998, and spent 12 years managing the farming business. They moved to Dunedin, for their children's education, and he became managing director of A. G. Foley Ltd and got involved with Oritain, and the farm was leased out. He was the founding chairman of Oritain — created by Prof Russell Frew and Dr Helen Darling at the University of Otago in 2008 — and chief executive for more than a decade, moving his family to Switzerland. Luxury high-end fashion and retail companies, including Lacoste, Supima and Primark, and food producers such as a2 Milk and Nescafe, used Oritain to assure customers the items they bought were genuine and produced from an ethical supply chain. The company could create a unique fingerprint from products globally and prove its provenance. Its science could pinpoint the exact area a product or raw material came from, within metres. Switzerland, with its central European location, had been a great place to be based and it was also very pro-business. It was well organised, very safe and offered high quality education, healthcare and transport. "It's been very good for us but nothing beats the community of rural South Otago," Mr Cochrane said. They missed that sense of community and there was the appeal of a rural community to return to. Working overseas, both in banking and commerce, he discovered it was very much transaction first while, in New Zealand's rural communities, it was relationships and people first. Returning home had been a stark reminder of that, he said. Stepping back from Oritain had been in the back of his mind and, once the Series C capital raise was completed in mid-2023, it became more front of mind. Oritain raised $US57 million to develop technology and expand into new markets and industries. "The time seemed right, I'd done it for 12 years ... it was a big commitment," he said. Asked what he was most proud of at Oritain, Mr Cochrane quipped: "survival". With the failure rate of start-ups estimated at 92%, survival was good. But probably the biggest highlights were getting the company to a successful Series C capital raise and the team that had been built at Oritain. There was a very strong culture — "a real Kiwi culture with a can-do attitude" — and that had been taken off-shore. The company had been ambitious and it had attracted "fantastic" people. Commercialising science was challenging, but probably a bigger challenge was managing and maintaining culture while taking a business offshore. To build something special and attract people like Sir John Key to be part of it was very gratifying. Sir John initially said no — as he had previously to many other companies and organisations that had approached him when he left politics in late 2016 — but Mr Cochrane proved persuasive and Sir John really liked the story He had been exposed to the company while doing advisory work for kiwifruit marketer Zespri, which used Oritain's technology to trace kiwifruit being illegally grown in China. Last year, Oritain expanded its international reach, opening an office in Singapore to join those in London, Washington DC, Singapore, Auckland and Dunedin, which were home, in total, to more than 200 staff. Mr Cochrane made that announcement while in Singapore with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's delegation, which was representing New Zealand businesses' interests in priority South East Asian markets. Quipping that the next day he was in the Owaka pub, Mr Cochrane said he had been fortunate to have been able to have operated in two different worlds. But home was the farm. Having bought neighbouring land, the Cochranes were back farming a total land area of 2498ha, with the help of staff — "it's Totara Hills version 2.0," he said. The intention was to run the farming operation as one. They wanted to farm "simply and well and profitably" but also do things a little differently, thinking of ways to benefit the land and also use out-of-the-box thinking. They wanted to farm sustainably — both financially but also very much long-term environmentally — and were looking at things like regenerative agriculture. Mr Cochrane believed that was an opportunity for New Zealand; many farmers were already employing lot of the principles already like multi-species, rotational grazing and reducing chemical use. They wanted to eat the produce off their farm and it needed to be produced in a way they were comfortable with, he said. It was also an inter-generational farm — Mr Cochrane's father had worked on it and now daughter Sophie and son Andrew were getting involved — and the family wanted to be part of the farming community and wider Catlins community. Sophie Cochrane said they hoped that as well as having the farm as their home, it would also be a springboard for ideas and for other people in the community "to do cool things". She and her brother, who is in his second year of university in Canada, were keen on developing eco or agri-tourism on the property, and wanted to do that in partnership with the community. They were keen for a walking track on not only their property but also hopefully involving the surrounding area. Miss Cochrane, who has been away from New Zealand for nine years, spent her last secondary school year overseas, studying by correspondence. Both his children had benefited from growing up in New Zealand but also from seeing the rest of the world, Mr Cochrane believed. Knowing there was a home to return to also kept them feeling grounded in the land and the experience also made them appreciate what they had in New Zealand, Miss Cochrane said. She completed an arts degree in politics, sociology and East European studies at UCL (University College London) and a master's degree in environmental anthropology — how people related to the land and vice-versa — and did her thesis on the Otago region. While in London, she did an internship at the House of Lords. While she had not particularly used either degree in her job, they were "wonderful to do". Now working in film and television in the UK, she was fulfilling a dream she had since she was little. For both father and daughter, a simple life in South Otago was appealing, and Mr Cochrane saw a "real movement" towards that simplicity and cleaner living . "I think we have that in New Zealand and take it for granted," he said. People were also looking for real relationships and authenticity, something the country had in "bucketloads too". The Cochranes saw lots of opportunities on Tōtara Hills to diversify. Those they had taken on farm tours were "blown away" by New Zealand farming systems. Farmers did not tell their story well enough and agri or eco-tourism was a good conduit to hero those farming systems. Mr Cochrane felt very optimistic for the New Zealand agricultural sector, saying land use would change but what that land produced would be increasingly sought after. Farming was at an exciting stage and there were lots of opportunities. "Love it or hate it", the Emissions Trading Scheme also provided revenue opportunities for farmers, he said. At Oritain, the company had been very close to brands and understood what customers wanted. Getting closer to consumers probably impacted the way his family farmed; producers needed to be vigilant and aligned to what consumers wanted, he said. Asked whether the family would market their produce themselves, Mr Cochrane believed there were bigger gains for the industry by people working together. He used to sell venison at the Otago Farmers' Market and he loved the connection with consumers, understanding why they bought a particular cut and what they were going to do with it. It was a great way of connecting consumers to the land. Contrary to what people might think, start-up life was not glamorous. Mr Cochrane estimated he spent 150 to 200 days a year travelling — "if I never got on another plane, I'd be happy" — over the past decade. There was pressure to "get stuff done" and flights were often done at night to avoid hotel bills. He was extremely proud of what Oritain had achieved and he looked forward to watching what its "amazing" team continued to achieve, under his successor, new chief executive Alyn Franklin. Oritain was a company which was well ahead of its time. It now had a "fantastic springboard" to continue growing and he believed its service would only become more relevant in a heightened geo-political world. In many ways, the likes of Oritain was part of the future of New Zealand — having companies that exported a service to add value to global companies from New Zealand IP, he said. Mr Cochrane cited the examples of Rocket Lab, Halter and Animation Research, saying there were many brilliant businesses in New Zealand. Halter, the virtual fencing and animal management company founded by Craig Piggott, was a great example of leveraging New Zealand's agricultural expertise to create a product. Agri-tech in New Zealand had been in a sweet spot since Gallagher pioneered electrical fencing and, in a way, Oritain was part of that agritech sector. But now Mr Cochrane would be following Oritain's progress from the sideline as he pulled on his boots "Right now, I just want to get a dog coming back to me and learn how to ride a horse again. "My aspirations at the moment are very much to spend time with family and the farm."
NZ Herald
19 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Balancing economic interests and security concerns, European officials said they got the best deal possible
European officials and analysts said the tentative agreement does not even end the uncertainty because so many details must still be worked out. To the harshest critics, including some in France who spoke of a 'capitulation' and 'humiliation', the agreement is proof of a deeply unbalanced alliance, and the latest example of European appeasement of Trump. At Nato, allies similarly strained to pledge a huge increase in military spending demanded by Trump. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who announced the deal with Trump while sitting next to him at one of his golf resorts in Scotland, touted 'a huge deal' clearly playing to Trump's love of largeness. But at her news conference soon afterwards, von der Leyen appeared far more sober, calling the 15% tariffs she had accepted on European automobiles to be 'the best we could get'. The EU, and in particular Germany, its auto-making powerhouse had hoped to eliminate the 25% US car tariffs entirely. 'We should not forget where we came from,' von der Leyen said. 'Fifteen per cent is certainly a challenge for some, but we should not forget it keeps us the access to the American markets.' Trump indeed had threatened far worse, including a 30% across the board tariff that upended months of painstaking negotiations. Under the new deal, the US will now impose a 15% duty on most imports from the EU. The blanket rate foisted on the EU mirrors a US deal announced this month with Japan, another Group of Seven ally, but it is higher than the 10% that Britain secured earlier this year and that EU officials had grudgingly accepted in recent talks. Since World War II, trade agreements have largely sought to reduce the cost of buying and selling goods across borders. A 2017 deal the EU struck with Canada eliminated tariffs on most goods traded between them. An agreement signed with Vietnam in 2019 aims to phase out nearly all customs duties. Trump's accord with the EU goes in the opposite direction, raising tariffs, with some exceptions. Economists say the tariffs will increase costs for importers, who must pay the duties, and put upward pressure on inflation. Consumers and businesses will likely bear some of the extra costs, experts say. Reaction in EU countries In France, where President Emmanuel Macron had urged the EU to take a harder line, the deal drew sharp backlash. While Macron was quiet on today, Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said it was 'a dark day when an alliance of free people, brought together to assert their values and defend their interests, resigns itself to submission'. Von der Leyen's European Commission, the EU's executive body which negotiates trade policy for its 27 member nations, had faced calls from Germany and Italy, two countries that do outsize business with the US, for an accord that would limit damage to their export-dependent companies. But even capitals that had urged a conciliatory approach were not exactly celebrating today. 'The agreement successfully averted a trade conflict that would have hit the export-oriented German economy hard,' German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said. Still, members of the European Parliament from Germany blasted the deal even as it reduced Trump's tariff on cars, one of Germany's central demands. 'My first assessment: not satisfactory; this is a lopsided deal,' said Bernd Lange, who chairs the European Parliament's committee on international trade. 'Concessions have clearly been made that are difficult to accept. Deal with significant imbalance. Furthermore, lot of questions still open.' Workers at a Volkswagen factory in Zwickau, Germany. Photo / Ingmar Nolting, the New York Times Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof acknowledged that 'no tariffs would have been better' but called the deal 'vital for an open economy like ours'. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said: 'One thing is clear: This is a moment of relief but not of celebration'. Influence of security The talks laid bare the EU's queasiness at using its economic muscle, one of its few areas of leverage against Washington, at a time when allies have had to calibrate repeatedly to keep Trump on board as Russia wages war in Ukraine. Ultimately, after months of mixed signals and threats from Trump, EU leaders said they accepted a deal to give their industries a reprieve from the months of uncertainty that threatened to cripple business. Officials suggested they had relented out of concern that Trump was prepared to raise tariffs to a level that would effectively halt trade between Europe and the US. 'Let's pause for a moment and consider the alternative: A trade war may seem appealing to some but it comes with serious consequences,' said the EU trade commissioner, Maros Sefcovic, who shuttled to Washington in recent months for difficult talks with Trump officials. 'Our businesses have sent us a unanimous message: avoid escalation and work towards a solution that brings immediate tariff relief,' Sefcovic told reporters today. He said he and his team had travelled to Washington 10 times for a deal and said that the EU's calculations reached beyond trade. 'It's about security, it's about Ukraine, it's about current geopolitical volatility,' Sefcovic said. He said he couldn't go into detail on what was discussed in the room with Trump yesterday, 'but I can assure it was not just about the trade'. Details of the deal Now, nearly 70% of European goods will face the blanket tariff, a big increase in charges, according to a senior EU official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak frankly about the details of the deal, which is still under negotiation. The EU had sought carve-outs from the US tariff regime for key sectors including wine and spirits and aircraft parts. The announced agreement eliminates tariffs on airplane parts but a decision on wine and spirits was postponed. EU officials said talks will continue in the coming weeks. The two sides appeared to diverge on other details. The White House indicated that a 50% tariff on steel would remain in place, while EU officials said there would be further negotiations on lowering steel tariffs. Many officials and experts said that it was crucial to sort out the details. 'We need to understand what is included,' said Brando Benifei, an Italian member of the European Parliament and head of its delegation for relations with the US. Benifei and others questioned whether US probes into the national security aspect of trade relations might result in extra tariffs down the line, such as on EU pharmaceutical products. At first glance, Benifei said the deal 'seems very asymmetric'. 'The result is due in my view to the push by some governments to have a deal at any cost, which has weakened our stance,' he added. 'Because the US knew some governments wanted a deal whatever the cost.' Others noted that Trump's threats managed to shift the view on what constituted relief. Just a few weeks ago, EU and US negotiators neared an agreement that involved a blanket tariff of 10%, before a Truth Social post by Trump derailed them. Today, some investors saw benefits for Europe's key auto industry, for instance, which would see US car tariffs reduced to 15% from 25%. The tariffs, however, were at 2.5% before Trump's global trade blitz, and some industry groups noted their dismay. 'The US tariff rate of 15%, which also applies to automotive products, will cost German automotive companies billions annually and burdens them,' Hildegard Mueller, president of Germany's main auto industry group, the VDA, told Agence France-Presse. On some issues, the Europeans stood their ground. Trump officials had pressed the EU for concessions on tech industry regulations and on food standards, which the bloc insisted were non-negotiable. As part of the deal, Trump said Europe had committed to buying more US energy and weapons and boosting investment in the US. But those provisions are mostly aspirational promises without guarantees. European nations were already poised to buy more US weapons under an arrangement with Trump to continue arming Ukraine, and the bloc was already seeking alternative energy sources, including liquefied natural gas from the US, as part of its push to phase out Russian energy imports. More energy purchases and European investments would come from member states and companies which Brussels does not control. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, seen as a close Trump ally in the EU, heralded the deal, while saying details still need to be worked out. 'I obviously welcome the fact that an agreement has been reached,' Meloni told reporters. Still, she added, 'we need to verify the possible exemptions, particularly for certain agricultural products. So there are a number of elements that are missing.'
Techday NZ
20 hours ago
- Techday NZ
Sourcing video data for AI training: overcoming the challenges of scale, safety and representation
As AI advances, its potential benefits to video security are undeniable. The market for AI-powered video analytics is predicted to grow from $32 billion in 2025 to over $133 billion by 2030, due to its wide-ranging applications in e.g. cities, retail, logistics and manufacturing, residential developments and transport., where it can increase operational efficiency, improve energy efficiency, deliver marketing and sales insights – and much more. To unlock these benefits, however, organisations must always err on the side of responsible use. Most importantly, this also extends to the data used to power and train AI models. Understanding data transparency and quality As a recent Amnesty International report highlighted, there needs to be transparency around the use of AI-powered video surveillance. However, to do so, it's vital that we go back a stage and closely consider the quality and origin of the data that an AI model has been trained and fine-tuned on. As AI-enabled video is rolled out, developers mustn't fall into the same trap as their colleagues working on the large language models (LLM) on which generative AI depends, namely, the challenge of sourcing enough data for AI model training. LLM developers, unfortunately, find themselves paying increasing amounts for large data sets, due to their scarcity, lack of privacy measures, or facing litigation from rights holders. Bias from unrepresentative data may have also tainted the implementations of AI, with knock-on impacts on people's trust in AI and the insights delivered. Building accurate video AI models In order to mitigate many of these challenges before they spread, considering how to gain access to high-quality, responsibly sourced, visual data to train AI video models is crucial. The datasets used to train AI models need to be representative, diverse to ensure accuracy and fairness, and legally sourced to respect data owners' IP rights. This is not a simple task to obtain, especially when dealing with sensors such as cameras that can collect a lot of personal or confidential information. One solution to this challenge is Project Hafnia; a platform developed by Milestone Systems in partnership with NVIDIA, leveraging NVIDIA NeMo Curator and AI model. Project Hafnia enables data generators to share and utilise their data and allows developers to access traceable and regulatory-compliant annotated video data, which thereby can be used to train AI models. One of the first data generators to the platform is the American city of Dubuque, Iowa. Along with AI analytics company Vaidio, Milestone built a collaborative visual language model that transformed Dubuque's raw video, via anonymization and curation, into powerful training material, improving AI accuracy from 80% to over 95%. This leap forward has enabled smarter traffic management, quicker emergency responses, and stronger public safety. All done responsibly and without massive infrastructure overhauls. With Milestone's recent acquisition of brighter AI, a company specializing in anonymization solutions, a further layer of data privacy has been added to Project Hafnia. Thus, brighter AI's technology automatically detects a personal identifier such as a face or a license plate and generates a synthetic replacement. Consolidating and curating data from multiple data generators is one way for developers to obtain enough visual data on to develop accurate AI models to detect events such as vandalism, vehicle accidents, and traffic flow. Synthetic data for hard-to-gather data sets Another solution comes in the form of synthetic data, which is artificially generated or augmented datasets that simulate or generalise real-world conditions. Using synthetic data, AI developers can train models on vast amounts of diverse and representative information while mitigating the ethical and legal concerns surrounding privacy and consent. For example, in Aalborg Harbour in Denmark, training an AI model to detect individuals falling into the harbour was not possible due to the dangers that would pose to human volunteers. The dataset also needed to include a diversity of human actors such as wheelchair users. Using dummies couldn't fully capture the full complexity, either. The best solution, therefore, was synthetic data that could expand the training dataset with diverse falling scenarios, avoiding safety or ethics concerns. The AI model developed through this process shows promising results to alert rescue teams if and when a person falls into the harbour, increasing the chances of survival by minimising response times and reducing cold water exposure. Unlocking the potential of AI in video AI holds great promise for our cities, buildings, and individual safety. Yet, this can only be realised with AI models that fully capture the complexities of our built environments and human behaviour. Video analytics developers should explore their options when trying to build a comprehensive data set for AI model training. New, responsible options are emerging - from consolidated data gathered across many data generators to synthetic data generators. It's just a matter of where to look.
