It’s holiday traffic nightmare on the roads with holidaymakers experiencing bumper-to-bumper traffic across many parts of the country.Traffic has backed up on the Esmonde Rd on-ramp on to the Northern Motorway heading south toward…
Tag Archives: oceania
Blake Ferguson arrested in Japan for suspected drug possession
Former NRL player Blake Ferguson has been arrested in Japan on suspicion of drug possession after allegedly punching a man in a restaurant.
Ferguson travelled to Japan after being contracted by the Japanese rugby union team the NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu.
The team issued a statement confirming the 31-year-old's arrest in Tokyo on December 30.
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"Blake Ferguson, a contract player belonging to NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu, was arrested on December 30 on suspicion of possessing illegal drugs," the club said in a statement.
"We deeply apologise for causing a great deal of concern and inconvenience to everyone involved.
"Our team fully cooperates with the police investigation and strives to understand the situation."
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Local media reports Ferguson was searched by police after allegedly assaulting another patron in the Tokyo district of Roppongi.
Police allegedly found cocaine.
Biggest technology releases of 2021
There's no denying we all spent a lot of time at home in 2021. But all that time in our own little bubbles got us thinking, how can we make those bubbles bigger and more enjoyable whilst "trapped"?
Manukau Velodrome homicide: No arrests made yet after New Year's Day death
No arrests have yet been made but police now have more information on the circumstances leading to the death of a 21-year-old man at Middlemore Hospital on New Year’s Day, resulting in the first major homicide investigation of the…
Covid-19: 105 cases over two days, no Omicron in community, two deaths
The first Covid-19 update of the new year have been released – there are 105 community cases from the past two days.There are two new Omicron cases at the border, taking the total number of Omicron border cases to 90 so far. There…
Motorcyclist killed in crash in Kaipara, Northland
By RNZ A motorcyclist has been killed in a crash in Northland overnight.Emergency services were called to State Highway 12 in Kaihū, in the Kaipara District, shortly before 12.30am after reports of a crash.The male rider…
Summer swelter: Another scorching day across the country, heat alert issued for Blenheim
Those hoping to escape the heat will find it hard to do today with most of the country expecting hot, dry conditions. MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane said most places will experience above average temperatures,…
Resident concerned Kaimaumau fire may burn for months
By RNZ A Far North resident says people have started to learn to live with the large fire that has been burning peat and vegetation for more than two weeks.It has covered almost 2400 hectares.Tony Johnstone lives about 30…
How a small wellness company earned $482,000 in a month
A Netflix documentary has boosted sales at a small Melbourne wellness company.
Following the release of the film Fantastic Fungi, Forest Super Foods earned sales of $482,000 in August this year.
While the company was not singled out in the documentary, the increase in sales occurred because its rare mushrooms are one of the only Australian-grown and organic options on the global market.
Founder Justin Snyder, who started the business in 2012, has reflected on the increase in sales:
At the start of the pandemic, we saw a gradual increase as people began to care about their health.
But after the premiere of the Fantastic Fungi documentary in August, our sales increased by over 600 per cent from the previous year.
I didn't even know it came out.
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I went to sleep one night, woke up the next morning and there were thousands of orders.
At the beginning when the orders came through, I didn't know what was going on.
We luckily had the systems in place already, where we could process orders reasonably quickly.
I had two part-time staff in July and we managed to do it with the three of us throughout August.
Sometimes we'd do 14-hour days and 16-hour days.
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We literally had to work night and day for the whole month in order to keep up with demand.
After a while, looking through the emails, there were a couple that said: "I saw the documentary on Netflix."
We weren't mentioned at all by name.
But the reason it had such a large impact is that other providers sell imported mushrooms.
I've always thought that the way to differentiate from competitors was to sell the best quality I could sell.
That often translates to the Australian-grown stuff, even though it's often much more expensive.
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That really helps to grow sales.
It's crazy that we were able to sell almost $500,000 worth of stock in August 2021, considering I'm the only full-time worker and I'm supported by two part-time staff.
But it was really exciting.
It's been a steady climb over the last couple of years.
I think part of it was that people were at home so they had more time to research.
People were more concerned with their health.
There's this amazing quote that says: "Timing, perseverance and 10 years of trying will make you look like an overnight success."
And that's exactly what it was – it was 10 years of sticking with it.
Advice from my grandfather
When I was growing up, my grandfather had two jewellery stores in Coburg on Sydney Road.
I spent my weekends working there.
I think I was six when I started selling watches to every customer that came in and I loved it.
He always had plenty of customers, even during recessions and downturns.
He always said to me "if you just look after people, you will always have customers".
"If you do the best you can by your customers, they'll be loyal to you, they'll keep coming back and they'll tell other people."
I've applied that advice to online business because online business is so much more disconnected from the customer than you are in a store.
But you still have plenty of opportunities to hear from customers, to interact with customers and to try and give them the best possible experience.
Methven hot air balloon accident: Pilot saved but seriously injured after being tangled in rope
A newly-engaged hot air balloon pilot who got a rope wrapped around his neck while landing after a New Year’s Day scenic flight was saved by quick-thinking passengers. The accident happened just after 9am today about 8km from Methven,…