Dr Wendy Sweet (PhD), founder of My Menopause Transformation (MyMT™), is celebrating a significant milestone: 10 years of supporting more than 20,000 women through menopause and beyond.

What began as a personal mission to understand her own menopause symptoms has evolved into a globally recognised education and coaching platform helping women take control of their health during one of life's most challenging transitions.

A former ICU nurse, exercise specialist, university lecturer and healthy ageing researcher, Wendy founded MyMT™ after becoming frustrated by the lack of practical, evidence-based lifestyle solutions available to women experiencing menopause symptoms. 

“One day, after purchasing yet another supplement from a young saleswoman, who had no idea what I was going through, and knowing that my blood pressure and cholesterol were climbing, despite being on HRT, I had had enough!

It was my ‘lightbulb’ moment. Drawing on my many years of teaching exercise physiology at the University of Waikato, I realised that nobody was taking a ‘whole-body’ approach to menopause symptoms. Furthermore, with menopause management framed within the medical and pharmaceutical paradigms, I also realised that I hadn’t heard anyone talking about lifestyle science solutions”, she explains. 

“That’s when  knew I had to use my physiology and healthy ageing knowledge and experience, not only as a former nurse, but also as a leading exercise specialist in New Zealand and University Lecturer, to figure out how to turn around menopause symptoms and my health, so I could ‘age-well’.”

That’s how MyMT™ was established. Since then, Wendy has worked with women across New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the United States, Europe and beyond, helping them better understand the relationship between menopause symptoms, healthy ageing, inflammation, nutrition, exercise and lifestyle habits.

Drawing on insights gained from supporting more than 20,000 women, she says the biggest lesson has been that many women feel unheard and unsupported during menopause.

"Women often arrive feeling exhausted, confused and frustrated. They've tried multiple solutions, but nobody has connected the dots. What we've learned is that symptoms rarely exist in isolation. Sleep, weight gain, inflammation, energy, mood and overall health are all interconnected."

Wendy believes the conversation must move beyond symptom management alone and focus on healthy ageing.

"Menopause isn't just a phase we get through. It's a biological transition that influences how we age for decades to come. Women deserve access to education that helps them understand not only what's happening now, but how to protect their future health, particularly their cardiovascular health - afterall, heart disease remains the number one health risk for women as they transition from menopause to post-menopause."

As MyMT™ enters its second decade, Wendy remains committed to its mission of empowering women with practical, science-backed knowledge and a supportive community.

To mark the milestone, she has released 10 Years, 10 Lessons, sharing the key insights gained from supporting more than 20,000 women through menopause and beyond. 

For more information, visit www.mymenopausetransformation.com

Managing Director Brendon Kinnaird says rope access is still underused across the region, and building owners are often surprised by what it can reach

Hamilton: A team from Connect Access has spent more than two years working on the exterior of the Centre Place building on Ward Street, the future Pullman Hotel, painting it, carrying out demolition, installing anchor rail systems and lowering heavy sections of pipe down the face of the building without a crane or scaffold in sight. Most people walking below never notice.

That invisibility is the point. Connect Access uses rope access, or industrial abseiling, to reach and maintain the exterior of commercial buildings, industrial sites and infrastructure across Hamilton, Auckland and the wider Waikato.

From danger money to a career at height

Managing Director Brendon Kinnaird got into the trade almost by accident. He started noticing industrial abseilers working on buildings around the city and assumed the job paid danger money. It didn't. "I found out that there's not actually any danger money. It's because it's not actually a dangerous job," he says. The realisation didn't put him off. He talked his way into a role at Hamilton firm New Zealand Industrial Abseilers with no qualifications and only recreational abseiling experience, and was trained on the job straight out of school.

A career followed that took him well beyond Hamilton. He worked through New Zealand, across to Australia, and onto oil rigs, offshore platforms and fly-in fly-out iron ore mining in the Western Australian desert, supervising welders and confined space work. The safety culture he absorbed in oil and gas came home with him when he returned in 2017.

Built from a laptop at the end of the bed

Connect Access started at the beginning of COVID, when the thin Hamilton job market for someone with Kinnaird's project management experience pushed the decision into focus. "I had no other options really," he says. He began with a laptop at a desk at the end of his bed, cold-calling building managers and trying to build trust with people who already had contractors they trusted.

To stay afloat, he took on residential roof painting. "That would provide me with enough cash flow to continue to call," he says. For a couple of years it went that way, a month of roof painting, then an abseil job, until the abseil work became weekly. It took two years to hire his first full-time employee, a team leader who is still with him.

Beyond building washing

The company's core work now includes building washing, joint seal replacements, leak detection and repairs, high-rise painting, birdproofing and general height maintenance. Kinnaird argues rope access remains underused across the region. "A lot of people just don't know to use rope access as an option," he says. "Save yourself the hassle of having a massive scaffold up on the side of your building. There's another way. And we're not just limited to building washing. That's just the start of what we can do."

Safety as the standard

Connect Access works to IRATA certification, the internationally recognised gold standard for rope access, and is IMPAC Prequal and Tōtika assessed, with approved installer status for Kattsafe and Rothoblaas height safety systems. The qualification runs across three levels, with a Level 3 supervisor able to run a full team over the side of a building without needing to be on the ropes.

Kinnaird credits the oil and gas sector for the company's safety culture and runs an open-door approach on site: report issues, don't hide them. His advice to anyone choosing a provider is to ask for site-specific paperwork up front. "Safety analysis, risk assessments, rescue plans. If they can provide that quickly, then it means it's already in place."

The report comes before the invoice

One feature tends to surprise new clients: a full photographic completion report supplied after every job, before the invoice. "Because we're abseiling, no one can see what we're doing," Kinnaird says. The report shows the preparation, process and outcome in sequence, and gives property managers running 50 or 60 buildings a record they can't easily capture themselves.

His aim is for Connect Access to become a full-service building maintenance company covering every exterior trade, top to bottom, established in both Hamilton and Auckland. "They would be surprised at what they think is difficult to be done on a rope," he says. "The capabilities of our teams are much higher than what people expect."

Read the full interview with Brendon Kinnaird on the Connect Access website.

About Connect Access

Connect Access is a Hamilton-based rope access and building maintenance company providing exterior building services across Hamilton, Auckland, the Waikato, Tauranga and Rotorua. The company is IRATA certified, IMPAC Prequal and Tōtika assessed, and an approved installer for Kattsafe and Rothoblaas height safety systems. For more information, visit connectaccess.co.nz or call 027 457 1077.

Contact: Connect Access, 027 457 1077
brendon@connectaccess.co.nz

A recent chemical incident at a New Zealand secondary school has prompted an increase in enquiries from schools seeking advice on laboratory chemical disposal and hazardous substance management.

The school closed for the remainder of the day after staff discovered what was described as an unstable chemical in a science laboratory. Emergency services attended, and specialist assistance was required to safely assess and remove the substance.

Hazchem Services says the incident is a timely reminder of the risks associated with ageing, unidentified, or improperly stored chemicals.

"Schools can accumulate chemicals over many years," says Matt Goddard, Managing Director of Hazchem Services.

"Some substances deteriorate over time, become unstable, lose their labels, or remain in storage long after they are no longer required. These situations can create significant safety risks if they aren't identified and managed properly."

With school holidays approaching, Hazchem says many schools are choosing to schedule chemical audits and laboratory clear-outs while students are not on site.

"School holidays provide an ideal opportunity to review chemical stores, remove unwanted substances, and ensure laboratories remain safe and compliant before the next term begins," says Goddard.

Schools considering a chemical assessment or laboratory clear-out are encouraged to plan ahead to secure preferred scheduling. 

Finance:.   NZ dollar eased again over the week & remains a very weak currency.   Brent Crude are falling as the oil tankers leave the gulf. The current price is $72.49/barrel & we should see some further drops in fuel prices at the pumps.

Wool:  The wool prices continue to firm with optimism in the coarse wools.

Beef, Sheep & Venison schedules: The meat schedules remain strong.  All meat schedules remain firm as demand continues to grow for red meats internationally.

Dairy Prices.  The Pulse Auction is indicating a further easing in prices for the upcoming g/DT auction.  The weakening dollar will continue to underpin the current dairy prices as the dairy prices ease.

I have seen a lot of thin cows as I have driven around the countryside over the last 2-weeks.  It is difficult to put the condition on in the short time before spring calving starts.  Maize silage and other high carbohydrate feeds will help and a multi-mineral injection can assist.  The cow condition at calving will affect the cows ability to produce through the season.

Quote: “‎There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.”

Need Help. If at any time you just want to talk & need someone to talk to, just call - Male Support Services (Waikato) 0800-677-289,  or Rural Support Trust 0800-787-245.  Crisis TXT – HELP (4357).  A shared problem can be a problem solved!!

Jim’s Weekly Rant:

This is the first time in many years that the “farming gods” have all been smiling at the same time and remember it is partly due to our very weak dollar!!.  Wool is at sustainable levels, beef prices are continuing to rise and sheep meat demand is increasing while dairy prices remain firm.  All farming activities are considered to be profitable, which is great news for the farmers and the rural economy.  Around 85% of all of New Zealand’s export wealth is generated by the rural sector so the profits from agriculture become important for everyone, especially for the government heading into the general election.  With good returns there becomes an obligation on the farmer to act carefully and with caution.  The next month or two is a time to do some real planning and reset your wants, needs and objectives so you don’t get to the end of the few golden years and wonder what happened to the profits.  Some of the major considerations must include debt reduction, updating old or obsolete plant and equipment, off farm investments, and internal restructuring to facilitate succession planning. The creation of some new property titles might be a prudent investment to help future proof the capital. There are temptations to buy the better beach-house or new motor vehicles, or even build that dream home on the farm that might overcapitalize the farm and make a sale or transfer to a family member impossible or even invest in some of the “wearables” that are fashionable. It is important to have a formal business meeting to discuss the plan and ensure everyone is on board. If it involves the family, have them attend the meeting.   Keep some minutes and write down the plans and proposals so they become understood and embedded in the minds of all involved in the business.  It might be prudent to have an independent person chair the meeting to ensure all involved in the business have an equal opportunity to input ideas and enter into the discussion.  With the average age of farmers increasing, I am of the opinion that reviewing the succession plan should also be a priority at this time and that might involve the whole family with equity and fairness being paramount.  Wills should also be reviewed and if there are to be disproportionate distributions, a document with a list of wishes should be discussed and attached to the will.  The changes that might occur in the business over the “golden” period will impact on many parts of the business and if the planning is done well the whole family can benefit.  The transferring of property into new entities or titles must comply with the law and if the property is sold within the “Bight-line” period there will be tax to pay.   If there is no planning, the profits will soon be squandered and everyone left wondering when times get tough again, because they will!!! Please don’t ask Chloe Swarbrick to do your budgets as her attempt at budgeting has been woeful.  And just remember that money and its distribution is the cause of many family and business bust-ups, but communication discussion and involvement can keep assets intact and families together. 

Wellington is a unique and challenging rental market. With its character-filled older housing stock, distinct local climate, and strict compliance rules, managing a capital city investment requires more than a one-size-fits-all approach. For landlords, making the wrong choice can be incredibly costly.

Our latest guide breaks down exactly what Wellington property owners should look for when selecting a property manager—and how to spot the red flags before you sign.

• Master Local Market Dynamics: Understand the unique factors shaping Wellington rentals right now, from public sector shifts and changing tenant pools to suburb-specific rental trends.
• Lock In Compliance Peace of Mind: Learn why 100% adherence to Healthy Homes Standards is non-negotiable under current law, and how to verify that your property manager has foolproof systems to protect you from heavy fines.
• Demand Reporting Transparency: Discover what a high-quality, honest inspection report should look like, ensuring you get real insights and photos rather than vague, automated updates.
• Unpack the True Cost of Fees: Find out how to look past a basic headline management percentage to get a fully transparent, itemised breakdown, preventing unexpected add-ons down the line.

Ready to confidently choose a property manager who truly understands Wellington’s unique property landscape?

Read the full guide here: How to Choose a Property Management Company in Wellington

When the winter chill sets in, keeping your home warm shouldn’t mean watching your power bills skyrocket. Whether you own your home or manage a rental property, choosing the right combination of heating, insulation, and daily habits makes all the difference to your comfort, health, and running costs.

Our latest article breaks down the most effective strategies to trap the heat and keep the cold out this season.

• Choose the Right Heating: Compare the efficiency of heat pumps, wood pellet burners, and standard electric heaters to find the best match for your space and budget.
• Master the Thermostat: Discover the optimal temperature range recommended by EECA to strike the perfect balance between a cozy home and lower energy costs.
• Stop Sneaky Draughts: Learn simple, practical ways to use curtains, draught excluders, and soft furnishings to lock in the heat you’ve already paid for.
• Manage Moisture Efficiently: Understand why quick, daily ventilation is actually a secret weapon for keeping your home warmer and healthier all winter long.

Ready to create a healthier, more energy-efficient environment without breaking the bank?

Read the full article here: Energy-Efficient Ways to Keep Your Home Warm This Winter

Winter in Auckland might be mild, but the damp conditions and cooler temperatures bring unique challenges for landlords. Ensuring your rental property is warm, dry, and well-maintained isn't just about keeping tenants happy—it’s about safeguarding your asset and meeting year-round legal requirements.

Our latest guide breaks down the essential steps every Auckland landlord should take before the cold weather sets in.

• Understand Year-Round Compliance: Learn why the Healthy Homes Standards aren’t seasonal and what you need to check—from heating and insulation to ventilation and draught stopping—to stay fully compliant.
• Beat the Winter Rush: Discover why timing is everything when scheduling essential maintenance like heat pump servicing and gutter clearing, and how booking early saves you time and money.
• Tackle the Biggest Risks: Identify the primary causes of winter moisture and condensation, and find out how proactive maintenance prevents costly mould remediation down the track.
• Conduct Smart Winter Inspections: Get a practical checklist of what to look for during your seasonal property walkthroughs, from checking exterior seals to verifying working smoke alarms.

Want to ensure your investment property is fully protected and performing at its best this winter?

Read the full article here: How to Prepare Your Auckland Rental Property for Winter

With the 1 July 2025 deadline now firmly in the rearview mirror, full compliance with New Zealand’s Healthy Homes Standards is no longer a goal—it’s the legal baseline for every private rental property. Among these rules, ventilation plays a massive role in protecting both your investment and your tenants' well-being.

Our latest guide breaks down what you need to look out for to ensure your rental property remains on the right side of the law.

• Know the Rules: Discover the strict legal benchmarks for habitable rooms, including the exact openable window ratios required to meet compliance.
• Target Moisture Hotspots: Learn why standard recirculating rangehoods fall short and how kitchen and bathroom extractor fans must be specifically ducted to prevent costly moisture and mould damage.
• Balance the Responsibility: Understand how a dry, healthy home relies on a shared approach, from the structural fixtures landlords must legally provide, to the daily habits tenants can adopt to keep condensation at bay.
• Protect Your Investment: See how staying proactive on ventilation requirements shields you from steep Tenancy Tribunal fines while preserving the long-term value of your property.

Ready to ensure your rental meets the standard and breathes easy?

Read the full article here: Rental Property Ventilation: Healthy Homes Guide

Choosing the right property management team is one of the most critical decisions an Auckland landlord can make. With shifting compliance requirements, changing rental dynamics, and varying service models, you need a partner who protects your asset while maximising its potential.

Our comprehensive 2026 guide breaks down the essential criteria every investor should prioritise when vetting a property manager.

• Ask the Hard Questions: Learn how to look past surface-level promises and evaluate the operational realities that matter, from daily workflows to emergency backup cover.
• Master Compliance: Discover why up-to-the-minute expertise on Healthy Homes Standards and the Residential Tenancies Act is non-negotiable for safeguarding your investment.
• Demand Transparency: Find out how real-time landlord portals and proactive reporting save you stress and keep you fully informed without having to chase for answers.
• Leverage Local Knowledge: Understand why deep, suburb-level experience across Auckland’s unique market cycles is the ultimate competitive advantage for local landlords.

Ready to cut through the noise and find a management partner you can truly rely on?

Read the full 2026 guide here: How to Choose a Property Management Company in Auckland

Auckland, New Zealand – 29.06.2026 – WRNZ has completed a commercial ACM façade refurbishment project in Rosedale, Auckland, highlighting a growing shift among property owners toward restoring ageing building exteriors instead of pursuing full replacement.

The project involved refurbishing an existing ACM façade system that had begun showing visible signs of coating deterioration, fading, and environmental wear. Rather than replacing the entire façade system, WRNZ delivered a tailored restoration and refinishing solution designed to improve the building’s appearance while extending the lifespan of the existing surfaces.

According to Ben Ravenhall, General Manager of WRNZ, more commercial property owners are exploring refurbishment options as replacement costs continue to rise and long-term asset management becomes a greater focus across the property sector.

“Many ACM façade systems remain structurally sound even when the exterior coatings have significantly deteriorated,” says Ravenhall.

“In a lot of cases, restoration and refinishing can provide a highly effective alternative to full replacement. It allows building owners to refresh the appearance of their property, extend the life of the existing façade, and avoid unnecessary replacement costs and disruption.”

The Rosedale project included detailed surface preparation, façade restoration, protective coating application, and colour consistency restoration across the exterior of the building.

WRNZ says each refurbishment project requires a tailored approach depending on the age, condition, and environmental exposure of the façade system.

“Every building deteriorates differently,” says Ravenhall. “Factors like UV exposure, moisture, salt air, pollution, and previous coating performance all affect how ACM systems age over time. That’s why surface preparation and selecting the right coating system are critical for long-term performance.”

Commercial façade refurbishment is becoming increasingly important throughout Auckland and other parts of New Zealand, particularly for ageing office buildings, industrial properties, apartment developments, and retail centres exposed to harsh environmental conditions.

WRNZ believes the industry is seeing growing demand for restoration-focused solutions as building owners look for ways to improve presentation, protect existing assets, and reduce lifecycle costs.

“There’s also a strong sustainability angle,” Ravenhall says. “If an existing façade system can be professionally restored rather than removed and replaced, that reduces material waste and helps extend the useful life of the building envelope.”

The completed Rosedale refurbishment significantly improved the visual consistency and presentation of the building while preserving the existing ACM system underneath.

WRNZ specialises in aluminium joinery restoration, façade refurbishment, remedial coating systems, and commercial refinishing services across New Zealand. The company works with commercial property owners, facility managers, body corporates, and construction professionals to restore ageing aluminium and façade systems through tailored refurbishment solutions.

As more building owners prioritise maintenance planning and long-term asset protection, WRNZ expects demand for façade restoration and refinishing services to continue growing.

When choosing a property management company in Auckland, landlords usually find themselves torn between two choices: an established company with large teams and structured systems, or a smaller boutique operator offering a highly personal approach.

While both have their merits, they are built differently, operate differently, and carry vastly different structural risks. Our latest article breaks down what each operator genuinely does well, where they fall short, and the critical questions you should ask before locking yourself into a 12-month contract.

• Spot the Vulnerabilities: Understand why relying on a single boutique operator creates a "single point of failure" if they get sick, take leave, or suddenly exit the business.
• Compare the True Costs: Discover how a larger company’s buying power translates to lower maintenance costs and vetted contractor networks, whereas smaller operators often lack that leverage.
• Evaluate the Infrastructure: Learn how institutional stability, dedicated compliance processes, and 24/7 tech portals protect your asset during crises (like the 2023 Auckland floods) when independent operators get overwhelmed.
• Identify Your Match: Find out which type of landlord you are and whether your specific portfolio demands a highly flexible, informal setup or the structural protection of an experienced, scaled team.

Before making a decision that could impact your rental income and asset security, make sure you know exactly what happens behind the scenes when things go wrong.

Read the full article here: Large vs Boutique Property Management Companies in Auckland