Ni Sa Bula Vinaka and happy Fijian Language week! We hope you are enjoying events across Aotearoa that celebrate and showcase the Fijian culture and traditions. In this newsletter:

• Have you got your tickets to the Awards night?

• Registrations of Interest open for the Pacific Building Affordable Homes Fund

• Hardknocks 16 & Tank Academy present Corporate Boxing Fight Night

• Meet our Pasifika businesses

• VSA Presents: Ngā reo o VSA - Voices of VSA Christchurch

• Still time to vote in local elections

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Have you got your tickets to the Awards night? Thank you to everyone who entered the 2022 Pacific Business Awards.

We have seen the largest number of entries into the awards ever and couldn’t be more delighted. The judges are now reviewing the entries and there are some very exciting entries, we can’t wait to share when the finalists are announced.

Tickets are now on sale for the Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner, which will be held next month in November! The awards night is a great evening for our Pacific business aiga to come together and celebrate our talented Pasifika entrepreneurs and businesses.

Make sure to get on line and buy your tickets now. Get individual tickets or buy a table for ten people and take the team.

Date: Friday 11 November 2022 Venue: Due Drop Events Centre (formally Vodafone Events Centre) Time: From 6.00pm Dress: Formal Tickets: $140 per person which includes the awards, entertainment, a plated three-course dinner, and beverages throughout the evening. Tables for 10, $1,400.

Purchase your tickets from Eventfinda now.

Any queries please contact Malia Latu, events@pacificbusiness.co.nz or phone 0800 287 7526.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Registrations of Interest open for the Pacific Building Affordable Homes Fund

Do you have experience in housing development and a desire to meet the housing needs of Pacific families? Can you start to build a minimum of five homes within 12 months? If yes, have a look at the Pacific Building Affordable Homes Fund recently launched by the Ministry for Pacific Peoples who are looking for innovative ways to create affordable homes for Pacific families. For both Pacific organisations and non-Pacific organisations where it would be great if you partnered with someone from the Pacific community.

Watch this video on Facebook from Minister for Pacific Peoples, Hon Aupito William Sio who shares the purpose of the fund and the importance of improving our wellbeing of our families and communities by having more aiga to have safe, warm housing.

Applications close soon, on 19 October, get ahead and apply now.

Hardknocks 16 & Tank Academy present Corporate Boxing Fight Night

With a fight card of corporate boxers lined up, Hardknocks and the Tank Academy invite you to an action packed night on Friday 21 October. After months of training and overcoming personal, physical and mental challenges these boxers will complete their journey and enter the ring. VIP tables and GA tickets available.

Event details are:

Date: Friday 21 October 2022 Venue: Otahuhu Pool & Leisure Centre, 30 Mason Avenue, Otahuhu Time: From 6.00pm

Call Tank Academy to book on 022 359 8236.

Meet our Pasifika businesses

Mana Pacific Consultants (Click to watch full interview)

Dr Tracie Mafile’o and Taupo Taane have seen first-hand how difficult it can be to get equipment into the Pacific Islands. This wife and husband team have combined their 40-years of experience to create Mana Pacific Consultants.

Providing end-to-end procurement services and consulting services they take the big picture approach and weave in the Pacific way to provide the right solution and approach when helping their clients. Whether it’s a Government department, business or an individual, they offer ideas and the business connections to help get the best possible result. Learn more here.

The Tank Academy (Click to watch full interview)

Meet boxing legend Frank “The Tank” Masoe who is the founder of Tank Academy. Frank represented Samoa in the 2018 Commonwealth Games as a heavyweight boxer and is two time NZ heavyweight Champion. He created the Tank Academy 18 months ago and provides coaching and training through to mentoring and boxing events such as the corporate boxing event on 21 October with Hardknocks.

As a boxing development coach, Frank offers one-on-one training and groups for when people want to train together such as youth sports teams, church groups, families and friends. He’s seen how boxing as a sport can bring out the best in people from building self-confidence and mental health. For your training session private message Frank on Tank Academy on Instagram @_tankacademy or call 022 359 8236.

VSA Presents: Ngā reo o VSA - Voices of VSA Christchurch

Volunteer Service Abroad is proud to announce the next event in a series of free national events called "Ngā reo o VSA - Voices of VSA". Each event will be a discussion of a specific topic or location within countries VSA operates out of, with speakers ranging from VSA volunteers and program managers to relevant dignitaries from local and international communities. VSA invites you to attend the third in this series of events, at 5.00pm Thursday October 27th at the University Canterbury Rehua Building, Ilam Road, Christchuch in Room 226 'Moana Room'. The topic of this event will centre around "Ko ngā mahi whakauka - Conservation and Sustainability throughout the Pacific" Tickets are limited and bookings are essential so make sure to reserve your spot through EventFinda today. Book Here Doors open: 5.00pm Speakers from: 5.30pm - 7.30pm

There will be time allocated for a small Q&A at the end of each presentation.

The speakers for this event are:

Chris Williamson - Chris is a retired university lecturer who saw an opportunity to continue to share his knowledge by e-volunteering as a Renewable Energy Adviser during 2020/2021. Chris worked with a number of Pacific countries to identify and assess the possibilities of harnessing bio-gas for large-scale electricity generation and helped create policies to ensure sustainable production for years to come. 

Timothy Jones - Tim has just finished his assignment volunteering as a Digital Librarian in the Cook Islands, where he helped to preserve local stories and knowledge, ensuring they would be available for future generations to enjoy. He also helped to create a sustainable archive collection to be developed and maintained after his assignment finished. Tim has previously volunteered as a Culture Centre Oral Historian in Bougainville in 2017 so is no stranger to the importance of preserving local stories and knowledge.

Chris Williamson - Chris is a retired university lecturer who saw an opportunity to continue to share his knowledge by e-volunteering as a Renewable Energy Adviser during 2020/2021. Chris worked with a number of Pacific countries to identify and assess the possibilities of harnessing bio-gas for large-scale electricity generation and helped create policies to ensure sustainable production for years to come. 

Timothy Jones - Tim has just finished his assignment volunteering as a Digital Librarian in the Cook Islands, where he helped to preserve local stories and knowledge, ensuring they would be available for future generations to enjoy. He also helped to create a sustainable archive collection to be developed and maintained after his assignment finished. Tim has previously volunteered as a Culture Centre Oral Historian in Bougainville in 2017 so is no stranger to the importance of preserving local stories and knowledge.

Still time to vote in the Auckland local elections – closes midday this Saturday

There’s still time to vote in the Auckland local elections even though mailing votes have been cut off.

Fill in your voting forms today and drop them to a voting box in your area available the across the Tāmaki Makaurau region.

Click here to find where the nearest voting box to where you live.

You will need to return your vote before 12 noon on election day, Saturday 8 October 2022.