Preview

The overall top three reasons given in support of the reopening of the borders were: to help with New Zealand's economic recovery (51%), getting back to normality (43%) and relieving a skills shortage (41%). These were also the top reasons given amongst the respondents stating 'the timing is right' and feeling that the borders 'should have been fully reopened already'. However those respondents who considered it too early to fully reopen were more likely to indicate it could result in an increase in the number of Covid cases and our health system may not be able to cope (72%) and put vulnerable people at even greater risk of getting Covid (72%).

Innovative Young Minds Residential Sponsorship 2022.

Research New Zealand is again sponsoring a college student - Antonio Gibbs - to attend this exciting 6-day programme that explores career and research opportunities available in science and technology. Based on the recent online programme, the residential week looks to be an excellent array of speakers and experiences, across a range of New Zealand.
Antonio attends Wellington Girls College and is passionate about the role of science and technology in improving agricultural practices in New Zealand. We'll have a full profile in the next NewZ issue.

Managing director Emanuel Kalafatelis is a hard man to pin down as he is still very much a hands-on researcher, having direct input into most projects. Emanuel's time and expertise is also focussed on the management of our company, with the ethos of researching New Zealand and New Zealanders.
His experience dates back to 1977 with the Heylen Research Centre, followed by his becoming Director of BRC Marketing & Social Research in 1992, which eventually became Research New Zealand.
Emanuel has initiated major projects on New Zealanders' views about sustainability, climate change and New Zealand's national identity, and in 2021 about how New Zealanders were coping with the COVID-19 lockdown. We quizzed him about these projects, as well as the usual questions (which invariably include chocolate as an answer).

What is your biggest personal achievement to date? To have established and run the largest and most well-established research company in Wellington for the last 25 years+.
What are your biggest professional achievements to date? There are many, but I'm particularly proud of the work that we did for Trust Bank when it was in the process of merging with Westpac. Our focus at the time was on the emotional and psychological hurt that that business decision made on many loyal Trust Bank customers. Many subsequently voted with their feet.

What is the most interesting project you have worked on? Again there are many and it would be unfair to single anyone on them out! However, some of the work we have done for Mountain Safety Council is up there because we know and can see that that work makes a real difference (literally) to the lives of New Zealanders. Also the work that we have done in the field of gender equality and let's not forget a number of firsts, such as the first-ever Census of the Public Service.

What are your biggest professional challenges? As an independent homegrown research company one of our biggest challenges is competing against the well-resourced international companies. However, I think we have done extremely well and punch well above our weight. Much of that credit goes to our staff members.

What is on your wish list for the next five years at Research New Zealand? Change is a constant thing in our line of business, given the evolving nature of our client base. So, some degree of stability would be a great thing because then we could focus on our mahi.

If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor? Ian Brown, who was one of the founding partners in the Heylen Research Centre (the company I started working for when I graduated from university). That was in the 1980s.

Why? Ian was a perceptive individual who's end goal was always on the decisions the client needed to make.

Given a chance, who would you like to be for a day? I've really got no idea, but it definitely would not be a politician or someone of royalty. Probably a doctor or someone else in the community field who's dealing with and helping people in need.

What do you like most about your job? Helping clients make evidence-based decisions.

What's your favourite line from a film? I don't really have a favourite film, but I'm reading a book at the moment about a young volunteer who went to Uganda and worked in an orphanage school. Obviously that was a heart-rending experience. One of the lines in that book has stuck in my mind: “You can't do everything, but you can do something”. That's a reference to her wanting to help every child she met. In my case, it means keep everything in perspective and have realistic and pragmatic goals.

What is your guilty pleasure? Milk chocolate.

Fomai Savea is responsible for procuring and managing all of our IT and telephony infrastructure and software. He also manages the security of our respondent samples and our research data. The success of this is evidenced by the very recent successful result in the security penetration test, an annual external evaluation of our security vulnerabilities and weaknesses. "While keeping abreast of ever-changing security threats is a daily challenge, it's great to get a detailed annual check-up to ensure we're on track."

What gets you out of bed in the morning? Three Little Birds, pitch by my door step, singing sweet songs, of melodies pure and true...

If you could be someone else for a day, who would you be? Elon Musk.

What's your favourite quote from a film or a book or someone you admire? "In complete darkness we are all the same, it is only our knowledge and wisdom that separates us, don't let your eyes deceive you" - Janet Jackson.

What's your guilty pleasure, something you like but shouldn't? Whittaker's Chocolate.