October-December 2015 News from Heartland Bank Heartland Bank offers new business support An objective look at the ECONOMY Indulge in Chelsea’s fudgey chocolate truffles Planning for all three stages of retirement See inside for this and more Looking positive What’s inside? News O ne thing that is topical for many Heartland customers is interest rates. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand has cut the Official Cash Rate three times since the beginning of June and, unfortunately for our depositors, the market is predicting that rates will remain low for longer. I feel that sometimes the media is more pessimistic about the economy than realistic, maybe it sells more papers; however, in my view the negative influence of recent economic commentary poses the risk of an overreaction by businesses and consumers alike. In his economic outlook article on page 4, Heartland Treasurer Mark De Ree highlights that, while economic indicators have deteriorated, New Zealand’s economic fundamentals remain sound. In fact, relative to many of our peers, our performance has been strong and this is expected to continue. Heartland Bank offers “outstanding value” and “rising star” products 02 Strong results for Heartland New Zealand Limited 02 Heartland Bank launches ‘Open for Business’ 02 Features Heartland itself continues to perform well, with our parent company, NZX-listed Heartland New Zealand Limited, producing a record profit for the year ended 30 June 2015. You can read more details about this on page 2. Heartland is proud to be a different kind of bank – it’s why we are “New Zealand’s specialist bank”. We try and demonstrate this difference in a number of ways – our products, our people and our service. In September, we launched a new site for small-to-medium sized enterprises openforbusiness.co.nz. ‘Open for Business’ takes some of the hassle out of business finance, while still applying a robust and prudent credit approach. We have more information about Open for Business on page 2. If you are like me and love finding out inspiring and interesting stories about New Zealanders, you will really enjoy reading about Nancy Wake (The White Mouse), who was, at one stage, the Gestapo’s most-wanted person during World War II. It’s a fascinating story and her bravery is a trait I’m sure many of us could aspire to. We also have two popular regular features in this edition of the Heartlander – you can order your 2016 pocket diary and we have a great Christmas recipe from 2012 Masterchef champion and former Heartlander Chelsea Winter. Home Equity Loans help seniors to fund the lifestyle they want 03 Economic outlook sees both sides 04 Readying Kiwis for the three phases of retirement 05 Find out about Kiwi heroine Nancy Wake who was one of the Allies’ most decorated servicewomen 06 I hope you enjoy the read. As always, I welcome any feedback and thank you for your continued support. Keep up the Christmas spirit all year round with Chelsea Winter’s chocolate truffles Andrew Ford National Manager Retail • Great Rate • No Fees • No Term • No Strings 1 3 60 07 Interest paid monthly. Interest rate subject to change. Maximum balance $5m. Open for business Heartland Bank supporting New Zealanders’ entrepreneurial endeavours N ew Zealanders are known for their entrepreneurial attitudes and the numbers substantiate the story – there are 460,000 small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the country and they employ one in three New Zealand workers. Heartland, who has a long history of supporting SMEs, is passionate about helping the backbone of the New Zealand economy take their businesses to the next level. With that in mind, Heartland is excited to announce the launch of openforbusiness.co.nz, its online lending site for SMEs. Home Truths Little-known facts about NZ The Te Waikoropupu Springs in Golden Bay push out 14,000 litres of water per second – over a day, that’s enough to fill nearly 3.5 million bath tubs!! SMEs make up about 97 percent of businesses in the country and contribute a third of New Zealand’s gross domestic product. They are represented in every industry in the country and Heartland is pleased to support them with an online loan option. ‘Open for Business’ is a quick and simple option – it allows a business to complete a straightforward online application form in minutes, and to expect a decision in days. No more waiting for an appointment, endless form filling and drawn-out decision making. Heartland Bank is delighted by the response received to its advertising campaign, with applications exceeding expectations. If you would like to know more, visit openforbusiness.co.nz and experience the Heartland difference. Strong results for Heartland New Zealand Limited H eartland Bank’s parent company, Heartland New Zealand Limited (Heartland New Zealand), recently announced its annual results for the year ended 30 June 2015. Heartland New Zealand Managing Director, Jeff Greenslade, says the financial year had been one of “strong asset growth, increased profitability and the achievement of key milestones”. Heartland New Zealand achieved a net profit after tax (NPAT) of $48.2m for year ended 30 June 2015 , an increase of 34% from the previous financial year. In addition to a strong financial performance, Heartland New Zealand’s strategy and business position was endorsed through an upgrade (in October 2014) to the credit rating for Heartland Bank to BBB (Outlook Stable) from Fitch Ratings. Looking forward, a key focus for Heartland New Zealand will be the development of new financial technology, such as openforbusiness.co.nz, to improve distribution to the consumer and SME markets, particularly in areas that are underserviced by the major banks. In the financial year ahead, strong asset growth is expected to continue and Heartland New Zealand has advised the market that it expects its NPAT to be in the range of $51m - $55m. A star in the making Heartland Bank offers “outstanding value” and “rising star” products, says consumer watchdog T he great rate of return, no fees and ‘no strings’ approach of Heartland’s Direct Call Account hasn’t just been a hit with customers – it’s hit the radar of consumer research company CANSTAR. In their annual summary of the best savings products on the market, CANSTAR earmarked the great new account as the ‘rising star’ in the ‘Regular Saver’ category. The independent research company rates banking products by the value they represent to the customer. In the flexible-saver category, the Heartland Direct Call Account, which was only launched six months ago and therefore not eligible for a full award, was the only product to be singled out as “one to watch”. “We knew this product would resonate well with customers because we asked them exactly what they wanted and we delivered it,” says Heartland’s National Retail Manager Andrew Ford. “It allows customers to save without having to lock their money away, which helps them take advantage of great opportunities when they arise – whether it’s a new home, car or overseas trip.” Sustaining star status ‘Rookie’ product Direct Call wasn’t the only Heartland product to catch the judges’ eye. For the third year in a row, the Heartland Business Call Account and the Heartland Saver were also recognised, receiving five stars for representing “outstanding value” in the business savings account category and five stars in the regular saver, access saver and flexible saver category, respectively. “CANSTAR’s continued commendation is great independent recognition and underlines the continued value that Heartland offers,” says Andrew Ford. “Ultimately it’s our customers who decide when we get it right, but it’s great to see a couple of new awards go up on the wall. We’re saving an extra space for next year…just in case..!” Lending criteria, fees and charges apply for Heartland Home Equity Loans 2 SPRING INTO ACTION Seniors are making the most of their newfound time As the buds of spring gradually come into blossom, we look forward to longer days, time in the garden and, for those non-skiers amongst us, more time enjoying the outdoors. U nfortunately, unlike the blossoming trees our homes and gardens don’t sleep over winter or suddenly bloom as the sun starts to shine. In fact, it’s quite the opposite – it’s often at this time of year many of us start to notice the chipped paint, damaged guttering or think that maybe the garden could do with a spruce up? With Christmas just around the corner, how great would it be to have it all done by then? Feel familiar? For many of the 7,500+ New Zealand households we have helped through a Home Equity Loan, this is exactly where they started. They wanted to maintain or improve their biggest asset – their home – but didn’t think they could afford to do it, or even realise that there was a tailor-made solution for their situation. What is a home equity loan? A home equity loan is similar to a regular mortgage but designed specifically for seniors (aged 65 and over), with no regular re-payments. You still own your home, can live there as long as you wish and Heartland guarantees that the loan will never exceed the value of your house – even if house prices drop. The great thing about using a home equity loan for repairs and renovations is that it can also improve the value of your home. And, if you’re installing insulation, a home ventilation system or something similar, you’re creating a healthier living environment too. Is a home equity loan just for house repairs? No! It’s yours to do with as you wish. In addition to renovations, common uses include travel, vehicle upgrades, medical expenses assistance, support for the next generation or just taking the stress out of day-to-day expenses like council rates and insurance. Lower interest rates can make for lower incomes Recent figures released from Statistics New Zealand showed that over 227,000 Kiwis aged 65 and over rely on interest from their savings and investments as their source of income. The economic outlook on page 4 suggests that the current low interest rates may remain for some time. While this means the cost of borrowing money may drop, it means return on investments will drop too. Reduced investment income leads to retirees dipping into their savings and investments to maintain their lifestyle. This is known as ‘decumulation’ and, unbeknown to some, My husband and I have done nothing dramatic with the money… The one luxury we have indulged in is installing central heating throughout the house and never was a dollar better spent!” getting a home equity loan is the same concept – only instead of dipping into income generating investments, retirees are extracting capital from what is, for most, their biggest non-income generating investment - their home. Decumulating a portion of the equity you have in your home, to assist with an enjoyable and independent retirement is a great option for many. Relatively small amounts (compared to the overall equity held in the home) can make a huge difference. Typically, an average Heartland Home Equity Loan is in the region of $50,000 with a median loan term of eight to nine years. We are very proud of the Heartland Home Equity Loan and the processes we have developed to protect our customers. For example, as part of the application process we stipulate that independent legal advice is sought. We are proud to enable retired New Zealanders to unlock wealth tied up in their homes to fund the lifestyle they really want. If you would like to find out more about a Heartland Home Equity Loan, call us on 0800 488 740. Lending criteria, fees and charges apply for Heartland Home Equity Loans. 3 4 KEEPING THINGS in perspective Commentary and sentiment toward the New Zealand economy has been a little negative of late – you just need to turn to the business section of most major newspapers to be confronted with the latest challenge facing the New Zealand or global economy, or which business sector is finding things difficult. T here is no denying that New Zealand momentum has slowed – business confidence is at a four-year low, hiring and investment are being wound back and the downturn in the dairy industry is being widely felt, particularly in the regions. China’s economic concerns, the European refugee crisis and the prospect of raising interest rates in the USA for the first time since 2006 are all adding to global uncertainty and volatility in financial markets. While not downplaying the challenges, we shouldn’t ignore the positives. Although they sometimes appear to be moving at a snail’s pace, when bundled together they add real substance to New Zealand’s economic story. Building activity is still in growth mode, recent dairy prices have effectively reversed June’s losses, migration inflows remain strong and inflation remains low. Our sound microeconomic backdrop – the welfare and education reform, the investment-based approach to government spending (measuring outcomes in relation to inputs and assessing the socio-economic outcome of that spend), and recent moves to address Auckland’s housing supply and transport measures – is not sufficiently appreciated. When we look across the vast array of New Zealand economic indicators, it is evident that, while there has been moderation in some areas, most are still in the vicinity of longer-term norms. Take the unemployment rate for example. While there has been a small increase, this is partly because more people are now actively looking for work in the belief that there are more opportunities. Even taking the increase into account, our unemployment rate is well below that of the OECD average and Government welfare reforms are looking to reverse the increase by providing incentives for people to move into the workforce. should buffer the domestic economy. Unfortunately for depositors, deposit rates have scope to move lower for longer. However, the flip side is that, to a certain extent, households’ purchasing power is holding up as we experience low inflation, lower oil prices and a subdued retail environment. In conclusion, while New Zealand’s economic performance may be moderating; overall it remains robust and is well placed to benefit from any subsequent upturn. -Mark De Ree, Heartland Bank Treasurer Last, and by no means least, financial conditions have eased significantly – and more relief is expected. With economic conditions moderating, we are seeing the appropriate response from authorities. The lower New Zealand dollar is providing tangible benefits to the wider export sector and lower interest rates The above opinions are of a general nature expressed by Heartland Bank’s treasury department, provided in good faith and based on information available to it. These views are not intended as investment advice and no person should make investment decisions as a result of these opinions and, should instead, seek independent and qualified advice. New banknotes will be progressively released by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand from late 2015. 4 The White Mouse As promised, we’ve gone in-depth with last issues’ Home Truth, which prompted one of our veteran readers, Jim Dove*, to send in photos from a ceremony dedicating a plaque to Nancy Wake at the Rydges Hotel in Port Macquarie. Jim attended the ceremony as a representative of the New Zealand War Veteran’s Association. shot at, she reached England in 1943 – as the Gestapo’s most wanted person with fivemillion Franc bounty on her head. There, she completed training with the Special Operations Executive (also known as Churchill’s Secret Army) and was commissioned into the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY) – an organisation founded in 1907 as a first aid link between the front lines and field hospitals in WWI. Using FANY as cover, Nancy was one of 50 intelligence agents deployed back to France in April 1944 near Montlucon, where she built up a number of guerilla-style fighting forces in the area, known as Maquis. B orn in Wellington on August 30, 1912, and raised in Sydney, Australia, Nancy is the Allies most decorated servicewoman of WWII. Renowned for her fearlessness, daring and charisma, she was the youngest in a family of six. Described in memoirs as a rebellious child, she ran away from home at 16 to work as a nurse, before setting off for England via North America with £200 (~$18,850 today) she had inherited from an aunt. She funded her travels and cosmopolitan lifestyle working as a freelance journalist, and was a first-hand witness to the rise of Nazism in the 1930s, including brutal antiSemitic scenes in Vienna. This fuelled her determination to bring down the Nazis, and influenced her role in the French Resistance. Living in France in 1936, she met wealthy industrialist Henri Fiocca and they married in 1939. Less than a year later, Germany invaded France and the newly-weds began helping to escort officers and airmen from Vichy, France into Spain. The Gestapo became aware of Nancy in 1942, and she tried to flee to England. After several failed attempts to cross the Spanish border, including escaping from a train while being 5 Having proven her mettle in battle, she became responsible for controlling their London communications, allocating the arms and equipment delivered by airdrop and managing the group’s finances. At its peak, her Maquis numbered 7,500 warriors. While she performed countless courageous acts and is credited with saving the lives of hundreds, arguably her most well-known wartime exploit is a 250-mile, 72-hour bicycle ride she made through German held territory to re-establish communications with London, following an attack on her Maquis by 10,000 German soliders. She later said, “when I got off that damned bike, I felt I had a fire between my legs. I couldn’t stand up, I couldn’t sit down, I couldn’t walk. When I’m asked what I’m most proud of during the war, I say ‘the bike ride’.” At the end of the war, she discovered that her husband had been tortured and killed by German forces, leaving her a widow without means. She worked in intelligence for five more years, before returning to Sydney in 1949. She twice stood for Federal parliament as a Liberal, coming within a few hundred votes of ousting Labour’s then deputy leader, Dr HV Evatt, in 1951. Nancy returned to England following that defeat and remarried in 1957 to RAF officer John Forward, with whom she returned to Australia and settled in Port Macquarie with three years later. Following John’s death in 1997, Nancy retired to England in 2001 becoming a fixture at the Stafford Hotel bar in St James Place, Piccadilly. The hotel absorbed most of the cost of her stay, aided by anonymous donors rumoured to include royalty. Nancy Wake died aged 98 on August 7, 2011 and her ashes are scattered close to the village of Verneix, France. Her medals are on display in the Second World War gallery at the Australian War Memorial Museum in Canberra, and a “heritage pylon” paying tribute to Wake is on Wellington’s Oriental Parade, near her place of birth. *Jim served with the British and New Zealand armies and attained the rank of Sergeant Major in a career spanning more than 15 years. We would like to thank him for his contribution to this article. Nancy Wake’s honours list Ribbon Issuing authority Description Ribbon of the AC Commonwealth of Australia Companion of the Order of Australia Ribbon of the GM United Kingdom George Medal Ribbon of the 1939–1945 Star Commonwealth of Nations 1939–1945 Star Ribbon of the France & Germany Star Commonwealth of Nations France and Germany Star Ribbon of the Defence Medal United Kingdom Defence Medal Ribbon of the War Medal United Kingdom War Medal 1939–1945 Ribbon of the Legion of Honor – Chevalier French Republic Chevalier de laLégion d'Honneur Ribbon of the Legion of Honor – Officier French Republic Officier de la Légion d'Honneur Ribbon de la croix de guerre French Republic Croix de Guerre (with two palms and a star) Ribbon of the PMOF United States of America Medal of Freedom (one of only 987 issued during WWII with a bronze palm) Ribbon de la Médaille de la Résistance French Republic Médaille de la Résistance New Zealand Badge In Gold (the RNZRSA's highest honour) Life after work – ready or not When it comes to retirement, most discussions focus on being financially prepared. But planning for retirement is about more than just money – it’s also about mentally preparing yourself for a world that doesn’t revolve around work. David Boyle from the Commission for Financial Capability shares his views. T he word retirement can mean so many things to so many different people and that meaning has probably shifted from how it was for our parents and grandparents. To get people thinking about the different stages of retirement from the active early years, through the middle to the late stages, we ran a competition asking people how they would identify and describe retirement. The question “What do you do?” is what prompted our winner, former businesswoman Erica Whyte, to come up with the winning phrases. Faced with the question, she said one of the most difficult challenges was deciding what to call herself when she met new people. ‘Retiree’ just didn’t do the job, or define how she felt about herself – thus prompting her period of discovery. Her suggestion of ‘Discovery, Endeavour and Reflection’ has been adopted by the Commission, but it was Erica’s thoughts about adjusting to stopping work that really hit home. Re-defining your identity At first she struggled with how to fill her day: after decades of full-time work she needed to find ways to stay mentally active. Being depended on by colleagues and clients all her working life, Erica said it was also a time to reflect on who was important to her, and who she was important to. Having connections and maintaining relationships has been linked to better health in older age, and Erica believes creating a network early is key to feeling fulfilled. Once she worked out how she wanted to spend her time, she then had to factor in her finances, to ensure they’d stretch for the next 20 to 30 years. Fortunately, she had saved and invested over the years, so she had options available to her. As she said: “No money, no choices – that has been part of the mantra of my family life.” The cost of retirement Many of us have no problem whittling away hours planning our next holiday, savouring the days when we can enjoy a break from the daily grind. However, we’re often not so great when it comes to preparing for the years we will spend in retirement. A joint survey by the Commission for Financial Capability and the Financial Markets Authority, which looked at how well older New Zealanders are preparing and investing for when they stop working, found a gap between many people’s expectations about life in retirement and the reality. This was largely due to not giving enough thought to planning for the future and leaving it until the last minute. The results showed only one in ten over 50s felt confident they will have saved or invested enough to fund the lifestyle they want when they stop working. Nearly half of them have not yet worked out how they will reach their retirement goals and four out of ten people who have already retired, did so without a financial plan. Start early The Commission is trying to encourage New Zealanders to start planning earlier. We want people in their 20s, 30s and 40s to be saving and investing now. Our view is that saving a little over a long period is the easiest and most painless way of reaching your objectives, thanks to the work of compound interest. website, which makes it easier for people to get the information they need to plan their futures, with a range of free tools and resources, including our retirement and investment planner. We have also worked with the NZX to launch Invested.co.nz, a website with a series of short videos providing a starting point for people who are interested in investing, but unsure where to begin. But planning is, of course, about more than just money, which is why the Commission recently ran its competition around those different stages of retirement, from the active early years, through the middle to the late stages. Three stages of retirement In the early stage lifestyle drives spending, then in the middle stage spending slows as you slow down a wee bit. In the late stage spending may go up due to increased costs relating to health and well-being. The challenge is to preserve enough of your resources to have an income to support you in the late stage of retirement. As our population ages it is important, for the wealth of the nation as well as for us as individuals, to make sure people are reaching retirement in the best financial position possible. David Boyle, GM Investor Education, Commission for Financial Capability However, even at 50-years-old, there is still time to make a significant difference to your retirement, with potentially 15 years to go until you stop working. It’s also worth noting that 22% of people over 65 are still working and we expect that to increase. So, all of us need to think about how long we expect to be living in retirement and how we would like to spend those years. The Commission runs the sorted.org.nz 6 Fudgey Christmas chocolate truffles (gluten/dairy-free) R © Chelsea Winter ich, fudgey and not too sweet, these are the perfect little treat to bring out with a tea or coffee – not just at Christmas, but any time! There are two recipes below; one gluten-free and one gluten/dairy-free, which uses coconut cream and no butter. These keep for about a month if kept in an airtight container/bag in the freezer, or a few days when kept in the fridge. If making in advance, put the fruit powder on just before serving. Makes: 45 balls Prep time: 1 hour + a few hours for chilling Ingredients Gluten-free Gluten & dairy-free 250g Whittaker’s 50% Cocoa Block 250g Whittaker’s 50% Cocoa Block 250ml cream (not light cream) 250ml coconut cream 50g butter 1 cup shredded/ desiccated coconut 1 cup shredded/ desiccated coconut 3/4 cup ground almonds (optional) 3/4 cup ground almonds Coatings Cooking time: 20 mins whisk until all the chocolate is melted and well combined, scraping the sides clean with a spatula. 3. Stir through the almond and coconut, and leave in the fridge for a few hours until it’s firmed up enough to roll. 4. Use a spoon to dig out little bits of mixture and roll into smooth balls. This works best with dry hands (you might need to wash and dry them a few times, just don’t use your best tea towel!) Place the balls on a tray lined with baking paper and pop in the fridge for ten minutes to firm up again. 3/4 cup pistachio nuts, processed or finely chopped 5. Tip the the coatings in smallish bowls. 1 cup coconut blitzed with 1/4 cup icing sugar Before coating each truffle, roll it again 1/4 cup cocoa in your hand so the outside goes nice and sticky. Swirl it around in a bowl of 1 packet freeze-dried raspberry or plum powder coating and replace gently on the tray 1. Chop the chocolate up into very small pieces with a (use your hands for the pistachios or sharp knife (big lumps won’t melt properly). Place in a coconut if you need to). Repeat until all the mixture is gone. heatproof bowl and, if using, add the butter. 2. Heat the cream (or coconut cream) in a saucepan over medium heat. Keep an eye on it and once it has started simmering, pour it over the chocolate pieces. Leave the mix to sit for a few minutes, then lightly 6. Keep them in the fridge and plate them when you’re ready to serve. (You might want to re-swirl the raspberry & cocoa ones if they go patchy.) Find out more about Chelsea’s new book, Homemade Happiness, in the next issue of The Heartlander or visit chelseawinter.co.nz Heartland 2016 diary No matter how many new apps there are to tell you when to come, when to go and how many minutes you spend somewhere, there will always be seven days in a week and 52 weeks in the year. So what better way to keep track than the 2016 Heartland diary? Traditional, old-fashioned, or ‘retro’, this neat little diary is as popular as ever and its pocket size (smaller than your average smart phone) makes it nice and handy to fit in a handbag or pocket. To order your copy, please email [email protected]. Please title your email ‘Diary request’ and give us the name and address of the person who would like to receive a diary. Alternatively, please call Invest Direct on 0800 85 20 20. Contact us Visit your local Heartland Bank branch or call us today to chat about which account or deposit is right for you, and for a copy of our Disclosure Statement, Product Fact Sheets and Account and Service General Terms and Conditions. Freephone 0800 85 20 20 Website www.heartland.co.nz Email [email protected] Your Heartland Bank office network Newmarket 35 Teed Street | 0800 85 20 20 Takapuna 456 Lake Road | (09) 489 5264 Hamilton 411 Victoria Street | (07) 838 0136 Tauranga 24 Devonport Road | (07) 578 3212 Wellington 93 Customhouse Quay | (04) 472 1313 Rangiora 73 High Street | (03) 311 8260 Christchurch 75 Riccarton Road | (03) 341 1400 Ashburton 224 East Street | (03) 308 2050 Napier | (06) 974 6227 Dunedin | (03) 955 3317 Nelson | (03) 5468157
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