Page 58 - Print21 November-December 2021

Associations
Christmas is coming...
And that is about the only thing we can be certain of as we close in on the back end of a year that has once again seen both highs and lows for our industry, says PrintNZ CEO Ruth Cobb.
This time 12 months ago we reflected on the unprecedented year we had survived and hoped that we had put the worst of it behind us. And it certainly started that way – we had a great summer, work levels were buoyant, and apart from a couple of hiccups in Auckland in February, things looked like they were on the improve. While we weren’t confident enough to say we had beaten Covid-19, we certainly appeared to have it under control on both sides of the Tasman, and the economy had bounced back well from the roller coaster of 2020.
In April a quarantine-free travel bubble with Australia was opened, which brought joy to many, and was yet another step in the direction of normality. We were excitedly planning the glitz and the glamour of the Pride In Print Awards with no thought other than they would go ahead. There were 540 people registered from right across the
country and even a handful of our colleagues from Australia in town – all ready to celebrate. What could go wrong?
At T+2 days it was discovered that a visitor from Sydney
had spent the weekend in Wellington while infected with Covid-19. We had to make the difficult decision that nobody from either Wellington or Sydney could attend, and disappointingly had to exclude around 35 attendees.
But the show must go
on, and go on it did. With
12 months of experience in virtual technologies and hybrid events we were able to quickly set up a link that allowed our locked-down attendees to watch. With two Apprentice
of the Year candidates and our overall Supreme Award winner (Wakefields Digital) coming from the Wellington region, this link was vital, and we managed to catch our Supreme Award winner on the big screen where he gave his speech to the audience as if he was there.
Expect the unexpected: Ruth Cobb, CEO, PrintNZ
It was a night of celebration, and seemed to set a pathway
for the rest of the year. There were multiple events planned on both sides of the Tasman and people were looking forward
to being able to attend these events – many of which had been rescheduled from 2020.
Unfortunately Covid-19 had other thoughts, and as we come to the pointy end of the
year we are all operating under restrictions that once again put our businesses and our mental health at risk. These ongoing lockdowns have an effect on everyone – the employers, the workers and their families,
and it is important that we are mindful of these sometimes invisible impacts. In 2020 it was novel, in 2021 it is simply wearing.
Once again, we have all
found ourselves pushed back into far from ideal conditions
for prolonged periods. But our industry plays a major role in ensuring that essential products and services can still operate and so you continue to do what you do best - respond, reconfigure, reimagine and deliver.
And your industry association has continued to do what it does best – push hard for what is best for its members. The goalposts are changing all the time, and it is our job to make sure you know what game you are playing, what the rules
are and, as an industry, how we can win. It has once again been a pleasure to be the voice of our New Zealand industry, and to work with and for the businesses in it.
As we accelerate towards Christmas it is clear that vaccination is our pathway to both personal protection, and the freedom to enjoy events, hospitality and tourism – all of which lead not just to pleasure, but also to more work for our industry. So please do your part and get jabbed.
The saying goes “expect
the unexpected” – 2021 has certainly delivered on that
one. Have a safe and happy holiday break and whether it is across the Auckland border, the trans-Tasman border, or further afield, we look forward to 2022 being the year we are able to reconnect in person. Happy holidays. 21
58 Print21 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021