Fairfax Getting Neighbourly

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Waikato Times Thursday 11/12/2014 Page: 9 Section: Business Day Region: Hamilton Waikato, NZ Circulation: 29219 Type: Metro Size: 420.00 sq.cms. press clip

Fairfax getting Neighbourly Fairfax Media New Zealand has bought a tdoor.com, which now has more than 50 22.5 per cent stake in Kiwi-founded million members across 45,000 American community engagement website Neigh- neighbourhoods. bourly.co.nz for an undisclosed sum. Fairfax is the publisher of Stuff.co.nz Neighbourly.co.nz offers suburbs and Neighbourly.co.nz compliments the across New Zealand free private digital strategy around that, Tong said. websites for neighbours to share local It provides a platform which will allow information. Fairfax to facilitate neighbourhood It was launched in June and has more conversations and tell stories important than 60,000 members across 1400 to smaller communities that would suburbs. otherwise struggle to gain attention on a Fairfax Media New Zealand managing national level, he said. director Simon Tong said the media ‘‘It also ticks the boxes of the big company bought 22.5 per cent of Neigh- trends across the globe – it’s mobile and bourly.co.nz with an option of buying a it’s social and that is where our audience similar stake in another six to eight spends much of their time,’’ Tong said. months ‘‘depending on how we track’’. Fairfax would let Eden and Bradley Neighbourly.co.nz was co-founded by steer the direction of Neighbourly.co.nz Casey Eden and founder of Finda, and provide support where necessary, he GrabOne, Pet.co.nz and ShopHQ Shane said. Bradley. ‘‘They’ve got their views on what they Eden said the business employed 14 want to achieve.’’ staff and did not make money. Age Concern, a charitable organis- ‘‘The short answer is it’s a long-term ation working for older people in New game,’’ Eden said. The venture so far has Zealand, is encouraging older New Zea- been privately funded, primarily by landers to connect with their communi- Bradley, he said. ties through Neighbourly.co.nz. The partnership with Fairfax will al- Age Concern New Zealand chief execu- low Neighbourly.co.nz to build stronger tive Robyn Scott said social isolation communities across New Zealand and could be a problem for older people, and gain increased exposure, Eden said. Neighbourly.co.nz could help to combat The site is currently active in 45 per this. cent of suburbs. Members use the site to exchange rec- ommendations on local services, plan events, buy, sell and give away items, ask questions, discuss community issues, find lost pets and get to know one another. It was inspired by US-based neighbourhood networking site, Nex-

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Options open: Fairfax Media New Zealand has bought 22.5 per cent of Neighbourly.co.nz with the option to increase its share in six to eight months. From left Fairfax product development director Robert Hutchinson, Neighbourly co-founder and managing director Casey Eden, Neighbourly.co.nz co-founder Shane Bradley and Fairfax Media NZ managing director Simon Tong.