Two a penny

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Child Youth and Family staff at a regional office have been told they are Social Development Minister Paula Bennett’s servants who should not trouble their master with concerns about their work.

In an email dated August 13, supplied to by Labour Party deputy leader Annette King, Kaitaia CYF staff were told to show respect to the minister when she visited the next day.

“It is not appropriate for staff to pour their hearts and souls out to the minister,” a manager wrote. It’s a bit like the relationship between a servant and a master, i.

“This is a formal visit and she is not your `friend’. the servant knows their place.e. She should not be presented with the woes of the office, or lack of resources, or anything like that.

A anonymous person copied the email to the government, Labour and other political parties as well as the Children’s Commissioner.”

However the email said it was okay to state there were challenges that could be managed.

“This amounts to workplace bullying, and corruption within a public service department,” they wrote.

The person was “gobsmacked” by the email.

Ms King questioned the point of the minister’s visit in Parliament.

The author said it was shameful that in an area where there were many Maori communities the department was “trying to cover up the realities of our communities”.

“If staff are not allowed to talk to her (Ms Bennett) how can she really know what pressures staff are facing if reports to her have to be sanitised?”

Ms King later said she expected Ms Bennett to ensure staff felt they could speak out about work problems.

“If staff are not allowed to talk to her (Ms Bennett) how can she really know what pressures staff are facing if reports to her have to be sanitised?”

Ms King later said she expected Ms Bennett to ensure staff felt they could speak out about work problems.

“I would hope she would in fact encourage staff to talk to her.”

As a former minister Ms King said she learnt more from talking to staff than through department reports.

“I have visited a large number of offices and I have purposefully targeted visits to Work and Income and Child Youth and Family because I want to talk to staff and hear what is happening there,” she said.”

Ms Bennett said that she wanted staff to speak to her about concerns.”

Ms King said there were wider problems of the Government blocking information and communication and said she was frustrated by poor responses to written questions and Official Information Act requests.

“I very much value them and their opinions and I am disappointed in the manager’s email.

National’s Judith Collins in Parliament today said she had struggled to get access while in opposition and Labour had created a political environment. .

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LATEST:
One of the pilots killed after a small plane clipped a helicopter over New York is reportedly a New Zealander.

One News reported that Jeremy Clark was flying the helicopter that hit the plane, both plunging into the Hudson River killing nine people. According to the New York Times Mr Clark lived in Lanoka Harbor, New Jersey.

TV1 said Mr Clark’s parents were at Auckland airport this evening preparing to fly to New York. Three bodies had been recovered by nightfall and officials held out no hope of finding survivors.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said there were five Italian tourists and a pilot aboard the helicopter and three people on the plane including the pilot and a child. “There’s not going to be a happy ending.

“This has changed from a rescue to a recovery mission,” Bloomberg said. The weather was clear and mild.”

Search and rescue craft rushed in vain to the crash area in the vicinity of West 14th Street in Lower Manhattan immediately after the collision at noon EDT (4am NZT).

The helicopter was operated by Liberty Helicopter, the largest sightseeing helicopter operator in the US Northeast.

Bloomberg said the plane, a Piper Saratoga, appeared to hit the back of the helicopter, a Eurocopter AS350, which immediately broke up and fell into the river.

The NTSB’s 10-member investigation team suspended operations at nightfall and would resume the search on Sunday at 7am (11pm NZT), Hersman said.

Debbie Hersman, the chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board, said in a briefing the helicopter had been located and marked with buoys and investigators were using side-scanning radar to try to locate the aircraft.

While the NTSB does not expect to find recording equipment in the wreckage because small aircraft are not required to carry them, Hersman said investigators expected to be able to determine the cause of the crash by interviewing air traffic controllers and reviewing air traffic control and radar data. She said the team hoped to be able to remove the debris from the river on Sunday. “He saw a small single-engine aircraft approaching from behind (the helicopter). . . . He stated that he saw the right wing of the aircraft impact the helicopter.. Others reported hearing a loud boom.”

An eyewitness told the NY1 local TV station he saw a wing come off the plane and the helicopter “fell like a stone” into the river.

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A 10th person has died of swine flu, the Ministry of Health says.

The latest death was a Gisborne man in his 40s with serious underlying medical conditions. Both also had underlying health conditions.

The two previous deaths were a 56-year-old man in Wellington and a 79-year-old woman in the Hutt Valley last week.

Overseas, pregnant women had been suffering severe cases of the virus and they were at greater risk of complications, including pneumonia.

The ministry today said pregnant women with flu symptoms should call their GP or Healthline on 0800 611 116.

The doctor would assess the risks of prescribing Tamiflu or Relenza on an individual basis, and may need to seek advice from an infectious diseases specialist or obstetrician.

Deputy director of public health Darren Hunt said pregnant women should not take any antiviral medication without consulting their doctor.

The Ministry of Health said the actual number of cases would be significantly higher as only a small proportion of people were being tested, as most people were able to recover at home without medical treatment.

The total number of confirmed cases of swine flu in New Zealand has risen, with the ministry recording 2107 cases, up from 2025 yesterday.

The World Health Organisation is no longer issuing tables with confirmed numbers of cases for all countries as a result of difficulties testing the increasing number of cases.

On Tuesday, a total of 113 people were in hospital with swine flu or complications stemming from the virus, with 23 of them in intensive care.

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Sacked climate scientist Jim Salinger’s employers praised him for being the public “face of Niwa” only 18 months ago.

However, last week, Salinger was told by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) to pack his bags, apparently for doing what he was congratulated for – talking to the media.

Documents seen by yesterday show the Crown research institute principal scientist was highly regarded by his employers as late as last year. Salinger’s employment review for the year ended June 30, 2007 performed by climate and energy application group manager Darren King and Auckland regional manager Ken Becker outlines his performance.

The Auckland climatologist, whose involvement with international climate-change research contributed to a Nobel prize and who is president of the World Meteorological Organisation’s commission for agricultural meteorology, is now considering legal action against what he considers to be unjustified dismissal.

“Well-known by public as an expert on climate matters, has a very responsible and accountable attitude to his work,” one comment says. Salinger is congratulated for his expertise, teamwork and communication abilities.

He also “has a high public profile as a climate expert and [is] the face of Niwa to the media”.

Salinger’s lawyer, Alex Hope, confirmed a personal grievance case was under way.

In a mid-year review in January last year a handwritten note acknowledges Salinger as the Niwa employee responsible for having “rebuilt relationship with TVNZ”.

Niwa spokeswoman Michele Hollis reiterated the institute’s stand that it would not comment on an “employment matter”. A decision whether to broaden that case to include a claim of unjustified dismissal would be made in the next couple of days.

He had since talked to television about an annual alpine snowline survey, to Radio New Zealand’s Checkpoint about Auckland’s hottest day in more than 130 years, and called TVNZ weatherman Jim Hickey two weeks ago from the West Coast to say the rivers were in flood. .

“Maybe I did breach their policy over Radio New Zealand, but heavens, that’s not going to destroy Niwa.

“Maybe I did breach their policy over Radio New Zealand, but heavens, that’s not going to destroy Niwa.”

Fellow scientists are stunned by Salinger’s sacking. Sure, they wanted me to step back and let others have an opportunity, but they weren’t there that day.”

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Wanaka glaciologist Trevor Chinn said he was “astonished”.

MetService spokesman Bob McDavitt said he was “shocked”, before adding: “I have been asked to say `no comment’. You have to ask yourself, `what’s the problem here’.

“It seems to me to be completely lacking in any foundation.

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Victoria University of Wellington earth scientist Jim McGregor said Salinger was “a guy who, long before climate change became fashionable, has been commenting on the issues”

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The UN Security Council has deplored
what it called a “step backwards” in Fiji, demanding that
the South Pacific island resume moves toward democracy and hold elections
as soon as possible.

Fiji has been plunged into a political crisis since its president reappointed military chief Frank Bainimarama as interim prime minister on April 11, less than two days after a court ruled his 2006 coup and subsequent government illegal.
Since his reappointment, Bainimarama has imposed emergency restrictions and refused to hold elections before 2014.”
“It is a step backwards,” said a statement read to media by Ambassador Claude Heller of Mexico, the current council president, adding that a “restoration of the democracy process” was required. .
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The council’s 15 members “expressed hopes that Fiji would make a steadfast advancement toward democracy and that free elections will be held at the soonest possible time,” Heller said

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An elderly dog, stolen from its owner’s home and used as fighting “bait”, was mauled by snarling pit bull terriers then suffered a man trying to break its legs.

Lincoln, a 14-year-old ridgeback cross, was left cowering and bleeding after the brutal attack and is now recovering from serious bite wounds at Wellington SPCA.

The charity is offering a $1000 reward for information leading to conviction of those behind the callous crime.

Yesterday, distressed owner Janet Cuthers said Lincoln was “a lovely, placid dog”. Four men are thought to have been involved. He’s an innocent dog, and these people were going to leave him for dead. “He just likes to lie around, he’s very friendly, he thinks he’s a human. I’d like to snap their necks,” she said.

At midday a witness saw him at Shelly Bay with a man who arrived in a red hatchback.

The pet was stolen from Mrs Cuthers’ home in Titahi Bay about 10am on Monday. .

A pit bull chained to the back of a white van was set on Lincoln, and another pit bull encouraged to join in.

When Lincoln bit one of the pit bulls, a man tried to break his legs by pulling them apart. He was all bleeding,” the witness said. “I think because it got a hunk of the other dog they just wanted to kill it. “I think because it got a hunk of the other dog they just wanted to kill it. I’ve got dogs and I’d hate them to be used like this. “It was disgusting. Detective Rebecca Snook of Porirua police said the incident was dreadful.”

After the attack, Lincoln hid in a toilet block and had to be coaxed out by police and animal control officers.”

The owner of the red hatchback was described as a tall Maori, aged about 30, with a ponytail.

“It appears the elderly dog was brought in to be killed or used as bait for dog-fighting practice. The maximum penalty is a $25,000 fine and/or six months in prison.

Dog fighting is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act.

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Mrs Cuthers said the next few days would be critical as vets tried to stop Lincoln’s wounds getting infected.

SPCA spokeswoman Lisa Snow said it was hard to say how big a problem dog fighting was because it was underground.”

Anyone with information can call Porirua police on 04 2381400.”

Anyone with information can call Porirua police on 04 2381400.

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Taxpayers do not want further tax cuts if they mean more government borrowing, a new survey shows.

The survey comes as social welfare campaigners say tax cuts failed to help those most in need.
The New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development survey found that while most people wanted tax cuts planned for 2010 and 2011, they did not want them if it meant further borrowing.
Christchurch City Missioner Michael Gorman said the tax cuts missed many poor people.
The first round of tax cuts were introduced last week and were worth between $10 and $18 extra a week to most people. People earning less than $14,000 a year were worse off because of the higher Accident Compensation Corporation levy, he said.
“I think there is a whole sector of society that the tax cuts have missed and they are mostly the people that come to the mission,” he said.
The survey found most people would spend the tax cuts on living expenses, while others looked to credit-card debt and mortgage payments.
Business council chief executive Peter Neilson said the traditional fear that tax cuts would lead to less social spending and more borrowing had lingered.
Households with incomes between $100,000 and $150,000 a year were the least keen on new tax cuts, with 70 per cent opposed. .
“This sensitivity does not seem to have changed with the economic downturn,” he said

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Smashing return for constable

Wednesday, 21 January 2009

A Hamilton police officer has had a rough two days back on the job, swimming after an escaping man down the Waikato River and watching another smash his own car to pieces after being ticketed.
Constable James Jeffery returned to duty this week after four months' leave while his wife had a baby.
The man was clinging precariously to a branch and yelling out that he would rather drown than be arrested.
About 10am yesterday he joined the chase for a 32-year-old man, who was wanted for breaching his bail conditions, and ended up swimming about 300 metres down the river.
"I kept abreast of him for about 200 or 300 metres until the police boat arrived," he said. When he lost his grip on the branch, Mr Jeffery took off his boots, belt and stabproof vest and dived into the river after him."
The man was dragged kicking and screaming on to the police boat and appeared in Hamilton District Court yesterday. . While searching for three escaped prisoners, he pulled over a car that he thought looked unroadworthy.
On Monday afternoon Mr Jeffery experienced something even more bizarre.
The man, joined by about six others from the house, then proceeded to smash every window and light, and cave in every panel on the car.
He gave several tickets to the driver, who then did a handbrake skid and drove off to an acquaintance's house down the street. The man was not arrested. The car was impounded as a result of the man's dangerous driving and was towed away. But it's not illegal to smash up your own car," Mr Jeffery said.
"Usually people take out their belongings or stereos when a car is impounded, but I've never seen anything like that before.

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As for the events of the past couple of days, he said it had been a good reminder why he loved the job

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$100,000 fines over misleading pills

Wednesday, 17 December 2008

Pills for "gullible and naive" women that falsely claimed to make women's breasts larger and firmer have cost a New Zealand company and its manager $100,000 in fines.
Some women spent up to $3000 for a full course of the "treatment", the Commerce Commission said. .
The pill ingredients were hops, buckwheat, fennel, rye, malt, barley and anti-caking agents.
The company made claims in a brochure and on two websites that a pill called Erdic was a natural alternative to breast implants and could significantly and permanently increase the size, shape and firmness of women's breasts.
A Commerce Commission investigation found that taking the tablets at the recommended dose had no significant hormonal or other relevant effect in adult women that would lead to permanent alteration in breast shape and/or size. The websites have since been shut. Commission experts told the court clinical trials referred to in Erdic's marketing material were not satisfactory and could not be relied on. It was a market that was gullible, naive and wanting to increase their bust size.
In sentencing, Judge Robert Kerr said marketing a herbal alternative to plastic surgery would have its appeal for the target market.
"Those marketing natural or alternative therapies have the same obligations as other businesses under the Fair Trading Act, and that is to ensure that claims made about benefits gained are accurate," said Commerce Commission director of fair trading Adrian Sparrow.
The defendants were culpable and profit was their main motive. Erdic Ltd was fined $80,000.
The company was found guilty of breaching the Fair Trading Act for misrepresenting the pills and making out they had the approval of the Therapeutic Advertising Pre-vetting Service. Mitchell was fined $20,000. Mitchell was fined $20,000

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High Court rules on snails

The Tuesday, 16 December 2008

Endangered giant snails and other rare species threatened by mining will stay protected by the Wildlife Act after a High Court ruling.
Solid Energy went to the High Court, asking if it had to seek permission under the Wildlife Act when protecting wildlife in mining areas.
The issue arose after the company was told it needed special wildlife permits to move rare and endangered snails from its Stockton opencast coal mine near Westport. . The snail move cost $10 million as the company met permit conditions.
But in a just-released High Court decision, Justice Jill Mallon found the Wildlife Act still applied when it came to dealing with issues such as the giant snails. "We decided we wanted some clarity around the law," spokeswoman Vicky Blyth said. That meant gaining permission from the conservation and energy ministers for "actions relating to wildlife".
Ms Blyth said the decision was "reasoned" and gave clarity around the law.
She found the question of whether keeping the process under the Wildlife Act served any purpose "or merely serves to impose unnecessary time and cost" was a question for Parliament.