Two a penny

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Another 303 frontline staff will be hired
by Work and Income to help people find jobs, the Government said today.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett said an extra $17.

“Work and Income agreed it could manage numbers on the unemployment benefit up to 60,000,” she said.2 million was being invested to pay for them because of rising unemployment.”

There were 55,272 people on the dole at the end of July, documents released today showed.

“However, as that figure grows closer, extra staff will be required.

“It’s important that help is provided upfront so as many people as possible can get work and avoid having to go on a benefit.

“Today’s announcement means the right resources can be deployed right now to the right areas,” she said. .”

Of the 303 extra staff, 104 have already been recruited to work in the Auckland area.

Speaking at a press conference in Auckland, Ms Bennett said she was asking more of her staff.

“Its vacancy numbers are actually more than 50 percent higher than for this time last year – despite growing unemployment,” she said. I’m asking them to do skill matches and where the person can go into,” she said.

“I’m asking them to look wider at the job market.

“But I can’t stress enough – we have to have the jobs there for our clients,” she said.

Work and Income’s regional commissioner for social development, Isabel Evans, said that with the extra staff the department would be on the front foot all the time.”

Statistics issued yesterday showed the unemployment rate had increased to 6 percent and the number of people without jobs was at a 10-year high of 138,000.

“Widening and broadening the number of employers we have working with us, talking to us when they do have any recruitment needs, is equally as important as working intensively and more closely with our clients.

The documents say the figures should be seen in perspective.

Overall, unemployment benefit numbers are up by 34,726, an increase of 169 percent, since July last year.

“At this time four years ago there were about 51,000 people receiving the unemployment benefit.

“In June 1999 over 150,000 people were receiving the unemployment benefit and in March 2003 it was around 100,000 – almost double what it is today.

Over that period the numbers for the age group rose from 4749 to 18,161.”

The documents say 18 to 24-year-olds accounted for 33 percent of people on the dole at the end of July, compared with 23 percent a year earlier.

.Frenchman Marc Gicquel has further compounded a losing season for once-promising Ernests Gulbis, hammering the Latvian 6-2, 6-3 to reach the second round at the Indianapolis Championships.
Uzbek eighth seed Denis Istomin staged a comeback to eliminate American Kevin Kim 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, in another first-round match at the hardcourt tournament.
Gicquel, ranked 82nd, had little to fear from his number 65 opponent, moving through in 61 minutes with a love game on his final service before a break of Gulbis to earn the victory.
Gulbis, a childhood Munich tennis academy friend of world number four Novak Djokovic, has gone badly off the boil this season, losing for the eighth time this year in a first round.
Gulbis stands a miserable 10-18 on the season and has not won two matches in a row since Cincinnati last August when he reached the quarter-finals against Djokivic.
The 20-year-old Latvian was playing for the first time in close toly a month after going out in the Wimbledon second round to another ex-junior rival, Britain’s Andy Murray.
The tournament is reeling from the late injury pullout of Wimbledon finalist Andy Roddick, still claiming the hip flexor injury which bothered him in his All England club finals loss a fortnight ago to Roger Federer. .
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Dmitry Tursunov, the California-based Russian who won here in 2007 and lost last year’s final to Gilles Simon of France, took the top seeding ahead of Israeli Davis Cup player Dudi Sela with American Sam Querrey the number three

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Growing economic confidence has been knocked by New Zealand being placed on negative creditwatch as the Government puts its hat out to international lenders.

International ratings agency Fitch said it was worried about New Zealand’s high debt levels and reliance on overseas borrowing.

The agency confirmed New Zealand’s rating at AA plus, but yesterday’s decision to revise its outlook for New Zealand’s credit rating from stable to negative came out of the blue.

Any threat of a downgrade could push up borrowing costs.

It comes as the Government looks to increase its borrowing the Budget foreshadowed a need to borrow $34 billion over the next four years to help cushion the blow of a recession. The Government had so far managed to raise money “at a reasonable cost”.

But Finance Minister English said he was confident that would not happen.

But with the Fitch warning coming as it prepared to seek more money between now and Christmas, more assurances may be required. No doubt this kind of new rating will mean they’ve got a few more questions. “We are setting out to borrow a large amount of money and we’re going to be going to those investors who are lending us to tell them our story.

A credit downgrade hung over the Government in the leadup to the May Budget, but its decision to cancel the next round of tax cuts and trim spending looked to have staved that off, with one of the biggest ratings agencies, Standard & Poor’s, awarding an upgrade.”

Earlier in the year, there were serious concerns the global credit crunch would leave money in short supply and force the Government to borrow at higher rates. Analysts said it also appeared to be worried about the risk of another housing market bubble, funded by overseas borrowings.

Fitch said it was worried about the medium-term growth outlook for New Zealand given its persistently large current account deficit and rising indebtedness.

Fitch head of Asia Pacific sovereign ratings James McCormack told Radio New Zealand today that he thought New Zealand’s current account deficit was a structural feature of the economy.

Fitch head of Asia Pacific sovereign ratings James McCormack told Radio New Zealand today that he thought New Zealand’s current account deficit was a structural feature of the economy.”

That would mean spending cuts. .

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Fitch was not critical of the Government providing tax cuts, saying countries all over the world were trying to provide short term stimulus during a global recession

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More than a third of the population leave personal items in their car – often on show – tempting thieves to grab easy loot, an AA Insurance survey has found.

“Thieves will always go for the easiest, fastest option.

Popular items that were now being stolen were global positioning systems – GPS – such as Navmans. If you leave valuable possessions visible in your car you’re really just laying bait for thieves,” AA Insurance deputy general manager Martin Fox said today.

“If your GPS system has a removable cradle or charger then hide it or take it with you when you leave the car, because seeing the charger or cradle advertises the presence of a GPS unit to the thief,” Mr Fox said. . Recently one of our customers had her boot opened while she was waiting at a red light and the thief took off with $5000 worth of gym gear and accessories.

“Also, lock your boot even when you’re driving.

There were on average over 50,000 thefts from a car a year, which accounts for almost 12 percent of total recorded crime in New Zealand.”

Thefts from cars was the second most recorded offence in the country, according to police figures.

Mr Fox said people were regularly carrying thousands of dollars worth of gear with them, such as phones, sunglasses, jewellery audio equipment and laptop computers.

Some 66 percent of these thefts occurred when the car was parked on a public road, street, or public place and only one in five vehicles broken into on private property was locked.

AA Insurance has released tips on how to keep possessions safe in cars:

* don’t display your belongings;

* when your car is parked, lock it – even if it’s in your home garage, or parked on your street – this includes the boot and, if you have one, the sunroof;

* keep valuables (eg wallet, mobile, iPods) on you – not in the glove box or under a seat;

* keep bags, gym gear and coats locked and out of sight in the boot;

* park in busy, open, well-lit areas – use an attended, secure parking building if you can;

* take the detachable faceplate of your stereo with you – without this the stereo is worthless;

* remove cradles and chargers for navigation systems and cellphones from your dashboard;

* keep your vehicle keys with you and spare keys at home or work – don’t hide a spare key on the car as thieves will find it;

* tell your neighbours if your vehicle has been broken into at your home – thieves often target vehicles in the same street; and

* consider installing additional security to your car such as an alarm, immobiliser or removable stereo.

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Eighty jobs hang in the balance in two small Wairarapa towns after news that a national textile manufacturer has gone into receivership.

Lane Walker Rudkin Industries the parent company of Pahiatua and Greytown manufacturers Bouzaid and Ballaben is struggling with falling profits and spiralling debt and was put into receivership by Westpac Bank yesterday.
The group, owned by Christchurch businessman Ken Anderson, employs about 470 people in textile, hosiery, underwear and garment factories in Christchurch, garment manufacturing in Greytown and Pahiatua, a sock factory in Timaru, and a sports apparel factory in Brisbane. “The news has already started, I guess,” one worker said.
The future of those jobs now hangs in the balance and the mood was grim in the Greytown factory of Bouzaid and Ballaben last night. It is in the hands of the receivers now. “We cannot comment.”
The company employees up to 63 staff in Greytown, which has few employment opportunities.
Barry Akers, spokesman for receivers BDO Spicers, said it was still very much a waiting game.
In Pahiatua, a town with even fewer job options, up to 15 staff could face redundancy. Staff will continue to get paid while the receivers have control of the business and the company may even be able to trade through this. “At the moment it is business as usual.”
Receivers Brian Mayo-Smith and Stephen Tubbs said Lane Walker Rudkin operations were unprofitable and the company had incurred a substantial increase in bank debt.
“It will at least be a few days before any decision on job cuts is made and we understand it is not a good time for any of those employees. .
More information was needed about the businesses before receivers could take action or make decisions about the company’s trading operations.
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The Waitangi Tribunal says several injustices against the Urewera people from 1865 to 1872 need to be addressed by the Crown, even though the tribes did not sign the Treaty.

The tribunal on Thursday issued part one of its report into Treaty of Waitangi claims made by people from Te Urewera, including Tuhoe.

In a letter to Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples which was also forwarded to media, tribunal presiding officer Patrick Savage noted the Crown agreed in 1840 that it undertook Treaty obligations to all Maori, whether or not they signed the Treaty. .”

The tribunal noted that the Crown confiscated Tuhoe land in eastern Bay of Plenty in the mid 1860s which was designed to punish other iwi involved in several killings, including that of missionary Carl Volkner in 1865.

“We uphold the claimants’ view, however, that since their tipuna knew nothing of the Treaty, it could not, in any real sense, take effect to bind them to its terms.

Though the Crown had ways to return the land once it became aware some of it was Tuhoe’s, it did not.

“The Crown did not intend to punish Tuhoe, but it took their land anyway,” Judge Savage’s letter said.

“After confiscation, and given that it was the first substantial contact that Tuhoe in particular had with the Crown, it is unsurprising that the Crown came to be regarded, almost immediately, as an enemy.

The land included about half of Tuhoe’s most fertile land and its loss had serious long-term impacts on the iwi.

The tribunal found the Crown was justified in launching a military operation into Te Urewera land to apprehend Te Kooti, but that Crown forces acted mercilessly, killing non-combatants intentionally and summarily executing some prisoners.”

Tuhoe and Ngati Whare soon after aligned themselves with Te Kooti, whose followers staged guerilla raids on Poverty Bay, where several innocent non-combatants lost their lives.

“These Crown actions have never been addressed or acknowledged and they must be, now.

“The confiscation of land from Tuhoe and the conduct of the war were such that they cannot be justified as having been in accordance with the values of the time, for they were not,” Judge Savage’s letter said.

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The tribunal has not made any firm recommendations about what redress actions the Crown should take

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LATEST

Sky Television has won the right to broadcast all matches of Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand.

Rugby World Cup Limited (RWCL) just announced Sky will work with them to produce comprehensive coverage of all 48 matches, for distribution to RWCL’s broadcast partners around the world, with every game originating in high definition.”Rugby World Cup Limited is delighted to be working with Sky Television New Zealand,” Rugby World Cup Limited Managing Director Mike Miller said.”The appointment of the Host Broadcaster is a major element of the delivery of a world-class sporting event and we are confident that Sky NZ’s professionalism, in-depth rugby knowledge and high level of production skills will enhance the enjoyment of what promises to be a spectacular tournament for billions of fans around the world.
Sky was a proven leader in rugby
“The appointment is wonderful news for Rugby fans in New Zealand who will be able to see every RWC 2011 match live.”We are honoured to have been appointed and I am confident that we will deliver excellent coverage of all the games, which will be seen by an estimated four billion television viewers worldwide,” Sky Television New Zealand chief executive John Fellet said.”
The World Cup will be screened in over 200 countries, reaching four billion people.
“Sky is excited to be involved in what promises to be the biggest sporting event ever to be staged in New Zealand and will deliver live coverage of all 48 Rugby World Cup games to its subscribers.
It will also provide an International Broadcast Centre in Auckland for other licensed broadcasters to process RWC footage. .
Through this additional offering, RWCL aims to provide the New Zealand public with the largest amount of free-to-air international Rugby coverage seen since RWC 2007.
In addition to the deal with Sky, RWCL will look to licence simultaneous free-to-air broadcast in New Zealand of up to 16 matches, including the opening match and knock-out matches.

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Fancy a nice wallaby pie? How about a bowl of hot wallaby-tail soup for starters?

The culinary opportunities presented by a booming population of the bouncing marsupial pests have been suggested as a nice little earner for a South Canterbury entrepreneur.
Wallabies were introduced to the Hunters Hills close to Waimate in 1874.
Environment Canterbury (ECan) councillors were told yesterday the Bennett’s wallabies were spreading beyond their South Canterbury containment zone and the population had doubled, possibly trebled, to at least 50,000 in the past 10 years. Isolated wallaby sightings had also been made elsewhere in the region, including around Lyttelton Harbour and along the Waimakariri River.
A new colony of wallabies has become established on the eastern shore of Lake Pukaki, outside the zone.
ECan biosecurity manager Graham Sullivan said the explosion in wallaby numbers was the greatest concern.
Councillors heard some recreational hunters appeared to have tried to introduce them into new habitats. .
Cr Bob Kirk said wallaby meat was lean and “not too strong”.
Cr Mark Oldfield said wallaby pies had a following.
Oldfield said people had been seen putting joeys in cars to take elsewhere.
He remembered his grandmother in Waimate cooking wallaby-tail soup, which was not unlike oxtail soup. There’s an element of the hunting fraternity that would love to have some wallabies.
“It’s a bit like pigs. It’s quite a sport. It’s quite a sport.

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GPs next to admit their mistakes

By REBECCA PALMER, EMILY WATT Tuesday, 24 February 2009

Blunders by private hospitals and family doctors are likely to be made public in future as the number of fatal errors and mishaps revealed by public hospitals climbs.
Seventy-six patients died after being involved in serious hospital incidents last year, a government report made public yesterday reveals.
The number of deaths reported is nearly twice that of the previous year.
The deaths were among 258 "serious and sentinel events" potentially preventable incidents that cause or could cause serious harm or death. Not all the deaths were caused by errors some patients died of other causes. Last year 182 events, including 40 deaths, were reported.
It is only the second time such events have been published nationally.
Reporting is voluntary.
"It's highly likely that the number of events will continue to rise for a period," said quality improvement committee chairman Patrick Snedden, who also chairs Auckland District Health Board. District health boards say the increased number is as a result of better reporting systems and more transparency. Overall, the number involved in serious and sentinel events equates to about three in every 10,000 hospital patients.
Nearly 900,000 people were treated in hospitals over the same period as the 76 deaths, he said. He had discussed the issue with representatives of both groups and they had responded positively.
Mr Snedden would hope to see the same standards of reporting introduced in the primary health sector, which includes GPs, and in private hospitals.
He hoped the country's 1000 GPs could be included within two years.
He hoped the country's 1000 GPs could be included within two years. He expected the rest to be finished by June, which would further increase the consistency of reporting.
Training in incident management procedures had been completed at about half the country's district health boards.
"I think we do need to widen the net .
Health and Disability Commissioner Ron Paterson said it was "very common indeed" for his office to receive complaints relating to care outside the public hospital system, including complaints about pharmacists, GPs, rest homes and midwives… But I can see the sense that we, like other countries, have started our focus with what happens in our hospitals. I know GPs are keen to be included in this and private hospitals are too. He expected the number of cases to rise again next year."
Health Minister Tony Ryall, who said last year that the standard of reporting was "hopeless", said yesterday that it had improved, but could be improved further.
Green MP Sue Kedgley said the report might only be "scratching the surface" because rest homes were not included.
Green MP Sue Kedgley said the report might only be "scratching the surface" because rest homes were not included.

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Internet law change ‘unjust’

Friday, 20 February 2009

Theirmouths may have been taped shut but the protest message rang clear a call for the Government to remove or delay "unjust" changes to internet copyright laws.
Hundreds of protesters descended yesterday afternoon on Parliament, where Creative Freedom Foundation founder Bronwyn Holloway-Smith presented a petition of more than 148 written signatures as well 10,000 signatures collected online to UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne.
Protesters say it means material will have to be removed from the internet if an accusation of breach of copyright is made even if it is not proven. .
Some protesters have blacked out parts of their webpages for a week.
It would mean internet service providers would have to take on the role of gatekeepers, blocking online access to anyone accused of flouting copyright laws and illegally downloading films or music.
"Parliament took too long to listen," he said.
Mr Dunne said the law reminded him of debate that surrounded the now-repealed Electoral Finance Act.. "We can't afford to make the same mistake . this battle is far from over… It's urgent . and it's an unjust law..
Protester Chad Moffitt said users could have internet connections cut off without proof they had broken rules."
He tabled the petition at Parliament and said he had spoken about the issue with Prime Minister John Key and Commerce Minister Simon Power who were "well aware" of mounting concerns. "We're not criminals". "There's so many people that could get inadvertently stung," he said. The law is due to take effect on February 28.
Green MP Metiria Turei has joined calls for the Government to keep "guilt upon accusation provisions" out of the Copyright Act.