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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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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Adventure and experience of other cultures were the main motivators for New Zealanders moving overseas, rather than earning more money, a new study has found.

Massey University department of management and international business PhD student Kaye Thorn conducted the study, called Flight of the Kiwi, for her thesis.

She asked 2608 highly educated emigrants, including doctors, lawyers, bankers and scientists, why they left and whether they would come back.

Ms Thorn said economics as the third priority was contrary to popular analogy that more money was drawing New Zealanders overseas.

Respondents said their key motives in where to live were, in order of priority, culture and travel opportunities, career, economics, relationships, quality of life and political environment.5 percent, with career second at 22.

For people living in Britain, who made up half the respondents, cultural and travel opportunities was the top reason at 36. .

For those in Australia (21 percent of respondents), more than 30 percent said career was the driver, with economics second at 21.6 percent.3 percent.2 percent and quality of life third at 17.

Some of the emigrants’ motives were very specific.

Under 35s were concerned about making enough money to pay back their student loan faster, she said.

“Some people were keen to meet others in a larger gay community, one person wanted to find a Jewish partner and another woman said there was a man drought so she had left for London,” she said.

“Some people were keen to meet others in a larger gay community, one person wanted to find a Jewish partner and another woman said there was a man drought so she had left for London,” she said.

She anticipated that departures to Britain may also decline over the next few years, as people delayed their OE until casual employment there increased.

Ms Thorn said the economic crisis appeared to have resulted in a slowing of the movement of New Zealanders overseas, particularly to Australia.”

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“There is very little a government can do to prevent that mobility, but perhaps the Government could consider creating a cultural visa that allows a person to travel and or work overseas for up to two years with their job held open and appropriate recognition for their international experience on their return

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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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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.