News 8
Ashburton Guardian
www.guardianonline.co.nz
Thursday, September 19, 2013
■ CHRISTCHURCH REBUILD
In brief
Risk of migrant exploitation By Kurt Bayer The $40 billion rebuild of postearthquake Christchurch is raising the risk of migrant exploitation, the Government has warned. It comes after one construction firm was issued with an improvement notice by the Labour Inspectorate after a probe found a worker had not received his full wages, annual leave or public holiday entitlements.
He and another worker were also not supplied with employment agreements in breach of employment law. Now, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has issued a warning to Canterbury construction firms to make sure they’re complying with regulations. The ministry says it’s keeping a close eye on the post-disaster rebuild, with international evidence showing that rebuild
operations too often result in underpaid and overworked employees. The rebuild also poses a risk for migrant exploitation, with high numbers of workers in Canterbury coming from outside New Zealand. “Migrant workers are a particularly vulnerable section of the workforce and are an increasing focus for the ministry’s enforcement operations,” said the inspectorate’s acting-southern regional manager Steve
Watson. “The Labour Inspectorate is working with Immigration New Zealand to ensure migrant exploitation, such as paying less than the minimum wage or making people work excessive hours, does not occur in Canterbury.” He says the employer that received the improvement notice has introduced written employment agreements and outstanding wage and holiday payments are being made. - APNZ
■ KIWI BANK
Documents handed to customer By NicHolas McBride Kiwi Bank was yesterday redfaced after discovering that highly confidential documents had been handed across the counter to a member of the public at the Greymouth branch. The documents, which were passed on to the Greymouth Star, contain personal information of about 20 West Coast individuals, including full names, dates of birth, bank account numbers, signatures and e-mail addresses. The information had already been through two sets of hands before being passed to the newspaper to raise the alarm about the privacy breach. A cursory glance show the papers include original copies of automatic payment changes, money transfers, term deposits, bank operating authorities, and payments. The envelope of documents was inadvertently given to a member of the public when they went into the Kiwi Bank office, run out of the Post Shop, last Friday. The man was inquiring about opening an account and was handed a green brochure and a large envelope, and told to go away and study them. The teller had been busy on the phone and appeared distracted. The individual did not think anything untoward about the envelope and opened it when he got home; only to discover that it contained confidential documents he was not meant to see. He handed the documents to a friend. “As soon as I saw it, I thought ‘this is another privacy breach’,” the second man said, referring to similar events with ACC clients receiving information in the mail. - APNZ
Crash victim named The 14-year-old killed in a crash near Turangi on Sunday has been name as Roman Biddle from Taupo. Police believe he was at the wheel of a four-wheel-drive, also carrying a 15-year-old girl and 16-year-old boy, that rolled on a gravel road. The two other teens received minor injuries. Police said inquiries into the incident were continuing but the dead boy was not wearing a seatbelt. “Police cannot emphasis enough the importance of wearing safety belts on all journeys,” said Senior Sergeant Fane Troy. - APNZ
500 without power Hundreds of rural Cantabrians were reconnected to their power yesterday, more than a week after gale force winds struck the area. Of the 28,000 customers whose power was cut off last Tuesday, 500 remain disconnected, electricity company Orion said. “It is a time-consuming process getting power back on to the remaining customers, as the repairs we are doing now affect only a few customers at a time,” chief operating officer John O’Donnell said. “However, we are making good steady progress and I can assure all customers that remain without power that we are working as quickly and safely as possible.” - APNZ
Barker the kiwi
Mount Hutt College head boy Alex Holmes (left) and head girl Rebecca Robinson are all geared up for this weekend’s Mount Hutt College Big Chair Fair. Photo Donna Wylie 180913-DW-029
Gearing up for Big Chair Fair By Myles HuMe
Myles.h@theguardian.co.nz
Mount Hutt College’s front field is set to be transformed into a hub of festivity on Saturday. For the first time in three years, the college is holding the Big Chair Fair where food stalls, auctions and live entertainment will combine to attract punters from across the district.
Mount Hutt College principal John Schreurs said the funds raised would go towards replacing the old form style seating in the college’s hall where many of the school’s events are held. “I’m not sure if we will raise all the money we need, but it’s also about working in a community and the students have worked together in groups to come up with some of the
stalls,” he said. Young Farmers will also join festivities as they look to hold a house event, to be run in the same style as the National Young Farmers’ Competition. Methven buses will be travelling around town for the event. The college’s Big Chair Fair will run from 11am-3pm, rain or shine.
He’s carrying the hopes of a nation, and now Dean Barker has another claim to fame - lending his name to a rare kiwi chick. The rowi kiwi, hatched at the West Coast Wildlife Centre in Franz Joseph, has been named Barker by centre staff, in support of the Emirates Team New Zealand skipper. The 375g chick was the first to hatch this season, and was named to show the team in San Francisco that all kiwis are behind them. Rowi are the rarest kiwi, with just 400 left, found only at the Okarito Kiwi Sanctuary near Franz Joseph. - APNZ
Labour chief of staff New Labour leader David Cunliffe has appointed Auckland Council lawyer Wendy Brandon as his chief of staff. Ms Brandon was working as legal counsel in the Ministry of Health when Mr Cunliffe was minister, and was seconded to his office. Mr Cunliffe said she had a CV that spanned central and local government, as well as the private sector. - APNZ
Rangiora murder accused appears in court By Kurt Bayer A second man has appeared in court charged with the murder of Rangiora man Tony John Lochhead during an alleged armed robbery at the weekend. Mr Lochhead, 51, was fatally stabbed while his brother Peter Graham Lochhead was hospitalised with injuries after an altercation at their shared White St home about 9.30pm on Fri-
day. A knife was found at the scene, while a supposed getaway car was located near the neighbouring town of Kaiapoi. Police believe the two accused then hitched a ride into Christchurch where they hid before being caught days later. A 36-year-old Canterbury man was arrested late Sunday night and appeared from custody at Christchurch District Court on Monday morning.
The man, who has name suppression, is charged with murder and with wounding Peter Lochhead while leaving the alleged aggravated robbery. He has been remanded in custody without plea until October 11. On Tuesday police arrested a second man at a Hornby car park. The 39-year-old is jointly charged with the murder of Tony Lochhead and the aggravated wounding of his brother.
He made a brief appearance at Christchurch District Court yesterday before Judge Alistair Garland. Defence counsel Richard Maze made no bail application but made a successful bid for interim name suppression. The second man was also arrested on an alleged bail breach, which police say they won’t be pursuing because it’s been “overcome by other matters”. - APNZ