Showing posts with label United States. Show all posts
Showing posts with label United States. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

IHC appeals against sleep-over back pay decision

Boy with Down Syndrome assembling a book case.Image via Wikipedia
IHC appeals against sleep-over back pay decisipon...



The IHC has appealed against a decision that could cost it $176 million in back pay for workers on overnight stays, despite three courts ruling against them.

An application was lodged yesterday with the Supreme Court to grant leave to appeal against a Court of Appeal decision which ruled last month that overnight stays fitted the legal definition of "work", and that workers should be paid the minimum hourly wage for those stays.

Idea support services worker Phil Dickson, who took the initial case, said it was hypocritical for the IHC to say it had no money to pay workers and then to lodge an appeal that would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal bills.

"They get taxpayer-funded money, they need to be a bit more accountable really. They've been kicked in the arse three times, how many more times do they need?"

His hourly overnight rate for shifts he did nine times a fortnight worked out at $3.77, he said.

The overnight demands not only required workers to be on call throughout the night, but put strain on relationships.

"It's crazy, how much longer do they think the staff are going to subsidise all their services for them? They're still going to end up having to pay us but [now] they'll have all these extra [legal] costs."

Otago University constitutional law expert Andrew Geddis said he did not think the Supreme Court would reach a different finding.

"[The Court of Appeal has] made a sound judgment in law. It just so happens it has pretty unpalatable consequences for the Government."

Lodging the appeal might have as much to do with politics as with law, because it was unlikely any decision would be made before the election, Professor Geddis said.

IHC spokeswoman Philippa Sellens said the organisation could not afford the estimated liability in backpay of $176m, on top of wage costs which would rise $30 million a year.

"We're looking to Government for a solution to this because we simply cannot pay that money.

"We have always said we would like to pay our workers more, that they do a fantastic job ... however, the money we have to pay our staff is what government gives us."

Health Minister Tony Ryall said the decision to apply for an appeal was understandable considering the "significant financial consequences of previous court rulings".


Acknowledgements: The Dominion Post

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Saturday, March 12, 2011

More names of Christchurch earthquake victims named...

Satellite image showing Christchurch and surro...Image via Wikipedia
More names of Christchurch earthquake victims named...



Police have released four more names of victims of the February 22 Christchurch earthquake.

They are:

* Siwen Huo, 28, of China;

* Kayo Kanamaru, 19, of Japan;

* Erica Avir Reyes Nora, 20, of the Philippines; and

* Caiying Ye, 27, of China.

This brings the total number of names released to 117.

Earlier today Civil Defence Minister John Carter extended the state of national emergency for a further seven days.

A state of national emergency was first declared on February 23, and extended on March 1 and March 7.

It is expected to continue for several more weeks, Mr Carter said.

"Continuing this declaration means the National Controller remains in control of the functions, duties, and powers of the Civil Defence emergency management groups and group controller. He works in consultation with central government and local authorities, including the mayor, on this massive recovery operation," Mr Carter said.


"It has been nearly three weeks since the earthquake and I am constantly impressed by the willingness of everyone involved in putting Christchurch back together to pull out all stops to ensure people's most urgent needs are met as quickly as they can be."

Under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002, a state of national emergency can be declared for a maximum of seven days at a time only.

Thousands expected to return

Thousands of people are potentially expected to return to Christchurch in coming weeks, Civil Defence national controller John Hamilton says.

Most of those returning would be due to the fact that 110 schools will reopen tomorrow, rising to 143 by the end of the week - or 88 per cent of schools in Christchurch.

"In addition, by the end of the week 234 early childhood education centres will be open," he said.

This would raise issues around power and water services, he said.

Mr Hamilton said the sewerage system in Christchurch was still fragile and authorities are not sure how they will cope if it rains.

The shortage of portable toilets in the city had been largely remedied by the arrival of another 960 from the United States on Saturday.

"Another 200 will arrive on Tuesday and both lots will be assembled and distributed to the suburbs as soon as possible," Mr Hamilton said.

The suburbs of Avondale, Bromley and Avonside would benefit first from the arrival of another shipment of chemical toilets, boosting the total number to 19,000.

Rob Jamieson of Orion says just 550 customers remain without power in Christchurch outside the CBD.

Access for business owners

Business owners from two of the restricted areas of the central business district (CBD), Zone Four and the Red Zone, would be allowed controlled access to their properties to recover essential items, Mr Hamilton said.

However, he warned that access would return to "zilch" after the recovery time was up. All business owners eligible to re-enter their premises have been contacted.

"We understand business owners will want to retrieve key items but urge them to be patient with us as we work through this complex process," he said, adding that some businesses owners would not be admitted because of safety reasons.

Acknowledgements: - NZ HERALD STAFF, NZPA

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Thursday, November 11, 2010

We are definately poorer for it...

Flavoured milk on a supermarket shelf. I took ...Image via Wikipedia



By Peter Petterson

First published at Qondio:

It is probably now cheaper to get a meal of KFC chicken for your family than it is to buy some average quality sheep and beef meat cuts down here in New Zealand.

It is also cheaper to buy coca cola and other softdrinks(soda in nth America) than fresh milk - a food in itself.
Somebody on a radio talk back show today said that even beer is cheaper than milk at present

What an indictment of a society that once provided milk in schools and subsidised milk sales as well back in the good old days.

We once had a local garment and footwear industry that manufactured clothes and shoes of a good quality and employed thousands of New Zealanders - now everything is of a poorer quality and originates from China or some other asian countries
.
We are definately poorer for it. Not a third world country, but not a first world one either. lets just say 'second class'.

http://blogevolve.com/we-are-definately-poorer-for-it
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Monday, July 26, 2010

The new iPhone4 hits New Zealand this coming Friday...

Image representing iPhone as depicted in Crunc...Image via CrunchBase
 HITTING NZ: The new iPhone4 will be available in NZ from this coming Friday...



 Apple's new iPhone 4 goes on sale in New Zealand on Friday but prospective buyers are being kept in the dark where to purchase it.



The iphone will go on sale at selected Apple retailers and on the online Apple store on Friday but Apple refuses to say name the retailers.



A worker at Harvey Norman in Manukau City said staff would not be told whether they would stock the iPhone 4 until Friday morning and said the same policy of secrecy was applied to the launch of the iPad last week.



"It drives us crazy sometimes," she said.



The iPhone is expected to have a recommended retail price starting from $1099.



Apple has sold more than three million of the smartphones since it was launched a month ago in France, Britain, Germany, Japan and the United States.



Apple last week began doling out iPhone 4 bumpers to address concerns that touching certain parts of the handset chokes telecom signal strength.



In true Apple style, free bumpers were made available through an application that could be downloaded to iPhones from the Cupertino, California-company's online iTunes shop.



The gadget-maker is hoping a $US29 ($39) rubber-and-plastic case will put an end to the debate over the antenna on what Apple chief executive Steve Jobs calls "perhaps the best product we've ever made".



Apple said at its website that the bumper, which fits around the sides of the phone, will be free to all buyers of the iPhone 4 through to the end of September.


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Sunday, July 18, 2010

Cannabis and Depression Study Proves Need for Drug Law Reform...

A Cannabis sativa leaf.Image via Wikipedia


Cannabis And Depression Study Proves Need For Drug Law Reform...




NZ Health Select Committee NORML Norml Phil Saxby Contributor:

 A study suggesting a link between early cannabis use and depression provides further evidence in support of reforming the Misuse of Drugs Act, said NORML President Phil Saxby today.



Mr Saxby's statement comes in response to a new study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, which suggests that children and teenagers who smoke cannabis may have a somewhat heightened risk of developing depression.



"Researchers cannot conclude whether or not the drug itself is to blame", Mr Saxby pointed out. "But that doesn't alter outcomes linking early cannabis use before the age of 17 with a 50 percent increase in the risk of developing a depression 'spell' later on in life."



"This is significant because the rate of early cannabis use in New Zealand has been growing at an alarming rate. Between 1998 and 2001, the number of young people aged 15 to 17 years who used cannabis 10 or more times a month increased by a staggering 300 percent." *



New Zealand now has the highest rate of teenage cannabis use in the world.



"NORML is concerned by any data linking early onset of cannabis use with later consequences for mental health, and has a strong adults-only policy for cannabis use. We certainly don't want children using it and we call for cannabis to be regulated in such a way that it's difficult, not easy, for them to buy," Mr Saxby said.



"Current policy - prohibition - only encourages the growth of 'tinny shops' and as everyone knows: those places don't ID their customers. Most Kiwi 15-year olds find it easier to buy cannabis than beer."



"For adults, cannabis is a low-risk drug which needs regulating: control its production; license outlets; tax sales and make it R18, consistent with alcohol. As 400,000 Kiwi adults currently use cannabis, we desperately need a system which a) stops criminalising them and b) restricts access by young people."



"Why does the Government continue allowing organised criminal gangs to decide where, when, to whom, and at what price illegal drugs get sold in New Zealand?" he asks. "What other local industry worth many millions of dollars each year is left in the hands of organised criminals rather than being taxed and properly controlled?"



(*NZ Health Select Committee, Inquiry into the Public Health Strategies Related to Cannabis and the Most Appropriate Legal Status, 2003; p.12


Acknowledgements: Voxy.com
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Monday, May 10, 2010

GST rise will benefit overseas firms - NZ retailers claim...

New Zealand dollarImage via Wikipedia


GST rise will give overseas web firms edge say NZ retailers.



New Zealand retailers say the looming rise in GST will give online merchants overseas an even bigger price advantage.



Private imports under $400 in value come into the country free of GST so the rise from 12.5 per cent to 15 per cent - likely to be announced in next week's Budget and imposed in October - makes overseas-sourced goods even more attractive.



The sharp appreciation of the New Zealand dollar against European currencies during the past six months has made online shopping even cheaper, although retailers who import from that region have also benefited.



Retail Association chief executive John Albertson said his members wanted GST on all goods bought privately overseas, excluding gifts. This would help New Zealand businesses and give the Government tax revenue worth as much as $500 million.



"It's not a fair cop. We don't mind competing but it's very hard competing with 15 per cent already tied behind your back," he said.


Especially galling for retailers was when customers used them to research products in their shops then bought them through overseas websites.



"You'll get people putting staff to tremendous trouble trying on sports shoes, say 'thanks very much' and go off an buy them online," Albertson said.



It is estimated between $1.2 billion and $3 billion is spent on goods by New Zealanders and, according to researchers The Nielsen Company, 17 per cent of this is spent overseas.



Most overseas online shopping is done in Australia and the United States.



Easy-to-ship goods such as DVDs, CDs, computer software and books are the most popular, accounting for more than 35 per cent of online buys abroad in each category.



More than 40 per cent of online spending on travel-related services is done through overseas websites, Nielsen says.



Albertson said the problem of tax on online purchases was an international one. In the US courier companies were charged with collecting state taxes in some cases. Albertson said it might be possible to collect tax through credit-card transactions.



Acknowledgements:  Grant Bradley

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Sunday, April 18, 2010

An 89 year old apple cider, perhaps...

Gala (apple)Image via Wikipedia
An 89 year old apple cider perhaps...


New Zealand appears to have won an 89 year old battle to export apples to Australia, after leaked reports suggest the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has found in favour of New Zealand in the long standing battle of orchardists on both sides of the Tasman. The ban should be overturned in the near future, but an appeal by Australia can't be counted out.



For 89 years Australia orchardists have incorrectly claimed and maintained that New Zealand apples would endanger the Australian domestic apple market with the risk of fireblight disease. I have never read of any proof being offered from Australian interests.



New Zealand exports apples to the huge American market and to other countries. There has never been any suggestion of fireblight being connected with Kiwi exports of apples.



An Australian resident, Sam Bradley, suggests Kiwi competition would teach Australian orchardists to farm more efficiently. New Zealand apples would continue to be effectively examined for any diseases, as they are done globally at present.



Another Australian who was rather disappointed with the variety and quality of NZ fruit, considering the best quality is exported, loved the yummy NZ apples, especially the Royal Gala variety, also a favourite of mine.


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Saturday, April 17, 2010

Concentrate on product quality in the US - not the clean green or carbon footprint...

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Don't bother mentioning "sustainability" or "carbon footprint" to the average American consumer - they won't know what you're talking about.


Kiwi companies looking to sell their wares in the US are being told to tone down the clean green headlines and instead push issues of quality, local craftsmanship and community responsibility.



Research conducted by the Seattle-based Hartman Group for New Zealand Trade and Enterprise shows Americans have only an "entry level" understanding of sustainability, and are not familiar with terms such as "food miles" or "traceability".



Hartman asked four focus groups - two in Washington DC and two in Seattle - plus retailers such as supermarket chain Safeway and natural products seller Whole Foods Market about their attitudes towards sustainability and New Zealand.



Senior director Kirk Cornell said apart from a hard core of eco-aware consumers, most people did not equate sustainability with concern for the planet.



"If you talk to them at length they will arrive at the point where it has something to do with green.


But, top of mind, there's no immediate linkage with anything environmental."



This was the same across all income levels, he said. Instead, America was undergoing a "quality revolution", with consumers harking back to what they saw as simpler, pure times when Grandma did her own pickling. In the case of food, they equated quality with products that were fresh and produced by smaller, local companies using organic and animal-friendly processes.



Bad food was mass-produced and contained elements perceived as harmful, such as genetically modified ingredients and high-fructose corn syrup.



The good news for New Zealand was the characteristics of quality were almost the same as those of clean and green.



"Fresh is an uber-symbol of quality and sustainability," the research said.



The other good news was that Americans had a "quasi-mythological" view of New Zealand, Cornell said.



Their image was limited to what they had seen on the Discovery Channel or in movies such as the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but even these fragmentary glimpses were overwhelmingly positive, he said.



New Zealand was seen as a kind of pre-modern economy in which organic food was the norm, everyone recycled, there was no over-exploitation of resources and little foreign ownership. "You really couldn't ask for a better image."



While Americans did not spend time thinking about where their products came from they did care that they weren't made in China or other mass-producing Asian nations.



That a product came from New Zealand could be used as a positive. "The notion of locale, of a product being from somewhere that's uniquely suited for making such products, plays very powerfully for the US consumer," the Hartman Group report said.

This is something for us to think about - don't get full of our own importances or force our standards overseas -when in Rome do what the Romans do. Do our homework first!

Acknowledgements :MSN

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