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Lower Hutt: Contact Energy 70 jobs to possibly go.

The news was released yesterday that Contact Energy is looking at outsourcing its retail processing positions based in Lower Hutt with the possible lose of 70 jobs.

Contact Energy is in talks with staff over the potential outsourcing of around 70 jobs to India.

Consultation began yesterday over plans to outsource the work to India-based technology company Wipro Technologies as Contact sought to upgrade its retail processing software, corporate communications manager Jonathan Hill said.

Mr Hill said the proposed outsourcing was part of “a significant transformation of its business processes”, including changes to Contact’s retail billing systems. 

The jobs in question were retail processing positions at its Lower Hutt branch, where around 200 people were employed.

Consultation began yesterday and they had put a proposal to staff. No decisions had been made, he said.

via Stuff

It appears that the cost of business in becoming harder and harder for NZ busineses service industries to compete against significantly lower labour costs in other parts of the world. Being a listed company, shareholders expect maximum returns, and in the current environment that generally means a cost reduction model, versus a growth strategy.

The impact is where these jobs are based, and unfortunately that is the Hutt Valley. Recent examples in the Hutt have been more about manufactors with Unilever, Formway  and Mountain Buggy making approximately 120 people between the three companies redundant earlier this year.

The ongoing significance of these job losses or changes in operations have significant impacts on local communities and the people involved. The Hutt Valley has experienced significant changes in the businesses that exist here over the years, but it seems that increasingly we, that is New Zealand, cannot compete in areas where labour costs offshore are what we expect to earn in a day what others earn in a month

 

Pomare: Tenants go to Court of Appeal

The story goes on.

The three women fighting their eviction from their Housing New Zealand homes in Lower Hutt’s Farmer Cres are seeking leave to appeal to the Court of Appeal. The outcome from this ongoing saga was they were told to quit their HNZ houses by 4 December if they did not appeal. Guess what they appealed yesterday, on the last day to do so, as stated by the Justice Wild.

I continue to strugle with this whole sorry saga, the cost earlier this year was put at $250,000, we have now had 2 further calls to the High Court, and now on we go to the Court of Appeal.

No doubt they are taking the matter as far as they are legally allowed, but fairs fair, the cost of all this,  the state could have built 1 and 1/2 houses by now. By the end,  possible have given all three families new homes. But they want to live there. GO FIGURE.

As a side note I see that currently Farmer Crescent is also been looked at for redevelopment, and a possible solution is the removal of the housing present, to be replaced by more modern and appropriate accomodation. Harks back to my discussion on my walk around.

Robyn Winther, Huia Tamaka and Billy Taylor were ordered to quit their homes after threats of intimidation and anti-social behaviour related to their Mongrel Mob partners.

They lost an appeal to the High Court and yesterday filed an application to take the case further.

Lower Hutt: Three car crash at Avalon turnoff.

A serious car accident occurred last night  involving three cars at the intersection of State Highway 2 and Fairway Drive, Avalon. Six people were taken to hospital, one serious.

Emergency services attended the crash which occurred about 7pm.  As a result of the accident the Kennedy Good Bridge remained closed till about 10pm, as the Police conducted an accident investigation.

Police are also seeking witnesses to the accident. Please call Detective Sergeant Steve Harwood at the Lower Hutt police station on 560-2674, if you can help.

Wainuiomata: Second helicopter rescue in a day

For the second time in a day the Westpac Rescue Helicopter was called to Wainuiomata last night around 7.30pm to a Motor Vehicle Accident

The helicopter, with a Wellington Free Ambulance Helicopter Paramedic on board, responded to the crash site in Wainuiomata. The Fire Service had established a landing area.

On arrival all of the occupants of the vehicle were out. The Paramedic treated a 20yr old female from Johnsonville who a passenger in the vehicle for neck injuries.

The female patient was transported to the Wellington Hospital Emergency Department where she is currently being further assessed and treated for her injuries.

Silverstream: Liquor off-licence granted

Well as I mentioned in an earlier post, unfortunately under current legislation in NZ, the LLA can only consider applications based upon the context of the Liquor Act., the result an off-licence granted.

Approval has been given for an off-licence alcohol business to open in Silverstream, despite the Liquor Licensing Authority recognising “clear evidence that public antipathy to the proposal was endemic”.

via Stuff

Mrs Patel is doing no wrong under this act, and as such has made a consideration for her licence application by closing her shop doors in the period raised by objectors, something she did not have to do, but no doubt to appease those greatly concerned.

The Judge as I mentioned was faced with the context of the law, and while aware of objections I believe had no other position available than to grant the application with provisos of the applicant, that is closing in the period she mentioned. He has a number of discretionary conditions he can put on the application as well. The Police and other agencies are also tied by the fact that the applicant is doing no wrong in applying and not breaking any rules, just applying for a commercial licence to sell liquor as is allowed in NZ.

“It is our view that we have no option other than to grant the application. The company fulfils all the criteria …
“However, we do have the right to fix the days and hours of trade … we believe that we have a duty to take into account the likely impact of this new business on the neighbourhood. In doing so we must consider the effect on young people who are attending the nearby schools,” Judge Unwin’s decision says.

via Stuff

The fault is fact lies with current legislation that does not take into consideration public concerns around liquor distribution, and the current backlash against liquor outlets that has increased in recent times. New legislation is before Parliament in May next year I think, to change the context of the act, but that could take several months knowing legalisation.

Judge Unwin acknowledged the community response and the objectors presenting “as a cohesive body who were very concerned about what they saw as a detrimental impact that the proposal would have on the current village culture of Silverstream”.

The “close knit and engaged community did not want the proposal to proceed”.

“The impact of the evidence was such that the application might well have been refused, had there been the power to do so,” Judge Unwin’s decision says.

“However, the application has to be determined on the criteria set out in the Sale of Liquor Act 1989, and not on the wish of the people. The fact that a new bottle store is unwelcome in a community is not a ground for refusing to grant a licence.”

via Stuff

Take heed that the Police are actively managing bad outlets to combat problems in this area,  very strongly in the Hutt Valley. If you are caught selling to underaged or other infringements under the act it is highly unlikely your licence will not be renewed. Unfortunately current crap legislation opened the gate to the growth of suburban liquor outlets, without input from the community. We were suppose to be a mature nation around liquor consumption. The concession over the opening hours does go some way to meeting Silverstream community concerns, but I doubt strongly with legislation akin to Pokies licences, which is advocated in liquor discussion document that this outlet would have gone ahead. Timing is everything.

 

 

Wainuiomata: Baby flown to hospital

A six-month-old boy has been flown to Wellington Hospital after suffering an allergic reaction to his milk formula.

The Wellington-based Westpac Rescue Helicopter was called to the boy’s home in Wainuiomata just after 10am.

The fire service established a landing area for the helicopter and the child was transported to hospital with his mother.

Via Newstalk ZB

Eastbourne: Car in water by Days Bay.

Lower Hutt police said they received a call at 1.00pm after a passerby spotted a car with a man sitting on its roof in the harbour just north of Eastbourne.

A white Nissan Cefiro stationwagon had fallen more than two metres on to rocks near Days Bay Eastbourne.

The crash was caused by driver inattention and speed was not a factor.

The driver, in his 40s, was heading north along Marine Drive when he was distracted and his car left the road at a point before Days Bay. The driver got out of the upturned car himself with only a small cut or bruise on his face, and it is likely he will face charges.

 

Petone: Community Board utilizing YouTube

Since the beginning of this year the Petone Community Board has started uploading video clips to YouTube.

The guiding and main provider is Mason Branch, who says promoting the area in his spare time is a worthwhile pursuit and an opportunity to show off whats going on there.

The conscious decision is to cover material appropriate to the geographical area of the Community Board, hence Korokoro, Petone and Moera feature and include people or activities appropriate to those areas.

No doubt a growing resource (4 so far) and appropriate to building community identity. Credit to Mason for voluteering his time and effort to give such polished productions that offer value back to the community.

Subscribe and watch at PCBonthetube

I include one below on Jackson Street Fiesta from earlier this year.

Lower Hutt: Gas leak in Hutt Road

Three people have been treated after inhaling a poisonous gas in Lower Hutt.

The XL Corporation building in Hutt Park Rd had been cordoned off after a chemical spill.

Three fire engines attended the incident, along with ambulance staff who treated the people at the scene.

Fire Brigade staff contained the spill and area is now open to traffic.