February 23 2011

Earthquake Update – February 23 2011 – 6.10 am

Movement of visitors out of city.

Civil Defence is giving visitors to Christchurch the opportunity to relocate to Wellington following yesterday’s earthquake.

The decision to relocate visitors has been made in order to free up accommodation in Christchurch and also reunite people with friends and family. This will also assist with accommodation shortages in the city. Flights started leaving Christchurch early this morning.

Visitors are being flown to Wellington by the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Any visitors to Christchurch who want to leave the city should make their way to collection points at the Burnside High School welfare centre, corner of Memorial Avenue and Greers Road or the welfare centre at North Hagley Park. Please note, do not go to the airport directly if you wish to be on these flights. Please go only to the collection points.

From those collection points they will be taken to the airport.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On Failures Of Care For Those With Mental Disabilities

Hard to imagine a more disturbing insight into the treatment of the vulnerable than the Health Ministry report on Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau. The Ministry has found that the country’s only kaupapa Maori intellectual disability residential care provider has been “seriously dysfunctional.”

The ministry says the business has failed to recruit and retain quality staff – and says the kaimahi (caregivers) that have been employed are seriously unsuitable for the job, lacking basic knowledge. But Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau doesn’t get all the blame. The report says there’s a significant gap under disability laws to ensure there’s oversight by qualified clinical professionals. More>>