CTU Media Release

13 March 2013

Mondayisation Bill set to go through

The CTU is pleased that the Bill to Mondayise the public holidays associated with Waitangi Day and ANZAC day where they fall in the weekend, looks set to pass its Second Reading tonight.

Jeff Sissons, CTU Legal Advisor says "the Holidays (Full Recognition of Waitangi Day and Anzac Day) Amendment Bill will mean that New Zealanders would still get time off to spend with their families when these public holidays fall on a weekend. This Bill is good for working New Zealanders."

"The CTU agrees that observing these special days is of significance to all New Zealanders. All this Bill does is ensure that on those few occasions that the day falls on the weekend we still commemorate the day where it falls but also ensure that workers do not miss out on a public holiday in that year."

"It is good that the government has seen the light and will no longer attempt to block the passage of this Bill with the financial veto. The costs to businesses of the Bill have been overstated- businesses already budget for Waitangi and Anzac Days on five out of every seven years. Potential productivity gains and benefits to domestic tourism also have not been factored into official advice around cost and could have a positive end impact."

"These changes will also bring us into line with all Australian states, bar Tasmania, who mondayise days of national importance like ANZAC Day and Australia Day," said Jeff Sissons.

ENDS

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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>>