The Alliance Party condemns Attorney General's intervention in sleepover court case...

Alliance condemns Attorney General’s intervention in sleepover pay court case



The Alliance Party believes that the Attorney General’s decision to apply to the Supreme Court for permission to intervene yet again in the IHC sleep over case shows how little regard the government has for low paid workers and for disabled people.

The Alliance believes that the Government would be better advised to spend the money it is using to fight the case on helping to pay sleepover workers a decent pay rate instead, says Alliance Disability Issues Spokesperson Chris Ford.

“With or without the Attorney General, the Supreme Court will rule against them, as has the Employment Court and the Court of Appeal. Therefore, the whole exercise is a blatant waste of taxpayer’s money.”

“What exactly is wrong with paying disability support workers a decent wage and paying them for all of the hours they work? Nobody should have to work 16 hours for eight hours wages, especially not at the miserly hourly rates support workers are paid. This would not be tolerated in any other sector.”

The government can afford to increase funding to IHC and other disability support providers to enable them to pay their workers adequately for the very valuable work that they do.

But they choose not to because they don’t consider the disability sector important enough. They prefer to spend taxpayer’s money on such things as tax cuts for the wealthy, rugby tournaments, stadiums, cycle tracks, and BMWs for MPs.

“The Alliance Party believes it is time to reprioritize and spend money where it really matters, so that all New Zealanders earn a liveable wage and that those in need of support receive the assistance they require to live a decent life,” says Mr. Ford.

The Alliance fully supports the SFWU in their fight for justice for support workers and disabled people and calls on all other political parties to do the same.

KR says: Good question. Why is the government doing this? For the same reason they won't raise the minimum wage to $15.00 per hour.

NZ airports test for explosives - NZ Herald story...

Good story below - compliments of the NZ Herald:

NZ airports to test flyers for explosives
Page 1 of 2 View as a single page 5:00AM Monday July 09, 2007
By David Eames
NZ Herald


New security measures are planned for New Zealand airports. Photo / Kenny Rodger
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Passengers at New Zealand airports will be tested for explosives, and security officers are set to be given new sweeping search and seizure powers. "Trace detection" testing will see passengers routinely taken at random and tested for traces of explosives on their carry-on bags, and documents.

The measure - initially planned only for US-bound flights - is expected to be in place for all international passengers by August 1.

And it is understood Air New Zealand has also investigated fitting its fleet of 747-200 and 767-300 aircraft with security camera systems that would allow the flight crew to monitor passengers.

Aviation Security Service general manager Mark Everitt yesterday told the Herald trace detection testing - already employed overseas - would involve "continuous random testing" and would not delay flight departure times.

About 10 million people are expected to go through some type of security screening at New Zealand's airports this financial year, and it was important the testing required "minimal intervention ... because that's why we like living in New Zealand", he said.


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AdvertisementThe test will be able to identify the exact type of explosive.

Mr Everitt said he was satisfied the innovations were sufficient to meet "the current safety threat", which had not changed in the past week, despite the failed terrorist attacks in London and at Glasgow Airport and links to doctors in Australia.

A tender process has been run, and the cost of the service - which Mr Everitt described as commercially sensitive - would be covered by existing national and domestic levies.

The move is the latest in a series of security features implemented in the past 18 months to fulfil New Zealand's international security obligations.

Other measures include the routine screening of all hold baggage from January 1 last year and the compulsory plastic bagging of liquid aerosols and gels from March 31 this year.


There has also been an increase in the number of explosives sniffer dogs on duty in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch since their introduction about 10 years ago, Mr Everitt said.

"The dog's nose will tell us there's an explosive, the baggage detection will tell us there's a bomb, and the trace detection will tell us what type of explosive."

And airport staff could be in for as tough a time as passengers under legislation due for a second reading in Parliament.

Changes to aviation security laws could see the background screening and searching of airport employees, security staff given the power to order the removal of outer garments during passenger searches, and a requirement airlines not carry anyone refusing to be searched.