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www.guardianONLINE.co.nz
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
FIRST PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 27, 1879
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Wage rises unlikey for carers By Susan Sandys Extra funding which kicked in last week for private resthomes may not see an increase in wages for underpaid care staff. The increase in funding of 0.89 per cent for rest homes and 2 per cent for dementia units was confirmed in this year’s Budget. The Service and Food Workers’ Union is calling the increase “pathetic” and believe it is unlikely it will result in any increase in wages in the traditionally under-
paid private resthome sector. Industry lead Alastair Duncan said he expected Ashburton resthomes, like those around the country, would say to their staff that they have to absorb a recent KiwiSaver increase of one per cent, and had other expenses. “We think it’s very unlikely (it will result in an increase). Obviously we would encourage, and we think responsible employers will want to do it. But there’s no contractual obligation between the DHB and the provider to make sure that money goes through (to wages),”
Mr Duncan said. Private resthomes generally pay carers from the minimum wage to $15 per hour, while district health board funded homes generally have starting rates of $16 to $17 per hour rising to $20 for more experienced staff. Rosebank Rest Home and Hospital general manager Sue Prowse said Rosebank welcomed the extra funding, as it helped cover the cost of the care the home provided. Those costs had increased, including a higher level of care having to be provided, infrastruc-
ture costs such as insurance, and KiwiSaver commitment by employers. It was unknown at this stage if the extra funding would result in an increase in wages at the home. “We haven’t made a decision on that yet,” Mrs Prowse said. Charge nurse manager Margaret Sutherland at Tuarangi, which is DHB funded, said she supported better wages in the private sector. “Health care attracts very caring and very good people, and they deserve to be paid well for what they do, because the major-
ity of staff are outstanding,” Mrs Sutherland said. “I think that’s very important, you have to care for the carers as well.” Nurse manager Chris Lill at Princes Court, which offers dementia care, said the home was “perpetually struggling” when it came to attracting staff. One long-term staff member had recently left for a DHB position providing homecare in the community, which offered better wages. “We can’t match that,” she said of the pay rate.
Sue Prowse
By Gabrielle Stuart
Ewen McKenzie is expected to be appointed as new Wallabies’ rugby coach today, according to reports out of Sydney last night. The record 41-16 defeat by the Lions over the Wallabies in the city on Saturday night will be the final act in Robbie Deans’
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Bright lights, colourful costumes and huge smiles brought the stage to life at the dress rehearsal of the Ashburton College junior production of Alice in Wonderland yesterday.
controversial reign. Many will see the loss as the final straw but he would have been sacked even if Australia had won the third test and the series. Deans’ failure to get all of the disparate individuals involved in Australian rugby on board - in particular the talented but flawed Quade Cooper - will ultimately cost him his job. The 53-year-old
had six months left on his contract. Former Australia prop McKenzie’s first major task will be to coach Australia against the All Blacks in a Rugby Championship match in Sydney on August 17. The Australia Rugby Union are said to be keen to act now in order to give McKenzie enough time to mould a team for the 2015 World
Cup. The Wallabies’ last World Cup ended in a one-sided semifinal defeat at Eden Park at the hands of the All Blacks. Former Reds’ coach McKenzie, who led the franchise to its first and only title in 2011, has seen off the challenge of Brumbies’ mentor Jake White, a South African World Cup winner with the Springboks. Australian Rugby Union chief
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If the Ashburton mayoralty is a one-horse race, that won’t worry Ashburton mayor Angus McKay. Christchurch City mayoral hopeful Lianne Dalziel is keen to see a hotly contested race for the city mayoralty. However, with sitting mayor Bob Parker indicating he won’t seek re-election, Ms Dalziel has said she’ll be disappointed if the mayoralty becomes a “Clayton’s Race”. Angus McKay has no such concerns, however. Automatic re-election after a non-contested mayoralty race would not be a hollow victory, he said. “I’m not concerned about this one way or the other, but I do like campaigning. I’ll just wait and see who is comI’ve won ing, but I know that’s a couple of something times when where I’ll be the last one I was with to hear,” he ECan without said. I n a challenge Ashburton, people were and that traditiondidn’t feel ally slow to show their like a hollow hand when victory it came to elections, Mr McKay said. He believes with nominations opening on July 26, potential mayoral candidates still have plenty of time to make up their minds. While mayoral challenge provided an opportunity for voters to hold a sitting mayor to account for decisions made during the year, Mr McKay said he hoped people would tell him to his face if they weren’t happy with what he was doing rather than wait until election time. “I’m not afraid of having a challenge, but I’ve won a couple of times when I was with ECan without a challenge and that didn’t feel like a hollow victory.” With just over two weeks until nominations open, only two of the current crop of Ashburton District Councillors have indicated a possible interest in the mayoralty. Third term councillor Neil Brown, who represents the district’s eastern ward, says he’s likely to be standing again for a seat around the council table but he’s also tipped his hand, indicating there is also a slim chance he may stand for the mayoralty. Of the 12 district councillors, two, John Leadley and Jim Burgess have said they will not seek re-election for any office while Darryl Nelson, Robin Kilworth and Don McLeod have still to make a decision. Ken Cutforth, Martin Nordvqist, Jac Sparks, Stuart Wilson, Alan Totty and Donna Favell have already indicated they will seek re-election. Nominations for this year’s local body elections open on July 26 and close on August 23. Voting documents will be posted between September 20 and 25 and voting closes at noon on October 12.
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Aussies dump ‘dingo’ Deans after embarrassing defeat By Patrick McKendry
One-horse race okay by mayor McKay By Sue Newman
Alice in Wonderland ready to take to the stage Students have their costumes ready, their heads full of songs and their smiles at the ready as they prepare for opening night of the Ashburton College junior production of Alice in Wonderland tonight. The musical will be the first ever junior production at the school, and will be the first time onstage for many of the Year 9 and 10 students. Producer Carolyn Clough said that the school had a huge number of talented juniors, and she had seen the students blossom through their roles in the show. “Alice is a crazy show, but many of the juniors have real personality and we knew they would be able to pull it off.” And they haven’t just shone onstage. She said that the 60 junior students involved had worked hard on every aspect of the show, from make-up to lighting. “They’ve been fully involved, not just onstage but offstage and backstage too, they’re doing everything. It’s a great chance for them to learn about every aspect of a production, and they’ve taken it on and are doing very, very well.” At their first dress rehearsal yesterday they kept both young and old riveted – with residents from several rest homes as well as children from Phoenix Preschool invited, they performed for an audience ranging from two years old to 102. Audience member Rita Turtill has seen plenty of shows in her 102 years, and said that this was one of the good ones. “I enjoyed it. The children worked hard and their costumes were lovely, it was very commendable.” The show will run for three nights, from Tuesday, July 9 to Thursday, July 11, at 7pm at the Ashburton College auditorium. Tickets are available from the Ashburton College office for $15, and include a complimentary Mad Hatter’s tea party during Interval.
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executive Bill Pulver said at the weekend he wouldn’t rush into a decision about Deans, but following interviews with McKenzie and White he appears to have done exactly that. Pulver said “there has been a lot of emotion and comment expressed from various areas ... we will not be entering into any speculation or debate on the
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coaching issue at this stage”. Deans presided over 74 tests since crossing the ditch in 2008, leading the Wallabies to 43 wins, 29 losses and two draws, for a winning percentage of 58 per cent. His record against South Africa was very good - nine wins in 14 tests - but he failed to get consistent results against the All Blacks. Gatland empathises, P15
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