Golfing for MATES in Construction

Emily Beaumont

Waimea Weekly, Nelson 14 December 2022

With construction workers six times more likely to die from suicide than a work accident, the organisation ‘MATES in Construction New Zealand’ was deemed a deserving charity for the Master Builders Nelson and the NZ Certified Builders Nelson Charity Golf Day.

About 80 builders partook in the November event at Greenacres Golf Club on Best Island with $6000 raised for the charity.

“It was a great day, heaps of fun with lots of good camaraderie. It was a good chance for builders to get together and unwind,” says Ruben

Fry, president of Master Builders Nelson. “Holding it for charity also makes it feel good.”

With the construction industry losing nearly one person a week to suicide, the MATES programme builds and strengthens communities in the workplace and across the industry – helping their people to be supportive and provide an environment that encourages positive wellbeing.

MATES engage with workers through on-site training and providing those identified as at risk with case management support that connects them to suitable professional support.

AUTHOR: Emily Beaumont SECTION: GENERAL NEWS ARTICLE TYPE: NEWS ITEM AUDIENCE : 10,000 PAGE: 7 PRINTED SIZE: 353.00cm² REGION: NZ MARKET: New Zealand ASR: NZD 361 WORDS: 291 ITEM ID: 1753868660

14 DEC, 2022

NZCB’s member builders are typically from small to medium-sized building firms that offer a full spectrum of residential and light commercial building services.

President of NZ Certified Builders Nelson, Dave Gunter, says the many stresses of the industry contribute to the horrifying statistics.

Golfing for MATES in Construction

“With increasing material costs, compliance issues and sourcing of materials becoming difficult it can all become a bit much for some, so it was important to us to support this charity,” Dave says.

Waimea Weekly, Nelson

Each year the two organisations host a joint golf day and this is the second year they’ve held it as a fundraising event, last year’s proceeds went to Gumboot Friday.

Ruben and Dave say they’re grateful to the sponsors, without whom a lot of it wouldn’t be possible.

ANNE GIBSON

WELLINGTON: Building and Construction Minister Megan Woods says a new critical materials task force is being formed, partly in response to the Gib crisis.

The task force will include sector leaders from the Government’s plasterboard investigation group, established in June, but will also incorporate experts covering smaller operations, design, consenting, products and procurement matters.

Dr Woods said the focus would be on trying to maximise productivity and cushioning businesses from supply chain risks, giving guidance, data and information to help builders, designers and business owners.

“The task force will build on the successes of the plasterboard task force and use the valuable lessons learnt ... so we can identify emerging risks and respond as quickly as possible,” she said yesterday.

Since January, there had been a 651% rise in imported plasterboard. That amounted to 3.9 million sqm of plasterboard and plaster-related products coming to New Zealand up to September, enough to build more than 7000 homes, she said.

“Bringing together construction, building consent, and supply chain experts into a task force earlier this year showed how Government and the sector successfully worked together to troubleshoot plasterboard shortages quickly and pragmatically. We didn’t overcomplicate. Industry talked. We listened. It worked.

“While we can be optimistic about the opportunities for our economy, we also need to remain cautious. We know we are facing a period of global turmoil,” she said.

The Ministry of Building, Innovation and Employment will lead the critical materials and products work programme. Dr Woods will be kept updated about the programme, the task force’s meetings and actions via weekly MBIE reports. Members of the new task force are Registered Master Builders chief