what's new in the news: June 2011

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Sawmill expects jobs boost

Kaituna Sawmill, in the Kaituna Valley, could create 45 new jobs if it is granted consent to increase its annual log throughput.

General manager Matt Bond said the mill processed about 75,000 cubic metres of logs a year, which was equivalent to about 13 truck-and-trailer loads a day. The mill, owned by Nelson Forests, has resource consent to process 150,000 cubic metres a year, and has applied for consent to double that output.

Depending on the resource consent outcome and the capital, the company could increase worker numbers from 65 to about 110, Mr Bond said.

The company would have a better idea about new job numbers by the end of the year.

Up to 1 million cubic metres of logs are being harvested a year in the Marlborough region, including Rai Valley, the Wairau Valley and the Sounds, and that is expected to increase to about 1.5 million cubic metres within five years.

Marlborough Regional Forestry chairman Francis Maher said the increase came as thousands of trees planted in the 1980s matured. The Kaituna sawmill and Flight Timber processed a relatively small percentage of logs harvested from the region, while the rest was shipped out before processing.

Mr Bond said the increased processing would create more income in the region and more jobs.

- The Marlborough Express

SIMON WONG

Last updated 17:00 30/06/2011

Ben Curran

JOBS BOOST: Roger Singer, stacker operator at Kaituna Saw Mill which is in the process of increasing milling capacity.

i-Site well placed to lift tourism

Blenheim does two things better than Wellington when it comes to encouraging tourism, says the chairwoman of Positively Wellington Tourism.

Glenys Coughlan said the location of the new i-Site on the Grove Rd section of State Highway 1 in Blenheim was better than Wellington's because it had more parking and was more visible.

Blenheim also had a purpose-built convention centre.

Ms Coughlan spoke to the Marlborough District Council community and financial planning committee this month about ways to improve tourism and create a strategic vision for Marlborough. She presented a report written with Destination Marlborough general manager Tracy Johnston and Marlborough Travel owner Chris Godsiff about growth opportunities.

Boosting tourism numbers and attractions was more about bold thinking than spending lots of money, she said.

The Marlborough brand was already quite strong and people immediately get a feel for what the region was about.

"People imagine being in the Marlborough Sounds, drinking wine and eating food, which is a huge asset."

But building tourist numbers was not just about physical attractions. It was important for the council to work with other sectors to create events no other region could replicate.

The Wellington on a Plate event in August had been created in 2009 to fill a gap in the winter events calendar but had grown into one of the city's premiere events.

She also urged the council to work with neighbouring regions to create complementary events or experiences.

"When visitors come to New Zealand they don't see regional boundaries, they see experiences."

Mr Godsiff said the region needed a clear vision of what it could become and work with businesses. "Our end goal is all the same. If we can get some like-minded people together, then let's brainstorm."

The region was being held back by problems such as the lack of a big hotel and regular services by larger aircraft, he said.

The councillors agreed to spend $50,000 developing a strategic vision for the region.

- The Marlborough Express

SIMON WONG

Last updated 17:00 30/06/2011

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Teachers slam `unfair' changes

Early childhood education (ECE) providers in Marlborough are frustrated at a government funding change that will mean new teachers are no longer subsidised to become registered.

The change from Friday means education centres with more than 80 per cent registered staff will no longer get about $4000 from the Government for every qualified teacher they hire who is working towards becoming registered.

Teacher registration requires extra study and practical work.

Centres use the funding to pay for things such as relief teachers and resources so new teachers can have time during work hours to meet criteria to become registered.

Blenheim's Little Footsteps education centre co-owner Angela Fitzpatrick said the move was frustrating.

"The Government says that ages zero to three is the most crucial time in a child's development and meanwhile they still keep whipping [funding] out from underneath us. It just doesn't seem fair; it penalises the staff for being the best they can be."

Funding levels differ between early childhood centres and is partly based on the number of registered teachers they employ. More than 80 per cent of Little Footsteps staff are registered.

Little Footsteps teacher Kelly Davis is about halfway through the two-year registration process. She said she would have to do the work in her own time and would not be paid for it.

Teachers were expected to be registered, she said.

The worst part of the change would be missing out on professional development such as conferences and training courses, "which will help me grow and develop as a teacher", she said.

Teachers can still apply for an Education Ministry grant to help them get registered.

The ministry website says funding is being focused on centres with fewer than 80 per cent registered staff to encourage more teachers to become registered. The Government aims to have 80 per cent of teachers registered by 2012 and 64 per cent of early childhood workers to be qualified and registered.

Little Footsteps co-owner Tony Fitzpatrick said the centre had four options to make up the shortfall for funding teacher registration – the centre to pay, the teacher to pay, increasing fees for parents or a combination of these.

Marlborough Kindergarten Association executive officer Sheila Dixon said funding for teacher registration was invaluable.

The association, which runs seven centres in the region, would support teachers in whatever way they could to be registered.

- The Marlborough Express

SIMON WONG

Last updated 17:00 29/06/2011

Scott Hammond

FUNDING CUTS: Margie Biss (left) and Kelly Davis of Little Footsteps. With them are Jordan Gill (centre) and Tom Robinson.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Students see world at school

Students at Marlborough Girls' College and Marlborough Boys' College went around the world without leaving the Girls' College library yesterday.

Students were issued with passports to visit about 18 stations set up to represent different countries in the library.

At each station, students wearing traditional costume shared information about their home lands with other students who collected facts and learned a few words of the native language.

A group of Boys' College international students were invited to the event, which was organised as part of international week.

Girls' College international dean Jo Robinson said the week and the event aimed to break down barriers between students born in New Zealand and those from other countries.

"It gets them talking and they learn about different places, so the next time they see the girls around school, they see they're not so scary after all."

Boys' College international prefect Rutger Maasdam said he got some good ideas from the Girls' College and would like to hold some similar events at the Boys' College.

These included quizzes and an international student expo.

Girls' College international prefect Min-Jung Kim said with more cultures at the school, it was vital to understand each other.

"The young kids are going to lead this town and it's important for them to be culturally aware."

Other events during the week included an international food court, games and students dressing in different national costumes.

- The Marlborough ExpressSIMON WONG

Last updated 17:00 23/06/2011