From Unemployed to Rebuilding Chch
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Upturn Wanted: 1000 workers likely Marta Steeman [email protected] for east A push to hire 1000 more workers by Christmas for the $2.2 billion Liz McDonald repair of Christchurch infrastruc- [email protected] ture kicks off next month. The Stronger Christchurch Christchurch’s new blueprint Infrastructure Rebuild Team looks likely to cause a jump in (Scirt), wants to ramp up ‘‘field’’ property values in the eastern workers from about 800 now to central city, triggering a call for 1800 by year’s end. action to stop low-income resid- Scirt needs skilled workers for ents being pushed out. the repair of waterpipes, sewers, A combination of rebuilt hous- stormwater drains and roads. It ing and the blueprint’s green wants to train newcomers from the frame is expected to boost values unemployed and those keen to be and rents in the neighbourhood, part of the massive effort. traditionally a source of cheap Scirt is an alliance of five of privately owned housing. New Zealand’s large construction Social agencies held a lunch- companies contracted to the time meeting with landlords this Canterbury Earthquake Recovery week and will approach the city Authority (Cera), the Christ- council and Housing New Zealand church City Council and New for a solution. Zealand Transport Authority Tessa Laing, a researcher from (NZTA), who are funding the five- the Anglican diocese’s social jus- year project estimated to cost tice unit, said government in- $2.2b. The five companies are centives were needed to encourage Fletcher Construction, Fulton a mix of housing types in the area. Hogan, McConnell Dowell, These could be rental subsidies, Downer and city-owned City Care. low-cost loans or grants to land- ‘‘This is an exciting industry lords. and it’s a good opportunity for ‘‘If the market follows its natu- people to get work,’’ Scirt general ral course, we’ll see these people manager Duncan Gibb said. squeezed out and shoved to the It will launch a recruitment outskirts of the city where they campaign and training pro- will have no support,’’ she said. grammes next month. Laing said landlords at the ‘‘We believe there are people Less boring: Social Development Minister Paula Bennett (with her back to the camera), speaks to former beneficiary Jesse Neville, 19, who is now working for Hawkins Construction and helping in the Christchurch meeting were keen to make the still around Christchurch and rebuild. Photos: STACY SQUIRES/FAIRFAX NZ concept work, and many had a Canterbury that we can bring into good conscience towards disadvan- the construction industry through taged tenants. She hoped the a training programme,’’ he said. council and Government would be Scirt had recently moved from supportive. the emergency repairs phase to The blocks between Fitzgerald long-term projects. It will be hiring From unemployed to rebuilding Chch Ave and Madras, Kilmore and crews of skilled workers first from Hereford streets were vital, but the Canterbury, then the South Island, Olivia Carville Although life was ‘‘easier being work,’’ he joked with Bennett. zone could extend as far as Stan- then the North Island. [email protected] on the dole, it’s less boring Another worker, Patrick Kohu, more Rd, she said. ‘‘We actually want 1000 by working’’, he said. 51, said he had been employed at Landlady Liz Harris said some Christmas and we would like to get Two Christchurch construction When he was on a benefit he Hawkins Construction through He rent rises were inevitable but she as many as we can out of local companies are hiring beneficiaries would usually wake up at noon Toki ki te Rika, a collaborative would like to see a mixed com- unskilled, but we believe it will for the city’s rebuild. and play Xbox for the afternoon, Maori trade-training scheme with munity created. take us 12 months to get 1000 Fletcher Building and Hawkins but now he was ‘‘way more Ngai Tahu, the Christchurch ‘‘I hope it will become more of a people into the industry through Construction have embedded motivated’’. Polytechnic Institute of mixed area,’’ she said. ‘‘Just training and upskilling pro- Work and Income staff members to Neville had applied for about 30 Technology and Hawkins. because people cannot afford grammes. We don’t see any need to help recruit unemployed youths jobs to no avail and believed if the Kohu decided he needed to much, that doesn’t mean they are go overseas. We believe the skills for jobs in the rebuild. apprenticeship opportunity had ‘‘make a change’’ in his life after not good tenants or good people. I are here in New Zealand.’’ The companies have helped 86 not been offered to him, he would he was freed from prison, and he would like to have them back.’’ Scirt was working with the unemployed Cantabrians into still be on a benefit. had chosen to get involved with Harris said she was building construction industry’s training work. He has been employed since the programme. low-rent homes as well as pricier organisation and other training Social Development Minister One of the workers, apprentice October and said most of his wages ‘‘It offers a sense of belonging ones to replace the apartments, bodies. It is also kitting a recruit- Paula Bennett visited a Hawkins Jesse Neville, 19, said he had been had gone towards paying off bills, and purpose, I suppose. It’s about units and boarding houses lost in ment bus to visit schools and Construction site yesterday and trying to secure a job for four but he was planning to start saving rebuilding my past.’’ the quakes, and was topping up shows around the South Island. met four workers who had been years. He had been on a benefit for and go travelling in a few years. Bennett said the new scheme insurance payouts with her own Scirt wanted to employ locals employed through the Work and 12 months before Work and ‘‘I never wanted a desk job; I was ‘‘really exciting’’ and she was funds. first. Income scheme and a Maori trade- Income gave him the chance to get wanted to be doing something. No ‘‘full of admiration’’ for the Fresh start: Patrick Kohu, who decided She said that while the blue- One of the reasons was fewer training scheme. an apprenticeship. offence, but I do prefer to actually construction companies. to make a change in life at 51. print looked positive, quick action problems with accommodation. on the green frame was needed to ‘‘Also we would like to steer as attract residents. much as possible of economic cal rebuild’’ as well, where there year. Sewers, water and stormwa- are still in the pipeline.’’ Asked about pressure on wage maximum value out of every ‘‘If we see this [the frame] hap- benefit from the programme back would be 10 to 15 years of work. ter had to be done before roads. Scirt was working with several rates, Gibb said: ‘‘We are doing our dollar we spend.’’ pening, and don’t get too many ob- into the local area,’’ Gibb said. Scirt was doing 80 projects now Local businesses were looking government departments and Ngai very best to try and contain all It was important that labour jections holding things up, it will The skills gained by the work- and hoped to have 150 projects on at accommodation for outside Tahu to tap into the unemployed, those inflationary pressures rates were reasonable and sustain- be a very good thing,’’ she said. ers would suit the coming ‘‘verti- the go in the city by early next workers: ‘‘A lot of those [projects] Pacific people and Maori. because we’ve got to get the able. The Government will buy eight city blocks between Madras and Manchester streets to form the eastern side of the green frame. The frame design includes walkways, cycleways, a play- ground, cafes and restaurants, as Yachties’ silver gives NZ historic 100-medal Olympic tally well as some housing. Property valuer Mark McSkim- Those pesky Aussies might have bringing up a century of Games and Tuke were the first Kiwi would win our 100th medal at early 20s, are considered long-term the Black Sticks women’s hockey ming, of Knight Frank, said the moved ahead of us on the medal metal. sailors to strike a medal, thereby these Games and will welcome the Olympians. team and kayaker Lisa Carrington blueprint was ‘‘expected to have a table but Kiwis have fresh cause to New Zealand’s Games squad bringing up the ton. diversion from ‘‘Val-Gate’’ and the New Zealand has won three are also considered pros- positive impact’’ on the area. celebrate – we have won the 100th went to London with a total of 90 The effort conveniently diverts ongoing media attention around gold, two silver and five bronze pects. An estimated 250 single units or Olympic medal of our history. medals earned over the history of attention from the bedraggled the gaffe that saw Adams and four medals so far in London. New Zealand won three golds in bedsit rooms were lost from the Yachties Peter Burling and Summer and Winter Olympics. Australians finally passing us on other Kiwi athletes left off starting Sailors Jo Aleh and Polly Beijing. central city in the earthquakes. Blair Tuke this morning secured With nine medals garnered by our the medal table. confirmation lists for their Powrie are looking strong for a the silver medal in the 49ers class rowers, equestrian riders, track New Zealand Olympic Com- individual events in London. further gold while BMX hopes ❯❯ ❯❯ at the Olympic regatta, officially cyclists and Val Adams, Burling mittee officials had believed we Burling and Tuke, both in their Sarah Walker and Marc Willers, Games coverage B12-B14 Eastern quake repairs A8 TO SUBSCRIBE PH 0800 THE PRESS AIR FREIGHT EXTRA 50¢ 0% INTEREST 0% INTEREST 0% INTEREST 0% INTEREST 0% INTEREST 0% INTEREST 50 50* 50 50* 50 50* 50 50* 50 50* 1/2 NOW, 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2 ‘R-Series’ 2008 Mazda CX7 2.3 - 6 Speed Auto 2008 Honda CRV Sport 2.4 - Automatic 2012 Hyundai Accent 1.6 CRDi 2012 Hyundai i20 1.4 Automatic 1/2 IN 12 MTHS Under 1,000 Kms.