TE NUPEPA O TE TAIRAWHITI FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2020 HOME-DELIVERED $1.90, RETAIL $2.20 Te Wharau School new entrants Jordan Wawatai and Bean Bliss are getting into the good habit of regular hand-washing using one of the many soap dispensers and sinks at school. Students are being extra vigilant with their hygiene practices as the message gets through that simple hand-washing is effective in GOOD preventing the spread of Covid-19. Te Wharau School principal Steve Berezowski has sent a message out to reassure parents it is safe to be at school and that they are following health guidelines. Panic and paranoia were not helping and keeping children at home was not necessary at this stage, he said. HYGIENE STORY ON PAGE 4 Picture by Liam Clayton COVID-19 • Gisborne Mayor urges togetherness in ‘unprecedented time’ • Findlays committed to bread supply • Local RSA backs Anzac cancellation • Govt hands Air New Zealand $900m lifeline • Hamilton brewery turns to making sanitiser • Italy’s death toll overtakes China $44m relief package by Andrew Ashton Government had been sitting on a ready- “However, I have taken it on the chin position of privilege in the forestry sector to-go forestry bail-out for almost a month. from some of the forestry commentators and with that privilege and social licence THE Government today announced it “In defence of Te Uru Rakau (Forestry that it has been too slow, but the reality goes significant obligations. is pumping $44 million into Tairawhiti NZ), the proposals that lie behind the is it’s real money, it has now been “The focus today is on the individual to keep those affected by the economic $100m were ready to go about three or announced and it’s a small part of the household, the individual neighbourhood impact of the Covid-19 outbreak in work. four weeks ago but my $12 billion (relief) and the smaller independent contract The funding comprises a $28 million colleagues wanted to package (announced gangs whose income has dried up.” employment redeployment package to see it integrated into The focus today is on the earlier this week).” Today’s package would allow for help struggling businesses, along with a broader package, He pointed out that continued employment in Tairawhiti at a an additional $16m from the Provincial so that we were able ‘individual household, the Finance Minister time of great uncertainty, he said. Growth Fund to boost wood processing to make a sort-of individual neighbourhood Grant Robertson had Mr Jones said it was not a case of ventures here. pulse coming into and the smaller independent already said this big shots in Wellington putting forward The employment redeployment package the economy — to would not be the ideas. is funded by a $100 million national fund make sure it was contract gangs whose only economic pulse “These ideas were generated and sent to help redeploy workers affected by the not a scattered, income has dried up injected into the to my office by local stakeholders — the economic impact of Covid-19. provincial pulse but a —Minister Shane’ Jones economy. (Tairawhiti) Mayoral Forum. Forestry and Regional Economic comprehensive pulse,” Mr Jones also “The Provincial Growth Fund is also Development Minister Shane Jones, Mr Jones said. appealed to forestry’s stepping up to the plate with a $13m loan Economic Development Minister Phil “Obviously those “big players” to “play for WET Gisborne Ltd’s wood processing Twyford and Employment Minister Willie folks who are casualties of the economic a big game” in maintaining work for production line, which will produce a Jackson made the announcement in and negative consequences of the virus contractors and employees. laminated structural wood product at Gisborne today. are not just in Tairawhiti.” “The most recent news out of China is the Wood Cluster Centre of Excellence In response to a question from The Mr Jones accepted the collective that they are starting to buy logs all over located in Gisborne.” Gisborne Herald, Mr Jones said the decision-making process around that. again. The big firms hold a tremendous CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 21950-06 GISBORNE RUATORIA WAIROA Local News ...... 1-5 Business ............11 Literature ...........15 Television ..........24 Births & Deaths ...4 Opinion ..............12 Racing .......... 16-18 Sport ............ 25-28 9 771170 043005 TOMORROW National .......... 6-10 World............ 13-14 Classifieds ... 19-23 Weather .............27 > 2 NEWS The Gisborne Herald • Friday, March 20, 2020 ‘Change-makers of tomorrow’ GIRLBOSS SUMMIT: Gisborne and East Coast secondary school students at a workshop aimed at encouraging young Encouraging young women into women into careers in the primary industries. It was presented by GirlBoss NZ founder and CEO Alexia Hilbertidou (below) whose mission is to close the gender gap in science, technology, careers in NZ’s primary industries engineering, maths, entrepreneurship and leadership. GirlBoss has become a network of 13,500 high school-aged members by Kim Parkinson Its aims included getting and Maui dolphins, a fisheries nationwide with programmes implemented in 55 schools across more young Maori and officer and a national animal New Zealand, Australia and the Cook Islands. BE “unapologetically Pasifika women to consider identification and tracing Group picture supplied, Hilbertidou picture by Paul Rickard ambitious” and “pursue your careers at MPI and in the (NAIT) officer contributing to most audacious goals”. primary industries. farming biosecurity. That was a message from “We want to showcase the The students got to interact GirlBoss NZ founder and chief primary industries as an face-to-face with female role executive Alexia Hilbertidou attractive career choice and models — who often defied to a group of students in create a pipeline of future gender stereotypes — working Gisborne this week. potential employees for MPI in exciting jobs. Miss Hilbertidou was among and the sector, said MPI “You can’t be what you can’t those at a workshop designed spokeswoman Kirsty Robben. see,” said Miss Hilbertidou. to empower young women The students learned about “It is important for young and encourage them into the the skills needed to be a women to see the incredible primary industries. leader, personal branding, work these role models are About 40 students from interviewing and networking doing so they can be inspired.” Campion College, Gisborne — all within a fast-paced and Among the tasks students Girls’ High School and Te fun environment. did at the workshop was come Waha o Rerekohu in Te Aroha They received mentoring up with a quickfire sales pitch attended the half-day summit from MPI female leaders, who of themselves. at Waikanae Surf Life Saving shared their personal career “I think there is power in Club. journeys and showcased the knowing who you are, what “It was fantastic to be in a wide range of careers that you stand for and how to make voice and what you say that Staff enjoyed telling their room full of such inspiring and interact with the primary that visible, so you learn about deserves to be heard. career stories and giving back ambitious young women who industries. values and controlling your “We want to encourage to the next generation. are passionate about being the Among these mentors were own narrative.” young women to be “The feedback from the change-makers of tomorrow,” people working in Maori agri- Miss Hilbertidou said young unapologetically ambitious and students has been fantastic said Miss Hilbertidou. business, human resources women sometimes lacked pursue their most audacious and shows that these summits The workshop was a and kaimoana customary the confidence to share their goals.” will ensure the young women collaborative initiative of fishing regulations, a senior stories and to stand up and Ms Robben said they were can see themselves as future GirlBoss and the Ministry for fisheries analyst working on speak out. impressed by the ambition and leaders of the primary Primary Industries. fisheries impact on Hectors “There is real power in your tenacity of the young women. industries.” LOOKING AHEAD Get your TOMORROw FOCUS ON THE LAND Gisborne Herald • A thought-provoking piece on the irony of the Covid 19 home-delivered coronavirus. • Wrights Vineyard and Winery have a New Zealand-irst piece of harvest machinery. • Prices and comment from today’s weekly sheep sale at Matawhero — about 1800 head on offer. STRANDED TOMORROw The Gisborne Herald, 64 Gladstone Road, P.O. Box 1143, Gisborne • Phone (06) 869 0600 • Fax (Editorial) (06) 869 0643 (Advertising) (06) 869 0644 Editor: Jeremy Muir • Chief Reporter: Andrew Ashton • Circulation: Cara Haines • Sports: Grant Miller/John Gillies To nd out more call 869 0620 e-mail: [email protected] • [email protected] • [email protected] • web site: www.gisborneherald.co.nz The Gisborne Herald • Friday, March 20, 2020 NEWS 3 Forestry sector future ‘bright’ FROM PAGE 1 will be administered through the Provincial A $2.98 million loan Development Unit in towards the Wood Cluster partnership with the Centre of Excellence Mayoral Forum and combined heat and power Gisborne District Council. plant was also confirmed. Affected workers will be Mr Jones said the referred via the Ministry funding was more evidence of Social Development’s of a “social contract” he had Rapid Response Team and made with the region. affected businesses. “I made a promise when Mr Jones said “a I launched the Provincial significant portion” of the Growth Fund with Winston Tairawhiti economy was Peters in early 2018 that linked to forestry, which while my hand is on the accounted for 6.7 percent of tiller of the Provincial regional GDP. Growth waka, the sun will “The sector was just continue to rise early in recovering from a slow- Tairawhiti. down over last winter.