Letter No.6
5 December, 1994

21 November 1994

A national survey shows that NZ'ers would only reluctantly get involved in job sharing schemes to reduce unemployment.

22 November 1994

Wellington's Student Job Search Office is placing 17% more students in work this year, compared to last.

Trust Bank announces a record $44.5 million profit and says that continuing restructuring could see up to 400 bank jobs going by April 95.

23 November 1994

$1 billion is wiped off the value of the NZ sharemarket as local investors caught the Wall St mood switch that saw US investors dumping shares for bonds.

Police Association Secretary Steve Hinds says that reports that a new police administration computer would cause 500 redundancies is unfounded.

Former Weddel meatworkers are claiming $6 million from the Weddel receiver for one month's wages in lieu of notice.

24 November 1994

The Labour Party announces new policies which will see funding for family care and protection services increased.

25 November 1994

Sales of luxury cars ($50,000+) have risen by 56%.

The Council of Trade Unions urges the government to end a 4-yr freeze on the minimum adult wage and lift it by $1 to $7.125c and hour.

26 November 1994

The President of the NZ Association of Citizen's Advice Bureaux Trish Hanlen says that poverty was a major reason in calls for advice from the nations bureaux.

A six-month pilot programme called the New Directions Project was launched in Christchurch by the Income Support Service and Employment Service. It invites long-term unemployed to discuss employment goals and identify training needs.

Auckland's major public hospitals report critical shortages of clinical staff. An Auckland Hospital review shows they need an extra 185 nurses, 16 doctors and 12 other staff. The South auckland CHE which runs Middlemore Hospital says it needs 50 nurses, 12 doctors and 18 other staff. The situation is similar in Green Lane and National Women's.

NZ's imports are at record levels, rising 29% compared with last October.

Affco's Horotiu works fails to meet stringent US Agriculture Department health regulations, putting 250 meatworkers jobs at risk.

28 November 1994

Construction industry leaders hold a crisis meeting in Auckland to do something about the shortage of skilled workers. Industry leaders are calling for fast-track measures to train more people.

The Methodist Missions launch a nationwide project to highlight the plight of pre-Christmas foodbank users. The missions will distribute christmas cards depicting an empty baked beans tin, for the foodbank users to send to Jim Bolger.

Lockwood Smith announces measures to accelerate the implementation of the Skill New Zealand strategy. Four industries have been identified as needing support before the new training systems will be ready in 1995 : apparel and textile, farming, forestry and horticulture.

29 November 1994

The biggest-ever NZ off-shore oil and gas exploration programme is announced which could see eight more wells drilled in the off-shore Taranaki basin.

The Maori Congress rejects the Government's planned ratification of the GATT agreement, saying it has not been adequately informed or consulted.

Auckland manufacturers report an easing up in their recruitment drives.

Nearly half the university graduates last year found jobs, the highest figures since 1990. Graduates fresh from university are earning an average annual salary of $25,000.

1080 poison protests in Northland lead to disruptions of poison drops, arrests of protesters and suspicious fires in the area.

30 November 1994

The Prime Ministerial Task Force on Employment releases its 120 proposals following 10 months nationwide consultations.

Act NZ plans a major television advertising campaign aimed at selling its radical tax, health and education policies to people on lower incomes.

More layoff of timber workers in the Bay of Plenty as Tasman Lumber announces it will shed 50 of its 85 workers at its processing plant at Ngongotaha.

Business confidence is at a 3 yr low according to the National Bank's business outlook survey. The banks says that indications show that economic growth may have peaked, and there were fears of rising inflation and interest rates.

1 December 1994

Business in the Community launches its 10th business mentoring service in Palmerston North.

2 December 1994

Jim Bolger says government is preparing legislation that will ensure this year's school leavers will be assisted into work or training, and not be eligible for the dole, or any other benefit, unless they are on a programme.

The Papakura Income Support Service is touring a roadshow of guest speakers, skits, comic strips and discussion groups around South Auckland high schools to convince school leavers to think beyond going on the dole when they leave school.

Lianne Dalziel is named by Time magazine as one of its 100 leaders for the new millennium. Dalziel is described as a "punishing critic of the shift away from the cradle-to-grave welfare system that long defined NZ's politics and self image..."

The United States Senate passes the GATT bill with an overwhelming majority. Bill Clinton called the $750 billion reduction in tariffs the largest tax cut in history.

3 December 1994

Labour Pacific Island affairs spokesperson Phillip Field criticises the Task force report for not giving Pacific Island unemployment the same priority as Maori unemployment.

Shona Butterworth calls for urgent action in defining broad-based skills used in training for a variety of trades.

Millionaire businessman Alan Gibbs says that poverty in NZ was not being caused by economic reforms, but by a decline in the institution of marriage in our culture. "We have swapped husbands for benefits", he says.

Bill Birch says he will not boost government spending, after a better-than-expected government surplus. He fears fuelling inflation in an overheated economy.

Michael Cullen says that NZ'ers are now paying the highest real short-term interest rates in the world, with the biggest beneficiaries being the financial markets.