A Week of It: Paving Paradise - Doctors Sharples And Mapp
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Whangamata: The Difficulties Of Putting Up a Parking Lot In Paradise
Parliament this week resumed and amazingly the three magic words "David", "Benson" and "Pope" were scarcely to be heard
(outside of the general debate on Wednesday). Instead there was much gnashing of teeth and general wailing regarding the
inability of some good citizens in Whangamata to park their boats and SUV's carrying boating equipment in the middle of
the Whangamata Harbour - thanks to Chris Carter torpedoing their plans at the 11th hour and 59th minute.
In an effort to understand whether New Zealand was on the way to becoming a Robert Mugabesque dictatorship - as
National's environment spokesperson Nick Smith hinted in the House - A Week of It contacted Mick Kelly of the Whangamata Marina Society and Green MP Metiria Turei to get their opinions on the
Whangamata controversy. Mr Kelly wants a place to park his and his chums boats – Ms Turei is of the opinion the
Whangamata salt marshes are no place to drop anchor or build car parks.
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Wayne Mapp Plays Employment Amendment Trump Card
An interesting change is emerging in the MMP landscape. For the last few years allegedly anti-worker legislation has
been torpedoed thanks to the efforts of various combinations of Labour, Alliance and Green MPs and more recently Labour,
Progressive and Green MPs. This week, with the assistance of New Zealand First, ACT, United Future and three of the four
Maori Party MPs, National's Wayne Mapp was able to get his "Employment Relations (Probationary Employment) Amendment
Bill" past its first hurdle. This means the bill can now be referred to a select committee.
According to a press statement from Dr Mapp, Labour "should take a leaf out of Tony Blair's book and introduce probation
periods. This bill will enable employers to take a chance with new employees without facing the risk of expensive and
protracted personal grievance procedures. And it will enable people who have not had previous work experience to find
their first job and make it easier for others to re-enter the workforce."
According to the Green Party's industrial relations spokesperson Sue Bradford the bill was "mean-spirited, anti-worker
legislation" that would end up "stripping protections from the most vulnerable workers".
A Week of It caught up with a very chuffed Dr Mapp the day after his embryonic law had escaped the slings and arrows of opponents in
the House to find out just why he thinks his legislation will be a boon to both employers and employees. To
counterbalance Dr Mapp's cheery optimism A Week of It also contacted Ross Wilson, the Council of Trade Unions president, who plans on vociferously opposing Dr Mapp's
legislation.
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Dr Pita Sharples Chats About Culling MPs And Supporting National's Employment Amendment Bill
This week the Maori Party seemed keen on firmly staking out some ground near the centre of the political spectrum by
supporting a number of member's bills to at least select committee consideration. Maori Party Co-leader Pita Sharples
had a short korero with A Week of It while in Napier awaiting a flight. During the conversation Mr Sharples launched a moderately blistering attack on
breakfast TV, political pundits and pointed out one bill he wouldn't be supporting getting to a select committee was Ron
Mark's Young Offenders (Serious Crimes) Bill.
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ENDS