| Monday, May 14, 2012 6:49 PM

Disabled Children

The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by the Ministry of Health in a long-running case, widely known as "Parents as Caregivers".

It means the ruling is in favour of a group of parents who have been battling to be paid to care for their severely disabled adult children.

The claim is limited to four specified services which would be paid for by the state if provided by a non-family member.

So the state pays for care if provided by a non-parent but not by the parent. This seems to be an anomaly. But the decision comes at a cost - the estimates are between $17m to $593m - quite a variance.

 

Industrial Relations

The Government is tweaking industrial relations law.

Clearly the intention is for employers to able to set the agenda and not to be held to ransom by the unions.

Ports of Auckland would be a good example of this. The employer needs to lift productivity but you have a union that doesn't think that way.

The Government is also going to employers to be able to deduct the wages of workers who undertake partial strikes.

This looks to be a very reasonable deal. Partial wage for partial strikes. But the unions think this is unfair. Labour's Darien Fenton thinks it’s unfair. She's not paying of course.

Ask yourself, Fenton wants workers to strike and not be docked wages, it’s an absurd proposition.

 

Ports v Union

The Ports of Auckland and the Maritime Union’s full Employment Court hearing starts this week.

The Ports may lose on some counts. They have made some mistakes in process but it won't stop them proceeding with the business plan of contracting out.

The strike has cost around $32m.

Expect to see the Ports get on with business soon after the court rules.

 

Rail Loop

Auckland's proposed inner city rail loop is tipped to cost nearly a billion dollars per kilometre.

$2.94 billion for a 3.5 km rail tunnel.

Councillor Cameron Brewer, who's against the project, says it's fast losing credibility.

Well the cost is likely inflated.

I just can't see a tunnel like this costing $3b overseas. We get ripped off down here. If it’s like the estimated cost for a bridge we will be paying about double the price.

 

Sport

The All Blacks squad has been named for the Ireland tests. There are a bunch of current All Blacks in there that have struggled in the Super 15. Experience is important, that is for sure, but I suspect many of the old guard will not be there at season’s end. Simply they have been overtaken by a group of really exciting players coming through.

The Warriors were outstanding against the Roosters. The error rate again cut to a minimum. A more structured game. Looking a lot more solid right now. Things are looking up.