After a year of strong wage growth, median hourly pay has risen from $25 to $27 per hour, but some areas of the country have seen a bigger boost than others, OneStaff’s annual What’s my Rate? Continue →

Winstone Aggregate’s significant growth and forecasted revenues continue to surpass stagnating wages and the increasingly difficult work people are paid for, FIRST Union claims Annually, Winstone Aggregates extract around 4.5 million cubic metres of aggregates from the ground, making them the largest supplier in the country, which is expected to continue to grow over the next five years as the nation’s recovery from Covid-19 increases demand from cement manufacturers, building and construction firms and road construction companies. Continue →

The Government has announced its five step plan for the borders to re-open, meaning employers can once again start planning for skilled workers to enter the country, Civil Contractors Chief Executive Alan Pollard says While this will be a phased re-opening of the border, the good news is it will enable us to start bringing in skilled and experienced people from off-shore once again. Continue →

Business can be put in a tight spot if staff need to self-isolate, but a worker who is a close contact of a Covid19 case can continue to work in certain cases, provided they are vaccinated and displaying no symptoms The close contact exemption scheme is aimed at keeping critical supply chains running. Continue →

The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) is calling for people planning and implementing roadworks near level crossings to always consider the risks after a double fatality in Morrinsville, Chief Investigator of Accidents Harald Hendel says The call comes in TAIC’s report on a fatal accident in which a freight train impacted a car at about 4am on 7 December 2019 at a level crossing on State Highway 26 near Morrinsville. Continue →

Once New Plymouth District Council ditched the “lowest-cost” approach to projects and procurement, the value and benefits became clear New Plymouth District Council found that traditional and transactional procurement processes were not delivering high quality, cost-effective projects for its ratepayers. Continue →

Following a successful pilot in Canterbury, the Infrastructure Skills Centre comes to Manawatū in November to give people the skills they need to start a successful career in infrastructure construction The course begins on 1 November.  Continue →

The Covid-19 Delta variant is more infectious than previous strains – therefore, some additional controls for businesses are now required At Alert Level 3, work should be done remotely where possible. Continue →

Once lockdown restrictions finally ease and businesses are able to re-open, they will have seven days to take steps ensuring all visitors comply with mandatory scanning and record keeping, the University of Auckland’s Dr Andrew Chen explains Contact tracing is a key epidemiological tool that helps us identify the right people who need to isolate or get tested. Continue →

If everything is running smoothly and ‘as expected’ at an automated plant, a system operations team may feel redundant, but a look below the surface tells quite a different story, says Swisslog Australia Maintenance Manager, Paul Woodward Achieving a state where everything is running smoothly is due to the hard work of not just the system operations team, but also teams of technicians and maintenance staff, from both the automation provider, and the client. Continue →

The DHB has called in external help and says it refuses to pay any ransom demanded while clinical services are left scrambling Hackers of Waikato District Health Board (DHB) are believed to have gained access to their systems via an email attachment opened by a staff member. Continue →

Recent changes to privacy legislation have implications for contractors, who often collect and store people’s personal information, for example on site sign-in registers, Civil Contractors New Zealand explains In December 2020 an updated Privacy Act came into being. Continue →

The latest BCI Horizon Scan Report looks at trends of incidents faced by organizations over the past year, the top threats, their impacts and the cost of disruptions, with COVID-19 having a big part to play Organizations have reported heightened risks and threats over the past year, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the 2021 BCI Horizon Scan Report, sponsored by BSI. Continue →

New Zealand’s construction boom means contractors are busier than ever, but throw in the demands of tax time, and running a small business in the construction sector quickly becomes a juggling act, says Fergus job management software founder Dan Pollard While the end of the financial year can add to your workload, it is also an opportunity to get a detailed picture of your business and put healthy financial habits in place that will save you from repeating mistakes in the future. Continue →

A year on from our first national lockdown, it appears we are working more hours for less money, says Frog Recruitment’s general manager Shannon Barlow Working longer for less is a hangover from the new way people had to learn to work during the lockdowns. Continue →

Through Apprenticeship Boost, employers can access a subsidy of $1000 per month for first year apprentices and $500 per month for second year apprentices In August last year, the Government announced the Apprenticeship Boost scheme. Continue →

Civil Contractors New Zealand Chief Executive, Peter Silcock, asks us to consider two situations: in the first, Contractor A wins a local government tender to construct a local road or water pipe Charles Fairbairn – Local Government Magazine New Zealand Their bid offers to complete the project at the lowest price by a good 10 per cent. Continue →

Infrastructure bids and tenders are always competitive with national and international construction companies competing for a piece of the pie Compiling a bid submission with the necessary information, supported by documentation and exhibits which are demonstrative of the expertise and capability of the tendering party for a large infrastructure project requires:- Consideration to be given as to whether the tender is suitable and profitable for the company. Continue →

Labour’s commitment to replace the RMA means there is now agreement across the major parties to reform our most contentious piece of legislation, says Infrastructure New Zealand Policy Director Hamish Glenn Regardless of who wins this month’s election, the new Government will move forward with replacing the Resource Management Act (RMA). Continue →

Achieving outcomes has become the great new aspiration of public policy says Infrastructure New Zealand Policy Director Hamish Glenn Outcomes are neither new nor different than things we’ve always wanted – higher incomes, cleaner environment, longer, healthier and more meaningful lives, to name a few. Continue →