Getting our people working

Many of you will have seen work now underway along our district roads. Litter is being collected, problem trees are being felled and weeds sprayed. This is part of the Government’s Worker Redeployment Package designed to create employment opportunities for those who have lost jobs due to COVID-19 or are at risk of losing their jobs. In the Far North this work is being managed by the Council. So far, 73 people, all of them locals, have been employed by contractors.

The Government is funding this programme, and I’m happy the Council can facilitate this work. I am especially proud that together we have helped prevent job losses in our district, have given contractors the confidence to hire new staff, and have already assisted 40 previously unemployed people into work. These workers have cleared dangerous macrocarpa trees along Puketotara Rd, removed a large dead pine tree on Paiaka Rd, removed 11 very large gum trees along Waipapa Road, and are continuing to target wildling pines and other problem roadside trees. Litter has been collected from roadsides at Karikari Peninsular, Kaimaumau, Houhora Heads, Matauri Bay, Wainui, Tauranga Bay and Hihi. Litter along approaches to Broadwood, Kohukohu and Panguru will be tackled soon.

The Worker Redeployment Package is only part of the Government’s efforts to reboot our economy. It has also allocated more than $83 million of COVID-19 recovery funds to the Council and Far North Holdings Ltd for infrastructure projects across the district. They have set us a challenging schedule in which to deliver this work so last week we held a workshop to discuss with Northland contractors how we can achieve this together. Twenty-six civil works, construction, professional services and labour businesses attended the forum. Also attending were representatives from the Ministry of Social Development, Te Puni Kokiri and other agencies.

These projects will boost our economy and will create employment in our district. But too often in the past, infrastructure projects have created short-term economic booms that have fizzled once the project is completed. The Council, along with Central Government, is determined to avoid a repeat of this. We want the skills gained during recovery projects to stay in the Far North and to lead onto permanent employment. These projects need to be a springboard to build a more resilient, self-sustaining local economy by growing capability and capacity in the Far North.

This goal dovetails with changes the Council has already made to our own procurement policy. When considering tenders, more weight is now given to whether the bidder is based in our region, can source local materials, and will hire local staff.  

The Worker Redeployment Package is just one part of the Government’s response to COVID-19. It is already paying dividends on the ground. Take the three new staff employed by one contractor. They started out picking up litter, but due to their attitude, work ethic and awareness of safety issues, they were selected for extra training to get their traffic control licence. They will now have road maintenance jobs through the summer.