Latest news with #Jarvie
Otago Daily Times
07-07-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Covid inquiry: Future vaccine mandates 'won't work'
By Lucy Xia of RNZ Business leaders from Auckland and Northland have spoken about profound impacts on small to medium businesses coping with public health restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic. The comments were made at the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the government's response to Covid-19, with one leader saying they didn't think vaccine mandates would work in the future. The legal challenges for businesses to implement the mandates, and the enduring financial repercussions that are still felt today, were among some of the issues raised. These are the first public hearings of the inquiry's second phase, which was called for by the coalition government last year. The hearings concentrate on the impact of the extended lockdown in Auckland and Northland in 2021, vaccine mandates and safety, and the effects of public health measures on social division, isolation, health, education and business activity. Auckland was in lockdown for 17 weeks, and Northland and parts of Waikato for 12, after community transmission of the Delta strain in August 2021. Auckland's Heart of the City's chief executive Viv Beck said the pandemic was the "perfect storm" for CBD businesses, with the loss of tourists, international students, large events, and leaving many working from home. This left businesses dealing with the "eye of the storm" - particularly for the 1300 consumer facing businesses facing a 95% drop in sales during the level four lockdowns, she said. Beck cited data from banks which also showed a 38% drop in spending at CBD businesses during alert level two, and a 19% drop under alert level 1 restrictions. She said many were still trading below pre-Covid levels as of today. Wage subsidies at the time had helped, but didn't cover businesses' operating costs and rent, she said. The Employers and Manufacturers Association's (EMA) employment relations and safety manager, Paul Jarvie, told the inquiry that vaccine mandates had created legal challenges for businesses. "You've got conditions of employment, running in parallel to that you got the Bill of Rights, so people to have the right to say yes or no to treatment, and treatment includes injections. Those businesses that were mandated to have vaccines, that immediately creates employment law issues, if someone doesn't get mandated [sic] what do you do with them?" he said. When asked by the chairperson of the inquiry, Grant Illingworth, KC, whether employment legislation during the pandemic was adequate, Jarvie said it was "fit for purpose" at the time, but added that it would be helpful if there was a caveat under the employment law which allowed for certain public health measures under exceptional circumstances. Jarvie and Beck told the commissioners that if there was another similar event, they hoped businesses could be involved from the very beginning. Beck said while she had liaised with central government agencies from February 2020, she pointed out that being given information was different from being able to participate in decision-making. "We got to a point where we were actually getting asked about a decision about to be made, often at the last minute, but that's the point - if it happens from the start, businesses have to be a trusted voice in decision-making." A manager from the National Field Days Society also in her evidence spoke of feeling the events industry was not being listened to by decision-makers during the pandemic. Head of customer and strategic engagement Taryn Storey said they had spoken to government agencies multiple times about how they could host field days safely, but felt ignored. She said they were willing to integrate vaccine passports into its ticketing system, and thought their venue was well equipped to support the pandemic response. However, Storey said multiple visits by decision-makers to their venue - including by district health officials - had led nowhere. While they felt they had weathered the pandemic, the impacts were "exceptionally profound" and they're still financially trying to claw their way back, she said. Vaccine mandates 'not an option' in the future Representatives from Northland's Chamber of Commerce said in their evidence today that a community-based approach would have worked better hard-handed vaccine mandates in persuading people to get vaccinated. President Tim Robinson said rather than the "authoritarian" mandate path, he felt it would have been more effective to engage with Whānau Ora providers to talk to Northland communities and businesses about the vaccine. "Anybody that I dealt with or worked with during that whole period, said look, I got a much better chance of convincing somebody that the vaccination's a good idea, if there's no threat attached to it," he said. Robinson said the mandates made businesses feel that they were not trusted. When asked by commissioner Anthony Hill whether vaccine mandates would ever be a valid tool in future events from a business perspective, Robinson said no.
Otago Daily Times
07-07-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Future vaccine mandates won't work, Covid inquiry told
By Lucy Xia of RNZ Business leaders from Auckland and Northland have spoken about profound impacts on small to medium businesses coping with public health restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic. The comments were made at the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the government's response to Covid-19, with one leader saying they didn't think vaccine mandates would work in the future. The legal challenges for businesses to implement the mandates, and the enduring financial repercussions that are still felt today, were among some of the issues raised. These are the first public hearings of the inquiry's second phase, which was called for by the coalition government last year. The hearings concentrate on the impact of the extended lockdown in Auckland and Northland in 2021, vaccine mandates and safety, and the effects of public health measures on social division, isolation, health, education and business activity. Auckland was in lockdown for 17 weeks, and Northland and parts of Waikato for 12, after community transmission of the Delta strain in August 2021. Auckland's Heart of the City's chief executive Viv Beck said the pandemic was the "perfect storm" for CBD businesses, with the loss of tourists, international students, large events, and leaving many working from home. This left businesses dealing with the "eye of the storm" - particularly for the 1300 consumer facing businesses facing a 95% drop in sales during the level four lockdowns, she said. Beck cited data from banks which also showed a 38% drop in spending at CBD businesses during alert level two, and a 19% drop under alert level 1 restrictions. She said many were still trading below pre-Covid levels as of today. Wage subsidies at the time had helped, but didn't cover businesses' operating costs and rent, she said. The Employers and Manufacturers Association's (EMA) employment relations and safety manager, Paul Jarvie, told the inquiry that vaccine mandates had created legal challenges for businesses. "You've got conditions of employment, running in parallel to that you got the Bill of Rights, so people to have the right to say yes or no to treatment, and treatment includes injections. Those businesses that were mandated to have vaccines, that immediately creates employment law issues, if someone doesn't get mandated [sic] what do you do with them?" he said. When asked by the chairperson of the inquiry, Grant Illingworth, KC, whether employment legislation during the pandemic was adequate, Jarvie said it was "fit for purpose" at the time, but added that it would be helpful if there was a caveat under the employment law which allowed for certain public health measures under exceptional circumstances. Jarvie and Beck told the commissioners that if there was another similar event, they hoped businesses could be involved from the very beginning. Beck said while she had liaised with central government agencies from February 2020, she pointed out that being given information was different from being able to participate in decision-making. "We got to a point where we were actually getting asked about a decision about to be made, often at the last minute, but that's the point - if it happens from the start, businesses have to be a trusted voice in decision-making." A manager from the National Field Days Society also in her evidence spoke of feeling the events industry was not being listened to by decision-makers during the pandemic. Head of customer and strategic engagement Taryn Storey said they had spoken to government agencies multiple times about how they could host field days safely, but felt ignored. She said they were willing to integrate vaccine passports into its ticketing system, and thought their venue was well equipped to support the pandemic response. However, Storey said multiple visits by decision-makers to their venue - including by district health officials - had led nowhere. While they felt they had weathered the pandemic, the impacts were "exceptionally profound" and they're still financially trying to claw their way back, she said. Vaccine mandates 'not an option' in the future Representatives from Northland's Chamber of Commerce said in their evidence today that a community-based approach would have worked better hard-handed vaccine mandates in persuading people to get vaccinated. President Tim Robinson said rather than the "authoritarian" mandate path, he felt it would have been more effective to engage with Whānau Ora providers to talk to Northland communities and businesses about the vaccine. "Anybody that I dealt with or worked with during that whole period, said look, I got a much better chance of convincing somebody that the vaccination's a good idea, if there's no threat attached to it," he said. Robinson said the mandates made businesses feel that they were not trusted. When asked by commissioner Anthony Hill whether vaccine mandates would ever be a valid tool in future events from a business perspective, Robinson said no.
Otago Daily Times
03-06-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Council has ‘obligations to protect' endemic species
Regional endemics to Otago include the flightless Cromwell chafer beetle. Photo: Peter McIntosh Otago is home to 360 species found nowhere else in the world, a new report says. Otago Regional Council biodiversity senior scientist Scott Jarvie said as many as 88% of those regionally endemic species were identified as having heightened risks of extinction. The council had "statutory obligations to protect" those species, Dr Jarvie said. The list of species endemic to the region should be treated as preliminary, but his report would provide evidence to support biodiversity management across Otago, he said. Regional endemics to Otago include the recently described Otago shag. Photo: Oscar Thomas While digital record-keeping had enabled the creation of such an extensive list, a lack of information "about almost all the species" was identified as an issue. There were "lesser known taxonomic groups" such as fungi, freshwater invertebrates and spiders not included in the present list. And of the 360 species identified as endemic to the region, only 194, or about 54%, had been assessed nationally for their threat status. Otago was home to 25 nationally critical species, 15 nationally endangered species and six nationally vulnerable species, he said. Regional endemics to Otago include the nine non-migratory galaxiids. Photo: DOC "Well-known regional endemics to Otago include the flightless Cromwell chafer beetle, the large-bodied and spectacularly coloured Otago skink, the nine non-migratory galaxiids, and recently described Otago shag," Dr Jarvie said. The most numerous species group of "regional endemics" was invertebrates, with 302 species, he said. Indigenous vascular plants followed with 40 species. There were nine regionally endemic freshwater fish, six reptiles found nowhere else on the planet and two bryophytes (mosses and liverworts) — as well as the Otago shag. The fossil record and archaeological midden analysis found the large shags were once spread widely along the east coast of the South Island but after human arrival they became restricted to rocky cliffs and islands off Otago's coast. Regional endemics to Otago include the spectacularly coloured Otago skink. Photo: Carey Knox "Endemic species often have specialised adaptations that allow them to survive only in unique habitats. "Such specialisations often make them susceptible to the effects of environmental disturbances." The regionally endemic species list would soon be cross-referenced with a recently completed Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment for terrestrial organisms, he said. Councillors will consider the report at today's science and resilience committee meeting.
Scoop
03-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
WorkSafe Changes A Welcome Step Towards Modern, Supportive Regulation
Press Release – EMA The changes – including a new letter of expectations, a restructured funding model, and a legislative rewrite of the regulators core purpose – represent a significant shift in the approach to health and safety regulation in New Zealand. The change in focus for WorkSafe New Zealand is long overdue and should assist employers in keeping workers safer while having fewer concerns about being punished, says the Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA). The changes – including a new letter of expectations, a restructured funding model, and a legislative rewrite of the regulator's core purpose – represent a significant shift in the approach to health and safety regulation in New Zealand. The EMA has long advocated for a more balanced, collaborative model that fosters partnership and practical support for employers and workers. 'Hello, what can we do to help?' may be the new greeting from a WorkSafe inspector, says EMA Manager of Employment Relations & Safety Paul Jarvie. 'These reforms will help modernise WorkSafe into a regulator that promotes compliance through education rather than fear,' he says. 'This is a welcome and necessary change. For years, businesses – particularly small and medium-sized enterprises – have felt they were being policed rather than supported. 'We've heard consistently from our members that the culture of enforcement-first created a climate of fear and concealment, rather than clarity and cooperation. This meant businesses were reluctant to call in WorkSafe for assistance because they were worried about simply being fined without getting the help or guidance they originally sought to avoid or manage a potential risk in the workplace. 'That feedback has come through strongly from our members for many years and Minister van Velden heard the concerns during her roadshow events with small to medium businesses last year. The EMA has been calling for a shift towards an enabling, advisory-based regulator – and it's pleasing to see the government respond.' The announcement includes a redefinition of WorkSafe's role, with a greater emphasis on early engagement, targeted guidance, and clear, consistent advice. Updating and streamlining more than 50 guidance documents and re-prioritising critical risk areas are among the first steps being taken. 'Cleaning up of WorkSafe advice documents is long overdue and must continue,' Jarvie says. 'Clear expectations, consistent advice, and a shared goal of risk reduction should be the foundation of our health and safety system. New Zealand workplaces are safer when employers and regulators work in partnership.' The EMA also supports the move to involve industries more directly in developing Approved Codes of Practice, with WorkSafe providing guidance and oversight. 'Industry knows its risks best,' says Jarvie. 'Empowering businesses to help shape the standards they work to – with proper regulatory oversight – is a smart, pragmatic approach that will deliver better compliance and ultimately, better outcomes for workers.' The EMA assisted the Minister 's review roadshow and found strong support from our members for these changes. The EMA is actively involved in supporting our members to meet and surpass their health and safety obligations through our comprehensive training programme. The EMA looks forward to continuing to work with the government, WorkSafe, Unions and other key stakeholders to ensure the transition achieves its intended purpose: a modern, fit-for-purpose regulator focused on outcomes, not bureaucracy.
Scoop
02-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
WorkSafe Changes A Welcome Step Towards Modern, Supportive Regulation
The change in focus for WorkSafe New Zealand is long overdue and should assist employers in keeping workers safer while having fewer concerns about being punished, says the Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA). The changes - including a new letter of expectations, a restructured funding model, and a legislative rewrite of the regulator's core purpose - represent a significant shift in the approach to health and safety regulation in New Zealand. The EMA has long advocated for a more balanced, collaborative model that fosters partnership and practical support for employers and workers. 'Hello, what can we do to help?' may be the new greeting from a WorkSafe inspector, says EMA Manager of Employment Relations & Safety Paul Jarvie. "These reforms will help modernise WorkSafe into a regulator that promotes compliance through education rather than fear," he says. "This is a welcome and necessary change. For years, businesses - particularly small and medium-sized enterprises - have felt they were being policed rather than supported. "We've heard consistently from our members that the culture of enforcement-first created a climate of fear and concealment, rather than clarity and cooperation. This meant businesses were reluctant to call in WorkSafe for assistance because they were worried about simply being fined without getting the help or guidance they originally sought to avoid or manage a potential risk in the workplace. "That feedback has come through strongly from our members for many years and Minister van Velden heard the concerns during her roadshow events with small to medium businesses last year. The EMA has been calling for a shift towards an enabling, advisory-based regulator - and it's pleasing to see the government respond." The announcement includes a redefinition of WorkSafe's role, with a greater emphasis on early engagement, targeted guidance, and clear, consistent advice. Updating and streamlining more than 50 guidance documents and re-prioritising critical risk areas are among the first steps being taken. "Cleaning up of WorkSafe advice documents is long overdue and must continue," Jarvie says. "Clear expectations, consistent advice, and a shared goal of risk reduction should be the foundation of our health and safety system. New Zealand workplaces are safer when employers and regulators work in partnership." The EMA also supports the move to involve industries more directly in developing Approved Codes of Practice, with WorkSafe providing guidance and oversight. "Industry knows its risks best," says Jarvie. "Empowering businesses to help shape the standards they work to - with proper regulatory oversight - is a smart, pragmatic approach that will deliver better compliance and ultimately, better outcomes for workers." The EMA assisted the Minister 's review roadshow and found strong support from our members for these changes. The EMA is actively involved in supporting our members to meet and surpass their health and safety obligations through our comprehensive training programme. The EMA looks forward to continuing to work with the government, WorkSafe, Unions and other key stakeholders to ensure the transition achieves its intended purpose: a modern, fit-for-purpose regulator focused on outcomes, not bureaucracy.
