Another niggle

Alas yet another niggle about the new theatre, sorry. I just wonder why the handrail at the main steps protrudes so far over the footpath. There is no way someone on a mobility scooter or pushing a pram could go through the gap between the handrail and the concrete bollard. Any scooter rider heading for Clubs of Marlborough on the theatre side of Huchinson St would need to cross the road by the bridge then cross again to the clubs car park.

Did someone mix up feet and inches with metric? more people move to Marlborough, the more support businesses will also be set up or expand and the more staff they will need. Therefore there will always be a need for builders, plumbers, electricians and any other specialists required to build houses. So start training them now.

Yes, there is a cost to training, but there is also a cost to poaching someone else’s staff. So it’s about time the building industry – as well as all the other ancillary businesses – looked to the future and started to train their own staff. If they are treated properly they will stay, if not they will leave. That’s just life. And if a good worker does leave, chances are that sometime in the future they will return to repay the assistance given them.

As for vineyards, Janette Walker has it right: it’s about time the wine industry took responsibility for its workers and their accommodation. Here’s an idea: when giving consent for the vineyard, council could make it a condition that part of the land be set aside for workers’ accommodation (yes that might mean a bit of red tape cutting for zone changes but surely that’s not such a big deal. And, yes, I can just hear the comments: ‘‘Oh but it is!’’). This would give more work to builders and tradies and therefore an impetus to start training people themselves. It would give the vineyards added security by having staff located on-site who could monitor any malfunctions of equipment and help protect them against any thefts.

Do I hear a ‘‘win-win’’ or just more excuses NOT to do anything? continue to provide it’s 24/7 helpline, suicide crisis helpline and children’s helpline, Kidsline, until June 31, 2017.

We are working hard to raise the $3 million we need to be able to continue to provide our services to the 15,000 Kiwis who call us every month.

We are grateful for New Zealanders support to help us help others.