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Comment and link received from Hype O’Thermia
Monday, 21 April 2014 6:59 p.m.
“…will be a key part of the newly established Organisational Development and Performance team.”
Newly, again? A necessity of course, not a nice-to-have nor even a make-work scheme giving the impression that something they do* will improve other people’s safety.
*Do, meaning make rules and produce forms to be filled in for Compliance, without which the fair and reasonable fee cannot be charged and nothing can happen.
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http://jobs.odt.co.nz/displayjob.php?JobID=352982&occupation%5B%5D=8
█ Health and Safety positions
Dunedin City Council Opportunities
Help us embark on the next phase of our Health and Safety journey. Dunedin City Council has recently adopted a new Health and Safety Strategic Plan and is embarking on a new and exciting chapter in achieving a Zero Harm goal.
You will be able to influence and support change in a complex working environment, recognising that health and safety is everyone’s business. We are looking to drive continuous improvement within the working environment, supporting our managers, improving the lives of our employees and volunteers, and maximising our performance for our customers and ratepayers.
The roles are new, challenging and varied, and provide an excellent career opportunity to work in a progressive service led organisation.
█ Health and Safety Compliance Officer
You will be a health and safety professional experienced in driving health and safety in a complex environment. You will be able to demonstrate a ‘can-do ’ attitude, have excellent communication skills and an eye for detail. Specific experience of health and safety or contractor management systems is desirable, but more important is your working knowledge of management information systems in general. Experience in a health and safety or human resources role is essential.
█ Health and Safety Analyst
With a strong focus on safety analysis and effective administrative skills, you will provide advice and support to managers within a large multifunctional environment. This is a unique opportunity for an aspiring health and safety or human resources graduate looking to further develop their career and fully utilise their existing skills and knowledge.
An understanding of, or experience working with management systems is desirable. It is expected that you will have well developed analytical skills and a relevant health and safety or Human Resources qualification.
Both roles report to the Health and Safety Manager and will be a key part of the newly established Organisational Development and Performance team.
For informal enquiries about either of these roles, please contact Brian Ballantyne, Health and Safety Manager on 03 477-4000.
For an application pack please refer to our website www.dunedin.govt.nz/jobs or contact our Customer Service Agency in the Civic Centre, telephone 03 477 4000, PO Box 5045, Dunedin. Email address: jobs @ dcc.govt.nz 
Applications close 4p.m.,
Friday, 2 May.
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
Unlike red carpet…
We should all apply for it and swamp the office with emails and paper!
“ZERO HARM!!!” Simple. Just shut up shop and go and get a proper job. This way you will avoid the creation of another burgeoning bureaucracy. OOPS! I forgot, that’s what you do isn’t it? Perhaps deputy ‘okley dokley ‘ mayor Staynes sees it as part of his 10, 10, 10 Plan.
The new (green) rubber stamp due to DCC’s lack of financial nous. If we read it we believe it.
Workplace safety alert ~!!!
### ODT Online Tue, 22 Apr 2014
DCC battle on consent processing
By Debbie Porteous
Dunedin’s building consent authority is struggling to keep up with the 20 working days limit for processing consents as it battles with a staff shortage and pressure on the capacity to process its overflow due to the Christchurch rebuild. The Dunedin City Council (DCC), which receives an average of 50 consent applications a week, is sitting on an average consent processing time of 21 working days.
Read more
### ODT Online Thu, 8 May 2014
Council acknowledges consent problems
By Debbie Porteous
The Dunedin City Council last week acknowledged the time it takes to process building consents is sometimes unacceptable, after complaints from frustrated builders. The builders believe comments made recently in the Otago Daily Times by the council’s building services manager, Neil McLeod, were misleading and show the council is not taking the issue seriously.
Read more
Would anyone be surprised if one heard a ‘rumour’ that all is not well on the morale front in that building? Looks like there are too many chiefs and a lot of indians who think they ought to be. What with senior managers, managers, team leaders, what’s the average ‘Tonto’ to think, Kemo sabe ?
Too many chiefs? Too many cactuses!
Stop the clock
Submitted by BMC on Tue, 22/04/2014 – 2:03pm.
“….When the inspector called he claimed the foundations were not to specification. I called my builder in (downed tools from another job) and the materials suppliers. After an hour of discussion it transpired the inspector could not understand the plan specifications and was at fault. Needless to say his little rubber stamp came out pretty quickly and he was off site in double quick time….. ”
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/299613/dcc-battle-consent-processing#comment-56171
Probably one chief, one cactus. Hence bugger all indians.
We dont need people analysing H & S, we need them to hold back mad adults trampling kids at lolly scrambles.
The lolly scramble being the high salaries of the long-tenured at DCC.
DCC clearly not prepared for this or the very idea of ‘city growth’ – have to crawl before you teeter, fall and cry – or walk (No Running!)
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### ODT Online Mon, 12 May 2014
Council taking steps to speed up consents
By Debbie Porteous
A series of measures to try to speed up the processing of building consents has been outlined by Dunedin City Council senior management, but they warn the problem not will be fixed overnight. […] Building services staff said the delays were caused by a combination of a shortage of trained staff – also being experienced nationally and made worse by the Christchurch demands – and other building consent authorities (BCAs) being unavailable, due to their own workloads, to help process consents.
Read more
Talking about building things, I wonder if the item I came across here today was in any way connected to Jing Song’s pulling out of the Hotel Project? I suspect it might and if so, Dunedin has had a lucky escape, despite all the efforts of the Mayor and Otago Chamber of Commerce and others.
With the Chinese property construction market accounting for nearly half of China’s steel demand, it would seem an unlikely candidate to absorb the iron ore surplus. Especially considering that China’s epic construction boom is now ending:
‘(Reuters) – China’s efforts to cool its property sector look to have been more effective than intended, as a sharp drop in construction activity and falling prices threaten what had been one of few firing engines of the world’s second-largest economy.
‘Developers know the market is struggling — their inventory is rising and prices are falling — but expect that authorities will relax their tight grip on the sector in coming months.
‘The government has long made it clear that economic growth would moderate as it tries to reform the economy. But by keeping the pressure on property too long, analysts fear the fallout will be more severe than anyone had expected.’
–Analysts at Nomura estimate that new housing starts fell by 25% in the first quarter of the year, compared with the same period in 2013. That’s a decent fall, and possibly explains why port inventories are at record highs
### ODT Online Tue, 27 May 2014
Builders’ consent concerns continue
By David Loughrey
Builders’ concerns over both delays and extra costs incurred as the Dunedin City Council struggles with a building consent backlog continue, despite what Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull says are the council’s best efforts. The council says it has reduced the number of late building consent applications by 22%. But builders who say they have waited between 30 and 40 days, and found themselves unable to start planned work, have continued to contact the Otago Daily Times.
Read more
I submitted a consent over 30 days ago. It got sent to PBC in Auckland. I’ve had dealings with them before with building consents for the Christchurch rebuild.
Never met an RFI they didn’t like. Now my client will have to pay $160 an hour for them to ask me stupid questions. Nice. Thanks DCC.
Invoice DCC for those additional costs on legal letterhead. See how they react. Preferably after consent is gained.
### ODT Online Sun, 12 Oct 2014
Consent process delays defended
By David Loughrey
The Dunedin City Council’s building consent processing times have again broken through a 20-day limit, after what staff say is a spike in applications, and staff issues. But the council has denied there is dysfunction in the department. Acting services and development general manager Nicola Pinfold said 14% of applications took longer to process than the statutory 20-day limit.
Read more
Received from Anonymous
Maybe u should apply, Elizabeth, with your editorial experience on What If! l’m sure they would treat your application with due seriousness as u r nice and non controversial.
### ODT Online Thu, 18 Jun 2015
Council zero-harm policy doubts rejected
By Chris Morris
Suggestions a zero-harm goal for health and safety within the Dunedin City Council might be unrealistic have been given short shrift by […] council group chief financial officer Grant McKenzie, who told the meeting he would never accept the idea.
Read more
Zero harm policy – all very well in theory – you can never argue against it. Bit like safety policies. But in practice it leads to complete inertia – commonly seen as a major if not the sole output of bureaucrats. Rife in the UK and godzone catching up fast.
I was left nonplussed what the report was about. Maybe it was hacked by subeditors and something important was left out?
The person they hire for “zero harm” had better be an expert in repetitive strain injuries with 550,000 hits on Trade Me, that’s the biggy.
No need to have any knowledge on mudtrap cleaning or buildings collapsing, there’s not much happening in those areas.