It's all downhill - really!

I have been noticing a lack of balance in workplace relations over the past decade or so and I bring to you some experiences as indicators of areas needing improvement. I was recently given a cover page from a job application for a minimum wage job.   It asks for a Schedule of Claimant Injuries be requested from ACC before the job application can be considered. I phoned Employment NZ, astoundingly for every question I asked, answered, we're not qualified to answer that, told me the person should seek legal advice and eventually, advised me to phone the Privacy Commission.  I'm not entirely sure what Employment NZ actually does. The Privacy Commission, was more helpful, and agreed it was beyond what is required for employment, which is information that is relevant to the applicant’s suitability for the particular role, and a person’s sensitive claim or childhood injuries are not.   But then the person has to make a formal complaint - which then becomes ...

The Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993 (referred to as the Classification Act) is an Act of Parliament to regulate and classify films, videos and publications in a way that balances the need for freedom of expression with the need to protect society from harm.   The Classification Act created the New Zealand Office of Film & Literature Classification and obligated it to consider social research when making classification decisions and placing age restrictions on material.   Currently people rely on ratings and classifications to advise them of the content of publications and to limit access by those under a specified age to unsuitable material.   The classification system as administered by the Classification Act is used in pre-release intervention.   However, fast developments in technology are blurring the distinctions between services that have traditionally been regulated in several different ways. The difference between supplying...