Tabled Mayor’s Report

Mayor Tim’s Supplementary Report regarding Fi-Fo and Kumagaya is online.

Need an assistant?

So our Mayor now has an assistant all of his own!  Great, I have no doubt that is necessary but…..yeah, I know there is always a but….but that’s because bloggers generally have a ‘but’, otherwise they wouldn’t have become bloggers would they?  If you agree with everything and have no more to add, no further thoughts, no great epiphanies then wouldn’t you be reading the paper, nodding, rather than blogging?

I have recently become aware of  the world of freelancing and what seems to be prevalent is the desire for people to have a ‘Virtual Assistant’.  It lauds many benefits, especially for short-term projects and research.  With technology as it is work can be done remotely for many businesses.  Cr Kruger has repeatedly commented on the benefits of  promoting our people internationally with their skills being a ‘product’ and being conducted remotely.  A ‘product’ that need not be exported just utilised.

Mayor Tim’s research assistant could have been a contractor that worked from home (i.e, while the kids are at school or has a  physical disability), Mayor’s phone number can be redirected to the home, for example, when you ring the Bluff Service Centre phone number the Helpdesk at ICC answers.  Emails can be dealt with from any location.  Only need to meet with the man himself as necessary, no need to be sitting outside his office which is probably empty most of the time anyway.  Research can be done globally now and by phone and email.  There are many benefits for both parties.

Imagine the cost reductions, no Kiwisaver scheme for the employer to contribute to, no ACC levies, no office space to provide, no computer and equipment to be depreciated and serviced.  The worker can have the benefits of adaptable hours, a regular income and reap the tax benefits of being self-employed and claiming a portion of their rental or mortgage as office space and depreciation on their equipment.

While I appreciate the need for Mayor Tim to have his own assistant, I do think there was a better way than stealing library staff and as I have mentioned before….Fi-Fo could be detrimental to Southland especially when some may decide to ‘Fly out’ and decide not to ‘Fly in’ again and make the move a permanent one.  Or else we could have all these new projects that are coming to Southland ‘Fly in’ their staff and ‘Fly out’ again to spend the money they earned elsewhere while these non Southland businesses take the profits out too.

Sorry Tim but I think this is opening up a can of worms that could have mammoth repercussions, let’s improve what we have and retain people and promote investment IN Southland.