550 contact tracers wake up to no work
A tracer who wanted to remain anonymous was one of those who received this message at 8.15am. It read:
"Ch ch ch changes ....Or...so long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye....(just for you Thomas!). Ata marie General
I'd love to be starting the day with...' we have a busy day ahead'. Not today…as you will all be aware, following Government's announcement yesterday, with NZ moving to Omicron Phase 3, our wee world of DC calling has come to an end. We can't thank you enough for your amazing work."
The woman was due to start work at 9am.
“I hadn’t got confirmation yet of a shift. So, I checked by phone kind of to a Facebook post saying your job's gone.”
The shift to Phase Three means people testing positive no longer receive a phone call; instead, they are notified by text message.
They're then expected to notify their contacts themselves.
The post was to an internal group at CBG Health Research, the Ministry of Health’s primary case investigation firm.
A MOH spokesperson said no one has been given a notice of termination.
“The message refers to the long anticipated and foreshadowed move to Phase Three and with it a shift in focus to case management."
The woman worked as a disease contact caller for a year, and the job was her main source of income.
She says the news came out of the blue.
“I spoke to my manager last week who said not to worry, that there’s plenty of work for us."
“Not that long ago we were being asked to recruit more people.”
She understands the need for change, saying "we weren't even keeping up with the amount of calls we had to do versus the amount of people we had".
But what caught her off-guard, was the title of the message.
"I just thought I worked here for a year and to wake up and see that’s how they’re going to title a message basically telling you you’ve lost your job is incredibly unprofessional."
The woman said there was mention of 50 jobs available in case investigation, but that this would still leave 500 people jobless.
“I think it [contact tracing] did have to go but not instantly, overnight, you don’t have a job."
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Poll: Should the government levy industries that contribute to financial hardship?
As reported in the Post, there’s a $30 million funding gap in financial mentoring. This has led to services closing and mentors stepping in unpaid just to keep helping people in need 🪙💰🪙
One proposed solution? Small levies on industries that profit from financial hardship — like banks, casinos, and similar companies.
So we want to hear what you think:
Should the government ask these industries to contribute?
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60% Yes, supporting people is important!
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25.7% No, individuals should take responsibility
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14.3% ... It is complicated
Poll: Should complete designs be shared with the public, or should the community help shape the designs from the start?
The Post recently shared an opinion piece on the Harbour Crossing and why a more democratic approach might be needed 🚗🚲👟
While most decisions sit within the political arena, many organisations—like NZTA—manage long-term projects that go beyond party lines. Politics can sometimes disrupt progress, and the next Harbour Crossing is a big decision that will affect all Aucklanders.
We’d love your thoughts: Should near-complete, shovel-ready designs be shared with the public, or should the community have a hand in shaping the designs from the start?
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88.5% Community feedback and transparency is needed.
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11.5% No. This would be impossible in practice.
A Neighbourly Riddle! Don’t Overthink It… Or Do?😜
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post if you know the answer and the big reveal will be posted in the comments at 2pm on the day!
If you multiply this number by any other number, the answer will always be the same. What number is this?
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