News in Brief

Master craftsman to pass down age-old skills

The stonemasonry course offered by Otago Polytechnic, the Cromwell-based one-year programme covers an extensive range of practical skills and work experience, producing specialist stonemasonry professionals with a high level of competence and the ability to work independently.

Lecturer and master stonemason Steve Holmes introduces students to many traditional and modern stonework styles and applications, in particular Central Otago schist.

For more information please visit: www.otagopolytechnic.ac.nz

Unemployment continues to rise

In seasonally adjusted terms, the labour market showed further signs of weakening as the unemployment rate continued to increase, Statistics NZ has said. The December 2008 quarter saw the number of people unemployed rise by 10,000 and the unemployment rate increase to 4.6 per cent. The unemployment rate increased steadily throughout 2008.

Freeview approaches the 200,000 homes mark

Freeview has released the latest quarter of retail figures for digital receiver sales.

At the end of 2008, 198,938 receivers had been sold, with an additional 38,442 sold during the three months ending 31st December. This equates to an estimated 12.6 per cent of NZ homes now enjoying free-to-air digital television.

A step to the right – students say Treasury Briefing is a time warp

Student representatives are outraged at Treasury’s Briefing to the incoming minister of finance dismissing the negative consequences of the Student Loan Scheme, and are urging the government to instead consider the raft of evidence proving the scheme’s inefficiency and inequity.

“We are deeply concerned at the flawed advice Treasury is presenting to the minister. Policies of under-investing in student support were implemented in the 1990s and failed, directly contributing to the $10billion debt now owed by students and graduates,” said Sophia Blair, co-president of the NZ Union of Students’ Associations.

“A creative solution to addressing the drivers and result of this debt is what is now needed – fully publicly funded tertiary education”.