1. Settlement Support New Zealand
Auckland City – Tāmaki-makau-rau
Haere koe I te ara a taihoa, ki a tae ai koe ki aua atu. (‘Travel o nthe pathway of by
and by, so that you may reach goodness knows where.’ Accept what the future offers)
Tīhema (December) 2010/Issue 25
Haere Mai, Nau Mai, Haere Mai
Kei te pēhea koutou? How are you all? Welcome to the twenty-fifth Settlement
Support New Zealand—Auckland City Newsletter.
The purpose of this newsletter is to provide you with information about what
Settlement Support – Auckland City does, and where you can find information
about employment, education, health services and many other aspects of
settling in New Zealand. This is also an opportunity to share with you the
services and activities available around Auckland City.
Bevan Chuang, Settlement
Support Coordinator – Please feel free to pass on this newsletter onto friends, family and community
Auckland City colleagues.
Updates from Settlement Support New Zealand – Auckland City
Auckland International Carnival
th th
The Auckland International Carnival was held on the 6 and 7 November at the Ellerslie
Racecourse. The parade, excellent performances, and the variety of stalls gave the day a true
carnival atmosphere. ARMS had a stall at the Carnival - thanks to all who visited us! You can
check out the photos on our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/ssnzakl and you can
read more about the event on http://aucklandinternationalcarnival.co.nz/.
Client and Service Providers Enquiries
181 people visited SSNZ Auckland City/ARMS Three Kings during November 2010, and 147 of
them were first time clients. About 23% of the clients contacted SSNZ Auckland about finding
employment, 13% required interpretation or translation services, 11% wanted information
about learning English, almost 9% wanted information about IRD and taxation and almost 8%
wanted information about cultural and community.
The majority of our clients in October were from China (24%), India (15%). Samoa (7%), Philippines, Pakistan and Sri Lanka (3% each). Many of
them have permanent residence in New Zealand, 26% were family members of skilled migrants, and 20% were skilled migrants. 16% had work
permits and 8% on visitor permits.
Almost 40% of the clients had been in New Zealand less than 2 years, with 16% having been here longer than 2 years and 36% more than 5
years.
There were 15 service providers to service providers referrals from 9 service providers, related to cultural/community, translation and
interpreters. employment, learning English and immigration.
Christmas and New Year closure
The Auckland Regional Migrant Services is closed
between 23rd December 2010 to 7th January 2011 for
Christmas and New Year holiday. Ngā mihi o te wā me te
Tau Hou, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

2. Updates from Department of Labour
Public Holidays 2010/2011
The general rule for public holidays is that they are taken on the day they fall. There are four public holidays that are treated differently.
nd
These are Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and 2 of January.
If you are an employer it is important to know how to manage staff holiday and leave entitlements over the upcoming Christmas period. To
help you understand annual holidays, closedowns, and public holidays (including when the four public holidays are taken) the Department
of Labour has a range of helpful information and tools to assist. To find out more visit www.ers.dol.govt.nz/holidays
When any of these four public holidays fall on a Saturday or Sunday the first step is to look at your employees’ work patterns. You need to
determine if the public holiday falls on an employee’s ‘Otherwise Working Day’
(http://www.dol.govt.nz/workplace/knowledgebase/item/1288). You can use the Department of Labour’s Holiday Online Tool
(http://www.ers.dol.govt.nz/holidays-online-tool/default.aspx_ to help you with that. You can then use this chart to help you determine
which day the public holiday will be taken.
Not an otherwise working day Is an otherwise working day
th th th
Christmas Day (Saturday 25 December) Christmas Day taken on Monday 27 Christmas Day taken on Saturday 25
December * December
th th th
Boxing Day (Sunday 26 December) Boxing Day taken on Tuesday 28 December Boxing Day taken on Sunday 26 December
*
st rd st
New Year’s Day ( Saturday 1 January) New Year’s Day taken on Monday 3 New Year’s Day taken on Saturday 1
January * January
nd th nd
New Year Holiday ( Sunday 2 January ) New Year Holiday taken on Tuesday 4 New Year Holiday taken on Sunday 2
January * January
*If the day that the public holiday is taken on is not an otherwise working day for that employee then the employee observes that public
holiday as an unpaid public holiday.
 Additional information on Public Holidays (http://ers.govt.nz/holidays_act_2003/public_holidays.html)
 Use the Holidays Online Tool (http://ers.govt.nz/holidays-online-tool/default.aspx)
 Get information on the proposed changes (http://www.ers.govt.nz/law/reviews/index.html) to the Employment Relations Act
2000 and Holidays Act 2003
Are you aware of changes to the Employment Relations Act and Holidays Act
passed by Parliament recently? Most changes come into effect on 1 April 2011.
Key changes to the Employment Relations Act include:
 Extending the 90-day trial period to cover all businesses
 Improving personal grievance processes
 Retention of employment agreements
 Union access to workplaces
 Role and powers of labour inspectors
Key changes to the Holidays Act include:
 The option to cash-in up to one week of annual leave
 The option to agree to transfer the observance of public holidays
 Proof of sickness or injury
Keep up-to-date on what's happening by reading our emails like this one and visiting our website: http://ers.govt.nz/updates

3. What’s Coming Up?
Workshops
*All free and conducted in English unless otherwise stated.
Job Search Workshop
7th and 14th December, 9.30am—3.00pm
Workshop to assist with your job search. Held in conjunction with Career Services and the
Auckland Chamber of Commerce and other agencies.
Legal Clinics
Fridays, 9.30am—12.00pm
Heval Hylan, Principal of Hylan Law Barrister & Solicitor, will be providing free 10-minutes legal
advice on immigration, family law, contract, trusts and other areas of law in general.
Free Counselling Services to support newcomers to New Zealand
Fridays, 9.30am – 12.30pm
Making a new life in a foreign country can sometimes be difficult to cope with and can
sometimes feel overwhelming. Talking with someone who understands what you are
experiencing may help you to make sense of what’s happening and assist you to
move forward with confidence and hope. Service offer by student counsellor from
New Zealand Institute of Professional Counselling.
Pronunciation Guidance Course
Saturdays, 20th, 27th November; 4th, 11th and 18th December, 4.00pm – 6.00m
A 5 week course; $195 per person, includes course materials. Are you needing to
improve the clarity and fluency of your spoken English and identify the sounds that you
mispronounce? This course will provide you with the tools you need to assist you in identifying
the English sounds that are most difficult for you and make yourself better understood in a kiwi
environment.
Marae Visit
Sunday 5th December, 9.00am – 4.00pm
$20 per person, includes morning tea and hangi lunch.
Introduction to Maori history, life and culture. Includes transport to the Marae. Learn how to do
the Haka and do flax weaving. Once in a lifetime experience. Registration essential.
Financial Planning and Management in New Zealand
Saturday 11 December, 9.30am – 12.00pm
Do you want to know what is personal financial planning? How to do a financial plan? What is
financial management? What is estate and tax planning? What are your options for retirement
planning?
For more information or to register contact ARMS on 09 625 2440 or reception@arms-mrc.org.nz.
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4. Press Release: Playgroup for Auckland’s Refugee Communities
“My daughter, Thamilini, wakes up in the morning and starts talking about the playgroup as well as
mentioning all of her new friends”, says Sandananayagy Marusalin.
Sandananayagy is one of the fifteen mothers whose children attend the Multicultural Safari Playgroup
based at Griffen Park – Lynfield – Auckland..
Initially run from the May Road Community Centre, the Playgroup has been relocated to the purpose-built
facilities in Lynfield, thanks to the Auckland Play Centre Association. So far, parents and children from
seven different ethnic backgrounds attend the Playgroup and English classes.
The playgroup is having an open day on Thursday 9th December 2010 from 11.00am- 2.00pm and we
would like to invite you to this event. The Playgroup is for pre-school children and their parents from
Auckland’s refugee communities.
“I like the fact that my daughter can learn at the playgroup using her own language and English as well”,
adds Sandananayagy.
While the children are in the playgroup, the mothers attend English Classes, run by an ESOL Teacher at the
playgroup.
The community driven project arose from a joint scoping exercise and now partnership between the
Auckland Refugee Community Coalition (ARCC) and the Auckland Regional Migrant Services Charitable
Trust (ARMS).
The Multicultural Playgroup was formed to create a professional and stable early childhood service for
refugee children alongside a range of opportunities for parents to participate in learning opportunities for
themselves, such as English classes and getting work experience in the Early Childhood Education sector.
The Playgroup is regularly attended by between 10 and 15 children.
Mary Dawson, Executive Director, Auckland Regional Migrant Services (ARMS).
For more information, please contact Shoma Prasad, Communications and PR Officer on 625 3095, or
email Shomap@arms-mrc.org.nz

6. 2010/11 BREAKAWAY HOLIDAY PROGRAMME
WaterSafe Auckland, with funding from the Ministry of Social
Development, is running FREE Breakaway Holiday programmes
in December 2010 and January 2011. This is a water activity based
programme for children aged 11-13 years, to be held at the Otara
Leisure Centre. The activities will be organised and delivered by
staff from Surf Lifesaving and WaterSafe Auckland.
Activities include: learn to swim; water safety skills; surf sports;
and water based games.
Date: Monday 20th – Thursday 24th December
or
Monday 17th –Thursday 20th January
or
Monday 24th – Thursday 27th January
Time: 9.00am – 2.00pm
Venue: Otara Leisure Centre
115 Bairds Road
For more information or to receive an enrolment form please
contact:
Angelo Naude
Email: angelo.naude@watersafe.org.nz
Telephone: 306 0809

7. Media Release
23 November 2010
Pacific Peoples and Ethnic Peoples Advisory Panels:
applications open
Applications have opened for the Auckland Council’s Pacific Peoples Advisory Panel and the Ethnic
Peoples Advisory Panel.
Once established each panel will be responsible for identifying and communicating the interests and
preferences of their communities in Auckland in terms of the new council’s strategies, policies, plans
and bylaws.
The Mayor is keen for a diversity of people to get involved in the new structure.
“As a panel member, you will have an opportunity to shape, debate and provide advice to me and the
council on important issues that affect you,” says Len Brown.
The Mayor is seeking people who are passionate about the well-being of Pacific and Ethnic peoples
in Auckland, are strategic thinkers, skilled and confident communicators and hold broad perspectives
on the issues faced by their communities.
Applications are open from Wednesday 24 November and will close at midday on Friday December
17 2010. Applications and queries should be sent to pacificpanel@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz or to
ethnicpanel@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.
More information will be available at Auckland Council (www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz) and Ministry of
Pacific Island Affairs (www.mpia.govt.nz).
The Mayor will convene a selection committee for each Panel which will consider applications and
make recommendations to him. This is in line with advice provided by the Office of Ethnic Affairs and
the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs which consulted widely with communities in Auckland.
The Ministry’s advice can be found at www.mpia.govt.nz/news.
Ends
For media assistance contact:
Glyn Jones
Chief Press Secretary
Office of the Mayor
Phone: +64 21 475 897