Another Matangi business to close...

This seems to be my weekend for wingeing, but this really gets to me...

A local business, VAS, has been converting vehicles for use by disabled folk for several years now. A good friend of mine got his Kia van from there, and I know personally at least two others who also got their wheels from there. By all accounts there was a bit of a waiting list, but the service was exemplary.

This business has now lost its contract with ACC who are going to source these vehicle conversions from - wait for it - Italy! How can that be cost effective? And what about carbon footprints as far as shifting this stuff around the world, sourcing "New Zealand Made" where possible, etc?

And how the heck do they provide as good a service? My friend had several 'fittings' and test drives of his vehicle before it was all perfect for him.

As well as the loss of this, there will also be the loss of several good tradesmen's jobs, and possibly the loss of a business that has been a central hub of Matangi for years.

As hubby says, they worry about a brain drain then outsource skilled work like this...

This is so unbelievable. I am gobsmacked .

yes it seems wrong esp. in times in front of an upcoming election...

Mind you Tigger, the sheer hassle we have had trying to convert SOH's driving licence where in Aussie he can pull 3 trailers, yet isn't now allowed to drive a 30 ton truck here, has us scratching our heads.

It used to be easy to convert Aussie licences to Kiwi, but no more. And the bods at VTNZ know very little and what they do know is always different to the person sitting next to them, or on their help line.

It seems to us in the last 3 weeks, that NZ'dom is caught up in red tape that protects stupid rules, than being sensible and reflective of Kiwi ingenuity of old....

I've heard of this service, too in a documentary a while ago. So this business may have to close, then the Italians won't have any competition, and the price will go up.

I can't understand that a government agency is allowed to do this! It is soooo short sighted[}].

This goverment is a joke.... with its do as we say and not as we do attitude, some examples of madness .....

NZ tax payers have a stake in Air NZ but most goverment agencies travel domestically on Qantas (go figure!!).

The best one....
At last years NZ small business expo the Ministry of Economic Development was giving away piggy banks with Made in China stickers on them, hows that for supporting NZ business and this from the very agency that is supposed to do so.

In short things like this I have come to expect over the last 9 years, it is bureaucracy gone made in both numbers and attitude !!

this is ridiculous given the current state of the economy and the money ACC waste playing round. (we had a quick work out that husbands bad back had several thousand dollars wasted in providing equipment he can't use and said he didn't want, the appointment with the psychiatrist to make sure it wasn't in his head though it was on the xrays, a week by week payment stuff up and three letters for every one of those etc etc.)

Who should we email I wonder...

I'd advise calling good morning and the morning business show. it's topical heading into the election and more likely to be room to mention it on those shows than the main news. put out a press release! Kate probably has a list of media contact emails from all the transpower saga.

I'll talk to my friend on Wednesday and see what he wants to do. He was also at the forefront of the case taken by the Human Rights Commission against Air NZ because of their policy they brought in a year or so ago about not assisting disabled people into their seats, but not having a lift at each airport to make up for that, only at Auckland and Wellington (I think those were the ones that have them).

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I bought my car took it to Matangi and they converted it to a hand control car

For my next car will I have to go to Italy to buy it?

How will that work?

www.stuff.co.nz/waikatotimes/4738639a6415.html

Election year -perhaps time to get the MP/candidates in the area involved?

We've done similar with a group I am involved with on another issue...[]

Yes Digby... and ACC will have to pay for the expense.. you will of course be needing family support etc so they also will need to go.. and then the discomfort of sitting sooo long will play havoc with your leg so certainly first class on one of those planes with the banana seats so you can stretch out that tall body.. I guess a good $30k will do it. How stupid, Im guessin the reason they were delayed in getting all the cars done is that ACC dont pay enough for them to have another mechanic helping. as they say, you only get what you pay for
so a big DUH! to ACC

More of this sort of thing will happen if Labour get back in too.

As well as this outsourcing have you noticed that small businesses in small towns are shutting down. Nothing to do with outsourcing, just red tape and rentals and other bullshyte pricing them out of their shops. I think we have about 5 shops in out town shut their doors. It isn't a very big town, you can walk from one end to the other in a minute and a half. I wonder if this has been happening in other small towns around the country. Has it happened in your neighbourhood. There is a business I would love to buy, but the rentals are huge and they are going up again I believe.

Well then those landlords are idiots! Stick to your guns and wait for them to beg for a tenant and then...whoohoo. I too would love my own business and have something in mind but a bit of a worry if no one has any money to spend.

I was in the Red Shed today looking at bras priced at $10. My favourite, on special, at the local factory outlet shop - was $25.00! I guess China despite their woes will always have little old NZ to dump their stuff on and kill all small local business.

Mind the business I want, they won't be able to compete with![]

Going back to VAS tigger - I have emailed your story to someone who should be interested in looking into this, so fingers crossed.

Didi, the business I want is doing better in this recession, but is somewhat seasonal. If I lived closer to town I would start my own one up at my place, but isn't really practical out here. Never mind, I will keep my ears open for that opportunity. You never know it may just happen one day.