Dear readers, we are happy to inform that we have finished analysing the feedback on our last year’s pilot launch of Multicultural Times (MT), New Zealand’s first nation-wide multicultural newspaper. As was the case with our Christchurch-based multicultural newspaper, The Migrant Times (TMT), MT too received innumerable accolades, appreciation and love from all of you. We are also very grateful to various communities, leaders, decision-makers and organisations from across the country who have shown immense faith in the idea of MT, and TMT before that. Based on the feedback, and after a lot of introspection, we have taken two strategic decisions to ensure that we continue to lead New Zealand’s journalism landscape towards diversity and innovation, while staying true to the basic tenets of the fourth estate. 1) The future of journalism is digital. We will continue publishing MT on our various digital media platforms and will cease publication of our print version. The reach, engagement and scope of innovation in the digital space is far superior to print. The financial viability is also superior in digital, due to the trade-off between the cost of production and results achieved. A better reach, engagement, innovation and viability, will ultimately lead to better-quality journalism for our society. 2) The future of journalism is data and artificial intelligence (AI). We are exploring how to use open data and natural language generation techniques to generate quality content and narrative stories, pertaining to local issues relevant to people’s everyday lives. We are immensely excited.

Stay tuned.

Labour: Chch's Bahn Thai Restaurant to pay 25k for three categories of breaches of minimum code requirements

Labour: Chch's Bahn Thai Restaurant to pay 25k for three categories of breaches of minimum code requirements

These include penalty for failure to provide written employment agreements, failure to keep holiday and leave records and failure to keep wage and time records. "The respondent is to pay a penalty to the Crown in the sum of $25,000 in respect of three categories of breaches of minimum code requirements, plus $71.56 to the Labour Inspectorate as reimbursement of its Authority lodgement fee," said David Appleton, member of the Employment Relations Authority, in his judgement dated December 16, 2016.

It all started on August 14, 2015, when the Labour Inspector received a complaint from a former employee alleging that she had not received the adult minimum wage for each hour worked, had not received an employment agreement, had not been paid at a rate of time and a half for working on a public holiday and had not received her final holiday pay upon her termination. In October 2015, the Labour Inspector carried out a site visit, and interviewed the owner and three employees and, in November 2015, spoke to the respondent’s accountant and retrieved wage and annual leave records in relation to the respondent. Later, the Labour Inspector identified a number of employees of the respondent whose minimum employment requirements were breached, and the case went to ERA.

Diversity: Christchurch Council adopts the Christchurch Multicultural Strategy

Diversity: Christchurch Council adopts the Christchurch Multicultural Strategy

Award: Christchurch musician makes waves in India

Award: Christchurch musician makes waves in India