TEC Staff Page

15/02/2023

Kia ora koutou

Many of you will have felt the earthquake yesterday evening, which was centred off the Kapiti Coast. We haven’t heard of any damage to property or that anyone has been hurt by the quake and hopefully this remains the case.

In Wellington we definitely felt the shake. Our facilities team have walked the floors of our office this morning and there is no visible damage or sign of things moving around. They are pro-actively checking in with the landlord to ensure the appropriate engineering checks are carried out on 44 The Terrace as quickly as possible. I will keep you updated if any concerns are raised during this process.

In the meantime, given the high NBS rating of the building, we consider the situation to be low risk and our office is open and operating this morning. If you have any questions, please talk with your manager.
Ngā mihi
Tim

10/02/2023

Message from National Emergency Management Agency NEMA – please check back to this page for any TEC-related updates over the weekend.
• Be aware that storms can trigger floods and landslides. Make sure you know how to respond.
· Keep up to date with MetService weather forecasts.
· Follow your local Civil Defence groups for the latest updates and advice for your area.
· Have a plan for what your whānau will do in an emergency.
· Have grab bags ready for everyone in your family. These will include: medications, snacks, water, torches, pet food, baby formula (if needed).
· Remove any debris or loose items from around your property and tie down your trampoline and other heavy outdoor objects.
· Check on your neighbours and anyone who might need your help.
· Power cuts could affect EFTPOS and ATM machines, so make sure you have some cash at home, or enough supplies to see you through three days or more.
· Know which paddocks are safe if you have livestock. To prevent risks from lightning, move livestock away from:
- floodwaters
- landslides
- power lines, and
- isolated trees.
· Work out what supplies you might need
· Have materials and tools ready to repair windows, such as tarpaulins, boards and duct tape.
· Find out which local radio stations to listen to in an emergency – your local Civil Defence Emergency Management Group will have information on this.
· Find out what to do before, during and after a storm. https://getready.govt.nz/en/emergency/storms/
Keep updated
• NEMA will be posting regularly on NZCivilDefence Facebook and Twitter feeds. NZ Civil Defence | Wellington | Facebook
• Last night NEMA also launched Prep Talk campaign on Facebook, which is a timely reminder for people to have a prep talk before Cyclone Gabrielle hits – it’s a funny and heart warming ad which gives a nice balance to all the doom and gloom out there!
• They have a comprehensive Cyclone Gabrielle preparedness post on page.
Get Ready website for information “before”
• Get Ready is NEMA one stop shop for emergency preparedness advice – it’s translated into 14 languages, it meets NZ accessibility standards, and is also available in large print and audio.
Civil Defence website for information “during and after”
• While CDEM Groups will be the shopfront for local communities, they will be using www.civildefence.govt.nz as NEMA’s one stop shop for information during the Cyclone Gabrielle response.
• The Civil Defence website also houses the All of Government Welfare Fact Sheet for Auckland, so people can see where and how to get help. It is likely an updated version of this will be developed for this event.

Local updates for Auckland are being provided at www.aucklandemergencymanagement.org.nz and on the Auckland Emergency Management Facebook.

27/01/2023

Kia ora Auckland whānau, and others in flood-affected areas

A brief note from me to let you know that we’re all thinking of you and your whānau as your region experiences heaving rain and flooding.

Please take care of yourself and your loved ones first. Make sure you are all safe and out of harm’s way. If there is anything we can do to support you, please let your managers or your colleagues know.

Monday is a public holiday with Auckland Anniversary weekend, but please take more time into the week if you need to. Just keep in touch with your manager if you can.

Take care up there, stay safe, we’re all thinking of you.

Kia kaha
Tim

12/09/2022

Kia ora TEC whānau

After 927 days of us all living within the COVID-19 restrictions and vaccination mandates, the Government has today announced the new COVID-19 settings and regulations, effective from midnight tonight, Monday 12 September.

The key points are:

• All traffic light system settings have been removed
• Governments Protection Framework is removed
• It is no longer a government requirement to wear masks except in health-related environments (doctors, hospitals etc)
• If you test positive for COVID-19 you are required to isolate for seven days
• There is no requirement for household contacts to isolate
• All vaccination mandates are lifted
• Vaccination requirements for all visitors to New Zealand are also lifted.

What this means for us, as of midnight tonight:

• Masks are no longer required in TEC offices – for staff or visitors to TEC
• However, if you still wish to wear a mask, your choice will be respected
• It is personal choice if you wish to continue to wear a mask on public transport etc

While Government has removed the protection framework, ELT will review our TEC Protection Framework tomorrow, and we will advise you of any further changes in due course.

Thank you to every one of you who over the last two and a half years have been committed to ensuring all our people remain safe. It has been a pretty tough few years for all of us, and it seems we are nearing the end of it. Well done everyone, this is such great news today!

The other announcement for today was that New Zealand will have a public holiday on Monday 26 September to commemorate the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. Those of you who have booked annual leave for that day will have it reinstated. We will advise more on this later.
Noho ora mai
John Soulis
Acting Chief Executive

13/04/2022

Kia ora whānau, and a bit of good news to share with you following Government’s announcement earlier today.

Minister Hipkins has announced that all New Zealand will move to traffic light ORANGE at 11:59pm tonight.

Initially, what that means for us is:

• From Tuesday, all TEC offices will be open for all staff, and for visitors.
• Only those people who are fully vaccinated can come into TEC offices – this includes visitors – until we complete our risk assessment and review our vaccination policy next week.
• While all staff can come back into the office, we encourage our people in the high-risk group to continue to work from home – talk with your manager about what works for you both.
• For those who may feel uneasy about coming into the office, please do what works best for you, and if you need to work from home, please continue to do so, and have a talk with your manager.
• We ask that you continue to wear masks in the office, observe physical distancing, and continue good hygiene activities.

ELT had already been having discussions over the last week about our options should we move to ORANGE. The Government’s direction on what ORANGE looks like has shifted since our own Protection Framework was developed and while most of it holds true, we need to have a closer look.

So early next week we will start reviewing our TEC Protection Framework to determine how we will move forward as an organisation. An important part of our decision-making process will be the feedback you gave us via the recent survey, and that feedback will be fairly considered and included in our final decisions.

We will keep you informed of any decisions during that process.

In the meantime, as of 11:59pm tonight, alongside the points mentioned above we will shift to operating under the ORANGE guidelines within our TEC COVID Protection Framework until further notice.

Kia kaha, we’re nearly there .
Tim

01/03/2022

All Wellington staff are advised to avoid the area around the Parliament protest today - police action is underway - particularly if you are travelling in from the northern suburbs.

24/02/2022

Following Government announcement today: All TEC offices are closed from tomorrow to all staff except for those people whose role needs them to work in the office, work in a critical function or are unable to work from home. For more details, please refer to email from Tim sent today.

23/01/2022

Kia ora tātou

Today the Prime Minister announced that Aotearoa New Zealand is shifting to the Red Traffic Light setting at 11.59 pm Sunday 23 January.

You can see all details for the traffic light system here - https://covid19.govt.nz/news-and-data/.

We will continue to follow our TEC Protection Framework (See Tuia homepage - Stop Press section). The TEC framework has been developed with our people front of mind, along with information and advice available on COVID-19, health and safety, well-being, privacy, security and our obligations to you as employees.

I encourage you to work from home while we are at Red but all our offices will remain open. (Please see my video attached to my email in your mailbox).

I want to remind you of our stay at home recommendation for high risk groups and additional precautions for those in the same ‘bubble’:

- those aged 60 years and older
- those with pre-existing health conditions
- those with vulnerable family members or dependents at home (a need to protect and care for those at home)
- anyone who has been in an area containing a Covid-19 cluster or community outbreak in the previous 14 days
- those who rely solely on public transport to get to/from work with an average commute time of more than 30 minutes

When working from home, please talk to your manager and continue to let them know your working arrangements. It remains important that we know where you’re working.

Please take the measures that you need to keep yourselves and your whānau safe. This includes getting your booster as soon as you’re eligible.

I know how important it is to keep connected at times like this. We will keep you updated and ensure that our information is kept up to date with government direction and guidance. Please refer to our framework and the government guidance for more information.

Please take care of yourselves and your whānau.

Ngā mihi nui
Tim

COVID Traffic Light System - https://covid19.govt.nz/traffic-lights/
MoH current locations of interest -https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-health-advice-public/contact-tracing-covid-19/covid-19-contact-tracing-locations-interest
NZ COVID Tracer App - https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-resources-and-tools/nz-covid-tracer-app

The traffic lights (COVID-19 Protection Framework) protect Aotearoa New Zealand from COVID-19, while allowing people with My Vaccine Pass more freedoms.

01/11/2021

Kia ora tātou

A very brief update from me today, following today’s announcement from the PM.

• Auckland will remain in Alert level 3 Step 1, until 11:59pm Tuesday 9 November. So current restrictions will remain in place until then, with a view to stepping down to Level 3 Step 2.
• Waikato will move to Alert level 3, Step 2, at 11:59pm Tuesday 2 November. While this means the region’s restrictions will ease, to allow retail to open and gatherings in public spaces (limited to 25 people), our Waikato office will remain closed.
• Full information on these alert levels, plus other information, is available on the COVID-19 website.

Managers will contact each of our people in Auckland and Hamilton and discuss what is comfortable for them, for any arrangements as we move forward.

These current Alert levels for Auckland and the Waikato will be reviewed by Cabinet next Monday at 4:00pm.

We all continue to think of our Auckland and Waikato colleagues, and please get in touch if you need support of any kind.

Kia kaha
Tim

Information on what Alert Level 3 Step 1 means for people in Auckland and Waikato.

08/10/2021

Kia ora koutou

Minister Hipkins announced today that Northland will shift to Alert Level 3 from 11.59pm tonight for at least the next four days.

This is a strict Level 3 and, as with Waikato, the easing steps announced for Auckland earlier this week will not apply to Northland. The Auckland boundary will stay in place.

Our Whangarei office will be closed, Hamilton and Auckland offices remain closed, and staff located there are to work from home until the next review of the alert levels for each location.

We’re thinking of our colleagues in Whangarei, and everyone within the Alert Level 3 boundary. And everyone, wherever you are, please take the weekend to relax and unwind. Take care of yourselves and your whānau. Kia kaha.


Ngā mihi nui, ia manuia

Gillian

28/09/2021

Kia ora tātou

Today the Government announced that from 11.59pm tonight, people in Auckland will be able to travel from Alert level 3 across the boundary into a level 2 area if they

· are permanently relocating
· have shared caring arrangements
· are returning home.

There are some rules around this:

· you need a negative COVID test
· you need proof of why you are travelling
· you must not be sick.

Please refer to the COVID website for specific information.

That’s great news for those of you who have been trying to get home from Auckland to Wellington, or to other parts of the country. However, for those who are returning, we ask that you WFH for 14 days following your return, before returning to a TEC office.

All other level 3 and level 2 arrangements continue to apply.

If you have any questions, please check in with your manager for further advice.

Ngā mihi nui
Gillian

20/09/2021

Kia ora tātou

Finally, some good news for Auckland people. Today the Government announced that Auckland will move to Alert level 3 at 11:59 Tuesday 21 September, and the rest of the country will remain in Alert level 2. These alert levels will remain in place until 11:59pm Tuesday 5 October.

All the usual restrictions under Alert level 3 will be in place for Auckland, with a couple of extra details being implemented under Alert level 2 – as always, please refer to the MoH guidance and TEC guidelines.

TEC offices will remain closed for Auckland, and the rest are open under Alert level 2 and many of you have already returned, while others continue to work from home. The same arrangements will remain in place for the next two weeks.

And as a reminder, those people who have long commutes on public transport or are at higher risk can also choose to continue to work from home. Masks are mandatory on public transport and check out the COVID-19 website for other places where a mask is required. Please wear masks in the lifts and public areas of TEC offices and follow the scanning requirements in shops, venues and events, as well as in our offices. We have placed COVID sign-in sheets on each floor at 44TT if you don’t have the tracer app, so please record on these sheets.

Let’s continue to take care of each other and ourselves, and check in with your manager for any arrangements you need to make, or concerns you have.

Kia kaha Auckland whānau – your ELT and TEC colleagues are thinking of you and here to support you, so keep in touch with us, and each other.

Ngā mihi nui, ia manuia

Tim