5 Oct 2018

Waikeria prison workers' camp 'offensive' - union

From Morning Report, 6:44 am on 5 October 2018

A union says a plan to build a workers' camp for some 300 contractors to upgrade Waikeria jail is a stupid, offensive idea. Otorohanga Community Board yesterday Thurs approved in principle an Australian construction company's plan for a camp on the outskirts of the King Country town. If it gets the final go-ahead, hundreds of workers will be pulling 12-hour shifts, six days a week, and they could be subjected to daily drug and alchol testing. The E Tu union industry coordinator for construction Ron Angel told reporter Matthew Theunissen that the proposed camp is basically "a prison to build a prison".