News
Community outreach meetings in Blenheim and Nelson
Wednesday 20 and Thursday 21 May 2009
The programme is run jointly with Judi Jones, the Electricity and Gas Complaints Commissioner, and Karen Stevens, the Insurance & Savings Ombudsman. This programme helps such community organisations keep up to date with current complaint issues and how they are handled. It also provides their staff with useful training in the functioning of the three dispute resolution schemes.
Although the Blenheim and Nelson meetings had to be organised at short notice, our partner organisations rose to the occasion and we had two excellent meetings, each of which was attended by a representative cross section of financial, budgetary and other advisers working in the community.
Blenheim meeting
Gordon Strang, the manager of Community Law Marlborough, said of the Blenheim meeting: “All those we could have wanted to attend were there.” He said that the participants were “all at the cutting edge of New Zealand society at present”, and were “really wanting to discuss issues of concern to them and those they are advising.” The participation of Work and Income and of the local district council’s community liaison officer was welcome. And it did not go unnoticed that two participants had come all the way from Kaikoura to share in this occasion.
Nelson meeting
The Nelson meeting was also very well attended. Judith McColl, of the Nelson Bays Community Law Service, commented that even financial advisers can sometimes be a bit confused about the distinction between the parliamentary ombudsman, for example, and the private sector ombudsmen at the meeting. She added that many also think that an ombudsman must be a man, and are surprised when women turn up at the meeting. “A visit like this makes us feel relaxed about approaching ombudsmen, who can otherwise seem a bit remote and intimidating”, said Judith.