Access by Various artists

To be fair, since I wrote this post this morning, there have been some media articles. Radio NZ, the Herald, Newshub (TV3) and even TVNZ have reported his win. But media usually loves to report a competition where a New Zealander has a chance on the world stage, so it was a pity there wasn't any coverage up till now.

Even got the briefest of government notices of motion in Parliament today. The National MPs behind Anne Tolley have no idea who he is http://www.inthehouse.co.nz/video/43955

Quote: "When Robert reached 15, the State tossed the angry teenager out of care. He had been denied not only human rights, but culture and identity. He often relates how as an institutionalised child he never heard of the All Blacks.

As a young man in the late 1970s he lived under the auspices of the NZ Society for the Intellectually Handicapped (which later became the IHC) where he led what is likely to have been the first ever strike by people with intellectual disability. They wanted to be treated as adults, make their own decisions, and be paid for their work. This activism became the basis of the People First self-advocacy movement in New Zealand."

Sounds like the right kind of person in the right place.

I wonder what Robert would make of the free prime time advertising just provided to Altus Enterprises on Seven Sharp (which I only watched because Hosking wasn't there). I'd feel a whole lot more comfortable with Altus if I didn't know that they pay some people considerably less than minimum wage under the Minimum Wage Act 1983.

http://employment.govt.nz/er/pay/exemptions/disabilitiesemployers.asp

While everyone who appeared on the clip came across as very happy, no mention was made of pay rates. This company has claimed in the past that it would not be viable without the exemption. While it clearly provides a friendly, positive environment, is it also exploiting people?

Recommendations on removing the exemption were due to go to Ministers in June.

Their website says workers are on individual employment contracts. People First has a great plain language employment contract that they have developed, but I doubt that they use that one.