Winz moving to new premises

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Gisborne Work and Income service centre will close on Friday as the service moves to a new location.

The Ministry for Social Development confirmed a new site would open in another three weeks.

“We contacted our clients (last Thursday morning) to let them know our Gisborne Service Centre is relocating from 106 Lowe Street to 308 Gladstone Road,” MSD regional commissioner for East Coast Karen Bartlett said. “We expect to operate from Gladstone Road for two years until a new, purpose-built site is constructed.

“The previous lease is coming to an end and a shorter-term lease at the new location aligns with this timetable. Our site at 106 Lowe Street will close at

12 noon on Friday, November 10. We’ll be opening at 308 Gladstone Road from 8.30am Tuesday, December 5.”

It is the site of the former Stirling Sports store, next to Hunting and Fishing NZ.

“While we’re closed, clients can drop off any paperwork or applications to our hub at Turanga Ararau Youth Services, on 154 Kahutia Street. They are open from 9am to 4pm weekdays. If anyone has an appointment booked during this time, we’ll be in contact with them. During this time our staff will make sure our clients can get the support they need. If they need to contact us they can: go to our website: workandincome.govt.nz log into MyMSD, call 0800 559 009 for Work and Income and call 0800 552 002 for Senior Services.”

The Lowe Street building has been having issues with mould. In October, Te Whatu Ora Tairāwhiti removed staff from the Peel Street side of the building because of elevated levels of mould spores.

Te Whatu Ora Tairāwhiti interim group director of operations, hospital and specialist services Anne Aitcheson previously told The Herald a small number of staff reported an increase in respiratory conditions.

Tests revealed mould spores and it was decided the Te Whatu Ora part of the building would be permanently closed. That affected about 70 staff.

On the Work and Income side of the building, a testing and mitigation programme had ensured the building remained safe for staff and visitors, Ms Bartlett said.