Starting Out Wage Bill Progresses

Tuesday, 19 March 2013, 7:52 pm
Article: ParliamentToday.co.nz

A bill reinstating a form of the youth minimum wage made progress in Parliament this evening

The Minimum Wage (Starting-out Wage) Amendment Bill completed its committee stage by 61 to 59 with National, ACT and United Future in favour.

Darien Fenton said Labour ``strongly opposed’’ the Minimum Wage (Starting-out Wage) Amendment Bill as it was reintroducing a youth rate.

National’s claim it would only apply for the first six months of a youth’s employment and would help them into a job was wrong as the six months would restart every time someone under 19 went to a new job.

The bill was a return to discrimination against youths that had been last seen in the last century and it showed National had no idea on how to deal with the crisis in youth unemployment, she said.

National MP Cam Calder said the bill was about giving young people the ability to enjoy the ``dignity of work’’ by getting them on the first rung of the employment ladder.

MPs turned to the committee stage of the Student Loan Scheme Amendment Bill (No 2).

**
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