Te Ururoa Flavell
MP for Waiariki

26th February 2013

Māori Party Slams Pitiful Wage Increase for Low Income Earners

The Māori Party today slammed the Government’s announcement that the minimum wage is to increase by a pitiful 25 cents.

Today, Labour Minister Simon Bridges announced the minimum wage will increase from $13.50 to $13.75 on the first of April.

“The Government had an opportunity to address low wages by increasing them to a more realistic level, but instead has insulted low income earners with today’s announcement,” said MP for Waiariki Te Ururoa Flavell.

“The Maori Party believes the minimum wage should rise to $16 an hour. There is researched evidence to show that increasing the minimum wage doesn’t lead to massive job losses and it can in fact increase productivity and economic efficiency.”

“The Government should focus on reducing wage inequality by targeting high wages of excessively high income earners.”

“The Government should be ashamed of themselves. There isn’t a member of Parliament in this house that could live on that meagre amount.”

“The Maori Party sees the increase in income inequality over the last 25 years as a major threat to our economic well-being and social cohesion. Lifting the minimum wage to $16 would be an immediate way to restore some balance,” said Te Ururoa.

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On Failures Of Care For Those With Mental Disabilities

Hard to imagine a more disturbing insight into the treatment of the vulnerable than the Health Ministry report on Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau. The Ministry has found that the country’s only kaupapa Maori intellectual disability residential care provider has been “seriously dysfunctional.”

The ministry says the business has failed to recruit and retain quality staff – and says the kaimahi (caregivers) that have been employed are seriously unsuitable for the job, lacking basic knowledge. But Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau doesn’t get all the blame. The report says there’s a significant gap under disability laws to ensure there’s oversight by qualified clinical professionals. More>>