"Workers working on election day are entitled to time off on pay to vote," Labour employment spokesperson Pete Hodgson said today.

"Section 162 of the Electoral Act requires that employees who have not had "a reasonable opportunity of voting before commencing work" be given time off without loss of pay from 3 pm for the remainder of the day to allow them to cast their vote.

"This requirement has become more important as the number of people working at the weekends has grown and is a vital protection of our democratic rights," Mr Hodgson said.

"It has become apparent that many employers are not aware of this provision and there have even been instances of some employers indicating to staff that they will not be allowed to take time off to vote.

"Any employer who fails to give time off will be in contravention of the law," Mr Hodgson said.

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>