The Government's decision to increase the minimum wage may have an impact on the number of jobs being offered to New Zealanders, National's spokesman on Labour Max Bradford warned today.

"At least the economy at present is in a robust enough state, thanks to the policies of the last Government, to absorb this increase. Nevertheless, it would be foolish to pretend there will not be fewer jobs as a result of this decision.

"I am pleased that the Government has been wise enough to leave the youth rate alone, as scrapping that would have seen an 80 percent increase in the hourly cost of employing young New Zealanders, which would have had a disastrous effect on youth employment.

"The Alliance's desire to get rid of the youth rate shows how little they care for young workers. They were happy to support a measure that would have seen too many young kiwis out of work.

"Time will tell what effect this minimum increase will have on employment rates, but if the economy starts to deteriorate once ACC changes and repeal of the Employment Contracts Act are passed, the Government may regret this decision," Mr Bradford said.

ENDS

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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>>