CTU Media Release

22 January 2013

Challenges ahead in Labour Portfolio

The CTU has congratulated Simon Bridges on his appointment as Minister of Labour.

Helen Kelly, CTU President said "there are many challenges in this portfolio that previous Ministers in this Government have failed to satisfactorily address including health and safety, lifting the minimum wage, and addressing the major problem of precarious work with so many on casual, contracting, or short-term employment arrangements."

"The Government plans to make further significant negative employment law changes this year, including reducing the wage for young workers. These changes will make matters worse for New Zealand families, and the test for this new Minister is whether or not he is prepared to change track and support the rights and aspirations of working New Zealanders."

Helen Kelly said that the CTU looked forward to an opportunity to discuss these major issues with the new Minister.

"The CTU is hopeful that the incoming Minister of Labour, Simon Bridges, will keep the momentum going on implementing the outcomes of the Pike River Report," said Helen Kelly.

ENDS

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Arguably Reassuring: Inspector-General Finds GCSB "Arguably" Legal

Of the 88 individuals:

• 15 cases involving 22 individuals did not have any information intercepted by GCSB.

• another four cases involving five individuals were the subjects of a New Zealand Security Intelligence Service warrant and the GCSB assisted in the execution of the warrants. The Inspector-General is of the view that there were arguably no breaches and the law is unclear.

• the Bureau only provided technical assistance which did not involve interception of communications, involving three of the individuals, so no breach occurred.

• the remaining cases involved the collection of metadata, and the Inspector-General formed the view that there had arguably been no breach, noting once again that the law is unclear.
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