Omnibus Employment Bill Sent To Select Committee

The first reading of the Employment Standards Bill has completed its first reading and been sent to select committee for consideration.

Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse said the bill would extend paid parental leave cover, update parts of employment law such as minimum employment standards and address the issue of “zero hour” contracts.

Mr Woodhouse highlighted that the duration of paid-parental leave will be extended for eligible parents of pre-term babies.

Iain Lees-Galloway said Labour would support the bill to select committee. It seemed the bill was being used as a vehicle to tackle a number of political problems as a results it was a “dog’s breakfast”, but it did look at a number of serious issues.

The Government’s attempt to deal with zero hour contracts was not to abolish them, but set rules around them and thus enshrined them in law, which Labour was not impressed by.

The bill was sent to the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee for consideration by 107 to 14 with the Greens opposed

MPs then began the second reading of the Passports Amendment Bill (No 2).

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