Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

National Calls For New Self-Isolation Payment

The National Party is proposing a new payment scheme to make it easier for employees to stay home while they are self-isolating.

National’s proposed scheme involves:

  • The Government paying 100 per cent of a person’s wages and salary for two weeks if they are ordered to self-isolate
  • Wage payments will be capped at twice the average ordinary time weekly earnings
  • Payments will go directly to employees, with no requirement for employers to claim.

The latest Valentine’s Day cluster and resulting lockdown was a harsh reminder of how important it is for people to self-isolate when told to by health officials, Leader of the Opposition Judith Collins says.

“The ‘stay home, save lives’ mantra sounds simple enough, but it’s not always that easy for people who can’t afford to not be working.”

The current Leave Support Scheme pays fulltime workers $1176.60 and part-time workers $700 as a lump sum for a two-week period, with the money going to their employers.

“This is well below the minimum wage and below what a fulltime worker would earn from sick leave,” Ms Collins says. “We must make it easier for people to stay home when required.

“Self-isolation is increasingly becoming a requirement because of the Government’s failures at the border, yet workers across New Zealand are the ones paying the price.

“National wants to make sure people can do the right thing with the least amount of economic inconvenience.”

Covid-19 Response spokesperson Chris Bishop says the proposed self-isolation scheme is modelled on the previous National Government’s successful Compensation for Live Organ Donors Act, which sees the Government pay 100 per cent of the wages and salary of people who take time off from work to donate organs.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

“Self-isolating is the right thing to do, but if doing the right thing means you will be financially penalised then people will be more likely to go to work instead and put the rest of us at risk.

Treasury advised the Government that ‘economic and financial incentives’ were needed to support compliance with stay-home rules, but the Government hasn’t done anything, Mr Bishop says.

“Our scheme is a sensible investment. Lockdowns in Auckland alone cost the New Zealand economy $500 million per week. Avoiding them needs to be our top priority.”

The flip-side of Government support for self-isolators is tougher enforcement of the rules, Mr Bishop says.

“The Government should be making it as easy as possible to self-isolate, but the quid pro quo is that people who break the rules face consequences. This is the fair way to go.”

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines



Gordon Campbell: On Dune 2, And Images Of Islam


Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture tends to be hostile to Islam when we’re sitting in the dark, with popcorn.
Any number of movie examples come to mind, beginning with Rudolf Valentino’s role (over a century ago) as the romantic Arab hero in The Sheik...
More


 
 


Government: One-stop Shop Major Projects On The Fast Track

The Coalition Government’s new one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again... More

ALSO:


Government: GPS 2024: Over $20 Billion To Get Transport Back On Track
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government’s plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely... More

ALSO:

Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.