3. NATHAN GUY (National) Link to this
to the Member in charge of the Employment Relations (Probationary Employment) Amendment Bill
How does the Employment Relations (Probationary Employment) Amendment Bill compare to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries’ practice of probationary employment periods?
Dr WAYNE MAPP (Member in charge of the Employment Relations (Probationary Employment) Amendment Bill) Link to this
The bill falls fair and square within the standard practice of the OECD. Every OECD country has a probation period; it is seen as critical to getting people into the workforce. This bill brings New Zealand into conformity with the rest of the OECD, which has far higher productivity than this country does.
Hon Tony RyallUnder Tony Blair it is 12 months. In Australia it is 6 months. Throughout most of Western Europe—which, of course, the Government has a certain fondness for—the time is typically 3 months. Three months is, in fact, a conservative and modest measure. One must ask the question whether Mr Field would last 3 months.
Madam SPEAKERI ask the member to withdraw that last comment. We are trying to comply with the Standing Orders, as I understand it.
Hon Mark GoscheWill the member be taking the advice of his colleague the Hon Maurice Williamson, who said that any decent employer would know whether a worker was up to standard within the first 9 days, and removing the nought from his probationary bill so that a probationary period of 9 days is the standard, as his colleague the Hon Maurice Williamson advised; or will he follow the advice of Bob Clarkson, who said it should really take only a week, and make it a 7-day probationary period instead?
Bob ClarksonI raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I am a little bit concerned. Was that not privileged information?
Was it when submissions were being heard? [ Interruption] Was it part of a submission? [] Well, this is what happens with questions to members.
David BennettI raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. The Hon Mark Gosche said he could not get his caucus to agree to at least a 7-day—
Throughout the developed world there is, in fact, a complete range of probation periods. The country that the Government is most fond of—the United Kingdom—actually has a 12-month probation period. I have taken a very conservative approach of a 3-month probation period because, of course, different jobs have different requirements and different times to measure whether someone is up to the job.
Sue MoroneyI seek leave to table the latest OECD survey, which ranks New Zealand’s economy a commendable fourth out of 155 OECD countries for the ease of employers starting or ending an employment relationship.
Hon Dr Michael Cullen Link to this
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. It seems that your ruling on that last answer was that the member was addressing the question, even though he clearly did not answer it to the satisfaction of the member asking the question.