9. LYNNE PILLAY (Labour—Waitakere) Link to this
to the Minister of Labour
What reports has she received on the number of workplace stoppages since the enactment of the Employment Relations Act 2000?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister of Education) Link to this
The Minister has recently received a departmental report comparing work stoppages under the Labour-led Government’s Employment Relations Act with the number under National’s Employment Contracts Act of the 1990s. It shows that the average rate of work stoppages has dropped by 21 percent under the Employment Relations Act, the average rate of working days lost has reduced by one-third, and wage losses have dropped by almost 50 percent. Those results do not even take into account the fact that there are 362,000 more New Zealanders employed today than there were under the previous National Government.
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
Yes, the Minister has seen two reports. The first states: “Under National, expect quite significant changes. There was nothing wrong with the Employment Contracts Act.” A second quote states: “Broadly speaking we weren’t planning to make major changes … we haven’t argued for some time that we would go … back to the Employment Contracts Act,”. Both of those conflicting statements unfortunately come from the Leader of the Opposition, John Key. Once again, we can see the billboards across the country demonstrating that Mr Key cannot hold one view for very long.
Kate WilkinsonWill the Minister also confirm that Statistics New Zealand has today released results that show that labour productivity growth since 2000 is about half what it was prior to Labour taking office—
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
That’s because low-skilled people have been getting jobs, you silly member!
Madam SPEAKERThose sorts of comments lead to disorder. If the member does it again, he will be asked to leave the Chamber.
Will the Minister also confirm that Statistics New Zealand has also today released results that show that labour productivity growth since 2000 is about half what it was prior to Labour taking office, and now puts us in the bottom quarter of the OECD in this area?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
The member raises an interesting point, because, of course, the very high levels of unemployment in the 1990s did tend to concentrate productivity. There has been a massive increase in the number of people in employment, but most of them have come in through entry points that are low-skilled positions, and, of course, we end up with a lower level of productivity. As Mr Lockwood Smith would know, the challenge for all of us now is not just to get people into employment but to walk them up the training ladder, to walk them up the skills ladder, to walk them up the productivity ladder. That is the challenge before us.