7. DARIEN FENTON (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Labour
What changes helping workers take effect today?
Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Minister of Labour) Link to this
The maximum parental leave payment will increase from $391.28 per week to $407.36 a week from today. The minimum parental leave payment for self-employed people also increases from $112.50 per week to $120.00 per week before tax. Parents already receiving payments will automatically receive a higher payment from today. For the year ended 21 March 2008 over 22,400 Kiwi parents received parental leave payments. Since the scheme was introduced in 2002, more than 130,000 parents have received paid parental leave. I am glad the National Party has promised to abolish it.
Hon TREVOR MALLARD Link to this
I am supporting a raft of changes in the employment relations environment. These include entitlements to flexible working hours, which are available today thanks to Sue Kedgley’s initiative; enhancements to protect casual and temporary workers; amendments to ensure the transferability of public holidays for shift workers; entitlements to meal and rest breaks; and entitlements to facilities and time for infant feeding where that is appropriate and reasonable. I find it quite interesting that the National Party has not figured out how it can support any of those changes. It is sad that it thinks that working people should just be ground into the dirt.
Sue KedgleyHas the Minister seen the comment posted on the New Zealand Herald website today by Kim H from Australia, who writes: “I had the misfortine of working for a couple of companies in NZ that refused to allow flexible working hours (along with a very rigid "do-as-you-are-told" culture and they sucked. Invariably run by fearful, short sighted management, staff moral was low, turnover high with everyone looking on job search sites during the day and a strong culture of blame. Typical NZ company unfortunately.”; and does he agree that that is yet further evidence that the new flexible working right, which comes into effect today as a result of a Green Party member’s bill, is sorely needed in New Zealand?
Hon TREVOR MALLARD Link to this
To the second part of the question, yes. To the first part, I have not seen it. But I have been reading the New Zealand Herald blogs today, and there is a very good one about the man who says “Yes” when he means “No”, “No” when he means “Yes”, “Right” when he means “Wrong”, and “Wrong” when he means “Right”. I recommend that people look at the political blog on the New Zealand Herald website today, because it describes John Key very, very well.