8. SU’A WILLIAM SIO (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Labour
Has he received any reports on alternative approaches to the Government’s Employment Relations Act 2000?
Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Minister of Labour) Link to this
Yes, I have. I have seen a report that under National we could expect quite significant changes and that there was nothing wrong with the Employment Contracts Act. That report was from John Key. I have seen another report in which Kate Wilkinson said that National will not repeal the Employment Relations Act but rather will just tinker around the edges. I have seen a further report in which John Key confirmed that National would not make significant changes, but then in the same interview proceeded to confirm that National’s policy would be the same as the one it promoted in 2005. That leader of the National Party cannot keep to a line from the beginning to the end of an interview.
Hon TREVOR MALLARD Link to this
Kate Wilkinson, in a fit of truth, announced National’s position on KiwiSaver to employers at an employment relations breakfast. She said that National does not support employer contributions to the scheme.
Hon TREVOR MALLARD Link to this
She did; that is exactly what she said. I was there; she was asked the question. Members are saying she did not say that. She was asked a very direct question, and she said the National Party does not support compulsion. That is what she said.
Gerry BrownleeI raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I wonder whether we could get a clarification from the Minister. He has just said he was at that particular forum, and it is a little fascinating to know why nobody was interested in anything he said.
Madam SPEAKERAs we all know, that is not a point of order. I do not want the Minister to respond to what the member has said.
Hon TREVOR MALLARD Link to this
What did we hear yesterday? We heard, apparently, a rapid retreat on the part of the National Party, but it left open two questions. One is whether the National Party would subsidise employers. There was no answer on that.
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. The Minister can take all the time he likes to give any answers he wants, but he cannot propose to this House that he has any ministerial responsibility for National Party policy. The good news is that he will not have any ministerial responsibility for his portfolio shortly.
The member is quite right; there is no ministerial responsibility for other parties’ policies. There is, however, responsibility to address a question where there may well have been reports about that policy within the public media. Would the Minister please conclude.
Rt Hon Winston Peters Link to this
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I am not certain whether the Minister has responsibility, but I do know that we have no chance down here of working out what the answer might be and the appropriateness of it, when there is a cacophony over here—mainly coming from female voices—of people shouting out “Boring!”. It is pretty bad when members think they can keep that up over and over again to the extent that at this end of the House we cannot even hear the answer or the question.
That was an unhelpful comment. It is impossible to hear, and just because some members may not wish to listen to the question or the answer, that does not mean other members in the House do not have a right to do so. However, I hope the Minister has concluded—
Hon TREVOR MALLARD Link to this
The first point, as I indicated, was that the report indicated that the question of whether the National Party would continue employer contributions was not answered, and—
Hon Dr Nick SmithHon TREVOR MALLARD Link to this
I receive reports, and it appears that no one else takes responsibility for National Party policy.
Hon TREVOR MALLARD Link to this
I am happy to table the Minister of Finance’s press statement. I am very, very happy to table the report that I received from the Minister of Finance. The other point—and I am getting to it—is that John Key indicated that the level of the employer contribution would be similar to the level now; that is, 1 percent. That would rip $27 a week off the average worker in 2011.
Hon TREVOR MALLARD Link to this
I have seen a further report that announces a 90-day probationary period. That means an “at will” employment policy would apply in New Zealand. For example, a headhunted executive might obtain a visa, move to New Zealand, shift his or her family here, and then be told to ship out after a couple of weeks. Or an employee, as was pointed out by Peter Brown to that conference yesterday, who is sexually harassed in the workplace and takes a personal grievance could then be dismissed without that employee having any rights of appeal at all. That is the policy promoted by Kate Wilkinson yesterday.