Inner 15–17-year-old news writer not overly keen on earning less than the current minimum wage
Roger Douglas’s bill proposing an end to wage parity for youth employees will soon be under debate in parliament, after being pulled from the ballot last week.
The ACT MP’s members bill, Minimum Wage (Mitigation of Youth Unemployment) Amendment Bill would amend the current Minimum Wage Act 1983 to end minimum wage parity and allow the government to set a separate minimum wage for youth (defined in the Bill as 15–17-year-olds) employees.
Youth rates were abolished after former Green Party MP Sue Bradford’s Minimum Wage (Abolition of Age Discrimination/New Entrants) Amendment Bill was enacted in 2007, following strong support from the Youth Union Movement—part of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions.
The bill has caused some controversy over whether New Zealand should return to the former, pre-2007 minimum wage model.
Young Labour President Patrick Leyland says the bill is not focusing on the right issues.
“What young Kiwis need is a solid plan to grow the economy and more to opportunities to up-skill, not a far-right bill that aims to see young people doing work of the same value, but getting paid less purely because of their age.”
Victoria’s ACT on Campus Vice President Peter “Milkshakes” McCaffrey supports the bill.
“ACT on Campus think that it is disgusting that politicians tell young people that they may not choose to work for less than the minimum wage should they wish to.”
Young National President Daniel Parkinson did not reply to an invitation for comment.