Scandalous Action On Erb

New Zealand First Industrial Relations Spokesperson, Peter Brown MP, has labelled as “scandalous” the suggestion by the Minister of Labour Margaret Wilson that the Employment Relations Bill is to be debated under urgency. It is understood that the Bill will return to the House on the 1 August 2000 with a view to being enacted within two or three days.

“This legislation is of such far reaching consequence, that to deal with it in this manner flies in the face of all Labour’s protestations when in opposition, as to the wrong of Governments doing their business in this manner.

“I am astounded at the prospect of the Greens supporting such a move and call on their leadership to stand before their previous words of protest about Governments ramming through legislation under urgency and in the dead of the night, said Mr Brown.

“If the Labour Government, with the support of the Alliance and Greens, goes ahead and passes this Bill under urgency then it is no better than National whom they bitterly criticised when the Employment Contracts Act was passed in the same manner back in 1991.

“No Government, which expresses the virtues of democracy, should use such excesses to bully the nation in the manner proposed. This is legislation which will affect every business, every employer, and every employee. To force through an amended version of a new bill in this manner is draconian and denies the public its right to full participation in the democratic process.

“If Margaret Wilson pursues this legislation in this way, she is placing herself and her ideals on the same level as Fiji’s George Speight,” concluded Peter Brown.

ENDS

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